cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutritional Value of Pupae Versus Larvae of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) as Food for Rearing Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Life-table analysis yielded demographic parameter values that indicate that Tenebrio molitor (L.) pupae are potentially more suitable factitious prey to mass-produce the predator Podisus maculiventris (Say) and are more suitable prey than the larvae. P. maculiventris developed faster (23.2 vs. 25.5 d), weighed more (females 80.9 vs. 66.6 mg and males 64.7 vs. 53.7 mg), and had a higher survival rate (0.88 vs. 0.7), fecundity, and reproductive output (87.1 vs. 22.8 eggs/female) when reared on pupae compared with larvae of T. molitor. The total protein content and soluble protein content were significantly higher in pupae (60.2 and 23%, respectively) than larvae (53.1 and 14.4%, respectively). Lipid content was significantly lower in pupae (32.1%) than larvae (35.9%), and larvae had more polyunsaturated fatty acids (83.6 vs. 56.6 mg/g) and less oleic (0.1 mg/g) and steric (6.1 mg/g) acids than pupae (37.3 and 12.3 mg/g, respectively). The total sugar content was not significantly different between pupae and larvae. However, larvae had significantly more fructose than pupae, but pupae had more galactose, glucosamine, glucose, mannose, and trehalose than larvae. Differences in nutritional composition and its impact on predator demographic parameters are potential factors that make the pupal stage a better food source.
Mortality seasonality in Escazú, Costa Rica, 1851-1921

I examine whether mortality was seasonally distributed in Escazu Costa Rica from 1851 to 1921. I also investigate which cause of death made the greatest contribution to mortality periodicity and which climatic variable caused the seasonality of deaths. Two different methodological approaches are used: chi-square and Freedman tests to determine the presence of seasonality and Box-Jenkins time series analysis. The tests to determine the presence of seasonality show that mortality was strongly seasonal in Escazu with the highest number of deaths occurring during the early months of the rainy season. The Box-Jenkins analysis successfully modeled the series from 1851 to 1891 with a seasonal parameter....The time series approach indicates that mortality became less seasonally distributed in more recent years. (EXCERPT)
Synthesis of complex hexacyclic compounds via a tandem Rh(II)-catalyzed double-cyclopropanation/Cope rearrangement/Diels-Alder reaction.

Treatment of (E)-1-(methoxymethylene)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene with styryl diazoacetates in the presence of catalytic amounts of the dirhodium complex Rh2(S-DOSP)4 provides a highly enantioenriched hexacyclic product with 10 new stereogenic centers. The transformation proceeds by a cascade sequence starting with a double cyclopropanation of a benzene ring, followed by a Cope rearrangement of a divinylcyclopropane and then an intramolecular Diels–Alder cycloaddition.
Analysis of differences in antigenicity and HA1 gene of 3 sequent outbreak of influenza B viruses

Objective:To understand the viruses antigenicity and hemagglutinin gene features of the circulating strain in the 3 sequent outbreak of influenza B viruses in Ningbo.Methods:The throat swabs specimen were collected and isolated viruses with MDCK cell and typed with the HAI.The target gene were amplified by RT-PCR for determined nucleotide sequence of HA1 region of the haemagglutinin gene.Results:The viruses isolated from the 3 outbreaks sites were all Victoria lineages influenza B viruses.But the HAI titer were over 4 times difference compared with the representative strain of Victoria lineages influenza B virus in the 2008 and 2009 in China.The results of nucleotide sequencing of HA1 in 3 outbreaks sites were 100% homology.But compared with the circulating strain of Victoria lineages influenza B virus in the 2008 in Ningbo,there were 5 amino acid sites difference in the HA1 region.Moreover,with vaccine strain recommended by WHO the B/Brisbane/60/2008,the differences in HA1 region were only 2 amino acid sites,belonging to the B/Brisbane/60/2008-like strain.Conclusion: Causes 3 elementary schools sequent happened outbreak of influenza B viruses were the identical circulating strain with the same haemagglutinin gene of HA1 region,virus haemagglutinin gene had the variation compared with the circulating strain in local old times,the recent variation strain causes outbreak of the epidemic situation.
Platelets bind to rhesus monkey corpora lutea and stimulate its prostaglandin synthesis.

