cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Artificial Diet for Laboratory Cultures of Boll Weevil Larvae and Adults

Six generations of boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman , were reared in the laboratory on cottonseed meal diet in the complete absence of cotton squares, flowers, or bolls formerly used for adult food and oviposition. These weevils maintained an average weight of 18 mg and within 4 generations fecundity increased from an average of 196 to 751 eggs per female. This diet eliminates the necessity of preparing separate diets for adult and larval rearing, as well as the need for maintaining greenhouse cotton during the winter.
Acoustic Detection of Flow Anomalies in Swirling Flows

Swirl is commonly used in gas turbine engines to achieve stable, efficient, and clean combustion. Swirling flows are characterized by vortex breakdown and the emergence of a precessing vortex core (PVC). The PVC is a three-dimensional, time-dependent, hydrodynamic instability rotating about the central vortex core axis. The objective of the current experimental study was to detect the anomalies in swirling flows through acoustic measurements by capturing the effect of these anomalies on the PVC structure and its associated tonal frequency. A radial swirler with a converging-diverging nozzle was employed. The swirl number for this swirler was estimated to be 2.4. Two vane thicknesses were studied; 1.27 mm and 2.54 mm. This was intended as a test for detection of deposition on the vanes. Secondly, non-symmetric blockage was achieved by blocking three consecutive vanes. Narrow-band spectra of internal plenum pressure fluctuations and external sound were measured simultaneously. The swirler with 2.54 mm vanes produced higher PVC frequency at the same flowrate compared to 1.27 mm vanes swirler. The blockage of vanes led to further increase in PVC frequency. The rate of increase in PVC frequency with velocity was also affected by vane-thickness and vane–blockage as were the tones of plenum pressure fluctuations. A technique known as spectral decomposition was employed to successfully segregate the velocity dependent source features from the invariant system features. The Source Spectral Distribution Function clearly highlighted the effect of vanethickness and vane-blockage. The study demonstrates successful acoustic detection of vanedepositions and vane-blockages in swirling flows by utilizing spectral decomposition and comparison.
Transition of sex differences in cheating.

In order to assess the differential change in the incidence of cheating by males vs females during the high school years, a group of 81 7th graders and 73 12th graders were allowed to score their own (previously scored) tests. By comparison to the 7th graders, 12th grade males exhibited an increased incidence of cheating whereas the females showed no corresponding increase. Cheating rates of 12th graders were similar to those found in a previous study, employing college students.
Numerical Simulations of Streamwise-Oriented Vortex/Flexible Wing Interactions

In this work, both rigid and flexible wings are subjected to a numerically imposed streamwise-oriented vortex and the unsteady flow, aerodynamic loading, and structural dynamics are evaluated. Impingement of the streamwise vortex on the rigid wing produces a spiraling instability in the vortex just upstream of the leading-edge. This helical flow disruption, which alternates between the upper and lower surfaces is shown to provide a source of unsteady loading. In response, the flexible wings exhibit oscillations about a time-mean vertical deflection at sub-harmonics of the incident vortex instability. The spiraling undulations of the vortex are exacerbated with decreasing rigidity which is shown to be influenced by the time-mean deflection of the wing rather than feedback effects from the dynamic response. Evaluation of several vertical offsets of the incident vortex on rigid wings reveals a strong dependency between vertical positioning and unsteady behavior of the incident vortex. For instance, direct impingement or a negative vertical offset can produce strong adverse pressure gradients that form as a direct consequence of vortex-surface interaction. The resulting deceleration of the axial velocity contributes to the formation of helical instabilities and potentially invoke spiral breakdown in more severe conditions. Conversely, a positive vertical offset removes the helical instability by placing the streamwise vortex inline with a favorable pressure gradient produced by flow accelerating over the leading-edge. However, pressure gradients associated with separation and stall downstream have the potential to introduce suction-side instability. While the vertical offset is shown to be less important than the lateral positioning in terms of aerodynamic benefits, it can have a significant impact on unsteady loading.
In vitro culture methods of preantral follicles.

