cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teacher–child relationship quality: The roles of child temperament and teacher–child interactions

Young children's relationships with teachers predict social and academic success. This study examines contributions of child temperament (shyness, effortful control) and gender to teacher–child relationship quality both directly and indirectly through the frequency of teacher–child interactions in the classroom. Using an NICHD SECCYD sample of 819 first grade children, four findings emerged: (a) children's shyness, effortful control, and gender contributed directly to teacher–child conflict and closeness; (b) children's shyness contributed to the frequency of child-initiated teacher–child interactions, and children's effortful control contributed to the frequency of teacher-initiated teacher–child interactions; (c) shyness related to teacher–child closeness indirectly through the frequency of child-initiated teacher–child interactions; (d) the frequency of child- and teacher-initiated interactions contributed to each other. Results inform practitioners and researchers of characteristics that put children at risk for failure to form positive relationships with teachers.
Tissue-specific and ABA-regulated Maize GIN gene expression in transgenic tobacco

To study the regulatory functions of the ON promoter region, a ppG1b1GUS construct, consisting of 1402 bp 5′ flanking sequence ofGlbl, 1919 by GUS coding sequence, and 283 by 3′ NOS terminator, was cloned into a binary vector and introduced into tobacco plants byAgrobacterium-mediated transformation. Histochemical GUS assays of To tobacco mature seeds indicate that theGlbl promoter drives GUS expression in ABA treated seeds. Further GUS assays of the T, seeds at different developmental stages revealed that without ABA treatment, theGibl promoter drives GUS expression in immature seeds. The results from both To and T1 tobacco plants indicated thatGlbl-driven GUS expression in tobacco is embryo specific.
Sensitive measurement of single-nucleotide polymorphism-induced changes of RNA conformation: application to disease studies

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are often linked to critical phenotypes such as diseases or responses to vaccines, medications and environmental factors. However, the specific molecular mechanisms by which a causal SNP acts is usually not obvious. Changes in RNA secondary structure emerge as a possible explanation necessitating the development of methods to measure the impact of single-nucleotide variation on RNA structure. Despite the recognition of the importance of considering the changes in Boltzmann ensemble of RNA conformers in this context, a formal method to perform directly such comparison was lacking. Here, we solved this problem and designed an efficient method to compute the relative entropy between the Boltzmann ensembles of the native and a mutant structure. On the basis of this theoretical progress, we developed a software tool, remuRNA, and investigated examples of its application. Comparing the impact of common SNPs naturally occurring in populations with the impact of random point mutations, we found that structural changes introduced by common SNPs are smaller than those introduced by random point mutations. This suggests a natural selection against mutations that significantly change RNA structure and demonstrates, surprisingly, that randomly inserted point mutations provide inadequate estimation of random mutations effects. Subsequently, we applied remuRNA to determine which of the disease-associated non-coding SNPs are potentially related to RNA structural changes.
Priming of a β-Galactosidase (β-GAL)-Specific Type 1 Response in BALB/c Mice Infected with β-GAL-Transfected Leishmania major

To determine whether an ongoing response to Leishmania major would affect the response to a non-cross-reacting, non-leishmanial antigen, susceptible BALB/c mice and resistant C3H mice were infected with L. major parasites expressing Escherichia coli β-galactosidase (β-GAL); this parasite was designated L. major-βGAL. BALB/c and C3H mice responded to infection with L. major-βGAL by mounting a CD4 T-cell response to both parasite antigens and to the reporter antigen, β-GAL. The phenotypes of these T cells were characterized after generating T-cell lines from infected mice. As expected, BALB/c mice responded to infection with L. major-βGAL by producing interleukin 4 in response to the parasite and C3H mice produced gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in response to the parasite and β-GAL. Interestingly, however, BALB/c mice produced IFN-γ in response to β-GAL. Taken together, these results demonstrate that priming of IFN-γ-producing cells can occur in BALB/c mice despite the fact the animals are simultaneously mounting a potent Th2 response to L. major.
Security architectures for controlled digital information dissemination

Besides securing transmission of digital information at lower layers, several application-level security solutions for controlled dissemination of digital information have been developed using cryptographic, watermarking or use-control technologies. These dissemination control solutions have been designed for different business purposes. Little research, if any, identifies security architectures for controlling or tracking digital information dissemination in general. The identification of such will provide a foundation for developing appropriate security solutions for organizations' secure dissemination of digital information, and provide a better understanding of current application-level security solutions. We identify eight application-level security architectures based on the following three elements: virtual machine, control set and distribution style. Some of the architectures provide control and tracking capabilities for dissemination and usage of digital information, while others provide only tracking capability. We describe the architectures and compare their capabilities, merits and demerits. In addition, we review briefly some of the required mechanisms, including watermarking and use-control technologies. Also, we relate some of commercial solutions to our security architectures in order to provide insight on the current availability of our solutions architectures.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Hip Pain Associated with Femeroacetabular Impingement

