cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Cixiid Planthopper Haplaxius ovatus (Ball) (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea): Association with Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum; Poaceae) and New Distribution Records

Abstract Haplaxius ovatus (Ball) is a little-known cixiid planthopper whose host plants were unknown. During fieldwork in late May, late June—early July, and late August—early September from 2010 to 2013, we collected adults (n = 778) on switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.; Poaceae: Panicoideae) at 59 sites in nine states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. New state records are Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The cixiid was not encountered during less extensive collecting from other prairie grasses: big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii Vitman; little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash; Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash; and prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata Bosc ex Link. In Nebraska, where switchgrass surveys were most extensive, H. ovatus typically was found in the Tallgrass and Mixedgrass Prairie ecoregions (remnant prairies and roadsides), was uncommon in the Sandhills, and was present along the e...
Relating Porter’s Configuration/Coordination Framework to Competitive Strategy and Structural Mechanisms: Analysis and Implications

This article examines the categorization of business strategy in global industries according to Porter’s (1986) configuration/coordination framework. In particular; the relationships between cost/differentiation-based competitive strategies and configuration/coordination-based international strategy types are evaluated. The article also examines the relationship between patterns of configuration/coordination and the structural mechanisms of centralization, formalization and specialization. By examining patterns across 77 businesses, the article raises important questions about the interpretation and application of the configuration/coordination framework in determining broad organizational responses to globalization. In particular, the relationship between competitive strategy and international strategy is re-examined and extensions to the framework are proposed.
Assessing group interaction with social language network analysis

In this paper we discuss a new methodology, social language network analysis (SLNA), that combines tools from social language processing and network analysis to assess socially situated working relationships within a group. Specifically, SLNA aims to identify and characterize the nature of working relationships by processing artifacts generated with computer-mediated communication systems, such as instant message texts or emails. Because social language processing is able to identify psychological, social, and emotional processes that individuals are not able to fully mask, social language network analysis can clarify and highlight complex interdependencies between group members, even when these relationships are latent or unrecognized.
Using small molecule complexes to elucidate features of photosynthetic water oxidation.

The molecular oxygen produced in photosynthesis is generated via water oxidation at a manganese–calcium cluster called the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). While studies in biophysics, biochemistry, and structural and molecular biology are well known to provide deeper insight into the structure and workings of this system, it is often less appreciated that biomimetic modelling provides the foundation for interpreting photosynthetic reactions. The synthesis and characterization of small model complexes, which either mimic structural features of the OEC or are capable of providing insight into the mechanism of O2 evolution, have become a vital contributor to this scientific field. Our group has contributed to these findings in recent years through synthesis of model complexes, spectroscopic characterization of these systems and probing the reactivity in the context of water oxidation. In this article we describe how models have made significant contributions ranging from understanding the structure of the water-oxidation centre (e.g. contributions to defining a tetrameric Mn3Ca-cluster with a dangler Mn) to the ability to discriminate between different mechanistic proposals (e.g. showing that the Babcock scheme for water oxidation is unlikely).
The application and misapplication of mass analysis in lithic debitage studies

The technique of debitage mass analysis based upon size grades of debitage populations is shown to be prone to errors when making interpretations about the kind of tool produced or the kind of lithic reduction technology used. Significant sources of error may originate from differences in individual flintknapping styles and techniques, raw material size and shape variants, and mixing of debitage from more than one reduction episode. These sources of error render debitage Mass Analysis ineffective for determining the kind of stone tool reduction activities practiced at excavated sites. Mass Analysis may be effective for determining artifact reduction sequences if it is used on debitage from a single reduction episode or part of a reduction episode. However, it is shown that Mass Analysis when used for assessing reduction sequence information, must also control for the effects of raw material variability, assemblage mixing, and flintknapping styles.
Identification and expression profile of multiple genes in response to magnesium exposure in Culex quinquefasciatus larvae.

ABSTRACT Magnesium is crucial for baculovirus transmission in Culex nigripalpus (Theobald) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) larvae. However, the mechanistic role of magnesium in baculovirus transmission is unknown. To investigate the possible role of host response factors in baculovirus transmission, suppression subtractive hybridization was used to identify genes differentially transcribed after magnesium exposure in Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. Suppression subtractive hybridization was performed in both directions enriching for cDNAs differentially transcribed between a nonmagnesium larval control and magnesium (15 mM MgSO4) treatment of Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae held for 1 h at 27°C. Clones from differentially transcribed genes were evaluated by sequencing, and relative gene transcription levels were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Target transcripts up/downregulated by magnesium included Cx. quinquefasciatus troponin C...
What chick and mouse models have taught us about the role of the endocardium in congenital heart disease

