cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interpersonal Violence at the Crossroads Between Adolescence and Adulthood Learning About Partner Violence From Young Mothers

This article examines partner violence at the crossroads between adolescence and adulthood by talking with adolescent mothers—young women who straddle that crossroad. Drawing on ethnographic interviews conducted with 30 adolescent mothers, the accounts of 13 young mothers were analyzed to shed light on the ways in which their experiences of partner violence intersected with their developmental stage. Thematic analysis produced four general categories of themes that included physical proximity of family members, chaos at home, growing up in the shadowof abuse, and making the relationship work. Implications for future research and practice are explored.
Identification and estimation of non-Gaussian ARMA processes

A method to identify and estimate non-Gaussian autoregressive moving average (ARMA) processes which uses bispectral analysis and the Pade approximation is presented. It is shown that the method will consistently identify the order of the ARMA model and estimate the parameters of the model. Various asymptotic distributions are given to facilitate the model identification and parameter estimation. A few examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the method. The procedure is modified to handle the case when there is additive Gaussian noise. The modified procedure is asymptotically consistent in the estimation of orders and parameters of the ARMA model when Gaussian noise is present. >
Low leak rate mems valves for micro-gas-analyzer flow control

We present MEMS polysilicon microvalves for flow control of a rapid analytical microsystem (Micro-Gas-Analyzer, MGA). All valve components (boss, seat, springs, electrodes, and stops) are surface micromachined in the SUMMiTTM microfabrication process. The valves have been characterized at high flow rate when open (60 ml/min air), low leak rate when closed (≪0.0025 ml/min Hydrogen, H2), and tunable closing pressures (1 to 35 psig). Active electrostatic valves have been shown to hold closed (voltage on) against a high pressure (≫40 psig) for sample loading, open for gas chromatograph (GC) loading (voltage off), and reclose against low pressure 2–5 psig.
Yellowstone Hot Spot New Magnetic and Seismic Evidence

We present new magnetic and seismic evidence relevant to the hypothesis of a hot spot beneath Yellowstone National Park. A pseudogravity transformation enhances the regional magnetic anomalies, and the resultant map can also be interpreted to show regional variation in geothermal gradient. We propose that a pseudogravity lineament along the eastern margin of the park marks a heat-flow province boundary, whereas closure within Yellowstone marks a crustal hot spot roughly coincident with a double caldera mapped geologically. Magnetic highs at the caldera boundary may represent ring intrusions. Seismically, Yellowstone is at the most active part of the Inter-mountain Seismic Belt, where it changes strike from north to northwest and is intersected by a west-trending secondary seismic belt. Within the caldera, the earthquakes decrease in frequency of occurrence and abruptly decrease in focal depth. At the caldera boundary, four composite fault-plane solutions indicate radial compression, possibly due to resurgent magmatism. These geophysical data support the concept of a roughly circular region of anomalously hot crust at a junction of major tectonic trends but does not directly bear on the hypothesis of a mantle plume.
Reproduction inhibition in house-flies with triphenyl tin acetate and triphenyl tin chloride alone and in combination with other compounds.

Inhibition of reproduction in Musca domestica L. with triphenyl tin acetate and triphenyl tin chloride alone and in combination with other chemosterilants is reported. Both test compounds produced excessive mortality when offered in the diet at rates above 0.25 mg per gram diet. Male flies were less affected than females at tolerable dosage rates. Longevity of females treated for 24 hours was normal, life of males was shortened slightly. When offered in the diet to ovipositing females both test compounds reduced the number of eggs produced and percent hatch. Only a few viable eggs were deposited after the 1st day of treatment. Both compounds compared favorably with tepa in reducing hatch when offered to mated sexually mature females. Combinations of either compound with apholate or tepa when offered in the diet to day-old males did not reduce male competitiveness for virgin females. Tepa and triphenyl tin chloride offered free choice with non treated diet to a large cage population of reproducing flies completely inhibited reproduction. The population was completely eliminated in 35 days.
National Depression Screening Day: An Undergraduate Practicum Experience

Several authors have described the many benefits of undergraduate practica, how to organize an undergraduate practicum experience, and different undergraduate practicum activities. This article provides a description of the process of organizing and implementing National Depression Screening Day at a university campus as an undergraduate practicum activity.
Are microsatellite fragment lengths useful for population-level studies? The case of Polygala lewtonii (Polygalaceae).

Premise of the study: Microsatellites, despite being commonly used population-level markers, contain biases because scoring relies solely on fragment length. Their complexity can lead to homoplasy, the effects of which are poorly understood. We investigated the impact of using fragment lengths, repeats, or flanking region sequences on common population-level analyses. Methods: Five polymorphic microsatellite markers amplified across the central Florida scrub endemic Polygala lewtonii (Polygalaceae) and its close, widespread congener P. polygama. We genotyped 147 individuals of P. lewtonii and 156 of P. polygama, and sequenced the amplicons of four markers across all individuals. We ran basic statistics, spatial clustering analysis, historical demographics, and migration tests. Results: One population of intermediate morphology was genetically clearly identified as P. polygama, making it the southernmost population of this species. Statistics were comparable between the fragment length and repeat numbers, ...
Role of calmodulin/protein kinase C in interferon production by poly(rI).poly(rC) in primed human cell cultures.

