cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The investigation of poisoning case which is caused by organophosphorus pesticide

Objective:Ascertain the cause of organophosphorus pesticide poisoning so that we can take measures to prevent from recurrence of similar poisoning cases.Methods: Analysis based on the investigation of epidemiology and combine with clinical symptom/laboratory inspections.Results: Phorate(3911) is detected in vomitus and celery,whereas phorate is not detected in steamed bread and watermelon,then we can conclude that the main cause of this poisoning case is phorate pesticides induce the whole body posioning through the absorption of the skin,respiratory tract,gastrointestinal tract and eyes.Conclusion: Strengthening the training of pesticide safety knowledge,strengthening pesticide management,and strengthening the comprehensive management of market,focus on strengthening pesticide safety education to prevent from recurrence of similar poisoning.
Sending End Frequency Characteristics Under Islanded Operation Mode of HVDC Transmission System From Hulun Buir to Liaoning and Corresponding Control Strategy

The HVDC power transmission system from Hulun Buir to Liaoning will be fallen into islanded operation mode under following two conditions: during its normal operating mode the circuit breakers interconnecting the power plant built in the third phase of Yimin engineering with the power plants built in the first and the second phase of Yimin engineering are switched off,or the AC system at the sending end of the HVDC transmission system is disconnected from Northeast power grid due to the fault of transmission line.When the HVDC power transmission system from Hulun Buir to Liaoning is turned from normal grid-connected operational condition into islanded operational mode and when it is in the islanded operational mode,its frequency characteristics are researched.Based on generator frequency regulation,DC frequency control and corresponding security and stability measures,the frequency control strategies for the HVDC power transmission system under its normal islanded operational mode and fault condition are proposed.Simulation results show that using the proposed frequency strategies the system stability of the HVDC transmission system from Hulun Buir to Liaoning under normal and fault conditions can be ensured.
Zoonotic Disease, Avian Influenza, and Nonautonomous Models

This chapter treats avain influenza (AI) as an example of zoonotic diseases. Simple AI model, involving poultry and humans, is introduced and fitted to H5N1 human case data. Tools from Chap. 6 are employed to evaluate multiple AI control strategies. The chapter argues that more detailed H5N1 data suggest that there is seasonality in the transmission of AI. Non-autonomous models as a modeling tool to seasonality are introduced. Tools for the analysis of non-autonomous models, such as the Poincare map, are discussed and their use is illustrated on a simple non-autonomous SI model. Simulations suggest that the simple non-autonomous model with disease-induced mortality is capable of exhibiting chaotic behavior.
Ontopoiesis of Life as the Measure for the Renewal of Education

Education is a task that involves the individual person as intimately as it does the community. It impacts personal happiness as well as the laws that govern a society. In short, educaiton of the individual human being lies at the heart of human existence. In a way, it synthesizes the prevailing philosophical views of a given period within a society and the principal ideas of its culture.
Research on test influence of 12 kV vacuum circuit breaker for switching capacitive load based on measurement and control

In this paper, in order to satisfy the requirements of science and technology projects 2013 yf-17 ‘vacuum circuit breaker open and close of the capacitive load research’, the opening and closing test of three-phase capacitor current of 12 kV vacuum circuit breaker is done, and make the data acquisition by designed experimental measurement and control system. And get the experiment waveform curve drawing, closing and opening time, closing and opening speed, circuit voltage, arc time and other parameters. Circuit breaker is analyzed for capacitive load causes of rekindle, and the rekindling suppression measures are summed up. Experimental design considering supply transformer as a single power for the experiment and introduces the measurement and control system of synthesize test can be used in experiment of circuit breaker opening and closing operation. Summarized the influence of arc performance factors and some optimization measures.
Bargaining in dynamic markets

Abstract We study non-stationary markets in which traders are randomly matched to bargain over the price of a heterogeneous good or the terms of a partnership. The economy consists of a continuum of players drawn from a finite set of types. Players exogenously enter the market over time and exit upon trading. At every date, matching probabilities for each pair of types are determined by the endogenous distribution of trader types in the market. The balance of bargaining power at any stage depends on variations in potential gains from trade, the inflows of new traders, the structure of agreements at future dates, and the induced frequency of trading opportunities. We establish that an equilibrium always exists. Moreover, all equilibria that lead to the same evolution of the economy are payoff equivalent. However, we show that multiple self-fulfilling expectations about the trajectory of the economy, generating distinct equilibrium dynamics and payoffs, may coexist.
Handling changes of update reviewers in distributed free and open-source software meta-recommendations

In Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) world, newer is not always better! Automatically updating to the latest version of FOSS applications involves real risks. The newer version could be missing some features, that are essential to some users, but are dropped by the developers. Another possible scenario, with even more serious consequences, is a project taken over by malicious developers who target users' sensitive data, or do other types of damage to their systems. In this research, we improve on the existing FOSS Updates Meta-Recommendations framework, which is shown (in [2], [3]) to increase resistance to certain attacks. We study how to handle more efficiently the situations where reviewers join and/or leave the P2P network, without a significant impact on the accuracy of recommendations or the performance of the system. We investigate some approaches: self-announcement by reviewer, the use of Zero/negative trust weights, introducing Drop/remove messages, and Message Aging. We also introduce some improvements on the message exchanging mechanism utilized by the current framework, to accommodate the newly added functionalities.
Molecular signatures of circulating melanoma cells for monitoring early response to immune checkpoint therapy

A subset of patients with metastatic melanoma have sustained remissions following treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, analyses of pretreatment tumor biopsies for markers predictive of response, including PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) expression and mutational burden, are insufficiently precise to guide treatment selection, and clinical radiographic evidence of response on therapy may be delayed, leading to some patients receiving potentially ineffective but toxic therapy. Here, we developed a molecular signature of melanoma circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to quantify early tumor response using blood-based monitoring. A quantitative 19-gene digital RNA signature (CTC score) applied to microfluidically enriched CTCs robustly distinguishes melanoma cells, within a background of blood cells in reconstituted and in patient-derived (n = 42) blood specimens. In a prospective cohort of 49 patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a decrease in CTC score within 7 weeks of therapy correlates with marked improvement in progression-free survival [hazard ratio (HR), 0.17; P = 0.008] and overall survival (HR, 0.12; P = 0.04). Thus, digital quantitation of melanoma CTC-derived transcripts enables serial noninvasive monitoring of tumor burden, supporting the rational application of immune checkpoint inhibition therapies.
Barriers and Facilitators to Melanoma Prevention and Control Behaviors Among At-Risk Children.

Melanoma prevention is essential for children who are at elevated risk for the disease due to family history. However, children who carry a familial risk for the disease do not optimally adhere to recommended melanoma preventive behaviors. The current study sought to identify perceived barriers to and facilitators of children’s engagement in melanoma preventive behaviors among children at elevated risk for melanoma due to family history of the disease (i.e., having a parent with a history of melanoma) from both parents’ and childrens’ perspectives. Qualitative methods were employed and consisted of separate focus group discussions with children (ages 8–17 years, n = 37) and their parents (n = 39). Focus group transcripts were coded using content analysis. Parents and children reported a number of barriers and facilitators, including on the individual (e.g., knowledge and awareness, preferences), social (e.g., peer influences, family modeling and communication), and contextual (e.g., healthcare provider communication) levels. The identified categories of barriers and facilitators both confirm and extend the literature documenting the reasons children who are at elevated risk for melanoma do not engage in melanoma prevention and control behaviors. Programs aiming to decrease melanoma risk among children of melanoma survivors could help families address their barriers to preventive behavior implementation and build on facilitators. Melanoma survivors and their children could benefit from support on their interactions with healthcare providers, schools, peers, and other caregivers about melanoma prevention.
Novel peptides and islet function.

Hormones and neurotransmitters are known to be involved in the regulation of islet function, and in recent years, it has become clear that neuropeptides released from pancreatic neurons may also be involved in the islet hormone release (1). Several hormones and neurotransmitters are known to inhibits insulin secretion. For example, noradrenaline (2) and somatostatin (3) inhibit insulin secretion from the pancreas. Between 1980 and 1986, we isolated a number of novel peptides and found that some strongly inhibit insulin secretion. This paper briefly summarizes studies on these inhibitory peptides, and describes their relations to islet function, and the potential use of their antagonists as drugs for diabetes.
An approach to estimate bidirectional mediation effects with application to body mass index and fasting glucose

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are major public health issues with known interdependence. Genetic variants have been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, or both; thus, we hypothesize that some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with both conditions may be mediated through obesity to affect type 2 diabetes or vice versa. We propose a framework for bidirectional mediation analyses. Simulations show that this approach accurately estimates the parameters, whether the mediation is unidirectional or bidirectional. In many scenarios, when the mediator is regressed on the initial variable and the outcome is regressed on the mediator and the initial variable, the resulting residuals are correlated because of other unmeasured covariates not in the model. We show that the proposed model provides accurate estimates in this scenario, too. We applied the proposed approach to investigate the mediating effects of SNPs associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity using genetic data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis cohort. Specifically, we used body mass index (BMI) as a measure for obesity and fasting glucose as a measure for type 2 diabetes. We evaluated the top 6 SNPs associated with both BMI and fasting glucose. Two SNPs (rs3752355 and rs6087982) had indirect effects on BMI mediated through fasting glucose [0.2677; 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.0007, 0.6548) and 0.3301; 95% CI (0.0881, 0.8544), respectively]. The remaining four SNPs (rs7969190, rs4869710, rs10201400, and rs12421620) directly affect BMI and fasting glucose without mediating effects.
Scale effects in infiltration and runoff production

