cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spraying to Control the Gladiolus Thrips, Taeniothrips Gladioli M & S , in Michigan for the Season of 19321

Contact sprays including lead arsenate and glue are found to be more effective in controlling the gladiolus thrips than those without. The liberal use of water during dry weather and the use of fertilizer containing powdered naphthalene give favorable indications.
Pacing by winners of a 161-km mountain ultramarathon.

Purpose: To examine pacing among the most successful runners in the 161-km Western States Endurance Run (WSER) to determine if variations in segmental speed relate to performance, ambient temperature, and calendar year. Methods: Segmental speed and coefficient of variation (CV) in speed were analyzed for 10 race segments of 24 races from 1985 through 2013. Results: Segmental speeds did not differ between the eventual winners and lead runners and only differed between the 1st and 2nd finishers in the 2nd half of the race. Mean CV in speed was lower (P < .01) for the winners (12%) than for the other top-5 finishers (14–15%). CV in speed was related (r = .80, P = .006) to finish time for the fastest 10 finish times at the WSER. Multiple linearregression analysis revealed mean CV in speed for the top-5 runners to be related to maximum ambient temperature (coefficient =.14, P < .05) and calendar year (coefficient = –.086, P = .034). Conclusions: Mountain trail running is characterized by wide variations in spe...
Quentin Young (1923-2016): Advocate, Activist, and “Rebel Without a Pause”.

An obituary for American health care advocate and activist Doctor Quentin Young is presented.
Birth Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy: A Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVE: Population-based data in the United States on trends in cerebral palsy (CP) birth prevalence are limited. The objective of this study was to examine trends in the birth prevalence of congenital spastic CP by birth weight, gestational age, and race/ethnicity in a heterogeneous US metropolitan area. METHODS: Children with CP were identified by a population-based surveillance system for developmental disabilities (DDs). Children with CP were included if they were born in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, from 1985 to 2002, resided there at age 8 years, and did not have a postneonatal etiology (n = 766). Birth weight, gestational age, and race/ethnicity subanalyses were restricted to children with spastic CP (n = 640). Trends were examined by CP subtype, gender, race/ethnicity, co-occurring DDs, birth weight, and gestational age. RESULTS: Birth prevalence of spastic CP per 1000 1-year survivors was stable from 1985 to 2002 (1.9 in 1985 to 1.8 in 2002; 0.3% annual average prevalence; 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.1 to 1.8). Whereas no significant trends were observed by gender, subtype, birth weight, or gestational age overall, CP prevalence with co-occurring moderate to severe intellectual disability significantly decreased (−2.6% [95% CI −4.3 to −0.8]). Racial disparities persisted over time between non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white children (prevalence ratio 1.8 [95% CI 1.5 to 2.1]). Different patterns emerged for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black children by birth weight and gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: Given improvements in neonatal survival, evidence of stability of CP prevalence is encouraging. Yet lack of overall decreases supports continued monitoring of trends and increased research and prevention efforts. Racial/ethnic disparities, in particular, warrant further study.
Pay Harmony? Social Comparison and Performance Compensation in Multi-Business Firms

This study presents a series of pay patterns of senior employees within large firms. We interpret these patterns as reflecting the following factors influencing employee pay: incentive setting (pay for performance), vertical comparison to the CEO, and horizontal comparison among peers in “like” positions within the firm. These factors appear to interact: as horizontal pay co-movement increases, pay-for-performance decreases. Also, horizontal pay co-movement conforms to predictions from social psychology on referent selection: employees appear to compare more with peers that are geographically and socially proximate as well as against a manager’s highest-earning peer. Horizontal pay comparison within a firm also appears to be a strong anchor: we observe pay inequality increasing vertically between the CEO and employees as well as within the entire population of senior employees, but notably not across employees of the same firm over time. Taken together, our evidence supports the notion that agency and social factors co-determine pay within firms and that these factors interact with each other and with firm boundaries.
Well logging evaluation of carbonate reservoirs in Puguang gas field

In the reservoir evaluation practices of 50 exploration and production wells,it is very difficult to precisely identify gas bearing formations from poor physical property and water formations.According to the special characteristics of formations and lithologies,complicated rock analysis program CRA is used to analyze the reservoir physical properties.On the basis of core testing data,reasonable model and model parameters are selected though which shale content,porosity,permeability and water saturation can be calculated,precisely reflecting reservoir properties and liquid features.Then by making use of porosity,resistivity,water saturation,interpretation template of gas producing formation and aqueous layer can be built up,shedding light upon carbonate reservoir evaluation in Sichuan basin.
Off-design Operation Optimization for Closed Circulating Water System of Thermal Power Plants

