cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B4: Impact of obesity on the effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors (AIs): Can breast cancer survivors on AIs lose weight compared to non-AI users?

Background and Objectives: Weight at diagnosis and weight gain after diagnosis are associated with increased risk of breast cancer (BrCa) recurrence and mortality. In addition, post-menopausal obese breast cancer survivors on anti-hormonal therapy were 40% more likely to develop a local recurrence and 46% more likely to develop a distant recurrence compared to their normal weight counterparts. This evaluation was conducted to examine if a diet/exercise/behavioral weight loss intervention for overweight breast cancer survivors: 1) would impact BrCa risk biomarkers and 2) would the response differ by aromatase inhibitor (AI) status. Methods: 84 BrCa survivors with a BMI 25-45 kg/m,2 ≥3 months from chemotherapy were recruited, and 52 agreed to participate. 6 (11%) participants did not complete the intervention. The 6-month intervention included: 225 minutes/week of aerobic exercise, resistance training, 1200-1500 calorie/day diet, and weekly group behavioral meetings. Pre and postintervention assessments included: anthropometrics (weight, BMI), body composition (DEXA % body fat), and serum biomarkers (estradiol, testosterone, SHBG, IGF-1/IGFBP3, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, glucose, CRP, cholesterol). Results are shown for 52 women (median age 52 ± 8 years) who initiated the program and 45 (87%) who completed the 6-month intervention. Results: Women were approximately 4.25 years from diagnosis, their median weight at diagnosis was 84.1 kg (±15.8), and BMI was 31.3 kg/m2 (±5.6). Median pre-intervention weight was 91.8 kg (±13.4) and participants lost an average of 10.6 kg (±6.0)* or 13.3% (±28.8)* of their starting weight after the 6-month intervention. BMI decreased from 32.6 kg/m2 (±4.7) to 28.2 kg/m2 (±4.7)* and total percent body fat decreased by 5.6% (±4.5)*. Favorable changes in serum biomarkers of BrCa risk were observed for insulin*, leptin*, adiponectin*, and estradiol*. When comparing AI users to nonusers the significant favorable change in estradiol was not seen for those on AI9s. There was a significant difference in decrease in % body fat* between AI users and nonusers. No other differences were significant. (*p-values Conclusions: Overall, results suggest a 6-month diet/exercise/behavioral weight loss intervention in overweight post-menopausal BrCa survivors results in a significant decrease in weight and change in serum biomarkers of BrCa risk in both current AI users and nonusers, however, due to the small sample size significant between group difference were not seen. Larger studies evaluating the effects of weight and weight loss based on exposure to antihormonal therapy are needed. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):B4.
Embracing rejection: Immunologic trends in brain metastasis.

Brain metastases represent the most common type of brain tumor. These tumors offer a dismal prognosis and significantly impact quality of life for patients. Their capacity for central nervous system (CNS) invasion is dependent upon induced disruptions to the blood–brain barrier (BBB), alterations to the brain microenvironment, and mechanisms for escaping CNS immunosurveillance. In the emerging era of immunotherapy, understanding how metastases are influenced by the immunologic peculiarities of the CNS will be crucial to forging therapeutic advances. In this review, the immunology of brain metastasis is explored.
Case study of spatial and temporal variability of snow cover, grain size, albedo and radiative forcing in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain snowpack derived from imaging spectroscopy

Abstract. Quantifying the spatial distribution and temporal change in mountain snow cover, microphysical and optical properties is important to improve our understanding of the local energy balance and the related snowmelt and hydrological processes. In this paper, we analyze changes of snow cover, optical-equivalent snow grain size (radius), snow albedo and radiative forcing by light-absorbing impurities in snow and ice (LAISI) with respect to terrain elevation and aspect at multiple dates during the snowmelt period. These snow properties are derived from the NASA/JPL Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data from 2009 in California's Sierra Nevada and from 2011 in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, USA. Our results show a linearly decreasing snow cover during the ablation period in May and June in the Rocky Mountains and a snowfall-driven change in snow cover in the Sierra Nevada between February and May. At the same time, the snow grain size is increasing primarily at higher elevations and north-facing slopes from 200 microns to 800 microns on average. We find that intense snowmelt renders the mean grain size almost invariant with respect to elevation and aspect. Our results confirm the inverse relationship between snow albedo and grain size, as well as between snow albedo and radiative forcing by LAISI. At both study sites, the mean snow albedo value decreases from approximately 0.7 to 0.5 during the ablation period. The mean snow grain size increased from approximately 150 to 650 microns. The mean radiative forcing increases from 20 W m−2 up to 200 W m−2 during the ablation period. The variability of snow albedo and grain size decreases in general with the progression of the ablation period. The spatial variability of the snow albedo and grain size decreases through the melt season while the spatial variability of radiative forcing remains constant.
Disability studies applied to disability ministry

