cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BRCA1 in initiation, invasion, and metastasis of breast cancer: a perspective from the tumor microenvironment

Women who inherit cancer-predisposing mutations in the BRCA1 gene have about 80% lifetime chance of developing breast cancer. BRCA1 mutation-associated tumors are often diagnosed as high-grade, typically display a basal epithelial phenotype, and proliferate rapidly. While somatic mutations of BRCA1 are rarely found in sporadic breast cancer cases, 30– 40% of the sporadic cases show reduced BRCA1 expression, supporting the notion that impaired BRCA1 function may contribute to the development of both familial and sporadic forms of breast cancer. Furthermore, low levels of BRCA1 expression have been linked with the occurrence of distant metastases in sporadic disease. Since cloning of the gene more than a decade ago, BRCA1 has been implicated in a large array of cellular functions, most notably DNA damage repair. However, the relationship between the known molecular functions of BRCA1 and the clinicopathological features of BRCA1-associated tumors remains elusive. Why do BRCA1 mutations predominantly affect female breast and ovaries? Why do BRCA1-associated cancers tend to have a poor prognosis? How can the knowledge of BRCA1 function be translated into more targeted and efficacious therapies? In this review, we will discuss these important issues in light of some recent findings from laboratory and preclinical studies, which point to a need to look “outside the box” of epithelial cells by elucidating BRCA1 functions in the context of the unique tumor microenvironment.
A New Organization for a New Century

Fifty years after its establishment, the Organization of American States enters a new century and a new millennium. The challenges facing the global community and, indeed, the Hemisphere are imposing and multidimensional. There are also poignant indicators that these trends will increase and intensify. The prospects of these realities must induce the Organization to undertake an exercise of reflection and soul searching. This exercise must inevitably lead to a re-visitation and redefinition of its role in supporting member states in fulfilling their aspirations and objectives, confront the existing and impending challenges and redress the effects of past policies, which might not have been totally productive. To this end, the Organization has outlined its vision for enhancing the effectiveness and relevance of its contribution in a number of areas. As mentioned in Chapter 9, these areas include democracy, human rights, institutional strengthening and revalorization, economic integration, social development, the environment and sustainable development, promotion of cultural values, technical cooperation, the gender question, the welfare and protection of children, social ills which undermine the fabric of society, the associated legal questions pertinent to those issues, and a number of administrative matters.
Millimeter long grating coupler with uniform spatial output

We demonstrate a millimeter long grating coupler with uniform spatial output based on a platform formed by both silicon and Si 3 N 4 and engineered grating duty cycle to match a desired profile of the output beam.
Process safeness index: Its definition and use in economic model predictive control to ensure process operational safety

In this work, we propose initial steps in the first systems safety approach that coordinates the control and safety systems through a common metric (a Safeness Index) and develop a controller formulation that incorporates this index. Specifically, this work presents an economic model predictive control (EMPC) scheme that utilizes a Safeness Index function as a hard constraint to define a safe region of operation termed the safety zone. Under the proposed EMPC, the closed-loop state of a nonlinear process can be guaranteed to enter the safety zone in finite time while maximizing the process economics. The proposed design is demonstrated using a chemical process example.
Genome-Wide Association Mapping of Stem Rust Resistance in Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum

Stem rust was one of the most devastating diseases of barley in North America. Through the deployment of cultivars with the resistance gene Rpg1, losses to stem rust have been minimal over the past 70 yr. However, there exist both domestic (QCCJB) and foreign (TTKSK aka isolate Ug99) pathotypes with virulence for this important gene. To identify new sources of stem rust resistance for barley, we evaluated the Wild Barley Diversity Collection (WBDC) (314 ecogeographically diverse accessions of Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum) for seedling resistance to four pathotypes (TTKSK, QCCJB, MCCFC, and HKHJC) of the wheat stem rust pathogen (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, Pgt) and one isolate (92-MN-90) of the rye stem rust pathogen (P. graminis f. sp. secalis, Pgs). Based on a coefficient of infection, the frequency of resistance in the WBDC was low ranging from 0.6% with HKHJC to 19.4% with 92-MN-90. None of the accessions was resistant to all five cultures of P. graminis. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted to map stem rust resistance loci using 50,842 single-nucleotide polymorphic markers generated by genotype-by-sequencing and ordered using the new barley reference genome assembly. After proper accounting for genetic relatedness and structure among accessions, 45 quantitative trait loci were identified for resistance to P. graminis across all seven barley chromosomes. Three novel loci associated with resistance to TTKSK, QCCJB, MCCFC, and 92-MN-90 were identified on chromosomes 5H and 7H, and two novel loci associated with resistance to HKHJC were identified on chromosomes 1H and 3H. These novel alleles will enhance the diversity of resistance available for cultivated barley.
Diisobutylaluminum borohydride: An efficient reagent for the reduction of tertiary amides to the corresponding amines under ambient conditions

Abstract A synthetically simple mixed metal hydride, diisobutylaluminum borohydride [( i Bu) 2 AlBH 4 ], is easily generated from a 1:1 mixture of borane-dimethylsulfide (BMS) and diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL). The reduction of tertiary amides using ( i Bu) 2 AlBH 4 is complete within five minutes under ambient conditions and the product tertiary amines were isolated in 70–99% yields by a simple acid-base extraction. This new methodology, reported herein, works well for reduction of tertiary aliphatic and aromatic amides as well as lactams to the corresponding amines and product isolation and purification does not require column chromatography.
Redefining generativity: Through life course and pragmatist lenses

Scholars in diverse disciplines have studied and used the concept of generativity, originally introduced in psychology as a midlife development task. However, a review of this multidisciplinary literature in generativity revealed several issues—the lack of a cohesive conceptual definition, incompatibility between a conceptual definition and measurements, and varying applications of the model, necessitating a new direction for further conceptual development. Interdisciplinary theoretical insight and empirical evidence collectively suggest that generativity as a targeted midlife task may no longer be sufficient for explaining a life course pattern of generative concerns, commitment, and actions. Given the current trend of population aging, it is especially important to understand better the phenomenon of generativity during the later stages of the life course. The current article offers a new definition for generativity applicable to people across the life course and develops an expanded generativity model, which considers social context and bears practical implications for well-being. Major implications for future research consist of eliminating the implicit age bias in the conception of generativity and as informed by the pragmatist philosophical perspective, linking generativity to diverse personal experiences and growth rather than mortality.
Non-invasive estimation of [11C]PBR28 binding potential.

[11C]PBR28 is a PET radioligand used to estimate densities of the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) in vivo. Since there is no suitable reference region, arterial blood samples are required for full quantification. Here, we evaluate a methodology for full quantification of [11C]PBR28 PET data that does not require either a reference region or blood samples. Simultaneous estimation (SIME) uses time-activity curves from several brain regions to estimate binding potential (BPND), a theoretically more sensitive outcome measure than total distribution volume. SIME can be employed with either a measured arterial input function (AIF) or a template input function (tIF) that has similar shape as the AIF, but with arbitrary amplitude. We evaluated the ability of SIME to detect group differences in TSPO densities using PET and arterial plasma data from 21 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 15 controls that underwent [11C]PBR28 imaging. Regional BPND obtained with tIFs were compared to those obtained using measured AIFs. Standard kinetic modeling was also employed for comparison. The sensitivity of each method to detect group differences in TSPO densities were assessed by comparing estimated effect sizes between AD patients and controls. For this purpose, BPND estimated for one region with high pathological burden (inferior temporal cortex), and for one region with low pathological burden (cerebellum) was used. BPND estimates obtained with SIME and tIFs were close to identical to those obtained with AIF (3.0 ± 21% difference, r2 = 0.78). In this dataset, the effect sizes between AD patients and controls for both SIME with AIF and SIME with tIF were similar (30.3%, p = 0.001 and 31.0%, p = 0.004, respectively) and were each greater than the effect size observed using the two-tissue compartment model (16.1%, p = 0.12). None of the tested methods showed difference in TSPO binding in cerebellum. These results demonstrate that BPND can be estimated for [11C]PBR28 using SIME, and may be useful in clinical studies. In addition, arterial sampling may not be necessary if tIFs can be reliably estimated.
International Students Reported for Academic Integrity Violations: Demographics, Retention, and Graduation

How many international students are reported for academic integrity violations (AIV), what are their demographics, and how do AIV sanctions affect their retention and/or graduation? Descriptive statistical analyses showed that the number of internationals reported for AIVs at an American West Coast public university increased almost six-fold between academic years 2009–10 and 2013–14. However, that number represented less than 7.5% of these students’ total enrollment. Among reported ones, undergraduates outnumbered graduate students, males outnumbered females, Chinese outnumbered other nationalities, Economics majors outnumbered other majors, and the most common AIV was exam misconduct. More than half who were reported and suspended for AIVs graduated and/or were retained. These findings’ administrative, policy, and theoretical implications are discussed.
Comparing K-12 Online and Blended Teaching Competencies: A Literature Review.

ABSTRACTThis article presents a synthesis of reports and research on K-12 blended teaching competencies compared with K-12 online teaching competencies. The skills needed to teach in online and ble...
Workload Shaping Energy Optimizations with Predictable Performance for Mobile Sensing

Energy-efficiency is a key concern in mobile sensing applications, such as those for tracking social interactions or physical activities. An attractive approach to saving energy is to shape the workload of the system by artificially introducing delays so that the workload would require less energy to process. However, adding delays to save energy may have a detrimental impact on user experience. To address this problem, we present Gratis, a novel paradigm for incorporating workload shaping energy optimizations in mobile sensing applications in an automated manner. Gratis adopts stream programs as a high-level abstraction whose execution is coordinated using an explicit power management policy. We present an expressive coordination language that can specify a broad range of workload-shaping optimizations. A unique property of the proposed power management policies is that they have predictable performance, which can be estimated at compile time, in a computationally efficient manner, from a small number of measurements. We have developed a simulator that can predict the energy with a average error of 7% and delay with a average error of 15%, even when applications have variable workloads. The simulator is scalable: hours of real-world traces can be simulated in a few seconds. Building on the simulator's accuracy and scalability, we have developed tools for configuring power management policies automatically. We have evaluated Gratis by developing two mobile applications and optimizing their energy consumption. For example, an application that tracks social interactions using speaker-identification techniques can run for only 7 hours without energy optimizations. However, when Gratis employs batching, scheduled concurrency, and adaptive sensing, the battery lifetime can be extended to 45 hours when the end-to-end deadline is one minute. These results demonstrate the efficacy of our approach to reduce energy consumption in mobile sensing applications.
Windows Virtualization Architecture For Cyber Threats Detection

This is very true for the Windows operating system (OS) used by government and private organizations. With Windows, the closed source nature of the operating system has unfortunately meant that hidden security issues are discovered very late and the fixes are not found in real time. There needs to be a reexamination of current static methods of malware detection. This paper presents an integrated system for automated and real-time monitoring and prediction of rootkit and malware threats for the Windows OS. We propose to host the target Windows machines on the widely used Xen hypervisor, and collect process behavior using virtual memory introspection (VMI). The collected data will be analyzed using state of the art machine learning techniques to quickly isolate malicious process behavior and alert system administrators about potential cyber breaches. This research has two focus areas: identifying memory data structures and developing prediction tools to detect malware. The first part of research focuses on identifying memory data structures affected by malware. This includes extracting the kernel data structures with VMI that are frequently targeted by rootkits/malware. The second part of the research will involve development of a prediction tool using machine learning techniques.
Endothelin-A receptor antagonism during acute myocardial infarction in rats.

Endothelin levels are increased in rats with experimentally induced myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether endothelin-A (ETA) receptor antagonism alters ventricular remodeling and the development of heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI). We administered 10 mg/kg/day of A-127722 to rats post-MI for 6 weeks. A hemodynamic study was performed and passive pressure-volume curves obtained. In rats without infarcts, ETA receptor antagonist (n=8; vehicle, n = 5) had no effect. However, in rats with infarcts ETA antagonism (n = 14, MI = 35%; vehicle: n = 19, MI = 32%) reduced systemic arterial and LV systolic (but not end-diastolic) pressures and shifted the pressure-volume relationship to the right. Because LV mass was not changed, the volume-to-mass ratio was increased and was correlated inversely with the ability of the LV to maximally develop pressure. This increase in volume at low distending pressures was also coupled with a tendency (P < 0.06) for reduced scar thickness, suggesting that early initiation of an ETA receptor antagonism increased infarct expansion. The reduction in blood pressure offset the increase in volume such that wall stresses were unchanged, as was LV mass. The early use of ETA receptor antagonism in the rat model of myocardial infarction did not beneficially alter LV remodeling.
Success and Anticipated Pregnancy Outcomes for Oocyte and Embryo Donation

Almost three decades ago, oocyte and embryo donation became an option for women who had experienced unsuccessful fertility treatments or were not candidates for other assisted reproductive technologies. Women with surgical or natural menopause, diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian failure, recurrent pregnancy loss, poor ovarian response to stimulation, or carriers of an inheritable disorder were provided with a new option for fertility. Women that were previously considered sterile were now able to have successful pregnancy and childbirth.
Speciation in the AlCl3/SO2Cl2 catholyte system.

The fundamental chemical behavior of the AlCl3/SO2Cl2 catholyte system was investigated using 27Al NMR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Three major Al-containing species were found to be present in this catholyte system, where the ratio of each was dependent upon aging time, concentration, and/or storage temperature. The first species was identified as [Cl2Al(μ-Cl)]2 in equilibrium with AlCl3. The second species results from the decomposition of SO2Cl2 which forms Cl2(g) and SO2(g). The SO2(g) is readily consumed in the presence of AlCl3 to form the crystallographically characterized species [Cl2Al(μ-O2SCl)]2 (1). For 1, each Al is tetrahedrally (Td) bound by two terminal Cl and two μ-O ligands whereas, the S is three-coordinated by two μ-O ligands and one terminal Cl. The third molecular species also has Td-coordinated Al metal centers but with increased oxygen coordination. Over time it was noted that a precipitate formed from the catholyte solutions. Raman spectro...
Cardinal Functions I

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses cardinal functions. Cardinal functions extend important topological properties as countable base, separable, and first countable to higher cardinality. Cardinal functions allow one to formulate, generalize, and prove results of a particular type in a systematic and elegant manner. The cardinal functions also allow one to make precise quantitative comparisons between certain topological properties. Prerequisite for work in cardinal functions is knowledge of cardinal and ordinal numbers and transfinite constructions. The chapter also describes the cardinal functions on the two most important classes of abstract topological spaces, namely, compact spaces and metrizable spaces. It also describes cardinal functions that are used to obtain bounds on the cardinality of a space. An infinite cardinal that is not regular is said to be singular. Theorems from combinatorial set theory play an important role in cardinal functions.
Urban Development in Leipzig After the Reunification

These are the words of Goethe in his play Faust, published in 1808. He was praising Leipzig and its cultural dynamism. That city in the eastern part of Germany, has gotten a rich and an eventful history.
Safety and rate of delayed adverse events with lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) for pancreatic fluid collections: a multicenter study.

Background and study aims Endoscopic drainage with dedicated lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) is routinely performed for symptomatic pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs), walled-off necrosis (WON) and pseudocyst (PP). There has been increasing concern regarding delayed adverse events associated with the indwelling LAMS. Patients and methods Multicenter retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided LAMS placement for PFC from January 2010 to May 2017. Main outcomes included: (1) resolution of the PFC, (2) rate of delayed adverse events at follow-up, and (3) predictors of treatment failure and delayed adverse events on logistic regression. Results A total of 122 patients (mean age 50.9 years, 68 % male) underwent LAMS insertion for 64 WON (98.4 %) and 58 PP (98.3 %). PFC mean size was 10.6 cm. PFC resolution was significantly lower for WON (62.3 %) vs. PP (96.5 %) (P Conclusions EUS-guided LAMS for PFC is associated with a low incidence of delayed adverse events. While nearly all PPs resolve at 4 weeks permitting LAMS removal shortly thereafter, many WON persist, with use of electrocautery-enhanced LAMS being the sole predictor of treatment failure.
Optimal Allocation of Interviews to Baseline and Endline Surveys in Place-Based Randomized Trials and Quasi-Experiments.

Background:Many place-based randomized trials and quasi-experiments use a pair of cross-section surveys, rather than panel surveys, to estimate the average treatment effect of an intervention. In t...
Ventilatory and integrated physiological responses to chronic hypercapnia in goats

Key points Chronic hypercapnia per se has distinct effects on the mechanisms regulating steady-state ventilation and the CO2 /H+ chemoreflex. Chronic hypercapnia leads to sustained hyperpnoea that exceeds predicted ventilation based upon the CO2 /H+ chemoreflex. There is an integrative ventilatory, cardiovascular and metabolic physiological response to chronic hypercapnia. Chronic hypercapnia leads to deterioration of cognitive function. Abstract Respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often lead to chronic hypercapnia which may exacerbate progression of the disease, increase risk of mortality and contribute to comorbidities such as cognitive dysfunction. Determining the contribution of hypercapnia per se to adaptations in ventilation and cognitive dysfunction within this patient population is complicated by the presence of multiple comorbidities. Herein, we sought to determine the role of chronic hypercapnia per se on the temporal pattern of ventilation and the ventilatory CO2 /H+ chemoreflex by exposing healthy goats to either room air or an elevated inspired CO2 (InCO2 ) of 6% for 30 days. A second objective was to determine whether chronic hypercapnia per se contributes to cognitive dysfunction. During 30 days of exposure to 6% InCO2 , steady-state (SS) ventilation ( V I ) initially increased to 335% of control, and then within 1-5 days decreased and stabilized at ∼230% of control. There was an initial respiratory acidosis that was partially mitigated over time due to increased arterial [HCO3 - ]. There was a transient decrease in the ventilatory CO2 /H+ chemoreflex, followed by return to pre-exposure levels. The SS V I during chronic hypercapnia was greater than predicted from the acute CO2 /H+ chemoreflex, suggesting separate mechanisms regulating SS V I and the chemoreflex. Finally, as assessed by a shape discrimination test, we found a sustained decrease in cognitive function during chronic hypercapnia. We conclude that chronic hypercapnia per se results in: (1) a disconnect between SS V I and the CO2 /H+ chemoreflex, and (2) deterioration of cognitive function.
Assessing the Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Adhesion and Shell Formation in the Barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite

Barnacles are dominant members of marine intertidal communities. Their success depends on firm attachment provided by their proteinaceous adhesive and protection imparted by their calcified shell plates. Little is known about how variations in the environment affect adhesion and shell formation processes in barnacles. Increased levels of atmospheric CO2 have led to a reduction in the pH of ocean waters (i.e. ocean acidification), a trend that is expected to continue into the future. Here, we assessed if a reduction in seawater pH, at levels predicted within the next 200 years, would alter physiology, adhesion, and shell formation in the cosmopolitan barnacle Amphibalanus (=Balanus) amphitrite. Juvenile barnacles, settled on silicone substrates, were exposed to one of three static levels of pHT, 8.01, 7.78 or 7.50, for 13 weeks. We found that barnacles were robust to reduced pH, with no effect of pH on physiological metrics (mortality, tissue mass, and presence of eggs). Likewise, adhesive properties (adhesion strength and adhesive plaque gross morphology) were not affected by reduced pH. Shell formation, however, was affected by seawater pH. Shell mass and base plate area were higher in barnacles exposed to reduced pH; barnacles grown at pHT 8.01 exhibited approximately 30% lower shell mass and 20% smaller base plate area as compared to those at pHT 7.50 or 7.78. Enhanced growth at reduced pH appears to be driven by the increased size of the calcite crystals that comprise the shell. Despite enhanced growth, mechanical properties of the base plate (but not the parietal plates) were compromised at the lowest pH level. Barnacle base plates at pHT 7.5 broke more easily and crack propagation, measured through microhardness testing, was significantly affected by seawater pH. Other shell metrics (plate thickness, relative crystallinity, and atomic disorder) were not affected by seawater pH. Hence, a reduction in pH resulted in larger barnacles but with base plates that would crack more readily. It is yet to be determined if such changes would alter the survival of A. amphitrite in the field, but changes in the abundance of this ecologically dominant species would undoubtedly affect the composition of biofouling communities.
Using self report surveys to measure PreK children’s academic orientations: A psychometric evaluation

Abstract As research continues to show the benefits of high-quality early childhood education, it is important to ensure that measures are available to assess the full impacts of these programs for student outcomes. Many achievement measures and observational measures exist, but there is a need for measures of children’s experiences at the preschool level. Using data from 1102 preschool children, we evaluated the reliability and validity of a new measure of children’s academic orientations, including their feelings about their teacher, school enjoyment, growth mindset, and perceived academic competence. We gave children a one-on-one 12-item assessment in which they responded to survey questions on a 3-point Likert scale. The psychometric qualities of the scale were evaluated using item factor analysis, invariance testing of the scale across important demographic groups, examination of item thresholds, and correlations of the scales with teacher-reported measures. Overall, the measures adhered to the hypothesized factor structure, were invariant across the diverse demographic groups in the sample, and correlated with teacher-reported outcomes in hypothesized ways. Results from the psychometric analysis are being used to update the scale for the next iteration.
Chapter 25 – Bone Marrow

The bone marrow consists of hematopoietic tissue and the organized stroma that supports the proliferation and differentiation of the hematopoietic cells. In routine toxicology studies, peripheral blood hematology and histological sections of bone marrow are the primary means of evaluating this tissue; however, the spleen, and, in some cases, the liver, may also be included in the overall assessment of the hematopoietic system. Histopathology provides information about bone marrow architecture, overall cellularity, megakaryocyte numbers and morphology, an estimation of the myeloid to erythroid (M:E) ratio and iron stores, and can demonstrate focal or subtle lesions. This chapter discusses the common spontaneous and chemically related changes or lesions observed in histological sections of bone marrow as well as normal bone marrow development and histology.
Testing active polarimetric imagers in fog (Conference Presentation)

Heavy fogs and other highly scattering environments pose a challenge for many commercial and national security sensing systems. Current autonomous systems rely on a range of optical sensors for guidance and remote sensing that can be degraded by highly scattering environments. In our previous and on-going simulation work, we have shown polarized light can increase signal or range through a scattering environment such as fog. Specifically, we have shown circularly polarized light maintains its polarized signal through a larger number of scattering events and thus range, better than linearly polarized light. In this work we present design and testing results of active polarization imagers at short-wave infrared and visible wavelengths. We explore multiple polarimetric configurations for the imager, focusing on linear and circular polarization states. Testing of the imager was performed in the Sandia Fog Facility. The Sandia Fog Facility is a 180 ft. by 10 ft. chamber that can create fog-like conditions for optical testing. This facility offers a repeatable fog scattering environment ideally suited to test the imager’s performance in fog conditions. We show that circular polarized imagers can penetrate fog better than linear polarized imagers.
Emergency Care of Pediatric Asylum Seekers in the United States

Abstract There has been a significant increase in the number of asylum-seekers entering the United States in recent years, including children and unaccompanied minors. Upon arrival to the country, these young patients may seek care in an emergency department for acute medical issues related to their journey or chronic conditions that were undiagnosed or inadequately treated in their country of origin. The purpose of this article is to familiarize emergency department clinicians with the common medical conditions seen in pediatric asylum-seekers and outline the ethical and legal issues that may arise when caring for this vulnerable patient population.
J=0,J=Jmax, and quadrupole pairing

Abstract We consider 2 neutrons and 2 protons in the g 9 / 2 shell. Wave functions and energy levels are obtained for various interactions. The wavefunctions for states with total angular momentum I greater than or equal to 10 are not affected by what the pairing interaction ( J = 0 T = 1 ) is. Other parts of the interaction are therefore of increased importance. Furthermore, states with I greater than or equal to 12 are not affected by the J = 2 interaction.
Asthma: A Webliography

AbstractAsthma is a chronic respiratory illness that often first presents in childhood but can also present in adults. Individuals with asthma experience recurrent episodes of difficulty breathing ...
Gynecologic cancer incidence and mortality among American Indian/Alaska Native women in the Pacific Northwest, 1996-2016.

Abstract Objectives Compare the incidence and mortality of gynecologic cancers among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women to the Non-Hispanic White (NHW) population in the Pacific Northwest. Methods Age-adjusted cancer incidence (1996–2016) and mortality (2006–2016) rates were calculated from population-based state cancer registry and death certificate data obtained from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and corrected for AI/AN misclassification. Incidence and mortality rate ratios (RR) were calculated to compare AI/AN and NHW women with gynecologic cancers. Results Across all gynecologic cancer sites, AI/AN women were diagnosed at a younger age compared to NHW women. AI/AN women had a higher incidence of cervical cancer compared to NHW women with a RR of 1.53 (95% CI: 1.34, 1.75). For all age groups, AI/AN women had a higher incidence of cervical cancer and the disparity was greatest in the 50–64 age group with a RR of 1.76 (95% CI: 1.36, 2.30). Cervical cancer mortality was greater among AI/AN women, with an all-ages RR of 1.79 (95% CI: 1.30, 2.46); the disparity was greatest in the 50–64 age group (RR: 2.88, 95% CI: 1.89, 4.38). For uterine cancer, AI/AN women had similar incidence rates as NHW women but higher mortality rates (RR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03–1.75). Incidence and mortality for ovarian cancer were similar between groups. Conclusion Our analysis of gynecologic cancers among AI/AN in the PNW found significant disparities relative to NHW women in cervical cancer incidence and mortality. These disparities persist despite advances in prevention strategies.
Fire's impact on threat detection and risk perception among vervet monkeys: Implications for hominin evolution.

Abstract The spatial behavior of primates is shaped by many factors including predation risk, the distribution of food sources, and access to water. In fire-prone settings, burning is a catalyst of change, altering the distribution of both plants and animals. Recent research has shown that primates alter their behavior in response to this change. Here, we study primates' perceived threat of predation in fire-modified landscapes. We focus on the predator-related behaviors of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) after controlled burning events. We compare the occurrence of vigilance and predator-deterrent behaviors, including alarm calls, scanning, and flight across different habitats and burn conditions to test the hypothesis that subjects exhibit fewer predator-specific vigilance and predator-deterrent behaviors in burned areas. The results demonstrate that predator-related behaviors occur less often in burned habitats, suggesting that predators are less common in these areas. These results provide foundations for examining hypotheses about the use of fire-altered landscapes among extinct hominins. We set these data in the context of increasing aridity, changes in burning regimes, and the emergence of pyrophilia in the human lineage.
Influence of road texture on tire/road noise

Abstract The comparisons of tire–pavement interaction noise between a rough road and a smooth road were analyzed in this chapter. The spectra of the total noise between the two road sections revealed no general trends. Therefore the total noise was separated into two noise components: tread pattern noise and nontread pattern noise (mainly road texture noise). It was found that smoother pavement tends to cause higher tread pattern noise but lower nontread pattern noise. Good correlation can be found between pavement texture velocity spectrum and tire nontread pattern noise spectrum.
Demysifying Deep Neural Networks Through Interpretation: A Survey.

Modern deep learning algorithms tend to optimize an objective metric, such as minimize a cross entropy loss on a training dataset, to be able to learn. The problem is that the single metric is an incomplete description of the real world tasks. The single metric cannot explain why the algorithm learn. When an erroneous happens, the lack of interpretability causes a hardness of understanding and fixing the error. Recently, there are works done to tackle the problem of interpretability to provide insights into neural networks behavior and thought process. The works are important to identify potential bias and to ensure algorithm fairness as well as expected performance.
Addressing Health Equity and Bias Training in Resident Education

Background: Health disparities amongst racial/ethnic minorities and individuals of low socioeconomic status plague the US healthcare system. These disparities often arise in childhood and persist into adulthood. As such, pediatricians are well positioned to affect change. However pediatric residents do not receive robust education regarding health equity and bias. In order to effectively advocate and meet the needs of their patients, residents must better understand the barriers minority patients face and how personal bias affects healthcare. Intervention: We developed …
Catalytic effect of water and formic acid on the reaction of carbonyl sulfide with dimethyl amine under tropospheric conditions.

CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//M06-2X/aug-cc-pVTZ calculations were performed on the addition of amines [i.e. ammonia (NH3), methyl amine (MA), and dimethyl amine (DMA)] to carbonyl sulfide (OCS), followed by transfer of the amine H-atom to either the S-atom or O-atom of OCS, assisted by a single water (H2O) or a formic acid (FA) molecule, leading to the formation of the corresponding carbamothioic S- or O acids. For the OCS + NH3 and OCS + MA reactions with or without the H2O or FA, very high barriers were observed, making these reactions unfeasible. Interestingly, the barrier heights for the OCS + DMA reaction, involving H-atom transfer to either the S-atom or O-atom of OCS and assisted by a FA, were found to be −4.2 kcal mol−1 and −3.9 kcal mol−1, respectively, relative to those of the separated reactants. The barrier height values suggest that FA lowers the reaction barriers by ∼28.4 kcal mol−1 and ∼35.9 kcal mol−1 compared to the OCS + DMA reaction without the catalyst. Rate coefficient calculations were performed on the OCS + DMA reaction both without a catalyst, and assisted by a H2O and a FA molecule using canonical variational transition state theory and small curvature tunneling at the temperatures between 200 and 300 K. The rate data show that the OCS + DMA + FA reaction proceeds through H-atom transfer to the S-atom of OCS, which was found to be ∼103–1011 and 103–1010 times faster than the OCS + DMA and OCS + DMA + H2O reactions, respectively, in the studied temperature range. For the same temperature range, the rate of the OCS + DMA + FA reaction was found to be ∼108–1016 and 103–1012 times faster than the OCS + DMA and OCS + DMA + H2O reactions in which H-atom transfer to the O-atom of OCS occurred. This suggests that the OCS + DMA reaction that is assisted by FA is more efficient than the H2O assisted reaction. In addition, the rate of the OCS + DMA + FA reaction was found to be ∼1010 times slower than the OCS + ˙OH reaction at 298 K. This clarifies that the OCS + DMA + FA reaction may be feasible for the atmospheric removal of OCS under night-time forest fire conditions when the OCS and DMA concentrations are high and the ˙OH concentration is low.
Spatiotemporal Regularization in Effective Reconstruction of Epicardial Potential

Compared to the clinical 12-lead electrocardiogram, the ECG imaging (ECGI) provides a unique way to study the electric activity of the heart using body surface potential mapping (BSPM), which consists of hundreds of electrodes on the torso surface. This essentially presents an inverse problem, and the associated ill-posedness has posed a tremendous challenge to monitor the variation of epicardial potential via the BSPM: the solution is vulnerable to measurement noise and highly sensitive to the variation of mesh resolution in boundary element method framework. While regularization has been introduced to constrain the solution space, including the Tikhonov regularization and truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) methods, they mostly ignore the spatiotemporal correlation of the electrical potential distribution on the epicardial surface and the heart potential is typically reconstructed at each time stamp independently. This has crimped the effectiveness of most existing approaches. In this present study, we aim to recover the epicardial potential in a certain time span simultaneously, capitalizing on the inherent spatiotemporal correlation. Specifically, we propose a novel low-rank and joint-sparse decomposition (LJSD) and optimization to solve the inverse problem. This iterative optimization problem is easy to solve and the numerical result suggests that it outperforms those conventional regularization approaches.
Tetracycline-induced bile duct paucity and prolonged cholestasis

Acute self-limited liver disease has been associated with tetracycline use. However, severe prolonged cholestatic hepatitis and bile duct paucity have not been previously attributed to tetracyclines. Hepatitis, characterized by prolonged jaundice, severe pruritus, and moderate increased transaminase values, occurred within 2 months of ingesting tetracyclines in two female patients. Serum bilirubin levels normalized 12 and 34 months after tetracycline ingestion. Liver histology revealed bile duct paucity, severe cholestasis, and minimal necrosis and inflammation. Tetracyclines may infrequently induce bile duct paucity and prolonged, severe, and reversible cholestasis.
Identifying Essential Techniques for Social Work Community Practice

Abstract Community practice techniques have been neglected by social work educators and authors, reflecting a lack of fit with real world practice needs. Community practice is defined as including community organizing, community development, and social planning. To sharpen the debate, the authors identify five techniques that are helpful, if not essential for community practice: (1) Force Field Analysis; (2) Program Evaluation Review Technique; (3) Nominal Group Technique; (4) Delphi; and (5) Q-Sort. It is anticipated that this proposal could spark a dialogue leading ultimately to a universally accepted set of community practice techniques in social work curricula.
Pediatrician Involvement in Breast-Feeding Promotion: A National Study of Residents and Practitioners

Objective. Physician support for breast-feeding mothers has been shown to improve breast-feeding rates, but no evaluation of the adequacy of physicians' breast-feeding-related training has been conducted. This study was designed to assess pediatricians' knowledge, attitudes, training, and activities related to breast-feeding promotion. Methods. Surveys were mailed to a national random sample of pediatric residents (n = 999) and practitioners (n = 610) who were board certified within the previous 3 to 5 years. Results. Response rates were 74% for residents and 69% for practitioners. Although more than 90% of respondents agreed that pediatricians should be involved in breast-feeding promotion, their clinical knowledge and experience did not suggest a high degree of competency. For example, practitioners were only slightly more aware of breast-feeding's protective effect against otitis media (71% vs 60%), and more than one quarter of both groups did not agree that exclusive breast-feeding is the most beneficial form of infant nutrition. Clinical advice often included inappropriate recommendations for breast-feeding termination or formula supplementation ; only 64% of practitioners and 52% of residents knew that supplementing during the first few weeks of life may cause breast-feeding failure. For both groups, prior personal breast-feeding experience (ie, respondent or spouse had breast-fed an infant for 2 or more weeks) was a major determinant of improved clinical knowledge, more frequent activity, and greater self-confidence and perceived effectiveness in the area of breast-feeding promotion. Residents reported that the breast-feeding instruction provided during training was primarily in lecture format, with limited clinical opportunities to practice skills needed to assist breast-feeding mothers. Reflecting on their own training, more than 70% of practitioners recommended that more time be devoted to direct patient interaction and practice of counseling and problem-solving skills. Conclusions. These results indicate that residency training does not adequately prepare pediatricians for their role in breast-feeding promotion. Improvements in residency training and innovative continuing education programs should be implemented to help pediatricians meet the needs of their breast-feeding patients. Pediatrics 1995 ;96 :490-494 ; breast-feeding ; internship and residency ; education, medical and graduate ; physicians ; pediatrics.
Remittances' Influence on Housing Construction Demand in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Case of Kenya

: Although it is well documented that immigrants maintain economic and social ties with their communities of origin through remittances, the role of remittances in asset acquisition for most African countries is yet to be documented. This study provides empirical estimates for the impact of remittances from abroad on housing construction demand in Kenya using time series data for the period 1970–2008. An autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modelling process is employed to capture the effect of remittances and other variables on housing construction demand. The computed short- and long-run elasticities indicate that inbound remittances are one of the determinants of housing construction demand in Kenya. Other significant determinants include income, interest rates and urbanization growth.
The Impact of Executive Citizenship and Organizational Commitment on Corporate Social Responsibility: Malaysian Evidence

The practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is considered insufficient in emerging economies where social problems outpace economic growth (Ramasamy & Ting, 2004). In Malaysia, firms have a strong incentive to engage in CSR to enhance their reputation and legitimacy as a consequence of the government’s significant influence on commercial activities. This study examines the impact of firm leaders on CSR practice in Malaysian firms. Our study addresses this issue by using upper echelons theory and social identity theory variables to determine which of the CEO characteristics and attitudes are associated with economic CSR, legal-ethical CSR, as well as discretionary CSR in Malaysian firms. We theorize that CSR engagements in the form of altruistic behavior at firm level, with executives being part of the upper echelon, would tend to be expressing their altruistic values at individual level through the firm if they are affectively committed to their company. Using a sample of 151 Malaysian firms that took part in an annual CEO survey in 2010, the study measures executive citizenship as CEOs’ having critical attitude towards public issues such as public transportation, public education, and crime. Our results show that executive organizational commitment has a significant positive impact on firm economic CSR, legal-ethical CSR, and discretionary CSR. We also find that executive citizenship is significantly and positively related to firm’s legal-ethical CSR. Further, the upper echelons theory variable executive tenure is significantly and positively associated with discretionary CSR.
Apolipoprotein B in the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum: Translation, Translocation and the Initiation of Lipoprotein Assembly

Apolipoprotein (apo) B and the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein are essential for the hepatic assembly and secretion of triglyceride-rich VLDL. To understand how apoB initiates the process of lipoprotein formation, interest has focused on the biogenesis of its amino terminal globular domain (alpha1 domain). When only this domain is expressed in hepatoma cells, no lipoprotein particle will form. However, proper folding of the alpha1 domain is essential for the internal lipophilic regions of apoB to engage in cotranslational lipid recruitment. The essential function of this domain may be related to its capacity to promote a specific physical interaction with the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, necessary for apoB's proper folding and lipidation. Alternatively, this domain may promote an autonomous lipid recruitment step that nucleates microsomal triglyceride transfer protein-dependent lipid sequestration by apoB. Forms of apoB that fail to initiate particle assembly or forms associated with aberrant underlipidated particles are targeted for intracellular turnover. Two sites of apoB degradation have been identified. In hepatocarcinoma-derived cells, misassembled apoB may undergo progressive reverse translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum lumen to the cytosol, a process that is mechanistically coupled to polyubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation on the cytosolic side of the membrane. Alternatively, studies in primary hepatocytes reveal that apoB may undergo sorting to a post-endoplasmic reticulum compartment for presecretory degradation. In either case, the balance between assembly and presecretory degradation of apoB may represent a control point for the production of hepatic VLDL.