Taking the closed circulating water system of a 600MW power unit as an example,an optimized operation mode was proposed based on the load of steam turbine,the ambient temperature and the relative environment humidity,while a variation law obtained about how the inlet/outlet water temperature of cooling tower in the closed circulating water system(i.e.the outlet/inlet temperature of condenser)change with the unit load,ambient temperature and relative environment humidity by coupling variable conditions of the cooling tower,condenser and turbine..Results show that with the rise of circulating water flow,the inlet temperature of cooling tower reduces,but the outlet temperature of cooling tower increases,under a certain environmental condition and load;both the inlet/outlet temperature of cooling tower increase with rising ambient temperature,relative environment humidity and unit load.
Connecting to food: cultivating children in the school garden

School gardens are widely celebrated as spaces to promote health and sustainability by connecting children with their food. While scholars have assessed the effects of gardening in practice, media discourses play a key role in constituting this site. This paper examines how the school garden is discursively constituted within American and Canadian newspaper coverage. The analysis reveals specific forms of connection that are said to flourish in the school garden: between food production and consumption, between bodies and knowledge, and between the urban child and nature. While all children are said to benefit from connecting with their food, these connections are articulated differently in relation to particular bodies and spaces, evident in racialized and classed narratives of stewardship and salvation. As children’s relationship to food is invested with the hopes and fears of collective futures, the discursive construction of the school garden provides crucial insights into contemporary understandings ...
Parents' Strategies to Support Mealtime Participation of Their Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

OBJECTIVE. We identified and described the strategies parents use to support the mealtime participation of their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD. Twelve families with children with ASD (ages 2–7 yr) participated in videotaped mealtime observations. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify strategies families used to facilitate participation. RESULTS. Six categories were identified: (1) parent intervening and ignoring, (2) meal preparation and adaptability, (3) play and imagination, (4) distractions, (5) positive reinforcements, and (6) modeling. Props—common child objects that support the child’s mealtime participation—were used in the context of multiple strategies. In addition, increased parental vigilance emerged as an important component of all family mealtimes. CONCLUSION. Families used multiple strategies within and across mealtimes, highlighting the individualistic nature of feeding challenges. Understanding parent mealtime strategies allows for further investigation into the efficacy and development of intervention strategies to promote mealtime participation of children with ASD.
Perceived Dual Method Responsibilities by Relationship Type Among African-American Male Adolescents

Abstract Purpose To describe the extent to which African-American male adolescents perceive responsibility for contraception and condom use and to understand the perceived importance of dual method use for respondents in casual versus committed relationships. Methods Data were collected using surveys informed by formative focus group sessions. Participants included African-American male high-school students aged 14–19 years from the Chicago's South Side. Respondents were surveyed regarding contraceptive behavioral intentions and perceived importance of dual method use. Responses were compared by relationship type. Logistic regression modeling was used to determine the association between contraception responsibility and perceiving dual method protection as important for each sexual relationship type. Results Sample included 348 young men (mean age: 16.1 years; mean age at first sex: 13.8 years). Among those who had heard of condoms (99.4%) and withdrawal (90.4%), most reported liking these methods (83.7% and 53.9%). Participants were more likely to report greater responsibility within a committed relationship for all perceived contraceptive responsibilities (e.g., going with partner to get contraception). Participants were more likely to engage in conversation about pregnancy prevention with a committed partner. Among sexually active respondents, perceived contraceptive responsibility was associated with perceiving dual protection as very important (odds ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval = 1.05–2.38). Conclusions Respondents felt partially responsible for pregnancy prevention, particularly within committed relationships, and were open to using dual protection. However, many respondents had low levels of contraception knowledge. These findings indicate that male African-American adolescents might benefit from increased education and support around contraception methods and condom use.
Things Old and New: Tradition and Innovation in Constructing Reformation Theology

ABSTRACTIn respect of the Reformation this study considers the interaction between the retrieval of ancient Christian texts, humanist methods and scholasticism in their various forms, citing illustrative examples. It argues that Reformation interpreters have traditionally tended to privilege the impact of the first two on the new religious developments. As a corrective to this common perception, the essay recalls and highlights the continuing and increasing positive influence of modified scholastic methodological norms and forms on evolving Reformation theology in order to meet both pedagogical and apologetical requirements. It is also pointed out that the specific humanist programme for the revamping of biblical study along linguistic and literary lines and facilitating access to the Church Fathers, accompanied with notions of tackling abuses in the Church, predated the Reformation.
Nocturnal leg cramps: Prevalence and associations with demographics, sleep disturbance symptoms, medical conditions, and cardiometabolic risk factors

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [K23HL110216]; Luitpold Pharmaceuticals; Xenoport; UCB Pharma; NeuroMetrix; NIMH
ปัจจัยที่มีอิทธิพลต่อการพึ่งตนเองของชุมชน: กรณีศึกษาชุมชนคลองลัดมะยม เขตตลิ่งชัน กรุงเทพมหานคร

