cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PDIS and the Information Highway

Advanced networking technologies offer opportunities for new and better PDIS. The Information Highway attracts a great deal of attention, and yet a precise definition eludes us. There are two trends that are real. The first, and the one that will have the most impact, is the expansion of the Internet and commercial analogues. The other trend is the technological changes in higher performance networking elements. This trend presents problems and opportunities for PDIS researchers, unlike the largely operational difficulties of expanding access. We focus on Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) as the information asphalt and discuss the effect of ATM on PDIS. The Information Highway, at least the ATM portion, offers the potential for new and improved types of information systems built from distributed elements. This potential comes from performance, programmability, and distributed control algorithms for network behavior. This makes the network a first-class element in information systems design rather than a problem which must be compensated for. >
Authorization model for summary schemas model

Security issues in multidatabases are complicated due to autonomy and heterogeneity of local databases. Deriving global authorizations by integrating underlying local authorizations is difficult since subjects and objects at each local database may not be compatible. In addition, local authorizations may conflict and could not be combined to form common global authorizations. This paper proposes an authorization model for a multidatabase system. The summary schemas model (SSM) is used as the underlying paradigm. The SSM resolves name differences in multidatabases using word relationships defined in a standard dictionary. Hypernyms and hyponyms of access terms exported from local databases are the main components of the SSM as they form a hierarchical metadata structure. SSM global authorizations tagged to hypernyms are derived from local authorizations using global roles and a role hierarchy defined in multidatabases. The model considers roles as common global subjects onto which local subjects can be mapped. Since the mapping can be done independently and autonomously among local databases, authorization autonomy is preserved. The paper also evaluates the performance of the proposed model. The simulation results show that the proposed model offers better performance than the original SSM since user queries with insufficient authority are rejected earlier. This results in less communication and less query response time.
Integrating basic and applied developmental research: a new model for the twenty-first century

Until recently, basic and applied research agendas in the field of child development have followed separate paths. One reason the two have not merged is that the objectives of basic and applied research are often seen as incompatible. In this paper, we argue that researchers can simultaneously achieve the objectives of advancing basic knowledge and addressing applied problems within a single research program. We provide a framework for this perspective by first looking back at historical trends of basic and applied developmental research and then looking forward at potential new approaches for integrating basic and applied research. We use our own research on perception of affordances and unintentional childhood injuries to illustrate how researchers might implement these strategies for integrating basic and applied research. We conclude by discussing how we might extend this integration further to include nontraditional classes of application.
Building human capacity locally through hybrid distance learning: a Haitian case

Distance learning has long been seen as a means of reversing "braindrain". This exploratory paper introduces a model which will be tested at the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) to develop local human capacity through a hybrid distance learning program using the social capital of the national diaspora.
Simultaneous similarity learning and feature-weight learning for document clustering

A key problem in document classification and clustering is learning the similarity between documents. Traditional approaches include estimating similarity between feature vectors of documents where the vectors are computed using TF-IDF in the bag-of-words model. However, these approaches do not work well when either similar documents do not use the same vocabulary or the feature vectors are not estimated correctly. In this paper, we represent documents and keywords using multiple layers of connected graphs. We pose the problem of simultaneously learning similarity between documents and keyword weights as an edge-weight regularization problem over the different layers of graphs. Unlike most feature weight learning algorithms, we propose an unsupervised algorithm in the proposed framework to simultaneously optimize similarity and the keyword weights. We extrinsically evaluate the performance of the proposed similarity measure on two different tasks, clustering and classification. The proposed similarity measure outperforms the similarity measure proposed by (Muthukrishnan et al., 2010), a state-of-the-art classification algorithm (Zhou and Burges, 2007) and three different baselines on a variety of standard, large data sets.
Integrated multi‐echelon supply chain design with inventories under uncertainty: MINLP models, computational strategies

We address in this article a problem that is of significance to the chemical industry, namely, the optimal design of a multi-echelon supply chain and the associated inventory systems in the presence of uncertain customer demands. By using the guaranteed service approach to model the multi-echelon stochastic inventory system, we develop an optimization model to simultaneously determine the transportation, inventory, and network structure of a multi-echelon supply chain. The model is an MINLP with a nonconvex objective function including bilinear, trilinear, and square root terms. By exploiting the properties of the basic model, we reformulate this problem as a separable concave minimization program. A spatial decomposition algorithm based on the integration of Lagrangean relaxation and piecewise linear approximation is proposed to obtain near global optimal solutions with reasonable computational expense. Examples for specialty chemicals and industrial gas supply chains with up to 15 plants, 100 potential distribution centers, and 200 markets are presented. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
Epilepsy and AED-induced decreased libido — The unasked psychosocial comorbidity

