cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interleukin-17 as a molecular target in immune-mediated arthritis: immunoregulatory properties of genetically modified murine dendritic cells that secrete interleukin-4.

Objective Our previous studies have shown that murine dendritic cells (DCs) genetically modified to express interleukin-4 (IL-4) reduce the incidence and severity of murine collagen-induced arthritis. The present studies were performed to assess the immunoregulatory mechanisms underlying this response, by assessing the effects of IL-4 DCs on cytokine production by subsets of T helper cells. Methods Male DBA mice ages 6–8 weeks old were immunized with type II collagen. Splenic T cells obtained during the initiation phase and the end stage of arthritis were cultured with IL-4 DCs or untransduced DCs in the presence of collagen rechallenge. Interferon-γ (IFNγ) and IL-17 responses were measured. Antibodies to IL-4, IL-12, and IL-23, and recombinant IL-4, IL-12, and IL-23 were used to further study the regulation of T cell cytokine production by IL-4 DCs. Results Splenic T cells obtained during the initiation phase of arthritis produced less IL-17 when cultured in the presence of IL-4 DCs, despite their production of increased quantities of other proinflammatory cytokines (IFNγ and tumor necrosis factor). T cell IL-17 production after collagen rechallenge was not inhibited by a lack of IL-23, since IL-4–mediated suppression of IL-17 was not reconstituted by IL-23, an otherwise potent inducer of IL-17 production by T cells. Although IL-4 DCs can produce increased quantities of IL-12 and IFNγ, suppression of IL-17 production by IL-4 DCs was independent of both. While IL-17 production by T cells obtained during the initiation phase of arthritis was regulated by IL-4 DCs, IL-17 production by T cells obtained during end-stage arthritis was not altered. Conclusion Our data suggest that IL-4 DCs exert a therapeutic effect on collagen-induced arthritis by targeting IL-17. IL-17 suppression by IL-4 DCs is robust and is not reversed by IL-23. Timing might be important in IL-17–targeted therapy, since IL-17 production by T cells obtained during end-stage arthritis did not respond to suppression by IL-4 DCs.
Sense and clinical sensibility.

AbstractI call attention to the metapsychology of sense, and the role sense plays–phenomenologically and symbolically–in the life of the clinician and the group. Each group member asserts influence in taking a role as the perceiver and the perceived, the senser and the sensed. We reach for sense, for without sense reference, we cannot grasp or even talk about psychic reality. It serves as sign and symbol, as metaphor, analogy, illustration, and model. Sense fixes experience yet may fixate experience and interfere with developing abstract thoughts. Clinical vignettes illustrate how the leader may utilize his or her particular clinical sensibility to reach the group and focus attention, to link sense to psychic qualities: to the personality of the members, the group culture and process, and the live clinical interaction.
Transvenous Coronary Sinus Pacemaker: A New Primary Approach to Heart Block in Patients with Tricuspid Prostheses

n patients with tricuspid prostheses, acute or delayed symptomatic heart block that is not responsive to medical treatment requires I pacemaker control. If a permanent pacemaker was not implanted at the time of original operation, a costal cartilage approach or thoracotomy is then necessary for implantation of a myocardial or epicardial unit. The alternative of a transvenous pacemaker to the coronary sinus [l, 21 for ventricular pacing is reported here, with emphasis on the safety and relative simplicity of the procedure, which is carried out with the patient under local anesthesia.
Utilization of polar metabolite profiling in the comparison of juvenile wood and compression wood in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)

Juvenile wood (JW) of conifers is often associated with compression wood (CW), with which it is sometimes believed to be identical. To determine whether JW and CW can be distinguished metabolically, we compared gas chromatographic profiles of 25 polar metabolites from rooted cuttings of a single loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) clone raised in controlled environment chambers and subject to three treatments: (1) grown erect with minimal wind sway (control); (2) swayed by wind from oscillating fans; and (3) with 30-cm growth increments successively bent at an angle of 45 degrees to the vertical. Profiles were compared by principal component analysis. Substantial increases in abundances of coniferin and p-glucocoumaryl alcohol separated immature JW-forming xylem tissues of the control trees from the CW-forming xylem of the bent and swayed trees.
Correlations of Seasonal Trap Counts of Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in Southeastern California

Seasonal activity of the sweet potato whitefly (SPWF), Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), was monitored weekly in the Imperial Valley and lower Colorado desert region of California in 1984. Numbers of SPWF caught on traps placed ca. 20 m inside a cotton field were significantly correlated to numbers of SPWF caught on traps located at the perimeter of the cotton field and also on traps 0.4 km away. Although the number of SPWF caught on traps located in the desert was considerably lower than those in the Imperial Valley, seasonal trends between the two regions were highly correlated. SPWF populations exhibited an exponential increase in all locations, and time-series analyses showed that there were no discernible time-lags in population trends from the different areas sampled.
Isolation of nutritional variants from conjunctival and HeLa cells.

