cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlations Involving the Solubility of Gases in Water at 298.15 K and 101325 Pa

Factors influencing the solubilities of a large number of gases in water at 298.15 K and 101325 Pa partial pressure of gas have been examined. (For purposes of this article gases are considered to be compounds having normal boiling points below 298.15 K.) Since the solubility of these solutes in water range over 7 orders of magnitude and the gases examined include both gases that are chemically inert and gases that react with water, it was not possible to find a single correlation to adequately cover all of them. Accordingly, the gases were grouped into compatible classes, such as chemically reactive, inert, permanent, hydrocarbons, halogen-containing gases, etc. Reasonable correlations with gas solute properties were generally found within each class of compounds.
Fetal Hydronephrosis: Considerations Regarding Urological Intervention

Real-time ultrasonic imaging during pregnancy has made it possible to diagnose accurately fetal hydronephrosis as early as at 17 weeks of gestation. The ultrasonic finding of oligohydramnios in conjunction with megacystis and bilateral hydronephrosis is the most reliable indicator of marked permanent urinary tract obstruction and, therefore, is an absolute requirement for fetal urological intervention. Fetal intervention by means of percutaneous catheter drainage of the bladder into the amniotic space is undertaken to preserve renal and pulmonary function. It appears that urinary tract decompression at 17 weeks of gestation is unable to prevent renal dysplasia. The degree to which renal cortical function is preserved by fetal drainage of the hydronephrotic kidney is unknown. Experimental evidence has suggested that early urinary tract decompression promotes improved pulmonary development, which may allow for normal pulmonary function postnatally. We report 6 cases that illustrate important considerations with regard to urological intervention for fetal hydronephrosis.
Time to do the right thing: End fee-for-service for primary care

> You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they’ve tried everything else. > > –Winston Churchill Current fee-for-service (FFS) payment rates for physician visits trace to the origins of Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance in the 1930s. At that time, rates were set that paid
Trojan Horses in EU Foreign Policy

Why has the European Union been able to craft a unified sanctions policy against Russia but failed to rein in Russia's ‘Trojan horses’ within the EU that pursue pro-Putin foreign policies? We argue that the EU suffers from a specific type of disaggregation in its foreign and security policy. While the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy has increased its capacities over time, the EU still lacks the power to prevent Member States from pursuing their own independent policies. In the face of the Ukraine crisis, for instance, the EU marshaled a surprisingly strong sanctions regime, but could not prevent Member States from pursuing divergent pro-Russia policies, such as signing new energy deals or granting port access for Russian naval forces. As EU foreign and security powers grow, foreign powers face increasing incentives to cultivate Trojan horses among the EU Member States.
Uniting Saint Louis University's interprofessional education program with organizational learning: A theory-based model to guide IP education and practice

Abstract Background Strengthening the bridge between interprofessional education and interprofessional collaborative practice to expand the integration of effective team-based health care requires new models within the health care system. Recent calls in the literature have asked for interprofessional research to do a better job of incorporating theories and explanatory models. We propose the use of organizational learning theory as an approach to modeling and supporting interprofessional collaborative practice. Methods The current paper applies the five disciplines of organizational learning to the organization of interprofessional education competencies and course objectives in a university interprofessional education program. Results The model also provides a guide for healthcare administrators who may utilize organizational learning theory and who support the enhancement of interprofessional collaborative practice. Conclusion Future research could work to evaluate these objectives and competencies of health professions graduates to see how individuals contribute to organizational learning and change once in the field.
Folded Futurity: Epigenetic Plasticity, Temporality, and New Thresholds of Fetal Life

AbstractThe life sciences are generating a transformative view of the biological body not as fixed and innate but as permeable to its environment and, therefore, plastic: development is open and malleable. Emblematic of these new sciences is environmental epigenetics, which investigates environmental factors that come into the body to shape expression of genes across the life course; prominent are environmental exposures during fetal development, which epigeneticists propose influence not only birth outcomes but also lifelong health. How does this new emphasis on permeability and plasticity during fetal development change how the fetus and fetal vulnerability are understood in the current scientific literature? Perspectives on genomic and reproductive temporality help conceptualize environmental epigenetics as a dynamic relationship between plasticity and determinism. This epigenetic temporality links past, present, and future in way that gives the fetus a keystone role as the vulnerable space-time of env...
CHARACTERIZATIONS OF PASSIVE FILMS FORMED ON STAINLESS STEEL IN HIGH TEMPERATURE WATER

ABSTRACT Surface study techniques were used to investigate films on Type 304 stainless steel which were formed during exposure to high purity water at 288°C. The results indicated that the film chemistry depended strongly upon the concentration of the dissolved O 2 in the water. Films formed in water having 8 ppm O 2 were stoichiometric mixed oxides; whereas, those formed in water with 10 ppb O 2 were highly defective oxyhydroxides. The latter films are not as protective as the stoichiometric oxides.
A human visual based binarization technique for histological images