ABSTRACT Human cells treated with trifluoperazine (TFP) or K252a prior to and/or during priming with human interferon-α (HuIFN-α) produce significantly more IFN on induction with poly(rI) · poly(rC...
Management of the patient with rheumatic diseases going to surgery

This article reviews the perioperative management of rheumatoid arthritis, gout, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, and ankylosing spondylitis. It discusses the unique interactions between each rheumatologic disease and a surgical challenge and provides guidelines for the assessment of patients preoperatively. The available literature on surgical risks is analyzed, and approaches are suggested to both reduce postoperative complications and control the rheumatic disease. It is hoped that this will aid the internist in evaluating and treating the rheumatic patient undergoing surgery.
Convergence of the QR Algorithm

TheQR algorithm ofJ. G. F. Francis is used in computing matrix eigenvalues. The convergence proof given here is an analogue ofRutishauser's proof of the convergence of theLR algorithm, but our proof covers the case of "disorder of the eigenvalues".
Immunogenetic studies of rhesus monkeys : X. The O, P, Q, R, and S blood group systems.

Five alloimmune blood typing reagents have been produced which define five new blood group systems in rhesus monkeys. Each of the five independent blood group loci is comprised of a detectable allele and a null allele. Using these new reagents and those previously described, we can potentially identify close to a million phenotypes in rhesus monkeys.
[Regulation of expression of virulence-associated genes and pathogenesis of pathogenic bacteria ].

病巣となる部位の微環境条件で必要な遺伝子群を発現させ，自己の増殖の場を獲得してきている細菌が，いわゆる“病原菌”となっているといえる。赤痢菌，腸管出血性大腸菌，レンサ球菌を例に，病原性に関与する遺伝子の発現がどのような巧みな仕組みで制御されているのかの研究成果を報告する。また，その調節の破綻が，新規な感染症の出現となる例を劇症型レンサ球菌感染症に見ることができることを示す。
Improved Low-Temperature CO Oxidation Performance of Pd Supported on La-Stabilized Alumina

Simulated diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) consisting of 2.5% Pd were prepared on γ-Al2O3 and lanthana-stabilized γ-Al2O3; it was found that the La-containing catalyst had higher CO conversion and...
On the Development of Rheological Properties of Cement Paste During the Induction Period

Although chemical reactions in cement slurries are very slow during the first few hours (induction period), the viscosity increases continuously. Relationships between various mixing methods, structure, and rhcology of cement paste throughout the induction period are being investigated, and some results are reported in this paper.
Edaphic and Vegetative Responses to Forested Wetland Restoration with Created Microtopography in Arkansas

In the last three decades a variety of forested wetland restoration best practices have been developed. Microtopography (surface roughness) is a structural characteristic of forested wetlands and it is known to be beneficial to wetland soil characteristics, hydrology, and vegetation colonization during wetland restoration on formerly leveled lands. We evaluated wetland soil properties and vegetation responses to irregularly created Swales, Flats, and Hummocks at a 12 year-old wetland restoration site in southeast Arkansas. Soil and vegetation properties of interest included soil bulk density, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), C:N ratios, total plant cover, plant species richness, plant diversity, and wetland indicator status. Unlike similar studies, Swale positions had significantly lower SOC in the upper 15 cm compared to both the Flat and Hummock positions ( p p
Phenological complementarity in plant growth and reproduction in a green roof ecosystem

Abstract Green roofs are often planted with multiple species to improve aesthetics and other ecosystem services. If diverse species mixtures contain species with phenological differences in growth and reproduction, this could enhance ecosystem functioning by increasing the duration over which a valuable process operates. Phenological complementarity describes a species mixture where plant growth or reproduction is more evenly spread over time among species than predicted by chance. Here we report general phenological patterns of growth and reproduction from the third year of a four-year modular green roof experiment involving 13 species from five life form groups, planted in mixtures and monocultures. The relationships between phenological complementarity in canopy density (a surrogate for aboveground biomass) in species mixtures and thermal and hydrological functions were determined for the fourth year of the study. Timing of peak growth occurred from May to July, differing greatly among species. Flowering times also differed among species and occurred from May to October. Six species showed variation in phenology depending on whether they were planted in monocultures or species mixtures, suggesting competitive or facilitative interactions with other species. Phenological complementarity in canopy density was observed in four of the species mixture treatments, with mixtures of species from the same life form tending to have the highest complementarity values. Phenological complementarity was weakly negatively correlated with the temporal coefficient of variation in stormwater capture, indicating the potential for greater process stability over time in complementary mixtures.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Os25+ and Os26+ Azido Complexes

