cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract #LB-219: K01109, a potent, novel selective FLT-3 inhibitor for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia

One of the intracellular signaling tyrosine kinase receptor, FLT3 (fms-related tyrosine kinase 3/Flk2/Stk-2), is recognized as an important factor in leukemogenesis and is responsible for chemosensitivity in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Approximately 30% of AML patients harbor an activating internal tandem duplication (ITD) of the FLT3 receptor, are associated with poor prognosis, suggesting that it may be a target for kinase inhibitor therapy. For this purpose, we used molecular and cellular level kinase panel assay system for fast screening the anti-tumor activities of BEL-K series drugs which constructed by rationale/computer-assisted drug design and virtual screening approaches. We have developed K01109, a potent antagonist that inhibits FLT3, c-Kit and VEGFR-2. In 32D cells expressing different FLT3-ITD mutants, K01109 inhibited IL-3-independent cell growth and FLT3-ITD autophosphorylation. In human FLT3-ITD-positive AML cell lines, K01109 inhibited FLT3-ITD phosphorylation, cellular proliferation, and signaling through the STAT-5, and ERKs Pathways. Therapeutic efficacy of K01109 was demonstrated both in a nude mouse model and in a murine bone marrow transplant model of FLT3-ITD-induced disease. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr LB-219.
Wide Bandgap Technologies and Their Implications on Miniaturizing Power Electronic Systems

The current state of wide bandgap device technology is reviewed and its impact on power electronic system miniaturization for a wide variety of voltage levels is described. A synopsis of recent complementary technological developments in passives, integrated driver, and protection circuitry and electronic packaging are described, followed by an outline of the applications that stand to be impacted. A glimpse into the future based on the current technological trends is offered.
BCL-2-ASSOCIATED ATHANOGENE 3 CONCENTRATIONS ARE PROGNOSTIC IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTELY DECOMPENSATED HEART FAILURE

BCL-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is a protein that belongs to the Bcl-2-associated athanogene family and is highly expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscle. BAG3 is involved in the response to mechanical stress and is implicated in the genesis of dilated cardiomyopathy. A circulating form of
Drug utilization evaluation of β-lactam antibiotics in 6 cities of Yangtze River valley during 2007

AIM To evaluate the clinical utilization of β-lactam antibiotics in 157 hospitals of 6 main cities in the Yangtze River valley in 2007.METHODS According to the orders of sum of total expenditure approved drug name and trade name,and Defined Daily Dose(DDDs);the β-lactams antibiotics used in the clinic were analysed.RESULTS The total annual cost of the β-lactam used in 157 hospitals was 2.88 billion yuan in 2007,approximately 31.0% more than that of the year before and nearly to the average 57.5% of all anti-infection medicines.In the column of demonstrated,cefuroxime,cefminox sodium,cefoperazone sulbactam and cefpiramide were the predominant main antibiotics.But the column of DDDs indicated that amoxicillin and amoxicillin-lactamase inhibitor were the most frequently selected drugs for curing the infection diseases in the area.CONCLUSION β-lactam / β-lactamase inhibitor complex combination preparations have been used extensively.But strict application to infection caused by β-lactamase bacterium is necessary to avoid the microbial drug resistance.
Implantable Slow-Release Chemotherapeutic Polymers for the Treatment of Malignant Brain Tumors.

Background:Despite significant advances in neurosurgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, the prognosis for patients with malignant brain tumors remains dismal. In an effort to improve control ...
Comparative Analysis of Differentially Expressed miRNAs and their Downstream mRNAs in Ovarian Cancer and its Associated Endometriosis

Objective: There is an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer (OC) in patients with endometriosis. Hence, development of new biomarkers may provide a positive clinical outcome for early detection. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play an important role in biological and pathological process and are currently used as diagnostic and prognostic markers in various cancers. In the current study, we assessed the differential expression of miRNAs from 19 paired ovarian cancer and its associated endometriosis tissue samples. In addition we also analyzed the downstream targets of those miRNAs. Methods: Nineteen paired cases of ovarian cancer and endometriosis foci were identified by a gynecologic pathologist and macro-dissected. The total RNAs were extracted and subjected to comprehensive miRNA profiling from the pooled samples of these two different entities using microarray analysis. Later, the abnormal expressions of few selected miRNAs were validated in individual cases by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed target mRNAs which were validated by qRT-PCR. Results: The miRNA profiling identified deregulation of greater than 1156 miRNAs in OC, of which the top seven were further validated by qRT-PCR. The expression of miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-451 were reduced significantly (p<0.0001) in the OC patients compared to its associated endometriosis. In contrast, the expression of miR-141, miR-200a, miR-200c, and miR-3613 were elevated significantly (p<0.05) in most of the OC patients. Furthermore, among the downstream mRNAs of these miRNAs, the level of PTEN expression was significantly (p<0.05) reduced in OC compared to endometriosis while no significant difference was observed in NF-κB expression. Conclusion: The expression of miRNAs and mRNAs in OC were significantly different compared to its concurrent endometriosis. These differential expressed miRNAs may serve as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for OC associated with endometriosis.
Securing Afghanistan: from the inside out

