cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Tetrastichus giffardianus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) on nontarget flowerhead-feeding tephritids (Diptera: Tephritidae)

We conducted laboratory tests and field surveys to evaluate the impact of a deliberately introduced fruit fly parasitoid, Tetrastichus giffardianus Silvestri, on 2 nontarget flowerhead-feeding tephritid flies, Trupanea dubautiae (Bryan) and Ensina sonchi (L.). The former is an endemic Hawaiian tephritid, infesting flowerheads of the composite shrub Dubautia raillardioides Hillebrand; the latter is an inadvertently introduced tephritid infesting flowerheads of the weed Sonchus oleraceus L. In the laboratory, gravid T. giffardianus were able to parasitize late instars of both T. dubautiae and E. sonchi when the fly larvae were dissected out of their respective host flowerheads (i.e., natural microhabitats) and presented in petri dishes. The parasitoid offspring developed successfully into adult males and females. However, no T. dubautiae and few (<1.5%) E. sonchi were attacked by T. giffardianus when presented in their respective host flowerheads. Two vagrant exotic parasitoids, Habrocytus elevatus (Walker) and Euderus metallicus (Ashmead), were reared from field-collected D. raillardioides flowerheads infested with T. dubautiae. H. elevatus also was reared from S. oleraceus flowerheads infested with E. sonchi . However, not a single T. giffardianus was recovered in extensive field surveys of both T. dubautiae and E. sonchi on Kauai Island. Thus, although late instars of both T. dubautiae and E. sonchi are suitable for the physiological development of T. giffardianus progeny, the parasitoid is unlikely to affect either species under natural conditions because the host microhabitats are not suitable for gravid parasitoids to find and oviposit in the resident fly larvae.
Systematic Conspectus of Australasian Myrtinae (Myrtaceae)

A systematic overview is presented of the fleshy-fruited genera of Australasian Myrtaceae traditionally assigned to subtribe Myrtinae (= Pimentinae). Three flushes of research activity during the Twentieth Century regarding these genera are summarized; namely those of Burret, Scott, and Guymer and Snow. Two and probably three new genera are soon to be described, as well as approximately thirty new species from various genera. Emerging data support the observation by Landrum & Stevenson (1986) that Xanthomyrtus is aberrant in this group of genera and possibly related to Tristania. The monophyly of traditionally recognized subfamilies Leptospermoideae and Myrtoideae, and even some of the tribes and subtribes, is increasingly challenged by molecular data, although the molecular data also support some traditionally recognized groups or alliances of genera, such as those clustering around Eucalytpus, Melaleuca, Leptospermum, and Myrtus. Priorities for future research are suggested, the most prominent being the need for a reassessment of generic relationships between Rhodomyrtus, Archirhodomyrtus, and an undescribed genus from New Caledonia.
The Influence of Breakwaters on Nearshore Sedimentation Patterns in Chesapeake Bay, USA

ABSTRACT Palinkas, C.M.; Barth, N.; Koch, E.W., and Shafer, D.J., 2016. The influence of breakwaters on nearshore sedimentation patterns in Chesapeake Bay, USA. This study describes nearshore Chesapeake Bay sedimentation at sites adjacent to and landward of 24 segmented breakwaters, varying in age (1–19 years) and physical setting. Grain-size and organic-content profiles are examined at the breakwater-protected sites to assess potential changes induced by breakwater installation as well as at the adjacent-exposed sites to establish historical trends. Sedimentation rates at all sites are calculated with 210Pb (half-life 22.3 years). At the breakwater-protected sites, these rates largely reflect preconstruction sedimentation because of the long half-life of 210Pb relative to breakwater ages. Determining the postconstruction sedimentation rate can be more difficult because the signature of breakwater influence in the sedimentological record can be obscured. For example, if the source of sediment is not affec...
Enhancing the Spatial Skills of Non-Geoscience Majors Using the Global Positioning System

Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are a type of scientific equipment that is accessible to the general public and potentially capable of motivating students to learn. Inexpensive receivers provide students with experience aimed at developing spatial awareness and practicing mathematical skills as they acquire data and analyze it through calculation and mapping. Here I report on an experimental use of GPS in a small honors class, with the goal of eventually applying it more broadly in introductory courses. GPS was incorporated into an existing physical-geology course in the form of six laboratory and homework exercises (for example, marking positions with latitude and longitude, closing a triangle, drawing maps) with positive results. Students enjoyed using the technology, appreciated working outside the classroom, and learned the basics of GPS, while developing directional and spatial awareness and quantitative skills in trigonometry, graphing, and use of computer spreadsheets. Successful introduc...
Individual Liberty vs. Social Control: Are Consensual Sex Laws Constitutional?