Folliculogenesis is a highly regulated, dynamic process requiring various autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine factors that need to be reproduced in vitro. The mammalian ovary consists of a finite number of follicles at birth, with the majority in a quiescent state, awaiting recruitment. In vitro culture of preantral follicles presents a unique challenge of mimicking the dynamics of the ovarian environment, a methodical sequence of cell communication, and interaction with secretory, hormonal, and growth factors. In larger mammalian species, maintenance of follicular morphology is imperative to maintain communication between the cumulus-oocyte complexes. Three-dimensional culture systems help to maintain this architecture and have been used for the successful culture of follicles in various animal models, including humans and nonhuman primates, and have resulted in live birth in rodent models. Clinically, in vitro follicular development could revolutionize assisted reproductive technology by providing a means of using the more numerous immature ovarian follicles in patient populations that are unable to undergo ovarian stimulation.
Mutant IDH1 expression is associated with down-regulation of monocarboxylate transporters

// Pavithra Viswanath 1 , Chloe Najac 1 , Jose L. Izquierdo-Garcia 1 , Aleksandr Pankov 2 , Chibo Hong 2 , Pia Eriksson 1 , Joseph F. Costello 2 , Russell O. Pieper 2 , Sabrina M. Ronen 1 1 Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA 2 Department of Neurological Surgery, Helen Diller Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA Correspondence to: Sabrina Ronen, e-mail: sabrina.ronen@ucsf.edu Keywords: MCT1, MCT4, mutant IDH1, metabolic reprogramming, magnetic resonance spectroscopy Received: February 05, 2016 Accepted: April 10, 2016 Published: April 26, 2016 ABSTRACT Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) are characteristic of low-grade gliomas. We recently showed that mutant IDH1 cells reprogram cellular metabolism by down-regulating pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity. Reduced pyruvate metabolism via PDH could lead to increased pyruvate conversion to lactate. The goal of this study was therefore to investigate the impact of the IDH1 mutation on the pyruvate-to-lactate flux. We used 13 C magnetic resonance spectroscopy and compared the conversion of hyperpolarized [1- 13 C]-pyruvate to [1- 13 C]-lactate in immortalized normal human astrocytes expressing mutant or wild-type IDH1 (NHAIDHmut and NHAIDHwt). Our results indicate that hyperpolarized lactate production is reduced in NHAIDHmut cells compared to NHAIDHwt. This reduction was associated with lower expression of the monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and MCT4 in NHAIDHmut cells. Furthermore, hyperpolarized lactate production was comparable in lysates of NHAIDHmut and NHAIDHwt cells, wherein MCTs do not impact hyperpolarized pyruvate delivery and lactate production. Collectively, our findings indicated that lower MCT expression was a key contributor to lower hyperpolarized lactate production in NHAIDHmut cells. The SLC16A3 (MCT4) promoter but not SLC16A1 (MCT1) promoter was hypermethylated in NHAIDHmut cells, pointing to possibly different mechanisms mediating reduced MCT expression. Finally analysis of low-grade glioma patient biopsy data from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed that MCT1 and MCT4 expression was significantly reduced in mutant IDH1 tumors compared to wild-type. Taken together, our study shows that reduced MCT expression is part of the metabolic reprogramming of mutant IDH1 gliomas. This finding could impact treatment and has important implications for metabolic imaging of mutant IDH1 gliomas.
Power spectra trends in imaging polarimetry of outdoor solar illuminated scenes

The 1=∫2 power law (where ∫ is spatial frequency) characterizes the spatial power spectrum of non-polarimetric images of outdoor scenes when averaged over an appropriately large ensemble. This empirical result has been repeatedly verified in diverse imaging applications. In this work we compare the ensemble-averaged power spectrum of radiance and polarized radiance images. Outdoor scenes have been imaged over the past three-years using JPL's Ground-based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (Ground-MSPI)[1] at the University of Arizona (UA). Ground-MSPI is an eight-band spectropolarimetric camera mounted on a rotating gimbal to acquire pushbroom imagery of solar illuminated outdoor landscapes. This Ground-MSPI image library offers a unique opportunity to quantify the statistical trends between polarimetric and non-polarimetric measurements. From power spectrum analysis of 1,975 images in our collection we report that the magnitude of the 1=∫-exponent is lower for the polarized radiance image than the corresponding radiance image. This result quantifies the contrast mechanism difference for imaging polarimetry, indicates higher spatial frequency content in passive polarimetry of outdoor environments, and supports the assertion that polarimetry offers unique detection capabilities.
Study on acute toxicity of a straw mushroom poisoning

Objective:To study the cause of mushroom poisoning and evaluate its toxicity.Methods: NIH mice(SPF grade) and Hartly Albino guinea pigs were treated respectively with 0.2 ml/10.0 g.bw via intragastric administration and 0.2 ml/10.0 g.bw via intraperitoneal injection,and observed continuously for 7 days.Results: There is no significant toxicity in NIH mice treated with fresh mushroom via intragastric administration;however,there are obvious symptoms of poisoning and death in Hartly Albino guinea pigs treated via intragastric administration and strong toxicity in NIH mice treated via intraperitoneal injection.And any toxicity was not observed in NIH mice and Hartly Albino guinea pigs treated with cooked mushroom.Conclusion: The fresh mushroom have some toxicity,and may cause some toxic reactions.
Reverse engineering genius: historiometric studies of superlative talent

