cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing Insecticide Susceptibility of Laboratory Lutzomyia longipalpis and Phlebotomus papatasi Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae).

Chemical insecticides are effective for controlling Lutzomyia and Phlebotomus sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) vectors of Leishmania parasites. However, repeated use of certain insecticides has led to tolerance and resistance. The objective of this study was to determine lethal concentrations (LCs) and lethal exposure times (LTs) to assess levels of susceptibility of laboratory Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz and Nieva) and Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) to 10 insecticides using a modified version of the World Health Organization (WHO) exposure kit assay and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bottle bioassay. Sand flies were exposed to insecticides coated on the interior of 0.5-gallon and 1,000-ml glass bottles. Following exposure, the flies were allowed to recover for 24 h, after which mortality was recorded. From dose–response survival curves for L. longipalpis and P. papatasi generated with the QCal software, LCs causing 50, 90, and 95% mortality were determined for each insecticide. The LCs and LTs from this study will be useful as baseline reference points for future studies using the CDC bottle bioassays to assess insecticide susceptibility of sand fly populations in the field. There is a need for a larger repository of sand fly insecticide susceptibility data from the CDC bottle bioassays, including a range of LCs and LTs for more sand fly species with more insecticides. Such a repository would be a valuable tool for vector management.
Alaryngeal Speech Enhancement Using Minimum Statistics Approach to Spectral Subtraction

The objective of this paper is to propose an approach for enhancement of speech generated by an ALT (Artificial Larynx Transducer). Spectral subtraction using Martin's statistical method is chosen as the means to confront the speech enhancement problem. In contrast to the conventional spectral subtraction methods, Martin's approach does not need a VAD (voice activity detector) nor histograms to learn statistics. Since the major power of noise is present on the voiced segments of the signal, the conventional spectral subtraction approaches might face difficulty dealing with this problem. Therefore, Martin's algorithm is particularly powerful in noise rejection from ALT-produced signal. Successful implementation of alaryngeal speech enhancement using Martin's approach is presented through some simulations.
MNEs and development: a review and reconceptualization

Abstract In this paper, we review and critique two prominent theories in the international business and international economics literatures regarding the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in host country development: the “spillovers” perspective on the impact of MNE investment in host countries and the liabilities of foreignness (LOF) view that specifies the constraints MNEs must overcome to succeed in local, developing country markets. We then propose an alternative conceptualization of MNE-host country relations in which MNEs and local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) pursue collaborative relationships that make a positive, collective contribution to host country development and to MNE and NGO strategic goals in ways that neither sector is positioned to do alone.
Social support and psychological symptomatology following a natural disaster

The effects of perceived availability of social support on psychological symptomatology following a natural disaster were studied in a sample of victims of a major flood in Roanoke, Virginia. Ninety-six subjects were administered questionnaires that measured self-reported levels of depression, anxiety, and somatization 1 week after the disaster and four additional times within 6 months after the disaster. A questionnaire mailed 3 months after the disaster assessed perceived availability of social support. Results indicated that subjects experienced severe distress immediately following the disaster, that this distress decreased sharply 6 weeks after the flood, and decreased more gradually in the following months. Perceived availability of social support was not related to distress immediately following the disaster nor 5 months afterwards. Social support and symptomatology were significantly correlated during the intermediate period.
Temperature reconstructions from tree‐ring densities overestimate volcanic cooling

The fidelity of inferences on volcanic cooling from tree-ring density records has recently come into question, with competing claims that temperature reconstructions based on tree-ring records underestimate cooling due to an increased likelihood of missing rings or overestimate cooling due to reduced light availability accentuating the response. Here we test these competing hypotheses in the latitudes poleward of 45 ◦ N, using the two eruptions occurring between 1850 and 1960 with large-scale Northern Hemisphere climatic effects: Novarupta (1912) and Krakatau (1883). We find that tree-ring densities overestimate postvolcanic cooling with respect to instrumental data (Probability ≥ 0.99), with larger magnitudes of bias where growth is more limited by light availability (Prob. ≥ 0.95). Using a methodology that allows for direct comparisons with instrumental data, our results confirm that high-latitude tree-ring densities record not only temperature but also variations in light availability.
The Intergenerational Effects of Relocation Policies on Indigenous Families

This research uses life course perspective concepts of linked lives and historical time and place to examine the multigenerational effects of relocation experiences on Indigenous families. Data were collected from a longitudinal study currently underway on four American Indian reservations in the Northern Midwest and four Canadian First Nation reserves where residents share a common Indigenous cultural heritage. This article includes information from 507 10- to 12-year-old Indigenous youth and their biological mothers who participated in the study. Results of path analysis revealed significant direct and indirect effects whereby grandparent-generation participation in government relocation programs negatively affects not only grandparent-generation well-being but also ripples out to affect subsequent generations.
Lethal Dissemination of H5N1 Influenza Virus Is Associated with Dysregulation of Inflammation and Lipoxin Signaling in a Mouse Model of Infection

