cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ontogeny of β-adrenergic desensitization in rabbit tracheal smooth muscle

Prolonged or repeated exposure to β-agonist medications may result in a desensitization of the agonist-mediated response. Under certain conditions, such agonist-induced desensitization may limit the efficacy of administered β-adrenergic agonists to elicit bronchodilation. Accordingly, the present study was designed to study the mechanisms of acute β-adrenergic desensitization in maturing rabbit tracheal smooth muscle (TSM). Isometric tension was measured in tracheal ring segments isolated from newborn and mature rabbits and half-maximally contracted with Methacholine (Meth) or KCl. TSM segments were serially relaxed with repetitive single doses of isoproterenol (ISO: 0.1, 1.0, 10, or 100 μM) or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2: 0.1 or 10 μM). Serial administration of ISO-elicited dose-dependent desensitization of relaxation in mature and newborn TSM, contracted with either Meth or KCl. In contrast, the relaxant response to PGE2 was retained in the ISO-desensitized tissue. Repeated administration of PGE2 elicited no desensitization of PGE2 responsiveness, but did induce some dose-dependent desensitization of the ISO response in mature TSM. Compared to mature tissues, newborn TSM developed subtotal desensitization to 100 μM ISO and no ISO desensitization in response to PGE2. Thus, these findings demonstrate that (1) β-adrenoceptor responsiveness undergoes dose-dependent homologous and, to a lesser extent, heterologous desensitization in rabbit TSM; and (2) both β-adrenergic desensitization mechanisms increase with postnatal maturation. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1996; 22:255–262. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
MIDDLE-CLASS MOTHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF PEER AND SIBLING VICTIMIZATION AMONG CHILDREN WITH ASPERGER'S SYNDROME AND NONVERBAL LEARNING DISORDERS

This article describes the yearly prevalence and frequency of peer and sibling victimization as reported by a large national sample of middle-class mothers of children with Asperger's syndrome and nonverbal learning disorders. An anonymous, mailed survey was sent to families solicited from two national Internet sites for parents of children with Asperger's and nonverbal learning disorders using the Comprehensive Juvenile Victimization scale and three questions designed to measure peer shunning. The overall prevalence rate reported by mothers of peer victimization was 94%. Mothers reported that almost three-quarters of their children had been hit by peers or siblings in the past year and 75% had been emotionally bullied. On the more severe end of peer victimization, 10% of the children were attacked by a gang in the past year and 15% were victims of nonsexual assaults to the genitals. Peer shunning also was common. A third of the children had not been invited to a single birthday party in the past year, and many were eating alone at lunch or were picked last for teams. Peer shunning was significantly correlated with peer bullying and assault. The high rates of peer shunning and peer victimization reported suggest that children with Asperger's and nonverbal learning disorders may require further scrutiny and attention concerning their victimization experiences by peers and siblings. Implications for nursing professionals are reviewed.
The effect of laser polishing on fretting wear between a hemisphere and a flat plate

Fretting wear between a hemisphere and a flat plate is investigated experimentally and the effect of laser polishing is studied. The energy dissipated between the hemisphere and the flat plate is determined as a function of operating conditions such as frequency and normal load and material properties such as surface roughness, and related to the wear observed at the sliding interface. Abrasive, adhesive and tribo-chemical wear are formed on the hemisphere and flat plate. No significant difference in wear production between a laser polished and a regular stainless steel hemisphere was observed.
An analysis of common arguments against Advance Directives

Advance Directives are under-utilized, both from the fact that few Americans have them and that health professionals don't always rely on Advance Directives provided by patients. Many health professionals have philosophical objections to their use. Using a fictitious case as background, five different objections to the use of Advance Directives will be discussed and arguments against those objections will be posed along with suggestions to improve Advance Directives.
Promotion of Breast Self-Exam Behavior: An Attempt to Modify Health Beliefs:

The aim of this project was to alter health beliefs to promote the regular practice of breast self-examination (BSE). A total of fifty-seven female university students ranging in age from nineteen to forty-four were selected to participate. Experimental subjects viewed a videotaped message designed to educate them about breast cancer and BSE. Control subjects viewed a presentation about preventive health behaviors other than BSE. The no-treatment control subjects received no behavioral intervention. All subjects completed a pretest and posttest measure of health beliefs. Follow-up data obtained included BSE reports each month for a six-month period for experimental and control subjects. The overall rate of BSE for both the experimental and control subjects increased at the outset of the experiment and declined during the course of the project. The present investigation appeared to be as successful as other interventions attempting to encourage the regular practice of BSE.
The 1985 Ruiz Volcano disaster

