cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Das psychopathologische Frühsyndrom bei Hirntumoren

Die Krankengeschichten von 25 vorwiegend alteren Hirntumorkranken, die unter einer falschen Diagnose zur Aufnahme kamen, wurden unter Beachtung von Fruh- bzw. Erstsymptomen durchgesehen. Die als Hirntumortrias bekannten Symptome Kopfschmerzen, Erbrechen und Stauungspapille waren einzeln nicht einmal in der Halfte der Falle erkennbar. Dagegen waren psychische Storungen (n=22) haufig und damit fur die Fruherkennung von Hirntumoren entscheidend. Sie sind durch ein Nebeneinander von Antriebs-, Gedachtnisund weniger auch affektiven sowie vegetativen Storungen gekennzeichnet und werden zum amnestisch-neurasthenischen Syndrom zusammengefast. Besonders bei gleichzeitig auftretenden Personlichkeitsveranderungen ist es auf eine hirnorganische Storung sehr verdachtig. Im Hinblick auf therapeutische Moglichkeiten ist zunachst an einen Hirntumor zu denken.
Design optimization for reducing harmonic distortion of flux linkage in low pole flux-switching permanent magnet machines

High-speed machines are gaining interest, especially in traction applications because of their ability to produce high power density with a reduced size. Flux-switching permanent magnet (FSPM) machines are ideal for such applications since they have a simple rotor structure that can operate at very high speeds and utilize PM in the stator to achieve high power density. It is also desirable to keep the operating frequency at a minimum possible value to reduce core losses and cost of power electronics. A 6-stator slot, 4-rotor pole (6/4) FSPM machine has the lowest operating frequency for a three-phase FSPM configuration. This research aims at exploring design modifications to minimize the even order harmonic content and cogging torque to make the 6/4 configuration practical for highspeed applications. The analysis and methods proposed in this paper will be useful in tackling harmonic content of FSPM machines in general. An alternative structure with dual-stator configuration is provided to minimize harmonic distortion of the 6/4 FSPM machine in the paper.
‘Sweeter Than a Swisher’: amount and themes of little cigar and cigarillo content on Twitter

Objective Despite recent increases in little cigar and cigarillo (LCC) use—particularly among urban youth, African-Americans and Latinos—research on targeted strategies for marketing these products is sparse. Little is known about the amount or content of LCC messages users see or share on social media, a popular communication medium among youth and communities of colour. Methods Keyword rules were used to collect tweets related to LCCs from the Twitter Firehose posted in October 2014 and March–April 2015. Tweets were coded for promotional content, brand references, co-use with marijuana and subculture references (eg, rap/hip-hop, celebrity endorsements) and were classified as commercial and ‘organic’/non-commercial using a combination of machine learning methods, keyword algorithms and human coding. Metadata associated with each tweet were used to categorise users as influencers (1000 and more followers) and regular users (under 1000 followers). Results Keyword filters captured over 4 372 293 LCC tweets. Analyses revealed that 17% of account users posting about LCCs were influencers and 1% of accounts were overtly commercial. Influencers were more likely to mention LCC brands and post promotional messages. Approximately 83% of LCC tweets contained references to marijuana and 29% of tweets were memes. Tweets also contained references to rap/hip-hop lyrics and urban subculture. Conclusions Twitter is a major information-sharing and marketing platform for LCCs. Co-use of tobacco and marijuana is common and normalised on Twitter. The presence and broad reach of LCC messages on social media warrants urgent need for surveillance and serious attention from public health professionals and policymakers. Future tobacco use prevention initiatives should be adapted to ensure that they are inclusive of LCC use.
A Millennium Bug Still Bites Public Health - An Illustration Using Cancer Mortality

Accurate estimation of cancer mortality rates and the comparison across cancer sites, populations or time periods is crucial to public health, as identification of vulnerable groups who suffer the most from these diseases may lead to efficient cancer care and control with timely treatment. Because cancer mortality rate varies with age, comparisons require age-standardization using a reference population. The current method of using the Year 2000 Population Standard is standard practice, but serious concerns have been raised about its lack of justification. We have found that using the US Year 2000 Population Standard as reference overestimates prostate cancer mortality rates by 12-91% during the period 1970-2009 across all six sampled U.S. states, and also underestimates case fatality rates by 9-78% across six cancer sites, including female breast, cervix, prostate, lung, leukemia and colon-rectum. We develop a mean reference population method to minimize the bias using mathematical optimization theory and statistical modeling. The method corrects the bias to the largest extent in terms of squared loss and can be applied broadly to studies of many diseases.
Group Rights in Comparative Constitutional Law: Culture, Economics, or Political Power?