Advancements in hip arthroscopy have improved understanding of hip disorders that occur prior to the onset of hip osteoarthritis. Femoroacetabular impingement of the hip is a bony deformity that can become symptomatic. Questions as to why some people develop symptoms unilaterally or bilaterally and why some remain asymptomatic remain unanswered. This review will discuss the development of the literature regarding femoroacetabular impingement available to healthcare providers today. Patient characteristics and symptom complexes will be reviewed as well as physical examination and diagnostic evaluation. The literature regarding treatment is heavily weighted in surgical studies and few nonsurgical studies exist. A brief overview is completed of surgical options and outcomes for both surgical and nonsurgical treatments.
Likelihood-ratio testing as a diagnostic method for small-sample regressions

Studies based on small numbers of cases are common in environmental ahd occupational epidemiology. Subjective impressions of excess disease in a neighborhood or factory may be followed up by fairly elaborate analyses based on the few cases occurring in that neighborhood or factory. These analyses usually include regressions, which allow more detailed control of confounders and more efficient use of continuous exposure measurements than is possible in a stratified analysis. Efficiency is especially important in a study for which the data are limited. Nevertheless, one of the dilemmas in small-sample disease-regression analyses is that nearly all available methods are based on large-sample (asymptotic) statistical theory. Guidelines for when this theory is inapplicable are not well developed. Nevertheless, simulation and computational studies (1-5) indicate that the usual method of constructing tests and confidence intervals from the estimated regression coefficient b and its estimated standard error s, the Wald method, breaks down much more rapidly as sample size decreases than methods based on the loglikelihood function or its derivative, the score function. (The Wald statistic for testing the null hypothesis is simply b/s, and the 95% Wald interval is b + 1.96s; when b is estimated by weighted least squares, the Wald test is sometimes called the weighted-least-squares test (2, 3); for a description of log-likelihood and score statistics, see Chapter 6 in volume I of Breslow and Day (6)). The ideal solution to this dilemma would be to employ exact regression analyses (7, 8). There are two major obstacles to this solution. One is lack of software. The other obstacle is that exact algorithms can be constructed only for logistic regression, and are computationally quite demanding. Furthermote, exact logistic regression may yield mathematically degenerate results when the covariates are continuous. Based on various studies (l--S), a good second choice would be to use likelihood-ratio (deviance) tests and intervals or score tests and intervals in place of Wald tests and intervals. Unfortunately, although most software packages can provide likelihood-ratio tests of the null hypothesis, for computational reasons they do not supply likelihood or score intervals. The present report illustrates a method for detecting small-sample problems in results from large-sample regression procedures, and for finding likelihood-ratio intervals. The method can be applied using any maximum-likelihood regression package that provides likelihood-ratio tests and allows “offsets,” such as EGRET (9) or GLIM (IO). (An “offset” is a regressor variable whose regression coefficient is automatically set to I.0 by the program, rather than estimated from the data; both GLIM and EGRET
A 90 GHz quasi-integrated horn antenna receiver

A receiver belonging to the family of integrated planar receivers has been developed at 90 GHz. It consists of a planar Schottky-diode placed at the feed of a dipole-probe suspended inside an integrated horn antenna. A machine section attached to the front of the etched horn increases the gain to 20 dB and results in a Gaussian coupling efficiency of 97%. The measured planar mixer single-sideband conversion loss at 91.2 GHz (LO) with a 200-MHz intermediate frequency is 8.3 dB+or-0.3 dB. The low cost of fabrication and simplicity of the design make it ideal for millimeter- and submillimeter-wave receivers. >
Before We Embrace the Future: Assessing Where We've Been and Where We Are

Barack Obama was elected president of the United States shortly before this issue of the Du Bois Review went to press. The historic nature of the 2008 presidential campaign was evident early in the process, particularly as it became clear that the Democratic Party would nominate either a woman or an African American as its standard-bearer. As scholars who have devoted our professional lives to studying the cancerous effect that racial disadvantage has on American society and politics, we are well aware of the profound hope that many place in the president-elect. We are also aware of the many pitfalls and challenges that await not only President Obama but the nation as well, whose citizens must sort out the new (and old) features of the nation's increasingly complex racial terrain. We devote the next two issues of the Du Bois Review (volume 6, numbers 1 and 2) to scholarship focused on the 2008 presidential campaign and the implications of that campaign going forward. In this issue we focus on research assessing where we have been and where we are regarding racial dynamics within the United States.
A comparison of concurrent programming and cooperative multithreading

This paper presents a comparison of the cooperative multithreading model with the general concurrent programming model. It focuses on the execution time performance of a range of standard concurrent programming applications. The overall results are mixed. In some cases, programs written in the cooperative multithreading model outperform those written in the general concurrent programming model. The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, it presents a thorough analysis of the performances of applications in the different models, i.e. to explain the criteria that determine when a program in one model will outperform an equivalent program in the other. Second, it examines the tradeoffs in writing programs in the different programming styles. In some cases, better performance comes at the cost of more complicated code. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lead inhibits secretion of osteonectin/SPARC without significantly altering collagen or Hsp47 production in osteoblast-like ROS 17/2.8 cells.

