cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taste and Smell Disturbances in Patients with Gastroparesis and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Background/Aims Patients with gastroparesis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) often report decreased enjoyment when eating. Some patients remark that food does not smell or taste the same. To determine if taste and/or smell disturbances are present in patients with gastroparesis and/or GERD and relate these to gastrointestinal symptom severity. Methods Patients with gastroparesis and/or GERD completed questionnaires evaluating taste and smell (Taste and Smell Survey [TSS]), Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Index (PAGI-SYM), and Demographics. TSS questioned the nature of taste/smell changes and the impact on quality of life. PAGI-SYM was used to calculate Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) and Heartburn and Regurgitation Score (HB/RG). Results Seventy-six subjects were enrolled: healthy controls (n = 13), gastroparesis alone (n = 30), GERD alone (n = 10), and both gastroparesis and GERD (n = 23). Taste and smell disturbances were higher in patients with gastroparesis, GERD, and both gastroparesis and GERD compared to healthy controls. Taste and smell abnormalities were significantly correlated (r = 0.530, P < 0.001). Taste score was strongly correlated with HB/RG (r = 0.637, P < 0.001) and with GCSI (r = 0.536, P < 0.001). Smell score was also strongly correlated to HB/RG (r = 0.513, P < 0.001) and GCSI (r = 0.495, P < 0.001). Conclusions Taste and smell abnormalities are prominent in gastroparesis and GERD patients. Abnormalities in taste and smell are significantly correlated with both gastroparesis and GERD symptom severity. Awareness of this high prevalence of taste and smell dysfunction among patients with gastroparesis and GERD may help to better understand the food intolerances these patients often have. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2017;23:370-377)
Estimating Material Wavespeed Using the Wavenumber Transform of Rectangular Plate Mode Shapes

Experimental modal analysis is often used to estimate the natural frequencies and damping of a material sample. While the geometry of the sample is often arbitrary, thin rectangular samples are easy to manufacture, model and test and therefore are commonly-used for these measurements. The roving hammer approach can be used to collect frequency response functions at a rectangular grid of points located on plate. Once the mode shapes have been estimated for the rectangular sample, the discrete wavenumber transform can be used to find the wavenumber spectrum of each mode. For simply-supported boundary conditions, the relationship between the mode shape and the modal wavenumber can be determined analytically using the length of the plate and the distance between zeros in the wavenumber spectrum. For the more realistic free-free boundary, no simple relationship holds. However, it will be shown that the wavenumber verse frequency curve can still be accurately estimated using thin-plate theory to minimize the error of the modal wavenumber at each of the modes. The wavenumber curve can then be used to obtain the material wavespeed.
Pattern Mining Across Many Massive Biological Networks

The rapid accumulation of biological network data is creating an urgent need for computational methods on integrative network analysis. Thus far, most such methods focused on the analysis of single biological networks. This chapter discusses a suite of methods we developed to mine patterns across many biological networks. Such patterns include frequent dense subgraphs, frequent dense vertex sets, generic frequent patterns, and differential subgraph patterns. Using the identified network patterns, we systematically perform gene functional annotation, regulatory network reconstruction, and genome to phenome mapping. Finally, tensor computation of multiple weighted biological networks, which filled a gap of integrative network biology, is discussed.
Text Simplification and Pupillometry: An Exploratory Study

Cognitive load is a major factor affecting user performance. Hence, a better understanding of cognitive load can help design better information systems. To achieve this goal, in this study we looked at the relationship between cognitive load and pupillary responses for a task that required people to either read a text passage from an actual website or read the simplified version of the same text passage. The simplified text passage was constructed in a way to assure reduced cognitive load, that is, to facilitate communication of textual information in a way that it can be read and understood easily and quickly. In our previous study, we showed that by applying a set of plain language standards (PLS) to online passages we can simplify the passages in a way that they induce less cognitive demand and hence can improve performance. In this study, we extended our research by investigating time series analysis of eye-movement (pupil dilation) as a proxy for measuring cognitive load during reading these passages. To this end, we conducted an exploratory analysis in order to understand how text simplification, which was used to reduce cognitive load during reading, affected pupil dilation over time. Our results show that text simplification had a significant impact on pupil dilation and that it affected pupil dilation differently at different reading intervals. Additionally, our results show that examining pupil dilation during fixations and saccades separately can provide new insights for understating cognitive load.
Computational Intelligence Methods in Personalized Pharmacotherapy