The in vitro production of different prostaglandins (PGs) was studied in rhesus monkey corpora lutea incubated with labeled arachidonic acid. The percentage of conversion of the arachidonic acid to all the PGs identified was similar, but the addition of platelet lysates caused at least a sevenfold stimulation of all PGs by the corpora lutea, the greatest stimulation in production occurring in the area corresponding to PGE 2 and 15-keto-PGF 2α . Adipose tissue by itself produced more PGs than corpus luteum (CL); but, in contrast, such production was inhibited by addition of platelet lysates to the levels of conversion of the unstimulated CL. 125 I-labeled platelets bound specifically to monkey CL, but not to adipose tissue. The interaction of the platelets with the CL in the formation of PGs may be of significance in the regulation of the luteal life span.
The Labour Party

This article deals with the linkages between the parliamentary elite and the activists in the extraparliamentary organization in democratic ideological parties with bifurcated power structures. It shows how cleavages precipitated by changes in the environment of the parliamentary caucus disrupt its penetrative influence over the mass organization, opening up avenues for ideological dissidents who contend for power with the pragmatists in the parliamentary leadership. A framework for the analysis of issue-oriented factional behavior within a defined organizational setting is applied to the British Labour Party in past and contemporary struggles. The author argues that similar studies of elite/activist linkages and ideological splits may be a catalyst for theory development in the political parties field.
National, Regional, and ISP Variation in US Broadband Quality Improvement: Has a Rising Tide Floated All Boats?

Release by the U.S. government of recently collected public datasets on broadband availability and quality have established that — while there are still small but significant pockets of households lacking any access to affordable broadband internet service, primarily in rural areas — a diminishingly small share of Americans now lack any potential access to broadband. Newly available public data also generally shows that broadband quality has improved over the last two years, overall. What is less clear is to what extent this quality improvement in broadband service has been broadly distributed across all U.S. markets, or (as perhaps might be predicted) has been differentially concentrated on the largest and most economically attractive markets. To some extent, this will reflect the extent to which the sources of quality improvement have been upgrades to national backbone networks, upgrades to regional ISP networks, and upgrades to local distribution networks. This research project constructs and utilizes a unique dataset comprising roughly 75 million daily and hourly observations on broadband download speed in roughly 7000 American households distributed across the continental United States, over the period February 2011 through September 2012. From this massive database, a series of weekly broadband speed indexes has been constructed for each of the individual households in the sample. Analysis of changes in household-specific speed indexes over time has the great advantage of not imposing assumptions about spatial homogeneity within or across regions in broadband speed improvements by ISPs, on the supply side, or temporal homogeneity within or across regions in patterns of demand for broadband services by time of day. The extent to which quality improvement has been a general phenomenon, felt in all markets, and therefore linked to broad improvements in the operation of national backbones and regional ISP networks, or a more localized phenomenon, with greater benefits in some areas and less impact in others, can be explored using statistical models. It is also possible to analyze the extent to which quality improvements have varied systematically with significant characteristics of those markets, including the extent of competition among broadband providers.Results of this analysis will be available in the summer of 2013. Preliminary results suggest that an impressive national increase in broadband speed (a roughly 6% annual improvement rate within speed tiers, in excess of 25% across speed tiers) has been distributed quite unevenly across regions and ISPs. In addition, a notable decline in the overall rate of change in speed improvement was evident towards the end of the sample period. The analysis provides insight into why this has occurred.
The Life Required. Political Economy in the Long Emergency

The neo-classical economy has assumed the dominant role in global affairs, riding roughshod over political systems and society alike. The present economy is predicated on continual growth, externalizing its full costs, and inequality, and is powered by fossil fuels that are rapidly changing the climate. The ratio of true wealth to ‘ilth’ has shifted to the latter. The prospects for a durable and fair economy will depend greatly on strengthening democratic controls. It will begin from the bottom up and is evident in the gathering momentum of social movements worldwide.
Modular synthesis of allyl vinyl ethers for the enantioselective construction of functionalized quaternary stereocenters

A concise synthesis of 2-t-butoxycarbonyl allyl vinyl ethers by regioselective Petasis methylenation and stereoselective Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of iodoallyl t-butyl oxalates was developed. Ethers with a terminally unsubstituted vinyl group and a terminally disubstituted allyl portion are readily accessible by this method. The enantioselective Claisen rearrangement of representative allyl vinyl ethers was examined.
Hardware phenomenological effects on cochannel full-duplex MIMO relay performance

In this paper, the performance of cochannel full-duplex multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) nodes is considered in the context of models for realistic hardware characteristics. Here, cochannel full-duplex relay indicates a node that transmits and receives simultaneously in the same frequency band. It is assumed that transmit and receive phase centers are physically distinct, enabling adaptive spatial transmit and receive processing to mitigate self-interference. The use of MIMO indicates a self-interference channel with spatially diverse inputs and outputs, although multiple modes are not employed in this paper. Rather, we focus on rank-1 transmit covariance matrices. In practice, the limiting issue for cochannel full-duplex nodes is the ability to mitigate self-interference. While theoretically a system with infinite dynamic range and exact channel estimation can mitigate the self-interference perfectly, in practice, transmitter and receiver dynamic range, nonlinearities, and noise, as well as channel dynamics, limit the practical performance. In this paper, we investigate self-interference mitigation limitations in the context of eigenvalue spread of spatial transmit and receive covariance matrices caused by realistic hardware models.
Effect of Fluorescent Light on Flavor and Riboflavin Content of Milk Held in Modified Half-Gallon Containers1

