cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Invasion of an intact plant community: the role of population versus community level diversity

To improve the understanding of how native plant diversity influences invasion, we examined how population and community diversity may directly and indirectly be related to invasion in a natural field setting. Due to the large impact of the dominant C4 grass species (Andropogon gerardii) on invasion resistance of tallgrass prairie, we hypothesized that genetic diversity and associated traits within a population of this species would be more strongly related to invasion than diversity or traits of the rest of the community. We added seeds of the exotic invasive C4 grass, A. bladhii, to 1-m2 plots in intact tallgrass prairie that varied in genetic diversity of A. gerardii and plant community diversity, but not species richness. We assessed relationships among genetic diversity and traits of A. gerardii, community diversity, community aggregated traits, resource availability, and early season establishment and late-season persistence of the invader using structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM models suggested that community diversity likely enhanced invasion indirectly through increasing community aggregated specific leaf area as a consequence of more favorable microclimatic conditions for seedling establishment. In contrast, neither population nor community diversity was directly or indirectly related to late season survival of invasive seedlings. Our research suggests that while much of diversity–invasion research has separately focused on the direct effects of genetic and species diversity, when taken together, we find that the role of both levels of diversity on invasion resistance may be more complex, whereby effects of diversity may be primarily indirect via traits and vary depending on the stage of invasion.
Socially desirable response sets: The impact of country culture.

The present research explores differences in social-desirability response bias across cultures. Results indicate a significant difference in response bias between Western and Eastern subjects that may be attributed to differences in the dominant cultural dimensions of the subject's country of origin. Additional analysis reveals surprising results regarding the measurement-scale properties themselves. The unexpected findings raise concerns about the cross-cultural generalizability of the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability scale. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Wild-type and mutant p53 differentially regulate NADPH oxidase 4 in TGF-β-mediated migration of human lung and breast epithelial cells

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) induces the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) leading to increased cell plasticity at the onset of cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Mechanisms involved in TGF-β-mediated EMT and cell motility are unclear. Recent studies showed that p53 affects TGF-β/SMAD3-mediated signalling, cell migration, and tumorigenesis. We previously demonstrated that Nox4, a Nox family NADPH oxidase, is a TGF-β/SMAD3-inducible source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) affecting cell migration and fibronectin expression, an EMT marker, in normal and metastatic breast epithelial cells. Our present study investigates the involvement of p53 in TGF-β-regulated Nox4 expression and cell migration. We investigated the effect of wild-type p53 (WT-p53) and mutant p53 proteins on TGF-β-regulated Nox4 expression and cell migration. Nox4 mRNA and protein, ROS production, cell migration, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation were examined in three different cell models based on their p53 mutational status. H1299, a p53-null lung epithelial cell line, was used for heterologous expression of WT-p53 or mutant p53. In contrast, functional studies using siRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous p53 were conducted in MDA-MB-231 metastatic breast epithelial cells that express p53-R280K and MCF-10A normal breast cells that have WT-p53. We found that WT-p53 is a potent suppressor of TGF-β-induced Nox4, ROS production, and cell migration in p53-null lung epithelial (H1299) cells. In contrast, tumour-associated mutant p53 proteins (R175H or R280K) caused enhanced Nox4 expression and cell migration in both TGF-β-dependent and TGF-β-independent pathways. Moreover, knockdown of endogenous mutant p53 (R280K) in TGF-β-treated MDA-MB-231 metastatic breast epithelial cells resulted in decreased Nox4 protein and reduced phosphorylation of FAK, a key regulator of cell motility. Expression of WT-p53 or dominant-negative Nox4 decreased TGF-β-mediated FAK phosphorylation, whereas mutant p53 (R280K) increased phospho-FAK. Furthermore, knockdown of WT-p53 in MCF-10A normal breast epithelial cells increased basal Nox4 expression, whereas p53-R280K could override endogenous WT-p53 repression of Nox4. Remarkably, immunofluorescence analysis revealed MCF-10A cells expressing p53-R280K mutant showed an upregulation of Nox4 in both confluent and migrating cells. Collectively, our findings define novel opposing functions for WT-p53 and mutant p53 proteins in regulating Nox4-dependent signalling in TGF-β-mediated cell motility.
What are the goals of patient education

How well do young people with congenital heart disease understand their medical conditions? After interviewing 63 patients aged 7 to 18 years who received care at a tertiary pediatric heart center in England, Veldtman and colleagues observed that only one third understood their illness well and less than one quarter could name their condition.1 From these observations, they concluded that “intensified efforts to ensure better patient and parental understanding are needed.” This conclusion may seem sensible and challenging, requiring developmentally appropriate teaching techniques that recognize children's cognitive abilities and independence from parental figures. Before charging off to design and launch new patient education programs, however, we should consider several essential questions that are relevant to programs for adult patients as well as for children and their parents.
Is Dorothy Correct? The Role of Patient Education in Promoting Home Dialysis

