cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 195: Defining the role of PAK7 variants in melanoma

Melanoma mortality is directly linked to its profoundly metastatic nature and inherent resistance to conventional chemotherapy. For this reason, increased understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving melanoma progression is of utmost importance. The p21-activated serine/threonine kinases (PAKs) are frequently mutated or overexpressed in cancer and have recently been implicated in tumor metastasis, proliferation, and apoptotic resistance. This observation has inspired drug discovery efforts to limit PAK activity; yet, mechanistic understanding of how PAKs (especially Type II PAKs) contribute to tumor initiation and progression is still evolving. PAK7, a type II PAK, is mutated in 16-18% of all melanomas. Melanoma-associated PAK7 mutations occur throughout the gene and have unknown biochemical and physiological consequences. The objective of this study was to determine how tumor-associated PAK7 variants mechanistically contribute to melanoma initiation and progression. First, we characterized PAK7 protein expression in a panel of 39 melanoma cell lines and primary melanocyte cultures. PAK7 levels were similar in both tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic cells and failed to correlate with the status of common melanoma driver mutations (e.g. NRAS Q61 , BRAF V600 ). In an array of 101 human tumor biopsies, PAK7 expression did not significantly change with advancing melanoma stage; however, PAK7 levels were higher in regional lymph node biopsies when compared to primary skin lesions. Since mutation is the predominant mechanism affecting PAK7 in melanoma, we investigated the biochemical and physiological consequences of common PAK7 variants. 11 distinct PAK7 mutations were stably expressed at low levels in VMM39 (melanoma) and NCI-H441 (lung) cells. Using these clones, changes in the phosphorylation of downstream PAK7 targets associated with cellular migration (p120), proliferation (CRAF), and apoptotic resistance (BAD, MDM2) were examined. In addition, we defined phenotypic alterations in cellular morphology, proliferation, migration, and apoptotic resistance associated with the expression of each mutant. These data allowed us to classify PAK7 variants of unknown significance into groups associated with specific cellular outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first study to functionally characterize a wide variety of melanoma-associated PAK7 mutations and represents a critical first step in understanding how this kinase contributes to tumor initiation and progression. Citation Format: Kyle M. LaPak, Michael A. Gross, Denny C. Vroom, Greg B. Lesinski, William E. Carson. Defining the role of PAK7 variants in melanoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 195.
The Kaskaskia Sequence: Middle Devonian—Upper Mississippian

Post-Tippecanoe emergence and concomitant erosion erased much of the older stratigraphic record on the craton, especially in the area of the Transcontinental Arch. Thus, earliest returning Kaskaskian seas spread over a deeply eroded topography and resulted in the deposition of carbonate strata in basinal areas while uplifts were still emergent. By the end of the Onesquethaw, however, much of the eastern half of the craton was submerged; the western half remained a land area until finally being flooded by a major eustatic sea-level rise during the Taghanic Age. During the Late Devonian, the rate of detrital-sediment influx from adjacent orogens increased along the eastern, northern, and western margins of the craton. At the same time, much of the eastern half of the craton experienced the deposition of an extensive sheet of black, pyritic shale. On the western half of the craton, shallow-marine carbonates and mature quartz arenites continued to accumulate. Sea level fell at the end of the Devonian, resulting in an unconformity over much of the craton. Returning seas of the Mississippian Period left widespread carbonate deposits over much of the craton except along the northeastern craton, where detrital sediments from marginal orogens fed a large coastal-plain which repeatedly advanced into and retreated from the epeiric sea, producing repetitive strata. Cratonic stratigraphy of the Kaskaskian Sequence is complicated by a number of basins and uplifts which were active, but not in concert with each other, at the same time that true, eustatic sea-level changes were occurring (Fig. 6–1).
Common Drug Interactions Encountered in Treating Transplant-Related Infection

This chapter provides an update on key drug interactions encountered in transplant recipients, especially those who develop infections requiring antimicrobial therapy. With a particular focus on potential toxicity and decreased clinical efficacy, concise information is provided in easy-to-read tables to help readers to quickly research questions. Updates are provided on existing classes of therapy. In addition, key data are presented for newly available antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents, as well as new immunosuppressants.
Subjective Sleep Measures in Children: Self-Report.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recently published a consensus statement on the recommended number of hours of sleep in infants and children. The AASM expert panel identified seven health categories in children influenced by sleep duration, a component of sleep quality. For optimal health and general function, children require a certain number of hours of sleep each night. Limited data exists to subjectively assess sleep in this population. Practitioners must evaluate overall sleep quality not simply sleep duration. The purpose of this article is to provide a mini review of the self-report sleep measures used in children. The authors individually completed a review of the literature for this article via an independent review followed by collaborative discussion. The subjective measures included in this mini review have been used in children but not all measures have reported psychometrics. Several tools included in this mini review measure subjective sleep in children but with limited reliabilities or only preliminary psychometrics. Accurate measurement of self-reported sleep in children is critical to identify sleep problems in this population and further detect associated health problems. Ongoing studies are warranted to establish reliable and valid measures of self-reported sleep in children to accurately detect health problems associated with poor sleep quality. This mini review of the literature is an important first step to identify the most reliable subjective sleep measures in children.
Stability Analysis of A.C. and D.C. Microgrids Using OPAL-Real Time Digital Simulator