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the possibility that consensual sex law reform will be forced, in some cases, by Supreme Court rulings on the constitutionality of the laws. The most common attacks on laws prohibiting such acts as sodomy, fellatio, and cunnilingus have been based on the explicit constitutional guarantees of due process, equal protection, and freedom of religion, and the implied guarantee of a right to privacy. It is this last approach—based on the right of privacy—that will apparently be the most successful in having statutes voided. The due process approach would most likely result only in revision of the statute and not repeal, and the success of the freedom of religion approach rests on showing that the law serves no secular purpose.
Contourlet image preprocessing for enhanced control point selection in airborne image registration

In applications such as airborne imagery, target tracking, remote sensing, and medical imaging; it is helpful to have an image set where all of the images lie on one fixed coordinate system. However, frequently a set of images cannot be captured from a fixed perspective using the same sensor or different sensors at the same time. Image registration presents a solution by mapping points from one image to corresponding points in another image; however existing registration methods are computationally expensive and not completely accurate. Hence, continual investigation of image registration methods is needed such as those using feature-based or intensity-based approaches, transformation models, spatial and frequency domain methods, and single or multi-modality data. In this paper, we investigate these processes by focusing on the identification of control points, which play a vital role in the process of registering images. By using the multi-resolution contourlet transform for image preprocessing, control points are better identified, which provides us a more reliable image registration for applications such as image fusion.
Wielki projekt życia

On January 1982, judge William K. Overton, during a famous law case in Arkansas, handed down a decision that creationism is not a scientific theory. One of the arguments for creationism was an argument from design. Later it became a fundamental argument for intelligent design theory which presently, in author’s opinion, is the most important alternative to theory of evolution. Author is critical about intelligent design theory. In his opinion, it is a theory which requires us to pretend we know less than we really do about living organisms, design, engineering, and information theory. It demands us to set aside simple and logical evolutionary explanations of design flaws in living organisms and to accept a vague theory that seemingly explains everything by stating: „that is the way the designer made it”. Thus, it is only an argument from ignorance, whereas modern biology offers new evidence that organisms emerged gradually in the process of evolution.
INTERLEUKINS | IL-23 and IL-27

Interleukin-23 (IL-23) and IL-27 are recently identified heterodimer cytokines with components related to the IL-6 family of cytokines. Structurally, both are closely related to IL-12; however, they are functionally distinct. In response to Gram-negative infection in the airway, the most prominent result of IL-23 activation is the induction of IL-17 as part of a proinflammatory axis critical for host defense. Lipopolysaccharide ligation of TLR4 induces IL-23 production by antigen-presenting cells, most prominently myeloid dendritic cells and macrophages. IL-23 stimulates memory CD4+ T cells to produce IL-17 resulting in neutrophilic infiltration. IL-23 has also been implicated in autoimmune responses, specifically in arthritis and experimental autoimmune encephalitis. The antitumorigenic and antimetastatic properties of IL-23 have also been characterized and, in contrast to those of IL-12, rely on CD8+ T cells to mediate the effects; IL-23 activation also induces a memory response to tumors. While IL-27 also primarily induces a T-helper-1 response to infection and is produced by antigen-presenting cells in response to infectious triggers, it acts primarily on naive CD4+ T cells, augmenting the actions of IL-12 by inducing high levels of IFN-γ. IL-27 also exhibits antitumorigenic properties that are similar in magnitude to those of IL-23 and IL-12. In contrast to IL-23, IL-27 suppresses IL-17 and thus may downregulate autoimmunity.
Grief and Post-Traumatic Stress Following Bereavement

Grief and post-traumatic stress are intimately intertwined and have been from the field’s earliest efforts to study and treat the psychological impact of bereavement and trauma. Clinicians regularly work with individuals who have experienced events that do not fall cleanly into the category of trauma vs. bereavement and who are experiencing distress that does not fall cleanly into the categories of complicated grief vs. post-traumatic stress disorder. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the overlapping histories of complicated grief and post-traumatic stress disorder and consider how best to assess, conceptualize, and treat these disorders in the clinic. Our aim is to inform clinical decision-making and identify areas in need of further clinical research.
Population structure and migration of the Tobacco Blue Mold Pathogen, Peronospora tabacina, into North America and Europe.

Tobacco blue mold, caused by Peronospora tabacina, is an oomycete plant pathogen that causes yearly epidemics in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in the United States and Europe. The genetic structure of P. tabacina was examined to understand genetic diversity, population structure and patterns of migration. Two nuclear loci, Igs2 and Ypt1, and one mitochondrial locus, cox2, were amplified, cloned and sequenced from fifty-four isolates of P. tabacina from the United States, Central America-Caribbean-Mexico (CCAM), Europe and the Middle East (EULE). Cloned sequences from the three genes showed high genetic variability across all populations. Nucleotide diversity and the population mean mutation parameter per site (Watterson's theta) were higher in EULE and CCAM and lower in U.S. Populations Neutrality tests were significant and the equilibrium model of neutral evolution was rejected, indicating an excess of recent mutations or rare alleles. Hudson's Snn tests were performed to examine population subdivision and gene flow among populations. An isolation-with-migration analysis (IM) supported the hypothesis of long-distance migration of P. tabacina from the Caribbean region, Florida and Texas into other states in the United States. Within the European populations, the model documented migration from North Central Europe into western Europe and Lebanon, and migration from western Europe into Lebanon. The migration patterns observed support historical observations about the first disease introductions and movement in Europe. The models developed are applicable to other aerial dispersed emerging pathogens and document that high-evolutionary-risk plant pathogens can move over long distances to cause disease due to their large effective population size, population expansion and dispersal.
Perspective on the Use of Structure-Activity Expert Systems in Toxicology