The major payer of dialysis services in the United States, Medicare, has established incentives to encourage the use of home dialysis. However, this modality remains underutilized. We think that a major cause of this situation is ineffective education of the prospective dialysis population regarding the choices of kidney replacement modalities. We discuss the value of patient education and the consequences of failing to educate prospective dialysis patients. We then explore approaches to achieve patient education goals and the physician's and education team's roles in the development of an individual patient's life plan.
ALL FREE CONFORMAL REPRESENTATIONS IN ALL DIMENSIONS

We find all free, massless, finite-dimensional, irreducible representations of the conformal group SO(D, 2) in all space-time dimensions D. In odd D they are only the scalar and spinor, but in even D they are all those which are (anti-)self-dual (chiral) on all vector indices. These are exactly the ones described by the mechanics of the extended spinning particle.
Cytoskeletal organization: whirling to the beat.

Summary Dense populations of microtubules driven by axonemal dynein form large vortices, providing insights into how simple interactions between individuals can give rise to large-scale coordinated movement, such as that seen in schools of fish and flocks of birds.
Dietary inequalities of mother–child pairs in the rural Amazon: Evidence of maternal-child buffering?

This paper explores the expected outcome of maternal nutritional "buffering" namely that childrens diets will be more adequate than mothers diets under conditions of food scarcity. Data on Amazonian mothers and their children household demography and economics and direct weighed measures of household food availability and dietary intakes of mother-child pairs were collected from 51 households to address the following research questions: (1) is there evidence of food scarcity in this setting?; (2) are there differences in energy and protein adequacy between children and their mothers?; and (3) which individual and household-level factors are associated with these mother-child differences in energy and protein adequacy? In this context of food scarcity we found that the majority of children had more adequate energy (p < 0.001) and protein (p < 0.001) intakes than their mothers. Multivariate OLS regression models showed that of the individual-level factors child age and height-for-age were negatively associated with maternal-child energy and protein inequalities while maternal reproductive status (lactation) was positively associated with energy inequality. While there were no gender differences in dietary adequacy among children boys had a larger advantage over their mothers in terms of protein adequacy than girls. Household food availability was related to maternal-child energy and protein inequalities in a curvilinear fashion with the lowest inequalities found in households with extremely low food availability and those with adequate food resources. This is the first study to quantify maternal-child dietary inequalities in a setting of food scarcity and demonstrates the importance of the household context and individual characteristics in understanding the degree to which mothers protect their children from resource scarcity. Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Reflections on the engineering and operation of a large-scale embedded device vulnerability scanner

We present important lessons learned from the engineering and operation of a large-scale embedded device vulnerability scanner infrastructure. Developed and refined over the period of one year, our vulnerability scanner monitored large portions of the Internet and was able to identify over 1.1 million publicly accessible trivially vulnerable embedded devices. The data collected has helped us move beyond vague, anecdotal suspicions of embedded insecurity towards a realistic quantitative understanding of the current threat. In this paper, we describe our experimental methodology and reflect on key technical, organizational and social challenges encountered during our research. We also discuss several key technical design missteps and operational failures and their solutions.
Direct method for measuring shear modulus in gels

Abstract A direct method is presented for measuring the shear modulus of gels. The method is based on torsional oscillations of a gel sample. Only small distortions are introduced, ensuring linearity of response. The forces involved do not have to be measured directly; they are inferred from the oscillation period and the geometry of the system. This method is simple, quick and economical.
What Special Education Teachers Should Know About Cooperative Learning

In this article, we examine several important issues for special educators in the implementation of cooperative learning. To address effectively the needs of students with mild disabilities in regular classrooms and curricula requires a multi-faceted approach that incorporates the dynamics of reciprocal collaboration, cooperative learning, teaming, and effective instructional support technaques. The need for a collaborative ethic among general and special educators is descrihed. The efficacy of cooperative learning that focuses upon achievement outcomes especially related to students with mild disabilities is reviewed. The components of a cooperative approach that enhances the integration of students with mild disabilities and fosters high achievement levels are discussed, as well as a schoolwide restructuring model designed to embrace student diversity and enhance the achievement of all students, including students with mild disabilities, in regular classrooms.
An increase in intracellular calcium concentration that is induced by basolateral CO2 in rabbit renal proximal tubule.

Working with isolated perfused S2 proximal tubules, we asked whether the basolateral CO2 sensor acts, in part, by raising intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), monitored with the dye fura 2 (...
If superposed light beams do not re-distribute each others energy in the absence of detectors (material dipoles), can an indivisible single photon interfere by/with itself ?