The effect of scale on runoff production due to spatially variable soils, rainfall, and topography is studied. The paper is presented in three parts. Part 1 derives the expressions for the statistics of infiltration due to spatially variable soils and constant rainfall. Results show that the cumulative distribution of ponding time is a critical variable which determines the proportion of the catchment where infiltration is soil or rainfall controlled. Part 2 extends the analysis to include both variable soil and rainfall processes. Part 3 includes the influence of topography and derives the statistical properties of infiltration and the dynamics of runoff contributing areas for a catchment with spatially variable soils and rainfall. Both infiltration excess (Horton type) and saturation excess (Dunne type) runoff production mechanisms are considered; the effect of topography is modeled through the TOPMODEL formulation of Beven and Kirkby. The aim of the work is to determine the statistical properties of infiltration and runoff production, and to understand the importance of catchment heterogeneity and scale in runoff production.
Pain, Perceptions, and Perceived Conflicts: Improving the Patient’s Experience

Pain is the number 1 reason patients seek care in an emergency department (ED). A limiting factor for effective pain management may be clinical staff attitudes about pain and pain management. Analysis of data from an investigation into pain, perceptions, and perceived conflicts of ED staff pain management revealed a need for change. Operation Pain and ED pain champions created an environment that promoted enhanced pain management resulting in measurable outcomes. Emergency nurses participating in Operation Pain placed a higher priority on pain management for their patients.
Pebbles in the Shoe: Acts of Compassion as Subversion in a Market Society

This article considers how compassion can be subversive to political-economic orders, whether these orders are found in church or society. Compassion is explained in terms of John Macmurray’s and Alex Honneth’s notion of recognition, the psychoanalytic concept of identification, and Michel Foucault’s views of knowledge and power. To illustrate how compassion can be subversive, the author turns to the realities of a market society—a society dominated by a culture of neoliberalism and neoliberal capitalism—and concludes with two case illustrations.
Discriminative Data-driven Self-adaptive Fraud Control Decision System with Incomplete Information.

While E-commerce has been growing explosively and online shopping has become popular and even dominant in the present era, online transaction fraud control has drawn considerable attention in business practice and academic research. Conventional fraud control considers mainly the interactions of two major involved decision parties, i.e. merchants and fraudsters, to make fraud classification decision without paying much attention to dynamic looping effect arose from the decisions made by other profit-related parties. This paper proposes a novel fraud control framework that can quantify interactive effects of decisions made by different parties and can adjust fraud control strategies using data analytics, artificial intelligence, and dynamic optimization techniques. Three control models, Naive, Myopic and Prospective Controls, were developed based on the availability of data attributes and levels of label maturity. The proposed models are purely data-driven and self-adaptive in a real-time manner. The field test on Microsoft real online transaction data suggested that new systems could sizably improve the company's profit.
CHAPTER 32 – Nonstandard Analysis and Measure Theory

This chapter examines nonstandard analysis and measure theory. Mathematicians have used infinitesimal numbers for thousands of years as a means of expressing intuitive mathematical ideas. Brownian motion is the random motion of microscopic particles suspended in a liquid or gas. An important part of mathematical probability is the construction of mathematical models for this motion. An intuitive model for Brownian motion works with a particle that performs a random walk with steps of infinitesimal length. For this model, one divides time into infinitesimal intervals and in each time interval, the particle moves in a straight line over an infinitesimal distance. An object in the superstructure is called internal, if it is an element of the nonstandard extension of a standard object. The notion of a hyperfinite subset is applicable for the extension of any standard set. Hyperfinite sets are extremely useful because combinatorial results continue to be valid even when the external cardinality is infinite. A lattice approach to develop measure theory is also elaborated in the chapter.
Redevelopment in the Western Addition

This chapter describes the background to the designation of the Western Addition as a slum slated for redevelopment. It gives a brief summary of the history of redevelopment, the political context for housing as a target and the involvement of different groups, churches, unions and politicians. It describes how the media was used to identify the people who lived in the area as a problem for society, one that required their homes to be destroyed and their removal. Historic preservation, community preservation and the politics of clearance are covered briefly.
Globalization, Tax Competition and the Fiscal Crisis of the Welfare State: A Twentieth Anniversary Retrospective

