cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Die Stoffwechselfunktion der Cytidin-Coenzyme

Es ist seit langem bekannt, das Adenosin nicht nur in der Ribonucleinsaure, sondern auch in Coenzymen wie DPN, TPN, FAD und CoA vorkommt. Wahrend der letzten zehn Jahre sind auch Coenzyme entdeckt worden, die Uridin, Guanosin und Cytidin enthalten und spezifische und hochwichtige Funktionen erfullen. In diesem Vortrag soll uber den Stoffwechsel und die Funktion der Cytidin enthaltenden Coenzyme berichtet werden.
Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging identifies significant apical prostate cancers.

OBJECTIVE To determine if multiparametric (mp) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can identify significant apical disease, thereby informing decisions regarding preservation of the membranous urethra. MATERIALS AND METHODS Men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) between January 2012 and June 2016, who underwent a 12-core transrectal ultrasonography-guided systematic biopsy (SB), preoperative 3-Tesla MRI, and sectioning of the prostate specimen with tumour foci mapping, were extracted from a single surgeon's prospective longitudinal outcomes database. Apical SB and mpMRI lesion results were compared with regard to their ability to predict aggressive tumours in the prostatic apex (PA), defined as prostate cancer grade group >1. RESULTS Of the 100 men who met the eligibility criteria, 43 (43%) exhibited aggressive prostate cancer in the distal 5 mm of the apex. A Likert score >2 in the apical one-third of the prostate was found to be more reliable than any cancer found on apical SB at detecting aggressive cancer in the apex. On multivariate regression analysis, which included Likert score in the apex, age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, prostate size and presence of any cancer on apical biopsy, only Likert score (P = 0.005) and PSA level (P = 0.025) were significant and independent predictors of aggressive cancer in the distal apex. CONCLUSION The results of the study showed that MRI was superior to SB at identifying aggressive prostate cancer within the distal PA and may be useful for planning the extent of apical preservation during RP.
Jack Child, Miniature Messages: The Semiotics of Latin American Postage Stamps . Durham: Duke University Press, 2008

I have to confess that when Miniature Messages first landed on my desk I was a little bit skeptical. Not being a collector, I was afraid that I was about to embark on a long, although certainly colorful, treatise of a hobby about which I had relatively little interest. My initial prejudice was quickly laid aside, as Child makes a compelling case for finding the political, social and cultural importance in the images that (at least used to) pass daily under our eyes. In this wonderfully interdisciplinary work, he uses his extremely detailed account of the history of the postage stamp in Latin America, to chart the contours of the region‘s political history, outlines a theory of semiotics that can be applied to other kinds of everyday cultural production, and finally through the beautiful reproductions and CD-ROM that accompanies the book, provides those of us who teach Latin American studies with material to engage our students on the topics of history, politics and aesthetics.
Linking patients with buprenorphine treatment in primary care: Predictors of engagement.

Abstract Background Office-based buprenorphine treatment promises to expand effective treatment for opioid use disorder. Unfortunately, patients may be lost during engagement, before induction with medication. Few data are available regarding rates and predictors of successfully reaching induction. Methods The sample included 100 consecutive patients seeking treatment in 2016 at an office-based buprenorphine treatment program in an urban, academic primary care clinic. Patients completed phone intake, nurse visit and physician visit prior to induction. We reviewed electronic medical records to describe the time to complete each step and used multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of reaching induction. Results Sixty percent of the sample dropped out prior to induction, with the majority dropping out prior to the nurse visit. For patients who successfully completed induction, median time between screening and induction was 18 days (interquartile range 13-30 days). After adjustment for other factors, completing induction was significantly less likely in patients with recent polysubstance use (OR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.04–0.53), prior methadone treatment (OR = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01–0.36), prior buprenorphine treatment (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.01–0.47), or other prior treatment (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.04–0.98). Sociodemographic characteristics, such as younger age, minority race/ethnicity, homelessness, unemployment, history of incarceration and relationship status were not significant predictors. Conclusions Over half of patients beginning primary care buprenorphine treatment were not successful in starting medication. Those with polysubstance use or previous substance use treatment were least likely to be successful. Programs should carefully consider barriers that might prevent treatment-seeking patients from starting medications. Some patients might need enhanced support to successfully start treatment with buprenorphine.
The Effects of Restrictive Housing on the Psychological Functioning of Inmates

The use of restrictive housing as a correctional management tool has received much attention in recent years, especially as it impacts psychological functioning. While there is considerable literat...
Nevus Comedonicus Syndrome