Periodic outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza viruses and the current H1N1 pandemic highlight the need for a more detailed understanding of influenza virus pathogenesis. To investigate the host transcriptional response induced by pathogenic influenza viruses, we used a functional-genomics approach to compare gene expression profiles in lungs from 129S6/SvEv mice infected with either the fully reconstructed H1N1 1918 pandemic virus (1918) or the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus Vietnam/1203/04 (VN/1203). Although the viruses reached similar titers in the lung and caused lethal infections, the mean time of death was 6 days for VN/1203-infected animals and 9 days for mice infected with the 1918 virus. VN/1203-infected animals also exhibited an earlier and more potent inflammatory response. This response included induction of genes encoding components of the inflammasome. VN/1203 was also able to disseminate to multiple organs, including the brain, which correlated with changes in the expression of genes associated with hematological functions and lipoxin biogenesis and signaling. Both viruses elicited expression of type I interferon (IFN)-regulated genes in wild-type mice and to a lesser extent in mice lacking the type I IFN receptor, suggesting alternative or redundant pathways for IFN signaling. Our findings suggest that VN/1203 is more pathogenic in mice as a consequence of several factors, including the early and sustained induction of the inflammatory response, the additive or synergistic effects of upregulated components of the immune response, and inhibition of lipoxin-mediated anti-inflammatory responses, which correlated with the ability of VN/1203 to disseminate to extrapulmonary organs.
On simulating the IP market dynamics in an academic environment using SystemC

As SoC (System-on-a-chip) methodology emerges, IP (Intellectual Property) development and integration will play a major role in the high-tech industry. To prepare for this future trend, today's graduating seniors should be exposed to concepts such as IP development and reuse. This paper discusses the simulation of an IP market in a class of 52 senior students using an open source system level codesign language called SystemC. The goal was to provide students with a real-life experience of IP development and usage and provide an entrepreneurial experience while providing credit for their participation.
Modeling a minimal ribosome based on comparative sequence analysis.

Abstract We have determined the three-dimensional organization of ribosomal RNAs and proteins essential for minimal ribosome function. Comparative sequence analysis identifies regions of the ribosome that have been evolutionarily conserved, and the spatial organization of conserved domains is determined by mapping these onto structures of the 30 S and 50 S subunits determined by X-ray crystallography. Several functional domains of the ribosome are conserved in their three-dimensional organization in the Archaea, Bacteria, Eucaryotic nuclear, mitochondria and chloroplast ribosomes. In contrast, other regions from both subunits have shifted their position in three-dimensional space during evolution, including the L11 binding domain and the α-sarcin–ricin loop (SRL). We examined conserved bridge interactions between the two ribosomal subunits, giving an indication of which contacts are more significant. The tRNA contacts that are conserved were also determined, highlighting functional interactions as the tRNA moves through the ribosome during protein synthesis. To augment these studies of a large collection of comparative structural models sampled from all major branches on the phylogenetic tree, Caenorhabditis elegans mitochondrial rRNA is considered individually because it is among the smallest rRNA sequences known. The C. elegans model supports the large collection of comparative structure models while providing insight into the evolution of mitochondrial ribosomes.
Interactions among invaders : community and ecosystem effects of multiple invasive species in an experimental aquatic system

With ecosystems increasingly supporting multiple invasive species, interactions among invaders could magnify or ameliorate the undesired consequences for native communities and ecosystems. We evaluated the individual and combined effects of rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) and Chinese mystery snails [Bellamya (=Cipangopaludina) chinensis] on native snail communities (Physa, Helisoma and Lymnaea sp.) and ecosystem attributes (algal chlorophyll a and nutrient concentrations). Both invaders are widespread in the USA and commonly co-occur within northern temperate lakes, underscoring the importance of understanding their singular and joint effects. An outdoor mesocosm experiment revealed that while the two invaders had only weakly negative effects upon one another, both negatively affected the abundance and biomass of native snails, and their combined presence drove one native species to extinction and reduced a second by >95%. Owing to its larger size and thicker shell, adult Bellamya were protected from crayfish attack relative to native species (especially Physa and Lymnaea), suggesting the co-occurrence of these invaders in nature could have elevated consequences for native communities. The per capita impacts of Orconectes (a snail predator) on native snails were substantially greater than those of Bellamya (a snail competitor). Crayfish predation also had a cascading effect by reducing native snail biomass, leading to increased periphyton growth. Bellamya, in contrast, reduced periphyton biomass, likely causing a reduction in growth by native lymnaeid snails. Bellamya also increased water column N:P ratio, possibly because of a low P excretion rate relative to native snail species. Together, these findings highlight the importance of understanding interactions among invasive species, which can have significant community- and ecosystem-level effects.
Duality in constitutive formulation of finite-strain elastoplasticity based on F=FeFp and F=FpFe decompositions