In the field of vision-based systems for object detection and classification, thresholding is a key pre-processing step. Thresholding is a well-known technique for image segmentation. Segmentation of medical images, such as Computed Axial Tomography (CAT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), X-Ray, Phase Contrast Microscopy, and Histological images, present problems like high variability in terms of the human anatomy and variation in modalities. Recent advances made in computer-aided diagnosis of histological images help facilitate detection and classification of diseases. Since most pathology diagnosis depends on the expertise and ability of the pathologist, there is clearly a need for an automated assessment system. Histological images are stained to a specific color to differentiate each component in the tissue. Segmentation and analysis of such images is problematic, as they present high variability in terms of color and cell clusters. This paper presents an adaptive thresholding technique that aims at segmenting cell structures from Haematoxylin and Eosin stained images. The thresholded result can further be used by pathologists to perform effective diagnosis. The effectiveness of the proposed method is analyzed by visually comparing the results to the state of art thresholding methods such as Otsu, Niblack, Sauvola, Bernsen, and Wolf. Computer simulations demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in segmenting critical information.
The Tax Reform Act of 1986: Its Impact on the Real Estate Economy in the United States

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA)1 was sponsored by Representative Richard Gephardt (D- MO) and Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ)2 and signed into law on October 22, 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.3 The TRA provides a wealth of topics on which to write and analyze. Since its enactment the Tax Reform Act of 1986 has impacted the U.S. and international tax law in many ways. The Tax Reform Act if 1986 has been widely recognized as a sweeping reform effecting international taxation laws on a global scale and in the manner of a how financial transactions, real property investment and wealth management have been treated and organized. As the U.S. political and economic interests realized as occurred in the U.S. recession of 2008 many of the economic conditions and consequences were parallel in the present which were existing preceding economic environment during the reform debates surrounding the enactment of The Tax Reform Act of 1986. This paper will examine the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and its impact on the real estate economy in the U.S. The central research design will be the question what was the intended impact contemplated by the Congress in the task of undergoing a systematic change in the Tax Code. An exploration of the intended impact is central and the converse question of what are the unintended consequences of TRA as a change to the prior-law tax code in the U.S. will be reviewed and then examined. In examining the TRA for the purpose of this research a resulting set of conclusions and recommendations will be drawn. TRA and its impact on the real estate industry having been explored in previous research adequately the present research approach is a unique approach. The present research will be centered upon the engine that has driven multi- family real estate development by specific provisions enacted in The Tax Reform Act of 1986. The Tax Code, regulations, rulings and case law have developed over the 28 years since TRA’s enactment in 1986. Statutory, judicial, and administrative rulings related to the Low Income Housing Credit, a new provision in the Code enacted by TRA86 will be explored during the course of the research and recommendations for further research will be asserted.
An EMG-assisted modeling approach to assess passive lumbar tissue loading in-vivo during trunk bending

Lower back pain (LBP) is a condition with high prevalence and high cost both in the United States and around the world. The magnitude of mechanical loading on spine is strongly associated with the occurrence of LBP. Previously, to assess spinal loading, biologically assisted biomechanical models were developed to estimate trunk muscle contraction forces. Loadings on lumbar passive tissues are estimated using anatomical models. However, despite the substantial individual variability in lumbar ligament geometry and viscoelastic properties, the existing anatomical models do not account for these differences. As such, the accuracy of model prediction is compromised especially when mid to full range of trunk motions are involved. This paper describes a new modeling approach to assess lumbar passive tissue loading with the consideration of individual differences in lumbar passive tissue properties. A data set that has trunk bending data from 13 human participants was analyzed; on average, lumbar passive tissue contributes to ∼89% of the total spinal compression force at fully flexed trunk postures; the estimated spinal tissue loadings were in feasible ranges as reported from previous cadaver studies; the estimated spinal loadings were also mostly in agreement with results from previous in vivo studies.
Parallelism in computer vision: a review

Computer vision tasks require an enormous amount of computation, especially when the data is in image form, demanding high-performance computers for practical, real-time applications. Parallelism appears to be the only economical way to achieve the level of performance required for vision tasks. Researchers in human and machine vision share the belief that massive parallel processing characterizes low-level vision. In this paper we review the various parallel algorithms used in Computer Vision. The problem of visual recognition is divided into three conceptual levels-low-level, intermediate-level and high-level. There are few conceptual difficulties in parallelizing low-level vision. Intermediate-level vision is relatively difficult. Most algorithms in these two levels have been parallelized. However, not much work has been done in high-level vision. We present a survey of algorithms within each of the three levels.
I am at home: Spatial Privacy Concerns with Social Media Check-ins

