cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health Insurance Affects Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Patterns and Outcomes

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of insurance coverage on stage of presentation, treatment, and survival of head and neck cancer (HNC). Materials and Methods A retrospective study was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to identify patients diagnosed with HNC. The primary variable of interest was insurance analyzed as a dichotomous variable: Patients were considered uninsured if they were classified as “uninsured” by SEER, whereas patients were considered insured if they were defined by SEER as “any Medicaid,” “insured,” or “insured/no specifics.” The outcomes of interest were cancer stage at presentation (M0 vs M1), receipt of definitive treatment, and HNC-specific mortality (HNCSM). Multivariable logistic regression modeled the association between insurance status and stage at presentation, as well as between insurance status and receipt of definitive treatment, whereas HNCSM was modeled using Fine and Gray competing risks. Sensitivity logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether observed interactions remained significant by insurance type (privately insured, Medicaid, and uninsured). Results Patients without medical insurance were more likely to present with metastatic cancer (adjusted odds ratio, 1.60; P Conclusions Uninsured patients and patients with Medicaid are more likely to present with metastatic disease, are more likely to not be treated definitively, and are at a higher risk of HNCSM. The treatment gap between Medicaid and private insurance observed in this study should serve as an immediate policy target for health care reform.
Adapting high-resolution speckle imaging to moving targets and platforms

High-resolution surveillance imaging with apertures greater than a few inches over horizontal or slant paths at optical or infrared wavelengths will typically be limited by atmospheric aberrations. With static targets and static platforms, we have previously demonstrated near-diffraction limited imaging of various targets including personnel and vehicles over horizontal and slant paths ranging from less than a kilometer to many tens of kilometers using adaptations to bispectral speckle imaging techniques. Nominally, these image processing methods require the target to be static with respect to its background during the data acquisition since multiple frames are required. To obtain a sufficient number of frames and also to allow the atmosphere to decorrelate between frames, data acquisition times on the order of one second are needed. Modifications to the original imaging algorithm will be needed to deal with situations where there is relative target to background motion. In this paper, we present an extension of these imaging techniques to accommodate mobile platforms and moving targets.
Anorexia, weight loss, and sterile pyuria in a 61-year-old woman.

A 61-year-old woman presented with anorexia and weight loss of a few months' duration. She had been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis 40 years ago and could not recall if she had received antituberculous drugs. However, she did recall spending time in a sanatorium as part of her therapy. The patient had a low-grade fever and postural hypotension. Her BUN was 60 mgtdl, and serum creatinine was 3.4 mgtdl. Chest x-ray revealed no active pulmonary disease. There was pyuria on urinalysis but urine gram stain was negative. and standard bacterial cultures had no growth.
Storage amidst early agriculture along the Nile: Perspectives from Sai Island, Sudan

Abstract The transition to an agricultural economy hinges on both the presence of domestic plants, and the reorganization of labor and storage practices so that crops play ever-larger roles in human subsistence. Examining agricultural origins through the lens of changing storage practices offers novel insights about possible motives for early farming, and a clearer focus on how some of the “consequences” of agriculture – e.g. sedentarization, intensification of resource use, occupational specialization, and social differentiation – unfolded in specific times and places depending on management of physical storage facilities. In the Sahara and Nile, people prioritized different kinds of storage (social, physical, and environmental) in response to the changing opportunities and constraints they faced during early and middle Holocene times. Environmental storage (herding) held sway across much of northeast Africa until environmental deterioration pushed human populations into a small area near the Nile, where they developed physical storage facilities in the Fayum and Nile from the Delta south to Kerma. Discovery of wheat/barley in Sudan cemeteries predating these storage facilities suggests that herders were aware of southwest Asian crops for centuries before large-scale physical storage and regular farming took hold. Analysis of site 8-B-52A on Sai Island shows the gradual development of a major storage facility that was used for centuries by local people who produced and processed southwest Asian crops, and undertook construction and maintenance without external input or control by a centralized authority. Sai's record contrasts with other areas along the Nile, where large-scale facilities quickly triggered profound social changes. Although food security needs motivated northeast Africans to undertake farming of southwest Asian crops and invest in physical storage facilities, people managed storage in locally distinctive ways. Only in a few places did they rapidly translate the practice of storage into new social and economic spheres that fostered social differentiation, long-distance trade and, ultimately, the centralized polities of Ancient Egypt and Kerma.
Rôle of Bacteriophage in Natural Purification

of d'Herelle, with the subsequent discovery of the ubiquitous nature of the bacteriophage, there have been repeated attempts to assign it a role in natural purification. The possibility appeared especially plausible in view of the fact that sewages and polluted waters are particularly rich sources of the lytic substances. D'Herelle 1 was the first to speculate on bacteriophagic purification in nature, explaining in this fashion the vibriocidal properties of certain Indian rivers (1926), to which Hankin had many years previously directed attention.
Industrial Trends in the Tennessee Valley