การศกษาครงนมวตถประสงคเพอศกษาลกษณะและปจจยตอการพงตนเองของชมชนคลองลดมะยม เขตตลงชน กรงเทพมหานคร เปนการศกษาเชงคณภาพ โดยใชวธการสำรวจเชงเอกสาร (Documentary Research), การสงเกตการณ (Observation) และการสมภาษณเชงลก (In-depth Interview) โดยมกลมเปาหมายในการศกษา คอ ประธานชมชนคลองลดมะยมและคณะการการชมชน จำนวน 2 คน,สมาชกภายในชมชน จำนวน 2 คน และ บคคล หนวยงานตางๆ ทเกยวของกบการพงตนเองของชมชน จำนวน 3 คน ผลการวจยพบวา ลกษณะการพงตนเองของชมชนคลองลดมะยมจำแนกได 3 ดาน คอ 1. สามารถแกไขปญหาดวยตวของชมชนเอง 2. ความสามารถในการตดสนใจกระทำหรอไมกระทำเกยวกบกจการตางๆ ภายในชมชน 3. ความยงยนของการพงตนเอง ปจจยททำใหชมชนคลองลดมะยมพงตนเองได คอ 1) ปจจยภายใน ไดแก ผนำชมชน ทนทางเทคโนโลยทรพยากรชมชน การรวมกลมและความเชอมนในคานยม ศาสนา วฒนธรรม และเอกลกษณของชมชน 2) ปจจยภายนอก คอ หนวยงานภาครฐ และหนวยงานอนๆ สวนอปสรรคในการพงตนเองของชมชนคลองลดมะยม คอ กฎหมาย The Purpose of this study was to study about characteristics and factors which affect to self-reliance of Klongladmayom community in Talingchan district, Bangkok. The study was a qualitative research and data were collected using documentary research, observation and indepth interview from two key people who are head and committee of the community. Moreover, the additional data were gathered from two members of the community and the other three key people with organizations associated with self-reliance in Klongladmayom community. The self-reliance of Klongladmayom can be divided into 3 fields 1) The ability to solve problems by themselves. 2) The ability to make a decision about whether activities they should conduct for their community. 3) The sustainable self-reliance in the community. There are two factors which contribute self-relianced to the community: 1) Internal factors which compose of community’s leader, technology’s capital, resources, aggregation and reliance in community’s value, religion, culture and identity, and 2) External factors which compose of government agencies and other agencies. The major obstacle impacting to self-reliance of Klongladmayom community is law.
SeSAMe: Software defined smart home alert management system for smart communities

Future Smart Cities require new ways to manage services that benefit the end users. An important issue is how to connect homes in a community and create an alert management system in Smart Cities with coordination among different entities. In this paper, we present an architectural vision of a software defined home alert management system for Smart Cities. This alert management system would make the residents aware of any incidents in the neighborhood such as fire. In this work, we use the features of software defined networking to design a manageable and flexible smart home for a smart community to provide services such as smart alarm systems.
Stability Analysis of a Robotic Mechanism Using Computer Albegra

This paper concerns the stability analysis of a two degree of freedom lumped mass model of a robotic mechanism. The equations of motion as well as the Hamiltonian for the system are derived using the symbolic manipulation system MACSYMA. The second order, nonlinear, coupled, ordinary differential equations which govern the system are linearized about a particular operating point. We emphasize the advantage of using MACSYMA to derive this linear system. The regions of flutter and divergence instabilities in a two dimensional parameter space are determined from a quartic characteristic equation. A MACSYMA program is used to perform a root locus study of this equation. A discussion of the application of the results to the control of a mechanical robot is presented.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Small Satellite Dynamics Testbed Simulation: On-Orbit Performance Model Validation

As small satellites and CubeSats demonstrate their value as science-capable platforms, the community is pushing to improve reliability while expanding performance capabilities. The attitude control...
Crowdsourcing Disease Biomarker Discovery Research: The IP4IC Study

Purpose: Biomarker discovery is limited by readily assessable, cost efficient human samples available in large numbers that represent the entire heterogeneity of the disease. We developed a novel, active participation crowdsourcing method to determine BP-RS (Bladder Permeability Defect Risk Score). It is based on noninvasive urinary cytokines to discriminate patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome who had Hunner lesions from controls and patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome but without Hunner lesions.Materials and Methods: We performed a national crowdsourcing study in cooperation with the Interstitial Cystitis Association. Patients answered demographic, symptom severity and urinary frequency questionnaires on a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant website. Urine samples were collected at home, stabilized with a preservative and sent to Beaumont Hospital for analysis. The expression of 3 urinary cytokines was used in a machine learnin...
Wavelet-crosscorrelation-based interferometric redatuming in 4D seismic

ABSTRACTInterferometric virtual source (VS) redatuming crosscorrelates downgoing waves with the corresponding upgoing waves to convert records from surface-source gathers to virtual gathers at the ...
On Maximizing the Convergence Rate

Fast response is always a desired property for control systems. The time optimal control problem was formulated for this purpose. Although it is well known that the time optimal control is a bang-bang control, this control strategy is rarely implemented in real systems. The main reason is that it is generally impossible to characterize the switching surface. For discrete-time systems, online computation has been proposed in the literature, but the computation burden is very heavy since linear programming has to be solved recursively with increasing time-horizon. Also, as the time-horizon is extended, numerical problems become more severe. Another reason is that even if the optimal control can be obtained exactly and efficiently, it results in open-loop control
Subclinical shedding of HSV: its potential for reduction by antiviral therapy.