Abstract In an effort to better understand the consequences of lead (Pb2+) on skeletal growth, the effects of Pb2+ were investigated using ROS 17 2.8 bone-like cells in vitro. These studies revealed that Pb2+ (4.5 × 10−6 m − 4.5 × 10−7 m ) has little or no effect on cell shape except when added immediately following seeding of the cells. However, proliferation of ROS cells was inhibited, in the absence of serum, at concentrations of 4.5 × 10−6 m Pb2+. Protein production was generally increased, however, the major structural protein of bone, type I collagen, production was only slightly altered. Following treatment of ROS cells with Pb2+, intracellular levels of the calcium-binding protein osteonectin/SPARC were increased. Osteonectin/SPARC secretion into the media was delayed or inhibited. Coincident with retention of osteonectin/SPARC there was a decrease in the levels of osteonectin/SPARC mRNA as determined by Northern analysis. These studies suggest that processes associated with osteonectin/SPARC translation and secretion are sensitive to Pb2+.
Wavelet-based adaptive multiresolution computation of viscous reactive flows

We present a wavelet-based adaptive multiresolution algorithm for the numerical solution of multiscale problems. The main features of the method include fast algorithms for the calculation of wavelet coefficients and approximation of derivatives on nonuniform stencils. The connection between the wavelet order and the size of the stencil is established. The algorithm is based on the mathematically well-established wavelet theory. This allows us to provide error estimates of the solution resulting from the use of an appropriate threshold criteria. The algorithm is applied to a number of test problems as well as to the study of the ignition-delay and subsequent viscous detonation of a H2:O2:Ar mixture in a shock tube. The simulations show the striking ability of the algorithm to adapt to a solution having different scales at different spatial locations so as to produce accurate results at a relatively low computational cost. The algorithm is compared with classic ENO and TVD schemes. It is shown that the algorithm, besides being significantly more efficient in terms of computational cost, is free from many numerical difficulties associated with those schemes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Uric Acid in the Pathogenesis of Hypertension

Over the last century, uric acid has been considered a possible risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. However, only in the last decade have animal models and clinical trials supported a truly mechanistic link. Results from animal models suggest a two-phase mechanism for the development of hyperuricemic hypertension in which uric acid induces acute vasoconstriction by the activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, followed by enhanced uric acid uptake into vascular smooth muscle cells leading to cellular proliferation and secondary arteriolosclerosis that impairs pressure natriuresis. This acute hypertension remains uric acid dependent and sodium independent, whereas the chronic hypertension in experimental models becomes uric acid independent and sodium dependent. Small clinical trials, performed in adolescents with newly diagnosed essential hypertension, demonstrate that reduction of serum uric acid can reduce blood pressure. While more research is clearly necessary, the available data suggest that uric acid may be causative in some cases of early onset hypertension.
Incremental Analog-to-Digital Converters for High-Resolution Energy-Efficient Sensor Interfaces

Integrated sensor interface circuits require power-efficient high-accuracy data converters. In many applications, the best choice is to use incremental A/D converters (IADCs) incorporating extended counting. In this paper, we discuss the operation and design of IADCs, including single-loop and MASH architectures. When using a direct-feed-forward modulator, the IADC accumulates the residue voltage, and it is easily to implement a hybrid scheme of extended counting. Several hybrid schemes are review and discussed. A multi-step extended counting scheme is discussed for high-resolution power-efficient conversion. Optimal trade-off between high order and high oversampling ratio is critical for energy efficiency. A two-step IADC is discussed, which extends the performance of an $N$ th-order IADC close to that of a $(2N\!-\!1)$ th-order IADC, with reduced power. An implemented device uses the circuitry of a second-order IADC (IADC2) to achieve a performance close to that of a third-order IADC. The two-step operation can be extended to multi-step one, and the SQNR performance can be increased significantly. The two-step operation can be extended to multi-step operation, which can boost up the order of SQNR and further improve the energy efficiency drastically.
Randomized multi-pulse time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is one of the primary methods for chemical analysis and serves as a fundamental tool in numerous scientific disciplines. In this paper we consider the design of time-of-flight mass spectrometers, which produce a stream of measurements which can be modeled by a convolution between the mass spectrum of interest and a specified pulsing pattern. Our goal is to reduce the total time necessary to analyze a sample to a given precision (or equivalently, given a fixed amount of time, to obtain a more precise estimate of the sample). We can do this by leveraging the structure that exists in typical mass spectra. In particular, since any given substance is usually composed of a relatively small number of distinct molecules, mass spectra tend to be relatively sparse. In this paper we perform an analysis of an idealized model of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer which uses a randomized pulsing pattern. Such an architecture has the potential to enable a new tradeoff between acquisition time and precision/dynamic range. We show that under certain natural conditions on the randomized scheme — namely, that the system does not pulse too often — this construction will lead to a system which satisfies certain desirable properties that are sufficient to ensure that sparse recovery is possible. In particular, we show that with high probability, the system will satisfy the conditions of a bipartite expander graph provided the pulsing rate is not too large. We then conclude with a range of simulations that support our theoretical analysis and demonstrate the practical viability of this approach.
Temperature-driven band inversion in Pb0.77Sn0.23Se: Optical and Hall effect studies

