Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal management strategy of insecticide resistance under various insect life histories: Heterogeneous timing of selection and interpatch dispersal

Although theoretical studies have shown that the mixture strategy, which uses multiple toxins simultaneously, can effectively delay the evolution of insecticide resistance, whether it is the optimal management strategy under different insect life histories and insecticide types remains unknown. To test the robustness of this management strategy over different life histories, we developed a series of simulation models that cover almost all the diploid insect types and have the same basic structure describing pest population dynamics and resistance evolution with discrete time steps. For each of two insecticidal toxins, independent one‐locus two‐allele autosomal inheritance of resistance was assumed. The simulations demonstrated the optimality of the mixture strategy either when insecticide efficacy was incomplete or when some part of the population disperses between patches before mating. The rotation strategy, which uses one insecticide on one pest generation and a different one on the next, did not differ from sequential usage in the time to resistance, except when dominance was low. It was the optimal strategy when insecticide efficacy was high and premating selection and dispersal occur.
A novel twelve class fluctuation test reveals higher than expected mutation rates for influenza A viruses

Influenza virus’ low replicative fidelity contributes to its capacity for rapid evolution. Clonal sequencing and fluctuation tests have suggested that the influenza virus mutation rate is 2.7 × 10–6 - 3.0 × 10–5 substitutions per nucleotide per strand copied (s/n/r). However, sequencing assays are biased toward mutations with minimal fitness impacts and fluctuation tests typically investigate only a subset of all possible single nucleotide mutations. We developed a fluctuation test based on reversion to fluorescence in a set of virally encoded mutant green fluorescent proteins, which allowed us to measure the rates of selectively neutral mutations representative of the twelve different mutation types. We measured an overall mutation rate of 1.8 × 10–4 s/n/r for PR8 (H1N1) and 2.5 × 10–4 s/n/r for Hong Kong 2014 (H3N2) and a transitional bias of 2.7–3.6. Our data suggest that each replicated genome will have an average of 2–3 mutations and highlight the importance of mutational load in influenza virus evolution. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.26437. 001
SSNTD Techniques in Radon Surveys for Hydrocarbon Exploration and Occurrence of Natural Gas Seeps

Leakages of hydrocarbon reservoirs often increase the radon concentration on the soil surface through distinct pathways; gas migration results in either prolific macro-seeps or micro-seeps. Soil gases, including radon, are recognized as potential tracers in geoscience. The surficial radiometric anomalies over hydrocarbon reservoirs provide the oil community with a complementary survey tool for oil exploration through the use of nuclear track methodology. The Solid State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) is one of the recognized techniques to be employed advantageously in radon surveys for hydrocarbon exploration and occurrence of natural gas seeps. The nuclear track method provides information on the nature of radioactive gas sources, emanations from the soil and their transport pathways. Latent track etching conditions and their analysis are included.
Stereochemistry of gabapentin and several derivatives: Solid state conformations and solution equilibria

Gabapentin (1-(aminomethyl)cycloheaxaneacetic acid; Gpn) is a widely used anti-epileptic drug. The target site of action of Gpn remains controversial. Gpn can exist in two isomeric chair forms. The crystal structures of Gpn 1 and eight derivatives, Gpn hydrochloride 2, Gpn lactam 3, Boc-Gpn-OH 4, Ac-Gpn-OH 5, Piv- Gpn-OH 6, Tosyl-Gpn-OH 7, Boc-Gpn-OSu 8 and Boc-Gpn-NHMe 9, are described. The aminomethyl group occupies an axial position in 1, 3, 6 and 7, while it lies in an equatorial orientation in 2, 4, 5 and 8. The structure of Boc-Gpn-NHMe 9 reveals that the crystals contain both chair forms of the derivative in the ratio 0.7 : 0.3, favouring the aminomethyl group in an axial position. In all cases, the torsional angles about the $C^{\alpha}–C^{\beta} (\theta 1)$ and $C^{\beta}–C^{\gamma} (\theta 2)$ bonds of the \gamma- amino acid residue are characteristic of a gauche, gauche (g, g) conformation. In solution, NMR studies establish rapid conformational exchange, as anticipated, at room temperature. Low temperature NMR studies permit conformational freezing and determination of the freeenergy difference between the two 1,1-disubstituted cyclohexane conformers. The largest free-energy difference is observed in the free amino acid $(0.38 \hspace {2mm}kcal \hspace {2mm}mol^{–1})$, with the most stable conformer having the aminomethyl group in the equatorial position. The free-energy difference between the two forms is significantly reduced in the protected derivatives, with almost equal populations observed in solution for the fully protected neutral derivatives, Boc-Gpn-NHMe and Gpn lactam.
The Effects of Focus versus Diversification on Bank Performance: Evidence from Chinese Banks

