cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study design and data analysis considerations for the discovery of prognostic molecular biomarkers: a case study of progression free survival in advanced serous ovarian cancer

Accurate discovery of molecular biomarkers that are prognostic of a clinical outcome is an important yet challenging task, partly due to the combination of the typically weak genomic signal for a clinical outcome and the frequently strong noise due to microarray handling effects. Effective strategies to resolve this challenge are in dire need. We set out to assess the use of careful study design and data normalization for the discovery of prognostic molecular biomarkers. Taking progression free survival in advanced serous ovarian cancer as an example, we conducted empirical analysis on two sets of microRNA arrays for the same set of tumor samples: arrays in one set were collected using careful study design (that is, uniform handling and randomized array-to-sample assignment) and arrays in the other set were not. We found that (1) handling effects can confound the clinical outcome under study as a result of chance even with randomization, (2) the level of confounding handling effects can be reduced by data normalization, and (3) good study design cannot be replaced by post-hoc normalization. In addition, we provided a practical approach to define positive and negative control markers for detecting handling effects and assessing the performance of a normalization method. Our work showcased the difficulty of finding prognostic biomarkers for a clinical outcome of weak genomic signals, illustrated the benefits of careful study design and data normalization, and provided a practical approach to identify handling effects and select a beneficial normalization method. Our work calls for careful study design and data analysis for the discovery of robust and translatable molecular biomarkers.
Predeposit Autologous Blood Transfusions in Patients Undergoing Irradiation and Radical Cystectomy

We have used blood withdrawn electively and frozen for later use by the donor in 25 patients with bladder cancer who were treated by preoperative irradiation and radical cystectomy. Patients donated 1 to 5 units of blood (average 3.4 per patient). We transfused 10 patients with only autologous blood, whereas 15 required some homologous blood in addition to their own banked blood. The program was well tolerated and repeated blood donation did not compromise the effectiveness of preoperative irradiation. Our preliminary data show that this program reduces the dependence on volunteer donor homologous blood transfusions for cystectomy, thus, decreasing the potential risk of an adverse reaction and avoiding seasonal blood bank shortages.
Development and initial validation of the Respirator Comfort, Wearing Experience, and Function Instrument [R-COMFI]

ABSTRACTFiltering face-piece respirators (FFRs) are worn to protect health care personnel from airborne particles; however, clinical studies have demonstrated that FFR adherence is relatively low in some settings, in part, due to discomfort and intolerance. The objective of this study was to develop and initially evaluate the psychometric properties of an instrument designed to measure the comfort and tolerability of FFRs.Instrument items were developed through literature reviews, focus groups, and several iterations of ranking and refining by experts. Psychometric evaluation of the instrument was conducted using Rasch partial credit model (PCM) analysis. Pivot anchoring was used to specify the threshold defining item difficulty; in our analyses, this was the point that participants moved from possessing none of the trait to some of the trait.The final instrument was completed by 165 health care personnel from 3 Veterans Health Administration facilities, and data were analyzed using Rasch PCM. Seven items...
Unexplained intermittent fever: PFAPA

Abstract Periodic fever with aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis (PFAPA) is a periodic fever illness found across the world, and is as yet unexplained in its aetiology. This article reports on the diagnosis and management and comments on everyday practice. The incidence of PFAPA in children is documented increasingly, possibly due to misdiagnoses due to poor patient and clinician awareness, or confusion with recurrent tonsillitis justifying tonsillectomy. The diagnosis is important to consider, so that other cyclical fevers are not missed, and parents are offered appropriate counselling and a discussion of conservative, medical, or surgical treatment options.
A new three-dimensional MOSFET gate-induced drain leakage effect in narrow deep submicron devices

A new MOSFET gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) mechanism is observed in narrow-width trench-isolated MOSFET devices. Electrical measurements and device simulation show that this mechanism occurs due to electric-field enhancement at the three-dimensional intersection of the gate-to-drain overlap region and the trench corner. The enhanced electric field increases the GIDL current at the 3-D intersection region. This imposes another fundamental limit on MOSFET dielectric scaling in deep submicron narrow-width devices. Since the 3-D GIDL mechanism is caused by a high electric field, trench corner rounding and lightly doped drain junctions provide effective solutions. >
Examination of two types of quasi transparent reflectarray elements

The paper examines two types of antenna elements suitable for a reflectarray design that can be integrated on top of solar cells. The study presents the performance of the two element designs for different substrate thickness and lattice sizes.
Quaternary marine terrace chronology, North Canterbury, New Zealand, using amino acid racemization and infrared-stimulated luminescence