In recent years the significant improvementin micro grid technology has led to the utilization of thelocal distributed sources. The microgrids also have agreater role in the minimization of transmission losses. During power blackouts they serve as a main source ofpower for few emergency loads. It is common that usuallythe AC grids are preferred over DC grids to transmitpower over long distances in spite of various issuesassociated with AC grids such as frequency dip, voltagedrop due to reactance, charging currents, leakagecurrents, low power factor problems, skin effect andFerranti effect. One of the major reasons for suchpreference is that voltage can be easily stepped up orstepped down using transformers. Whereas in a DC gridsystem voltage conversion accounts for switching lossesand equipment costs. But at the micro grid level the supplyvoltages are low, and most of them are DC sources. Theenormous growth in the power semiconductor technologymakes it possible to convert voltages in DC with low costand reduced power losses. The AC and DC microgridmodels were developed in MATLAB/SIMULINKenvironment. The stability and transient analysis areperformed during faults and sudden load variations onboth the AC and DC microgrids in real time using OPALRTreal time digital simulator. The effects of stability on aweak grid scenario have been analyzed for both AC andDC microgrids.
Cyber-physical vulnerabilities in additive manufacturing systems: A case study attack on the .STL file with human subjects

Abstract One of the key advantages of additive manufacturing (AM) is its digital thread, which allows for rapid communication, iteration, and sharing of a design model and its corresponding physical representation. While this enables a more efficient design process, it also presents opportunities for cyber-attacks to impact the physical word. In this paper the authors examine potential attack vectors along the Additive Manufacturing process chain. Specifically, the effects of cyber-physical attacks, and potential means for detecting them, are explored. To explore the potential implications of such an attack, a case study was conducted to evaluate the ability of human subjects to detect and diagnose a cyber-physical attack on the STL file of a test specimen. Based on the results of this study, recommendations are presented for preventing and detecting cyber-physical attacks on AM processes.
A provable nonconvex model for factoring nonnegative matrices

We study the Nonnegative Matrix Factorization problem which approximates a nonnegative matrix by a low-rank factorization. This problem is particularly important in Machine Learning, and finds itself in a large number of applications. Unfortunately, the original formulation is ill-posed and NP-hard. In this paper, we propose a row sparse model based on Row Entropy Minimization to solve the NMF problem under separable assumption which states that each data point is a convex combination of a few distinct data columns. We utilize the concentration of the entropy function and the l ∞ norm to concentrate the energy on the least number of latent variables. We prove that under the separability assumption, our proposed model robustly recovers data columns that generate the dataset, even when the data is corrupted by noise. We empirically justify the robustness of the proposed model and show that it is significantly more robust than the state-of-the-art separable NMF algorithms.
New Interpretation of the 3-D Configuration of Lateral Line Scales and the Lateral Line Canal Contained within Them

The lateral line scales are important features of bony fishes, but the three-dimensional configuration of the scales and the lateral line canal segments contained within them have been illustrated inaccurately in the literature. The lateral line scales of ten percomorph species (in Embiotocidae, Pomacentridae, and Pleuronectiformes [Bothidae, Pleuronectidae]) were studied histologically and in cleared and stained material. Canal diameter and the degree of overlap between adjacent lateral line scales appears to vary among species, but the lateral line scales are consistently oriented at a shallow angle, the cylindrical canal segments form a continuous canal that runs roughly parallel to the skin surface, one neuromast is typically found in the floor of each canal segment, and canal pores (when present) are perforations of the epithelium between adjacent lateral line scales. A new figure illustrates this anatomical configuration, which is in stark contrast to that portrayed in textbooks and in the primary l...
The current status of women in psychiatry in Europe

For more than two decades, psychiatry has retained its position amongst the medical specialties with the highest proportion of women entering residency programs. The percentage of women in junior academic positions in psychiatry is also high and consistently higher than that of men. However, the number of women in positions of leadership remains disproportionally low at around 5% with no evidence of improvement over time. The phenomenon of female under-representation is not unique to psychiatry or academia. Women are under-represented in all fields of leadership and this is a matter of wider societal concern. In this presentation, I will discuss external and internal barriers that women face and detail positive actions that can help women succeed in their careers.
Mapping serum antibody repertoires using peptide libraries

