cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes in Children With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Importance Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major chronic liver disease in children in the United States and is associated with insulin resistance. In adults, NAFLD is also associated with type 2 diabetes. To our knowledge, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children with NAFLD is unknown. Objective To determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes in children with NAFLD and assess type 2 diabetes and prediabetes as risk factors for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Design, Setting, and Participants This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study at 12 pediatric clinical centers across the United States participating in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NASH Clinical Research Network. Children younger than 18 years with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD enrolled in the NASH Clinical Research Network. Main Outcomes and Measures The presence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes as determined by American Diabetes Association screening criteria using clinical history and fasting laboratory values. Results There were 675 children with NAFLD included in the study with a mean age of 12.6 years and mean body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of 32.5. Most of the children were boys (480 of 675) and Hispanic (445 of 675).The estimated prevalence of prediabetes was 23.4% (95% CI, 20.2%-26.6%), and the estimated prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 6.5% (95% CI, 4.6%-8.4%). Girls with NAFLD had 1.6 (95% CI, 1.04-2.40) times greater odds of having prediabetes and 5.0 (95% CI, 2.49-9.98) times greater odds of having type 2 diabetes than boys with NAFLD. The prevalence of NASH was higher in those with type 2 diabetes (43.2%) compared with prediabetes (34.2%) or normal glucose (22%) ( P Conclusions and Relevance In this study, nearly 30% of children with NAFLD also had type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. These children had greater odds of having NASH and thus were at greater long-term risk for adverse hepatic outcomes.
An Analysis of Paid Family and Sick Leave Advocacy in Louisiana: Lessons Learned

Abstract Background In contrast with other developed countries, the United States lacks national paid maternity/family and sick leave policies, negatively impacting the health and economic security of both female and male workers and their children. Employer paid family and sick leave policies cover only about half of workers, and those lacking paid leaves are more likely to be less educated and with lower incomes. Louisiana has high proportions of poor and low income workers who especially would benefit from national or state paid leave policies. Methods In the absence of national paid leaves, several states and cities have implemented paid family and sick leaves. In this context and following the American Public Health Association's endorsement of paid family and sick leaves for health and wellbeing, the Tulane University Mary Amelia Women's Center decided to advocate for paid leave policies in Louisiana. Results Highlights of a Louisiana spring 2015 initiative were a talk by the President of the Institute for Women's Policy Research on the economic and health benefits of paid family and sick leaves and bills submitted by a State Senator. As has happened elsewhere, opposition from businesses and Republican legislators blocked passage. This outcome fit the Center's original expectations that communicating about the important health and other benefits of paid family and sick leaves, and developing support for state-wide policies, would be a long process—but one important to begin. Conclusions The initiative in Louisiana may provide insights for paid leave advocacy elsewhere.
Validation of laboratory animal and surrogate human models in primary blast injury studies

ABSTRACTBlast-induced neurotrauma has affected more than 300,000 service members. It is important to understand the effect of single and repeated shock-blast wave exposures on the neuropsychological behavior of soldiers, to offer them better protection, diagnostics, and treatment. Preclinical animal models and helmet design studies on human surrogate models have relied on the use of compression gas–driven shock tubes. Traditional shock tubes are so simple that if not carefully designed and operated, the test results can easily introduce detrimental artifacts clouding the conclusions. In this work, we present live-fire test results of an instrumented human surrogate head–neck model and compare with the data obtained in a carefully designed shock tube. We present various features incorporated in the shock tube design that led to better fidelity between live-fire and laboratory shock-blast conditions. The effect of specimen placement, choice of driver gas, pressure and volume of driver, end-plate conditions,...
Relationship between dietary quality, tinnitus and hearing level: data from the national health and nutrition examination survey, 1999-2002.

Objective: To examine the relationship between the healthy eating index (HEI), a measure of dietary quality based on United States Department of Agriculture recommendations and report of tinnitus. ...
Abstract 2211: Characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for HPV-positive head and neck cancer

HPV-driven head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are among the fastest growing cancers. Although, HPV-HNSCC patients have an overall favorable prognosis, a significant number of patients relapse post-treatment, and currently there is no specific therapeutic approach targeting the unique biology of HPV-driven HNSCC. Our ongoing efforts to target HPV-HNSCC focus on the identification of cell surface antigens that are upregulated by HPV infection. We have developed an "antigen-agnostic" approach for generating HPV-HNSCC-targeting monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and treatment that does not rely on prior identification of target antigens. We used HPV-HNSCC membrane fractions to immunize recipient mice and generated HPV-specific hybridomas. We then screened five thousand hybridoma colonies by flow cytometry to test the specificity of binding to HPV-positive cancer cell lines (2HNSCC and 2 Cervical Cancer) and HPV-negative cancer cell lines (4 HNSCC and 1 CC). After primary screening, we narrowed down to forty-four clones; among these hybridoma clones, 6D8 and 6B3 bound preferentially to HPV-positive cancer cell lines. The binding targets of 6D8 and 6B3 were identified by immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry; their targets are integrin alpha6 (ITGA6) and tissue factor (F3) respectively. Future work will validate the biological function of these mAbs in in vitro and in vivo models, and continue identifying more binding target of mAbs. We propose mAbs specifically targeting membrane-expressed antigens on HPV-related cancer cells as a potential approach for early diagnosis and targeted therapy. Citation Format: Hsuan-Chen Liu, Falguni Parikh, Thomas Kraus, Thomas Moran, Andrew Sikora. Characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for HPV-positive head and neck cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2211. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2211
A Coplanar Vivaldi-Style Launcher for Goubau Single-Wire Transmission Lines

