cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Host Plant Preference of Harlequin Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), and Evaluation of a Trap Cropping Strategy for its Control in Collard

Harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica (Hahn) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a piercing-sucking pest of cole crops, causing cosmetic damage in low populations, while heavy pest pressure can kill plants or entire fields. Field studies were conducted to evaluate a trap crop for control of harlequin bug in collard. Field-cage choice tests found that potential trap crop plant species, mustard (Brassica juncea 'Southern Giant Curled'), rapeseed (B. napus 'Athena'), rapini (B. rapa), and arugula (Eruca satica) attracted more harlequin bugs than collard (B. oleracea 'Champion') and a nonbrassica control, bean (Phaseolus vulgaris'Bronco'). Mustard was the most consistently selected by harlequin bug over collard in choice tests, and was found to be an effective trap crop for reducing feeding injury on collard at two experimental sites. Augmentation of the mustard trap crop with a systemic, neonicotinoid insecticide provided no added control of harlequin bug for the 10 wk duration in the spring season.
Using prayer and other forms of positive mental energy in direct practice: An evidence-based perspective

Practitioners receive little guidance regarding the use of spiritual interventions such as intercessory prayer during their graduate educational programs. Yet—for better or worse—a surprisingly high percentage of social workers appear to pray verbally with, and/or silently for, their clients. Drawing from an evidence-based perspective, this article attempts to determine (1) if prayer and other forms of positive mental energy should be used in practice settings and (2) if informed consent should be obtained prior to engaging in silent prayer for clients. The evidence suggests, respectively, an equivocal answer and a tentative negative. For practitioners that believe the present research supports the use of prayer, guidelines are provided to help ensure that the practice is conducted in an ethical manner that safeguards client autonomy.
THE ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY OF MONTESQUIEU

SUMMARY The essay is written in the light of Lord Keynes' unfamiliar view that Montesquieu is the greatest French economist. The argument emphasizes the turbulent period in European history which inspired the economic philosophy of Montesquieu. Chronologically, the great eighteenth-century philosopher is seen as the link between seventeenth-century mercantilism and the physiocratic doctrines which emerged in France immediately following his death in 1755. Logically, however, Montesquieu is found to belong to a class of his own. It is suggested that his thought, neither essentially mercantilist nor in any sense geocratic, prepared the ground for the sanest liberal developments which later characterized the European scene. The author is sensitive to the tendency of some to interpret Montesquieu's comprehensive thought as reflecting certain contradictions. It is accordingly suggested that any inconsistencies flowing from Montesquieu's preoccupation with the study of political, social and economic phenomena as a whole could reasonably be associated with a society, not a mind, in a state of flux. The paper is concluded with a critical analysis of Montesquieu's historical method, leading its author to confirm the validity of Lord Keynes' view.
Amyloid neuropathy: a peculiar form of peripheral neuropathy.

The first pathological descriptions of amyloid have been attributed to von Rokitansky, 1 2 who in 1842 described the waxy or lardaceous changes in the liver and spleen as infiltration by a grey, albuminous, gelatinous substance. 3 Although scattered clinical descriptions of liver infiltration had been recorded as early as 1722, von Rokitansky's descriptions led to increased attention to this infiltrative disorder. Virchow 4,5 introduced the first histochemical test for amyloid using iodine and sulfuric acid in 1854, facilitating the diagnosis of amyloidosis. The test, which turned cellulose blue in the presence of iodine and sulfuric acid, was initially described in 1814 by Colin and Gaultier de Claubry 6 and in 1815 by Stromeyer. 7 Virchow 8,9 noted that the waxy tissue, when exposed to iodine and sulfuric acid, also turned blue and postulated that a cellulosemetamorphosis or amyloid change was taking place in the tissue. Virchow's theory is thought to be the basis for the term amyloid, which is derived from the Greek word amylon, meaning starch.
Characterization of a Maize Tonoplast Aquaporin Expressed in Zones of Cell Division and Elongation

We studied aquaporins in maize (Zea mays), an important crop in which numerous studies on plant water relations have been carried out. A maize cDNA, ZmTIP1, was isolated by reverse transcription-coupled PCR using conserved motifs from plant aquaporins. The derived amino acid sequence of ZmTIP1 shows 76% sequence identity with the tonoplast aquaporin gamma-TIP (tonoplast intrinsic protein) from Arabidopsis. Expression of ZmTIP1 in Xenopus laevis oocytes showed that it increased the osmotic water permeability of oocytes 5-fold; this water transport was inhibited by mercuric chloride. A cross-reacting antiserum made against bean alpha-TIP was used for immunocytochemical localization of ZmTIP1. These results indicate that this and/or other aquaporins is abundantly present in the small vacuoles of meristematic cells. Northern analysis demonstrated that ZmTIP1 is expressed in all plant organs. In situ hybridization showed a high ZmTIP1 expression in meristems and zones of cell enlargement: tips of primary and lateral roots, leaf primordia, and male and female inflorescence meristems. The high ZmTIP1 expression in meristems and expanding cells suggests that ZmTIP1 is needed (a) for vacuole biogenesis and (b) to support the rapid influx of water into vacuoles during cell expansion.
Evolutionary algorithms for finding optimal gene sets in microarray prediction.

