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In this study, the amendment of red mud (RM) in dairy manure composting on the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by both direct (bacteria community, mobile genetic elements and quorum sensing) and indirect ways (environmental factors and antibiotics) was analyzed. The results showed that RM reduced the total relative abundances of 10 ARGs and 4 mobile genetic elements (MGEs). And the relative abundances of total ARGs and MGEs decreased by 53.48% and 22.30% in T (with RM added) on day 47 compared with day 0. Meanwhile, the modification of RM significantly increased the abundance of lsrK, pvdQ and ahlD in quorum quenching (QQ) and decreased the abundance of luxS in quorum sensing (QS) (P 0.05), thereby attenuating the intercellular genes frequency of communication. The microbial community and network analysis showed that 25 potential hosts of ARGs were mainly related to Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and structural equation model (SEM) further indicated that RM altered microbial community structure by regulating antibiotic content and environmental factors (temperature, pH, moisture content and organic matter content), which then affected horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in ARGs mediated by QS and MGEs. These results provide new insights into the dissemination mechanism and removal of ARGs in composting process.

In this study, the effect of Fe

In this study, HCO

Radiotherapy is an essential treatment for endometrial cancer (EC), especially in advanced, metastatic, and recurrent cases. Combining radiotherapy, which mainly causes DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), with small molecules targeting aberrantly activated homologous recombination (HR) repair pathways holds great potential for treating ECs in advanced stages. Here, we demonstrate that diosmetin (DIO), a natural flavonoid, suppresses HR, therefore inhibiting cell proliferation and enhancing the sensitivity of EC to radiotherapy. Clonogenic experiments revealed that combining DIO and X-ray significantly inhibited the viability of EC cells compared to cells treated with diosmetin or X-ray alone. The survival fraction of EC cells decreased to 40% when combining 0.4 Gy X-ray and 4 μM DIO; however, each treatment alone only caused death in approximately 15% and 22% of cancer cells, respectively. Further mechanistic studies showed that diosmetin inhibited the recruitment of RPA2 and RAD51, two critical factors involved in the HR repair pathway, upon the occurrence of DSBs. Thus, we propose that a combination of diosmetin and irradiation is a promising therapeutic strategy for treating endometrial cancer.

Metastasis of endometrial cancer (EC) is known to be the major cause of relapse and death of patients. However, the mechanisms of this process are not well understood. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is known for its essential role in integrin signaling and is highly expressed in many human tumors. FAK also plays important roles in a variety of cellular processes. Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a secreted protein that has been detected in many human solid cancers. In the present study, CTHRC1 was found to be highly expressed in EC tissues when compared with normal tissues. In addition, overexpression of CTHRC1 promoted the migration of EC cells in vitro. Recombinant CTHRC1 protein also promoted the migration of EC cells in vitro. The results of the present study suggested that CTHRC1 mediated EC cell migration via the FAK signaling pathway. Taken together, these data indicated that CTHRC1 and the FAK signaling pathway may be potential therapeutic targets for EC metastasis treatment.

The Rho family of GTPases is strictly regulated by a large family of GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that stimulate the relatively weak intrinsic GTP-hydrolyzing activity of Rho GTPases. p190A is a potent and widely expressed GAP that acts on RhoA GTPases. p190A is frequently mutated in endometrial cancer, but the contribution of p190A mutations to endometrial tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here we identified that p190A is an upstream regulator of the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway, which is a critical regulator of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell fate. p190A knockout in endometrial cancer cells promoted cell proliferation, migration, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which were partially dependent on YAP activation. Wild-type p190A, but not endometrial cancer-associated mutants, suppressed the nuclear localization, transcriptional activity, and malignant transformation function of YAP. Moreover, the nuclear localization of YAP was enhanced in p190A-mutated endometrial cancer. These findings reveal novel molecular mechanisms underlying Hippo-YAP pathway-driven endometrial tumorigenesis and elucidate the potential for therapy targeting the Hippo-YAP pathway in p190A-mutated endometrial cancer.

Research Findings: This is an evaluation study of the effectiveness of an online early mathematics professional development program for early childhood teachers. The eight online courses, along wit...

