cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A study of signal integrity issues in through-silicon-via-based 3D ICs

In this paper, we study the signal integrity issues of through-silicon-via (TSV)-based 3D IC layouts. Unlike the most existing work, our study reports the coupling noise among all nets and all TSVs used in a real processor design implemented in 3D. Our RTL-to-GDSII design flow consists of commercial tools, enhanced with various add-ons to handle TSV and 3D stacking. Using this tool flow, we generate GDSII-level layouts of 3D implementation and perform sign-off-level signal integrity analysis. Based on our 2D vs 3D GDSII comparisons, we found that the overall noise-level of 3D is worse than 2D, but 3D designs have the advantage of significantly reducing the total number of the nosiest nets.
An experimental study on flexural strength of reinforced concrete beams with 100% recycled concrete aggregate

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the shear strength of full-scale beams constructed with 100% recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as well as conventional concrete (CC). This experimental program consisted of 12 beams (six for each concrete type). The test parameters for this study include longitudinal reinforcement ratio and concrete type. The experimental shear strengths of the beams were compared with the shear provisions of both U.S. and international design codes (U.S., Australia, Canada, Europe, and Japan) as well as a shear database of CC specimens. The shear strengths of the beams were also evaluated based on different fracture mechanics approaches and the modified compression field theory (MCFT) method. Furthermore, statistical data analyses (both parametric and non-parametric) were performed to evaluate whether or not there was any statistically significant difference between the shear strength of the recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) and CC beams. Results of these statistical tests show that the 100% RCA beams possess approximately 12% lower shear strength compared with the CC beams.
Effect of Cry3Bb1-Expressing Transgenic Corn on Plant-to-Plant Movement by Western Corn Rootworm Larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Dispersal of larvae of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, in specific combinations of transgenic corn expressing the Cry3Bb1 protein and nontransgenic, isoline corn was evaluated in a 2-yr field study. In total, 1,500 viable western corn rootworm eggs were infested in each subplot. Each year, plant damage and larval recovery were evaluated among four pedigree combinations (straight transgenic; straight nontransgenic corn; nontransgenic corn with a transgenic central, infested plant; and transgenic corn with a nontransgenic central, infested plant) on six sample dates between egg hatch and pupation. For each subplot, the infested plant, three successive plants down the row (P1, P2, and P3), the closest plant in the adjacent row of the plot, and a control plant were sampled. The number of western corn rootworm larvae recovered from transgenic rootworm-resistant plants adjacent to infested nontransgenic plants was low and not statistically significant in either 2001 or 2002. In 2001, significantly fewer larvae were recovered from transgenic rootworm-resistant plants than from nontransgenic plants when both were adjacent to infested, nontransgenic plants. In 2002, significantly more neonate western corn rootworm larvae were recovered from nontransgenic plants adjacent to infested, transgenic rootworm-resistant plants than nontransgenic plants adjacent to infested, nontransgenic plants on the second sample date. Together, these data imply that both neonate and later instar western corn rootworm larvae prefer nontransgenic roots to transgenic rootworm-resistant roots when a choice is possible. However, when damage to the infested, nontransgenic plant was high, western corn rootworm larvae apparently moved to neighboring transgenic rootworm-resistant plants and caused statistically significant, although only marginally economic, damage on the last sample date in 2001. Implications of these data toward resistance management plan are discussed.
The impact of psychotherapists and primary physicians on suicide and other violent deaths in a rural area.

A northeastern Connecticut area comprising 60,000 people from six small towns and a city of 14,000 was studied as to their suicidal and other violent death rates over a 20-year period (1960-1979). Since there was a 458% increase in the number of practicing psychotherapists and an 82% increase in primary physicians during this period of time, correlations were made to determine whether or not this increase in health professionals diminished the violent death rates. There was no evidence that the increased number of health professionals had an impact on the suicide rate or other violent death rates (p = n.s.). Possible reasons for this are discussed and suggestions made for better utilization of health care workers in preventing suicide and other violent deaths. Language: en
Development of an Objective Autism Risk Index Using Remote Eye Tracking

Objective Abnormal eye gaze is a hallmark characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and numerous studies have identified abnormal attention patterns in ASD. The primary aim of the present study was to create an objective, eye tracking-based autism risk index. Method In initial and replication studies, children were recruited after referral for comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation of ASD and subsequently grouped by clinical consensus diagnosis (ASD n = 25/15, non-ASD n = 20/19 for initial/replication samples). Remote eye tracking was blinded to diagnosis and included multiple stimuli. Dwell times were recorded to each a priori–defined region of interest (ROI) and averaged across ROIs to create an autism risk index. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses examined classification accuracy. Correlations with clinical measures evaluated whether the autism risk index was associated with autism symptom severity independent of language ability. Results In both samples, the autism risk index had high diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.91 and 0.85, 95% CIs = 0.81–0.98 and 0.71–0.96), was strongly associated with Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule–Second Edition (ADOS-2) severity scores ( r = 0.58 and 0.59, p r ≤| –0.28|, p > .095). Conclusion The autism risk index may be a useful quantitative and objective measure of risk for autism in at-risk settings. Future research in larger samples is needed to cross-validate these findings. If validated and scaled for clinical use, this measure could inform clinical judgment regarding ASD diagnosis and track symptom improvements.
Feminine Role Perception and Family Purchasing Decisions