Ministry that includes persons with developmental disabilities should grow out of an understanding of disability. The models most often used to understand disability are the medical model and the s...
Iterative Methods on Banach Spaces with a Convergence Structure and Fractional Calculus

We present a semilocal convergence for some iterative methods on a Banach space with a convergence structure.
Designing Clinical Trials to Study Rare Disease Treatment

This paper provides an overview of the design of clinical trials for rare diseases and the impact of the Orphan Drug Act on the successful study of diseases found in small, widely dispersed patient populations. Orphan drugs are defined. Randomized, placebo-control trials may not always be an option for studying orphan drugs; designs which may work better include: open protocol, open label, historical control, crossover trials, withdrawal design trials, or trials with surrogate endpoints. Each of these is discussed. The benefits of studying orphan drugs and the procedure for approval of trial design by the Food and Drug Administration are outlined.
Applications of Symmetry Principles to Differential Equations

The application of symmetry principles to differential equations might lead to their simplification or solution in many important cases. Furthermore, it yields insights into the properties of these solutions as well as inter-relations in between them. To see how this is done we present, in this chapter, a short introduction to Lie groups and Lie algebras and then explore the various applications of these algebraic tools to several classes of first and second order equations.
Beyond Molecular Wires: Design Molecular Electronic Functions Based on Dipolar Effect.

ConspectusAs the semiconductor companies officially abandoned the pursuit of Moore’s law, the limitation of silicone-based semiconductor electronic devices is approaching. Single molecular devices are considered as a potential solution to overcome the physical barriers caused by quantum interferences because the intermolecular interactions are mainly through weak van der Waals force between molecular building blocks. In this bottom-up approach, components are built from atoms up, allowing great control over the molecular properties. Moreover, single molecular devices are powerful tools to understand quantum physics, reaction mechanism, and electron and charge transfer processes in organic semiconductors and molecules.So far, a great deal of effort is focused on understanding charge transport through organic single-molecular wires. However, to control charge transport, molecular diodes, switches, transistors, and memories are crucial. Significant progress in these topics has been achieved in the past years...
Angelman’s Syndrome: Pathological Study

The first pathological descriptions of Angelman’s happy puppet syndrome based on an autopsy study of a 21 year old woman are reported from the Division of Neuropathology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Canada.
Antenna design for a massive multiple input environmental sensor network

Abstract This article describes the design and simulation of a pair of antennas on a small PCB with minimal coupling for a massive multiple input sensor network. The two antennas are planar inverted-F antennas (PIFA) that are fed with microstrip feed lines. The critical design factors are minimizing mass while creating ISM band and GPS L1 band antennas and developing data transmission schemes for maximum usage of all communication channels. The designed board is a 60 mm diameter, 0.6 mm thick circular FR4 board that weighs approximately 5 g.
A 15 year-old girl with progressive epileptic encephalopathy, myoclonus, and compound heterozygous FARS2 mutations (P5.145)

Objective: To assess the pathogenicity of compound heterozygous FARS2 mutations in a patient with progressive myoclonus epilepsy and describe the associated clinical and neuropathologic phenotypes. Background: Defects in nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (mt-aaRS) are increasingly linked to a variety of pediatric and adult onset disorders, many with relative selectivity of organ systems affected, particularly the central nervous system. FARS2 (encoding mitochondrial phenylalanyl transfer RNA synthetase) is the nuclear encoded aaRS required for the charging of the cognate mitochondrial tRNA with phenylalanine, defects of which presumably impact the expression mitochondrially encoded peptides. To date, six individuals with FARS2 have been reported, all presenting with a clinical phenotype of infantile onset progressive epileptic encephalopathy and myoclonus. Methods: We report the case of a 15 year-old with progressive epileptic encephalopathy, progressive myoclonus, and novel compound heterozygous FARS2 mutations who succumbed to sudden cardiac arrest. We describe diagnostic studies including electroencephalogram, brain magnetic resonance imaging, serum and cerebrospinal fluid analyses, skeletal muscle biopsy histology, and brain autopsy. We have purified and analyzed recombinant mutant proteins to assess in vitro tRNA aminoacylation, ATP-PPi exchange, and thermostability and analyzed existing protein crystal structures to predict pathogenic mechanisms. Results: Abnormalities of laboratory, EEG, and MRI/S consistent with a primary mitochondrial disorder were noted. Muscle biopsy showed nonspecific atrophy. Brain autopsy findings revealed an Alpers-like pathology. Enzymatic and biochemical analysis of recombinant mutant proteins support defects in enzyme activity and stability compared to wild type. Structure guided analysis reveals plausible mechanisms for these findings. Conclusions: This case represents an expansion of FARS2-associated phenotypes and neuropathologic findings from an exclusively infantile onset, generally fatal progressive myoclonus epilepsy to a spectrum with exclusively laminar cortical necrosis also encompassing juvenile onset with both cortical laminar necrosis and focal spongiform changes. Disclosure: Dr. Walker has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mohler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hopkins has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sweetser has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ibba has nothing to disclose. Dr. Frosch has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thibert has nothing to disclose.
To be committed or not: examining effects of personal and workplace variables on the organizational commitment of Southern prison staff