Reaction of Os2(OAc)4Cl2 with an excess of HDPhF (HDPhF = N,N′-diphenylformamidine) gives a high yield of Os2(DPhF)4Cl2 (1), which can be converted to its azido analog, Os2(DPhF)4(N3)2 (3), by treatment with NaN3. We report a major improvement on the preparation of Os2(chp)4Cl (2; Hchp = 2-chloro-6-hydroxypyridine) by synthesizing the compound in the reducing solvent ethanol. Reaction of 2 with NaN3 affords the azido complex Os2(chp)4N3 (4). Compound 3 has been examined by X-ray crystallography, and has an Os–Os bond distance of 2.45 A, suggesting a (π*)2 ground state for the molecule.
A method to extract low-voltage auxiliary power from a flying capacitor multi-level converter

Flying Capacitor Multi-Level (FCML) converters are attractive solutions for compact power conversion with a large step-down ratio. Many of these applications also need low-voltage auxiliary supplies to power control circuits or subsystems. Rather than build a separate converter that must be rated for the full input voltage, we propose to divert power from a naturally occurring, low-voltage node within the FCML converter itself. The current extracted from this low-voltage node creates a voltage imbalance in the flying capacitors, which, as it is undesirable, degrades the performance of the multilevel converter. Here, we analyze the mechanisms behind this imbalance, and propose a control technique to compensate for the asymmetric operating conditions introduced by the auxiliary power extraction. We demonstrate the control method through simulation and a hardware prototype, achieving excellent flying capacitor balance with a single capacitor voltage measurement and no additional switches or loads.
Explaining Research Utilization Among 4-H Faculty, Staff, and Volunteers: The Role of Self-Efficacy, Learning Goal Orientation, Training, and Previous Experience

An investigation of factors that facilitate the utilization of research evidence among faculty, staff, and volunteers in the 4-H Youth Development Program is presented in this paper. Participants (N= 368; 86 4-H faculty, 153 staff, and 129 volunteers) represented 35 states; structural equation modeling was utilized in the analyses. Results of the path analysis explained 56% of variance in research utilization and 28% in research utilization self-efficacy. Among the factors impacting research utilization, self-efficacy played the most important role. In turn, self-efficacy for research utilization was positively influenced by participants’ learning goal orientation, frequency of 4-H training during the last 12 months, education in research-related areas, and investigative career interests. In addition, 4-H staff who were exposed to research at higher levels reported higher research utilization self-efficacy. The findings reinforce the importance of fostering research utilization self-efficacy among 4-H faculty, staff, and volunteers. Among the suggestions presented are regular 4-H training opportunities and on-going exposure to program evaluation and program improvement experiences.
The Formation of Spatial and Symbolic Boundaries among Vietnamese Diasporic Skilled Return Migrants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam:

More than 40 years since the end of the Vietnam War, a younger generation of Vietnamese Americans is returning to their parents’ ancestral homeland with career opportunities tied to Vietnam’s econo...
CRISPR/Cas9‐Directed Gene Editing for the Generation of Loss‐of‐Function Mutants in High‐Throughput Zebrafish F0 Screens

The ability to perform reverse genetics in the zebrafish model organism has been greatly advanced with the advent of the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated) system. The high level of efficiency in generating mutations when using the CRISPR/Cas9 system combined with the rapid generation time of the zebrafish model organism has made the possibility of performing F0 screens in this organism a reality. This unit describes a detailed protocol for performing an F0 screen using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in zebrafish starting with the design and production of custom CRISPR/Cas9 reagents for injection. Next, two approaches for determining the efficiency of mutation induction by the custom CRISPR/Cas9 reagents that are easily performed using standard molecular biology protocols are detailed. Finally, screening for F0 induced phenotypes using the zebrafish flh gene as an example is discussed. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Distance-based quantitative DNA detection in a paper-based microfluidic device

Here, we present an equipment-free, distance-based quantitative detection platform on paper. This platform uses the aggregation of DNA oligomer-conjugated microspheres to produce solutions that have variable wicking distances based on the degree of aggregation. In this initial demonstration, we detect a short ssDNA oligomer with a limit of detection of 10 nM and a quantitative detection range from 10 nM to 1 µM. We believe this technique holds the potential to be widely adaptable to a variety of potential target analytes. Specifically, we demonstrate its use in the detection of single-stranded nucleotide oligomers.
Large Scale Surface Heat Fluxes