Abstract Inclusion of Location Based Services (LBS) on social media including geo-tagging, and check-ins has been on the rise. Users share their location information, motivated by self-expression and socialization, as well as to improve their understanding about places. However, sharing of location information develops an increased potential for spatial privacy violations. Along with the advances in LBS, the developments in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) including easy to use web-maps and reverse geocoding services, provide researchers as well as others to analyze and visualize spatial footprints generated by LBS. This study will use geo-tagged check-in data from the microblogging platform Twitter, along with easy to use GIS based tools to demonstrate spatial privacy issues created due to online check-ins. Apart from demonstrating the spatial privacy vulnerabilities, we also analyze the spatial privacy issues based on the privacy policy documents. Finally, we provide suggestions to improve spatial privacy based on policies, and algorithmic techniques.
The Evolutions of Humanitarian-Private Partnerships: Collaborative Frameworks Under Review

While humanitarian-private relations have always existed, the past few decades have seen a significant evolution of the engagement models and objectives that drive the interaction among the two sectors. The collaboration between the two sectors has become not only increasingly more popular, but in fact a critical element of development aid as donors set high ambitions. 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals outline clear demands for both sectors to work together on a mission to find new and more impactful mechanisms to address the development goals. The business case demands going from millions to trillions through cross-sectoral collaboration as defined in Addis Ababa Conference on Funding for Development. This chapter provides a brief review of the evolution of cooperation between private sector and the development sector over the past 15 years, as well as the factors shaping the different needs and policies that have defined it for the future.
Factors That Influence Linkages to HIV Continuum of Care Services: Implications for Multi-Level Interventions.

Worldwide, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continuum of care involves health promotion providers (e.g., social workers and health educators) linking patients to medical personnel who provide HIV testing, primary care, and antiretroviral treatments. Regrettably, these life-saving linkages are not always made consistently and many patients are not retained in care. To design, test and implement effective interventions, we need to first identify key factors that may improve linkage-making. To help close this gap, we used in-depth interviews with 20 providers selected from a sample of 250 participants in a mixed-method longitudinal study conducted in New York City (2012–2017) in order to examine the implementation of HIV services for at-risk populations. Following a sociomedical framework, we identified provider-, interpersonal- and environmental-level factors that influence how providers engage patients in the care continuum by linking them to HIV testing, HIV care, and other support services. These factors occurred in four domains of reference: Providers’ Professional Knowledge Base; Providers’ Interprofessional Collaboration; Providers’ Work-Related Changes; and Best Practices in a Competitive Environment. Of particular importance, our findings show that a competitive environment and a fear of losing patients to other agencies may inhibit providers from engaging in linkage-making. Our results suggest relationships between factors within and across all four domains; we recommend interventions to modify factors in all domains for maximum effect toward improving care continuum linkage-making. Our findings may be applicable in different areas of the globe with high HIV prevalence.
Thermodynamics of FCC metals at melting point in one-mode phase-field crystals model

Abstract We present the quantification procedure of one-mode phase-field crystals (1PFC) model for face-centered cubic (fcc) materials for the first time and apply this procedure to study thermodynamics of Ni, Cu, Al and Pb at the melting point (MP). We use our recently proposed reformulation of 1PFC that facilitates the quantification procedure of PFC for different materials (Nourian-Avval and Asadi, 2017). First, we calculate the phase diagram of 1PFC using a fast semi-analytical approach by defining the density of the considered crystals using all the non-vanishing density wave vectors and numerically calculating the corresponding free energy; e.g., we consider one, three and four non-vanishing density wave vectors for, respectively, body-centered cubic (bcc), fcc, and hexagonal close-packed (hcp) materials in 1PFC model. Then, we quantify 1PFC for solidification/melting simulations of Ni, Cu, Al, and Pb using an iterative procedure. We calculate representative materials properties including elastic constants, coexisting solid and liquid densities, and latent heat using their derived analytical relations and compare them with their experimental/computational counterparts. Finally, we use the quantified 1PFC model in computational simulations to determine the solid-liquid interface free energy for the considered fcc materials.
Conjunctival Squamous Neoplasia: Staging and Initial Treatment.