SummaryA method used successfully in isolation of nutritional variants from the human conjunctival and HeLa cells has been described. Variants capable of continuous propagation, under prescribed experimental conditions, with d (+) xylose, d-ribose or sodium lactate as the sole source of added carbohydrate or intermediate have been isolated.
Identification and Evaluation of Occupational Hazards in Waste Hydrochloric Acid Recycling Project by Multi-effect Evaporation Method

[Objective]To identify and evaluate the occupational hazards in a waste hydrochloric acid recycling project by multi-effect evaporation method,so as to determine the emphases of prevention and control measures. [Methods]Analogy investigation and inspection,occupational health examination,etc,were adopted to evaluate the waste hydrochloric acid recycling project by multi-effect evaporation method. [Results]This project is in conformity with "Law of the Peoples Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases" and other laws and regulations in the site selection and the overall layout,production equipment layout,occupational disease prevention facilities,personal protective articles,occupational health management,health auxiliary settings.The process of production might generate chlorine,hydrogen chloride,ferric chloride,noise,heat,frequency electromagnetic fields and other occupational hazards,among which,chlorine and hydrogen concentrations conformed to the hygiene standards,as well as noise intensity. [Conclusion]The occupational disease control measures of this project are feasible and effective.
Research on the Top-Level Object Model Hierarchy of Naval Weapon and Equipment System-of-Systems in Campaign-Level

In this paper we first describe the framework of the top-level object model hierarchy of weapons and equipments,which is used to support the experiments of naval weapon and equipment system-of-systems,and insure the consistency of the understanding and the describing of naval weapon and equipment system-ofsystems among different research levels and research aspects.Then with focus on the primary design objectives of the top-level object model hierarchy of campaign-level warfare simulation,we put forward a general structure of the top-level object model hierarchy,and discuss the design approach of the top-level object model hierarchy according to the following six layers,i.e.the Component object,the ComAgent object,the System object,the SysAgent object,the Entity object,and the SoSystems object.Finally,we summarize the characteristics of the top-level object model hierarchy,and briefly describe the future work we are going to study farther.
Malignant hyperthermia. Update 2000.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a life-threatening syndrome that is triggered by the use of certain anesthetic gases and depolarizing muscle relaxants. As an inherited trait, MH can be detected by testing, and preparations can be made to prevent its occurrence during a surgical procedure. Education and training are essential for the success of treatment during an MH crisis.
In vitro metabolism of formononetin and biochanin A in bovine rumen fluid

The phyto-estrogens formononetin (7-hydroxy-4'methoxyisoflavone) and biochanin A (5-7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone) were independently incubated in vitro at 39 degrees C in bovine rumen fluid from a fistulated steer receiving an alfalfa hay diet. Formononetin was incubated in studies 1 and 2, whereas biochanin A was incubated in study 3. The isoflavones were separated and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. In study 1, formononetin concentration, 14.80 micrograms/ml at time 0, declined to 1.16 micrograms/ml by 12 h and to .76 micrograms/ml by 24 h. Daidzein (7,4-dihydroxyisoflavone), .18 micrograms/ml at time 0, peaked at 12.92 micrograms/ml at 6 h and decreased to 1.30 micrograms/ml by 24 h. Equol (7,4'-dihydroxyisoflavan), detected at 6 h, peaked at 16.94 micrograms/ml at 18 h and dropped to 12.64 micrograms/ml at 24 h. In incubation study 2, formononetin declined from 17.57 micrograms/ml at time 0 to 7.08 micrograms/ml by 6 h. Daidzein concentration was 1.75 micrograms/ml at time 0 and increased to 12.03 micrograms/ml by 6 h. Equol was detected at 3 h and increased to 2.32 micrograms/ml at 6 h. The half-lives were 4.3 for formononetin and 9.8 h for daidzein in this in vitro system. In study 3, biochanin A, 8.54 micrograms/ml at time 0, decreased to 0 micrograms/ml by 12 h in incubation 3, whereas genistein (5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone), 3.17 micrograms/ml at 1 h, peaked at 7.35 micrograms/ml at 4 h and decreased to .32 micrograms/ml at 24 h. Equol was not detected in incubation study 3. The half-lives of biochanin A and genistein were 3.9 and 5.5 h, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Surface Modification for Biocompatibility

The principal motivation behind surface engineering and modification for improved biocompatibility of a biomaterial is to control interactions of the biomaterial with components of living systems or subsets thereof in a manner that mimics the normal physiological state or produces a desired change in biological state. This pursuit of biomimicry is discussed in this chapter within the context of the core mechanisms of the biological response to materials. A tutorial on surfaces, interfaces, and interphases leads to the identification of specific targets for surface engineering and modification. These targets include water wettability (surface energy), surface chemistry, surface chemical patterns and surface textures, and surface presentation of biomimetic motifs. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the essential conceptual tools required for building a biomaterials surface science laboratory, illustrated with an example of modifying surfaces for improved cardiovascular biomaterials.
782 Adverse childhood experiences affect psychological outcomes of injury in Urban black men in the US