Effective pharmacologic therapy of chronic diseases remains a challenge to physicians. Individual dose-response characteristics of patients may vary significantly across patient populations. In addition, due to the chronic nature of the process, they may change over time within individual patients as well. Current state of the art protocols for dose adjustment of pharmacologic agents rely heavily on data from drug approval process and physician’s expertise. However, they do not directly incorporate the wealth of knowledge hidden in patient data collected in the course of the treatment. In this chapter, we review the application of two Computational Intelligence methods, Artificial Neural Networks and Fuzzy Set Theory, to personalized pharmacologic treatment of a chronic condition using patient data stored in Electronic Medical Records. As the application example, we use anemia management in patients with renal failure. To demonstrate the potential of Computational Intelligence methods in improving the disease management, we discuss three human studies in which the discussed methods proved to be an effective decision support aid to the physician.
An Italo-Celtic Divinity and a Common Sabellic Sound Change

The shadowy Roman god Sēmō and the plural group Sēmōnēs have long been associated with sēmen ‘seed.’ But the evidence that Sēmō or the Sēmōnēs have anything to do with seeds is lacking. The Sēmōnēs first appear in the Carmen Arvale : here they constitute Mars9s retinue. The Sabellic evidence also puts Semo firmly in the Martial sphere. The form Semo appears, in addition, as part of the Semo Sancus Dius Fidius complex. These divinities are connected with the sanctity ( sancīre ) of treaties ( foedus , fidēs ) and oaths. In “Dumezilian” terms Semo is a god of the first (priestly) and second (warrior) function, but not a god of the third (agricultural) function, precisely the opposite of what the standard etymology predicts. New evidence from Oscan allows us to reject conclusively the connection between sēmen and Sēmō . In an inscription from Pietrabbondante the god9s name is spelled seemunei (dat. sg.) and this spelling with ee is not the expected one. If the Oscan form were a derivative of the root seen in sēmen , the spelling would have to have been † siimunei . The spelling ee shows that the Oscan form, and its Latin cognate, must have a different origin. The only plausible source is *seγVmōn -. A form that matches reconstructed * seγVmōn - exactly is Gaulish Segomoni and Ogham Irish SEGAMANAS. The Gaulish god is identified with Mars. The Celtic and Italic forms continue a Proto-Italo-Celtic * seĝ h omōn - ‘strong one,’ ‘strongman,’ which is a derivative of a noun * seĝ h om ‘strength.’ The root * seĝ h - (Gk. ἔχω etc.) had the original meaning ‘hold firmly’ and this developed to ‘be strong,’ ‘conquer’ in Indo-Iranian and Western Indo-European. The god * seĝ h omōn- is the sole example of a divine name that perhaps can be considered a unique and innovative feature of the ancient Proto-Italo-Celtic speech community.
Structural health monitoring of steel frames using a network of self-powered strain and acceleration sensors: A numerical study

Abstract This study presents a novel approach to detect damage in steel frames using a hybrid network of piezoelectric strain and acceleration sensors. A numerical study has been conducted on a steel frame with bolted connections to verify the accuracy of the proposed method. The damage is introduced to the frame structure by loosening the bolts and creating cracks on its structural members. The frame is subjected to cyclic loading. Circular Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) piezoelectric transducers and bimorph PZT cantilever plates are used as strain and acceleration sensors, respectively. The strain and acceleration time histories are obtained from the finite element (FE) model. A theoretical model is used to obtain the voltage output delivered by the PZTs. Initial damage indicator features are defined by fitting a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) to the sensors output histograms. Moreover, a new sensor fusion model is proposed to improve the accuracy of the damage detection approach. The numerical results indicate that strain-based sensors and accelerometers are, respectively, more sensitive to cracks and bolt loosening. The hybrid system of sensors is efficient in detecting and localizing both types of damages in steel frames.
Microbiological survey of commercial tattoo and permanent makeup inks available in the United States