A study was conducted to evaluate the ability of aluminum and oriented polypropylene film to protect milk in half-gallon polyethylene containers from light radiation and thereby stabilize it from light-induced off-flavor (LIOF) and riboflavin loss. Both films, applied to the major portion of the outer surface of the containers, protected milk from light radiation better than when applied only to the container top.
Factors Important in Determining the Heat Process Value, FT, for Low-Acid Canned Foods1

In this monograph an attempt is made to put into perspective several factors that impinge on the heat process value, FT. In the heat processing of low-acid canned foods (LACF), there are three specific types of final product spoilage that concern the food microbiologist and the food manufacturer. These three areas are discussed in some detail. The order to follow in the design of LACF and endpoint values are suggested. Use of descriptive and numerical terms for the endpoint of the LACF heat preservation process is discussed. The origin of the term, "commercial sterility," is reviewed; reasons for replacing this term (in the future) with a specification are presented. The several faces of the widely-used heat process value, FT, are examined. The use of a safety factor to take care of unknown processing conditions is proposed. Suggested safety factors are listed. The classical research of Esty and Meyer on resistance of Clostridium botulinum is reviewed and interpreted using the simple logarithmic model. The often-quoted but poorly-understood term, 12D, is discussed.
The Effects of Stereotype Threat on MIS Students: An Initial Investigation

Stereotype threat occurs when a member of a group can be stereotyped as having certain negative characteristics. Fear of confirming the stereotype then increases apprehension, resulting in the pers...
Beyond ‘Innocents Abroad’: Reflecting on Sustainability Issues During International Study Trips

With ecosystems and populations in many regions threatened by rapid development, sustainability is a critical component for businesses in mature markets and emerging economies alike. The International Association of Jesuit Business Schools notes that global sustainability involves a broad set of interconnected issues ranging from environmental preservation to social justice to desirable production and consumption patterns. Jesuit business schools are uniquely positioned to address sustainability issues with their focus on teaching managerial content in tandem with corporate social responsibility. Further, the Ignatian Pedagogy Paradigm of experience, reflection, and action would suggest that business students may benefit from reflective observation in support of learning about sustainability. In this paper, we examine the international study trip as an opportunity for students to learn about sustainability, with results suggesting that student understanding about the broad sustainability domain may be enhanced through the study abroad experience. We discuss how two classes of primarily American MBA students traveling to emerging markets (one class to Santiago, Chile and one class to Johannesburg, South Africa) were able to connect local business practices with economic and social as well as environmental sustainability issues, enhancing both student engagement and learning outcomes. Further, these students’ sustainability experiences while in an unfamiliar environment provided the opportunity to apply the potentially transformative experience, reflection, and action components of the Ignatian Pedagogy Paradigm. Compared to similar graduate business students enrolled in regular classes, we argue that these students discerned deeper connections with the economic, social, and environmental issues of sustainability.
Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations for Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and obesity are major health problems in the United States. However, little is known about whether bariatric surgery affects AF-related morbidities. This study investigated whether bariatric surgery is associated with short-term and long-term changes in the risk of emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalizations for AF. We performed a self-controlled case series study of obese adults with AF who underwent bariatric surgery by using population-based ED and inpatient databases in California, Florida, and Nebraska from 2005 to 2011. The primary outcome was ED visit or hospitalization for AF. We used conditional logistic regression to compare each patient's risk of the outcome event during sequential 12-month periods, using presurgery months 13 to 24 as a reference period. Our sample consisted of 523 obese adults with AF who underwent bariatric surgery. The median age was 57 years (interquartile range 48 to 64 years), 59% were female, and 84% were non-Hispanic white. During the reference period, 15.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.7% to 19.0%) of patients had an ED visit or hospitalization for AF. The risk remained similar in the subsequent 12-month presurgery period (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.29 [95% CI, 0.94 to 1.76] p = 0.11). In contrast, the risk significantly increased within 12 months after bariatric surgery (aOR 1.53 [95% CI 1.13 to 2.07] p = 0.006). The risk remained elevated during 13-24 months after bariatric surgery (aOR 1.41 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.91] p = 0.03). In conclusion, this population-based study demonstrated that bariatric surgery was associated with an increased risk of AF episodes requiring an ED visit or hospitalization for at least 2 years after surgery among obese patients with AF.
Path-Gradient – A Theory of Computing Full Intensity-Transition Between Two Points