Antibodies in blood provide a rich source of immunological information. Antibody repertoire analysis seeks to decode this information to empower the development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. To this end, various approaches have been developed to determine epitopes using peptide libraries. Approaches have used random or proteome-derived peptide libraries in a microarray or surface display format. For methods using random libraries, motif discovery software has been developed to identify common binding signatures. The analysis of thousands of samples and dozens of diseases has shown that there are often disease-specific epitopes, even though individual antibody repertoires are unique. The recent developments in antibody repertoire analysis hold the potential to enable comprehensive immune evaluations.
Tempering effect on the fusion boundary region of alloy 625 weld overlay on 8630 steel

The NACE standard MR0175 requires that the HAZ hardness of AISI 8630 steel overlaid with Ni-base Alloy 625 cannot exceed 250 VHN, requiring a postweld heat treatment (PWHT) to decrease the as-welded HAZ hardness. However, PWHT results in the diffusion of carbon from the steel into the overlay and may lead to interface embrittlement. To understand the effect of PWHT on the microstructure and hardness of the regions near fusion boundary, a wide range of PWHT conditions were investigated. The regions of interest include the coarse-grain HAZ (CGHAZ), the partially-mixed zone, the “swirl” structure, the planar growth zone (PGZ), and the Alloy 625 weld metal. The microstructure and hardness were evaluated using optical metallography, SEM, Vickers hardness testing, and nanoindentation. With an increase of the Hollomon-Jaffe parameter (HJP), the CGHAZ hardness decreases, the PGZ hardness increases, and the weld metal hardness also increases but at a much lower rate. At HJP > 19,300, carbide precipitation was observed in the PGZ. Following PWHT, the partially-mixed zone was found to contain fresh martensite since the PWHT temperature was above the A3 temperature of this region. Reducing the cooling rate from the PWHT temperature did not eliminate the untempered martensite in this region. Finally, the behavior of the 8630/625 overlay is compared and contrasted to the F22/625 overlay behavior which was reported previously. This work builds a foundation for future studies on hydrogen-assisted cracking and sulfide stress cracking in Alloy 625 overlay on steels used in the oil and gas industry.
Sequential Contribution of Parenchymal and Neural Stem Cell-Derived Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells toward Remyelination

In the adult mammalian forebrain, oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), also known as NG2 glia are distributed ubiquitously throughout the gray and white matter. They remain proliferative and continuously generate myelinating oligodendrocytes throughout life. In response to a demyelinating insult, OPCs proliferate rapidly and differentiate into oligodendrocytes which contribute to myelin repair. In addition to OPCs, neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subventricular zone (SVZ) also contribute to remyelinating oligodendrocytes, particularly in demyelinated lesions in the vicinity of the SVZ, such as the corpus callosum. To determine the relative contribution of local OPCs and NSC-derived cells toward myelin repair, we performed genetic fate mapping of OPCs and NSCs and compared their ability to generate oligodendrocytes after acute demyelination in the corpus callosum created by local injection of α-lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). We have found that local OPCs responded rapidly to acute demyelination, expanded in the lesion within seven days, and produced oligodendrocytes by two weeks after lesioning. By contrast, NSC-derived NG2 cells did not significantly increase in the lesion until four weeks after demyelination and generated fewer oligodendrocytes than parenchymal OPCs. These observations suggest that local OPCs could function as the primary responders to repair acutely demyelinated lesion, and that NSCs in the SVZ contribute to repopulating OPCs following their depletion due to oligodendrocyte differentiation.
Resolving alcohol problems using an online self-help approach: moderation management.

As illustrated by the emergent MM approach discussed in this article, a paradigm shift is occurring in relation to how alcohol problems are defined and managed. Moreover, one of the most interesting aspects of this transformation is the way in which similar belief systems are simultaneously emerging from divergent lay and professional groups. In spite of this flurry of activity and optimism, however, nurses should not embrace new frameworks and treatment strategies. Rather, the charge to our discipline and others is to think critically, research the effectiveness of newly proposed treatment approaches, and recommend and implement promising strategies with discernment. Language: en
Overview of Management for the Clinician: What’s Important and What’s Not

The cornerstone of managing Wilson’s disease is anticopper therapy, since copper accumulation and toxicity is the cause of the disease. For that reason, we spent all of Chapter 4 reviewing in some detail the characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of the anticopper drugs. These areas will be further elaborated on in Chapters 6–9 where treatment of specific kinds of patients is dealt with in detail. However, there are important general guidelines and factors to consider when choosing and using anticopper drugs, which physicians need to know about before they initiate treatment. I have kept the section on anticopper drugs in this chapter brief, so it will provide this overview purpose.
Understanding formative instruction by design

Formative instruction has proven to be a remarkably difficult practice to implement in schools. This paper explores teachers' thinking in their uses of a new data analysis tool to enact evidence-based instructional practices, describing possible relationships between teachers' existing beliefs, expertise, and routines and their construction of new practices. We show how current theories of assessment do not account for important aspects of formative instruction in practice.
Assembly of 229E Virions in Human Embryonic Lung Fibroblasts and Effects of Inhibition of Glycosylation and Glycoprotein Transport on this Process