Motivation: Microarray data has been shown recently to be efficacious in distinguishing closely related cell types that often appear in different forms of cancer, but is not ye tp ractical clinically. However, the data might be used to construct a minimal set of marker genes that could then be used clinically by making antibody assays to diagnose as pecific type of cancer. Here a replication algorithm is used for this purpose. It evolves an ensemble of predictors, all using different combinations of genes to generate a set of optimal predictors. Results: We apply this method to the leukemia data of the Whitehead/MIT group that attempts to differentially diagnose two kinds of leukemia, and also to data of Khan et al. to distinguish four different kinds of childhood cancers. In the latter case we were able to reduce the number of genes needed from 96 to less than 15, while at the same time being able to classify all of their test data perfectly. We also apply this method to two other cases, Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma data (Shipp et al., 2002), and data of Ramaswamy et al. on multiclass diagnosis of 14 common tumor types.
Notes from the Back Room: Gender, Power, and (In)Visibility in Women's Experiences of Masturbation

While popular culture has more frequently depicted women's masturbation in recent years, scholarly attention to women's own meaning making about masturbation remains largely absent. Existing research that emphasizes women's masturbation frequency, health correlates, masturbation as a factor in couples therapy, and masturbation as a substitute for partnered sexual behaviors have dominated the research, largely neglecting social identity correlates and women's subjectivities about masturbation. This study drew upon qualitative interviews with 20 women (mean age = 34, SD = 13.35) from diverse backgrounds to illuminate five themes in women's experiences with masturbation: (a) assumptions that most women self-penetrate during masturbation even when primarily using clitoral stimulation; (b) masturbation as sexual labor; (c) masturbation as a threat to male dominance; (d) masturbation as routine tension release; and (e) masturbation as a source of joy, fun, and pleasure. Because women revealed such a diverse set of experiences, we explored the advantages and disadvantages of the invisibility of women's masturbation. As a result of the internalization of stereotypically masculine scripts about sexuality-including an imagined penetrative focus, goal-oriented drive toward orgasm, sex as labor, and masturbation as nonemotional-women's masturbation experiences, regardless of sexual orientation, revealed the power imbalances often present in partnered (hetero)sexual dynamics.
Democracies and War Participation: In Defense of the Institutional Constraints Argument

Two explanations have been advanced for the `democratic peace'; one is built on shared values and norms of democratic political systems, the other focuses on the constraints under which democratic ...
Using the web to integrate ethics in the engineering curriculum

With a crowded engineering curriculum, it's difficult to justify three credit hours for a new course in the comprehensive instruction in applied ethics. Partial coverage of ethics in undergraduate engineering seminars, or the "Introduction to Engineering" course also has obvious drawbacks. In contrast, a modular integration Of ethics throughout the engineering curriculum, although it demands coordinated coverage and relevant links to many diverse computational courses, seems like a logical alternative. This paper discusses a web-based module created to introduce the ethical perspective of Nietzschean perfectionism to engineering undergraduates in a junior-level, Civil Engineering course in Structural Analysis. I will also discuss the usability testing of this module, and plans for additional ethics modules to be integrated into other engineering courses at Boise State University.
Computerized classification of suspicious regions in chest radiographs using subregion Hotelling observers

We propose to investigate the use of subregion Hotelling observers (SRHOs) in conjunction with perceptrons for the computerized classification of suspicious regions in chest radiographs for being nodules requiring follow up. Previously, 239 regions of interest (ROIs), each containing a suspicious lesion with proven classification, were collected. We chose to investigate the use of SRHOs as part of a multilayer classifier to determine the presence of a nodule. Each SRHO incorporates information about signal, background, and noise correlation for classification. For this study, 225 separate Hotelling observers were set up in a grid across each ROI. Each separate observer discriminates an 8 by 8 pixel area. A round robin sampling scheme was used to generate the 225 features, where each feature is the output of the individual observers. These features were then rank ordered by the magnitude of the weights of a perceptron. Once rank ordered, subsets of increasing number of features were selected to be used in another perceptron. This perceptron was trained to minimize mean squared error and the output was a continuous variable representing the likelihood of the region being a nodule. Performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and reported as the area under the curve (A Z ). The classifier was optimized by adding additional features until the A Z declined. The optimized subset of observers then were combined using a third perceptron. A subset of 80 features was selected which gave an A Z of 0.972. Additionally, at 98.6% sensitivity, the classifier had a specificity of 71.3% and increased the positive predictive value from 60.7% to 84.1%. Preliminary results suggest that using SRHOs in combination with perceptrons can provide a successful classification scheme for pulmonary nodules. This approach could be incorporated into a larger computer aided detection system for decreasing false positives.
Generalized frequency response of the nonlinear second order system