The intention of this paper is to underscore that to understand fundamentally new properties of light beams, we must first find the limits of semi classical model to explain optical interference phenomena. We claim that we have not yet reached that limit. Careful analysis of the processes behind detecting fringes indicate that the effect of superposition of multiple optical beams can become manifest only through the mediation of the detecting dipoles. Since the detectors are quantum mechanical, (i) the observed effects are different for different detectors for the same superposed light beams, and further, (ii) they are only capable of registering discrete number of “clicks”, whose rate will vary with the incident intensity. A reduced rate of “clicks” at very low intensity does not prove that light consists of indivisible packets of energy. We have also experimentally demonstrated that (i) neither Fourier synthesis, nor, (ii) Fourier decomposition actually model the behavior of EM fields under all possible circumstances. Superposed light beams of different frequencies do not synthesize a new average optical frequency. A pure amplitude modulated pulse does not contain any of the mathematical, Fourier analyzed frequencies. The QED definition of photon being a Fourier mode in the vacuum, it necessarily becomes non-local. Since we have demonstrated that the Fourier theorem has various limitations in classical physics, its indiscriminate use in quantum mechanics should also be critically reviewed.
Urodynamic evaluation of female cats with idiopathic cystitis

Objective—To compare values of urodynamic measurements of cats with idiopathic cystitis (IC) with previously published data for healthy female cats. Animals—11 female cats with IC. Procedures—2 sequential cystometrograms and 2 urethral pressure profiles were obtained for each cat. All tracings were evaluated for evidence of overactive urinary bladder (OAB). Maximum urethral pressure (MUP), maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP), and functional profile length were recorded. Results—Only 3 cats had obvious micturition events. None of the 11 cats had evidence of OAB. Although not significant, threshold pressure was lower in cats with IC than in healthy cats (mean ± SD, 89.0 ± 12.0 cm H2O vs 75.7 ± 16.3 cm H2O, respectively); however, the total volume infused was significantly lower in cats with IC (4.8 ± 2.1 mL/kg vs 8.3 ± 3.2 mL/kg). The MUCP was significantly higher in cats with IC than in healthy cats (158.0 ± 47.7 cm H2O vs 88.9 ± 23.9 cm H2O, respectively). The MUP was also significantly higher in all...
Displacement-Related Earnings Losses Evaluating Trade Adjustment Assistance and Wage Insurance

More than five million workers have been certified as trade displaced by the Department of Labor since the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 created the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. The Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002 reauthorized TAA, merged the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)-Transitional Adjustment Assistance program with TAA to establish the Consolidated TAA program, and created a demonstration wage insurance program dubbed Alternative TAA (ATAA). These programs serve the dual purpose of 1) reducing opposition to trade liberalization and 2) assisting trade-displaced workers as they transition to reemployment. Several studies have documented long-run monetary losses stemming from job displacement. We detail these studies and their findings below. The effectiveness of public programs designed to aid displaced workers in terms of reducing earnings losses has yet to be evaluated. Surely, understanding the performance of existing policy may assist future policy formulation; thus, we explore how stylized versions of the Consolidated TAA and ATAA programs perform in terms of reducing the earnings losses that stem from job displacement.
Health Insurance Coverage Rates In 9 Provinces In China Doubled From 1997 To 2006, With A Dramatic Rural Upswing

We examined the distribution of health insurance in China during 1997–2006, a period when government interventions were implemented to improve access to health care. We analyzed data from a survey that follows households in nine provinces that are home to more than 40 percent of China’s population. The analysis shows that the percentage of individuals with insurance increased from 24 percent in 1997 to 28 percent in 2004 and then rose dramatically, to 49 percent in 2006. Rural and urban levels of insurance coverage became more similar, reflecting a dramatic upswing in coverage in rural areas that is likely to have benefited millions of rural Chinese. At the same time, the analysis suggests that health insurance reimbursement rates to consumers for inpatient care might have declined in rural villages. Because reimbursement and other insurance characteristics affect health care use, future efforts to reduce rural-urban disparities should address the quality of health insurance and the level of reimbursement...
Residential Transience and HIV Risk Behaviors Among Injection Drug Users

Housing instability has been linked to HIV risk behaviors. Many studies have focused on the implications of one’s housing structure or lack thereof. This study focuses on residential transience as an additional dimension of housing instability. Specifically, we assessed the associations between transience and four HIV risk behaviors. Transience was defined as moving twice or more in the past six months. Multivariate analyses of a sample of current injectors (n = 807) indicated that transience had an independent effect on HIV risk behaviors. Transient individuals were more likely to share needles and go to a shooting gallery than non-transient individuals. Transience was not associated with exchanging sex or having multiple sex partners when homelessness was included in the models. Further examination of the association between housing and HIV should consider the role of transience. Interventions that promote housing stability among IDUs and address HIV risk during times of instability are needed.
A new life-quality measure for electron tubes