Extensive marine terraces along the North Canterbury coast of the South Island of New Zealand record uplift in this tectonically active area. Although the terraces have been studied previously, applications of Quaternary geochronological techniques to the region have been limited. We use infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL), amino acid racemization (AAR), and radiocarbon to determine ages of terraces at three locations—Glenafric, Motunau Beach, and Haumuri Bluff. We develop an AAR calibration curve for the mollusk species Tawera spissa from sites of known age, including the sedimentary sequence of the Whanganui Basin. Bayesian model averaging of the results is used to estimate ages of marine shells from the North Canterbury terraces. By using both IRSL and AAR, we are able to confirm ages using two independent dating methods and to identify one IRSL result that is likely in error. We develop new age estimates for the marine terraces of North Canterbury and propose correlations between sites. This terrace chronology differs significantly from most previous studies, highlighting the importance of numerical dating. The most extensive terraces are from marine isotope stages (MISs) 5a and 5c, with partial reoccupation of one terrace during MIS 3, whereas MIS 5e terraces are notably lacking among those dated.
The association of histologic grade with acute graft‐versus‐host disease response and outcomes

Consensus criteria are routinely used to clinically grade acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). A histologic grading system for acute GVHD is available, but there are limited data on its correlation with clinical grade and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) outcomes. Among 503 patients who underwent allogeneic HCT from 2005 to 2013, we identified 300 biopsy episodes of the skin and gastrointestinal (GI) tract in 231 patients. Histologic grade was correlated with clinical grade of GVHD, day 28 treatment response, and outcome. Both skin (R = 0.32) and GI (R = 0.61) histologic grade correlated with clinical grade (P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, histologic grade (HR 0.87, P = 0.011) and clinical grade (HR 0.86, P = 0.008) were significantly associated with day 28-treatment response. A histologic grade lower than its associated clinical grade predicted for better response (HR 1.26, P = 0.027), while a histologic grade higher than associated clinical grade had no correlation with response (P = 0.89). Both clinical and histologic GVHD grade were significant predictors of non-relapse mortality (HR 1.47, P = 0.04 and HR 1.67, P = 0.002, respectively) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.57, P = 0.001 and HR 1.29, P = 0.046, respectively). Histologic GVHD grade thus is correlated with clinical grading and treatment response, and may play a role in further predicting severity and treatment response of acute GVHD.
Effect of CO2 concentration on mosquito collection rate using odor-baited suction traps

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been used for decades to enhance capture of host-seeking mosquitoes when released in association with traps commonly used by mosquito and vector control agencies. However, there is little published work evaluating the effect of altering CO2 release rates relative to the number of mosquitoes captured in these traps. This study investigated how varying CO2 concentration altered the mosquito collection rate at a freshwater wetlands in southern California. Host-seeking mosquitoes were captured in CDC-style traps baited with one of six CO2 release rates ranging from 0–1,495 ml/min from gas cylinders. Species captured were Aedes vexans, Anopheles franciscanus, An. hermsi, Culex erythrothorax, and Cx. tarsalis. A biting midge, Culicoides sonorensis, was also captured. For all species, increasing CO2 release rates resulted in increasing numbers of individual females captured, with the relative magnitude of this increase associated to some extent with known feeding preferences of these species. We found that variation in CO2 release rate can significantly alter mosquito capture rates, potentially leading to imprecise estimates of vector activity if the relationship of CO2 release rate to mosquito capture rate is not considered.
Developing Critical Curiosity in Adolescents

ABSTRACTCritical consciousness refers to the ways in which individuals come to understand and challenge oppressive social forces. Philosopher-educator Paulo Freire argued that critical curiosity—an eagerness to learn more about and develop a deep understanding of issues of social justice—serves as an important catalyst to critical consciousness development. Yet, relatively little scholarship has considered how to foster critical curiosity in adolescents. The present qualitative study analyzed semi-structured interviews with 60 adolescents attending five Northeastern urban charter high schools with mission statements focused on fostering students' engagement in social action. Specifically, the study considered these students' perceptions of the impact of their respective schools' social engagement programming upon their critical curiosity. The interviews were analyzed using a flexible inductive/deductive approach drawn from the thematic analysis approach to qualitative analysis. The findings of this study ...
General Strategy for Direct Cytosolic Protein Delivery via Protein–Nanoparticle Co-engineering

Endosomal entrapment is a key hurdle for most intracellular protein-based therapeutic strategies. We report a general strategy for efficient delivery of proteins to the cytosol through co-engineering of proteins and nanoparticle vehicles. The proteins feature an oligo(glutamate) sequence (E-tag) that binds arginine-functionalized gold nanoparticles, generating hierarchical spherical nanoassemblies. These assemblies fuse with cell membranes, releasing the E-tagged protein directly into the cytosol. Five different proteins with diverse charges, sizes, and functions were effectively delivered into cells, demonstrating the generality of our method. Significantly, the engineered proteins retained activity after cytosolic delivery, as demonstrated through the delivery of active Cre recombinase, and granzyme A to kill cancer cells.
COLD-INDUCED ENZYMATIC ADJUSTMENTS IN ECTOTHERMS AND HOMEOTHERMS

