cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Oviposition of Enallagma exsulans (Odonata: Agrionidae)

Walker (1953), concerned with Enallagma exsulans , stuted that “ordinarily oviposition takes place in beds of submerged aquatic plants after the manner of most enallagmas, but Culvert (1893) observed three ovipositing pairs of exsulans descend below the surface of the water.” The fact that most enallagmas oviposit at or near the surface of the water is confirmed by Walker's general comments concerning different species of Enallagma . Statements such as “among floating Ulricularia ,” “at the surface,” “just below the surface,” and “a little above water level” point out this behavioral characteristic. Calvert (1893) said in effect that when a female deposits eggs below the water surface, she must of course be partly or wholly covered by the water, and if and when the female descends so far as to begin to pull the male, with which she is in tandem, into the water, he usually releases hold and separates from her to avoid being dragged beneath the surface. Calvert mentioned, however, that he saw on three occasions, males and females of E. exsulans descend in tandem into the water until submerged.
The multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) and the sequential multiple assignment randomized trial ((SMART): Two novel evaluation methods for developing optimal training programs.

Summary Current methodologies in training evaluation studies largely employ a single method entitled random confirmatory trials, prompting several concerns. First, practitioners and researchers often analyze the effectiveness of their entire omnibus training, rather than the individual elements or identifiable components of the training program. This slows the testing of theory and development of optimal training programs. Second, a common training is typically administered to all employees within an organization or workgroup; however, certain factors may cause individualized training to be more effective. Given these concerns, the current paper presents two training evaluation methodologies to overcome these problems: the multiphase optimization strategy and sequential multiple assignment randomized trials. The multiphase optimization strategy is a method to evaluate a standard training, which emphasizes the importance of a multi-stage training evaluation process to analyze individual training elements. In contrast, sequential multiple assignment randomized trial is used to evaluate an adaptive training that varies over time and/or trainees. These methodologies jointly overcome the problems noted earlier, and they can be integrated to address several of the key challenges facing training researchers and practitioners. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Decision Fatigue, Choosing for Others, and Self-Construal:

Past research has shown that people tend to feel depleted by their decisions. In contrast, we found people report that making decisions for others (vs. the self) is less depleting because it is mor...
Optimizing container production of American fly honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis), beaked filbert (Corylus cornuta), and maple leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)

American fly honeysuckle ( Lonicera canadensis W. Bartram ex Marshall [Caprifoliaceae]), beaked filbert ( Corylus cornuta Marshall [Betulaceae]), and maple leaf viburnum ( Viburnum acerifolium L. [Caprifoliaceae]) are native shrubs useful for northeastern and north-central US landscapes with dry, shaded conditions. Objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact on growth in containers of 1) growth media amended with expanded shale at 3 rates; 2) 2 rates of controlled-release fertilizer; and 3) pruning of maple leaf viburnum. Expanded shale added to growth media composed of 4 parts pine bark, 2 parts peat moss, and 1 part sand did not improve growth for these species, and significantly larger plants of American fly honeysuckle were produced in the control media (lacking expanded shale) than in the amended media. Over a 2-y production cycle, the higher fertility rate of 2.5 g nitrogen (N)/pot produced American fly honeysuckle plants that were larger and had more shoots than did American fly honeysuckle plants that received 1.0 g N/pot. For beaked filbert, the higher fertility rate can produce greater growth, but may not do so every year. Fertility rate did not affect growth of maple leaf viburnum. Plants of maple leaf viburnum that were pruned after transplanting into trade #1 containers had visual quality ratings 2 times greater than unpruned plants. Pruned maple leaf viburnum had equivalent plant height and width and a more symmetrical and full appearance than did unpruned maple leaf viburnum plants.
A phase II trial of paclitaxel and cisplatin in patients with advanced carcinoma of the esophagus.

Purpose In a phase II trial of paclitaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil in metastatic esophageal cancer, we identified significant activity for the combination of agents, but there was severe associated toxicity. We therefore undertook a phase II trial of paclitaxel and cisplatin without fluorouracil. Patients and methods Thirty-eight patients with carcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction were treated. No patient who underwent prior chemotherapy was allowed to take part in the study. The majority (33 patients) had adenocarcinoma, and most (36 patients, 95%) had metastatic disease. Paclitaxel, 200 to 250 mg/m2, was given by 24-hour infusion on day 1, followed by cisplatin, 75 mg/m2, on day 2, with granulocyte colony stimulating factor support. Treatment was cycled every 21 days in the outpatient setting. The first 16 patients received paclitaxel at 250 mg/m2, but because of toxicity and treatment-related deaths, the dose was reduced to 200 mg/m2. Results Thirty-two patients were evaluable for response. Six patients were evaluated for toxicity after receiving only one cycle (due to toxicity or treatment-related death). Partial responses were seen in 14 patients (44%); responses occurred in 13/28 patients with adenocarcinoma (46%) and in one of four patients with squamous carcinoma (25%). Median duration of response was 3.9 months, and median survival was 6.9 months. Of twenty-five patients with dysphagia before therapy, eighteen patients (72%) had complete resolution of dysphagia, and two (8%) had partial resolution. Toxicity included grade 3/4 fatigue in 35% of patients and grade 4 neutropenia in 47% of patients. Nineteen patients (50%) required hospitalization for toxicity, and four patients (11%) died from therapy-related complications. Conclusion The combination of paclitaxel and cisplatin has significant activity in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Because of hospitalization for toxicity and deaths resulting from treatment, the combination of paclitaxel and cisplatin used in this trial cannot be recommended. The optimal dose and schedule of paclitaxel/cisplatin combination therapy remain to be established.
Research on the Low Grade Bauxite Resource Tax Issues