Although genius has been defined in the dictionary as requiring an IQ above 140, this definition depends on an arbitrary methodological decision made by Lewis Terman for his longitudinal study of more than 1500 intellectually gifted children, a study that occupies four of the five volumes of Genetic Studies of Genius. Yet, only the second volume, by Catharine Cox, studied bona fide geniuses, by applying historiometric methods to 301 highly eminent creators and leaders. After defining historiometric research, I examine the difference between historical genius and intellectual giftedness with respect to heterogeneous intellects, personality differences, and early development and show that the actual relation between IQ and genius is small and heavily contingent on domain-specific assessment, the operation of traits like persistence and openness to experience, and the impact of diversifying experiences, including both developmental adversity and subclinical psychopathology. Hence, the dictionary definition of "genius" has minimal, if any, justification. If, using historiometric methods, one works backward from recognized geniuses, such as those studied by Cox, one might not obtain the kind of sample that Terman obtained for his longitudinal study. The two methods produce two distinct subgroups of the larger population.
Nonmetabolizable glucose analogues and ornithine decarboxylase expression in LLC-PK1 cells

This report examines the effect of nonmetabolizable glucose analogues on ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in LLC-PK1 cells. The addition of Na(+)-dependent cotransported glucose analogues, 1-...
Nerve Transfers for Enterovirus D68-Induced Acute Flaccid Myelitis A Case Series for the Treatment of a Polio-Like Endemic

Introduction: Enterovirus-D68 (EV68) is associated with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in children. Since August 2014, 120 pediatric AFM cases have occurred in the United States, coinciding with a nationwide EV68 endemic. Like poliovirus, EV68 induces limb paralysis through inflammation and destruction of anterior horn cells of the cervical spine. Objectives: To date, no medical intervention has altered the course of EV68-induced AFM. Of 120 recently described AFM cases, only 2 children have recovered full limb function. We report nerve transfers in 7 limbs of 6 patients as a potential treatment of EV68-induced AFM. Methods: We performed nerve transfers in 6 pediatric patients from 2 centers with sustained neuropathy following EV68-induced AFM. Postoperative outcomes included muscle strength, graded on the British Medical Research Council (BMRC) scale. Results: In all, 3/6 patients were male, with a mean age of 6.9 ± 5.3 years. All patients reported a viral prodrome prior to neurologic symptom onset, with a...
Herbal intervention for growing population of antibiotic resistant bacteria

A resistant strains of bacteria are on the rise in the United States. The reason for this trend is the over utilization of antibiotics in Western medicine. Antibiotic resistant strains are more virulent capable of causing prolonged and serious infections. A common practice in alternative medicine is the utilization of herbs or the use of herbs in conjunction with antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections. Herbs are effective agents capable of eradicating bacterial infections. Many herbs possess antimicrobial constituents with bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity for a broad spectrum of gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Although herbs are generally not as potent bacteriostatic or bactericidal agents as antibiotics, herbs may be an effective adjunct or monotherapy due to their ability to stimulate the immunes system enhancing the natural defenses of the body. Another consideration is the antioxidant activity of herbs. During an infection, macrophages and phagocytes denature bacteria using hydrogen peroxide in respiratory burst producing oxidative radicals. Oxidative radicals contribute to oxidative stress capable of increasing cortisol levels down-regulating immune function. Herbs attenuate these effects. The last beneficial aspect is that many herbs either do not disrupt or promote the growth of symbiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Brett Martin, J Marine Sci Res Dev 2013, 3:3 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9910.S1.004
Switching to blend-Ed: Effects of replacing the textbook with the browser in an introductory computer programming course

We describe the evolution of an introductory programming course into an active learning format, thereby replacing the traditional textbook and online tutoring system with an integrative version. We find a strong positive correlation between the student achievement scores in the integrated online textbook exercises and quizzes as well as overall course achievement. However, we observe that the comparable performance is not across all learning assessment categories when comparing subsequent course offerings. Particularly, we note slightly lower average performance for programming assignments and quizzes in the flipped classroom offering. For this active learning format offering, we perceive that performing students have a higher average score in the interactive textbook environment and skipped fewer overall assignments than the lower performing learners. We additionally find that students performing well in the online self-guided hands-on programming exercises perform significantly better than their lower performing peers.
Atypical Squamous Cells

Epithelial cell abnormality of squamous cell type, subcategorized as: Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US). Atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion (ASC-H).
In vivo preclinical cancer and tissue engineering applications of absolute oxygen imaging using pulse EPR