Early math success in the PreK classroom is recognized as a strong predictor of later academic success. However, many early childhood teachers report they lack the content knowledge, confidence and beliefs to deliver high quality math experiences in their classrooms. Professional development opportunities to gain and expand these skills are often difficult for early childhood educators to access. The purpose of this article is to examine the professional development opportunities available to early childhood educators in the United States and to present a model of professional development that is accessible and effective. This article provides a description of the importance of math in the early years and reveals the need for early math professional development opportunities for early childhood teachers. A portrait of the current state of professional development opportunities for early childhood teachers in the United States is presented along with a presentation of a successful online early math professional development program that was developed to meet the need of early childhood educators. The article ends with implications for current professional development opportunities and ideas for future directions.

At present, China's emerging technologies enjoy vigorous development, and emerging industrial chain with artificial intelligence and big data as the mainstay has dominated China's new economic form. With it, the question of how to cultivate innovative and compound talents in emerging disciplines has become one core difficulty in the current higher education. The highly interdisciplinary integrated STEAM education is suitable for the initial training of new talents. This paper studies the status quo of STEAM education and artificial intelligence education in Chinese universities. Based on the practice of STEAM talent training in Anshan Normal University, it combines artificial intelligence-related education practice, tracks and analyzes various indicators of students in STEAM course to explore the feasibility plan for artificial intelligence education in Chinese universities.

Atherosclerosis causes stroke and coronary heart disease and is associated with a high mortality rate worldwide. However, the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis remains unclear. Endothelial cell apoptosis is one of the early changes observed in atherosclerosis. Previous studies have found that microRNA (miR)-616-3p may be involved in the development of atherosclerosis, but the specific mechanism is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate whether miR-616-3p is involved in endothelial cell apoptosis and its underlying mechanism. The present study demonstrated that compared with normal HUVECs, HUVECs treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein expressed higher miR-616-3p and lower X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) levels. In the present study, HUVECs were transfected with miR-616-3p mimic and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry and TUNEL staining assays demonstrated that compared with miR-616-3p mimic control, the miR-616-3p mimic promoted HUVEC apoptosis. In addition, using StarBase 3.0 for bioinformatics analysis it was predicted that miR-616-3p may bind to the 3'untranslated region (UTR) of XIAP mRNA. The present study performed the CCK-8, flow cytometry, TUNEL staining and dual-luciferase reporter assays and demonstrated that miR-616-3p binds to the 3'UTR of the XIAP mRNA and inhibits its expression and that this further promotes apoptosis in HUVECs. In addition, western blotting demonstrated that compared with miR-616-3p mimic control, the miR-616-3p mimic increases the level of cleaved caspase-3 in HUVECs. In summary, the present study demonstrated that miR-616-3p can directly inhibit the expression of XIAP mRNA by targeting its 3'UTR which promoted apoptosis in HUVECs. miR-616-3p and XIAP may be used as therapeutic targets of atherosclerosis in the future.

Background: It is urgently needed to clarify the pharmacokinetic mechanism for the multibioactive constituents in Traditional Chinese Medicines for its clinical applications. A rapid, sensitive and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of Danshensu, Ferulic acid, Astragaloside IV, Naringin, Neohesperidin and Puerarin after oral administration of Naoshuantong Granule using Carbamazepine as internal standard (IS). Methods: The plasma samples were pretreated by liquid-liquid extraction method using ethyl acetate after acidification, and separated on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC® BEH C18 column (50×2.1 mm, i.d., 1.7 µm) by gradient elution with a mobile phase composing of water (containing 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with both positive and negative ion mode was operated using an electrospray ionization (ESI) to detect the six compounds. Result: All calibration curves showed good linearity (r>0.99) over a wide concentration range. The intra- and inter-day precision (RSD%) was below 8.4% and the accuracy (RE%) ranged from 91.1% to 107.5%. The extraction recoveries of the six analytes and IS in the plasma were more than 77.9% and no severe matrix effect was observed. Conclusion: The fully validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics of Naoshuantong Granule.