The changing role of women in U.S. society will be manifested in several aspects of male-female behavior. This study compares family decision-making patterns under different conditions of female ro...
Suture granulomas simulating tumors: a preventable postgastrectomy complication.

Suture granulomas can occur after gastric surgery with nonabsorbable suture material. They are usually an asymptomatic, incidental finding on post-surgical x-ray studies, but have to be recognized because their radiological appearance may mimic gastric neoplasms and therefore may lead to unnecessary reoperations. Four cases of suture granulomas are presented, their diagnositc criteria outlined, and a plea is made for the use of a new completely absorbable suture material which could eliminate the occurrence of suture granulomas as well as the other known complications related to nonabsorbable sutures, such as suture-line ulcers, abscesses, and adhesions.
Citrus bud mite (Acari: Eriophyidae): an economic pest of California lemons?

The citrus bud mite, Aceria sheldoni (Ewing), has a reputation as being a serious pest of lemons in California, although recent studies failed to reveal a consistent economic impact. To resolve some previous inconsistencies, we evaluated the economic value of treatments to suppress citrus bud mite populations on a commercial scale over 3 yr. Experiments were conducted in 6 groves and included 2 treatments of 100 trees each. In 1 treatment (treated), trees were managed according to conventional commercial practices and included 1-2 annual applications of narrow-range oil to suppress citrus bud mite populations. In the other treatment (untreated), experimental trees were managed identically as treated trees, except that oil spray applications for citrus but mite were withheld. Bud mite density and incidence on experimental trees were monitored monthly, as were the number of fruit and the proportion of distorted fruit. Fruit from all 100 trees in each treatment per grove were commercially harvested, graded and packed. Crop volume, grade, size distribution, and value were compared across treatments. Although oil sprays effectively suppressed citrus bud mite populations, this yielded no consistent benefit to crop volume, grade, or value. For all groves the value of fruit from treated trees was not significantly greater than that from untreated trees, even, before the cost of oil sprays was subtracted. In 4 of 6 cases, crop value was numerically lower in the treated treatment. Results suggest that the oil sprays themselves may have had deleterious effects on fruit initiation and abortion. The potential phytotoxicity of oil sprays, although long known, may not be fully considered in contemporary treatment decisions for the citrus bud mite.
The burden of diarrhea in the intensive care unit (ICU-BD). A survey and observational study of the caregivers’ opinions and workload

Abstract Background Diarrhea as a common complication affects 14% patients in our intensive care unit. Risk factors for diarrhea and its clinical consequences for patients are well known, but the impact of diarrhea on caregivers' workload remains undocumented. Objectives This study aims at establishing the impact of diarrhea on costs and human burden in intensive care unit caregivers. Design A survey and observational study. Settings A mixed 36-bed medical and surgical intensive care unit. Participants All intensive care unit caregivers (nurses and nursing aides). Methods A questionnaire was designed by a multidisciplinary team and completed by intensive care unit caregivers analyzing the clinical and human impact of diarrhea on their workload. Time measurements for the management of liquid stools were performed. Human related costs of diarrhea were analyzed according to caregivers' years of clinical experience. Results Questionnaires were completed by 146 of 204 intensive care unit caregivers (75% nurses; 73% nursing aides). Dealing with diarrhea patients is a painful aspect of their work (69% nurses) with tiredness as main feeling and a source of conflict or misunderstanding among caregivers. The mean time measurement for managing one liquid stool in 50 diarrhea episodes was 17min and 33s, involving an average of 1.4 nurses and 0.8 nursing aides. Average human resources cost burden was 26.60 CHF per liquid stool. Conclusion Dealing with diarrhea increases workload for intensive care unit caregivers with consequences on their well-being. Human related costs of diarrhea are substantial and highlight the economic burden of diarrhea episodes in the intensive care unit. A multidisciplinary approach and specific protocols could positively impact the burden of diarrhea in the intensive care unit. Trial registration Clinical Trials gov NCT01922570.
Research on new energy on-line key technologies by PSASP simulation

Taking Yuxian wind farm as the study project,by power system analysis software package(PSASP) wind power system model was built for wind on-line key technologies research,so as to provide theoretical basis for high-capacity new energy access to grid technology.
Taking a Stand: The Next 50 Years of Community Psychology.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of community psychology, the author looks backwards in community psychology literature and to each side in other allied disciplines to suggest three fundamental issues that are in need of critical reflection and re-evaluation as we move toward the next 50 plus years of our field. These fundamental issues are: Defining community psychology, Doing community psychology, and Perfecting community psychology.
Treatment of invasive bladder cancer with a neodymium:YAG laser.

