cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biology of the Lesser Carnstalk Borer in South Georgia

On the coastal plain of Georgia the lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), is occasionally an economically important pest of soybeans and cowpeas. Larvae damage seedling plants mostly during drought and when plants are set out late, and hot, dry periods follow. These crops planted in late July, August, or September for forage and hay always attract the insect, which infests them with varying severity. The insects biology around Tifton, Ga., does not differ importantly from that reported for other regions. The life cycle, as observed in 1963 through August, took 43 ± 3.5 days from egg deposition through mean adult longevity. Eggs hatched in 3 days; in the field, they were deposited singly on both the top and underneath surfaces of leaves, on stems, and in the soil. The larval period took 19.6 ± 2.0 days. Larvae are semisubterranean feeders, entering seedling stems at ground level and feeding up into the stems. To the entrance hole made in the plant they attach woven tunnels that radiate into the surrounding soil. Pupation takes place at the end of a tunnel. The pupal period took 10.2 ± 0.8 days. Mated moths lived 10.3 ± 0.7 days. Adults were taken in light traps. In 1963, 3 generations and a partial 4th occurred during the crop-growing season through early June to early November. Considerable overlapping of generations occurred. The principal over-wintering stage was the pupa.
The geometry of the moduli space of CP2 instantons

The moduli space ℳ of self-dual connections (“instantons”) of instanton numberk=1 overCP2 is topologically a cone onCP2. The complement ℳ* of the vertex of this cone carries a natural Riemannian metric (the “L2 metric”). We find an explicit formula for this metric and deduce certain consequences. In particular, (i) the boundary ∂ℳ is a totally geodesic submanifold of the completion , (ii) ℳ is positively curved at ∂ℳ, and (iii) ℳ is negatively curved in certain directions near the vertex of the cone.
Ligand-regulated heterodimerization of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α with liver X receptor α.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and liver X receptor α (LXRα) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily that function to regulate lipid metabolism. Complex interactions between the LXRα and PPARα pathways exist, including competition for the same heterodimeric partner, retinoid X receptor α (RXRα). Although data have suggested that PPARα and LXRα may interact directly, the role of endogenous ligands in such interactions has not been investigated. Using in vitro protein–protein binding assays, circular dichroism, and co-immunoprecipitation of endogenous proteins, we established that full-length human PPARα and LXRα interact with high affinity, resulting in altered protein conformations. We demonstrated for the first time that the affinity of this interaction and the resulting conformational changes could be altered by endogenous PPARα ligands, namely long chain fatty acids (LCFA) or their coenzyme A thioesters. This heterodimer pair was capable of binding to PPARα and LXRα respon...
Fair Trade Legislation and the Retailer

T HE TERM "fair trade legislation" embraces a variety of restrictions on pricing freedom. With reference to the relations between commercial buyers and sellers, that is, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, there is the well-known Robinson-Patman Act, aiming to prevent so-called price discrimination accomplished either directly, or indirectly by collateral transactions between buyers and sellers regarded in the law as tantamount to pricing subterfuges. These restrictions are aimed principally at buying practices. Other types of fair trade legislation are directed at the selling end and especially at retail pricing practices, that is, at pricing relations between retailers and consumers. Here the principal form of restriction consists of the state price maintenance acts, commonly referred to as fair trade acts, and the supporting Federal measure, the Miller-Tydings Act, the effect of which is to give manufacturers of trademarked goods in some 42 states the privilege of stipulating resale prices and, by means of a contract made with one distributor, enforcing those resale prices on all the distributors handling the product. Resale price maintenance of course applies only to trade-marked goods and is permissive rather than mandatory. Another type of legislative restriction, designed primarily to curb freedom of action in setting selling prices, is represented by the various unfair trade practices acts now on the statute books of some 15 states. These laws' which apply not merely to branded merchandise but to all merchandise, and which, of course, are mandatory rather than discretionary, have as their general purport the prohibition of sales below cost, cost being defined sometimes as invoice cost, sometimes as invoice cost plus some stated percentage, such as 6% or 10%, and sometimes, as in the case of California, invoice cost plus the entire cost of doing business. Such enactments are in general to be distinguished from the statutes, mostly of long standing, which follow the Clayton Act in forbidding locality discrimination, though sometimes the two are combined.
Effects of single intracortical microstimuli in motor cortex on activity of identified forearm motor units in behaving monkeys