MULTICASE and META, two computer-based expert systems, are described and applications illustrated.
Effects of megakaryocyte growth and development factor on platelet production, platelet life span, and platelet function in healthy human volunteers

The effects of thrombopoietic stimulation on megakaryocytopoiesis, platelet production, and platelet viability and function were examined in normal volunteers randomized to receive single bolus subcutaneous injections of 3 microg/kg pegylated recombinant megakaryocyte growth and development factor (PEG-rHuMGDF) or placebo in a 3:1 ratio. PEG-rHuMGDF transiently doubled circulating platelet counts, from 237 +/- 41 x 10(3)/microL to 522 +/- 90 x 10(3)/microL (P .4 in all cases); expression of platelet ligand-induced binding sites or annexin V binding sites (P >.6 in both cases); or density of platelet TPO-receptors (P >.5). Platelet counts normalized by day 28. The life span of autologous (111)In-labeled platelets increased from 205 +/- 18 hours (baseline) to 226 +/- 22 hours (P <.01) on day 8. Platelet life span decreased from 226 +/- 22 hours (day 8) to 178 +/- 53 hours (P <.05) on day 18. The theoretical basis for senescent changes in mean platelet life span was illustrated by biomathematical modeling. Platelet turnover increased from 43.9 +/- 11.9 x 10(3) platelets/microL/d (baseline) to 101 +/- 27.6 x 10(3) platelets/microL/d (P =.0009), and marrow megakaryocyte mass expanded from 37.4 +/- 18.5 fL/kg to 62 +/- 17 x 10(10) fL/kg (P =. 015). Although PEG-rHuMGDF initially increased megakaryocyte volume and ploidy, subsequently ploidy showed a transient reciprocal decrease when the platelet counts exceeded placebo values. In healthy human volunteers PEG-rHuMGDF transiently increases megakaryocytopoiesis 2-fold. Additionally, peripheral platelets expand correspondingly and exhibit normal function and viability during the ensuing 10 days. The induced perturbation in steady state thrombopoiesis resolves by 4 weeks. (Blood. 2000;95:2514-2522)
Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses to Bacterial and Parasite Infections

A vast spectrum of illness can result from infection owing to M. tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium, and Mycobacterium leprae, but the representative organism of this genus is M. tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis infection is estimated to infect 1.6 billion people worldwide or approximately one-third of the world’s population, killing about 3 million people each year (1,2). More than 90% of tuberculosis (TB)-related deaths occur in developing countries, and the disease has huge social and economic costs. Nations with a high prevalence of HIV have witnessed the greatest increase in the number of TB cases (3). Diffusion of the infection depends on inhalation of aerosols from individuals with pulmonary infection. The development of the disease occurs in less than 10% of infected persons and is significantly increased by impaired cell-mediated immunity. Liver involvement varies with the stage of pulmonary or systemic infection, being common in the case of miliary disease. However, it had been demonstrated that up to two-third of patients with primary pulmonary TB have some kind of liver involvement (4).
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Actions

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the hypothalamic factor that mediates reproductive competence as the first component of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. GnRH secretion from the hypothalamus regulates the production and release of the pituitary gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which then stimulate sex steroid hormone synthesis and gametogenesis in the gonads.
Prediction of healthcare utilization following an episode of physical therapy for musculoskeletal pain

In the United States, value-based purchasing has created the need for healthcare systems to prospectively identify patients at risk for high healthcare utilization beyond a physical therapy episode for musculoskeletal pain. The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of pain-related healthcare utilization subsequent to an index episode of physical therapy for musculoskeletal pain. This study assessed data from the Optimal Screening for Prediction of Referral and Outcome (OSPRO) longitudinal cohort study that recruited individuals with a primary complaint of neck, low back, knee or shoulder pain in physical therapy (n = 440). Demographics, health-related information, review of systems, comorbidity and pain-related psychological distress measures were collected at baseline evaluation. Baseline to 4-week changes in pain intensity, disability, and pain-related psychological distress were measured as treatment response variables. At 6-months and 1-year after baseline evaluation, individuals reported use of opioids, injection, surgery, diagnostic tests or imaging, and emergency room visits for their pain condition over the follow-up period. Separate prediction models were developed for any subsequent care and service-specific utilization. Subsequent pain-related healthcare utilization was reported by 43% (n = 106) of the study sample that completed the 12-month follow-up (n = 246). Baseline disability and 4-week change in pain intensity were important global predictors of subsequent healthcare utilization. Age, insurance status, comorbidity burden, baseline pain, and 4-week changes in pain intensity, disability and pain-related psychological distress predicted specific service utilization. In those completing follow up measures, risk of additional pain-related healthcare utilization after physical therapy was best predicted by baseline characteristics and 4-week treatment response variables for pain intensity, disability and pain-related psychological distress. These findings suggest treatment monitoring of specific response variables could enhance identification of those at risk for future healthcare utilization in addition to baseline assessment. Further study is required to determine how specific characteristics of the clinical encounter influence future utilization.
Effectiveness of shallow water habitat remediation for improving fish habitat in a large temperate river.