Nevado del Ruiz, northernmost active volcano in the Andes, erupted on November 13, 1985, triggering lahars that killed at least 22,000 persons and destroyed more than $212 million in property. The eruption culminated a year of precursory earthquake and fumarolic activity that began in November 1984 and intensified in September 1985 with the start of phreatic eruption. Colombian and other international scientists, concerned that Ruiz might be building to a large eruption, initiated monitoring of Ruiz volcano on July 20, and in October completed hazard and risk assessments that correctly anticipated the disastrous effects of November 13. Although relatively small, the paroxysmal eruption at 9:08 P.M. produced pyroclastic flows and surges that scoured and melted part of the summit ice cap, generating lahars that swept down river valleys on the east, north, and west flanks of the volcano. A volcano observatory has been established in Manizales, Colombia, to monitor Ruiz's continuing activity.
An explanation for the anomalous ultrasonic slow wave in underwater sand

An explanation is given for the propagation time of the well-known anomalous ultrasonic slow wave observed in water-saturated sand using a three-layer elastic model. The rapid increase of elastic properties of sand with depth causes conversion of near-grazing underwater acoustic waves into multiple coupled shear and compressional waves.
Changes in the properties of a montmorillonite-water system during the adsorption and desorption of water: hysteresis.

Samples of Na-saturated, Upton montmorillonite were prepared with different contents of water (H20 or D20) by: (1) adsorption of water from the vapor phase at a specific value of p/p*, the relative humidity, (2) adsorption of water from the vapor phase at p/p* = 1.0 followed by desorption of the water into the vapor phase at a specific p/p* < 1.0, and (3) adsorption of water from the liquid phase followed by desorption of the water into the vapor phase at a specific p/p* < 1.0. Water adsorbed initially from the vapor phase was called V-adsorbed water, and water adsorbed initially from the liquid phase was called L-adsorbed water. The water contents of these samples were determined by gravimetric analysis, the c-axis spacings by X-ray powder diffraction, the O-D stretching frequencies by IR spectroscopy, and the heats of immersion by differential microcalorimetry. No difference was found between V-adsorbed and L-adsorbed water; however, if the final water content was established by adsorption, the system was in a different state than if the final water content was established by desorption. In particular, hysteresis was observed in the following properties: the relative humidity of the adsorbed water, the O-D stretching frequency in this water, and the degree of order in the stacking of the clay layers. The only property that did not exhibit hysteresis was the heat of immersion. Apparently, hysteresis occurred because the order- liness of the system was not reversible, and, thus, any property that depended on orderliness was hysteretic.
Microhabitat Selection by Northern Cricket Frogs (Acris crepitans) along a West-Central Missouri Creek: Field and Experimental Observations

Abstract We studied microhabitat use and selection by Northern Cricket Frogs (Acris crepitans) along a stream in west-central Missouri. Field observations of microhabitat use indicate that cricket frogs preferentially use moist (muddy) substrates with some proximity to shelter items (e.g., rocks) and the water. Laboratory choice experiments support the importance of substrate moisture and shelter presence. Temperature may also play a role in site selection independent of substrate selection.
Population Differences in Effects of Fish on Physa integra Refuge Use

Abstract Prey populations exposed to different sets of predators often adopt distinct antipredator behaviors. We investigated the refuge use of a freshwater pulmonate snail, Physa integra, in the presence and absence of fish predators. Over 80% of snails in sites with fish used refuge, while only 50% used refuge in sites without fish. Snails in sites with fish were also significantly smaller than snails in sites without fish. In a laboratory experiment, the presence of fish did not alter the habitat use of snails collected from a no-fish site, whereas snails collected from a site with fish used refuge when exposed to predation risk. These results support the hypothesis that P. integra exhibit local behavioral adaptations to their predator regime.
Reducing underage drinking through comprehensive community interventions: The strategic prevention framework

CPP consisted of 20min conditioning sessions with the drug in the morning and saline in the afternoon for three days and a 20min test session on the fourth day after saline. Results: Both doses of morphine and 10 mol/kg M6G induced significant CPP. Morphine and M6G increased cFos, CamKII, pCamKII and -actin in both striatal areas after the acute and CPP treatments, especially in the animals subjected to the CPP. In the hippocampus, an increase in theseproteinswasdetectedonly in the animals exposed to the CPP. Decreases in pCamKII were observed after the repeated treatment in the three areas. Conclusions: The results show that opioids preferentially stimulate striatal neurons after both the acute andCPP treatment.When the opioid administration is coupled to a learning paradigm like CPP, the hippocampus is also recruited. The changes in CamKII and -actin are likely connected to activation of neuronal processes involved in synaptic plasticity in these areas. The decrease in pCamKII after the repeated treatment can be related to negative cognitive effects of chronic opioids. Financial support: Norwegian Research Council 196621/V50.
Nucleoside Deaminases for Cytidine and Adenosine: Comparison with Deaminases Acting on RNA