AbstractThis study examined how personal and workplace variables were related to organizational commitment among staff working at a large Southern prison. The personal variables were gender, age, position, tenure, educational level, and supervisory status. The workplace variables were assessment of training, job variety, role clarity, input into decision-making, and instrumental communication. The results indicate workplace variables play a greater role in shaping affective commitment of surveyed Southern prison staff than do personal variables. The personal variables explained only 10% of the variance in the commitment index, while workplace factors accounted for approximately 59% of the variance and were significant determinants of organizational commitment among the respondents. In the multivariate regression analysis, age, assessment of training, job variety, role clarity, input into decision-making, and instrumental communication all had positive associations with commitment. Educational level had a ...
Discovering design patterns in software behavior models

The ability to develop extensible and maintainable code is a skill sought by many employers. While students are expected to obtain these skills in software engineering-oriented courses, many small colleges with traditional computer science programs find it challenging to offer multiple courses that cover software engineering concepts in depth. We address this challenge in part by offering a two-course sequence, the first of which teaches the development of high-quality software behavior models using UML sequence diagrams. The second course focuses on the mapping of these models to extensible and maintainable code. In this paper, we describe how discovering design patterns in these models is a key aspect of this mapping process. We assess our approach by evaluating the quality of the code developed in term projects after our techniques were adopted vs. the same in earlier projects. We also describe the results of seeking student reflections on the effectiveness of our approach.
Iron-Catalyzed Synthesis of Tetrahydronaphthalenes via 3,4-Dihydro-2H-pyran Intermediates

The development of an iron(III)-catalyzed synthetic strategy toward functionalized tetrahydronaphthalenes is described. This approach is characterized by its operational simplicity and is distinct from currently available procedures that rely on [4 + 2]-cycloadditions. Our strategy takes advantage of the divergent reactivity observed for simple aryl ketone precursors to gain exclusive access to tetrahydronaphthalene products (23 examples). Detailed mechanistic investigations identified pyrans as reactive intermediates that afford the desired tetrahydronaphthalenes in high yields upon iron(III)-catalyzed Friedel–Crafts alkylation.
Fluorescence Imaging of Huntingtin mRNA Knockdown.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative genetic disorder caused by CAG repeat expansion in exon 1 of the HTT gene. Expression of the mutant gene results in the production of a neurotoxic polyglutamine (polyQ)-expanded huntingtin (Htt) protein. Clinical trials of knockdown therapy of mutant polyglutamine-encoding HTT mRNA in Huntington’s disease (HD) have begun. To measure HTT mRNA knockdown effectiveness in human cells, we utilized a fluorescent hybridization imaging agent specific to the region encompassing the human HTT mRNA initiation codon. We designed, synthesized, purified, and characterized Cal560-spacer-peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-spacer-IGF1 tetrapeptides. The human HTT PNA 12mer complement was CATGGCGGTCTC, while the rat htt equivalent 12mer contained the sequence CATGaCGGcCTC, with two bases differing from the human sequence. The cyclized IGF1 tetrapeptide fragment d(CSKC) that promotes IGF1 receptor-mediated endocytosis was bonded to the C-terminus. We tested the re...
Parasympathetic System, Overview

The parasympathetic nervous system is critical for pupil constriction in response to light, lacrimal and salivary secretion, beat-to-beat control of the heart rate, coordinated gastrointestinal motility and secretion, evacuation of the bladder and rectum, and reflex penile erection. The preganglionic parasympathetic neurons are located either in the brainstem or in the intermediolateral cell columns at the S2–S4 segments of the sacral spinal cord and provide outputs to parasympathetic ganglia located just outside or within the walls of the target organ. Both the preganglionic neurons and the neurons of the parasympathetic ganglia utilize acetylcholine as their primary neurotransmitter.
Mitochondrial Oxygen Sensing in Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction

Currently, there are several proposed mechanisms of oxygen sensing in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Most of the models are related to either increases or decreases in reactive oxygen species. Discrepancies among investigators are likely related to differences in preparations and detection methods of detecting ROS. Furthermore, the source of ROS generation has been proposed as either the mitochondrial electron transport chain or NADPH oxidase. Our own observations suggest that a similar mitochondrial O2 sensing mechanism may be responsible for HPV and for HIF-1-mediated transcriptional activation during hypoxia. The HIF-1 mediated transcription is likely to be important for pulmonary remodeling during chronic exposure to hypoxia. The next challenge is to develop other genetic means to perturb mitochondrial function and arrive at similar conclusions that were provided by ρ0 cells.
Mechanotransduction and Its Role in Stem Cell Biology