Therapeutic treatment for persons with epilepsy (PWE) should address seizure control and the broad spectrum of associated comorbidities. Since both epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can induce decreased libido, sexual health assessment is an important aspect of quality care in PWE as well as other patients receiving AEDs. This paper presents findings from a pilot quality initiative conducted in the ambulatory care epilepsy, pain management, and psychiatric services (N=15 clinicians) which addressed two themes: 1) whether libido is routinely questioned with/without the electronic medical record (EMR) and 2) clinicians' knowledge that both epilepsy and AEDs can induce decreased libido. All clinicians used the EMR, 40% used the GU-ROS section, but only 1 clinician (6.67%) questioned patients regarding libido. Of the clinicians, 26.7% demonstrated knowledge that both AEDs and epilepsy can cause decreased libido. Our results suggest that a treatment gap for epilepsy-induced and AED-induced decreased libido may be related to systems issues (duration of clinical visit, billing codes, EMR template) and physician barriers including decreased knowledge. Further research in this field and replication of this pilot quality initiative are indicated.
Evaluating distributed xacml policies

We extend the XACML reference implementation so that a policyset consisting of remote references to other policies can be evaluated distributively. Our extension also covers requests to resources that need to be used exclusively. We do so by implementing a nested transaction model for the evaluation of distributed XACML policies. Experiments show reasonable performance of our access controller.
Racial Group Identification Among Black Adults

The relation between sociodemographic factors and racial group identification [in the United States] is explored in this paper....The findings of this research indicate that racial group identification is strongest among older blacks and the least-educated blacks who live in urban areas. Additionally significant interactions between education and region are found; highly educated blacks living outside the West have strong levels of racial group identification. Income and sex are not found to be related to racial group identification. (EXCERPT)
A Morphometric Study of Synechanthus (Palmae)

Abstract Synechanthus, a genus of two species, is widely distributed from southern Mexico through Central America to the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical methods, based on data taken from herbarium specimens, were used to examine morphological variation between and within species. The species are clearly distinguished based on qualitative variables, and means of most quantitative variables are significantly different between the two. Synechanthus warscewiczianus is distributed more or less continuously from Nicaragua to Ecuador. No variables are correlated with latitude, but three are correlated with elevation. In central Panama, small-sized plants occur on three isolated peaks. These can be separated from larger-sized plants with discriminant analysis, and two of the three small-sized populations can be separated from each other. The distribution of S. fibrosus, from Mexico to Costa Rica, encompasses three separate populations that can be distingu...
Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 Is Not Strictly Required for Infection of Murine Cells by Retroviruses

The DNA-breaking and -joining steps initiating retroviral integration are well understood, but the later steps, thought to be carried out by cellular DNA repair enzymes, have not been fully characterized. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) has been proposed to play a role late during retroviral integration, because infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-based vectors was reported to be strongly inhibited in PARP-1-deficient fibroblasts. PARP-1, a nuclear enzyme, binds tightly to nicked DNA and synthesizes poly(ADP-ribose) as an early response to DNA damage. To investigate the role of PARP-1 in retroviral integration, we infected wild-type and PARP-1-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) separately with two HIV type 1-derived, vesicular stomatitis virus G-pseudotyped lentivirus vectors. Surprisingly, infection of both wild-type and PARP-1-deficient cells was observed with both vectors. Marker gene transduction and provirus formation by one vector was reduced by 45 to 75% compared to the wild type, but the other vector was unaffected by the PARP-1 mutant. In addition, PARP-1-deficient MEFs infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus showed no decrease in virus output after infection compared to the wild type. We conclude that PARP-1 cannot be strictly required for retroviral infection because replication steps, including integration, can proceed efficiently in its absence.
Locating and ranking XML documents based on content and structure synopses

We present a new framework for indexing, locating and ranking XML documents based on content and structural synopses extracted from the documents. Instead of indexing each single element or term in a document, we extract a structural summary and a small number of data synopses from the document, which are indexed in an efficient way suitable for query evaluation. Our query language is XPath extended with full-text search. The result of query evaluation is a ranked list of document locations that best match the query. We propose a novel aggregated ranking scheme, which is integrated into the query evaluation to score the documents based on those data synopses. Our experimental evaluation shows that our indexing scheme outperforms the standard XML indexing scheme based on inverted lists and our ranking scheme is effective in terms of precision and recall.
Eight Articles, Eight Journals, 8 Years: Selected Disappointments and Celebrations From an Outstanding Major Contribution