This paper develops generalized analytical first and second order transfer functions for the nonlinear second order system. A periodic input is also conducted to characterize the overall system response from the fundamental components. The proposed analytical solution provides more understanding of the influence of each linear and nonlinear component on the overall system behavior.
Integrated single crystal laser ablation U/Pb and (U–Th)/He dating of detrital accessory minerals – Proof-of-concept studies of titanites and zircons from the Fish Canyon tuff

Abstract Excimer laser technologies enable a rapid and effective approach to simultaneous U/Pb geochronology and (U–Th)/He thermochronology of a wide range of detrital accessory minerals. Here we describe the ‘laser ablation double dating’ (LADD) method and demonstrate its viability by applying it to zircon and titanite crystals from the well-characterized Fish Canyon tuff. We found that LADD dates for Fish Canyon zircon (206Pb/238U – 28.63 ± 0.11 Ma; (U–Th)/He – 28.38 ± 0.73 Ma) are statistically indistinguishable from those obtained through established, traditional methods of single-crystal dating. The same is true for Fish Canyon titanite LADD dates: 206Pb/238U – 28.08 ± 0.90 Ma; (U–Th)/He – 27.98 ± 0.86 Ma. As anticipated, given that LADD involves the analysis of smaller amounts of material than traditional methods, it yields dates with higher analytical uncertainty. However, this does not substantially reduce the utility of the results for most applications to detrital datasets. An important characteristic of LADD is that it encourages the chemical characterization of crystals by backscattered electron, cathodoluminescence, and/or Raman mapping prior to dating. In addition, by permitting the rapid and robust dating of crystals regardless of the degree of their abrasion during sedimentary transport, the method theoretically should yield dates that are more broadly representative of those of the entire population of detrital crystals in a natural sample.
Application of Data Analytics to Heat Transfer Phenomena for Optimal Design and Operation of Complex Systems

Heat transfer phenomena in complex physical systems like multiphase environments, multidimensional geometries can be difficult to capture in terms of correlations, analytical functions or numerical models using conventional techniques. Such systems are designed based on approximations, thumb-rules or semi-empirical correlations between parameters based on averaged values and are operated likewise using another set of rules derived from bulk thermodynamic performance parameters. With the development of nano-scale sensors and advanced data aggregation techniques, there is a need for analytical techniques that can discover the complex interrelationships between the thermodynamic parameters of the process, geometry constraints and the governing outcomes of the process. Such techniques can leverage the possibility of deployment of thousands of sensors to extract the key relationships that drive the transport phenomena for advanced development of process control tools and methodologies. Heat and mass transfer equipment design and operation can benefit from knowledge discovered through analytics applied on thermo-physical data obtained from real time processes. We present illustrative use cases of application of data analytics and knowledge discovery techniques to a richly instrumented data center where computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units provide cooling for IT equipment arranged in rows of racks. Sensors located at each rack provide temperature measurements which are analyzed in real-time and also archived. Rack temperatures, together with operating parameters of CRAC units such as supply air temperature (SAT), and variable speed drive (VFD) settings, are analyzed together to derive design insights and detect anomalies.© 2009 ASME
Studies on the Regioselective Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution (SNAr) Reaction of 2-Substituted 3,5-Dichloropyrazines

Differences in regioselectivity were observed during the SNAr reaction of amines with unsymmetrical 3,5-dichloropyrazines. This study revealed that when the 2-position of the pyrazine was occupied with an electron-withdrawing group (EWG), nucleophilic attack occurred preferentially at the 5-position. When the 2-position was substituted with an electron-donating group (EDG), nucleophilic attack occurred preferentially at the 3-position. These results are reported along with a computational rationale for the experimental observations based on the Fukui index at the reacting centers.
A Research Note on the Quarantine of Cuba October 1962