Several enzymatic mechanisms are utilized by animals living in cold environments. In ectotherms, these mechanisms may, to varying degrees, counteract the depressant effects of low thermal energy on reaction rates and/or result in altered flows through metabolic pathways. Some of the mechanisms seen in ectotherms are observable in heterothermic tissues of homeotherms. However, in most homeothermic tissues, the reported enzymatic adjustments seem to be related to the animal's need for increased rates of heat production rather than a need to operate at low intracellular temperatures. Examples of these various types of enzymatic adjustments are considered in this chapter.
Equivalent Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Mahayana Buddhists Practicing Vegetarian Diets

The equivalent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) by Mahayana Buddhists with vegetarian diets is quantitatively evaluated. The Buddhists in seven Mahayana-dominated countries or regions, i.e., China, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, are studied. Assessments of the vegetarian population among these Mahayana-dominated countries or regions are performed. Correlation formulas based on data from a national survey are developed to quantify the GHGEs of various dietary groups by using the meat consumption as the only required input. To demonstrate its reliability, the prediction from the formulas developed is first compared with the results of a food production-and-consumption study using a different approach. Then, the formulas are used to assess the GHGE reduction due to Mahayana Buddhists with vegetarian diets. The assessment indicates that Mahayana Buddhists with vegetarian diets account for the equivalent GHGE reduction of 48.83 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is a huge amount and is equal to 11.3 or 8.9% of the GHGEs from France or the UK in 2012, respectively.
Auto Injection Control for In-Circuit Frequency Response Measurement

In-circuit frequency response measurement of power converters enables verification of the control loop and periodic measurement during normal operation of the converter. This enables addition of diagnostics and monitoring functions without additional cost. The disturbance injected for frequency response measurement causes output of the converter to be disturbed, which is undesirable during normal converter operation. This paper presents an auto injection control algorithm by which the disturbance amplitude is controlled while maintaining good measurement fidelity. A voltage source inverter is selected as a case study to test the proposed algorithm, in which both current and voltage loop are verified using in-circuit frequency response analysis measurement.
The Logic of Deferral: Educational Aims and Intellectual Disability

The educational aims described by educational philosophers rarely embrace the full range of differences in intellectual ability, adaptive behavior, or communication that children exhibit. Because envisioned educational aims have significant consequences for how educational practices, pedagogy, and curricula are conceptualized, the failure to acknowledge and embrace differences in ability leaves open the question of the extent to which students with intellectual disabilities are subject to the same aims as their “typically-developing” peers. In articulating and defending valued aims of education, educational philosophers tacitly or expressly concede that particular aims will be ill suited to many children with intellectual disabilities, and that separate aims will therefore apply to them. This paper evaluates the philosophical reasoning behind this conclusion that some people, by necessity, must be governed by separate educational aims, to be decided separately and secondarily. The author calls this the “deferral stance.” First, the paper outlines concerns about a particular ability-biased social and epistemic context in which theorizing about educational aims takes place. The author then examines assumptions that underpin the logic of deferral, arguing that the logic proves flawed when subjected to conceptual and empirical scrutiny. The paper concludes by outlining an inclusive approach—the affirmative stance—to theorizing about educational aims that resists the logic of exclusion and deferral.
Validity and Reliability of the Nine Scales

This chapter reports the validity and reliability of the nine scales using the Essential Servant Leadership Behaviors (ESLB) scale to test for convergent validity, Cronbach alpha scores for scale reliability, and pre-post t-tests to show test-retest reliability. Pearson r scores for the nine scales which ranged from .83 to .91 demonstrated strong correlations. Cronbach alpha scores ranged from .92 to .98 showing strong scale reliability. The pre-post t-tests showed no significant difference between the pre- and post-tests. The chapter recommends future research studies to further test for validity and leadership development longitudinal studies to test changes in scale results over time.
Reduced interface spin polarization by antiferromagnetically coupled Mn segregated to the C o 2 MnSi /GaAs (001) interface

We have investigated the interfacial structure and its correlation with the calculated spin polarization in $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{o}}_{2}\mathrm{MnSi}$/GaAs(001) lateral spin valves. $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{o}}_{2}\mathrm{MnSi}$ (CMS) films were grown on As-terminated c($4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4$) GaAs(100) by molecular beam epitaxy using different first atomic layers: MnSi, Co, and Mn. Atomically resolved $Z$-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to develop atomic structural models of the CMS/GaAs interfaces that were used as inputs for first-principles calculations to understand the magnetic and electronic properties of the interface. First-principles structures were relaxed and then validated by comparing experimental and simulated high-resolution STEM images. STEM-EELS results show that all three films have similar six atomic layer thick, Mn- and As-rich multilayer interfaces. However, the Co-initiated interface contains a $\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{n}}_{2}\mathrm{As}$-like layer, which is antiferromagnetic, and which is not present in the other two interfaces. Density functional theory calculations show a higher degree of interface spin polarization in the Mn- and MnSi-initiated cases, compared to the Co-initiated case, although none of the interfaces are half-metallic. The loss of half-metallicity is attributed, at least in part, to the segregation of Mn at the interface, which leads to the formation of interface states. The implications for the performance of lateral spin valves based on these interfaces are discussed briefly.
Innovating From Within: A Process Model for User-Centered Digital Development in Academic Medical Centers