The heat flux through the ocean surface, Q, is the sum of the net radiation at the surface, the latent heat flux into the atmosphere and the sensible heat flux into the atmosphere (all fluxes positive upwards). A review will be presented of the geographical distribution of Q and its constituents, and the current accuracy of measuring Q by ground based measurements (both directly and by “bulk formulae”) will be assessed.
APPLICATIONS OF TRANSFINITE (“BLENDING-FUNCTION”) INTERPOLATION TO THE APPROXIMATE SOLUTION OF ELLIPTIC PROBLEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the applications of transfinite interpolation to the approximate solution of elliptic problems. The advantage that these interpolation techniques have over standard schemes such as tensor product methods is that they are not finite dimensional schemes. Rather than interpolating at a finite number of discrete points, the transfinite blending function methods actually match bivariate or multivariate functions exactly along certain lines or on certain planes. This means that interpolants that exactly satisfy rather general boundary conditions for an elliptic partial differential equation can be very easily constructed. Once this has been done, the interpolating function can be symbolically subtracted from the true solution so as to obtain a problem with homogeneous boundary condition. The reduction to homogeneous boundary conditions enables one to reduce the total amount of computational work required to solve a problem numerically. The chapter describes the combination of exact matching of boundary conditions and collocation of the differential equation.
Feature-Specific Organization of Feedback Pathways in Mouse Visual Cortex.

Higher and lower cortical areas in the visual hierarchy are reciprocally connected [1]. Although much is known about how feedforward pathways shape receptive field properties of visual neurons, relatively little is known about the role of feedback pathways in visual processing. Feedback pathways are thought to carry top-down signals, including information about context (e.g., figure-ground segmentation and surround suppression) [2-5], and feedback has been demonstrated to sharpen orientation tuning of neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) [6, 7]. However, the response characteristics of feedback neurons themselves and how feedback shapes V1 neurons' tuning for other features, such as spatial frequency (SF), remain largely unknown. Here, using a retrograde virus, targeted electrophysiological recordings, and optogenetic manipulations, we show that putatively feedback neurons in layer 5 (hereafter "L5 feedback") in higher visual areas, AL (anterolateral area) and PM (posteromedial area), display distinct visual properties in awake head-fixed mice. AL L5 feedback neurons prefer significantly lower SF (mean: 0.04 cycles per degree [cpd]) compared to PM L5 feedback neurons (0.15 cpd). Importantly, silencing AL L5 feedback reduced visual responses of V1 neurons preferring low SF (mean change in firing rate: -8.0%), whereas silencing PM L5 feedback suppressed responses of high-SF-preferring V1 neurons (-20.4%). These findings suggest that feedback connections from higher visual areas convey distinctly tuned visual inputs to V1 that serve to boost V1 neurons' responses to SF. Such like-to-like functional organization may represent an important feature of feedback pathways in sensory systems and in the nervous system in general.
Communication: Diffusion constant in supercooled water as the Widom line is crossed in no man's land

According to the liquid-liquid critical point (LLCP) hypothesis, there are two distinct phases of supercooled liquid water, namely, high-density liquid and low-density liquid, separated by a coexistence line that terminates in an LLCP. If the LLCP is real, it is located within No Man's Land (NML), the region of the metastable phase diagram that is difficult to access using conventional experimental techniques due to rapid homogeneous nucleation to the crystal. However, a recent ingenious experiment has enabled measurement of the diffusion constant deep inside NML. In the current communication, these recent measurements are compared, with good agreement, to the diffusion constant of E3B3 water, a classical water model that explicitly includes three-body interactions. The behavior of the diffusion constant as the system crosses the Widom line (the extension of the liquid-liquid coexistence line into the one-phase region) is analyzed to derive information about the presence and location of the LLCP. Calculations over a wide range of temperatures and pressures show that the new experimental measurements are consistent with an LLCP having a critical pressure of over 0.6 kbar.
Featured Article: Adolescent Condom Use and Connectivity in the Social-Planful Brain.

Objective To reduce rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy among adolescents, it is critical to investigate brain connectivity that may underlie adolescents' sexual health decision-making in the context of intercourse. This study explored relationships between adolescent condom use frequency and the brain's resting-state functional connectivity, to identify differential patterns of social-affective processing among sexually active youth. Methods In this study, N = 143 sexually active adolescents (68.5% male, Mage = 16.2 years, SD = 1.06) completed magnetic resonance imaging and reported past 3-month frequency of condom use. Resting-state connectivity, seeded on a social region of the brain, the temporoparietal junction (TPJ), was assessed to determine its correspondence with protected sex (condom use). Results Condom use was associated with positive connectivity between the left TPJ and bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). This relationship was observed in adolescent males only; no connectivity differences were observed with adolescent females. Conclusions This study reflects functional synchrony between nodes of the "social brain," including the TPJ, and a region of planfulness and control, the IFG. The relationship between these regions suggests that adolescents who have more coordinated systems of communication between these critical components of the brain are more likely to be successful in planning and engaging in safer sexual decision-making; for young males, this differentiated more frequent from less frequent condom use. In turn, interventions designed to reduce STIs/human immunodeficiency virus may benefit from targeting social-planfulness dimensions to help youth implement safer sex behaviors.
High Energy Proton Induced Mutations in Cultured Chinese Hamster Cells