A major challenge for path-based segmentation methods is to select the optimum scale capturing the total intensity variation across object interfaces without losing small-scale structures. Minimum barrier distance (MBD) attempts to alleviate this issue using a unique path-cost function that computes the maximum intensity variation on the path. Two major concerns of MBD are related to high computational complexity and convoluted trajectory of the optimum path between two points on either side of an object interface limiting benefits of MBD. Here, we introduce the notion of path-gradient (PG) that exhibits similar behavior as MBD for object segmentation with significantly reduced computation. The formulation of PG allows the addition of a regularization term in path cost, which improves segmentation still at considerably reduced computation cost than regular MBD. Efficient algorithms for computing PG and regularized PG are presented and their segmentation performances are compared with that of MBD.
Additive manufacturing of multi-material structures

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing has revolutionized the manufacturing world through its rapid and geometrically-intricate capabilities as well as economic benefits. Countless businesses in automotive, aerospace, medical, and even food industries have adopted this approach over the past decade. Though this revolution has sparked widespread innovation with single material usage, the manufacturing world is constantly evolving. 3D printers now have the capability to create multi-material systems with performance improvements in user-definable locations. This means throughout a single component, properties like hardness, corrosion resistance, and environmental adaptation can be defined in areas that require it the most. These new processes allow for exciting multifunctional parts to be built that were never possible through traditional, single material AM processes. AM of metals, ceramics, and polymers is currently being evaluated to combine multiple materials in one operation and has already produced never-before-produced parts. While multi-material AM is still in its infancy, researchers are shifting their mindset toward this unique approach showing that the technology is beginning to advance past a research and development stage into real-world applications. This review is intended to highlight the range of 3D printed polymer-based, metal-metal, and metal-ceramic applications while discussing advantages and challenges with additively manufactured multi-material structures.
Predator-driven natural selection on risk-taking behavior in anole lizards

Biologists have long debated the role of behavior in evolution, yet understanding of its role as a driver of adaptation is hampered by the scarcity of experimental studies of natural selection on behavior in nature. After showing that individual Anolis sagrei lizards vary consistently in risk-taking behaviors, we experimentally established populations on eight small islands either with or without Leiocephalus carinatus, a major ground predator. We found that selection predictably favors different risk-taking behaviors under different treatments: Exploratory behavior is favored in the absence of predators, whereas avoidance of the ground is favored in their presence. On predator islands, selection on behavior is stronger than selection on morphology, whereas the opposite holds on islands without predators. Our field experiment demonstrates that selection can shape behavioral traits, paving the way toward adaptation to varying environmental contexts.
Fast Diffusion of Ultrarelativistic Electrons in the Outer Radiation Belt: 17 March 2015 Storm Event

Inward radial diffusion driven by ULF waves has long been known to be capable of accelerating radiation belt electrons to very high energies within the heart of the belts, but more recent work has shown that radial diffusion values can be highly event-specific, and mean values or empirical models may not capture the full significance of radial diffusion to acceleration events. Here we present an event of fast inward radial diffusion, occurring during a period following the geomagnetic storm of 17 March 2015. Ultrarelativistic electrons up to ∼8 MeV are accelerated in the absence of intense higher-frequency plasma waves, indicating an acceleration event in the core of the outer belt driven primarily or entirely by ULF wave-driven diffusion. We examine this fast diffusion rate along with derived radial diffusion coefficients using particle and fields instruments on the Van Allen Probes spacecraft mission.
Using Photography to Enhance Development of Self, Professional Identity, and Multicultural Awareness

Counseling can be a vulnerable process for clients and counselors alike. Counselors-in-training often find their early development to be an ambiguous and anxiety-provoking process. Both metaphors a...
Advantages and Disadvantages in Clinical Trials

Describing the strengths and limitations of clinical trials in a chapter of this book is difficult because of the complexity of the issues, the large number of relevant publications and the accelerating rate of new developments in the field. For these reasons, this chapter is somewhat eclectic in including important items especially those pertaining to current developments. Making clinical decisions on individual patients after consideration of all strengths and limitations of clinical trials is difficult. As Hippocrates stated in the Aphorisms, Life is short, and art long, opportunity fleeting, experience misleading, and judgment difficult. Ὁ βίος βραχύς, ἡ δὲ τέχνη μακρή, ὁ δὲ καιρὸς ὀξύς, ἡ δὲ πeῖρα σφαλeρή, ἡ δὲ κρίσις χαλeπή. Clinical trials are essential in establishing the efficacy of pharmacologic and other interventions, but it may be difficult to make decisions on individual patients since the trials include large numbers of participants.
It Takes Two to Tango: The Management of Academic–Industry Partnerships Requires Multiple Perspectives