Aimed at the problems existing in the process of Henan province bauxite resources tax collection,and the existing loopholes in the rules and regulations was pointed out.In order to promote the development and utilization of low grade bauxite resources and improve resource support capability,and the proposal to improve the institutions and reducing or remitting low grade bauxite tax was putted forward.
Critical-Thinking Skills in the Museum

(2007). Critical-Thinking Skills in the Museum. Journal of Museum Education: Vol. 32, Critical-Thinking Skills in the Museum, pp. 95-99.
Emerging Possibilities and Insuperable Limitations of Exogeophysics: The Example of Plate Tectonics

To understand the evolution and the habitability of any rocky exoplanet demands detailed knowledge about its geophysical state and history—such as predicting the tectonic mode of a planet. Yet no astronomical observation can directly confirm or rule out the occurrence of plate tectonics on a given exoplanet. Moreover, the field of plate tectonics is still young—questioning whether we should study plate tectonics on exoplanets at this point in time. In this work, we determine the limitations and the emerging possibilities of exogeophysics, the science of connecting geophysics to exoplanets, on the example of plate tectonics. Assuming current uncertainties in model and planet parameters, we develop a qualitatively probabilistic and conservative framework to estimate on what kind of planets and where in the Galaxy plate tectonics might occur. This we achieve by modeling how plate yielding, the most critical condition needed for plate mobility and subduction, is affected by directly observable (planet mass, size) or indirectly, to some degree, assessable planet properties (structure and composition). Our framework not only highlights the importance of a planet's chemistry for the existence of plate tectonics and the path toward practical exogeophysics but also demonstrates how exoplanet science can actually help to better understand geophysics and the fundamentals of plate tectonics on Earth itself.
Women's Careers in Biomedical Sciences: Implications for the Economy, Scientific Discovery, and Women's Health

While women have been well represented in medical school and biomedical doctoral degree programs, they do not comprise half of academic medicine faculty positions. Furthermore, there is a significant paucity of women in academic medicine leadership positions, as evidenced by the fact that only 16% of dean positions at United States Medical schools are filled by women. In this commentary, the authors review the state of women in academic medicine and argue that increased representation of women in the academic workforce will lead to economic gains, increased scientific discovery, and improvements to women's health.
160–310 GHz frequency doubler in 65-nm CMOS with 3-dBm peak output power for rotational spectroscopy

A 160–310 GHz frequency doubler for rotational spectroscopy with a driver amplifier is demonstrated in a 65-nm bulk CMOS process. At 0-dBm input power, the measured output power (Pout) varies from 3 to −8 dBm. The wide operating range is attributed to wide bandwidth driver and matching structure based on broadband open and short leading to >40dB difference between fundamental and second harmonic power at the output. The doubler-amplifier combination has the comparable output power and a larger operating frequency range than 200–300 GHz COTS GaAs modules.
Imatinib binding to human c-Src is coupled to inter-domain allostery and suggests a novel kinase inhibition strategy

Imatinib (Gleevec), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (nRTKI), is one of the most successful anti-neoplastic drugs in clinical use. However, imatinib-resistant mutations are increasingly prevalent in patient tissues and driving development of novel imatinib analogs. We present a detailed study of the conformational dynamics, in the presence and absence of bound imatinib, for full-length human c-Src using hydrogen-deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry. Our results demonstrate that imatinib binding to the kinase domain effects dynamics of proline-rich or phosphorylated peptide ligand binding sites in distal c-Src SH3 and SH2 domains. These dynamic changes in functional regulatory sites, distal to the imatinib binding pocket, show similarities to structural transitions involved in kinase activation. These data also identify imatinib-sensitive, and imatinib-resistant, mutation sites. Thus, the current study identifies novel c-Src allosteric sites associated with imatinib binding and kinase activation and provide a framework for follow-on development of TKI binding modulators.
Peptide-substituted Oligonucleotide Synthesis and Non-Toxic, Passive Cell Delivery