A constitutive theory for large elastic‐plastic deformations is presented by employing F=F p F e decomposition of the total deformation gradient. A duality in constitutive formulation based on this and the well-known Lee’s decomposition F=FeFp is established for isotropic polycrystalline and single crystal plasticity. # 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Wavelet Smoothing Based FAR Model for Monthly Tuna Catches Forecasting

In this paper, the aim is to apply a functional autoregressive (FAR) model combined with wavelet smoothing analysis for monthly bigeye tuna catches forecasting in the equatorial Indian ocean. The raw monthly tuna catches data is smoothed by using discrete stationary wavelet transform and then appropriate is used as inputs to the FAR model. We find that the proposed forecasting strategy achieves $97\%$ of the explained variance with reduced parsimony and high accuracy.
Synthesis and characterization of a novel fluorinated bismaleimide via a nucleophilic addition–elimination reaction and its polymeric networks

The commercially available octafluorocyclopentene (OFCP) as both a fluorinated building block and a linker has been successfully utilized to prepare a new fluorinated bismaleimide monomer OFCP-BMI via a nucleophilic addition–elimination reaction. The resulting OFCP-BMI is characterized by 1H, 13C, 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and high resolution mass spectrometry. The monomer OFCP-BMI reacts with a free radical initiator or self-cures to prepare its resins. No obvious glass transition temperature (Tg) below 260 °C was observed for the self-curing resin suggesting that a highly cross-linked polymeric network was formed. The self-curing resin exhibits excellent thermal stability with the on-set weight loss temperature (Ton-setd) of 445 °C and a 50% char yield at 800 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The resin obtained by a free radical polymerization process exhibits less thermal stability and a lower char yield than the self-curing resin due to its lower cross-linking density. The self-curing resin exhibits a low dielectric constant (Dk = 2.5).
Reply to Comment on “Can a light beam be considered to be the sum of a completely polarized and a completely unpolarized beam?”

The authors of the Comment [Opt. Lett. 34, 1001 (2009)] do not mention that no claim was made in the orginal letter that the cross-spectral density matrix of polarized light must be of a factorized form.
Development of a radiolabeled nucleic acid probe for the detection of encephalomyocarditis virus of swine.

Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is a member of the genus Cardiovirus of the family Picomaviridae and infects a number of species including mice, elephants, squirrels, swine, and humans. EMCV infections in swine are usually sporadic in nature throughout the world. EMCV causes encephalitis and myocarditis with high mortality in young piglets and has also been associated with maternal reproductive disease in swine. 4,15,16,19 Transplacental infection in pregnant sows has been demonstrated, but the role of EMCV in clinical reproductive disease in the US swine herds is unclear. Serologic evidence of EMCV infection in swine without clinical problem has been reported. 22 Serologic data suggest that EMCV infections are widespread in the US swine herds, but EMCV has been isolated from only a limited number of cases. 10-14,26 Whether the poor success in EMCV isolation from aborted fetuses is due to the lability of EMCV or to the lack of any role of EMCV in swine reproductive disease has not been resolved. The presence of blocking antibodies may also interfere with the isolation of EMCV from clinical specimens. The recent isolation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus from herds with reproductive failure has further confused what role EMCV has in swine reproductive failure in the US swine herds. EMCV isolates are closely related antigenically and there is probably only 1 serotype of EMCV. Variants of EMCV have been isolated that differ in organ tropism and pathogenicity. 1 Antigenic and genomic variability among various EMCV strains has also been reported and may be associated with the diversity in pathogenicity. 1,7,11,24,24 VP1 is the major polypeptide of EMCV against which virus neutralizing antibodies are directed. The VP1 gene is also the least conserved capsid gene among different members of Picornavirus. In contrast, the VP3 and VP4 genes and the 5' nontranslated region of EMCV are more conserved. 13,14,20,26 The major objective of the present study was to determine whether a nucleic acid probe specific for EMCV infection in swine could be developed. Such a probe would be useful in determining the prevalence and role of EMCV, if any, in swine reproductive failure. The EMCV strains used for this study were NVSL-FL, MN-25, ATCC VR-129B, Georgia, OVL-5/90, and Mengo. The NVSL-FL strain was isolated initially from pigs in Florida. The MN-25 strain was isolated from an aborted swine fetus obtained from a Minnesota farm that had a history of acute reproductive failure and neonatal losses. The ATCC VR-129B was originally isolated from a chimpanzee
Constraints on the petrologic structure of the subduction zone slab-mantle interface from Franciscan Complex exotic ultramafic blocks