Field-based research allows the domain of organizational research to remain true to its applied roots and conduct research on topics that are timely and relevant within actual organizations. However, anyone who has conducted field research knows that conducting such work is challenging and can be viewed as more of a dance between the scholar and the practitioner, requiring well-timed and coordinated moves. As Lapierre et al. (2018) allude to in the focal article, such projects can turn into a balancing act for researchers as they attempt to conduct publishable research with robust practices and designs while also appeasing the needs and expectations of organizational members and leaders.
Aqueous dynamic covalent assembly of molecular ladders and grids bearing boronate ester rungs

Mimicking the self-assembly of nucleic acid sequences into double-stranded molecular ladders that incorporate hydrogen bond-based rungs, dynamic covalent interactions enable the fabrication of molecular ladder and grid structures with covalent bond-based rungs. Here, we describe the synthesis of boronic acid- and catechol-bearing peptoid oligomers and utilize the dynamic, reversible condensation reaction between these reactive pendant groups to mediate the dynamic covalent assembly of complementary oligomers in aqueous solution, affording both molecular ladders and grids linked by covalent, boronate ester-based rungs. The generation of in-registry molecular ladders with up to six rungs and triplex molecular grids was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and the dynamic nature of the condensation reaction was demonstrated by rapid strand displacement with pre-assembled molecular ladders. Additionally, through the use of an indicator displacement assay with alizarin red S (ARS), the boronic acid/catechol binding constant for the formation of molecular ladders was determined.
Enhanced Circadian Entrainment in Mice and Its Utility under Human Shiftwork Schedules

The circadian system is generally considered to be incapable of adjusting to rapid changes in sleep/work demands. In shiftworkers this leads to chronic circadian disruption and sleep loss, which together predict underperformance at work and negative health consequences. Two distinct experimental protocols have been proposed to increase circadian flexibility in rodents using dim light at night: rhythm bifurcation and T-cycle (i.e., day length) entrainment. Successful translation of such protocols to human shiftworkers could facilitate alignment of internal time with external demands. To assess entrainment flexibility following bifurcation and exposure to T-cycles, mice in Study 1 were repeatedly phase-shifted. Mice from experimental conditions rapidly phase-shifted their activity, while control mice showed expected transient misalignment. In Study 2 and 3, mice followed a several weeks-long intervention designed to model a modified DuPont or Continental shiftwork schedule, respectively. For both schedules, bifurcation and nocturnal dim lighting reduced circadian misalignment. Together, these studies demonstrate proof of concept that mammalian circadian systems can be rendered sufficiently flexible to adapt to multiple, rapidly changing shiftwork schedules. Flexible adaptation to exotic light-dark cycles likely relies on entrainment mechanisms that are distinct from traditional entrainment.
Displaced and dismayed: how ICTs are helping refugees and migrants, and how we can do better

Employing ICT platforms has the potential to improve efforts to assist displaced people, or to liberate them in being more able to help each other, or both. And while platform development has resul...
Two Villanelles for Edward on his Eightieth Birthday

The villanelle is a seventeenth century French verse form derived from a sixteenth century Italian song form. It has nineteen lines, five tercets rhyming aba closed by a quatrain rhyming abaa. In addition, certain lines must be repeated: the first line of the initial tercet appears as the last line of the second and fourth tercets; the last line of the initial tercet also ends the third and fifth tercets; then these two refrain lines are the last two lines of the poem.
E-cigarette use and respiratory disorders: an integrative review of converging evidence from epidemiological and laboratory studies.

Background Use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is prevalent among adolescents and young adults, but there has been limited knowledge about health consequences in human populations. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of results on respiratory disorders from studies of general-population samples and consider the mapping of these results to findings about biological processes linked to e-cigarettes in controlled laboratory studies. Method We conducted a literature search and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies on the association of e-cigarette use with asthma and with COPD. We discuss findings from laboratory studies about effects of e-cigarettes on four biological processes: cytotoxicity, oxidative stress/inflammation, susceptibility to infection and genetic expression. Results Epidemiological studies, both cross-sectional and longitudinal, show a significant association of e-cigarette use with asthma and COPD, controlling for cigarette smoking and other covariates. For asthma (n=15 studies), the pooled adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 1.39 (95% CI 1.28–1.51); for COPD (n=9 studies) the aOR was 1.49 (95% CI 1.36–1.65). Laboratory studies consistently show an effect of e-cigarettes on biological processes related to respiratory harm and susceptibility to illness, with e-cigarette conditions differing significantly from clean-air controls, although sometimes less than for cigarettes. Conclusions The evidence from epidemiological studies meets established criteria for consistency, strength of effect, temporality, and in some cases a dose–response gradient. Biological plausibility is indicated by evidence from multiple laboratory studies. We conclude that e-cigarette use has consequences for asthma and COPD, which is of concern for respirology and public health.
Benzoquinones in the defensive secretion of a bug (Pamillia behrensii): a common chemical trait retrieved in the Heteroptera