Background Injury is not evenly distributed across race and class. In the U.S., urban Black men are at high risk for injury and poor outcomes from injury. Our purpose was to examine the contribution of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression after recent serious physical injury in Black men. Methods This prospective, cohort follow-up study consecutively enrolled adult Black men hospitalised for serious injury at a Level I Trauma Centre. Men with head injury or currently receiving medical treatment for PTSD or depression, and those in police custody were excluded. ACES (7) were collected by self-report during the intake interview. The outcomes of PTSD (measured by the PCL-C) and depression (measured by the QID-SR 16 ) were collected during in-person interviews in the men’s homes 3 months after hospital discharge. Results 320 (mean age = 36.8 years) were enrolled. Injury was classified as unintentional (50%) or intentional, i.e. the result of interpersonal violence (50%). The mean number of ACEs did not differ between intentional and unintentional injuries (2.64 vs. 2.35, p = 0.187). 81% reported at least 1 ACE, 45% reported 3 or more ACEs and 34% reported > 4 ACEs. Intentional injuries were associated with higher mean PCL-C scores (42.4 vs. 33.7, p Conclusions This sample of urban Black men reported substantial histories of childhood trauma and adversity. Results provide evidence that adverse childhood experiences increase the risk for depression and PTSD after serious injury. (Funded: NIH R01NR013503 to Dr. Richmond)
Analysis on a net-zero energy renovation of a 1920s vintage home

A 1920s vintage home was renovated with the goal of becoming net-zero energy over a 12-month period. The project was performed over a period of two years. The first phase quantified the energy profile of the house in the original state. The second phase included a deep energy retrofit to improve the thermal insulation of the building envelope and an installation of a photovoltaic-thermal solar system. The annual heating demand was reduced by almost 50% from 38,000 kWh to 19,000 kWh. Adjustments made to the annual demand considered missing occupancy during the first phase, gaps in monitoring data, and the heating system used. The thermal comfort of the home was improved by increasing the mean surface temperature of the indoor environment. The net-zero energy target was not obtained during the first year after the renovation, but the solar system did generate 60% of the site electricity consumed. The solar monitoring system was not online 100% of the year for Phase II, and additional adjustments on the HVAC...
Restoration Boneyard: Le Cabinet des Antiques

“Restoration Boneyard: Le Cabinet des antiques” illustrates the graveyard of France’s nobility. Making use of the timeworn device of the “roman a cle,” Balzac focuses on the old-line aristocracy buried in the provinces that has become inconsequential. As the aristocracy’s vacuity is revealed to Emile through the windows of the d’Esgrignon house, so the corruption of Restoration justice is illuminated behind the glass of Judge Blondet’s greenhouse. Nobility retains nothing of its previous rights, privileges, and virtues. In preserving Victurnien from jail, Balzac exposes the hollow reality of justice that does not rest on eternal, fundamental principles like rectitude and truth, but rather on influence and secrecy.
Forecasting Fluid Flows Using the Geometry of Turbulence.

The observation of ordered flow patterns in a weakly turbulent liquid may lead to new ways of predicting the evolution of turbulent flow.
Campaigning as the Press: Citizens United and the Problems of Press Exemptions in Law

Was the documentary film Hillary: The Movie a piece of advocacy journalism or long-form political campaign advertisement? If it is the former, First Amendment jurisprudence largely prohibits the government from placing restrictions on its content or availability. If it is the latter, the United States Congress has long argued that important government interests allow for prior restraints and a myriad of content requirements, such as disclosure and disclaimer rules. This article examines whether the “media exemption” in campaign finance laws can be narrowed or expanded in particular ways that do not violate free press principles but that support the government interests in regulating money in politics. In assessing the definitional problems inherent in the application of the media exemption, this research assesses whether journalist’s privilege law might provide a framework for resolving media-exemption problems in campaign-finance law. The research concludes that these privilege tests provide some guidance in evaluating what should qualify for the press exemption, especially now that the media exemption will only determine whether disclosure and disclaimer rules apply to speakers.
Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma in an adult spleen: An unusual presentation