more fully until in the course of time it becomes universal. Perhaps the universal adoption of the new psychologically and sociologically sound political principles defined above, which the democratic peoples are enunciating and striving to implement, may have to await a general acceptance of true regionalism as the primary basis for scientific world planning-in a word, as the cornerstone and not merely the unwanted stepchild of the U. N. 0. Deference to abstract ethics in internationalism is pretty hard for Europeans, schooled in the old order, to accept. But the steady whittling down of predatory nationalistic policies and the gradual surrender of old imperial prerogatives out of deference to regional interests, may do much to heal local cleavages and resolve antipathies and frictions, such as are arising today as rights and aspirations of nations and peoples great and small surge forward over the old dykes of Empire and the new barriers being set up in haste by modern powerpoliticians. "Regional arrangements, like the inter-American system," said Secretary of State Byrnes in a public address on October 31, 1945, "which respect the rights and interests of other states and fit into the world system, can become strong pillars in the structure of world peace."
Diazafluorenone-Promoted Oxidation Catalysis: Insights into the Role of Bidentate Ligands in Pd-Catalyzed Aerobic Aza-Wacker Reactions

2,2'-Bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and related bidentate ligands often inhibit homogeneous Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions; however, certain derivatives, such as 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one (DAF), can promote catalysis. In order to gain insight into this divergent ligand behavior, eight different bpy- and phen-derived chelating ligands have been evaluated in Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed oxidative cyclization of (E)-4-hexenyltosylamide. Two of the ligands, DAF and 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (6,6'-Me2bpy), support efficient catalytic turnover, while the others strongly inhibit the reaction. DAF is especially effective and is the only ligand that exhibits "ligand-accelerated catalysis". Evidence suggests that the utility of DAF and 6,6'-Me2bpy originates from the ability of these ligands to access κ1-coordination modes via dissociation of one of the pyridyl rings. This hemilabile character is directly observed by NMR spectroscopy upon adding one equivalent of pyridine to solutions of 1:1 L/Pd(OAc)2 (L = DAF and 6,6'-Me2bpy), and is further supported by an X-ray crystal structure of Pd(py)(κ1-DAF)OAc2. DFT computational studies illuminate the influence of three different chelating ligands [DAF, 6,6'-Me2bpy, and 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (2,9-Me2phen)] on the energetics of the aza-Wacker reaction pathway. The results show that DAF and 6,6'-Me2bpy destabilize the corresponding ground-state Pd(N~N)(OAc)2 complexes, while stabilizing the rate-limiting transition state for alkene insertion into a Pd-N bond. Interconversion between κ2- and κ1-coordination modes facilitate access to open coordination sites at the PdII center. The insights from these studies introduce new ligand concepts that could promote numerous other classes of Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reaction.
Narrative transitions in views and behaviors of fathers parenting children with disabilities

ABSTRACTWhile analysis has centered on the transitions of first-time fathers, little attention has been given to the transitions that happen within fathering. This study explores the experiences of fathers learning to recognize and manage a child's disability as a transition within fathering. Observations and interviews spanning over a year with five fathers and their families are analyzed with a combination of thematic and narrative techniques. The significant themes are divided into reorganization of inner thinking and external behavior. Reorganization of inner thinking consists of narrative changes that can occur through significant experience or transformations over time. Changes in behavior identified within the study are learning how to interact with children and shifting parenting responsibilities. This study makes a contribution to the existing literature through the analysis of fathers’ experiences with a child's disability as narrative transformations that represent fathering transitions within ...
The Experimental Research on Equivalent Elasticity Coefficient of Hydraulic Fluid and Hose

During the simulation process of hydraulic system,the equivalent elasticity coefficients of hydraulic fluid and hose are two essential parameters.They have large effect on dynamic character of hydraulic system.An effective experimental technique was established based on the definition of elasticity coefficient to determine the elasticity coefficients of hydraulic fluid and hose.The fitting equation of elasticity coefficient of hydraulic fluid with the pressure change was ascertained,and the change regularity of elasticity coefficient of hose was given.
Study on Nitrification Behavior of Aerated Biofilter with Oyster Shell Carrier

Oyster shell contains a large amount of CaCO_3, which supplies the alkalinity source for biological nitrification process.The nitrification behaviors in aerated biofilter with oyster shell as biofilm carrier were investigated under different ammonia concentrations and pH values.The results indicate that the biofilter with oyster shell carrier shows better nitrification performance.Without additional alkalinity supply,the ammonia removal efficiency in the biofilter can reach more than 90% when influent ammonia concentration is not above 120 mg/L.However,when the influent ammonia concentration increases to 240 mg/L,ammonia removal efficiency decreases to 65% due to the limitation of alkalinity supply from shell for nitrification need.The influent pH value does not affect the nitrification efficiency and effluent pH value.
Biogeochemical modeling of CO 2 and CH 4 production in anoxic Arcticsoil microcosms