Benzoquinones are a phylogenetically widespread compound class recovered in arthropods and were recover in harvestman, millipedes and insects. While the function of benzoquinones is well studied in the predatory defense and microbial aversion, their entire phylogenetic distribution especially in insects remains to be uncovered. We here report on the metathoracic scent gland secretion of the mirid bug Pamillia behrensii, which is composed of heptan-2-one, 2-heptyl acetate, 2,3-dimethyl-1-4-benzoquinone, 2,3-dimethyl-1-4-hydroquinone as well as one unknown compound. The secretion is released upon disturbance to repel predators and serves as chemical defense. Additional morphological investigation of the gland showed that the benzoquinone-producing gland complex of P. behrensii does not differ from the usual metathoracic scent gland described from other Heteropterans. Overall, our data further underpins the widespread convergent evolution and use of benzoquinones for defense across the Arthropoda, now including the order Hemiptera.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Self-Compassion Writing Intervention for Adults With Mental Illness:

Purpose:Studies have found that writing with self-compassion about a stressful event helps promote mental health in college students and nonclinical populations. Using a randomized controlled trial...
Cleaning House: Stock Reassignments on the NYSE

A frequently occurring, yet unexplored, phenomenon of the New York Stock Exchange specialist system is that of reassignments of stocks by specialist firms on the floor of the Exchange. These events change the portfolios at the individual specialist level by reassigning one or more stocks from one individual specialist portfolio to another, and affect a large number of stocks. For instance, we document 194 such events involving 884 stocks over our 3-year sample period. We study the possible factors determining stock reassignments, and show the impact of these specialist firm decisions on the market quality and cost of capital of the reassigned stocks. Our results show that reassigned stocks have unusually wide spreads before reassignments and experience a decline in spreads to levels comparable to matched stocks after the reassignment. This improvement in liquidity is associated with a reduced cost of capital for the reassigned firms. Our analysis of the factors that determine the probability of a stock being reassigned indicate a prominent role for the industry and size concentration of the individual specialist portfolios in the decision of specialist firms to reassign stocks. We shed light on a hitherto unstudied segment of the market and provide an economic rationale for why the NYSE does not interfere with stock allocations after the initial allocation of new listings among specialists. Our study also has significant implications for the specialist system.
Isolating the Role of Early Mobilization in Rapid Recovery Protocols for Spine Deformity Surgery

Background/Purpose: Rapid recovery protocols have gained traction in various surgical specialties including pediatric spine deformity. Previous studies have assessed outcomes after implementation of multiple concurrent interventions. Due to the nature of bundled implementation, previous work has not identified the relative importance of each bundle component. The role of early mobilization has not been established. …
“El hombre sirena” de Samanta Schweblin, o los elementos neofantásticos en la contemporaneidad

Samanta Schweblin has established herself as one of the most widely read contemporary authors. Her short stories have been approached from various theoretical perspectives that include the fantastic or the uncanny. However, some of her short stories can be analyzed through the neo-fantastic poetic because they differ from other genres in their vision, intention and modus operandi. Her short stories use an epistemological metaphor to explore the objective of neo-fantastic fiction: the contemporary human being and his world. In fact, with her short stories Schweblin manages to glimpse at situations that concern what Giorgio Agamben defines as “the contemporary”. Thus, this article will examine the story “El hombre sirena” (The Merman) to demonstrate that the author uses the neo-fantastic to explore and delve into contemporary society as well as into concepts such as androcentrism, phallogocentrism and the desire for freedom of woman.
Genome-wide association study of fish oil supplementation on lipid traits in 81,246 individuals reveals new gene-diet interaction loci.

Fish oil supplementation is widely used for reducing serum triglycerides (TAGs) but has mixed effects on other circulating cardiovascular biomarkers. Many genetic polymorphisms have been associated with blood lipids, including high- and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, LDL-C), total cholesterol, and TAGs. Here, the gene-diet interaction effects of fish oil supplementation on these lipids were analyzed in a discovery cohort of up to 73,962 UK Biobank participants, using a 1-degree-of-freedom (1df) test for interaction effects and a 2-degrees-of-freedom (2df) test to jointly analyze interaction and main effects. Associations with P G; minor allele frequency = 0.041), shows exclusively interaction effects. The minor allele is significantly associated with decreased TAGs in individuals with fish oil supplementation, but with increased TAGs in those without supplementation. This locus is significantly associated with higher GJB2 expression of connexin 26 in adipose tissue; connexin activity is known to change upon exposure to omega-3 fatty acids. Significant interaction effects were also found in three other loci in the genes SLC12A3 (HDL-C), ABCA6 (LDL-C), and MLXIPL (LDL-C), but highly significant main effects are also present. Our study identifies novel gene-diet interaction effects for four genetic loci, whose effects on blood lipids are modified by fish oil supplementation. These findings highlight the need and possibility for personalized nutrition.
Nonfatal Agricultural Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments: 2015-2019.