Nevus comedonicus (NC) is a hamartoma of pilosebaceous units. It often appears as wide keratin filled invaginations of the epidermis. Many have noted its resemblance to open or closed comedones, which has given rise to the moniker NC. NC is considered in the family of epidermal nevi because it contains hamartomatous epidermal and adnexal elements. NC occurs less frequently than other epidermal nevi, accounting for less than 2% of epidermal nevi in one study (Rogers 1992). NC is usually found on the face and trunk but has been reported in other locations (Lefkowitz et al. 1999). Although, NC usually presents as an isolated clinical finding, it has been reported in association with extra-cutaneous anomalies (the nevus comedonicus syndrome). There have been recent advances in the understanding of the genetic basis of NC, which has served to clarify the relationship between NC and the associated extra-cutaneous manifestations. There are many reports of treatment approaches to NC but no controlled clinical trials have been performed to this point. This chapter discusses various facets of NC, including historical background and epidemiology, cutaneous and extracutaneous features, histopathology, genetic basis, pathogenesis, and management.
PET in Medullary Thyroid Cancer

The optimal treatment for medullary thyroid cancer is total thyroidectomy and central nodal lymphadenectomy at presentation when the primary cancer is small and has not metastasized significantly (1). In the three phenotypes of familial medullary cancer, i.e., familial medullary cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) IIA, and MENIIB, screening of families for patients with a mutation in the RET proto-oncogene and a genetic predisposition for the diseases allows surgery at an even earlier stage (2, 3, 4). Unfortunately, not all patients are treated at the optimal time. Some patients with sporadic medullary cancer have extensive local and distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. It is important to define the extent of disease when planning treatment. Other patients who have undergone appropriate surgery are found to have a measurable calcitonin level after the operation. This implies there is residual disease in the thyroid bed or lymph nodes or distant sites. It is helpful if the site or sites of calcitonin production can be identified when they are small and amenable to removal at a reoperation.
Cultural Changes in the United States: Impact on EducationAttainment Among African Americans

There was a time in America when African American educators in public grade schools were intricately connected to their students through community organizations. African American educators lived in the same neighborhoods as their students, attended the same churches and participated in similar community and civic activities. African Americans in general lived and worked in the same communities regardless of socio-economic status due to formal and informal segregation policies, the practice of redlining in the home purchasing process and efforts by white homeowners to maintain the integrity of their neighborhoods. As a result, African American educators were part of communities where they had the opportunity to see the direct and immediate impact of their success at educating the best and brightest in the African American community. While the majority of African Americans live in urban areas, they are no longer physically segregated into distinct communities within cities. In the contemporary perspective, physical changes in the makeup of the African American community, as well as, cultural changes among the greater society could have profound consequences for the social and economic development of the African community. Essentially, the physical changes observed among African American communities, particularly the separation of African Americans by socio-economic status, may have a clear and measurable impact on education attainment rates observed among African Americans. This paper is an attempt to better understand the impact of physical and cultural changes observed among African American communities on African American education attainment rates. The primary indicators used to make this assessment are high school graduation rates, as well as, college and university admission and retention rates.
A Comparative Study of Data-Driven Human Driver Lateral Control Models

To reduce human driving workload, many advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) have been developed using a single, often simple, driver model to predict human-driver interaction in the immediate future. However, each person drives differently, necessitating personalized driver models based on data obtained from actual driver actions. Yet, traditional control-theoretic and physics-based models have difficulty in accurately predicting driver actions. Being inspired from the recent achievements of machine-learning (ML) methods, this work compares several ML-based algorithms in predicting the lateral control actions of human drivers, evaluates each method using both simulated and real human-driving data sets, and discusses their performance.
Mapping Structure-Function Relationships in the Brain.

Mapping the structural and functional connectivity of the brain is a major focus of systems neuroscience research and will help to identify causally important changes in neural circuitry responsible for behavioral dysfunction. Several methods for examining brain activity in humans have been extended to rodent and monkey models in which molecular and genetic manipulations exist for linking to human disease. In this review, which is part of a special issue focused on bridging brain connectivity information across species and spatiotemporal scales, we address mapping brain activity and neural connectivity in rodents using optogenetics in conjunction with either functional magnetic resonance imaging or optical intrinsic signal imaging. We chose to focus on these techniques because they are capable of reporting spontaneous or evoked hemodynamic activity most closely linked to human neuroimaging studies. We discuss the capabilities and limitations of blood-based imaging methods, usage of optogenetic techniques to map neural systems in rodent models, and other powerful mapping techniques for examining neural connectivity over different spatial and temporal scales. We also discuss implementing strategies for mapping brain connectivity in humans with both basic and clinical applications, and conclude with how cross-species mapping studies can be utilized to influence preclinical imaging studies and clinical practices alike.
How does ascorbate improve endothelial dysfunction