Background: Design thinking and human-centered design approaches have become increasingly common in health care literature, particularly in relation to health information technology (HIT), as a pathway toward the development of usable, diffusible tools and processes. There is a need in academic medical centers tasked with digital innovation for a comprehensive process model to guide development that incorporates current industry trends, including design thinking and lean and agile approaches to digital development. Objective: This study aims to describe the foundations and phases of our model for user-centered HIT development. Methods: Based on our experience, we established an integrated approach and rigorous process for HIT development that leverages design thinking and lean and agile strategies in a pragmatic way while preserving methodological integrity in support of academic research goals. Results: A four-phased pragmatic process model was developed for user-centered digital development in HIT. Conclusions: The model for user-centered HIT development that we developed is the culmination of diverse innovation projects and represents a multiphased, high-fidelity process for making more creative, flexible, efficient, and effective tools. This model is a critical step in building a rigorous approach to HIT design that incorporates a multidisciplinary, pragmatic perspective combined with academic research practices and state-of-the-art approaches to digital product development to meet the unique needs of health care.
Exploitation of a Mobile Resource with Costly Cooperation

Localized rights to common pool resources such as territorial use rights fisheries are a widely used class of management tools. However, the effectiveness of different designs of localized rights remains relatively unexplored, especially when one considers strategic interactions within and across patches in a metapopulation. Using a conceptual model of a system of localized fishing rights over each patch, we demonstrate how the interplay between the spatial distribution of rights and biological and strategic spillovers map into outcomes. Specifically, we show how accounting for endogenous costs to cooperative exploitation within a patch alters the conclusions derived from models that assume sole ownership within each patch. Moreover, we demonstrate how strategic interactions between patches can cause the costs to cooperative exploitation in any given patch to increase. These results highlight the complex political-economy dimensions that are important to consider in the design and evaluation of localized property rights in fisheries governance and elsewhere.
Patient Body Mass Index and Physician Radiation Dose During Coronary Angiography.

Background: Consistent with the increasing prevalence of obesity in the general population, obesity has become more prevalent among patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. This study evaluated...
The News from India: Emma Roberts and the Construction of Late Romanticism

In the late 1820s, Bengal and Britain were connected in a complex network of reprinting, citation, quotation, imitation, and revision. Poems circulated from Edinburgh to London to Kolkata and back again, as did writers themselves. A key figure in this circulation of verse (and also of travel writing and sociological journalism) was Emma Roberts (1794–1840), who accompanied her sister to India in 1828 and worked for three years in Bengal and North India. Roberts became the first woman newspaper editor in India and the first woman to support herself through her contributions to print culture. This paper examines the poetic networks in which Roberts participated and shows how she was both influenced by, and in turn shaped, poetic practices in both Kolkata and London.
Exploring Hygienic Behaviors and Vulvodynia.

ObjectivesVulvodynia is common and characterized by vulvar discomfort and pain. However, few studies have assessed hygienic practices in relation to onset. We investigated whether hygienic behaviors were associated with the onset of vulvodynia.Materials and MethodsWe assessed a self-reported history
The telomere-binding protein Rif2 and ATP-bound Rad50 have opposing roles in the activation of yeast Tel1ATM kinase

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tel1 is the ortholog of human ATM kinase and initiates a cell cycle checkpoint in response to dsDNA breaks (DSBs). Tel1ATM kinase is activated synergistically by naked dsDNA and the Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2NBS1 complex (MRX). A multisubunit protein complex, which is related to human shelterin, protects telomeres from being recognized as DSBs, thereby preventing a Tel1ATM checkpoint response. However, at very short telomeres, Tel1ATM can be recruited and activated by the MRX complex, resulting in telomere elongation. Conversely, at long telomeres, Rap1-interacting-factor 2 (Rif2) is instrumental in suppressing Tel1 activity. Here, using an in vitro reconstituted Tel1 kinase activation assay, we show that Rif2 inhibits MRX-dependent Tel1 kinase activity. Rif2 discharges the ATP-bound form of Rad50, which is essential for all MRX-dependent activities. This conclusion is further strengthened by experiments with a Rad50 allosteric ATPase mutant that maps outside the conserved ATP binding pocket. We propose a model in which Rif2 attenuates Tel1 activity at telomeres by acting directly on Rad50 and discharging its activated ATP-bound state, thereby rendering the MRX complex incompetent for Tel1 activation. These findings expand our understanding of the mechanism by which Rif2 controls telomere length.
Experimental study of pseudo-slug flow in upward inclined pipes