How can Afghanistan achieve security and stability? After almost 40 years of war it is clear that a solution requires integrating insights from three levels of politics: local, regional and global....
Acoustic emission and creep in rock at high confining pressure and differential stress

Two samples each of Weber Sandstone and Westerly Granite were tested under triaxial compression at 1 kb confining pressure. Axial load was increased in steps, and the acoustic emission generated in the samples during primary creep was monitored. The rate v of acoustic emission events was found to decrease exponentially at each stress level, obeying the law log v = β − α N , where N is the total number of microseismic events that have occurred and α and β are constants. By assuming that acoustic emission is proportional to inelastic deformation, this relation can be compared to empirical creep laws. It is similar to the relation given by Lomnitz and fits the data more closely than other creep laws that were functions of time rather than number of acoustic emission events. The value of α was found to decrease systematically with increasing differential stress, and in one experiment became negative before sample failure.
Channeling the Ghosts: The Wooster Group’s Remediation of the 1964 Electronovision Hamlet

In 2007, the Wooster Group undertook a sustained “emulation” of a 1964 “theatrofilm,” featuring Richard Burton and directed by John Gielgud, made possible by “the miracle of Electronovision,” one of several technological predecessors for recording performances on videotape. The Group’s simulating actors claim our attention with an intensity of address that exceeds whatever residual claim to immediacy the “distressed” filmed performers can make, turning Hamlet itself into a pre-scripted race to the finish. In its engagement with this project, the Group nonetheless managed to bring living bodies, ghosts of the past, and electronic media into interactive commerce on stage, performing a series of remediations that not only involved the representation of one medium in another but the integration of different media in the development of new theatrical forms.
Overview of Brain Tumor Epidemiology and Histopathology

Abstract Primary brain tumors (PBT) comprise a diverse group of neoplasms that are often malignant and refractory to treatment. Between 30,000 and 35,000 new PBT are diagnosed each year in the USA (approximately 14 per 100,000). Tumors of neuroepithelial origin are the largest histological class of PBT and include the glioma subgroup (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma), which represents the most frequently diagnosed tumors in adults. Other important tumors in adults include meningiomas, primary brain lymphoma, and neuronal tumors. Commonly diagnosed tumors in children include medulloblastoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, and optic pathway glioma. This chapter will review the microscopic and molecular pathology of PBT that are most likely to require treatment with chemotherapy, utilizing the most recent classification system of the World Health Organization (2016).
UNBALANCED RANDOM-EFFECT MODEL WITH UNEQUAL GROUP VARIANCES: ESTIMATION OF DESIGN PARAMETERS ALLOWING FOR SCREENED BATCHES*

Abstract. A random effects model is considered in which the within group variance is allowed to vary from group to group. The model is complicated by the presence of a testing program which will be used to screen out those groups which have estimated lower percentiles less than a prescribed value. The aggregate distribution of the acceptable groups will then be skewed to the right. This type of screening thus tends to increase the value of any specific percentile. A method to estimate, prior to testing, the percentiles of the skewed distribution that would result from a given testing program is presented. Also, a method for constructing tolerance intervals for a particular group given only that it meets the acceptance criterion of the testing program is presented. The model is applied to a materials problem in which it is desired to increase the minimum strength of the material through the use of a screening program.
Optimal structure sampling for etch model calibration

Successful patterning requires good control of the photolithography and etch processes. While compact litho models, mainly based on rigorous physics, can predict very well the contours printed in photoresist, pure empirical etch models are less accurate and more unstable. Compact etch models are based on geometrical kernels to compute the litho-etch biases that measure the distance between litho and etch contours. The definition of the kernels as well as the choice of calibration patterns is critical to get a robust etch model. This work proposes to define a set of independent and anisotropic etch kernels designed to capture the finest details of the resist contours and represent precisely any etch bias. By evaluating the etch kernels on various structures it is possible to map their etch signatures in a multi-dimensional space and analyze them to find an optimal sampling of structures to train an etch model. The method was specifically applied to a contact layer containing many different geometries and was used to successfully select appropriate calibration structures. The proposed kernels evaluated on these structures were combined to train an etch model significantly better than the standard one.
A Circular RNA (circRNA) ciRS-7 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) targets miRNA-7 trafficking and promotes deficits in the expression of the ubiquitin conjugase (UBE2A) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a recently described category of novel, single stranded ribonucleic acid (ssRNA) abundantly represented in the eukaryotic transcriptome. Non-polyadenylated and in...
Hypertension update, JNC8 and beyond