Low levels of ascorbate (ASC, reduced form of vitamin C) are associated with several diseases linked to increased oxidative stress, such as cancer, diabetes, HIV, sepsis and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD’s). In these diseases, either the systemic or localized cellular ASC deficiency is reported as a cause for endothelial dysfunction (ED). It is well established that ED is primarily caused due to reduction in nitric oxide (NO) and increase in oxidative stress. The synthesis and bioavailability of NO are sensitive to ASC, yet the mechanism by which ASC improves ED is unclear. In the present study, we examined putative mechanisms that might account for the ability of ASC to increase NO bioavailability and thus improve ED. Since the biochemical interactions among the reactive species are complex and rapid, we used the computational modeling approaches to understand these mechanistic interactions. In the present study, a single cell computational model was developed that involves eNOS biochemical pathway, downstream reactions involving NO and various reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, cellular oxidative stress and ASC. Using this model, we analyzed the role of ASC in ED by determining, i) the NO bioavailability; ii) optimal levels of intracellular ASC required to improve ED and iii) analyzing interactions of ASC with BH4 and other reactive species including O2•– and ONOO–. The model results show, (i) oxidative stress decreased the NO production and biopterin ratio and increased O2•– production; (ii) ASC supplementation in the range of 10 – 100 µM improved NO production rate, BH4 bioavailability and biopterin ratio under varying oxidative stress conditions; (iii) scavenging of O2•– and ONOO– by ASC was negligible. This study suggests that ASC improves ED by enhancing BH4 bioavailability and stabilizing eNOS under oxidative stress conditions.
Elevated leptin disrupts epithelial polarity and promotes premalignant alterations in the mammary gland

Obesity is a highly prevalent and modifiable breast cancer risk factor. While the role of obesity in fueling breast cancer progression is well established, the mechanisms linking obesity to breast cancer initiation are poorly understood. A hallmark of breast cancer initiation is the disruption of apical polarity in mammary glands. Here we show that mice with diet-induced obesity display mislocalization of Par3, a regulator of cellular junctional complexes defining mammary epithelial polarity. We found that epithelial polarity loss also occurs in a 3D coculture system that combines acini with human mammary adipose tissue, and establish that a paracrine effect of the tissue adipokine leptin causes loss of polarity by overactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Leptin sensitizes non-neoplastic cells to proliferative stimuli, causes mitotic spindle misalignment, and expands the pool of cells with stem/progenitor characteristics, which are early steps for cancer initiation. We also found that normal breast tissue samples with high leptin/adiponectin transcript ratio characteristic of obesity have an altered distribution of apical polarity markers. This effect is associated with increased epithelial cell layers. Our results provide a molecular basis for early alterations in epithelial architecture during obesity-mediated cancer initiation.
A novel deformable lung phantom with programably variable external and internal correlation.

Purpose Lung motion phantoms used to validate radiotherapy motion management strategies have fairly simplistic designs that do not adequately capture complex phenomena observed in human respiration such as external and internal deformation, variable hysteresis and variable correlation between different parts of the thoracic anatomy. These limitations make reliable evaluation of sophisticated motion management techniques quite challenging. In this work, we present the design and implementation of a programmable, externally and internally deformable lung motion phantom that allows for a reproducible change in external-internal and internal-internal correlation of embedded markers. Methods An in-house-designed lung module, made from natural latex foam was inserted inside the outer shell of a commercially available lung phantom (RSD, Long Beach, CA, USA). Radiopaque markers were placed on the external surface and embedded into the lung module. Two independently programmable high-precision linear motion actuators were used to generate primarily anterior-posterior (AP) and primarily superior-inferior (SI) motion in a reproducible fashion in order to enable (a) variable correlation between the displacement of interior volume and the exterior surface, (b) independent changes in the amplitude of the AP and SI motions, and (c) variable hysteresis. The ability of the phantom to produce complex and variable motion accurately and reproducibly was evaluated by programming the two actuators with mathematical and patient-recorded lung tumor motion traces, and recording the trajectories of various markers using kV fluoroscopy. As an example application, the phantom was used to evaluate the performance of lung motion models constructed from kV fluoroscopy and 4DCT images. Results The phantom exhibited a high degree of reproducibility and marker motion ranges were reproducible to within 0.5 mm. Variable correlation was observed between the displacements of internal-internal and internal-external markers. The SI and AP components of motion of a specific marker had a correlation parameter that varied from -11 to 17. Monitoring a region of interest on the phantom's surface to estimate internal marker motion led to considerably lower uncertainties than when a single point was monitored. Conclusions We successfully designed and implemented a programmable, externally and internally deformable lung motion phantom that allows for a reproducible change in external-internal and internal-internal correlation of embedded markers.
Cigarette Packs With URLs Leading to Tobacco Company Websites: Content Analysis