Specific cell and tissue interactions drive the formation and function of the vertebrate cardiovascular system. Although much attention has been focused on the muscular components of the developing heart, the endocardium plays a key role in the formation of a functioning heart. Endocardial cells exhibit heterogeneity that allows them to participate in events such as the formation of the valves, septation of the outflow tract, and trabeculation. Here we review, the contributions of the endocardium to cardiovascular development and outline useful approaches developed in the chick and mouse that have revealed endocardial cell heterogeneity, the signaling molecules that direct endocardial cell behavior, and how these insights have contributed to our understanding of cardiovascular development and disease.
In-vivo Molecular Investigations of Live Tissues Using Diffracting Sources

We present novel technologies based on reconstructions employing diffracting sources in fluorescent mode that resolve molecular function in deep tissues. To facilitate time-efficient three-dimensional reconstructions we have employed fast analytical solutions of the diffusion equation to allow for close to real-time volumetric imaging of fluorescent near-infrared beacons that activate (fluoresce) with high specificity in the presence of specific molecular targets.
Gas‐phase acidity of nitrobenzene from flowing afterglow bracketing studies

Room temperature ion/molecule reactions in 0.30 Torr of helium, carried out in a flowing afterglow, show that the gas-phase acidity of nitrobenzene is intermediate between those of ethanol and isopropanol, in contrast to published high-pressure mass spectrometer data. The revised gas-phase acidity of nitrobenzene, ΔHoacid(C6H5NO2) = 377 ± 3 kcal mol−1, is shown to be consistent with known acidifying effects when a hydrogen atom is replaced by a nitro group in a Bronsted acid. Additional reactions involving nitrobenzene or its conjugate base are noted.
Characterization of a Unique ClpB Protein of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Its Impact on Growth

Mycoplasma pneumoniae accounts for 20 to 30% of all community-acquired pneumonia and has been associated with other airway pathologies, including asthma, and a range of extrapulmonary manifestations. Although the entire genomic sequence of M. pneumoniae has been completed, the functions of many of these genes in mycoplasma physiology are unknown. In this study, we focused on clpB, a well-known heat shock gene in other bacteria, to examine its role in mycoplasma growth. Transcriptional and translational analyses of heat shock in M. pneumoniae indicated that clpB is significantly upregulated, reinforcing its status as a critical responder to heat stress. Interestingly, M. pneumoniae ClpB does not use dual translational start points for ClpB synthesis, like other ClpB-characterized bacteria. Biochemical characterization of purified M. pneumoniae recombinant ClpB revealed casein- and lysine-independent ATPase activity and DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE-dependent chaperone activity. An M. pneumoniae mini-Tn4001-integrated, clpB-null mutant was impaired in its ability to replicate under permissive growth conditions, demonstrating the growth-promoting status of ClpB.
The Rise of the Biographical Novel and the Fall of the Historical Novel

The biographical novel has supplanted the classical historical novel. What has caused this is a shift in our contemporary theories of consciousness, which radically impact the way we understand and do history. Traditional historical novelists have a positivist approach to history, so they picture the external factors that objectively shape and determine consciousness and thereby make historical collisions possible. Biographical novelists believe that there is a surreal dimension to consciousness, so they shift the focus from the objective external world to the subjective internal world in order to picture the forces that have given birth to major historical collisions.
The Pentagon's Military Analyst Program:

This article provides an investigatory overview of the Pentagon's military analyst program, what it is, how it was implemented, and how it constitutes a form of propaganda. A technical analysis of ...
Dynamic Three-Dimensional Ultrasound to Evaluate Scapular Movement Among Manual Wheelchair Users and Healthy Controls

Background: A large percentage of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) report shoulder pain that can limit independence and quality of life. The pain is likely related to the demands placed on the shoulder by transfers and propulsion. Shoulder pathology has been linked to altered scapular mechanics; however, current methods to evaluate scapular movement are invasive, require ionizing radiation, are subject to skin-based motion artifacts, or require static postures. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of applying 3-dimensional ultrasound methods, previously used to look at scapular position in static postures, to evaluate dynamic scapular movement. Method: This study evaluated the feasibility of the novel application of a method combining 2-dimensional ultrasound and a motion capture system to determine 3-dimensional scapular position during dynamic arm elevation in the scapular plane with and without loading. Results: Incremental increases in scapular rotations were noted for extracted angles o...
A LONGITUDINAL EXAMINATION OF TODDLERS’ BEHAVIORAL CUES AS A FUNCTION OF SUBSTANCE‐ABUSING MOTHERS’ DISENGAGEMENT