This chapter reviews the structure of Escherichia coli cytidine deaminase and implications for evolutionary relationships between members of the cytidine deaminase superfamily. It then summarizes details of the E. coli cytidine deaminase (ECCDA) reaction mechanism, with particular reference to the role of conserved residues and aspects of substrate specificity relating to the nucleoside modifying and editing enzymes. The chapter concludes with a discussion of models for RNA editing deaminases derived from sequence homologies and structural studies. APOBEC-1, the sole representative of what will likely be a family of editing cytidine deaminases acting on RNA substrates, shares this signature and, is outlined in detail, it likely has significant tertiary and quaternary homology to the E. coli cytidine deaminase, ECCDA. An attempt has been made to rationalize the naming of editing adenosine deaminases, calling them adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs). Conversion of cytidine to uridine involves two successive steps: hydration of the 3-4 double bond, and subsequent elimination of the leaving ammonia molecule with formation of the keto tautomer of the pyrimidine. A broad, representative sample of APOBEC-1 mutants was examined by biochemical assays for homodimerization, RNA binding, and RNA editing. The X-ray structure has been determined for murine adenosine deaminase, which catalyzes deamination of adenosine to inosine. The secondary and tertiary structure motifs of the two nucleoside deaminases are completely unrelated. The outlines described in the chapter of how C-to-U and A-to-I editing occurs provide coherent hypotheses based on known structures of related enzymes.
Body Mass Index Moderates the Association between Sleep Quality and Vigilance on a Test of Inhibitory Control

Objective: Sleep problems are common among college students and related to numerous adverse outcomes including impaired cognitive performance. Obesity may confer an elevated risk of cognitive deficits with poor sleep given its relationship with poorer sleep quality and impaired cognition. Thisstudy examined whether the relationship between reduced sleep quality and poorer vigilance and inhibitory control were moderated by elevated body mass index (BMI). Method: Participants were 85 college students who completed a computerized task of inhibitory control that required vigilance (go/no-go [GNG] task) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a measure of sleep quality. Results: Poor sleep quality was observed in 63.5% of the sample and was related to more omission errors on the GNG task and increased BMI. Results further revealed that BMI moderated the relationship between sleep quality and performance on the GNG task such that individuals in the severely obese range of BMI had more omission errors with poore...
Dialogue is destiny: managing the message in humanitarian action.

During humanitarian response efforts, the mass media serves as the primary informational intermediary informing donors, policy makers, and the non-affected public. A lack of professional standards within the current culture of journalism, the politics of media ownership, and media manipulation by governments has distorted reporting on humanitarian crises, with possible detrimental effects on response efforts. Humanitarian response organizations must assume a proactive, leading role in the management and sharing of information with each other as well as with donors, policy makers, and the public. This will require working with the media as partners, as well as exploring innovative methods of mass communication. A multi-stakeholder, cooperative communication initiative could help improve media involvement, and harness the media as a credible and knowledgeable communication tool for response efforts. A professional publication dedicated to the discipline of humanitarian relief also could optimize efforts, communicate the perspectives of beneficiaries, and manage the underutilized resource of the general public. Language: en
Perennial weed populations after 14 years of variable tillage and cropping practices

Management of perennial weeds is a major concern in reduced-tillage cropping systems. Field research was conducted at Nashua, IA, from 1977 through 1990 to evaluate the long-term impacts of tillage and cropping patterns on perennial weed populations in corn and soybean production. Continuous corn and a corn/soybean rotation were conducted utilizing moldboard plow, chisel plow, ridge tillage, and no-tillage systems. The research area was free of established perennial weed species at the initiation of the experiment in 1977. Hemp dogbane was observed by 1980, with the greatest densities in no-tillage. By 1990, continuous corn had greater hemp dogbane densities with no-tillage than other tillage system by crop rotation treatments. American germander densities were not affected by tillage systems in 1980 and 1981, but by 1990, corn/soybean rotations had greater densities in moldboard plow than other tillage systems. Field bindweed developed primarily in the corn/soybean rotations with the greatest densities occurring in no-tillage. Greater and more diverse populations of perennial weeds developed in reduced-tillage systems than in the moldboard plow system. However, practices used to control annual weeds and environmental factors interacted with tillage to regulate perennial weed populations.
The Relationship of Job Satisfaction and Family Life: Female Managers in Health Care Food Service

SUMMARY This study assessed the impact work-related factors have on home and family life for female managers in health care food service. A random sample of 333 (33.0%) of the population, members of the American Dietetic Association's Management in Health Care Systems dietetic practice group, was surveyed. Work aspects with the most negative impact on quality of home life were number of hours worked per week, work schedule and job security. The employee attribute found to play a statistically significant role in predicting overall effect of job on home life was number of hours worked per week.
Field Tests with the Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus for Control of Heliothis spp. in the Southern High Plains of Texas, 1964

Field-plot tests were conducted in the southern High Plains with various dosages of the nuclear polyhedrosis Virus for control of Heliothis spp. in cotton. In general, better control was obtained with increase in virus dosage. At the rate of 100 larval equivalents per acre per application (1 LE = 6X109polyhedral inclusion bodies), the seed yield with the virus was equivalent to that secured with chemical insecticide mixtures. The predominant species in these tests was the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie). The tobacco budworm, H. virescens (F.), was not present in economic numbers. The results of these tests indicate that the nuclear polyhedrosis virus was effective in reducing the bollworm populations and increasing yields.
Reynolds Analog in Combustor Modeling