Background: Tobacco companies include on the packaging of their products URLs directing consumers to websites that contain protobacco messages. Online media tend to be underregulated and provide the industry with an opportunity to present users with protobacco communication. Objective: The objective of our study was to document the content of websites that were advertised on tobacco packs in 14 low- and middle-income countries. Methods: We purchased tobacco packs from 14 low- and middle-income countries in 2013 and examined them for the presence of URLs. We visited unique URLs on multiple occasions between October 1, 2016 and August 9, 2017. We developed a coding checklist and used it to conduct a content analysis of active corporate websites to identify types of protobacco communication. The coding checklist included the presence of regulatory controls and warnings, engagement strategies, marketing appeals (eg, description of product popularity, luxury/quality, taste), corporate social responsibility programs, and image management. We coded brand websites separately and also described social media and other website types. Results: We identified 89 unique URLs, of which 54 were active during the search period. We assessed 26 corporate websites, 21 brand websites, 2 nontobacco websites, and 5 social media pages. We excluded 2 corporate websites and 14 brand websites due to limited accessible content or incomplete content. Corporate social responsibility was discussed on all corporate websites, and marketing appeals were also common. Corporate websites were also more likely to include more nonspecific (12/24, 50%) than specific (7/24, 29%) health warnings. Promotions (6/7, 86%) and sociability appeals (3/7, 43%) were common on brand websites. The small number of social media webpages in our sample used gendered marketing. Conclusions: URLs appearing on tobacco packs direct consumers to websites where users are exposed to marketing that highlights the “positive” contributions of tobacco companies on corporate websites, and extensive promotions and marketing appeals on brand websites and social media pages. It is essential that marketing regulations become more comprehensive and ban all protobacco communication, a policy that is in line with articles 5.3 and 13 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. For countries that already ban internet tobacco advertising, enforcement efforts should be strengthened. Tobacco companies’ use of URLs on packs may also be compelling for plain packaging advocacy, where all branding is removed from the pack and large graphic health warning labels are the only communication on the tobacco packaging. Future research should consider including tobacco websites in marketing surveillance.
Regional Electricity Demand and Economic Transition in China

Abstract A structural shift to the tertiary sector and production reduction in heavy industries slow growth in electricity consumption in China. GDP remains as the leading factor driving electricity demand. It is projected an annual growth rate of 3.1 percent to 5.1 percent for electricity consumption in China by 2020, given that key features in China's economic transition are likely to continue in the foreseeable future. There exist regional patterns in electricity demand growth, separating the more developed regions along the eastern coast and the less-developed inland regions, due to different economic and demographic trends.
Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Phosphorylation in the Nervous System

The central role of Ca2+ in the physiology of the nervous system is well documented [2]. Ca2+ regulates electrical excitability of nerve cells [15,26], as well as synthesis [43] and release [3,46] of neurotransmitters. Unlike the cyclic nucleotide second messengers, which are thought to act exclusively on protein kinases [19,20,32,34,39,40], intracellular Ca2+ interacts with a variety of protein systems, including, but not limited to, protein kinases [9]. The cyclic nucleotides and Ca2+ also differ in the number of protein kinases they stimulate. cAMP and cGMP each activate one known catalytic component, while Ca2+ activates several different protein kinases. An exciting area of research is to identify those physiological actions of Ca2+ that are mediated through protein phosphorylation and to determine, by identification of the specific protein kinases and substrate proteins involved, the precise molecular pathways by which those actions of Ca2+ are achieved.
Using Deep Learning and Steam User Data for Better Video Game Recommendations

Recommendation systems have been used widely in many industries, including online retail, movies, and news media. Indeed, video game recommendation systems are one of the most important tools available to users and game distribution platforms today. A good recommender can help customers find games they might like faster, not only making it easier for them but also helping game distributors and developers to increase their sales and improve customer satisfaction ratings. One such platform that can greatly benefit from a recommendation system is Steam, the largest digital PC game distribution platform. Steam sees over a dozen million users login every day. It collects a considerable amount of data on each user, and this data may be used to help make better game recommendations. This paper proposes STEAMer, a solution for a new video game recommendation system for the Steam platform. STEAMer utilizes the Steam user data in conjunction with a deep autoencoder learning model to generate potential recommendations; we also apply the additional user data to an existing deep neural network-based recommendation system. Performance evaluation shows that the additional user data does indeed improve recommendation performance. Furthermore, when both systems use the additional user data, the deep autoencoder-based STEAMer still proves superior to the baseline deep neural network-based system in both mean average precision @ 10 (MAP@10) and normalized discounted cumulative gain @ 10 (NDCG@10) scores and in diversity.
Chasing the Dragon: Driving the Paradigm Shift to Move Beyond Opioids.