Most cells can sense and actively respond to mechanical stimuli. Yet the exact processes that convert mechanical signals into a cascade of biochemical signals that affect the phenotype of the cell (a process called cellular mechano­transduction) remain elusive. However, such active response promises a large potential in stem cells for future work in therapeutics, tissue engineering, and synthetic bioengineering. Stem cells are highly responsive undifferentiated cells in the biological environment that are able to adapt and differentiate into an appropriate cell type based on the microenvironment within which they reside. Mechanotransduction, in combination with other experimental techniques, may provide new insights into the operations that occur at the cellular level. Understanding cellular mechanotransduction can also prove useful in understanding the overall effect on biological systems resulting from a change in just a few small variables. To elucidate the particular roles that stem cells play in healing during the adult stages, a role for stem cells that is still poorly understood as compared to what is known about them in an embryonic environment, experimental approaches must combine both mechanical and biochemical observations.
Light-assisted drying for protein stabilization

A light-based processing method to create an amorphous trehalose matrix for the stabilization of proteins is discussed. This method has potential applications in the stabilization of protein-based therapeutics and diagnostics. During light-assisted drying (LAD), proteins suspended in a trehalose solution are dehydrated using near-infrared (NIR) laser light. The goal of this study was to determine processing parameters that resulted in fast processing times and low end moisture contents (EMC), while maintaining the functionality of embedded proteins. We compared the effect of changing processing wavelength, power and resulting sample temperature, and substrate material on the EMC for two NIR laser sources (1064 and 1850 nm). The 1850-nm laser resulted in the lowest EMC (0.03 ± 0.01 gH2O / gDryWeight) after 20 min of processing on glass microfiber paper. This suggests a storage temperature of 68.3°C. We also tested the functionality of a model protein, lysozyme, after LAD processing using a standard assay. LAD showed no significant effect on the functionality of lysozyme when processed at a maximum temperature of ∼44 ° C to an EMC of 0.17 ± 0.06 gH2O / gDryWeight. LAD is a promising technique for forming amorphous trehalose solids that could stabilize proteins at ambient temperatures.
Detection of Anomaly in Firewall Rule-Sets

Firewall is generally the first layer of defense in network security, where rules are specified to allow or reject incoming and outgoing network traffic. However, firewall rules may be prone to ‘erratic’ operations because of human errors involved in the rule-set creation. In this paper, we provide an overview of anomaly detection in firewall rule-sets and their applications.
Description and Recognition of a Quality, Inter-Personnel Diverse Workforce

Organizational leaders should know and understand all employees in the workplace. Being able to recognize and describe a quality, inter-personnel diverse workforce is essential as organizations seek to use the talents of all employees to increase productivity. Each individual possesses unique characteristics that contribute to their location, use, maintenance, modification, and time value to themselves and the organization. Not all employees’ unique characteristics are of value to the organization but organizational leaders will not know that if they do not know how to assess and recognize the quality needed to meet organization goals. Many organizations miss out on productivity opportunities because they do not leverage the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) of all employees. Each employee’s contribution combined creates added success for the organization. This chapter provides some key characteristics of quality, workforce inter-personnel diversity. The chapter also suggests that workforce inter-personnel diversity can be an area or system within which HRD professionals can manage and measure quality of their services to employees.
Luteinizing hormone concentrations in healthy horses and horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking over an 8-hour period.

Author(s): Sheldon, Shara A; Aleman, Monica; Costa, Lais Rosa R; Santoyo, Ana C; Weich, Kalie M; Howey, Quinn; Madigan, John E | Abstract: BackgroundTrigeminal-mediated headshaking results from a low threshold for firing of the trigeminal nerve. A seasonal component has been implicated in onset of clinical signs, which occur during the spring and summer months. Geldings are overrepresented in the affected population and hormonal differences as compared to a healthy control population of geldings might contribute to headshaking.Objective/hypothesisTo assess concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) over an 8-hour period in gelded healthy controls and horses affected with headshaking. Our hypothesis was that geldings with seasonal headshaking would have higher concentrations of LH over an 8-hour period compared to control horses during the summer when affected horses manifested headshaking.AnimalsTwelve geldings (6 controls and 6 affected).MethodsProspective controlled trial. Blood samples were drawn every 15 minutes over an 8-hour time period during summer from all horses to measure circulating LH concentrations by using a radioimmunoassay for equine LH. All affected horses were actively affected by headshaking at the time of sample collection.ResultsNo statistically significant differences in LH concentrations were found throughout the study period in headshakers as compared to control horses. Time had no significant effect, but a slight decrease in LH concentrations was observed for all horses. The main limitation of the study was the low number of horses.Conclusions and clinical importanceHorses affected with headshaking did not have significant differences in circulating LH during the late summer as compared to control horses.
Establishment of Juniperus pinchotii in western Texas: environmental effects.

