cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey of drinking water quality and water-borne diseases in Renhua area of Danxia landform

Objective To investigate the drinking water quality and the status of water-borne disease in Danxia landformarea and to provide a scientific basis for protecting water sources, improving water quality, preventing and controlling water-borne diseases. Methods Ten monitoring sites in different altitude were selected from the representative water plants inRenhua county of Danxia landform. Data of water-borne disease were collected from the area of water quality monitoring. Thenthe drinking water quality and the epidemiological characteristics of water-borne diseases were analyzed; Correlations betweenthe two were analyzed at the same time. Results A total of 157 samples were detected. The qualified rates of total coliformgroup and turbidity were 31.21% and 60.51% respectively.Significant differences in the qualified rates of total coliformgroup, turbidity, total bacterial count were observed between different regions(P0.05). Significant negative correlations werefound between altitude and the qualified rate of p H(r =-0.830, P0.05) as well as the qualified rate of total bacterial count(r =- 0.740, P0.05). Water- borne diseases accorded with certain epidemiological characteristics, there was significantdifferences in the incidence of waterborne infectious diseases between different regions(P0.05),significant negativecorrelations were found between the qualified rate of total bacterial count and the incidence of typhoid and paratyphoid fever(r =-0.670, P0.05)as well as the incidence of other infectious diarrhea(r =-0.684,P0.05). No significant association wasnoticed between chronic non communicable diseases and the water quality. Conclusion Compared with other geological areaor other Danxia landform areas, the drinking water quality in Renhua area possesses particular characteristics and rules.Though the water in Renhua area is not subjected to chemical pollution, the qualified rates of total coliform group is relativelylow. Management of water quality and construction of drinking water projects be strengthened to reduce the incidences of water-borne diseases,
The Politics of Food Prices

The politics of food pricing is concerned with two sets of questions: first, what interests and pressures lie behind current policies of market intervention and the generation of political resources, particularly those that do not appear sensible from an economic point of view; second, what changes in political pressures can lead to reform?
Multi-Domain Joint Semantic Frame Parsing Using Bi-Directional RNN-LSTM.

Sequence-to-sequence deep learning has recently emerged as a new paradigm in supervised learning for spoken language understanding. However, most of the previous studies explored this framework for building single domain models for each task, such as slot filling or domain classification, comparing deep learning based approaches with conventional ones like conditional random fields. This paper proposes a holistic multi-domain, multi-task (i.e. slot filling, domain and intent detection) modeling approach to estimate complete semantic frames for all user utterances addressed to a conversational system, demonstrating the distinctive power of deep learning methods, namely bi-directional recurrent neural network (RNN) with long-short term memory (LSTM) cells (RNN-LSTM) to handle such complexity. The contributions of the presented work are three-fold: (i) we propose an RNN-LSTM architecture for joint modeling of slot filling, intent determination, and domain classification; (ii) we build a joint multi-domain model enabling multi-task deep learning where the data from each domain reinforces each other; (iii) we investigate alternative architectures for modeling lexical context in spoken language understanding. In addition to the simplicity of the single model framework, experimental results show the power of such an approach on Microsoft Cortana real user data over alternative methods based on single domain/task deep learning.
Operations simulation as a cloud based service

On-demand digital print service is a form of personalized manufacturing service. Key to the commercial print value-creation chain is the responsive and accurate knowledge discovery and decision making throughout service engagement and fulfillment between content suppliers and print service providers. In this paper, we describe operations simulation of an end-to-end digital print process as means to provide quantitative guide to production planning and execution. We identify the needs and challenges of today's model driven management practice, and rationale of creating a cloud-based operations simulation service. This cloud service aims to deliver accurate, expansive, in-depth and quantitative knowledge in near real-time; this type of knowledge can be applied to guide strategic planning to manufacturing and production management.
Cultural Competence Development, Critical Service Learning, and Latino/a Youth Empowerment: A Qualitative Case Study

ABSTRACTAs universities create service-learning programs, educators are experimenting with pedagogical approaches that enhance learning outcomes while benefiting communities. We present a qualitative case study of a radio-based, service-learning program, grounded in a Freirean foundation and aimed at developing the cultural competence and sense of citizenship of undergraduate students while empowering working-class high school Latino/a students. Undergraduate students benefited the most from the program; they enhanced their cultural competence skills, awareness of social issues, and sense of civic responsibility. Latino/a high school students who stayed in the program for at least a year developed self-confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of self-efficacy.
Nuclear Medicine Techniques in Pediatric Bone Imaging