As a group, substance-abusing parents are at risk for maladaptive parenting. The association between substance abuse and parenting may result, in part, from parents' emotional disengagement from the parent-child relationship, which makes perceiving and responding to children's cues more challenging. In this study, we examined whether substance-abusing mothers' levels of disengagement from their relationship with their children (ages 2-44 months), operationalized in two different ways using parenting narratives (representational and linguistic disengagement), prospectively predicted children's engagement and disengagement cues during a structured mother-child interaction. Within a sample of 29 mothers, we tested the hypotheses that greater maternal disengagement at Time 1 would predict a decrease in children's engagement and an increase in children's disengagement at Time 2. Results indicated that representational disengagement predicted a decrease in children's engagement cues whereas linguistic disengagement predicted an increase in children's disengagement cues. Results provide partial support for a reciprocal, iterative process in which mothers and children mutually adjust their emotional and behavioral disengagement with one another.
Serologic survey on influenza A(H1N1) in Shunyi district of Beijing

Objective:To know the antibody levels against influenza A(H1N1) in Shunyi district of Beiing,to provide a scientific evidence for related departments to make the prevention and control strategies of influenza A(H1N1).Methods: Venous blood was randomly collected from healthy population above 5 years old in 12 towns and streets of Shunyi district to analyze the antibody levels against A(H1N1).Results: Among 202 serum specimens,the positive rate of influenza A(H1N1) antibody was 46.53%(94/202),which had statistical significance with that of Beijing.The GMRT was 32.78.The positive rate difference of influenza A(H1N1) antibody was not found between males and females(P0.05),while which was found among different groups(P0.05).Higher positive rate was found in population aged 25~29 and 10~14 years old.Conclusion: Influenza A(H1N1) infection cases in Shunyi district were more than the average of Beijing,which was not related to sex but age,especially in people of 25~29 and 10~14 years old.
Analysis of the epidemiological characteristics of bacillary dysentery in Nanjing City,2005-2012

Objective To analyze the epidemiology of bacillary dysentery in Nanjing in 2005- 2012,so as to formulate scientific and effective prevention and control measures in the future. Methods The surveillance data of bacillary dysentery in Nanjing in 2005- 2012 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results The annual average incidence of bacillary dysentery was 21. 09 per 100 000,which showed a degressive trend year after year( 2趋势= 2 496. 57,P 0. 001).The peak season analyzed by circular distribution was from May 20 to September 19( P 0. 01). The morbidity in central districts was higher than those in suburban districts and two counties. The ratio of bacillary dysentery incidence in male and female was 1. 11 ∶ 1( P 0. 001). The incidence was higher in age groups of 0- years,20- years and ≥70 years. Most cases were children in scattered homes and students. The laboratory diagnosis rate was low and decreased year by year. The predicted morbidity was 7. 92 per 100 000 in 2013. Conclusions It is clear that bacillary dysentery is still one of the important infectious diseases in Nanjing,so health education and comprehensive prevention and control measures should be strengthened among the target groups and areas in epidemic season so as to control the spread of bacillary dysentery effectively.
The pathophysiology of shock brain.

This article reviews the various normal mechanisms involved in providing adequate blood and oxygen supply to brain tissue to maintain metabolism. The various types of shock are also reviewed as well as how each selectively impairs central nervous system function. The various pathophysiologic changes observed at the cellular level in all types are also discussed.
Systemic manifestations of hepatitis C infection

Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) is a common infection affecting 185 million people worldwide. The most common manifestation of chronic HCV is progressive liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, several systemic manifestations of HCV have been recognized and reported in the literature. The purpose of this review is to assimilate published literature based on evidence to categorize these extrahepatic manifestations with the likelihood of a causal association with HCV. Exciting recent developments have resulted in simple all oral interferon-free highly effective therapy for HCV. However, this treatment is also expensive and less accessible to most affected individuals as treatment recommendations are based on stage of liver fibrosis. Expanding the scope of HCV therapy to those with extrahepatic manifestations beyond what is currently recommended will significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality in this aging population.
[Factors associated with awareness, treatment and control on diabetes in Zhejiang].

Objective To investigate factors associated with awareness,treatment and control of diabetes in Zhejiang.Methods Subjects under study were selected among local residents aged ≥ 18 years old by multi stage stratified-random sampling method.All participants received physical examinations including blood tests for lipids,fasting blood glucose,2 h blood glucose and physical measurements for obesity and blood pressure in the year 2010.Results Totally,17 437 resicents were finally included in the study,including 1529 patients with diabetes.The rates of awareness,treatment and control of diabetes among the subjects under study,were 59.19％,46.63％ and 23.87％,respectively.Rate of treatment in patients with awareness of diabetes and the rate of under control among patients with treated diabetes were 78.78％ and 51.19％ respectively.Data from multivariate logistic regression method showed that factors as older age,having family history of diabetes were associated with higher awareness of diabetes,being alcohol drinker and obese patients with lower awareness etc.Treatment rate was significantly higher among those patients with primary education than those under situations as illiteracy,hypertension and longer course of diabetes.The control rate was significantly lower among patients with longer course of diabetes and dyslipidemia.Conclusion Low rate on awareness,treatment and control of diabetes need to be changed. Key words: Diabetes; Awareness; Treatment; Control
Enigmas in Interpreting Mormonism