Graham Allison's book Essence of Decision has been justly acclaimed by both proponents and critics of the bureaucratic politics approach. One of the most demanding requirements of this approach is the collection and processing of large amounts of data. Based on intuitive and empirical evidence, it appears that Allison's interpretation of the Navy's implementation of the blockade of Cuba during the missile crisis is factually incorrect, and the findings in this research note have several broader implications for analysts employing the bureaucratic politics framework.
Reoperation and revision rates of 3 surgical treatment methods for lumbar stenosis associated with degenerative scoliosis and spondylolisthesis.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort analysis. OBJECTIVE To compare early treatment failures, survivorship, and clinical outcomes of 3 procedures used to treat symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis and degenerative deformity. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Symptomatic lumbar stenosis is commonly seen in association with degenerative deformity, often leading to more complex surgical treatment, with laminectomy and fusion, supplanting laminectomy alone. More recently, the interspinous process spacer (ISP), developed to treat straightforward spinal stenosis, has been used in patients with spinal deformity to limit morbidity, although no studies have compared outcomes in this patient population. METHODS A retrospective cohort analysis of 90 consecutive patients, mean age 70 years, with 5-year mean follow-up (minimum, 2 yr), treated for stenosis with associated deformity with ISP device placement, laminectomy alone, or laminectomy and short-segment fusion. Early failure was defined as return to the operating room for revision of the index level or adjacent segment within 2 years. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed, and clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction was assessed. RESULTS Reoperation within 2 years was noted in 16.7% of patients treated for spinal stenosis and mild deformity. There was a significantly higher rate of same-level recurrence in the ISP group (33.3%), than the laminectomy (8.3%) and lami/fusion groups (0%) (P< 0.0001). Early reoperation due to adjacent segment pathology (ASP) was most common in the lami/fusion group (13.3%). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed lowest survival for the ISP group and highest survival in the laminectomy-alone group at 2 years (P= 0.043) and 5 years (P= 0.007). CONCLUSION Early failure was significantly more common in patients treated with an ISP device for spinal stenosis and lumbar deformity, whereas reoperation due to symptomatic adjacent segment pathology was most common in patients treated with laminectomy and fusion. Laminectomy alone had the highest rate of survival. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Tight Glycemic Control With Insulin Does Not Affect Skeletal Muscle Degradation During the Early Postoperative Period Following Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVE Critical illness is associated with significant catabolism, and persistent protein loss correlates with increased morbidity and mortality. Insulin is a potent anticatabolic hormone; high-dose insulin decreases skeletal muscle protein breakdown in critically ill pediatric surgical patients. However, insulin's effect on protein catabolism when given at clinically utilized doses has not been studied. The objective was to evaluate the effect of postoperative tight glycemic control and clinically dosed insulin on skeletal muscle degradation in children after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. DESIGN Secondary analysis of a two-center, prospective randomized trial comparing tight glycemic control with standard care. Randomization was stratified by study center. PATIENTS Children 0-36 months who were admitted to the ICU after cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. INTERVENTIONS In the tight glycemic control arm, insulin was titrated to maintain blood glucose between 80 and 110 mg/dL. Patients in the control arm received standard care. Skeletal muscle breakdown was quantified by a ratio of urinary 3-methylhistidine to urinary creatinine. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A total of 561 patients were included: 281 in the tight glycemic control arm and 280 receiving standard care. There was no difference in 3-methylhistidine to creatinine between groups (tight glycemic control, 249 ± 127 vs standard care, 253 ± 112, mean ± SD in μmol/g; p = 0.72). In analyses restricted to the patients in tight glycemic control arm, higher 3-methylhistidine to creatinine correlated with younger age, as well as lower weight, weight-for-age z score, length, and body surface area (p < 0.005 for each) and lower postoperative day 3 serum creatinine (r = -0.17; p = 0.02). Sex, prealbumin, and albumin were not associated with 3-methylhistidine to creatinine. During urine collection, 245 patients (87%) received insulin. However, any insulin exposure did not impact 3-methylhistidine to creatinine (t test, p = 0.45), and there was no dose-dependent effect of insulin on 3-methylhistidine to creatinine (r = -0.03; p = 0.60). CONCLUSION Although high-dose insulin has an anabolic effect in experimental conditions, at doses necessary to achieve normoglycemia, insulin appears to have no discernible impact on skeletal muscle degradation in critically ill pediatric cardiac surgical patients.
The Study of the Clinical Features and Pathogenesis of Cerebral Border-zone Infarction

Objective To explore the clinical features and pathogenesis of cerebral border-zone infarction.Methods We reviewed 1023 consecutive patients with ischemic stroke.The patients with cortical border-zone infarction (CBI),inter- nal border-zone infarction (IBI) and combined broder-zone infarction were selected based on the neuroradiological template. The clinical features and pathogenesis were compared among three groups.Results We identified 124 (12.1%) patients. There was no difference in clinical characteristics among three groups (P＞0.05).The incidence of internal border-zone in- farction was significantly higher than cortical border-zone infarction and combined border-zone infarction (9.0%:1.9%: 1.2% P＜0.001).Among 95 patients who received cerebral vascular digital subtraction angiography (DSA),75% (9/12) patients with cortical border-zone infarction had serious vascular stenosis (stenosis＞50%),60.7% (33/84) patients with internal border-zone infarction had serious vascular stenosis.9 patients with combined border-zone infarction had serious vas- cular stenosis.Conclusion The cerebral border-zone infarction is associated with serious vascular stenosis.
Lymphocyst: Ultrasound Diagnosis and Urologic Management