Group rights are part of the grammar of contemporary constitutional politics. Moreover, the assertion of group rights is not just a political claim; it is also a legal claim directed at the very design of the constitutional order itself and its subsequent interpretation. In contemporary constitutional practice, group rights exist alongside the standard schedule of individual rights that are found in constitutional bills of rights. One of the most pressing issues of contemporary constitutional law is to understand the precise interrelationship between group and individual rights, because they embody conflicting constitutional logics. Yet the most serious work on this question is found not in the literature on comparative constitutional law, but in the cognate discipline of political theory. Constitutional scholarship, in turn, is parasitic on political theory. Political theorists presuppose that group rights entail the right to self-government over matters integral to cultural identity. But on careful examination, there is a gap between the constitutional image of group rights relied on by many political theorists and the actual constitutional provisions that can lay claim to constituting group rights. Group rights often arise out of conflicts over economic and political power that may bear little connection to questions of cultural difference, or whose relationship to culture is more complex that political theorists would suggest. Normative theorizing and constitutional analyses about group rights and therefore premised on inaccurate foundations. This chapter sketches an alternative picture of group rights and the political sociology that underlies them. This kind of descriptive and analytical work yields not only a different picture of group rights, but reframes the precise character of the conflict between individual and group rights, which is the precursor to normative analysis.
Procedural difficulties during successful intubation in octogenarians: A prospective observational study.

Abstract Objective Octogenarians undergo anatomic and physiopathologic degradation, making airway management problematic, specific to intubation, bag mask ventilation, leading to desaturation and aspiration. Our study's aim was to examine the process of airway management regarding the steps involved in intubation and any deviations or delays in the tasks. Materials and methods An institutional review board-approved difficult airway prospective observational study in older adults was conducted. Inclusion criteria included airway features indicative of difficult airway, history of failed intubation, the planned use of specialized airway devices, and/or expected airway complications due to comorbidities. Patients 80 years and older were analyzed. Demographic data collected were age, weight, BMI, gender, ASA classification, airway indices, diagnosis, and procedures. Problems with intubation (INT) (≥3 intubation attempts), laborious assisted ventilation (VEN) (2-person and/or application of CPAP > 20 cmH2O), and complications with oxygenation (OXY) (SpO2 Results Of the 41 patients enrolled in the study, 3 (7.3%) had all 3: problematic (INT), laborious (VEN), and desaturated (OXY); 8 (19.5%) patients experienced problematic (INT), 20 (48.8%) were described as laborious (VEN), and 14 (34.1%) experienced complications with (OXY). Conclusion In octogenarians, we found a low incidence of difficulty with INT-VEN-OXY together. However, bag mask ventilation was found to be laborious with a high incidence of desaturation. Success rate of INT as a sole metric may not accurately describe the process of the intubation. We recommend alternative airway devices and techniques and the establishment of protocols for airway management in the elderly.
Transverse mode suppression in the AlN lamb wave resonators by “piston mode”

Type I Lamb wave modes exhibit a strong affinity toward multimode behavior, especially the high-transduction-efficiency modes: S 0 and S 1 mode. Apodization, the standard technique to suppress the transverse modes for IDT-excited resonators, suffers from drawbacks such as additional loss and reduction of the effective coupling coefficient (k2 eff ). Most Lamb wave modes in AlN show a positive slope in the dispersion branch, so that a border region of lower eigenresonance frequency is required for spurious mode suppression. Based on dispersion calculations and finite element method (FEM) simulations, we demonstrate that by changing the transducer layout, the guiding can be improved and a “piston mode” can be obtained for the type I Lamb wave modes.
Engineering Human CNS Morphogenesis: Controlled Induction of Singular Neural Rosette Emergence

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived neural organoids have revolutionized in vitro modelling of human neurological disorders. Cell-intrinsic morphogenesis processes displayed within these tissues could serve as the basis for ex vivo manufacture of brain and spinal cord tissues with biomimetic anatomy and physiology. However, we must first understand how to control their emergent properties starting at the genesis of neural organoid formation, i.e. emergence of polarized neuroepithelium. In vivo, all CNS tissues develop from a singular neuroepithelial tube. Yet, current protocols yield organoids with multiple neuroepithelial rings, a.k.a. neural rosettes, each acting as independent centers of morphogenesis and thereby impeding coordinate tissue development. We discovered that the morphology of hPSC-derived neural tissues is a critical biophysical parameter for inducing singular neural rosette emergence. Tissue morphology screens conducted using micropatterned array substrates and an automated image analysis determined that circular morphologies of 200-250 and 150μm diameter are optimal for inducing singular neural rosette emergence within 80-85% forebrain and 73.5% spinal tissues, respectively. The discrepancy in optimal circular morphology for Pax6+/N-cadherin+ neuroepithelial forebrain versus spinal tissues was due to previously unknown differences in ROCK-mediated cell contractility. The singular neuroepithelium induced within geometrically confined tissues persisted as the tissues morphed from a 2-D monolayer to multilayered 3-D hemispherical aggregate. Upon confinement release using clickable micropatterned substrates, the tissue displayed radial outgrowth with maintenance of a singular neuroepithelium and peripheral neuronal differentiation. Thus, we have quantitatively defined a pertinent biophysical parameter for effectively inducing a singular neuroepithelium emergence within morphing hPSC-derived neural tissues.
Ethical Implications of use of the Living Will in Care of the Terminally Ill