In his massive one-volume religious history of the American people Professor Sidney E. Ahlstrom of Yale University confesses that Mormonism eludes the firm grasp of the tools of his trade: "One cannot even be sure if the object of our consideration is a sect, a mystery cult, a new religion, a church, a people, a nation, or an American subculture" (1972:508). At the same time, he describes this movement variously as the most noteworthy of the American contributions to world religions, "an important American subculture," and "a vital episode in American history." And he concludes that, when interpreted in detail, Mormonism "yields innumerable clues to the religious and social consciousness of the American people" (1972:387, 501-509). It is a lasting tribute to Thomas F. O'Dea that he was the first social scientist systematically to describe Mormonism as a religious movement and that he did so with consummate skill and thoroughness. After two decades his book, The Mormons, remains the most authoritative, comprehensive one-volume treatment of the subject; furthermore, his scholarly articles continue to survive as extraordinarily able treatments of various aspects of Mormonism.1 A review of the files of Dialogue, a journal devoted primarily to scholarly treatment of Mormonism and now completing its tenth year, supports this conclusion.2 So also does the fact that Ahlstrom, in his effort to classify the movement under accepted social scientific categories, turns to O'Dea's own designation of Mormonism as a movement that developed from "'near-sect' to 'near-nation' " (1972:508, citing O'Dea, 1957a:115). The use by O'Dea of the qualifying quotation marks and the modifier "near" suggests something about the precision, care and integrity of the scholar. Historical detail is always a challenge to the generalizing social scientist, and few movements are more challenging than Mormonism. Sometimes the taxonomist of social movements may be tempted to convert rich detail into bland generalization-to reverse the miracle of Cana, if you will. With his keen eye for detail O'Dea did not succumb to this temptation. Hence he rightly concluded that the Mormon movement could not easily be squeezed under Troeltsch's church/sect umbrella nor under any of the several later models of that device. In his systematic analysis of the problem of classification O'Dea suggested ten factors which militated against Mormonism's development into the pattern of a typical sect. The first, and I would suggest the most important factor indigenous to the movement itself, he described as "the non-sectarian possibilities of building the kingdom which could require so much of subtle accommodation" (1954c; 1971:121).3 In this peculiar Mormon
Thoiry – the failed quest for a ‘final postwar agreement’

In Chamberlain's words, a ‘breeze from Locarno blew through the stuffy hall of the Assembly’ when on 10 September 1926 the German delegation was received into the Societe des Nations , ‘well … but not too boisterously’. With its successful accession to the League, an important first stage in Germany's reintegration into the international system after 1918 had been concluded. At the same time, this reintegration had found its publicly most recognisable expression. It was more than a symbolic moment in post-World War I international history. Yet it was by no means an end-point to the underlying processes of European stabilisation underway since the Ruhr crisis. Concretely, the study commission charged with proposing a way out of the Council crisis in March had completed its task in time. The League Council followed its recommendation that only Germany be granted a permanent seat while the number of non-permanent seats was increased from six to nine. Of these, one was to fall to Poland, de facto with a guarantee of eligibility for re-election after three years. Up to the last minute, Chamberlain, Cecil and their continental counterparts had been ‘involved in petty jealousies and squabbles’ to secure this outcome. The British foreign secretary had finally impressed on Briand and Skrzynski that Poland was in danger ‘of losing everything by asking too much’. But the ‘bargain’ had ultimately been carried through.
Modeling a Discrete Wet-Dry Algorithm for Hurricane Storm Surge in Alloy

We describe an Alloy model that helps check the correctness of a discrete wet-dry algorithm used in a system for hurricane storm surge prediction. Derived from simplified physics and encoded with empirical rules, the algorithm operates on a finite element mesh to allow the propagation of overland flows. Our study is motivated by complex interactions between the algorithm and a recent performance enhancement to the system that involves mesh partitioning. We briefly outline our approach and describe safety properties of the extension, as well as directions for future work.
Alter-Centring Sinophone Cinema

The notion of ‘national cinema’ has been subjected to critical interrogation and reformulation since the 1980s, partially triggered by the transnational and regional turn in film studies, coupled with the evolving discourses of globalization and localization.1 Unsurprisingly, therefore, the ‘Chinese’ in ‘Chinese cinema’ has been stripped of its self-explanatory status (which has never actually existed since its inception in the early twentieth century) and subjected to rigorous demystification and deconstruction. As Sheldon Lu (2012) argues, the deconstructionist reformulation of Chinese cinema has given rise to three new paradigms — transnational Chinese cinemas, Chinese-language cinema, and Sinophone cinema — that critique the ‘national’ model from different perspectives.2
Modification and upgrade of AzRISE/TEP solar photovoltaic test yard