Twenty years ago I wrote “Globalization, Tax Competition, and the Fiscal Crisis of the Welfare State” (113 Harv. L. Rev. 1573 (2000)), which argued that “[t]he current age of globalization can be distinguished from the previous one (from 1870 to 1914) by the much higher mobility of capital than labor… The mobility of capital is linked to tax competition, in which sovereign countries lower their tax rates on income earned by foreigners within their borders in order to attract both portfolio and direct investment. Tax competition, in turn, threatens to undermine the individual and corporate income taxes, which traditionally have been the main source of revenue … for modern welfare states. The response of developed countries has been first, to shift the tax burden from (mobile) capital to (less mobile) labor, and second, when further increased taxation of labor becomes politically and economically difficult, to cut the social safety net. Thus, globalization and tax competition lead to a fiscal crisis for countries that wish to continue to provide social insurance to their citizens at the same time that demographic factors and the increased income inequality, job insecurity, and income volatility that result from globalization render such social insurance more necessary… This article argues that if both globalization and social insurance are to be maintained, it is necessary to cut the intermediate link by limiting tax competition in a way that is congruent with maintaining the ability of democratic states to determine the desirable size of their government.” This paper reviews the development of tax competition in the subsequent two decades and argues that while it became worse in the period from 1998 to 2008, the financial crisis of 2008 and subsequent developments led to the enactment of promising limits to tax competition in OECD countries that in turn should enable them to strengthen the welfare state.
A Tutorial for Implementing Strategic Questioning in the Clinical Teaching Environment

Purpose The implementation of strategic questioning within the clinical teaching context has recently gained appeal among clinical educators as a method for stimulating critical thinking and other ...
Polarization-stable 940nm VCSELs for sparing (Conference Presentation)

We demonstrate multimode 940 nm flip chip VCSELs with >20dB polarization suppression and small signal modulation bandwidth > 25 GHz (3dB) in 2x4 arrays for 50 Gbit/s/channel NRZ transmission. The VCSELs have surface gratings for polarization suppression. The high bandwidth operation is achieved in part by using a relatively small oxide aperture. The arrays are comprised of pairs of VCSELs with orthogonal polarizations, which enable cold sparing; if a primary (P-polarized) VCSEL fails, a system turns on a secondary (S-polarized) VCSEL. The light beam is routed through optics to the same 50 μm core fiber for both polarizations thus keeping the link integrity intact.
Mother-Infant Separation, High Illness Acuity Admission and Antibiotics Use in Inborn Infants >34 weeks Gestation: A Decade of Experience from a Regional NICU

Introduction: Reducing unnecessary NICU admissions is crucial in minimizing mother-infant separation, enhancing bonding, and promoting successful breastfeeding. Alterations in newborn practices can lead to differences in NICU admission volume and acuity. Variations in California NICU admission rates for infants born at 34 weeks GA or more and antibiotic use are not explained by high illness acuity or proven infection respectively (Schulman JAMA Pediatr 2017, Schulman Pediatrics 2015). Objective: In the context of these variations, we sought to examine …
Impact of Morbid Obesity on Liver Transplant Candidacy and Outcomes: National and Regional Trends

Background Body mass index (BMI) limits for liver transplant (LT) candidacy are controversial. In this study, we evaluate waitlist and post-LT outcomes, and prognostic factors and examine regional patterns of LT waitlist registration in patients with BMI ≥40 versus BMI 18-39. Methods United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data were analyzed to assess waitlist dropout, post-LT survival, and prognostic factors for patient survival. The distribution of waitlisted patients with BMI ≥40 was compared with the Centers for Disease Control Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System data to explore the rates of morbid obesity in the general population of each UNOS region. Results Post-LT outcomes demonstrate a small but significantly lower 1- and 3-y overall survival for patients with BMI ≥45. Risk factors for post-LT mortality for patients with BMI ≥40 included age >60 y, prior surgery, and diabetes on multivariable analysis. Model for End-Stage Liver Disease >30 was significant on univariable analysis only, likely due to the limited number of patients with BMI ≥40; however, median Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores in this BMI group were higher than those in patients with lower BMI across all UNOS regions. Patients with BMI ≥40 had a higher waitlist dropout in 4 regions. Comparison with BRFSS data illustrated that the proportion of waitlisted patients with BMI ≥40 was significantly lower than the observed rates of morbid obesity in the general population in 3 regions. Conclusions While BMI ≥45 is associated with modestly lower patient survival, careful selection may equalize these numbers.
Castration for Hire: Genital Self-Mutilation Performed by Third Party at Patient Request.