Optical and Hall-effect measurements have been performed on single crystals of Pb₀.₇₇Sn₀.₂₃Se, a IV-VI mixed chalcogenide. The temperature dependent (10–300 K) reflectance was measured over 40–7000 cm⁻¹ (5–870 meV) with an extension to 15,500 cm⁻¹ (1.92 eV) at room temperature. The reflectance was fit to the Drude-Lorentz model using a single Drude component and several Lorentz oscillators. The optical properties at the measured temperatures were estimated via Kramers-Kronig analysis as well as by the Drude-Lorentz fit. The carriers were p-type with the carrier density determined by Hall measurements. A signature of valence intraband transition is found in the low-energy optical spectra. It is found that the valence-conduction band transition energy as well as the free carrier effective mass reach minimum values at 100 K, suggesting temperature-driven band inversion in the material. Thus, density function theory calculation for the electronic band structure also make similar predictions.
JOINT SEQUESTRA OF OSTEOMYELITIS

When bone bordering on an articular surface becomes necrotic in osteomyelitis, it separates as a sequestrum which has the following characteristics: 1. It is denser than the adjacent living bone which undergoes atrophy. 2. Its articular cartilage disappears, being digested by the proteolytic ferments liberated in the joint. 3. The articular cortex of the sequestrum is preserved because of its inaccessibility to granulation tissues. 4. The articular cartilage and cortex of the rest of the joint, which is living, is usually lost. This gives the joint sequestrum a characteristic appearance which is easily recognizable in the roentgenogram as well as in the gross specimen.
Longitudinal recovery following sudden cardiac arrest and internal cardioverter defibrillator implantation: survivors and their families

OBJECTIVE To describe psychological reactions, neurological sequelae, and family adjustment following sudden cardiac arrest during the first year of recovery. METHODS 15 sudden cardiac arrest survivors and 1 member of each family were interviewed and completed questionnaires five times within the first year following sudden cardiac arrest (hospital discharge, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months). Psychological reactions assessed included anxiety, depression, anger, denial, and global stress. Neurological sequelae assessed included confusion and neurocognitive functioning. Family adjustment assessed included marital adjustment and family coping. All sudden cardiac arrest survivors suffered primary ventricular fibrillation outside the hospital and had an internal cardioverter defibrillator implanted during hospitalization. RESULTS Anxiety, depression, anger, stress, and confusion were highest at hospital discharge and decreased over 1 year, with survivors reporting higher levels than spouses. Denial was high throughout the entire year in survivors. Memory and construction ability were impaired throughout the entire year in survivors. Family coping and dyadic satisfaction were highest at hospital discharge and decreased throughout 1 year. Spouses reported fewer coping strategies and lower dyadic satisfaction than survivors. Family social support was lower than previously established norms at all periods during the first year of recovery. CONCLUSION To develop intervention programs to aid adjustment, healthcare providers need to take into account psychological reactions, neurological deficits, and family coping of sudden cardiac arrest survivors and their family members.
Interleukin-2 Treatment Induces an Acquired Behavioral Response Pattern (Repetitive Stereotyped Movements) Mediated by Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptors

Interleukin (IL) -2 is implicated in the etiology of psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, psychosis) involving an increased expression of repetitive stereotyped movements. However, little is known about the underlying pharmacological mechanisms or behavioral processes. Of further importance, we sought to identify underlying pharmacological mechanisms. We found that dopamine D1 receptors underlie the development of IL -2induced stereotypic movements while D1 and D2 receptors are required for the expression of IL-2-induced stereotypies. These findings raised the intriguing possibility that IL-2 treatment induced anacquired behavioral response patternrequiring concurrent stimulation of D1 and D2 receptors. Thus, we determined whether stimulation of D1 and D2 receptors following t ermination of IL-2 treatment would re-instate the expression of
Childhood asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: outcomes until the age of 50

Purpose of reviewThere has been recent interest in understanding the origins of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Epidemiological studies suggest that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease clearly has other causes apart from tobacco smoke.Recent findingsCross-sectional studies of adult cohorts
Adsorption mechanism of lead (II) ions on natural magnetite from aqueous solution and effect of pH value

