cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitation of Anti–Pneumocystis jiroveci Antibodies in Healthy Persons and Immunocompromised Patients

To facilitate studies of the epidemiology of Pneumocystis jiroveci infection in both healthy persons and immunocompromised patients, we developed a quantitative ELISA with recombinant major surface glycoprotein (MSG) fragment MSG-14, a P. jiroveci-specific protein that includes a highly conserved region of the MSG protein family. By immunoblot, all samples reacted with the carboxyl portion of MSG-14; by ELISA, immunocompromised patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) who were immunocompromised for reasons other than AIDS had higher antibody levels than did either patients with AIDS with PCP (P=.01) or healthy persons (P=.005). Longitudinal observations of 8 patients with AIDS showed no correlation between time of diagnosis of Pneumocystis infection and change in antibody levels. Eleven percent (4/35) of healthy persons demonstrated a >4-fold change in antibody titers during 1 year of observation. This ELISA assay allows quantitation of anti-P. jiroveci antibodies in human serum samples and should be useful in better understanding the epidemiology of P. jiroveci infection in humans.
Magnetic-field effects on the Van der Waals interaction of a semiconductor surface plasma with a neutral atom

A theoretical determination of magnetic-field effects on the Van der Waals interaction of a neutral atom with a semiconductor surface plasma is reported here. The magnetic field is taken to be perpendicular to the surface, and the semiconductor plasma is taken to be semi-infinite in extent. A local description of the dynamics of the magnetoplasma is employed, and nonlocal structure of plasma response is neglected. The Van der Waals interaction energy is evaluated in second-order perturbation theory to dipole terms, and the effects of a background dielectric constant are included. Our calculational procedure reflects the central role played by the concept of a dynamic plasma image of the neutral adatom in the semiconductor surface. The incorporation of magnetic-field effects, which is carried out here, involves a careful accounting of the anisotropic polarizability of the magnetoplasma in modifying the dynamic plasma image. The explicit evaluation of Van der Waals interaction energy presented here shows that the plasma part of this interaction energy is significantly changed by the magnetic field in semiconductors at field strengths for which the cyclotron frequency is comparable with the plasma frequency. The detailed magnetic-field dependence of the interaction energy obtained here should be subject to experimental confirmation using the highly precise and accurate time-of-flight diffusion method for measuring atom-surface binding energy.
Privacy-preserving Virtual Machine

Cloud computing systems routinely process users' confidential data, but the underlying virtualization software in use today is not constructed to minimize the exposure of such data. For instance, virtual machine (VM) checkpointing can drastically prolong the lifetime and vulnerability of confidential data without users' knowledge by storing such data as part of a persistent snapshot. A key requirement for minimizing the exposure of any data is the ability to cleanly isolate such data for either exclusion or processing. Traditional mechanisms for memory taint tracking are expensive whereas those for isolating application footprint in VM-based sandboxes are not transparent. In this paper, we propose a transparent and lightweight mechanism for isolating a confidential application's memory footprint in a VM. The key idea is for a parent VM to spawn a child VM, called a Privacy-preserving Virtual Machine (PPVM) within which the confidential application executes. Hypervisor features, such as VM checkpointing, that need to exclude the memory of a confidential application can safely ignore the child VM's memory footprint. Alternatively, features such as checkpoint encryption or malware tracking can operate only on the child VM's memory. We implement memory isolation for PPVM through a lightweight VM fork operation that uses copy-on-write to reduce the memory and filesystem overhead of the PPVM. Transparency is achieved through a confidential shell that allows the parent VM to spawn the confidential application in the PPVM and exercise control over it during runtime. We demonstrate the effectiveness of PPVM through its use with VM checkpointing, which can safely checkpoint the parent VM while excluding or encrypting the associated PPVM. We show that our PPVM implementation achieves effective memory isolation with low overheads on memory, CPU, and network performance.
A Toolkit for Exploring the Role of Voice in Human-Robot Interaction.

As part of the “Survivor Buddy” project, we have created an open source speech translator toolkit which allows writ- ten or spoken word from multiple independent controllers to be translated into either a single synthetic voice, synthetic voices for each controller, or unchanged natural voice of each controller. The human controllers can work via the in- ternet or be physically co-located with the Survivor Buddy robot. The toolkit is expected to be of use for exploring voice in general human-robot interaction.
Brief serotonin exposure initiates arteriolar inward remodeling processes in vivo that involve transglutaminase activation and actin cytoskeleton reorganization

