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The incorporation of cis-1,4 and 3,4(+1,2) units is important to the overall properties of polyisoprene. Nevertheless, polymerization to prepare such polymer via coordinative-insertion method has less reported. In the present study, 2,6-bis(1H'-allyl-benzimidazolyl)pyridine has been installed onto the iron and cobalt prior to heterogeneous supporting. They are shown to be amenable to homogeneous polymerization of isoprene, affording 3,4(+1,2) units enriched polymer. The addition of disulfide carbon into cobalt catalyst is decisive for boosting productivity and elevating 3,4 (+1,2) insertion. Whereas, diethylphosphite external donor merely behaves as a chain transfer agent in iron catalyzed polymerization. The produced polymer with a controlled 3,4(+1,2) ratio and molar mass may find application as a single rubber, in polymer blends, composites, adhesives, and as a versatile platform for transforming to a wide range of functional polymer. Highlights * Novel iron and cobalt complexes are made. * High activities toward isoprene polymerization are achieved. * 3,4(+1,2) incorporated polyisoprene is obtained. KEYWORDS 3,4(+1,2) structure, cobalt catalyst, iron catalyst, isoprene, polyisoprene, 1 INTRODUCTION Nature rubber has found many applications in human activity because it exhibits excellent elasticity and mechanical strength. The increasing demand of high-quality elastomers in recent year, however, has [...]

Author(s): Kuan-Chieh Wang[sup.1,2], Chun-Hao Chu[sup.3,4], Che-Ming Chiang[sup.4], Fu-Ruei Zeng[sup.4], Ching-Wen Huang[sup.4] and Chien-Ming Lin[sup.4] Background Intussusception is the second most common cause of abdominal pain in children but the underlying [...], Background Intussusception, a common cause of abdominal pain in children, often lacks clear underlying causes and is mostly idiopathic. Recurrence, though rare, raises clinical concerns, with rates escalating after each episode. Factors like pathological lead points and Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) are associated with recurrent cases. On the other hand, the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), often asymptomatic, in children has been declining. Although its infection is reported to be linked with HSP, its role in recurrent intussusception remains unexplored. Further research is needed to understand the interplay among H. pylori (culprit pathogen), HSP (trigger), and intractable intussusception so as to develop effective management strategies. Case presentation A two-year-old girl experienced four atypical episodes of intussusception at distinct locations, which later coincided with HSP. Despite treatment with steroids, recurrent intussusception persisted, suggesting that HSP itself was not a major cause for intractable presentations. Subsequent identification of H. pylori infection and treatment with triple therapy resulted in complete resolution of her recalcitrant intussusception. Conclusion This instructive case underscored a sequence wherein H. pylori infection triggered HSP, subsequently resulting in recurrent intussusception. While H. pylori infection is not common in young children, the coexistence of intractable intussusception and steroid-resistant recurrent HSP necessitates consideration of H. pylori infection as a potential underlying pathogen. Keywords: Intussusception, Helicobacter pylori, Henoch-schönlein purpura, Triple therapy

Author(s): Hsiang-Yu Ma [sup.1] , Cheng-Chung Cho [sup.1] , Rui-Hsin Kao [sup.1] , Leng-Chuan Chiu [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.449327.f, Department of Ocean and Border Governance, National Quemoy University, , [...], This study was conducted to confirm the applicability of OTC (organizational trust content) in Chinese organizations via the OTI (organizational trust inventory) developed by Cummings and Bromiley (1996 (See CR17)). This study explored the vertical and horizontal trust relationships that exist among supervisors, subordinates and colleagues of equal standing through focused interviews and questionnaires to recognize and assess OTC. The results showed that in situations with a high degree of OT (organizational trust), three dimensions coexist namely: 1) the ability to keep commitments, 2) the ability to negotiate honestly, and 3) the ability to NTEA (not taking excessive advantage). Each dimension includes three trust elements: cognition, affection, and intended behavior. Different measuring subjects have significantly different perceptions of OTC, with subordinate recognition being the most trustworthy. At the same time, the integrity performance of colleagues is the most recognized element. Though OTC is applicable in Chinese organizations, the degree of subordinate recognition and the ability to negotiate honestly between colleagues are affected by the "respectful superior and inferior subordinate" relationship and the hierarchical authority, which exist in Chinese culture.

Author(s): Kathryn E. Prescott [sup.1] [sup.2] , Susan Ellis Weismer [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.14003.36, 0000 0001 2167 3675, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, , [...], This study investigated receptive and expressive language outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with and without a history of language/communication regression, employing three progressively less stringent definitions of regression. Data were derived from a large, longitudinal sample of children with ASD in which regression was assessed at approximately 30 months. Results indicated poorer receptive language and larger discrepancies between receptive and expressive language in the regression group than the group without regression at 44 months but not 66 months. Number of words used before loss predicted receptive language at 44 months. Overall, results suggest that a regression profile in ASD is associated with modest and transient impacts on language outcomes that are no longer discernable at school entry.