AbstractIn a controlled setting a neodymium:YAG laser is capable of producing a transmural coagulation of the bladder wall without perforation. A total of 21 patients with known muscle-invading bladder cancer underwent treatment with transurethral endoscopic application of neodymiumiYAG laser energy. One patient suffered a sigmoid colon perforation that possibly was treatment-related but no other complications were observed. Four of 5 patients with clinical stage B1 and 3 of 6 with stage B2 lesions have had normal post-treatment biopsies. Local tumor control has been achieved in only 1 of 4 patients with a clinical stage C tumor and none of 6 with metastatic cancer, although palliative debulking was accomplished.
Food safety and its impact on domestic and export markets

The issue of food safety in the United States has been fomented in recent years by highly publicized outbreaks of foodborne disease. These outbreaks have stimulated revision of Federal regulations for food inspection in packing plants, and spawned consumer groups advocating the control of foodborne pathogens in animal production systems. The United States has recently become a net exporter of pork, and quality assurance of product is becoming a focus of competition in export markets. This paper examines historic and current controversies over Trichinella and United States pork exports to Europe in the 19th century, bovine spongioform encephalopathy in the United Kingdom, Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the United States, and organochlorine residues in Australian beef to illustrate the profound effects that perceptions of food safety can have on consumer attitudes, government regulations, and market access. The implications of the United States HACCP/Pathogen Reduction Act of July 1996, recent international agreements promoting free trade (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade [GATT], North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA]), and implementation of quality assurance programs by leading pork-exporting nations are discussed in the context of industry competition in domestic and international markets.
Transduction of recB- Hosts is Promoted by λ red + Function

The redB and redX genes of bacteriophage λ specify a recombination pathway that efficiently recombines phage genomes in lytically infected recA- and recB- cells (see Signer, 1971, for a review). However, the red genes do not promote efficient specialized transduction of a recA- host (Manly et al., 1969; Mizuuchi and Fukasawa, 1969; Gottesman et al., 1974; H. Echols, personal communication). We report here that the red pathway does promote efficient transduction of redB- hosts.
Some Basic Characteristics of Observational Data

The characteristics of observational data are analyzed here from an overall point of view with respect to how it can best contribute to more complete knowledge and utilization of all scales of physical occurrences throughout the atmosphere. Several novel concepts are formulated, among which the explicit recognition of the more ordinal than cardinal number characteristic of observational data is of basic importance. Formal definitions of the relationships between these two quite different kinds of numbers lead to definitions of “continuous (ordinal number) data” and “coordinal” relationships among importantly related kinds of quantities, with respect to which highly informative “residual data” can well be concisely portrayed. A clearer understanding is thereby also obtained concerning the basic theoretical and practical role that variables such as barometric “altitude” could well play in meteorological as well as aeronautical operations.
INDICATIONS AND COMPLICATIONS OF MECHANICAL VENTILATION IN PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT PATIENTS

Mechanical ventilation is a widely used lifesaving intervention in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), but as a complex and invasive intervention it is associated with numerous complications. Objective To assess the indications, complications and outcome of mechanical ventilation in PICU patients. Methods Medical records of 266 mechanically ventilated patients admitted to a tertiary level PICU from January 2003 to December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Results Out of 1075 patients admitted to the PICU during 5 years, aged from 1 month to 14 years (mean age 3.68 years), 266 (24.7%) patients required mechanical ventilation. The main indications for mechanical ventilation were central nervous system diseases (32.3%), followed by respiratory (29.3%), cardiovascular (27.1%), and neuromuscular (9.4%) diseases, and others (2.6%). The mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 10.8±7.1 days. Complications associated with mechanical ventilation developed in 89 patients (33. 4%), and they included atelectasis (12.8%), ventilator-associated pneumonia (10.5%), pnemothorax (5.3%), laryngeal edema (3.0%) and accidental extubation (1.8%). Patients with respiratory diseases had the highest rate of complications (56.2%), while patients with central nervous system disease had the lowest rate (4.5%). Overall mortality rate of mechanically ventilated patients was 34.5%, and there was no significant difference between ventilated patients with and without complications regarding mortality rate (35.1% vs 33.9%). Conclusion Central nervous system diseases were the most common indication for mechanical ventilation. Complications associated with mechanical ventilation occurred in 1/3 of ventilated patients, but they did not increase the mortality rate.
Multi-User Computer-Aided Design and Engineering Software Applications