Identification of causal factors in the encroachment of woody assemblages onto grasslands is of fundamental importance in understanding these systems. In particular, displacement of grasslands by pinyon-juniper woodlands in North America has received considerable attention. This study compared monthly, seasonal, and yearly precipitation to the annual establishment rate of Juniperus pinchotii over a 30-year period (1950–79) on two sites in western Texas. Establishment was approximately twice as high in the second year of a 2-year period of above-average precipitation (5·0 to 5·6%) as during other periods (2·0 to 2·6%). Above-average precipitation in successive years (the first for seed production, the second for establishment) apparently acted as an environmental trigger for juniper establishment onto western Texas grasslands.
One-step synthesis of a steel-polymer wool for oil-water separation and absorption

Methods for the efficient and affordable remediation of oil spills and chemical leaks are crucially needed in today’s environment. In this study, we have developed a simple, magnetic, porous material based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and steel wool (SW) that can fulfill these needs. The PDMS-SW presented here is superhydrophobic, superoleophilic, and capable of absorbing and separating oils and organic solvents from water. The material is mechanically and chemically stable, even in salty environments, and can be magnetically guided. It exhibits good selectivity, recyclability, and sorption capacity, and can quickly and continuously absorb and remove large amounts of oils and organic solutions from stationary and turbulent water. In addition, PDMS-SW’s inherently high porosity enables direct, gravity-driven oil-water separation with permeate flux as high as ~32,000 L/m2·h and separation efficiency over 99%. The solution immersion process used to prepare the material is easily scalable and requires only a single step. Thus, with its demonstrated combination of affordability, efficiency, and ease of use, PDMS-SW has the potential to meet the demands of large-area oil and chemical clean-ups.
The Effects of the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters Program on Latino Parenting Using Propensity Score Analysis

Propensity score matching reduced selection bias in a comparison between families who received services from the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program and families fr...
Conservation practices in western Oregon perennial grass seed systems. II: Meadowfoam rotation crop management

Rapid changes in practices used to produce perennial grass seed crops in the U.S. Pacific Northwest region and shortened lengths of time that perennial grass seed fields remain in production have increased the need for additional rotation crops that are adapted to the poorly drained soils found in western Oregon. This research was conducted at three sites to determine ways to manage meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba Hartw. ex Benth.) as a component in perennial grass seed rotation systems. Experiments were conducted in 1997, 1998, and 2001 to investigate combinations of spring-applied herbicide and N fertilizer and times of applications, direct-seeded and conventional tillage establishment methods, and previous crop residue management on meadowfoam seed yield, seed oil concentration, and oil yield. No spring-applied fertilizer or herbicide produced responses for all yield components as great as or greater than any other treatment combination. Direct-seeded meadowfoam yielded more oil than the conventional establishment treatment. There was no effect of residue management amounts from grass seed grown in the previous rotation sequence on meadowfoam production; however, maximal residue management, especially if used in combination with direct-seeded meadowfoam, should reduce annual soil erosion. Meadowfoam is suited to low-input production and is adapted to the use of conservation practices including direct seeding and maximal residue management in perennial grass seed systems.
Armed and prohibited: characteristics of unlawful owners of legally purchased firearms

Background A substantial proportion of individuals who lawfully purchase firearms later become unlawful owners (9prohibited firearm owners9), usually following events associated with an increased risk for future violence. This high-risk population has not previously been described. We aimed to characterise all individuals in California9s Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS), a statewide programme for recovering firearms from individuals who legally purchased them and later became prohibited from ownership. Methods We used univariate and bivariate statistics to describe and compare prohibited firearm owners in APPS with a random sample of non-prohibited firearm owners in relation to age, sex, race/ethnicity and type of firearms owned as of 1 February 2015. We also characterised the geographical distribution of prohibited firearm owners and described their prohibitions. Results Of the 18 976 prohibited firearm owners, most were men (93%), half were white (53%) and the mean age was 47 years. Prohibited firearm owners were more likely to be male and to be black or Hispanic people than non-prohibited owners. Both prohibited and non-prohibited firearm owners had an average of 2.6 firearms, mostly handguns. Nearly half (48%) of prohibited firearm owners had a felony conviction. Extrapolating from our findings, we estimated that there are approximately 100 000 persons in the USA who unlawfully maintained ownership of their firearms following a felony conviction. Conclusions Retention of firearms among persons who become lawfully prohibited from possessing them is common in California. Given the nationwide dearth of a programme to recover such weapons, this is likely true in other states as well.
SINUS TACHYCARDIA AS A MARKER OF SEVERE CARDIOMYOPATHY IN PREGNANCY

Sinus tachycardia is common during and after pregnancy; however, elevated heart rate (HR) may also indicate underlying illness. It is unknown whether an elevated HR in the setting of pregnancy is associated with severity of cardiomyopathy. All patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and EKG
The Communication Benefits of Participation in Camp Dream. Speak. Live.: An Extension and Replication.