Abstract Loss of shallow water riparian zones in the St. Clair River has reduced availability of nursery areas and refuge for fishes. To remediate habitat losses and provide fish nursery areas, five remediation projects were carried out along the river’s United States bank from 2012 to 2014, replacing seawalls with sloping banks and adding in-stream structure (e.g., root wads and boulders). Project evaluation is necessary to determine success, however there is no standard sampling protocol for shallow habitat in large rivers, especially when both adults and juvenile fishes should be targeted. Therefore, to assess remediation effectiveness and suggest appropriate sampling techniques for large river shorelines, we employed a multi-gear sampling strategy targeting multiple fish species and life history stages at five shoreline remediation and four control sites. We collected juvenile fishes with minnow traps and backpack electrofishing and adult fishes with gillnets. Poisson models were used to evaluate catch per unit effort (CPUE) differences between remediation and control sites for species of management priority (e.g., game fishes and rare species) and taxonomic groups. Model estimates were then used to calculate proportional abundances and compare species composition between site types. Results indicated that electrofishing CPUEs of Darters, mottled sculpin Cottus bairdi, rare threatened and endangered species, and juvenile and adult Centrarchidae were higher at remediation sites than at control sites. Additionally, juvenile Centrarchidae and mottled sculpin had a higher proportional abundance in electrofishing collections at remediation sites than at control sites. In contrast, CPUEs and proportional abundances were similar for all taxonomic and management priority groups of fish collected in minnow traps and gillnets. Electrofishing captured more species and more individuals and is therefore a valuable sampling technique for large river shorelines. Nevertheless, addition of minnow traps and gillnets allowed for a more comprehensive assessment of fish assemblages. Overall, this multi-faceted survey approach demonstrates that shoreline remediation projects were beneficial to recreational and ecologically important species in the St. Clair River.
Patterns and trends in the intake distribution of manufactured and homemade sugar-sweetened beverages in pre-tax Mexico, 1999-2012.

OBJECTIVE To describe trends across the intake distribution of total, manufactured and homemade sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) from 1999 to 2012, focusing on high SSB consumers and on changes by socio-economic status (SES) subgroup. DESIGN We analysed data from one 24 h dietary recall from two nationally representative surveys. Quantile regression models at the 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of energy intake distribution of SSB were used. SETTING 1999 Mexican National Nutrition Survey and 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey.ParticipantsSchool-aged children (5-11 years) and women (20-49 years) for trend analyses (n 7718). Population aged >1 year for 2012 (n 10 096). RESULTS Over the 1999-2012 period, there were significant increases in the proportion of total and manufactured SSB consumers (5·7 and 10·7 percentage points), along with an increase in per-consumer SSB energy intake, resulting in significant increases in per-capita total SSB energy intake (142, 247 and 397 kJ/d (34, 59 and 95 kcal/d) in school-aged children and 155, 331 and 456 kJ/d (37, 79 and 109 kcal/d) in women at the 50th, 75th and 90th percentile, respectively). Total and manufactured SSB intakes increased sharply among low-SES children but remained similar among high-SES children during this time span. CONCLUSIONS Large increases in SSB consumption were seen between 1999 and 2012 during this pre-tax SSB period, particularly for the highest consumers. Trends observed in school-aged children are a clear example of the nutrition transition experienced in Mexico. Policies to discourage high intake of manufactured SSB should continue, joined with strategies to encourage water and low-calorie beverage consumption.
Elucidating the Reactivity of O2 (a 1Δg): A Study with Amino Acid Anions and Related Sulfur and Oxygen Anionic Species

Rate constants and product ions were determined for a series of anions reacting with singlet molecular oxygen O2 (a 1Δg) at thermal energy using an electrospray ionization-selected ion flow tube. The 20 naturally occurring amino acids were used to produce corresponding deprotonated anions; only [Cys-H]− and [Pro-H]− were found to be reactive with O2 (a 1Δg), generating OSCH2CH(NH2)CO2– + HO and C5H6NO2– + H2O2, respectively. The reaction of O2 (a 1Δg) with [Cys-H]− has a rate constant more than ten times larger than the reaction of O2 (a 1Δg) with [Pro-H]−. Furthermore, reactions of O2 (a 1Δg) with carboxylic acid and thiol anions were carried out to elucidate the reactivity of the sulfur-containing functional groups. Potential energy surfaces and overall reaction exothermicities were calculated for representative reactions using density functional theory. Reactions in which attack occurs at the sulfur produce HCSO– as an ionic product. Reactions of several carboxylic acid anions likely proceed through a ...
Communication at Transitions of Care