Purpose To evaluate the clinical relevance of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification in the initial management of squamous neoplasia of the conjunctiva. Methods This retrospective study enrolled 95 histopathologically proven cases of treatment-naive conjunctival squamous neoplasia. Tumors were classified into 4 histological groups: conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) with mild dysplasia (grade 1/3), moderate dysplasia (grade 2/3), severe dysplasia (grade 3/3 or carcinoma in situ), and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Clinical findings such as tumor location, largest basal diameter, growth pattern, and adjacent structures involved were recorded. Results CIN was observed in 74 cases (78%), and SCC was noted in 21 cases (22%). Based on the AJCC classification, all the 74 cases of CIN were classified as Tis (tumor in situ). Among the invasive SCC, there were 3 T1 tumors, 2 T2 tumors, and 16 T3 tumors. Complete excision with or without adjuvant therapy was selected as initial treatment in 80% of cases (76/95). Two cases of SCC with scleral invasion were treated using brachytherapy. Conclusions The AJCC stage does not correlate with the initial treatment of CIN. The AJCC T3 category should be reviewed to differentiate diffuse SCCs with broad surface extension from tumors with deep scleral invasion.
Estradiol‐regulated innate antiviral responses of human endometrial stromal fibroblasts

Problem The contribution of fibroblasts to innate immune protection of the human female reproductive tract (FRT) against viral pathogens is relatively unknown. Method of study Endometrial (EM), endocervical (Cx) and ectocervical (ECx) fibroblasts were isolated from hysterectomy patients and grown in vitro. Fibroblasts were treated with the viral mimic poly (I:C) in the presence or absence of the sex hormone estradiol (E2 ), with gene expression measured by real-time RT-PCR and protein secretion by ELISA. Results Poly (I:C) induced the expression of the interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) MxA, OAS2 and APOBEC3G, and the cytokines MCP-1, IL-8, IL-6, CCL20, IFNβ and RANTES by fibroblasts from all three sites. ISG upregulation was dependent upon Type I IFN signaling. E2 inhibited the poly (I:C)-induced upregulation of MxA and OAS2 in EM fibroblasts, but not Cx or ECx fibroblasts. E2 upregulated SDF-1α by EM fibroblasts but had no effect on secretion of other cytokines either alone or in the presence of poly (I:C). Conditioned media (CM) from poly (I:C)-treated or E2 -treated fibroblasts significantly reduced HIV infection of CD4+ T cells. Conclusion Stromal fibroblasts represent a level of innate immune protection against viral pathogens in the FRT beyond that seen with epithelial cells and immune cells. Our findings indicate that fibroblasts FRT are selectively responsive to E2 , capable of initiating an antiviral response against viral pathogens and may play a role in preventing HIV infection of CD4+ T cells.
Equivalent Circuit for the Trans-Rotary Magnetic Gear

This letter proposes an equivalent circuit for the trans-rotary magnetic gear. The circuit is presented for both impedance and admittance analogies. In both analogies, the gearing effect is modeled by a transformer. The gear's compliance is modeled by a parallel capacitor in the impedance analogy and by a series inductor in the admittance analogy. As an example, the proposed equivalent circuit is coupled to the equivalent circuit of a backpack energy-harvesting system to create an all-electric equivalent for the energy-harvesting system. The resulting all-electric equivalent circuit provides insight into system dynamics and control strategies. Moreover, the proposed circuit can be readily extended to other types of magnetic gears.
Nanographene and Graphene Nanoribbon Synthesis via Alkyne Benzannulations

The extension of π-conjugation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via alkyne benzannulation reactions has become an increasingly utilized tool over the past few years. This short review will highlight recent work of alkyne benzannulations in the context of large nanographene as well as graphene nanoribbon synthesis along with a brief discussion of the interesting physical properties these molecules display.
Proceedings of the 9th Workshop on Parallel/High-Performance Object-Oriented Scientific Computing

While object-oriented programming has been embraced in industry, particularly in the form of C++, Java, and Python, its acceptance by the parallel scientific programming community has been relatively slow. Nonetheless, various factors practically dictate the use of language features that provide higher level abstractions than do C or older FORTRAN standards. These include increasingly complex physics models, numerical algorithms, and hardware, e.g. deep memory hierarchies, ever-increasing numbers of processors, the advent of multi-core processors; more recently the use of heterogeneous architectures using the IBM Cell/BE or GP-GPUs, and soon the experimentation with many-core processors such as the Intel Many Integrated Core architectures.
Depression and suicide: Occupational hazards of practicing medicine:

There is growing recognition of the prevalence of depression and suicide in medicine but there is still a lack of understanding of its causes and solutions. For many years, the medical community ha...
Full Stack Web Development of a Geospatial Information Service System for Intelligently Irrigated Agriculture

Decisions on efficient irrigation in agriculture depend on sufficient information from different sources. The source of information may come in different form and different scale. Properly delivering them to farmers in field is required to make the decisions on spot where internet access may be intermittent. Requirements are of supporting diverse data products, reactive, responsive, and progressive. The design of a geospatially capable service system needs to adapt fit technologies in both server and client. This study reviews relevant geospatial information technologies to meet the requirements: data integration, responsive Web design, and progressive Web application. A full stack design of Web geospatial information service system is developed to efficiently serve farmers in irrigated agriculture up to fields.
A brief explanation of the issue of faithfulness and link orientation in network reconstruction