Abstract Male genital self mutilation (GSM) has traditionally been thought to take place primarily in the setting of acute psychosis, however, recent research has suggested a greater prevalence of non-psychotic patients performing GSM for reasons such as reduction of libido, body dysmorphia, and fantasy. We present a unique case in which a 52 year old male seeking castration met an individual in an online chat room for eunuchs and arranged for him to perform the procedure, resulting in his hospitalization. He closely matches a demographic of individuals previously surveyed in the Eunuch Archives forum and exemplifies the significant risks they face when attempting genital self-mutilation. Their medical histories suggest a significant period of time prior to a GSM attempt during which medical professionals may be able to intervene and provide appropriate care.
The Keynes–Hawtrey Exchanges of February and March, 1936 in Volume 14 of the CWJMK: Keynes's Theory was NOT that the Supply and Demand for Money Alone Determined the Rate of Interest

Keynes was very clear in his reply to Hawtrey’s extensive letter of February 1st, 1936, that the demand and supply of money alone did not determine the rate of interest. It is completely unclear to this author how it came to pass that Keynes’s theory of the determination of the rate of interest in the General Theory in 1936 or in his 1937 Quarterly Journal of Economics reply article was portrayed as a completely monetary theory where the demand and supply of money alone determined the rate of interest except in the special case where the LP(LM) curve was completely elastic. Hicks did not make the mistakes of Hawtrey, Robertson, or Joan Robinson in ascribing to Keynes a purely monetary theory of the rate of interest. Hicks’s error was in removing Keynes’s uncertainty analysis that underpinned his theory of liquidity preference. This occurred because Hicks did not understand the concept of the weight of the evidence.
Financial hardship among cancer survivors in Southern New Jersey

To identify predictors of financial hardship, operationalized as foregoing health care, making financial sacrifices, and being concerned about having inadequate financial and insurance information. Cancer survivors (n = 346) identified through the New Jersey State Cancer Registry were surveyed from August 2018 to September 2019. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Cancer survivors with household incomes less than $50,000 annually were more likely than those earning $50,0000–$90,000 to report foregoing health care (15.8 percentage points, p < 0.05). Compared to retirees, survivors who were currently unemployed, disabled, or were homemakers were more likely to forego doctor’s visits (11.4 percentage points, p < 0.05), more likely to report borrowing money (16.1 percentage points, p < 0.01), and more likely to report wanting health insurance information (25.7 percentage points, p < 0.01). Employed survivors were more likely than retirees to forego health care (16.8 percentage points, p < 0.05) and make financial sacrifices (20.0 percentage points, p < 0.01). Survivors who never went to college were 9.8 percentage points (p < 0.05) more likely to borrow money compared to college graduates. Black survivors were more likely to want information about dealing with financial and insurance issues (p < 0.01); men were more likely to forego health care (p < 0.05). Findings highlight the role of employment status and suggest that education, income, race, and gender also shape cancer survivors’ experience of financial hardship. There is a need to refine and extend financial navigation programs. For employed survivors, strengthening family leave policies would be desirable.
An Exploration of Socio-demographic, Economic, and Environmental Factors in Black/White Disparities in Low Birth Weight Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background : Numerous studies have been conducted to seek a better understanding of disparities in adverse pregnancy outcomes. The present study aimed to explore racial differences in influential socio-demographic, economic, and environmental factors in women who have had a low birth weight (LBW) infant (outcome variable). Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: This study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: The obtained results pointed to statistical racial differences between Non-Hispanic (NH) Black and NH White women in the socio-demographic variable of marital status (P<0.001). Regarding the assessed economic stability variables, employment status (P=0.032), poverty level (P<0.001), earnings (P=0.038), and federal government assistance paying for rent (P=0.007) were statistically significant across the two racial groups. The environmental factors that were statistically significant across racial groups were living in public housing projects (P=0.018), car ownership (P<0.001), and neighborhood safety (P=0.010). The results of the multivariate models revealed that NH Black race and government assistance to pay rent were associated with an increased likelihood of LBW, while being married, having health care coverage, and living in public housing were associated with a decreased likelihood. Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, there were statistically significant racial differences in sociodemographic, economic, and environmental/physical characteristics associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Relationships between activated dendritic cells and dry eye symptoms and signs.

Abstract Purpose To examine whether “activated” dendritic cells (aDCs) could serve as a biomarker of systemic immune disorders in individuals with dry eye (DE) symptoms. Secondarily, to examine the impact of a topical anti-inflammatory agent on aDC number. Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted to identify individuals with DE symptoms who had in-vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) imaging between October 2018 and July 2020 at the Miami Veterans Hospital. aDCs were manually quantified based on morphology. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis examined relationships between aDC number and systemic immune disease status. Individuals were then grouped by aDC number (≥2 versus Results 128 individuals were included. Their mean age was 57.1 ± 15.0 years; 71.1% were male, 53.1% self-identified as White and 24.2% as Hispanic. The mean number of aDCs in the central cornea was 1.28 ± 2.16 cells/image. The presence of ≥2 aDCs had a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 77% for the diagnosis of a systemic immune disorder. Individuals with ≥2 aDCs were more likely to self-identify as Black, have Secondary Sjogren's, and have higher nerve fiber area and fractal dimension. In 12 individuals, aDC number decreased from 2.69 ± 2.36 to 0.58 ± 0.73 cells/image after initiation of an anti-inflammatory agent, p = 0.01. Conclusions The presence of ≥2 aDCs in the central cornea suggests a systemic immune disorder in individuals with DE symptoms. Topical anti-inflammatory therapy can reduce the number of aDCs in the central cornea.
Association of State-Level Earned Income Tax Credits With Rates of Reported Child Maltreatment, 2004–2017:

Poverty is an important predictor of child maltreatment. Social policies that strengthen the economic security of low-income families, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), may reduce child maltreatment by impeding the pathways through which poverty leads to it. We used variations in the presence and generosity of supplementary EITCs offered at the state level and administrative child maltreatment data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) to examine the effect of EITC policies on state-level rates of child maltreatment from 2004 through 2017. Two-way fixed effects models indicated that a 10-percentage point increase in the generosity of refundable state EITC benefits was associated with 241 fewer reports of neglect per 100,000 children (95% Confidence Interval [CI] [-449, -33]). An increase in EITC generosity was associated with fewer reports of neglect both among children ages 0-5 (-324 per 100,000; 95% CI [-582, -65]) and children ages 6-17 (-201 per 100,000; 95% CI [-387, -15]). Findings also suggested associations between the EITC and reductions in other types of maltreatment (physical abuse, emotional abuse); however, those did not gain statistical significance. Economic support policies may reduce the risk of child maltreatment, especially neglect, and improve child wellbeing.
Computational correction of cell-specific gene-independent effects in CRISPR-Cas9 essentiality screens: REStricted CUbic SplinEs with Mixed Models (RESCUE-MM)

Increased gene copy number has been associated with a greater antiproliferative response upon genome editing, regardless of the true essentiality profile of the targeted gene. Many methods have been developed to adjust for genomic copy number technical artifacts. Existing methods use a two-step correction by pre-processing the data prior to the final analysis. It has been shown that two-step corrections can produce unreliable results, due to the creation of a correlation structure in the corrected data. If this structure is unaccounted for, gene-essentiality levels can be inflated or underestimated, affecting the False Discovery Rate (FDR). We propose a one-step correction using restricted cubic splines (RCS) to be a simpler alternative which reduces the bias in downstream analyses. Moreover, most existing methods combine guide-level results to yield gene-level estimates which can misrepresent the true gene essentiality profile depending on the guide-averaging method. Our model-based approach (RESCUE-MM) for copy number correction provides a more flexible framework that allows for guide-level essentiality estimation while accommodating more complex designs with grouped data. We provide comparisons to existing copy number correction methods and suggest how to include copy number adjustment in a one-step correction fashion in multiple experimental designs.
Leukemia Stem Cells as a Potential Target to Achieve Therapy-Free Remission in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Leukemia stem cells (LSCs, also known as leukemia-initiating cells) not only drive leukemia initiation and progression, but also contribute to drug resistance and/or disease relapse. Therefore, eradication of every last LSC is critical for a patient's long-term cure. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder that arises from multipotent hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have dramatically improved long-term outcomes and quality of life for patients with CML in the chronic phase. Point mutations of the kinase domain of BCR-ABL1 lead to TKI resistance through a reduction in drug binding, and as a result, several new generations of TKIs have been introduced to the clinic. Some patients develop TKI resistance without known mutations, however, and the presence of LSCs is believed to be at least partially associated with resistance development and CML relapse. We previously proposed targeting quiescent LSCs as a therapeutic approach to CML, and a number of potential strategies for targeting insensitive LSCs have been presented over the last decade. The identification of specific markers distinguishing CML-LSCs from healthy HSCs, and the potential contributions of the bone marrow microenvironment to CML pathogenesis, have also been explored. Nonetheless, 25% of CML patients are still expected to switch TKIs at least once, and various TKI discontinuation studies have shown a wide range in the incidence of molecular relapse (from 30% to 60%). In this review, we revisit the current knowledge regarding the role(s) of LSCs in CML leukemogenesis and response to pharmacological treatment and explore how durable treatment-free remission may be achieved and maintained after discontinuing TKI treatment.
Plasmon-enhanced fluorescence of dyes on silica-coated silver nanoparticles: A single-nanoparticle spectroscopy study

Abstract Dye-doped silica-coated silver nanoparticles (SCNPs) with shell thicknesses ranging from 8.6 ± 1.4 nm to 75.4 ± 4.8 nm are examined at the single-nanoparticle level using correlated transmission electron microscopy (TEM), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and fluorescence microscopy. The average fluorescence enhancement of 128 individual RB/SCNPs is 2.4 ± 0.2, with individual values ranging from 1.0 to 12.8. For these hot-spot-containing SCNPs, the far-field Rayleigh scattering is not correlated to fluorescence enhancement. Instead, fluorescence enhancement is positively correlated to aggregation state (i.e., the number of hot spots) and dye-metal distance, with ∼19 nm separation producing the largest fluorescence enhancement.
A mutationally altered alkaline phosphatase from Escherichia coli. I. Formation of an active enzyme in vitro and phenotypic suppression in vivo.