Abstract Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare vascular neoplasm typically seen in skin and soft tissue of extremities in infants and children. Although visceral or adult KHE is extremely rare, several cases have been reported. We describe an unusual case of KHE in a 38 year old female who presented with a 2 year history of left upper quadrant pain, splenomegaly and portal venous thrombosis. An extensive workup was not conclusive and revealed only a JAK2 mutation on peripheral blood. This finding coupled with splenomegaly raised suspicion for an early myeloproliferative disorder. Splenectomy was performed for symptomatic relief. No discrete masses or lesions were grossly identified. Microscopically, the spleen was completely replaced by a neoplastic spindle cell proliferation. The diagnosis was KHE replacing the entire spleen. Two reactive lymph nodes were found in the splenic hilum, free of tumor. Follow up 2 years after splenectomy revealed no sign of recurrence or metastasis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of incidental KHE arising in and completely replacing the entire spleen. Despite the long standing disease, no extrasplenic invasion or lymph node metastasis was present, suggesting an overall benign neoplastic process.
Population Vectors Can Provide Near Optimal Integration of Information

Much attention has been paid to the question of how Bayesian integration of information could be implemented by a simple neural mechanism. We show that population vectors based on point-process inputs combine evidence in a form that closely resembles Bayesian inference, with each input spike carrying information about the tuning of the input neuron. We also show that population vectors can combine information relatively accurately in the presence of noisy synaptic encoding of tuning curves.
Online mentoring of dissertations: the role of structure and support

ABSTRACTThis study focused on the mentoring experiences of 10 faculty members during the dissertation stage of two online professional doctoral programs. Interview data provided insight into the strategies used by the professors in the areas of virtual communication, research design and dissertation development, and psychosocial support, and the challenges they faced during the online mentoring of dissertations. The findings emphasize the importance of structure and scaffolds both in research education and in interactions in the online environment, due to the absence of opportunities for research apprenticeship and on-campus mentoring.
“Making My Own Decisions Sometimes”: A Pilot Study of Young Adult Cancer Survivors’ Perspectives on Medical Decision-Making

This study aimed to provide a better understanding of the medical decision-making preferences and experiences of young adult survivors of pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers. We conducted key informant interviews and a cross-sectional mailed survey with young adult survivors (currently aged 18–39 years) of pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers in South Texas. Of the responding survivors, almost all wanted to be actively involved in medical decision-making, but preferences regarding family and doctor involvement varied. In open-ended responses, the most commonly reported concerns related to medical decision-making were feelings of uncertainty and fear of receiving bad news. Survivors reported that they desired more information in order to feel better about medical decision-making. Due to the variety of preferences regarding decision-making and who to include in the process, physicians should be prepared to ask and accommodate patients regarding their decision-making preferences.
INDUCTION OF TYROSINE HYDROXYLASE IN SUPERIOR CERVICAL GANGLION BY COLD EXPOSURE: EFFECTS OF DECENTRALISATION AND MECAMYLAMINE

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a study analyzing induction of tyrosine hydroxylase in superior cervical ganglion by cold exposure. It has been reported that adrenal demedullation facilitates the increase of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity in superior cervical ganglion (SCG) of rats exposed to 4°C. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that during TH induction, two phases can be differentiated: (1) the stimulus duration (measured as time of exposure to 4°C) and (2) the time interval between termination of the stimulus and the increase of TH activity. In this study, 4 h at 4°C is the stimulus threshold and the time interval necessary for the increase in TH activity to appear is longer than 20 h and shorter than 44 h. It was examined whether both phases are regulated transynaptically and, if they are, whether nicotinic or muscarinic receptors are involved or not. Data are reported showing the effects of decentralization of the TH induction in SCG. It was found that decentralization inhibits the increase of TH activity when performed at the termination of stimulus or 24 h later, but it does not reduce TH activity when performed 48 h after stimulation.
Taking it to the city: urban-placed pedagogies in Detroit and Roxbury

Field-based learning has long been a vital component of undergraduate environmental education, a practice supported by significant evidence that experiential and place-based education can enhance the quality of learning. But how have Environmental Studies and Science (ESS) programs and teachers defined the field locations in which they have chosen to directly involve their students? In this paper, I contend that field-based experiential learning within undergraduate ESS programs remains skewed toward the non-built environment, while arguing that there is much value to be gained from using urban environments as learning spaces for ESS undergraduates. After reviewing the literature on urban environmental education, culling out key themes within ESS and other disciplines and highlighting areas left unaddressed, I discuss the benefits and challenges of including urban-based field experiences in two of my ESS courses. Both involve collaboration with nonprofit organizations, the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) in Boston’s Roxbury, and Detroit Summer, a nonprofit engaging youth and elders in social and environmental revitalization in inner city Detroit. I briefly describe the ongoing urban sustainability work of the two organizations before discussing the transformative possibilities such urban-based experiences hold for students, drawing on testimony from student’s writings. I conclude with several questions for ongoing investigation on how to constructively confront, and seek a better balance with, the pedagogical bias within ESS toward non-urban environments.
Resilience and Law in the Platte River Basin Social-Ecological System: Past, Present, and Future