An important mandate when imaging pediatric patients is the reduction of radiation exposure to the lowest possible level consistent with good quality diagnostic imaging, so individual selection of radiopharmaceutical dosage and imaging technique is essential. Although the logistics of image acquisition and the approach to interpretation mirror the more common use in adults, the challenges of imaging young children typically require greater attention to patient preparation, positioning, and supervision during imaging, with the use of parental or family engagement in the procedure, gentle restraint, and occasionally the need for sedation. Because the normal bone scan appearance varies dramatically with age as osseous structures mature, it is critical that the interpreting physician be well versed in the range of normal variability at each developmental stage. Although routinely employed in the evaluation of malignancy, radionuclide bone imaging in children is used for a much wider range of benign disorders than it is typical in adults. In many pediatric nuclear medicine departments, the evaluation of benign bone disorders represents most imaging procedures. Common indications include the evaluation of sports injuries, osteomyelitis, trauma, including suspected child abuse, growth disorders, such as mandibular condyle asymmetry, and noninfectious processes such as Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Both planar scintigraphy and SPECT imaging are widely employed, although the SPECT acquisition time presents a barrier in some age groups, making shorter planar spot views desirable when feasible. PET bone imaging with 18 F-sodium fluoride has been shown useful in a number of pediatric disorders, but may present issues in young children, as it can require the use of sedation. Despite this challenge, the higher resolution and resulting better anatomical depiction of bone anatomy by PET techniques can be very valuable in evaluating small structures, and current experience suggests a large future role for fluoride PET imaging.
Modifiers of Response to Treatment With Fesoterodine for Urgency-Predominant Urinary Incontinence in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective The aim of this study was to identify clinical and demographic characteristics that moderate response to treatment with fesoterodine among women with a diagnosis of urgency-predominant urinary incontinence. Methods A multicenter, double-blinded, 12-week randomized controlled trial of pharmacologic therapy for urgency-predominant urinary incontinence in community-dwelling women diagnosed by the 3-item Incontinence Questionnaire (3IQ) was previously performed. Participants (N = 645) were randomized to fesoterodine therapy (4-8 mg daily; n = 322) or placebo (n = 323). Urinary incontinence was assessed by 3-day voiding diaries. In this secondary analysis, a "responder" was defined as reduction of 50% or greater in overall incontinence episode frequency compared with baseline. Clinical and demographic characteristics that may moderate treatment response were assessed by testing for interaction between characteristics and intervention in logit models of responders, adjusting for clinical site. Results Participants' ages were a mean of 56 (SD, 14) years, 68% were white race, and they had a mean of 3.9 (SD, 3.0) urgency incontinence episodes per day. There were no baseline differences in demographic, clinical, or incontinence characteristics between treatment and placebo groups or between responders and nonresponders. There was an increase in the proportion of responders to fesoterodine with increasing age (P = 0.04) and parity (0.04) and among married women (P = 0.03), but no effect modification was observed by race/ethnicity, body mass index, education, employment status, or alcohol or tobacco use. Conclusions In ambulatory women with urgency-predominant urinary incontinence, older age, being married, and higher parity significantly moderated and potentiated the effects of pharmacologic therapy on incontinence frequency. This study identifies certain populations who may have increased responsiveness to treatment with antimuscarinic therapy and may be used to inform and guide future therapy.
American Aedes vexans Mosquitoes are Competent Vectors of Zika Virus.

Abstract Starting in 2013–2014, the Americas have experienced a massive outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) which has now reached at least 49 countries. Although most cases have occurred in South America and the Caribbean, imported and autochthonous cases have occurred in the United States. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are known vectors of ZIKV. Little is known about the potential for temperate Aedes mosquitoes to transmit ZIKV. Aedes vexans has a worldwide distribution, is highly abundant in particular localities, aggressively bites humans, and is a competent vector of several arboviruses. However, it is not clear whether Ae. vexans mosquitoes are competent to transmit ZIKV. To determine the vector competence of Ae. vexans for ZIKV, wild-caught mosquitoes were exposed to an infectious bloodmeal containing a ZIKV strain isolated during the current outbreak. Approximately 80% of 148 mosquitoes tested became infected by ZIKV, and approximately 5% transmitted infectious virus after 14 days of extrinsic incubation. These results establish that Ae. vexans are competent ZIKV vectors. Their relative importance as vectors (i.e., their vectorial capacity) depends on feeding behavior, longevity, and other factors that are likely to vary in ecologically distinct environments.
Effects of Technological Similarity and Complementarity on R&D Alliance Formation

Prior studies on R&D alliances have assumed that technological complementarity is a subset or a moderate of technological similarity. In this article, we argue that they are distinct concepts and a...
Meter Placement for Conservation Voltage Reduction in Distribution Systems

Requirements for real-time monitoring in distribution system for an advanced volt–var control, i.e., conservation voltage reduction (CVR), are first investigated in this paper. Then, a meter placement problem is defined to determine the real-time monitoring needed for CVR. Sensitivity analyses are used to determine the set of the rules for initial measurement options on distribution feeders. Based on these rules, three meter placement schemes are proposed for different metering options. The proposed schemes have two steps. First step uses a set of rules to determine an initial set of measurements. Then, the quality of voltage estimation will be assessed to remove least significant measurement or add a new measurement point. The performance of these three methods has been assessed by using a prototype IEEE distribution feeder.
Modeling of thermal response and ablation in laminated glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites due to lightning strike