This chapter will introduce multi-user computer-aided engineering applications as a new paradigm for product development, considering past collaborative research and the emerging wave of cloud-based social and gaming tools. In a historical context, computer-aided design and engineering models have become much more complex since their inception in the middle of the twentieth century. However, the way design teams approach these models has, at least in one sense, not changed much; a given model can still only be accessed by one user at a time, despite the fact that the entire design team needs to evolve the model. Single user applications have become a productivity bottleneck and do not provide interfaces or architectures for simultaneous editing of models by a collaborative team. Single user applications convert any hope for process concurrency into a serial sequence of design activities. When the single user designer experiences difficulties, the process halts until the designer can reach out to other experts to resolve the problems, which usually requires some form of external collaboration. Unfortunately, single user applications are deficient when it comes to complex and globalized product development. The chapter herein will consider how multi-user architectures will change the single user paradigm from serial to simultaneously collaborative, promote new on-demand access methods like cloud serving, and bring long hoped for efficiencies to product development. We will investigate three research areas of importance to this emerging paradigm: (1) multi-user CAx architectures, including cloud serving; (2) multi-user CAx requirements; and (3) multi-user CAx standards. Of these three, architectures are most investigated, with numerous proof-of-concept prototypes, while requirements and standards, the least investigated, partially explain the reason for non-adoption and non-commercialization of this powerful new paradigm.
Harry S. Truman, James Byrnes, and Henry Wallace: The US Response to Josef Stalin, 1945–1947

This chapter portrays the bitter dispute between President Harry Truman, Secretary of State James Byrnes, and Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wallace over US policy toward the Soviet Union immediately after World War II.
Preclinical evaluation of [F-18]-2’-fluoro-5-methyl-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil ([F-18]-FMAU) PET in prostate cancer

1088 Learning Objectives 1. To review the biological basis for [F-18] FMAU uptake in tumor. 2. To present preliminary evidence for the potential utility of [F-18]-FMAU PET in the imaging evaluation of prostate cancer. 3. To outline a systematic experimental platform for preclinical evaluation of [F-18]-FMAU in animal models of prostate cancer. There is lack of an imaging-based method for early detection of recurrent and metastatic prostate cancer in substantial number of men who present with biochemical relapse after primary curative therapy and no standard imaging evidence of disease. Since treatment decisions are primarily based on detection and localization of disease, the importance of imaging becomes clear. Studies from our laboratory as well as others have demonstrated that radiolabeled FMAU behaves very similar to the pyrimidine nucleoside, thymidine, which is phosphorylated by thymidine kinase and incorporated in the DNA, thereby reflecting tumor cellular proliferation. Additionally limited animal and human studies have shown that F-18 FMAU has no or very little accumulation in bone (a common site for metastasis from prostate cancer) and in urinary bladder that renders it a potentially ideal PET radiotracer for imaging DNA synthesis in prostate cancer. In this educational exhibit, we review the preliminary evidence for the potential utility of F-18 FMAU in the imaging evaluation of prostate cancer and present a systematic framework for preclinical studies incorporating localized xenograft, orthotopic (bone and prostate gland) and metastatic animal models of human prostate cancer which is currently underway in our laboratory. Research Support Supported by NIH/NCI Grant R21-CA142426 (H. Jadvar), issued under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The radiochemistry preparation and procedures for radiolabeled FMAU is patented (US patent 7,273,600 B2; Inventors: PS Conti, MM Alauddin, JD Fissekis) and assigned to the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
A Domain-Independent Model for Identifying Security Requirements

Existing work on identifying security requirements relies on training binary classification models using domain-specific data sets to achieve a high accuracy. Considering that domain-specific data sets are often not readily available, we propose a domain-independent model for classifying security requirements based on two key ideas. First, we train our model on the description of weaknesses from the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) data set. Although CWE does not describe requirements, it describes security weaknesses that are manifestations of unrealized security requirements. Second, we exploit a one-class classification model that relies only on positive samples (description of weaknesses in CWE), eliminating the need for negative samples, collecting which can be nontrivial.We evaluated our model on three industrial requirements documents from different domains. We found that a One-Class Support Vector Machine trained with domain-independent CWE data set outperforms a model from prior literature by identifying security requirements with an average precision, recall and F-score of 67.35%, 70.48% and 67.68%, respectively. Further, considering data sets from prior literature (consisting of both positive and negative examples), we found that one-class classifiers trained with only positive examples outperformed binary classifiers trained with both positive and negative examples in two out of three evaluation data sets, demonstrating the potential value of one-class classification for security requirements identification.
Smokey Bear and the pyropolitics of United States forest governance