Since the Military Standard MIL-E-1B replaced JAN-1A Specifications, the tube industry and tube users have been searching for a common satisfactory measure for the life quality of electron tubes. This paper proposes a new measure, incorporating the information in the electron tube failure-age distribution for replacement of the obsolete Average Life Percentage originally specified in JAN-1A. A Weibull distribution with a fixed shape parameter was found appropriate for describing the failure age of electron tubes under a wide variety of application. Hence, a single measure, the scale parameter, will characterize the life quality of electron tubes. Secondary life-quality measures, such as mean life, median life and the recently introduced “reliability,” hazard rate, etc., can all be expressed in terms of the proposed measure. Some numerical examples are given at the end of the paper.
A series compensator based on AC-AC power converters with virtual quadrature modulation

This paper presents a new topology of a three-phase dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) that is based on an ac-ac power converter. Two different operations of realizing of the ac-ac converter are proposed in accordance to the application requirement whether phase shift is involved in the output voltage with respect to the input voltage. For inphase compensation, the ac-ac power converter can be realized with four active power switches. Alternatively, if phase-shift is needed for the injection voltage, a new modulation scheme is proposed for the six-switch realization. The modulation and control schemes for both types of realization have been verified via detailed numerical simulation. The contributions of this paper will enable the realization of the DVR topology with reduced switch count. Furthermore, the novel modulation scheme will significantly expand the operating regime of ac-ac converters and potentially apply the ac-ac converter in the other applications beyond the example of DVR presented in this paper
Genomic Evolution of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Strains with Differences in Adaptability

Virus strains with a history of repeated genetic bottlenecks frequently show a diminished ability to adapt compared to strains that do not have such a history. These differences in adaptability suggest differences in either the rate at which beneficial mutations are produced, the effects of beneficial mutations, or both. We tested these possibilities by subjecting four populations (two controls and two mutants with lower adaptabilities) to multiple replicas of a regimen of positive selection and then determining the fitnesses of the progeny through time and the changes in the consensus, full-length sequences of 56 genomes. We observed that at a given number of passages, the overall fitness gains observed for control populations were larger than fitness gains in mutant populations. However, these changes did not correlate with differences in the numbers of mutations accumulated in the two types of genomes. This result is consistent with beneficial mutations having a lower beneficial effect on mutant strains. Despite the overall fitness differences, some replicas of one mutant strain at passage 50 showed fitness increases similar to those observed for the wild type. We hypothesized that these evolved, high-fitness mutants may have a lower robustness than evolved, high-fitness controls. Robustness is the ability of a virus to avoid phenotypic changes in the face of mutation. We confirmed our hypothesis in mutation-accumulation experiments that showed a normalized fitness loss that was significantly larger in mutant bottlenecked populations than in control populations.
Earth-image tracking in the IR for deep space optical communications

Sub-microradian level laser beam pointing to an Earth-based receiver is required for deep space optical communications. This requires a beacon emanated from Earth towards the spacecraft. The beacon could be a laser or reflected sunlight from Earth. Earth image tracking in the visible is hampered by significant albedo variations and/or crescent Earth image yielding large central errors. Here, we report results of Earth-image tracking in the infrared (8 to 13 micron) region of the spectrum with the aim of substantially alleviating the two challenges mentioned earlier.
NEWLY DISCOVERED POPULATIONS OF SALAMANDERS FROM SISKIYOU COUNTY CALIFORNIA REPRESENT A SPECIES DISTINCT FROM PLETHODON STORMI

Plethodon stormi and Plethodon elongatus are two closely related species of plethodontid salamanders that are restricted to the Klamath Province of northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. Discovery of three localities south of the Klamath River, in the Scott River drainage, not assignable to either P. elongatus or P. stormi, motivated closer examination of this complex. We describe molecular (mitochondrial DNA) and morphological variation among specimens collected from the three newly discovered populations and compare these to populations of P. elongatus and P. stormi from Siskiyou County, California and Jackson and Josephine Counties, Oregon. Analyses of mitochondrial sequence data from the ATPase 6 and cytochrome b genes recovered clades corresponding to P. elongatus, P. stormi and the Scott River populations. Multivariate analyses indicate that Scott River drainage animals are morphologically distinct from P. elongatus and P. stormi. Because both genetic and morphological data indicate that t...
Few-cosine spherical codes and Barnes--Wall lattices

Using Barnes-Wall lattices and 1-cocycles on finite groups of monomial matrices, we give a procedure to construct tricosine spherical codes. This was inspired by a 14-dimensional code which Ballinger, Cohn, Giansiracusa and Morris discovered in studies of the universally optimal property. Their code has 64 vectors and cosines -37,-17,17. We construct the Optimism Code, a 4-cosine spherical code with 256 unit vectors in 16-dimensions. The cosines are 0,+/-14,-1. Its automorphism group has shape 2^1^+^8@?GL(4,2). The Optimism Code contains a subcode related to the BCGM code. The Optimism Code implies existence of a nonlinear binary code with parameters (16,256,6), a Nordstrom-Robinson code, and gives a context for determining its automorphism group, which has form 2^4:Alt"7.
User Computer Interaction: Analysis of Individual Differences and Information Retrieval

