cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stimulation of Hematopoiesis by Amifostine in Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome

The aminothiol, amifostine (Ethyol; U.S. Bioscience, West Conshohocken, PA), is a cytoprotective agent that ameliorates the toxicities of anticancer therapy. In vitro, amifostine promotes the formation and survival of primitive hematopoietic progenitors derived from myelodysplastic bone marrow (BM) specimens. To evaluate the hematological effects of amifostine, 18 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and one or more refractory cytopenias received treatment with amifostine in a Phase I/II study. Four cohorts received intravenous treatment with 100, 200, or 400 mg/m2 amifostine three times a week, or 740 mg/m2 weekly for three consecutive weeks followed by 2 weeks observation. Nonresponding patients received a second course of therapy at the next higher dose level depending upon drug tolerance. Bone marrow (BM) progenitor growth was assessed before treatment and after day 21. Diagnoses included refractory anemia (7), refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (5), refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) (4), and RAEB-in transformation (RAEB-t) (2). Single- or multi-lineage hematologic responses occurred in 15 patients (83%) treated with the three-times-a-week dose schedule. Fourteen patients had a 50% or greater increase in absolute neutrophil count with amifostine treatment (range, 426 to 11,348/μL). Platelet count increased in 6 (43%) of 14 patients with thrombocytopenia (absolute increase, 16,000 to 110,000/μL), and 5 of 15 red blood cell transfusion-dependent patients had a 50% of greater reduction in transfusion needs. Assayable hematopoietic progenitors increased in 13 of 15 evaluable patients; including CFU-GEMM (12), BFU-E (8), and CFU-GM (6). Amifostine doses less than or equal to 200 mg/m2 were well tolerated, whereas grade II nausea, vomiting, and fatigue was limiting at higher doses. Three patients with excess blasts before enrollment experienced an increase in BM blast percentage and two patients had evolution to acute leukemia that persisted after treatment withdrawal. We conclude that amifostine administered at doses ≤200 mg/m2 three times a week is well tolerated and has hematologic activity in patients with MDS.
Computations of Square and Elliptical Section Missiles using WIND

*† Supersonic flow around square and elliptical section missiles was analyzed using the WIND CFD code. The square missile had a single set of fins while the elliptical missile had a set of wing-like forward control surfaces and a set of fins towards the rear of the projectile. Viscous flow simulations using the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model were performed for angles of attack ranging from 5 to 20 degrees at different Mach numbers and roll angles. The predicted surface pressure coefficients, flow pitot pressure, and aerodynamic coefficients were compared against NASA-Langley wind tunnel data. The results indicated complex flow patterns in the vicinity of the sharp edges and fins of the square missile, and near the high curvature surfaces, control surfaces, and fins of the elliptical missile. The numerical results captured the overall trends of the experimental data well, although there were small inconsistencies in certain regions of the flows.
Thermal Compensation in the LIGO Gravitational-wave Interferometers

Gravitational-wave (GW) interferometers, such as LIGO, are susceptible to thermal aberrations that impair their performance. We describe thermal compensation in the LIGO GW interferometers, as well as future plans toward a fully adaptive system.
Puer Tea: Ancient Caravans and Urban Chic

Growing up in a Cantonese Chinese-American household, my extended family would often meet for dim sum on weekends. We would gather around a large table and lie in wait for dim sum servers to come b...
Demonstrating Medical Student Competency in Palliative Care: Development and Evaluation of a New Objective Structured Clinical Examination Station.

Abstract Background: The observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) is an important tool to assess clinical competencies; however, there are no reported palliative care OSCEs for medical student assessment. Objective: We aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate the characteristics of a palliative care OSCE for fourth-year medical students. Methods: We created a representative case and a checklist of 14 history items from three core palliative care competency domains. Subjects were fourth-year medical students who had completed our school's longitudinal palliative care curriculum. Measurements were students' scores compiled from the standardized patient's (SP) tally of the checklist results. We determined inter-rater reliability between the SP and a remote observer. Measurements included the difficulty and discrimination index, internal consistency reliability, factor analysis, and relationships between palliative care scores and composite seven station OSCE scores. Results: In the implementation yea...
G228(P) Permissive hypoxaemia in children: Where is the evidence?