Medical technology now can sustain basic bodily functions long after active, conscious life is gone. However, not all terminally ill patients wish to take advantage of such technology; rather, some opt to die in a natural, dignified manner. The living will allows for this choice by declaring the signer’s intent that no extraordinary means be used to prolong life should he or she suffer an illness or injury for which extraordinary care cannot provide a cure or effectuate significant recovery, and from which death is inevitable.
Race/Ethnicity Differences in Trends of Marijuana, Cigarette, and Alcohol Use Among 8th, 10th, and 12th Graders in Washington State, 2004–2016

Accurate estimates of substance use in the teenage years by race/ethnicity may help identify when to intervene to prevent long-term substance use disparities. We examined trends in past 30-day use of marijuana, cigarette, and alcohol among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in Washington State, which passed a recreational marijuana law in 2012 and initiated retail marijuana sales in 2014. Data are from the 2004–2016 Washington Healthy Youth Surveys (n = 161,992). We used time series regression models to assess linear and quadratic trends in substance use for the full sample and stratified on race/ethnicity and grade level and examined relative differences in prevalence of use by race/ethnicity. In Washington, across all racial/ethnic groups, marijuana use peaked in 2012. Although there was not a significant overall change in marijuana use for the full sample across the study period, there was a statistically significant increase in use among 12th graders and a statistically significant decrease among 8th graders. Relative to Whites, Asians had a lower prevalence of marijuana use, whereas all other race/ethnicity groups had a higher prevalence of use. Prevalence of marijuana use is particularly high among American Indian/Alaska Native and Black youth and has increased most rapidly among 12th grade Hispanic/Latinx youth. There were large and statistically significant decreases in alcohol and cigarette use across the study period for the full sample, as well as for each race/ethnicity group. These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring of trends in use among these groups and potentially warrant consideration of selective interventions that specifically focus on students of color and that include developmentally-appropriate strategies relevant to each grade.
1617b Psychosocial and health implications of around the clock operations for corrections officers

Introduction Corrections officers in state and federal prisons are faced with physical and psychosocial work demands that create challenges for maintaining high levels of workability, health and personal well-being. Furthermore, features of correctional work design, including around-the-clock operations and routine pressure to participate in overtime work may have additional consequences for health and retention of an ageing correctional workforce. In this study, we examined the implications of shift work and extended work hours for officers’ ability to maintain workability, health, and well-being in the face of stressful work demands, with attention focused on officer age (chronological age and psychological age) as a risk variable for increased negative outcomes. Methods As part of a Total Worker Health intervention study, corrections officers at a state correctional system in the northeastern USA participated in Wave 1 (n=335) or Wave 2 (n=260) of a survey that assessed physical and psychosocial work demands, work schedules, and several aspects of personal health and well-being. ANCOVA and moderated multiple regression analyses were used to examine the interactive effects of work schedule and age on relationships between work demands and worker health and well-being. An additional data collection in the same correctional system has recently been completed and will form the basis for follow-up analyses. Results Initial findings indicate that corrections officers in this sample are at risk of several negative physical and mental health outcomes (e.g., obesity, depressive symptoms, burnout). Psychosocial features of corrections work, including work schedules, interacted with correctional officer age, with stronger negative consequences for several aspects of personal health and well-being among chronologically and psychologically older officers. Conclusion In the face of an ageing corrections workforce, our findings suggest that particular attention should be paid to interventions that mitigate the impact of nightwork and overtime on the health and well-being of older officers.
Differentiation enhances Zika virus infection of neuronal brain cells

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging, mosquito-borne pathogen associated with a widespread 2015-2016 epidemic in the Western Hemisphere and a proven cause of microcephaly and other fetal brain defects in infants born to infected mothers. ZIKV infections have been also linked to other neurological illnesses in infected adults and children, including Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and meningoencephalitis, but the viral pathophysiology behind those conditions remains poorly understood. Here we investigated ZIKV infectivity in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, both undifferentiated and following differentiation with retinoic acid. We found that multiple ZIKV strains, representing both the prototype African and contemporary Asian epidemic lineages, were able to replicate in SH-SY5Y cells. Differentiation with resultant expression of mature neuron markers increased infectivity in these cells, and the extent of infectivity correlated with degree of differentiation. New viral particles in infected cells were visualized by electron microscopy and found to be primarily situated inside vesicles; overt damage to the Golgi apparatus was also observed. Enhanced ZIKV infectivity in a neural cell line following differentiation may contribute to viral neuropathogenesis in the developing or mature central nervous system.
An assessment of the economic costs to the U.S. dairy market of antimicrobial use restrictions.