The value of any measurement and a fortiori any measurement technology is defined by the reproducibility and the accuracy of the measurements. This implies a relative freedom of the measurement from factors confounding its accuracy. In the past, one of the reasons for the loss of focus on the importance of imaging oxygen in vivo was the difficulty in obtaining reproducible oxygen or pO2 images free from confounding variation. This review will briefly consider principles of electron paramagnetic oxygen imaging and describe how it achieves absolute oxygen measurements. We will provide a summary review of the progress in biomedical EPR imaging, predominantly in cancer biology research, discuss EPR oxygen imaging for cancer treatment and tissue graft assessment for regenerative medicine applications.
Resilience to Interpersonal Trauma and Decreased Risk for Psychopathology in an Epidemiologic Sample

Quantitative measures of psychological resilience related to discrete stressors, such as interpersonal (IP) trauma, are lacking. The current study examined whether a novel, quantitative measure of resilience was related to decreased risk for a broad range of lifetime DSM-IV axis I disorders in an epidemiologic sample. Resilience was defined as the residual resulting from the difference between the individual’s predicted and observed PTSD symptom count, based on their cumulative exposure to IP traumatic events. Participants were 6288 adults (59.5% women; M age = 46.9, SD = 14.5) from the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions endorsing at least one lifetime IP traumatic event. Logistic regressions were conducted to examine the relationship between resilience and axis I diagnoses, covarying for age, sex, education level, social support, and recent stressful life events. Greater resilience scores were associated with decreased likelihood of major depression (OR = .64, p < .001), generalized anxiety disorder (OR = .65, p < .001), social anxiety disorder (OR = .74, p < .001), panic disorder (OR = .65, p <. 001), and alcohol dependence (OR = .85, p < .001). Discrepancy between expected and observed PTSD symptom severity based on IP trauma load may represent a useful, quantitative measure of resilience.
The Role of Working Alliance in CBT and MBSR for Social Anxiety Disorder

Common factors are understood to play an important role in many therapeutic interventions. What is not yet clear is whether the relative importance of common factors in therapeutic interventions varies as a function of treatment type and/or disorder. In this study, we were specifically interested in the common factor of working alliance. We randomized adults with generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD) to 12 weeks of small group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; N = 46, 58.7% female, average age 33.41 ± 7.62 years) and 12 weeks of small group mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR; N = 40, 57.5% female, average age: 32.77 ± 7.94). We measured social anxiety clinical symptom severity using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale-Self-Report (LSAS-SR) scale at baseline, post-treatment, 6 months, and 12 months post-treatment. We also measured the participant’s self-reported working alliance with their therapist/instructor at session 5. Results indicated that in the CBT group, working alliance measured at session 5 was not predictive of clinical symptom severity (LSAS-SR) at post-intervention (p > .27), 6 months (p > .39), or 12 months (p > .24) post-treatment. By contrast, in the MBSR group, working alliance measured at session 5 was predictive of clinical symptom severity at post-intervention (∆R2 = .11), 6 months (∆R2 = .15), and 12 months (∆R2 = .18) post-treatment. Follow-up analyses indicated that when compared to CBT, greater Working Alliance Inventory during MBSR was meaningful in that it predicted long-term (12-month follow-up) social anxiety symptom reduction (∆R2 = .12). These findings suggest that the importance of working alliance may vary by type of intervention, at least in the case of SAD.
Exploiting local and global social context for recommendation

With the fast development of social media, the information overload problem becomes increasingly severe and recommender systems play an important role in helping online users find relevant information by suggesting information of potential interests. Social activities for online users produce abundant social relations. Social relations provide an independent source for recommendation, presenting both opportunities and challenges for traditional recommender systems. Users are likely to seek suggestions from both their local friends and users with high global reputations, motivating us to exploit social relations from local and global perspectives for online recommender systems in this paper. We develop approaches to capture local and global social relations, and propose a novel framework LOCABAL taking advantage of both local and global social context for recommendation. Empirical results on real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed framework and further experiments are conducted to understand how local and global social context work for the proposed framework.
Gunshot wounds to the thoracic aorta in the '90s: only prevention will make a difference.