Abstract. Soil organic carbon turnover to CO2 and CH4 is sensitive to soil redox potential and pH conditions. However, land surface models do not consider redox and pH in the aqueous phase explicitly, thereby limiting their use for making predictions in anoxic environments. Using recent data from incubations of Arctic soils, we extend the Community Land Model with coupled carbon and nitrogen (CLM-CN) decomposition cascade to include simple organic substrate turnover, fermentation, Fe(III) reduction, and methanogenesis reactions, and assess the efficacy of various temperature and pH response functions. Incorporating the Windermere Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM) enables us to approximately describe the observed pH evolution without additional parameterization. Although Fe(III) reduction is normally assumed to compete with methanogenesis, the model predicts that Fe(III) reduction raises the pH from acidic to neutral, thereby reducing environmental stress to methanogens and accelerating methane production when substrates are not limiting. The equilibrium speciation predicts a substantial increase in CO2 solubility as pH increases, and taking into account CO2 adsorption to surface sites of metal oxides further decreases the predicted headspace gas-phase fraction at low pH. Without adequate representation of these speciation reactions, as well as the impacts of pH, temperature, and pressure, the CO2 production from closed microcosms can be substantially underestimated based on headspace CO2 measurements only. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of geochemical models for simulating soil biogeochemistry and provide predictive understanding and mechanistic representations that can be incorporated into land surface models to improve climate predictions.
Uropathogenicity in rats and mice of Providencia stuartii from long-term catheterized patients.

Abstract Providencia stuartii, a frequent and persistent isolate from the urinary tract of chronically catheterized elderly patients, is multiply antibiotic resistant and may cause fatal bacteremia in those patients. We studied P. stuartii strains in rats and mice to determine differences in uropath-ogenicity. Strains studied varied in expression of factors which contribute to pathogenicity of other bacterial species. Urinary tract responses following challenge with P. stuartii strain HO (factors expressed) were similar to responses reported for uropathogenic E. coli strains both in bacterial persistence and histologic change. In animals similarly challenged with P. stuartii strain RO (factors not expressed), responses were similar to those reported for non-uropathogenic E. coli strains. Results indicate that: a) animal model studies may be useful in differentiating P. stuartii strains based on uropathogenicity, b) P. stuartii uropathogenicity may be related to identifiable factors associated with virulence in other species, and c) the CBA mouse model appears to be the most suitable for studies of P. stuartii uropathogenicity. ( J. Urol., 138: 632–635, 1987 )
Spontaneous Rupture of Hepatic Metastasis from Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

A 58-year-old man with advanced-stage pancreatic adenocarcinoma presented with fatigue and dyspnea. Examination revealed tachycardia (102 b/min) with mild tenderness in right upper quadrant. His hemoglobin (Hb) was 7.9 g/dL (10 days prior to presentation 12.2 g/dL), International normalized ratio (INR), platelet count was normal, and the stool guaiac test was negative. On admission, abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed hepatic metastatic lesion with a rupture and hemoperitoneum communicating to the subdiaphragmatic space. This rapid progression of anemia along with presenting symptoms and CT imaging were attributed to diagnosis of spontaneous rupture of liver metastasis from pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patient received blood transfusion and hemoglobin was monitored in successive intervals. His general condition and anemia improved with conservative management and he was discharged in 3 days. Repeated CT after 4 months showed resolving hemoperitoneum and stable hemoglobin levels. The patient deceased 9 months after being diagnosed. A literature search revealed limited data regarding the incidence and management of spontaneous rupture of metastatic lesion secondary to pancreatic adenocarcinoma which has been managed conservatively and thus we are reporting our experience.
Isolated synchondrosis fracture of the atlas presenting as rotatory fixation of the neck: Case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND Exclusive to the pediatric population, cartilaginous fractures of the atlas are singularly rare. Rarer still are those fractures that produce a fixed, rotational deficit of the neck. Here, the authors present the case of a 4-year-old boy with an isolated fracture of the anterior synchondrosis of C1 with a rotational component following a fall, as well as a review of the literature. Management with serial bedside manipulation, which is unique to our report, helped conservatively correct the rotation of the patient's neck, and, coupled with rigid bracing, demonstrated a comprehensive management strategy that resulted in fracture ossification at 3 months. CASE DESCRIPTION Our patient is a 4-year-old boy who fell from a bunk bed and complained of severe neck pain. The patient was brought to the emergency room and was found to have an isolated anterior fracture of the right frontal synchondrosis of the atlas. After conservative management with a hard collar and cautious manual reductions at the bedside, rotation of our patient's neck spontaneously resolved on day 3. After 3 months of rigid immobilization, the patient remained at neurological baseline and his fracture was healed. Literature review demonstrated age range between 2 and 6 years, with a subset of patients demonstrating rotational components to their fractures. Complete resolution of nearly all patients treated with rigid immobilization after fracture was documented, yet several patients experienced delayed diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Knowledge of the radiographic appearance of the C1 ossification centers as well as the normal timeline and sequence of ossification is essential in differentiating a true synchondrosis fracture from normal, nonossified cervical cartilage. With early diagnosis, immobilization, pain control, and muscle relaxants, patients can recover well with conservative management, can successfully ossify fracture sites, and can recover without sequelae.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction As a Potential Source of Reactive Oxygen Species in Cellular Models of Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome

Abstract Abstract 1343 Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome linked to defects in ribosome synthesis. The heterogeneous array of clinical findings associated with this disease state most commonly includes exocrine pancreas insufficiency, neutropenia, and metaphyseal chondroplasia. Patients also show a predisposition for progression to myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myelogenous leukemia. Mutations in the gene SBDS are known to be responsible for most cases of SDS. Initial studies of the yeast ortholog of SBDS, Sdo1, revealed that this family of proteins is involved in the maturation of 60S subunits. Other studies have suggested that SBDS is a multifunctional protein affecting processes other than ribosome synthesis. Most recently it has been shown that reactive oxygen species are dysregulated in TF-1 erythroleukemic cells depleted of SBDS leading to increased cell death (Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010 Dec 1;55(6): 1138–44). In an effort to elucidate potential sources of increased reactive oxygen species we investigated mitochondrial function in yeast and human models of SDS. Yeast cells lacking Sdo1 fail to grow on media containing only respiratory carbon sources, indicative of a defect in mitochondrial energy metabolism. Related studies in human TF-1 cells revealed that cells depleted of SBDS exhibit reduced oxygen consumption relative to controls. Given that the largest producer of reactive oxygen species is the mitochondrial electron transport chain, perturbation of respiratory function in cells depleted of SBDS family members could be a potential source of elevated reactive oxygen species. To investigate the potential molecular mechanisms underlying these respiratory deficient phenotypes we carried out a proteomic analysis comparing yeast cells depleted of Sdo1 with controls. Our data reveal that cells lacking Sdo1 overexpress Por1, an ortholog of human VDAC1. VDAC1 is a voltage dependent anion channel of the mitochondrial outer membrane that is thought to be an essential component of the mitochondrial permeability pore. Both over and under expression of VDAC1 have been shown to disrupt mitochondrial function and lead to enhanced apoptosis. Current efforts are focused on possible changes in VDAC1 expression and the role they play in the respiratory deficient phenotype in human SDS models. These studies continue to shed further insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying SDS pathophysiology. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Using Scratch and Female Role Models while Storytelling Improves Fifth-Grade Students' Attitudes toward Computing

Women are underrepresented in the computer science field. In fact, only 15% of bachelor degrees in pure computer science are awarded to women [1]. The literature reveals various reasons for the underrepresentation of women in computing, including lack of role models [2]. An experimental class at DePauw University continued a project to expose fifth-graders to both programming and female role models, in order to change attitudes toward computing -- in particular, the attitudes of both boys and girls to the inclusion of girls in computing activities. The DePauw class visited the children a total of 5 times, administering an attitude scale (CATS [3]) as both a pre-test and post-test instrument. The children learned the programming language, Scratch, and developed two storytelling endings for books they had read in their current English curriculum unit. Pre- and post-test comparisons of the 10 CATS items (Likert-type attitude scale) were obtained using one-tailed t-tests for the 10 paired responses from the 20 children (10 boys and 10 girls). The t-test for item number 7 ("Technology is as difficult for girls as it is for boys.") yielded a p-value of 0.019, which was significant at the .05 level. Since little girls and little boys should think that computing is equally easy and equally difficult for each sex, the results provide one piece of evidence that providing a series of lessons involving Scratch by a team of students with sufficient female role models (4 female students and 4 male) can change children's attitudes toward computing.
Impact of Race on the Implementation of Empirically Supported Treatments in Substance Abuse Treatment

The effort to address the gap between research and practice in substance abuse treatment has largely neglected the role of local resources and political trends. This study seeks to clarify the role of the local environment in implementing empirically supported treatments (ESTs). The study consisted of secondary data analysis of substance abuse treatment centers (N = 13,079) and U.S. Census data to determine the likelihood of using EST by substance abuse treatment centers in counties with 50% or more Black residents. Bivariate and multivariate models were employed. After controlling for various factors, results indicate that substance use disorder treatment agencies that accept federal funding are less likely to use ESTs if they are located in counties with predominantly (> 50%) Black residents. Implementation of ESTs could be influenced by community racial distribution (% Black), but environmental constraints and events might shift implementation patterns.
Symmetry based assembly of a 2 dimensional protein lattice.