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance is a public threat for humans, generated by the use of antimicrobials in human medicine as well as animal agriculture. Consequently, governments set public policies aim at curbing antimicrobial use (AMU). In dairy production, the occurrence of diseases triggers AMU to limit the costs associated with these afflictions. Therefore, any policies targeting AMU are likely to generate additional costs for farmer, and impact the dairy market. The objective of our research was to assess at the market level the costs associated with potential regulations (a prohibition scenario and tax scenarios) surrounding antimicrobial use in the U.S. dairy sector, comparing to a business as usual scenario. We conducted a two-step analysis, first at the farm and then the market level, to estimate the costs to both farmers and consumers. We found that potential policies restricting AMU would have a minor effect at the market level. In the case of prohibition of AMU, the average milk price would rise from $0.423 to $0.425 per liter. In the short run, the total annual losses would be $152 million. Implementing taxes on AMU would also slightly increase milk price, up to $0.426 in the case of a tax multiplying by five the initial antimicrobial price. Under the prohibition scenario, the quantity of milk produced would decrease by 356 million kilograms, representing 0.4% of the average U.S. milk production over the period 2012–2016. Implementing such policies would lead to a slight increase in costs of production, borne by both consumers and farmers through higher milk prices and lower milk production. As AMU in animal agriculture also fulfills animal welfare and public health objectives, the impacts of restricting AMU should be weighed with these other objectives in policy decisions. Further research is necessary to assess the distributional benefits and costs of AMU policies across farmers, retailers, animal and human health workers, and the public, incorporating multiple dimensions, such as animal welfare and food safety.
Impact of frailty on outcomes in surgical patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Importance Age has historically been used to predict negative post-surgical outcomes. The concept of frailty was introduced to explain the discrepancies that exist between patients’ chronological and physiological age. The efficacy of the modified frailty index (mFI) to predict surgical risk is not clear. Objective We sought to synthesize the current literature to quantify the impact of frailty as a prognostic indicator across all surgical specialties. Data sources Pubmed and Cochrane databases were screened from inception to 1 January 2018. Study selection Studies utilizing the modified Frailty Index (mFI) as a post-operative indicator of any type of surgery. The mFI was selected based on a preliminary search showing it to be the most commonly applied index in surgical cohorts. Data extraction and synthesis Articles were selected via a two-stage process undertaken by two reviewers (AP and DS). Statistical analysis was performed in Revman (Review manager V5.3). The random-effects model was used to calculate the Risk Ratios (RR). Main outcome(s) and measure(s) The primary outcomes: post-operative complications, re-admission, re-operation, discharge to a skilled care facility, and mortality. Results This meta-analysis of 16 studies randomizes 683,487 patients, 444,885 frail, from gastrointestinal, vascular, orthopedic, urogenital, head and neck, emergency, neurological, oncological, cardiothoracic, as well as general surgery cohorts. Frail patients were more likely to experience complications (RR 1.48, 95%CI 1.35–1.61; p Conclusions and Relevance: This study is the first to synthesize the evidence across multiple surgical specialties and demonstrates that the mFI is an underappreciated prognostic indicator that strongly correlates with the risk of post-surgical morbidity and mortality. This supports that formal incorporation of pre-operative frailty assessment improves surgical decision-making.
Congenital toxoplasmosis in the United States: clinical and serologic findings in infants born to mothers treated during pregnancy

We assessed clinical and serologic findings in 25 infants with congenital toxoplasmosis born to mothers treated during pregnancy in the United States. Results indicate a lower prevalence of eye findings and hydrocephalus in the group of infants born to treated mothers (62.5% and 38.5%, respectively) compared to results on the same pathologies reported in our previous cohort of infants born to untreated mothers (92.2% and 67.7%, respectively). The sensitivity of the IgM ISAGA and IgA ELISA in the present study were lower (44% and 60%, respectively) compared to sensitivity of these methods in our previously studied group of infants born to untreated mothers (86.6% and 76.5%, respectively). These findings provide further evidence that anti-parasitic treatment if administered during pregnancy can contribute to better clinical outcomes, even in countries where systematic screening and treatment have not been routinely implemented.
Thinking About PPFM Bacteria as a Model of Seed Endophytes: Who Are They? Where Did They Come from? What Are They Doing for the Plant? What Can They Do for Us?