Using intravital microscopy, we demonstrate that a brief exposure of the resistance vasculature to vasoconstrictors initiates inward remodeling processes, in vivo, via mechanism(s) that include the...
Abstract 302: Generation of Patient-Specific Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessels From Nonintegrated Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Cell resourcing remains one of the major problems in the development of patient-specific TEBVs. The iPSC derived cardiovascular cells provide a promising source for TEBVs and cell therapy. The goal of this study is to construct TEBVs using patient-specific iPSCs. Using a non-integrated episomal vector based reprogramming system, we generated human iPSCs from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from the blood harvested from aneurysm patients with bicuspid aortic valves and coronary artery bypass patients with normal aortas and aortic valves. These iPSCs showed the expression of pluripotent markers and could differentiate into 3 layers of cells in vitro. We directed the iPSCs differentiation into vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro. We documented the expression of VSMC markers, including smooth muscle α-actin (α-SMA), calponin and SM22α by quantitative real-time-PCR, immunocytochemistry, as well as Western-blotting. Furthermore, we confirmed that the iPSC-derived VSMCs could contract in response to carbachol, a muscarinic agonist. The treatment of iPSC-derived VSMCs with IL-1β, an atherogenic cytokine, changed MMPs (matrix metallopeptidases) activity. Finally, we found that iPSC-derived VSMCs could survive well and secrete collagen when transferred and cultured on PLLA scaffolds in vitro, suggesting a great cell sourcing for tissue-engineered blood vessels. Our data suggests that by using non-integrated iPSCs, we could efficiently differentiate patient-specific iPSCs into functional VSMCs, which may provide great cell sourcing for patient-specific TEBVs.
Fine root biomass declined in response to restoration of soil calcium in a northern hardwood forest

Forest health deteriorated in eastern North America as a result of depletion of available soil base cations by elevated inputs of acid deposition. We experimentally restored available calcium (Ca) to soils of a forested watershed at Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire, and measured the response of fine root biomass 14 years after treatment. In this northern hardwood forest, fine root (<1 mm diameter) biomass declined significantly in response to the Ca-addition treatment relative to pretreatment and reference forest conditions. The decline was greatest in the mid- and high-elevation hardwood zones of the watershed, where soils are thinnest and have the lowest base saturation and exchangeable Ca pools. Restoration of soil Ca appears to have reduced the allocation of carbon (C) to root systems, coincident with observed increases in aboveground biomass and productivity. Therefore, we suggest that relatively higher tree C allocation to roots in the past contributed to the depressed aboveground productivity observed ...
Ion-Ion Interaction at the Multi-Ion TRPV1 Pore

Proton released upon tissue injury, inflammation, or ischemia produces sustained pain that may be mediated by nociceptor TRPV1. Our previous study demonstrated that extracellular H+ not only activates the channel but also inhibits ion permeation. Voltage-dependence of H+ inhibition suggested that H+ moves halfway into the transmembrane electric field. The location of inhibitory H+ and the mechanism underlying H+ inhibition, however, remain unclear. To investigate the role of H+ in ion permeation, we examined the behavior of TRPV1 permeant ions using anomalous mole fraction effect (AMFE). For the experiment, two types of permeant ions mixed at a constant total concentration but at varying ratio were used to measure conductance of TRPV1. An AMFE exists when one of the mixed solutions yields the minimum conductance compared to pure solutions. We found that TRPV1 exhibits AMFE in mixtures of Na+ and Rb+, suggesting the presence of multiple permeant ions in the pore. This result is interesting given that the structure of TRPV1 ion selectivity filter appears much shorter than that of potassium channels, which is known to hold multiple ions in a single file. The AMFE under acidic conditions will be measured to test whether H+ interferes with permeant ions in the TRPV1 pore to produce inhibition.
Origins of cancer: from the cervix to the fallopian tube

Success in cancer prevention depends on our understanding of its origins. In the past several years, we have gained insights into the pathogenesis of both cervical and ovarian cancer. We have identified a unique cell at the cervical squamo-columnar junction that has been proposed as a potential origin for most cervical cancers. This new information has put cervical precursors into perspective and explained the diversity of phenotypes associated with high-risk HPV infections. Moreover, it has raised the intriguing possibility that the squamo-columnar junction could be targeted in a cervical cancer prevention strategy for women who would not gain the maximum benefit from vaccination. In the upper genital tract, another unique precursor sequence has been identified in the distal fallopian tube, an indirect benefit from pathologic protocols that target the fimbria (SEE-FIM) for careful examination. Such studies have revealed the fimbria to be a starting point for high-grade serous carcinomas. By anchoring the origin of a high percentage of these tumors in the fimbria rather than ovary, investigators can now explore the exceptions to this new ’rule’ and whether a dualistic model of high-grade serous cancer exists. These endeavors have placed the pathologist at the heart of cervical and ovarian cancer prevention.
Invited Review: Advantages of current and future reproductive technologies for beef cattle production1,2