This paper investigates the effects of focus versus diversification on bank performance using data on Chinese banks during the 1996-2006 period. We construct a new measure, economies of diversification, and compare the results to those of the more conventional focus indices, which are based on the sum of squares of shares in different products or regions. Diversification is captured in four dimensions: loans, deposits, assets, and geography. We find that all four dimensions of diversification are associated with reduced profits and higher costs. These results are robust regardless of alternative measures of diversification and performance. Furthermore, we observe that banks with foreign ownership (both majority and minority ownership) and banks with conglomerate affiliation are associated with fewer diseconomies of diversification, suggesting that foreign ownership and conglomerate affiliation play an important mitigating role. This analysis may provide important implications for bank managers and regulators in China as well as in other emerging economies.
Using Effort to Measure Reward Value of Faces in Children with Autism

According to one influential account, face processing atypicalities in autism reflect reduced reward value of faces, which results in limited attention to faces during development and a consequent failure to acquire face expertise. Surprisingly, however, there is a paucity of work directly investigating the reward value of faces for individuals with autism and the evidence for diminished face rewards in this population remains equivocal. In the current study, we measured how hard children with autism would work to view faces, using an effortful key-press sequence, and whether they were sensitive to the differential reward value of attractive and unattractive faces. Contrary to expectations, cognitively able children with autism did not differ from typically developing children of similar age and ability in their willingness to work to view faces. Moreover, the effort expended was strongly positively correlated with facial attractiveness ratings in both groups of children. There was also no evidence of atypical reward values for other, less social categories (cars and inverted faces) in the children with autism. These results speak against the possibility that face recognition difficulties in autism are explained by atypical reward value of faces.
Non-Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease Influences Retinal Microvasculature

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by increased cerebrovascular risk. Retinal vessel analysis (RVA) is an accepted measure of the retinal microvasculature, mirrors hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity. Epidemiological studies demonstrate narrower retinal arterioles with declining renal function. The effect of CKD on the retinal microcirculation remains uncertain. Methods: RVA was performed in 34 non-diabetic CKD patients and 33 age-matched volunteers with normal renal function. Retinal photographs were digitized, vascular lumen diameters measured and the ratio of retinal arteriolar and venular lumen diameters (AVR) calculated. Office blood pressure (BP) was measured and cardiovascular risk factors assessed. Results: AVR was lower in CKD patients as compared to age-matched volunteers (0.77 ± 0.05 vs. 0.86 ± 0.06; p < 0.05). In particular, retinal arterioles were narrower in CKD patients as compared to volunteers (169.6 ± 20.4 vs. 189.5 ± 14.2 µm; p < 0.01). In CKD, estimated glomerular filtration rate, BP and renin-angiotensin system blocker independently predicted AVR. Moreover, retinal arteriolar diameter independently predicted renal function (β = 0.33; p < 0.05). Conclusion: CKD narrowed retinal arterioles suggesting an extended effect of CKD on the cerebral microvasculature. This study shows that in CKD patients, renal function, BP status and renin-angiotensin system blockade independently predict AVR as a marker for microvascular damage and that retinal microvasculature can predict renal function.
Robotic assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE): the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center initial experience.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work. Correspondence to: Inderpal S. Sarkaria, MD, FACS. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Division of Thoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Shadyside Medical Building, Suite 715.27, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA. Email: sarkariais@upmc.edu.
Validation and Calibration of a Computer Simulation Model of Pediatric HIV Infection