Utilizing emergency department admissions to estimate and describe agricultural injuries in the United States (U.S.) provides a unique view of one of the country’s most dangerous occupations. This ...
A Framework for Estimating Human-Wildlife Conflict Probabilities Conditional on Species Occupancy

Managing human-wildlife conflicts (HWCs) is a key endeavor across many conservation landscapes dominated by humans. Forecasting where future conflicts are likely to occur and assessing risks to lives and livelihoods posed by a species are key to informing HWC management strategies. Existing assessments of the spatial occurrence patterns of HWC are based on either understanding spatial patterns of past conflicts or patterns of species distribution. In the former case, the absence of conflicts at a site cannot be attributed to the absence of the species. Whereas, in the latter case, the presence of a species is rarely an accurate measure of the probability of conflict occurrence. We present a Bayesian hierarchical modeling framework that integrates conflict reporting data and species distribution data, thus allowing the estimation of the probability that conflicts with a species are reported from a site, conditional on the species being present. In doing so, our model corrects for both false-positive and false-negative conflict reporting errors. We provide study design recommendations using simulations that explore the performance of the model under a range of conflict reporting probabilities. We applied the model to data on wild boar (Sus scrofa) space use and conflicts collected from the Central Terai Landscape (CTL), an important tiger conservation landscape in India. We found that tolerance for wildlife was a predictor of the probability with which farmers report conflict with wild boars from sites not estimated to be used by the species. We also discuss useful extensions of the model when conflict data are verified for potential false-positive errors and when landscapes are monitored over multiple seasons.
A Novel Approach for Differential Serodiagnosis between Zika and Dengue Viral Infection with Comprehensive Evaluation

Background: Diagnostic testing for Zika virus (ZIKV) or dengue virus (DENV) infection can be accomplished by a nucleic acid detection method; however, a negative result does not exclude infection due to the low virus titer during infection depending on the timing of sample collection. Therefore, a ZIKV- or DENV-specific serological assay is essential for the accurate diagnosis of patients and to prevent potential severe health outcomes. Methods: A retrospective study design with dual approaches of collecting human serum samples for testing was developed. All serum samples were extensively evaluated by using both non-infectious virus-like particles (VLPs) and soluble non-structural protein 1 (NS1) in the standard immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MAC-ELISA). Findings: Both VLP- and NS1-MAC-ELISAs were found to have similar sensitivity for detecting anti-premembrane/envelope and NS1 antibodies from ZIKV-infected patient sera. Group cross reactive (GR)-antibody-ablated homologous fusion peptide-mutated (FP)-VLPs consistently showed higher P/N values than homologous wild-type VLPs. Therefore, FP-VLPs were used to develop the algorithm for differentiating ZIKV from DENV infection. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of the FP-VLP-MAC-ELISA and the NS1-MAC-ELISA were each higher than 80% with no statistical significance. Interpretation: A novel approach to differentiate ZIKV from DENV infection serologically has been developed. The accuracy can reach up to 95% when combining both VLP and NS1 assays. In comparison to current guidelines using neutralization tests to measure ZIKV antibody, this approach can facilitate laboratory screening for ZIKV infection, especially in regions where DENV infection is endemic and capacity for neutralization testing does not exist. Funding Statement: Portions of this publication was made possible through support provided by the CDC intramural research fund and the Office of Infectious Disease, Bureau for Global Health, U.S. Agency for International Development, under the terms of an Interagency Agreement with CDC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CDC and U.S. Agency for International Development. Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was conducted and reported in accordance with the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) guidelines. Informed consent documents for all eligible participants were waived based on the protocol number 6874. An institutional review board (IRB) waiver to use this serum panel for research purposes was approved by the CDC-human studies review board.
Estimation of depth-resolved profiles of soil thermal diffusivity from temperature time series and uncertainty quantification