Abstract Wildfire prevention advertisements featuring Smokey Bear represent the longest-standing and most successful government advertising and branding campaign in U.S. history. As the public face of U.S. fire control policy, Smokey Bear uses mass media to influence the attitudes and behavior of U.S. citizenry in order to accomplish particular outcomes related to wildfire prevention and suppression, forest protection, and resource management. Smokey Bear can therefore be viewed as a governmental instrument that simultaneously targets the behavior of the U.S. public and the biophysical materiality of combustible forests. Examining the evolution of Smokey Bear and related wildfire prevention media, we explore connections between state management of people, territory, and flammable landscapes. Borrowing from Nigel Clark (2011), we use the term pyropolitics to describe the resulting more-than-human assemblage of citizenship, fire suppression and forest ecology. Importantly, this pyropolitical assemblage has substantive and recursive impacts on state practice. Through aggressive wildfire prevention and suppression that include and extend beyond Smokey Bear, the U.S. state has transformed fuel loads, species compositions, and ecosystem dynamics across North America. One result is a heightened propensity toward catastrophic wildfire, requiring additional and sustained state intervention to maintain an imposed and unstable equilibrium. Thus even as the economic, social and cultural realities of U.S. civic life have changed over the course of the 20th and early 21st centuries – and even as knowledge of the ecological benefits of fire to ecosystem health has developed over time – the message of Smokey Bear has remained remarkably consistent, communicating an official imperative to prevent anthropogenic ignition.
Diversity and commonalities in relationship experiences among self-identified bisexual parents in the United States

Although bisexual parents represent the largest proportion of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) parents, their lived experiences are rarely included in prior research. The intimate relationships of ...
Reduced-Intensity Allogeneic Transplant for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Using Combined CD34-Selected Haploidentical Graft and a Single Umbilical Cord Unit Compared with Matched Unrelated Donor Stem Cells in Older Adults

Abstract Haplo/cord transplantation combines an umbilical cord blood (UCB) graft with CD34-selected haploidentical cells and results in rapid hematopoietic recovery followed by durable UCB engraftment. We compared outcomes of transplants in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who received either HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD) cells or haplo/cord grafts. Between 2007 and 2013, 109 adults ages 50 and older underwent similar reduced-intensity conditioning with fludarabine and melphalan and antibody-mediated T cell depletion for AML (n = 83) or high-risk MDS (n = 26) followed by either a MUD (n = 68) or haplo/cord (n = 41) graft. Patient characteristics were similar for each graft source except for more minority patients receiving a haplo/cord transplant (P = .01). One half of the AML patients were not in remission. Two-year progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and graft-versus-host disease–free relapse-free survival were 38%, 48%, and 32.1% for MUD and 33%, 48%, and 33.8% for haplo/cord transplants (P = .62 for PFS; P = .97 for OS; P = .84), respectively. Acute grades II to IV and chronic graft-versus-host-disease rates did not differ at 19.5% and 4.9% in haplo/cord compared with 25% and 7.4% after MUD (P = .53 and P = .62, respectively). Multivariate analysis confirmed no significant differences in transplant outcomes by donor type. Haplo/cord reduced-intensity transplantation achieves similar outcomes relative to MUD in older AML and MDS patients, making this a promising option for those without matched donors.
Now You See It Now You Don’t: A Case Study of Ephemeral Snowpacks in the Great Basin U.S.A.

Abstract. Ephemeral snowpacks, or those that routinely experience accumulation and ablation at the same time and persist for % in 2010 and the minimum was 24 % in 2014. We found that elevation had a strong control on snow ephemerality, and nearly all snowpacks over 2500 m were seasonal. Snowpacks were more likely to be ephemeral on south facing slopes than north facing slopes at elevations above 2500 m. Additionally, we used SNODAS-derived estimates of solid and liquid precipitation, melt, sublimation, and blowing snow sublimation to define snow ephemerality mechanisms. In warm years, the Great Basin shifts to ephemerally dominant as the rain-snow transition increases in elevation. Given that snow ephemerality is expected to increase as a consequence of climate change, we put forward several challenges and recommendations to bolster physics based modeling of ephemeral snow such as better metrics for snow ephemerality and more ground-based observations.
Effect of chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cells on responses in children with non-CNS extramedullary relapse of CD19+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

10507Background: Anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapies have shown high efficacy in inducing durable marrow responses in patients with relapsed/refractory CD19+ ALL. We now report on outcome of 10 patients...
Dietary fiber and human cancer: critique of the literature.