Aims Tattooing and use of permanent makeup (PMU) has dramatically increased over the last decade, with a concomitant increase in ink-related infections. The aim of this study was to determine whether micro-organisms are present, and if so, the number and their identification in the commercial tattoo and PMU inks available in the United States. Methods and results We surveyed 85 unopened tattoo and PMU inks, purchased from 13 companies. We incubated 100 μl of ink samples on trypticase soy agar plates for bacterial growth, 7H10 Middlebrook medium for mycobacterial growth, and Sabouraud dextrose medium for fungal growth. In total, 42 inks were contaminated with micro-organisms (49%). Thirty-three inks were contaminated with bacteria, 2 inks with fungi, and 7 inks had both bacterial and fungal growth. Mycobacteria were not detected in any of the examined tattoo and PMU inks. In 26 inks, microbial concentrations ranged between 101 and 103 CFU per ml, but higher counts (>103 CFU per ml) were recorded in 16 inks. We identified 83 bacteria by their 16S rDNA sequences, including 20 genera and 49 species. Strains of Bacillus spp. (53%) were dominant, followed by Lysinibacillus fusiformis (7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5%). Thirty-four (41%) possibly clinically relevant strains were identified, including P. aeruginosa, Dermacoccus barathri and Roseomonas mucosa, some of which have been previously reported to be associated with human skin infections. Conclusions The results indicate that commercial tattoo and PMU inks on the US market surveyed in this study contain a wide range of micro-organisms, including pathogenic bacteria. Significance and impact of the study Microbial contaminants in tattoo and PMU inks are an emerging safety concern for public health. This study provides evidence that microbial contamination of tattoo and PMU inks available in the United States is more common than previously thought and highlights the importance of monitoring these products for potentially pathogenic micro-organisms.
Predicting Urban Reservoir Levels Using Statistical Learning Techniques.

Urban water supplies are critical to the growth of the city and the wellbeing of its citizens. However, these supplies can be vulnerable to hydrological extremes, such as droughts and floods, especially if they are the main source of water for the city. Maintaining these supplies and preparing for future conditions is a crucial task for water managers, but predicting hydrological extremes is a challenge. This study tested the abilities of eight statistical learning techniques to predict reservoir levels, given the current hydroclimatic conditions, and provide inferences on the key predictors of reservoir levels. The results showed that random forest, an ensemble, tree-based method, was the best algorithm for predicting reservoir levels. We initially developed the models using Lake Sidney Lanier (Atlanta, Georgia) as the test site; however, further analysis demonstrated that the model based on the random forest algorithm was transferable to other reservoirs, specifically Eagle Creek (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Lake Travis (Austin, Texas). Additionally, we found that although each reservoir was impacted differently, streamflow, city population, and El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) index were repeatedly among the most important predictors. These are critical variables which can be used by water managers to recognize the potential for reservoir level changes.
Dual Src and MEK Inhibition Decreases Ovarian Cancer Growth and Targets Tumor Initiating Stem-Like Cells

Purpose: Rational targeted therapies are needed for treatment of ovarian cancers. Signaling kinases Src and MAPK are activated in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Here, we tested the frequency of activation of both kinases in HGSOC and the therapeutic potential of dual kinase inhibition.Experimental Design: MEK and Src activation was assayed in primary HGSOC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TGGA). Effects of dual kinase inhibition were assayed on cell-cycle, apoptosis, gene, and proteomic analysis; cancer stem cells; and xenografts.Results: Both Src and MAPK are coactivated in 31% of HGSOC, and this associates with worse overall survival on multivariate analysis. Frequent dual kinase activation in HGSOC led us to assay the efficacy of combined Src and MEK inhibition. Treatment of established lines and primary ovarian cancer cultures with Src and MEK inhibitors saracatinib and selumetinib, respectively, showed target kinase inhibition and synergistic induction of apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in vitro, and tumor inhibition in xenografts. Gene expression and proteomic analysis confirmed cell-cycle inhibition and autophagy. Dual therapy also potently inhibited tumor-initiating cells. Src and MAPK were both activated in tumor-initiating populations. Combination treatment followed by drug washout decreased sphere formation and ALDH1+ cells. In vivo, tumors dissociated after dual therapy showed a marked decrease in ALDH1 staining, sphere formation, and loss of tumor-initiating cells upon serial xenografting.Conclusions: Selumetinib added to saracatinib overcomes EGFR/HER2/ERBB2-mediated bypass activation of MEK/MAPK observed with saracatinib alone and targets tumor-initiating ovarian cancer populations, supporting further evaluation of combined Src-MEK inhibition in clinical trials. Clin Cancer Res; 24(19); 4874-86. ©2018 AACR.
A pilot investigation of differential neuroendocrine associations with fronto-limbic activation during semantically-cued list learning in mood disorders.