Chemically modified oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) are known to modulate gene expression by interacting with RNA. An efficient approach for synthesizing amino acid- or peptide-substituted triazolylphosphonate analogs (TP ODNs) has been developed to provide improved stability and cell uptake. The chemistry is quite general, as peptides can be introduced throughout the TP ODN at any preselected internucleotide linkage. These synthetic TP ODNs enter cells through endocytosis in the absence of transfection reagents and localize into perinuclear organelles. The entrapped ODNs are released into the cytoplasm by treatment with endosomal-releasing agents and several are then active as microRNA inhibitors.
Application of Low Critical Mass Studies to Reactor Design

Recent theoretical and experimental work has established minimum critical masses for uranium and plutonium reactor fuels. Studies at Los Alamos show a minimum of 300 to 600 g in the critical mass of 235U for H2O or D2O moderator and D2O or Be reflectors. An H2O-moderated, Be-reflected core containing 0.070 g 235U/mliter has a very low critical mass, which is of interest in the design of small power reactors and has attractive features for a new high neutron flux reactor concept. This report relates nuclear parameter studies to specific design objectives and shows how special effects of geometry and materials are important to such studies.
An exploratory factor analysis of the spontaneous reporting of severe cutaneous adverse reactions

Background:Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) are prominent in pharmacovigilance (PhV). They have some commonalities such as nonimmediate nature and T-cell mediation and rare overlap syndro...
Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Individual Suspended Aerosol Particles

We report the observation and measurement of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) signatures from individual suspended aerosol particles. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SERS from single suspended particles formed from droplets containing analyte molecules and metallic nanoparticles (MNPs). We describe our experimental setup to generate, charge, and trap microdroplets and an associated spectroscopic measurement arrangement configured to easily switch between trapped, suspended particles and bulk liquid samples of the same materials. Trapped droplets quickly dry to form micron-sized particles mainly composed of inert material, NaCl (>99%) with trace amounts of analyte molecules, and MNPs. As an initial investigation and demonstration of our method, surface enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) is conducted on 3–5 μm diameter suspended solid particles containing R6G dye molecules and silver nanoparticles (NPs). SERRS signal intensities are linear with particle dye concentrations ...
Impact of a Commercially Available Clinical Decision Support Program on Provider Ordering Habits

Abstract Purpose Clinical decision support (CDS) software designed around the ACR Appropriateness Criteria assists health care providers in choosing appropriate imaging studies at the time of order entry. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of commercially available CDS on the ordering habits of inpatient and emergency providers. Methods In 2014, ACR Select was integrated into our electronic health record, though without displaying appropriateness scores in a “silent” mode for 6 months. Then, feedback regarding examination appropriateness was “turned on” at order entry for adult patients in the emergency and inpatient settings for 24 months. We retrospectively compared the appropriateness scores of imaging tests before and after displaying feedback at order entry and evaluated these data by modality and attending versus trainee status. Results The commercially available CDS-generated scores for 34% and 20.4% of pre- and postintervention studies, respectively. After feedback, the relative frequency of low utility studies decreased to 5.4% from 11%, and the relative frequency of indicated studies increased to 82% from 64.5%. This was most pronounced in trainees for whom the percentage of low utility studies decreased from 10.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.0%, 11.7%) to 4.8% (95% CI: 4.4%, 5.2%) and the percentage of indicated studies increased from 65.6% (95% CI: 64.3%, 66.9%) to 83.7% (83.0%, 84.3%). Conclusions After implementation of a commercially available decision support tool integrated into the electronic health record, there was a significant improvement in imaging study appropriateness scores, more pronounced in studies ordered by trainees.
Construction of Quotients

We showed back in (3.4) that an algcbraic G can be embedded in the general linear group of some vector space; we now must refine that so that we can pick out a spccificd subgroup as the stabilizer of a subspace. Recall from (12.4) that if W is any subspace of some V where G acts linearly, the stabilizer H w (R)= {g∈ G(R)\g(W⊗R)⊆ W⊗ R} does form a closed subgroup.
Chemical kinetic investigations of the channel-opening process of neurotransmitter receptors

The application of chemical kinetic investigations, using fast reaction techniques, to the studies of neuronal receptor-mediated reactions has been recently reported (Hess et al., 1979, 1987). However, the use of such mixing techniques is limited to the studies of receptors in membrane vesicles (Hess et al., 1979) with a time resolution of 5 msec, or to measurements with receptor-containing cells (Udgaonkar and Hess, 1987) with a 20 msec time resolution. In order to clarify the activation process of receptors, a new method which has a faster time resolution must be developed. Caged compounds pioneered by Professor Jack Kaplan, University of Pennsylvania, and Professor David Trentham, National Institute for Medical Research, London, are good candidates for this purpose. In contrast to their oxygen-bonded caged compounds, we protected nitrogen atoms included in many neurotransmitters. We have synthesized caged neurotransmitters bonded to a photo-dissociative o-nitrobenzyl group with the nitrogen atom. These compounds have shown relatively fast photolysis and have been useful for the study of neuronal receptors.
Theater of the Oppressed as an Instructional Practice