The optimum design of human/computer interfaces has become an increasingly important concern. However, it was not clear what user characteristics, beyond a limited set related to experience and training should be considered. This is a primary question addressed by this research program. A series of experiments were conducted. The results revealed that people's efficiency in using computer system depends on user cognitive characteristics and design features of com- puter interface. Furthermore, the subjects usage of interface design features significantly interacts with his or her fundamental cognitive characteristics--cognitive style.
Doubtful Threats and the Limits of Student Speech

The purposes of public schools are widely recognized to be various, even if we disagree over specific lists of such purposes, or over their tradeoffs and priorities. It would, however, be a serious mistake not to attend to the basic widely acknowledged missions of the public school when we must shape school speech law.
Can Employers Obtain Tax Advantages Complying with the Affordable Care Act

It has been three years since President Obama pushed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the "ACA"), which is a health care overhaul aimed at providing millions of American with health insurance, through Congress. According to the White House, the goal of the ACA is to improve health security by: (1) creating comprehensive health insurance reform that provides more ways to hold insurance companies accountable, (2) lowering health care costs, (3) guaranteeing more health care options, and (4) enhancing the overall quality of the American health care system. As many American, corporations and small businesses are aware, the gateway to an improved healthcare system will commence on October 1, 2013 with the implementation of the exchange system. However, some may not be aware of the potential tax benefits awaiting employers. This highlight will specifically address the tax incentives that may be available to both large and small businesses as the deadlines for implementation of the ACA draw near.
The Use of Stereotactic Radiosurgery to Treat Trigeminal Neuralgia in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

SRS/SRT could be a treatment option. It is not clear what patients are the candidates for repeated SRS/SRT for repeated relapse of brain metastases. Institutional experiences of repeated SRS/SRT for repeated relapse of brain metastases were shown. Materials/Methods: Among 279 patients who received SRS/SRT for brain metastases in our institution between 2006 and 2014. Of these patients, 22 patients received three series or more SRS/SRT and were reviewed in this study (male/femaleZ12/10; age 35-79, median 69; primary sites, lung 16, breast 3, kidney 1, melanoma 1, bile duct 1). Results: Follow-up time from the first SRS/SRT ranged from 4 to 99 months (median 18 months). The numbers of patients who received 3, 4, 5, and 6 series of SRS/SRTwere 13, 5, 1, and 3, respectively. The duration in which SRS/SRT was repeated ranged from 3 to 77 months (median, 15 months), and the mean interval between one series and the next series of SRS/SRT in each patient ranged from 1 to 27 months (median, 4.5 months). Three patients received surgery for a brain metastasis. Twoand five-year overall survival rates were 100% and 70% respectively (median survival time, 64 months) when the interval between 1st and 2nd SRS/SRT was more than six months, while two-year overall survival rate was 0% (median survival time, 18 months) when the interval between 1st and 2nd SRS/SRT was less than six months (log-rank test, pZ0.0023). Conclusion: There were some long-term survivors among patients who received repeated SRS/SRT for repeated relapse of brain metastases. Patients with a comparatively long stable-time after first SRS/SRT seemed to be candidates for repeated SRS/SRT. Author Disclosure: Y. Hamamoto: None. O. Nishizaki: None. H. Inata: None.
Side Effects of Vaccination: A Consumer's Guide to Cause and Effect

CreditThis lesson is good for 0.2 CE units, with a passing grade of 70%.Objectives1. To describe historical examples of adverse events truly and spuriously associated with vaccination.2. To describe a rational basis for deciding whether adverse events are causally or coincidentally linked to a medication.3. To demonstrate how to apply this rational basis to a variety of exposure—outcome associations.
Analysis of the epidemiological characteristics of measles in Xian-ning City(2007-2011)

Objective To understand the situation of measles epidemic of Xianning city in the past 5 years,so as to provide evidence for adjusting the strategies for the control and elimination of measles.Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was performed,measles incidence in Xianning City from 2007 to 2011 was analyzed.Results Measles epidemic in Xian-niang city from 2007 to 2011 showed a sporadic pattern,885 cases in total,death 3,the average annual incidence rate was 7.10 per hundred thousand,the average annual incidence rate in 2009 being the highest(15.54 per hundred thousand),and it was the lowest in 2011(0.08 per hundred thousand),showing significant statistical difference(χ2=376.77,P=0.00).The epidemic season was from April to July,since there was local outbreak in 2007,it showed 2 epidemic peaks.The majority was in Chongyang,Xianan,and Tongcheng districts,accounting for 84.63%(749/885)in the total incidence.More patients were in rural area,the ratio between rural and township was 1.38∶1(513/372).The floating population occupied 16.95%.The oldest was 80 years old,while the youngest was 2 months.Children under 15 occupied 87.12%(771/885),most were between 8 months to 5 years old(63.84%).99 cases in the 8 month-group had distinct measles vaccination history(15.11%),248 cases(37.86%) had no vaccination history,308 cases unknown,(47.02%).460 cases in the 8-month to 14-year old group(82.59%) had no or unknown immunization history.Conclusion The measles epidemic pattern of Xianning city belongs to the younger-age type,it means that the routine vaccination work was quite weak.To reach the target of eliminating measles,the routine vaccination work among the school-age children should be strengthened to maintain the coverage rate at a higher level.At the same time,case management,the control of nosocomial infection,the supplementary vaccination for the missing cases and disease surveillance should becomprehensively carried out.
Assessment of economic vulnerability to infectious disease crises