Chinese Hamster (V79) cells were assayed for cell survival as measured by colony forming ability and for mutation at the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus as measured by resistance to 6-thioguanine (6-TG) after exposure to 160 MeV protons delivered at low dose rates at the Harvard University Cyclotron. Proton irradiations were carried out at three dose rates; 20, 0.5 and 0.1 rad/min. Preliminary results indicate that no difference exists between these radiations when cell survival was examined, but that low doses of protons delivered at low dose rates were more effective than higher doses in inducing mutations at the HGPRT locus. Indeed our initial results showed a peak in induced mutations at a dose of 5 rad delivered at a dose rate of 0.1 rad/min. When the proton dose was delivered at a dose rate of 20 rad/min. a dose of 40 rad was required to equal the mutation frequency observed for 5 rad delivered at 0.1 rad/min. This enhanced effect for low doses delivered at a low dose rate is similar to that reported by Hill et al. (1982) for transformation of 10T 1/2 cells by low doses of neutrons delivered at low dose rates.
Youssef Chahine: Destiny

Youssef Chahine (1926–2008) was not a literary author; he was a film-maker and screenplay writer who mostly used the language of images instead of words. Chahine was the premier Arab director who prompted hundreds of critics to analyse both the form and meaning in his controversial movies. I, therefore, felt that I could not exclude Chahine when discussing the seeds of revolution in Arabic culture and arts. Many of his movies were ground-breaking works that defied the traditional Egyptian melodramatic trend in cinema; he also tackled daring subject matters that nobody else of his generation risked approaching, whether political activities or sexual relationships, including biographical movies about his career and his hometown of Alexandria, the famous ancient city on the Mediterranean known since Cleopatra.
AI Decisions, Risk, and Ethics: Beyond Value Alignment

When we think about the values AI should have in order to make right decisions and avoid wrong ones, there's a large but hidden third category to consider: decisions that are not-wrong but also not-right. This is the grey space of judgment calls, and just having good values might not help as much as you'd think here. I'll use autonomous cars as my case study here, with lessons for broader AI: ethical dilemmas can arise in everyday scenarios such as lane positioning and navigation, not just in crazy crash scenarios. This is the space where one good value might conflict with another good value, and there's no "right" answer or even broad consensus on an answer; so, it's important to recognize the hard cases-which are potential limits-in the study of AI ethics.
Repression, Reaction and Retrenchment

The politics of the City changed dramatically after the assassinations of Milk and Moscone. But the trend of money and development had come to change the tone before that with the collapse of discussions to save the I-Hotel. Goodman Tenants knew their time was limited and a deal was cut to save the building and move the tenants to another location that would be guaranteed as low-cost housing for the future. This chapter will introduce a short digression from chapter 12 to focus on events in 1979 and 1980 that give wider form to what effected the tenants and their supporters in the period before the eviction.
Embedded Control System for Self Adjusting Scissor Lift

Scissor lifts are used as an alternative to scaffolding and ladders to work in elevated areas, they are very commonly used in warehouses and working sites. But, the random distribution of load on and uneven surfaces on working sites, have accounted for a lot fatal accidents due to lift tip-over. The current understanding of scissor lift considers static load and working conditions. This paper proposes an embedded system, which can be added to the scissor lifts current control mechanism using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to measure the tilt angles of the platform, and relays for signal conditioning. Complementary filter has been applied to decrease the drift error in angle measurement by the IMU. The electro-mechanical relays have high Mean Time between Failure hence increasing overall reliability of the system. The performance of the system along with the dynamic control mechanism have been mentioned in the paper.
Correction to: Schwannoma gene therapy by adeno-associated virusdelivery of the pore-forming protein Gasdermin-D

The original version of this Article contained an error in the spelling of the author Ahmed Abdelanabi, which was incorrectly given as Abdelanabi Ahmed. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
The Impact of Social Media Activity on Nonprofit Donations in China

Social media platforms have gained wide attention in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors as an effective way to reach individuals at low cost. In the nonprofit sector, social media offers a new venue to engage supporters and raise funds. Unfortunately, the complexity of the media can prove a challenge for nonprofits looking to develop an effective social media strategy. The nascent nonprofit research provides glimpses into how to go about forming such a strategy. This paper aims to determine whether the optimal social media strategy for the nonprofit sector differs from that for the for-profit sector. We collected, over a 6-year period, daily donation data from the Chinese nonprofit Free Lunch for Children and their corresponding daily activities on the social media platform Weibo and analyzed the relationship between them. Results indicate interesting counterintuitive results showcasing a different optimal strategy for the nonprofit as compared to the for-profit sector.
New trends in time-domain integral equations