Hypertension is the most preventable major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The etiology of elevated blood pressure is a complex process involving the interaction of genetics, demographics, comorbid disorders, and environmental influences. Effective hypertensive therapy has been shown to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. JNC reports have served as a valuable source of guidelines, and JNC 8 is the most recently updated guideline for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension. It includes modification of JNC 7 regarding the threshold for therapy, therapeutic goals, and medications or combinations of medications that differ in benefits for certain patient populations. However, JNC 8 generated a significant degree of controversy. This review will evaluate JNC 7 versus JNC 8 guidelines and discuss the most controversial aspects of JNC 8 through a therapeutic perspective. This review will also discuss the most recently available evidence that has an impact on the JNC 8 recommendations. Despite the nuance of clinical guidelines, blood pressure control rates remains suboptimal. We will explore potential reasons and solutions for this dilemma including pharmacogenomics, novel risk-stratification strategies, lifestyle interventions, and integrative care.
The Role of Bone Secreted Factors in Burn-Induced Muscle Cachexia

Burn injury results in resorptive bone loss, failure to make new bone, and muscle protein breakdown resulting in cachexia. The purpose of this review is to examine the relationship between bone loss and muscle atrophy in burn injury with a view to understanding the process at work and how it may apply to other conditions that have similar features. We present data suggesting that the use of bisphosphonates in the first 10 days following the burn prevents not only the resorptive bone loss but also the muscle wasting. While an extra-osseous effect of bisphosphonates remains possible, existing evidence points to a paracrine effect of bone on maintenance of muscle mass and strength. Proposed paracrine factors produced by bone include prostaglandin E2 and components of the Wnt signaling pathway. TGFβ may be a bone paracrine factor that causes oxidative damage to muscle. In the light of the pattern of evidence, burn patients suffer acute resorptive bone loss and muscle wasting. This is likely due to the effects of inflammatory cytokines and endogenous glucocorticoid production in exacerbating oxidative stress. Early use of bisphosphonates can maintain bone mass leading to a paracrine effect of bone in the maintenance of muscle mass, although one cannot completely discount a direct effect of bisphosphonate on muscle. Because investigators report this relationship in a variety of conditions in addition to burns, physicians should seriously consider the early use of bisphosphonates to maintain bone and muscle mass in a variety of neuromuscular and skeletal diseases.
Progress in transparent flat-panel holographic displays enabled by guided-wave acousto-optics

We have previously introduced a monolithic, integrated optical platform for transparent, flat-panel holographic displays suitable for near-to-eye displays in augmented reality systems. This platform employs a guided-wave acousto-optic spatial light modulator implemented in lithium niobate in conjunction with an integrated Bragg-regime reflection volume hologram. In this paper, we depict analysis of three key system attributes that inform and influence the display system performance: 1) single-axis diffraction-driven astigmatism, 2) strobed illumination to enforce acousto-optic grating stationarity, and 3) acousto-optically driven spatial Nyquist rate.
Impact of euthanasia, dissection and postmortem delay on metabolic profile in mouse retina and RPE/choroid.

Abstract Metabolomics studies in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in animal models or postmortem donors are essential to understanding the retinal metabolism and to revealing the underlying mechanisms of retinal degenerative diseases. We have studied how different methods of euthanasia (CO2 or cervical dislocation) different isolation procedures and postmortem delay affect metabolites in mouse retina and RPE/choroid using LC MS/MS and GC MS. Compared with cervical dislocation, CO2 exposure for 5 min dramatically degrades ATP and GTP into purine metabolites in the retina while raising intermediates in glucose metabolism and amino acids in the RPE/choroid. Isolation in cold buffer containing glucose has the least change in metabolites. Postmortem delay time-dependently and differentially impacts metabolites in the retina and RPE/choroid. In the postmortem retina, 18% of metabolites were changed at 0.5 h (h), 41% at 4 h and 51% at 8 h. However, only 6% of metabolites were changed in the postmortem RPE/choroid and it steadily increased to 20% at 8 h. Notably, both postmortem retina and RPE/choroid tissue showed increased purine metabolites. Storage of eyes in cold nutrient-rich medium substantially blocked the postmortem change in the retina and RPE/choroid. In conclusion, our study provides optimized methods to prepare fresh or postmortem retina and RPE/choroid tissue for metabolomics studies.
Magnetic Moment of the 3 2 + Decuplet from the Algebra of Current Components

The magnetic moments of the ${\frac{3}{2}}^{+}$ baryon resonances are calculated using the algebra of current components. The commutators are evaluated between ${\frac{3}{2}}^{+}$ states at rest, and all allowed particles and resonances at rest as used as intermediate states, including the ${\frac{5}{2}}^{+}$ octet observed recently. Relations are derived between the static magnetic moments and the charge distributions of the ${\frac{3}{2}}^{+}$ states, which are specially meaningful for the long-lived ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. It is found that the results do not agree with the static $\mathrm{SU}(6)$ predictions.
Sustained Sympathicotonia as a Factor in Disease