Bacteria in the genus Methylobacterium (PPFM bacteria) are distributed globally and are associated with algae, mosses, ferns, liverworts, gymnosperms and angiosperms as co-evolved symbionts. As such, they share significantly in plant metabolism, stimulating plant growth and development through the production of plant hormones and vitamins. This chapter discusses the PPFMs as model plant symbionts and considers how their symbiotic relationship with plants and be exploited to our benefit.
Disaster vulnerability, displacement, and infectious disease: Nicaragua and Hurricane Mitch

Research conducted among socially vulnerable populations caught in the paths of natural disasters represents the forefront of our understanding the health-related impacts of climate change. In this study, we analyze individual-level longitudinal data from the Nicaragua Living Standards and Measurement Survey (N = 3474) in order to ascertain the influence of disaster displacement arising from the Hurricane Mitch event upon two communicable disease outcomes: diarrheal disease and respiratory disease. First, multinomial logistic regression analyses demonstrate that individuals from households headed by women, as well as from households with low levels of consumption expenditures, experienced greater odds of displacement to shelters in the aftermath of Mitch. Second, two-way fixed-effects regression analysis demonstrates that shelter displacement acts as independent risk increasing the odds of respiratory disease, net of socioeconomic and demographic covariates. Our findings draw attention to the confluence of far-reaching entrenched social and economic disparities that create linked disaster displacement and communicable disease vulnerabilities.
Social motives in bilateral bargaining games: How power changes perceptions of fairness

Abstract Power, a fundamental characteristic of social interactions, characterizes one's ability to influence others. Fairness, inherently a type of social preference, impacts distributive decision-making. How does power shape the perceptions of fairness in economic interactions? While previous research finds that power holders tend to take more, it remains unclear whether they are driven by selfish motives to exploit weaker counterparts or act upon the belief that powerful individuals deserve more. With an innovative modified ultimatum game, we analytically and experimentally study how power interplays with fairness consideration to affect bilateral bargaining. We concentrate on behaviors by the responders, to elicit their fairness preferences in response to shifts in power. We find strong evidence that changes in power can modify what is perceived as a fair division in the modified ultimatum game, and thus influence the distributive behaviors and outcomes. However, such an effect only arises when there is common knowledge about the power distribution between the two parties prior to their decision-making. In addition, we find that, while feedback on past decisions and outcomes can help players fine-tune their choices to avoid money left on the table in bargaining, learning from experience is not required for power to take effect.
RECENT CLINTON URBAN EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND THE ROLE OF SCHOOL QUALITY IN METROPOLITAN FINANCE

Recent Administration proposals would expand federal support of local public education, especially for urban schools that serve students from poor families. These education initiatives include subs...
Bribery in International Business in European Union Countries: Patterns and Explanations

Corruption across European Union member countries varies significantly. Cluster analysis groups these countries into four categories. Regression analysis using Corruption Perception Index as a meas...
Reducing error in water distribution network simulations with field measurements

Reduction of error in water distribution network (WDN) models leads to simulations that are more representative of actual network conditions and allows for more realistic system responses. Technolo...
Development of a Standard Methodology for Optimizing Remote Visual Displays for Nuclear Maintenance Tasks

The aim of the present study is to develop a methodology for optimizing remote viewing systems for a fuel recycle facility (HEF) being designed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). An important feature of this design involves the Remotex concept: advanced servo-controlled master/slave manipulators, with remote television viewing, will totally replace direct human contact with the radioactive environment. Therefore, the design of optimal viewing conditions is a critical component of the overall man/machine system. A methodology has been developed for optimizing remote visual displays for nuclear maintenance tasks. The usefulness of this approach has been demonstrated by preliminary specification of optimal closed circuit TV systems for such tasks.
Control of a Grid-tied Multiport Inverter for a Microgrid with Renewable Energy Sources

This paper presents modeling and control of a two-stage grid-tied inverter for integration of different energy sources to the utility grid. These energy sources, e.g., wind turbine generator (WTG), photovoltaic (PV) panel, and battery, have different voltage levels as well as the different power-voltage characteristics, which makes it challenging to be integrated with a single converter. The focus of this paper is to develop two-level controllers on the AC side so that it can work in both grid-connected mode and standalone mode. The model in the d-q rotation frame is first derived from differential equations, based on the model; a converter-level controller is developed to regulate the grid current with sinusoidal waveform. Then the system-level droop controllers are developed to achieve the power sharing among converters in the microgrid. The experimental results testify the effectiveness of developed controllers, the multiport inverter is not only capable of working in the standalone mode but can share the power with other inverters in the grid-connected mode.
Comparison of Bee Composition in Sunn Hemp and Other Cover Crops