The clinical experience with gunshot injuries to the thoracic aorta at a large urban trauma center was reviewed. Of 1961 patients admitted with gunshot wounds to the chest, 20 sustained injuries to the thoracic aorta. Mortality occurred in 17 patients (85%), all of whom were hypotensive or moribund upon admission. The three patients (15%) presenting with a systolic blood pressure above 100 mm Hg survived; only one of these underwent surgery during the acute period. Only two patients were stable enough for aortography. Advances in the management of critically injured patients have not improved the outcome with this lethal injury. Language: en
Management of Primary Axillosubclavian Vein Thrombosis (Paget-Schroetter Syndrome)

Primary thrombosis of the subclavian vein at the costoclavicular junction (Paget-Schroetter syndrome, effort thrombosis) is a relatively rare entity. It is the most extreme form of venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS) and should be distinguished from secondary thrombosis (most often due to the presence of a catheter) and intermittent positional obstruction without thrombosis. The subclavian vein is located anterior to the anterior scalene muscle and passes within the fulcrum of the first rib and clavicle in the anterior-most part of the thoracic outlet, where it is subject to massive external forces with any movement. As such, this is the place where damage occurs and the vein thromboses. Treatment options vary depending on clot chronicity as well as surgeon preference. In general, anticoagulation alone has been associated with poor outcomes, and the standard of care for patients with effort thrombosis who present relatively early (within 14 days) is catheter-directed thrombolysis followed by decompression of the “venous” thoracic outlet, with or without venous reconstruction. Disability is significant if poorly treated or ignored, and this is a problem seen in young healthy patients. It is critical that effort thrombosis be recognized and treated aggressively and these patients not simply be anticoagulated and sent off – they will not do well!
Multimodality image display and analysis using AMIDE

718 Learning Objectives: 1. Create co-registered fused microPET-CT images. 2. Draw regions and quantify data from PET and CT images. 3. Optimize images and movies for display and publication. Abstract (summary): Molecular imaging research typically uses probes with high specificity and low non-specific uptake, making anatomical information necessary to localize uptake. The ability to image mice sequentially in a reproducible position and availability of small animal PET and CT systems has recently enabled preclinical PET-CT research. Advances in technology are also allowing better quantitation of preclinical PET research; however software to analyze the images is not readily available. The lack of image format standards for preclinical imaging systems also makes working with multimodality images difficult, thus a software package which is small, non-vendor specific, free and operates on multiple platforms is highly desirable. This abstract presents the use of AMIDE, A Medical Image Data Examiner (http://amide.sourceforge.net/, created Andres Loening, MD, PhD) with microPET and microCT data. The software can view a number of image formats, including DICOM, Analyze, Siemens microPET, microCAT, ECAT6, ECAT7 and raw data, provided the matrix and header sizes are known. Data can be exported in any of these formats, or as an extended image format (.xif), which conveniently saves all images and regions of interest together into one file. The software can register images, crop, generate movies, projection images, handles gated and dynamic data and can generate images values as percent injected dose or standardized uptake values (SUV) if the calibration values, dose and weight are entered. This software has evolved to include suggestions from many users over the past 4 years and has become an indispensable tool for our imaging research. It is particularly useful for generating volume of interest regions of tumor signals. The software is available online free of charge (~14 mb download) and can be installed on Mac, PC or Linux platforms. Onsite presentation is necessary to demonstrate how to perform various functions. A variety of PET and CT datasets will be shown to demonstrate image scaling, fusion, cropping, volume rendering and creating dynamic and rotating movies of PET probe distributions. Research Support (if any): NCI SAIRP, DoE, NCI ICMIC, JCCC
Over 300 Years of Collecting in the Caribbean

This chapter discusses the collection of herpetofauna from the West Indies from over 300 years. It gives a comparison of the known herpetofauna in the West Indies as listed by Thomas Barbour and Albert Schwartz and Henderson. Thomas Barbour in his 1914 published work titled “A Contribution to the Zoogeography of the West Indies, With Special Reference to the Amphibians and Reptiles” had listed 158 species of which seven were Mabuya and 73 were Anoles . In nonanoline lizards, he reported 29 Sphaerodactylus , 15 Ameiva , 11 Leiocephalus , nine Celestus , six Cyclura , three Aristelliger and a Gymnodactylus . Schwartz and Henderson listed a total of 152 species of frogs, 125 of them Eleutherodactylus and 294 species of lizards and 128 of these are Anolis and a new endemic anoline genus, Chamaelinorops was recorded. There are 99 snakes recognized: 21 Typhlops , eight leptotyphlops , nine Epicrates and 13 Tropidophis . The chapter also mentions Hans Sloane (1660–1753), who is considered as the real founder of the British Museum; his collections provided the base for the museum.
C-1004: Molecular modelling of the dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics associated with the glass transition of amorphous trehalose/water mixtures