Communication errors during transitions of care are a leading source of adverse events for hospitalized patients. This article provides an overview of the role of communication errors in adverse events, describes the complexities of communication for hospitalized patients, and provides evidence regarding the positive effects of applying high-reliability principles to transitions of care and culture of safety. Elements of effective handoffs and a detailed approach for successful implementation of a handoff program are provided. The role of handoff communication in medical education at all levels, as well as for the interprofessional team, is discussed.
On the Existence of the Optimal Step-Stress Accelerated Life Tests Under Progressive Type-I Censoring

In reliability engineering, the accelerated life test is not only getting increasingly popular but also necessary as it quickly yields information on the lifetime distribution of a highly reliable product in a short period of time by conducting the life test at more extreme stress levels than normal operating conditions. Through extrapolation, the lifetime distribution at the usage stress is then estimated with an appropriate regression model. In this paper, we revisit the problem of the design optimization for a general $k$ -level step-stress accelerated life test under progressive Type-I censoring with an equispaced step duration $\Delta$ for the design simplicity. Allowing the intermediate censoring to take place at each stress change time point ( $viz.$ , $i\Delta$ , $i= 1,2,\ldots,k$ ), the existence of the optimal stress duration is demonstrated under various design criteria including $A$ - and $E$ -optimality in addition to $D$ -, $T$ -, and $C$ -optimalities. The existence of these optimal designs is investigated in detail for exponential lifetimes with a single stress variable, and the effect of the intermediate censoring proportion on the design efficiency is numerically studied.
A Real-Time Fuzzy Learning Algorithm for Markov Chain and Its Application on Prediction of Vehicle Speed*

This paper presents a real-time-capable recursive fuzzy learning algorithm (FLA) for learning transition probabilities in Markov Chain (MC) from observed information and its performance on speed prediction. In detail, real-time state transition is observed at each step as the latest information to update the MC. Accordingly FLA locates a parallelogram area in the MC state transition table in a fuzzy way. Cells in this area are updated with different weights such that transition probabilities of the transitions more similar to the observed one receive a bigger increase while those of less similar transitions get a smaller increase. Numeric examples are given to illustrate FLA’s learning pattern, its good prediction capability of vehicle speed and its low computation cost, comparing to normal MC, constant velocity model, constant acceleration model, autoregressive model with exogenous input and back-propagation neural networks.
Investigating the effects of monthly weather variations on Connecticut freeway crashes from 2011 to 2015.

Abstract Introduction The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of monthly weather conditions on traffic crash experience on freeways, considering the interactions between weather, traffic volumes, and roadway conditions. Methods: Data from the state of Connecticut from 2011to 2015 were used. Random parameters negative binomial models with first-order, autoregressive covariance were estimated for representative types of freeway crashes (front-to-rear, sideswipe-same-direction, and fixed-object), most severe crashes (i.e., fatal and injury crashes), and non-injury crashes (i.e., property-damage-only crashes). Results: Major findings are that variations in monthly traffic volumes, roadway geometry, and weather conditions explain much of the variations in monthly traffic crashes. Time effects exist in the panel monthly data for all types of crashes. Taking into account this effect improves model prediction results. When the raw weather measures are highly correlated, using dimension reduction techniques helps to extract more interpretable weather factors. By considering the interaction effects between roadway condition variables, additional findings were found. In general, lower temperature, more heavy fog days, decreased precipitation, lower wind speed, higher monthly traffic volumes, and narrower inside shoulder were found to be associated with higher monthly crashes. The effects of area type and outside shoulder width change dramatically as the number of through lanes changes. Practical applications: The findings of this research could help researchers and general readers gain a better understanding of the effects of monthly weather conditions and other roadway factors on freeway crashes and give engineers practical guidelines on improving freeway safety.
Propagation of a Hawthorn Lace Bug-Resistant Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster buxifolius) by Stem Cuttings

Abstract Semi-hardwood cuttings of Cotoneaster buxifolius Wallich ex Lindl. were treated with indolebutyric acid (IBA) at rates of 0, 2000, 4000, 6000, or 8000 ppm. and rooted in flats containing e...
Coinfection, Altered Vector Infectivity, and Antibody-Dependent Enhancement: The Dengue–Zika Interplay

