Robust joint modeling of sparsely observed paired functional data

A reduced-rank mixed effects model is developed for robust modeling of sparsely observed paired functional data. In this model, the curves for each functional variable are summarized using a few functional principal components, and the association of the two functional variables is modeled through the association of the principal component scores. Multivariate scale mixture of normal distributions is used to model the principal component scores and the measurement errors in order to handle outlying observations and achieve robust inference. The mean functions and principal component functions are modeled using splines and roughness penalties are applied to avoid overfitting. An EM algorithm is developed for computation of model fitting and prediction. A simulation study shows that the proposed method outperforms an existing method which is not designed for robust estimation. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated in an application of fitting multi-band light curves of Type Ia supernovae

Using Congregate Care: What the Evidence Tells Us

This report focuses on kids entering group settings for their first child welfare placement. It explores how likely this placement is, how long and stable it is, and how often it results in achieving permanency or a return to out-of-home care.To complete this study, researchers analyzed demographic data for each child — their age, gender, race and ethnicity and urbanicity — to determine how or if these factors played a role in their group care experience. They found a significant relationship between age, race and ethnicity, and the utilization of group placements. They also noted that such connections are best understood within the context of the local child welfare system and its local service offerings

Characteristics of Attorneys Representing Children in Child Welfare Cases

Every day in state and local courts throughout the United States, judges are called upon to decide who should have the responsibility for the immediate and long-term care of neglected and abused children. Federal recognition of the right to independent advocacy for children subject to these proceedings originates with the 1974 Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). As a condition of receiving federal funds for child abuse prevention services through CAPTA, states must provide for the appointment of an appropriately trained guardian ad litem (GAL) for every child whose case results in a judicial proceeding. A guardian ad litem (GAL) may be an attorney, a lay advocate (such as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)), or both. CAPTA charges child representatives to obtain first-hand a clear understanding of the situation and needs of the child; and to make recommendations to the court concerning the best interests of the child. This CAPTA requirement reflects the view that children have interests that should be represented in these proceedings that may differ from the interests of their parents and the state. Even though the state has brought the action to protect the child, the voice and needs of the child may get lost in the fray of arguments and allegations between the state\u27s lawyers, parents, and other adults that are parties to the case. Furthermore, the child needs an advocate if the state fails to deliver on necessary services and actions due to fiscal constraints and/or organizational failures

The small GTPase Rab2 functions in the removal of apoptotic cells in Caenorhabditis elegans

We identify here a novel class of loss-of-function alleles of uncoordinated locomotion(unc)-108, which encodes the Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of the mammalian small guanosine triphosphatase Rab2. Like the previously isolated dominant-negative mutants, unc-108 loss-of-function mutant animals are defective in locomotion. In addition, they display unique defects in the removal of apoptotic cells, revealing a previously uncharacterized function for Rab2. unc-108 acts in neurons and engulfing cells to control locomotion and cell corpse removal, respectively, indicating that unc-108 has distinct functions in different cell types. Using time-lapse microscopy, we find that unc-108 promotes the degradation of engulfed cell corpses. It is required for the efficient recruitment and fusion of lysosomes to phagosomes and the acidification of the phagosomal lumen. In engulfing cells, UNC-108 is enriched on the surface of phagosomes. We propose that UNC-108 acts on phagosomal surfaces to promote phagosome maturation and suggest that mammalian Rab2 may have a similar function in the degradation of apoptotic cells

Children\u27s Justice: How to Improve Legal Representation of Children in the Child Welfare System