Accurate temperature prediction is vital for the development of advanced combustion systems. The Reynolds analogy concept has been almost exclusively used in current turbulent reacting flow RANS simulations. In this paper, this hypothesis applied to a diffusion flame model combustor is discussed and assessed. Some of the numerical results obtained from a flamelet combustion model with the turbulence Prandtl/Schmidt number from 0.25 to 0.85 are presented, and compared with a benchmark experimental database. It is found that the turbulence Prandtl/Schmidt number has significant effect on the predicted temperature and species fields inside the combustor, as well as the temperature profile at the combustor wall. In contrast, its effect on the velocity field is insignificant in the range assessed. With the optimized turbulence Prandtl/Schmidt number, both velocity and scalar fields can be reasonably and quantitatively predicted. For the present configuration and operating conditions, the optimal Prandtl/Schmidt number is 0.5, lower than the commonly accepted values, ∼0.70. This study suggests that for accurate prediction of scalar transfers in turbulent reacting flows, the Reynolds analogy concept should be improved and new approaches should be developed.© 2007 ASME
Study on effect of trichloroethylene to DNA methylation of TNF-α gene promoter region in human hemocyte and its expression level

Objective To analyze the correlation between the status of tumor necrosis factor-alpha( TNF-α) gene promoter methylation and its expression level in serum and to explore the effect of epigenetic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis of trichloroethylene( OMDT). Methods Whole-blood samples of normal control group,trichloroethylene exposed persons( exposure group) and patients of OMDT( case group) were all collected,with 8people in each group. The degree of TNF-α gene promoter methylation levels,serum TNF-α levels and whole DNA methylation percentage( mCpG%) in each group were detected by mehtylation-specific polymerase chain reaction,radioimmunoassay and liquid scintillation counting respectively. Results TNF-α gene promoter methylation in exposure group and case group were decreased compared with that in the control group. Serum TNF-α level in the case group was significantly higher than that of the control group [( 0. 285 ± 0. 058) vs( 0. 125 ± 0. 024) ng / L,P 0. 05],while the level in the exposure group showed no statistical significant difference when compared with those of control group and the case group respectively[( 0. 182 ±0. 051) vs( 0. 285 ±0. 058) ng/L,( 0. 182 ±0. 051) vs( 0. 125 ±0. 024) ng/L,P 0. 05]. Compared with that of the control group,mCpG% in the exposure group was reduced [( 61. 7 ± 5. 2) % vs( 79. 2 ± 4. 6) %,P 0. 05],while the exposure group showed no statistical significant difference compared with the control group and the case group respectively [( 73. 1 ± 6. 3) % vs( 79. 2 ± 4. 6) %,( 73. 1 ± 6. 3) % vs( 61. 7 ± 5. 2) %,P 0. 05]. Conclusion There is correlation between the TNF-α gene promoter low methylation status and the increase of serum TNF-α concentration in OMDT patients. It suggests that epigenetic mechanism play an important role on OMDT.
Characterization of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Before and After Midurethral Sling Revision.

Abstract Study Objective To characterize outcomes in women undergoing surgical revision of a midurethral sling and characterize factors associated with satisfaction of revision. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). Setting A urogynecology clinic at a large academic referral center. Patients Women undergoing surgical revision of synthetic mesh midurethral sling (index surgery). Interventions Chart review was performed to obtain baseline clinicodemographic information, operative notes, urodynamic parameters, and symptom-specific distress and impact questionnaire data. Eligible women were then sent follow-up questionnaires that assessed reasons for index surgery, presence of dyspareunia, symptom-specific distress and impact, and satisfaction after mesh midurethral sling surgery. Measurements and Main Results Of 144 eligible women, 69 (47.9%) responded, 15 (10.4%) declined participation or were deceased, and 59 (41.6%) did not respond. The mean time from index surgery was 22.2 ± 14.0 months. Women with transobturator slings were more frequently revised for vaginal exposure (p = .003), whereas women with retropubic slings were more frequently revised for voiding dysfunction (p Conclusion Women who were satisfied with sling revision were younger and more likely to have resolution of pain and dyspareunia and improved Patient Global Impression of Improvement scores. This information may help to inform patients regarding expectations with regard to sling revision.
Lessons from genetically engineered animal models. IX. Mast cell- deficient mice and intestinal biology

Mutant mice that express abnormalities in mast cell development represent a powerful tool for the investigation of multiple aspects of mast cell biology. In addition, the identification of the genes affected by these mutations has not only increased our knowledge about the mast cell but has opened new areas of investigation as to the role of these gene products in gastrointestinal pathology, immunology, and physiology.
An Introduction to Ocean Remote Sensing: Other instruments: the gravity missions, ICESat-1 and -2, CryoSat-2, SMOS and Aquarius/SAC-D

Introduction This chapter reviews three sets of missions that do not easily fit into the previous chapters. The first set includes three gravity missions, the Challenging Minisatellite Payload mission (CHAMP) launched in July 2000, the US/German Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission launched in March 2002 and the European Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) launched in March 2009. The second set includes three altimeter missions used for studies of sea and glacier ice. These are the two NASA laser altimeter missions, the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-1 (ICESat-1) that operated from 2003 to 2009, the ICESat-2 satellite planned for launch in 2017, and the dual-beam radar altimeter on the ESA CryoSat-2 satellite. The third set includes the ESA Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and the NASA/Argentinian Aquarius/SAC-D missions used to measure sea surface salinity (SSS), respectively launched in November 2009 and in June 2011. Gravity missions There are two reasons for the importance of a detailed knowledge of the Earth's gravity field. First, in the steady state, altimetric retrieval of sea surface height depends on the shape of the ocean geoid and its accompanying gravity field. Second, understanding the time variability of the Earth's gravity field contributes to our knowledge of the global water cycle. This variability includes the loss or gain of mass in the polar ice caps, changes in the mass distribution associated with the oceanic general circulation, redistribution of mass caused by shifts in bottom currents and the effects of runoff, precipitation and evaporation. Before gravity satellites, many different kinds of measurements contributed to the modeling of the geoid. These included combinations of land- and ship-based gravity measurements and data from the altimeter satellites. The launch of gravity satellites presented the first opportunity to derive the geoid from a single set of measurements (GRACE, 2013).
Z2 traversal order for VR stereo rendering on tile-based mobile GPUs

With increasing demands of virtual reality (VR) applications, efficient VR rendering techniques are becoming essential because VR stereo rendering requires increased computational costs to separately render views for the left and right eyes. To reduce the rendering cost in VR applications, we present a novel traversal order for tile-based mobile GPU architectures, called the Z2 traversal order. In tile-based mobile GPU architectures, a tile traversal order that maximizes spatial locality can increase the GPU cache efficiency. For VR applications, our approach improves the traditional Z-curve order; we render two screen tiles in the left and right views by turns or simultaneously, as a result, we can exploit spatial locality between the two tiles. To evaluate our approach, we conducted a trace-driven hardware simulation using Mesa and a hardware simulator. The experimental results show that the Z2 traversal order can reduce external memory bandwidth requirements and can increase rendering performance.
Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia in Pediatric Patients: Utility of Laboratory Testing

Abstract 1171 Background: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is characterized by the development of platelet-activating antibodies in response to heparin exposure, resulting in thrombocytopenia and a paradoxical risk for thrombotic complications. The diagnosis of HIT rests on clinical findings with supporting laboratory evaluation. The major features of HIT (thrombocytopenia and thrombosis after heparin exposure) are often seen in critically-ill children, but this is usually due to causes other than HIT. Clinical scoring systems (such as the 4T scoring system) to assess the pre-test probability of HIT are used widely in adults, but have yet to be fully validated in children. However, without prompt diagnosis and discontinuation of heparin, HIT can result in life and limb threatening thrombosis; on the other hand, overdiagnosis of HIT can lead to unnecessary exposure to alternative anticoagulants. Tests for HIT antibodies include ELISA immunoassays (EIA) for anti-PF4/heparin antibodies, which are widely available. The ELISA has high sensitivity but poor specificity with a high false positive rate. Functional tests, such as the 14 C serotonin release assay (SRA), have high sensitivity and specificity, but are not routinely performed at most hospitals. In adults, higher antibody titers by ELISA are associated with SRA positivity and clinical manifestations of HIT. While the predictive value of these laboratory tests have been studied extensively for the diagnosis of HIT in adults, relatively little is known about their performance in the evaluation of pediatric patients. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of the ELISA and SRA tests, and clinical scoring systems to diagnosis HIT pediatric patients. Methods/Results: We identified 194 patients 1.0. Two out of these three patients with SRA positivity had clinical HIT as diagnosed by treating physicians. The 4T Score (Warkentin, Br J Haem, 2003) and the HIT Expert Probability (Cuker, J Thromb Haemost, 2010) are pre-test scoring models that stratifies patients to high, intermediate, and low probability of HIT but have not been evaluated in pediatrics. A retrospective evaluation of utility of these scoring systems is currently underway. Conclusion: The utility of HIT antibody testing has not been formally evaluated in children. Only a subset of patients with positive ELISA tests will show SRA positivity. Higher titers of anti-PF4/heparin antibodies are associated with SRA positivity in pediatric patients, similar to adults. Further studies to validate predictive scoring systems in pediatic patients for the diagnosis of HIT is warranted. Disclosures: Streiff: BristolMyers Squibb: Research Funding; sanofi-aventis: Consultancy; Daiichi-Sankyo: Consultancy; Eisai: ; sanofi-aventis: Honoraria.
Promoting Constructive Multicultural Attractors: Fostering Unity and Fairness From Diversity and Conflict

Enduring forms of bias and discrimination are well documented and pervasive in many organizations fueling costly patterns of destructive cross-cultural and multicultural conflict. Changes in these ...
Recent Methods for the Study of Measurement Invariance With Many Groups

This article reviews and compares recently proposed factor analytic and item response theory approaches to the study of invariance across groups. Two methods are described and contrasted. The alignment method considers the groups as a fixed mode of variation, while the random-intercept, random-loading two-level method considers the groups as a random mode of variation. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses are applied. A survey of close to 50,000 subjects in 26 countries is used as an illustration. In addition, the two methods are studied by Monte Carlo simulations. A list of considerations for choosing between the two methods is presented.
Exemplar selection methods in voice conversion

Exemplar-based methods for voice conversion often use a large number of randomly-selected exemplars to ensure good coverage. As a result, the factorization step can be costly. This paper presents two algorithms that can be used to construct compact sets of exemplars. The first algorithm uses a forward selection procedure to build the exemplar set sequentially, selecting exemplar pairs that minimize the joint reconstruction error on source and target frames. The second algorithm uses a backward elimination procedure to remove exemplars that contribute the least to the factorization. We evaluate both selection strategies on voice conversion tasks using the ARCTIC corpus. Our results using objective measures and subjective listening tests show that both strategies can significantly reduce the size of the exemplar set (five-fold, in our experiments) while achieving the same performance on voice conversion.
Problem and Pathological Gambling in Schizophrenia: Exploring Links with Substance Use and Impulsivity

High rates of both problem and pathological gambling (PPG) and substance-use disorders (SUDs) have been reported in schizophrenia, and yet PPG frequently goes undetected in clinical practice and unexamined in research. Here, we aimed to examine the relationship between PPG and SUDs in a large sample of patients across several factors related to both gambling and substance use, including poly-substance use. Additionally, delay discounting is a form of impulsivity known to positively associate with both PPG and SUDs and thought to underlie mechanisms of addiction in both contexts. We aimed to investigate the relationship between PPG and delay discounting in schizophrenia. 337 individuals with schizophrenia completed structured face-to-face interviews regarding gambling behaviors, substance use, and delay discounting. PPG in schizophrenia was associated with substance use, in particular with poly-substance use, and with delay discounting among males. Factors related to substance use were strongly linked with gambling in this sample, but not always with PPG more than recreational gambling. Our findings overall support the notions that multiple forms of gambling in schizophrenia are clinically relevant, that gambling may share common substrates with substance use, and that delay discounting represents a potential mechanism of this association in males.
Polyvictimization and sexual risk behaviors in college-aged women

Current research suggests a link between childhood sexual abuse and risky sexual behaviors (RSBs) in emerging adults. However, previous studies neglect evaluating the influence of high levels of cu...
Tyrosines in the MUC1 cytoplasmic tail modulate oncogenic signaling pathways

946 MUC1 is an oncogene and tumor marker, which is overexpressed in numerous adenocarcinomas. Structurally, it is a transmembrane heterodimer with an extracellular domain composed primarily of heavily glycosylated twenty amino acid tandem repeats and a 72 amino acid cytoplasmic tail (CT). Several protein-protein interaction motifs have been identified in the CT that contain tyrosines, phosphorylation of which leads to the recruitment of receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases. The impact of subsequent signaling events is poorly understood. We have developed a cell line based model system to study the significance of tyrosine based signaling of the MUC1 CT within the context of full-length MUC1. COS-7 cells, a MUC1 non-expresser, were utilized to prevent the effects of signaling due to endogenous expression. Critical function(s) of the MUC1 CT tyrosines was addressed by direct comparison of cells expressing wildtype MUC1 (MUC1WT) and MUC1 lacking tyrosines in the CT (MUC1Y0). The broad implications of signaling via the MUC1 CT were determined by studying pathways commonly dysregulated in cancers. To this end, we first addressed the impact of MUC1-dependent signals on proliferative index (PI). Surprisingly, the presence of MUC1WT did not alter the PI, although MUC1Y0 resulted in an approximately 30-fold increase in PI as measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation, which correlated with a robust increase in Erk1/2 phosphorylation. A downstream effector of Erk1/2 activity is AP-1, which was assayed using a luciferase reporter. Cells expressing MUC1Y0 exhibited 2.5 and 5-fold increases in AP-1 activity compared to cells expressing MUC1WT and the neo control, respectively. Secondly, we examined the invasive potential of the cells expressing MUC1WT or MUC1Y0 and found that MUC1Y0 confers a 2-3-fold increase in invasion. In line with these results, we observed a 40% decrease in basal cell death and 33% increased sensitivity to Taxol-induced cell death in the MUC1Y0 cells as compared to MUC1WT or neo control. The relevance of MUC1 CT tyrosine-mediated interactions in modulating cell death via transcriptional regulation of NF-κB complexes was analyzed using a luciferase reporter, which showed 2-fold increased activity for MUC1WT compared to the neo control, while the MUC1Y0 displayed a fifth of the neo control activity. This study demonstrates the importance of the CT tyrosines, the lack of which induced substantial changes in various signaling pathways, and demonstrates for the first time that MUC1 signals can modulate the transcriptional activity of AP-1 and NF-κB. Experiments that delineate this effect of the MUC1 CT via other interactions, which impinge on both cytoplasmic signaling and modulation of transcription of various complexes, are underway. Supported by NIH CA94389 & ACS PF-04-256-01-M601
Neurogenic and nonneurogenic pain and inflammatory mediators

SUMMARY Pain is not a simple perception. Although millions of people suffer because of it and billions of dollars are spent trying to eradicate it, we are only in our infancy of understanding the very complex interactions necessary to perceive or distort our feelings of pain. We must continue to seek a better understanding of not only our patients’ macroscopic impression of pain, but we must look microscopically at each cell involved in the whole of the pain process. A time will come when our molecular understanding will provide us with the means to unlock the secrets of pain. We have come a long way since the time of Descartes in our understanding of the neurophysiology and anatomy of pain, but we have a great deal more work to do if we are going to provide our patients with better remedies in the future.
CS0 as an indicator of student risk for failure to complete a degree in computing

This paper presents the results of an observational study to determine how student performance in a CS0 course compares to other indicators of student risk for failure to complete a degree in computing science, information systems, or information technology. The academic progress of 59 students was followed over four and a half years. For these students, performance on the overall ACT exam, scores on just the mathematics portion of the ACT exam, grade in the first required mathematics course in college (calculus), and grade in a CS0 course were compared between students that successfully completed a computing major and those that were unsuccessful. Data indicate that a CS0 course can be a stronger indicator of a student's likelihood to not complete a computing degree than the other factors considered in this study. Subsequently, these results, which demonstrate the potential for CS0 courses as an early warning for risk in failure to complete a computing degree, support the efficacy of including a CS0 course in computing curriculum.
Parlamente als beratende Versammlungen

Moderne Parlamente haben die Aufgabe, nicht nur den „Willen“ des Volkes zu vertreten, sondern auch zu beraten. Ihre politische Funktion ist also eine doppelte: als Volksvertreter integrieren sie das Gemeinwesen, indem sie sich in regelmasigen Abstanden an das Volk wenden und bestandig volksaufklarend und propagandistisch wirken; als beratende Korperschaft dagegen sind sie bemuht, konkrete Probleme, die die Gesamtheit der Burger beruhren, zu losen. Sich bewahren oder nicht bewahren, das ist hier die Frage. Zwar sind die beiden Funktionen eng miteinander verquickt, doch es ist zum klaren Verstandnis nutzlich, sie auseinanderzuhalten. Ein Parlament berat und entscheidet viele Fragen, bei denen es nicht den „Willen“ des Volkes befragen kann. Auch wird im Zusammenhang mit solchen Fragen und Problemen nicht notwendigerweise versucht, durch Erziehung und Propaganda einen bestimmten Volkswillen zu bilden. Wenn solche Fragen zur Diskussion stehen, ist die Offentlichkeit der Verhandlungen unnotig, oft sogar nicht wunschenswert. Man hat daher Verfahren entwickelt, um den vertraulichen Charakter solcher Beratungen zu wahren1. Noch im 18. Jahrhundert wurde in England niemand, der auch nur mit einem Bleistift bewaffnet war, zu den Parlamentssalen zugelassen.
Relationship between perceived social support and patient-reported communication outcomes across communication disorders: a systematic review.

Background Beyond the severity of voice, speech and language impairments, one potential predictor of communication success across adult populations with communication disorders may be perceived social support: the expectation that others will provide support if needed. Despite the preponderance of intervention approaches that assume a positive relationship between perceived social support and patient-reported communication success, the evidence base for these relationships is limited. Aims The aim of this systematic review is to explore relationships between measures of perceived social support and patient-reported communication outcomes in adult populations with communication disorders. Methods & procedures The PRISMA guidelines were followed in the conduct and reporting of this review. Electronic databases including PubMed, PsychINFO and CINAHL were systematically searched up to 19 May 2017. Additional data were obtained for two studies. All the included studies were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tools. Given the heterogeneous nature of the studies, data synthesis was narrative for the quantitative studies. A meta-ethnographic approach was used to synthesize qualitative data. Outcomes & results Eight quantitative and four qualitative studies met eligibility criteria. All quantitative studies met eight of eight quality criteria. For the qualitative studies, one study met nine of nine quality criteria; the remaining three studies met three, seven and eight quality criteria. Of the eight included quantitative studies, six independent data sets were used. Results revealed no significant relationships between perceived social support and communication outcomes in three studies (two aphasia with one data set, one Parkinson's disease), while perceived social support was a weak, but significant predictor in two studies (one multiple sclerosis, one head and neck cancer). Three additional studies (two aphasia with one data set; one Parkinson's disease) found that relationships were initially weak, but strengthened over time to become moderate. Results from qualitative studies (one head and neck cancer, two aphasia, one multiple sclerosis) revealed that perceived social support acted as a facilitator, and absent or misguided support acted as a barrier to communication outcomes. Skilful, responsive family members were able to facilitate better quality of communicative interactions, whereas lack of social support, or negative attitudes and behaviours of other people, were barriers. Conclusions & implications While perceived social support may affect communication outcomes in adults with communication disorders, current measures may not adequately capture these constructs. Results have implications for future research and interventions for speech and language therapists.
Abstract 276: Targeting cancer stem cells with chemopreventive agents for breast cancer prevention