There is a large though scattered body of clinical and experimental literature that gives the distinct impression of a significant, often critical sympathetic component as a common feature in a large variety of syndromes. Chronic hyperactivity of the innervating sympathetic pathways seems to be a prevailing theme in many clinical conditions, involving many organs and tissues. Whatever the etiological or therapeutic implications, it appears that this widely shared feature of local, regional or segmental sympathetic hyperactivity is overlooked or dismissed because of the barriers erected by specialization. Thus, the ophthalmologist is not ordinarily exposed to the gastroenterological literature, the gastroenterologist to the cardiological, the cardiologist to the gynecological, etc. Each discoverer of a sympathetic component seems, therefore, to regard it as peculiar to this or that disease within his or her area of specialization, rather than as part of a general theme.
Leverage in a Labor–Management Relationship: Maximizing the Use of Leverage by Finding a Constructive Leverage Mean

The labor–management relationship is about effectively using leverage. This includes the use of bargaining leverage and the use of resource and investment leverage. Labor–management relationships have expanded their use of leverage by using additional leverage tools against third parties, instead of each other. If labor–management negotiators can achieve a constructive leverage mean, they are able to access additional tools to improve community outcomes including market share improvements, hours worked by members, and projects captured by signatory contractors. This contrasts sharply with the use of destructive bargaining leverage that focuses economic distribution in a zero-sum game. A case study of the relationship between a contractor’s association and labor union is used to show how the use of leverage can dramatically increase if a leverage mean is achieved and a series of common goals can be established.
Effect of Nuclear Factor κB Inhibition on Serotype 9 Adeno-Associated Viral (AAV9) Minidystrophin Gene Transfer to the mdx Mouse

Gene therapy studies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have focused on viral vector-mediated gene transfer to provide therapeutic protein expression or treatment with drugs to limit dystrophic changes in muscle. The pathological activation of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway has emerged as an important cause of dystrophic muscle changes in muscular dystrophy. Furthermore, activation of NF-κB may inhibit gene transfer by promoting inflammation in response to the transgene or vector. Therefore, we hypothesized that inhibition of pathological NF-κB activation in muscle would complement the therapeutic benefits of dystrophin gene transfer in the mdx mouse model of DMD. Systemic gene transfer using serotype 9 adeno-associated viral (AAV9) vectors is promising for treatment of preclinical models of DMD because of vector tropism to cardiac and skeletal muscle. In quadriceps of C57BL/10ScSn-Dmdmdx/J (mdx) mice, the addition of octalysine (8K)-NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO)-binding domain (8K-NBD) peptide treatment to AAV9 minidystrophin gene delivery resulted in increased levels of recombinant dystrophin expression suggesting that 8K-NBD treatment promoted an environment in muscle tissue conducive to higher levels of expression. Indices of necrosis and regeneration were diminished with AAV9 gene delivery alone and to a greater degree with the addition of 8K-NBD treatment. In diaphragm muscle, high-level transgene expression was achieved with AAV9 minidystoophin gene delivery alone; therefore, improvements in histological and physiological indices were comparable in the two treatment groups. The data support benefit from 8K-NBD treatment to complement gene transfer therapy for DMD in muscle tissue that receives incomplete levels of transduction by gene transfer, which may be highly significant for clinical applications of muscle gene delivery.
Teaching With “Attending”: Tutorial Use of an Expert System

The ATTENDING computer system is being developed to critique a physician’s plan for anesthetic management. Although still under development, the system is being used experimentally for teaching with hypothetical patients, using the teaching format of an interactive “mini case conference”. In addition to its educational value, this tutorial use of ATTENDING has the further advantage of allowing the system’s anesthetic knowledge to be tested and “debugged” while in its formative stages.
Intracellular Binding Site for a Positive Allosteric Modulator of the Dopamine D1 Receptor

The binding site for DETQ [2-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-1-((1S,3R)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-1-methyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)ethan-1-one], a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the dopamine D1 receptor, was identified and compared with the binding site for CID 2886111 [N-(6-tert-butyl-3-carbamoyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1-benzothiophen-2-yl)pyridine-4-carboxamide], a reference D1 PAM. From D1/D5 chimeras, the site responsible for potentiation by DETQ of the increase in cAMP in response to dopamine was narrowed down to the N-terminal intracellular quadrant of the receptor; arginine-130 in intracellular loop 2 (IC2) was then identified as a critical amino acid based on a human/rat species difference. Confirming the importance of IC2, a β2-adrenergic receptor construct in which the IC2 region was replaced with its D1 counterpart gained the ability to respond to DETQ. A homology model was built from the agonist-state β2-receptor structure, and DETQ was found to dock to a cleft created by IC2 and adjacent portions of transmembrane helices 3 and 4 (TM3 and TM4). When residues modeled as pointing into the cleft were mutated to alanine, large reductions in the potency of DETQ were found for Val119 and Trp123 (flanking the conserved DRY sequence in TM3), Arg130 (located in IC2), and Leu143 (TM4). The D1/D5 difference was found to reside in Ala139; changing this residue to methionine as in the D5 receptor reduced the potency of DETQ by approximately 1000-fold. None of these mutations affected the activity of CID 2886111, indicating that it binds to a different allosteric site. When combined, DETQ and CID 2886111 elicited a supra-additive response in the absence of dopamine, implying that both PAMs can bind to the D1 receptor simultaneously.
A Behavioral Genetic Analysis of the Cooccurrence Between Psychopathic Personality Traits and Criminal Behavior