ABSTRACT The refinement of current and development of new technologies aimed at increasing the productivity of resources while minimizing the environmental impact will be critical to meet the global food demand in the near future. During the past 50 yr, assisted reproductive technologies have been developed and refined to increase the prolificacy and quality of calves from beef females. Artificial insemination, estrus synchronization and fixed-time AI, semen and embryo cryopreservation, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, sex determination of sperm or embryos, and nuclear transfer are technologies that are used to enhance the production efficiency of beef systems. Development and implementation of these technologies are responsible for significant changes to world production of beef. Sales of beef semen for AI increased from 3.3 to 13.0 million units between 1993 and 2010 in Brazil, whereas that in the United States has increased from 2.9 to 4.4 million units during the same period. This increase is likely a result of the development of practical fixed-time AI systems that have allowed beef producers the opportunity to eliminate detection of estrus in their AI programs with a high degree of success. Similarly, the quantity of in vivo–produced embryos transferred worldwide has increased from 361,000 in 1997 to 506,000 in 2012. In addition, during the last 15 yr the transfer of in vitro–produced embryos has increased more than 300%. Incorporating applied reproductive technologies continues to effect beef cattle production systems by providing producers opportunities to enhance genetics, reduce transfer of disease, advance fertility, and ultimately increase offspring value. Improvements in fertility and technology, reductions in cost, and improvements in ease of application will ensure that more cattle producers will adopt applied reproductive technologies in future years. However, incorporation of applied reproductive technologies into production systems will vary worldwide depending on cattle markets, infrastructure, production systems, and climate.
Written main contents of six sections of labeling for prescription drug and cautions

Main contents of six sections of labeling for prescription drug,including warning,indication,dosage and administration,adverse reactions,overdosage,pharmacology and toxicology written when drafting according to the related rules and guidelines of China and USA are described.The cautions are provided based on the problems of drafts of labeling.It is expected to help to improve the quality and efficiency of drafting.The paper is also beneficial to reading and supervision of the labeling.
A navigation and mapping method for UAS during under-the-canopy forest operations

This paper discusses the preliminary design and implementation of a simultaneous navigation, and mapping method for operation of multi-copter unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in forest environments under the canopy. A data collection platform has been developed using a 3DR hexacopter platform equipped with laser scanners, cameras, GNSS and inertial sensors to observe the environment and used as an input to the SNAM methods. Details on this flight prototype are addressed. Furthermore, the paper will include preliminary flight test results of our hexacopter UAS operating in a forest environment. In addition to these discussions, the paper will address some application-specific issues, specifically with respect to biological, civil engineering and archeological applications.
Decay of an Active GPCR: Conformational Dynamics Govern Agonist Rebinding and Persistence of an Active, Yet Empty, Receptor State

Here, we describe two insights into the role of receptor conformational dynamics during agonist release (all-trans retinal, ATR) from the visual G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) rhodopsin. First, we show that, after light activation, ATR can continually release and rebind to any receptor remaining in an active-like conformation. As with other GPCRs, we observe that this equilibrium can be shifted by either promoting the active-like population or increasing the agonist concentration. Second, we find that during decay of the signaling state an active-like, yet empty, receptor conformation can transiently persist after retinal release, before the receptor ultimately collapses into an inactive conformation. The latter conclusion is based on time-resolved, site-directed fluorescence labeling experiments that show a small, but reproducible, lag between the retinal leaving the protein and return of transmembrane helix 6 (TM6) to the inactive conformation, as determined from tryptophan-induced quenching studies. Accelerating Schiff base hydrolysis and subsequent ATR dissociation, either by addition of hydroxylamine or introduction of mutations, further increased the time lag between ATR release and TM6 movement. These observations show that rhodopsin can bind its agonist in equilibrium like a traditional GPCR, provide evidence that an active GPCR conformation can persist even after agonist release, and raise the possibility of targeting this key photoreceptor protein by traditional pharmaceutical-based treatments.
Capitalism and Cartography in the Dutch Golden Age

While scholars have long made good use of early maps when studying the history of discovery, they have less commonly used them to understand European conceptions of the political, economic, and soc...
Trabectome (Trabeculectomy Ab Interno)

Trabectome is a microinvasive surgical procedure which can offer intraocular pressure reduction in eyes with ocular hypertension or glaucoma. It is an angle-based surgery which increases aqueous humor outflow through removal of the outer trabecular meshwork, a site of major resistance to outflow. While similar to goniotomy and trabeculotomy, trabectome is distinct in its use of electroablation of the trabecular meshwork tissue. It is a conjunctival sparing glaucoma procedure with a better safety profile and faster recovery compared to traditional glaucoma surgeries.
Pediatric/adolescent HIV: Legal and ethical issues

The purpose of this chapter is to describe important legal and ethical considerations for health and mental health professionals working with children and adolescents with HIV. These considerations are particularly important for professionals working in rural settings given that limited resources and health disparities present unique challenges when providing HIV services to youth.
Eye-Tracking in the Study of Visual Expertise: Methodology and Approaches in Medicine