Preparing pre-service teachers to negotiate the complexities of professional practice and to provide meaningful educational experiences for PK-12 students requires teacher educators to assist education students in developing a multicultural knowledge base. Such knowledge is essential to understanding the diverse nature of school environments and the educational/social implications of racial, ethnic and cultural diversity for all students (Cockrell, Placier, Cockrell & Middleton, 1999). Most pre-service teachers, however, resist multicultural theory as a vital element of teachers’ professional knowledge (Goodwin, 1997; Greenman, 1995; Jordan & Rice, 1995). This chapter explores an instructional and curricular collaboration designed to engage teacher preparation students in critical examination of the social reconstructionist approach to multicultural education through Theatre of the Oppressed (ToO). The overarching purpose of this study was to explore a form of theatre as a pedagogical method for engaging teacher education students in dialogue about the relationship of education to the nature of a society and of teaching to the ideals of democracy and social justice. While most teacher preparation students expressed a preference for traditional instructional methods, some recognized the power of experiential learning.
Residual speech recognition and cochlear implant performance: effects of implantation criteria.

Objective:This study aimed to determine the effects of preoperative speech reception on postoperative speech recognition with a cochlear implant and to develop a statistical index allowing prediction of postoperative speech recognition before implantation.Study Design:The study design was a retrospe
Ciliary Body as a Therapeutic Target

The concept of cilioablation has been around for nearly 100 years. Unfortunately, the early forms of cyclodestruction were saddled with a high rate of visual loss and phthisis bulbi. Over time, there have been incremental changes in technology that have facilitated better results with a lower incidence of deleterious side effects. The diode laser is one such innovation that has revolutionized how cyclodestruction is performed. The risk-benefit profile is strong enough that there has been an expansion of the indications for using cyclophotocoagulation. With the advent of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation, some clinicians are even using this technology in patients with early glaucoma. More recently, there have been additional ciliodestructive (i.e., micropulse diode laser) or ciliomodulating (i.e., high-intensity focused ultrasound) techniques that have the potential to be equally effective as diode laser cyclophotocoagulation with much less peripheral tissue damage.
Differential prevalence of antibodies against adeno-associated virus in healthy children and patients with mucopolysaccharidosis III: perspective for AAV-mediated gene therapy.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are promising gene therapy tools. However, pre-existing antibodies (Abs) to many useful AAV serotypes pose a critical challenge for the translation of gene therapies. As part of AAV gene therapy program for treating mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) III patients, the seroprevalence profiles of AAV1-9 and rh74 were investigated in MPS IIIA/IIIB patients and in healthy children. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for αAAV-IgG, significantly higher seroprevalence was observed for AAV1 and AAVrh74 in 2- to 7-year-old MPS III patients than in healthy controls. Seroprevalence for the majority of tested AAV serotypes appears to peak before 8 years of age in MPS III subjects, with the exception of increases in αAAV8 and αAAV9 Abs in 8- to 19-year-old MPS IIIA patients. In contrast, significant increases in seroprevalence were observed for virtually all tested AAV serotypes in 8- to 15-year-old healthy children compared to 2- to 7-year-olds. Co-prevalence and Ab level correlation results followed the previously established divergence-based clade positions of AAV1-9. Interestingly, the individuals positive for αAAVrh74-Abs showed the lowest co-prevalence with Abs for AAV1-9 (22-40%). However, all or nearly all (77-100%) of subjects who were seropositive for any of serotypes 1-9 were also positive for αAAVrh74-IgG. Notably, the majority (78%) of αAAV seropositive individuals were also Ab-positive for one to five of the tested AAV serotypes, mostly with low levels of αAAV-Abs (1:50-100), while a minority (22%) were seropositive for six or more AAV serotypes, mostly with high levels of αAAV-IgG for multiple serotypes. In general, the highest IgG levels were reactive to AAV2, AAV3, and AAVrh74. The data illustrate the complex seroprevalence profiles of AAV1-9 and rh74 in MPS patients and healthy children, indicating the potential association of AAV seroprevalence with age and disease conditions. The broad co-prevalence of Abs for different AAV serotypes reinforces the challenge of pre-existing αAAV-Abs for translating AAV gene therapy to clinical applications, regardless of the vector serotype.
Abstract A121: Single-cell transcriptomic analyses reveal heterogeneity of vascular endothelial cells in cancer models