A characteristic of the Anthropocene is an acceleration in the rate of change of many global environmental resources, including loss of biodiversity and increased freshwater use. However, societal response to accelerated environmental change often does little to prevent the undesirable and sudden social-ecological system changes that occur in response to relatively incremental resource depletion. Resilience theory provides a framework for evaluating the interactions among social-ecological systems and the policies meant to guide them toward desirable outcomes. This chapter examines the resilience of the Platte River Basin system through time, assessing linkages among environmental change and governmental institutions, policies, and geophysical realities of the region during three distinct social-ecological regimes: pre-European settlement, heavy modification of the river and adjacent land, and the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP). Policy guided by resilience theory accommodates the potential for rapid, nonlinear change characteristic of complex systems such as the Platte River Basin. With increasingly extreme floods and droughts predicted for the Great Plains in coming decades as climate change progresses, a resilience approach to policy and decision-making will contribute to desirable outcomes for people and nature in the next iteration of the Platte River Basin.
Effects of Estrogen on Glucose Uptake by Rat Muscle

The effects of 17 beta-estradiol on basal and insulin stimulated glucose uptake by muscle cells was studied with the isolated rat diaphragm technique. Nonpregnant adult female rats receiving 10 mcg/day/100 gm body weight for 2 weeks were compared with untreated controls. There was a 16% decrease in basal glucose uptake as compared to controls (p less than .001). Insulin resulted in a significant increase (p less than .001) in glucose uptake above basal in both groups. The absolute rate of glucose uptake in the presence of insulin in treated rats was 22% higher than in controls (p less than .001). The increment in glucose uptake induced by insulin in controls was 1.33 mg/gm/hour whereas in treated rats the increment was 2.97 mg/gm/hour (p less than .001). These changes represented an increase in uptake of 38% above basal in the controls and 103% above in the treated. In the in vitro studies the addition of estradiol to rat diaphragm tissue had no effect on basal or insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. These studies demonstrated that short-term administration of naturally occurring 17 beta-estradiol in doses approximating those in oral contraceptives (OCs) results in greater insulin-mediated uptake of glucose by skeletal muscle. It was suggested that the carbohydrate intolerance associated with the administration of OCs may be related to the use of synthetic rather than natural estrogens and/or progestins in such preparations.
An Ingenious Impudence

An unidentified “northern colleague” of Werner’s once told him that his proposal of the coordination theory had been “an ingenious impudence” (eine geniale Frechheit) (L 37). This phrase is an apt one, for at the time of its inception (received by thejournal Dec., 1892; published 1893), the theory was largely without experimental verification. The data cited by Werner in support of his ideas had been obtained by the painstaking efforts of others, especially of the Danish chemist who was to become his chief scientific adversary, Sophus Mads Jorgensen (1837–1914) [36], (A 165), Professor of Chemistry at the Polytekniske Laereanstalt and Kebenhavns Universitet.
Optical Probes of the Potential Difference across Membranes

The membrane potential is an important property of cells. For example, it is well known that the nerve impulse is a transient depolarization of the axon membrane potential. As well, the transmembrane electrical potential difference is critical to the proper function of all nonexcitable cells and organelles. The importance becomes clear when one counts the number of ion, sugar, amino acid, neurotransmitter, and metabolite transport systems that are driven directly or indirectly by the membrane potential.
Lean body weight dosing avoids excessive systemic exposure to proton pump inhibitors for children with obesity

Background Children with obesity are more likely to suffer gastroesophageal reflux disease, requiring acid-suppression therapy with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and no guidelines regarding dosing. Objective To prospectively evaluate lean-body-weight-based (LBW) dosing of the PPI pantoprazole for children with and without obesity. Methods Methods: Sixty-two children (6-17 years) received a one-time oral dose of liquid pantoprazole (1.2 mg kg-1 LBW). Plasma pantoprazole concentrations were measured at 10 time points over 8 h and pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles generated using non-compartmental techniques, in order to compare PK parameters of interest between children with and without obesity, while accounting for CYP2C19 genotype. Results Adjusted for milligram-per-kilogram total body weight (TBW) pantoprazole received, apparent drug clearance (CL/F) was reduced 50% in children with vs. without obesity (p=0.03). LBW-based dosing compensated for this reduction in CL/F (p = 0.15). Conclusion To achieve comparable systemic PPI exposures for children with and without obesity, we recommend using LBW, rather than TBW-based dosing for pantoprazole.
Automatic object detection using dynamic time warping on ground penetrating radar signals