This reaction paper highlights what the author views as remarkable and particularly laudable about this major contribution on lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color; some disappointments that emerged, especially from the results of the content analysis; and a few thoughts extending those already offered in this outstanding set of major contribution articles. Particularly impressive is the quantity and quality of scholarship presented in this set of articles, how they build on one another, and the utility for future researchers, teachers, and scholars in the field of multicultural psychology. Selected disappointments include continued invisibility of various persons in subordinate groups within this area of scholarship and problematic sampling and recruitment strategies used in much of the past research. The authors who contributed to this major contribution identify and use many excellent strategies to overcome a number of the disappointments that are noted.
Persuasion and Equal Citizenship in the Liberal Democratic Polity

Many believe that voluntary associations are legitimate outlets for beliefs and activities that do not accord with public ideals, while others believe that a greater congruence should be encouraged between private beliefs and public ideals. Corey Brettschneider argues that although freedom of expressive association should not be interfered with, the government itself should not be neutral, but should persuade and transform illiberal groups to conform more closely to the ideals of free and equal citizenship. Moreover, he believes that tax exemptions should be removed from associations whose core expressions conflict with these ideals. I argue that sometimes governments may advocate for the "wrong" ideals, that fine-grained decisions on tax exemptions accord too much power to government, and that groups may change on their own due to the pressures of the larger culture.
Physical and optoelectronic properties of VxInySz intermediate band semiconductors deposited by atomic layer deposition

In this report, thin films of indium sulfide (In2S3) alloyed with vanadium have been deposited by atomic layer deposition. The physical and optoelectronic properties of these films have been studied to determine their potential for use in intermediate band solar cells. X-ray reflectivity measurements confirm control over stoichiometry by varying the ratio of In to V precursor pulses. As-deposited films on bare quartz and silicon substrates are amorphous and do not have absorption properties indicative of a mid-gap band. However, deposition of the VxInySz films on c-In2S3 appears to induce crystallization as seen by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. A large, sub-band gap absorption peak is observed beginning near 1.0 eV, and increases with V concentration. Pronounced photoluminescence peaks occur at room temperature near 2.20 eV for both In2S3 and VxInySz films, while an additional 1.35 eV peak is observed for VxInySz. These results support the existence of a crystalline, thin-film, intermediate band semiconductor deposited by atomic layer deposition. Use of these heavily doped, thin film semiconductors could lead to cheap and simple fabrication of intermediate band solar cells.
Chapter 11 – Developmental Origins of Childhood Asthma and Allergic Conditions—Is There Evidence of Epigenetic Regulation?

The incidence of pediatric asthma and allergic conditions rose during the 1980s and 1990s and several mechanisms have been proposed, most implicating environmental exposures that are active at critical developmental stages. Epigenetic regulation is highly plausible as being at least part of a causal pathway where environmental exposures prompt deviation from “normal” development and lead to noncommunicable diseases such as asthma and allergy. This chapter first describes the epidemiology of childhood asthma and eczema, the latter used throughout as an exemplar of a nonasthmatic allergic condition. Associations between early environmental exposures and the development of asthma and eczema, and when these might be acting, are then explored, and finally the evidence for epigenetic factors being relevant to asthma and eczema is discussed. Different mechanisms for the development of asthma and eczema seem to be likely, and there is a good level of evidence from observational studies that developmental origins are important to both conditions. At present, it is not possible to say what relevance epigenetic factors have in the etiology of asthma and eczema, but these seem likely to be important.
Digital media's transformative role In education: beyond potential to essential

Achieving effective learning via digital media continues to be a major concern in contemporary education. The daily use of all forms of digital media is part of our lives and therefore becomes a key component of education. Educators must consider the process of digital media curriculum as a learning model and form of experience adapted to education. This means the significance is on how to learn as well as what to learn. This study demonstrated how the implementation of digital media curriculum via the Scratch game-making project contributed to middle school students’ interaction with the entire educational process. The goal was to rethink the role of digital media in transforming schooling. Based on classroom observation and interviews with the teachers and students from four middle schools in Denver, Colorado, the qualitative method of educational criticism and connoisseurship was employed to examine the use of digital media and the interaction between teaching and learning. Several themes emerged: (a) The production of digital media influenced students’ behavior and educators’ attitudes towards formal and informal learning; (b) digital citizenship is a substantial lesson in the course of digital learning and an understanding of the digital framework of society; (c) new literacy is critical, because ever-changing equipment supporting the digital experience provides dynamic and contrasting ways of connecting with society; (d) the reward of learning is by doing versus being told, and deeper learning is attained by students’ interacting with their own work; and (e) digital media programs, such as making video games for learning, provide students skills in communication, theoretical, aesthetic, creativity, and technical knowledge necessary for becoming successful digital citizens. The research revealed students’ enjoyment and effort in this new form of learning experience, which enhanced their critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity under teachers’ well-planned guidance. The challenge for educators is to constantly review and design educational approaches supporting students towards using the tools meaningfully and within a defined learning experience, continuing to help students become active participants and authors of their own identity and creativity. Educators need to find the best usage of digital media technology, providing students every advantage towards reaching an informed global perspective.
For parents with mental health conditions: the chance to "have it all" at work and at home.