In the present investigation,the natural magnetite was employed in studies on the adsorption effects of pH during the removal of Pb( Ⅱ) ions from aqueous solutions by static batch experiments,and the adsorption kinetics and isotherms were also studied. The magnetite was characterized by SEM and XRF before and after sorption in order to analyze the mechanism on Pb2+adsorption. The results demonstrated that it had a better efficiency on Pb2+adsorption as the initial pH value increased and the adsorption rate was 97. 8% while pH value was 6. When the conditions were magnetite particle size 120-150 μm( 100-120 mesh),magnetite initial concentrations 20 g/L,pH value 5,temperature 30 ℃ and shaker rotational for 30 min at speed of 160 r/min,respectively,the saturated adsorption capacity was 16. 98 mg/g. It was concluded that the Langmuir isotherm was more suitable to fit equilibrium adsorption data,and the adsorption kinetic data for Pb2+onto magnetite particles fitted by pseudo-second-order equations with Y = 0. 0986X+0. 5435 model,R2= 0.9923 and K2= 0. 0179( g·mg-1) /min. Furthermore,Pb2+adsorbed onto the magnetite existed in PbO or Pb2O3. The removal mechanism of Pb2+by natural magnetite contains the coordinated actions of superficial deposit,ion exchange,physical adsorption and chemical adsorption.
Sustained gastric secretion in response to 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Indefatigability of the vagal mechanism.

The effect of sustained vagal nerve stimulation by continuous intravenous infusion of 12.5 mg per kg-hr of 2-deoxy- d -glucose was studied in dogs with simple gastric fistulas. Gastric juice volume, hydrogen ion content, and electrolyte and pepsin concentration and output were measured as were serum electrolytes and sugar. Levels of acid and pepsin secretion formed a plateau after 2 to 3 hr which was maintained without evidence of fatigue for 24 hr. Hourly acid output approximated two-thirds or four-fifths of the response to 0.05 mg per kg of histamine base given subcutaneously or 150 mg per kg of 2-deoxy- d -glucose given intravenously, respectively. An essential component of the thesis which claims vagally driven gastric acid hypersecretion as a critical feature of duodenal ulcer diathesis is a physiological possibility.
Investigating the Role of Transmembrane Domain Cysteine Residues in the Organization of TNF Receptors

We recently showed that disulfide bond formation via cysteine residues in the transmembrane (TM) domains of the long isoform of Death Receptor 5 play a significant role in receptor homodimerization and activation. This is significant because the dominant paradigm in TNF Receptor signaling had been that receptor trimers, not dimers, are the signaling competent oligomeric state. Here, we surveyed the full TNF Receptor superfamily and found that potential TM domain disulfide bonds exist in approximately one third of the superfamily members. To investigate the broader importance of these cysteine residues and the potential for disulfide bond formation in the TNF Receptor superfamily, we studied Fas and TNF-Receptor 1 in cells. We also performed computational calculations (potential of mean force) to explore the thermodynamics of conformational changes of disulfide-bonded TM domain dimers. Additionally, we performed a bioinformatics study on transmembrane domains to further investigate the prevalence of TM domain cysteine residues and potential disulfide bonded TM dimers.
Finite frequency fault detection for T-S fuzzy singular multiple timedelay systems

This paper focuses on the problem of fault detection (FD) for a class of nonlinear systems described by the T-S fuzzy singular model with multiple time delays and actuator faults. Two finite-frequency performance indices are introduced to measure fault sensitivity and disturbance robustness. To reduce the conservatism of the existing results, a finite frequency domain approach to fuzzy singular multiple time-delay systems is proposed. Then based on the approach, filter design conditions for the solvability of this problem are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, simulation studies are provided to demonstrate the application of the proposed method.
Prognostic Significance of Early Peripheral Blood Blasts Clearance Following Induction Chemotherapy for Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Early bone marrow blast clearance, defined by a remission marrow obtained on day 14 post-induction, is an independent prognostic indicator of CR, OS, EFS and RFS in adult AML. The prognostic significance of early peripheral blood blast clearance is unknown. We sought to evaluate the relationship between time to peripheral blood blast clearance post-induction and results of the day+14 bone marrow in a cohort of 100 adult AML patients homogeneously-treated at Emory University, between 1997 and 2004. Patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia were excluded from this analysis. In this cohort, median time to peripheral blood blast clearance was 5 days (range, 1–18). Patients were divided into 2 groups: early blast clearance (< 5 days; n=43; EBC) and delayed blasts clearance (≥ 5 days; n=57; DBC). Patient characteristics are summarized in the Table. EBC patients presented with a lower WBC (8.4 vs. 32.4) and LDH (99 vs. 389), but had comparable cytogenetic risks. Remission day+14 marrow, defined as a hypocellular marrow (<20%) with <5% blasts morphologically, was attained in 74% and 79% in the EBC and DBC groups, respectively. However, a trend for improved relapse-free and overall survival was observed in the EBC group. In conclusion, our analysis shows that early peripheral blood blasts clearance post-induction chemotherapy does not correlate with a remission day 14 marrow but may predict improved outcomes. | Patient Characteristics | EBC | DBC | |:----------------------------:| ------------- | -------------- | | Number of patients | 43 | 57 | | Gender, M/F | 20/23 | 34/23 | | Median age (range), yrs | 49 (23–86) | 56 (18–79) | | Median WBC (range), μLx103 | 8.4 (0.4–278) | 32.4 (0.4–763) | | Median LDH (range), U/L | 99 (84–2700) | 389 (59–2042) | | Cytogenetic Risk Groups | | | | Favorable | 12% | 18% | | Intermediate | 59% | 51% | | Unfavorable | 26% | 28% | | Unknown | 5% | 3% | | Remission day 14 Bone marrow | 74% | 79% | | Median DFS, months | 22 | 18 | | Median OS, months | 23 | 19 |
High Performance Silicon Carbide Power Block for Industry Applications