The glass transition temperature T g of biopreservative formulations is recognized as a significant parameter for predicting the long-term storage of biologics. As a complementary tool to thermal analysis techniques, molecular modelling has been successfully applied to predict the T g of several cryoprotectants and their mixtures with water. These molecular analyses, however, have rarely focused on the glass transition behavior of aqueous trehalose solutions. Information about the diffusivity, specific heat capacity, H-bonding dynamics in trehalose/water at sub-T g temperatures are largely still unavailable in the literature. And the self-association characteristics of sugar solutions in the glassy state are still relatively unknown. Using molecular modelling of several dynamic and thermodynamic properties, this study reproduced the supplemented phase diagram of trehalose/water mixtures, yielding good agreement with experimental values. The structure and dynamics of the H-bonding network in the mixtures were analyzed. The H-bonding lifetime was determined to be an order of magnitude higher in the glassy state than in the liquid state, while the constitution of the H-bonding network exhibited no noticeable change through the glass transition. It is speculated that the extended H-bond lifetime in the glassy state could reflect the slower secondary relaxation dynamics, both of which are primarily related to the local reorientation of –OH groups in the trehalose molecule. It was also found that trehalose molecules preferred to form small, scattered clusters above T g , but self-aggregation was substantially increased below T g . This aggregation phenomenon could help to shield preserved biologics from dynamically decoupled water in the vicinity of T g . Our findings demonstrated the feasibility of probing vitrification phenomena by molecular modelling based on multiple dynamic and thermodynamic properties and provided insights into the glass transition characteristics of aqueous trehalose, enabling a consideration of the implications for biopreservation.
Employment and Labor Regulation in Industrial Countries

This encyclopedia entry addresses employment regulation – i.e., the legal rules and institutions that constitute, govern, and structure the employment relationship. Until recently, most industrial countries had employment regulation that provided most employees with job security and an adequate package of social protection. However, these regulations have been relaxed in recent years as employers have moved away from hiring employees into long-term employment relationships and have created many types of short-term employment relationships instead. The decline of the standard form of employment and the regulatory regime that supported it have given rise to a number of controversies involving employment regulation. In addition, the spread of global trade and the diffusion of production around the world have put pressure on industrial countries to dilute their employment regulation and lower their labor standards. However, as global production and trade continue to proliferate, social pressures are building for more labor law protections both in the developed and in the developing world. Hence employment regulation is not likely to disappear, but it will be transposed as part of the emerging international regime.
Improving coevolutionary search for optimal multiagent behaviors

Evolutionary computation is a useful technique for learning behaviors in multiagent systems. Among the several types of evolutionary computation, one natural and popular method is to coevolve multi-agent behaviors in multiple, cooperating populations. Recent research has suggested that revolutionary systems may favor stability rather than performance in some domains. In order to improve upon existing methods, this paper examines the idea of modifying traditional coevolution, biasing it to search for maximal rewards. We introduce a theoretical justification of the improved method and present experiments in three problem domains. We conclude that biasing can help coevolution find better results in some multiagent problem domains.
Unprecedented Diversity of ssDNA Phages from the Family Microviridae Detected within the Gut of a Protochordate Model Organism (Ciona robusta)

Phages (viruses that infect bacteria) play important roles in the gut ecosystem through infection of bacterial hosts, yet the gut virome remains poorly characterized. Mammalian gut viromes are dominated by double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) phages belonging to the order Caudovirales and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) phages belonging to the family Microviridae. Since the relative proportion of each of these phage groups appears to correlate with age and health status in humans, it is critical to understand both ssDNA and dsDNA phages in the gut. Building upon prior research describing dsDNA viruses in the gut of Ciona robusta, a marine invertebrate model system used to study gut microbial interactions, this study investigated ssDNA phages found in the Ciona gut. We identified 258 Microviridae genomes, which were dominated by novel members of the Gokushovirinae subfamily, but also represented several proposed phylogenetic groups (Alpavirinae, Aravirinae, Group D, Parabacteroides prophages, and Pequenovirus) and a novel group. Comparative analyses between Ciona specimens with full and cleared guts, as well as the surrounding water, indicated that Ciona retains a distinct and highly diverse community of ssDNA phages. This study significantly expands the known diversity within the Microviridae family and demonstrates the promise of Ciona as a model system for investigating their role in animal health.
Reducing Phenolics Related to Bitterness in Table Olives