The University of Arizona AzRISE (Arizona Research Institute for Solar Energy) and Tucson Electric Power solar test yard is currently undergoing renovations to upgrade and standardize the data acquisition capabilities throughout the yard. Test yard improvements have enabled increased data collection reliability through state-of-the-art and environmentallyrobust data logging and real-time analysis. Enhanced capabilities include 10 msec max. data resolution, precision PV backside temperature monitoring of both individual and strings of modules, measurement of both AC and DC outputs as well as GHI and POA irradiance, active data backup to eliminate data intermittency, and robust Ethernet connectivity for data collection. An on-site weather station, provides wind speed and direction, relative humidity, and air temperature data. The information collected is accessed remotely via web server and includes raw performance and environmental conditions as well as extracted figures of performance for systems under test. Complementing the UA’s existing accelerated environmental-testing chamber, the new test yard acquisition capabilities have enabled high fidelity system and sub-system-level operational testing under a range of field-level test conditions. The combined facilities, thus, provide a full-spectrum testing resource for photovoltaic performance and degradation analysis. Specific measurement characteristics and sample data collected from a polysilicon module test string are utilized to illustrate test yard capabilities.
Neurocognitive Performance After Cerebral Revascularization in Adult Moyamoya Disease

Background and Purpose— Cerebral revascularization using EC-IC bypass is widely used to treat moyamoya disease, but the effects of surgery on cognition are unknown. We compared performance on formal neurocognitive testing in adults with moyamoya disease before and after undergoing direct EC-IC bypass. Methods— We performed a structured battery of 13 neurocognitive tests on 84 adults with moyamoya disease before and 6 months after EC-IC bypass. The results were analyzed using reliable change indices for each test, to minimize test–retest variability and practice effects. Results— Twelve patients (14%) showed significant decline postoperatively, 9 patients (11%) improved, and 63 patients (75%) were unchanged. Similar results were obtained when the analysis was confined to those who underwent unilateral (33) or bilateral (51) revascularization. Conclusions— The majority of patients showed neither significant decline nor improvement in neurocognitive performance after EC-IC bypass surgery. Uncomplicated EC-IC bypass seems not to be a risk factor for cognitive decline in this patient population.
Vector squeezed states

Results on squeezed states of the electromagnetic field are reported. The authors study a two- mode squeezed state in which the modes of a cavity are degenerate in frequency, but possess orthogonal polarizations. The model includes stochastic coupling to the vacuum fluctuations outside the cavity and the strong correlation between the modes is generated by a two-photon transition within the medium filling the cavity.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Utilizing the Impedance Matrix to Design Antennas with a Characteristic Far-Field Pattern

Antenna designers often install antennas on a platform that results in a particular radiation pattern. The developed process uses characteristic mode theory to identify likely radiation patterns. It then uses the characteristic mode analysis and the impedance matrix to identify the feed location and antenna element structure that will result in the desired radiation pattern.
Abstract 38: Engineered Anisotropic Scaffolds Promote the Function of Cocultured Cardiomyocytes Derived From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Since the heart is effectively an anisotropic organ in which the cardiomyocytes (CM) are locally aligned in series, it is important to engineer cardiac tissues that promote CM alignment in order to closely mimic the architecture of the native tissue, as well as better mimic the cellular composition of the heart. The objective of this study was to define the role of anisotropic extracellular matrix cues on the organization and survival of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CMs (hiPSC-CMs) by co-culturing hiPSC-CMs and primary endothelial cells (ECs) on parallel-aligned microfibrillar scaffolds. The hiPSC-CMs were generated from hiPSCs using small molecule Wnt pathway agonists and antagonists. Subsequently, the hiPSC-CMs were sequentially seeded on day 15 after EC attachment. We cultured monocultures and cocultures on electrospun three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymer blends with an average fiber diameter of 14 μm. Aligned scaffolds were fabricated by stretching the randomly oriented scaffolds by 300% of the original scaffold length. Randomly oriented fibrillar scaffolds had an average pore diameter of 17 μm when compared to the 36 μm pore diameter of aligned scaffolds. Our results indicate that alignment of co-cultured cells at a 5:1 hiPSC-CMs : EC ratio was promoted by anistropic 3D electrospun scaffolds when compared to similar random 3D electrospun scaffolds. Additionally, cocultured cells on aligned fibrillar scaffolds had a mean angle of orientation of 30.8°, relative to the direction of fibrils, which was similar to that of hiPSC-CM monocultures on aligned scaffolds (32.8°). In contrast, the degree of alignment of hiPSC-CMs on randomly oriented fibrillary scaffolds was 43.4°, which suggests a non-oriented population of cells. Aligned scaffolds also produced more synchronized cardiomyocyte contraction than random scaffold orientations, although both induced spontaneous contraction frequency of ~1Hz. This study highlights the importance of nanotopographical cues and intercellular interactions in mediating the morphology and contractility of hiPSC-CMs for treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction.
Seed treatment of maize with Bacillus pumilus strain INR-7 affects host location and feeding by Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