The 2024Al alloy and 3%TiB2 reinforced 2024Al composite were fabricated using laser solid forming (LSF). Different from the LSF processed 2024Al with a large columnar grain and apparent preferential growth orientation, TiB2 reinforced 2024Al composite presents texture-less structure, consisting of the dendrite and fine equiaxed structures. Some TiB2 particles distribute within the Al matrix, others distribute along the grain boundaries and intertwine with the Al2Cu phase. The incorporation of TiB2 gives rise to significant grain refinement, which is one of the important reasons for the improvement of mechanical properties. Moreover, the TiB2 reinforced 2024Al sample exhibits 284 MPa high tensile strength, 163 MPa yield strength, 108.5HV microhardness, and 18.7% excellent elongation.

This study investigated the effects of biochar-based solid acids (SAs) on carbon conversion, alpha diversity and bacterial community succession during cow manure composting with the goal of providing a new strategy for rapid carbon conversion during composting. The addition of SA prolonged the thermophilic phase and accelerated the degradation of lignocellulose; in particular, the degradation time of cellulose was shortened by 50% and the humus content was increased by 22.56% compared with the control group (CK). In addition, high-throughput sequencing results showed that SA improved the alpha diversity and the relative abundance of thermophilic bacteria, mainly Actinobacteria, increased by 12.955% compared with CK. A redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that Actinobacteria was positively correlated with the transformation of carbon.

To explore the effect of Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) physical restraint standards in improving physical restraint in critical and emergency department patients. Enrolled 300 critical patients admitted in our hospital's emergency department from January to December 2019: 150 patients admitted January to June 2019 as control group and 150 patients admitted July to December 2019 as observation group. Routine restraints were applied in control group. Emergency department nurses in the observation group received thematic and practical JBI standardized training. This included pre-restraint assessment, principles of physical restraint, informed consent, using a restraint decision-making wheel, and alternatives to physical restraint. The incidence of restraint-associated adverse events (e.g., skin bruising, swelling) and restraint utilization rate were examined between 2 groups. The incidence of adverse events and the restraint utilization rate were significantly lower in the observation group (P

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the second leading type of cancer among women, and its progression is dependent on several factors. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 4C1 (SLCO4C1) on human EC and determine the underlying molecular mechanism. A total of 57 differentially expressed genes associated with advanced stage and survival were identified in The Cancer Genome Atlas database. In addition, gene ontology analysis indicated that SLCO4C1 was highly expressed in cell differentiation and integral component of plasma membrane. High SLCO4C1 expression in EC tissues was verified by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated that the downregulation of SLCO4C1 could significantly suppress the viability, sphere formation, migration and invasion abilities of cells, but enhance apoptosis in EC cell lines. Furthermore, the present results demonstrated that SLCO4C1 had effects on the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype in EC cells and regulated the expression of EMT‑related proteins. Mechanistically, the present study revealed that SLCO4C1 regulated the biological functions of EC cells by inactivating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Collectively, it was demonstrated that the SLCO4C1/PI3K/Akt pathway may play an important role in EC progression and metastasis and serve as a potential biomarker and target for EC diagnosis and treatment.

The cracking mechanism, especially the initiation and propagation process of cracking, in the overlapping zone (OZ) of laser solid forming (LSF) of IN-738LC alloy was investigated. The results showed that both the solidification cracks and liquation cracks can be found in the OZ of the LSFed IN-738LC specimen. The liquation cracking can be ascribe to the local melting of γ-γ′ eutectic at grain boundaries and could further become the initiation site of solidification cracks in the OZ of LSFed IN-738LC. According to the EBSD analysis and the Rappaz's theoretical model, the cracks in OZ always propagated along the high-angle grain boundaries due to their relatively wider solidification temperature range compared with the lower angle grain boundaries. The thermal stress and residual stress (cracking driving force) of the LSFed IN-738LC deposit was estimated by Vickers micro-indentation method combing a series of microhardness and room temperature tensile testing. It was shown that the residual stress in OZ was obviously higher than that in the inner-track zones due to the different thermal history of the two zones, while the microhardness of the two zones were about at the same level. Preheating was found to be effective in suppressing cracking by reducing the residual stress in LSFed IN-738LC deposit and the crack free deposit was obtained with preheating at 700 °C.