TOPIC: Evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) supported employment provides opportunities to individualize supports for parents with mental health conditions who are vulnerable to financial insecurity and family instability. PURPOSE: Adults living with serious mental health conditions may have goals related to both work and parenting. IPS employment specialists can capitalize on our understanding of the challenges faced by parents living with serious mental health conditions to improve the economic wellbeing of these individuals and their families. SOURCES USED: Data include a summary of analyses of the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health as well as first-person accounts from parents and employment specialists. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Empirical and anecdotal evidence support the relevance of discussing goals for parenting and family life with adults living with mental health conditions in the context of job assessment, placement, and support to promote goal achievement in both role domains-employment and parenting.
Preparation of labelled natural substrates for use in the diagnosis of lipid storage disorders

Sphingomyelin, galactosylceremide, glucosylceremide and GM 2 (or Tay-Sachs) ganglioside were isolated and purified. The lipids were then dissolved in methanol and hydrogenated with tritium gas in the presence of platinum oxide catalyst. After hydrogenation and removal of excess tritium the lipids were re-purified by preparative thin-layer chromatography, or by column chromatography. The radiochemical and chemical purities of the various compounds were evaluated by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography of products formed after hydrolysis in 0.75 M methanolic hydrogen chloride. All lipids incorporated tritium almost exclusively into the hydrophobic part of the molecule. The ratio of the specific activities of fatty acid to long-chain base in the various sphingolipids was of the order of 4, thus indicating that the bulk of the radioactivity had been incorporated into the fatty acid moieties. Initial experiments with two of the radioactive lipids prepared in this manner, sphingomyelin and galactosyl-ceramide, have confirmed their value in the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick and Krabbe's diseases respectively.
A linear eddy subgrid model for turbulent combustion - Application to premixed combustion

Accurate treatment of turbulent mixing processes is among the most important unsolved problems in develop ing numerical predictive schemes for reacting flows and propulsion systems. In this paper, the development and implementation of a new subgrid modeling approach to treat turbulent mixing and chemical reactions is described. The model is applicable to both nonreacting and reacting flows, with and without heat release. In addition, the same subgrid model with some minor changes is applicable to both nonpremixed and premixed reacting flows. The application of the subgrid model to simulate thin premixed flame propagation in a turbulent media is demonstrated in this paper.
The Party System and Legislative Cohesion in the Early U.S. House of Representatives

Does variation in the party system explain variation in legislator cohesion? Exiting theory on the forces that drive legislative cohesion argues, in part, that legislators follow the party line in order to aid their reelection chances. If true, then variation in the competitiveness and institutionalization of the party should lead to variation in legislator cohesion. Using data from the U.S. House of Representatives during the "First Party Systems," I show that U.S. House members differed in the levels of cohesion based on differences in the party system across their districts.
A Correlation Study between Tuberculosis Infection and Tuberculin Skin Test

Objective:To study the significance of tuberculin skin test(Purified Protein Derivation,PPD)in diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis.Methods:Two thousand seven hundred and fourteen children suspected for tuberculosis infection from January 2008 to December 2009 were selected to conduct PPD skin test on and be registered with follow-up analysis of their results.Chisquare test analysis was chosen for PPD +~+++ positive rate among different age groups,genders and with or without the BCG vaccination scar groups.Results:New cases that hadn't been reported in both Chinese and foreign literature were found.There were 28 cases with indurations during 4 to 7 days after the test.Latent tuberculosis infection rate was 22.2 %(603/2714),tuberculosis rate was 5.8 %(158/2714)and BCG disease rate was 0.3%(8/2714).The differences of PPD positive rate were statistically significant not only between different age groups(P0.05)but also between groups with or without BCG vaccination scar(P0.05).But the gender difference was not statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusions:PPD skin test should be recommended as routine tuberculosis screening for preschool children due to its safety and rare side effects.Furthermore,the time for reviewing result should be altered to 3 to 5 days after skin test.Moreover,it is more meaningful to observe the color and the border of the skin swelling than the diameter of the swelling in TB infection decision.
Role of autoinducers in gene regulation and virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the autoinducer (AI) molecules produced by the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas(P) aeruginosa , and their involvement in gene regulation and virulence of this organism. P. aeruginosa is a pathogen of individuals in which the normal immune defenses have been compromised because of a genetic predisposition, medical treatment, or some form of trauma. Once established, P. aeruginosa can cause a wide variety of acute or chronic infections. These infections can be difficult to treat and/or eradicate because of the innate resistance of P. aeruginosa to many antibiotics and its ability to produce a large array of both cell-associated and secreted virulence products. Although these traits make P. aeruginosa a formidable pathogen, they also provide investigators with a valuable model system with which to study bacterial pathogenesis. Over the past decade P. aeruginosa has become one of the most intensively studied quorum sensing model systems. The resulting studies have provided much information with respect to not only the molecular interactions involved in quorum sensing but also its role in the production of disease.
Vascular damage by ultrasound-activated microbubble induced vessel invagination