Western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera is an important pest of maize and the costs of control and yield loss are estimated at $1 billion per year in the USA. As a specialist herbivore, WCR has evolved to use host odors and secondary plant metabolites as cues for host location and phagostimulants. This study reports that rhizobacteria applied as seed treatments to maize affect host-seeking behavior of WCR larvae. The results of a dual-choice test showed that a significantly higher percentage (76%) of WCR larvae chose untreated control plants than plants treated with the single Bacillus pumilus strain INR-7 (24%). In no-choice feeding tests, WCR larvae-fed INR-7-treated plants weighed significantly less than larvae-fed untreated plants or plants treated with bacilli blends. Overall, the results demonstrate that B. pumilus INR-7 can enhance resistance of maize against damage by WCR larvae. The implication of these findings is discussed in the context of using beneficial rhizobacteria in integrated pest management of corn rootworm.
Trust, political orientation, and environmental behavior

A growing body of large-N cross-national studies has identified key predictors of environmental behavior. Adopting a social dilemma perspective, where individuals must choose collective over self-i...
Routine Orthoptic-led Paediatric Fundus Digital Imaging: Benefits to Patients and Healthcare System.

Aims: Dilated fundus examinations are a vital, yet time-consuming and sometimes distressing part of paediatric ophthalmology examinations. Limited resources, personnel and time can result in prolonged waiting time and increase risk from delayed diagnosis and treatment. Using a Nikon D80 TopCon TRC-NW6S non-mydriatic fundus camera (TopCon (GB) Ltd, Newbury), we aimed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of orthoptic-led fundus digital imaging and the potential time and cost benefits to the healthcare system. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all digital fundus images taken over a six month period in 2012 (n = 616, age range 2.1–16.5 years, mean age 8.7 years). Results: Overall success rate for paediatric fundus digital imaging was 97%. Successful images were achieved in 87% of patients without the need for pupil dilation. Images were taken for a variety of clinical reasons. 45% of patients were discharged immediately, many with copies of photographs to facilitate follow-up with community optometrists. Conclusions: Orthoptic-led fundus digital imaging is an innovative, speedy, safe and efficient method of documenting fundal appearance, enabling serial documentation of stability/progression of ocular disease. It allows adequate examination of routine patients, freeing up time within busy clinics. Paediatric fundus digital imaging brings a potential positive cost benefit to healthcare systems under pressure, and facilitates skill development for allied health professionals.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Thyroid Testing Strategies

Over the past 14 years the techniques of clinical decision analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis have been introduced to medicine, and within the last decade these tools have been adopted by academic laboratory scientists. In today’s environment, the laboratory director must consider the introduction of new or enhanced laboratory tests as a comparative problem: how does the novel procedure or analyte fit into both the clinical information stream and in the milieu of existing tests?1 Although a considerable literature deals with problems of technical accuracy and precision in analytic laboratory medicine, this is not true for problems of clinical efficacy and economy.
Protein Structural Elements and Folding

The protein design and folding problems are still two of the unresolved problems of our times. A solution to the protein folding problem is the determination of the possible pathways of folding of a well constructed sequence of amino acids. The protein design problem on the other hand is the selection of a well formed amino acid sequence from the range of possible sequences. The number of possible sequences goes up as the number of distinct amino acids (i.e. 20) to the power of the length of the peptide chain. So a protein of length 57 such as basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor is one protein out of 2057 possible proteins. Our understanding of how to select one workable foldable protein out of this huge number is very rudimentary.
Infrared Properties of the Gluon Propagator: A Progress Report

In several earlier publications1, we have described a program for investigating the infrared behavior of non-Abelian gauge theories. Here we wish to report further progress toward this goal.
Neurobehavioral Development of Infant Learning and Memory: Implications for Infant Attachment

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the neurobehavioral development of infant learning and memory. Some unique characteristics of infant learning discussed are: (1) acquisition of infant learning, (2) memory consolidation during infancy, and (3) expression of infant learning. Infant experiences produce long-lasting changes in behavior and the neural modifications that underlie the behavior in both humans and other animals. Clinical data have suggested that experiences within the infant–caregiver attachment dyad have a special role in neurobehavioral development and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the powerful effects of early attachment. Neonatal learning has unique characteristics that ensure that the infant will attach to its caregiver. The neonatal learning abilities appear to be due to the unique underlying neural circuitry. Specifically, the olfactory bulb encodes the learned response, the noradrenergic locus coeruleus ensures rapid, robust preference conditioning, and the lack of amygdale participation in aversive conditioning may prevent avoidance learning. The neonatal learning system may be responsible for the dramatic and long-term effects of early experiences on adult mental health.
Hypopharyngeal cancer: A state of the art review