Assembly of virions in 229E infected cells were studied along with the effect(s) of an inhibitor of glycosylation (tunicamycin) and an inhibitor of glycoprotein transport (monensin) on this process. The results of these studies are summarized herein.
Metabolism of Arachidonic Acid in Acetic Acid Colitis in Rats: Similarity to Human Inflammatory Bowel Disease

We recently reported that human inflammatory bowel disease mucosa contains large amounts of leukotriene B4, a potent chemotactic agent formed from arachidonic acid through the lipoxygenase pathway. To more fully evaluate the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in the mediation of intestinal inflammation, we studied arachidonate metabolism in an animal model; acetic acid colitis in the rat. Incubation of acetic acid colitis mucosa with arachidonic acid resulted in the production of leukotriene B4 and a series of monohydroxy fatty acids, all products of the lipoxygenase pathway, plus much smaller amounts of cyclooxygenase products including prostaglandin E2. All of these metabolities were made in significantly greater quantities by mucosa from acetic acid-treated rats than by controls. The pattern of arachidonate metabolism in acetic acid colitis was strikingly similar to that in human inflammatory bowel disease. Moreover, the concentration of leukotriene B4 in acetic acid-treated mucosa was almost identical to that in human inflammatory bowel disease mucosa and was 50 times greater than that in normal rat colonic mucosa. These data indicate that lipoxygenase products, including leukotriene B4, may be important mediators of intestinal inflammation in a wide variety of inflnmmntnrv cnnditions. Moreover, the similarities in the metabolism of arachidonate by human inflammatory bowel disease and by acetic acid colitis may allow the use of this model, and perhaps other animal models of intestinal inflammation, in the screening of potential therapeutic agents for inflammatory bowel disease.
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Inorganic Phosphate and Adenosine-5’-Triphosphate in the North Pacific Ocean

Temporal variability in dissolved inorganic, organic phosphate (Pi, DOP) and particulate phosphorus (PPO4) concentrations, and microbial utilization of Pi and dissolved adenosine-5’-triphosphate (DATP) was studied at Station ALOHA (22.75˚N, 158˚W) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) over a multi-year period. Spatial variability of the same properties was investigated along two transects, to and from Hawaii, that traversed the NPSG boundaries to the east (2014) and north (2016). Radiotracer techniques were employed to measure the turnover time of Pi and DATP pools to calculate Pi uptake rates and the Pi hydrolysis rates of DATP. Pi concentrations were more variable, both in time and space, than DOP, ranging two orders of magnitude compared to a factor of two for DOP. The DATP pool, while constituting on average 0.2 µm size class dominating the DATP uptake. Our results indicate that during Pi limiting conditions, regenerated P is rapidly consumed, and that Pi limitation occurs locally and transiently but does not appear to be the predominant condition in the upper water column of the NPSG.
Does Extended PET Acquisition in PET/MRI Rectal Cancer Staging Improve Results?

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine if extended PET acquisition times in the pelvis during PET/MRI increase detection rates of potentially metastatic lymph nodes in patients with ...
Putting psychology before metaphysics in moral responsibility: Reactive attitudes and a “gut feeling” that can trigger and justify them

ABSTRACTIn “Freedom and Resentment,” P.F. Strawson argues that since the reactive attitudes are psychologically unavoidable, they do not stand in need of justification from philosophical theorizing...
Phase field modeling of domain dynamics and polarization accumulation in ferroelectric HZO

In this work, we investigate the accumulative polarization (P) switching characteristics in ferroelectric (FE) thin films under the influence of sequential sub-coercive electric-field pulses. Performing the dynamic phase-field simulation (based on time-dependent Landau-Ginzburg model) and experimental measurement on Hf0.4Zr0.6O2 (HZO), we analyze the electric field induced domain-wall (DW) motion and the resultant P accumulation process in FE. According to our analysis, even in the absence of an applied electric field, the DW can potentially undergo spontaneous motion. Such a DW instability leads to spontaneous P-excitation and relaxation processes, which play a pivotal role in accumulative P-switching in an FE grain. We show that the extent of such P accumulation increases with the increase in the applied electric field, increase in excitation time and decrease in relaxation time. Finally, by considering an ensemble of grains with local and global coercive field distributions, we model the P-accumulation process in a large area HZO sample. In such a multi-grain scenario, the dependency of P accumulation on the applied electric field pulse attributes follows similar features as that of a single-grain, although the spontaneous processes (excitation/relaxation) are less prominent in large area sample.
Noninvasive Localization of Language Cortex in an Awake 4-Year-Old Child with Rasmussen Encephalitis: A Case Report.