Abstract Pseudo-slug flow occurs between the slug and segregated flows and occupies a non-negligible area in the flow pattern map especially for gas condensate pipeline/wellbore where the liquid flow rate is low. An experimental study was conducted in a 3-in. flow loop with a valley configuration to investigate pseudo-slug flow characteristics using wire-mesh sensors, which include total average liquid holdup, liquid holdups in pseudo-slug body, and film region, respectively, pseudo-slug frequency, body length, and structure velocities. Comparison with conventional slug characteristics shows that pseudo-slugs have lesser liquid holdup in slug body, shorter body lengths, and smaller structure velocities. The pseudo-slug characteristics were also compared with predictions from existing correlations for conventional slug flows, as no correlation is available for pseudo-slug flow. The comparison shows poor agreement as expected, which necessitates the development of correlations for pseudo-slug flow specifically. The spatial evolution of pseudo-slugs is also discussed. Two initiation and dissipation mechanisms are described based on the location where pseudo-slugs are initiated and dissipated. In general, pseudo-slugs are shorter and slower near the inlet of uphill section compared the farther downstream locations in the uphill section.
Audiovisual Speech-In-Noise (SIN) Performance of Young Adults with ADHD

Adolescents with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulty processing speech with background noise due to reduced inhibitory control and working memory capacity (WMC). This paper presents a pilot study of an audiovisual Speech-In-Noise (SIN) task for young adults with ADHD compared to age-matched controls using eye-tracking measures. The audiovisual SIN task consists of varying six levels of background babble, accompanied by visual cues. A significant difference between ADHD and neurotypical (NT) groups was observed at 15 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). These results contribute to the literature of young adults with ADHD.
How Magical Is Magic-Angle Graphene?

Summary Manipulating the behavior of electrons in a material is essential for tuning its fundamental properties. The recent exciting experimental observations of extraordinary correlated insulating phase, unconventional superconductivity, and emergent ferromagnetic states on magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) have opened up a new era for “twistronics” and will shed substantial light on materials science and technology. This Perspective is intended to provide a roadmap of MATBG on how it originated, what exotic phenomena have been discovered experimentally, and where the future is headed.
An Introduction to the Data for Several Metals

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the data for several metals: the alkali metals, Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), and potassium (K), and the transition metals chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), niobium (Nb), and tantalum (Ta). Optical data for noble metals, transition metals, lanthanides, actinides, and a few other metals present plots that show the agreement or lack of data from many investigators. The spectral region covered is usually up to 200 eV or less. The spectra range of the atomic scattering factors is 10–10,000 eV. Actual data do not exist over most of this range, and some of the data presented are taken on atoms and some on solids.
InGaAs Photodiode Array on Silicon by Heteroepitaxy

InGaAs photodiode arrays were realized on Si by heteroepitaxy, demonstrating a dark current as low as 5.71 nA at -1 V and responsivity as high as 0.64 A/W at 1550 nm and at room temperature.
Ravulizumab: Characterization and quantitation of a new C5 inhibitor using isotype specific affinity purification and high-resolution mass spectrometry

Introduction Ravulizumab (RAVUL) is a new complement inhibitor, with a difference of 4 amino acids in the heavy chain from a predecessor compound, eculizumab (ECUL). Objectives First, to utilize mass spectrometry (MS) to characterize RAVUL and verify differences from its predecessor and, second, to validate and implement a lab developed test (LDT) for RAVUL that will allow for quantitative therapeutic monitoring. Methods A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) was used to characterize and differentiate the molecular weight differences between RAVUL and ECUL by both digest and reduction experiments. In parallel, an LDT for RAVUL was validated and implemented utilizing IgG4 enrichment with light chain detection and quantitation on a high throughput orbitrap MS platform. Results The TOF-MS platform allowed for the mass difference between RAVUL and ECUL to be verified along with providing a proof of concept for a new intact protein quantitation software. An LDT on an orbitrap MS was validated and implemented using intact light chain quantitation, with the limitation that it cannot differentiate between ECUL and RAVUL. The LDT has an analytical measuring range from 5 to 600 mcg/mL, inter-assay imprecision of ≤13% CV (n = 13) and accuracy with <4% error from expected values (n = 20). Conclusion The TOF-MS is a versatile development platform that can be used to characterize and verify the molecular weight differences between the ECUL and RAVUL heavy chains. Routine laboratory testing for RAVUL was viable using an orbitrap-MS to quantitate using the mass of the intact light chain. These two platforms, combined, provide incomparable value in development of LDTs for the clinical laboratory.
The role of defendant gender on juror decision-making within a mock sex trafficking case among a jury-eligible community sample

Sex trafficking is considered a public health emergency, although there is public confusion about the crime. Defendant gender has been demonstrated to affect juror decision-making within crimes of ...
Cumulative Exposure to Neighborhood Conditions and Substance Use Initiation among Low-Income Latinx and African American Adolescents.