Although dengue and Zika cocirculation has increased within the past 5 years, very little is known about its epidemiological consequences. To investigate the effect of dengue and Zika cocirculation on the spread of both pathogens, we create a deterministic dengue and Zika coinfection model, the first to incorporate altered infectivity of mosquitoes (due to coinfection). The model also addresses increased infectivity due to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) within the human population. Central to our analysis is the derivation and interpretation of the basic reproductive number and invasion reproductive number of both pathogens. In addition, we investigate how model parameters impact the persistence of each disease. Our results identify threshold conditions under which one disease facilitates the spread of the other and show that ADE has a greater impact on disease persistence than altered vector infectivity. This work highlights the importance of ADE and illustrates that while the endemic presence of dengue facilitates the spread of Zika, it is possible for high Zika prevalence to prevent the establishment of dengue.
Multidimensional Corporate Governance: Board Independence, Board Expertise, and Equity Incentives

Corporate governance is a multidimensional construct, with many interactive mechanisms that must be simultaneously managed for efficiency. We develop a model where three ubiquitous governance mechanisms—board independence, board expertise, CEO equity incentives—are endogenously selected to optimize the board’s ability to monitor and advise the CEO. We show that, in equilibrium: i) board expertise and equity incentives are substitutes (complements) when the board has high (low) independence; ii) boards with greater independence also have higher expertise; and iii) equity incentives may be positively or negatively related to board independence, depending on the nature of board advice.
Management of Heart Failure in Older Adults with Dementia

Cognitive impairment is highly prevalent in patients with heart failure (HF) and adds significant complexity to the management. Caregivers should be involved in the treatment plan and education to improve the outcomes. Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) should be utilized in all patients with HF due to reduced ejection fraction to the degree that it is feasible. Since prognostic tools for HF do not include cognitive impairment or frailty, the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of HF patients with multiple comorbidities and dementia must be individualized. The patient’s HF symptoms, and the degree of cognitive impairment, as well as frailty and functional status should be evaluated frequently and related to prognosis and planning in accordance with the patient and caregiver’s priorities of care.
Explicit and implicit memory representations in cross-situational word learning

What kind of memory representations do word learners use when they learn the meaning of words cross-situationally? This study leverages the measure of the relationship between confidence and performance to explore the nature of memory representations in word learning. In the recognition memory literature, studies have shown that explicit memory can be used when subjects can semantically encode the study material. However, when the study material is chosen to be unverbalizable, implicit memory is used but is presumed to be only detectable under certain experimental conditions. In the current paper, five cross-situational word learning experiments manipulated the type of word referents with varying experimental paradigms that were designed to probe different types of memory under an implicit learning paradigm. When word referents were line drawings of familiar concepts, memory in cross situational learning was explicit. Implicit memory was found where referents were objects that cannot be encoded semantically (e.g., unverbalizable images). These findings have implications for different theoretical perspectives on early word learning, which differ in the extent to which existing semantic category information, as opposed to perceptual information, contributes to the word meaning process.
Association between thoracoabdominal aneurysm extent and mortality after complex endovascular repair

Abstract Objective Traditional open surgical repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) has historically resulted in 30-day mortality rates ranging from 6% to 20%, depending on the Crawford anatomic extent. Although short-term survival is important, long-term survival is essential for patients to benefit from these often elective and potentially morbid procedures. The aneurysm extent affects the long-term survival after open repair; however, effect on endovascular repair is unknown and could influence the decision process for repair. We evaluated the association between aneurysm extent and survival and identified patient and perioperative factors associated with mortality after endovascular repair. Methods A retrospective cohort of patients treated for TAAAs recorded in the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative thoracic and complex endovascular aneurysm repair registry were evaluated. All patients treated for asymptomatic degenerative aneurysms from 2010 to 2019 were included. Crawford extent I to V was defined according to the proximal and distal landing zones documented in the registry. Patients without extension into the visceral aorta were used for comparison and categorized as having extent 0a or 0b, depending on the distal landing zone in the thoracic aorta. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to estimate survival, and Cox proportional hazard regression models were created to identify the predictors of mortality. Results From 2010 to 2019, 15,333 patients were entered into the registry, of whom 2062 met the inclusion criteria. The Crawford extent was 0a for 379, 0b for 848, I for 81, II for 98, III for 130, IV for 454, and V for 72. Three groups were created in accordance with the similar outcomes noted on a preliminary analysis: (1) extent 0a and 0b; (2) extent I, II, and III; and (3) extent IV and V. The mean survival time for the extent 0a and 0b group was 70.7 ± 1.43 months and was 48.6 ± 1.65 months for the extent I, II, and III group and 57.6 ± 1.24 months for the extent IV and V group. The corresponding 1-year mortality was 8.4%, 18.4%, and 7.8%. Cox regression analysis identified the following preoperative factors were associated with mortality: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; P Conclusions Similar to open TAAA repair, patients with more extensive aortic disease treated with endovascular repair had worse 1-year and long-term survival. The extent of aortic disease and anticipated postoperative survival should factor prominently into the surgical decision-making process for elective endovascular TAAA repair.
Quantum Tensor Network in Machine Learning: An Application to Tiny Object Classification.