Several recent serosurveys have indicated that the prevalence of HSV-2 infection is continuing to increase (Table 1)1–5. The prevalence of HSV-2 is high in many populations. In Seattle, 43% of women and 35% of men attending STD clinics have already acquired HSV-2 infection, while in British STD clinic attendees, the figures are 37% and 27%. Breinig et al reported that 21% of women attending family planning clinics were HSV-2 seropositive3. Perhaps the most definitive work in this area is a recent population based serosurvey of the US adults which has shown that the overall seroprevalence of HSV-2 has risen from 16.4% in 1978 to 21.7% in 1990; a 32% increase in HSV-2 seropositivity in the last decade6.
Heterochromatin and X Inactivation

Cytological examinations of nuclear structure in the early 1900s led to the discovery of heterochromatic regions that retain the deeply staining properties of metaphase chromatin throughout the cell cycle. The molecular determinants of heterochromatin have largely remained a mystery. Genetic experiments conducted throughout the twentieth century have led the way in identifying DNA and protein components of both the constitutive heterochromatin of centromeres and telomeres and facultative heterochromatin of the inactive X chromosome of mammals and distributed throughout the chromosomes of many species. Several features of heterochromatin structures have emerged from these studies. Formation of each structure involves targeting of specific histone modifications that provide binding sites for a heterochromatin protein. RNA molecules have also been found to play critical roles in forming each structure. These features will be discussed in this chapter in the context of each category of heterochromatin.
Overcoming the “Holy Hush”: A Qualitative Examination of Protestant Christian Leaders’ Responses to Intimate Partner Violence

Described as a "holy hush," past research has noted a general silence about and reluctance to address intimate partner violence (IPV) in religious congregations. To explore this, we interviewed 20 Protestant Christian religious leaders about how they understood and responded to IPV. Based on a thematic content analysis, our study revealed some of the challenges, tensions, and complexities that may be barriers to leaders speaking about and responding to IPV, and also the ways religious leaders in our sample attempted to overcome these challenges. For example, results revealed religious leaders understood violence on a gradation from less to more severe, and linked a need for and type of response to the level of violence. Throughout, religious leaders expressed a tension between their leadership role and responding to IPV. Furthermore, religious leaders acknowledged their need for greater training and connections to service providers, however, they reported not currently being connected to other IPV resources or organizations in the community. We discuss how the findings illuminate challenges and tensions for religious leaders in responding to IPV and how some leaders in this study were navigating these tensions to respond. We also discuss how findings may inform future research and the development of trainings and protocols for religious leaders and congregations on responding to IPV, promoting survivor safety, and fostering a greater understanding of IPV. Implications for collaboration with other community-based IPV organizations are also discussed.
Redes Sociais e Difusão de Conhecimento em um Arranjo Produtivo Local de Saúde

The Clusters importance is something already consolidated in the academic, political and business environment, due to its economic and social role for regional development. This project intends to analyze the social networks within the Health Cluster of the city of Ceres, State of Goias, Brazil, understanding how this happens among its actors and the links between them. In order to do so, it is intended to collect documentary and bibliographic information about the cluster, to elaborate and to apply questionnaires with the actors. In order to analyze the data obtained, the free software Pajek was used to generate a social network of the involved actors outlined graphically. To understand how these relationships are given, a questionnaire will be applied with the entrepreneurs and medical doctors of the companies surveyed. Preliminary results are that the health network cluster has 34 organizations / actors, of which 31 relate at least once to another actor, thus forming a "web" interconnecting them. Up to now, we only identified social networks to be studied in the second part of the research.
SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE POST TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT PREDICTS MORTALITY

Aortic stenosis (AS) increases left ventricular (LV) afterload. Physiologically, it may be hypothesized that TAVR therapy would result in a reduction in afterload and an augmentation of systolic blood pressure (BP). We sought to determine BP outcomes post TAVR. 304 patients from our transcatheter
Divergent Antigen-Specific Cellular Immune Responses during Asymptomatic Subclinical and Clinical States of Disease in Cows Naturally Infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