From 2009 to 2016 the University of Michigan Law School served as the National Quality Improvement Center on the Representation of Children in the Child Welfare System (QIC-ChildRep). This seven-year, multimillion dollar project, directed by Clinical Professor Don Duquette, conducted a national needs assessment that identified a substantial consensus on the role and duties of the child’s lawyer. The needs assessment led to the QIC-ChildRep Best Practice Model, an update and expansion of the 1996 ABA Standards for Lawyers Representing Children in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases. Released in 2016 as a300-page softcover book, CHILDREN\u27S JUSTICE is the final report of the QIC-ChildRep project, guiding the reader through 13 chapters and 3 appendices: Chapter 1: Challenge: Improve Child Representation in America Chapter 2: Evolution of Child Representation Chapter 3: National Needs Assessment Chapter 4: Emerging Consensus and the QIC Best Practice Model Chapter 5: Six Core Skills and the QIC Best Practice Training Chapter 6: What the Lawyers Say About Implementing the Six Core Skills Chapter 7: Sample Selection and Research Methods Chapter 8: Profile of Lawyers Representing Children Chapter 9: Lawyer Activities and Their Impact Chapter 10: Findings of the Evaluation of the QIC-ChildRep Best Practices Model Training for Attorneys Chapter 11: Reflections on QIC Empirical Findings Chapter 12: The Flint MDT Study: A Description and Evaluation of a Multidisciplinary Team Representing Children in Child Welfare Cases Chapter 13: How to Improve Legal Representation of Children in America’s Child Welfare System Appendix A: QIC Best Practice Model of Child Representation in the Child Welfare System Appendix B: 1996 American Bar Association Standards of Practice for Lawyers Who Represent Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases Appendix C: 2011 ABA Model Act Governing Representation of Children in Abuse, Neglect and Dependency Proceedings This product was created by the National Quality Improvement Center on the Representation of Children in the Child Welfare System at the University of Michigan Law School, Cooperative Agreement No. 90CO1047, funded by the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.https://repository.law.umich.edu/books/1109/thumbnail.jp

Fabrication and Characterization of Collagen/PVA Dual-Layer Membranes for Periodontal Bone Regeneration

Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) is a promising treatment for periodontal tissue defects, which generally uses a membrane to build a mechanical barrier from the gingival epithelium and hold space for the periodontal regeneration especially the tooth-supporting bone. However, existing membranes possess insufficient mechanical properties and limited bioactivity for periodontal bone regenerate. Herein, fish collagen and polyvinyl alcohol (Col/PVA) dual-layer membrane were developed via a combined freezing/thawing and layer coating method. This dual-layer membrane had a clear but contact boundary line between collagen and PVA layers, which were both hydrophilic. The dual membrane had an elongation at break of 193 ± 27% and would undergo an in vitro degradation duration of more than 17 days. Further cell experiments showed that compared with the PVA layer, the collagen layer not only presented good cytocompatibility with rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), but also promoted the osteogenic genes (RUNX2, ALP, OCN, and COL1) and protein (ALP) expression of BMSCs. Hence, the currently developed dual-layer membranes could be used as a stable barrier with a stable degradation rate and selectively favor the bone tissue to repopulate the periodontal defect. The membranes could meet the challenges encountered by GTR for superior defect repair, demonstrating great potential in clinical applications

Discontiguous or Contiguous Spread Patterns Affect the Functional Staging in Patients With Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether the spread pattern affects functional staging in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We examined the spreading patterns of disease following symptom onset and the affected regions in ALS using electromyography.Methods: This study reviewed the medical records of 103 patients with sporadic ALS in the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2012 to 2017. According to the clinical manifestation and the distribution of the affected regions on electromyography, spread patterns were classified as discontiguous or contiguous. The patients were graded according to the ALS-Milano-Torino staging (MITOS) system.Results: The clinical spread patterns were contiguous in 91.5% of patients and discontiguous in 8.5% of patients. The electrophysiological spread patterns were contiguous in 87.4% of patients and discontiguous in 12.6% of patients. Sex, age, or delay in diagnosis did not affect the clinical or electrophysiological spread patterns. No significant correlation was observed between the clinical classification and the ALS-MITOS grade, but the electrophysiological spread was significantly correlated with the ALS-MITOS.Conclusion: This study provides evidence that not all ALS patients show contiguous clinical or electrophysiological spread patterns. The electrophysiological spread pattern can affect the functional staging in ALS patients