Abstract Thermal response and ablation of laminated glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites subjected to lightning strike are studied. The associated nonlinear time-dependent heat transfer model includes specific features of lightning arcs observed in physical measurements such as lightning channel radius expansion, non-uniform lightning current density, and associated heat flux. Moving spatially and temporally non-uniform lightning-current-induced heat flux boundary and moving boundary due to material phase transition caused by rapid surface ablation are also included. To predict moving phase boundary in the laminated anisotropic composites, an element deletion method is developed and embedded into finite element analysis (FEA), which is performed using ABAQUS. The Umeshmotion + ALE method based on the user subroutine Umeshmotion and arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) adaptive mesh technique is also used, when applicable (i.e., moving phase boundary is confined within a top layer of the composite laminate). Heat transfer analysis is performed for a non-conductive laminated glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite panel representing the SNL 100-00 wind turbine tip. Thermal response of the panel subjected to pulsed and continuing lightning currents at three different lightning protection levels, LPL I, LPL II, and LPL III, is studied. Temperature-dependent anisotropic thermal properties of the composite panel are included in the analysis. The FEA results include temperature distributions and ablation zone profiles. The results show the Umeshmotion + ALE method is sufficient for the pulsed lightning current at all three LPL levels since the moving phase boundary, i.e. the ablation front, is found to be confined within the top layer of the laminate. For the continuing lightning currents at all three LPL levels, the Umeshmotion + ALE method is not applicable since the moving phase boundary comes to rest at depths exceeding the thickness of the top layer of the composite laminate.
Mallomonas aperturae sp. nov. (Synurophyceae) reveals that the complex cell architecture observed on modern synurophytes was well established by the middle Eocene

Abstract Mallomonas, the largest genus within the class Synurophyceae, consists of unicellular, flagellated, heterokont organisms each with an external cell covering comprised of species-specific overlapping siliceous scales. Most species also possess bristles, which are elongated needle-like siliceous structures that radiate out from the scale coat. A new fossil species, Mallomonas aperturae, is described from the middle Eocene Giraffe Pipe locality situated near the Arctic Circle in northern Canada. The new species possesses uniquely sculptured tripartite scales, each possessing a well-developed V-rib, dome and anterior wing-like extensions. The most unique feature is a large and elongated opening along the posterior side of the dome, a structure known only on scales of the modern species, Mallomonas paludosa (Synurophyceae). It is proposed that the opening on the dome may provide a means for securing bristles to the scales and aiding in bristle rotation. Remarkably, remains of cells with scales still i...
The politics of participation in community-based early warning systems: Building resilience or precarity through local roles in disseminating disaster information?

Abstract This paper challenges the implicit assumptions and material effects of community-based early warning systems (CBEWS) that mobilize resilience as their objective. Informed by five months of fieldwork in communities enrolled in a CBEWS initiated by the development organization Practical Action (PA) in Nepal's lower Karnali River Basin, I examine the inherent risks that accompany the participatory logic of even the best-intentioned interventions framed in terms of resilience. These risks include the ways in which assumptions inherent in the logic of resilience, when applied in concrete projects like CBEWS, can have the effect of unintentionally naturalizing vulnerability and individualizing responsibility for self-securitization in the name of empowerment. In the process, they may provide an excuse for a government’s neglect of its marginalized citizens. This can occur if participatory interventions overlook structural dimensions of vulnerability and do not balance the demands they make of communities with efforts to hold governments accountable for protecting their vulnerable citizens. PA’s CBEWS is a particularly informative case through which to examine these issues because, in addition to having unintended side effects representative of similar initiatives to build community resilience to disasters, PA is also working proactively through partnerships with the Government of Nepal to involve the state in solutions. For this reason, PA’s CBEWS can both highlight concerns about the unintended effects that any DRR project framed in terms of resilience can have on communities and provide a model for how similar organizations navigating difficult political terrain can work with governments to give them greater responsibility.
Multiculturalism, Anthropology of