Summary Infectious disease crises have substantial economic impact. Yet mainstream macroeconomic forecasting rarely takes account of the risk of potential pandemics. This oversight contributes to persistent underestimation of infectious disease risk and consequent underinvestment in preparedness and response to infectious disease crises. One reason why economists fail to include economic vulnerability to infectious disease threats in their assessments is the absence of readily available and digestible input data to inform such analysis. In this Viewpoint we suggest an approach by which the global health community can help to generate such inputs, and a framework to use these inputs to assess the economic vulnerability to infectious disease crises of individual countries and regions. We argue that incorporation of these risks in influential macroeconomic analyses such as the reports from the International Monetary Fund's Article IV consultations, rating agencies and risk consultancies would simultaneously improve the quality of economic risk forecasting and reinforce individual government and donor incentives to mitigate infectious disease risks.
Serologic response of pups to the low-passage, modified-live canine parvovirus-2 component in a combination vaccine.

Thirty pups from a general pet population were vaccinated for canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2), using a low-passage, modified-live CPV-2 in a combination vaccine, every 3 weeks until the pups were between 11 and 18 weeks old. Canine parvovirus-2 antibody titers were measured by means of serum neutralization (SN) immediately before each vaccination and > or = 2 weeks after final vaccination. Thirteen pups that were initially seronegative (SN titer or = 16) after 1 to 3 doses of the vaccine, administered when the pups were between 8 and 17 weeks old; 11 of the 13 developed protective titers after the first dose. Seventeen pups were initially seropositive for CPV-2 (SN titer > or = 2). Of these, 8 initially had titers < 16 and 3 others had titers that fell to < 16 during the study. Nine (82%) of these 11 pups developed protective titers. Results indicated that pups at high risk for CPV-2 disease should be vaccinated until 18 to 20 weeks old, even when the low-passage vaccine is used. Pups at lower risk of CPV-2 disease should be vaccinated periodically until 16 weeks old.
Possible cofactors for the development of AIDS-related neoplasms.

Because of the various neoplastic manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the variable period between HIV infection and the development of tumors related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), it is possible that certain behaviors, toxins, genes, or infectious agents--particularly viruses--may act as cofactors in the pathogenesis of AIDS-related neoplasms. Most epidemiologic and laboratory investigations of possible cofactors have been directed toward Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), by far the most common AIDS-related tumor and one closely associated with male homosexual lifestyle in the U.S. Nonetheless, epidemiologic investigations of putative associations have not demonstrated any clear association between KS and particular viruses. Furthermore, laboratory investigations, both serologic and molecular/genetic, have failed to definitively implicate as cofactors for KS these viruses: cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex viruses, pathogenic human papillomaviruses, or human herpes virus type 6. Investigations of a suggested association between EBV and AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin's (B cell) lymphomas (NHLs) have also been inconclusive. However, HIV may act as a cofactor in accelerating the development of hepatitis B-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. In summary, viral or other cofactors have not been definitely identified as cofactors in AIDS-related tumors.
Scientific Evidence and Juror Decision Making: Theory, Empirical Research, and Future Directions

Scientific evidence can be viewed as evidence arising from systematic application of the scientific method that yields diagnostic conclusions about the identity or characteristics of a target individual. Many types of evidence fit this description and are regularly admitted in the present-day courtroom. In this chapter, we review theory and empirical research relevant to understanding how scientific evidence influences juror decision making. We first summarize a number of theoretical models with implications for understanding how scientific evidence is processed by jurors, and then review the empirical literature on scientific evidence with a focus on three questions that have received substantial attention: (1) How well do jurors use scientific evidence? (2) What characteristics of scientific evidence influence juror decision making? (3) What contextual and dispositional variables affect the impact of scientific evidence? Following this, we identify and discuss major empirical findings that have emerged, offer an integrative conceptual framework for examining the impact of scientific evidence on jurors, and suggest a number of directions for future research.
The role of ecosystem services in USA natural resource liability litigation