Aims Guidelines for different respiratory conditions in children give variable recommendations for permissive hypoxaemia and for target oxygen levels which mandate the commencement of oxygen therapy. This has the potential to cause confusion for clinical staff regarding when to initiate oxygen therapy during a child’s initial assessment. We have reviewed the evidence behind the guidelines to assess its strength with the aim of offering a standard recommendation that can be used irrespective of the underlying diagnosis. Methods A search for all English language guidelines published between 2005–2015 on bronchiolitis, asthma, lower respiratory tract infections and viral wheeze was undertaken, specifically extracting the evidence behind their permissive hypoxaemia recommendations. We also performed a literature review using Pubmed between 2005–2015 to ascertain if any new evidence had become available. Results The guideline recommendations were largely based on consensus opinion with saturations from 92–94% given as the appropriate point at which to start oxygen therapy. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends 90% in bronchiolitis in accordance with WHO guidelines.1 A literature search revealed one recently published randomised control trial which found that, in those with permissive hypoxaemia targets of 90%, there were lower rates of readmission when compared with targets of 94% suggesting no detrimental outcome to children with bronchiolitis being allowed saturations this low without supplemental oxygen.2 Conclusion There is very little high quality evidence for safe levels in hypoxaemia but a standardised level of 92% for all respiratory conditions in children appears safe whilst more evidence is awaited. References American Academy of Pediatrics. Diagnosis and management of bronchiolitis. Pediatrics 2006;118:1774–93 Cunningham S, Rodriguez A, Adams T, et al. Oxygen saturation targets in infants with bronchiolitis (BIDS): a double-blind, randomised, equivalence trial. Lancet 2015;386:1041–8
Abstract 107: Predictors and Frequency of ICD Implantation for Primary Prevention in ICD Eligible Patients: Results from a Prospective Multicenter Registry

Background . The use of implantable cardiac defibrillators has been associated with improved survival in several well-defined patient (pt) subsets. Its utilization for primary prevention in eligible pts, however, is unclear. We sought to examine the frequency of ICD implantation (ICD-IMP) for primary prevention in a cohort prospectively enrolled in a prospective, multicenter registry of ICD candidates. Methods . We identified 961 pts enrolled in the AdreView Myocardial Imaging for Risk Evaluation in Heart Failure (ADMIRE-HF) study, a prospective, multicenter study evaluating the prognostic usefulness of 123I-mIBG scintigraphy in a heart failure population. Inclusion criteria limited patients to those meeting guideline criteria for ICD implantation; these criteria included left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% and New York Heart Association functional class II-III. We excluded pts with an ICD at the time of enrollment, leaving a study cohort of 934 patients. Pts were followed up for 24 months after enrollment. Pts undergoing ICD-IMP after enrollment for secondary prevention were censored at the time of intervention. The association between ICD-IMP utilization and demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging data was examined using Cox proportional hazards analysis (CPH). Results . Of 934 pts, 196 (21%) were referred for ICD-IMP over a mean follow-up of 612±242 days. Implantations occurred 167±164 days after enrollment. Patients referred for ICD were younger (61±12 vs. 63±12), but did not differ with respect to proportion female (17% vs. 21%), African-American race (12% vs. 15%), diabetics (37% vs. 36%) (All p=NS). The frequency of ICD-IMP did not differ as a function of age, race, sex, LVEF, or imaging result (All p=NS). CPH revealed that a model including age, race, sex, diabetes, smoking, BMI, NYHA class, hypertension, heart failure etiology, and prior MI identified none of these as predictive of ICD-IMP. Conclusion: This analysis of prospective registry data reveals that in patients who are guideline-defined candidates for ICD-IMP, only about one in five receive an ICD over a two year follow-up interval. Multivariable modeling failed to identify any factor associated with ICD use.
FUNCTIONAL STUDIES OF LYMPHOID CELLS DEFINED AND ISOLATED BY A FLUORESCENCE ACTIVATED CELL SORTER (FACS) FROM NORMAL AND ATHYMIC MICE

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the functional studies of lymphoid cells, defined and isolated by a fluorescence activated cell sorter (facs) from normal and athymic mice. Lymphocytes in the mouse have been separated into thymus dependent (T) and bone-marrow-derived (B) lymphocyte classes, each class expressing distinctive cell surface antigens and functions. Studies suggest that a high degree of functional heterogeneity exists within the T and B lymphocyte classes. In addition to the maturational heterogeneity of the thymus cell population as a whole, “mature” T lymphocytes that participate in graft-vs-host and cytotoxic responses display functional heterogeneity with respect to homing properties and sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of anti-lymphocyte and anti-Thy 1 antibodies. The experimental method includes the preparation of antisera, antigen-antibody complexes, cell suspensions, fluorescent staining procedures, and analysis and separation of cells on nylon wool and the fluorescence activated cell sorter. Hematopoietic stem cells, which first arise in yolk sac and then appear in fetal liver and adult bone marrow and spleen, give rise to committed T cells or prothymocytes.
Dysregulated Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonucleases (Ape1 and Ape2) Lead to Genetic Instability in Multiple Myeloma.

