National Autism Indicators Report: Transition into Young Adulthood

There is very little research published concerning how people with autism do in the adult portion of their lifespans. We analyzed data from "The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2" and "The Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services" to examine the service needs and life outcomes of adolescents and young adults on the autism spectrum. This report describes the prevalence of a wide variety of indicators related to transition planning, services access, unmet needs, employment, postsecondary education, living arrangements, social participation, and safety and risk

Utilização de crotalária no controle de nematóides da raiz do feijoeiro.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da palhada de C. spectabilis no controle de nematóides da raiz do feijoeiro.bitstream/CNPAF/22189/1/comt_74.pd

A Burden Shared is a Burden Halved: A Fairness-Adjusted Approach to Classification

We investigate fairness in classification, where automated decisions are made for individuals from different protected groups. In high-consequence scenarios, decision errors can disproportionately affect certain protected groups, leading to unfair outcomes. To address this issue, we propose a fairness-adjusted selective inference (FASI) framework and develop data-driven algorithms that achieve statistical parity by controlling and equalizing the false selection rate (FSR) among protected groups. Our FASI algorithm operates by converting the outputs of black-box classifiers into R-values, which are both intuitive and computationally efficient. The selection rules based on R-values, which effectively mitigate disparate impacts on protected groups, are provably valid for FSR control in finite samples. We demonstrate the numerical performance of our approach through both simulated and real data

FUNCTIONAL DISSECTION OF ST18 IN LIVER CANCER

The molecular mechanisms and pathways responsible for the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain to be fully characterized. Among the genetic lesions associated with HCC progression, Shukla et al. (2013) identified insertions of the L1 transposon proximal to the gene encoding the zinc-finger DNA-binding protein ST18 (suppression of tumorigenicity 18) and suggested that this actually functions as an oncogene in HCC. However, functional evidence for a cancer-promoting activity of ST18 and insight into its mode of action are missing. Here, I pursued the functional characterization of ST18 in a mouse model of HCC based on ex vivo transformation and subcutaneous transplantation of embryonic hepatoblasts. ST18 was undetectable in either normal liver or cultured hepatoblasts, but was induced in the subcutaneous tumors. ST18 was also expressed in either chronically or acutely inflamed mouse livers (as assessed in Mdr2-/- or LPS-treated mice) as well as in human Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis 2 (PFIC2: a condition associated with chronic inflammation), suggesting its induction by inflammatory stimuli. The knockdown of ST18 delayed tumor formation or, if induced in already formed tumors, led to rapid hemorrhage, pervasive morphological changes in the tumor cells reminiscent of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and eventually tumor regression. RNA profiling revealed that ST18 silencing caused expression of EMT-associated genes, among others. Previous studies have linked inflammation to the induction of EMT in other epithelia: we hypothesize that the concomitant activation of ST18 constitutes a safeguard against EMT, inactivation of this control mechanism causing the dramatic phenotypic switch observed in our model. These data warrant further evaluation of the mode of action of ST18 and of its potential value as a therapeutic target in HCC

The use of exogenous microbial species to enhance the performance of a hybrid fixed-film bioreactor treating coal gasification wastewater to meet discharge requirements

The objective of this study was to determine whether inoculating a hybrid fixed-film bioreactor with exogenous bacterial and diatoma species would increase the removal of chemical oxygen demand, nitrogenous compounds and suspended solids from a real-time coal gasification wastewater to meet environmental discharge requirements specified for petrochemical refineries. The COD removal increased by 25% (45% to 70%) at a relatively high inoculum dosage (370 g∙m−3) and unit treatment cost (12.21 €∙m−3). The molar ratio of monovalent cations to divalent cations (M/D >2) affected nitrification, settling of solids and dewatering of the sludge. The use of a low-charge cationic flocculant decreased the suspended solids in the effluent by 70% (180 mg∙L−1 to 54 mg∙L−1) and increased the sludge dewatering rate by 88% (61 s∙L∙g−1 to 154 s∙L∙g−1) at a unit treatment cost of 2.5 €∙t−1 dry solids. Organic compounds not removed by the indigenous and exogenous microbial species included benzoic acids (aromatic carboxylic acids), 2-butenoic acid (short-chain unsaturated carboxylic acid), I(2H)-isoquinolinone (heterocyclic amine), hydantoins (highly polar heterocyclic compounds), long-chain hydrocarbon length (carbon length > C15) and squalene. These organic compounds can thus be classified as poorly degradable or nonbiodegradable which contributed to the 30% COD not removed by the H-FFBR. The use of exogenous microbial species improved the quality of CGWW; however, not sufficiently to meet discharge requirements. The cost of such treatment to meet discharge requirements would be unsustainable. Alternative technologies need to be investigated for reusing or recycling the CGWW rather than discharging.Keywords: ammonia, catalytic reactor technology, COD, fixed-film bioreactor, hydantoins, thiocyanate

Multiple functions of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein

Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) was first identified as a major cellular protein capable of transferring neutral lipids between membrane vesicles. Its role as an essential chaperone for the biosynthesis of apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing triglyceride-rich lipoproteins was established after the realization that abetalipoproteinemia patients carry mutations in the MTTP gene resulting in the loss of its lipid transfer activity. Now it is known that it also plays a role in the biosynthesis of CD1, glycolipid presenting molecules, as well as in the regulation of cholesterol ester biosynthesis. In this review, we will provide a historical perspective about the identification, purification and characterization of MTP, describe methods used to measure its lipid transfer activity, and discuss tissue expression and function. Finally, we will review the role MTP plays in the assembly of apoB-lipoprotein, the regulation of cholesterol ester synthesis, biosynthesis of CD1 proteins and propagation of hepatitis C virus. We will also provide a brief overview about the clinical potentials of MTP inhibition