Background Computer simulation models can project long-term patient outcomes and inform health policy. We internally validated and then calibrated a model of HIV disease in children before initiation of antiretroviral therapy to provide a framework against which to compare the impact of pediatric HIV treatment strategies. Methods We developed a patient-level (Monte Carlo) model of HIV progression among untreated children <5 years of age, using the Cost-Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications model framework: the CEPAC-Pediatric model. We populated the model with data on opportunistic infection and mortality risks from the International Epidemiologic Database to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA), with mean CD4% at birth (42%) and mean CD4% decline (1.4%/month) from the Women and Infants’ Transmission Study (WITS). We internally validated the model by varying WITS-derived CD4% data, comparing the corresponding model-generated survival curves to empirical survival curves from IeDEA, and identifying best-fitting parameter sets as those with a root-mean square error (RMSE) <0.01. We then calibrated the model to other African settings by systematically varying immunologic and HIV mortality-related input parameters. Model-generated survival curves for children aged 0-60 months were compared, again using RMSE, to UNAIDS data from >1,300 untreated, HIV-infected African children. Results In internal validation analyses, model-generated survival curves fit IeDEA data well; modeled and observed survival at 16 months of age were 91.2% and 91.1%, respectively. RMSE varied widely with variations in CD4% parameters; the best fitting parameter set (RMSE = 0.00423) resulted when CD4% was 45% at birth and declined by 6%/month (ages 0-3 months) and 0.3%/month (ages >3 months). In calibration analyses, increases in IeDEA-derived mortality risks were necessary to fit UNAIDS survival data. Conclusions The CEPAC-Pediatric model performed well in internal validation analyses. Increases in modeled mortality risks required to match UNAIDS data highlight the importance of pre-enrollment mortality in many pediatric cohort studies.
Concurrent adversities and suicide attempts among Sami and non-Sami adolescents: the Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Study (NAAHS)

Abstract Background: Little is known about connections between adolescent suicide attempts (SA) and concurrent adversities. Aims: In a cross-sectional study, the authors wanted to investigate prevalences, additive effects of adversities, family and peer relations, gender, divorce and poverty, and ethnic differences between Sami and non-Sami youth. Methods: In an adolescent community population encompassing 4881 adolescents of 15–16 years of age, youth with and without self-reports of attempted suicide the last year were compared on 12 concurrent adversities, on scales assessing family and peer functioning, and on sociodemographic variables. Results: The prevalence of attempted suicide the last year was 5.3%, and more girls (8.8%) than boys (1.8%). All 12 concurrent adversities were strongly related to SA. The suicide attempters reported two and a half times as many adversities as non-attempters. A strong multiple additive relationship was found. Multivariately, among boys, the strongest risk factors were suicide among friends (OR = 9.4), and suicide in the family or in the neighbourhood (OR = 4.8). Among girls, sexual abuse (OR = 5.2) and parent mental problems (OR = 4.6) were strongest related to SA. Suicide attempters reported more divorce and poverty, more conflicts with parents, and less family support and involvement. Totally, Sami youth reported more SA and more concurrent adversities than non-Sami peers. Conclusion: Adolescent suicide attempters are heavily burdened with concurrent adversities. Clinicians should be aware of gender differences in risk factors, and should ask about abuse and suicide or attempts among relatives and peers. A family perspective in clinical work is needed.
Long-Term Impact of Sleep-Disordered Breathing on Quality of Life in Children With Obesity.

STUDY OBJECTIVES (1) To determine baseline quality of life (QOL) among children with obesity and newly diagnosed moderate-severe sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and to compare it to the reported QOL of children with obesity or SDB alone and healthy children. (2) To evaluate QOL change after 1 year. METHODS A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted in children (8-16 years) with obesity, prescribed positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy for moderate-severe SDB. Outcomes included parent-proxy and self-report total and subscale scores on the PedsQL questionnaire (baseline and 1-year). RESULTS Total PedsQL scores were indicative of impaired QOL in 69% of cases based on parent-report and in 62% on self-report. Parents reported significantly lower QOL in our cohort than that reported in other studies for children with obesity or SDB alone or healthy children, on total PedsQL score and on social and psychosocial subscales. PedsQL total scores for participants were significantly higher (mean difference 7.3 ± 15.3, P = .03) than those reported by parents. Parents reported significant improvements in total PedsQL (mean change 7.29 ± 13.73, P = .04) and social functioning (mean change 17.65 ± 24.69, P = .04) scores after 1 year. No significant differences were found by children's self-report or by PAP adherence. CONCLUSIONS QOL of children with obesity and SDB is lower than in children with obesity or SDB alone or healthy children. One year later, children reported no significant changes in QOL; parents reported significant improvements in total PedsQL and social functioning scores. PAP adherence did not significantly affect QOL change in this population. COMMENTARY A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 307.
Investigation of the relationship between alexithymia and eating attitude, self-esteem and anger in women who applied to psychological counseling center