Author(s): Andreia Pinto [sup.1] , Milton Severo [sup.1] [sup.2] , Andreia Oliveira [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) Institute of Public Health of the University of Portoa, Porto, Portugal (2) Department [...], Background/Objectives The usual definition of dietary patterns only accounts for the explanation of dietary choices and not a specific health outcome. This could partially explain the lack of consistent associations between diet and related diseases. This study aims to identify dietary patterns in 7 years olds explaining body mass index (BMI) at age 10 and to assess their association with early-life factors (sociodemographic, birth, and infancy characteristics). Methods Children from the birth cohort Generation XXI at ages 7 and 10 were included (n = 4698). Diet was assessed by a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Measured BMI z-scores (zBMI) were calculated. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) were run to derive dietary patterns. Results The component scores of PCA was able to explain 13.0% of food groups and only 0.2% of zBMI, while the PLS scores explained the variance of both food groups (10.1%) and zBMI at age 10 (4.2%). By using PLS, two dietary patterns were derived, but only one, higher in processed meats and energy-dense foods and lower in vegetable soup consumption, was significantly associated with an increased zBMI in 10 years olds (adjusted [beta]Ì 0.032; 95% CI:0.017; 0.047). It was more likely followed by children from younger and less educated mothers and who were born heavier. Conclusions A dietary pattern higher in processed and energy-dense foods and with lower vegetable soup intake in 7 years olds significantly explained zBMI of 10 years olds, and was predicted by early-life characteristics. The other dietary patterns were not significantly associated with zBMI at age 10.

Author(s): Kenneth D. Gadow [sup.1] , Greg Perlman [sup.1] , Rebecca J. Weber [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0001 2216 9681grid.36425.36Department of Psychiatry, Center for Understanding Biology using Imaging Technology [...], Examined the psychiatric and clinical correlates of loss of previously acquired skills (regression) as reported by parents of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Study sample comprised 6- to 18-year old (N = 213) children and adolescents with ASD. Parents reported regression in 77 (36%) youth. A more homogeneous subgroup with regression between 18 and 36 months (n = 48) had higher rates of intellectual disability, epilepsy, and special education, more socially restrictive educational settings, and more severe ASD communication deficits and schizophrenia spectrum symptoms than non-regressed youth (n = 136). Similar results were obtained for a more inclusive definition of regression (n = 77). A brief parent report of developmental regression may be a useful clinical indicator of later general functioning.

Introduction Epigenetic processes, including posttranslational modifications of histones, regulate gene-expression programs and play a key role in genome-environment interactions (1, 2). Recent data suggest that histone acetylation regulates memory consolidation [...], Aging and increased amyloid burden are major risk factors for cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Effective therapies for these diseases are lacking. Here, we evaluated mouse models of age- associated memory impairment and amyloid deposition to study transcriptome and cell type-specific epigenome plasticity in the brain and peripheral organs. We determined that aging and amyloid pathology are associated with inflammation and impaired synaptic function in the hippocampal CA1 region as the result of epigenetic-dependent alterations in gene expression. In both amyloid and aging models, inflammation was associated with increased gene expression linked to a subset of transcription factors, while plasticity gene deregulation was differentially mediated. Amyloid pathology impaired histone acetylation and decreased expression of plasticity genes, while aging altered H4K12 acetylation- linked differential splicing at the intron-exon junction in neurons, but not nonneuronal cells. Furthermore, oral administration of the clinically approved histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat not only restored spatial memory, but also exerted antiinflammatory action and reinstated epigenetic balance and transcriptional homeostasis at the level of gene expression and exon usage. This study provides a systems-level investigation of transcriptome plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 region in aging and AD models and suggests that histone deacetylase inhibitors should be further explored as a cost-effective therapeutic strategy against age-associated cognitive decline.

Author(s): Alyssa J. Orinstein[sup.1] , Joyce Suh[sup.1] , Kaitlyn Porter[sup.1] , Kaitlin A. De Yoe[sup.1] , Katherine E. Tyson[sup.1] , Eva Troyb[sup.1] , Marianne L. Barton[sup.1] , Inge-Marie Eigsti[sup.1] , [...], Youth who lose their ASD diagnosis may have subtle social and communication difficulties. We examined social and communication functioning in 44 high-functioning autism (HFA), 34 optimal outcome (OO) and 34 typically developing (TD) youth. Results indicated that OO participants had no autism communication symptoms, no pragmatic language deficits, and were judged as likable as TD peers. Some group differences were found: OO youth had less insight into social relationships and poorer friendship descriptions than TD youth. OO participants had attention, self-control, and immaturity difficulties that may impact social abilities. However, OO participants were most engaged, friendliest, warmest, and most approachable. Overall, OO participants had no social and communicative impairments, although some exhibited mild social difficulties that often accompany attentional problems.

We formulate the well-known economic lot scheduling problem (ELSP) with sequence-dependent setup times and costs as a semi-Markov decision process. Using an affine approximation of the bias function, we obtain [...]