A developed line of research has found that psychopathic personality traits and criminal behavior are correlated with one another. Although there is little question about the association between ps...
Cardiovascular Outcomes of Calcium-Free vs Calcium-Based Phosphate Binders in Patients 65 Years or Older With End-stage Renal Disease Requiring Hemodialysis.

Importance Guidelines restricting use of calcium-based phosphate binders in all patients with end-stage renal disease owing to their potential contribution to increased cardiovascular risk shifted prescribing from calcium acetate toward the costlier sevelamer carbonate products. Objective To compare cardiovascular events and mortality between patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis receiving sevelamer vs calcium acetate in real-world practice. Design, Setting, and Participants An observational cohort study was conducted using the United States Renal Data System linked to Medicare claims data (May 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013). Data analysis was performed from October 2017 to September 2018. Participants included patients 65 years or older with ESRD within 180 days after starting hemodialysis (sevelamer, 2647; calcium acetate, 2074). Exposures New use of sevelamer (calcium-free phosphate binder) vs calcium acetate (calcium-based phosphate binder). Main Outcomes and Measures Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were estimated for fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke: primary outcome) and all-cause mortality (secondary outcome) using Cox proportional hazards regression with fine stratification on the propensity score to control for potential confounders, including phosphorus and calcium levels. Results After propensity score weighting, 2639 patients initiating sevelamer treatment (1184 men [44.9%]; mean [SD] age, 75.6 [6.9] years) and 2065 patients initiating calcium acetate treatment (930 men [45.0%]; mean [SD] age, 75.5 [7.1] years) were included in the analysis. Crude incidence rates (IRs) for cardiovascular events of 458 per 1000 person-years for sevelamer and 464 per 1000 person-years for calcium acetate were observed. After propensity score fine-stratification weighting, HRs of 0.96 (95% CI, 0.84-1.10) for cardiovascular events were observed. Results were consistent within subgroups of age ( Conclusions and Relevance The results of the study do not suggest increased cardiovascular safety of sevelamer in the routine clinical practice of patients with ESRD compared with calcium acetate; this study’s findings suggest that well-designed, long-term, randomized clinical trials are needed.
Revisiting a controversy: The effect of EGF on EGFR dimer stability

EGFR is a receptor tyrosine kinase that plays a critical role in cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and migration. Its activating ligand, EGF, has long been believed to stabilize the EGFR dimer. Two research studies aimed at quantitative measurements of EGFR dimerization, however, have led to contradicting conclusions and have questioned this view. Given the controversy, here we sought to measure the dimerization of EGFR in the absence and in the presence of saturating EGF concentrations, and to tease out the effect of ligand on dimer stability, using a FRET-based quantitative method. Our measurements show that the dissociation constant is decreased ~150 times due to ligand binding, indicative of significant dimer stabilization. In addition, our measurements demonstrate that EGF binding induces a conformational change in the EGFR dimer.
Pharmacological and genetic modifications of somatic cholesterol do not substantially alter the course of CNS disease in Niemann–Pick C mice

Niemann–Pick type C (NPC) is a neurodegenerative disorder with somatically altered cholesterol metabolism. The NPC1 gene has recently been cloned and shown to have sequences shared with known sterol-sensing proteins. We have used a mouse model with a disrupted Npc1 gene to study two cholesterol-lowering drugs (nifedipine and probucol) and the effects of introducing a null mutation in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Although these treatments significantly ameliorated liver cholesterol storage, little effect on the onset of neurological symptoms was found.
Maternal postpartum stress and toddler developmental delays: Results from a multisite study of racially diverse families.

Maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy can adversely influence child development, but few studies have investigated psychosocial stress during the postpartum period and its association with risk of toddler developmental delays. Moreover, given the expanding diversity of the U.S. population, and well-documented health and stress disparities for racial and ethnic minorities, research examining the effect of postpartum stress on risk of developmental delays in diverse populations is of critical importance. In this study, data from the Community Child Health Network provided the opportunity to test maternal postpartum stress as a predictor of toddler risk of developmental delay in a sample of African American, Latina and non-Hispanic White women and their toddlers (N = 1537) recruited in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Postpartum maternal stress over 1 year was operationalized as perceived stress, life events, and negative impact of life events. Regression results revealed higher risk of developmental delays in toddlers whose mothers experienced more negative life events, greater negative impact of events, and higher perceived stress over the year. Prenatal stress, pregnancy/birth complications, and postpartum depression did not explain these associations. Maternal postpartum stress may contribute to increased risk for developmental delays and is an important target for psychosocial intervention.
Yielding Trouble: Development Dilemmas and the Political Uses of Bad Data in Malawi, 1964–1978

This article examines the politics of statistics and the transitions in rural development thinking in early independent Malawi. As was the case elsewhere in Africa, post-colonial development initia...
Protecting Workers, Protecting Publics: The Ethics of Differential Protection

When talking about risk in the private sector, it is appropriate that attention be directed to the host of issues currently besieging those charged with health and safety responsibility in industry, labor, and the federal government. These issues include such topics as: What role should science and values play in risk assessment? How should product liability and insurance best contribute to risk management in the private sector? How may the new developments in science and technology best be incorporated into occupational health and safety policies? What new institutional initiatives should be taken by the various components of society?
Accuracy Evaluation Method for Electromechanical Transient Model of Dynamic Reactive Power Compensation Device Applied to Renewable Power Station

At present, the grid-connected performance of renewable power stations at home and abroad is evaluated by means of modeling and simulation, and the influence of each component model on the evaluation performance can not be ignored. In renewable power station, the model accuracy of photovoltaic inverters and wind power converters can be evaluated based on the test data of full-condition type, but the dynamic reactive power compensation device can not carry out full-condition type test because of its high voltage level and large capacity, so the model verification can not be carried out accordingly. In this paper, a model accuracy evaluation method of static var generator (SVG) based on hardware-inthe-loop(HIL) test data and model verification is proposed. By establishing a validated HIL test environment, the test data of SVG controller under full-condition power grid disturbance are obtained, and the simulation data are based on test data and evaluation model. The deviation is used to evaluate the accuracy of SVG model, which provides an accurate model support for the grid-connected performance evaluation of renewable power stations.
Preoperative Planning of Acute Pain Management in an Academic Ambulatory Surgical Center

Optimal pain management is integral to enhanced recovery of patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements which are based on pain management scores and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey which evaluates performance of US hospitals and used by patients to compare healthcare facilities for their elective surgery have been an added incentive to improve postoperative pain. As a result, understanding the incidence and severity of postsurgical pain is more important now than ever before. The key components that influence the pain management strategies are patient’s comorbid conditions, the type of surgery and expected severity of pain, patient’s pain tolerance and preferences, the available resources, and the risk-benefit ratio of the technique. This review highlights the significance of preoperative planning in the management of acute pain in an academic ambulatory surgical center.
Combined CW and FMCW near infrared spectroscopy for transabdominal fetal oximetry

We propose a new non-invasive approach to transabdominally measure fetal oxygen saturation based on time-domain interferometric near-infrared spectroscopy. We use the frequency-modulated continuous-wave technique to measure the time resolved reflectance of near-infrared light shining on the maternal abdomen. By modeling the maternal abdomen as two-layered media (i.e. maternal and fetal tissue) through diffusion equations, the optical properties of both the maternal and fetal tissue can be deduced. Using two optical wavelengths, oxygen saturation can be measured for both the mother and fetus. This technique could provide an important assessment of intrapartum fetal health during labor in the delivery room.
Primary Care Physicians' Perspective on Pharmacists Delivering Vaccines to Adults.

Introduction: Since 2009, pharmacists in all 50 states have been authorized to provide vaccinations to adults. The objective of this study was to assess primary care physicians9 (PCPs) experiences with and attitudes about pharmacists administering vaccinations. Methods: Internet and mail survey of PCPs representative of American College of Physicians9 and American Academy of Family Physicians9 memberships. Results: Response rate was 69% (642/926). Ninety-eight percent of respondents agreed (79% “Strongly,” 19% “Somewhat”) that it is their responsibility to assure their adult patients receive recommended vaccinations. Most respondents agreed that pharmacists either did not have access to patient medical information (33% “Strongly,” 45% “Somewhat”) or did not have adequate vaccination history (33% “Strongly,” 41% “Somewhat”). The majority also agreed that pharmacists did not inform them when vaccinations were given (35% “Strongly,” 39% “Somewhat”) and did not enter vaccinations administered into immunization information systems (IISs) (20% “Strongly,” 37% “Somewhat”). However, 83% agreed (31% “Strongly,” 52% “Somewhat”) that it is helpful to have pharmacists share the role of vaccinating adults. Conclusions: PCPs have mixed feelings about pharmacists delivering vaccines. Universal use of IISs by pharmacists could partially address physicians9 concerns by providing a systematic way for pharmacists and physicians to share patient vaccination histories.
Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most common subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is a heterogeneous disease, and a distinctive subgroup of patients with different treatment outcome can be identified based on clinical and molecular prognostic factors. Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy has been the standard systemic therapy for this disease with a cure rate of 40% to 50%, although, more recently, the addition of rituximab has been shown in phase III trials to confer a significant survival benefit in both older and younger patients. To further improve on the treatment outcome of this disease, dose-dense, and/or dose-intense regimens have been developed and tested against CHOP. However, these regimens are not yet accepted as standard therapy because of the increased toxicity as well as the uncertain benefit over CHOP with rituximab. In patients with localized DLBCL, available randomized trials suggest that radiation therapy improves local control and disease-free survival and that the addition of radiation therapy cannot replace inadequate chemotherapy.
Acoustoelectronic nanotweezers enable dynamic and large-scale control of nanomaterials