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is associated with significant genomic instability. Homologous recombination (HR), which is elevated in MM, is considered to be responsible for this instability. As endonucleases play an important role in mediating HR, here we have evaluated the role of endonuclease in biology and progression of MM. Gene expression profile using Affymetrix U133 array showed > 2 fold elevation of Ape1 or Ape2 or both in 5 of 6 MM cell lines and 12 of 15 patient samples. Immunocytochemistry confirmed upregulation of Ape1 protein in MM cell lines. A Plasmid degradation assay confirmed significantly elevated endonuclease activity in MM cells compared to normal plasma cells. To identify the pre-dominating endonuclease activity, the degradation assay was carried out in the presence of specific endonuclease inhibitors. Harmane and methoxyamine (MA), specific inhibitors of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonucleases effectively inhibited significant endonuclease activity, while other endonuclease inhibitors ACPD and FK506 had minimal effects, confirming predominant role of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonucleases (APE) in mediating increased endonuclease activity in MM. We investigated the role of elevated APE endonuclease activity on DNA recombination and subsequent genomic re-arrangements. Using a plasmid-based assay we have previously demonstrated significantly elevated homologous recombination (HR) in MM. Inhibition of endonuclease by methoxyamine suppressed HR activity by 85 ± 2% in MM cells. Next, we evaluated whether inhibition of HR by methoxyamine can affect the frequency of acquisition of new genetic changes in MM cells using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays (Affymetrix) as indicator of genomic instability. In three independent experiments, methoxyamine reduced the acquisition of new loss of heterozygocity (LOH) loci by an average of 71%. These data suggest that the dysregulated APE endonucleases contribute significantly to the genomic instability, acquisition of new mutations and progression of MM and provides the rationale for targeting endonuclease activity to prevent disease progression including development of drug resistance.
Changes in Corporate Effective Tax Rates Over the Past Twenty-Five Years

We investigate systematic changes in corporate effective tax rates over the past 25 years and find that effective tax rates have decreased significantly. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we find that the decline in effective tax rates is not concentrated in multinational firms; effective tax rates have declined at approximately the same rate for both multinational and domestic firms. Moreover, we find that within multinational firms, both foreign and domestic effective rates have decreased. Finally, we find that changes in firm characteristics and declining foreign statutory tax rates explain little of the overall decrease in effective rates. The findings have broad implications for research, as well as for current policy debates about reforming the corporate income tax.
Impact of processing and growth conditions on the site-catalyzed patterned growth of GaAs nanowires by molecular beam epitaxy

We report on the site-selective growth of >90% vertical GaAs nanowires (NWs) on Si (111) using self-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The influences of growth parameters (pre-growth Ga opening time, V/III flux ratio) and processing conditions (reactive ion etching (RIE) and HF etching time) are investigated for different pitch lengths (200- 1000 nm) to achieve vertical NWs. The processing variables determine the removal of the native oxide layer and the contact angle of Ga-droplet inside the patterned hole that are critical to the vertical orientation of the NWs. Pre-growth Ga-opening time is found to be a crucial factor determining the size of the droplet in the patterned hole, while the V/III beam equivalent pressure (BEP) ratio influenced the occupancy of the holes due to the axial growth of NWs being group-V limited.
Abstract 258: The Compensatory Effect Of An Increased Body Of Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells In Hypertension

The immune system plays a critical role in hypertension progression. It has been showed that the lack of T cells prevented the development of hypertension. However, the role of myeloid cells in this process is elusive. We now show that there is a 2 fold increase of CD11b+ Gr1+ myeloid cells in murine hypertension models induced by angiotensin II, L-NAME or high salt diet. These increased myeloid cells are immunosuppressive in that they could suppress T cell proliferation. The production of reactive oxygen species mediates their immunosuppressive functions. When hypertensive mice were depleted of these myeloid cells, using either anti-Gr1 antibody or gemcitabine, there was a 15 mmHg further rise in blood pressure and aggravation of T cell activation as manifested by increased production of IFN-γ, TNFα and IL-17 in both spleen and kidney. In contrast, adoptive transfer of myeloid-derived suppressor cells could be used as both treatment reagent to alleviate established hypertension and preventive reagent from hypertensive insult. These data unveil the role of a distinctive myeloid population in hypertension, which may be a potential target for hypertension management.
A systematic approach to RNA-associated motif discovery.

Sequencing-based large screening of RNA-protein and RNA-RNA interactions has enabled the mechanistic study of post-transcriptional RNA processing and sorting, including exosome-mediated RNA secretion. The downstream analysis of RNA binding sites has encouraged the investigation of novel sequence motifs, which resulted in exceptional new challenges for identifying motifs from very short sequences (e.g., small non-coding RNAs or truncated messenger RNAs), where conventional methods tend to be ineffective. To address these challenges, we propose a novel motif-finding method and validate it on a wide range of RNA applications. We first perform motif analysis on microRNAs and longer RNA fragments from various cellular and exosomal sources, and then validate our prediction through literature search and experimental test. For example, a 4 bp-long motif, GUUG, was detected to be responsible for microRNA loading in exosomes involved in human colon cancer (SW620). Additional performance comparisons in various case studies have shown that this new approach outperforms several existing state-of-the-art methods in detecting motifs with exceptional high coverage and explicitness. In this work, we have demonstrated the promising performance of a new motif discovery approach that is particularly effective in current RNA applications. Important discoveries resulting from this work include the identification of possible RNA-loading motifs in a variety of exosomes, as well as novel insights in sequence features of RNA cargos, i.e., short non-coding RNAs and messenger RNAs may share similar loading mechanism into exosomes. This method has been implemented and deployed as a new webserver named MDS2 which is accessible at http://sbbi-panda.unl.edu/MDS2/ , along with a standalone package available for download at https://github.com/sbbi/MDS2 .
Optimal sizing of a nonutility-scale solar power system and its battery storage