Ultramafic blocks within mud-matrix melange of the Franciscan Complex, California, preserve a series of metasomatic mineral zones generated by infiltration of Si-rich hydrous fluids during subduction. We describe the petrology and geochemistry of the metasomatic zones and compare them to current model predictions for the metasomatism of the mantle wedge by subduction zone fluids. Fluid flow affected a Cr-spinel lherzolite protolith to form first serpentinite, then a talc-dominated rock, and finally an amphibole-rich assemblage. A diverse suite of accessory minerals in the amphibole-rich zone (titanite + clinozoisite + zircon + apatite) suggests that the trace element signature of subduction zone fluids may be fractionated in this zone. Oxygen isotopic evidence suggests that the ultramafic blocks equilibrated with metasomatic fluids during serpentinization and that subsequent reactions occurred in equilibrium with these fluids in a temperature range of 450–500 °C. Whole-rock geochemistry indicates mobility of many elements into and out of the blocks during metasomatism, including elements such as Ti which are currently considered to have low solubilities in such fluids. Taken as a whole, the blocks appear to preserve the metasomatic structure of the slab-mantle interface in subduction zones and imply that the chemistry of slab-derived fluids is modified as they pass through these metasomatic zones in the mantle wedge. Our results suggest that the primary composition of subduction zone fluids is not likely reflected by arc magmas. Instead, we propose that arc magmas are derived from regions of the mantle fluxed by fluids residual to the metasomatic processes we observe.
Proliferating Brenner tumors

The great majority of Brenner tumors are benign, but a few are frankly malignant. The rare proliferating Brenner tumor is a third variant intermediate between the benign and malignant forms. Characteristic areas of this tumor show an unusual degree of epithelial proliferation and morphologically resemble low-grade (papillary) transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. The papillary tumor tends to grow within cystic spaces, and the epithelial component does not invade the tumor stroma. In our 3 cases, adjacent areas of typical Brenner tumor were observed. The tumors were all confined to the ovary, and none has recurred or metastasized. In one case, the patient has been free of tumor for 8 years. These tumors give additional support to the concept that Brenner tumors are composed of epithelium of urinary tract (urothelial) type.
Stress Management–Augmented Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention for African American Women A Pilot, Randomized Controlled Trial

The relationship between chronic stress and weight management efforts may be a concern for African American (AA) women, who have a high prevalence of obesity, high stress levels, and modest response to obesity treatment. This pilot study randomly assigned 44 overweight/obese AA women with moderate to high stress levels to either a 12-week adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Balance intervention augmented with stress management strategies (Lifestyle + Stress) or Lifestyle Alone. A trend toward greater percentage of baseline weight loss at 3-month data collection was observed in Lifestyle + Stress (-2.7 ± 3.6%) compared with Lifestyle Alone (-1.4 ± 2.3%; p = .17) and a greater reduction in salivary cortisol (Lifestyle + Stress: -0.2461 ± 0.3985 ng/mL; Lifestyle Alone: -0.0002 ± 0.6275 ng/mL; p = .20). These promising results suggest that augmenting a behavioral weight control intervention with stress management components may be beneficial for overweight/obese AA women with moderate to high stress levels and merit further investigation with an adequately powered trial.
Prognostic value of pathologic characteristics and resection margins in tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma

Objective: We investigate the influence of tumour and resection characteristics on survival in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the trachea. Methods: A retrospective study of 12 laryngotracheal, 58 tracheal and 38 carinal resections for primary ACC in 108 consecutive operative survivors between 1962 and 2007 was conducted. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered to 82% of patients (89/108). Depth of invasion, extramural extent, organ invasion, perineural growth, margin status and lymph node involvement were described. Results: The tumour was intramural in 15% (16/108), extramural in 85% (92/108) and invaded adjacent organs in 20% (22/108). Airway margins were grossly positive in 9 (8%), microscopically positive in 59 (55%) and negative in 40 (37%) of 108 resections. Adventitial (radial) margins of transmural sections were grossly positive in 3 (3%), microscopically positive in 95 (88%) and negative in 10 (9%) cases. Perineural growth was present in 37 (34%) and absent in 12 (11%); it was not observed in 59 (55%) cases. Lymph nodes were positive in 16 (15%) and negative in 45 (42%) cases; it was not sampled in 47 (44%) cases. Medianoverall survival(OS)and disease-freesurvival (DFS)for the entiregroupwere 17.7 and10.2 years,respectively. OS was longer after resection with: negative airway margins (20.4 vs 13.3 years, P = 0.028) and negative radial margins (21.7 vs 13.3 years, P = 0.050); absence of extramuraldisease(21.7 vs 13.3years,P = 0.007),perineuralgrowth(22.8 vs 7.5years,P = 0.011)or lymph nodemetastases (16.8 vs 6.1 years, P = 0.017). DFS was longer after resection with: negative airway margins (16.6 vs 9.3, P = 0.005) and absence of extramural disease (17.9 vs 9.3 years, P = 0.008), perineural growth (17.9 vs 6.6 years, P = 0.033) or lymph node metastases (10.2 vs 3.0 years, P = 0.005). Conclusions: After tracheal resectionfor ACC, limited tumourextent andcomplete resectionareassociatedwith longer overalland disease-free survival. Long-term survival (>10 years), however, is also observed after tracheal resection of locally advanced ACC. # 2010 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases during preparation of vein grafts and modulation by a synthetic inhibitor.