Synopsis “Chasing the dragon” is a term that originated 150 years ago in China after the Opium Wars to refer to the act of heating opium and inhaling its vapor. The phrase has a second meaning, des...
Analyzing Factors Affecting Financial Literacy and Its Impact on Investment Behavior Among Adults in India

Financial literacy is essential for making key financial decisions related to saving, borrowing, and investment. Although numerable studies have been conducted to find elements of financial literacy, most of them focus on developed countries. This study aims to determine characteristics that affect levels of financial literacy in India and the impact of financial literacy on investment behavior. Primary data from 309 respondents across India was collected for the purpose of the study and was analyzed using empirical methods such as ordinary least square (OLS) regression and t-test. It was found that financial literacy among respondents was low and significant differences existed based on sociodemographic and economic factors. Unexpectedly, financial literacy was found to have no effect on investment behavior. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first, if not the first, of its kind to be conducted in India. The findings have significant implications for financial education and public policy programs.
Risk of Recall Among Medical Devices Undergoing US Food and Drug Administration 510(k) Clearance and Premarket Approval, 2008-2017.

Importance The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses 510(k) clearance and premarket approval (PMA) pathways to ensure device safety before marketing. Premarket approval evaluates high-risk medical devices and requires clinical trials, whereas 510(k) clearance evaluates moderate-risk devices and relies on benchtop (nonclinical and biomechanical) and descriptive data. Existing literature suggests that the clinical trials required by PMA are associated with reduced risk of recall compared with devices granted 510(k) clearance. Several investigators have found weaknesses in pivotal PMA trials, raising safety concerns. Furthermore, methodological factors may have led to a previous underestimation of recall risk for devices with PMA. Objectives To compare risk of recall and high-risk recall between devices that received 510(k) clearance and those that received PMA and to compare the risk of recall between devices for medical specialties. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study compared devices with 510(k) clearance vs those with PMA that reached the market between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2017. Two- to 12-year follow-up was obtained from the FDA’s 510(k) and PMA medical device database. Orthopedic surgery was chosen arbitrarily as the reference category for analysis between specialties because no baseline exists. Statistical analysis was performed from February 1 to November 1, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures The FDA issues recalls for safety concerns. These recalls are stratified into class I, II, and III, with class I representing high-risk issues for serious harm or death. The main outcome was the hazard ratio of any recall and class I recall between devices with PMA and those with 510(k) clearance. The secondary outcome was the recall hazard ratio between specialties with respect to the reference category. A single Cox proportional hazards regression model evaluating the association of medical specialty and FDA approval pathway with the risk of recall was performed. Results During the study period, 28 246 devices received 510(k) clearance and 310 devices (10.7%) received PMA; 3012 devices (10.7%) with 510(k) clearance and 84 devices (27.1%) with PMA were recalled. A total of 216 devices (0.8%) with 510(k) clearance and 16 devices (5.2%) with PMA had class I recalls. Devices with PMA compared with those with 510(k) clearance had a hazard ratio for recall of 2.74 (95% CI, 2.19-3.44;P Conclusions and Relevance This study suggests that high-risk medical devices approved via PMA are associated with a greater risk of recall than previously reported. Most recalls are for devices with 510(k) clearance, also raising safety concerns. Strengthening postmarketing surveillance strategies and pivotal trials may improve device safety.
Cloud management

Cloud computing offers a number of benefits, such as elasticity with the perception of unlimited resources, self-service, on-demand, automation, etc. However, these benefits create new requirements for management of cloud computing. On the back-end, economic limitations dictate careful consolidation of servers with clear sustainability analysis; managed levels of abstractions are higher (from hardware, to VMs, to services); and reliability, availability, and supportability are built into higher levels of systems and services. On the client-side, cloud services have to be easy to use/manage, perform well, and be reliable. On both sides, geographical distribution and its implications on business continuity is a rule rather than exception; scalability is built-in by design; and QoS is still being defined. In this paper, we discuss new requirements and approaches to cloud management. We present a few examples of cloud management for private, public, and HPC clouds. Based on these, we derive conclusions about manageability of current platforms and then make predictions about the research challenges of future cloud management. We expect these findings to help designers of next generation hardware and software platforms to develop more manageable systems and solutions.
Perspectives article: income inequality, health, and household welfare