In this letter, we present a coplanar Vivaldi-style launcher for single-wire transmission lines (SWTLs), sometimes called Goubau lines. The launcher converts a transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM) mode from a coaxial feed port to the transverse magnetic (TM $_{01}$ ) surface-wave mode supported by the SWTL. The original Goubau design for SWTL launchers uses large horns to enforce the mode conversion. In contrast, the proposed coplanar Vivaldi-type launcher comprises a planar structure with dimensions of 100 mm $\times$ 150 mm, which is more convenient to install on existing infrastructure, such as power lines, communication wires, structural steel cables, or pipes. The proposed launcher can be used to provide a broadband communication channel for ultrahigh frequency and microwave radio-frequency signals from 0.81 $\text{to}$ 2.29 GHz. It has a measured 10 dB return loss bandwidth of 1.39 GHz. The measured line loss with an 8 mm diameter SWTL conductor is approximately 0.19 dB/m at 1.5 GHz, which is comparable to high-quality coaxial cables. We have also shown that multiple launcher pairs can be used back-to-back on the same SWTL conductor to provide isolated communication links. With a launcher separation distance of 250 mm, the measured back-to-back isolation exceeds 30 dB.
Recent insights into corticostriatal circuit mechanisms underlying habits

Habits have been studied for decades, but it was not until recent years that experiments began to elucidate the underlying cellular and circuit mechanisms. The latest experiments have been enabled by advances in cell-type specific monitoring and manipulation of activity in large neuronal populations. Here we will review recent efforts to understand the neural substrates underlying habit formation, focusing on rodent studies on corticostriatal circuits.
How has the presidential election affected young Americans

The 2016 presidential election season and subsequent political events have had physical and emotional impacts on youth. We collected qualitative insights from 14 to 24 year olds across the US related to these events over time. Open-ended probes were sent via text message at three time points before and after the 2016 presidential election. The majority of youth reported emotional stress during all three time points, and female participants were significantly more likely to experience emotional responses. White participants were more likely to report negative symptoms than their peers both pre-election and at 4-months post-election. While preliminary, the results indicate that feelings of stress, anxiety, and fear have persisted in the months following the election, particularly for young women. Additional research is needed to examine the long-term effects of political events on the emotional and physical health of youth.
A preliminary study of human model head and neck response to frontal loading in nontraditional occupant seating configurations.

Objective: Computational human body models (HBMs) are nominally omnidirectional surrogates given their structural basis in human anatomy. As a result, such models are well suited for studies relate...
First Experimental Test of the Siberian Snake Concept

I am reporting here on work performed in collaboration with A. D. Krisch, R. S. Raymond, J. A. Stewart, and B. Vuaridel of the University of Michigan; M.G. Minty, T.J.P. Ellison, J.E. Goodwin, P.V. Pancella, T. Rinckel, M.A. Ross, F. Sperison, B. von Przewoski of the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility; and E.D. Courant, S.Y. Lee, L.G. Ratner of Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Associations of Demographic Factors and Tobacco Use With Progesterone and Estradiol During Pregnancy.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association of biochemically validated prenatal tobacco use with serum progesterone and estradiol in the second trimester of pregnancy, controlling for demographic and pers...
Tag-Team Genetics of Spinocerebellar Ataxia 6

In this issue of Neuron, Du et al. (2019) demonstrate that the bicistronic CACNA1A gene encodes a transcription factor α1ACT, mutations in which are associated with SCA6, that controls expression of genes important for cerebellar Purkinje cell development and excitability. Reduction of α1ACT in the adult is well tolerated, suggesting a potential new therapy for SCA6.
Fog Infrastructure and Service Management

Fog computing is emerging as complementary to cloud computing to realize deployment of large widely dispersed IoT devices, users, and corresponding applications. Management of resources and services is critical in widely dispersed fog environment with heterogeneous fog nodes to ensure its optimal utilization. Towards efficient management of fog, we proposed the Hierarchical and Autonomous Fog Architecture (HAFA) to organize heterogeneous fog nodes into a multi-layered connected hierarchy based on several parameters such as physical location, distance from IoT devices and/or users, node resource configuration, privacy and security. Simulations demonstrated the ease of search for an optimal fog node with required resource configuration towards deployment of application services. We have proposed a novel network-aware service pricing approach for Fog Infrastructure as a Service (FIaaS) environments. We are working on service management approaches to cater to the specific needs of fog environments.
Analysis and countermeasures of 182 nursing adverse events

Objective To analyze the causes of adverse events in nursing and provide the evidence for patient safety control and risk management.Method Investigation and analysis of 182 nursing adverse events that reported in our hospital from January 2008 to June 2009. Results The causes of adverse events in nursing could be divided into three categories. Of all the causes. failure to implement the nursing core system was the most common one, which accounted for 52.2%. the safety control problem accounted for 25.7% and the logistic problem accounted for 21.9%. Conclusion To further promote quality of nursing care and ensure patient safety, it should strengthen the safety awareness of nursing staff and implementation of the nursing core system, improve the situation of shortage of nursing human resources, inspect and maintain equipment regularly to ensure it was in good condition. Key words: Nursing care; Adverse event
Research on Automatic Extraction Technology of Power Transmission Tower Based on SAR Image and Deep Learning Technology

In recent years, extreme weather events such as heavy snowfall and floods have occurred frequently, posing great challenges to the safe operation of transmission lines. In order to quickly assess the disaster situation of the transmission tower, it is necessary to use the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology to quick survey the large-scale transmission line conditions, and to locate and identify hidden dangers of large-scale transmission towers. At present, for the identification of electric towers in high-resolution SAR images in complex background, the existing target detection algorithms have shortcomings in the accuracy and efficiency of electric tower identification. To this end, this paper proposes a two-stage target detection algorithm that combines YOLO v2 and VGG model cascades with migration learning. In the Stage-1 phase, combined sliding window and non-maximum suppression algorithm, YOLO v2 is used to perform fast electric tower detection on the whole scene SAR image, and the target detection result with high recall rate is obtained. In the Stage-2 stage, the VGG classification model is used to perform secondary classification of the target and background of the target detection result in the Stage-1 stage, further eliminating false positives. The algorithm can improve the accuracy of target recognition using YOLO v2 alone, and effectively reduce the false alarm rate of the model.
Developing a decision-making framework for insect pest management: a case study using Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

Background The profitability of farming varies based on factors such as a crop's market value, input costs and occurrence of resistant pests, all capable of altering the value of pest management tactics in an integrated pest management program. We provide a framework for calculating expected yield and expected net revenue of pest management scenarios, using the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) as a case study. Foliar insecticide and host-plant resistance are effective management tactics for preventing yield loss from soybean aphid outbreaks; however, pyrethroid-resistant aphid populations pose a management challenge for farmers. We evaluated eight scenarios relevant to soybean aphid management in Iowa with varying probabilities of aphid outbreaks and insecticide-resistant aphids occurring. Results Our equation suggests that insecticide use is profitable when the probability of an aphid outbreak is ≥29%, and soybean production will become more costly with increasing probability of pyrethroid-resistant aphids. If farmers continue to use pyrethroids, they will not experience financial consequences from pyrethroid-resistant aphids until the chance of insecticide resistance is 48%. Aphid-resistant varieties provided consistent yield and offered the highest net revenue under all conditions. Conclusion This framework can be used for other crop-pest systems to evaluate the profitability of management tactics and investigate how resistance impacts revenue for farmers. Including the cost of resistance in crop budgets can help farmers and agronomic consultants comprehend these impacts and enhance decision-making to increase revenue and curb resistance development.
Electromagnetic Methodology to Optimize Antenna Isolation in Complex Environments

Electronic devices possess very complex environment with many RF and electronic components. Although full-wave simulations are accurate to model the coupling mechanisms in the device, it can be very time-consuming to optimize the antenna designs for high isolation requirements. In this paper, the closed-form formula of coupling between antennas is combined with minimum number of full-wave simulations to provide a very fast and efficient approach to optimize antenna positions and orientations. The proposed approach is applied to an example where two 2.4GHz antennas are to be mounted in a complex environment. The proposed method can predict the antenna isolations with a reasonable amount of accuracy.
Penetrating Abdominal Trauma

A. Primary Surgery. As with any trauma, the management of penetrating abdominal trauma begins with the primary survey and the ABCs (Airway, Breathing, and Circulation). After the patient’s airway is controlled, two large-bore peripheral intravenous lines should be placed (18 gauge or larger) and fluid resuscitation begun immediately. If the patient remains unstable after 2 L of crystalloid, blood should be administered. If cross-matched blood is not readily available, type O blood (Rh negative for female patients of childbearing age) or typespecific blood may be safely transfused. A quick assessment of any immediately life-threatening injuries should be undertaken and the patient should be disrobed.
Sensitivity of inverse estimation of 2004 elemental carbon emissions inventory in the United States to the choice of observational networks

[1] Choice of observational networks for inverse re-estimation of elemental carbon (EC) emissions in the United States impacts results. We convert the Thermal Optical Transmittance (TOT) EC measurements to the Thermal Optical Reflectance (TOR) equivalents to make full utilization of available networks in inverse modeling of EC using regional air quality model. Results show that using the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network gives significantly lower emissions estimate compared to using the Speciation Trends Network (STN) and other networks or using all available networks together. The re-estimate obtained by using IMPROVE sites alone made overall model performance worse compared to the bottom-up estimate of EC emissions, while both re-estimates, using STN (and others) sites and using all sites together, significantly improved the performance, showing higher robustness. Further analysis suggests that site density with respect to geographical location (downwind of source) impacts the robustness of a network's inverse re-estimate.
Analytic perturbation theory

The theory of analytic perturbation is historically the first subject discussed in perturbation theory. It is mainly concerned with the behavior of isolated eigenvalues and eigenvectors (or eigenprojections) of an operator depending on a parameter holomorphically.
Low-Temperature Materials Properties

Before delving into the fluids and processes associated with helium cryogenics, it is important to first have a working knowledge of the relevant properties of other materials at low temperatures. This knowledge is valuable in part because materials have behavior that must be taken into account when considering the problems of refrigeration, heat transfer, or storage of low temperature helium. In addition as seen in subsequent chapters, many of the properties of helium are understood in terms of physical models that were primarily developed to treat the properties of different materials at low temperatures.
Assessing the latitudinal gradient in herbivory

Plant–herbivore interactions occur in all ecosystems and provide a major avenue for energy flow to higher trophic levels. A long-standing hypothesis to explain the latitudinal gradient in species diversity proposes that the relatively stable and frost-free climate of the tropics should lead to more intense biotic interactions in tropical compared with temperate environments, giving rise to a greater diversity of plants and herbivores. Herbivory rates have been compared across latitudes to test this biotic interactions hypothesis, with herbivory typically being measured from observable leaf damage. However, we argue that a measure of percentage leaf damage alone does not straightforwardly reflect the cost of herbivory to the plant, and on its own does not constitute an appropriate test of the biotic interactions hypothesis. For a given amount of herbivory, the impact of herbivory is dependent upon many factors, such as the construction cost of the leaf, the growth and replacement rates and leaf life span. We investigate the latitudinal gradient in herbivory by analysing a large dataset of herbivory rates for 452 tree species and separating the species into those with short and long leaf life spans. We show that annual herbivory rates tend to be greater at lower latitudes for evergreen species (which have long-lived leaves), but no trend in herbivory rate with latitude was found for species with short leaf life spans. Phylogenetic least squares regression assuming Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes also showed a negative effect of latitude on herbivory rate for evergreen trees, but we caution that viewing herbivory as a species trait is problematic. An integrative approach that incorporates leaf life span, as well as the costs of investment in growth and potential costs of losing leaf tissue, is needed to further our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of herbivory.
Cost competitive PI-SI co-design for DDR interfaces

The total DDR on-die AC power delivery noise can be decomposed into high pass filtered (HPF) Vppa and low pass filtered (LPF) Vppb. PI-SI co-simulation reveals that Vppa impacts timing (eye width) and Vppb impacts signal voltage amplitude (eye height), and they need to be budgeted in different manner. Consequently the Power Delivery Network (PDN) is optimized with significant Cpkg and Cdie reduction for a small form factor while maintaining the reliable SI performance, which is demonstrated with a DDR interface and correlated with lab measured data on a particular SoC platform.
MR‐acoustic radiation force imaging (MR‐ARFI) and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) to visualize calcifications in ex vivo swine brain

Purpose To present the use of MR-acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI) and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) to visualize calcifications in ex vivo brain tissue as a planning indicator for MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS). Materials and Methods Calcifications were implanted in ex vivo swine brain and imaged using SWI, MR-ARFI, and computed tomography (CT). SWI-filtered phase images used 3D gradient recalled echo (GRE) images with a Fourier-based unwrapping algorithm. The MR-ARFI pulse sequence used a 2DFT spin-echo with repeated bipolar encoding gradients in the direction of the longitudinal ultrasound beam. MR-ARFI interrogations scanned a subregion (14 × 10 × 12 mm) of the brain surrounding the calcification. They were combined into a single displacement weighted map, using the sum of squares method. Calcification size estimates were based on image profiles plotted along the ±x and ±z direction, at the full-width half-maximum. Results Both MR-ARFI and SWI were able to visualize the calcifications. The contrast ratio was 150 for CT, 12 for SWI, and 12 for MR-ARFI. Profile measures were 1.35 × 1.28 mm on CT, 1.24 × 1.73 mm on SWI, and 2.45 × 3.02 mm on MR-ARFI. MR-ARFI displacement showed a linear increase with acoustic power (20–80W), and also increased with calcification size. Conclusion The use of SWI-filtered phase and MR-ARFI have the potential to provide a clinical indicator of calcification relevance in the planning of a transcranial MRgFUS treatment. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;39:1294–1300. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Distributed collaborative adaptive sensing for hazardous weather detection, tracking, and predicting

A new data-driven approach to atmospheric sensing and detecting/predicting hazardous atmospheric phenomena is presented. Dense networks of small high-resolution radars are deployed with sufficient density to spatially resolve tornadoes and other dangerous storm events and overcome the earth curvature-induced blockage that limits today’s ground-radar networks. A distributed computation infrastructure manages both the scanning of the radar beams and the flow of data processing by dynamically optimizing system resources in response to multiple, conflicting end-user needs. In this paper, we provide a high-level overview of a system architecture embodying this new approach towards sensing, detection and prediction. We describe the system’s data rates, and overview various modes in which the system can operate.
Characterization of the alterations in the differentiation potential of porcine mesenchymal stem cell caused by neonatal dietary calcium nutrition (819.2)

Neonatal Ca nutrition affects bone development and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) activity; however, its effect on MSC differentiation potential has not been well characterized. We assessed the differentiation potential of both the heterogenous MSC population as well as the individual clones isolated from neonatal pigs (n=5) fed either a Ca deficient, adequate, or excessive diet. The most and least osteogenic (O+/O-) and the most and least adipogenic (A+/A-) clones were selected from each pig by functional staining. The MSC from Ca deficient pigs had reduced osteogenic potential and enhanced adipogenic potential based on functional staining and the gene expression of osteocalcin (OC), PPARG, and AP2 compared with MSC from Ca adequate pigs. Interestingly, MSC from pigs receiving excess Ca also had increased adipogenic potential. Evaluation of clonal isolates indicated that the O+ clones from Ca deficient pigs had reduced OC expression (P < 0.05), and O- clones from the Ca excess pigs had increased gene expres...
Habitat structure: A fundamental concept and framework for urban soil ecology

Habitat structure is defined as the composition and arrangement of physical matter at a location. Although habitat structure is the physical template underlying ecological patterns and processes, the concept is relatively unappreciated and underdeveloped in ecology. However, it provides a fundamental concept for urban ecology because human activities in urban ecosystems are often targeted toward management of habitat structure. In addition, the concept emphasizes the fine-scale, on-the-ground perspective needed in the study of urban soil ecology. To illustrate this, urban soil ecology research is summarized from the perspective of habitat structure effects. Among the key conclusions emerging from the literature review are: (1) habitat structure provides a unifying theme for multivariate research about urban soil ecology; (2) heterogeneous urban habitat structures influence soil ecological variables in different ways; (3) more research is needed to understand relationships among sociological variables, habitat structure patterns and urban soil ecology. To stimulate urban soil ecology research, a conceptual framework is presented to show the direct and indirect relationships among habitat structure and ecological variables. Because habitat structure serves as a physical link between sociocultural and ecological systems, it can be used as a focus for interdisciplinary and applied research (e.g., pest management) about the multiple, interactive effects of urbanization on the ecology of soils.
“The Harvard of the Religious Right”: Regent University Turns Thirty

Regent University began in 1978 as a graduate school in communication founded by Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network. It has since grown to 5,300 residential and distance education students in 8 school divisions. This study examines events that led to the founding of Regent and its development as a Christian institution of higher education. It incorporates the use of historical narrative methodologies and organizational life cycles. Primary sources came through extensive interviews conducted with 18 current and former senior Regent faculty and administrators.
Induction of a Chronic Disease State in Patients With Smoldering or Indolent Multiple Myeloma by Targeting Interleukin 1β-Induced Interleukin 6 Production and the Myeloma Proliferative Component

OBJECTIVE To conduct in vitro studies as well as a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with smoldering or indolent multiple myeloma to determine if interleukin 1 (IL-1) inhibitors can delay or prevent active myeloma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Stromal cells were cocultured with IL-1β-expressing myeloma cells in the presence of dexamethasone, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), or both. Levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and of apoptosis were also quantified. Between November 19, 2002, and May 24, 2007, 47 patients were enrolled in the study and subsequently treated with IL-1Ra. In 25 (53%) of the 47 study patients, low-dose dexamethasone (20 mg/wk) was added. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS In vitro, IL-1Ra was superior to dexamethasone at inhibiting IL-6 production; maximal IL-6 inhibition and apoptosis induction were achieved by addition of both IL-1Ra and dexamethasone. In the clinical trial, 3 patients achieved a minor response to IL-1Ra alone; 5 patients achieved a partial response and 4 patients a minor response after addition of dexamethasone. Seven patients showed a decrease in the plasma cell labeling index that paralleled a decrease in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. The median overall PFS was 37.5 months. The median PFS for patients without (n=12) or with (n=35) a greater than 15% decrease in 6-month vs baseline hs-CRP levels was 6 months and more than 3 years, respectively ( P =.002). Disease stability was maintained in 8 patients who received therapy for more than 4 years. CONCLUSION In patients with smoldering or indolent multiple myeloma who were at risk of progression to active myeloma, treatment with IL-1 inhibitors decreased the myeloma proliferative rate and hs-CRP levels in those who responded, leading to a chronic disease state and an improved PFS. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00635154
Sensitization of human breast cancer cells to gemcitabine by the protein kinase C modulator bryostatin 1.

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays an important role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The interaction between the PKC modulator bryostatin 1 (BRYO), and gemcitabine in human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and in the non-transformed MCF-10A human breast epithelial cells was investigated. Immunoblotting was used to determine the expression of PKC isoenzymes and proteins involved in the cell cycle and apoptosis. MTT, ELISA and flow cytometry assays were used to determine cell survival. Treatment of cells with BRYO 200 nM resulted in a significant downregulation of cytoplasmic PKC in all three cell lines. However, the expression of membranous PKC was differentially affected in these cells. BRYO (1–200 nM) had no significant effects on cell viability in any of the cell lines. Nevertheless, BRYO significantly enhanced the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of gemcitabine in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, but not in the MCF-10A cells. This was associated with significant reduction in the bcl-2/bax ratio. There was a significant upregulation of p53, p21waf1, and p27 in MCF7 and MCF-10A cells treated with the combination of gemcitabine and BRYO compared to gemcitabine-treated cells. The potentiation of the effect of gemcitabine by BRYO was demonstrated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and was associated with a specific pattern of PKC modulation. Further investigation of the role of specific isoforms of PKC in the downstream molecular events of gemcitabine-induced cytotoxicity is warranted.
A model for the mixing among the 70 baryon states based on exchange degeneracy

Abstract A model for the mixing between the 1 d , 8 d , 8 q , and 10 d states with J P = 3 2 − in the SU(6) 70, L = 1 supermultiplet based on exchange degeneracy conditions of the pseudoscalar meson-baryon scattering is discussed.
The expressive theory of stacks

The usual theory of stacks is not expressive in the sense of Cook; that is, loop invariants needed to prove programs that use stacks cannot be stated in the logic. We first prove this assertion, then suggest ways of augmenting theories with new operators so as to achieve expressiveness. The main technique is to regard data types as function spaces. The technique is applied to stacks as well as to other data types.
Drawing a Poverty Line for Government Services: An Initial Attempt

NCREASED national concern with poverty has resulted in many special programs to aid areas and groups with a high incidence of poverty. It appears, however, that in our haste to attack this problem we have focused on only a portion of its scope. Consequently, we may have less than complete success in eliminating poverty. Specifically, the nation has accepted a definition of poverty which is too narrow. Our present definition was devised by determining the income necessary to provide a family command over a minimum adequate amount of privately produced goods and services. This definition has at least two major failings. First, no allowance is made for building a stock of assets to be used in old age. That is, no provision is made for insuring command over the same minimum adequate amount of goods and services after retirement.
Evaluation of Ball-Bearing Performance in Liquid Hydrogen at DN Values to 1.6 Million

Experimental data were obtained in liquid hydrogen (−423 F) on two series of 40-mm-bore ball bearings utilizing various retainer materials. Effects of diametral clearance and retainer material on limiting DN value (product of bearing bore in mm and shaft speed in rpm) were investigated at thrust loads to 500 lb and at speeds to 41,200 rpm. An analysis was made to determine the effect of ball size and race curvatures on the heat generated in bearings of both series as a result of ball spin. The results, supported experimentally, indicate that higher limiting DN values at a specific thrust load could be obtained with an extremely light series (1908) bearing with open-race curvatures than with a light series (108) bearing. Successful operation to a DN value of 1.6 million was obtained with 1908 bearings (at 110 lb thrust load) using two different retainer materials. The glass-fiber-filled PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) retainer exhibited much less wear than the MoS2-filled phenolic retainer at these test con...
Glass–Crystal Transition in II‐IV‐V2 Semiconducting Compounds

The crystallization behavior of amorphous CdGexAs2, where the x values were varied from 0 to 1.2, was studied in order to document the effect of germanium on the amorphous structure. The glass-forming tendency of amorphous CdGexAs2 was evaluated by Hruby's criterion. The crystallization mechanism of each group was proposed, interpreting DSC, XRD, EDS, and TEM data, interactively. The crystallization behavior appeared as two distinct groups: those based on the CdAs2 structure and those on the CdGeAs2 structure (chalcopyrite), depending on Ge content. Ge atoms were found to suppress a glass-to-glass exothermic transformation to higher temperatures in the CdAs2 group, and crystallization in both groups. Proposed models of amorphous structure from previous investigators, measuring the radial distribution function, magnetic susceptibility, and macroscopic density, were correlated to the crystallization studies herein. A model of the transformation of glass structure with increasing Ge content from a CdAs2 to a CdGeAs2-like structure was established by extrapolation of experimental results indicating this behavior in crystalline CdGexAs2 compounds with varying x.
The restoration of DPNH oxidase activity by coenzyme Q (ubiquinone)

Abstract Coenzyme Q (ubiquinone) can be efficiently removed from lyophilized mitochondria by extraction with pentane. The extracted mitochondria oxidize neither DPNH nor succinate. Both oxidative activities can be specifically restored, however, by addition of coenzyme Q10, in the presence of added mitochondrial phospholipids and cytochrome c. The restored DPNH-oxidase activity is fully sensitive to the classical respiratory chain inhibitors, rotenone, antimycin A, and KCN.
Change in Coordination Across Phases of Psychotherapy and Outcome: Two Mechanisms for the Role Played by Patients' Contribution to the Alliance

This article investigated the mechanisms underlying associations between patients' contribution to the alliance and outcome by examining relations between change in the alliance over the course of treatment and improvement in Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (STDP) and Brief Adaptive Psychotherapy (BAP). Findings for STDP were consistent with 1 model about the role played by the alliance, according to which change in the alliance over the course of therapy is the vehicle for overall improvement. Results for BAP were consistent with the other main position proposed in the literature, which argues that a positive alliance provides the foundation for successful treatment. Discussion includes suggesting that it might prove useful in future research to group therapy approaches in terms of these 2 models and that this idea may explain 2 apparently contradictory sets of findings from previous studies on relations between change in the alliance and outcome.
Variations in coital and noncoital sexual repertoire among adolescent women.

Abstract Purpose Little is known about factors associated with the day-to-day selection and orchestration of sexual repertoire among adolescent women. Analyzing differences in adolescent women's sexual activity may augment both the clinical and behavioral understanding of sexuality development and sexual decision making, and may yield important points to enhance existing programs for prevention of sexually transmitted infection or pregnancy. Methods Adolescent women ( N = 387, aged 14–17 years at enrollment) were recruited from primary care adolescent clinics serving primarily lower- and middle-income patients. Data were taken from daily sexual diaries. A four-category outcome variable, using generalized estimating equation multinomial logistic regression assessed the likelihood of specific sexual behaviors on a given day: none (abstinence), non–coital-only, coital-only, and dual noncoital/coitus. Separate models were analyzed for fellatio, cunnilingus, and anal sex. Predictor variables included age, menstrual bleeding, alcohol or marijuana use, positive or negative mood, recent coitus, recent noncoital sexual activity, partner support or negativity, sexual interest, feeling in love, time of the week, and same-day noncoital behaviors. Coital-only sexual behavior was used as the reference category. Results Among adolescent women, abstinence is prevalent on the majority of days. When sexual activity does occur, coital-only activity is most common; however, noncoital behaviors alone and/or in tandem with coitus are not rare. Conclusions Differing associations of intrapersonal, partner and situational variables with specific types of day-to-day sexual activity underscores a complex sexual repertoire which may be insufficiently examined with a simple focus on coital risk.
Mastitis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): the calm before the storm?

Abstract Background: Post-partum mastitis is a common infection in breastfeeding women, with an incidence of 9.5–16% in recent literature. Over the past decade, community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a significant pathogen in soft-tissue infections presenting to the emergency department. The incidence of mastitis caused by MRSA is unknown at this time, but likely increasing. Objectives: We review the data on prevention and treatment of mastitis and address recent literature demonstrating increases in MRSA infections in the post-partum population and how we should change our practices in light of this emerging pathogen. Case Report: We present a case of simple mastitis in a health care worker who failed to improve until treated with antibiotics appropriate for a MRSA infection. Conclusion: Recent evidence suggests that just as MRSA has become the prominent pathogen in other soft-tissue infections, mastitis is now increasingly caused by this pathogen. Physicians caring for patients with mastitis need to be aware of this bacteriologic shift to treat appropriately.
H-Cluster assembly during maturation of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase

The organometallic H-cluster at the active site of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase serves as the site of reversible binding and reduction of protons to produce H2. The H-cluster is unique in biology, and consists of a 2Fe subcluster tethered to a typical [4Fe–4S] cluster by a single cysteine ligand. The remaining ligands to the 2Fe subcluster include three carbon monoxides, two cyanides, and a dithiomethylamine. This mini-review will focus on the significant advances in recent years in understanding the pathway for H-cluster biosynthesis, as well as the structures, roles, and mechanisms of the three enzymes directly involved.
Stability relations of Mn–Fe–Al piemontite

Comparison of the stability relations of Fe-piemontite, Pm17Ps17Cz66 (Ca2Al2Mn0.5 Fe0.5Si3O12(OH)), with similar experimentally determined results on Pm33Cz67 suggests that, at moderate fo2, addition of Fe to piemontite raises its thermal stability and slightly decreases its sensitivity to oxygen fugacity. Reversal study of the reaction: Fe-piemontite + quartz = garnet (Gr33Sp27And40) + anorthite + fluid at Pfluid= 2 kbar in cold-seal apparatus using solid oxygen buffers was completed. The data indicated breakdown of Pm17Ps17Cz66 at 645°± 10° C along the Cu2O–CuO buffer, 477°± 10° C along the Cu–Cu2O buffer, and 365°± 10° C for the hematite-magnetite buffer. Mn-free clinozoisite and epidote have been shown to be stable to much higher temperatures than piemontite at moderate fo2 (< Cu–Cu2O). At very high fo2, however, the presence of Mn+3 in a distorted octahedral site may permit persistence of piemontite to higher temperatures than Mn-poor epidote minerals. The compositional range of natural Fe–Mn–Al piemontites supports these results. Cation partitioning from piemontite-bearing parageneses also indicates crystallization at high fo2, but application of the cited results should be made with caution. Synthetic phases were too fine-grained for optical or microprobe analysis, and reaction was often incomplete. The assumption that all Fe + Mn was contained in piemontite and garnet, respectively, in the low- and high-temperature assemblages is supported by the cell dimensions for these synthetic minerals, which are close to predicted values. The reaction is pseudo-univariant, as solid solution in garnet and piemontite would be fo2-dependent in a more complex chemical system. Although bulk rock and fluid compositions may also have a marked effect on the stability of natural epidote–piemontite, fo2 is the major control on Fe : Mn : Al in epidote minerals.
Metabolic dysfunction in obese Hispanic women with polycystic ovary syndrome

This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Human Reproduction following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version of Sam, S., Scoccia, B., Yalamanchi, S. and Mazzone, T. Metabolic dysfunction in obese Hispanic women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Article is available in: Human Reproduction. 2015. 30(6): 1358-1364. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev073.
Image watermarking in the autocorrelation domain

Local autocorrelation function is a well-known transform used for representing the transient information in a signal. In this paper, we adapt this transform to the image watermarking problem and offer a new framework for joint spatial-spectral watermarking. The local autocorrelation function is computed for selected pixels from the image and the watermark is embedded in this new transform domain. A semi-blind watermark extraction algorithm is proposed and the performance is quantified by deriving the probability of error. The robustness of the proposed watermarking algorithm is also tested under different attacks.
Cognitive Modulation of Time‐Dependent Primary Bradycardia

In one experiment, 60 male college students counted silently the number of rarely presented tones embedded in a sequence of “standard” tones. The tones differed by 50 Hz. Both rare and standard tones produced a primary bradycardia which exhibited time-dependency: Stimuli which happened to fall relatively early in the cardiac cycle prolonged the duration of that very cycle more than late-occurring stimuli. The latter slowed the subsequent cardiac cycle. These effects are identical qualitatively with those found in acute animal experiments upon direct electrical stimulation of the vagus, and they verified and extended results from previous experiments with human subjects in response to other sensorimotor events. The effects of expectancy, evaluated by serial positional effects on the magnitude and slope of time-dependent cardiac slowing, were different for standard and for rare tones. Comparisons with P300, the late positive component of the average evoked potential, suggest that while P300 is most strongly associated with poststimulus decisional processes, primary bradycardia and its time-dependent aspects reflect both early stimulus registration and later decision making. The results suggest limbic and neocortical modulation of primary bradycardia. In a second experiment with 20 male college students, in which tones were presented at experimentally controlled times within the cardiac cycle, the basic effects obtained with post hoc separation of tones into relative cycle time of occurrence were verified.
Predictors of relapse among smokers: Transtheoretical effort variables, demographics, and smoking severity

The present longitudinal study investigates baseline assessments of static and dynamic variables, including demographic characteristics, smoking severity, and Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM) effort variables (Decisional Balance (i.e. Pros and Cons), Situational Temptations, and Processes of Change) of relapse among individuals who were abstinent at 12months. The study sample (N=521) was derived from an integrated dataset of four population-based smoking cessation interventions. Several key findings included: Participants who were aged 25-44 and 45-64 (OR=.43, p=.01 and OR=.40, p=.01, respectively) compared to being aged 18-24 were less likely to relapse at follow-up. Participants in the control group were more than twice as likely to relapse (OR=2.17, p=.00) at follow-up compared to participants in the treatment group. Participants who reported higher Habit Strength scores were more likely to relapse (OR=1.05, p=.02). Participants who had higher scores of Reinforcement Management (OR=1.05, p=.04) and Self-Reevaluation (OR=1.08, p=.01) were more likely to relapse. Findings add to one assumption that relapsers tend to relapse not solely due to smoking addiction severity, but due to immediate precursor factors such as emotional distress. One approach would be to provide additional expert guidance on how smokers can manage stress effectively when they enroll in treatment at any stage of change.