TDIE implementations have come a long way since their initial unstable first steps and are well on their way to becoming a fourth set of canonical methods in the computational electromagnetics toolbox. Five basic methods for temporal discretization have shown promise for the stable and accurate temporal discretization of TDIEs, and several fast methods have been concocted to improve their performances. While new applications of TDIEs are likely to continue pouring in, multiphysics and electromagnetic physics appear to be the short-term trajectory of these newest computational electromagnetics methods. Despite their unimpressive origins, TDIEs are finally poised to become a very new trend in computational electromagnetics.
Bureaucratic neglect: the paradoxical mistreatment of unaccompanied migrant children in the US immigration system

After release from immigrant detainment centres in the United States, a select group of unaccompanied immigrant children enter a community-based programme known as ‘post-release services’ (PRS) bec...
Influence of surgeon specialty and volume on the utilization of minimally invasive surgery and outcomes for colorectal cancer: a retrospective review

Utilization of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has multiple determinants, one being the specialization of the surgeon. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in the utilization of MIS, associated length of stay (LOS), and complications for colorectal cancer between colorectal (CRS) and general surgeons (GS). Previous studies have documented the influence of surgical volume and surgeon specialty on clinical outcomes and patient survival following colorectal cancer surgery. It is unclear whether there are differences in the utilization of MIS for colorectal cancer based on surgeon’s specialization and how this influences clinical outcomes. Using the 2013–2015 Florida Inpatient Discharge Dataset and the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System, colorectal cancer patients experiencing a colorectal surgery were identified as well as the operating physician’s specialty. Mixed-effects regression models were used to identify associations between the use of MIS, complications during the hospital stay, and patient LOS with patient, physician, and hospital characteristics. There is no difference in the use of MIS, complication, nor LOS between GS and CRS for colorectal cancer surgery. However, physician volume was associated with increased use of MIS (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.09, 1.46) and MIS was associated with decreases in certain complications as well as reductions in LOS overall (β = − 0.16, p < 0.001) and for each specialty (GS: β = − 0.18, p < 0.001; CRS β = − 0.12, p < 0.001) Despite the higher amount of proctectomies performed by CRS, no difference in MIS utilization, complication rate, or LOS was found for colorectal cancer patients based on surgeon specialty. While there are some differences in clinical outcomes attributable to specialized training, results from this study indicate that differences in surgical approach (MIS vs. Open), as well as the patient populations encountered by these two specialties, are key factors in the outcomes observed.
Legal Aspects of Casework and Counseling

This chapter examines the legal and ethical issues that frequently confront the criminal justice caseworker in the correctional setting and in the community. It provides an overview of the constitutional rights of prisoners, probationers, and parolees, including the right to treatment, the prohibition on “cruel and unusual” punishment, limitations on probation and parole conditions, due process requirements, and the application of the exclusionary rule and Miranda warnings to probationers and parolees. Caseworker liability, an emerging area, also is examined. Finally, ethical issues related to the rights of clients and the duties of caseworkers are discussed. Leading US Supreme Court cases are discussed, but this area of the law is largely bereft of guidance from the high court. It is therefore essential that caseworkers familiarize themselves with the laws of their respective states. There is a great deal of variation in state laws and administrative regulations, particularly in regard to probation and parole conditions and caseworker immunity from liability.
Comprehensive live-cell imaging analysis of cryptotanshinone and synergistic drug-screening effects in various human and canine cancer cell lines.

Background Several studies have highlighted both the extreme anticancer effects of Cryptotanshinone (CT), a Stat3 crippling component from Salvia miltiorrhiza, as well as other STAT3 inhibitors to fight cancer. Methods Data presented in this experiment incorporates 2 years of in vitro studies applying a comprehensive live-cell drug-screening analysis of human and canine cancer cells exposed to CT at 20 μM concentration, as well as to other drug combinations. As previously observed in other studies, dogs are natural cancer models, given to their similarity in cancer genetics, epidemiology and disease progression compared to humans. Results Results obtained from several types of human and canine cancer cells exposed to CT and varied drug combinations, verified CT efficacy at combating cancer by achieving an extremely high percentage of apoptosis within 24 hours of drug exposure. Conclusions CT anticancer efficacy in various human and canine cancer cell lines denotes its ability to interact across different biological processes and cancer regulatory cell networks, driving inhibition of cancer cell survival.
Cancer therapies based on targeted protein degradation - lessons learned with lenalidomide.