Cover crops can be planted in rotation with cash crops to improve soils, assist in weed growth prevention, and help suppress plant pathogenic nematode populations. Experiments were conducted in northern and north-central Florida to evaluate bee populations within cover crop plants, including sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench × S. bicolor var. sudanense [Piper] Stapf.), and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.). Almost 150 bees in 10 species and over 700 bees in 15 species were collected in pan (bee bowls) and blue vane traps, respectively. Both sets of traps captured bees from within all cover crop plots, indicating that these bees forage in disturbed habitats. The dominant bees collected, Melissodes spp., are ground-nesting solitary bees which may have been utilizing the ground below the plants and the border plot areas as a nesting site. Only a subset of the species composition associated with the cover crops was relevant to the pollination of sunn hemp, which requires large-bodied bees such as species of Xylocopa and Megachile. Resumo Los cultivos de cobertura se pueden plantar en rotacion con cultivos comerciales para mejorar los suelos, ayudar en la prevencion del crecimiento de malezas y ayudar a suprimir las poblaciones de nematodos patogenos de plantas. Se realizaron experimentos en el norte y centro-norte de la Florida para evaluar las poblaciones de abejas dentro de las plantas de cultivos de cobertura, incluidos canamo sunn (Crotalaria juncea L.), sorgo-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench × S. bicolor var. sudanense [Piper] Stapf.), y caupi (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.). Se recolectaron casi 150 abejas de 10 especies y mas de 700 abejas de 15 especies en bandejas (tazones para abejas) y trampas de paleta azul, respectivamente. Ambos juegos de trampas capturaron abejas de todas las parcelas de cultivos de cobertura, lo que indica que estas abejas se alimentan en habitats perturbados. Las abejas dominantes recolectadas, Melissodes spp., son abejas solitarias que anidan en el suelo y que pueden haber estado utilizando el suelo debajo de las plantas y las areas de la parcela fronteriza como sitio de anidacion. Solo un subconjunto de la composicion de especies asociadas con los cultivos de cobertura fue relevante para la polinizacion del canamo solar, que requiere abejas de gran tamano, como las especies de Xylocopa y Megachile. Key Words: pollinators; Crotalaria; Xylocopa; Megachile View this article in BioOne
Noninvasive quantification of cutaneous inflammation with hyperspectral short wave infrared imaging

This Conference Presentation, “Noninvasive quantification of cutaneous inflammation with hyperspectral short wave infrared imaging,” was recorded for the Photonics West 2021 Digital Forum.
Trends in Diagnosis and Treatment of Sacroiliac Joint Pathology Over the Past 10 Years: Review of Scientific Evidence for New Devices for Sacroiliac Joint Fusion.

Sacroiliac (SI) joint pathology is a newly appreciated contributor to lower back pain. Sacroiliac joint fusion (SIJF) has grown rapidly in popularity in association with the advent of minimally-invasive surgical techniques. This has led to an explosion of new medical devices used for SIJF. The objective of this article is to outline clinical trends, summarize the current data, and categorize novel devices for SIJF. Trends in SI joint pathology and fusion were obtained via the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's (HCUP) National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database and Web of Science. To review literature on devices for SIJF, PubMed was searched using the Boolean phrase "sacroiliac joint AND (fusion OR arthrodesis)" since 2010. To establish a list of SIJF devices not represented in the literature, searches were performed on the FDA 510(k), premarket approval, and de novo databases, as well as Google and LinkedIn. Literature review yielded 11 FDA-approved devices for minimally invasive SIJF. Database query yielded an additional 22 devices for a total of 33 devices. Twenty-one devices used the lateral transiliac approach, six posterior allograft approach, three posterolateral approach, and three combined the lateral transiliac and posterolateral approaches. The evidence for the lateral transiliac approach is the most robust. Many novel devices have been developed for minimally invasive SIJF over the past 10 years. Further randomized comparative trials are warranted to evaluate different surgical approaches and novel devices at this time.
Architected mesoporous crystalline magnesium silicates with ordered pore structures

Abstract Novel approaches to harness earth abundant silicates as building blocks for carbon dioxide removal, capture, utilization, and storage are gaining increasing attention in the context of sustainable and low carbon energy and resource recovery. Advancing a calibrated understanding of these fluid-silicate interactions is essential for developing scalable processes. One of the challenges in developing predictive controls over these interactions is the compositional and morphological heterogeneity of naturally occurring, heterogeneous magnesium silicate minerals. To address this challenge, the synthesis of architected mesoporous crystalline magnesium silicate (Mg2SiO4) is proposed. While synthesis routes for producing amorphous mesoporous magnesium silicates have been developed via sol-gel methods, approaches to synthesize crystalline magnesium silicates with well-controlled pore size distributions have not been explored. The conventional approaches of converting matter that is amorphous to crystalline states at elevated temperatures results in a heterogeneous pore size distribution. To develop controls on pore size distribution, amorphous mesoporous magnesium silicates are coated with carbon. This approach retains the pore structure during the amorphous to crystalline transformations of Mg-silicates at elevated temperatures. The carbon coating is removed on heating. Magnesium silicate particles produced using this approach have highly ordered pores around 2.58 nm and a specific surface area of 124.25 m2/g. In this study, we report the chemical compositions, morphologies, phase transitions, and pore structures of the intermediate materials produced during the synthesis of crystalline mesoporous magnesium silicates. The synthesis routes discussed in this study can be applied translationally to produce metal silicates with ordered mesoporous structures.
A numerical comparison of different qualitative algorithms for solving 2D inverse elastic scattering problems

In this paper, we numerically compare several well-established and recent qualitative algorithms for the shape reconstruction of obstacles in elastic scattering based on the measured noisy full far-field data. The compared algorithms include linear sampling method, factorization method and its variant (i.e., $$F_\sharp $$ method), direct sampling method, and direct factorization method. To regularize the ill-conditioned far-field integral operator used in linear sampling method and factorization method, the Tikhonov regularization is used, where we compared two different regularization parameter choice technique: the generalized discrepancy principle (GDP) and the improved maximum product criterion (IMPC). The GDP requires a priori knowledge of the noise level in the far-field data, while the IMPC does not have such an impractical requirement. Extensive numerical examples are provided to illustrate the difference, similarity, advantage, and disadvantage of the tested qualitative methods under various settings. The direct sampling method and direct factorization method outperform the others in computational efficiency while achieving comparable reconstruction accuracy. We find the $$F_\sharp $$ method is numerically less sensitive to noise.
Inhibition of natural killer cell activity in vitro by alcohols.

Abstract The effect of the addition of small quantities of alcohols to cocultures of natural killer effector cells from C57BL 6 mice and BDIX rats with YAC-1 tumor cell targets has been studied. The order of inhibition of NK cell-mediated killing is 1-butanol > 1-propanol > 2-propanol > ethanol > methanol. The inhibition of killing due to the addition of alcohol correlates with decreases of effector-target cell binding. Therefore caution should be exercised in interpreting results of cellular experiments in which these alcohols have been used to solubilize inhibitors.
ATLaS: A Native Extension of SQL for Data Mining.

A lack of power and extensibility in their query languages has seriously limited the generality of DBMSs and hampered their ability to support data mining applications. Thus, there is a pressing need for more general mechanisms for extending DBMSs to support efficiently database-centric data mining appliacations. To satisfy this need, we propose a new extensibility mechanism for SQL-compliant DBMSs, and demonstrate its power in supporting decision support applications. The key extension is the ability of defining new table functions and aggregate functions in SQL— rather than in external procedural languages as Object-Relational (O-R) DBMSs currently do. This simple extension turns SQL into a powerful language for decision-support applications, including ROLAPs, time-series queries, stream-oriented processing, and data mining functions. First, we discuss the use of ATLaS for data mining applications, and then the architecture and techniques used
SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF BEEF AND PORK PROCESSED MEATS CONTAINING NONSOLVENT EXTRACTED TEXTURIZED SOY PROTEIN

The objective of this study was to characterize the sensory properties of four common meat products (ground beef, fresh pork sausage, smoked sausage, and frankfurters) all manufactured with nonsolvent extracted textured soy protein (NSTSP) used as a lean meat replacement. High levels (45%) NSTSP added to ground beef and fresh pork sausage resulted in products which were more mushy with much more off-flavor than control samples, whereas juiciness was unaffected. Addition of 30% or 45% NSTSP increased ( P 0.05) neither texture and mouth feel nor off-flavor of smoked sausage. Up to 30% NSTSP had no effect on either texture or mouth feel nor on off-flavor of frankfurters. Addition of NSTSP increased off-flavor of all products except frankfurters. Practical levels of lean replacement appear to be less than 30% for these meat products.
A Begrudging, Recalcitrant Academic Observes What She's Learning: Distance Learning in Leadership Formation.

Neither advocacy nor condemnation of distance learning, this essay offers observations and critical reflection on four years' longitudinal engagement with distance learning pedagogies for formation in higher theological education. Instead, readers are invited to curiosity, communal-institutional discernment, and intense ambivalence. Theological, pedagogical, contextual, and ethical concerns are examined, as well as potential opportunities for innovation amidst age-old practical theological challenges. A moral imperative emerges for those within and outside historic faith traditions, and some plausible impacts on educational and communal life are explored, especially faculty grief.
Minimal Spanning Trees for Graphs with Random Edge Lengths

The theory of the minimal spanning tree (MST) of a connected graph whose edges are assigned lengths according to independent identically distributed random variables is developed from two directions. First, it is shown how the Tutte polynomial for a connected graph can be used to provide an exact formula for the length of the minimal spanning tree under the model of uniformly distributed edge lengths. Second, it is shown how the theory of local weak convergence provides a systematic approach to the asymptotic theory of the length of the MST and related power sums. Consequences of these investigations include (1) the exact rational determination of the expected length of the MST for the complete graph Kn for 2 ≤ n ≤ 9 and (2) refinements of the results of Penrose (1998) for the MST of the d-cube and results of Beveridge, Frieze, and McDiarmid (1998) and Frieze, Ruzink6, and Thoma (2000) for graphs with modest expansion properties. In most cases, the results reviewed here have not reached their final form, and they should be viewed as part of work-in-progress.
The preferential transport of immunoglobulin G by the small intestine of the neonatal piglet.