The structure characteristic of substrate is a key parameter to modify the structure of as-grown thin film and tune physical properties for oxide thin film materials. Three various substrates are selected to identify the change of structure as well as ferroelectric and magnetic properties of the fabricated Bi0.9Ba0.1FeO3 thin film. XRD and TEM combined with AFM were used to confirm the detailed structure and epitaxial growth of Bi0.9Ba0.1FeO3 thin film on different substrates. Correspondingly, the changes of the ferroelectric and magnetic properties were investigated. It is found that the lattice mismatch between substrate and thin film significantly promotes the structure distortion of Bi0.9Ba0.1FeO3 thin film inducing the change of ferroelectric and magnetic properties. Our results further reveal that the structure characteristic of substrate plays a major role in determining the structure of epitaxial thin film and the enhancement of physical properties, which sheds light to understanding the effect of lattice mismatch in many other functional oxide thin films as well.

Chiral separation of 12 pairs of basic analyte enantiomers including oxybutynin, bambuterol, tradinterol, clenbuterol, clorprenaline, terbutaline, tulobuterol, citalopram, phencynonate, fexofenadine, salbutamol and penehyclidine was conducted by capillary electrophoresis using a single-isomer anionic β-cyclodextrin derivative, heptakis-(2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfato)-β-cyclodextrin as the chiral selector. Parameters influencing separation were studied, including background electrolyte pH, heptakis-(2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfato)-β-cyclodextrin concentration, buffer concentration and separation voltage. A background electrolyte consisting of 50 mM Tris-H3PO4 and 6 mM heptakis-(2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfato)-β-cyclodextrin at pH 2.5 was found to be highly efficient for the separation of most enantiomers, with other conditions of normal polarity mode at 10 kV, detection wavelength of 210 nm using hydrodynamic injection for 3 s. Under the optimal conditions, baseline resolution (>1.50) for 11 pairs of enantiomers and somewhat lower resolution for penehyclidine enantiomers (1.17) were generated. Moreover, the possible mechanism of separation of clenbuterol, oxybutynin, salbutamol and penehyclidine was investigated using a computational modeling method. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

In this research, the effect of microstructure on the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) of laser solid formed (LSFed) 300M steel was investigated. The results showed that the as-deposited microstructure of LSFed 300M steel consisted of martensite and coarse bainite. After heat treatment, the microstructure became homogeneous and was primarily composed of tempered martensite, bainite and a small amount of retained austenite. The FCGR of LSFed 300M steel gradually increases with increasing stress ratio (for a given stress intensity factor range and stress ratios between 0.1 and 0.5). The refined austenite grain of heat-treated LSFed 300M steel reduced the fatigue crack growth threshold (FCGT) and the FCGR. The fractography of as-deposited LSFed 300M steel was different from that of heat-treated LSFed 300M steel.

The popularity of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) has led to an increasing number of studies on the development and evaluation of enantioselective CEC systems. Herein, a novel, simple, and economical method for the preparation of chiral stationary phases for enantioselective open tubular capillary electrochromatography (OTCEC) was reported for the first time. This novel capillary column was fabricated through layer-by-layer self-assembly of GNPs on a 3-mercaptopropyl-trimethoxysilane (MPTMS)-modified fused-silica capillary and subsequent surface functionalization of the GNPs through self-assembly of thiols β-cyclodextrin (SH-β-CD). With this method, monolayer and multilayer GNPs film capillary columns were prepared and evaluated using meptazinol and its three intermediate enantiomers as templates. Consequently, the three-layer GNPs capillary column was found to exhibit favorable enantioseparation performance. Factors that influence the chiral separation resolution were examined. Under the optimized conditions, enantioselectivity was obtained for meptazinol and its three intermediate enantiomers (intermediates Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ) in less than 20 min with resolutions of 2.05, 0.36, 1.67, 1.53, respectively. The proposed column revealed adequate repeatability concerning run-to-run and day-to-day. In brief, these results confirmed the use of GNPs as the electrochromatographic support can enhance the phase ratio of OTC column in capillary electrochromatography (CEC). Then, this proposed method was well validated with good linearity (≥0.999), recovery (92.0–94.5%) and repeatability, and was successfully used for enantioseparation of meptazinol in spiked urine samples, which indicated the new column's potential usage in biological analysis.