We examined the magnitude and extent of output effects elicited from focal cortical sites on the activity of individual motor units (MUs) by delivering single-pulse intracortical microstimuli (S-ICMS) (5-15 microA) during isometric wrist activity. Stimulation sites in the precentral gyrus (area 4) were chosen for study if stimulus-triggered averages (stimulus-TAs) of multiunit electromyograms (EMGs) revealed poststimulus facilitation (PStimF) of EMG activity in any of the coactivated wrist muscles. Single MUs were then isolated in the facilitated muscles with a remotely controlled tripolar microelectrode. MUs were identified by their signatures in their parent muscles (from MU-triggered averages of EMGs) and by their firing pattern during ramp-and-hold wrist responses. One objective was to quantify the magnitude and time course of the effects on single MUs by compiling peristimulus histograms of MU firing. The cross-correlation histograms between S-ICMS and MU action potentials showed peaks with onset latencies of 8.8 +/- 1.7 ms (mean +/- SD, n = 64) and durations of 1.8 +/- 1.2 ms (n = 104). The cumulative sums of the correlogram peaks resembled the rising phase of corticomotoneuronal excitatory postsynaptic potentials previously recorded in forelimb motoneurons. Comparison of correlogram peaks with stimulus-TAs of MU potentials suggests that the duration of PStimF of multiunit EMG can be accounted for, in approximately equal proportions, by l) the variation in firing time of single MUs (i.e., the width of the MU correlogram peaks), 2) the width of single MU potentials, and 3) the contribution of different MUs at different latencies. The sizes of the correlogram peaks relative to base line were larger than the PStimF of multiunit EMGs, and increased more rapidly with stimulus intensity, indicating appreciable cancellation in the multiunit records. A second objective was to determine whether S-ICMS affected all the MUs of a facilitated muscle, or only a particular subset. Of 104 MUs sampled in facilitated muscles, 99 (95%) were found to be individually facilitated (P less than 0.05). MU firing patterns during isometric ramp-and-hold torque responses were characterized as phasic, phasic-tonic, tonic, or decrementing; stimulation at a given cortical site was found to facilitate all four types of MUs. When more than one muscle showed PStimF from a site, MUs belonging to each of the facilitated muscles were facilitated individually by S-ICMS at that site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Late outcomes of carotid artery stenting: a critical review

The role of carotid artery stenting (CAS) as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy for the treatment of extracranial carotid occlusive disease for stroke prevention continues to evolve. Although...
Breast Cancer Detection by Absolute Temperature Thermography and Computer Techniques

Absolute temperature thermography (ATT) is the measurement and quantitative representation of thermal radiation emitted at the skin surface. Accurate thermal data are obtained by calibrating a precise radiometric infrared scanner against a set of constant-temperature sources and subsequent digitization. From absolute temperature data variables representing diagnostic features are developed. The variables are utilized in developing classification algorithms which will assign subjects into a normal or cancer class. The ATT approach described here is new and is the basis of a three-phase research program aimed at developing a safe and effective system for mass screening for breast cancer.
Neuroendocrine Control of Female Reproduction

The hypothalamus and pituitary are known to play key roles in reproductive function. A growing body of evidence indicates that environmental toxicants can alter female reproductive function by disrupting hypothalamic control of the pituitary and subsequently, the endocrine control of ovarian function. This chapter will review the current literature on the effects of environmental toxicants on hypothalamic regulation of pituitary hormone secretion. The impact of toxicant exposures during critical periods of the estrous cycle as well as the concept of acquired tolerance following chronic exposure to specific toxicants will also be discussed.
Tie Me Up!: An Empirical Investigation of Perceived Tie Characteristics on Prospective Connections

How do social networks motivate people to connect not only to their previously existing friends but also to novel or blind new contacts? We report the results of an experiment to identify the value that participants give to alternative network characteristics when deciding to connect to a social network. We focus on network tie characteristics because they represent information that potentially can be automated and provided without compromising privacy policies. Our experiment employed q-methodology to capture participants’ subjective values as they evaluated potential connections described by their tie strength, variety, and quantity, three important tie characteristics. We identify four distinct groups of individuals in terms of value. Our findings suggest social networks should include network characteristics to encourage joining and blind ties. They also suggest that current social network interfaces and research need to be augmented to address network tie characteristics.
Latinos in the New Millennium

Purpose of the Book Themes and imagery about Latinos in the United States often focus on the rapid and substantial growth of this population and projections about the continuing impact of those demographic changes into the future. Portrayals in policy debates and the media have depicted the central facets of this fast-growing community – where they come from, how they are transforming traditional centers of migration with new destinations, the trials and tribulations of making it in America, and how the greater American society and its institutions respond to Latinos – imperfectly at best. The faces, stories, and life experiences of Latinos tend to be portrayed largely through sketchily drawn caricatures of working-class, immigrant-based communities trying to find an economic foothold to achieve the American dream; yet also holding steadfastly to traditions, cultural beliefs, and practices that sometimes fit uncomfortably with contemporary America. But how accurate are these sketchy images, individually and collectively? What is the reality of the Latino experience in the United States? How can we better understand the views and perspectives of Hispanics in American society regarding such issues as education, politics, and public policy? What hard evidence can be brought to bear on this large, growing, and complex population that would help us situate the group in the American polity?
Ultrathin Conductive CeO2 Coating for Significant Improvement in Electrochemical Performance of LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 Cathode Materials

LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 (LMNO) has a huge potential for use as a cathode material in electric vehicular applications. However, it could face discharge capacity degradation with cycling at elevated temperatures due to attacks by hydrofluoric acid (HF) from the electrolyte, which could cause cationic dissolution. To overcome this barrier, we coated 3–5 micron sized LMNO particles with a ~3 nm optimally thick and conductive CeO2 film prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD). This provided optimal thickness for mass transfer resistance, species protection, and mitigation of cationic dissolution at elevated temperatures. After 1,000 cycles of charge-discharge between 3.5 V–5 V (vs. Li+/Li) at 55°C, the optimally coated sample, 50Ce (50 cycles of CeO2 ALD coated) had a capacity retention of ~97.4%, when tested at a 1C rate, and a capacity retention of ~83% at a 2C rate. This was compared to uncoated LMNO particles that had a capacity retention of only ~82.7% at a 1C rate, and a capacity retention of ~40.8% at a 2C rate.
Introducing Genes to the Heart: All About Delivery

Recent clinical gene therapy trials for the treatment of heart failure (HF) have failed to meet primary efficacy end points and have tampered enthusiasm for the future application of cardiac gene therapy. These results have brought to light the difficulty of efficiently introducing genes into the human heart and have focused on potential problems that need to be addressed before further clinical applications. These trials, however, have established the safety of gene delivery vectors for cardiac targeting in humans. The sinusoidal trajectory of gene therapy continues, and despite these setbacks, the future of the field is promising. In the past year, the results of 3 recent phase II clinical gene therapy trials targeting HF became available.1–3 These serial publications, however, all failed to meet primary efficacy end points. In the CUPID IIb trial (Calcium Up-Regulation by Percutaneous Administration of Gene Therapy in Cardiac Disease Phase 2b), the efficacy of intracoronary-administered recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a) at a dose of 1×1013 DNase-resistant particles was examined in 250 patients.1 In contrast to a significant reduction of clinical events in the phase I/IIa trial, the number of adverse events in this trial was similar between the treated and the control groups. The STOP-HF trial (Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1 Plasmid Treatment for Patients With Heart Failure) examined the efficacy of endocardial direct injection of plasmid stem cell–derived factor-1 with doses of 15 and 30 mg in 93 patients.2 The primary end point was a composite score of a 6-minute walk distance and a quality-of-life questionnaire. This study again reported similar outcomes in primary end points between the treated and the control groups. The most recent report was the trial of adenovirus 5–mediated adenylyl cyclase 6 gene therapy using intracoronary delivery in 56 patients. …
THE ROMANTIC EDITOR AS MODERN MEDIA PRACTITIONER: THE POETICS OF READING IN LUDWIG TIECK'S MINNELIEDER ANTHOLOGY

As cumulative forms, anthologies pose aesthetic challenges. They lack typical ‘artwork’ features and thus leave it unclear how to read the multitude of texts they present. Ludwig Tieck responds to these challenges by accompanying his anthology of courtly love songs, Minnelieder aus dem Schwabischen Zeitalter (1803), with a complex poetics of reading. His famous preface to the collection instructs the reader to combine two modes of reading: one that is fluid and aims at emotional involvement, and another that is repetitive, meticulous, and focused on detail. These blended modes of reading, Tieck claims, yield enriched aesthetic effects and lend the anthology artwork status. His editing practices support this poetics of reading. The material features of the anthology as print medium (typeface, page layout, etc.) increase the reading flow, yet at the same time Tieck's translations from medieval into modern German contain moments of resistance that keep the reader attentive. Tieck's twofold mode became an influential model in the development of philological reading practices around 1800. Rather than approaching his Minnelieder edition as an instance of a ‘revival’ of medieval poetry, this article emphasises Tieck's contribution to the history of reading. It profiles the Romantic editor as a modern media practitioner. Die Anthologie als sammelnde Textform stellt den Leser vor asthetische Herausforderungen, da ihr typische Eigenschaften von Kunstwerken fehlen und vollig unklar ist, wie die prasentierte Textvielfalt zu lesen sei. Ludwig Tiecks Anthologie Minnelieder aus dem Schwabischen Zeitalter (1803) antwortet auf diese Herausforderungen mit einer ausgefeilten Lesepoetik. In der beruhmten Vorrede weist Tieck seine Leserschaft an, zwei Lekturemodi miteinander zu kombinieren: Eine flussige und auf emotionalen Nachvollzug setzende Lekture soll mit einer auserst sorgfaltigen, auf Details achtenden Wiederholungslekture unterfuttert werden. Die Gratifikation fur diese aufwendige Kombination besteht Tieck zufolge in intensivierten asthetischen Effekten, die der Anthologie Kunstwerk-Charakter verleihen. Tiecks Einrichtung der Anthologie als Printmedium steht im Dienst dieser Lesepoetik. Wahrend die Materialitat der Ausgabe (z. B. Schriftart und Seitengestaltung) den Lesefluss fordert, erfordern Widerstandsmomente in den Ubersetzungen aus dem Mittelhochdeutschen gesteigerte Aufmerksamkeit vom Leser. Gerade in dieser Widerspruchlichkeit sollte der von Tieck vertretene doppelte Lekturemodus ein einflussreiches Modell fur die Entwicklung philologischer Lesepraktiken um 1800 werden. Statt also die Minnelieder-Ausgabe als Beispiel fur die romantische ‘Erneuerung’ mittelalterlicher Poesie zu sehen, stellt diese Analyse Tiecks Beitrag zu einer Geschichte des Lesens in den Vordergrund und profiliert den romantischen Herausgeber als modernen Medienpraktiker.
Those the Empire Washed Ashore: Uncovering Ireland’s Multiracial Past