Complex systems can often be understood via a graph abstraction where nodes represent individual components and edges represent input/output relations among them. Recovering the network structure of a complex system from noninvasively observed data plays a central role in many areas of science. A classic approach to this problem is Granger causality. For strictly causal linear dynamic systems, Granger causality guarantees a consistent reconstruction of the network. However, it is a well-established fact that Granger causality, and analogous methods, lead to the inference of spurious links in the presence of direct feedthroughs. On the other hand, graphical model approaches can deal successfully with static operators in acyclic structures. Indeed, in those cases, graphical model tools guarantee a consistent network reconstruction, apart from pathological conditions associated with very specific values of the system parameters. When these pathological conditions do not occur, borrowing terminology from the theory of graphical models, the network is said to be faithful to its graph representation. We discuss the notion of faithfulness and adapt it to the more general case of networks of dynamic systems, in order to combine the main idea behind Granger causality with graphical model techniques. We provide an algorithm which, under faithfulness, has theoretical guarantees for the reconstruction of a large class of linear models containing both direct feedthroughs and feedback loops.
Design of alumina-forming austenitic stainless steel using genetic algorithms

Abstract Alumina-forming austenitic stainless steels (AFA-SSs) are candidates for high temperature applications to replace conventional stainless steels that form unstable chromium-oxide. In this work, a new AFA-SS composition was designed, through thermodynamic considerations, oxidation model calculations, and Genetic Algorithm-based optimization, which is expected to form alumina scale with only few number of alloying additions. The model incorporates thermodynamic stability of alumina with the kinetics of diffusion of aluminum and oxygen, and then considers the role of chromium as the third element, to predict alumina scale formability. In the present study, this model was utilized to design a new AFA-SS with minimum number of alloying additions. In addition, the oxidation behavior of the designed alloy was investigated at 800 °C to demonstrate its alumina forming capability and compared with a well-known alumina-forming steel. The cross-sections of the scales were studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The results confirmed the formation of the alumina layer in the designed alloy and validated the utility of the model and Genetic Algorithm-based optimization.
Increased Mortality in Asians With Systemic Sclerosis in Northern California.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to evaluate racial/ethnic differences in disease manifestations and survival in a US cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), with a focus on Asian patients. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted among Kaiser Permanente Northern California adults with an incident SSc diagnosis by a rheumatologist from 2007 to 2016, confirmed by a chart review to fulfill 2013 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. Self-reported race/ethnicity was categorized as non-Hispanic white, Asian, Hispanic, and black. Disease manifestations and survival were compared, using white patients as the reference. RESULTS A total of 609 patients with incident SSc were identified: 89% were women, and 81% had limited cutaneous SSc, with a mean age at diagnosis of 55.4 ± 14.8 years. The racial/ethnic distribution was 51% non-Hispanic white (n = 310), 25% Hispanic (n = 154), 16% Asian (n = 96), and 8% black (n = 49). Compared with white patients, black patients had a greater prevalence of diffuse disease (14.5% vs. 44.9%; P < 0.001), and Asians had higher rates of anti-U1-RNP antibodies (32.1% vs. 11.9%; P = 0.005). Nine-year overall survival rates following SSc diagnosis were lower in Asian (52.3%), black (52.2%), and Hispanic patients (68.2%) compared with white patients (75.8%). Pulmonary hypertension and infections were the leading causes of death in Asian patients. Asian race was associated with higher mortality on univariable (hazard ratio [HR] 1.83 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-2.99]; P = 0.020) and multivariable analyses (HR 1.80 [95% CI 0.99-3.16]; P = 0.047) when adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, cutaneous subtype, smoking status, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, renal crisis, and malabsorption syndrome. CONCLUSION Asian patients with SSc in this US cohort had increased mortality compared with white patients. These patients warrant close monitoring for disease progression.
TeleWound Practice Within the Veterans Health Administration: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Program Evaluation.