Purpose: While previous research underscores the important role that neighborhood contexts play for child and adolescent health and well-being, how these neighborhood contexts influence substance use initiation among adolescents from low-income and ethnic minority families has been understudied. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data from the Denver Child Study a retrospective survey that uses a natural experiment aimed at assessing neighborhood effects on developmental outcomes of Latinx and African American adolescents (N = 736). Cox cause-specific hazards models were estimated to test: (1) the effects of cumulative exposure to neighborhood social disorder, neighborhood violent and property crime rates, and neighborhood social capital during preadolescence (ages 8–11) on the likelihood of initiating alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use during adolescence (ages 12–18), after controlling for youth, caregiver, and household factors; and (2) whether the effects of these cumulative neighborhood factors vary by Latinx and African American ethnicity. Results: 5.6% of adolescents in this study initiated cigarette use, 5.4% initiated alcohol use and 5.2% used marijuana for the first time during adolescence. The results indicate that exposure to neighborhood social disorder during preadolescence is a significant risk factor, especially for the initiation of cigarette use (HR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.062–1.745, p = 0.015) particularly among Latinx adolescents (HR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.031–1.966, p = 0.032). Conclusions: The findings suggest the need for further research on the relationship between exposure to neighborhood social disorder and adolescent substance use initiation in order to develop and implement community-based prevention and intervention programs to reduce substance use initiation and facilitate healthy adolescent development.
Application of the Pseudo Wigner-Ville Distribution to the Measurement of the Dispersion of Lamb Modes in Graphite/Epoxy Plates

The Pseudo Wigner-Ville Distribution (PWVD) was used to analyze the group velocity dispersion of the lowest order Lamb modes in a unidirectional graphite/epoxy composite plate. The PWVD is one of a number of methods which provide a time-frequency representation of digitized time series. Time-frequency analysis offers an advantage in that acoustic signals containing multiple propagation modes which overlap and superimpose in the time domain signal, can be clearly separated and identified. The material studied in this research consisted of sixteen unidirectional plies of AS4/3502 graphite/epoxy. Broad band acoustic signals were generated by a pencil lead fracture on the surface of the plate. The acoustic waves were detected with broad band contact ultrasonic transducers. The arrival times for the lowest order symmetric and antisymmetric Lamb modes were determined from measurements of the time at which the respective peak amplitudes occurred in the PWVD. Measurements were made at several source to detector distances and a least squares fit of arrival time versus distance was used to calculate the group velocity dispersion curves. Comparison with theoretical dispersion curves are shown which demonstrate good agreement. Phase velocity measurements in this material which were made in a previous study with a Fourier phase measurement technique are also presented for comparison.
Stochastic Modeling and Analysis of Genetic Networks

Much of the mathematical modeling of genetic networks represents gene expression and regulation as deterministic processes. There is now, however, considerable experimental evidence indicating that significant stochastic fluctuations are present in these processes. Stochasticity is an inherent feature of biological dynamics, and as such, should be the subject of in-depth analysis. The investigation of stochastic properties in genetic systems involves the formulation of a correct representation of molecular noise, followed by the formulation of mathematically sound approximations for these representations. It also involves devising efficient computational algorithms capable of tackling the complexity of the dynamics involved. In this paper we review a number of these techniques and provide compelling examples that illustrate the richness of phenomena that can result from the interaction of dynamics and noise in genetic networks.
Dynamical Symmetry Breaking: A Status Report

An overview of the problems afflicting the subject, of dynamical symmetry breaking predicated on the concept of hypercolor, is followed by a description of the ΔS=2 conundrum and a brief exegis of some recent work. The report concludes on a cautiously optimistic note.
Learning orientation invariant contextual features for nodule detection in lung CT scans

This work combines model-based local shape analysis and data-driven local contextual feature learning for improved detection of pulmonary nodules in low dose computed tomography (LDCT) chest scans. We reduce orientation-induced appearance variability by performing intensity-weighted principal component analysis (PCA) to estimate the local orientation at each candidate location. Random comparison primitives defined in a local coordinate system are used to describe the local context around a nodule candidate. A random forest is trained to learn and combine a subset of these primitives into discriminative orientation invariant contextual features and classify nodule candidates. Validation using 99 CT scans from the publicly available Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) demonstrates the benefit of combining geometric modeling and data-driven machine learning. The proposed method reduces more than 80% of false positives of the baseline model-based method consistently over a wide range of sensitivity levels (70%–90%).
Inhomogeneous Connotations across Square, Stoichiometrically-Based Matrices