The design of proteins that self-assemble into higher order architectures is of great interest due to their potential application in nanotechnology. Specifically, the self-assembly of proteins into ordered lattices is of special interest to the field of structural biology. Here we designed a 2 dimensional (2D) protein lattice using a fusion of a tandem repeat of three TelSAM domains (TTT) to the Ferric uptake regulator (FUR) domain. We determined the structure of the designed (TTT-FUR) fusion protein to 2.3 A by X-ray crystallographic methods. In agreement with the design, a 2D lattice composed of TelSAM fibers interdigitated by the FUR domain was observed. As expected, the fusion of a tandem repeat of three TelSAM domains formed 21 screw axis, and the self-assembly of the ordered oligomer was under pH control. We demonstrated that the fusion of TTT to a domain having a 2-fold symmetry, such as the FUR domain, can produce an ordered 2D lattice. The TTT-FUR system combines features from the rotational symmetry matching approach with the oligomer driven crystallization method. This TTT-FUR fusion was amenable to X-ray crystallographic methods, and is a promising crystallization chaperone.
Time spent online: Latent profile analyses of emerging adults' social media use

Abstract Studies of youth social media use (SMU) often focus on its frequency, measuring how much time they spend online. While informative, this perspective is only one way of viewing SMU. Consistent with uses and gratification theory, another is to consider how youth spend their time online (i.e., degree of engagement). We conducted latent profile analyses of survey data from 249 U.S. emerging adults (ages 18–26) to explore their SMU in terms of frequency and engagement. We derived separate 3-profile solutions for both frequency and engagement. High frequency social media users tended to be women and to have more Facebook friends. Highly engaged users (i.e., those most interactive online) tended to be White and more highly educated. Findings from this exploratory study indicate that youth SMU frequency and SMU engagement warrant separate consideration. As SMU becomes more ingrained into the fabric of daily life, it is conceivable that engagement may be a more meaningful way to assess youth SMU, especially in relation to the digital divide, since it can be used to meet important needs, including social interaction, information exchange, and self-expression.
The Physics of Orographic Elevated Heating in Radiative–Convective Equilibrium

AbstractElevated heating of the atmosphere by large plateaus has been argued to influence regional climate in Asia and other regions, but the mechanisms that cause the troposphere to equilibrate at warmer temperatures over elevated terrain are not well understood. This paper quantitatively describes the physics that controls temperatures over elevated terrain in radiative–convective equilibrium (RCE). First, a cloud-system-resolving model (CSRM) is used to simulate RCE states over surfaces with various elevations. Then, a theory for the influence of surface elevation on temperatures in RCE is presented. Together with offline radiative transfer calculations, this theory is used to quantitatively attribute the magnitude of the elevated heating effect to top-of-atmosphere radiative flux changes caused by decreases in longwave absorption, shortwave scattering, and the moist lapse rate that occur as surface pressure drops. Sensitivity functions obtained through these offline calculations suggest that elevated ...
236Pu Contaminant in 238Pu Produced in Power Reactors

The utility of 238Pu produced from 237Np irradiation depends on the amount of 236Pu present. Calculations of 236Pu produced by the (n,2n) reaction on 237Np indicate that light-water power reactors ...
Fascia Lata Free Flap Reconstruction of Limited Hard Palate Defects.

Objective The anterior-lateral thigh (ALT) free flap is a flexible reconstructive option with fascia lata, fasciocutaneous, and musculocutaneous options. The objective of this study is to evaluate ALT fascia lata free flap reconstruction of isolated hard palate defects. Methods Retrospective chart review of all palate reconstructions with ALT free flap from 2008-2017 by a single surgeon, at a tertiary academic institution. Patients with defects limited to the hard palate were selected for review. Results Forty-eight patients were identified, of which 14 patients had limited palatal defects repaired with fascia lata free flaps and were selected for review. The average hospital stay for all patients was 2.8 days (range 1-4 days). Eighty-five percent of patients were started on an oral diet from post-operative day (POD) one. Ten of 14 were extubated at the end of the case, with four being extubated on POD one. One patient suffered donor site morbidity, which required intervention (one seroma requiring drainage). Two patients underwent minor palatal revisions with local tissue rearrangement for recurrent fistula. No patients suffered long-term velopharyngeal inadequacy (VPI) or dysphagia, and all reported normal nasal respiration. Conclusion The ALT fascia lata free flap is a versatile reconstructive option for hard palate defects, with minimal morbidity, short hospital stays, and excellent long-term results.
The Human Not in the Human