Eye-tracking is the measurement of eye motions and point of gaze of a viewer. Advances in this technology have been essential to our understanding of many forms of visual learning, including the development of visual expertise. In recent years, these studies have been extended to the medical professions, where eye-tracking technology has helped us to understand acquired visual expertise, as well as the importance of visual training in various medical specialties. Medical decision-making involves a complex interplay between knowledge and sensory information, and the study of eye-movements can reveal the mechanisms involved in acquiring the visual component of these skills. Eye-tracking studies have even been extended to develop computational models of procedures for “expert” skill assessment, and to eliminate potential sources of error in image-based diagnostics. This review will examine the current eye-tracking frontier for the study of visual expertise, with specific application to medical professions.
Electrochemical Intercalation of Mg2+ into Anhydrous and Hydrated Crystalline Tungsten Oxides

The reversible intercalation of multivalent cations, especially Mg2+, into a solid-state electrode is an attractive mechanism for next-generation energy storage devices. These reactions typically exhibit poor kinetics due to a high activation energy for interfacial charge-transfer and slow solid-state diffusion. Interlayer water in V2O5 and MnO2 has been shown to improve Mg2+ intercalation kinetics in nonaqueous electrolytes. Here, the effect of structural water on Mg2+ intercalation in nonaqueous electrolytes is examined in crystalline WO3 and the related hydrated and layered WO3·nH2O (n = 1, 2). Using thin film electrodes, cyclic voltammetry, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy, the energy storage in these materials is determined to involve reversible Mg2+ intercalation. It is found that the anhydrous WO3 can intercalate up to ∼0.3 Mg2+ (75 mAh g–1) and can maintain the monoclinic structure for at least 50 cycles at a cyclic voltammetry sweep rate of 0.1 mV s–1. The kinetics o...
Detecting oropharyngeal carcinoma using multispectral, narrow-band imaging and machine learning.

Objective To determine if multispectral narrow-band imaging (mNBI) can be used for automated, quantitative detection of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC). Study design Prospective cohort study. Methods Multispectral narrow-band imaging and white light endoscopy (WLE) were used to examine the lymphoepithelial tissues of the oropharynx in a preliminary cohort of 30 patients (20 with biopsy-proven OPC, 10 healthy). Low-level image features from five patients were then extracted to train naive Bayesian classifiers for healthy and malignant tissue. Results Tumors were classified by color features with 65.9% accuracy, 66.8% sensitivity, and 64.9% specificity under mNBI. In contrast, tumors were classified with 52.3% accuracy (P = 0.0108), 44.8% sensitivity (P = 0.0793), and 59.9% specificity (P = 0.312) under WLE. Receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded areas under the curve (AUC) of 72.3% and 54.6% for classification under mNBI and WLE, respectively (P = 0.00168). For classification by both color and texture features, AUC under mNBI increased (80.1%, P = 0.00230) but did not improve under WLE (below 55% for both models, P = 0.180). Cross-validation with five folds yielded an AUC above 80% for both mNBI models and below 55% for both WLE models (P = 0.0000410 and 0.000116). Conclusion Compared to WLE, mNBI significantly enhanced the performance of a naive Bayesian classifier trained on low-level image features of oropharyngeal mucosa. These findings suggest that automated clinical detection of OPC might be used to enhance surgical vision, improve early diagnosis, and allow for high-throughput screening. Level of evidence NA. Laryngoscope, 2514-2520, 2018.
Endoscopic Stent Treatment for Crohn's Disease

Abstract Bowel obstruction due to stricture formation is a known complication of Crohn's disease (CD). Surgery is not the ideal treatment due to a high rate of postoperative recurrence. Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) is currently the treatment of choice for short strictures. However, it is not effective in all patients and can be associated with adverse events. Endoscopic stents placement, either self-expanding metal stents or biodegradable would be a minimally invasive alternative to the repeat EBD or surgery and the initial results are promising. The objective of this chapter is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the endoscopic stent placement for CD-associated strictures based on the available published data. We will discuss the types of the stents, their indications, safety, and their clinical use in patients with CD.
Redetermination of cyclo-trimethyl­ene­trinitramine

The redetermined structure of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triaza­cyclo­hexane, C3H6N6O6, at 90 (2) K has ortho­rhom­bic (Pbca) symmetry. It is of inter­est with respect to energetic compounds. The structure was originally investigated through X-ray diffraction by Hultgren [(1936). J. Chem. Phys. 4, 84]. Later X-ray investigations were completed by McCrone [(1950). Anal. Chem. 22, 954–955] and Harris, Reed & Gluyas [(1959). AFOSR-TR-59-165 Ohio State University Research Foundation, Columbus, Ohio, USA]. A single-crystal neutron diffraction study was performed by Choi & Prince [(1972). Acta Cryst. B28, 2857–2862] to ascertain the H-atom positions, which had not been defined by the earlier X-ray diffraction studies. All previous studies were performed at or near room temperature. The structure provided is the α polymorph of the title compound. The ring atoms are arranged in the chair conformation with two nitro groups occupying pseudo-equatorial positions and the remaining nitro group is axial. The crystal packing is stabilized by close intramolecular interactions from one H atom in each methylene group to O atoms of adjacent nitro groups, ranging from 2.251 to 2.593 A.
Antiretroviral Therapy for Prevention of HIV Transmission in HIV-Discordant Couples

Clinical Question Does treating the HIV-infected partner in a serodiscordant couple reduce the risk of HIV transmission to the uninfected partner? Bottom Line Compared with serodiscordant couples without treatment, couples in which the infected partner is treated with antiretroviral therapy have a lower risk of HIV transmission.
Microbial utilization of straw (a review).