Abstract Objective Long-term durability of saphenous vein grafts used for coronary artery bypass grafting is limited by neointimal formation. Arterial vascular injury is known to activate intracellular mitogen-activated protein kinases, including extracellular signal-regulated kinases and c-jun N-terminal kinases, that affect cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. This study tests the hypothesis that these mitogen-activated protein kinases are activated in saphenous veins during preparation for coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods Saphenous veins were harvested from 10 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. A specimen from each vein was placed in ice-cold lysis buffer immediately after harvesting (t = 0). The remaining tissue was incubated at room temperature in normal saline, 0.1% dimethylsulfoxide (vehicle), or 50 mmol/L PD98059 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1/2 inhibitor) until the vein was grafted (mean 50 minutes). To study kinetics of intracellular signaling pathways, canine saphenous veins were harvested, and mitogen-activated protein kinases and PI-3 kinase pathways were studied after different incubation time intervals. Extracted proteins were analyzed by Western blotting or in vitro kinase assay. Results The human saphenous veins showed elevated levels of active extracellular signal-regulated kinase after harvesting (t = 0) and prior to implant (t = 1). Incubation with PD98059 resulted in decreased activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Kinetics of canine saphenous veins showed extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-jun N-terminal kinase activation, in a time-dependent manner, along with activation of the growth factor-regulated PI3 kinase pathway. Conclusions This study characterizes activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases and c-jun N-terminal kinases during vein graft preparation and demonstrates the ability to inhibit extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation by simple incubation with a specific inhibitor. Further studies are needed to evaluate the significance of these findings with respect to graft durability.
DIPTERAN STANDING STOCK BIOMASS AND EFFECTS OF AQUATIC BIRD PREDATION AT A CONSTRUCTED WETLAND

Abstract We studied the relationship between benthic invertebrates and aquatic birds at a newly constructed wetland using an avian exclosure experiment combined with counts of aquatic bird use. We measured the standing stock biomass of benthic dipterans both inside and outside exclosures. Chironomidae was the most abundant dipteran family present. Maximum chironomid standing stock biomass per pond ranged from 3.62 to 27.82 g/m2 and was comparable to that found in a number of natural systems. We monitored the abundance of ten aquatic birds species. Abundances of three aquatic bird species [American avocet (Recurvirostra americana), Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), and cinnamon teal (Anas cyanoptera)] were significantly correlated with chironomid and total dipteran densities. Our experiment, however, found no significant effect of predation on invertebrate densities.
Mexican spotted owl nest- and roost-site habitat in northern Arizona

Abstract The recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) recommended protection of owl nesting and roosting habitat. Descriptions of microhabitat (≤0.04 ha) characteristics associated with suitable nesting sites have been limited for the area of pine–oak forest occupied by this species in Arizona, USA. Therefore, we studied Mexican spotted owl habitat on a 585-km2 study area on the Coconino Plateau near Flagstaff, Arizona. Mexican spotted owls nested primarily in mature (≥45.7-cm diameter at breast height [dbh]) Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii; 40%) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa; 37%) trees. We examined a plausible set of a priori models using both standard logistic regression and matched pairs logistic regression under a model-selection framework. Our results suggested that spotted owl nest and roost sites were located on steeper slopes with greater percent canopy closure and greater mature and old-growth tree basal area than random sites. The presence of mature and old-growt...
The Pressure to Tender: An Analysis and a Proposed Remedy

This paper provides a compact account of the problem of distorted choice in corporate takeovers. (A more detailed account is provided in, "Towards Undistorted Choice and Equal Treatment in Corporate Takeovers"). I analyze how the tender decisions of shareholders facing a takeover bid might be distorted. I also put forward an approach for addressing this problem, as well as analyze several alternative remedies.
Hansenula (Pichia) spp.

The genus Hansenula (Pichia) belongs to the class Ascomycetes, order Endomycetales, family Saccharomycetaceae. To date, only two species of this genus have been implicated in human disease: H. anomala and H. polymorpha (1–4). H. anomala (also synonymous with Pichia anomala [5,6]), by far the most common human pathogen of the two, is an ascosporogenous yeast that represents the perfect (sexual) stage of Candida pelliculosa.
Effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides against c-fos,bax,and p53 mRNAs upon apoptosis induced by lysophosphatidic acid in cultured cortical neurons