Background and importance Presurgical mapping of eloquent cortex in young patients undergoing neurosurgery is critical for timely intervention, surgical planning, and minimizing postoperative deficits. However, invasive direct cortical stimulation has limited success in young children and noninvasive modalities, such as magnetoencephalography and functional MRI, require sedation, often precluding localization of critical language cortices. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, is well suited to evaluate language areas in young children because it does not require the patient to remain still during mapping. Clinical presentation A 4-yr and 11-mo-old female patient diagnosed with epilepsia partialis continua of the right arm and face and right-sided weakness was evaluated at our institution. MRI findings and clinical examination led to the diagnosis of Rasmussen encephalitis involving left frontal lobe and insula. Language cortices were successfully identified in both hemispheres using TMS. The TMS findings aided in discussing with the family the risks of postsurgical deficits of left functional hemispherectomy, the definitive treatment for Rasmussen encephalitis. Postoperatively, the patient had intact speech and was seizure free. Conclusion We illustrate the feasibility and utility of TMS as a noninvasive functional mapping tool in this young child. The preoperative demonstration of bilateral language organization indicated a greater likelihood of preserved language functions postsurgery. We demonstrate that TMS is a safe and noninvasive tool to map language cortices in young children with serious epilepsy syndromes.
Impact of Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion on Short-Term Outcomes in Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion on short-term outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing isolated coronary ...
Yule–Simpson’s paradox: the probabilistic versus the empirical conundrum

The current literature views Simpson’s paradox as a probabilistic conundrum by taking the premises (probabilities/parameters/ frequencies) as known. In such a context, it is shown that the paradox arises within a very small subset of the relevant parameter space, rendering the paradox unlikely to occur in real data. The problem, however, is that the probabilistic perspective, ignores certain crucial empirical (data, statistical) issues raised by the original Pearson and Yule papers on ‘spurious’ association reversals. Placing the paradox in a broader empirical framework that begins with the raw data $${\mathbf {z}}_{0}$$ and an appropriately selected statistical model $${\mathcal {M}}_{{\varvec{{\theta }}}}({\mathbf {x}})$$ , the discussion elucidates the original Yule–Pearson conundrum by formalizing its notion of ‘spurious or fictitious associations’ into ‘statistically untrustworthy associations’ stemming from a misspecified $${\mathcal {M}}_{{\varvec{{\theta }}}}( {\mathbf {x}})$$ ; invalid probabilistic assumptions imposed on $${\mathbf {z}}_{0}$$ . It is shown that several empirical examples used to illustrate Simpson’s paradox in the current literature constitute examples of the Yule–Pearson untrustworthy association reversals. The empirical perspective is used to revisit the causal explanation of the paradox and make a case that several widely accepted causal claims are questionable on statistical adequacy grounds. It is also used to propose a procedure to detect and account for the ‘third entity’ in the paradox, as well as (reliably) select among different potential causal explanations, such as collider, mediator or confounder, on empirical grounds.
Viscoelastic Waves and Rays in Layered Media

This second edition extends the rigorous, self-contained exposition of the theory for viscoelastic wave propagation in layered media to include head waves and general ray theory. The theory, not published elsewhere, provides solutions for fundamental wave-propagation and ray-theory problems valid for any media with a linear response, elastic or anelastic. It explains measurable variations in wave speed, particle motion, and attenuation of body waves, surface waves, and head waves induced at anelastic material boundaries that do not occur for elastic waves. This book may be used as a textbook for advanced university courses and as a research reference in seismology, exploration geophysics, engineering, solid mechanics, and acoustics. It provides computation steps for ray-tracing computer algorithms to develop a variety of tomography inferred anelastic models, such as those for the Earth's deep interior and petroleum reserves. Numerical results and problem sets emphasize important aspects of the theory for each chapter.
Herpes-zoster associated urinary retention in a 57-year-old immunocompromised male.

Abstract Herpes zoster-associated urinary retention is a rare but acknowledged phenomenon. It is usually a bladder areflexia resulting from a viral infection in the sacral dermatomes. We describe a 57-year-old immunosuppressed male patient with delayed urinary retention, following an outbreak of shingles in the setting of supratherapeutic immunosuppressive medications and poorly-controlled diabetes mellitus. The patient received a foley catheter, failed a trial of void in the acute treatment setting, completed zoster treatment with antivirals and corticosteroids, and fully recovered bladder function 6 weeks later.
Incident mobility disability, parkinsonism, and mortality in community-dwelling older adults.