Abstract. Improving the quantification of soil thermal and physical properties is key to achieving a better understanding and prediction of soil hydro-biogeochemical processes and their responses to changes in atmospheric forcing. Obtaining such information at numerous locations and/or over time with conventional soil sampling is challenging. The increasing availability of low-cost, vertically resolved temperature sensor arrays offers promise for improving the estimation of soil thermal properties from temperature time series, and the possible indirect estimation of physical properties. Still, the reliability and limitations of such an approach needs to be assessed. In the present study, we develop a parameter estimation approach based on a combination of thermal modeling, sliding time-windows, Bayesian inference, and Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation to estimate thermal diffusivity and its uncertainty over time, at numerous locations and at an unprecedented vertical spatial resolution (i.e., down to 5 to 10 cm vertical resolution) from soil temperature time series. We provide the necessary framework to assess under which environmental conditions (soil temperature gradient, fluctuations, and trend), temperature sensor characteristics (bias and level of noise) and deployment geometries (sensor number and position) soil thermal diffusivity can be reliably inferred. We validate the method with synthetic experiments and field studies. The synthetic experiments show that in the presence of median diurnal fluctuations ≥ 1.5 °C at 5 cm below the ground surface, temperature gradients > 2 °C m−1, and a sliding time-window of at least 4 days, the proposed method provides reliable depth-resolved thermal diffusivity estimates with percentage errors ≤ 10 % and posterior relative standard deviations ≤ 5 % up to 1 m depth. Reliable thermal diffusivity under such environmental conditions also requires temperature sensors spaced precisely (with few-millimeter accuracy), with a level of noise ≤ 0.02 °C, and with a bias defined by a standard deviation ≤ 0.01 °C. Finally, the application of the developed approach to field data indicates significant repeatability in results and similarity with independent measurements, as well as promise in using a sliding time-window to estimate temporal changes in soil thermal diffusivity, as needed to potentially capture changes in carbon or water content.
FIND MORE, DO MORE, REVEAL LESS

Understanding the relationship between gender and technology demands more than simply tracking the numbers of women and men online or lists of their activities. Gender theorists call for more research into how and why women perform certain online activities, emphasizing the role of identity and the importance of context on perceptions and behavior. In order to examine the influence of gender in everyday online activities, this project examines women's perceptions of the internet within a specific context: looking for a job. It asks, how do perceptions of the internet influence women's techniques and strategies in navigating gender barriers and affordances in a job search? Interviews with 20 women looking for jobs online reveal that associations between gender and technologies and between gender and occupations can affect the job search process at various stages, including how and where people look for jobs, which jobs they apply to, and feelings of confidence and interest. Three characteristics of the int...
Precise Trajectory Following for Robotic Manipulators

A control strategy proposed [1],[2],[3] for a special class of nonlinear dynamic systems with uncertain parameters and uncertain inputs is applied to the control of a two-link manipulator with bounded but unknown inertia and a variable payload. In this approach, "precise" tracking of a specified output trajectory is ensured despite the uncertainties entering the mathematical model. In particular, the appeal of such design procedure lies on a special decomposition which allows one to exploit linear control theory on the one hand and carry a separate treatment of the nonlinear effects together with uncertainties on the other.
Expression and assembly of the angiogenic marker B-fibronectin by endothelial cells in vitro: Regulation by confluency

Recent studies have demonstrated the association of the rare fibronectin (FN) isoform B-FN with newly formed blood vessels. Although B-FN is a unique angiogenesis marker, it is not clear whether B-FN associated with the neovasculature is expressed by the endothelial cells (EC) or obtained from the microenvironment. Here we report on a study analyzing the expression and assembly of B-FN by bovine microvascular EC (BMEC) in vitro. We determined that BMEC express B-FN and assemble it into fibrils during monolayer culture. Furthermore, in addition to assembling endogenous B-FN, subconfluent BMEC can assemble exogenous B-FN provided by a non-EC source. Upon reaching confluency the assembly and expression of B-FN by BMEC is inhibited and the previously assembled B-FN is eventually eliminated from postconfluent EC monolayers. Indeed, confluent BMEC assemble neither endogenous nor exogenous B-FN, while they continue to assemble other FN isoforms. We conclude that BMEC in vitro express B-FN and assemble B-FN fibrils using endogenous as well as exogenous B-FN. The expression and assembly of B-FN are tightly regulated by confluency. Our observations in vitro are a plausible explanation for the absence of B-FN in established blood vessels in vivo, and the subsequent reappearance of B-FN in angiogenic vessels. Furthermore, since our observations of B-FN assembly in BMEC monolayers correspond to previously published observations in vivo, B-FN may be utilized as an appropriate marker for angiogenic behavior of EC in vitro.
Margaret Cavendish on Perception, Self‐Knowledge, and Probable Opinion

Scholarly interest in Margaret Cavendish's philosophical views has steadily increased over the past decade, but her epistemology has received little attention, and no consensus has emerged; Cavendish has been characterized as a skeptic, as a rationalist, as presenting an alternative epistemology to both rationalism and empiricism, and even as presenting no clear theory of knowledge at all. This paper concludes that Cavendish was only a modest skeptic, for she believed that humans can achieve knowledge through sensitive and rational perception as well as through self-knowledge and can form probable opinions through reasoning.