It has been reported that lysophosphatidic acid(LPA)at excessive concentrations(50 μmol/L)act as an apoptogenic factor in cultured cortical neurons.The present study was designed to evaluate if the LPA-induced apoptosis relied on similar alterations in genomic expression as that in apoptosis induced by other apoptogenic agents or neuronal insults.Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides(ASO)against c-fos,bax,and p53 mRNA were tested,respectively.Eletrophoresis,HO33342 staining,and TUNEL examinations were used to examine the existence of apoptotic neurons.The results showed that ASOs against c-fos,bax and p53 exhibited neuroprotective effects upon the apoptosis induced by lysophosphatidic acid in cultured cortical neurons.This suggests that the expression of these three genes are indispensable for the LPA-induced apoptosis,showing a different genomic basis as compared to that for AbP31-35-induced apoptosis.
Treatment of Acute Jones Fractures Without Weightbearing Restriction

Jones fractures are reportedly prone to nonunion and generally treated with a period of non-weightbearing or operative treatment. Extended non-weightbearing can have adverse effects, and operative treatment poses various risks. We report the clinical results of patients treated without weightbearing restriction. All patients treated for metatarsal fractures by a single surgeon from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2009 were identified through the clinical billing records by International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, code. Through a radiographic and medical record review, 27 consecutive patients with acute Jones fractures treated without weightbearing restriction were identified. The demographic information and clinical and radiographic results were recorded. Of the 27 patients, 24 (89%) had achieved clinical union at a mean of 8.0 ± 2.6 weeks. Complete radiographic union was noted in 13 (48%) patients, and 13 (48%) others had made significant progress toward radiographic union but had not yet reached it. Two (8.3%) patients were lost to follow-up. One patient (4%) developed nonunion. Patients with acute Jones fractures can be treated without weightbearing restriction. This protocol results in rapid clinical union and a low rate of nonunion.
Voiding Dysfunction After Orthotopic Diversion

Orthotopic urinary diversion is a major advancement in the surgical management of patients requiring cystectomy for benign and malignant causes. Prevention of voiding dysfunction and incontinence after orthotopic urinary diversion is a focus of the comprehensive preoperative and postoperative algorithm. Preoperatively patients must be counseled about the benefits of and potential difficulties with orthotopic diversions, carefully instructed in the importance of timed voiding and what we currently believe are the best techniques to void effectively and efficiently, and they must be presented with realistic expectations in terms of the potential need for intermittent self-catheterization and treatment for incontinence depending on patient specific factors. Just as with any reconstructive surgical endeavor, outcomes should be realistically presented and discussed with the patient because voiding dysfunction and incontinence following orthotopic urinary diversion can cause significant reduction in the quality of life. A combination of educational, pharmacological, surgical, or catheterization strategies are available for the management of voiding dysfunction and incontinence after orthotopic urinary diversion. Education and counseling preoperatively, meticulous technique at the time of surgery, and ongoing instructions with long-term follow up can help prevent future issues with voiding dysfunction and incontinence after orthotopic urinary diversion to maximize quality of life and long term functional outcomes.
Status of Physique, Change in Physique, and Speed in the Growth Patterns of School Children, Grades 1–8

Abstract Growth curves were plotted on the Wetzel Grid for 502 cases collected over a five-year period. Analysis of growth was made in terms of deviation from established standards of growth. Of the three factors studied, change in physique was the most variable. Physique showed a definite tendency to be more variable as grade level increased. Girls were more variable in all factors than were boys. Grade level showed little relationship to changes in physique and speed. Physique apparently reflects changes in growth patterns in both speed and changes in physique, and speed of growth has a tendency to reflect changes in physique.
Bugging cancer with guided swarming

Damaging side effects from chemotherapies often delay treatments and can incur fatalities. Even with current drug delivery methods, only a small percentage of the total administered dose reaches its tumor target. The disconnect between increasing drug payloads and reducing patient harm has motivated the development of new drug delivery strategies. Felfoul et al . recently harnessed naturally occurring “magneto-aerotactic” bacteria capable of orienting and migrating along magnetic fields and hypoxic gradients, respectively. The researchers equipped greater than 100 million bacteria with chemotherapy-loaded liposomes, creating an army poised for targeted tumor damage through magnetic guidance. Here, computer-controlled magnetic fields attracted chains of magnetic iron-oxide nanocrystals contained within bacterial magnetosomes. Once propelled to the general zip code of the tumor, aerotactic attraction fine-tuned bacterial transit into low oxygen regions within tumors. As proof-of-concept, peritumoral injections of drug-loaded bacteria into murine xenografts followed by magnetic guidance resulted in greater tumor penetration depths compared with no magnetic guidance. Selective delivery of treatment to oxygen-depleted regions within tumors offers high potential for therapeutic applications, considering that these regions are often resistant to current therapies. This pilot work, however, needs further expansion to have widespread clinical impact. First, magnetotactic bacteria are notoriously difficult to culture. In particular, they require specific oxygen conditions to form magnetosomes, thus challenging their mass cultivation in standard labs. Second, in the current iteration, magnetic guidance of bacteria within murine xenografts requires specialized, bulky instruments. Customizing such systems for human use could be challenging in terms of required field strengths and system size. Third, guidance of magnetotactic bacteria to deeply situated tumors will likely require molecular imaging modalities. Last, although the current work has reported successful magneto-aerotactic targeting, it has yet to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy using well-controlled animal trials. Downstream progress should exploit the fruits of artificial intelligence, computer science, drug release chemistry, and microbiology, among other disciplines. Coupled with advanced imaging to visualize and guide future hybrid delivery systems, opportunities for disruptive therapeutic technologies using deployed medical nanorobots offer tremendous promise. O. Felfoul et al. , Magneto-aerotactic bacteria deliver drug-containing nanoliposomes to tumour hypoxic regions. Nat. Nanotechnol. 10.1038/nnano.2016.137 (2016). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nnano.2016.137.html
Development and evaluation of a model of programming errors