Abstract We propose a stochastic mixed integer optimization model to optimally size a solar power system and its battery storage for residential and nonresidential customers of electric power. The objective function of the model is to minimize the total cost associated with solar power system investments and the grid provided electric power over a planning horizon. We consider the uncertainty associated with solar radiation, load, and electricity price in the form of probabilistic scenarios. The model can be used with different grid pricing programs and under no net metering or net metering programs, respectively. A numerical example and its parametric analyses are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the model and develop some insights into optimal sizing of a battery storage enabled solar system. The analyses show the size of the solar system is influenced by the labor cost and the load size whereas the size of the battery storage is sensitive to the load size and the battery cost. Moreover, we find the optimal number of solar panels/batteries is larger under the net metering program than under no net metering program.
Replication of SMSI via ALD: TiO2 Overcoats Increase Pt-Catalyzed Acrolein Hydrogenation Selectivity

The effects of sub-nanometer atomic layer deposition films of titania and alumina are compared for the acrolein hydrogenation selectivity of Pt/SrTiO3 catalysts. The titania-overcoated catalyst is similar to strong metal-support interaction catalysts formed by high temperature reduction, with a thin titania film on top of the supported Pt nanoparticles and an increase in allyl alcohol selectivity, neither of which are observed for the alumina-overcoated catalyst.
Charge Transfer in Biology: Section b: Transfer of Charge in the Organic Solid State

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the current situation regarding transfer of charge in biological molecules via semi-conduction. The chapter considers the photochemical processes that can result in generation of charge carriers and transfer of charge, an area currently yielding some very interesting results. For dry proteins and nucleic acids, the activation energy for conduction is large and the conductivity is accordingly very low. Hydrated proteins and nucleic acids are better conductors, but the increased conductivity is thought to be due to protons from the water that act as charge carriers. With 7.5% water adsorbed on protein, no electrolysis of the water occurs during the conductivity experiments. This is felt to be incompatible with a conduction mechanism involving water protons. Direct transmission of electrons through the π-systems of proteins or nucleic acids seems a rather unlikely possibility in living systems. For crystals, one cannot consider a single molecule as the light-absorbing unit. Because the molecules are only a few Angstroms apart and the Van der Waals' interactions between molecules are non-negligible, the absorption of light leads to an energy level characteristic of the assembly as a whole. The excitation is delocalized over many molecules in the crystal.
Power, Knowledge, and Laughter: Forensic Psychiatry and the Misuse of the DSM

This essay examines the relation between the DSM and forensic psychiatry. Psychiatrists, lawyers and philosophers often assume that the forensic legitimacy of the DSM hinges on finding an objective definition of mental disorder. In the first part of this essay I show that the DSM’s quest for objectivity has never been successful. In the second part I argue that even if an objective definition could be found, the DSM should have no role to play in the courtroom. Today, the lawyers and forensic psychiatrists who rely on the DSM to give weight to their legal opinions and judgments are making a conceptual mistake: they conflate the concepts of disease and incapacity. Once these concepts are disentangled, it becomes apparent that the DSM (which classifies diseases) should have no business meddling with the law (which is concerned with incapacities). In the third and final part I describe the positive consequences for both parties of the divorce between the DSM and forensic psychiatry.
Fun with E6

The exceptional E6 group is a candidate local symmetry for a Yang-Mills theory that unifies electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions. Several ways of incorporating the fermion spectrum are discussed, including an amusing example where some of the known spin 1/2 fermions are composite states of elementary fermions and some scalar particles in the theory. The symmetry properties and the representations of E6 are reviewed, the symmetry breaking classified, and the dynamical breaking of the weak interaction gauge group is discussed, all in some detail using Dynkin’s representation theory.
Corneal Avascularity and Vascularity

The cornea normally lacks blood vessels, but in numerous diverse natural and experimental situations, capillaries extend into this tissue from the pericorneal vascular plexus. The avascularity of the normal cornea and its vascularization in certain pathologic states have attracted attention for at least the better part of almost two centuries (372,767). During the early part of the twentieth century the cornea was used in studies of angiogenesis in humans (28,102,428,430) and during the 1920’s and 1930’s animals were used to study new vessel formation in the cornea (191,389–391,733). However, the first attempts to investigate the pathogenesis of corneal vascularization in depth were only made in 1949 by Campbell and Michaelson (116) and Cogan (143).
Nearest-Instance-Centroid-Estimation Linear Discriminant Analysis (Nice Lda)