Silicone carbide (SiC) power devices have been optimized in performance over the past decade. However, wide industry adoption of SiC technology still faces challenges from system design perspective. This paper demonstrates an integrated air-cooled three-phase SiC power block for industry applications. The key design aspects, such as high performance gate driver, low parasitic layout, optimized thermal management, as well as flexible control platform are addressed. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the superior performance of the design.
Inter-regional Dynamics in Hippocampal Sub-Networks Co-cultured on Microelectrode Arrays and Connected via Micro-Tunnels

Different pairs of adjacent sub-regions of rat hippocampal neurons were co-cultured within two-well devices on micro-electrode arrays (MEAs). Micro-tunnels allowed passage of axons, strong structural connectivity, and information transmission between wells. Paired-pulse stimuli were delivered at each electrode to increase the probability of the excitation without overstimulation. Because of the micro-channel construction, the electrodes inside these tunnels pick up more activity than those within each well. In particular, the strong axonal inputs from the sources of native feed-forward EC-DG and CA3-CA1 co-cultures evoked more target activity than the feed-back networks. In contrast, the evoked target activity in the native feedforward DG-CA3 networks was lower than the reverse flow of information.
Hypercalcemia Associated with Local and Ectopic Hormone Production

Hypercalcemia is a common endocrine problem. The most common causes of hypercalcemia are primary hyperparathyroidism in the outpatient and malignancy in the inpatient settings. Together, these two causes of hypercalcemia account for approximately 90% of all cases. Both primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy have easily recognized laboratory patterns with the proviso that renal function is normal and the patient is not concomitantly taking vitamin D supplementation. It is important to note that although PTH and PTHrP share intense homology at their N-termini, primary hyperparathyroidism is typically associated with levels of 1,25(OH) 2 D that are in the upper range of normal or frankly elevated. PTHrP-mediated hypercalcemia does not usually cause elevations in 1,25(OH) 2 D concentrations. This chapter focuses on less common etiologies of hypercalcemia including local and ectopic hormone syndromes.
Applications and Trends in Commercial Biological Control for Arthropod Pests of Tomato

Abstract Many invertebrate biological control agents (BCAs) and a few microbial pesticides are available to manage tomato pests, but considerably more that have been discovered and evaluated at some level could be produced commercially. To encourage further development of commercial products, most of the major arthropod pests of tomato are listed, along with some of their existing and potential BCAs and microbial pesticides. Biological control of tomato pests in protected culture and the field is reviewed, including sources of BCAs, quality assurance in their production, tomato grower evaluation of the products, and examples of their uses and costs. The sources and applications for microbial pesticides are also described. Expansion in the development and use of BCAs will require additional testing in tomato production systems, as will the generation of new microbial pesticide products. Advancements are needed in research and technology, regulatory oversight, and grower education to foster continued growth of commercial biological control for arthropod pests of tomato.
Evidence for parent-of-origin effects and interparental conflict in seeds of an ancient flowering plant lineage

Theoretical and empirical studies have long connected the evolutionary innovation of endosperm, a genetically biparental product of a double fertilization process unique to flowering plants (angiosperms), to conflicting parental interests over offspring provisioning. Yet, none of these studies examined interparental conflict in representatives of any of the most ancient angiosperm lineages. We performed reciprocal interploidy crosses in the water lily Nymphaea thermarum, a member of one of the most ancient angiosperm lineages, Nymphaeales. We find that an excess of paternal genomes is associated with an increase in endosperm growth. By contrast, maternal ploidy negatively influences development or growth of all seed components, regardless of paternal genome dosage. Most relevant to the conflict over distribution of maternal resources, however, is that growth of the perisperm (seed storage tissue derived from the maternal sporophyte, found in all Nymphaeales) is unaffected by paternal genome dosage-ensuring maternal control of maternal resources. We conclude that the evolutionary transfer of embryo-nourishing function from a genetically biparental endosperm to a genetically maternal perisperm can be viewed as an effective maternal strategy to recapture control of resource distribution among progeny, and thus that interparental conflict has influenced the evolution of seed development in this ancient angiosperm lineage.
Flood Risk Assessment, Future Trend Modeling, and Risk Communication: A Review of Ongoing Research