For decades, anticancer targeted therapies have been designed to inhibit kinases or other enzyme classes and have profoundly benefited many patients. However, novel approaches are required to target transcription factors, scaffolding proteins and other proteins central to cancer biology that typically lack catalytic activity and have remained mostly recalcitrant to drug development. The selective degradation of target proteins is an attractive approach to expand the druggable proteome, and the selective oestrogen receptor degrader fulvestrant served as an early example of this concept. Following a long and tragic history in the clinic, the immunomodulatory imide drug (IMiD) thalidomide was discovered to exert its therapeutic activity via a novel and unexpected mechanism of action: targeting proteins to an E3 ubiquitin ligase for subsequent proteasomal degradation. This discovery has paralleled and directly catalysed myriad breakthroughs in drug development, leading to the rapid maturation of generalizable chemical platforms for the targeted degradation of previously undruggable proteins. Decades of clinical experience have established front-line roles for thalidomide analogues, including lenalidomide and pomalidomide, in the treatment of haematological malignancies. With a new generation of ‘degrader’ drugs currently in development, this experience provides crucial insights into class-wide features of degraders, including a unique pharmacology, mechanisms of resistance and emerging therapeutic opportunities. Herein, we review these past experiences and discuss their application in the clinical development of novel degrader therapies. The discovery that the anticancer activity of thalidomide and its analogues, such as lenalidomide, reflects drug-induced degradation of specific target proteins has heightened interest in novel ‘degrader’ drugs. Herein, the authors review the wide and expanding use of thalidomide analogues in the treatment of multiple cancers and outline how lessons learned from this experience, particularly with lenalidomide, can guide the clinical development of new targeted protein degradation platforms.
Characterizing DRESS syndrome recurrence: a systematic review

Recurrence of DRESS syndrome is poorly characterized, and dermatologists must be prepared to predict, identify, and manage patients after treatment of the initial presentation. In this study, a primary literature search was conducted using PubMed, capturing all articles recording cases of DRESS syndrome recurrence. Forty-two articles were included for review comprising a total of 60 patients. The average age of patients was 46.3 years and time to recurrence was 123 days. Recurrent episodes presented more frequently with a higher fever and eosinophil absolute peak. Relapse was most often attributed to the introduction of a new medication (n = 18). Of the 17 cases in which outcome data were available, the survival rate of those experiencing recurrence was 71%. Viral reactivation with HHV-6 and organ involvement of the liver were frequently recorded complications. In essence, viral reactivation, severe internal organ involvement, and hematological abnormalities all portended a poorer prognosis in those experiencing DRESS syndrome recurrence. An adequate course of treatment should be maintained until clinical and laboratory parameters normalize, with a slow taper to minimize the likelihood of relapse in those most at risk.
Superconducting proximity effect in InAsSb surface quantum wells with in-situ Al contacts

We demonstrate a robust superconducting proximity effect in InAs0.5Sb0.5 quantum wells grown with epitaxial Al contacts, which has important implications for mesoscopic and topological superconductivity. Unlike more commonly studied InAs and InSb semiconductors, bulk InAs0.5Sb0.5 supports stronger spin–orbit coupling and a larger g-factor. However, these potentially desirable properties have not been previously measured in epitaxial heterostructures with superconductors, which could serve as a platform for fault-tolerant topological quantum computing. Through structural and transport characterization, we observe high-quality interfaces and a strong spin–orbit coupling. We fabricate Josephson junctions based on InAs0.5Sb0.5 quantum wells and observe a strong proximity effect. With a contact separation of 500 nm, these junctions exhibit products IcRN = 270 μV and IexRN = 230 μV of normal resistance RN, critical current Ic, and excess current Iex. Both of these quantities demonstrate a robust and long-range proximity effect with highly transparent contacts.
Celebrating sexuality: My curriculum of gratitude

I feel more gratitude for the curriculum of my sexuality than for my learning in any other area of life. In this article, I explore that curriculum autobiographically, recalling the people and expe...
Microbiota as Drivers and as Therapeutic Targets in Ocular and Tissue Specific Autoimmunity

Autoimmune uveitis is a major cause of blindness in humans. Activation of retina-specific autoreactive T cells by commensal microbiota has been shown to trigger uveitis in mice. Although a culprit microbe and/or its immunogenic antigen remains to be identified, studies from inducible and spontaneous mouse models suggest the potential of microbiota-modulating therapies for treating ocular autoimmune disease. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the contribution of microbiota to T cell-driven, tissue-specific autoimmunity, with an emphasis on autoimmune uveitis, and analyze microbiota-altering interventions, including antibiotics, probiotics, and microbiota-derived metabolites (e.g., short-chain fatty acids), which have been shown to be effective in other autoimmune diseases. We also discuss the need to explore more translational animal models as well as to integrate various datasets (microbiomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and other cellular measurements) to gain a better understanding of how microbiota can directly or indirectly modulate the immune system and contribute to the onset of disease. It is hoped that deeper understanding of these interactions may lead to more effective treatment interventions.
Mary, the Children, and Me