The relationship between dietary fiber consumption and risk of gastrointestinal cancer in humans is examined using representative studies of several types: international and intranational correlations, case-control analyses, metabolic investigations, cohort studies, and migrant studies. The strongest statistical association between diet and cancer is found in international studies in which numerous environmental variables differ. Studies on smaller groups within a single culture have not given strong support to the findings of international comparisons. Colon cancer rates within regions of the U.S. and other countries vary with sufficient magnitude that diet is unlikely to account for more than a minor proportion of risk. The evidence that a diet containing fiber-rich foods reduces risk of colon cancer must be considered tentative. Foods high in starch and fiber are statistically associated with a high rate of stomach cancer. Examination of the combined rates of colon and gastric cancer shows that the U.S. risk is low relative to countries in which a diet higher in fiber is consumed. It would be premature to suggest that a high fiber diet will confer protection against gastrointestinal cancer.
Latin American Studies: Politics

The study of Latin American politics largely has followed international events, and theories produced by Latin Americanists (including many Latin Americans) have heavily influenced the subdiscipline of comparative politics within political science. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, much scholarly work on Latin American politics was grounded in the economic determinism of the modernization and dependency paradigms. The theory of bureaucratic–authoritarianism was an important product of this period. At the same time, some scholars gradually emphasized cultural and institutional factors, developing theories on corporatism. In the 1980s and 1990s, scholars gradually abandoned grand theorizing in favor of a focus on the dynamics of agency and the role of ideology. This trend is reflected in works on the state, social movements, and democratization. Studies within the world-systems, rational choice, and postmodern paradigms must share the intellectual terrain with an abundance of middle-level theories. As always, then, the study of Latin American politics is caught in the methodological battle between those who would impose a strict set of disciplinary standards and those who prefer to remain open to interdisciplinary cross-fertilization. The biggest challenge, however, has come with the phenomenon of globalization, which is forcing scholars to rethink the field of Latin American studies as a whole.
Abstract 3444: EGFR-dependent matriptase activation in ErbB2-amplified breast cancer

Of the nearly 250,000 new breast cancer cases expected annually, nearly 25% will have ErbB2 (HER2) gene amplification, which is associated with increased growth signaling, more aggressive disease, and poor patient prognosis. Matriptase is a type II transmembrane serine protease that plays a role in normal epithelial cell biology. The expression and activation of matriptase are tightly regulated in normal cells partly through co-expression with endogenous inhibitor, HAI-1, which rapidly inhibits the protease, once activated, by the formation of a high affinity complex. Matriptase has oncogenic potential when its regulation is deranged and it activates downstream substrates known to play a role in tumor progression such as pro-HGF. ErbB2 activity can regulate matriptase activity in prostate cancer and so we set out to elucidate the relationship between ErbB2 and matriptase in ErbB2-amplified breast cancer. SKBR3, AU565, and ErbB2 transfected MCF7 cells (MB7) were used to explore the relationship between ErbB2 levels and matriptase activation as they express higher levels of ErbB2 compared with MCF7 cells. Under standard growth conditions, high level of ErbB2 activation was associated with extensive matriptase activation. Activation of ErbB2 by stimulating EGFR with EGF resulted in increased matriptase activation. Inhibition of ErbB2 activity by serum deprivation or Lapatinib (a dual ErbB2 and EGFR kinase inhibitor) treatment resulted in decreased matriptase activation. Treatment with Lapatinib or the EGFR-specific inhibitor, Gefitinib, blocked matriptase activation whereas the ErbB2 inhibitor, AG825, has no effect. Using inhibitors of downstream signaling pathways, EGFR-induced matriptase activation was shown to be mediated by PI3K signaling. Further elucidation of the pathway is ongoing. In summary, our data suggest that EGFR signaling in this context modulates matriptase activation, which may also contribute to breast cancer progression. Citation Format: Darius Gaymon. EGFR-dependent matriptase activation in ErbB2-amplified breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3444.
997. Protection of Unvaccinated Individuals by Influenza Vaccine Coverage of Household Contacts

Background The evidence that influenza vaccination programs provide some protection to unvaccinated members of a community (i.e., indirect effects) is lacking. We sought to determine the indirect effects of influenza vaccine in prospective cohort study of households with children.
Influence of Physical Activity on Weight Status during the First Year of College.

Objective: To provide an analysis of weight change in response to physical activity levels among first year college students. Participants: First year students (N = 114) participated during the 201...
Tutorial on agent-based modeling and simulation: ABM design for the zombie apocalypse

Agent-based modeling (ABM) and simulation is an approach to modeling systems comprised of autonomous, interacting agents. Computational advances are making it possible to develop agent-based models in a variety of application areas, including areas where simulation has not been extensively applied. ABM applications range from supply chains, consumer goods markets, and financial markets, to predicting the spread of epidemics and understanding the factors responsible for the fall of ancient civilizations. Progress suggests that ABM could have far-reaching effects on the way that businesses use computer models to support decision-making and how researchers use models as electronic laboratories to identify promising research directions. Some contend that ABM "is a third way of doing science" and could augment traditional discovery methods for creating new knowledge. This brief tutorial introduces agent-based modeling by describing key concepts of ABM and addressing toolkits and methods for developing agent-based models.
Hyperglycemia and T Cell infiltration are associated with stromal and epithelial prostatic hyperplasia in the nonobese diabetic mouse.