In this report we analyze a subset of chemical equations that have equal numbers of elements and unknown coefficients; linear algebraically, these relate to n X n matrix systems. Here we associate inhomogeneous eigenvector occurrences to structural properties of chemical equations.
Intensity Weighted Histogram Equalization Method for Night Vision

This paper explores the possibility of utilizing histogram equalization on images captured in poor lighting conditions in order to expand their histogram dynamic range, enhancing their contrast and effectively provide night vision for such images. Then, some drawbacks of standard histogram equalization for dark images, caused mainly due to the clustering of pixels around the lowest intensities are exposed, and Enhanced Intensity Weighted Histogram Equalization is presented as a solution to obtain more realistic night vision images by incorporating the normalized weight of each pixel intensity into the calculations and spreading the histogram values to fill in the gaps, reducing noisy high frequency changes. This technology can be applied to new capture devices that detect the lack of illumination and engage Enhanced Intensity Weighted Histogram Equalization to provide low light capture, useful for surveillance, driving, medical imaging, and even space exploration.
Seven Million Lives Saved: Under-5 Mortality Since the Launch of the Millennium Development Goals

To what extent have developing countries’ patterns in reducing under-5 mortality rates (U5MR) changed since the advent of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)? This paper investigates that question across multiple time horizons, with attention to the fact that countries’ progress had already begun to accelerate during the late 1990s compared to the early 1990s. The paper gives special consideration to countries the MDGs were primarily intended to support, including initially “Off Track” and low-income countries. Although only 21 percent of originally Off Track countries and 34 percent of originally low-income countries are now on a path to achieve the MDG target by 2015, at least 80 percent of each group has seen accelerated progress since 2001. Approximately 90 percent of countries in sub-Saharan Africa have accelerated. Most importantly, regression analysis indicates that cross-country trends since 2000 differ considerably from previous decades. The years since the launch of the MDGs include the first extended period in at least four decades during which rates of U5MR decline have not been negatively correlated with U5MR levels. Compared to a conservative counterfactual trend from 1996 to 2001, at least 7.5 million additional children’s lives are estimated to have been saved between 2002 and 2013. The results suggest that much of the greatest structural progress has been achieved by countries not likely to achieve the formal MDG targets, even if their progress might be linked to the pursuit of those targets. Implications are considered for setting U5MR targets through to 2030.
Aesthetic Experience, Mimesis and Testimony

In this article, I relate the demand that Paul Ricoeur suggests mimesis places on the way we think about truth to the idea that the work of art is a model for thinking about testimony. By attributing a work’s epoche of reality to the work of imagination, I resolve the impasse that arises from attributing music, literature, and art’s distance from the real to their social emancipation. Examining the conjunction, in aesthetic experience, of the communicability and the exemplarity of a work reveals how Ricoeur’s definition of mimesis as refiguration relates to the “rule” that the work summons. This “rule” constitutes the solution to a problem or question for which the work is the answer. In conclusion, as a model for thinking about testimony, the claims that works make have a counterpart in the injunctions that issue from exemplary moral and political acts.
Computational modeling of metal matrix composite materials. I: Isothermal deformation patterns in ideal microstructures

Abstract The mechanical behavior of particulate reinforced metal composites, in particular an SiC reinforced Al-3 wt% Cu model system, was analyzed numerically. The Computational micromechanics approach was taken, i.e. a detailed representation of microstructure in which the material was characterized by a finite deformation, thermo-elastic-viscoplastic crystallographic theory. Individual matrix grains and reinforcing particles were represented, in the context of two dimenssional repeating unit cell models. The performance of the microstructure under variation in microstructural parameters such as (1) reinforcement volume fraction, (2) morphology and (3) matrix strain hardening properties was investigated, as was the effect of change in loading state. In this, the first in a series of four articles, the isothermal microstructural deformation behavior is examined in detail. Localization of plastic deformation is seen to be a natural part of the deformation process and evolves according to patterns, which develop from the onset of yield and are determined for the most part by the positions of the reinforcing particles. This is in contrast to the microscale behavior of single phase polycrystals where deformation patterns only emerge at larger overall strains. Localization intensity depends strongly on reinforcement volume fraction and morphology and less significantly on matrix hardening properties. Results for tensile and compressive loading histories are compared showing differences that depend on particle position and finite geometry changes during deformation.
Exploring cross-cultural ambivalence: a netnography of intercultural wedding message boards

Abstract This paper identifies the construct of cross-cultural ambivalence and examines how it influences brides-to-be while they plan cross-cultural weddings. Through ethnographic analysis of postings across electronic message boards (“netnography”), we discuss the roles of the virtual community in wedding planning. We also identify the coping strategies brides employ in managing the cross-cultural ambivalence that emerges as they reconcile two or more sets of cultural norms and traditions. We discuss the relevance and application of cross-cultural ambivalence to other areas of consumer behavior and marketing.
The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES): current status and challenges

The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES): Current Status and Challenges
Hormonal regulation and differential actions of the helix-loop-helix transcriptional inhibitors of differentiation (Id1, Id2, Id3, and Id4) in Sertoli cells.

The testicular Sertoli cells support spermatogenesis by providing a microenvironment and structural support for the developing germ cells. Sertoli cell functions are regulated by the gonadotropin FSH. Sertoli cells become a terminally differentiated nongrowing cell population in the adult. In response to FSH, the Sertoli cells express a large number of differentiated gene products, such as transferrin, which transports iron to the developing germ cells. Previously, members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors have been shown to influence FSH-mediated gene expression in Sertoli cells. The functions of the bHLH proteins are modulated by Id (inhibitor of differentiation) proteins, which lack the DNA-binding basic domain. The Id proteins form transcriptionally inactive dimers with bHLH proteins and thus regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. The current study investigated the expression and function of Id proteins in the postmitotic Sertoli cell. Freshly isolated and ...
Native tropomyosin: Effect on the interaction of actin with heavy meromyosin and subfragment-1

Abstract In the absence of Ca ++ , native tropomyosin markedly inhibits the acto-subfragment-1 ATPase as well as the acto-heavy meromyosin ATPase despite the fact that subfragment-1, in contrast to heavy meromyosin, has only a single site for ATP. Double reciprocal plots of acto-heavy meromyosin ATPase vs. actin concentration both in the presence and absence of native tropomyosin, show that the native tropomyosin has little effect on the acto-HMM-ATPase but acts mainly by affecting the binding of actin to the HMM-ATP complex.
Effects of Nonlinear Amplifier and Partial Band Jammer in OFDM with Application to 802.11n WLAN

In this paper, we analyze the combined effects of nonlinear distortion and partial band jamming in an OFDM system through a Rayleigh fading channel. In addition to the effects of nonlinearity and jamming, the system is also subject to the channel estimation error. The nonlinear distortion is produced by a high power amplifier (HPA) located at the transmitter. The jammer is assumed to transmit a collection of single tone jamming signals which have a frequency off set with respect to the desired signal. The analytical model is then extended based on IEEE 802.11n standard. Finally, the simulation results are compared with the theoretical results.
The relationship between aging and ribosomal gene activity in humans as evidenced by silver staining

Abstract Silver selectively strains nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) distributed on the D and G chromosomes of man. The number of NORs is fairly constant for a given individual but is highly variable within populations. When 2540 metaphases from lymphocytes were examined from 127 normal subjects, a mean NOR number of 7.3 was obtained with a mode of 7. No significant difference was found in mean NOR number between females and males. However, regression lines do show a decrease in NOR number with aging for both sexes but the rate of decline is more evidence in females. Also, G chromosome NORs appear more stable than those in D chromosomes. Since silver—NOR staining is indicative of ribosomal gene activity, it is proposed that lymphocyte rDNA becomes less sensitive to phytohemagglutinin stimulation during aging. It is unique that this gene repression can be visualized with conventional staining and light microscopy.
THE DIFFERENTIAL OUTCOMES EFFECT IN PIGEONS IS NOT REDUCED BY ELIMINATING RESPONSE-OUTCOME ASSOCIATIONS : SUPPORT FOR A TWO-PROCESS ACCOUNT

Animals perform two-choice conditional discriminations at a higher level if each of the two correct responses to the comparison stimuli is reinforced with a different outcome. According to the two-process view, this differential outcomes effect (DOE) results from the response-cuing function of expectancies generated by the conditional stimuli (i.e., samples). According to the shared-outcomes view, differential response-outcome associations contribute to the effect. In the present research, pigeons that were trained with differential outcomes associated with the samples, butnot with the comparisons, revealed a DOE during delay testing that was comparable to that obtained in a “true” differential-outcomes group. Thus, a two-process interpretation of the DOE was supported. In the second experiment, transfer testing with sample replacement confirmed these findings and, in addition, provided evidence that differential sample behaviors exerted some control over zero-delayed choice.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis: report of a single organ involvement in a child

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare disorder characterized by abnormal proliferation of Langerhans cells that can affect various organ systems. The disease usually presents as a unifocal lytic bone lesion and can affect any age group. Less frequently it presents as a disseminated disease with multisystem involvement. Hepatic manifestation in Langerhans cell histiocytosis is relatively rare and usually presents as a part of a disseminated process. We report a case of Langerhans cell histiocytosis involving only the liver in a 9-years-old child.