Abstract This paper examines how the United States has valued harm to public resources in natural resource liability laws and practice, an early legal application of the ecosystem-services conceptual framework. Our primary focus is on valuing harm to the difficult-to-value resources and ecological services that provide indirect or passive human uses, for which revealed preference valuation methods (based on observable behavior) are not applicable. We concentrate on the past 25 years of U.S. experience with the innovative, restoration-based framework established in regulations implementing the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. By reframing the damage claims as the cost of both “primary” restoration (to promote recovery of injured resources) and “compensatory” restoration (to account for interim losses pending recovery), the regulations deflected some of the controversy surrounding valuation methods. The restoration-based compensation framework provides two basic approaches for calculating the scale of compensatory restoration projects. A service-to-service approach, which does not require valuation, applies to projects that provide resources and ecosystem services of the same type, quality, and comparable value as those harmed. A valuation approach , intended for a broader range of applications, relies on survey-based methods. For injuries to ecological services, we found trustees have relied almost exclusively on habitat equivalency analysis (HEA), a service-to-service approach, adapting its use to applications where restoration projects make resource and/or ecosystem services substitutions. We explore how the trustees address the challenge of characterizing the equivalency between injury and restoration resources and ecosystem services through the choice of restoration projects and the choice of the ecosystem service metrics. Widely used in the U.S. and EU, the restoration-based measure of damages and the associated HEA methodology may be useful for other countries.
Workplace Predictors of Parenting Educators’ Technology Acceptance Attitudes

The purpose of this study was to examine technology use by licensed parenting educators and to explore workplace conditions as influences on the educators’ technology acceptance attitudes. The study adapted the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework and proposed 10 hypotheses to be examined. Responses to an online survey (N = 279) indicated that information search and email were used most frequently. In contrast, social media and online learning platforms were infrequently used. Structural equation modeling revealed that technology attitudes were directly related to Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness of technology. Also, Workplace Encouragement and Workplace Infrastructure indirectly influenced acceptance attitudes as mediated by Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use, respectively. The results suggest that parenting educators’ adoption of technology needs to be supported by a workplace culture that promotes and provides resources for technology use.
Comparison of primary and secondary enucleation for uveal melanoma.

We investigated operative course and post-operative findings of patients undergoing primary enucleation for uveal melanoma versus those requiring secondary enucleation after brachytherapy. A retrospective chart review was performed with IRB approval on patients receiving treatment for uveal melanoma. Patients with enucleation as initial treatment and patients enucleated after plaque brachytherapy were analyzed for demographic data, operative course, and post-enucleation outcome. Further cause analysis for secondary enucleations was investigated. No significant difference was seen in age, laterality, or gender between the primarily enucleated (n = 54) and secondarily enucleated (n = 34) groups. Greater difficulty with surgery was noted in 28/32 (87.5%) of secondary enucleations compared to 1/54 (1.8%) of primary enucleations (p 2 hours in 3/51 (6%) of primary enucleations (vs. 8 of 32, 25%, p = 0.02). Average implant size was similar in the 2 groups (20.6 mm), however 2/34 (6%) of secondary enucleations required dermis fat grafting. Post-enucleation anophthalmic ptosis occurred after 8/49 (16%) of primary cases (vs. 13/30, 43%, p = 0.02) and prosthetic enophthalmos after none (0%) of primary cases (vs. 5/30, 17%, p = 0.006). Class 2 gene expression profile was found in 6/8 (60%) of eyes enucleated for treatment failure. Secondary enucleation performed after plaque brachytherapy was technically more difficult, and had more anophthalmic socket and eyelid complications compared to primary enucleation for uveal melanoma. Primary enucleation may avoid additional surgery and morbidity in a subset of patients with contraindications to plaque brachytherapy.
A computational model of amoeboid cell swimming

Amoeboid cells propel by generating pseudopods that are finger-like protrusions of the cell body that continually grow, bifurcate, and retract. Pseudopod-driven motility of amoeboid cells represents a complex and multiscale process that involves bio-molecular reactions, cell deformation, and cytoplasmic and extracellular fluid motion. Here we present a 3D model of pseudopod-driven swimming of an amoeba suspended in a fluid without any adhesion and in the absence of any chemoattractant. Our model is based on front-tracking/immersed-boundary methods, and it combines large deformation of the cell, a coarse-grain model for molecular reactions, and cytoplasmic and extracellular fluid flow. The predicted shapes of the swimming cell from our model show similarity with experimental observations. We predict that the swimming behavior changes from random-like to persistent unidirectional motion, and that the swimming speed increases, with increasing cell deformability and protein diffusivity. The unidirectionality ...
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Induced Leaky Gut Modeled Using Polarized Monolayers of Primary Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