ABSTRACT Infection of the host with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis results in chronic and progressive enteritis that traverses both subclinical and clinical stages. The mechanism(s) for the shift from an asymptomatic subclinical disease state to advanced clinical disease is not fully understood. In the present study, naturally infected dairy cattle were divided into subclinical and clinical infection groups, along with noninfected control cows of similar parity, to study host immune responses in different stages of infection. Both infection groups had higher levels of secretion of gamma interferon (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-2 (IL-2) than control cows, whereas only clinical cows had increased secretion of IL-10, IL-12, and IL-18 upon stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with antigen. Conversely, secretion of IL-17Α was decreased for clinical cows compared to subclinical and control cows. Proinflammatory cytokine genes were upregulated only for subclinical cows, whereas increased IL-10 and IL-17 gene expression levels were observed for both infection groups. Increased CD4+, CD8+, and γδ T cell receptor-positive (TCR+) T cells were observed for subclinical cows compared to clinical cows. Although clinical cows expressed antigen-specific immune responses, the profile for subclinical cows was one of a dominant proinflammatory response to infection. We reason that a complex coordination of immune responses occurs during M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection, with these responses shifting as the host transitions through the different stages of infection and disease (subclinical to clinical). A further understanding of the series of events characterized by Th1/Th2/Th17 responses will provide mechanisms for disease progression and may direct insightful intervention strategies.
Compound heterozygous mutations in SNAP29 is associated with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-like disorder (PMLD).

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-like disease (PMLD) is an autosomal recessive hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, which is clinically and radiologically similar to X-linked Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD). PMLD is characterized by early-onset nystagmus, delayed development (motor delay, speech delay and dysarthria), dystonia, hypotonia typically evolving into spasticity, ataxia, seizures, optic atrophy, and diffuse leukodystrophy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We identified a 12-year-old Caucasian/Hispanic male with the classical clinical characteristics of PMLD with lack of myelination of the subcortical white matter, and absence of the splenium of corpus callosum. Exome sequencing in the trio revealed novel compound heterozygous pathogenic mutations in SNAP29 (p.Leu119AlafsX15, c.354DupG and p.0?, c.2T > C). Quantitative analysis of the patient’s blood cells through RNA sequencing identified a significant decrease in SNAP29 mRNA expression, while western blot analysis on fibroblast cells revealed a lack of protein expression compared to parental and control cells. Mutations in SNAP29 have previously been associated with cerebral dysgenesis, neuropathy, ichthyosis, and keratoderma (CEDNIK) syndrome. Typical skin features described in CEDNIK syndrome, such as generalized ichthyosis and keratoderma, were absent in our patient. Moreover, the early onset nystagmus and leukodystrophy were consistent with a PMLD diagnosis. These findings suggest that loss of SNAP29 function, which was previously associated with CEDNIK syndrome, is also associated with PMLD. Overall, our study expands the genetic spectrum of PMLD.
Using ethological techniques and place-based pedagogy to develop science literacy in Hawaiʻi’s high school students

This high school-level, place-based, inquiry-driven laboratory module familiarises students with techniques used to analyse animal behaviour while facilitating the development of the observational ...
Covalent Targeting of Ras G12C by Rationally Designed Peptidomimetics.

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) play a critical role in fundamental biological processes. Competitive inhibition of these interfaces requires compounds that can access discontinuous binding epi...
Short exposure to hyperoxia causes cultured lung epithelial cell mitochondrial dysregulation and alveolar simplification in mice.

Prolonged exposure to high oxygen concentrations in premature infants, although lifesaving, can induce lung oxidative stress and increase the risk of developing BPD, a form of chronic lung disease. The lung alveolar epithelium is damaged by sustained hyperoxia, causing oxidative stress and alveolar simplification; however, it is unclear what duration of exposure to hyperoxia negatively impacts cellular function. Here we investigated the role of a very short exposure to hyperoxia (95% O2, 5% CO2) on mitochondrial function in cultured mouse lung epithelial cells and neonatal mice. In epithelial cells, 4 h of hyperoxia reduced oxidative phosphorylation, respiratory complex I and IV activity, utilization of mitochondrial metabolites, and caused mitochondria to form elongated tubular networks. Cells allowed to recover in air for 24 h exhibited a persistent global reduction in fuel utilization. In addition, neonatal mice exposed to hyperoxia for only 12 h demonstrated alveolar simplification at postnatal day 14. A short exposure to hyperoxia leads to changes in lung cell mitochondrial metabolism and dynamics and has a long-term impact on alveolarization. These findings may help inform our understanding and treatment of chronic lung disease.
End-user software customization by direct manipulation of tabular data

Customizing software should be as easy as using it. Unfortunately, most customization methods require users to abruptly shift from using a graphical interface to writing scripts in a programming language. We introduce data-driven customization, a new way for end users to extend software by direct manipulation without doing traditional programming. We augment existing user interfaces with a table view showing the structured data inside the application. When users edit the table, their changes are reflected in the original UI. This simple model accommodates a spreadsheet formula language and custom data-editing widgets, providing enough power to implement a variety of useful extensions. We illustrate the approach with Wildcard, a browser extension that implements data-driven customization on the web using web scraping. Through concrete examples, we show that this paradigm can support useful extensions to many real websites, and we share reflections from our experiences using the tool. Finally, we share our broader vision for data-driven customization: a future where end users have more access to the data inside their applications, and can more flexibly repurpose that data as part of everyday software usage.
Genome and transcriptome of a pathogenic yeast, Candida nivariensis