Background Mobility disability and parkinsonism are associated with decreased survival in older adults. This study examined the transition from no motor impairment to mobility disability and parkinsonism and their associations with death. Methods 867 community-dwelling older adults without mobility disability or parkinsonism at baseline were examined annually. Mobility disability was based on annual measured gait speed. Parkinsonism was based on the annual assessment of 26 items from the motor portion of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. A multistate Cox model simultaneously examined the incidences of mobility disability and parkinsonism and their associations with death. Results Average age at baseline was 75 years old and 318 (37%) died during 10 years of follow-up. Mobility disability was almost 2-fold more common than parkinsonism. Some participants developed mobility disability alone (42%), or parkinsonism alone (5%), while many developed both (41%). Individuals with mobility disability or parkinsonism alone had an increased risk of death, but their risk was less than the risk in individuals with both impairments. The risk of death did not depend on the order in which impairments occurred. Conclusion The varied patterns of transitions from no motor impairment to motor impairment highlights the heterogeneity of late-life motor impairment and its contribution to survival. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying biology of these different transitions and how they might impact survival.
How do Behavioral Approaches to Increase Savings Compare? Evidence from Multiple Interventions in the U.S. Army

Information provision, choice simplification, social messaging, active-choice frameworks, and automatic enrollment all increase retirement savings. However, gauging the relative efficacy of these approaches is challenging because the supporting evidence derives from diverse populations over a long period. In this study, we leverage experimental and quasi-experimental variation in a constant setting, the U.S. military, to examine the effects of nearly two dozen experiments for four leading policy options (i.e., information emails, action steps, target contribution rates, active choice, and automatic enrollment) designed to increase retirement savings. Consistent with the previous literature, we find sizable effects on participation and cumulative contributions that increase with the intensity of the intervention. We then exploit cost data to complete the first cost-effectiveness analysis in the literature. Our analysis suggests that active choice programs are the most cost-effective method to generate new program participation and contributions for small, medium, and large firms, while automatic enrollment is more cost-effective for very large firms.
Radiation Reduction Strategies in Pediatric Orthopaedics.

Introduction Pediatric orthopaedic patients have the potential for significant radiation exposure from the use of imaging studies, such as computed tomography and bone scintigraphy. With the potential for long-term treatment, such as is required for scoliosis or osteogenesis imperfecta, patients are at even greater risk of radiation-induced carcinogenesis. Discussion Although an association between radiation and cancer risk is evident, causation is difficult to prove because comorbidities or genetic predispositions may play a role in the higher baseline rates of malignancy later in life. Efforts have been made over the years to reduce exposure using more modern imaging techniques and simple radiation reduction strategies. Educational efforts and clinical practice guidelines are decreasing the rate of computed tomography scan use in pediatrics. Although considerable work is being done on the development of radiation-free imaging modalities, imaging that uses ionizing radiation will, in the near term, be necessary in specific circumstances to provide optimal care to pediatric orthopaedic patients. Conclusion Knowledge of the ionizing radiation exposure associated with commonly used tests as well as radiation-reduction strategies is essential for the optimal and safe care of pediatric orthopaedic patients.
Pervasiveness of speech-language disorders and fatigue in stroke: A systematic scoping review.

Abstract Background After a stroke, it is highly likely that an individual will experience substantial fatigue that can significantly affect recovery and function; stroke survivors also have more than a 50% chance of having at least one speech-language disorder. Current reviews of post-stroke fatigue have not provided evidence focused on speech-language disorders or the potential influence they may have on post-stroke fatigue and related recovery. Objectives The aim of this review was to determine how speech-language disorders are represented in post-stroke fatigue research and to catalogue methods used to identify speech-language disorders and measure fatigue. Methods A systematic scoping review was conducted to identify studies measuring post-stroke fatigue. To identify these studies, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using relevant databases and grey literature sources, followed by several stages of review that adhered to PRISMA guidelines. We evaluated these studies using pre-established eligibility criteria and extracted data regarding the inclusion/exclusion of persons with speech-language disorders and the assessment methods used. Results The scoping review analysis was conducted on 161 studies. Of these, 41 (26%) excluded all speech-language disorders, 71 (44%) excluded severe speech-language disorders, and 49 (30%) included participants with speech-language disorders. Of the 120 studies that did not explicitly exclude all speech-language disorders, only 34 were confirmed to report data from at least one person with a speech-language disorder. Further, only 5 studies reported data that could be used to determine a relationship between speech-language disorders and fatigue. Conclusions Persons with speech-language disorders are underrepresented in post-stroke fatigue research and very few studies have examined the relationship between post-stroke fatigue and speech-language disorders, limiting conclusions that can be drawn. This is problematic because medical professionals relying on this evidence to guide clinical practice are likely to be treating individuals with co-occurring fatigue and speech-language disorders and the current research does not provide enough information about the potential impact of fatigue on speech-language disorders or vice versa. To bridge this gap, we suggest methods of assessment that could provide ways to more accurately 1) reflect the real population in post-stroke fatigue studies, and 2) measure and document fatigue in post-stroke speech-language disorder studies. We also propose the Filter-Funnel Model of Post-Stroke Fatigue, which considers the role of speech-language disorders and communicative demands in the context of post-stroke fatigue.
Achievement and Satisfaction in Blended Learning versus Traditional General Health Course Designs