The microstructure and microhardness of Ni-base superalloy IN-738LC fabricated by laser solid forming (LSF) with the preheating was investigated. The results showed that with the increase of the preheating temperature (T 0 ) (25 °C, 800 °C, 900 °C and 1050 °C), the total crack length decreased significantly, the segregation of Ti and Al worsened, and the volume fraction of equiaxed grain increased, as well as the size of blocky carbides, γ-γ′ eutectic and γ′ particles. The high-angle grain boundaries, at which the continuous liquid film can be easily formed, were found to be susceptible to cracking. Both the concentration of Ti and Al and the increase of dendrite spacing contribute to the growth of carbides and γ-γ′ eutectic in the interdendrite while the size of the γ′ phases was largely affected by preheating. It was interesting to find that γ′ phase exhibited a bimodal distribution in the bottom of the deposit with the preheating at 1050 °C. The average microhardness of the deposits without preheating and with preheating at 800 °C and 900 °C is about at the same level, while the deposit with preheating at 1050 °C has the lowest average value. The crack-free deposit can be obtained when T 0 was up to 1050 °C, and its room temperature tensile properties are superior to cast IN-738LC alloy.

Families' low engagement has been a common challenge of many early prevention programs, but the phenomenon and its associated factors have not been well studied, especially from a longitudinal perspective. This study examines the change over time in young, African-American mothers' engagement with a pregnancy and perinatal doula home visiting program. One hundred and twenty-three participants were involved, with an average age of 18.2 years old. Mothers were in pregnancy for an average of 26.6 weeks by the time of study, and were primarily first-time mothers. The mothers were visited approximately weekly, beginning in the last three months of pregnancy and extending through the first three months after birth. Doulas rated the mothers' engagement after each visit based on their involvement with the visits and understanding of materials. Longitudinal analysis using hierarchical linear modeling techniques showed that, overall, mothers' engagement increased over time linearly, with some deceleration after the babies' birth, and with individual differences in both initial levels and rates of change. Mothers' psychosocial characteristics were more likely to be associated with their initial engagement levels, while time-varying measures of visit length and settings showed much stronger associations with the rate of engagement change over time. In addition, the home visitors themselves showed individual variation that was predictive both of initial engagement and rate of growth over time. The results suggest that participant engagement is a dynamic process that varies over time in complex ways, and it is associated with participant and program factors.

Background Identification of new molecular targets for the treatment of endometrial cancer (EC) is an important clinical goal, especially for the patients which were resistant to conventional therapies. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand- activated transcription factor known primarily as the mediator of dioxin toxicity. However, the AhR can also inhibit cellular proliferation in a ligand-dependent manner and act as a tumor suppressor in mice, thus may be a potential anticancer target. In this study, we investigated if the endogenous AhR ligand 2-(1′H-indole-3′-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE) regulated proliferation and migration of EC cells via AhR. Methods We used quantitative real-time PCR and western blot to assess the expression of AhR in EC tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues. In addition, we conducted transwell assay to test whether the treatment of ITE altered the locomotive potential and proliferation of EC cells. Next, we conducted mouse xenograft models to further explore the in vivo effect of ITE. Results We found that the AhR protein and RNA levels were increased mildly in EC tissues relative to the para-tumor normal endometrial tissues. Besides, ITE suppressed EC cells proliferation and migration in vitro, and also suppressed EC cells xenograft growth in mice. Conclusions Our results strongly supported the possibility of using the ITE as a small molecular compound for the treatment of EC.