Models of programming and debugging suggest many causes of errors, and many classifications of error types exist. Yet, there has been no attempt to link causes of errors to these classifications, nor is there a common vocabulary for reasoning about such causal links. This makes it difficult to compare the abilities of programming styles, languages, and environments to prevent errors. To address this issue, this paper presents a model of programming errors based on past studies of errors. The model was evaluated with two observational of Alice, an event-based programming system, revealing that most errors were due to attentional and strategic problems in implementing algorithms, language constructs, and uses of libraries. In general, the model can support theoretical, design, and educational programming research.
Estimating Candidates’ Political Orientation in a Polarized Congress

Over the past decade, a number of new measures have been developed that attempt to capture the political orientation of both incumbent and nonincumbent candidates for Congress, as well as other offices, on the same scale. These measures pose the possibility of being able to answer a host of fundamental questions about political accountability and representation. In this paper, we examine the properties of six recent measures of candidates’ political orientations in different domains. While these measures are commonly viewed as proxies for ideology, each involves very different choices, incentives, and contexts. Indeed, we show that there is only a weak relationship between these measures within party. This suggests that these measures are capturing domain-specific factors rather than just candidates’ ideology. Moreover, these measures do poorly at distinguishing between moderate and extreme roll call voting records within each party. As a result, they fall short when it comes to facilitating empirical analysis of theories of accountability and representation in Congress. Overall, our findings suggest that future research should leverage the conceptual and empirical variation across these measures and avoid assuming they are synonymous with candidates’ ideology.
Delay discounting and parental monitoring in adolescents with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes

In a sample of adolescents with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes, this study examined if delay discounting, the extent to which individuals prefer immediate over delayed rewards, was associated with severity of non-adherence and poor glycemic control, and if parental monitoring of diabetes management moderated those associations. Sixty-one adolescents (M age = 15.08 years, SD 1.43) with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes completed a delayed discounting task and an HbA1c blood test. Adherence was assessed via self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) data from adolescents' glucometers. Parents completed a parental monitoring questionnaire. Greater delay discounting was associated with higher HbA1c, but not SMBG. Direct parent observation of diabetes tasks, but not indirect parental monitoring, moderated the link between greater delay discounting and higher HbA1c, with higher direct parent observation buffering the link between greater discounting and poorer glycemic control. Delay discounting may be a target for future interventions to improve HbA1c in youth with type 1 diabetes.
Excitatory transmitters and epilepsy-related brain damage.

Publisher Summary Either systemic or intraamygdaloid administration of cholinergic agonists or cholinesterase inhibitors results in sustained seizure activity and a pattern of acute brain damage resembling what is known to occur in human epilepsy. It is observed that a similar pattern of brain damage occurs because of sustained seizures induced by any of several methods and in each case, the cytopathological changes resemble the excitotoxin type of cellular damage induced by glutamate or aspartate. The chapter discusses kainic acid as an enigmatic excitotoxin. The chapter also discusses some experiments to clarify the possible involvement of specific transmitter systems in seizure-related brain damage phenomena. Since it has been demonstrated that a specific type of cytopathological reaction-namely an excitotoxic type of reaction-results from sustained seizures regardless of the inductory method employed, this type of reaction can reasonably be interpreted as a seizure-mediated phenomenon. Concerning the role of cholinergic mechanisms either in experimental or human seizure-related brain damage syndromes, it is a possibility that cholinergic circuits contribute to the pathophysiology in a manner that glutamate/aspartate circuits cannot. It means that if excessive synaptic release of glutamate or aspartate progresses rapidly to depolarization block, circuits employing these transmitters are an unlikely source of the sustained drive that keeps neurons firing for hours in status epilepticus.
Cruelty and Empathy in Théodore Agrippa d’Aubigné’s Les Tragiques : The Gaze of and on the Reader