Background: Chronic wounds, such as pressure injuries and diabetic foot ulcers, are a significant predictor of mortality. Veterans who reside in rural areas often have difficulty accessing care for their wounds. TeleWound Practice (TWP), a coordinated effort to incorporate telehealth into the provision of specialty care for patients with skin wounds, has the potential to increase access to wound care by allowing veterans to receive this care at nearby outpatient clinics or in their homes. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) is championing the rollout of the TWP, starting with regional implementation. Objective: This paper aims to describe the protocol for a mixed-methods program evaluation to assess the implementation and outcomes of TWP in VA. Methods: We are conducting a mixed-methods evaluation of 4 VA medical centers and their community-based outpatient clinics that are participating in the initial implementation of the TWP. Data will be collected from veterans, VA health care team members, and other key stakeholders (eg, clinical leadership). We will use qualitative methods (ie, semistructured interviews), site visits, and quantitative methods (ie, surveys, national VA administrative databases) to assess the process and reach of TWP implementation and its impact on veterans’ clinical outcomes and travel burdens and costs. Results: This program evaluation was funded in October 2019 as a Partnered Evaluation Initiative by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Diffusion of Excellence Office, and Office of Research and Development, Health Services Research and Development Service, Quality Enhancement Research Initiative Program (PEC 19-310). Conclusions: Evaluation of the TWP will identify barriers and solutions to TeleWound implementation in a small number of sites that can be used to inform successful rollout of the TWP nationally. Our evaluation work will inform future efforts to scale up the TWP across VA and optimize reach of the program to veterans across the nation.
Microbiome Innovation in Agriculture: Development of Microbial Based Tools for Insect Pest Management

According to the Entomological Society of America’s (ESA) recent position statement, invasive insects incur control costs of over $2.5 billion and cause economic damages to crops, lawns, forests, and pastures totaling $18 billion per year (“The Not-So-Hidden Dangers of Invasive Species” 2018). The threat of invasive crop pests to food security continues to be driven by complex dynamics of human movements, global trade activities, climate change, and changing agricultural practices. Chemical insecticides have been central to crop protection against invasive insects. However, a growing demand for reduced agricultural chemical use due to environmental and human health concerns in addition to pesticide resistance issues are fueling interests in innovative approaches to manage invasive pests. For decades, the role of microbes in pest management has been largely confined to using entomopathogens, with only a handful of microbial species being developed into bioinsecticides. The paradigm is shifting owing to the advent of high-throughput sequencing, functional omics, and gene editing technologies, which greatly accelerate microbial discovery, as well as a better understanding of microbial functions in complex communities across different habitats. There is also overwhelming evidence that symbiotic microbes play pivotal roles in shaping various insect traits. The collection of microbes associated with a given environment (both biotic and abiotic) and their collective genetic materials is termed the microbiome. In this paper, we survey the latest development in microbiome research that could be leveraged into novel management tools for agricultural insect pests (Figure 1). We first review the diverse insect traits shaped by insect-microbe associations that span nutrition, immunity, ecological interactions with natural enemy, insecticide resistance, and behavior. This is followed by a discussion on different microbiome manipulation approaches to alter pest traits, describing some of the opportunities and obstacles for each approach. We then highlight microbiomes as untapped chemical inventories to discover novel biopesticides, including plant-incorporated protectants and semiochemicals. The last topic covered is the use of beneficial microbes to improve performance of mass-reared insects for autocidal programs, including sterile insect technique and incompatible insect technique, in which we identify topics where data are limited or inconclusive for future research.
Functional Network Development in Sagittal Craniosynostosis Treated With Whole Vault Cranioplasty.

INTRODUCTION In this study, the authors seek to clarify the neurological changes before and after whole vault cranioplasty (WVC) in patients born with sagittal craniosynostosis. METHODS A case control study design was performed that included thirty functional MRI scans, from 25 individual patients. Functional MRI and diffusion tension imaging data were analyzed with BioImageSuite (Yale University, USA). 9 functional brain networks were analyzed, with appropriate correlated functional regions of the brain and utilized for analysis. RESULTS Comparing functional MRI the infants after WVC versus infants before WVC group, the after WVC group demonstrated an increased connectivity in the left frontoparietal, secondary (V2), and third (V3) visual networks (P < 0.001). The right frontoparietal (RFPN) had decreased connectivity (P < 0.001). There is also a decrease and increase in anisotropy in the cingulum and precuneus despite surgery, respectively (P < 0.05). Adolescents treated with WVC compared to controls, demonstrated an increased connectivity in the salience and decreased connectivity in the RFPN relative to adolescent controls. CONCLUSIONS Patients born with sagittal craniosynostosis have different connections in infancy in most of the defined cerebral networks compared to controls. After surgery, there are specific connectivity changes that occur in the RFPN, left frontoparietal, V2, and V3 networks, which are areas associated with executive function and emotional control. Changes identified in white matter tract microstructure connections could be influential in changes in functional connectivity. Although, as a child with sagittal craniosynostosis develops, much of the abnormal network connections, seen in infancy preoperatively, corrects to some degree after surgery. However, some aberrancies in the salience and RFPN networks remain potentially affecting executive functioning.
Fatty Acid Synthetase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae light particle fraction containing fatty acid synthetase analyzed by density gradient method
Chronology, Stratigraphy, and Dating Methods in Archaeology

Estimating age in the archaeological record is the primary step in understanding the human past. Chronology provides a temporal dimension that distinguishes archaeology, paleontology, and geology from the disciplines of ethnography and ethnology. Increasingly better-defined methods of dating have radically enhanced our ability to address questions of cultural identity and ethnicity, as well as cultural change; an understanding of the primary methods that date the past is still critical to interpreting social process. The facility to correlate an event or episode with an absolute point in time is crucial in solving many archaeological problems. A variety of methods can be used to establish chronology in archaeology. Foremost among these are stratigraphic techniques, dating based on animal and plant remains, chemical accumulation, and temperature effects, as well as radiometric and radiation dating. The various techniques are applicable under certain conditions, and yield variable results based on context and dated material. All these dating techniques are focused on generating an absolute or relative chronology as the first step in understanding the past.
Generic pattern mining via data mining template library

Frequent Pattern Mining (FPM) is a very powerful paradigm for mining informative and useful patterns in massive, complex datasets. In this paper we propose the Data Mining Template Library, a collection of generic containers and algorithms for data mining, as well as persistency and database management classes. DMTL provides a systematic solution to a whole class of common FPM tasks like itemset, sequence, tree and graph mining. DMTL is extensible, scalable, and high-performance for rapid response on massive datasets. A detailed set of experiments show that DMTL is competitive with special purpose algorithms designed for a particular pattern type, especially as database sizes increase.
Representing the Faithful in Legal Advocacy? Evaluating the Congruence in Baptist Church‐State Advocacy

Religious denominational advocacy groups present opportunities for grassroots representation, but it is necessary to understand the relationship between members' preferences and the advocacy decisions made by the organization. Previous research suggests that organizational characteristics and internal and external contexts may affect congruence, but this has not been thoroughly analyzed for denominational groups. I perform a comparative case study of two related denominational groups—the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC)—that are active participants in church-state advocacy but take divergent Establishment Clause views. I use survey data to compare the members' preferences with the group's position statements and amicus brief filings, finding that neither of the organizations mirror its members, though the ERLC is more congruent than the BJC. I argue that internal politics, external context, group structure, and membership characteristics impact the congruence between grassroots members and advocacy decisions. Los grupos religiosos mediaticos presentan una oportunidad para la representacion comunitaria, pero es necesario entender la relacion entre las preferencias de sus miembros y las decisiones tomadas por su organizacion. Investigaciones previas sugieren que las caracteristicas organizacionales, asi como el contexto interno y externo puede afectar la congruencia, pero esto no ha sido meticulosamente analizado en los grupos mediaticos. Yo realizo un analisis de caso comparativo de dos grupos mediaticos relacionados—la Comision de Etica y Libertad Religiosa de la Convencion Bautista del Sur (CERL) y el Comite Conjunto Bautista para la Libertad Religiosa (CCB)—que son participantes activos en la defensa de la iglesia-estado pero que sostienen opiniones divergentes acerca de la Primera Enmienda a la Constitucion de los Estados Unidos. Para este estudio utilizo datos de encuestas para comparar las preferencias de los miembros con la posicion oficial de sus grupos y de una perspectiva imparcial, mostrando que ninguna de las organizaciones concuerda con sus miembros, aunque el CERL es mas congruente que el CCB. Yo argumento que las politicas internas, el contexto exterior, la estructura grupal, y las caracteristicas de afiliacion tienen un impacto en la congruencia entre miembros comunitarios y las decisiones de apoyo.
Elastomer bushing response: Experiments and finite element modeling

Elastomer bushings are essential components in tuning suspension systems since they isolate vibration, reduce noise transmission, accommodate oscillatory motions and accept misalignment of axes. This work presents an experimental study in which bushings are subjected to radial, torsional and coupled radial-torsional modes of deformation. The experimental results show that the relationship between the forces and moments and their corresponding displacements and rotations is nonlinear and viscoelastic due to the nature of the elastomeric material. An interesting feature of the coupling response is that radial force decreases and then increases with torsion. The experimental results were used to assess bushing behavior and to determine the strength of radial-torsional coupling. The experimental results were also compared to finite element simulations of a model bushing. While finite element analysis predicted small displacements at the relaxed state reasonably well, the response to larger radial deformations and coupled deformations was not well captured.
Carotid Artery Stenosis And Randomized Controlled Trials - Should We Abandon The Gold Standard (P7.170)