Multiculturalism is a code word or label used to identify a historically specific genre of progressive politics emanating from, but not confined to, Western societies, most notably the United States. As a declaration that recognizes and valorizes ‘diversity,’ multiculturalism contests ideologies that figure dominant identity groupings, most notable white folk, as the primary agents of history and producers of ‘great works’. The politics signaled by multiculturalism has at least two notable characteristics. First, it frames issues of social justice and domination in terms of identity groupings, and second, it foregrounds issues of representation, in the senses of depiction and proportionate access. In addition, like so much other talk about persons and social relations at the end of the twentieth century, multiculturalism as an idiom reflects a complex movement of ideas between the social and behavioral sciences, on the one hand, and the world those disciplines inhabit and study, on the other. More specifically, multiculturalism represents a major instance of the public circulation of the key term of American anthropology, culture.
Analysis of p53 mutations in a large series of lymphoid hematologic malignancies of childhood

p53 mutations are found in a wide variety of cancers, including hematologic malignancies. These alterations apparently contribute to development of the malignant phenotype. We analyzed a large series of lymphoid (330 cases) and a smaller series of myeloid (29 cases) malignancies of childhood for p53 mutations by single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) following polymerase chain reaction. Samples with abnormal SSCP were reamplified and analyzed by direct sequencing method. p53 mutations were detected within the known mutational hotspots (exons 5 to 8) in 8 of 330 lymphoid malignancies, and in none of 29 myeloid malignancies, showing that the frequency of p53 mutations in childhood lymphoid malignancies was very low (8 of 330 cases [2%]). Four of these patients had very aggressive, fatal acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). None of 13 infants and none of 48 patients with T-lineage leukemia had detectable p53 mutations in their ALL cells. Exceptionally, p53 mutations were comparatively frequent in a small sample of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (2 of 8 cases). Mutations were detected in samples from two patients with ALL at relapse; these were not detected in samples at initial diagnosis from the same patients, suggesting that p53 mutations may be associated with progression to a more malignant phenotype. Seven of eight alterations of p53 were missense mutations, and seven of eight samples may be heterozygous for the mutant p53, indicating that p53 protein may act in a dominant negative fashion.
Subsecond calcium dynamics in ADP- and thrombin-stimulated platelets: a continuous-flow approach using indo-1.

The regulation and kinetics (less than 5 seconds) of cytosolic calcium changes ([Ca2+]i) in stimulated blood platelets have been investigated under physiological blood flow conditions. Using a newly-developed continuous-flow approach with indo-1-loaded human platelets, adenosine diphosphate (ADP, 10 mumol/L) and thrombin (5 U/mL) were equally effective in significantly increasing [Ca2+]i by 0.5 seconds. ADP induced a transient [Ca2+]i peak of 1 to 2 mumol/L near 2 seconds, whereas thrombin caused a sustained and larger response. The first phase (less than 2 seconds) was not influenced by a lack of extracellular Ca2+, in contrast to the subsequent [Ca2+]i increase that only reached about 0.7 mumol/L for either ADP or thrombin. The shear rates used in our continuous-flow apparatus were physiological (less than 1,258 sec-1) and only slightly increased the basal [Ca2+]i of 0.1 mumol/L. Platelet aggregation (less than 5 seconds), assessed by single- particle counting, was not altered in platelets loaded with indo-1/AM (2.5 mumol/L).
Lymph Node Metastases in Prostatic Cancer

One of the first descriptions of the lymphatics of the prostate was that of Paolo Mascagni in his magnificent Vasorum Lymphaticorum Corporis Humani Historia et Iconographia, published in 1787 (1). A more modern work was that of Cuneo and Marcille, who completed the definitive dissections of the pelvic lymphatics at the turn of this century, and which later became the foundation for the definitive description of the pelvic lymphatics by Rouviere (2,3). According to Rouviere, the lymphatic drainage of the prostate consists of four main trunks. The first and most numerous lymphatic trunks emerge from the posterior surface of the prostatic capsule and go to the external iliac pedicle. The second group of lymphatics travels with branches of the hemorrhoidal artery to the hypogastric nodes. The third pedicle arises from the posterior surface, courses posteriorly to the pre-sacral region and encounters the first lymph node usually at the level of second sacral foramina. Other lymphatics in this group proceed to the region of the sacral promontory. The fourth pedicle descends from the anterior surface of the floor of the perineum going with the internal pudendal artery, and around the ischial spine into the pelvis, terminating in a hypogastric node.
Newcomer turnover thoughts: the effect of social information, emotions and social resources

This study extends theory and research by examining the relationships among social information acquisition, positive emotional arousal, turnover intentions and social resources (LMX, TMX, and mento...
Virtual Anti-racism: Pleasure, Catharsis, and Hope in Mafia III and Watch Dogs 2:

This essay examines the representation and consumption of Mafia III and Watch Dogs 2 as a site of catharsis, pleasure, and empowerment. Through not only its representation of white supremacy but it...
Rankboost $$+$$ + : an improvement to Rankboost

Rankboost is a well-known algorithm that iteratively creates and aggregates a collection of “weak rankers” to build an effective ranking procedure. Initial work on Rankboost proposed two variants. One variant, that we call Rb-d and which is designed for the scenario where all weak rankers have the binary range $$\{0,1\}$$ , has good theoretical properties, but does not perform well in practice. The other, that we call Rb-c, has good empirical behavior and is the recommended variation for this binary weak ranker scenario but lacks a theoretical grounding. In this paper, we rectify this situation by proposing an improved Rankboost algorithm for the binary weak ranker scenario that we call Rankboost $$+$$ . We prove that this approach is theoretically sound and also show empirically that it outperforms both Rankboost variants in practice. Further, the theory behind Rankboost $$+$$ helps us to explain why Rb-d may not perform well in practice, and why Rb-c is better behaved in the binary weak ranker scenario, as has been observed in prior work.
Cefazolin and an aminoglycoside compared with cefazolin alone for the antimicrobial prophylaxis of type III open orthopedic fractures.