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses and reviews the microbial utilization of straw. Economic and technological conditions in the modern society make current uses of straw impractical, and current uses will eventually be terminated. Thus, the disposal of this vast amount of straw will be a serious problem. Many ideas have been advanced for the use of straw in pulp and paper, construction materials, soil incorporation, compost, fuel, and so on. Nevertheless, because of other competitive resources, the prospect of immediate use of straw for these purposes is remote. Some potential is seen in using straw as an animal feed. Straw is a poor-quality feed in its natural state, and it must be pretreated or supplemented by other ingredients before it can be used as a suitable feed. Several new processes have been developed to attain these objectives by microbial action. Most of these new processes are in the laboratory-bench or pilot-plant stage. The current economic feasibility of these processes is thus not certain.
Geometries: Basic Concepts

Geometries over a typeset I are defined in terms of multipartite graphs, enabling the language of graphs to describe flags and their residues, truncations, and shadows. Similarly, morphisms of geometries are type-preserving graph morphisms. Truncation is then seen as a functor between categories of geometries. The relation of morphism and residues is more tenuous. The chapter concludes with a discussion of residual connectedness, and exercises.
Cardiac Development: Toward a Molecular Basis for Congenital Heart Disease

Most vertebrate which closely related members are expressed in overlapping patterns in the developing heart. Myocardin is an especially powerful serum response factor coactivator expressed specifically in cardiac and smooth muscle cells in the embryo and until adulthood. Serum response factor is a MADS-box transcription factor that binds a consensus sequence referred to as a serum response element (SRE) or CArG-box in the regulatory regions of numerous cardiac structural genes. A compelling case can be made of the involvement of BMP in early heart formation in mammals. The best understood cardiac transcription factor is myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2). The proliferative cell cycle—progression from G1 to S phase for DNA synthesis, and from G2 to M for mitosis—typically is driven by extracellular, secreted proteins, in whose absence cells are quiescent with respect to growth.
Self-organizing map based web pages clustering using web logs.

A Web-based business always wants to have the ability to track users’ browsing behavior history. This ability can be achieved by using Web log mining technologies. In this paper, we introduce a Self-Organizing Map (SOM) based approach to mining Web log data. The SOM network maps the web pages into a two-dimensional map based on the users’ browsing history. Web pages with the similar browsing patterns are clustered together. Together with associate rules, the cluster generated by the SOM network has significant meaning to web browsing behavior. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and the effectiveness of this approach.
The Impact of Remanufacturing on the Component Commonality Decision

Using the classic market segmentation approach, we analyze the impact of a firm's remanufacturing operations on its component commonality decision. We find that the decision to make a component common or not may be reversed with the inclusion of remanufacturing, and this reversal is influenced by whether or not the candidate component requires reconditioning and the extent to which the component diminishes the perceived difference between the high and low-quality products. A large-scale numerical analysis shows that the detrimental impact on profit of not factoring in remanufacturing can be significant, provides guidance on the likelihood and severity of this impact under different conditions, and identifies the set of parameters that are the most important to focus on.
All-Semiconductor Coupled-Cavity VCSELs for Narrow Linewidth

We demonstrate an all-semiconductor coupled-cavity VCSEL designed to achieve narrow linewidth at 850 nm. A resonant AlGaAs cavity of thickness 1,937 nm (8 wavelengths) is situated below the 3-quantum-well active region and results in an effective coupled-cavity length of 36 wavelengths.
Applications and Future Directions

Chapters 6, 7, and 9 ilnclude many examples of using the reflection high-electron energy diffraction (RHEED) pole figure technique for film-texture analysis. Since electrons interact strongly with matter, RHEED is most suitable for the study of texture when there is a limited amount of sample material. This is the case at the initial stages of the growth of films, where only a small volume of deposits is condensed on the substrate. X-rays interact weakly with matter, but if the source intensity is strong, such as that from a synchrotron radiation source, x-ray diffraction can achieve the same goals. However, RHEED is more accessible in an individual laboratory setting, and it is a less expensive tool to build. Another advantage of RHEED is that it is surface sensitive and has a limited penetration depth. Therefore, it is suitable for studying growth-front texture without interference from the bulk of the film. The diffraction data obtained from x-rays, on the other hand, inevitably includes information from the bulk of the film (and the substrate) because x-rays have such a large penetration depth. In this sense, RHEED is rather unique for the study of texture at the growth front. In this chapter, we will give some examples of using the RHEED pole figure technique to study the evolution of growth-front texture. We will also comment on possible instrumental improvements that could be made to RHEED pole figure equipment.
Comment on “Can more public information raise uncertainty? The international evidence on forward guidance” by Michael Ehrmann, Gaetano Gaballo, Peter Hoffmann and Georg Strasser