On the Twelfth of July 2004, I watched two young men standing on Belfast’s Lisburn Road during the return march of an Orange parade. One appeared to be South Asian, the other African. They were decked out in the commercial paraphernalia of Ulster loyalism—white scarves and caps with red crosses and red hands, cheap plastic Union Jacks, the flotsam and jetsam of every Twelfth celebration—and they seemed to be having a good time, laughing and cheering as the weary Orangemen wobbled by. I wondered if they were celebrating in earnest or just scoffing good-humouredly at the whole thing. Did they have any idea what this was about? Could they? I had similar thoughts about the bemused South Asian family I saw standing across the street, huddled within arm’s length of a policeman. What did they think was happening here? It was quite clear what some of the Orangemen thought of them: I witnessed more than a few expressions of shock, not all of them politely phrased, as the loyal sons of Ulster spotted these unexpected brown faces. Was there room, I wondered, for such diversity in the ‘new’ Northern Ireland?
Smallest eigenvalues for a fractional difference equation with right focal boundary conditions

We show the existence of and then compare smallest eigenvalues for Atici–Eloe fractional difference equations satisfying a right focal boundary condition. The theory of u0-positive operators is applied to obtain these results.
Influence of Boulder Size on Occupancy and Detection of Hoary Marmots (Poster)

Hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) can be found in boulder fields throughout alpine areas of western Montana, but we know little about their specific habitat requirements. We sought to determine the influence of boulder size on occupancy and detection probability of the hoary marmot during occupancy surveys. We conducted 532 visual occupancy surveys of 147 sites between June and September 2015. We estimated variation in occupancy and detection probability based on four size categories of boulders. We did not detect differences in occupancy of marmots as the size composition of boulders changed. Detection probability was most influenced by medium and large boulders. Probability of detecting a marmot was 38% (95% CI=0.24–0.53) when medium boulders were absent, but decreased to 3% as the proportion of medium boulders increased to 60% (95% CI=0–0.15). Probability of detecting a marmot was 16% when large boulders were absent (95% CI=0.1–0.24) but increased to 92% when just 5% of the site consisted of large boulders (95% CI=0.61–0.99). Accounting for this variation in detection probability with changes in boulder size will be important for designing a long-term monitoring protocol that can produce accurate estimates of occupancy for hoary marmots. A monitoring protocol incorporating key habitat requirements would be valuable for the future management and conservation of a species living in harsh alpine environments where climate change is predicted to occur rapidly.
Higher Order Parametric Duality Models

A hybrid class of second-order parametric duality theorems for a discrete minmax fractional programming problem regarding higher order necessary and sufficient optimality conditions is presented in this chapter.
Utilitarian to Aesthetic: The Evolution of Base Isolation

The paper examines the evolution of base isolation from its early utilitarian applications to its later applications that enabled elegant aesthetics in landmark works of architecture. The early implementations of base isolation arose from three motivations: providing high performance for emergency facilities; providing higher-than-code performance as desired by a building owner; or retrofitting historic buildings. The opening of Toyo Ito’s Sendai Mediatheque in 2001 marks an important milestone in the evolution of base isolation, since it introduced a new motivation: architectural aesthetics in a new building. Mediatheque employed base isolation to enable a visually striking structural system. Ito’s TOD’s Omotesando building, and the Tama Art University Library also use base isolation in this manner. Base isolation has evolved from a utilitarian technology to an aesthetic device to achieve architectural forms not otherwise be possible in a strong seismic region.
High Power Ultrasound: Impact on Olive Paste Temperature, Malaxation Time, Extraction Efficiency, and Characteristics of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

High power ultrasound (HPU) provides rapid heating of olive paste and disrupts cell walls, helping small oil droplets exit tissue and coalesce. This has been shown to improve oil yield and reduce malaxation time without affecting oil quality. Indirect and direct HPU at different treatment times were examined on Arbequina and Frantoio olive pastes. Olive pastes were mixed at four different malaxation times to evaluate extraction efficiency. Additionally, oil yield and different quality parameters were observed. HPU increased olive paste temperature from 20 ± 0.5 to 25.5 °C, achieving the optimum kneading temperature of 29 ± 1 °C in less mixing time. HPU significantly (P 0.05) in oil yield between 35 and 45 min malaxation time, suggesting the possibility to reduce malaxation by 10 min with HPU. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in any quality parameters observed, except peroxide value, which increased slightly. Significant increases (P < 0.05) in total tocopherol and pigments with increasing HPU treatment time occurred, while a decrease in total polyphenol and oxidative stability index resulted after 8 min treatment. HPU influenced L, a, and b values causing the oil to become darker. Sensory results showed no differences between commercially available and HPU-treated samples. These results suggest the possibility of using HPU treatment to increase oil extraction capacity and yield without loss of product quality.
Predictors of Internalizing Behaviors in Ukrainian Children.

Objective To (a) estimate the level of child internalizing problems in a sample of Ukrainian school-age children and (b) examine the relationships between child internalizing psychopathology and parenting practices, depression, alcohol use, and sociodemographics. Background Most research on child internalizing behaviors has used samples from high-income countries, but there is a lack of information about children's behaviors and associated risk and protective factors from low- and middle-income countries such as Ukraine. An ecological-transactional model framework was used in this study to examine maternal and family-level factors associated with child internalizing behavior problems. Method Data were gathered from a community-based sample of Ukrainian mothers and children between 9 and 16 years of age (n = 251) using face-to-face interviews. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship among the independent variables (e.g., alcohol use, depression, and parenting behaviors) and children's internalizing behaviors. Results Older children, especially boys, reported fewer internalizing problems. Increased internalizing symptomatology was associated with mothers' older age, higher level of depression, lower use of positive parenting, and poor child monitoring and supervision. Conclusion These results raise awareness about the importance of child familial backgrounds while trying to address child mental health problems in Ukraine. Implications Family practitioners may want to help mothers learn and apply positive parenting and effective supervision and monitoring skills to help reduce their children's depression and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, helping to decrease maternal depression may have a positive trickle-down effect on their children's internalizing behaviors.
Adrienne Rich: Vigilant Custodian of Time

While opinions about Adrienne Rich’s work vary widely, there is one point on which all critics have been able to agree without fail since her earliest published volume of poems in 1951, and this is...
Public Fathering, Private Mothering: Gendered Transnational Parenting and Class Reproduction among Elite Korean Students:

Drawing on 68 interviews with South Korean students at elite U.S. colleges, this article examines the intersectional power of gender and class in elite transnational parenting—a family strategy for...
Sensitivity analysis using computer calculus: A nuclear waste isolation application

An automated procedure for performing large-scale sensitivity studies based on the use of computer calculus is presented. The procedure is embodied in a FORTRAN precompiler called GRESS, which automatically processes computer models adding derivative-taking capabilities to the normal calculated results. The theory and applicability of the GRESS codes are described and tested against a major geohydrological modeling problem. The SWENT nuclear waste repository modeling code is used as the basis for these studies. Results for a test problem involving groundwater flow in the vicinity of the Richton Salt Dome are discussed in detail. Sensitivity results are compared with analytical, perturbation, and alternate sensitivity approaches to the problem. Five-place accuracy in these sensitivity results is verified for all cases in which the effects of nonlinearities are made sufficiently small. Conclusions are drawn as to the applicability of GRESS in the problem studied and for more general large-scale modeling sensitivity studies.
Cross-section parameterization using irradiation time and exposure for global depletion analysis

The authors present a new time-based cross-section parameterization scheme that allows for a more accurate global depletion analysis than current methodologies without requiring major modifications to existing codes. The new cross-section parameterization scheme makes use of a few-group macroscopic cross sections calculated as a function of time at several different power levels. These cross sections are block ordered by time rather than exposure to allow for the explicit representation of instantaneous control, i.e., soluble boron concentration, and thus accurate isotopic history, within the base cross-section library. The scheme is applied to a global depletion analysis of the Slightly Enriched Spectral-Shift Reactor, an advanced converter reactor based on a pressurized water reactor design, using the CPM-2 assembly-level collision probability code and the UM2DB two-dimensional diffusion code. The depletion calculation establishes the feasibility and potential advantages of the proposed cross-section parameterization methodology and shows that through a judicious choice of spectral shift control rod withdrawal strategies, it is possible to substantially increase fuel resource utilization via the spectral shift effect while maintaining acceptable power peaking factors.
Magnetic Sense in Animal Navigation

Sensory perception of the geomagnetic field remains one of the most fascinating challenges of neurophysiology, and even basic questions still remain to be answered. We provide a brief overview of the best-established behavioral evidence for the use of magnetic senses. The two most likely sensory mechanisms – magnetic sensing based on magnetite or other magnetic iron oxides and sensing based on magnetically sensitive radical-pair reactions – are explained. Both mechanisms are discussed in the light of novel theoretical considerations, behavioral and neurophysiological approaches that have recently established a significant body of evidence supporting the existence of both sensory mechanisms.
Embracing the Long Road to Precision Medicine

See Article by Ferreira et al In classic cardiovascular phase III trials, individuals satisfying a well-defined set of inclusion and exclusion criteria are randomly assigned to receive one of 2 or more treatments in a nonadaptive parallel-arm design. If the trial is positive, for example in favor of treatment A (a new treatment) over treatment B (standard of care), it is concluded that the new treatment benefits such a patient population. A more concrete hypothetical trial may demonstrate that treatment A significantly reduces the composite end point of death or heart failure–related hospitalizations by 20% relative to treatment B. A subjective interpretation that may follow such trial results is that a patient that meets trial criteria will experience a benefit from the treatment (ie, a reduction in adverse outcomes). This interpretation is flawed. In reality, some individuals benefit, some individuals are harmed, and some individuals experience neither benefit nor harm, but the number of individuals who benefit exceeds the number of those who are harmed, such that the net rate of the end point is ≈20% lower in a group of patients receiving treatment A relative to treatment B (for the purposes of our discussion, we will ignore the confidence interval). Explicitly acknowledging this difference in interpretations has increasingly important implications in the era of precision medicine. Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) trials can further illustrate these concepts. Consider the SCD-HeFT (Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial),1 which demonstrated that among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), New York Heart Association class II or III symptoms, and a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%, ICD therapy decreased the risk of death by 23%. Patients who meet indications for ICDs based on well-designed phase III trials may experience infection, bleeding, or mechanical complications as a direct consequence of …
Fundamental Modeling and Conditions for Realizable and Efficient Energy Systems

This paper introduces a fundamental energy-based modeling framework for complex electric energy systems. This approach captures dynamic interactions within such systems in terms of general conservation laws. Instead of effort and flow port variables, each component is characterized using diffemorphically mapped instantaneous real and reactive power quantities. In this paper, this mapping is proven for the first time. This new modeling approach is used to derive novel efficiency and realizability conditions for complex electric energy systems interpretable in engineering terms.
Utilizing health information technology to improve the recognition and management of life-threatening adrenal crisis in the pediatric emergency department: medical alert identification in the 21st century

Background Many barriers exist to the appropriate recognition and management of life-threatening adrenal crisis in the emergency department (ED). Clinical decision support (CDS) is a health information technology (IT) component that provides useful information to providers as healthcare is being delivered. We hypothesized that CDS incorporated into the electronic health record (EHR) could improve the recognition and management of adrenal crisis within the pediatric ED. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the impact of electronic CDS on the management of patients with known adrenal insufficiency (AI) presenting to two pediatric ED locations over a 19-month period with symptoms suggestive of adrenal crisis. Outcome variables assessed included the frequency of hydrocortisone (HC) administration, appropriateness of HC dosing, and timing to HC order placement and administration. Results A total of 145 encounters were reviewed. When the electronic CDS was in place at the time of the ED visit, patients were nearly 3 times as likely to receive HC (p = 0.002). Among those patients who received HC, the presence of the CDS increased the likelihood of an appropriate 50-mg/m2 dose of HC being given from 20 to 53% (p = 0.02). However, the CDS did not significantly reduce the time from ED arrival to HC order placement (p = 0.36) or administration (p = 0.59). Conclusions The use of innovative health IT strategies, such as the electronic CDS, can improve the recognition and management of adrenal crisis among patients with AI presenting to the pediatric ED.
What’s Old Is New Again, But Still Pretty Old: Searching for a Post-Theory Turn in Religious Studies

Editor’s Note: The following article was written as a contribution to a larger set of papers engaging Russell McCutcheon’s fascinating and important observation of a “post-theoretical shift” in the study of religion. That thematic set of papers did not come together. However, we wanted to publish this wonderful theoretical reflection by Craig Prentiss with the hope that it will contribute to an ongoing discussion in the field and we are appreciative that he agreed to publish this article as a stand-alone piece.
The Health Impact Fund and the Problem of Corruption in the Global Pharmaceutical Sector

The goal of this chapter is to examine the Health Impact Fund, a proposal aimed at solving the problem of access to pharmaceuticals for the global poor, focusing on its potential implications vis-a-vis the problem of corruption in the pharmaceutical industry. One set of questions concerns the extent to which the Health Impact Fund can be expected to help lessen or prevent the sorts of corruption that presently plague our system of pharmaceutical development. The second set of questions concerns the extent to which the sorts of structures and processes that are set up for the Health Impact Fund—making assessments of the impact of a given medicine on global disease burden—would themselves be vulnerable to corruption.
The Value of Satellite Rainfall Estimates in Agriculture and Food Security

Agriculture needs to produce more and more food not only to satisfy the current needs, but also to cope with the demand from the increasing population on the planet. However, agriculture today faces multiple challenges. Climate change and variability (extremes) feature at the top of these challenges because agriculture is particularly dependent on the climate. Stability of the food supply system as well as people’s livelihoods could be disrupted by climate shocks such as droughts and floods. Stability of food production and people’s livelihoods would require making agriculture resilient to climate trends and shocks through adaptation to climate change and finding effective ways to combat uncertainties associated with climate extremes such as droughts and floods. This, in turn, would require effective use of climate information that would enable agricultural practitioners to make better informed decisions at national, institutional and community levels. Provision of weather and climate information will depend on the availability of climate data. Rainfall is one of the major climatic parameters that has a major influencing factor in agriculture. However, rainfall measurements from station observations are inadequate over many parts of the world, and particularly over Africa, due to sparse or non-existent station networks. Satellite-based rainfall products have been used increasingly to complement or replace station observations. The main strength of satellite rainfall estimates is that they provide good spatial coverage, including remote areas, and are freely available. Satellite rainfall estimates are being used to support climate services for agriculture and food security in many different ways. This paper presents some specific examples that include a participatory planning process that is helping farmers in Rwanda to manage climate risks, and weather-based index insurance.
An Algorithm to Improve the Speed of Semi and Non-Specific Enzyme Searches in Proteomics.

Background The identification of non-specifically cleaved peptides in proteomics and peptidomics poses a significant computational challenge. Current strategies for the identification of such peptides are typically time consuming and hinder routine data analysis. Objective We aimed to design an algorithm that would improve the speed of semi- and non-specific enzyme searches and could be applicable to existing search programs. Method We developed a novel search algorithm that leverages fragment-ion redundancy to simultaneously search multiple non-specifically cleaved peptides at once. Briefly, a theoretical peptide tandem mass spectrum is generated using only the fragment-ion series from a single terminus. This spectrum serves as a proxy for several shorter theoretical peptides sharing the same terminus. After database searching, amino acids are removed from the opposing terminus until the observed and theoretical precursor masses match within a given mass tolerance. Results The algorithm was implemented in the search program MetaMorpheus and found to perform an order of magnitude faster than the traditional MetaMorpheus search and produce superior results. Conclusion We report a speedy non-specific enzyme search algorithm which is open-source and enables search programs to utilize fragment-ion redundancy to achieve a notable increase in search speed.
Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus in primary squamous cell carcinoma of urinary bladder

Studies have demonstrated an etiologic role of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection for epithelial malignancies, including most cervical carcinomas, anogenital cancers, and carcinomas of the head and neck; however, a causative role of HPV infection for bladder cancer is controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HR-HPV in primary bladder carcinoma to determine the association between HPV infection and the squamous cell component of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Furthermore, we evaluated the utility of p16 overexpression as a surrogate marker for HPV infection in these cancers and the correlation of this with tumor stage. Our study included 33 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the urinary bladder. Tumors deemed primary from the bladder were selected and either showed predominant (>50 %) or pure squamous differentiation. Immunohistochemical study for p16 and HR-HPV by RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) was performed in all cases. p16 expression was detected in 7 cases (28 %, 7/25) of urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation and not detected in any of the 8 cases (0%, 0/8) of pure SCC. Detection of HR-HPV by ISH was negative in all 33 cases (0%, 0/33). There was no association between p16 overexpression and the presence of HPV infection in squamous cell carcinomas of the bladder. p16 should not be used as a surrogate marker for evidence of HPV infection. Our study suggests that HPV infection does not play an etiologic role in the development of bladder cancer and should not be used as a diagnostic adjunct for these cases.
A topological encoding convolutional neural network for segmentation of 3D multiphoton images of brain vasculature using persistent homology.

The clinical evidence suggests that cognitive disorders are associated with vasculature dysfunction and decreased blood flow in the brain. Hence, a functional understanding of the linkage between brain functionality and the vascular network is essential. However, methods to systematically and quantitatively describe and compare structures as complex as brain blood vessels are lacking. 3D imaging modalities such as multiphoton microscopy enables researchers to capture the network of brain vasculature with high spatial resolutions. Nonetheless, image processing and inference are some of the bottlenecks for biomedical research involving imaging, and any advancement in this area impacts many research groups. Here, we propose a topological encoding convolutional neural network based on persistent homology to segment 3D multiphoton images of brain vasculature. We demonstrate that our model outperforms state-of-the-art models in terms of the Dice coefficient and it is comparable in terms of other metrics such as sensitivity. Additionally, the topological characteristics of our model's segmentation results mimic manual ground truth. Our code and model are open source at https://github.com/mhaft/DeepVess.
Characterizing e‐cigarette vaping‐associated lung injury in the pediatric intensive care unit

Objective Adolescent e-cigarette use has risen to epidemic levels in the US, revealing a new phenomenon of e-cigarette vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI). It is important to better characterize EVALI in critically ill adolescents as this is a vulnerable and rapidly growing demographic. Methods This was a retrospective case series of patients ≤21 years old with confirmed or probable EVALI (as defined by the Centers for Disease Control) that resulted in admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a large tertiary academic children's hospital between August 2019 and January 2020. Results There were six eligible patients, with a median age of 17 years. All patients reported tetrahydrocannabinol as well as nicotine e-cigarette use. Half of the patients had a preexisting diagnosis of asthma and four patients had mental health comorbidities. All patients presented with respiratory alkalosis and chest radiography showing diffuse bilateral infiltrates; two patients had pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous air and/or pneumothorax. The lowest documented ratio of oxygen saturation to inspired oxygen (SpO2:FiO2 or S/F ratio) ranged from 146 to 296. Two patients required an arterial line, with the lowest ratio of arterial oxygen to inspired oxygen (PaO2:FiO2 or P/F ratio) of 197 and 165. Two patients tested positive for rhinovirus and respiratory cultures were negative for all patients. Four patients underwent chest computed tomography imaging, which showed diffuse ground-glass opacities. Every patient required noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, with one progressing to invasive ventilation. All patients received broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and steroids, though there was considerable variability in dose, frequency, and duration of steroids. The hospital length of stay ranged from 5 to 16 days (median 8.3 days) with PICU length of stay ranging from 4 to 10 days (median 5.5 days). Four patients had pulmonary function testing before discharge, two of which showed decreased diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. There were no patient deaths. Conclusions This single-center case series describes the presentation, course, and treatment of EVALI in a pediatric intensive care unit setting. Our results show nuanced differences in the presentation and management of the critically ill adolescent, and raise many questions about the long term implications on lung health, morbidity, and mortality. Importantly, these cases illustrate the critical care consequences of a public health phenomenon and should spur further research and policy to address the negative health effects of vaping.
Integrated reservoir characterization of enhanced oil recovery targets in mature basins: An example from the Tar Springs Formation, Rock Hill field, Illinois Basin, United States

Extensively developed hydrocarbon reservoirs within the Illinois Basin will soon reach the end of their production history without technological intervention. Although many of these mature fields have been waterflooded for decades and show significant production declines, substantial amounts of residual oil remain in place, making them ideal candidates for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). This research focuses mainly on a producing field in southern Indiana that is being considered as a pilot study for surfactant–polymer chemical EOR. Using a methodology that includes field geology, sedimentary petrology, x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, evolved gas analysis, and scanning electron microscopy, this paper describes an integrated approach to reservoir characterization of the Tar Springs Formation. This formation is one of several key Upper Mississippian producing horizons that account for approximately 60% of the historical cumulative oil production within the Illinois Basin. Traditionally, any Upper Mississippian sandstone–rich unit in a producing field was considered reservoir; however, our analysis shows that reservoir connectivity and fluid-flow parameters within a single sandstone unit are highly dependent on mineralogy. The results show that the Tar Springs Formation at the Rock Hill oil field is compartmentalized by five main facies, each characterized by distinct physical and chemical properties. In addition, we document a heterogeneous distribution of different clay minerals in the reservoir that impact porosity and permeability and can contribute to injectivity problems or EOR chemical adsorption. This integrated reservoir characterization approach has important implications for evaluating and identifying specific intervals that are optimal EOR targets in reservoirs considered close to abandonment.