Background Prostatic inflammation and various proinflammatory systemic comorbidities, such as diabetes and obesity are associated with human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). There is a paucity of in vivo models reflecting specific aspects of BPH pathogenesis. Our aim was to investigate the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse as a potential model for subsequent intervention studies. Materials and methods We used the NOD mouse, a model of autoimmune inflammation leading to type 1 diabetes to examine the effects of systemic inflammation and diabetes on the prostate. We assessed changes in prostatic histology, infiltrating leukocytes, and gene expression associated with aging and diabetic status. Results Both stromal expansion and epithelial hyperplasia were observed in the prostates. Regardless of diabetic status, the degree of prostatic hyperplasia varied. Local inflammation was associated with a more severe prostatic phenotype in both diabetic and nondiabetic mice. Testicular atrophy was noted in diabetic mice, but prostate glands showed persistent focal cell proliferation. In addition, a prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN)-like phenotype was seen in several diabetic animals with an associated increase in c-Myc and MMP-2 expression. To examine changes in gene and cytokine expression we performed microarray and cytokine array analysis comparing the prostates of diabetic and nondiabetic animals. Microarray analysis revealed several differentially expressed genes including CCL3, CCL12, and TNFS10. Cytokine array analysis revealed increased expression of cytokines and proteases such as LDLR, IL28 A/B, and MMP-2 in diabetic mice. Conclusion Overall, NOD mice provide a model to examine the effects of hyperglycemia and chronic inflammation on the prostate, demonstrating relevance to some of the mechanisms present underlying BPH and potentially the initiation of prostate cancer.
A data-conditioned stochastic parameterization of temporal plant trait variability in an ecohydrological model and the potential for plasticity

Abstract Recent studies have begun to incorporate spatially variable plant traits into ecohydrological models, but temporal trait variability remains under-studied. Because of its potential to influence ecosystem function, representing stress-induced temporal trait variability into models should be a research priority. We present a new data-model integration approach to identify temporal variability in plant traits and generate stochastic-in-time model parameterizations. The data-conditioned stochastic parameterization was developed within the CLM 4.5 model utilizing global trait data as prior information and tested for a desert shrubland site. A synthetic experiment demonstrated that the framework successfully uncovered time-varying trait values. Using in-situ ecohydrological observations, we found the specific leaf area (SLA) for a common broadleaf-evergreen-shrub to be temporally dynamic and significantly correlated with seasonal water availability. We constructed a regression model based on the data-conditioned SLA estimates and soil wetness and used it to generate stochastic SLA parameters for a 40-year hindcast simulation. The stochastic-in-time SLA parameters resulted in greater productivity and water use efficiency than a standard static parameter. Our stochastic-in-time method can help evaluate stress-induced trait plasticity that extends our understanding beyond sparse spatial plant trait database and improve our ability to simulate carbon and water fluxes under global change.
Oral Explanations in University Teaching: The Role of Projector Constructions in Spoken German

This study explores the nature of oral explanations in German university teaching and focuses particularly on projections, which are a widely-used feature in order to guide the students’ attention. Projector constructions facilitate the production and organization of complex statements and allow the speaker to draw the students’ attention to crucial pieces of information. Furthermore, projections facilitate the drawing of inferences for the listener: The projector phrase opens up semantic and syntactic slots that need to be filled, so that the number of possible contents to follow is restricted. In German, the placement of the conjugated verb in the projected unit plays a crucial role for this construction.
MicroRNA Applications in Marine Biology

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded, short (~ 22 nt) non-coding RNAs that control gene expression in most metazoan taxa. These vital post-transcriptional regulators are emerging as a novel class of relatively well-conserved biomarkers useful to molecular ecologists working on non-model marine organisms. The purpose of this review is to provide researchers with a brief background on miRNAs and to explore recent applications in marine biology. MiRNA datasets have been broadly employed in studies concerning commercially important species (oysters and crustaceans), phylogenetics (particularly deep evolutionary splits), and environmental stressor responses (temperature and salinity). Most progress has been made in the characterization of cnidarian miRNAs and bivalve and crustacean immune-related miRNAs. The use of miRNAs in phylogenetics is still under debate due to the secondary loss of miRNAs in some lineages, but they have been successfully applied in the resolution of deep evolutionary splits. Finally, miRNAs have been investigated in abiotic stress responses, but data interpretation is limited by the high number of species-specific miRNAs detected in these studies. Improvements in miRNA database curation and functional annotation should provide more confidence in their use. Due to their evolutionary conservation, resilience to degradation, and amenable bioinformatics workflows, miRNAs are a powerful molecular tool in marine genomics. MiRNA investigations regarding environmental stress response will be particularly useful due to their potential to reveal physiological alterations and disease. Thus, they may be ultimately utilized as bio-indicators of environmental health.
An experimental test of parasite adaptation to common versus rare host genotypes