Vascular bioeffects produced by ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles are primarily manifested as damage to microvessels. The objective of this work is to directly observe the transient dynamics of bubble-vessel interactions and correlate the observed interactions with associated vascular damage. Microbubbles were perfused into microvessels in ex vivo rat mesenteries and then excited by a single 2 µs long ultrasound pulse at 1 MHz. Meanwhile, 14 high-speed photomicrographic images were acquired using 50 ns shutter speeds. The targeted region was then examined by histology and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Image registration was used to identify the specific vessels that the corresponding high-speed images were captured. The recorded high-speed images revealed that bubble-vessel interactions caused vessel wall distention (motion outward against the surrounding tissue) and invagination (motion inward toward the lumen). Invagination exceeding distention was observed in 60 out of 70 cases. Significant vessel invagination was correlated with vascular damage that was characterized by a separation of the endothelium from the surrounding tissue as revealed by both the histology and TEM analyses. The separation of the endothelium from the surrounding tissue is consistent with damage caused by tensile stresses at the vessel walls that lead to vessel invagination. This suggests that invagination may be an important mechanism by which microbubbles cause vascular damage.
Interpreters’ Self-Perceptions of Their Use of Self When Interpreting in Health and Behavioural Health Settings

This study examines interpreters’ self-perception of their use of self when interpreting in health and behavioural health-care settings. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the individual, semi-structured interviews of thirty-six interpreters. Interpreters identified specific skills and techniques, that they developed on their own, (1) to create a safe environment for provider and client, and (2) to increase the effectiveness of the intervention. Interpreters are vital members of care teams. Interpreters might be under-utilized if only seen as a language conduit. Embracing interpreters as members of the inter professional team may hold great promise for addressing challenges in providing culturally effective services. Cette etude se penche sur l’auto-perception des interpretes de leur recours au soi dans l’interpretation en milieux de services de sante et de sante comportementale. Une methode comparative constante avait ete employee pour analyser les 36 entrevues individuelles semi-structurees des interpretes.Les interpretes ont identifie des aptitudes et des methodes specifiques qu’ils avaient independamment developpees afin de (a) creer un environnement rassurant pour le fournisseur ainsi que le client, et (b) accroitre l’efficacite de l’intervention. Les interpretes constituent des membres essentiels d’equipes de soins. Ils risquent toutefois d’etre sous-utilises s’ils sont consideres uniquement comme des intermediaires de langue. Integrer pleinement les interpretes en tant que membres de l’equipe interprofessionnelle est tres prometteur pour aborder les defis relies a la prestation de services adaptes aux particularites culturelles.
A 2-Year-Old Boy With Difficulty Waking After Bone Marrow Transplantation

We report a 2-year-old boy who was evaluated for difficult waking during prolonged intensive care unit admission associated with bone marrow transplant for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Neurologic examination was found to be abnormal, with nuchal rigidity initially, then decreased extremity movement and areflexia developing over several days. Electromyogram showed length-dependent, axonal, sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Cerebrospinal fluid showed albuminocytologic dissociation suggestive of Guillain-Barre syndrome or acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy variant. The patient was treated with immunotherapy and slowly showed signs of motor recovery over several months. A review of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, Guillain-Barre syndrome, immune-mediated complications of bone marrow transplantation, and acute weakness in the intensive care unit is provided in this case report.
Hodgkin's lymphoma with unusual pulmonary presentations: Reporting two cases

Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (CHL) presenting with exclusively pulmonary symptoms is very unusual. We report two cases of CHL with atypical clinical presentations mimicking pulmonary infections. The first case represents a stage IV CHL with secondary lung involvement, and the second case demonstrates a very rare case of CHL with isolated lung involvement, also known as primary pulmonary Hodgkin's lymphoma. The second patient was initially misdiagnosed and treated with six months of antibiotics before the correct diagnosis was made by a lung biopsy. Both patients received chemotherapy; one patient achieved complete remission and the other achieved near-complete remission.
Early Childhood Teachers’ Psychological Well-Being: Exploring Potential Predictors of Depression, Stress, and Emotional Exhaustion

Research Findings: Early childhood teachers’ psychological well-being influences the nurturing and learning classroom climate in early care and education as well as children’s development. However,...
AKT activity is elevated in aggressive thyroid neoplasms where it promotes proliferation and invasion

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway controls major cellular processes such as cell growth, proliferation and survival. Stimulation of this pathway leads to AKT phosphorylation and activation, resulting in phosphorylation of mTOR and myriad other targets. AKT upregulation has been implicated in thyroid cancer pathogenesis and is a candidate treatment target for patients with advanced disease that has not responded to traditional therapies. Here we evaluate a large series of benign and malignant thyroid tumors for AKT activity and intracellular distribution. We also deplete AKT from multiple thyroid cancer cell lines, including putative cancer stem cell lines, and measure the effect on proliferation and invasion in vitro. We show that active AKT has a predominantly nuclear distribution and its expression is highest in anaplastic thyroid carcinomas and papillary thyroid carcinomas, including encapsulated and invasive follicular variants. Depletion of AKT in thyroid carcinoma cell lines led to greatly reduced proliferative capacity and resulted in a reduction of invasive potential. A reduction in invasion was also observed in the cancer stem cell compartment. Targeting AKT activity in the clinical setting may slow the growth and spread of aggressive thyroid neoplasms, and target the tumor stem cell compartment.
Parent training resource allocation optimization using an agent-based model of child maltreatment

This paper uses our previously created agent-based model to study the optimal way of allocating parent training resources to address unmet child need, a measure of child maltreatment. We consider parent training resource allocation prioritization based upon: a family's own resources and the resources they have access to through their social network. Simulation results show that when targeting a community with a parent training intervention program, ignoring heterogeneity within a community is a mistake. This work demonstrates the utility of the developed agent-based model and suggests that child maltreatment research can benefit from a complexity science approach.
Goals and targets for personalized therapy for HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide and its incidence continues to rise. While cirrhosis underlies most cases of HCC, many molecular pathways are implicated in HCC carcinogenesis, including the TERT promoter mutation, Wnt/β-catenin, P53, Akt/mTOR, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), and endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)/RAS/MAPK pathways. While the most widely used staging and treatment algorithm for HCC-the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system-does not recommend systemic molecular therapy for early HCC, a variety of treatment options are available depending upon the stage of HCC at diagnosis. Determining the best treatment options must take into account not only the burden and extent of HCC, but also the patient's performance status, underlying liver function, extra-hepatic disease and co-morbidities. Radiofrequency or microwave ablation, liver resection, or liver transplantation, all potential curative therapies for HCC, should be the first-line treatments when possible. For patients who are not candidates of curative treatments, locoregional therapies such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), transarterial radioembolization (TARE), and stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) can improve survival and quality of life. Sorafenib, a multi-kinase VEGF inhibitor, is the most widely used systemic chemotherapy approved as a first-line agent for unresectable or advanced HCC. Clinical trials are underway directed towards molecular therapies that target different aspects of the hepatocellular carcinogenesis cascade. Ideally, the goal of future therapy should be to target multiple pathways in the HCC cascade with combination treatments to achieve personalized care aimed at improving overall survival.
Intratympanically Delivered Steroids Impact Thousands More Inner Ear Genes Than Systemic Delivery

Objectives:Glucocorticoids are given for sensorineural hearing loss, but little is known of their molecular impact on the inner ear. Furthermore, in spite of claims of improved hearing recovery wit...
Identification of differential item functioning by race and ethnicity in the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.

Abstract Background The accurate assessment of childhood maltreatment (CM) is important in medical and mental health settings given its association to adverse psychological and physical outcomes. Reliable and valid assessment of CM is also of critical importance to research. Due to the potential of measurement bias when comparing CM across racial and ethnic groups, invariant measurement is an important psychometric property of such screening tools. Objective In this study, differential item function (DIF) by race and ethnicity was tested. Uniform DIF refers to the influence of bias on scores across all levels of childhood maltreatment, and non-uniform DIF refers to bias in favor of one group. Method Participants were N =1,319 women and men (M age =36.77, SD age =10.37) who completed the Child Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form; 42.7% were women, 57.3% were male; 58.9% were White-American, 22.1% Black-American, and 8.0% as other; 26.3% were Hispanic. Results Using empirical thresholds, non-uniform DIF was identified in five items by race, and no items by ethnicity. Conclusions Uniform DIF is less problematic given that mathematical corrections can be made to adjust scores for DIF. However, non-uniform DIF can usually only be corrected by removing the DIF items from the scale. Further methodological research is needed to minimize measurement bias to effectively assess racially diverse populations.
Barriers and Facilitators of Stroke Recovery: Perspectives From African Americans With Stroke, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals.