Abstract Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a widely used non-destructive method in buried object detection. However, online, automatic, and accurate location and depth estimation methods using GPR are still under development. In this article, a cutting-edge expert system is proposed that compares signals from newly scanned locations to a target-free accumulated reference signal and computes a dissimilarity measure using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). By setting a threshold on DTW values and monitoring them online, a significant deviation of the DTW values from the reference signal is detected prior to reaching an object. A potential burial site is therefore automatically detected without having a complete GPR scan which is a huge advantage compared to existing methods. Following the scanning process and investigating the potential burial site, location and depth of multiple buried objects is estimated automatically and highly accurate. The fully-automated analytics eliminate the need of expert operators in estimating spatial burial locations and perform accurately even on noisy media. Statistical proofs are provided that support the validity of the developed expert system in theory. Moreover, the analytics run in real-time that is plausible for on-site applications.
Intra- and interspecific variation in nest architecture in the paper wasp Polistes (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Measurements were taken from the nests of 12 species ofPolistes wasps and qualitative differences described. The combs of theFuscopolistes spp.,P. Palisotius major andP. Epicnemius pacificus were horizontal and either oval or round with a central petiole, while those of theP. Aphanilopterus spp. were tear-shaped with eccentric or lateral petioles. For all species the angle of the petiole to the substrate was close to 90°. The fourFuscopolistes species usually built the first cell vertically, regardless of the substrate angle, and thus reduced the angle of the nest. In contrast, the angle of the first cell increased the nest angle of the 6Aphanilopterus species studied. A regression of average cell diameter on headwith was significant. All species stopped lengthening cells after larvae pupated in them.P. (A.) canadensis (Brazil) exhibited the greatest average angle of cell divergence and was also the only wasp investigated that regularly built its nest a several small combs in close proximity. In many species the comb angle with respect to the petiole changed during construction. Temperate species tended do add more pulp to the petiole of the nest than did tropical species, built secondary petioles, and added pulp to the substrate. Whether or not pulp is added to pupal caps and comb back, paper strength and color, and the shape of cell backs were also variable among species.
Equation of state and strain-induced stabilization of δ-phase stabilized plutonium alloys

Abstract An in-situ high-pressure neutron diffraction experiment was conducted on a δ-phase stabilized plutonium alloy with isotope 242 Pu. Upon room-temperature compression, neither of the previously reported pressure-induced transformation paths, δ → α′ or δ → γ’ → α′, was observed up to 1.2 GPa. Instead, a drastic reduction in the diffraction intensity of the δ phase was observed when the pressure was above 0.8 GPa. At the highest pressure of the experiment (1.2 GPa), the diffraction data appear to be characteristic of an amorphous state, manifested by the diminishing intensities of all diffraction lines. In addition, no evidence was found to support the transformation to a body-centered tetragonal structure (δ’), which was previously inferred from the diffraction line broadening during initial compression to 0.1 GPa. The discrepancies between the present and previous experiments suggest a substantial strain-induced stabilization of the δ-phase and is presumably attributed to the different stress states in the high-pressure environments. From the pressure - volume measurements, the determined isothermal bulk modulus for the δ-phase is in the range of 31.9 ± 1.3–34.8 ± 1.8 GPa using different pressure scales, comparable to those obtained from the resonant ultrasound spectroscopy measurements of the alloys of similar composition. The pressure-induced elastic softening is neither convinced in the present work, nor can it be resolved from the diffraction experiments if it is intrinsically weak.
Autocidal gravid ovitraps protect humans from chikungunya virus infection by reducing Aedes aegypti mosquito populations.

Background Public health responses to outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus have been stymied by the inability to control the primary vector, Aedes aegypti mosquitos. Consequently, the need for novel approaches to Aedes vector control is urgent. Placement of three autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGO traps) in ~85% of homes in a community was previously shown to sustainably reduce the density of female Ae. aegypti by >80%. Following the introduction of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) to Puerto Rico, we conducted a seroprevalence survey to estimate the prevalence of CHIKV infection in communities with and without AGO traps and evaluate their effect on reducing CHIKV transmission. Methods and findings Multivariate models that calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) showed that among 175 and 152 residents of communities with and without AGO traps, respectively, an estimated 26.1% and 43.8% had been infected with CHIKV (aPR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.37–0.91). After stratification by time spent in their community, protection from CHIKV infection was strongest among residents who reported spending many or all weekly daytime hours in their community:10.3% seropositive in communities with AGO traps vs. 48.7% in communities without (PR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.11–0.41). The age-adjusted rate of fever with arthralgia attributable to CHIKV infection was 58% (95% CI: 46–66%). The monthly number of CHIKV-infected mosquitos and symptomatic residents were diminished in communities with AGO traps compared to those without. Conclusions These findings indicate that AGO traps are an effective tool that protects humans from infection with a virus transmitted by Ae. aegypti mosquitos. Future studies should evaluate their protective effectiveness in large, urban communities.
Waveguide Grating Color Reflector Using Germanium Telluride