We present a highly contiguous genome and transcriptome of the pathogenic yeast, Candida nivariensis. We sequenced both the DNA and RNA of this species using both the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and Illumina platforms. We assembled the genome into an 11.8 Mb draft composed of 16 contigs with an N50 of 886 Kb, including a circular mitochondrial sequence of 28 Kb. Using direct RNA nanopore sequencing and Illumina cDNA sequencing, we constructed an annotation of our new assembly, supplemented by lifting over genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans.
Nonconvex Thermal Modelling and Energy Optimization for Multizone Commercial Buildings with VAV Type HVAC Units

Energy efficiency is an important issue for buildings as they are among the largest users of electricity in the U.S. As a substantial and controllable load in buildings, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems have been seen as a major candidate for optimization processes. Variable air volume (VAV) type HVAC units though most familiar, have not been modeled in a detailed way for optimization due to their nonconvex attributes. The contemporary optimization solvers can deal with such non-convexities. Leveraging this attribute, detailed modeling of VAV type HVAC units was done for a multi-zone single-storied commercial building and an optimization problem was formulated to minimize the total power usage of all HVAC units in the building. The results showed that 3.91% energy savings and 5.55% maximum peak reduction were achieved using this optimization. Moreover, the zone temperature setpoints became much more stable while staying within the human thermal comfort range. Energy and peak demand savings will also provide economic and environmental benefits if it can be widely implemented.
Metals and Breast Cancer Risk: A Prospective Study Using Toenail Biomarkers

The role of metals in breast cancer is of interest because of their carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting capabilities. Evidence from epidemiologic studies remains elusive, and prior studies have not investigated metal mixtures. In a case cohort nested within the Sister Study (enrolled in 2003-2009; followed through September 2017), we measured concentrations of 15 metals in toenails collected at enrollment in a race/ethnicity-stratified sample of 1,495 cases and a subcohort of 1,605 women. We estimated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each metal using Cox regression and robust variance. We used quantile g-computation to estimate the joint association between multiple metals and breast cancer risk. The average duration of follow-up was 7.5 years. There was little evidence supporting an association between individual metals and breast cancer. An exception was molybdenum, which was associated with reduced incidence of overall breast cancer risk (third tertile vs. first tertile: hazard ratio = 0.82, 95% confidence interval: 0.67, 1.00). An inverse association for antimony was observed among non-Hispanic Black women. Predefined groups of metals (all metals, nonessential metals, essential metals, and metalloestrogens) were not strongly associated with breast cancer. This study offers little support for metals, individually or as mixtures, as risk factors for breast cancer. Mechanisms for inverse associations with some metals warrant further study.
Disentangling ( 2 + 1 ) D topological states of matter with entanglement negativity

We use the entanglement negativity, a bipartite measure of entanglement in mixed quantum states, to study how multipartite entanglement constrains the real-space structure of the ground-state wave functions of $(2+1)$-dimensional topological phases. We focus on the (Abelian) Laughlin and (non-Abelian) Moore-Read states at filling fraction $\ensuremath{\nu}=1/m$. We show that a combination of entanglement negativities, calculated with respect to specific cylinder and torus geometries, determines a necessary condition for when a topological state can be disentangled, i.e., factorized into a tensor product of states defined on cylinder subregions. This condition, which requires the ground state to lie in a definite topological sector, is sufficient for the Laughlin state. On the other hand, we find that a general Moore-Read ground state cannot be disentangled even when the disentangling condition holds.
A universal, single primer amplification protocol (R-SPA) to perform whole genome sequencing of segmented dsRNA reoviruses

Background. The Reoviridae family represents the largest family of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses, and the members have been isolated from a wide range of mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, insects, plants. Orthoreoviruses, one of the 15 recognized genera in the Reoviridae family, can infect humans and nearly all mammals, and birds. Genomic characterization of reoviruses has not been adopted on a large-scale due to the complexity of obtaining sequences for all 10 segments. Results. In this study, we developed a time-efficient, and practical method to enrich reovirus sequencing reads from isolates that allowed for full genome recovery using single-primer amplification method coupled with next generation sequencing. We refer to this protocol as reovirus-Single Primer Amplification (R-SPA). Our results demonstrated that most of the genes were covered with at least 500 reads per base space. Furthermore, R-SPA covered both 59 and 39 end of each reovirus genes. Conclusion. A universal and fast amplification protocol that yields double-stranded cDNA in sufficient abundance and facilitates and expedites the whole genome sequencing of reoviruses was presented in this study.
Sensitivity of the shear wave speed-stress relationship to soft tissue material properties and fiber alignment.