Abstract Introduction and Goal: Stroke is a serious health condition that disproportionally affects African-Americans relative to non-Hispanic whites. In the absence of clearly defined reasons for racial disparities in stroke recovery and subsequent stroke outcomes, a critical first step in mitigating poor stroke outcomes is to explore potential barriers and facilitators of poststroke recovery in African-American adults with stroke. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore poststroke recovery across the care continuum from the perspective of African-American adults with stroke, caregivers of African-American adults with stroke, and health care professionals with expertise in stroke care. Materials and Methods: This qualitative descriptive study included in-depth key informant interviews with health care providers (n = 10) and focus groups with persons with stroke (n = 20 persons) and their family members or caregivers (n = 19 persons). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis according to the Social Ecological Model, using both inductive and deductive approaches. Findings: Persons with stroke and their caregivers identified social support, resources, and knowledge as the most salient factors associated with stroke recovery. Perceived barriers to recovery included: (1) physical and cognitive deficits, mood; (2) medication issues; (3) lack of support and resources; (4) stigma, culture, and faith. Health care providers identified knowledge/information, care coordination, and resources in the community as key to facilitating stroke recovery outcomes. Conclusions: Key findings from this study can be incorporated into interventions designed to improve poststroke recovery outcomes and potentially reduce the current racial-ethnic disparity gap.
Physical Activity and Breast Cancer: Focusing on High-Risk Subgroups and Putting Recommendations in Context

While it is well-established that physical activity is associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer, most studies have been conducted in populations at an average underlying breast cancer risk. In this issue of Cancer Research, Kehm and colleagues present compelling evidence that adulthood physical activity is beneficial across the risk spectrum, including among women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. These findings are significant because women who are at a higher baseline risk are not engaging in sufficient physical activity to meet current guidelines but may be more motivated to do so knowing that they, like women in the general population, may benefit.See related article by Kehm et al., p. 116.
The impact of metal pipe materials, corrosion products, and corrosion inhibitors on antibiotic resistance in drinking water distribution systems.

Drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) are unique engineering environments that are important routes for the acquisition and dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in drinking water pose risks to human and environmental health. Metals are known stressors that can select for antibiotic resistance. The objective of this review was to assess the state of knowledge regarding the impact of metal pipe materials, corrosion products, and corrosion inhibitors on the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in DWDS. ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) have been detected in full-scale DWDS in concentrations ranging from ~ 101 to 1010 copies/L. Metal pipe materials can select for bacteria harboring ARGs and metal resistance genes (MRGs) through co-selection processes. Corrosion products that develop in metal drinking water pipes (Cu, Fe, and Pb oxides) may also stimulate antibiotic resistance selection during distribution. Different corrosion inhibitor regimes (phosphates, sodium silicates) may also have impacts on microbial communities and the abundance of resistance genes in DWDS. Research is needed to quantify how engineering decisions related to drinking water infrastructure and corrosion inhibitor practices impact the abundance and distribution of ARG, MRGs, and MGEs in potable water systems. • Lack of quantitative measurements of antibiotic and metal resistance genes in drinking water distribution systems. • Pipe materials and corrosion products that develop in pipe scales may impact antibiotic resistance. • Corrosion inhibitors with zinc or phosphate could alter antibiotic resistance. • Management decisions should consider antibiotic resistance ramifications.
Influence Diffusion in Online Social Networks With Propagation Rate Changes

Information can propagate among Online Social Network (OSN) users at a high speed, which makes the OSNs important platforms for viral marketing. Although the viral marketing related problems in OSNs have been extensively studied in the past decade, the existing works all assume known propagation rates. In this paper, we propose a novel model, Dynamic Influence Propagation (DIP), which allows propagation rates to increase after a topic becomes popular and can be used for describing information propagation in OSNs more realistically. Based on DIP, we define a new research problem: Threshold Activation Problem under DIP (TAP-DIP). However, it adds another layer of complexity over the already #P-hard TAP problem. Despite it hardness, we are able to approximate TAP-DIP with $O(\log |V|)$ ratio, where $|V|$ is the number of users in the network. Our solution consists of global optimization techniques and a novel solution to the general version of TAP. We also consider the more complicated case when the propagation rates may change multiple times and the changes are non-immediate, with corresponding solution and analyses. We test our solution using various real OSN datasets, and demonstrate that our solution not only generates high-quality seed sets, but also scales.
Materials Combining Asymmetric Pore Structures with Well-Defined Mesoporosity for Energy Storage and Conversion