Blended learning is a hybrid of classroom and on-line learning that includes some of the conveniences of on-line courses without the complete loss of face-to-face tact. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate student achievement and satisfaction with blended learning course delivery compared to a traditional face-to-face class format in a general health course. Method: Surveys were distributed to randomly selected classes during the fall 2007 semester: three blended and one traditional sections participated (n=251). Results: Total satisfaction scores between blended (54.986) and traditional (49.788) classes were significantly different (p< 0.01). Achievement by students of blended and traditional sections brought mixed findings, yet blended students’ overall grades were significantly higher (p=0.048). Conclusion: Results indicated that a blended course delivery is preferred over a traditional lecture format, and promising data emerged to challenge teachers’ traditional approach to teaching general health courses at the university level.
Self‐ and Informant Report of Financial Abilities in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Reliable and Valid?

Objectives: To evaluate the consistency, stability, and accuracy of reports by patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their caregivers regarding the patients' premorbid and current financial abilities. Design: Consistency of reports was assessed within patient/caregiver dyads and within control/control informant dyads. Stability of reports over a 1-month interval was assessed for each group: patients with AD, caregivers, controls, and control informants. Accuracy of each group's reports was evaluated in reference to patients' and controls' performance on a direct psychometric measure of financial capacity. Setting: University medical center. Participants: Twenty patients with AD and 20 family caregivers; 23 controls and 23 family informants. Measurements: The Prior Financial Capacity Form (PFCF) and the Current Financial Capacity Form (CFCF) were used. Parallel versions assessed self-report (patients, controls) and informant report (caregivers, control informants) at two visits 1 month apart. Patients with AD and controls were also administered the Financial Capacity Instrument (FCI), a direct assessment of the same abilities reported on the PFCF and CFCF. Results: Patients with AD reported that they had more-intact current abilities than their caregivers reported. Patients with AD and their caregivers showed lower levels of stability over time on the PFCF and CFCF than did controls and their informants. Half of the patients with AD overestimated their current abilities relative to their FCI performance, whereas caregivers demonstrated both underestimation and overestimation errors. Controls and informants evidenced high levels of consistency, stability, and accuracy in PFCF and CFCF ratings. Conclusion: Patients with AD overestimate their financial abilities in comparison with the reports of their family caregivers. Both patients and caregivers' reports of patients' financial abilities showed limited stability and validity. The reliability and accuracy of self- and informant reports of financial abilities may be compromised in the context of dementia and caregiving, underscoring the need for direct assessment methods to augment self- and informant report in assessing functional decline in dementia.
Adoption and Implementation of Evidence-Based Treatment

Publisher Summary Organizational functioning is a key ingredient in the successful implementation of evidence based practices (EBPs) and EBTs. Tools are available to assess the organization and begin to remedy identifiable weaknesses that may inhibit the process of innovation adoption. Similar to what occurs with treatment patients, organizations have varying levels of functioning and they manifest strengths and weaknesses that influence their ability to change. Technology transfer, which is often thought to mostly entail clinical practice, involves much more, and when moving research-tested therapies into practice an organization must be ready for and embrace change. Resistance to change at the patient level also is all too common; however, resistance at the organizational level is a likely occurrence that can be addressed through interventions, a process not unlike that which is used with patients.
Angiotensin-I-converting enzyme-inhibitory peptides in commercial Wisconsin Cheddar cheeses of different ages

Bioactive peptides, including angiotensin-I-converting enzyme-inhibitory (ACEI) peptides, were investigated in commercially produced Wisconsin Cheddar cheeses that ranged in age from ≤ 6d to more than 2 yr. The ACEI activity of cheese was determined in water-soluble extracts (WSE) that were fractionated for components with molecular weight (MW) ≤ 3,000 Da, and peptides identified using HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry. The number of types of bioactive peptides increased with an increase in ripening time. Six of the identified ACEI peptides, Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP), Val-Pro-Pro (VPP), Glu-Lys-Asp-Glu-Arg-Phe (EKDERF), Val-Arg-Tyr-Leu (VRYL), Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro-Ile-Pro-Asn (YPFPGPIPN), and Phe-Phe-Val-Ala-Pro (FFVAP), with known high ACEI activity (low IC50 values, the concentration needed to inhibit ACE to 50% of its original activity) were synthesized and used to quantify the amounts of these peptides in various cheese extracts. The concentrations of these 6 ACEI peptides increased up to a certain stage of ripening. The maximum contents of IPP, VPP, and EKDERF were 2.8, 7.4, and 5.3mg/100 g of cheese, respectively, and these levels were found in a 1-yr-old Cheddar cheese sample. The maximum content of VRYL (7.5mg/100 g of cheese) was found in a 2-yr-old Cheddar cheese sample, whereas the maximum content of YPFPGPIPN (6.8 mg/100 g of cheese) was found in a 6-mo-old Cheddar cheese sample. Trace amounts of FFVAP were found in these cheeses. Aged Cheddar cheese was found to be a rich source of ACEI peptides even though large differences exist between cheeses from different manufacturers.
Social Media & Intercultural Competence