Abstract The use of shear wave propagation to noninvasively measure material properties and loading in tendons and ligaments is a growing area of interest in biomechanics. Prior models and experiments suggest that shear wave speed primarily depends on the apparent shear modulus (i.e., shear modulus accounting for contributions from all constituents) at low loads, and then increases with axial stress when axially loaded. However, differences in the magnitudes of shear wave speeds between ligaments and tendons, which have different substructures, suggest that the tissue's composition and fiber alignment may also affect shear wave propagation. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to (1) characterize changes in the apparent shear modulus induced by variations in constitutive properties and fiber alignment, and (2) determine the sensitivity of the shear wave speed-stress relationship to variations in constitutive properties and fiber alignment. To enable systematic variations of both constitutive properties and fiber alignment, we developed a finite element model that represented an isotropic ground matrix with an embedded fiber distribution. Using this model, we performed dynamic simulations of shear wave propagation at axial strains from 0% to 10%. We characterized the shear wave speed-stress relationship using a simple linear regression between shear wave speed squared and axial stress, which is based on an analytical relationship derived from a tensioned beam model. We found that predicted shear wave speeds were both in-range with shear wave speeds in previous in vivo and ex vivo studies, and strongly correlated with the axial stress (R2 = 0.99). The slope of the squared shear wave speed-axial stress relationship was highly sensitive to changes in tissue density. Both the intercept of this relationship and the apparent shear modulus were sensitive to both the shear modulus of the ground matrix and the stiffness of the fibers' toe-region when the fibers were less well-aligned to the loading direction. We also determined that the tensioned beam model overpredicted the axial tissue stress with increasing load when the model had less well-aligned fibers. This indicates that the shear wave speed increases likely in response to a load-dependent increase in the apparent shear modulus. Our findings suggest that researchers may need to consider both the material and structural properties (i.e., fiber alignment) of tendon and ligament when measuring shear wave speeds in pathological tissues or tissues with less well-aligned fibers.
Receptors for Amines, Amino Acids and Peptides: Biochemical Characterization and Microscopic Localization

Publisher Summary Receptors are defined as the structures which recognize hormones and neurotransmitters, and initiate their biological effects. The concept of receptor was introduced in pharmacology by Langley at the end of the last century. Later, it was further developed by Ehrlich and Langley during the first decade of the 1900s. Since then, the concept of receptor has formed the basis of the development of a rational pharmacology. Receptors have been rather hypothetical entities until relatively recently. The development of new biochemical and biophysical methods and their application to the study of receptors have, however, led to the establishment of the receptor as a real, molecular entity. The solubilization and purification of the nicotinic cholinergic receptor protein signaled the beginning of the era of molecular biology of receptors. This chapter briefly reviews two aspects of the current research in brain receptors: the biochemical characterization and the microscopic localization of receptors for amine, amino acid and peptide neurotransmitters.
Meisenheimer complex between 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and its use for a paper-based sensor

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) forms a red-colored Meisenheimer complex with 3-aminopropyltrenthoxysilane (APTES) both in solution and on solid phase. The TNT-APTES complex is unique since it forms yellow-colored complexes with 2,4,6-trinitrophenol and 4-nitrophenol, and no complex with 2,4-dinitrotoluene. The absorption spectrum of TNT-APTES has two absorption bands at 530 and 650 nm, while APTES complexes with 2,4,6-trinitrophenol and 4-nitrophenol have absorption maxima at around 420 nm, and no absorption change for 2,4-dinitrotoluene. The TNT-APTES complex facilitates the exchange of the TNT-CH3 proton/deuteron with solvent molecules. The red color of TNT-APTES is immediately visible at 1 µM of TNT.
Frequency Domain Analysis of Medium Scale DSGE Models with Application to Smets and Wouters (2007)

The chapter considers parameter identification, estimation, and model diagnostics in medium scale DSGE models from a frequency domain perspective using the framework developed in Qu and Tkachenko (2012). The analysis uses Smets and Wouters (2007) as an illustrative example, motivated by the fact that it has become a workhorse model in the DSGE literature. For identification, in addition to checking parameter identifiability, we derive the non-identification curve to depict parameter values that yield observational equivalence, revealing which and how many parameters need to be fixed to achieve local identification. For estimation and inference, we contrast estimates obtained using the full spectrum with those using only the business cycle frequencies to find notably different parameter values and impulse response functions. A further comparison between the nonparametrically estimated and model implied spectra suggests that the business cycle based method delivers better estimates of the features that the model is intended to capture. Overall, the results suggest that the frequency domain based approach, in part due to its ability to handle subsets of frequencies, constitutes a flexible framework for studying medium scale DSGE models.
Wax, sex and the origin of species: Dual roles of insect cuticular hydrocarbons in adaptation and mating

Evolutionary changes in traits that affect both ecological divergence and mating signals could lead to reproductive isolation and the formation of new species. Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are potential examples of such dual traits. They form a waxy layer on the cuticle of the insect to maintain water balance and prevent desiccation, while also acting as signaling molecules in mate recognition and chemical communication. Because the synthesis of these hydrocarbons in insect oenocytes occurs through a common biochemical pathway, natural or sexual selection on one role may affect the other. In this review, we explore how ecological divergence in insect CHCs can lead to divergence in mating signals and reproductive isolation. We suggest that the evolution of insect CHCs may be ripe models for understanding ecological speciation.
No effect of trans sodium crocetinate on maximal O(2) conductance or V(O(2),max) in moderate hypoxia.