Cancer of the hypopharynx is relatively rare and accounts for roughly 3% of all head and neck cancers. Unfortunately, hypopharyngeal carcinoma has one of the worst prognosis of all head and neck cancers with a reported 5-year overall survival rate of approximately 30-35%. Toxicity related to therapy, and the need for surgical salvage continue to dominate the landscape in this disease. In this article, we set out to discuss a comprehensive overview of the current management principles, recent literature and evidence based therapeutic options surrounding treatment for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, with a special focus on the evolution of an organ sparing paradigm.
Transactional Relations Between Parenting Stress and Child Autism Symptoms and Behavior Problems

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder report elevated parenting stress. The current study examined bidirectional effects between parenting stress and three domains of child functioning (ASD symptoms, internalizing behavior problems, and externalizing behavior problems) across four time points in 188 families of children with ASD (ages 5-12 years). Mother and father reports of parenting stress and child functioning were used in cross-lag models to examine bidirectional associations between parenting stress and child functioning. Results indicated parent-driven effects for child internalizing behavior problems, while child externalizing behavior problems and ASD symptoms evidenced both parent-driven and child-driven effects, in different ways for mothers versus fathers. Overall, findings have important implications for interventions for families of children with ASD.
Chapter 17 – Application Data

Many people are utilizing Wi-Fi and Voice Over Internet Protocol, to communicate through their mobile devices. The reason is cost. Many hotspots are free. There is no need for standard radio (tower) allocation. Users can simply download the desired applications that help facilitate in SMS, MMS, Calling, and other forms of communication and communicate by connecting to a free hotspot. Because they are frequently found on mobile operating systems, it is important to understand how to decode this type of evidence. Commercially available forensic tools are fully capable of decoding and parsing many different applications. These include manufacturer-installed applications as well as popular user-installed applications. Due to the frequency of applications being added to support various operating systems, commercial vendors have no way of keeping up with every application possibility. Forensic examiners can in many cases triage the database of the application and manually obtain artifacts related to their investigation.
The Akhmedov–Park exotic CP2#2CP¯2

Abstract Here we draw a handlebody picture for the exotic C P 2 # 2 C P ¯ 2 constructed by Akhmedov and Park.
ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IDEAL CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH MEASURE IN RELATION TO LONG-TERM RISK OF MAJOR ADVERSE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS

The American Heart Association (AHA) set the year 2020 goal of improving cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20%, while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and stroke by 20%. The measure Ideal Cardiovascular Health (ICH), which includes assessment of blood pressure, physical
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND INTER-REGIONAL MOVES AMONG OLDER ADULTS

Housing prices have risen in urban areas across the US since 2000, with only a brief interruption after the housing crisis of 2008. At the same time, prosperous urban areas have pulled away from declining urban and rural areas. Older adults are more likely to be affected by both increases and divergence of housing prices: owners may not be able to afford rising property taxes (though they benefit from increasing home equity), and renters are especially vulnerable. Housing affordability constraints may also affect the places where older adults can afford to move. In this paper, we compare the residential mobility patterns of adults aged 50+ living in high-cost, mid-cost, and low-cost areas from 2000-2014, using data from the Health and Retirement Study with county-level US Census and American Community Survey contextual data, as well as the Zillow Home Value Index. We find that both homeowners and renters living in high-cost areas remain in place at higher rates compared with those living in mid-cost and low-cost areas. Among those who move, older adults living in high-cost regions move towards mid-cost and low-cost regions more often than the reverse. The differences are particularly pronounced for renters. The overall outcome is a net movement of older adults away from high-cost areas towards mid-cost and low-cost areas. These shifts have consequences for the well-being of older adults facing budget constraints that may limit the areas where they can afford to live or move, and broader implications for the future of urban areas.
Couple-Level Patterns of Disclosure Process Beliefs and Their Association with Marital Satisfaction

Grounded in symbolic interaction theory, we used latent class analysis (LCA) to investigate the preexisting patterns of belief surrounding the disclosure process in married relationships. With a sa...
Comparison of ironworker's fall risk assessment systems using an immersive biofeedback simulator

Abstract Falling from elevated surfaces is the leading cause of death and injury at construction sites. Dynamic instability is mostly the reason for these falls. By using virtual reality (VR) simulations, previous studies have shown that biomechanical measurements of gait are reliable indicators of fall risk. Despite success in understanding critical factors of falling, these studies mostly overlooked simulations of visual biofeedback in their fall-risk assessments or employed limited-range, orientation-sensitive systems to generate such simulations. To facilitate these endeavors and better understand gait performance at height, this paper proposes and examines a reliable and responsive VR simulator (VS) as a testbed for assessing ironworkers' fall risk. The experimental results on 12 healthy adults show VS surpasses traditional virtual reality systems in evaluating upper-limb stability during gait at height. Such improvement can lead to more effective fall-related safety training. The findings can open doors to enhancements of VR simulation for hazard-prevention techniques.
Putting Performance Pay to the Test: Effects of Denver ProComp on the Teacher Workforce and Student Outcomes