The intestinal epithelium provides a critical barrier that separates the gut microbiota from host tissues. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are efficacious analgesics and antipyretics and are among the most frequently used drugs worldwide. In addition to gastric damage, NSAIDs are toxic to the intestinal epithelium, causing erosions, perforations, and longitudinal ulcers in the gut. Here, we use a unique in vitro human primary small intestinal cell monolayer system to pinpoint the intestinal consequences of NSAID treatment. We found that physiologically relevant doses of the NSAID diclofenac (DCF) are cytotoxic because they uncouple mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and generate reactive oxygen species. We also find that DCF induces intestinal barrier permeability, facilitating the translocation of compounds from the luminal to the basolateral side of the intestinal epithelium. The results we outline here establish the utility of this novel platform, representative of the human small in...
Monolithic integration of O-band photonic transceivers in a “zero-change” 32nm SOI CMOS

We demonstrate a monolithic photonic platform in an unmodified 32nm SOI CMOS process. This platform provides the fastest transistors monolithically integrated with passive and high-speed active photonic components. We demonstrate 12Gb/s O-band (1260–1360nm) optical transceivers using resonant-based modulators and detectors with analog front-end circuits. This platform provides the electronic and photonic performance needed to address the integration of high bandwidth and energy efficient photonic I/O with high performance and low power logic chips, particularly for high performance computing (HPC) applications.
Abstract B059: SETD2-PI3Kβ synthetic lethality

Introduction: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a high-risk and high-mortality cancer for which several new targeted therapies exist. However, responses of primary clear cell RCC (ccRCC) tumors and metastases to these targeted agents are variable, and complete responses are relatively uncommon, underscoring the need to identify reliable biomarkers to predict tumor behavior. Mutations in the tumor suppressor gene SETD2, encoding a lysine methyltransferase, occur in 3-16% of ccRCC tumors while the SETD2 protein deficiency rate has been reported to be as high as 34%. The phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) have emerged as important therapeutic targets for the treatment of solid and hematologic malignancies, including ccRCC. In this study, we determine the extent to which small-molecule inhibitors against the p110α, p110β, and p110δ isoforms of PI3K inhibit growth of RCC with SETD2 loss. Methods: RNAi oligonucleotides and small-molecule inhibitors targeting the p110α (BYL719), p110β (TGX221, AZD8186), and p110δ (idelalisib) isoforms of PI3K were tested against ccRCC cell lines with SETD2 loss. The effect of drugs on cell growth and survival was determined by (1) proliferation in monolayer, (2) 3D growth in Matrigel, and (3) cell migration in wound healing assay. Downstream signaling pathways were evaluated by immunoblot analysis. Results: Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of p110β resulted in inhibition of ccRCC cell lines with SETD2 loss. ccRCC-derived SETD2 deficient (-/-) 786-O and A498 cells exhibited increased sensitivity to TGX221 (IC50 = 2.3 - 4.5 µM, respectively) and AZD8186 (IC50 = 1.79 - 0.24 µM, respectively) as compared to SETD2 proficient (+/+) 786-O cells (IC50 = >10 µM). Inhibition of the p110δ isoform alone had a modest effect on ccRCC cell growth and migration. Importantly, genetic (with siRNA) and pharmacologic (with BYL719) inhibition of p110α had no effect on the ccRCC cell lines. Inhibition of AKT with the small-molecule inhibitor MK2206 recapitulated the effects seen with AZD8186 in ccRCC cell lines with SETD2 loss, suggesting PI3Kβ mediates the synthetic lethality via AKT signaling in the context of SETD2 loss in ccRCC. Conclusions: Our work strongly suggests a synthetic lethal-type of interaction between PI3Kβ inhibition and SETD2 loss and offers a rationale for further translational and clinical investigation of small-molecule inhibitors of PI3Kβ in RCC. Xenograft studies are ongoing to investigate the in vivo efficacy of AZD8186. Citation Format: Esteban Terzo, Valerie M. Jansen, Yun-Chen Chiang, Kimryn W. Rathmell. SETD2-PI3Kβ synthetic lethality [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B059.
β-Hydroxyaspartic acid in siderophores: biosynthesis and reactivity

A growing number of siderophores are found to contain β-hydroxyaspartic acid (β-OH-Asp) as a functional group for Fe(III) coordination, along with the more common catechol and hydroxamic acid groups. This review covers the structures, biosynthesis, and reactions of peptidic β-OH-Asp siderophores. Hydroxylation of Asp in siderophore biosynthesis is predicted to be carried out either through discrete aspartyl β-hydroxylating enzymes or through hydroxylating domains within non-ribosomal peptide synthetases, both of which display sequence homology to known non-heme iron(II), α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases. Ferric complexes of β-OH-Asp siderophores are photoreactive, resulting in reduction of Fe(III) and oxidative cleavage of the siderophore to yield distinct types of photoproducts. Probing the photoreactivity of synthetic Fe(III)-α-hydroxycarboxylate clusters yields mechanistic insights into the different photoproducts observed for β-OH-Asp and other α-hydroxycarboxylate siderophore Fe(III) complexes.