Previous work dealing with the acquisition of passive immunity by the neonatal mammal has shown that the piglet is qualitatively nonselective with regard to the transport of macromolecules from the gut to the blood, whereas rats, mice and hamsters transport only immunoglobulin G (IgG) in detectable quantities. The ability of enterocytes of the proximal and distal small intestine of piglets to internalize fluorescent porcine IgG, bovine albumin or a mixture of these two fluorescent proteins was assessed. At the light microscopic level (macropinocytosis) porcine IgG and bovine albumin were internalized with equal facility by these enterocytes. To determine whether piglets preferentially transported porcine IgG versus bovine albumin, other piglets were gavaged with these proteins or these proteins were injected into ligated segments of the proximal or distal small intestine. Enterocytes in the proximal part of the small intestine transported more of these proteins (P less than 0.10) than did those in the distal part. When either bovine albumin or porcine IgG was presented separately to the piglet's gut, both were transported to about the same low level. However, when mixtures of these proteins were presented, IgG was preferentially transported, i.e., albumin enhanced IgG transport. Porcine albumin or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) also enhanced porcine IgG transport. It was proposed that the preferential transport of IgG occurred by a micropinocytotic mechanism (not visible by light microscopy) and that other macromolecules such as albumin and PVP enhanced IgG transport by nonspecifically stimulating micropinocytosis.
Measures for Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Note: TIrroughout this chapter, reference is made to the various DSM-IV criteria for PTSD (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Criterion A-I refers to the occurrence of a traumatic event. Criterion A-2 refers. to the presence of intense fear~helplessness,and horror at the time of the traumatic event. Critcrion.B refers to the presence of symptoms involving reexperienc­ ing the traumatic event. Oriterion C refers to symptoms of persistent.avoidance pf stimuli related to .the traumatic event and numbing ol general responsiveness. Criterion· D includes symptoms of increased arousal since experiencing the trauma. Criterion ·E refers to the duration of the disturbance (atleast ·1 month for PTSD). Criterion F refers to the presence of clinically significant distress or impainnent.
Lateral Gene Transfer (LGT) between Archaea and Escherichia coli is a contributor to the emergence of novel infectious disease

Background Lateral gene transfer is the major mechanism for acquisition of new virulence genes in pathogens. Recent whole genome analyses have suggested massive gene transfer between widely divergent organisms.
Mechanism of suppression of nitric oxide synthase expression by interleukin-4 in primary mouse macrophages

Nitric oxide (NO) contributes to the antitumor, antimicrobial, and immunosuppressive activity of macrophages. An inducible form of NO synthase (iNOS) is responsible for high output generation of nitric oxide by macrophages after stimulation with cytokines and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In the present study, we demonstrate that interleukin 4 (IL-4) suppressed production of NO by primary mouse peritoneal macrophages exposed to IFN-gamma with or without LPS, even while synergizing with IFN-gamma to increase the secretion of TNF-alpha. Suppression of NO production was paralleled by decreases in iNOS enzyme activity and iNOS antigen. IL-4 did not inhibit induction of iNOS mRNA 4-6 h after exposure to IFN-gamma, but strongly reduced iNOS mRNA at later times of stimulation (24-72 h), without increasing its turnover. The conditions for maximal suppression of iNOS expression by IL-4 and the mechanisms of suppression differed from those determined in parallel for transforming growth-factor-beta as described elsewhere. These results illustrate the diversity of phenotypes of macrophages deactivated by different cytokines, and demonstrate that IL-4 has the potential to reduce one component of the anti-tumor, antimicrobial, and immunosuppressive activities of macrophages.
Synergistic effects of green tea polyphenols and alphacalcidol on chronic inflammation-induced bone loss in female rats

Summary Studies suggest that green tea polyphenols (GTP) or alphacalcidol is promising agent for preventing bone loss. Findings that GTP supplementation plus alphacalcidol administration increased bone mass via a decrease of oxidative stress and inflammation suggest a significant role of GTP plus alphacalcidol in bone health of patients with chronic inflammation.
Novel methods and technologies for 21st-century clinical trials: a review.

Importance New technologies are rapidly reshaping health care. However, their effect on drug development to date generally has been limited. Objectives To evaluate disease modeling and simulation, alternative study design, novel objective measures, virtual research visits, and enhanced participant engagement and to examine their potential effects as methods and tools on clinical trials. Evidence Review We conducted a systematic search of relevant terms on PubMed ( disease modeling and clinical trials ; adaptive design , clinical trials , and neurology ; Internet , clinical trials , and neurology ; and telemedicine , clinical trials , and neurology ), references of previous publications, and our files. The search encompassed articles published from January 1, 2000, through November 30, 2014, and produced 7976 articles, of which 22 were determined to be relevant and are included in this review. Findings Few of these new methods and technologies have been applied to neurology clinical trials. Clinical outcomes, including cognitive and stroke outcomes, increasingly are captured remotely. Other therapeutic areas have successfully implemented many of these tools and technologies, including web-enabled clinical trials. Conclusions and Relevance Increased use of new tools and approaches in future clinical trials can enhance the design, improve the assessment, and engage participants in the evaluation of novel therapies for neurologic disorders.