Abstract Ehrmann et al. contains very useful international evidence on the efficacy of forward guidance at anchoring expectations of future policy rates at the ELB. The authors give one finding particular attention, that short-term time-consistent forward guidance raises the responses of expected future policy rates to macroeconomic data surprises. I argue that this empirical result should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, the paper’s development of a novel theoretical explanation for it based on financial market prices’ imperfect information aggregation merits the reader’s attention. I conjecture that such “imperfections” are welfare improving in standard New Keynesian models.
Baseline susceptibility to afidopyropen of soybean aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from the north central United States

Abstract Afidopyropen, a novel Group 9D insecticide, has proven effective for management of soybean aphid, Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae). However, to ensure continued efficacy of this insecticide, insecticide resistance management programs are needed. The goal of this study was to evaluate baseline susceptibility of several populations of soybean aphid to afidopyropen using leaf-dip bioassays in 2017 and 2018. Overall, mortality of adult soybean aphid varied among populations. Lethal concentrations necessary to kill 50% of a population (LC50) for adults ranged from 0.0013 to 0.40 mg a.i. per liter of afidopyropen. Lethal concentrations necessary to kill 70% of a population (LC70) of adults ranged from 0.136 to 13.1 mg a.i. per liter of afidopyropen. Afidopyropen was effective against populations resistant to pyrethroid insecticides, suggesting a lack of cross-resistance between afidopyropen and pyrethroids. Furthermore, afidopyropen was effective against nymphs of soybean aphid with concentrations ranging from 0.0285 to 54.45 mg a.i. per liter of afidopyropen causing 100% mortality by 6 days after exposure. The results reported here can be used for establishment of programs to monitor for development of resistance to this insecticide by soybean aphid.
Revision of the Soft-Winged Flower Beetles of the Genus Asydates Casey, 1895 (Coleoptera: Melyridae: Dasytinae: Listrini)

The genus AsydatesCasey, 1895 is redefined and revised. ScelopristisMayor, 2004, new synonymy, is treated as a new junior subjective synonym. Asydates grandiceps (LeConte, 1866), new combination, Asydates irwini (Howell, 1979), new combination, and Asydates vandykei (Blaisdell, 1924), new combination, are treated as new combinations from Scelopristis, and Asydates ruficauda (Blaisdell, 1924), new combination, is transferred from Trichochrous Motschulsky. Pristoscelis schlingeriHowell, 1997, new synonymy, and Pristoscelis volkiHowell, 1979, new synonymy, are treated as junior subjective synonyms of A. ruficauda. Asydates chumash Mayor and Gimmel, new species, Asydates kumeyaay Mayor and Gimmel, new species, Asydates inexpectatus Mayor and Gimmel, new species, Asydates phantasma Mayor and Gimmel, new species, Asydates shoshone Mayor and Gimmel, new species, Asydates tongva Mayor and Gimmel, new species, and Asydates washoe Mayor and Gimmel, new species, are described. The genus PseudasydatesBlaisdell, 1938, status restored, is redefined as distinct from Asydates. Pseudasydates inyoensisBlaisdell, 1938, combination restored, is removed from Asydates and returned to Pseudasydates. Pseudasydates explanatus (Casey, 1895), new combination, is moved from Asydates, with Asydates puncticeps Blaisdell, 1924 treated as a junior subjective synonym. Members of Asydates occur primarily in California and the Great Basin Region of North America. Adult beetles are visitors to inflorescences of plants primarily of the genera Stephanomeria Nutt., Ericameria Nutt. (both Asteraceae) and Eriogonum Michx. (Polygonaceae), and adults show a pronounced seasonality skew towards mid-summer to fall. Adult males are characteristic for their enlarged heads and mandibles; we provide a hypothesis for the behavioral function of these structures.
“Dark Ecology”: Race, Gender, and the Environment

In the spring of 2017, I taught the introductory course to the English major and minor at Hunter College, CUNY, English 252: Introduction to Literary Study, which I themed “Dark Ecology”: Race, Gen...
Is atmospheric water generation an economically viable solution