We propose a novel cascaded classification technique called the Nearest Instance Centroid Estimation (NICE) LDA algorithm. Our algorithm (inspired from NICE KLMS) performs a cascade combination of two weak classifiers - threshold based class-wise clustering and linear discriminant classification to achieve state-of-the-art results on various high dimensional UCI datasets. We show how our method is more robust towards skewed data and computationally more efficient than previous methods of combining clustering with classification techniques. We also develop an efficient aggregation method based on instance based learning that implements this cascade combination of classifiers in a much simpler manner computationally. We demonstrate that our method of data clustering and LDA implementation, while introducing only one free parameter, leads to results that are similar and often better than those achieved by the state-of-the-art kernel RBF SVMs.
Reading into Riding Culture: Messages and Sayings on Daladala Vehicles in Usa River, Tanzania:

In countries with limited state-supported public transportation, privately owned vehicles—regularly exceeding a safe speed and a safe number of passengers—have oftentimes arisen to fill this void, ...
Dramatic Representation of Trench Space as an ‘Experiential Ruin’ in R.C. Sherriff’s Journey’s End and Sean O’Casey’s The Silver Tassie

Physical forms of ruin and psychological forms of ruination is an area within spatial theory that will enhance literary studies, especially literature of the First World War. The literary representation of the trench as a ruined space is a predominant feature of literature that emerges from the Great War. Among the different genres, it is drama that is ideally poised to offer a critique of the way both physical and psychological ruin can be depicted on the stage. Both R.C. Sherriff’s Journey’s End and Sean O’Casey’s The Silver Tassie consciously depict trench space as a site of embodied trauma for soldiers who experienced trench warfare and, consequently, trench space functions as an ‘experiential ruin.’ This ‘embodied exchange’ emphasizes the relationship between the battlefield (or cite of trauma) and the actual war-related trauma itself. Both Sherriff and O’Casey have created plays that show the decaying landscape and decaying psyche as inseparable victims to the devastation of the First World War.
Outcomes of Surgical Correction of Atlantoaxial Instability in Patients with Down Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Atlantoaxial instability (AAI) is a common cause of neurologic dysfunction and pain in patients with Down syndrome (DS), frequently requiring instrumented fusion of the upper cervical spine. Despite this, optimal treatment strategy is controversial. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement to identify patients with AAI and DS were treated with upper cervical spine fusion. Patient demographics, preoperative symptoms, fixation type, and outcome measures including complications, neurologic outcomes, and bony fusion status were gathered for patients in the included publications. Meta-analysis was performed to compare outcomes of different types of fixation constructs. Results Of the 1191 publications retrieved, 51 met inclusion criteria, yielding 137 patients. Six fixation strategies were identified: noninstrumented (n = 6), wiring (n = 77), wiring with rods (n = 14), screw fixation (n = 33), hook and rod fixation (n = 2), and screw and wire fixation (n = 5). Constructs with screws and rods had greater bony union (P = 0.003) and a lower rate of revision surgery (P = 0.047), loss of reduction or pseudoarthrosis (P = 0.009), halo utilization (P Conclusions Numerous fixation strategies exist for AAI in patients with DS. Using a combination of screws, rods, and wiring in appropriately selected patients may help reduce the high rate of surgical complications in these patients.
Atomic-scale determination of spontaneous magnetic reversal in oxide heterostructures.

Interfaces between transition metal oxides are known to exhibit emerging electronic and magnetic properties. Here we report intriguing magnetic phenomena for La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 films on an SrTiO3 (001) substrate (LSMO/STO), where the interface governs the macroscopic properties of the entire monolithic thin film. The interface is characterized on the atomic level utilizing scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS), and density functional theory (DFT) is employed to elucidate the physics. STEM-EELS reveals mixed interfacial stoichiometry, subtle lattice distortions, and oxidation-state changes. Magnetic measurements combined with DFT calculations demonstrate that a unique form of antiferromagnetic exchange coupling appears at the interface, generating a novel exchange spring-type interaction that results in a remarkable spontaneous magnetic reversal of the entire ferromagnetic film, and an inverted magnetic hysteresis, persisting above room temperature. Formal oxidation states derived from electron spectroscopy data expose the fact that interfacial oxidation states are not consistent with nominal charge counting. The present work demonstrates the necessity of atomically resolved electron microscopy and spectroscopy for interface studies. Theory demonstrates that interfacial nonstoichiometry is an essential ingredient, responsible for the observed physical properties. The DFT-calculated electrostatic potential is flat in both the LSMO and STO sides (no internal electric field) for both Sr-rich and stoichiometric interfaces, while the DFT-calculated charge density reveals no charge transfer/accumulation at the interface, indicating that oxidation-state changes do not necessarily reflect charge transfer and that the concept of polar mismatch is not applicable in metal−insulator polar−nonpolar interfaces.
A Comparative Analysis of Social Workers’ Macro Practice Activities