Context: Uncertainty of antibiotic prophylaxis of type III open orthopedic fractures still exists. Controversy remains as using cefazolin as a single agent or the addition of an aminoglycoside for broader coverage to prevent infection. Aims: The aim of the study was to determine if the combination of cefazolin and an aminoglycoside reduced infections compared with cefazolin alone. Subjects and Methods: This was a retrospective study inclusive of patients with type III open fracture admitted between January 1, 2010, and August 31, 2014 at a level 1 trauma center, who were prophylactically treated with cefazolin alone or cefazolin and an aminoglycoside. Statistical Analysis Used: All analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel 2010. Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used for categorical data and Wilcoxon rank-sum test for skewed continuous data. Logistic regression analysis was performed on all confounding variables with P Results: A significantly higher percentage in the combination group developed infection (6/15 [40%] vs. 8/53 [15.1%], P= 0.035). There was a trend toward a higher odds of infection in the combination group (odds ratio: 2.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.79–11.33, P= 0.107). Infection rates due to multidrug-resistant bacteria were statistically higher with the combination group (3/15 [20%] vs. 1/53 [1.9%], P= 0.046). There were no statistically significant differences in 30-day mortality, 1-year readmission rates due to fracture complication, or length of hospital stay. Conclusions: The results suggest that the addition of an aminoglycoside to cefazolin may not be necessary to prevent infection.
Influenza Polymerase Inhibitors: Mechanisms of Action and Resistance

The influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is highly conserved among influenza A, B, C, and D viruses. It comprises three subunits: polymerase basic protein 1 (PB1), polymerase basic protein 2 (PB2), and polymerase acidic protein (PA) in influenza A and B viruses or polymerase 3 protein (P3) in influenza C and D viruses. Because this polymerase is essential for influenza virus replication, it has been considered as a target for antiviral agents. Recently, several polymerase inhibitors that target each subunit have been developed. This review discusses the mechanism of action, antiviral activity, and emergence of resistance to three inhibitors approved for the treatment of influenza or in late-phase clinical trials: the PB1 inhibitor favipiravir, the PB2 inhibitor pimodivir, and the PA inhibitor baloxavir marboxil.
CHAPTER I – Analytical Foundations

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the mathematical theory and the analytical foundations of the differential and functional equations. The chapter discusses the complete theory of sets, functions, and sequences along with the expressions used for their representation. The chapter also discusses the topological vector spaces, various types of integrals, absolutely continuous functions on an interval, convex sets, and measurable set-valued mappings. It highlights the basic terminologies required for the solutions of both simple and complex differential and functional equations. A set A is sequentially closed if every convergent sequence in A has its limits in A. An extended real number is either a real number or one of the symbols –∞ and ∞ (or +∞). If X is a metric space and A ⊂ X, then the following statements are equivalent: (1) A is compact, (2) A is sequentially compact, and (3) A is complete and totally bounded.
Cellular targets of oxidative stress

Abstract There are three major sites of oxidant production in the cell; mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and peroxisomes. Each is equipped with their own antioxidant system to prevent injury and protect subcellular functions. Mitochondria are essential to produce energy through respiratory chain activity and injury involves disruption of respiratory complexes and accelerated production and release of O2ˉ˙. ER is essential for protein processing and Ca2+ homeostasis, and interruption of ER functions results in upregulation of the unfolded protein response and initiation of ER stress. Uncontrolled ER stress results in aberrant Ca2+ regulation, production and release of reactive oxygen species, and activation of autophagy and apoptosis pathways. Peroxisomal function is tightly correlated to both mitochondria and ER and disruption precipitates release of H2O2 into the cellular milieu. Drugs, environmental toxins, and aging all contribute to organelle injury and release of ROS, resulting in cardiovascular and neurological diseases and cancers.
MODULATION OF LYMPHOCYTE MITOGENESIS