This chapter begins by showing that the subject of all secular capitalist modernity has always already come after itself—that is, it has always been the posthuman subject–object. This results from the concomitant development of the capitalist mode of production and the secularization of thought. It then turns to biopower/politics to redefine it according to the posthuman character of modern subjectivity. The conceptualization of the posthuman as subject–object and its corollary reconceptualization of biopower eventually led the author to examine the biopolitical reappropriation of certain Judeo-Christian—which is also to say strictly speaking premodern—concepts, specifically: eternity, immortality, Jubilee, and sacrifice. The chapter concludes by briefly hinting at the consequences of this reappropriation of religious categories for understanding the specifically biopolitical form of racism.
Host-produced wax affects the searching behavior and efficacy of parasitoids of the giant whitefly Aleurodicus dugesii (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Abstract Insects possess a variety of defenses against natural enemies including physical attack, chemical repellency, physiological suppression, and visual camouflage. The hypothesis that wax production by the whitefly Aleurodicus dugesii Cockerell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) functions as a defense against natural enemies was tested using two parasitoid species, Encarsia noyesi Hayat (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and Idioporous affinis LaSalle & Polaszek (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Parasitoids were allowed to forage on A. dugesii nymphs that had their wax either left intact or removed. Percent parasitism and the proportion of time spent grooming and searching were recorded and compared between treatments. There was a significant interaction between wax presence and parasitoid species on observed parasitism. Wax presence appeared to negatively impact I. affinis more than E. noyesi. In the presence of wax, the percentage of A. dugesii nymphs parasitized by I. affinis was reduced 30-fold, whereas E. noyesi parasitism was reduced 2-fold. Although both species spent more time grooming in the presence of wax, only I. affinis spent more time searching. The greater proportion of time devoted to these behaviors by I. affinis appeared to be due to its inability to remove wax particles from its body. The results from this study highlight the importance of considering whitefly-produced wax in mediating parasitoid-prey interactions. The differential impact of host defenses must be taken into consideration when selecting candidate natural enemies for biological control programs.
Linking household and health facility surveys to assess obstetric service availability, readiness and coverage: evidence from 17 low- and middle-income countries.

Background Improving access and quality of obstetric service has the potential to avert preventable maternal, neonatal and stillborn deaths, yet little is known about the quality of care received. This study sought to assess obstetric service availability, readiness and coverage within and between 17 low- and middle-income countries. Methods We linked health facility data from the Service Provision Assessments and Service Availability and Readiness Assessments, with corresponding household survey data obtained from the Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Based on performance of obstetric signal functions, we defined four levels of facility emergency obstetric care (EmOC) functionality: comprehensive (CEmOC), basic (BEmOC), BEmOC-2, and low/substandard. Facility readiness was evaluated based on the direct observation of 23 essential items; facilities "ready to provide obstetric services" had ≥20 of 23 items available. Across countries, we used medians to characterize service availability and readiness, overall and by urban-rural location; analyses also adjusted for care-seeking patterns to estimate population-level coverage of obstetric services. Results Of the 111 500 health facilities surveyed, 7545 offered obstetric services and were included in the analysis. The median percentages of facilities offering EmOC and "ready to provide obstetric services" were 19% and 10%, respectively. There were considerable urban-rural differences, with absolute differences of 19% and 29% in the availability of facilities offering EmOC and "ready to provide obstetric services", respectively. Adjusting for care-seeking patterns, results from the linking approach indicated that among women delivering in a facility, a median of 40% delivered in facilities offering EmOC, and 28% delivered in facilities "ready to provide obstetric services". Relatively higher coverage of facility deliveries (≥65%) and coverage of deliveries in facilities "ready to provide obstetric services" (≥30% of facility deliveries) were only found in three countries. Conclusions The low levels of availability, readiness and coverage of obstetric services documented represent substantial missed opportunities within health systems. Global and national efforts need to prioritize upgrading EmOC functionality and improving readiness to deliver obstetric service, particularly in rural areas. The approach of linking health facility and household surveys described here could facilitate the tracking of progress towards quality obstetric care.
Feeling Free? Learning and Unlearning in the Enabling Constraints of an Art Education Summer Program

WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF ART EDUCATION? AND WHAT CAN WE STAND TO SUBTRACT FROM IT, WHILE STILL ALLOWING IT TO REMAIN RECOGNIZABLE? These questions guided the authors' reflection as we—an assistan...
Charge Density Waves in the Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides: Recent Experimental Advances

The Group IVb, Vb and VIb transition-metal dichalcogenides all crystallize into closely related two-dimensional layered structures. The review by Wilson and Yoffe [1] nicely summarizes the structures which occur and points out the importance of bonding in connection with a variety of physical properties. Much subsequent work on these materials was stimulated by the many insights offered in this early review. At about the same time, the book by Shafer [2] showed the way to prepare good single crystals of these compounds.
Governance and Taxes: Evidence from Regression Discontinuity (Retracted)

ABSTRACT: We implement a regression discontinuity design to examine the effect of institutional ownership on tax avoidance. Positive shocks to institutional ownership around Russell index reconstitutions lead, on average, to significant decreases in effective tax rates (ETRs) and greater use of international tax planning using tax haven subsidiaries. These effects are smaller for firms with initially strong governance and high executive equity compensation, suggesting poor governance as an explanation for the undersheltering puzzle, and appear to come about as a result of improved managerial incentives and increased monitoring by institutional investors. Furthermore, we observe the largest decreases among high ETR firms, and increases for low ETR firms, consistent with institutional ownership pushing firms toward a common level of tax avoidance.
Half a Century of Software Engineering Education: The CMU Exemplar

From the aspirational title of the 1968 NATO conference, software engineering has evolved to a well-defined engineering discipline with strong educational underpinnings. The supporting educational foundation has grown from a few courses in programming languages and data structures, evolving through structured programming, correctness formalisms, and state machine abstractions to full curricula and degree programs. With this context in mind, the authors discuss the evolution of software engineering education and pedagogy, software engineering principles, and future needs, drawing specifically on their experience at Carnegie Mellon University. Reflecting on the software development profession today, they believe that formal software engineering education is needed at least as much as it was in earlier decades. However, it must address the increasing diversity of the developer community, and it must be an education based on the enduring principles that will last a lifetime. This article is part of a theme issue on software engineering’s 50th anniversary.
National Program Case Studies and Lessons Learned From Bangladesh

Abstract In 2013 during one of the worst phases of political turmoil in the country, Bangladesh passed the “Vitamin A enriched Edible Oil Law,” to address micronutrient malnutrition, through mandatory fortification of a widely consumed staple food. It was the culmination of years of advocacy, firm political will, and concerted efforts of a group of stakeholders that enabled the upholding of the Law against a High Court stay order, which was finally vacated in 2015. The complex lawmaking process passed the test of public interest, public purpose, and reasonableness. The building of a shared vision, a new nutrition narrative, knowledge assimilation, and transfer across clientele, as well as an inclusive multistakeholder engagement in a public space were key drivers of success. The passing of the Law not only promised a better micronutrient profile for the poor and marginalized, but also underscored the importance of political will in shaping Bangladesh as a nutrition pioneer in South Asia. Mandatory fortification is more likely to increase access to safe and nutritious products and help the communities achieve the desired health and nutrition impact. Without additional financial burden to the state, the self-sustaining and cost-effective market-based model of mandatory food fortification with state accountability emerges as a strategic fit for many other countries.
Connect-to-Connected Worlds: Piloting a Mobile, Data-Driven Reflection Tool for an Open-Ended Simulation at a Museum

Immersive open-ended museum exhibits promote ludic engagement and can be a powerful draw for visitors, but these qualities may also make learning more challenging. We describe our efforts to help visitors engage more deeply with an interactive exhibit's content by giving them access to visualizations of data skimmed from their use of the exhibit. We report on the motivations and challenges in designing this reflective tool, which positions visitors as a "human in the loop" to understand and manage their engagement with the exhibit. We used an iterative design process and qualitative methods to explore how and if visitors could (1) access and (2) comprehend the data visualizations, (3) reflect on their prior engagement with the exhibit, (4)plan their future engagement with the exhibit, and (5) act on their plans. We further discuss the essential design challenges and the opportunities made possible for visitors through data-driven reflection tools.
Clinical dilemmas in predicting the progression of pre-clinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-is MRI strain the solution?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the commonest inherited cardiac diseases, with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 500 (1). It is characterized by unexplained myocardial hypertrophy, which occurs in the absence of pressure overload (e.g., hypertension, aortic stenosis) or infiltration (e.g. amyloidosis) (2,3). Myocardial hypertrophy in HCM typically occurs in the interventricular septum but can also be apical, segmental, or concentric. HCM is primarily a genetic disease involving mutations in at least 14 genes (2,4).
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Extended-Infusion Cefepime in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Prospective, Open-Label Study.