Theodore Agrippa d’Aubigne’s representations of cruelty in his epic about the Wars of Religion in France, Les Tragiques, function within the frame of a relationship between the authorial persona and a reader based on manipulation and even interrogation of the reader’s motives. While this cruelty might function as a spur to empathy, forcing the reader to face and at least try to understand the suffering of the victims of war and of religious persecution, it also evokes the possibility of vengeance and thus of continued violence. This strategy is supported by calculated perversion of some of the most cherished literary forms of the period, in particular Petrarchan poetry and classical epic. Agrippa d’Aubigne creates certain expectations by the use of well-known Petrarchan and epic images and forms, and then destroys those expectations by twisting the images and forms to very different uses. In this way, the reader is continually kept off balance, shocked, and perhaps even distressed by what she reads. In the end, by acting in what seems to be an inhumane manner toward his reader, Agrippa d’Aubigne may be revealing an “ethics of affect” in his reader, inculcating empathy through shared suffering and vulnerability. Nonetheless, in the context of the Wars of Religion, the limitations of this empathy must be recognized. The reader is thus left with the choice to be cruel or to be kind.
Neural Network to Understand Process Capability and Process Intermediates Acceptance Criteria in Monoclonal Antibody Production Process

In today’s competitive environment, it is crucial for biopharmaceutical companies to have a robust R&D pipeline and reliable manufacturing processes. To ensure success in drug manufacturing, regulatory agencies often mandate appropriate acceptance criteria for process intermediates to increase the likelihood of the drugs meeting the final release specification. When setting acceptance criteria for process intermediates, it is important to first understand process capability, or the impurity clearance of each process step. However, this process involves either challenging experimentation or an estimation method that might not be comprehensive. In this study, we propose the use of neural network to understand process capability. This approach not only will be able to delineate the relationship between the feed and product impurity level for a specific step but will also be able to define the acceptance criteria for the feed (or product from previous process step) impurity level based on a predetermined product impurity level. These acceptance criteria will enable us to determine whether or not to forward process the step based on the feed impurity level. Process impurity data are a combination of actual data collected from actual manufacturing lots and simulated data. Impurity clearance for a specific step is estimated using a conventional method and a neural network, a method that we propose in this study. Since impurity clearance is usually dependent on the input impurity level, using neural network to estimate process capability and ultimately to define process intermediates acceptance criteria has been shown to be more useful than the conventional method.
Generating high-quality high-order parameterization for isogeometric analysis on triangulations

Abstract This paper presents an approach for automatically generating high-quality high-order parameterizations for isogeometric analysis on triangulations. A B-spline represented boundary geometry is parameterized into a collection of high-order Bezier triangles or tetrahedra in 2D and 3D spaces, respectively. Triangular Bezier splines are used to represent both the geometry and physical fields over the triangulation. By imposing continuity constraints on the Bezier ordinates of the elements, a set of global C r smooth basis is constructed and used as the basis for analysis. To ensure high quality of the parameterization, both the parametric and physical meshes are optimized to reduce the shape distortion of the high-order elements relative to well-defined reference elements. The shape distortion is defined based on the Jacobian of the triangular Bezier splines, and its sensitivity with respect to the location of control points is derived analytically and evaluated efficiently. Moreover, a sufficient condition is derived to guarantee the generated mesh is free of local self-intersection, thanks to the convex hull property of triangular Bezier splines. By using a Heaviside projection function, the non-negative Jacobian determinant constraints are formulated efficiently as a single optimization constraint . Several 2D and 3D numerical examples are presented to demonstrate that high-quality high-order elements are generated using our approach.
Allatostatin C modulates nociception and immunity in Drosophila

Bacterial induced inflammatory responses cause pain through direct activation of nociceptive neurons, and the ablation of these neurons leads to increased immune infiltration. In this study, we investigated nociceptive-immune interactions in Drosophila and the role these interactions play during pathogenic bacterial infection. After bacterial infection, we found robust upregulation of ligand-gated ion channels and allatostatin receptors involved in nociception, which potentially leads to hyperalgesia. We further found that Allatostatin-C Receptor 2 (AstC-R2) plays a crucial role in host survival during infection with the pathogenic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens. Upon examination of immune signaling in AstC-R2 deficient mutants, we demonstrated that Allatostatin-C Receptor 2 specifically inhibits the Immune deficiency pathway, and knockdown of AstC-R2 leads to overproduction of antimicrobial peptides related to this pathway and decreased host survival. This study provides mechanistic insights into the importance of microbe-nociceptor interactions during bacterial challenge. We posit that Allatostatin C is an immunosuppressive substance released by nociceptors or Drosophila hemocytes that dampens IMD signaling in order to either prevent immunopathology or to reduce unnecessary metabolic cost after microbial stimulation. AstC-R2 also acts to dampen thermal nociception in the absence of infection, suggesting an intrinsic neuronal role in mediating these processes during homeostatic conditions. Further examination into the signaling mechanisms by which Allatostatin-C alters immunity and nociception in Drosophila may reveal conserved pathways which can be utilized towards therapeutically targeting inflammatory pain and chronic inflammation.