BACKGROUND: Burning incense generates large amounts of air pollutants, many of which are confirmed or suspected human lung carcinogens. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a population-based case-referent study to examine the effect [...]

Contents 1. Introduction 2. Overview of lot-sizing problems and paper scope 2.1. Deterministic static demand models 2.2. Deterministic dynamic demand models 3. Coordinated uncapacitated lot-sizing problem (CULSP) 3.1. Problem formulations [...], Due to their importance in industry and mathematical complexity, dynamic demand lot-sizing problems are frequently studied. In this article, we consider coordinated lot-size problems, their variants and exact and heuristic solutions approaches. The problem class provides a comprehensive approach for representing single and multiple items, coordinated and uncoordinated setup cost structures, and capacitated and uncapacitated problem characteristics. While efficient solution approaches have eluded researchers, recent advances in problem formulation and algorithms are enabling large-scale problems to be effectively solved. This paper updates a 1988 review of the coordinated lot-sizing problem and complements recent reviews on the single-item lot-sizing problem and the capacitated lot-sizing problem. It provides a state-of-the-art review of the research and future research projections. It is a starting point for anyone conducting research in the deterministic dynamic demand lot-sizing field. Keywords: Coordinated lot-sizing; Integer programming; Heuristics; Inventory control

Introduction Ionizing radiation is an established risk factor for childhood acute leukemia (AL). This has been demonstrated by several studies, including the follow-up of survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki [...], BACKGROUND: Exposures to high-dose ionizing radiation and high-dose rate ionizing radiation are established risk factors for childhood acute leukemia (AL). The risk of AL following exposure to lower doses due to natural background radiation (NBR) has yet to be conclusively determined. METHODS: AL cases diagnosed over 1990-2009 (9,056 cases) were identified and their municipality of residence at diagnosis collected by the National Registry of Childhood Cancers. The Geocap study, which included the 2,763 cases in 2002-2007 and 30,000 population controls, was used for complementary analyses. NBR exposures were modeled on a fine scale (36,326 municipalities) based on measurement campaigns and geological data. The power to detect an association between AL and dose to the red bone marrow (RBM) fitting UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) predictions was 92%, 45% and 99% for exposure to natural gamma radiation, radon and total radiation, respectively. RESULTS: AL risk, irrespective of subtype and age group, was not associated with the exposure of municipalities to radon or gamma radiation in terms of yearly exposure at age reached, cumulative exposure or RBM dose. There was no confounding effect of census-based socio-demographic indicators, or environmental factors (road traffic, high voltage power lines, vicinity of nuclear plants) related to AL in the Geocap study. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support the hypothesis that residential exposure to NBR increases the risk of AL, despite the large size of the study, fine scale exposure estimates and wide range of exposures over France. However, our results at the time of diagnosis do not rule out a slight association with gamma radiation at the time of birth, which would be more in line with the recent findings in the UK and Switzerland.

I. Introduction II. Regulation of Serum- and Glucocorticoid-Inducible Protein Kinases A. Genomic control of SGK gene transcription B. Regulation of SGK kinase activity C. Degradation of SGKs III. Role of [...]

During the past decade, life-course studies have provided significant evidence for a link between prenatal and early-life exposures and later development of a range of chronic diseases. (1-3) The life-course [...], Objective. To study the dynamic processes that drive development of childhood overweight by examining the effects of prenatal characteristics and early-life feeding (breastfeeding versus bottle feeding) on weight states through age 7 years. We test a model to determine whether prenatal characteristics and early-life feeding influence the development of a persistent early tendency toward overweight and/or whether prenatal characteristics and early-life feeding factors influence the likelihood that children will change weight states as they get older. Methods. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth's Child-Mother file were used to implement these analyses. A total of 3022 children were included in this sample. For inclusion in this sample, valid information on height and weight during 3 consecutive interviews when the child was aged 24 to 95 months as well as valid data on prenatal and birth characteristics were needed. The primary outcome measure was childhood overweight (BMI >95th percentile). Multivariate logistic models and first-order Markov models were estimated. Results. Early development of childhood overweight was associated with race, ethnicity, maternal prepregnancy obesity, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and later birth years. In later years, the factor that contributed the most to being overweight was having been overweight in the previous observation period. However, with conditioning on the child's having been overweight in the previous observation period, the prenatal factors that contributed to early childhood overweight, except for birth cohort, were also associated with development of overweight among children who had previously been normal weight and perpetuated the persistence of overweight over time. Conclusions. This research suggests that prenatal characteristics, particularly race, ethnicity, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and maternal prepregnancy obesity, exert influence on the child's weight states through an early tendency toward overweight, which then is perpetuated as the child ages. These findings are intriguing as they provide additional clues to the genesis of childhood overweight and suggest that overweight prevention may need to begin before pregnancy and in early childhood. Pediatrics 2005;116:1329-1338; child, obesity, mothers, prepregnancy, dynamics. ABBREVIATIONS. CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; SES, socioeconomic status.