The ability to precisely manipulate nano-objects on a large scale can enable the fabrication of materials and devices with tunable optical, electromagnetic, and mechanical properties. However, the dynamic, parallel manipulation of nanoscale colloids and materials remains a significant challenge. Here, we demonstrate acoustoelectronic nanotweezers, which combine the precision and robustness afforded by electronic tweezers with versatility and large-field dynamic control granted by acoustic tweezing techniques, to enable the massively parallel manipulation of sub-100 nm objects with excellent versatility and controllability. Using this approach, we demonstrated the complex patterning of various nanoparticles (e.g., DNAs, exosomes, ~3 nm graphene flakes, ~6 nm quantum dots, ~3.5 nm proteins, and ~1.4 nm dextran), fabricated macroscopic materials with nano-textures, and performed high-resolution, single nanoparticle manipulation. Various nanomanipulation functions, including transportation, concentration, orientation, pattern-overlaying, and sorting, have also been achieved using a simple device configuration. Altogether, acoustoelectronic nanotweezers overcome existing limitations in nano-manipulation and hold great potential for a variety of applications in the fields of electronics, optics, condensed matter physics, metamaterials, and biomedicine. Precise and dynamic manipulation of nano-objects on a large scale has been challenging. Here, the authors introduce acoustoelectronic nanotweezers, combining precision of electronic tweezers with large-field dynamic control of acoustic tweezers, demonstrating complex patterning of sub-100 nm objects.
Disease Burden and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Women and Men with Spondyloarthritis: An Exploratory Analysis of a Population-Based Sample.

Objectives: We described the burden of illness and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with spondyloarthritis (SpA) using a nationally representative sample. Materials and Methods: We ...
Deep learning-based prediction of the T cell receptor–antigen binding specificity

Neoantigens play a key role in the recognition of tumour cells by T cells; however, only a small proportion of neoantigens truly elicit T-cell responses, and few clues exist as to which neoantigens are recognized by which T-cell receptors (TCRs). We built a transfer learning-based model named the pMHC–TCR binding prediction network (pMTnet) to predict TCR binding specificities of the neoantigens—and T cell antigens in general—presented by class I major histocompatibility complexes. pMTnet was comprehensively validated by a series of analyses and exhibited great advances over previous works. By applying pMTnet to human tumour genomics data, we discovered that neoantigens were generally more immunogenic than self-antigens, but human endogenous retrovirus E (a special type of self-antigen that is reactivated in kidney cancer) is more immunogenic than neoantigens. We further discovered that patients with more clonally expanded T cells that exhibit better affinity against truncal rather than subclonal neoantigens had more favourable prognosis and treatment response to immunotherapy in melanoma and lung cancer but not in kidney cancer. Predicting TCR–neoantigen/antigen pairing is one of the most daunting challenges in modern immunology; however, we achieved an accurate prediction of the pairing using only the TCR sequence (CDR3β), antigen sequence and class I major histocompatibility complex allele, and our work revealed unique insights into the interactions between TCRs and major histocompatibility complexes in human tumours, using pMTnet as a discovery tool. T-cell immunity is driven by the interaction between peptides presented by major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs) and T-cell receptors (TCRs). Only a small proportion of neoantigens elicit T-cell responses, and it is not clear which neoantigens are recognized by which TCRs. The authors develop a transfer learning model to predict TCR binding specificity to class-I pMHCs.
Expanding Liability for Negligence Per Se