The increasing pressure on freshwater resources motivates the need for exploring new water harvesting methods, critical for global sustainable development. Atmospheric water generator (AWG), or air to water, is a potential under-explored component of the water solutions portfolio. This paper offers the first bottom-up model of AWG in the environmental economics and policy literature to assess the economic potential and riskiness of a representative AWG system. The model is used to estimate the performance of a typical AWG machine in ten locations with heterogeneous climate and economic conditions. Using a 4-year time series, estimates of the value at risk for water production are provided as well. Assuming a perfect substitution between AWG machines and bottled water, the financial performance of the AWG machines demonstrates an attractive substitute product in the majority of locations. However, the results also indicate that the current state of AWG does not provide economically viable alternatives for potable tap water or nondrinking water sources. This paper provides a quantitative foundation to evaluate the AWG technology as a business practice. Our work can inform water supply debates in both developed and developing countries.
Thoracic Endometriosis: a Clinical Review and Update of Current and Evolving Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques

The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and clinical management of thoracic endometriosis (TE), as well as highlight our personal experience with TE workup and management. TE can present in a wide range of clinical manifestations. Without high clinical suspicion, diagnosis can be delayed. Since no specific laboratory testing is available, diagnosis is often based on careful history taking, imaging, and direct visualization of endometrial lesions through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Medical thoracoscopy (MT) may also be a useful tool in the diagnostic workup of TE. The diagnosis and management of TE require a multidisciplinary approach and a high index of clinical suspicion. While VATS remains the gold standard for diagnosis, we share our experience using MT to diagnose and manage a case of TE-related hemothorax.
Logics of Sedition: Re-signifying Insurgent Labour in Bangladesh’s Garment Factories:

I draw on the Tuba hunger strike of 2014, which took place in the shadow of the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the preceding year, to think through questions of collectiv...
Transcriptional Changes in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Asthma Favor a Type 2 Molecular Endotype Independent of Polyp Status.

Background Data regarding the inflammatory profile of patients with asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS-A) with (CRSwNP-A) and without (CRSsNP-A) nasal polyposis remain limited. Objective Define and compare systemic transcriptional changes in patients with CRS-A to those with non-asthma-related CRS with (CRSwNP) and without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP). Methods Thirty-four patients with CRS-A (n=19) and CRS (n=15) were prospectively enrolled into an observational study. Demographic information and subjective and objective disease severity measures were recorded. Multiplex gene expression analysis of mRNA extracted from peripheral blood was performed. A total of 594 genes associated with innate/adaptive immunity were analyzed using NanoString technology. Gene expression ratios were reported for genes that were differentially expressed among these cohorts. Linear regression analysis was used to compare the mRNA transcript copy numbers for each gene with disease severity. Results There was no significant difference in age, gender, nasal polyposis, or health-related quality of life measures between the two groups (p>0.05). HLA class II histocompatibility antigen, DRB3-1 beta chain (HLA-DRB3) was significantly upregulated in the peripheral blood of patients with CRSsNP-A compared to CRSsNP, whereas chemokine (C-C motif) ligands 4 (CCL4) and zinc finger protein helios (IKZF2) were significantly upregulated in CRSwNP-A compared to CRSwNP (p Conclusion Patients with CRSsNP-A demonstrate a molecular endotype associated with a Th2-dominant inflammatory profile compared to CRSsNP. Patients with CRSwNP-A similarly demonstrate an overrepresentation of genes associated with Th2-driven inflammation compared to patients with CRSwNP.
How MR Can Help to Avoid Pitfalls in Assessment of Gynecological Malignancies on 18F-FDG PET/MRI

1135 Objectives: Hybrid 18F-FDG (FDG) PET/MR imaging combines the strengths of both modalities with excellent spatial and contrast resolution of MR and ability to detect hypermetabolic tumor with FDG PET. The use of PET/MR is especially beneficial in gynecologic cancer patients who require both MRI and FDG PET imaging for treatment planning and surveillance. Several studies demonstrated superiority of PET/MR to PET/CT for local staging in women with cervical and endometrial cancers, where PET/MR performed better in the identification of local recurrence. Furthermore, PET/MR has been demonstrated to be equal or better than PET/CT for lymph node detection.The protocol used at our institution for imaging of gynecologic malignancies includes acquisition of contrast enhanced pelvic MRI and dedicated pelvic PET images, followed by a whole body PET/MR acquisition with T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. The protocol provides a single complete exam in one session averaging 60 minutes, which is very convenient for patients. In the literature, ionizing radiation exposure for hybrid PET/MR imaging has been reported to be up to 80% less when compared with PET/CT, which is especially important in young women who require multiple exams. With FDG PET/MR becoming increasing available for clinical work, readers should be familiar with technical limitations and challenges of this hybrid imaging including specific MR sequences, potential problems with attenuation correction, and artifacts. In addition, the interpreting physician needs to be aware of possible pitfalls in both modalities, including non-malignant FDG-avid lesions and post treatment appearance. This presentation will discuss the FDG PET/MR protocol used at our institution with emphasis on usefulness of specific sequences (e.g., DWI, in-phase/out-of-phase fat/water series) in addressing potential false positive findings on PET. We will provide illustrative examples of post treatment findings as well as mimics of malignancy with emphasis on complimentary role of both modalities in establishing the diagnosis. Selected References: 1. Beiderwellen K, Grueneisen J, Ruhlmann V, et al. [(18)F]FDG PET/MRI vs. PET/CT for whole-body staging in patients with recurrent malignancies of the female pelvis: initial results. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2015;42(1):56-65. 2. Kim S-K, Choi HJ, Park S-Y, et al. Additional value of MR/PET fusion compared with PET/CT in the detection of lymph node metastases in cervical cancer patients. Eur J Cancer 2009;45(12):2103-9. 3. Kitajima K, Suenaga Y, Ueno Y, et al. Value of fusion of PET and MRI for staging of endometrial cancer: Comparison with 18F-FDG contrast-enhanced PET/CT and dynamic contrast-enhanced pelvic MRI. Eur J Radiol 013;82(10):1672-6. 4. Ohliger MA, Hope TA, Chapman JS, Chen LM, Behr SC, Poder L. PET/MR Imaging in Gynecologic Oncology. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2017 Aug;25(3):667-684.
Litigating the Climate Emergency: The Global Rise of Human Rights-Based Litigation for Climate Action