One would expect that travel and exposure would make a person more open to other cultures. We [study abroad students] often think we’re much more open to new cultural experiences. Hence why we went abroad in the first place, right? When I first arrived in London I thought I was relatively open. I knew there were cultural differences out there and accepted that they exist and that we could coexist.
Policing the Ball: A New Potassium Channel Subunit Determines Inactivation Rate

Inactivation of potassium currents during maintained firing results in a progressive increase in action potential width and neuronal excitability. In Kv1.1 channels, inactivation has attributed to a β subunit that blocks the pore of the channel shortly after channel opening. In this issue of Neuron, Shulte and colleagues have identified a novel channel subunit whose interaction with Kv1.1 and the β subunit prevents such inactivation. Mutations in this subunit lead to temporal lobe epilepsy.
SU‐GG‐I‐08: Optimize Pediatric Abdominal CT Protocols Based on Circumferences

Purpose: There is an increasing demand on lowering the radiation dose in pediatric CT to reduce the long‐term cancer risks. In this study, pediatric CT protocols are optimized based on “equivalent abdominal circumference (EAC)” by varying both kVp and effective mAs (mA*exposure_time/pitch). Methods and Materials: All measurements were taken using a 16‐row CT scanner. To mimic the shape of the pediatric abdomen, a saline bag was placed on each side of 10cm and 16cm‐diameter, circular cylindrical phantoms. Dose was measured using a 100 mm pencil probe ion chamber.Noise was measured by recording the standard deviation near the center of selected images while kVp, mAs and phantom diameter were varied in turn. Dose was collected at four available kVp settings. At each kVp, measurements were taken at five different mAs. For CNR measurement, iodine contrast was diluted to match clinically relevant CT number of ∼300 HU and this diluted contrast was injected into the center holes of the CTDI phantoms. Distilled water was also injected to one of the peripheral holes as reference. The contrast was measured based on the difference of CT number between iodine and water. Results: Optimal scan techniques are selected for each EAC range based on the clinical noise tolerance < 20HU and CTDIvol < 2.5cGy. For the smallest patient (< 30 cm EAC), scan technique of 80kVp and <100 mAs can be used; for 50 cm EAC, 100 kVp and <60 mAs. The signal‐to‐noise ratio measurement indicated lower kVp can effectively enhance the iodine contrast and increase CNR under the same dose with higher kVp. Conclusions: For pediatric CT, the most effective way to strike the balance between image quality and radiation dose is to adjust dose according to patient abdominal circumference. The EAC‐based technique optimization curve can be used to optimize kVp and mAs.
Social characteristics of adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy: A comparison to chronically ill and nonchronically ill peers

Studies examining the effects of chronic illness on adjustment in adolescents have yielded conflicting results. However, based on data from children, adolescents with epilepsy appear to be at risk for psychosocial problems. This study specifically examined adolescents with idiopathic (uncomplicated) epilepsy who may be classified on the mild end of the severity spectrum. Three groups aged 13–19 (34 with idiopathic epilepsy, 32 with other chronic illnesses, and 50 without chronic illnesses) were compared in school and social characteristics. The adolescents with epilepsy were similar to the comparison groups in most dimensions of social functioning. However, they were more likely to report attending classes for learning disabilities (p
INDUCTION OF PROSTATE APOPTOSIS BY DOXAZOSIN IN BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA

AbstractPurpose: The molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of the alpha 1 blocker, doxazosin, on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are poorly understood. We evaluated the effect of doxazosin on cell proliferation and apoptosis in the prostatic glandular epithelium and stroma of patients with BPH.Materials and Methods: We examined proliferative and apoptotic activities in prostate specimens of 22 men a mean of 65 years old with BPH before and after doxazosin treatment within the normal therapeutic range. Proliferative and apoptotic indexes were determined using Ki-67 nuclear antigen staining and the terminal transferase end labeling assay, respectively. The smooth muscle cell content in prostatic specimens was identified by smooth muscle alpha-actin, and desmin immunoreactivity and apoptotic indexes were correlated with prostatic stromal tissue regression and improvement in BPH symptoms.Results: In response to doxazosin treatment there were no significant changes in the kinetics of cell p...
Promoting constructive mindsets for overcoming failure in computer science education

Encountering failure while cultivating computational literacy is inevitable, as debugging is a normal and necessary part of any programmer's workflow. Unfortunately, internalization of this failure is one discouraging factor in many students' choice not to pursue computer science. In this proposal, I outline my dissertation research on constructive mindsets for overcoming failure in introductory programming contexts. This work is motivated by an overarching interest in broadening participation in computing -- and, in particular, attracting and retaining more female computer science students. My doctoral research examines the differences in how technical students and non-technical students approach learning to code, with the goal of generating best practices for other educators.