This paper demonstrates a tunable color filter in an optical waveguide grating architecture consisting of a phase change material, Germanium Telluride (GeTe). The waveguide and grating resonances were used to enhance the color dynamic when GeTe is transitioned between its amorphous and crystalline states. The optical refractive index of the GeTe grating changes in response to an applied heat, which results in different reflected colors. Red, yellow, and green colors were achieved at room temperature for different grating periods in the amorphous phase. When GeTe is transitioned to the crystalline state, these colors change to orange, green, and blue, respectively.
Effect of Solvation Shell Structure and Composition on Ion Pair Formation: The Case Study of LiTDI in Organic Carbonates

Organic carbonates are an integral part of commercial lithium-ion batteries due to their desirable properties, such as high dielectric constants. However, the high viscosity of organic carbonates r...
Converging sources of evidence for dissecting articulatory movements into core gestures

Explaining and modeling the process of coarticulation is one of the central tasks of speech research. At the same time, the literature on the temporal extent of anticipatory coarticulation has been characterized by conflicting findings. In this paper, we bring together data from a number of different articulatory studies to argue that many of these inconsistencies can be resolved by careful comparison between minimally contrastive contexts. In particular, we examine reports of “one-” and “two-stage” coarticulatory patterns, and suggest that the occurrence of these patterns can be accounted for by factoring in the effects of neighboring segments and suprasegmental variables such as speaking rate. Our conclusions support the coproduction view of coarticulation as the consequence of overlap between spatio-temporally stable, context-independent gestures.
Immunotherapy- (Blinatumomab-) Related Lineage Switch of KMT2A/AFF1 Rearranged B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia into Acute Myeloid Leukemia/Myeloid Sarcoma and Subsequently into B/Myeloid Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia

The presence of KMT2A/AFF1 rearrangement in B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is an independent poor prognostic factor and has been associated with higher rate of treatment failure and higher risk of linage switch under therapy. Blinatumomab has shown promising therapeutic results in refractory or relapsed B-ALL; however, it has potential risk of inducing lineage switch, especially in KMT2A/AFF1 rearranged B-ALL into acute myeloid leukemia and/or myeloid sarcoma. We report a 40-year-old female with KMT2A/AFF1-rearranged B-ALL that was refractory to conventional chemotherapy. Following administration of blinatumomab, she developed a breast mass proven to be myeloid sarcoma, in addition to bone marrow involvement by AML. Approximately six weeks after cessation of blinatumomab, a repeat bone marrow examination revealed B/myeloid MPAL.
Negotiation of Form Among the Displaced: Developing a Corrective Feedback Paradigm for Refugees

This chapter presents a mixed-methods study of error sequences in an English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom comprised of refugees from multiple countries to answer the question: What does the negotiation of feedback look like among displaced, preliterate learners? Teacher-student dialogue at an international language learning centre was recorded and coded, totalling 12.5 hours of data. A total of 146 error sequences consisted of a learner error, followed by the teacher’s feedback and the student’s uptake. Results show that when content errors occurred among this population, elicitation, feedback that many scholars suggest is the most effective form, is not as effective as metalinguistic feedback. The reasons for this difference are consequently explored. Findings also indicate that certain types of feedback (metalinguistic feedback, elicitation, clarification request) lead to self-repair better than others (recast, explicit correction).
Thomas C. Mann: President Johnson, the Cold War, and the Restructuring of Latin American Foreign Policy

In a title both apt and misleading, Thomas Tunstall Allcock’s Thomas C. Mann offers a slightly revisionist interjection into the scholarship on United States-Latin American relations to take on the...
Alcohol Dependence Differentially Alters Orbitofrontal Cortex Representations of Inferred Decision-Making and Outcomes

Alcohol dependence results in neurocognitive disorders, including long-lasting deficits in decision-making processes. Neurobiological investigations have identified the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) as a key node in inference and outcome-based decision-making, and alcohol dependence alters OFC function. However, which contributing neural computations are disrupted in alcohol dependence is unclear. Here, we combined a well-validated mouse model of alcohol dependence with in vivo extracellular recordings during decision-making. Using an action differentiation task where lever press duration is inferred from an internal associative map and made with regard to outcome value, we identified disruptions to OFC-based computations. Interestingly, alcohol dependence increased OFC activity representing inference-based lever-pressing, but decreased OFC activity during outcome devaluation. This suggests alcohol dependence induces a long-lasting disruption to OFC representations of decision-making such that action representation in enhanced, but OFC contributions to evaluating consequences is diminished. This has important implications for hypotheses regarding compulsive and habitual phenotypes observed in addiction.
An examination of the Iridovirus core genes for reconstructing Ranavirus phylogenies

Ranaviruses are globally emerging infections of poikilothermic vertebrates and belong to the viral family Iridoviridae. The six species of ranaviruses are responsible for unknown numbers of infecti...
Is homelessness a traumatic event? Results from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