Abstract An alkaline phosphatase-negative (P-) mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 that produces a protein antigenically related to the wild type enzyme has been found to accumulate a zinc-deficient dimeric form of this metalloenzyme. The mutationally altered alkaline phosphatase could be activated by incubation at pH values between 5 and 6 in the presence of Zn(II) at 37°. The kinetics of the activation process was examined with purified preparations of the apoenzyme. Activation appeared to consist of multiple stages of structural rearrangements induced by zinc binding. The pH sensitivity of the activation of the isolated protein could be correlated with a pH conditionality of the P- phenotype. Thus, the mutant acted as a P- strain when grown at pH 7.4, but was P+ when grown at pH 6.0. Although unable to grow effectively in a medium containing an organic phosphate as the sole phosphate source at pH 7.4, the P- strain survived much better than its P+ parent in a medium totally lacking phosphorus.
Das Kristallisieren und Schmelzen von Hochpolymeren

Die Kristallstruktur von linearen Hochpolymeren wird durch ein Minimum in der freien Energie charakterisiert, das von der intermolekularen Wechselwirkungsenergie und der intramolekularen Konformationsenergie abhangt. Vor der Kristallisation mus Keimbildung stattfinden. Im Falle des Kristallisierens aus Schmelze oder Losung bei geringer Unterkuhlung fuhrt dies zum intramolekularen Faltkeim, bei groser Unterkuhlung und der damit verbundenen geringeren Kettenbeweglichkeit kann intermolekulare Fransenmizellenkeimbildung erwartet werden. Analog ist eine intermolekulare Kristallkeimbildung beim Kristallisieren wahrend der Polymerisation aus den als Zwischenprodukt auftretenden Oligomeren und auch eine intramolekulare Kristallkeimbildung bei geringer Oligomerenkonzentration moglich. Die endgultigen Festkorperstrukturen, die sich je nach Kettenkonformation als mehr oder weniger glasig amorph, gefaltet, gestreckt, oder fransenmizellenahnlich beschreiben lassen, zeigen ein grundsatzlich verschiedenes Schmelzverhalten. Gleichgewichtsthermodynamik kann nur das langsame Schmelzen der gestrecktkettigen Kristalle beschreiben. Beim schnellen Heizen treten Uberhitzungserscheinungen auf. Die metastabilen, kleinen Kristalle mit oder ohne Kettenfaltung zeigen Reorganisation und Rekristallisation beim langsamen Aufheizen. The crystal structure of linear high polymers is characterized by a minimum in the free energy, governed by the intermolecular interaction energy and the intramolecular conformational energy. Before crystallization, nucleation must occur. In the case of crystallization from the melt or solution with little supercooling this leads to intramolecular, folded nuclei; with large supercooling and accordingly smaller chain mobility, one expects intermolecular, fringed micelle nucleation. Analogously, it is possible to have intermolecular crystal nucleation on crystallization during polymerization by the oligomers which appear as intermediates; and to have intramolecular crystal nucleation with small oligomer concentration. The final solid state structures, which can be described according to chain conformation as more or less glassy amorphous, folded, extended, or fringed micelle-like, show fundamentally different melting behavior. Equilibrium thermodynamics can only describe the slow melting of extended chain crystals. On fast heating superheating phenomena are observed. The metastable, small crystals with or without chain folding show on slow heating reorganization and recrystallization.
A stochastic model for power electronic switching converters

The replacement of the averaging models of power electronic switching converters by stochastic models is presented. The stochastic models for pulsewidth modulated (PWM) converters are developed based on recent techniques from the theory of stochastic differential equations. An important feature of these stochastic models is the representation of perturbations in the duty ratio of switching converters as random noise processes, keeping the nonlinear model intact. In these types of studies, the dynamics of the electronic system (switching converters) is modeled as a diffusion process, indicating that the system will exhibit transitions between stable states. This leads to the introduction of the mean first passage time of the dynamic electronic system from a certain domain of attraction which can be used as an index of system stability. >
Quantitative evaluation of Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected rhesus monkeys.