The growth in US income inequality since the late 1970s has directed much public policy attention to the macroeconomic and political factors contributing to such growth. In this review, I focus on the microeconomic implications of income inequality for household wellbeing, specifically, on whether income inequality per se has an impact on the health of household members. In doing so I review work that has posited the social and biological pathways through which inequality may affect health, and the empirical approaches and challenges to identifying such causality. I find that despite both theoretical and conceptual arguments that income inequality may affect the health of family members through the family’s relative position in the income distribution, the weight of the empirical evidence does not support such a causal relationship. I conclude with a discussion differentiating the importance of income support for those in the lower percentiles of the income distribution, and efforts to improve the relative economic status of others.
Impact of Channel Variation on a Code Multiplexed Pilot in Multicarrier Systems

In spread multi-carrier systems with a code-multiplexed pilot channel, variations of the channel within the spreading block impact channel estimation and data demodulation through the loss of orthogonality of the spreading codes. In this paper the mean-squared error (MSE) between the true channel and a channel estimate obtained through simple despreading of the pilot code is derived. The closed-form MSE expression is a function of the channel fading statistics, the currently employed spreading codes, and the powers of the different users. By evaluating the MSE for a time-spread orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed (OFDM) system, it is observed that while spreading in time will have little impact in a pico-cell system scenario, a wide-area cell system experiences significant degradation in channel estimation performance at moderate Doppler frequencies. The impact on data demodulation is evaluated through simulations with the data users employing a turbo code.
Parent Autonomy Support, Academic Achievement, and Psychosocial Functioning: a Meta-analysis of Research

A meta-analysis of 36 studies examining the relations between parent autonomy support (PAS) and child outcomes indicated that PAS was related to greater academic achievement and indicators of adaptive psychosocial functioning, including autonomous motivation, psychological health, perceived competence, engagement, and positive attitudes toward school, among other outcomes. The strongest relation emerged between PAS and psychological health. Results indicated that the strength of the PAS relation was stronger when PAS was reflective of both parents, rather than of just mothers or just fathers among five of six outcomes for which moderators could be examined. Moderator analyses also suggested that PAS correlations are stronger when the outcome is better aligned to the predictor and the relation between PAS and psychosocial outcomes may vary by grade level. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.
Familial Influences and Higher Education

College is a place of many things: a place to learn, a place to make new friendships, a place to discover what interests you, and so much more. Some have always dreamed of attending a college or university, while for others, higher learning is not their desired goal. What distinguishes these two types of people from each other is influenced by many factors. Some of these include place of residence, family income, family structure, education level of the parents, race, and gender. It is not incorrect to say that the family is one of the greatest influences on a child’s decision to pursue higher education. While most of the research in the past has looked at the magnitude of many factors at once, I specifically plan to analyze how strong the effects of family income, family structure, and the education level of the parents are on a child’s decision to acquire a college education. This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/parkplace/vol6/iss1/11
Lensification of the posterior corneal surface. An unusual proliferation of lens epithelial cells.

Background: Abnormal proliferation of lens epithelial cells occurs in a variety of situations, such as anterior and posterior subcapsular cataracts and secondary cataract formation. The purpose of this report is to document an unusual occurrence of diffuse proliferation of lens epithelium and capsule along the posterior corneal surface. Methods: The authors performed penetrating keratoplasty to remove an edematous and scarred cornea in a 19-year-old Indian man. Three years previously, the patient had undergone penetrating keratoplasty and extracapsular cataract extraction to treat a nonhealing corneal ulcer. The keratectomy specimen was processed for conventional light microscopy. Five-micrometer sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and the periodic acid-Schiff methods. Results: Intraoperatively, the eye was found to be aphakic with an intact posterior capsule. The iris tissue consisted of fibrotic, pigmented remnants adherent to the peripheral cornea for 360°, closing the angle and capsular fornix. Histologically, cataractous lens material including proliferated lens epithelial cells and capsule diffusely lined the posterior corneal surface along a thick retrocorneal fibrous membrane. Conclusions: This case represents a new category of lens epithelial cell proliferation or migration or both that covers entirely the posterior corneal surface. The authors believe the term lensification is appropriate for the condition described herein.
Culture and R 2

Consistent with predictions from the psychology literature, we find that stock prices co-move more (less) in culturally tight (loose) and collectivistic (individualistic) countries. Culture influences stock price synchronicity by affecting correlations in investors’ trading activities and a country’s information environment. Both market-wide and firm-specific variations are lower in tighter cultures. Individualism is mostly associated with higher firm-specific variations. Trade and financial openness weakens the effect of domestic culture on stock price comovements. These results hold for various robustness checks. Our study suggests that culture is an important omitted variable in the literature that investigates cross-country differences in stock price comovements.
Mi-mediated aphid resistance in tomato: tissue localization and impact on the feeding behavior of two potato aphid clones with differing levels of virulence.