School-based guidelines often require that treatment focuses on minimizing or eliminating stuttered speech. The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of explicit training in communication competencies to children who stutter without targeting stuttered speech. Thirty-seven children (ages 4–16) completed Camp Dream. Speak. Live., an intensive group treatment program which targets the psychosocial needs and communication of children who stutter. Outcome measures included the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES), the Communication Attitude Test for Preschool and Kindergarten Children Who Stutter (KiddyCAT), and the Patient Reported Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pediatric Peer Relationships Short Form (PROMIS Peer Relationships) and Parent Proxy Peer Relationships Short Form (PROMIS Parent Proxy). Pre- and posttreatment public presentations were rated on nine core verbal and nonverbal communication competencies by a neutral observer. Similar to previous studies, participants demonstrated significant improvements in communication attitudes (OASES) and perceived ability to establish peer relationships (PROMIS Peer Relationships), particularly school-aged participants (ages 7–16). Participants also demonstrated significant improvement in eight of the nine communication competencies. Findings suggest that, in addition to the psychosocial gains of programs such as Camp Dream. Speak. Live., children who stutter benefit from explicit training in communication skills, and these gains are not dependent on the presence of stuttered speech.
Record Cultures: The Transformation of the U.S. Recording Industry

A common buzzword in any discussion of the media business is consolidation. It’s often regarded as a modern trend, the term used to describe the consolidation of ownership as it relates to broadcas...
The Benefits of Patrol Officers Using Unallocated Time for Everyday Crime Prevention

Random police patrol, which spreads resources in an unfocused way across a city, remains a dominant strategy despite widespread acceptance that it is ineffective at preventing crime. Research also suggests that patrol officers could make better use of unallocated time if they were to engage in hot spots policing rather than random patrol. Paired with knowledge that police officers have a considerable amount of unallocated patrol time, it may be a relatively untapped resource with substantial crime prevention potential. The present study employs an agent-based model informed by routine activity and rational choice theories to simulate whether significant reductions in street robbery can be achieved if officers increase dosage of police presence at hot spots during their unallocated patrol time rather than randomly patrolling a large geographic area. The findings suggest that if departments achieve one-third of a patrol officer’s time be dedicated to proactive activities, substantial crime reductions in a large geographic area may be obtained. Potential savings can be realized using existing resources if police are able to increase the portion of time officers engage in hot spots policing, and police departments should make staffing and hiring decisions that maintain necessary levels of downtime.
The Ongoing Impact of COVID-19 on Latino-Owned Businesses

In this research brief, Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative’s research highlights the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on Latino-owned businesses. We followed up with the same group of Latino-owned businesses that took our survey in March and also surveyed a larger sample of 7,000 Latino and white business owners. In our first pulse survey, we highlighted that the effects of the pandemic were both immediate and largely negative for Latinos. For the same group of businesses, between March and June, the overall impacts remain negative. However, the negative impact on business operations seems to be growing. We also find that employer businesses as a whole are experiencing universal, negative impacts from the pandemic. In our national sample of Latino-owned employer businesses, we find that Latinos have fewer resources to weather the ongoing storm. Latino-owned businesses have less cash on hand and when requesting funding from the Payroll Protection Program, Latinos have their PPP loans approved at half the rate of white-owned businesses. An even smaller proportion of Latino-owned businesses gets their full funding relative to white owned-businesses, 3% compared to 7%. We found one surprising exception: 82% of SLEI Education Scaling Program alumni received PPP funding compared to 18% of scaled Latino-owned businesses and 28% among scaled white-owned businesses. On the whole, despite not being able to access PPP funding at a similar rate to their white counterparts, Latino business owners remain equally optimistic about being able to recover from the negative effects of the pandemic. While the future for many remains uncertain, SLEI research will continue to gather data on the ongoing and long-term impacts of the pandemic for the Latino business community, an essential and rapidly growing part of the U.S. economy.
Congenital Nail Dysplasia (Onychodysplasia)

Congenital nail abnormality is also known as onychodysplasia and onychodystrophy. This is a group of congenital nail anomalies that may affect the perionychium i. e., the nail plate and sometimes the surrounding soft tissues. These represent a wide array of nail deformities including: synonychia (nail fusion), pachyonychia (thickening of the nails), platonychia (nail flattening), koilonychia (spoon nail), onychogryphosis (nail horn), polyonychia (multiple nails), macronychia (large nail), micronychia (small nail), pachyonychia (short nail), hyponychia (underdeveloped nail), and anonychia (absent nail).
Context and Analysis of the Stephen Schmidt Case and Colegiación Obligatoria in Costa Rican Journalism

This paper includes a thorough background on issues such as professional licensing, journalism professionalism and journalist licensing, in preparation for an analysis of the Stephen Schmidt/Costa Rica case in the inter-American human rights system. I examine in particular the decisions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Schmidt and speculate as to how those bodies reached such different conclusions. I defend the position that the compulsory licensing of journalists is incompatible with the human right of free expression, and, from that point of view, I offer some thoughts on the future of journalist licensing.
1 – Evolutionary and Historical Aspects of Ethanol Ingestion

This chapter focuses on the evolutionary and historical aspects of ethanol consumption. Ethanol, as the preferred inebriant for much of the world's human population, is derived biotically from the fermentation by yeast of plant sugars. Historically, the association of yeasts with the fruits of flowering plants originated in the Cretaceous, and dietary exposure of diverse vertebrate taxa to ethanol within fruits is similarly ancient. Fruit-eating is ancestral in primates (originating approximately 56 Ma; Ma: megaannum, that is, 1 million years before present), in hominids ( ∼ 12 Ma), and in the genus Homo ( ∼ 2 Ma), suggesting regular consumption of low-concentration ethanol within fruit pulp by apes and by our immediate ancestors during much of human evolution. For all fruit-eaters, volatilized alcohols from fruit potentially serves in olfactory localization of transient nutritional resources, whereas ethanol consumed during the course of frugivory may act as an appetitive stimulant. Preference for and excessive consumption of alcohol by modern humans, may accordingly derive from pre-existing sensory biases associating ethanol with nutritional reward. The routine availability of high-concentration distilled ethanol solutions is a recent phenomenon in human history, but is particularly effective in co-opting, at times maladaptively, ancestral nutritional strategies of our frugivorous hominid precursors.
Histogram based segmentation using Wasserstein distances

In this paper, we propose a new nonparametric region-based active contour model for clutter image segmentation. To quantify the similarity between two clutter regions, we propose to compare their respective histograms using the Wasserstein distance. Our first segmentation model is based on minimizing the Wasserstein distance between the object (resp. background) histogram and the object (resp. background) reference histogram, together with a geometric regularization term that penalizes complicated region boundaries. The minimization is achieved by computing the gradient of the level set formulation for the energy. Our second model does not require reference histograms and assumes that the image can be partitioned into two regions in each of which the local histograms are similar everywhere.
Characterization of retinol metabolism in cultured human epidermal keratinocytes

Retinoids present in cultured human epidermal keratinocytes maintained in medium containing 25 nM retinol were identified and quantitated utilizing reverse-phase gradient high performance liquid chromatography. Total cell retinoid mass and composition averaged 12.59 pmol/mg cell protein +/- 1.86, (mean +/- S.D., n = 5) between strains and was constant with culture age. Long chain fatty acid esters of retinol and 3,4-didehydroretinol comprised greater than 95% of total retinoid, each contributing 77 and 23% of total esters, respectively. In mature stratified cultures, less abundant retinoids included unesterified retinol, 1%, and 3,4-didehydroretinol, 0.5%, retinoic acid, 0.5%, and a retinoid not previously reported in mammalian cells, 3,4-didehydroretinoic acid, 0.3%. This absolute and relative retinoid composition was essentially constant with culture age except that 3,4-didehydroretinoic acid was not detected in 3-4-day-old cultures (16-32 cell colonies), suggesting that keratinocyte differentiation may be related to endogenous changes in production of "active" retinoids. Separate pools of retinyl and 3,4-didehydroretinyl esters served as predominant sources of substrate for production of retinoic and 3,4-didehydroretinoic acids, respectively, suggesting that their production may be regulated independently.
Mechanistic understanding of miscibility effects on fracture strength of polymer interfaces

This research has provided a fundamental framework based on both experiment and theory to understand the fracture behavior as a function of system miscibility for nonreinforced polymer interfaces. The system chosen for study was polystyrene (PS) and the statistically random copolymer poly (styrene-r-4-bromostyrene) (PBS), where the volume fraction of bromine in the copolymer, f, and the degree of polymerization, N, control the miscibility. The phase behavior of thin film blends of PS and PBS as a function of f and N was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Simulations based on the Flory-Huggins theory and the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter, %, measured from SAXS were used to predict phase diagrams for all the systems studied. Using the phase diagrams, a miscibility map as a function of f, N, and the symmetry of N was developed and showed good agreement with compatibility (measured using AFM). A modified double cantilever beam geometry was employed to measure the Mode I fracture energy (Gc) of PS/PBS interfaces as a function of miscibility. The fracture surfaces were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy to discern the failure mechanism. The fracture experiments showed that three interdiffusion/fracture regimes exist and that maximizing interfacial strength is based on the competition between gradient-driven and miscibility-limited interdiffusion and can be controlled by optimizing the miscibility of the system. Finally, a new stochastic model, which takes into consideration system miscibility, was developed to calculate Eeff f°r partially miscible polymer interfaces. Based on this 2cm a new equation for fracture of non-reinforced systems was postulated which correctly predicts the transition from chain pullout to crazing. This equation incorporates system miscibility via 2Cfr, the interfacial width, and the average distance between entanglements. As a function of system miscibility, the model also accurately predicts a maximum in Gc as a result of the competition between gradient-driven and miscibility-limited interdiffusion. The use of the miscibility criterion proposed for the fracture mechanism may be the first step in revealing the universal nature of the pullout to crazing transition.
Long-term expression of the uidA gene in Gladiolus plants under control of either the ubiquitin, rolD, mannopine synthase, or cauliflower mosaic virus promoters following three seasons of dormancy.