A breach of a statutory duty that results in harm often gives rise to tort liability for the injurer toward the victim under the doctrine of negligence per se. Under this doctrine, not all victims can recover and not all types of injuries are compensable. For the tort suit to succeed, the victim must fall within the class of persons protected by the statute and the injury must be of the type that the statute was intended to prevent. These two conditions, which I call “the limiting liability conditions,” generate controversy and litigation since it is not always clear which victims or which injuries the legislature intended to address when enacting the particular statute in question. The normative argument this Article makes is that the weight given to the limiting liability conditions should be dramatically decreased. Whenever noncompliance with the statute increases the risks to the class of persons to which the victim belongs or of the type of injury the victim suffered and those risks are foreseeable, there is a strong prima facie case for recognizing liability. This should hold true even when the risks that materialized are usual, or background, risks that in themselves would not justify the enactment of the statute. The positive argument made here is that many court decisions that apply the limiting liability conditions to exclude tort liability reach the right outcome but for the wrong reason. These are cases in which the breach of the statutory duty did not increase the risk to the victim’s class or of the type of injury that resulted. This lack of
Holocaust Survivors and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: The Need for Conceptual Reassessment and Development

The recent interest in various aspects of the Holocaust focus on survivors and their children. One major part of this research has focused on the medical and psychological sequels of the concentration camp and other Holocaust related experiences for which Eitinger (1981) identified seven distinct areas of inquiry. The literature in each of these areas is extensive; however, this work is fraught with problems both at the conceptual and at the treatment levels. This paper is specifically concerned with reviewing research and treatment programs, identifying the major problem areas, and concludes with a suggested conceptual alternative to the prevailing clinical models.
Effect of steamable bag microwaving versus traditional cooking methods on nutritional preservation and physical properties of frozen vegetables: A case study on broccoli (Brassica oleracea)

Abstract The effect of steamable bag microwaving on the nutritional value and physical properties of frozen vegetables was studied and compared to that of traditional cooking methods (i.e., steamer steaming and traditional microwaving) for the first time. Broccoli was chosen for this study since it is one of the most consumed frozen vegetables. Titration, oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay, colorimetry (L*, a*, b*, hue angle, and total color difference) and texturometry were used for evaluation. The results show that steamable bag microwaving performs better than traditional microwaving and is equal to steamer steaming in retaining ascorbic acid content and increasing antioxidant activity compared to thawed frozen broccoli. Steamable bag microwaving tenderizes frozen broccoli faster, and better maintains the broccoli lightness and yellowness than steamer steaming and traditional microwaving. These findings show that steamable bag microwaving is a more appropriate cooking method for frozen broccoli than traditional cooking methods. Industrial relevance Steamable bag microwaving is an emerging cooking technology for frozen vegetables. While steamable bag microwaving provides consumers with convenience and safety compared to other cooking technologies (i.e., traditional microwaving, steaming, and boiling), there is no information on the effect of steamable bag microwaving on nutritional and physical changes of frozen vegetables. Our findings show that steamable bag microwaving is more appropriate than traditional cooking methods and satisfies current consumers' needs better (i.e., high nutritional content, fresh-like produce, and time savings).
A criterion for identifying dominant singular values in the SVD based method of harmonic retrieval

The problem of determining the dominant singular values in the singular value decomposition (SVD) based state-space approach to harmonic retrieval is considered. A common difficulty encountered in harmonic retrieval methods is that the covariance matrix is full rank due to noise and estimation errors, instead of the ideal low rank. Then, from the singular value decomposition of this noisy and estimated covariance matrix, a low rank approximation is normally sought by retaining the dominant singular values and zeroing out the rest. A criterion is proposed, based on the distribution of the norms of the perturbation matrix associated with the estimated covariance matrix, to identify these dominant singular values. >
The European Court of Justice: of Institutions and Democracy

The problem of democracy and judicial review is a problem engendered by successful constitutional courts. For where courts are not successful in establishing veto powers over legislation, no problem or only a very limited problem occurs. Of course any court interpreting statutes in the process of applying them does some law making. How much this law making interferes with democracy depends on how easy it is for the legislature to legislate. Where legislatures can amend statutes easily, they can easily correct “errors” of judicial statutory interpretation. Judicial review of the lawfulness of administrative action essentially involves the same power of statutory interpretation with the same potential for legislative correction. Most of the nations of the world that do not have successful constitutional courts are not democracies. Indeed, no state without considerable claims to democracy has successful judicial review. These facts are clues to the obvious. Constitutional government is limited government. In the real world we do not encounter nondemocratic limited governments although we encounter many shades of more or less democratic, more or less constitutional governments. So there is some affinity between democracy and constitutionalism.
Monitoring of Proportional‐Integral Controlled Processes using a Bayesian Time Series Analysis Method

Recently, there has been interest in applying statistical process monitoring methods to processes controlled with feedback controllers in order to eliminate assignable causes and achieve reduced overall variability. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian change-point method to monitor processes regulated with proportional-integral controllers. The approach is based on fitting an exponential rise model to the control input actions in response to a step shift and employs a change-point method to detect the change. Simulation studies show that the proposed method has better run-length performance in detecting step shifts in controlled processes than Shewhart chart on individuals and special-cause chart on residuals of time series model. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.