The Mi-1.2 gene in tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. (Solanaceae), confers resistance against several herbivores, including the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae) and the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae). Previous studies on the tissue localization of resistance have given varying results; whitefly resistance was attributed to factors localized in the mesophyll or epidermis, whereas aphid resistance was attributed to factors localized in the phloem. Our study utilizes the direct current electrical penetration graph (DC-EPG) technique to compare aphid feeding behavior on resistant (Mi-1.2+) and susceptible (Mi-1.2-) tomato plants. This study also compares the impact of resistance on the feeding behavior of two aphid clones that vary in their virulence, or their ability to survive and reproduce on resistant plants. Previous work had shown that the avirulent WU11 clone is almost completely inhibited by resistance, whereas the semi-virulent WU12 clone can colonize resistant hosts. Here, DC-EPG analysis shows that both aphid clones take longer to initiate cell sampling and to establish a confirmed sieve element phase on resistant plants than on susceptible hosts, and have shorter ingestion periods on resistant plants. However, the magnitude of these deterrent effects is far less for the semi-virulent clone than for the avirulent aphids. In particular, the WU12 clone is less sensitive to factors that limit sieve element ingestion, showing shorter non-probe duration and rapidly establishing sustained phloem ingestion on resistant plants when compared to the WU11 clone. We conclude that, in addition to previously described factors in the phloem that inhibit ingestion, Mi-mediated aphid resistance also involves factors (possibly in the mesophyll and/or epidermis) that delay initiation of phloem salivation, and that act in the intercellular spaces to deter the first cell sampling. Furthermore, the relative effectiveness of these components of resistance differs among insect populations.
Securing Truck Fleet Financing

Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code provides guidelines for securing collateral. Lending institutions utilize these provisions in order to ensure that they will be secured in the collateral of the debtor in case of default or bankruptcy. Specifically, this paper will examine filing against attachments to avoid being unperfected, procuring agreements in order to retain first priority (Intercreditor/Subordination Agreements), perfecting when the primary lender will not cooperate (Purchase Money Security Interest), retaining perfection during name changes, perfection of the correct lender when subleasing, payoff and proper termination of debtor obligations, unique laws- titling and UCC filing required (Wyoming) and proper filing procedures concerning fleet.
Observational Aspects of Multiperiodicity in the β Canis Majoris Stars

Multiperiodicity has been recognized as an important aspect of β Canis Majoris-type variability ever since the intensive observations of the “classical” members of this group by Struve and his coworkers in the early 1950’s. About half the stars observed by Struve exhibited a radial-velocity variation whose period was several hours, but whose amplitude was modulated with a period of the order of days. This quickly became known as the “beat phenomenon,” and was interpreted as an interference between two nearly equal short periods.
EAP Family Therapy

Abstract Employee assistance professionals appear to differ in what they believe the nature of employee assistance services should be-specifically, whether they should be only assessment and referral for drug/alcohol problems or should include referral for a wide range of human concerns and/or short-term intervention. A second area of disagreement seems to be how family members should participate in employee assistance services-as individuals receiving treatment, as adjuncts to employees' treatment, or as members of families receiving treatment as families. This article reports on the use of both employee assistance services and referral services to assist couples, and in a few instances families, in deciding whether or not to divorce.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF POLAR Tn5-INDUCED ISOLEUCINE-VALINE AUXOTROPHS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI K-12: EVIDENCE FOR AN INTERNAL PROMOTER IN THE ilvOGEDA OPERON

The properties of 22 isoleucine-valine auxotrophs induced in Escherichia coli K-12 by the transposable element, Tn5, were characterized on the basis of growth requirements, cross-feeding behavior, and enzyme activity. Mutants defective in ilvA, ilvC, ilvD and ilvE were found. Mutations in ilvE were not completely polar on ilvD and ilvA enzyme activities (that is, ilvE mutants possessed a low constitutive level of expression of the enzymes coded by ilvD and ilvA), while mutations in ilvD were completely polar on ilvA enzyme activity. The data suggest that there is an internal promoter between the sites of Tn5 insertion in ilvE and ilvD.
Attachment, skin deep? Relationships between adult attachment and skin barrier recovery