AbstractThree cases of lymphocysts occurred in a series of 97 patients undergoing extensive pelvic urological operations, an incidence rate of 3.1 per cent. This is the first report of this complication after urological lymphadenectomy. Awareness of the entity is important to urologists since lymphatic staging operations for prostate and bladder carcinoma are widely used to help plan definitive therapy. Although this complication is rare after renal transplantation it may cause significant interference with graft function. The etiology, symptoms, findings, diagnosis and treatment of this condition are reviewed. Echography is presented as an ideal technique to diagnose the condition and to guide in its management.
Cost-effectiveness of isoniazid preventive therapy for HIV-infected pregnant women in India.

BACKGROUND: India has a high burden of active tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Pregnancy increases the risks of developing TB in HIV-infected women. Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) reduces progression to TB, but may increase costs and hepatotoxicity. The cost effectiveness of IPT for HIV-infected pregnant women in India is unknown. DESIGN: We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of antepartum IPT among HIV-infected women in India using a decision-analytic model. We compared current practice (no IPT) with: Intervention 1 (IPT regardless of CD4 count) and Intervention 2 (IPT for those with CD4 count 6 200 cells/ll). We modelled IPT irrespective of tuberculin skin test (TST) status and TST-driven strategies. Primary outcomes were anticipated costs, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and TB cases. R ESULT S : Both IPT interventions are highly cost effective compared to no IPT at current willingness-to pay thresholds (respectively US$178.00 and US$201.00 per DALY averted for Interventions 1 and 2). However, providing IPT irrespective of CD4 count results in the greatest health benefits (21 TB cases averted/1000 patients) compared to current practice. IPT irrespective of TST status was also highly cost-effective compared to TST-driven IPT (respectively US$1027.00 and US$1154.00/DALY averted for Interventions 1 and 2). CONCLUSION: Antepartum IPT for HIV-infected women is highly cost-effective for TB prevention compared to current practices in India
The American Dream Critically Examined

The trajectory of postwar sociological studies culminated in the 1960s and 1970s in a series of critiques directed at American culture and the country’s direction. Spawned in the heat of a changing, discordant social landscape, sociological works of this era pointedly challenged the foundations of American life and, directly and indirectly, the aspirational tenets embedded in the American Dream. Henry, in Culture Against Man, revealed in pungent terms the debilitating social impacts of Americans’ disproportionate emphasis on materialism. Slater, continuing themes raised by Mills, Henry, and others, derided the quality of American life, which he characterized as epitomized by tendency to avoid that emasculated Americans and prevented a collective engagement with the realities of American life. Kenneth Keniston, investigating youthful disaffiliation in a decade dominated by youthful revolt, iterated the various forces that made American society, and adulthood within it, an alienating prospect. All in all, the American Dream appeared to have lost much of its luster for many.
Experiences of patients undergoing dialysis who are from ethnic and racial minorities.

SUMMARYBackground Approximately 500,000 people in the United States are affected by end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), 53% of whom are Black or Latino. ESKD significantly impacts psychosocial health and quality of life. However, few studies address the psychosocial aspects of ESKD, especially among black and Latino adults. This study sought to understand the psychosocial context of living with ESKD among black and Latino adults who reside in a medically underserved community. Study Design A qualitative study. Setting and Participants Participants were recruited from a dialysis centre in East New York, Brooklyn, a medically underserved community. Methodology Descriptive phenomenology was used as a qualitative approach for capturing the experiences of patients who received dialysis in this community. Analytical Approach Open-ended interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, coded and analysed using standard qualitative techniques. Results Data saturation was achieved at 36 participants. The following five themes emerged: the transition to dialysis is abrupt and unexpected; denial is often an initial response; dialysis is the new normal and in order to survive one must forget the past and press forward; dialysis changes everything and impacts the entire family; strength was often found in faith and family. Limitations This study was conducted in one setting and may need to be expanded to other sites to capture the experiences of patients cared for in other settings. Conclusion These findings have practical implications for informing patient-centered models of care that are more responsive to the psychosocial needs of patients with ESKD living in medically underserved communities.
Through the Wormhole with Karl Marx: Science Fiction, Utopia, and the Future of Marxism in P.M.'s Weltgeist Superstar

This article argues that literature in general and science fiction in particular is able to construct alternative spaces beyond the hegemony of Western liberalism espoused by Francis Fukuyama's declaration of the end of history. It examines the little-known novel Weltgeist Superstar (1980) by the anonymous cult author P.M. that was published a decade before Fukuyama's prediction. As a novel about time travel and temporal paradoxes, it proclaims the death of Marxism both through a repetitive and teleological temporality dooming Marxism to a Hegelian fate that foresees the final victory of capitalism. In this way, the novel performs a Derridean hauntology of the various specters of Marx–here, the specter of Hegel that continues to haunt and dictate Marxism. Whereas Fukuyama pronounced the end of all ideological and theoretical alternatives and Derrida sought to revive Marxism through the repetitive temporality of its specters, this novel reasserts the primacy of literature as a utopian space beyond theory.
Inflammasome Activation by Paramyxoviruses