The immune system has demonstrated promising potential as a therapeutic target in the treatment of certain cancer types, yet in many tumors the efficacy of immunotherapies is still extremely poor. One major obstacle is the limited access of immune cells to the tumor tissue. The tumor vasculature plays critical roles in regulating the recruitment of anti-tumor immune cells and the delivery of immunotherapies to the tumor sites. These immune processes require functional specialization of endothelial cells (ECs). However, there is a major gap in our understanding of the diversity, molecular specialization, and developmental relationships of tumor-associated EC subsets. To understand the heterogeneity of tumor-associated endothelium, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) analyses on ECs isolated from mouse cancer models. scRNAseq identified several subsets of endothelium in the tumor tissue, including ECs that compose the artery, capillary, and post-capillary venules. Interestingly, within the capillary endothelial compartment, we identified an EC subset that resembles tip cells in sprouting angiogenesis and demonstrates molecular signature of stem or progenitor cells. These putative progenitor cells are dramatically expanded in tumors compared to normal tissues, and comprise both quiescent and proliferative populations. The quiescent ECs express high levels of genes coding for antiapoptotic proteins, extracellular matrix molecules, immune checkpoint molecules, monocyte/macrophage recruiting cytokines, and stem cell signaling components, such as Notch4. On the other hand, the proliferative tip-like ECs express genes coding for cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases, DNA damage repair molecules, necroptosis machinery, and epigenetic regulators. Taken together, these data define the heterogeneity of tumor-associated endothelial cells, and reveal a putative progenitor population that gives rise to the tumor vasculature and could be targeted to improve the efficacy of immunotherapies. Citation Format: Yu Zhu, Nicole Salazar, Kevin Brulois, Eugene Butcher. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses reveal heterogeneity of vascular endothelial cells in cancer models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; Sept 30-Oct 3, 2018; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2019;7(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A121.
The Anticompetitive Effects of Vertical Most-Favored-Nation Restraints and the Error of Amex

This paper illustrates the underlying economic logic behind the anticompetitive effects of what Ralph Winter and I have labeled vertical most favored nation restraints in Carlton and Winter (2018). Those are restraints in which one supplier tells a retailer that the retailer cannot set the retail price of its product higher than that of a rival, even if its wholesale price is higher than that of its rival. I explain the possible anti-competitive effect of such restraints. I then apply the reasoning to credit cards and finally, using the economic framework developed, explain the economic errors in the Court’s recent Amex decision.
Intellectual Monomania and Enthusiasm in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Mary Hays’s Memoirs of Emma Courtney

Etienne Esquirol, working with inhabitants of French mental asylums, was especially interested in the intersection between study and obsession. This chapter argues that while intellectual monomania in male characters engages with the discourse of genius, female characters become even more emptied of thought by virtue of their indiscriminate reading. In both cases, however, intellectual monomania is linked with the notion of enthusiasm, one both religious and, increasingly, tied to a diseased brain and, especially in women, a diseased body. Readers can delineate the stages of intellectual monomania in the characters of Victor Frankenstein and Emma Courtney, for both of whom the repeated idea (whether of creation, the creature himself, or Augustus Harley) have physically destructive effects.
Inhibition of fatty acid metabolism by etomoxir or TOFA suppresses murine dendritic cell activation without affecting viability

Objective: Dendritic cells (DCs) are important players in immunity against pathogens, but overactive DCs have been implicated in autoimmune diseases, like lupus, in which a paucity of targeted therapies remains. Recent research shows that DCs upregulate their immunometabolism when activating. We explored whether modulating fatty acid (FA) metabolism needed for oxidative phosphorylation can affect the activation of two main DC subsets. Material and methods: Sorted murine plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) and conventional DCs (cDCs), generated in FLT3-L medium, were treated with etomoxir, an inhibitor of FA oxidation, or TOFA, an inhibitor of FA synthesis, then stimulated with TLR9 agonist CpGA. Surface activation markers and viability were analyzed by flow cytometry, cytokine, and chemokine production and were measured by ELISA. Results: Modulation of FA metabolism suppressed the upregulation of costimulatory molecules and the production of proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and type I Interferon-dependent chemokine CXCL10 by both subsets of DCs, without affecting DC viability, neither of resting DCs or upon activation. Etomoxir inhibited pDCs at lower doses than cDCs, suggesting that pDCs may be more susceptible to FA metabolic modulation. Conclusions: Both cDCs, the primary antigen presenting cell, and pDCs, the primary type I IFN producer, exhibit a suppressed ability to activate but normal viability when their FA metabolism is inhibited by etomoxir or TOFA. Our findings indicate that FA metabolism plays an important role in the activation of both pDCs and cDCs and suggest that its modulation is an exploitable therapeutic target to suppress DC activation in inflammation or autoimmunity.
Global Risk and Elimination of Yellow Fever Epidemics.