Publisher Summary The binding of antigens, antibodies, and lectins to lymphoid cells induces a variety of surface and metabolic changes including the stimulation of DNA synthesis and mitosis. Although the detailed mechanism of lymphocyte activation is not known, it is assumed that the surface-bound mitogens are responsible for the initiation of cell stimulation. Mitogens show characteristic unimodal dose–response curves for a given population of lymphocytes, that is, concentrations significantly below or above the optimum show no stimulation. This chapter describes several approaches for the analysis of the stimulatory and inhibitory effects responsible for the characteristic mitogenic dose–response curve. Both stimulatory and inhibitory signals operate to give rise to the dose–response curve and these effects can be independently modulated.
Integrated Puncture Score: force-displacement weighted rind penetration tests improve stalk lodging resistance estimations in maize

Stalk lodging (breaking of agricultural plant stalks prior to harvest) is a multi-billion dollar a year problem. Rind penetration resistance tests have been used by plant scientists and breeders to estimate the stalk lodging resistance of maize for nearly a hundred years. However, the rind puncture method has two key limitations: (1) the predictive power of the test decreases significantly when measuring elite or pre-commercial hybrids, and (2) using rind penetration measurements as a breeding metric does not necessarily create stronger stalks. In this study, we present a new rind penetration method called the Integrated Puncture Score, which uses a modified rind penetration testing protocol and a physics-based model to provide a robust measure of stalk lodging resistance. Two datasets, one with a diverse array of maize hybrids and one with only elite hybrids, were evaluated by comparing traditional rind penetration testing and the Integrated Puncture Score method to measurements of stalk bending strength. When evaluating the diverse set of hybrids, both methods were good predictors of stalk bending strength (R2 values of 0.67). However, when evaluating elite hybrids, the Integrated Puncture Score had an R2 value of 0.74 whereas the traditional method had an R2 value of 0.48. Additionally, the Integrated Puncture Score was able to differentiate between the strongest and weakest hybrids in the elite hybrid data set whereas the traditional rind penetration method was not. Additional experiments revealed strong evidence in favor of the data aggregation steps utilized to compute the Integrated Puncture Score. This study presents a new method for evaluating rind penetration resistance that highly correlates with stalk bending strength and can possibly be used as a breeding index for assessing stalk lodging resistance. This research lays the foundation required to develop a field-based high-throughput phenotyping device for stalk lodging resistance.
Clinician Experiences in Treatment Decision-Making for Patients with Spinal Metastases: A Qualitative Study.

Background Effective management of metastatic disease requires multidisciplinary input and entails high risk of disease-related and treatment-related morbidity and mortality. The factors that influence clinician decision-making around spinal metastases are not well understood. We conducted a qualitative study that included a multidisciplinary cohort of physicians to evaluate the decision-making process for treatment of spinal metastases from the clinician's perspective. Methods We recruited operative and nonoperative clinicians, including orthopaedic spine surgeons, neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and physiatrists, from across North America to participate in either a focus group or a semistructured interview. All interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. We then performed a thematic analysis using all of the available transcript data. Investigators sequentially coded transcripts and identified recurring themes that encompass overarching patterns in the data and directly bear on the guiding study question. This was followed by the development of a thematic map that visually portrays the themes, the subthemes, and their interrelatedness, as well as their influence on treatment decision-making. Results The thematic analysis revealed that numerous factors influence provider-based decision-making for patients with spinal metastases, including clinical elements of the disease process, treatment guidelines, patient preferences, and the dynamics of the multidisciplinary care team. The most prominent feature that resonated across all of the interviews was the importance of multidisciplinary care and the necessity of cohesion among a team of diverse health-care providers. Respondents emphasized aspects of care-team dynamics, including effective communication and intimate knowledge of team-member preferences, as necessary for the development of appropriate treatment strategies. Participants maintained that the primary role in decision-making should remain with the patient. Conclusions Numerous factors influence provider-based decision-making for patients with spinal metastases, including multidisciplinary team dynamics, business pressure, and clinician experience. Participants maintained a focus on shared decision-making with patients, which contrasts with patient preferences to defer decisions to the physician, as described in prior work. Clinical relevance The results of this thematic analysis document the numerous factors that influence provider-based decision-making for patients with spinal metastases. Our results indicate that provider decisions regarding treatment are influenced by a combination of clinical characteristics, perceptions of patient quality of life, and the patient's preferences for care.
Point-of-care Ultrasound in Morbidity and Mortality Cases in Emergency Medicine: Who Benefits the Most?