Writers have long argued that social workers require some level of competence in supervisory and administrative roles, but there has been scant research identifying what competencies are necessary for all practitioners. This study explored the frequency with which purposive samples of managers and direct practitioners reported engaging in 35 “administrative competencies.” Questionnaires (sent to managers in 1992–93 and to practitioners in 1996) asked respondents to rate their frequency for performing each administrative competency on a 10-point scale. Following data analysis in which the 35 competencies were reduced to 12 management dimensions, the authors found no significant differences in frequency for 10 of these dimensions. Moreover, the two groups’ job behavior patterns were remarkably similar. These findings suggest that social work education should provide the knowledge and skills necessary for human services management, possibly through an advanced generalist model of education.
Case 3: An Unusual Case of Transient Neonatal Encephalopathy

A 7-day-old female neonate presents to a local hospital with lethargy, grunting, fast breathing, and abnormal movements after a short history of poor feeding overnight. She was born at 39 weeks’ gestation via cesarean section with a birthweight of 3,100 g to a 34-year-old woman. The parents are nonconsaguineous and the pregnancy was a result of in vitro fertilization with their own gametes. Antenatal screening and scans were normal. Cesarean section was performed because the labor did not progress; the neonate did not need any resuscitation. She nursed with the mother and went home breastfeeding on day 3 after birth. There is no family history of early neonatal deaths or neurologic dysfunction. The neonate is brought to our tertiary neonatal center after stabilization with fluid bolus, broad-spectrum antibiotics, levetiracetam for suspected seizures, and mechanical ventilation. Initial differential diagnosis includes late-onset sepsis with meningitis and inborn error of metabolism with encephalopathy. Examination shows no dysmorphic features or neurocutaneous markers, and the head circumference is 32.6 cm. The infant is stuporous with paucity of spontaneous movements, depressed neonatal reflexes, and hypotonia. She is well perfused with normal heart sounds and femoral pulses and has no oxygen requirement. There is no pallor or jaundice and there is no organomegaly. Arterial …
Temporal Relationship between Hyponatremia and Development of Cerebral Vasospasm in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Abstract Background: Hyponatremia is a common complication after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Previous studies have reported an association between hyponatremia and vasospasm, however whether hyponatremia directly contributes to the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm (CVS), or is a by-product is still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore an association between hyponatremia and CVS after aSAH, and evaluating the temporality of these 2 events. Methods: A retrospective study of consecutive patients with aSAH admitted to the Baylor St. Luke's Medical center between January 2008 and December 2012 was conducted. Demographics, baseline characteristics, serum sodium levels, and evidence of vasospasm detected by transcranial Doppler, CT Angiogram, MR angiogram, and digital subtracted angiography were collected. Patients were dichotomized into a hyponatremic and a normonatremic group. CVS incidence and clinical outcome was compared between groups. Timing of CVS after initial hyponatremia episodes was recorded Results: One hundred and sixty 4 patients with aSAH were included. Hyponatremia was identified in 66 patients (40.2%) and CVS occurred in 71 subjects (43.2%). The incidence of CVS was higher in the hyponatremic group compared to the normonatremic group, 65.1 % versus 28.5%, respectively (P
An investigation of iodine status of 6 target populations in both urban and rural areas in Xiamen City 3 years after promotion of new standard iodized salt

Objective To analyze the iodine nutritional status among pregnant women, breastfeeding women, 0 - 2 years old infants, 8 - 10 years old children, 18 - 45 years old women and men in both urban and rural areas of Xiamen 3 years after promotion of new standard iodized salt. Methods The Huli and Xiang'an were selected as the urban and rural study sites in Xiamen City, from March 2015 to March 2016. Each study site was further divided into five geographic locations(east, south, west, north and center). In each location, one township was randomly selected. In each town, 2 tap water samples, 60 salt samples of residents, and urine samples of 40 children aged from 8 - 10 years old, 20 pregnant women, 12 breastfeeding women, 0 - 2 years old infants, 18 - 45 years old women and men were collected to determine the iodine level. The water iodine and urinary iodine were detected by arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry; salt iodine was detected by direct titration. Results The medians of salt iodine in urban and rural were 23.0 and 25.3 μg/L, respectively. The coverage rates of iodized salt in urban and rural area were 99.3% (298/300) and 94.0% (282/300), respectively. The consumption rates of qualified iodized salt were 93.7% (281/300) and 90.7% (272/300), respectively. The medians of tap water iodine in urban and rural were 4.1 and 4.4 μg/L, respectively. In urban and rural areas, the medians of urinary iodine of pregnant women were 167.6 and 119.6 μg/L, respectively. The medians of urinary iodine of breastfeeding women were 121.6 and 101.2 μg/L, respectively. The medians of urinary iodine of infants were 165.9 and 110.5 μg/L, respectively. The medians of urinary iodine of children were 208.9 and 167.2 μg/L, respectively. The medians of urinary iodine of women aged 18 - 45 were 132.5 and 154.5 μg/L, respectively. The medians of urinary iodine of men aged 18 - 45 were 131.7 and 154.5 μg/L, respectively. Conclusions After 3 year promotion of new standard iodized salt, the iodine status of pregnant women in urban, breastfeeding women, 0 - 2 years old infants, children aged 8 to 10 and adults aged 18 to 45 is adequate, but the pregnant women in rural has showed iodine deficiency. So surveillance and health education should be continuously strengthened in the future. Scientific salt iodization should continue to ensure the amount of iodine intake. Key words: Iodine; Nutrition; Monitoring; Urine; Salts
Associations Between Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Health Care Expenditures Among Adults With Chronic Back Pain.