Study objective To evaluate extended-infusion (EI) cefepime pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamic target attainment in critically ill patients receiving continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) or continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD). Design Prospective, open-label, PK study. Setting Intensive care units at a large, academic, tertiary-care medical center. Patients Ten critically ill adults who were receiving cefepime 2 g intravenously every 8 hours as a 4-hour infusion while receiving CVVH (eight patients) or CVVHD (two patients). Intervention Two sets of five serum cefepime concentrations were collected for each patient to assess pharmacokinetics before and during presumed steady state. Concurrent serum and CRRT effluent samples were collected at hours 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 after the first cefepime dose and after either the fourth, fifth, or sixth (steady-state) cefepime doses. Measurements and main results Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was used to determine free cefepime concentrations. PK analyses included CRRT clearance, half-life, and sieving coefficient or saturation coefficient. Cefepime peak (4 hrs) concentrations, trough (8 hrs) concentrations (Cmin ), and minimum inhibitory concentration breakpoint of 8 µg/ml for the pathogen (MIC8 ) were used to evaluate attainment of pharmacodynamic targets: 100% of the dosing interval that free drug remains above MIC8 (100% fT > MIC8 ), 100% fT > 4 × MIC8 (optimal), percentage of time fT > 4 × MIC8 (%fT > 4 × MIC8 ) at steady state, and ratio of Cmin to MIC8 (fCmin /MIC8 ). Total CRRT effluent flow rate was a mean ± SD of 30.1 ± 5.4 ml/kg/hr, CRRT clearance was 39.6 ± 9.9 ml/min, and half-life was 5.3 ± 1.7 hours. Sieving coefficient or saturation coefficient were 0.83 ± 0.13 and 0.69 ± 0.22, respectively. First and steady-state dose Cmin were 23.4 ± 10.1 µg/ml and 45.2 ± 14.6 µg/ml, respectively. All patients achieved 100% fT > MIC8 on first and steady-state doses. First and steady-state dose 100% fT > 4 × MIC8 were achieved in 22% (2/9 patients) and 87.5% (7/8 patients) of patients, respectively. The mean %fT > 4 × MIC8 at steady state was 97.5%. The fCmin /MIC8 was 2.92 ± 1.26 for the first dose and 5.65 ± 1.83 at steady state. Conclusion Extended-infusion cefepime dosing in critically ill patients receiving CRRT successfully attained 100% fT > MIC8 in all patients and an appropriate fCmin /MIC8 for both first and steady-state doses. All but one patient achieved 100% fT > 4 × MIC8 at steady state. No significant differences were observed in PK properties between first and steady-state doses among or between patients. It may be reasonable to initiate an empiric or definitive regimen of EI cefepime in critically ill patients receiving concurrent CRRT who are at risk for resistant organisms. Further research is needed to identify the optimal dosing regimen of EI cefepime in this patient population.
External validation of the Vascular Study Group of New England carotid endarterectomy risk predictive model using an independent U.S. national surgical database.

Abstract Objective Previously, we described a Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE) risk predictive model to predict composite adverse outcomes (postoperative death, stroke, myocardial infarction, or discharge to extended care facilities) after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The goal of this study was to externally validate this model using an independent database. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) CEA-targeted database (2010-2014) was used to externally validate the risk predictor model of adverse outcomes after CEA previously created using the VSGNE carotid database. Emergent cases and those in which CEA was combined with another operation were excluded. Cases in which a discharge destination cannot be determined were also excluded. To assess the predictive power of our VSGNE prediction score within this sample, a receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed. Risk scores for each NSQIP patient were also computed using beta weights from the VSGNE CEA model. To further assess the construct validity of our VSGNE prediction score, the observed proportion of adverse outcomes was examined at each level of our prediction scale and within five roughly equally sized risk groups formed on the basis of our VSGNE prediction scores. Results In this database, 10,889 cases met our inclusion criteria and were used in this analysis. The overall rate of adverse outcomes in this cohort was 8.5%. External validation of the VSGNE model on this sample showed moderately good predictive ability (area under the curve = 0.745). Patients in progressively higher risk groups, based on their VSGNE model scores, exhibited progressively higher rates of observed adverse outcomes, as predicted. Conclusions The VSGNE CEA risk predictive model was externally validated on an NSQIP CEA-targeted sample and showed a fairly accurate global predictive ability for adverse outcomes after CEA. Although this model has a good population concordance, the lack of cut point indicates that individual risk prediction requires more evaluation. Further studies should be geared toward identification of variables that make this risk predictive model more robust.
Game-Theoretic Approach for Electricity Pricing between Distribution System Operator and Load Aggregators

Transactive energy has emerged and gained more and more attention in recent years. Electricity pricing strategies play a critical role in influencing and shaping the customers' energy load profile. In this paper, we investigate the electricity pricing strategy between a distribution system operator (DSO) and load aggregators (LAs) by adopting a bilevel Stackelberg game approach. With the purpose of maximizing its own operating revenue as well as better serving its customers, the upper level DSO will determine electricity prices while considering how lower level LAs will respond to it. Peak-to-average ratio of the total demand could be limited by a preferred value, and peak load is penalized at the upper optimization level. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed game approach in leveraging flexible demand potential to benefit both DSO and LAs.