Inflammasome plays a pivotal role in innate antiviral immunity. Assembly and formation of inflammasome complex, a caspase-1 activating platform, lead to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin (IL)-1β and induction of cell death known as pyroptosis. In this review, we will discuss current knowledge about inflammasome activation by paramyxoviruses. Paramyxoviruses activate inflammasome by various mechanisms. Paramyxoviruses also encode proteins that block inflammasome activation and thus these viral proteins act as an inflammasome antagonist. Inflammasome activation is required for innate immune response to combat virus infection. Host utilizes various mechanisms to activate inflammasome during virus infection. We will discuss these mechanisms in context to paramyxovirus infection. Interestingly, paramyxoviruses have evolved strategy to evade inflammasome mediated innate response. Paramyxoviruses encode accessory proteins like SH, C, and V proteins, which block inflammasome activation. We will discuss the inflammasome antagonist function of these accessory proteins of paramyxovirus in the review.
Increased Risk of Diabetes Among 6-24-Year-Olds Using Second Generation Antipsychotics.

Abstract Objectives: The goal of this study was to estimate the association between use of second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among commercially insured children and young adults 6–24 years compared to users of non-SGA psychotropic medications. Methods: Using the Truven MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database, new users of SGA and non-SGA psychotropic medications (anxiolytics, antidepressants, hypnotics, and mood stabilizers) between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 who were 6–24 years of age and had continuous coverage ≥180 days before their index date (i.e., date of first fill of SGA or non-SGA psychotic) were identified. SGA users were propensity score (PS) matched to non-SGA psychotropic users at a 1:1 ratio. Individuals were followed until diabetes diagnosis, discontinuation or switch from index medication, end of continuous coverage, or end of the study period. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for incident T2...
Reducing power, area, and delay of threshold logic gates considering non-integer weights

This paper shows that threshold logic functions can be implemented in CMOS-based current mode logic with reduced transistor count when the input weights are not restricted to be integers. A novel implementation of non-integer weights is proposed. Experimental results show that the transistor count reduction results in significant reduction in power dissipation and delay.
How Future Teachers Reasoned with Variable Parts and Strip Diagrams to Develop Equations for Proportional Relationships and Lines.

Findings are presented from an analysis of how six future middle-grade teachers reasoned with strip diagrams and a variable parts perspective on proportional relationships to develop and explain equations in two variables. One equation was for two quantities varying together and one was for a line through the origin in a coordinate plane. Both equations involved a constant of proportionality that was not a whole number. The future teachers’ arguments were mathematically valid and relied on reasoning quantitatively about strip diagrams. The arguments also treated variables as quantities but rarely described the variables as numbers of units. Some arguments combined an interpretation of fractions as multiples (or iterates) of unit fractions with an interpretation of multiplication as a whole number of equal groups. In contrast, most arguments involving a fractional multiplier interpreted multiplication as “of.” All the points of tension that the future teachers encountered while developing their equations concerned referent units for quantities. The points of tension were resolved by focusing on referent units or on equality. Based on the data, extensions to current theories on reasoning quantitatively and with variables are proposed.
Depletion-induced extreme plasticity across multiple horizontal wellbores in reservoirs with soft formations

Abstract Following depletion of oil and gas reservoirs with soft rocks, serious wellbore damage and a large amount of sand production result from the development of extremely large plastic deformation around wellbores. Evaluation on the development of plastic strain is crucial to wellbore instability analysis and sand production forecasting. Cap plasticity models have been developed to capture both shear and compaction failures for geomaterials. However, it has been a great challenge in accurately identifying extremely large plastic deformation around wellbores in reservoirs with soft formations using cap plasticity model coupled with fluid flow. To tackle this challenge, we have developed a fully implicit and fully coupled geomechanics and fluid flow finite element code where the Pelessone smooth cap plasticity model is consistently formulated for finite plastic deformation. In this work, with this robust and accurate computer code, we successfully investigate a detailed evolution of plastic strain up to its extreme condition around and across multiple horizontal wellbores following reservoir pore pressure drawdown.
How much do we spend? Creating historical estimates of public health expenditures in the United States at the federal, state, and local levels.