This article analyzes the rise and proliferation of human rights-based climate change (HRCC) litigation. It presents the results of a study of the universe of HRCC cases filed in domestic courts and in regional and international judicial and quasi-judicial bodies around the world. This article focuses on the period after the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, during which the large majority of cases have been filed or decided. I argue that the regulatory logic and the strategy of HRCC litigation should be examined at the intersection of international and domestic governance. Specifically, I posit that litigants have predominantly followed a two-pronged strategy. They have (1) asked courts to take the goals of the climate regime (as set out in the Paris Agreement, IPCC reports, and other authoritative sources) as benchmarks to assess governments’ climate action and (2) invoked the norms, frames, and enforcement mechanisms of human rights to hold governments legally accountable for such goals. In the face of governments’ reluctance or hostility towards taking the urgent measures that are needed to address the climate emergency, HRCC litigation can be viewed as a bottom-up mechanism that provides domestic traction for the international legal and scientific consensus on climate action. However, climate change is too complex a problem for any single regulatory tool to adequately address. Rights-based litigation is only one such tool – one that, as this article shows, has its own challenges and blind spots, including insufficient attention to climate adaptation, corporate responsibility, and the limitations of human rights norms in dealing with the complex causality and temporality of global warming.
What's in a category? A new approach to Discourse Role Analysis

Abstract Building on the work of John Mohr, I propose a new, broadly applicable approach to Discourse Role Analysis (DRA). Whereas the goal of behavioral role analysis is to identify the different kinds of actors that exist in interaction, the goal of DRA is to identify the different kinds of identities that exist in discourse. To do this, I suggest thinking of discourse roles as latent conceptions of identities composed of treatments, actions, and characteristics that are frequently concurrently associated with identities in stories. I propose a method to infer discourse roles from unstructured text data that draws on novel techniques from Natural Language Processing. This framework is leveraged to shed light on German news coverage of refugees (2010-2020), which employs a set of distinct discourse roles such as refugee as claimant of welfare benefits, refugee in distress at sea, and refugee as a criminal. I then assess how different refugee identity categories are situated within this discourse role structure. I pay particular attention to Gefluchtete, a category that emerged only recently in German discourse. Whereas initial use of Gefluchtete was motivated by a language critique that aimed at replacing the general term for refugees (Fluchtlinge), DRA indicates a process of categorical differentiation in which the category increasingly serves to distinguish different kinds of refugees.
Diversification of the calponin family proteins by gene amplification and repeat expansion of calponin-like motifs.

The calponin family proteins in vertebrates, including calponin and transgelin (also known as SM22 or NP25), regulate actin-myosin interaction and actin filament stability and are involved in regulation of muscle contractility and cell migration. Related proteins are also present in invertebrates and fungi. Animals have multiple genes encoding calponin family proteins with variable molecular features, which are often expressed in the same tissues or cells. However, functional studies of this class of proteins have been reported only in limited species. Through database searches, I found that the calponin family proteins were diversified in animals by gene amplification and repeat expansion of calponin-like (CLIK) motifs, which function as actin-binding sequences. Transgelin-like proteins with a single CLIK motif are the most primitive type and present in fungi and animals. In many animals, additional calponin family proteins containing multiple CLIK motifs, as represented by vertebrate calponins with three CLIK motifs, are present. Interestingly, in several invertebrate species, there are uncharacterized calponin-related proteins with highly expanded repeats of CLIK motifs (up to 23 repeats in molluscs). These variable molecular features of the calponin family proteins may be results of evolutionary adaptation to a broad range of cell biological events. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.