AbstractFlooding is one of the most devastating and deadly natural disasters. Every year, millions of people are affected by flooding worldwide, with massive economic losses that average around $50...
Leading-Edge Acoustic Receptivity Measurements Using a Pulsed-Sound Technique

A pulsed acoustic wave technique is used to generate leading-edge receptivity coefficients for a 20:1 modified super-ellipse leading edge at 12 and 15 m/s. The pulsed-sound approach is useful in two ways: it provides a direct measurement of Tollmien-Schlichting wave amplitudes without subtraction of an underlying signal, and it avoids acoustic feedback which occurs with continuous forcing.
Screening for MEN 2 with biochemical and genetic markers.

The term “multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2” (MEN 2) denotes a genetic syndrome characterized by the independent appearance of benign or malignant changes of several endocrine organs (the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands) as well as occasional changes of neuronal, muscular, and connective tissue. Despite the large number of variations of these manifestations, three different forms have been identified: 1. MEN 2A (Sipple’s syndrome, Sipple 1961), characterized by medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in association with pheochromocytoma and parathyroid hyperplasia. 2. MEN 2B, including MTC, pheochromocytoma and mucosal neuromas, and a marfanoid-like habitus (Williams and Pollock 1966). 3. MTC-only syndrome, a hereditary MTC without the other components of MEN 2A (Farndon et al. 1986). Whether this represents a separate syndrome or merely a variant of MEN 2A in which the genetic component is modified to delay the onset of all manifestations of the MEN 2A syndrome is not clear.
Some Fundamental Properties of the Ground States of Atoms and Molecules

The first major triumph of quantum mechanics was to explain the stability of atoms; classically, the electrons would simply collapse into the nucleus. Therefore, the study of the ground states of atoms and molecules is fundamental to quantum mechanics. Here, I shall report very briefly on some mathematically rigorous results about this matter. Most of them were obtained during the past decade, but some very recent results about the effects of magnetic fields will also be included.
Mother Goose and Mother Nature: Designing Stories to Communicate Information About Climate Change

Narratives have the ability to highlight climate change information in a relatable and engaging format. The purpose of the present investigation was to test the effects of five story structure type...
How Much Time Do Residents Spend on Inpatient Clinical Computing

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the time that residents spend on clinical computing. METHODS Our electronic health record system was used to record clinical computing time. Residents were unaware that we were tracking their time. Prior studies have reported computing times by watching the users. We evaluated residents in internal medicine, general surgery, and emergency medicine. The postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and PGY3 residents were evaluated in July 2016 and January 2017. RESULTS Emergency medicine residents spent approximately 3 hours/day and internal medicine and general surgery residents spent approximately 2 hours/day on clinical computing. For internal medicine and general surgery, there was a decrease in time spent on clinical computing from July to January and from PGY1 to PGY3. CONCLUSIONS Residents in some specialties may decrease the time spent on clinical computing. There are many possible reasons for the changes. Our study serves as a computerized observation baseline for future assessments, interventions, and for developing improvements that increase the value of clinical computing.
Black/white differences in mortality among veteran and non-veteran males.

Abstract U.S. military veterans are a large and racially heterogeneous population. There are reasons to expect that racial disparities in mortality among veterans are smaller than those for non-veterans. For example, blacks are favorably selected into the military, receive relatively equitable treatment within the military, and after service accrue higher socioeconomic status and receive health and other benefits after service. Using the 1997–2009 National Health Interview Survey (N = 99,063) with Linked Mortality Files through the end of 2011 (13,691 deaths), we fit Cox proportional hazard models to estimate whether racial disparities in the risk of death are smaller for veterans than for non-veterans. We find that black/white disparities in mortality are smaller for veterans than for non-veterans, and that this is explained by the elevated socioeconomic resources of black veterans relative to black non-veterans. Leveraging birth cohort differences in military periods, we document that the smaller disparities are concentrated among All-Volunteer era veterans.
Anosognosia of financial ability in mild cognitive impairment.

Objectives Although financial ability has been well-studied in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) using performance-based financial capacity assessment instruments, research is limited investigating everyday financial problems and declines in persons with AD and MCI and the insight of people with MCI to recognize that financial capacity declines are occurring. To address this gap in the research, we investigated everyday financial activities and skills in a sample of older adults representing the dementia spectrum. Methods Participants were 186 older adults in three diagnostic classifications: cognitively healthy, MCI likely due to AD, and mild AD dementia. Everyday financial ability was assessed using the Current Financial Activities Report (CFAR). The CFAR is a standardized report-based measure which elicits participant and study partner ratings about a participant's everyday financial abilities. Results Results showed that both CFAR self- and study partner-report distinguished diagnostic groups on key financial capacity variables in a pattern consistent with level of clinical pathology. Study partner-report indicated higher levels of financial skill difficulties in study participants than did the self-report of the same study participants. Study partner-ratings were more highly correlated with participant scores on a performance-based measure of financial capacity than were participant self-ratings. Results also showed that loss of awareness of financial decline is emerging at the MCI stage of AD. Conclusions People with MCI represent a group of older adults at particular risk for financial missteps and-similar to people with AD-are in need of supervision of their financial skills and activities.
When Couples Disagree: Predicting Informant Differences in Adults’ Emotion Regulation