Olives are one of the oldest food products in human civilization. Over the centuries, numerous methods have been developed to transform olives from a bitter drupe into an edible fruit. Methods of processing table olives rely on the acid, base, and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of bitter phenolic compounds naturally present in the fruit into nonbitter hydrolysis products. Today, there are three primary methods of commercial table olive processing: the Greek, Spanish, and Californian methods, in addition to several Artisanal methods. This review focuses on the technological, microbiological, chemical, and sensory aspects of table olive processing and the inherent benefits and drawbacks of each method. The table olive industry is facing challenges of environmental sustainability and increased consumer demand for healthier products. Herein, we examine current research on novel technologies that aim to address these issues.
Stacked classifiers for individualized prediction of glycemic control following initiation of metformin therapy in type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Objective Metformin is the preferred first-line medication for management of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. However, over a third of patients experience primary or secondary therapeutic failure. We developed machine learning models to predict which patients initially prescribed metformin will achieve and maintain control of their blood glucose after one year of therapy. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective analysis of administrative claims data for 12,147 commercially-insured adults and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with prediabetes or diabetes. Several machine learning models were trained using variables available at the time of metformin initiation to predict achievement and maintenance of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Results AUC performances based on five-fold cross-validation ranged from 0.58 to 0.75. The most influential variables driving the predictions were baseline HbA1c, starting metformin dosage, and presence of diabetes with complications. Conclusions Machine learning models can effectively predict primary or secondary metformin treatment failure within one year. This information can help identify effective individualized treatment strategies. Most of the implemented models outperformed traditional logistic regression, highlighting the potential for applying machine learning to problems in medicine.
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Looking Back, Looking Forward

In commemoration of the centennial of the 1918 influenza pandemic, the American Journal of Epidemiology has convened a collection of 12 articles that further illuminate the epidemiology of that pandemic and consider whether we would be more prepared if an equally deadly influenza virus were to emerge again. In the present commentary, we place these 12 articles in the context of a growing body of work on the archeo-epidemiology of past pandemics, the socioeconomic and geographic drivers of influenza mortality and natality impact, and renewed interest in immune imprinting mechanisms and the development of novel influenza vaccines. We also highlight persisting mysteries in the origins and severity of the 1918 pandemic and the need to preserve rapidly decaying information that may provide treasure troves for future generations.
Improving oil recovery from shale oil reservoirs using cyclic cold nitrogen injection – An experimental study

Abstract In this experimental study, effects of injecting temperature and pressure on oil recovery factor (RF) of shale oil reservoir was investigated by implementing cyclic cold nitrogen injection on Eagle Ford core samples. Four outcrop core samples from Eagle Ford were used in this study. Nitrogen was injected at various temperatures (−26 °C (−15 °F), −18 °C (0 °F), 0 °C (32 °F), and 23 °C (74 °F)) and pressures (6.9 MPa (1000 psi), 10.3 MPa (1500 psi), 13.8 MPa (2000 psi), and 20.7 MPa (3000 psi)) into the saturated core samples. Oil recovery factor for each experiment was calculated during three days of production period. Using average Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the samples, applied thermal stress due to the thermal shock was calculated. Furthermore, Computed Tomography (CT) scanner was deployed to scan the core samples prior to and after performing the experiment. The results demonstrated that injecting nitrogen at low temperatures increases oil RF than does injecting nitrogen at ambient temperature. Injecting cold gas resulted in increase in the cumulative oil recovery factor by 10% and the highest recovery factor was observed at the operating pressure and temperature of 20.7 MPa (3000 psi) and −26 °C (−15 °F), respectively. The results demonstrated that thermal stress applied to the core samples owing to injecting cold nitrogen resulted in creating new cracks and/or extending the existing ones. Additionally, the results demonstrate that injecting cold nitrogen resulted in widening the existing crack in the core samples. Hence, implementing cyclic cold nitrogen injection could potentially improve the efficacy of the current industry practice of cyclic gas injection technique in shale oil reservoirs.
Vacuum ultraviolet absorbance of alkanes: an experimental and theoretical investigation

The electronic absorption spectra of alkanes are known to be broad and lack discrete band structures. Previous studies have suggested their HOMO-LUMO energy gaps could be used to understand the absorbance edges of these spectra. With the advent of a new benchtop vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopic absorption detector, it is now possible to collect VUV absorption spectra (from 120 to 240 nm) for an extended range of structures under an inert gas phase environment more conveniently. The previously reported hypothesis was revisited and its limits were explored using a combination of new extended experimental VUV spectral data and theoretical quantum mechanics calculations. It was pointed out from this study that the first strong excitations of alkanes are not always the HOMO-LUMO transition. As a result, the HOMO-LUMO energy gap of alkanes should not be used directly as a universal and reliable parameter to understand their experimental absorbance edges. VUV spectral data for a larger variety of alkanes structures were reported and the relation between these structures and spectra was discussed.
Are Large Informal Firms More Productive than the Small Informal Firms? Evidence from Firm-Level Surveys in Africa