The United States has a complex governmental public health system. Agencies at the federal, state, and local levels all contribute to the protection and promotion of the population’s health. Whether the modern public health system is well situated to deliver essential public health services, however, is an open question. In some part, its readiness relates to how agencies are funded and to what ends. A mix of Federalism, home rule, and happenstance has contributed to a siloed funding system in the United States, whereby health agencies are given particular dollars for particular tasks. Little discretionary funding remains. Furthermore, tracking how much is spent, by whom, and on what is notoriously challenging. This review both outlines the challenges associated with estimating public health spending and explains the known sources of funding that are used to estimate and demonstrate the value of public health spending. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health Volume 39...
Room Temperature Ferromagnetism in Gadolinium-doped Gallium Nitride

Anomalous Hall effect was observed at room temperature in MOCVD-grown GaGdN from a (TMHD)3Gd source, which can contain oxygen in its organic ligand. GaN, and GaGdN grown using a Cp3Gd precursor which does not contain oxygen only showed the ordinary Hall effect. This indicates that oxygen could have a role in magnetic properties of GaGdN. The relationship between the anomalous Hall conductivity and longitudinal conductivity indicated that metallic conduction, hopping of carriers, and scattering-independent mechanisms are likely responsible for the ferromagnetism. However, this still requires further clarification.
Cell-free DNA for the detection of fetal aneuploidy

Screening for fetal aneuploidy via cell-free DNA was described more than two decades ago and has been used clinically by obstetric providers in the United States for more than 5 years. Cell-free DNA affords excellent detection of fetal Down syndrome and other common aneuploidies and thus is sought by patients and providers. However, owing to the source of the DNA and the nature of the screening test, scenarios may arise that require expert counseling about complex issues regarding fetal and maternal health, test interpretation, and management. It is essential that infertility specialists understand the specific issues related to the strengths and limitations of this screening test, especially in light of expanded genetic testing of embryos.
The role of supervised learning in the decision process to fair trade US municipal debt

Determining a fair price and an appropriate timescale to trade municipal debt is a complex decision. This research uses data informatics to explore transaction characteristics and trading activity of investment grade US municipal bonds. Using the relatively recent data stream distributed by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, we provide an institutional summary of market participants and their trading behavior. Subsequently, we focus on a sample of AAA bonds to derive a new methodology to estimate a trade-weighted benchmark municipal yield curve. The methodology integrates the study of ridge regression, artificial neural networks, and support vector regression. We find an enhanced radial basis function artificial neural network outperforms alternate methods used to estimate municipal term structure. This result forms the foundation for establishing a decision theory on optimal municipal bond trading. Using multivariate modeling of a liquidity domain measured across three dependent variables, we investigate the proposed decision theory by estimating weekly production-theoretic bond liquidity returns to scale. Across the three liquidity measures and for almost all weeks investigated, bond trading liquidity is elastic with respect to the modeled factors. This finding leads us to conclude that an optimal trading policy for municipal debt can be implemented on a weekly timescale using the elasticity estimates of bond price, trade size, risk, days-to-maturity, and the macroeconomic influences of labor in the workforce and building activity.
Killing federalism from above: constitutional culture, the Italian founding, and the seeds of contemporary instability

With chronic governmental instability, a dangerously high debt-to-GDP ratio, Northern secessionism, and Southern under-development, Italy continues to stagger along. This paper uses the lens of constitutional culture to examine the Italian founding in 1861. Despite arguments for imposed centralization from above, Italy would have fared better under a federal system that respected the peninsula's rich tradition of local autonomy. Although counter-factuals are impossible to prove, a federal system would likely have led to greater stability and growth. Enviado el (Submission Date): 3/05/2015 Aceptado el (Acceptance date): 28/05/2015
SOLVABILITY OF NONLINEAR ELLIPTIC BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS USING A PRIORI ESTIMATES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the solvability of nonlinear elliptic boundary value problems using a priori estimates. The chapter presents the approach developed by Cesari of combining nonlinear functional analysis and alternative methods to reduce a boundary value problem to a simpler one-dimensional equation that can then be studied by considering the local structure of g. The approach depends upon a priori estimates for the solution. The chapter presents three existence theorems that illustrate the type of results that can be obtained by considering the local structure of the nonlinearity g(Dαu).
Observing carbon cycle-climate feedbacks from space

The impact of human emissions of carbon dioxide and methane on climate is an accepted central concern for current society. It is increasingly evident that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane are not simply a function of emissions but that there are myriad feedbacks forced by changes in climate that affect atmospheric concentrations. If these feedbacks change with changing climate, which is likely, then the effect of the human enterprise on climate will change. Quantifying, understanding, and articulating the feedbacks within the carbon–climate system at the process level are crucial if we are to employ Earth system models to inform effective mitigation regimes that would lead to a stable climate. Recent advances using space-based, more highly resolved measurements of carbon exchange and its component processes—photosynthesis, respiration, and biomass burning—suggest that remote sensing can add key spatial and process resolution to the existing in situ systems needed to provide enhanced understanding and advancements in Earth system models. Information about emissions and feedbacks from a long-term carbon–climate observing system is essential to better stewardship of the planet.
Changes in the localization of taurine-like immunoreactivity during development and regeneration in the rat brain.