Introduction Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an essential tool in the timely evaluation of an undifferentiated patient in the emergency department (ED). Our primary objective in this study was to determine the perceived impact of POCUS in high-risk cases presented at emergency medicine (EM) morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences. Additionally, we sought to identify in which types of patients POCUS might be most useful, and which POCUS applications were considered to be highest yield. Methods This was a retrospective survey of cases submitted to M&M at an EM residency program that spans two academic EDs, over one academic year. Postgraduate year 4 (PGY) residents who presented M&M cases at departmental sessions were surveyed on perceived impacts of POCUS on individual patient outcomes. We evaluated POCUS use and indications while the POCUS was used. Results Over the 12-month period, we reviewed 667 cases from 18 M&M sessions by 15 PGY-4 residents and a supervising EM attending physician who chairs the M&M committee. Of these cases, 75 were selected by the M&M committee for review and presentation. POCUS was used in 27% (20/75) of the cases and not used in 73% (55/75). In cases where POCUS was not used, retrospective review determined that if POCUS had been used it would have "likely prevented the M&M" in 45% (25/55). Of these 25 cases, the majority of POCUS applications that could have helped were cardiac (32%, 8/25) and lung (32%, 8/25) ultrasound. POCUS was felt to have greatest potential in identifying missed diagnoses (92%, 23/25), and decreasing the time to diagnosis (92%, 23/25). Patients with cardiopulmonary chief complaints and abnormal vital signs were most likely to benefit. There were seven cases (35%, 7/20, 95% CI 15-59%) in which POCUS was performed and thought to have possibly adversely affected the outcome of the M&M. Conclusion POCUS was felt to have the potential to reduce or prevent M&M in 45% of cases in which it was not used. Cardiac and lung POCUS were among the most useful applications, especially in patients with cardiopulmonary complaints and in those with abnormal vital signs.
Luminescence Behavior of the Ba2HfF8:Dy3+/Sm3+ Nanophosphor for White Light-Emitting Applications

Lanthanide (Ln)-doped inorganic materials are widely used in X-ray scintillation, enabling luminescence in the UV to near-infrared region with average lifetime ranging from nanosecond to hours. Flu...
Injection with Toxoplasma gondii protein affects neuron health and survival

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that infects the brain. Whereas most microbial infections of the brain result in severe illness or death, Toxoplasma gondii infections are usually asymptomatic. This is because the parasite has evolved the ability to exist within the brain by dampening the immune response. The parasite can therefore asymptomatically co-exist with its host for years – or even an entire lifetime. The strategy has proved so successful that up to one third of the world’s population is now thought to be infected with Toxoplasma gondii. While this persistence tends not to be a problem for most healthy individuals, dormant Toxoplasma gondii parasites can reactivate in individuals whose immune systems fail. This can result in life-threatening neurological disease. In pregnant women, Toxoplasma gondii parasites can also cross the placenta, which can trigger miscarriage or cause harmful disease in the newborn. To develop treatments for these cases of symptomatic disease, we need to understand how the parasite hides from the immune system in asymptomatic individuals. Mendez et al. have therefore leveraged a mouse model in which neurons injected with Toxoplasma gondii proteins (Toxoplasma-injected neurons, or ‘TINs’) produce a green fluorescent protein. This enables the infected cells to be viewed under a microscope. Examining the mouse brains revealed that most TINs were located in two specific regions: the cortex and the striatum. The cortex is the brain’s outer layer of tissue. The striatum is a structure deep within the brain that helps regulate movement and responses to rewards. Both the cortex and the striatum contain different types of neurons. The results revealed that the proteins from the parasite were spread roughly equally among the various cell types, rather than targeting a specific subtype of neuron. Neurons close to TINs had slightly abnormal electrical activity, whereas the TINs themselves had highly abnormal activity. By eight weeks post-infection, however, the number of TINS had fallen by around 90%. This suggests that many neurons containing Toxoplasma protein are sick and dying, and that their altered electrical activity reflects this unhealthy state. Understanding how Toxoplasma parasites persist in the brain has the potential to reveal new targets for treating symptomatic infections. It could even provide new possibilities for targeting the inflammation that drives many other neurological diseases. Harnessing this potential will require finding out why Toxoplasma gondii infects specific brain regions and why most neurons that directly interact with the parasite die.
Unification of Powers: When Effective Lawmakers Sponsor Presidential Proposals in Congress

While scholars have long noted presidential powers over congressional lawmaking arising through persuasion, veto bargaining, and public appeals, we argue that an important tool is missing from this list. Specifically, presidents who are strategic in their choices of early coalition partners in Congress – such as effective sponsors of administration bills – significantly enhance their chance of legislative success. We identify more than 1,400 executive branch proposals appearing as bills in Congress between 1989 and 2006. We examine which members of Congress sponsor these bills, finding strong evidence of disproportionate sponsorship by effective champions, such as majority-party members, committee and subcommittee chairs, lawmakers with proven effectiveness in the previous Congress, party leaders, and senior lawmakers, all else equal. Analyzing the fate of these proposals, we find that much of the success of the president’s agenda in Congress depends on these critical and strategic partnerships with effective congressional proponents.
Targeting Macrophage Dysregulation for Viral Infections: Novel Targets for Immunomodulators.