Breast cancer accounts for one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in women. Despite the available treatment modalities to cure breast cancer, therapeutic resistance and recurrence remain major challenges, owing to the culminating evidence of the presence of cancer stem cell subpopulations in breast tumors. The purpose of the study is to identify chemopreventive and dietary compounds that effectively target cancer stem cells to inhibit breast cancer development and progression. The mammosphere culture system has been proven to enrich cancer stem-like cells, and cells from mammospheres are shown to be more tumorigenic in vivo. By culturing mammospheres from breast cancer cell lines, we have shown that 1,25 vitamin D3, a vitamin D3 analog, BXL0124, pterostilbene (trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene), tocopherols and triterpenoids (CDDO-Im) decreased the mammosphere forming efficiency (MFE) in a dose-dependent manner. Vitamin D compounds (1,25D3 and BXL0124) decreased the MFE in SUM159, MCF10DCIS and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines (dose range 1-100 nM). Pterostilbene, a bioactive component of blueberries, effectively decreased the MFE in the MCF-7 cell line. The size of the mammospheres was found to be smaller with increasing concentrations (10-100 μM). Tocopherols significantly decreased estrogen-stimulated MFE in MCF-7 cells (1-10 μM). CDDO-Im, a synthetic triterpenoid derived from natural oleanolic acid, has also been shown to decrease MFE and sphere size in MCF-7 cells (50-100 nM). The effect on the shape of the spheres was also observed, suggesting the differentiation-inducing properties of these compounds. Taken together, we demonstrate that naturally occurring compounds as well as synthetic analogs derived from natural and dietary compounds significantly inhibit sphere forming efficiency and cancer stemness in breast cancer cells. Our study suggests that chemopreventive compounds, 1,25D3, BXL0124, pterostilbene, tocopherols, and CDDO-Im, are agents with the potential to target cancer stem-like cells to prevent breast cancer. Citation Format: Naing Lin Shan, Jeffrey Yang, Min Ji Bak, Joseph Wahler, Nanjoo Suh. Targeting cancer stem cells with chemopreventive agents for breast cancer prevention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 276.
Evaluating the effects of land-use change and future climate change on vulnerability of coastal landscapes to saltwater intrusion

The exposure of freshwater-dependent coastal ecosystems to saltwater is a present-day impact of climate and land-use changes in many coastal regions, with the potential to harm freshwater and terrestrial biota, alter biogeochemical cycles and reduce agricultural yields. Land-use activities associated with artificial drainage infrastructure (canals, ditches, and drains) could exacerbate saltwater exposure. However, studies assessing the effects of artificial drainage on the vulnerability of coastal landscapes to saltwater exposure are lacking. We examined the extent to which artificial drainage infrastructure has altered the potential for saltwater intrusion in the coastal plain of eastern North Carolina. Regional spatial analyses demonstrate that artificial drainages not only lower the overall elevation in coastal landscapes, but they also alter the routing and concentration of hydrological flows. Together, these factors have the potential to increase the total proportion of the landscape vulnerable to saltwater intrusion, not only in areas adjacent to drainage infrastructure but also in places where no artificial drainages exist due to large scale effects of flow rerouting. Among all land cover types in eastern North Carolina, wetlands are most vulnerable to saltwater exposure. Droughts and coastal storms associated with climate change potentially exacerbate vulnerability to saltwater facilitated by artificial drainage.
Quantitative Phase Microscopy with Simultaneous Aberration Correction

We present a quantitative phase imaging method, based on Differential Phase Contrast (DPC), that recovers both the complex-field of a weak object and the spatially-varying pupil functions (aberrations) of the optical system.
T1 bladder cancer: current considerations for diagnosis and management

Stage T1 bladder cancers invade the lamina propria of the bladder and, despite sharing many of the genetic features of muscle-invasive bladder cancers, are classified as non-muscle-invasive or ‘superficial’ tumours. Yet, patients with T1 bladder cancer have an overall mortality of 33% and a cancer-specific mortality of 14% at three years after diagnosis, suggesting that these patients have a high risk of progression and, accordingly, require meticulous surgery, endoscopic surveillance and clinical decision-making. We hypothesize that the variability in the outcomes of patients with T1 bladder cancer is a result of both tumour heterogeneity and pathological staging, as well as inconsistencies in risk stratification, endoscopic resection and schedules of delivery of BCG. Owing to limitations in clinical staging, patients with T1 bladder cancer are at risk of both undertreatment with persistent use of BCG despite recurrence, and overtreatment with early cystectomy. Understanding the molecular features of T1 bladder cancers and how they respond to BCG therapy could improve biomarkers for risk stratification to align therapy with biological risk. Patients with stage T1 bladder cancer require meticulous management owing to their high-risk of recurrence, progression and death. Here, Jordan and Meeks describe the natural history, diagnosis, and treatment of T1 bladder cancer, highlighting key challenges and areas of future investigation.