Methods Data from a nationally representative sample of 4,069 U.S. veterans in 2019-2020 were used to examine the prevalence of full and subthreshold PTSD in veterans with a history of homelessness; identify characteristics associated with PTSD; examine the proportion of veterans who reported homelessness as an index trauma event and screened positive for PTSD. Results Among veterans with a history of homelessness, lifetime prevalence of full and subthreshold PTSD was 33.0% and 32.0%; and past-month prevalence of full and subthreshold PTSD was 5.6% and 12.7%. These prevalence estimates were more than five times higher than nonhomeless veterans. Among veterans with a history of homelessness, 14.1% reported that homelessness was their "worst" traumatic event which was associated with a fivefold greater odds of current PTSD and nearly threefold greater odds of subthreshold PTSD even after adjustment for other trauma exposures. Conclusions Veterans who have been homeless have extensive trauma histories and both events that occur during homelessness and the experience of homelessness itself may be traumatic and lead to PTSD, substantiating efforts to provide trauma-informed care for this population.
Development of Voluntary Control Over Voice-Hearing Experiences: Evidence From Treatment-Seeking and Non-Treatment-Seeking Voice-Hearers

Voluntary control over voice-hearing experiences is one of the most consistent predictors of functioning among voice-hearers. However, control over voice-hearing experiences is likely to be more nuanced and variable than may be appreciated through coarse clinician-rated measures, which provide little information about how control is conceptualized and developed. We aimed to identify key factors in the evolution of control over voice-hearing experiences in treatment-seeking (N = 7) and non-treatment-seeking (N = 8) voice-hearers. Treatment-seeking voice-hearers were drawn from local chapters of the Connecticut Hearing Voices Network, and non-treatment-seeking voice-hearers were recruited from local spiritually oriented organizations. Both groups participated in a clinical assessment, and a semi-structured interview meant to explore the types of control exhibited and how it is fostered. Using Grounded Theory, we identified that participants from both groups exerted direct and indirect control over their voice-hearing experiences. Participants that developed a spiritual explanatory framework were more likely to exert direct control over the voice-hearing experiences than those that developed a pathologizing framework. Importantly, despite clear differences in explanatory framework and distress because of their experiences, both groups underwent similar trajectories to develop control and acceptance over their voice-hearing experiences. Understanding these factors will be critical in transforming control over voice-hearing experiences from a phenomenological observation to an actionable route for clinical intervention.
Information Reconstruction on an Infinite Tree for a $$4\times 4$$ 4 × 4 -State Asymmetric Model with Community Effects

The reconstruction problem on an infinite tree, is to collect and analyze massive data samples at the nth level of the tree to identify whether there is non-vanishing information of the root, as n goes to infinity. This problem has wide applications in various fields such as biology, information theory, and statistical physics. Although it has been studied in numerous contexts, the existing literature with rigorous reconstruction thresholds established are very limited. In this paper, we study the noise channel in terms of a $$4\times 4$$ -state asymmetric transition matrix with community effects. By means of refined analyses of moment recursion, in-depth concentration estimates, and thorough investigations on an asymptotic 4-dimensional nonlinear second order dynamical system, we give the first rigorous result on asymmetric noisy channels with community effects by providing the exact conditions that the reconstruction bound is not tight, which yields the hybrid-hard phase in corresponding stochastic block models.
Identification of coffee compounds that suppress bitterness of brew.

Abstract Untargeted LC–MS flavoromic profiling was utilized to identify compounds that suppress bitterness perception of coffee brew. The chemical profiles of fourteen brew samples and corresponding perceived bitterness intensities determined by descriptive sensory analysis were modeled by orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) with good fit (R2Y > 0.9) and predictive ability (Q2 > 0.9). Ten chemical markers that were highly predictive and negatively correlated to bitter intensity were subsequently purified by multi-dimensional preparative LC–MS to conduct sensory recombination testing and/or confirm compound identifications by NMR. Three of the ten compounds evaluated, namely 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, and 2-O-β- d -glucopyranosyl-atractyligenin were identified as bitter modulators in coffee, and significantly decreased the perceived bitterness intensity of the brew.
Utilizing Cloud Capabilities for Face Detection and Face Recognition During COVID-19: Comparative Analysis

Face Recognition and Face detection is one of the most challenging problem in today’s era in the field of Image processing and Computer vision. Various algorithms are introduced using convolutional architecture for face detection using technologies like deep learning and machine learning. Due to this pandemic situation of COVID-19, Face mask detection has become a necessity and also an emerging Research in the field of Computer vision. As the situation in all over India is getting worse and death rates are increasing, so for protection wearing mask has become a necessity for each individual during this pandemic situation. This paper proposes the novel approach of utilizing cloud capabilities for face recognition. This paper then compares and analyse of face detection approach required during COVID-19 using the cloud computing techniques like Google cloud vision API, Amazon Face Rekognition, IBM cloud and Kairos facial recognition. As this Cloud computing techniques are automated there is no need of Deep learning and machine learning expert and it will help in faster computing and getting the results faster by using this cloud platforms.