Ba, Mn single and co-doped BiFeO3 ceramics were prepared by combination of solid-state reaction and rapid sintering method. Enhanced ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties were observed in Ba, Mn co-doped ceramics. Large remnant polarization (Pr∼40.87 μC/cm2) for Bi0.9Ba0.1FeO3 and large remanent magnetization (Mr∼0.834 emμ/g) and coercive field (Hc∼938 Oe) for Bi0.95Ba0.05Fe0.9Mn0.1O3 were acquired, respectively. The analysis of structure and valence measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrum and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that an appropriate doping ratio of Ba and Mn ions in BiFeO3 (BFO) plays an important role in facilitating microstructure distortion and transition, which are favorable for enhancing ferroelectric properties of BFO ceramics. Furthermore, the existence of Fe2+ and Mn4+ ions in Ba Mn co-doped BFO contributes to the ferromagnetic property. These results demonstrate that ions co-doping is an effective way to modulate the room-temperature ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties for multiferroic applicability of BFO.

Research Findings: This study used data from a national sample to examine differences in school outcomes at the end of kindergarten between Head Start children who attended full-day and half-day programs. Propensity scores were used to match children who experienced different intensities of the program on a series of demographic characteristics in order to achieve a more unbiased estimation of the intensity effect. Analyses were performed on 2 different age cohorts: 3-year-olds who enrolled in the program for 2 years and 4-year-olds who enrolled in the program for 1 year. The results showed that in comparison to a demographically comparable group of children who attended the Head Start half-day program, children who experienced the more intensive full-day program showed no significant differences on any of the 5 academic and social outcome measures examined. Practice or Policy: Policy and practice implications, as well as future research ideas, are discussed within this context.

We report the structural and magnetic characterization of ZnCo2O4 (ZCO) thin films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition on sapphire substrates. Structural analysis measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) shows that the ZCO thin film grew in a layer-by-layer mode, and forms a cubic spinel structure with Fd-3m space group. Electronic states detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) prove that Co2+ ions occupied on the Zn sites in the ZCO film and oxygen vacancies exist. Magnetic measurements show a strong ferromagnetic behavior. The possible mechanisms for the ferromagnetic property are extensively discussed. Our work is believed to contribute a good understanding of the microscopic ferromagnetism origin of the high-Tc ZCO film, which is significant for expanding their applications into high-effective spin-electronic devices.

The powder mixture, which used as feedstock materials in selective laser melting (SLM), always brings the undesirable problem in microstructure and then mechanical properties, due to its inhomogeneous chemical composition and stability. In this work, the in-situ SLMed Ti-7.5Mo alloy presents an heterogeneous conchoidal structure (hcp α-Ti and bcc β-Ti) from elemental powder mixture. During the SLM, the Mo, which possesses high melting temperature and density, was partial melted and then driven by Marangoni flow in molten pool. Thus, elemental micro-segregation appears with a result of special conchoidal structure. The SLMed sample shows low Young’s modulus (70 GPa) with high tensile strength (>700 MPa) and ductility (9%), given to the synergism effect of β channel and α island.

Single-phase Bi0.95Ba0.05FeO3 (BBFO) thin film was grown on Si (111) substrate by a pulsed laser deposition method. The analysis of crystal structure identifies that the BBFO thin film has a rhombohedrally distorted perovskite structure with R3c space group. The morphologies investigated by high-resolution field emission transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy reveal that the BBFO thin film is polycrystalline and consists of uniform grains with an average size of about 110 nm, of which surfaces are smooth. Ferroelectric property of the BBFO thin film was analyzed and the remnant polarization (P r) is about 3.9 μC cm−2. Magnetic measurements reveal that the BBFO thin film has a strong ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature with a 36.76 emu cm−3 saturated magnetization (M s) and 2998 Oe coercivity. Furthermore, the original mechanisms of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties were discussed. This work is believed to contribute a novel multiferroic material, which should open a way toward the integration of multiferroic material and semiconductor material for future tunable multifunctional devices.

This article compares regression modeling and propensity score analysis as different types of statistical techniques used in addressing selection bias when estimating the impact of two-year versus one-year Head Start on children's school readiness. The analyses were based on the national Head Start secondary dataset. After controlling for covariates, regression modeling showed that program duration (two years vs. one year) was a significant predictor of all six outcome measures, including Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Woodcock-Johnson Reading Skills, Woodcock-Johnson Math Reasoning Skills, teacher-reported composite academic skills, preschool learning behaviors, and social skills. When using propensity score analysis that matched children, program duration significantly predicted children's academic outcomes but had limited effects on learning behaviors and social skills. Overall, both methods confirmed the predictive effects of program duration but propensity score analysis offered more conservative f...