Having had two years of chemistry, I was assigned to work in the student health laboratory during my junior and senior years. My job was primarily to do urine analyses and hemoglobin tests. There I met Mary Nutely, a work-study student member of the staff in the office of the university doctor. She would often bring me samples in the lab to test, and we soon became good friends. Mary was taking a freshman chemistry course and told me that she was having trouble with it. I offered to help her and thereafter we began to be with each other more often. In spite of my help she failed the course, but she never held it against me.
On-line microbore high-performance liquid chromatography-capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. II: Application to the analysis of solvent refined coal

A new on-line technique for the analysis of complex petroleum samples is presented employing a microbore high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system for first-stage fractionation by ring size, directly coupled to a high-resolution capillary gas chromatography (GC) system for isomer separations, followed by an on-line mass spectrometer for identification. The use of microgore HPLC and a newly developed low-dispersion stream splitter permitted non-discriminative transfer of the fractionated LC zones directly to the gas chromatograph without the need for further LC miniaturization or retention-gap techniques on the gas chromatograph. The eluent splitter also allowed the simultaneous monitoring of the eluent for accurate zone sampling and transfer, and for the introduction of further separation dimensions such as LCLCGC—mass spectrometry (MS). The LCGCMS was applied to a solvent refined coal sample with the three- and four-ring fractions being separated and identified. Probability of the LCGC system to separate pure components ranged from 95 to 97% for the coal tar sample vs. to 7.0% for a single-stage, capillary GC separation.
A profile of successful US manufacturers

Examines the relationship between business strategy, organizational performance and manufacturing techniques and practices among 130 US companies. The research supports the notion that innovative strategies, which stress customer orientation and differentiation through the careful manipulation of the operating systems to achieve higher levels of quality, flexibility and dependability, form the basis for strategic success.
Specificity of proofreading by the 3'----5' exonuclease of the DNA polymerase-primase of Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract The DNA polymerase-primase from Drosophila melanogaster contains a cryptic 3'----5' exonuclease that can be detected after separation of the 182-kDa polymerase subunit from the four-subunit enzyme. To determine the specificity of excision of mispaired nucleotides by the exonuclease, we have utilized primed phi X174am3 single-stranded DNA containing a noncomplementary nucleotide at the 3'-primer terminus, opposite deoxyadenosine at position 587 in the amber3 codon of the template strand. In the absence of polymerization, the preference for excision of the mispaired nucleotide from the primer is C greater than A much greater than G. Excision under these conditions is inhibited by the addition of deoxyguanosine monophosphate. Under conditions of concomitant DNA synthesis, the preference for excision at this site becomes A = G much greater than C, and excision is insensitive to deoxyguanosine monophosphate. The high fidelity of DNA synthesis exhibited by the isolated 182-kDa polymerase subunit is not reduced by concentrations of deoxyguanosine monophosphate or adenosine monophosphate that inhibit proofreading by prokaryotic DNA polymerases. Thus, the 3'----5' exonuclease of the Drosophila DNA polymerase-primase participates in exonucleolytic proofreading by excising noncomplementary nucleotides prior to extension of the primer by polymerase action. The deoxynucleoside triphosphate analogs N2-(p-butylphenyl)deoxyguanosine triphosphate and N2-(p-butylphenyl)deoxyadenosine triphosphate are potent inhibitors of DNA polymerase alpha. Like calf thymus DNA polymerase delta, recently determined to have proofreading capability, DNA synthesis by the isolated Drosophila 182-kDa polymerase subunit was not inhibited by the two analogs. In contrast, DNA synthesis by the intact Drosophila polymerase-primase complex was inhibited greater than 95% by these analogs.
Relationship Between Anti-Lock Tire Mark Length and Speed Change

The relationship between pre-braking speed and the length of locked wheel skid marks has been explored in many publications, however, the literature to date does not address the effects of anti-lock braking on prebraking speed calculations based on the length of tire marks. Anti-lock brake systems reduce the wheel slip and avoid wheel lock (100% slip) to enable a vehicle to achieve high deceleration rates under emergency braking while retaining steering control. Typically, during braking an anti-lock braking system (ABS) will maintain 5-25% slip, and can sometimes leave faint and/or alternating tire marks as opposed to the dark skid marks created by a locked sliding wheel. Instrumented vehicle testing was conducted on a variety of vehicles to quantify the effects of pre-mark braking on overall speed change. From this data, the effective deceleration for the tested road surface was evaluated and compared to existing literature for locked wheel braking. This paper evaluates existing published methods to account for the speed loss prior to observing ABS tire marks based on the estimated deceleration and the length of the tire marks. Additionally, this paper explores sources of inaccuracy with estimating pre-braking speed based upon observed ABS tire mark length.
Analysis of the Exudate Produced by Streptococcus mutans SL-1 Colonies on Sucrose-Containing Agar Media

The watery exudate produced by Streptococcus mutans SL-1 colonies on sucrose-containing agar media was found to contain about 7% (wt/vol) of a water-soluble, branched dextran, 4% sucrose, and smaller (less than 1%) amounts of fructose, Folin-phenol-positive material, and lactic acid.