Taurine is essential to the normal development of the mammalian brain (31). A deficiency of taurine is associated with arrested cell migration in the developing cerebellum in kittens (32, 33) and weaver mice (24, 34) and with morphological abnormalities in the visual cortex of cats during development (35). The role of taurine in development of many other brain structures, however, remains to be elucidated. Taurine concentrations in the brain are four- to six-fold higher in the neonate than in the adult and decline to adult concentrations by 40–50 days post-natal (1, 19, 20, 21, 30, 31). It is unclear, in many brain regions, whether this decline is due to a decrease in concentration within the same cells that contain taurine during adulthood or whether there is a change in localization during development. A localization of taurine in the neonate that differed from the localization in the adult brain would suggest that taurine plays different roles during development than during adulthood.
Age-Specific Risk Factors for Advanced Stage Colorectal Cancer, 1981-2013.

Introduction Epidemiologic studies have identified an increase in colorectal cancer (CRC) among younger adults. By using a statewide population-based cancer registry, this study examines sociodemographic and clinical disparities in CRC and characterizes advanced stage CRC risk factors with specific attention to age-specific risk factors. Methods Data from the Florida Cancer Data System from 1981 through 2013 were analyzed for adult CRC patients. Patients were divided into 2 age groups: younger than 50 years and 50 years or older. Stage of presentation was categorized as early (localized) or advanced (regional or distant). Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were fitted to identify risk factors for advanced stage CRC presentation. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Results From 1981 through 2013, there were 182,095 Florida adults diagnosed with CRC. Those aged younger than 50 years were significantly more likely to have advanced stage CRC compared with those aged 50 or older. Among those younger than 50 years, current and former tobacco smokers and those of black or other race were significantly more likely to have advanced stage CRC. Among those aged 50 or older, Hispanics had significantly higher risk of advanced stage presentation compared with non-Hispanics, although this association was not significant in those younger than 50 years. Conclusion We identified significant age-specific risk factors for advanced stage CRC presentation. With CRC incidence on the rise among younger adults, it is important to identify and to target screening and interventions for groups at high risk for advanced stage CRC presentation.
Common Laboratory Results Frequently Misunderstood by a Sample of Mechanical Turk Users.

Objectives More patients are receiving their test results via patient portals. Given test results are written using medical jargon, there has been concern that patients may misinterpret these results. Using sample colonoscopy and Pap smear results, our objective was to assess how frequently people can identify the correct diagnosis and when a patient should follow up with a provider. Methods We used Mechanical Turk—a crowdsourcing tool run by Amazon that enables easy and fast gathering of users to perform tasks like answering questions or identifying objects—to survey individuals who were shown six sample test results (three colonoscopy, three Pap smear) ranging in complexity. For each case, respondents answered multiple choice questions on the correct diagnosis and recommended return time. Results Among the three colonoscopy cases (n = 642) and three Pap smear cases (n = 642), 63% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60–67%) and 53% (95% CI: 49–57%) of the respondents chose the correct diagnosis, respectively. For the most complex colonoscopy and Pap smear cases, only 29% (95% CI: 23–35%) and 9% (95% CI: 5–13%) chose the correct diagnosis. Conclusion People frequently misinterpret colonoscopy and Pap smear test results. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on assisting patients in interpretation.
The effects of seasonal temperature and photoperiod manipulation on reproduction in the eastern elliptio Elliptio complanata

The eastern elliptio Elliptio complanata is a species of freshwater mussel common to streams and rivers of the Atlantic Coast. Egg fertilization, larval brooding, and glochidial release are reported to occur within a period of several weeks during early to midsummer. In this study, mussels were exposed to manipulated photoperiod and water temperatures to prolong the availability of glochidia for use in artificial propagation and research. Brooding mussels were collected from Pine Creek, Tioga County, PA, in late December and were housed in groups subjected to one of four environmental treatments: natural temperature and photoperiod, 6-wk delay in natural conditions, 12-wk delay in natural conditions, and natural temperature and photoperiod with a winter low of 10°C. Reproductive activity was monitored for 1 y. Mussels subjected to natural conditions released mature glochidia between 16°C and 19°C with a photoperiod of 15 h of light. Temperature and photoperiod delays of 6 and 12 wk delayed reproduction proportional to the treatment, and constant 10°C winter low temperatures slightly shifted the timing of glochidial release. Survival during the study was high (96%–100%). Data indicate that the seasonal availability of E. complanata glochidia can be extended 3-fold using photoperiod and temperature manipulation.
Prison Culture, Management, and In-Prison Violence

Academic attention to violence and other forms of in-prison misconduct is on the rise, although most research continues to be framed within now stale perspectives. A broader framework is needed tha...