Tiny object classification problem exists in many machine learning applications like medical imaging or remote sensing, where the object of interest usually occupies a small region of the whole image. It is challenging to design an efficient machine learning model with respect to tiny object of interest. Current neural network structures are unable to deal with tiny object efficiently because they are mainly developed for images featured by large scale objects. However, in quantum physics, there is a great theoretical foundation guiding us to analyze the target function for image classification regarding to specific objects size ratio. In our work, we apply Tensor Networks to solve this arising tough machine learning problem. First, we summarize the previous work that connects quantum spin model to image classification and bring the theory into the scenario of tiny object classification. Second, we propose using 2D multi-scale entanglement renormalization ansatz (MERA) to classify tiny objects in image. In the end, our experimental results indicate that tensor network models are effective for tiny object classification problem and potentially will beat state-of-the-art. Our codes will be available online this https URL.
Network Capacity as Common Pool Resource: Community-Based Congestion Management in a Community Network

Congestion control mechanisms, by which network users share constrained capacity on Internet links, are heavily studied in computer science. Such mechanisms are traditionally automated, assuming that users do not wish to be involved in addressing congestion. However, in community-owned and operated networks, users have control over daily operational choices. We explore the design of community-based congestion policies and mechanisms, through the lens of network capacity as a Common Pool Resource (CPR). Through a series of workshops and interviews in a rural community in Oaxaca, Mexico, we encounter design opportunities for new types of tools supporting communal network management. Participants expressed desires for preserving individual privacy while collecting longitudinal data to track the network's impact on the community, prioritization of high-value applications, equal link sharing between users, and human-mediated congestion management in lieu of automated enforcement. We report qualitative insights and offer design directions for future systems to address network resources in a manner compatible with Ostrom's principles for CPR governance.
Enhancing Mechanical Properties of Electrospun Cellulose Acetate Fibers Upon Potassium Chloride Exposure

Cellulose Acetate (CA) based biomaterials are being used as substrates for bone ingrowth applications due to their nontoxic and nonirritant nature coupled with optimum morphology and stiffness. Electrospinning with additives and/or post-treatment has emerged as a viable protocol to further improve the mechanical properties of CA and expand its utility. Herein, we highlight the role of potassium chloride (KCl) in association with air-drying to enhance the elastic modulus and tensile strengths of CA fibers. Salt aggregation in between fibers is observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). However, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis signifies the interactions between K+ ions and acetyl groups. The increase in KCl concentration (2 to 4 to 6%) boosts the elastic modulus to 176 MPa (52 times than pure CA) and tensile strength to 1.2 MPa (9 times than pure CA). The presence of K+ ions, indeed, offers osteoconduction to fibers, and thus the outcome has potential in bone tissue engineering applications
Crossvergence in International Management Education: Acquisition of Skills and Career Outcomes:

Organizational crossvergence is the identifying framework in this study of the emerging similarities between both educational systems and business systems in India and the United States. A sample o...
Self-Assembled Structures of Lipid/DNA Nonviral Gene Delivery Systems from Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the self-assembled structures of lipid/DNA nonviral gene-delivery systems from synchrotron X-ray diffraction. It reviews the recent work aimed at elucidating the precise self-assembled structures of CL/DNA complexes by the quantitative techniques of synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Recently, it was found that when DNA is mixed with cationic liposomes composed of DOPC/DOTAP, the result is a topological transition into condensed CL/DNA complexes with a multilamellar structure (La C). It is composed of DNA monolayers sandwiched between cationic lipid bilayers. The existence of a completely different, columnar-inverted hexagonal HII C liquid-crystalline state in CL/DNA complexes was also demonstrated using synchrotron small-angle X-ray diffraction. Significantly, optical microscopy has revealed that in contrast to the weakly transfectant La C complexes that bind stably to anionic vesicles, the more transfectant HII C complexes are unstable, rapidly fusing and releasing DNA upon adhering to anionic vesicles. The observations underscore the importance of self-assembled structure to ‘‘early-stage’’ gene-delivery events and provide direct imaging support for a mechanism of DNA escape from anionic endosomal vesicles. The discussion concludes with the hope that the structure function data obtained from the research would allow to begin the task of a rational design of the self-assemblies for enhanced gene-delivery applications.
In Search of the Present

I begin with two words that all men have uttered since the dawn of humanity: thank you. The word gratitude has equivalents in every language and in each tongue the range of meanings is abundant. In the Romance languages this breadth spans the spiritual and the physical, from the divine grace conceded to men to save them from error and death, to the bodily grace of the dancing girl or the feline leaping through the undergrowth. Grace means pardon, forgiveness, favour, benefice, inspiration; it is a form of address, a pleasing style of speaking or painting, a gesture expressing politeness, and, in short, an act that reveals spiritual goodness. Grace is gratuitous; it is a gift. The person who receives it, the favoured one, is grateful for it; if he is not base, he expresses gratitude. That is what I am doing at this very moment with these weightless words. I hope my emotion compensates their weightlessness. If each of my words were a drop of water, you would see through them and glimpse what I feel: gratitude, acknowledgement. And also an indefinable mixture of fear, respect and surprise at finding myself here before you, in this place which is the home of both Swedish learning and world literature.
Covalent enzyme-substrate compounds: detection and catalytic competence.