A core hypothesis in coevolutionary theory proposes that parasites adapt to specifically infect common host genotypes. Under this hypothesis, parasites function as agents of negative frequency-depe...
Assessing the fit of the multi-species network coalescent to multi-locus data

Motivation With growing genome-wide molecular data sets from next-generation sequencing, phylogenetic networks can be estimated using a variety of approaches. These phylogenetic networks include events like hybridization, gene flow, or horizontal gene transfer explicitly. However, the most accurate network inference methods are computationally heavy. Methods that scale to larger data sets do not calculate a full likelihood, such that traditional likelihood-based tools for model selection are not applicable to decide how many past hybridization events best fit the data. We propose here a goodness-of-fit test to quantify the fit between data observed from genome-wide multi-locus data, and patterns expected under the multi-species coalescent model on a candidate phylogenetic network. Results We identified weaknesses in the previously proposed TICR test, and proposed corrections. The performance of our new test was validated by simulations on real-world phylogenetic networks. Our test provides one of the first rigorous tools for model selection, to select the adequate network complexity for the data at hand. The test can also work for identifying poorly-inferred areas on a network. Availability Software for the goodness-of-fit test is available as a Julia package at https://github.com/cecileane/QuartetNetworkGoodnessFit.jl. Supplementary information Supplementary material is available at Bioinformatics online, and scripts are available at https://osf.io/eg6ju/.
Ethnic-Racial Life Scripts: Relations With Ethnic-Racial Identity and Psychological Health:

Life scripts dictate the culturally appropriate order, content, and timing of autobiographical events. In the current study, we examined the ethnic-racial life scripts of American emerging adults f...
Diagnosing Pseudotumor Cerebri: An Age-based Approach

Investigators from Hillel-Yaffe, Carmel, and Bnai Zion Medical Centers in Israel studied the comparative clinical presentations and predisposing factors for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) across age groups.
Topology of the Closet

Despite the closet's centrality to queer culture and theory, the metaphor's various meanings have yet to be disaggregated and defined. Following Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's identification of the closet with a "crisis of homo/heterosexual definition, indicatively male, dating from the end of the nineteenth century," the present article uses an array of late-Victorian sources-especially The Memoirs of John Addington Symonds and Teleny, a pornographic novel sometimes attributed to Oscar Wilde-to describe and distinguish: (1) so-called latent homosexuality ("the unconscious closet"); (2) deliberate strategies of suppression, abstention, and reformation ("the conscious closet"); (3) clandestine pursuits of gay sex and sociability ("the double life"); and (4) performances of a heterosexual persona ("the mask"). This article's sources further attest to the late-Victorian advent of "closet consciousness"-a recognition among certain homosexually-inclined men that the closet's multiple modalities, for all their variety, are phenomenologically and ideologically linked.
Comparing Learning Outcomes on Face-to-Face and Online Teaching Platforms: Evidence from Major Field Test Scores

Online instruction is becoming an increasingly popular course delivery system. This paper examines performance outcomes of finance students receiving face-to-face instruction versus online instruction. We compare the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test (ETS) finance sub-scores of students enrolled in online sections of Principles of Finance with those enrolled in face to face sections over a three-semester period. Results show no evidence of performance differences between online and face to face students.
High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation of the lateral occipital cortex influences figure-ground perception.

Abstract Prior work has shown that the lateral occipital cortex (LO) is involved in recognition of objects and their parts, as well as segregation of that object (or “figure”) from its background. No studies, though, have examined how LO’s functioning is influenced by non-invasive brain stimulation, particularly during a figure-ground perception task. The present study tested whether high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) to right LO influences the effects of familiarity on figure-ground perception. Following 20 minutes of offline anodal stimulation (or sham), participants viewed masked stimuli consisting of two regions separated by a vertical border and were asked to report which region they perceived as figure. One region was the “critical” region, which either depicted a portion of a familiar object (“Familiar” stimuli), or a familiar object with its parts rearranged into a novel configuration (“Part-rearranged” stimuli). Previous research using these stimuli has found higher reports of the critical region as figure for Familiar vs. Part-Rearranged displays, demonstrating the effect of familiarity on figure assignment. The results of the current study showed that HD-tDCS to right LO significantly influenced this typical behavioral pattern. Specifically, stimulation (vs. sham) increased reports of the critical region as figure for Part-rearranged stimuli, bringing perception of these displays up to the level of the Familiar stimuli. We interpret this finding as evidence that stimulation of right LO increased participants’ reliance on the familiarity of the parts in their figure-ground judgements—a finding consistent with and extending previous research showing that LO is indeed sensitive to object parts. This is the first study showing that HD-tDCS to LO can influence the effects of familiarity on figure-ground perception.