Background Yellow fever (YF) is a vector-borne viral hemorrhagic disease endemic in Africa and Latin America. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Eliminate YF Epidemics strategy aiming at eliminating YF epidemics by 2026. Methods We developed a spatiotemporal model of YF, accounting for the impact of temperature, vector distribution, and socioeconomic factors on disease transmission. We validated our model against previous estimates of YF basic reproductive number (R0). We used the model to estimate global risk of YF outbreaks and vaccination efforts needed to achieve elimination of YF epidemics. Results We showed that the global risk of YF outbreaks is highly heterogeneous. High-risk transmission areas (R0 > 6) are mainly found in West Africa and the Equatorial region of Latin America. We showed that vaccination coverage needed to eliminate YF epidemics in an endemic country varies substantially between districts. In many endemic countries, a 90% vaccination coverage is needed to achieve elimination. However, in some high-risk districts in Africa, a 95% coverage may be required. Conclusions Global elimination of YF epidemics requires higher population-level immunity than the 80% coverage recommended by the WHO. Optimal YF vaccination strategy should be tailored to the risk profile of each endemic country.
Artificial intelligence-enabled electrocardiogram: can we identify patients with unrecognized atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to affect at least 30 million people worldwide [1,2], although this may be an underestimation. AF can be asymptomatic and fleeting and often goes undetected. In fa...
Flow-cytometry analysis reveals persister resuscitation characteristics.

Persisters and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells are two phenotypic variants known to be highly tolerant to antibiotics. Although both cell types are stained as live and often appear as nongrowing during antibiotic treatment, the only distinguishing feature is the ability of persisters to recolonize in standard culture media in the absence of antibiotics. Despite considerable progress in the characterization of persister formation mechanisms, their resuscitation mechanisms remain unclear due to technical limitations in detecting and isolating these cell types in culture environments that are highly heterogeneous. In this study, we used a methodology integrating flow cytometry, fluorescent protein expression systems and ampicillin-mediated cell lysing technique to monitor persister resuscitation at the single-cell level. With this method, we were able to investigate the effects of various culture conditions (e.g., antibiotic treatment time, the length of the stationary phase in overnight pre-cultures, or pretreatment of cells with a metabolic inhibitor) on persister resuscitation. Although we observed long-term pre-cultures have many more VBNC cells compared to short-term pre-cultures, only a small fraction of non-lysed cells was able to resuscitate in all conditions tested. Regardless of pre-culturing and ampicillin treatment times, these persister cells started to resuscitate within 1 hour, after they were transferred to fresh liquid media, with the same doubling time that normal cells have. Our analysis further showed that ampicillin was not able to lyse the cells in the presence of arsenate, a metabolic inhibitor commonly used to increase bacterial persistence. However, the removal of arsenate during antibiotic treatment resulted in cell lysis and a reduction in persister levels despite the significant decrease in ATP levels in the cells. The strategy presented in this study helps us monitor persister resuscitation at the single-cell level, and simultaneously quantify persister, VBNC and dead cell subpopulations in ampicillin-treated cultures. Our results indicate that the characterization of persister resuscitation with flow cytometry will enhance the current molecular-level understanding of persistence and its evolution.
Abstract TMP79: Pre-Stroke Sleep Apnea and Post-Stroke Depression

Introduction: Sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for stroke and strongly associated with depression; however, little is known about its role in predicting depression after stroke among strok...
Personalized Digital-Heart Technology for Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Targeting in Hearts With Infiltrating Adiposity.

Background: Infiltrating adipose tissue (inFAT) is a newly recognized proarrhythmic substrate for postinfarct ventricular tachycardias (VT) identifiable on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Th...
The Effect of Medicare Home Health Care Payment on Informal Care Use

Background: Paid and informal home-based care constitute major components of the long-term care continuum for older adults with functional limitations. As financial pressures associated with providing publicly-funded home care to a growing population of older adults increase, potential long-term care policy options may involve reducing the availability of publicly-funded home care. However, the complicated relationship between paid home care and informal care makes it difficult to assess the overall impact of this type of policy. Objectives: The objective of this paper is to assess the effect of a policy that reduced the availability of paid home care on the use of informal care, among older Americans with functional limitations. The specific policy was the implementation of an interim payment system for Medicare paid home care as part of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. As a result of this payment system change, some states experienced greater reductions in the availability of publicly-funded home care in a way that is plausibly exogeneous. Methodology: Reduced form two-part models of informal care hours are estimated to assess the impact of the Balanced Budget Act on the provision of informal care. Data come from the 1993, 1995, 1998, and 2000 HRS/AHEAD surveys. Results: Results indicate that for the full population, individuals who lived in states with greater policy-induced reductions in paid home care did not experience any changes in informal care. However, among the subpopulation of individuals living below the federal poverty line, those who lived in states with greater policy-induced reductions in paid home care modestly increased their use of informal care. Conclusions: This analysis illustrates that informal care substitutes for changes in paid home care, at least to some extent. Policies that reduce the availability of paid home care may increase the burden of informal caregivers. Furthermore, this burden may fall disproportionately on lower income populations. Policymakers should be cognizant of these consequences when considering different policy options related to the provision of long-term care to older adults.
Knock and talk: investigating local network communications on websites