A rapid, sensitive and enantioselective method was developed and fully validated for the separation and determination of lansoprazole enantiomers in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The analytes and the internal standard (esomeprazole) were both extracted from plasma samples by liquid-liquid extraction with diethyl ether-dichloromethane (70:30; v/v). Satisfactory resolution (Rs = 2.0) was achieved within 7.3 min on a Chiralpak ID column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) employing acetonitrile-water (60:40, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. The acquisition of mass spectrometric data was performed in the multiple reaction monitoring mode coupled with a positive electrospray ionization source. A comprehensive validation of this method was rigorously conducted over the concentration range of 1.00-500.0 ng/mL for both enantiomers. All of the validation data demonstrated that the desirable linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, precision, recovery and stability were attained from the proposed approach. The established method was successfully applied to a stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of lansoprazole enantiomers in rat plasma after oral administration of 3 mg/kg racemic lansoprazole or dexlansoprazole. No chiral inversion was observed during the experimental procedure.

Research Findings: Interpersonal relationships among staff caregivers, parents, and children have been recommended as essential aspects of early childhood intervention. This study explored the associations of these relationships with program outcomes for children and parents in 3 Early Head Start programs. A total of 71 children (8–35 months, M = 20), their parents, and 33 program caregivers participated. The results showed that caregiver–child relationships were moderately positive, secure, and interactive and improved in quality over 6 months, whereas caregiver–parent relationships were generally positive and temporally stable. Caregiver–child relationships were more positive for girls, younger children, and those in home-visiting programs. Caregiver–parent relationships were more positive when parents had higher education levels and when staff had more years of experience, had more positive work environments, or had attained a Child Development Associate credential or associate's level of education rat...

Using data from a nationally representative sample, this study examined Head Start children's school outcome differences by the end of Kindergarten between children who attended Head Start program for two years and the ones who attended for one year. Propensity scores were used to match children who experienced different durations of the program on a series of demographic characteristics in order to achieve a precise estimation of the effects of program duration. The results showed that in comparison to a demographically comparable group of children who attended the Head Start program for one year, the children who experienced two years of intervention services had statistically significantly higher performance on all six academic and social outcome measures by the end of Kindergarten, which included PPVT, Woodcock–Johnson Reading Skills, Woodcock–Johnson Math Reasoning Skills, teacher-reported composite academic skills, preschool learning behaviors, and social skills. Policy and practice implications are discussed.

Guided by a developmental–ecological framework and Head Start's two-generational approach, this study examined two dimensions of Head Start program quality, classroom quality and parent involvement and their unique and interactive contribution to children's vocabulary, literacy, and mathematics skills growth from the beginning of Head Start through the end of first grade. The study is a secondary data analysis of FACES 1997, a national descriptive study of Head Start children, families, and programs. The piecewise 3-level growth curve model suggested that Head Start children demonstrated positive academic growth trajectories over time, with vocabulary and literacy skills showing more rapid growth in Head Start years than in later grades. Younger children consistently showed more rapid growth than older children, especially during kindergarten and first grade. Head Start classroom quality and parent involvement uniquely and interactively predicted children's academic growth across time, but in rather complex ways.

Guided by a developmental and ecological model, the study employed latent profile analysis to identify a multilevel typology of family involvement and Head Start classroom quality. Using the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 1997; N = 1870), six multilevel latent profiles were estimated, characterized by distinct patterns of parent school involvement, parent home involvement, and classroom quality. The most prevalent profile (47.5% of children within the national sample) reflected low levels of parent home and school involvement practices, but above average classroom quality. Significant differences were found among the six profiles on (a) child, family, classroom, and program demographic characteristics, and (b) children's literacy, language, mathematics, and social skills at the end of children's first Head Start year. The strongest positive associations between profile membership and child outcomes were seen for children in profiles characterized by high levels of parent involvement and above-average levels of Head Start classroom quality, although there were several nuanced distinctions that emerged. Children within the profile characterized by low parent involvement and low classroom quality exhibited lower academic and social outcomes relative to children in higher quality profiles. Implications for early childhood practice, policy, and research are discussed.