The association of the microsporidia Enterocytozoon bieneusi with chronic diarrhea and wasting in individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been demonstrated. The disease caused by E. bieneusi has been linked to decreased levels of circulating CD4 + T lymphocytes. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the extent of excretion of E. bieneusi in feces of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected juvenile macaques and the CD4 + T lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood. Twelve juvenile rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were intravenously inoculated with the pathogenic molecular clone SIVmac239. Numbers of CD4 + T lymphocytes were assessed by three-color flow cytometry. The presence of E. bieneusi DNA in feces was assessed by nested PCR. In addition, selected samples of feces were examined by competitive quantitative PCR to assess the level of E. bieneusi infection. Low (n = 5) to undetectable (n = 7) quantities of E. bieneusi were present in feces of the twelve animals in prior to inoculation with SIV. After SIV inoculation the number of animals shedding E. bieneusi increased (n = 10) as did the quantity of E. bieneusi shedding in the feces. Of the twelve juvenile animals, five animals died within 8 months post-SIV inoculation with symptoms of AIDS. Four of the five deceased animals showed shedding of E. bieneusi DNA in feces (>100 sporeslg) for at least three consecutive months. Increased number of E. bieneusi in feces was accompanied by decreased counts of circulating CD4 + T lymphocytes and increased SIV plasma viral load.
A simple ramp generator with level spreading for SEIR based ADC BIST circuit

In ADC BIST testing circuit, ramp signal is the most widely used stimulus because of its simple structure and ease of control. In addition, with SEIR algorithm, the linearity requirement of the ramp signal is highly relaxed. But for high resolution ADC BIST testing, the ramp signal must be repetitive for acquiring valid data because a single ramp will cost large area, which is not acceptable for BIST solution. However, the repetitive ramp signals that is synchronized by on chip clock will cause collected data to be useless, because voltage levels sampled on every ramp are the same. For accomplishing different sampling voltages on each ramp signal, a method of introducing level spreading to every ramp signal is proposed in this paper. An 8-bit non-linear DAC as level-spreading generator is designed to provide the number of voltage levels required. The proposed control circuit for BIST consists of an 8-bit counter and end-detector without decoders. Simulation results show that the proposed method works well for linearity test based on SEIR algorithm, while the non-linearity of level spreading DAC barely impacts test results.
Pressure Saturation Curves and the Critical Volume Fraction for Percolation: Accessibility Function of Percolation Theory

The effects of phase continuity restrictions on pressure-saturation curves is explored in the context of the distinction between allowable and accessible sites as originally proposed in the petroleum engineering literature. The critical volume fraction for the non-wetting phase (typically air) is identified with the air entrapped as bubbles during wetting, while the critical volume fraction for the wetting phase (typically water) can be understood to be an irreducible moisture content. When the accessibility function from percolation theory is used to make the distinction between allowable and accessible pore volumes, hysteretic effects on pressure-saturation curves are reproduced without use of adjustable parameters. Attempts to understand the variability of experimental values for the variability of the critical volume fraction for percolation are reported.
Distinct Subtypes of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Mediate Differential Actions on Excitability of Spinal Respiratory Motoneurons

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) modulate neuronal function by affecting excitability and altering synaptic transmission. We have shown that the mGluR agonist (1S,3R)-1-amino-1, 3-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD) has multiple actions on phrenic motoneurons (PMNs), including reduction of inspiratory-modulated synaptic currents and an increase of neuronal excitability. We hypothesized that these actions were mediated by different mGluR subtypes. We have now identified the involvement of mGluR subtypes and their roles in modulating the excitability of PMNs and the consequent inspiratory motor output in an in vitro neonatal rat brainstem-spinal cord preparation. Activation of postsynaptic group-I mGluRs increases PMN excitability, associated with the production of an inward current and a decrease in membrane conductance, whereas activation of group-II or group-III mGluRs decreases PMN inspiratory-modulated synaptic current, probably via a presynaptic mechanism. To confirm further the distinction and the involvement of group-I and group-II/-III receptor subtypes affecting PMN excitability, we used the membrane permeable cAMP analog 8-bromo-cAMP (8-Br-cAMP) to elevate intracellular cAMP concentration to mask or occlude any effects mediated via the cAMP cascade. 8-Br-cAMP attenuated the reduction of the inspiratory-modulated activity of PMNs by both (S)-4-carboxy-3-hydroxyphenylglycine (4C3HPG) and L-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4), agonists for group-II and group-III mGluRs, respectively, but did not affect the actions of 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG), an agonist for group-I mGluRs. These three groups of mGluRs are all endogenously activated during the inspiratory phase. We conclude that three groups of mGluRs are functionally expressed in the phrenic nucleus and that their activation modulates PMN excitability via distinct mechanisms, with group-I acting at postsynaptic sites and group-II and group-III acting at presynaptic sites.
Optical theorem method for change detection

We explore the general problem of detecting unknown targets or changes to an unknown environment or scene by actively probing the region of interest with a small number of sensors or a limited view sensing aperture located far away from that region. The proposed approach is based on the optical theorem. Its practical implementation in complex media also exploits time reversal focusing and thus benefits from medium complexity and reverberations.