This chapter summarizes the experimental approaches at the disposal of the enzyme chemist. The elucidation of a reaction mechanism begins with the trapping and identification of a covalent enzyme-substrate compound; the detailed examination of the catalytic mechanism requires stereochemical, kinetic, spectroscopic, and even thermodynamic data. This is obviously an ambitious undertaking, considering the fleeting nature of many intermediates. Although all enzyme reactions proceed through intermediate stages involving reversible enzyme-substrate and enzyme-substrate species, a smaller subset of enzymes forms one or more discrete covalent intermediates during their reaction cycles. Reactive intermediates facilitate catalysis (1) by tethering substrates within an active site and reducing their degrees of freedom, (2) by preserving the group transfer potential of a reactant, (3) by making a better leaving group for nucleophilic catalysis, and (4) by transferring reactants between topologically remote active sites in multifunctional enzyme complexes. Although identification of covalent enzyme-substrate compounds remains a major focus in modem enzymology, an equally significant enterprise is the demonstration of their productive participation in catalysis.
Societal costs of intrathecal drug delivery systems--an administrative analysis based on patient claims.

Objectives To quantify the overall and disaggregated societal costs of intrathecal drug delivery systems (IDDSs) in the treatment of pain and spasticity in the United States. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of medical and pharmacy claims was performed on patients with IDDS. Patients were divided into three cohorts according to the conditions that their IDDSs were intended to treat pain, spasticity, or both. Patients also were stratified according to whether or not cost data were available for the implantation of their IDDSs. Total societal costs that were directly attributable to pain or spasticity were summarized, and medical/pharmaceutical encounters were enumerated. Results N = 38,951 patients (52.7% women, age 54.1 ± 14.1 years) with IDDSs were identified and included in this study. IDDS patients have an average of 34.0–52.7 (depending on cohort) medical encounters per year, of which an average of 6.3–10.1 is attributable to the condition their IDDS is intended to treat. The average societal cost of the attributable encounters is $12,233 to $20,049 per patient year (inflation-adjusted 2011 U.S. dollars); however, the distribution of these costs is extremely skewed in the positive direction. Inpatient treatment accounts for 65.9% of the societal costs incurred by IDDS patients. Conclusions The societal costs for IDDS patients are high and extremely variable. A relatively small number of patients made an extreme number of medical encounters and represent a heavy societal cost burden. In order to reduce the growing societal cost of chronic pain and spasticity treatment, measures should be taken to reduce the resource utilization and costs of the most challenging patients.
Inactivation of Gi and G(o) proteins in nucleus accumbens reduces both cocaine and heroin reinforcement

The pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G proteins Gi and G(o) may be implicated in drug reinforcement and addiction, since certain reward- related dopamine and opiate receptor subtypes are coupled to these G proteins, and since chronic exposure to cocaine or morphine alters levels of these G proteins in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). As a direct test of this hypothesis, Gi and G(o) proteins in the NAc were selectively inactivated by intra-accumbens injections of PTX in rats self-administering either cocaine or heroin. In control animals, bilateral injections of inactive PTX (0.1 microgram/1 microliter/side) in the NAc failed to alter baseline rates of cocaine and heroin self- administration. In contrast, the same dose of active PTX produced significant, long-lasting increases (up to 1 month) in the self- administration of both drugs, and shifted the dose-response curves to the right. These results suggest that PTX reduces or shortens the reinforcing efficacy of cocaine and heroin, leading to compensatory increases in drug self-administration. Similar NAc injections of PTX reduced the level of Gi alpha and G(o) alpha subunits as measured by both ADP-ribosylation and Western blot, without affecting levels of Gs alpha or G beta subunits. The effect of the toxin was mainly limited to the NAc, and no evidence of abnormal cell death or gliosis was observed. The onset of changes in self-administration rate coincided with the onset of changes in ADP-ribosylation, suggesting that, initially, the increased drug self-administration results directly from a reduction in functional Gi and G(o) proteins. After 28 d, self- administration baselines began to recover while levels of G protein ADP- ribosylation and immunoreactivity remained low, suggesting that adaptive mechanisms are involved at later time points. These results provide direct support for a common role of Gi and G(o) proteins in the NAc in the reinforcing and addictive properties of psychostimulant and opiate drugs.
Distinguishing aerosol features via elastic scattering: absorption, inclusion, and colloids

Angular elastic scattering patterns from a single aerosol particle provide detailed information on the particle’s morphology. In particular, the effects on this pattern by varying absorption and inclusion are investigated and discussed.