UidA silencing did not occur following three seasons of dormancy for 23 independently transformed lines of Gladiolus plants carrying the bar-uidA fusion gene under control of either the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV 35S), ubiquitin (UBQ3), mannopine synthase (mas2), or rolD promoters. The highest levels of GUS (β-glucuronidase) expression were observed in callus, shoots, and roots of plants carrying the bar-uidA fusion gene under control of the CaMV 35S promoter and in shoots and roots of greenhouse-grown plants that contained the rolD promoter. There was no major difference in GUS expression when plants carrying the fusion gene driven by either the CaMV 35S, mas2, or UBQ3 promoters were grown in vitro as compared to growth in the greenhouse, although plants containing the rolD promoter expressed at 4- to 11-fold higher levels in shoots and roots, respectively, when grown in the greenhouse. The levels of GUS expression in greenhouse-grown plants were higher in roots than shoots for all four promoters. Of the 21 plants analyzed, 20 contained one to three copies of the bar-uidA fusion gene. Of the 23 plants analyzed, 11 had rearrangements of the transgene, but without apparent effects on levels of GUS expression.
Heating and humidifying of carbon dioxide during pneumoperitoneum is not indicated: a prospective randomized trial

Carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum usually is created by a compressed gas source. This exposes the patient to cool dry gas delivered at room temperature (21°C) with 0% relative humidity. Various delivery methods are available for humidifying and heating CO2 gas. This study was designed to determine the effects of heating and humidifying gas for the intraabdominal environment. For this study, 44 patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass were randomly assigned to one of four arms in a prospective, randomized, single-blinded fashion: raw CO2 (group 1), heated CO2 (group 2), humidified CO2 (group 3), and heated and humidified CO2 (group 4). A commercially available CO2 heater–humidifier was used. Core temperatures, intraabdominal humidity, perioperative data, and postoperative outcomes were monitored. Peritoneal biopsies were taken in each group at the beginning and end of the case. Biopsies were subjected staining protocols designed to identify structural damage and macrophage activity. Postoperative narcotic use, pain scale scores, recovery room time, and length of hospital stay were recorded. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test were used to compare the groups. Demographics, volume of CO2 used, intraabdominal humidity, bladder temperatures, lens fogging, and operative times were not significantly different between the groups. Core temperatures were stable, and intraabdominal humidity measurements approached 100% for all the patients over the entire procedure. Total narcotic dosage and pain scale scores were not statistically different. Recovery room times and length of hospital stay were similar in all the groups. Only one biopsy in the heated–humidified group showed an increase in macrophage activity. The intraabdominal environment in terms of temperature and humidity was similar in all the groups. There was no significant difference in the intraoperative body temperatures or the postoperative variable measured. No histologic changes were identified. Heating or humidifying of CO2 is not justified for patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.
A fast algorithm for solving Toeplitz system of equations

A fast algorithm for the solution of Toeplitz system of equations is presented. The algorithm requires order N (\log N)^{2} computations where N is the number of equations. For banded Toeplitz matrices the order of computations is reduced to only N \log N + m (\log m)^2 where 2m is the maximum number of nonzero principal subdiagonals of the Toeplitz matrix. The algorithm is in essence a fast implementation of the Trench algorithm in reverse. Thus the algorithm involves imbedding of the given matrix in a cyclic matrix and a fast HD (Half Divisor) algorithm to compute the first row of the inverse matrix. The desired solution is then obtained directly from the first row by applying Fast Fourier Transform techniques in order N \log N computations. Finally, the extension of the algorithm to block Toeplitz matrices is also presented.
Electronic commerce software agents: the featured-based filtering approach

Software agents can change the nature of interactions on the Internet: from simple access to large databases, to dynamic and personalized information and advice sources. This approach becomes more important when product features and attributes are complex and qualitative as well as when the opportunities for differentiation, customization, and tailoring to individual preferences increase. In order to implement a software agent approach as an intelligent recommendation system, these agents have to be intelligent enough to learn their users' criteria and team how to aggregate information from different mediums and how to help reinforce this information using these mediums. In this paper, we describe several algorithms, which can be appropriate to be the center of such scheme, including supervised learning neural networks and support vector machines.