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to examine self-esteem, anger and eating attitude with alexithymia in people who consult to the psychological counseling center. The sample of the study consist of 100 women who were located in Istanbul and applied to the psychological consulting center. Methods: Consent form, demographic form, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Eating Attitude Test have been used to collect the data in this study. In this research, the relationship between sociodemographic features, alexithymia, self-esteem, anger, eating attitude of women who consult to the psychological counseling center had been examined. Data obtained have been analyzed statistically by using SPSS 15.0 for Windows. Results: The findings of this research supported our hypothesizes. Regarding the relationship between eating attitude and alexithymia, there is a positive relationship between difficulties in identifying and describing feelings with eating attitudes ( p < 0.05). Regarding the relationship between alexithymia and self-esteem, there is a positive relation between sub-dimensions of alexithymia scale with subscales of self-esteem ( p < 0.05). There is a positive relationship between identifying feelings with trait anger and anger-out scores ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: According to these results, it appears that alexithymia has a serious relationship with anger, eating attitude and self-esteem. We suggest that alexithymia may be at the center of other features relations with each other.
Damping Variations in Post-Buckled Structures having Geometric Imperfections

The vibration response (natural frequencies and damping) of a geometrically-imperfect post-buckled beam as a result of an axial compression force is studied both analytically as well as experimentally. In the analytical development, the pinned-pinned (simplysupported) beam with geometric imperfections is treated approximately as two-bar link with a rotational spring and damper at the mid-span. Here the geometric imperfection is treated as an applied load acting with an offset to the beam centroid so that the load application will produce an applied compression load as well as a bending moment. For the case of no imperfections, it is shown that the post-buckled beam vibrational behavior follows inversely to the behavior of the pre-buckled beam vibrational behavior. For example, as one applies an increasing compression load to a prebuckled beam, the natural frequencies decrease to zero as the beam buckles and then increase significantly as the beam is in its post-buckled state. Likewise the experimentally measured modal damping increases to infinity as the beam buckles and then returns to its initial value in its post-buckled state. But when geometric imperfections are present, the beam does not experience a unique bifurcation state, instead starts slowly buckling at the onset of the applied load. In this case, the natural frequencies are shown to decrease initially and then increase for large deformations. Likewise, the experimentally measured modal damping increase initially and then decrease. Experimental testing of a compressively loaded graphite/epoxy beam validate these trends for both the pre-buckled and post-buckled conditions. These results are of interest to designers of compressively loaded structures that are subject to buckling, for example fuselage and wing skins that are subjected to dynamic loads.
Nitrogen Forms Influence Microcystin Concentration and Composition via Changes in Cyanobacterial Community Structure

The eutrophication of freshwaters is a global health concern as lakes with excess nutrients are often subject to toxic cyanobacterial blooms. Although phosphorus is considered the main element regulating cyanobacterial biomass, nitrogen (N) concentration and more specifically the availability of different N forms may influence the overall toxicity of blooms. In this study of three eutrophic lakes prone to cyanobacterial blooms, we examined the effects of nitrogen species and concentrations and other environmental factors in influencing cyanobacterial community structure, microcystin (MC) concentrations and MC congener composition. The identification of specific MC congeners was of particular interest as they vary widely in toxicity. Different nitrogen forms appeared to influence cyanobacterial community structure leading to corresponding effects on MC concentrations and composition. Total MC concentrations across the lakes were largely explained by a combination of abiotic factors: dissolved organic nitrogen, water temperature and ammonium, but Microcystis spp. biomass was overall the best predictor of MC concentrations. Environmental factors did not appear to affect MC congener composition directly but there were significant associations between specific MC congeners and particular species. Based on redundancy analyses (RDA), the relative biomass of Microcystis aeruginosa was associated with MC-RR, M. wesenbergii with MC-LA and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae with MC-YR. The latter two species are not generally considered capable of MC production. Total nitrogen, water temperature, ammonium and dissolved organic nitrogen influenced the cyanobacterial community structure, which in turn resulted in differences in the dominant MC congener and the overall toxicity.
The extent of AS path inflation by routing policies

A route in the Internet may take a longer AS (autonomous systems) path than the shortest AS path due to routing policies. We systematically analyze AS paths and quantify the extent to which routing policies inflate AS paths. The results show that AS path inflation in the Internet is more prevalent than expected. We first present the extent of AS path inflation observed from the route view routing tables. From an ISP, at least 55% of AS paths are inflated by at least one AS hop and AS paths can be inflated by as long as 6 AS hops. We then employ two typical routing policies to show the extent of AS path inflation for all AS pairs; we find that at least 45% of AS paths are inflated by at least one AS hop and AS paths can be inflated by as many as 9 AS hops. Quantifying AS path inflation in the Internet has important implications on the extent of routing policies and traffic engineering performed on the Internet, and on BGP (border gateway protocol) convergence speed.