The lumped parameter describing skeletal muscle diffusional conductance for O(2), DM(O(2)), reflects all of the resistances for O(2) in moving from red cell to muscle fiber mitochondria. The purpose of our study was to determine if the carotenoid compound, trans sodium crocetinate (TSC), which has been reported to increase the diffusivity of O(2) in plasma, improves DM(O(2)) and thus, V(O(2),max) in maximally contracting in situ skeletal muscle. V(O(2),max) was measured in the isolated perfused canine gastrocnemius (n=5) during 3 min of isometric tetanic contractions at 1 Hz, while the animal was breathing 12% O(2) (PA(O(2))=32+/-2 Torr, mean+/-S.E.) under two experimental conditions. The first was a control contraction period and the second (following 60 min recovery) was performed within 5 min after infusion of a 0.1 mg x ml(-1) solution of TSC (total dose 100 microg kg(-1)). There were no significant differences in convective O(2) delivery (11.9+/-2.3 vs. 12.1+/-2.2 ml x min(-1) x 100 g(-1)), V(O(2),max) (9.5+/-1.5 vs. 9.6+/-1.5 ml x min(-1) x 100 g(-1)) or calculated DM(O(2)) (0.37+/-0.03 vs. 0.37+/-0.04 ml x min(-1) x 100 g(-1) x Torr(-1)) between contraction periods. As such, our results show that TSC does not improve performance in maximally contracting canine gastrocnemius muscle in situ under moderately hypoxic conditions, suggesting either that TSC in this situation does not increase plasma O(2) diffusivity or that this step in O(2) diffusion from red cell to myocyte does not constrain DM(O(2)).
Towards Intelligent Semantic Caching for Web Sources

An intelligent semantic caching scheme suitable for web sources is presented. Since web sources typically have weaker querying capabilities than conventional databases, existing semantic caching schemes cannot be directly applied. Our proposal takes care of the difference between the query capabilities of an end user system and web sources. In addition, an analysis on the match types between a user's input query and cached queries is presented. Based on this analysis, we present an algorithm that finds the best matched query under different circumstances. Furthermore, a method to use semantic knowledge, acquired from the data, to avoid unnecessary access to web sources by transforming the cache miss to the cache hit is presented. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed semantic caching scheme, we first show how to generate synthetic queries exhibiting different levels of semantic localities. Then, using the test sets, we show that the proposed query matching technique is an efficient and effective way for semantic caching in web databases.
Ethics and Fictive Imagining

Sometimes it is wrong to imagine or take pleasure in imagining certain things, and likewise it is sometimes wrong to prompt these things. Some argue that certain fictive imaginings—imaginings of fictional states of affairs—are intrinsically wrong or that taking pleasure in certain fictive imaginings is wrong and so prompting either would also be wrong. These claims sometimes also serve as premises in arguments linking the ethical properties of a fiction to its artistic value. However, even if we grant that it might sometimes be wrong to imagine x or to take pleasure in imagining x, nothing follows about the ethical status of fictively imagining x, with or without pleasure. Prompting some fictive imagining is intrinsically wrong only when the fiction is a means to encourage for export from the fiction to the actual world some belief or attitude that it would be blameworthy to hold. The failure of arguments for the wrongness of certain fictive imaginings and their prompting lies in part in a failure to recognize that imagining x and fictively imagining x are distinct mental acts. This distinction blocks many arguments attempting to forge a link between a work's ethical properties and its artistic properties.
DO STOCK RETURNS VARY WITH CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS? BUSH VS. GORE: THE FLORIDA RECOUNT

I examine the relation between campaign contributions and stock returns during the Florida recount period of the 2000 presidential elections. Using the full population of publicly traded firms, I find an economically significant positive (negative) relation between pre-election campaign contributions to Bush (Gore) and stock returns during the 37-day election recount period. This relation exists for both the level and partisanship of contributions, and exists incrementally at both the firm and industry levels. These relations are robust to several different specifications, including alternative event windows that exclude the potentially confounding House/Senate races. The firm-level analysis is consistent with contributions being influence-motivated.
Spectroscopic studies of ionic solvation—XII: Ionic solvation in pyridine and substituted pyridine solutions

Abstract Far i.r. spectra of a number of lithium, ammonium and sodium salts have been measured in 4-methylpyridine solutions and of lithium salts in pyridine, 3-methylpyridine, 2,4- and 3,4-dimethylpyridine and 2-chloropyridine. The frequencies of the ion-solvent vibration band were found to be ~390–360 cm−1 for the lithium salts, ~200 cm−1 for the ammonium salts and ~175 cm−1 for the sodium salt. The frequencies of the solvation bands are influenced, to some extent by the nature and the position of the substituent group (s) on the pyridine ring. In the case of halide salts, the data indicate the formation of contact ion pairs.