BACKGROUND Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been associated with reduced morbidity among adults with chronic back pain, less is known about the association between CAM use and health care expenditures. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to first estimate health care expenditures of adult CAM users and nonusers with chronic back pain and then assess CAM's influence on health care expenditures. RESEARCH DESIGN This was an ambidirectional cohort study. DATA Linked National Health Interview Survey (2012) and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2013-2014). MEASURES CAM use was defined as 3 or more visits to a practitioner in the 12 months before the National Health Interview Survey interview. Covariates included age, sex, race-ethnicity, and body mass index. The outcome was annual health care expenditures (overall and within 8 categories, including office-based visits and prescription medication). ANALYSES Survey-weighted, covariate adjusted predicted marginal means models were applied to quantify health care expenditures. Survey-weighted, covariate adjusted linear and logistic regression models were used to investigate CAM's influence on expenditures, and the Z mediation test statistic was applied to quantify the independent effects of CAM. RESULTS Overall, health care expenditures were significantly lower among CAM users with chronic back pain compared with non-CAM users for both 2013 and 2014: $8402 versus $9851 for 2013; $7748 versus $10,227 in 2014, annual differences of -$1499 (95% confidence interval: -$1701 to -$1197) and -$2479 (95% confidence interval: -$2696 to -$2262), respectively (P<0.001). Adult CAM users also had significantly lower prescription medication as well as outpatient expenses (P<0.001). CAM use was identified as a partial mediator to health care expenditures. CONCLUSION CAM use is associated with lower overall health care expenditures, driven primarily by lower prescription and outpatient expenditures, among adults with chronic back pain in the United States.
A Preliminary Evaluation of the Utility of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Symptoms in Predicting Behavioral Treatment Response in Children with Behavioral Difficulties.

Interest in symptoms of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) has led to a number of studies evaluating how these symptoms respond to treatment commonly utilized in youths with symptoms of ADHD. No study ...
The "Why" of Drinking Matters: A Meta-Analysis of the Association Between Drinking Motives and Drinking Outcomes.

BACKGROUND Knowledge of how drinking motives are differentially associated with alcohol use (e.g., frequency, quantity) and drinking problems is critical in understanding risky drinking and the development of alcohol use disorder. The purpose of this paper was to use meta-analytic techniques to answer 2 overarching questions: (a) Which types of drinking motives (i.e., enhancement, coping, social, conformity) are most strongly associated with alcohol use and drinking problems? and (b) What are the most likely mechanisms (alcohol use or drinking problems) through which motives may be indirectly associated with outcomes? METHOD A comprehensive literature search identified 229 studies that met inclusion criteria (254 samples; N = 130,705) with a subset containing longitudinal data (k = 5; N = 6283). Data were analyzed using 2-stage meta-analytic structural equation modeling. RESULTS Results showed that both enhancement and coping motives were the strongest predictors of drinking problems, but only enhancement motives were the strongest predictor of alcohol use. Enhancement and social motives were indirectly associated with alcohol use through drinking problems and with drinking problems through alcohol use, whereas coping motives were only indirectly associated with alcohol use through drinking problems, although the results differed for cross-sectional and longitudinal data. CONCLUSION Overall, findings from this meta-analysis provide evidence that drinking motives differentially predict alcohol use outcomes through unique direct and indirect pathways.
A Current and Charge Integral Equation for Dielectric Regions in the Time Domain