A major barrier to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) cure is the latent viral reservoir, which persists despite antiretroviral therapy (ART), including across the non-dividing myeloid reservoir which is found systemically in sanctuary sites across tissues and the central nervous system (CNS). Unlike activated CD4+ T cells that undergo rapid cell death during initial infection (due to rapid viral replication kinetics), viral replication kinetics are delayed in non-dividing myeloid cells, resulting in long-lived survival of infected macrophages and macrophage-like cells. Simultaneously, persistent inflammation in macrophages confers immune dysregulation that is a key driver of co-morbidities including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and neurological deficits in people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Macrophage activation and dysregulation is also a key driver of disease progression across other viral infections including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and chikungunya viruses, underscoring the interplay between macrophages and disease progression, pathogenesis, and comorbidity in the viral infection setting. This review discusses the role of macrophages in persistence and pathogenesis of HIV-1 and related comorbidities, SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. A special focus is given to novel immunomodulatory targets for key events driving myeloid cell dysregulation and reservoir maintenance across a diverse array of viral infections.
How many theories for the origin of /proto/life

The sequence of primordial chemical events leading to contemporary metabolism is considered, taking into account primordial reactants, amino acids, proteinoid, protocells, ATP, polynucleotides, and protein. The right kind of matter, thermal copolyamino acids, can organize itself into cell-like structures, in the absence of discrete lipid, when triggered to do so by water. Another unpredicted result of examination of the microsystems formed was the step-by-step realization that the component processes of a primitive form of replication were latent in the proteinoid microsystems. At the present time, four modes of primitive replication of proteinoid microsystems have been identified, plus one that has the appearance of protosexual reproduction. Two main conceptual pathways have received attention. One is the proteinoid theory, derived from experiments. The other is the DNA-first theory, for which attempts at conceptual construction and experimental support continue to be sought.
Immature B Cell Egress from Bone Marrow Is SOCS3 Independent

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3 has been suggested to regulate CXCR4 signaling in a variety of human cell lines. In mice, conditional SOCS3 inactivation in hematopoietic cells including B-lineage lymphocytes has been reported to exacerbate CXCR4-signaling and focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation, which resulted in altered immature B cell distribution in bone marrow (BM) due to sustained α4β1 integrin-mediated adhesion to the extracellular matrix. However, a recent study examining conditional SOCS3 deletion specifically in B-lineage cells failed to detect significant roles in B-lineage cell retention in BM. In this study we carefully examined the role played by SOCS3 in CXCR4 signaling in developing B cell subsets. We show that in mice conditionally deficient in SOCS3 exclusively in B cells (Socs3fl/fl Mb1cre/+) there was no detectable difference in B cell development in BM and in periphery. We show that SOCS3 deficient and sufficient immature B cell subsets are similarly distributed between BM parenchyma and sinusoids, and are equally competent at exiting BM into peripheral blood. Furthermore, we found no significant differences in CXCR4 desensitization upon ligand exposure in developing B lymphocyte subsets. Consequently, SOCS3-deficient and sufficient B-lineage cell migration towards CXCL12 in vitro was undistinguishable, and B-lineage cell amoeboid motility within BM parenchyma was also unaffected by SOCS3-deficiency. Thus we conclude that SOCS3 has no detectable influence on biological processes known to be controlled by CXCR4 signaling.
Millennial‐ to decadal‐scale paleoenvironmental change during the Holocene in the Palmer Deep, Antarctica, as recorded by particle size analysis

[1] A record of Holocene paleoenvironmental variability from the Antarctic Peninsula has been produced using sediment cores from Site 1098 gathered on Ocean Drilling Project Leg 178. The results provide an accurate and continuous record of biotic and sedimentologic responses to Holocene environmental change. Holes 1098B and 1098C were used to produce the first ultrahigh-resolution record of grain size variability for the past 13,000 years. We utilized samples every 2.5 cm (at 3–5 yr cm−1) which involved the analysis of 1466 samples from two holes at the site. Particle size was measured on uniform suspensions of dispersed particles using a laser diffraction method. The particles are mainly grains of silt (65–85%) and clay (15–35%) size. The analyses revealed that in most intervals, biotic particles in the form of diatom frustules (mostly spores) dominate the silt component, which is inversely reflected by magnetic susceptibility (MS). In intervals of the core that deviate from this relationship it was found that the MS signal correlated with medium to fine or coarse silt that was dominated by terrigenous rather than a biogenic (diatom) component. Spectral analyses of the variability in clay and medium-fine silt content over the last ∼9000 calendar years reveal cycles of 1800, 400, 200, 100, 70, 60, and 50 years. The analyses revealed that particle size, specifically medium-fine silt, is an excellent proxy for environmental change in the Palmer Deep region. Such changes may be forced by solar variability (the 200 and 400 year cycles), lunar tidal changes (the 1800 year cycles), and an as yet undetermined multidecadal forcing phenomena that operates in the SE Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean.