Division of Graduate Education

In recent years, researchers have focused attention on children who are exposed to domestic violence. Although presently there are no scientifically credible estimates of the national prevalence of children exposed to domestic violence, existing data suggest that large numbers of American children are affected. This article discusses the limitations of current databases and describes a promising model for the collection of reliable and valid prevalence data, the Spousal Assault Replication Program, which uses data collected through collaboration between police and university researchers. Research examining the effects of childhood exposure to domestic violence is also limited by a range of methodological problems. Despite this, however, sufficient evidence from the body of studies exists to conclude that such exposure has adverse effects. The specific effects may differ depending on a host of variables, such as the children's ages, the nature and severity of the violence, the existence of other risk factors in the children's lives (for example, poverty, parental substance abuse), and whether the children are also directly physically abused. In general, childhood exposure to domestic violence can be associated with increased display of aggressive behavior, increased emotional problems such as depression and/or anxiety, lower levels of social competence, and poorer academic functioning. A scientifically credible body of research on the prevalence and effects of childhood exposure to domestic violence is necessary to promote the development of effective interventions and to permit the proper channeling of public and private funds. This article identifies some of the steps that can be taken to build the research capacity necessary to obtain the needed data.

An increasing trend toward product development in a collaborative environment has resulted in the use of various software tools to enhance the product design. This requires a meaningful representation and exchange of product data semantics across different application domains. This paper proposes an ontology-based framework to enable such semantic interoperability. A standards-based approach is used to develop a Product Semantic Representation Language (PSRL). Formal description logic (DAML+OIL) is used to encode the PSRL. Mathematical logic and corresponding reasoning is used to determine semantic equivalences between an application ontology and the PSRL. The semantic equivalence matrix enables resolution of ambiguities created due to differences in syntaxes and meanings associated with terminologies in different application domains. Successful semantic interoperability will form the basis of seamless communication and thereby enable better integration of product development systems. Note to Practitioners-Semantic interoperability of product information refers to automating the exchange of meaning associated with the data, among information resources throughout the product development. This research is motivated by the problems in enabling such semantic interoperability. First, product information is formalized into an explicit, extensible, and comprehensive product semantics representation language (PSRL). The PSRL is open and based on standard W3C constructs. Next, in order to enable semantic translation, the paper describes a procedure to semi-automatically determine mappings between exactly equivalent concepts across representations of the interacting applications. The paper demonstrates that this approach to translation is feasible, but it has not yet been implemented commercially. Current limitations and the directions for further research are discussed. Future research addresses the determination of semantic similarities (not exact equivalences) between the interacting information resources.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal condition in the general population. Passive physical modalities are commonly used to treat shoulder pain. However, previous systematic reviews reported conflicting results. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of passive physical modalities for the management of soft tissue injuries of the shoulder. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from January 1, 1990, to April 18, 2013. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort and case-control studies were eligible. Random pairs of independent reviewers screened 1,470 of 1,760 retrieved articles after removing 290 duplicates. Twenty-two articles were eligible for critical appraisal. Eligible studies were critically appraised using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. Of those, 11 studies had a low risk of bias. DATA EXTRACTION: The lead author extracted data from low risk of bias studies and built evidence tables. A second reviewer independently checked the extracted data. DATA SYNTHESIS: The findings of studies with a low risk of bias were synthesized according to principles of best evidence synthesis. Pretensioned tape, ultrasound, and interferential current were found to be noneffective for managing shoulder pain. However, diathermy and corticosteroid injections led to similar outcomes. Low-level laser therapy provided short-term pain reduction for subacromial impingement syndrome. Extracorporeal shock-wave therapy was not effective for subacromial impingement syndrome but provided benefits for persistent shoulder calcific tendinitis. LIMITATIONS: Non-English studies were excluded. CONCLUSIONS: Most passive physical modalities do not benefit patients with subacromial impingement syndrome. However, low-level laser therapy is more effective than placebo or ultrasound for subacromial impingement syndrome. Similarly, shock-wave therapy is more effective than sham therapy for persistent shoulder calcific tendinitis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of conservative interventions compared with other interventions, placebo/sham interventions, or no intervention on disability, pain, function, quality of life, and psychological impact in adults with cervical radiculopathy (CR). METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO from inception to June 15, 2022 to identify studies that were randomized controlled trials, had at least one conservative treatment arm, and diagnosed participants with CR through confirmatory clinical examination and/or diagnostic tests. Studies were appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool and the quality of the evidence was rated using the Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. RESULTS: Of the 2561 records identified, 59 trials met our inclusion criteria (n = 4108 participants). Due to clinical and statistical heterogeneity, the findings were synthesized narratively. There is very-low certainty evidence supporting the use of acupuncture, prednisolone, cervical manipulation, and low-level laser therapy for pain and disability in the immediate to short-term, and thoracic manipulation and low-level laser therapy for improvements in cervical range of motion in the immediate term. There is low to very-low certainty evidence for multimodal interventions, providing inconclusive evidence for pain, disability, and range of motion. There is inconclusive evidence for pain reduction after conservative management compared with surgery, rated as very-low certainty. DISCUSSION: There is a lack of high-quality evidence, limiting our ability to make any meaningful conclusions. As the number of people with CR is expected to increase, there is an urgent need for future research to help address these gaps.

This study was designed to obtain information on normal dietary intake and serum levels of choline in a healthy elderly population and to observe the relationship between blood levels of choline and cognitive function. Two hundred fifty-eight healthy volunteers with a mean age of 72 years were recruited, and blood samples and dietary histories were obtained. All subjects were ambulatory, living at home, free of serious medical illnesses, and taking no prescription medications. Cognitive abilities were assessed by the Halstead Category Test, a nonverbal test measuring abstract thinking, and the Wechsler Memory Scale, using the multiple scoring method, which measures both long- and short-term memory. The mean value for serum choline was 13.16 micron with a standard deviation of 3.31. Serum choline levels were found to increase with age, but no difference was found between serum choline levels for men and women. There was no association between dietary intake and serum choline levels, nor could a relationship be found between serum choline levels and cognitive function.

The interaction of simultaneously co-allocated jobs can often create contention in the network infrastructure of a dedicated computational grid. This contention can lead to degraded job run-time performance. We present several bandwidth-aware co-allocating meta-schedulers. These schedulers take into account inter-cluster network utilization as a means by which to mitigate this impact. We make use of a bandwidth-centric parallel job communication model that captures the time-varying utilization of shared inter-cluster network resources. By doing so, we are able to evaluate the performance of grid scheduling algorithms that focus not only on node resource allocation, but also on shared inter-cluster network bandwidth.

Along the North American Pacific coast, the common intertidal sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima engages in facultative, flexible symbioses with Symbiodinium muscatinei (a dinoflagellate) and Elliptochloris marina (a chlorophyte). Determining how symbiotic state affects host fitness is essential to understanding the ecological significance of engaging in such flexible relationships with diverse symbionts. Fitness consequences of hosting S. muscatinei, E. marina or negligible numbers of either symbiont (aposymbiosis) were investigated by measuring growth, cloning by fission and gonad development after 8.5-11 months of sustained exposure to high, moderate or low irradiance under seasonal environmental conditions. Both symbiotic state and irradiance affected host fitness, leading to divergent life-history strategies. Moderate and high irradiances led to a greater level of gonad development in individuals hosting E. marina, while high irradiance and high summer temperature promoted cloning in individuals hosting S. muscatinei and reduced fitness of aposymbiotic anemones. Associating with S. muscatinei may contribute to the success of A. elegantissima as a spatial competitor on the high shore: (i) by offsetting the costs of living under high temperature and irradiance conditions, and (ii) by promoting a high fission rate and clonal expansion. Our results suggest that basic life-history characteristics of a clonal cnidarian can be affected by the identity of the endosymbionts it hosts.

Summary form only given. We present a bandwidth-centric parallel job communication model that takes into account inter-cluster network utilization as a means by which to capture the interaction and impact of simultaneously co-allocated jobs in a mini-grid. Our model captures the time-varying utilization of shared inter-cluster network resources in the grid. We compare our dynamic model with previous research that utilizes a fixed execution time penalty for co-allocated jobs. We have found that the fixed penalty model is more generous in its prediction of job turnaround time than our dynamic communication model. Additionally, we see that the penalty co-allocated jobs may experience without causing a severe performance degradation decreases as the number of clusters increases.

Although early detection and intervention may improve the outcome of the congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection, few studies assessed the real-world clinical practice for cCMV patients. We analyzed medical claims data to assess the patterns of diagnoses and medical care for cCMV patients.We used a subset of medical claims database (JMDC Claims Database) in Japan, covering 207,547 newborns between April 2010 and March 2017 and observed for at least 6 months. The diagnosis of cCMV and related symptoms and sequelae and medical care, including essential examinations and antiviral treatment, were identified using standardized codes.Overall, we identified 53 (25.5 per 100,000 newborns) cCMV patients diagnosed within 6 months after birth; of these, 83% were diagnosed within 1 month and 68% had at least 1 cCMV-related symptom at birth. Objective hearing tests and fundus examinations were performed within 6 months in 60% and 30% of patients, respectively. Antivirals were prescribed in 26% of patients. During the observation period (median = 33 months), sensorineural hearing loss (49%) and developmental problems (28%) were commonly identified as cCMV-related sequelae. The proportions of the patients continuously followed up with objective hearing tests up to 36 months were 30% in total and 56% in antiviral-treated patients, respectively.The cCMV patients did not necessarily receive a timely diagnosis nor continuous follow-ups in usual clinical practice. Although the universal screening for cCMV may, if implemented, facilitate early diagnosis, it should be accompanied by strategic follow-up plans to support timely interventions.

The data presented here reveal how traditional college students cope with a totally online class experience. The largest enrollment online course at The Pennsylvania State University is the general education offering "Energy & the Environment", developed jointly by the Department of Energy & Geo-Environmental Engineering and the John A. Dutton e-Education Institute. Within the first 2-years >1,000 students (mostly on-campus residential students) have been engaged, online. Students work independently or in self-forming cohorts reading text, listening to audio, watching movie clips, and interacting with imagery or simulations online. The majority of students fit the traditional profile in terms of age and on-campus residential status. The class is consistently 60% male. The students are predominantly sophomores (41%), although all academic standings are present within this general education course. One of the main reasons given for enrolling is "flexibility". Roughly half of the student activity (56%) is after the traditional workday of 8 AM to 5:00 PM. Only 10% of the online activity occurs within the traditional morning hours. In a class with weekly Friday evening deadlines, there was little activity (measured by number of page requests) occurring on Saturday (5%), Friday has the bulk of the activity (27%). About 72% of the students accessed the material from home with a high-speed connection. About 17% did the bulk of their work at a computing laboratory, despite the fact that 96% of the class has a personal computer. While the students gained content specific knowledge, they also learned "self-discipline" and other "professional" behavior, and had exposure to online learning and course management software.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation, invasion of surrounding tissues, and metastasis to distant organs. Among various malignancies, colon cancer is particularly aggressive and often associated with poor prognosis in advanced stages. This study presents the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new series of morpholine-benzimidazole-oxadiazole derivatives as potential anticancer agents. The anticancer potential of the synthesized derivatives was assessed through MTT assays against the human colon cancer cell line (HT-29) and normal fibroblast cells (NIH3T3) to evaluate their selectivity. To further investigate their mechanism of action, VEGFR-2 enzyme inhibition assays were conducted, as VEGFR-2 plays a crucial role in angiogenesis and tumor progression. Compound 5h exhibited potent VEGFR-2 inhibition (IC50 = 0.049 ± 0.002 μM), comparable to the reference drug sorafenib (IC50 = 0.037 ± 0.001 μM), while compounds 5j (IC50 = 0.098 ± 0.011 μM) and 5c (IC50 = 0.915 ± 0.027 μM) also showed notable inhibitory effects. Structural analysis suggested that the presence of chlorine atoms at both the third and fourth positions in the phenyl ring of compound 5h enhanced its binding affinity within the ATP-binding pocket of VEGFR-2, contributing to its potent inhibition. Moreover, in silico studies (molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations) confirmed that compounds 5c, 5h, and 5j effectively interact with the VEGFR-2 active site and exhibit stability throughout the simulation period, reinforcing their potential as sustained VEGFR-2 inhibitors. These results highlight the promising therapeutic potential of morpholine-benzimidazole-oxadiazole derivatives as selective VEGFR-2 inhibitors for the treatment of colon cancer.

C NMR spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize it. Subsequently, computational techniques were used to assess various ADME factors, such as drug-likeness properties, bioavailability score, and adherence to Lipinski's rule. Finally, molecular docking experiments were conducted with the human topoisomerase α2 (TOP2A) protein to verify and validate the reliability and stability of the docking procedure. The results of the docking scores, which quantify binding affinity, indicated that these derivatives exhibited a stronger affinity for TOP2A.

The monomer 2-(2-methoxyphenylamino)-2-oxoethyl methacrylate (2MPAEMA) was synthesized and polymerized for the first time into its homopolymer and a copolymer with methyl methacrylate via free-radical polymerization. Structural verification was conducted using FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy, while thermal analysis confirmed the two-stage decomposition of both polymers. Quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/LanL2DZ level supported the experimental data, revealing significant intramolecular interactions, electronic delocalization, and thermal stability. The homopolymer exhibited a narrower HOMO-LUMO gap (4.954 eV) than the copolymer (5.207 eV), implying enhanced charge-transport potential. Molecular Electrostatic Potential and Density of States analyses further confirmed well-defined charge distribution and greater orbital overlap in the homopolymer. These results provide new insights into the structure-property relationships of 2MPAEMA-based polymers, highlighting their potential for optoelectronic, sensing, and thermoresponsive applications. Future studies will explore their biological activity and functional performance in targeted environments. FT-IR/NMR, thermal analysis, and DFT collectively indicate that 2MPAEMA polymers are wide-band gap and thermally robust, suggesting their suitability as dielectric matrices or UV-absorbing hosts.

As applications for thermoplastic composites increase, the understanding of their properties become more important. Fabrication methods for thermoplastic composites continually improve to match designs specifications. These advanced thermoplastics have begun to show an improvement in mechanical properties over those found in thermoset composites commonly used in industry. Polyaryletherketones (PEK) have high service temperatures, good mechanical properties, and improved processing capabilities compared to thermoplastics used in the past making them important to the aerospace industry. The wide range of types of PEK make them suitable for a variety of applications, but selection of specific chemistries, processing parameters, and composite stack-ups determine the mechanical properties produced. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to determine crystallinity and chemical properties of several polyaryletherketones. Tensile, compressive, and Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness tests were conducted to analyze mechanical properties of these advanced thermoplastics. Several fabrication processes were also tested to determine optimal consolidation and aesthetic appearance of structural members. All testing was conducted at The Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington. Because all testing and conclusions are proprietary a general synopsis of the experience will be presented.

Oncology is a branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and is divided into surgical oncology, radiation oncology, and medical oncology. Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and there is a distinct shortage of adequately qualified oncologists in Iraq. Oncology education should be introduced at the beginning of medical school (college) as every doctor may face cancer patients in their training and practice after graduation. However, there is a gap in this area, as this branch is relatively new compared to other clinical branches. Holistic cancer care and a patient-centered approach should be the goal of modern oncology. Comprehensive under-graduate oncology education should be a critical component in medical education. This work is aiming to present a roadmap for an ideal oncology curriculum, which can be integrated and implemented into the Iraqi medical schools’ curricula.

In this study, 20 new compounds with thiadiazole structures were synthesized based on Alpelisib. The benzene ring, a bioisostere of the pyridine ring in the lead compound, was used in the synthesized compounds, and derivatives containing different substituents were used to observe modifications that could affect activity. Furthermore, because combined therapies are known to be more effective in cancer therapy, attempts were made to design compounds capable of dual inhibition of EGFR-COX-2 by adding sulfonamide substitutions to some compounds. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS spectral analyses. A549 and MCF-7 cell lines were used to measure anticancer activity, and in vitro assays were conducted. For compounds 3j and 3o, further activity studies, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics studies were performed. The compounds’ EGFR and COX-2 inhibitory potential was investigated.

Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK) phosphorylates and activates downstream kinases, including CaMKI, CaMKIV, PKB, and AMPK, regulating various cellular functions such as neuronal morphogenesis, metabolic control, and pathophysiological pathways, such as cancer progression. CaMKKα/1 is tightly regulated by an autoinhibitory mechanism. CaMKKβ/2 activity is highly Ca2+/CaM-independent (autonomous activity) in vitro and Ca2+/CaM-dependent in cultured cells. Whether these two activity states of CaMKKβ/2 exist in vivo and the detailed regulatory mechanisms for the transition of both activity states remain unclear due to the difficulty in distinguishing the two activity states. In this study, we detected Ca2+-dependent and autonomous CaMKK activity in HeLa cells and successfully separated both activity states of CaMKKβ/2 in mouse brain and testis extracts using a recently developed CaMKK inhibitor (TIM-063)-coupled sepharose, which binds to the catalytic domain in the active state but not in the autoinhibited state. Furthermore, lambda protein phosphatase treatment converted the Ca2+/CaM-dependent form to the autonomous form of CaMKKβ/2, which was not affected by Ala mutation of Ser128, Ser132, and Ser136. The two activity forms of CaMKKβ/2 had equivalent Ca2+/CaM-binding ability. The findings demonstrate the presence of autonomous and Ca2+/CaM-dependent forms of CaMKKβ/2 independently in mouse tissues and cultured cells. The transition of these states of CaMKKβ/2 may be dynamically regulated by the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of serine residues in the N-terminal regulatory domain.

Abstract NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Session 3555 Merit Criteria, Eligibility and Diversity in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships* Eric Sheppard, Janet Rutledge Division of Graduate Education National Science Foundation Arlington, VA Jeffrey Johnson NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Office Oak Ridge Associated Universities Oak Ridge, TN Abstract For nearly fifty years, the National Science Foundation has awarded merit-based Graduate Research Fellowships to outstanding students who are early in their graduate studies in NSF-supported fields. This paper looks at three aspects of the program: the introduction of NSF’s two merit criteria, changes in eligibility guidelines, and diversity in the program. It then considers the impacts of some recent changes in the program. While the impacts are positive, considerable outreach is still needed. I. Introduction Since its first competition in 1952, the objective of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRF) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) has been to support the vitality of the human resource base of science, mathematics, and engineering in the United States and to reinforce its diversity.1,2. From 1978 to 1999, the Minority Graduate Research Fellowship competition (MGF) was also administered. The GRF program application and review processes are managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) under contract from NSF3. Periodically, policy reviews are conducted to evaluate how well the program supports its objective. This paper considers four changes that benefit both the quality and diversity of the applicant pool. The first change was to provide additional funding to encourage participation by women in the engineering and computer science fields, resulting in the Women in Engineering and Computer and Information Science (WECS) component of GRFP. The second change we consider is the introduction of the new NSF Merit Review Criteria that address both intellectual merit and broader impact. This has changed the very basis on which panelists view scholarship and the measures thereof. The third (*Any views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Science Board or the National Science Foundation) Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2001, American Society for Engineering Education

Liver macrophages are central in maintaining hepatic homeostasis and mediating immune responses during liver injury, including fibrosis. Macrophages may have proinflammatory or antiinflammatory properties, but which properties influence fibrosis remains unclear. To explore the role of macrophages in liver fibrosis, we performed single-cell RNA-seq in a mouse model of liver injury and found that macrophage diversity was increased. Marco was among the most significantly upregulated genes, and a population of Marcohi macrophages increased with injury and spatially segregated to nonfibrotic areas. The macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) protein is a scavenger receptor expressed by specific subsets of macrophages, and its role in liver fibrosis is unclear. In vitro induction of Marco in bone marrow-derived macrophages decreased proinflammatory gene expression, increased antiinflammatory and antifibrotic gene expression, and enhanced phagocytosis, indicating a restorative phenotype. Adoptive transfer of MARCO+ macrophages in a mouse model of liver fibrosis reduced the expression of extracellular matrix-associated (ECM-associated) genes in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and reduced collagen deposition, which did not occur with the transfer of MARCO- macrophages. Therefore, MARCO+ macrophages have a tissue restorative role in the liver and attenuate fibrogenesis through interaction with HSCs, thereby providing a potential therapeutic pathway for liver fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: Kappa (κ) light chain multiple myeloma can be disguised as low back pain (LBP), and as such may present to a primary contact provider such as a chiropractor. The rarity and non-specific nature of the clinical presentation of this condition typically lead to a delayed diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year old male avid golfer presented to a chiropractor with a chief complaint of LBP. He was diagnosed with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. His pain was initially improving with chiropractic management. The character of his pain changed, and the chiropractor referred for further imaging. He was subsequently diagnosed with κ light chain multiple myeloma. SUMMARY: This case presentation highlights that spinal malignancy is a possible cause of LBP. It reminds the clinician to investigate signs and symptoms that could lead to a suspicion of malignancy, to monitor patient progression, and consider further evaluations if the expected response to treatment is not achieved.