Porous materials design often faces a trade-off between the requirements of high internal surface area and high reagent flux. Inorganic materials with asymmetric/hierarchical pore structures or well-defined mesopores have been tested to overcome this trade-off, but success has remained limited when the strategies are employed individually. Here, the attributes of both strategies are combined and a scalable path to porous titanium nitride (TiN) and carbon membranes that are conducting (TiN, carbon) or superconducting (TiN) is demonstrated. These materials exhibit a combination of asymmetric, hierarchical pore structures and well-defined mesoporosity throughout the material. Fast transport through such TiN materials as an electrochemical double-layer capacitor provides a substantial improvement in capacity retention at high scan rates, resulting in state-of-the-art power density (28.2 kW kg-1) at competitive energy density (7.3 W-h kg-1). In the case of carbon membranes, a record-setting power density (287.9 kW kg-1) at 14.5 W-h kg-1 is reported. Results suggest distinct advantages of such pore architectures for energy storage and conversion applications and provide an advanced avenue for addressing the trade-off between high-surface-area and high-flux requirements.
The Results of Well-conducted Negative Clinical Trials Should Be Reported in a Peer-reviewed Journal.

We expect that the pathogenesis, manifestations, and successful management of disease will be fully reported in peer-reviewed journals. However, there are multiple publications addressing the likelihood that clinical trials that do not report a positive result are underreported in the medical literature, with a maximum of 50% of negative studies published, even after 5 years of availability of their results1,2. One way to think of the usefulness of our literature is as a road map. There are major “highways” (positive reports), “secondary roads” (major secondary considerations such as long-term safety and effectiveness), and “attractions” (opinions, historical correlations, etc.). But importantly, we need to be able to determine “detours and roadblocks” (well-performed negative studies), which are transparently reported. In this issue of The Journal of Rheumatology , Genovese and colleagues report the results of a clinical trial exploring the efficacy and safety of poseltinib, a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi), which was found to be ineffective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a phase II study3. This is an important addition to our literature. BTK is a tyrosine kinase that is encoded by the BTK gene in humans. In 1993 it was identified that BTK is the gene defective in primary immunodeficiency X-linked agammaglobulinemia. BTK is a member of the Tec family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases and is expressed in all hematopoietic cells except T cells and terminally differentiated plasma cells. It has been shown that BTK has an important role in B cell differentiation in vivo and is involved in the regulation of the expansion and developmental progression of pre-B cells in the bone marrow. BTK is a crucial signal transducer of signals downstream of the IgM or IgG B cell antigen receptor in mature B cells governing proliferation, survival, and differentiation. … Address correspondence to Dr. R. Fleischmann, 8144 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 810, Dallas, TX 75231, USA. Email: rfleischmann{at}arthdocs.com.
Adenoidectomy and persistent velopharyngeal insufficiency: Considerations, risk factors, and treatment.

Abstract Importance Persistent velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is a rare but well-recognized complication of adenoidectomy. VPI can have a significant impact on the communication of a child. Objective To describe the pathophysiology of post-adenoidectomy VPI, identify its associated risk factors, and illustrate the techniques used to treat the entity. Evidence review A search of English or translated English articles concerning adenoidectomy, partial adenoidectomy, superior adenoidectomy; and velopharyngeal insufficiency, speech and voice from 1980 to 2021 was performed using Pubmed and Embase. Data from prospective and retrospective studies and their relevant references were pooled. Results By objective measures, hypernasality is noted in many pediatric patients post-adenoidectomy, but this typically resolves in 3–6 months. Risk factors for the development of post-adenoidectomy VPI include low birth weight, family history of hypernasality, and history of speech problems or nasal regurgitation. The cleft palate, submucous cleft palate, poor palate mobility, and a deep pharynx may indicate susceptibility to VPI. Speech therapy is successful in up to 50% of patients, while surgical intervention may be tailored based on the diagnostic evaluation of the velopharynx with videofluoroscopy or nasoendoscopy. Conclusion We present a comprehensive review of the literature on the pathophysiology, risk factors, and treatment of post-adenoidectomy VPI. We hope to bring awareness to the factors that can lead to a rare but potentially devastating complication in one of the most common procedures performed by Otolaryngologists.