This study examined the relationship between individual differences in adult attachment and skin barrier recovery. Dating couples (N = 34) completed a self-report measure of attachment anxiety and avoidance, and during two separate laboratory visits, normal skin barrier function was disrupted using a tape-stripping procedure, followed by a 20 min discussion of personal concerns in one visit and relationship problems in the other, counterbalanced randomly across visits. Skin barrier recovery was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss up to 2 h after skin disruption. Multilevel modeling showed that skin barrier recovery did not differ between the personal concern or relationship problem discussions. Among women, greater attachment anxiety predicted faster skin barrier recovery across the two visits, while greater attachment avoidance predicted slower skin barrier recovery. Among men, greater attachment anxiety predicted slower skin barrier recovery during the personal concern discussion only. The observed effects remained significant after controlling for transepidermal water loss in undisturbed skin, suggesting that the relationship between attachment security and skin barrier recovery was not due to other skin-related factors like sweating. Cortisol changes, self-reported emotions, stress appraisals, and supportiveness ratings were tested as potential mediators, and none explained the relationships between attachment and skin barrier recovery. These findings are the first to demonstrate associations between individual differences in attachment style and restorative biological processes in the skin, even in a sample of young dating couples in satisfied relationships.
GROWTH OF PREMATURE INFANTS FED FORTIFIED HUMAN MILK ♦ 1426

Background: The use of human milk for premature infants is increasing, partially because nutrient fortification ensures the attainment of intrauterine mineral accretion rates.
Examining Passage-Related Local Item Dependence (LID) and Measurement Construct using Q3 Statistics in an EFL Reading Comprehension Test.

The purpose of the study reported in this article is to empirically examine passagerelated local item dependence (LID) by using an IRT (item response theory)based LID index called Q3 in an EFL reading comprehension test, with a special focus on item types as a potentially competing source of LID with passages. In this article, dee nitions and causes of LID and major LID detection methods including Q3 statistics are reviewed along with the two potential sources of LID in EFL reading assessment. Scored item responses of 1857 Korean high school students to a 40-item EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading comprehension test were analysed by using MULTILOG and IRTNEW. It was found that positive LID exists among items within passages, but no item-type-related LID was cone rmed in the study. Subsequent content analysis of an item pair with an extreme Q3 value has also provided some insights into the item characteristics that may exacerbate passage-related LID. These e ndings shed important light on the nature of passage-related LID, psychometric dimensionality, and measurement construct of the EFL reading comprehension test.
Variability in Small Airway Epithelial Gene Expression Among Normal Smokers

Background Despite overwhelming data that cigarette smoking causes COPD, only a minority of long-term smokers are affected, strongly suggesting that genetic factors modify susceptibility to this disease. We hypothesized that individual variations exist in the response to cigarette smoking, with variability among smokers in expression levels of protective/susceptibility genes. Methods Affymetrix arrays and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to assess the variability of gene expression in the small airway epithelium obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy of 18 normal nonsmokers, 18 normal smokers, and 18 smokers with COPD. Results We identified 201 probe sets representing 152 smoking-responsive genes that were significantly up-regulated or down-regulated, and assessed the coefficient of variation in expression levels among the study population. Variation was a reproducible property of each gene as assessed by different microarray probe sets and real-time polymerase chain reaction, and was observed in both normal smokers and smokers with COPD. Greater individual variability was found in smokers with COPD than in normal smokers. The majority of these highly variable smoking-responsive genes were in the functional categories of signal transduction, xenobiotic degradation, metabolism, transport, oxidant related, and transcription. A similar pattern of the same highly variable genes was observed in an independent data set. Conclusions We propose that genetic diversity is likely within this subset of genes, with highly variable individual-to-individual responses of the small airway epithelium to smoking, and that this subset of genes represents putative candidates for assessment of susceptibility/protection from disease in future gene-based epidemiologic studies of smokers' risk for COPD.
Bearing fault diagnosis using multiclass support vector machines with binary particle swarm optimization and regularized Fisher's criterion

Condition monitoring of rotating machinery has attracted more and more attention in recent years in order to reduce the unnecessary breakdowns of components such as bearings and gears which suffer frequently from failures. Vibration based approaches are the most commonly used techniques to the condition monitoring tasks. In this paper, we propose a bearing fault detection scheme based on support vector machine as a classification method and binary particle swarm optimization algorithm (BPSO) based on maximal class separability as a feature selection method. In order to maximize the class separability, regularized Fisher's criterion is used as a fitness function in the proposed BPSO algorithm. This approach was evaluated using vibration data of bearing in healthy and faulty conditions. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.