Summary Using data for over 500 informal or unregistered firms in seven countries in Africa, this study explores how labor productivity varies between small and large informal firms. We find robust evidence that small informal firms have higher labor productivity than large informal firms. Thus, even though poor performance of informal firms is typically attributed to their small size vis-a-vis registered or formal sector firms, incremental increases in the size of informal firms does not necessarily imply a narrowing of the formal–informal firm productivity gap.
A Fault Clearing for Microgrid Protection System Utilized the Communication Network with Centralized Approach

One of the main challenges to design a proper protection scheme is the dynamic change in the architecture for the microgrid. The settings of the relays needs to be updated with every configuration in the system to isolate the fault. In this paper, a centralized control approach is proposed to monitor the modes of the microgrid and helping the relays to define the fault location and clear it from the system. The proposed technique helps to identify the shortest path from the source to the fault location. The Main Control Center (MCU) is responsible for adjusting the relays settings based on the current topology and the shortest path to the fault point. This technique is investigated on IEEE 14 bus microgrid system for all the possible fault paths. The proposed scheme is able to clear the fault by isolating the minimum part of the system and certifying the endurance of the power to supply the different loads in the system.
Renal Proximal Tubular Injury and Crystallization of Calcium Oxalate in Rat Urine

Ever since Randall (1) proposed that damage to the renal tubular epithelial cells was a prime essential for the permanent deposition of calcium salts, a connection between urothelial injury and urolithiasis has been suspected. Experimental studies (2) have also shown a link between renal tubular epithelial injury and urinary crystal deposition. The nature of this relationship is still, however, not understood. This project was undertaken to study the relationship between renal tubular injury and deposition of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals in a rat model.
The Pitfalls of Utilizing "Goals of Care" as a Clinical Buzz Phrase: A Case Study and Proposed Solution

Assistance with discussing goals of care is one of the most common reasons clinicians seek out palliative care consultation. In practice though, the phrase "goals of care" is often utilized as a buzz phrase that lacks a shared understanding of its clinical relevance. We present a case example in which breakdowns in communication occurred between a patient and clinicians due to misunderstandings of the meaning of the phrase "goals of care." Subsequently, we review the literature to propose a unified definition of "goals of care" in hopes to minimize differences in what this phrase implies in clinical practice. We also seek to introduce a standardized process for establishing goals of care that may offer a more reliable and measurable method to promote goal-concordant care.
Lung transplantation for patients with severe COVID-19.

Lung transplantation can potentially be a life-saving treatment for patients with non-resolving COVID-19-associated respiratory failure. Concerns limiting lung transplantation include recurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the allograft, technical challenges imposed by viral-mediated injury to the native lung, and the potential risk for allograft infection by pathogens causing ventilator-associated pneumonia in the native lung. Importantly, the native lung might recover, resulting in long-term outcomes preferable to those of transplant. Here, we report the results of lung transplantation in three patients with non-resolving COVID-19-associated respiratory failure. We performed single molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) to detect both positive and negative strands of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in explanted lung tissue from the three patients and in additional control lung tissue samples. We conducted extracellular matrix imaging and single cell RNA sequencing on explanted lung tissue from the three patients who underwent transplantation and on warm post-mortem lung biopsies from two patients who had died from COVID-19-associated pneumonia. Lungs from these five patients with prolonged COVID-19 disease were free of SARS-CoV-2 as detected by smFISH, but pathology showed extensive evidence of injury and fibrosis that resembled end-stage pulmonary fibrosis. Using machine learning, we compared single cell RNA sequencing data from the lungs of patients with late stage COVID-19 to that from the lungs of patients with pulmonary fibrosis and identified similarities in gene expression across cell lineages. Our findings suggest that some patients with severe COVID-19 develop fibrotic lung disease for which lung transplantation is their only option for survival.
Testing the Effectiveness of Message Framing and Episodic Future Thinking in Promoting HPV Vaccination via Anticipated Regret.

One of the greatest challenges in health communication is to persuade people to enact behavior whose consequences lie in the distant future. Could the persuasiveness of a health message be increase...
Technology Intelligence Map: Autonomous Car

Autonomous vehicle technology affects the traditional automotive industry and other related industries. However, it is much more difficult to achieve this transformation than electric car. We investigated different perspectives regarding the impact of autonomous driving through a Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) analysis: Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats. Patent analysis and Social Network Analysis (SNA) are combined as a major tool for strategic planning to reveal the implicit R&D partnerships and explicit strategies at the company level. The case study of Google’s Autonomous Vehicle Technology shows that competitive and complementary interactions influence the formation of partnerships in the market. This study shows that SNA in a complex network setting will provide the abundant and unbiased analysis to high-quality decision-making.