Research Findings: This study examined the consistency between early childhood teachers' self-reported curriculum beliefs and observations of their actual interactive behaviors with children in classrooms. Also tested was the hypothesized moderation by teacher and classroom characteristics of the association between beliefs and practices. A total of 58 preschool teachers completed a survey describing their professional backgrounds and curriculum beliefs. Their classroom practices were observed using a newly developed instrument that documented teacher interactions with children. Most teachers in this sample strongly endorsed child-initiated learning beliefs, although their beliefs about teacher-directed learning varied considerably. The most frequently observed teacher behaviors in the classroom were giving directions to children, responding to children's initiations, and engaging in non-interactive classroom management activities. Overall, teachers' curriculum beliefs and observed classroom practices wer...

This study used a mixed methods methodology to investigate the reliability and validity of the Ounce Scale, an authentic, observational assessment of infants' and toddlers' development from birth through 42 months of age. Quantitative cross-sectional data were collected from 287 children and 124 teachers in seven urban Early Head Start programs; qualitative data were derived from interviews with 21 teachers and seven supervisors. Data were collected across eight age groups. Results showed moderate reliability of the Ounce Scale and provided evidence of agreement with criterion measures for concurrent validity. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses demonstrated very good levels of accuracy in predicting which children were at-risk or not at-risk. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that, after controlling for child and family variables, the Ounce Scale contributed significantly to explaining the variance in children's performance on the criterion measures. Analysis of qualitative in...

The involvement of 124 young mothers in a doula support program was measured in two dimensions—quantity of program contact and quality of mother–doula helping relationship. The study examined each dimension's differential associations with maternal outcomes, as well as the moderating effects of mother characteristics on these associations. Quantity of program contact was related to the quality of helping relationship, especially when rated by doulas. Both quantity and quality of involvement predicted the maternal outcomes, although not always in the expected direction. For mothers with limited vocabulary skills and better connections with the baby's father, program contact was more likely to promote positive birth experiences. A negative association between program contact and parenting behaviors was observed among mothers who were less mature or had less positive social relationships. The study suggests the multidimensionality of program involvement and the complexity of interactions between program and participant factors in producing program outcomes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The influence of the fluid flow driven by rotating magnetic field (RMF) on the solidification microstructures of Sn–Bi alloys was investigated. It is found that, for the Sn–50 wt.% Bi hypoeutectic alloy, the primary phase (Sn) shows a morphology transition from coarse dendrite to equiaxed dendrite, moreover, the grains are fractured and refined with the application of RMF. As for the Sn–65 wt.% Bi hypereutectic alloy, the volume fraction gradient of the primary phases (Bi) at different positions reduces with the increase of magnetic intensity, and the macrosegregation is eliminated effectively. The theoretical calculation indicates that the tangential rate of the fluid flow has a maximum value at 0.55 r 0 , which is three magnitudes larger than the radial component. Furthermore, the microstructure formation mechanisms under the RMF condition were analyzed on basis of the calculation results and solidification theories.

The solidification microstructures of Pb-45% Sn hypoeutectic and Pb-85%Sn hypereutectic alloys were studied in rotating magnetic field (RMF). A transition of primary phase from dendrite to spherical growth was caused by the RMF, which simultaneously fractured and fined grains. The fracture and refinement increased first and then decreased with the increase in RMF intensity. When magnetic intensity exceeded a critical value, the size of the primary phase became bigger on the contrary. Therefore, there existed an optimum value of magnetic intensity in fracture and refinement of grain. Moreover, the rotating frequency determined the skin depth of magnetic field, and further affected the homogenization of temperature and solute. The rotating frequency and magnetic intensity were key factors affecting refinement and uniformity of solidification microstructures. The introduction of RMF not only changed the solidification thermodynamics, but also led to a reduction in Gibbs free energy associated with the formation of critical crystal nucleus and atom diffusion activation energy, thus enhancing the rate of nucleation.