Objective: Applying Bayesian methods for analysis of clinical trial results. Background: All neurologists are Bayesian theoreticians. In the realm of diagnosis, a “hunch” about what the patient has (“pre-test probability”) is iteratively reinforced or rejected (“post-test probability”) based on serial diagnostic tests. The same is true of therapeutic interventions. An initial conviction about whether or not a treatment works is continuously modified based on the results of high-quality randomized controlled trials. We explicitly applied this process to the question of endarterectomy (CEA) vs. stenting (CAS) for carotid stenosis. Methods: Five high-quality RCTs comparing CEA to CAS with respect to the composite endpoint of stroke, MI, or death at 30 days were identified: SAPPHIRE, EVA3-S (initial and 4 year), SPACE, ICSS and CREST. We applied Bayesian logic to these five trials sequentially in the order that they were published for various initial convictions with respect to the value of CAS ranging from “true believer” (80%) to “confirmed skeptic” (20%). We also examined the characteristics of a RCT that would be required to change a neurologist’s mind. Results: The true believer (80% conviction) in 2004 would reduce his/her conviction to 47.5% after ICSS and then to 29% after CREST. The size of a RCT (with a statistically significant result in favor of CAS) necessary to change the Bayesian neurologist’s opinion from skeptical (20% conviction) to simple equipoise (50-50) would require 4364 patients per treatment arm. Conclusion: Explicit and unbiased application of Bayesian logic to the question of CEA vs. CAS for carotid stenosis suggests that CEA is clearly superior to CAS, and that further RCTs are very unlikely to alter this conviction. As we will demonstrate, many other contentious therapeutic questions can be profitably analyzed by this method. Disclosure: Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gronseth has received personal compensation for activities with the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Gronseth has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Neurology. Dr. Glantz has received personal compensation for activities with SigmaTau, AANS, and AAN. Dr. Glantz9s institution has received research support from Exelixis Pharmaceuticals, Brown University Oncology Group, and Penn State.
Development and application of endoscopy

The Early Years or the Dark Age of Endoscopy Endoscopy is impossible without adequate illumination. Beginning early in the 19th century, several primitive instruments were constructed for endoscopy. l-3 Bozzini (1806) used reflected light from a candle for various specula. Desormeux (1853) used a mixture of alcohol and turpentine (gasogen) to provide light for a cystoscope. In 1868 Kussmaul, taking his cue from sword swallowers, constructed the first rigid gastroscope, using the gasogen lamp. There is no record of any clinical use. In 1882 Billroth’s pupil Mikulicz, with the instrument maker Nietze, developed the first potentially usable gastroscope using a watercooled electrically heated platinum wire loop; however, the instrument was soon abandoned. Rosenheim in 1896, using the same illumination, reported use in patients, but no one else used his instrument and it too was abandoned.
Consistent effects of eastern subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) on properties of a temperate forest soil

Abstract Termites inhabit a large portion of land covered by temperate forests. Climate warming and urbanization will likely extend their range and increase their densities in these ecosystems but, compared to their tropical counterparts, little is known about their effects on soil properties and processes. If temperate termites have the strong ecosystem engineering effects of tropical termites, then knowledge of their ecology and impacts will be vital for predicting how temperate systems respond to environmental change. We investigated how feeding and tunneling by the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes , affected wood decomposition and soil properties under decaying wood. Twelve laboratory microcosms filled with mineral soil and with wood blocks of four common temperate tree species, received R. flavipes soldiers and workers at field densities, with an additional five termite-free microcosms serving as controls. After 25 weeks, the effects of termites on wood mass loss, and on carbon and nitrogen dynamics, differed across tree species, yet their effects on soil properties were consistent regardless of wood type. Microbially-available carbon in soil was 20% higher with termites and soil moisture content 20% lower. Soil pH was more acid with termites and their effects on soil microbial biomass were positive but non-significant. These soil responses were consistent regardless of the wood species, suggesting that termite effects on soil are dictated largely by their activity within the soil matrix and not by their feeding rate on specific wood substrates. These results are among the first to quantify the effects of temperate forest termite activity on soil properties, demonstrating the potential for these termites to shape biogeochemical cycling and plant communities through their alteration of the soil environment.
Vocal Reaction Times of Stuttering Subjects to Tachistoscopically Presented Concrete and Abstract Words: A Closer Look at Cerebral Dominance and Language Processing.

The present study was an attempt to investigate further the issues pertaining to cerebral organization for visual language processing in the stuttering population. Employing a lexical decision task, vocal reaction times were obtained for a group of 14 stutterers to unilateral, tachistoscopically presented concrete and abstract words. Results of an analysis of variance showed that a significant interaction occurred between visual fields and stimuli. Posthoc tests showed that the right hemisphere was superior for analyzing the concrete words while the left hemisphere was responsible for processing the abstract items. Compared to past data from normal subjects, these findings were interpreted as suggesting that some form of linguistic competition may exist between the two hemispheres, possibly reflecting a disturbance in functional localization in the stuttering population.
The Space of Architectural Inquiry

Figure 1. Modern Modular (2004–present). Map of the distribution of Modern Modular completed projects as of 2012, reflecting the firms' location as well as the concentration of the manufactured hou...