ContextIn 2005-06, Denver became one of the first U.S. districts to implement a pay-for-performance (PFP) compensation system, and Denver's ProComp is now the longest-running PFP policy in the coun...
Sacrificial Fibers Improve Matrix Distribution and Mechanical Properties in a Tissue-Engineered Intervertebral Disc

Tissue-engineered replacement discs are an area of intense investigation for the treatment of end-stage intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. These living implants can integrate into the disc space and recapitulate native motion segment function. We recently developed a multiphasic tissue-engineered disc-like angle-ply structure (DAPS) that models the micro-architectural and functional features of native tissue. While these implants resulted in functional restoration of the motion segment in rat and caprine models, we also noted deficiencies in cell infiltration and homogeneity of matrix deposition in the electrospun poly(e-caprolactone) outer region (annulus fibrosus, AF) of the DAPS. To address this limitation, here, we incorporated a sacrificial water-soluble polymer, polyethylene oxide (PEO), as a second fiber fraction within the AF region to increase porosity of the implant. Maturation of these PEO-modified DAPS were evaluated after 5 and 10 weeks of in vitro culture in terms of AF biochemical content, MRI T2 values, overall construct mechanical properties, AF micromechanical properties and cell and matrix distribution. To assess the performance of the PEO-modified DAPS in vivo, precultured constructs were implanted into the rat caudal disc space for 10 weeks. Results showed that matrix distribution was more homogenous in PCL/PEO DAPS, as evidenced by more robust histological staining, organized collagen deposition and micromechanical properties, compared to standard PCL-only DAPS, both in vitro and in vivo. These PCL/PEO DAPS also better approximated native micro- and macro-mechanical properties than the PCL-only DAPS, following 10 weeks of in vivo implantation. These findings demonstrate that the inclusion of a sacrificial PEO fiber fraction in the DAPS AF region improves cellular colonization, matrix elaboration, and in vitro and in vivo function of an engineered disc implant.
Design and Implementation of a Sensory-based Exotic Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Education Classroom Intervention targeting Pre-K through First Grade Children in Southern Illinois

The purpose of this pilot study is to design and implement a innovative classroom-based nutrition education study that involves using the five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing) in order ...
Marx and Utilitarianism

The relation of Marx's writings to ethical theory has been viewed in a variety of different ways. Some deny that Marx has or can have any ethical theory at all. Others claim, on the contrary, that underlying Marx's pronouncements lies an implicit ethical theory which we may discern. Amongst this latter group a debate has quietly been taking place of late as to the nature of the ethical theory to which Marx might be said to subscribe. Some, e.g. E. Kamenka, have maintained that Marx's ethics is non-utilitarian. Others such as A. Schaff, and most recently D. Allen, have argued that in fact, Marx is a utilitarian, though of course Marx did not proclaim himself to be a utilitarian.
Characterization of a Bacteriophage-Induced, Host-Specific Lytic Enzyme from Lysates of Bacillus stearothermophilus Infected with Bacteriophage TP-8

Phage TP-8 lysates of Bacillus stearothermophilus 4S or 4S(8) contain lytic activity exhibiting two pH optima, one at pH 6.5 and the other at pH 7.5. Using a variety of fractionation procedures, the two lytic activities could not be separated. At pH 7.5 the lytic enzyme is an endopeptidase which hydrolyzes the l-alanyl-d-glutamyl linkage in the peptide subunits of the cell wall peptidoglycan and at pH 6.5 it exhibits N-acetylmuramidase activity. Endopeptidase activity is inhibited by NaCl and neither lytic activity was significantly affected by divalent cations or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Crude lysates contain 2.5 to 3.0 times more endopeptidase activity than N-acetylmuramidase activity. The ratio of the two lytic activities (endopeptidase/N-acetylmuramidase) changes to 1.3 to 1.7 during the course of purification, to 1.0 after isoelectric focusing, and 3.9 and 6.00 after exposure for 2 h at 60 and 65 C, respectively. We conclude that the two lytic activities may be associated with a single protein or a lytic enzyme complex composed of two enzymes. Lytic activity at pH 7.5 is more effective in solubilizing cells or cell walls than the lytic activity at pH 6.5. LiCl extracts of 4S and 4S(8) cells contain lytic activity exhibiting endopeptidase activity at pH 7.5 and N-acetylmuramidase activity at pH 6.5. Lytic activity in these LiCl extracts also has a number of other properties in common with those in lysates of phage TP-8. We proposed that the lytic enzyme(s) are not coded for by the phage genome but are part of the host autolytic system.