Emerging classical and quantum applications require computational electromagnetics methods that can efficiently analyze complex structures over wide bandwidths, including down to very low frequencies. This work begins to address these needs by presenting a type of charge and current integral equation that has been formulated in the time domain and is applicable to dielectric regions. This system introduces charge densities as unknowns in addition to the current densities, resulting in a system that does not exhibit a low frequency breakdown. An appropriate marching-on-in-time discretization scheme is discussed so that stable and accurate results can be achieved down to very low frequencies. Numerical results are shown to verify the accuracy and stability of this formulation.
Low doses of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 nanoparticles alter the actin organization and contractility of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Abstract Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanoparticles have emerged as a promising platform for drug delivery and controlled release. Considering most ZIF-8 nanoparticle drug carriers are designed to be administered intravenously, and thus would directly contact vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in many circumstances, the potential interactions of ZIF-8 nanoparticles with VSMCs require investigation. Here, the effects of low doses of ZIF-8 nanoparticles on VSMC morphology, actin organization, and contractility are investigated. Two nanoscale imaging tools, atomic force microscopy, and direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, show that even at the concentrations (12.5 and 25 µg/ml) that were deemed “safe” by conventional biochemical cell assays (MTT and LDH assays), ZIF-8 nanoparticles can still cause changes in cell morphology and actin cytoskeleton organization at the cell apical and basal surfaces. These cytoskeletal structural changes impair the contractility function of VSMCs in response to Angiotensin II, a classic vasoconstrictor. Based on intracellular zinc and actin polymerization assays, we conclude that the increased intracellular Zn2+ concentration due to the uptake and dissociation of ZIF-8 nanoparticles could cause the actin cytoskeleton dis-organization, as the elevated Zn2+ directly disrupts the actin assembly process, leading to altered actin organization such as branches and networks. Since the VSMC phenotype change and loss of contractility are fundamental to the development of atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular diseases, it is worth noting that these low doses of ZIF-8 nanoparticles administered intravenously could still be a safety concern in terms of cardiovascular risks. Moving forward, it is imperative to re-consider the “safe” nanoparticle dosages determined by biochemical cell assays alone, and take into account the impact of these nanoparticles on the biophysical characteristics of VSMCs, including changes in the actin cytoskeleton and cell morphology.
Myanmar's Rohingya Population: The Case for Genocide

The United Nations (UN) has consistently characterized the Rohingya Muslims as the world’s most persecuted population. Significantly, prior to the military coup on February 1, 2020, Myanmar represented itself as a burgeoning democracy on the path to reform. However, the human rights status of racial, religious, and ethnic minorities in legal, political, social, and economic context reveals the true character of any democracy. To that end, the plight of the Rohingya Muslims has long cast a pall on Burmese governance even prior to the most recent military coup. This analysis employs two international cases of historic significance that are currently pending against Myanmar as a lens to understanding how domestic political developments, such as ethnoreligious nationalism, and international events, such as September 11, 2001, contribute to the ongoing genocide against the Rohingya Muslim population. The first case, brought by the Republic of the Gambia against Myanmar in the U.N. International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleges that Myanmar violated the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention). The International Criminal Court (ICC) enjoys jurisdiction over the second case. It focuses on the unlawful deportation of approximately one million members of the stateless population from Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh during two waves of violence in 2016 and 2017. Both matters are noteworthy because of the gravitas of each tribunal - arguably the most important courts in the world. Additionally, they represent the very first formal efforts to hold Myanmar legally accountable for international crimes committed against the persecuted ethnoreligious community. Moreover, a critical legal analysis of the factual allegations underlying each controversy crystalizes the nature of, as well as the contributing factors to, official persecution of the world’s largest stateless population.
Effects of CPAP Compliance in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients at Victory Health Partners

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common cause of nocturnal apnea. CPAP is an effective first-line therapy for OSA. Patient compliance with CPAP remains an issue. This study was done to quantify CPAP compliance, the factors contributing to CPAP use and compliance, and to determine if CPAP has made a change in the variables used to determine the presence of OSA (Berlin questionnaire data) in a sample of uninsured patients at the Victory Health Partners (VHP) clinic in Mobile, Alabama. We hypothesized that there would be a reduction in symptoms with CPAP compliance. Methods: All patients treated with CPAP for OSA at the VHP clinic were available for study. After IRB approval, patients who remained in the VHP system were identified for inclusion. An 18-question phone survey was used to gather data about CPAP compliance and symptoms. Responses were quantified using descriptive statistics. Changes in subjects9 Berlin Questionnaire Sleepiness score were evaluated using a two-tailed Fisher9s Exact test. P Results: Out of 170 patients who have been treated for OSA at VHP clinic, 77 continue as patients and 28 were located and consented to this study. Twenty (71%) of subjects were compliant. Pre-CPAP Berlin questionnaire data were available from 15 patients. Of those patients, snoring, apnea, and daytime tiredness and fatigue were significantly reduced (P= Conclusions: When patients with obstructive sleep apnea were compliant with CPAP therapy, symptoms (snoring, apnea, and daytime tiredness and fatigue) were decreased. Noncompliance in patients was primarily caused by mask or system discomfort. Disclosures: None.
Identifying Patterns of Youth Resilience to Neighborhood Disadvantage.

The present report describes the motivation for the Michigan Twin Neurogenetic Study (MTwiNS), which seeks to illuminate the underlying biological mechanisms through which familial and community fa...