Modern webpages are amalgamations of resources requested from various public Internet services. In principle though, webpages can also request resources from localhost and devices in the LAN, providing a degree of internal network access to external entities. Prior work has demonstrated how this access can be used for supporting web attacks, particularly for profiling and fingerprinting users. In this paper, we empirically investigate if and how popular websites are interacting with their visitors' localhost and LAN resources, and compare the behavior observed to that from known malicious websites. We crawl and monitor the network requests made by the landing pages of domains in the Tranco top 100K domains as well as ~145K websites that are known to be related to malware, phishing, or abuse. For both popular and malicious sites, we detect over 100 sites in each category making requests to internal network destinations, including several highly-ranked sites (within the top 10K). Investigating these sites in-depth, we identify that over 40% of the ones from the top 100K list do so to conduct host profiling, purportedly for fraud and bot detection. We also uncover cases of legitimate native application communication and likely developer errors. For malicious sites, we do not detect cases of internal network attacks. Rather, we believe that the malicious sites generating local network traffic are compromised or cloned phishing websites and that the traffic results from the corresponding benign sites. We observe significantly more local activity when on the Windows OS, compared to Linux or Mac OS X, as well as extensive use of WebSockets, which are not bound by the Same-Origin Policy. Ultimately, our exploration provides empirical grounding on the localhost and LAN network activities of websites, revealing both intentional and unintentional behavior.
Linearly Scalable Cost-efficient Parallel Method for High-power Wide-bandgap-based Converters

The emergence of wide bandgap (WBG) power devices promises to revolutionize next-generation high-power converters for applications such as electrified transportations and renewable energy systems. Therefore, paralleling operation either at device level or converter level is essential. However, parallel-connected devices cannot utilize the full capability due to current imbalance and switching-speed reduction, while converters in parallel lead to the bulky interphase inductor and complex control because of circulating current. To maximize the value of individual WBG device in high-power converters, this paper proposes a linearly scalable cost-efficient parallel method enabled by WBG-based functional block with decoupling filter and gate drive network. First, the architecture of this method together with its features is presented. Then, the design methodology is given. Finally, a case study is performed using Synopsys/Saber simulation with a silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET behavior model. The results show that using the proposed parallel method, the dynamic current imbalance is less than 1 % versus 11 % of the device-level parallel solution while inductors used for suppressing circulating current have 2-3 orders of magnitude reduction as compared to the converter-level parallel. Also, no dedicated control is needed for the proposed solution.
Computation of the singular and regularized image systems for doubly-periodic Stokes flow in the presence of a wall

A method is presented for the efficient computation of Stokes flow due to doubly-periodic arrays of regularized forces and point forces in 3D near a wall. Our approach is based on a variation of Ewald's summation method and the method of images for regularized and singular Stokeslets. The slowly convergent series resulting from the direct summation of the doubly-periodic array of Stokeslets is recast into the sum of two series, one in real space and one in Fourier space, both having partial sums decaying in a Gaussian manner. The formulation of our method guarantees that the velocity on the wall is analytically zero independent of the number of summands used. We also introduce an empirical approach to compute the 'optimal' number of summands in real space and Fourier space corresponding to a given splitting parameter. Finally, we report computational run times on a CPU and a GPU, and give two numerical examples to illustrate the method.
Preoperative Indicators for Optimal Surgical Outcome for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

This title must be defined at the outset because it is obvious that under the circumstances of our present knowledge a firm model cannot be constructed for the surgical treatment of a clinical condition with so many variables. Rather we are pointing out some factors observed during a 25-year experience at the UCLA Medical Center which we hope will be con-firmed by others and prove to be clinically useful. The concepts of psychomotor epilepsy, temporal lobe epilepsy, and partial complex epilepsy are not the same. The main components of the clinical features such as autonomic auras, staring states, clouding consciousness, and automatisms are poorly defined and overlapping in regard to topographical origin in the brain. Therefore, we are referring to temporal lobe epilepsy as defined by depth electrode studies during spontaneous seizures with an electrographic origin and propagation in the limbic system, with microscopic pathology in the removed temporal lobe and with successful alleviation of seizures for follow-up periods of 2–25 years. There are also unsuccessful cases which illustrate the points to be made.
Left ventricular mechanical dysfunction in obesity is exacerbated during inotropic stress cine DENSE CMR in mice

Background Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Studies in both obese humans and murine models of obesity have identified changes in left ventricular (LV) mechanics (i.e., strains, strain rates, and torsion), which manifest prior to global changes in cardiac function (ejection fraction) and may represent early markers of cardiovascular disease. These data are generally acquired under resting conditions, which could mask subtle differences in the early stages of disease. We sought to evaluate LV mechanics under inotropic stress conditions with the hypothesis that mechanical deficiencies with obesity would be exacerbated under stress conditions and revealed at earlier stages of disease.
Methylation of the CD44 metastasis suppressor gene in human prostate cancer

Previous studies demonstrated that CD44 is a metastasis suppressor gene for prostate cancer and that the expression of CD44 both at mRNA and protein levels is down-regulated during prostate cancer progression, with down-regulation being correlated with higher tumor grade, aneuploidy, and distant metastasis. In this study, we evaluated DNA hypermethylation as a potential mechanism accompanying this decreased CD44 expression in human prostate cancer. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a CpG island in the CD44 transcriptional regulatory region. We found that cytosine methylation of CD44 promoter occurs in CD44-negative prostate cancer cell line ( i.e ., LNCaP) but not in prostate cancer cell lines ( i.e ., TSU, PC3, and DU145) expressing this gene. In addition, we examined methylation status of CD44 in 84 matched normal and cancer prostate specimens. Hypermethylation of the 5′ CpG island of CD44 gene was observed in 31 of 40 primary prostate cancer specimens, 3 of 4 distant organ site metastases obtained at autopsy from men died of prostate cancer, and 4 of the 40 matched normal tissues. These results demonstrated that methylation of the 5′ CpG island of CD44 gene is closely associated with transcriptional inactivation, resulting in a decreased expression of CD44 in human prostate cancer.
Multi-University Collaboration via Distance Learning To Train Rural Special Education Teachers and Related Services Personnel

This article describes a multi-university model for delivering a course via distance learning in Kentucky. The course, Transdisciplinary Services to Students with Deafblindness and Other Multiple Disabilities, was offered through compressed video to students at three (3) universities, one (1) private college and four (4) additional sites. A lead instructor (first author) and a team of specialists from various disciplines (e.g., nursing, vision, physical therapy) taught the course. Participating students at the graduate and undergraduate levels observed team assessments, engaged in consensus building activities and developed group projects to develop their teaming skills. Evaluation data, collected at the end of the course, suggest that this format has promise for teaching courses where single institutes of higher education, particularly those in rural regions, may have limited resources. Suggestions are offered for meeting the challenges associated with this type of delivery.
The Handbook of National Legislatures: A Global Survey

1. Introduction 2. Country studies 3. Comprehensive lists of country scores 4. List of expert consultants.
Modeling and comparing vertical density profiles

The vertical density profile of pressed wood panels is influenced by the manufacturing process and is important to panel end-users. Modeling the vertical density profile and making statistical comparisons among profiles resulting from different manufacturing treatments are critical to understanding and improving panel properties. Nonparametric regression analysis was used to model the vertical density profile of aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) oriented strandboard panels. A methodology is presented to compare vertical density profile curves. Twenty-seven laboratory panels were manufactured at 608 kg/m 3 incorporating three levels of furnish moisture content (4%, 8%, 12%) and three levels of press closure rate (20 s, 60 s, 100 s) in a replicated, experimental design. The nonparametric regression technique called cubic splines was used to fit the data, R 2 ranged from 0.985 to 0.998. Detailed discussion is presented that describes the method and interpretation of the nonparametric regression analysis. Statistical comparison of vertical density profile curves among treatment levels revealed that the 4% furnish moisture content level was significantly different ( P = 0.015) from the 8% and 12% levels; the 8% level was not significantly different ( P > 0.99) from the 12% level. Vertical density profile curves for all press closure rate treatments were significantly different ( P
Two Models of Outer Hair Cell Stiffness and Motility

Cochlear outer hair cells change their axial dimension and theiraxial stiffness when their membrane potential is altered. These changes appear to be highly correlated. Because of this, we endeavored to produce models that would yield both phenomena via a single mechanism. Two models are proposed. In one, it is assumed that elementary motor molecules can be in either of two conformational states, these having different physical lengths and stiffnesses. The state of the molecule is taken to be a stochastic function of membrane potential and is expressed by a Boltzmann relationship. In the other model, a similar dependence is assumed to occur between membrane potential and stiffness, but no dimensional change isassigned to the molecule. Length changes can be had by preloading the cell. We show that either general model can produce realistic length and stiffness changes with an appropriate selection of parameters. One particular realization of the first model is proposed as an example. In this--the boomerang model--the molecule is assumed to be L-shaped, with two different angles between the two legs representing the conformational states. Finally, the behavior of the model is compared with available data when the voltage stimulus comprises a brief sinusoid upon a DC pedestal.