Investigations of emotion regulation, which includes both subjective affect and observable behaviors, could benefit from widespread adoption of multi-informant approaches. Currently, informants are infrequently used when studying adults, due to the complexity of interpreting differences among multiple reports. To identify factors that predict disagreement between informants, this study evaluated self-reported and partner-reported emotion regulation abilities for each member of 81 adult couples. Ratings of each partner’s perceived stress, symptoms of psychopathology, couple satisfaction, and intimate partner victimization were collected as potential sources of discordance. Intrapersonal characteristics appeared to contribute most to diverging reports: women and men experiencing higher stress (and marginally their psychopathology) reported worse emotion regulation abilities in comparison to their partners’ ratings of their abilities, underscoring the value of having multiple reports. Additionally, women’s reports about their partners corresponded with their partners’ self-reports but men’s reports about their partners did not. Men with higher couple satisfaction reported better emotion regulation abilities compared to their partner’s reports. More work is needed to understand multi-informant differences in adult reports of psychological functioning.
Generation of liver organoids by 3D co-culturing of hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells

Background and Hypothesis: Recent progress with combination of chemicals in cell culture media prolongs hepatocyte (HC) function in vitro. However, without other cells of hepatic lineage that comprise natural liver, HC alone are not suitable for the study of complex liver diseases. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) play vital roles in physiological and pathological liver function in situ. We hypothesized that coculturing primary HC with HSC and LSEC as 3D liver organoids in the same chemical conditioned media would uphold HC function over time, creating a better physiological 3D liver microenvironment for liver disease research. Experimental Design: Freshly thawed primary human HCs were combined with immortalized human HSC alone, or together with immortalized human LSECs, to generate 3D liver spheroids. Spheroids were formed in HC maintenance media (HMM, Lonza) using low adhesion 96-well plates for 6 days before switching to the media with different combination of chemicals (SB31542, Forskolin, IWP2, DAPT, and LDN193189) for culturing another 14 days. Spheroids characterization, albumin secretion, mRNA transcription (CYP3A4), and histological analysis were performed for HC differentiation, maturation, and function. Results: Both co-cultures of HC:HSC (2.5:1 ratio), and HC:HSC:LSEC (2.5:1:1) formed spheroids in HMM within 4 to 6 days (Fig.1A). The introduction of the different chemical-based media affected the roundness and diameter of spheroids differently (Fig.1B). In the presence of all 5 chemicals (5C), HC function was better maintained up to 21 days in HC:HSC:LSEC spheroids, measured by albumin, CYP3A4, and CK-19 secretion (Fig.1C). Surprisingly, 5C-based media significantly upregulated the expression of CK-19, which is one of the markers for cholangiocytes and liver precursor cells. Conclusion and Potential Impact: 3D liver organoids composed of HC, HSC, and LSEC would create a niche environment mimicking the in vivo condition. Optimization of complex hepatic spheroids, as well as optimization of complex hepatic spheroid culturing media, would allow for the generation of a unique model for studying complex liver diseases.
PEER Golf: A Four-Part Model for Teaching and Improving Course Management

Golfers are constantly looking for ways to make golf easier, understandable, and consistent in efforts to lower their score and improve their game. Course management is essential for success in gol...
Energy: Calculating the Risks

A discussion of H. Inhaber's analysis of risks with energy from conventional and nonconventional sources showed that the use of this data with the removal of the risks of creating an energy facility and the risk due to the conventional backup for a nonconventional plant had the effect of reversing Inhaber's conclusion, i.e., nonconventional systems are less risky than conventional systems. Although Inhaber relied heavily on data gathered by R. Caputo and co-workers, Inhaber's estimates of total health risk, compared with Caputo's were: 15 times greater for coal; 100 times greater for solar thermal electric and solar photovoltaic power; and about the same for a nuclear plant.
A Dissertation of Boundary-Spanning Actors Within Community Engagement

Unique individuals serve in critical roles in the planning and implementation, institutionalization, and support of service-learning and community engagement within higher education institutions. These individuals, identified as boundary spanners, operate at the nexus of the higher education institution and the selected community. This dissertation focused on development and use of an instrument that measured a previously developed qualitative model. Results indicated that personal characteristics do not significantly influence boundary-spanning activities; in fact, organizational characteristics were more significant than previously thought. The individual, organizational, and societal implications of these findings, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.