Abstract Background : Decreased volume and disrupted function in neural structures essential for memory formation (e.g. medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex) are common among individuals with depression. Hypothalamic-pituitary-axis function, as reflected by measurement of cortisol levels, is linked to neural activity during memory encoding in healthy people. However, it is not as well understood whether cortisol is associated with alterations in fronto-temporal recruitment during memory encoding in depression. Methods : In this pilot study, we evaluated associations between cortisol and neural activation during memory encoding in 62 adults (18–65 years) with mood disorders (MD; n = 39, 66.7% female), including major depression (n = 28) and bipolar I disorder (n = 11), and healthy controls (HC; n = 23, 43.5% female). Participants provided salivary cortisol samples before and after completing a semantically-cued list-learning task during 3-Tesla fMRI. Links between pre-scan cortisol (and cortisol change) and activation during encoding were evaluated using block and event-related models. Results : Overall, pre-scan cortisol level was positively associated with greater engagement of fronto-limbic activation during the encoding block. However, in MD, pre-scan cortisol was associated with attenuated activation during encoding in medial frontal, superior and middle temporal gyri, insula, lingual gyrus, and claustrum relative to HCs. Cortisol-related attenuation of activation in MD was also observed during encoding of words subsequently recalled in the ventral anterior cingulate, hypothalamus, and middle temporal gyrus. By and large, cortisol change (pre/post scan) predicted the same pattern of findings in both block and event-related contrasts. Limitations : Although analyses accounted for variations in scanner time of day, circadian alterations in cortisol may have introduced variability into the results. Conclusions : Pre-scan cortisol may selectively interfere with recruitment of important fronto-temporal memory circuitry in mood disorders. The inverted associations between cortisol and neural function in MD relative to HC also elucidate potentially unique pathophysiological markers of mood disorders.
Health Impact of Mycotoxins in the Home and Workplace: An Overview

Fungi are among the biodeterioration and, as such, and occupational settings. involve exposure to fungi principal microorganisms involved in are found in a wide variety of substrates Occupations and/or workplaces that may include grain harvesting, storage and processing, sawmills and wood pulp mills, mushroom cultivation, waste treatment, and even office workers, librarians, and museum workers. In fact, virtually any occupation which brings workers into close association with biodeterioration processes offers the possibilibity of exposure to fungi and their spores.
Extracellular acidosis delays onset of cell death in ATP-depleted hepatocytes

A fluorometric assay using propidium iodide total fluorescence was utilized to quantitate cell viability in hepatocyte suspensions continuously. For viable hepatocytes exposed to KCN, fluorescence ...
Species-specific differences determine responses to a resource pulse and predation.

The effects of resource pulses on natural communities are known to vary with the type of pulse. However, less is known about mechanisms that determine the responses of different species to the same pulse. We hypothesized that these differences are related to the size of the species, as increasing size may be correlated with increasing competitive ability and decreasing tolerance to predation. A factorial experiment quantified the magnitude and timing of species’ responses to a resource pulse using the aquatic communities found in the leaves of the carnivorous pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea. We added prey to leaves and followed the abundances of bacteria and bacterivores (protozoa and rotifers) in the presence and absence of a top predator, larvae of the mosquito Wyeomyia smithii. Resource pulses had significant positive effects on species abundances and diversity in this community; however, the magnitude and timing of responses varied among the bacterivore species and was not related to body size. Larger bacterivores were significantly suppressed by predators, while smaller bacterivores were not; predation also significantly reduced bacterivore species diversity. There were no interactions between the effects of the resource pulse and predation on protozoa abundances. Over 67 days, some species returned to pre-pulse abundances quickly, others did not or did so very slowly, resulting in new community states for extended periods of time. This study demonstrates that species-specific differences in responses to resource pulses and predation are complex and may not be related to simple life history trade-offs associated with size.
Challenges and Potential of Integrated Resource Planning in Developing Countries

This paper examines both the potential for integrated resource planning in developing countries, as well as the range of constraints likely to be faced in realizing that potential. India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Morocco and Costa Rica are used as examples. Decades of rate subsidization, under-investment in T&D systems, and archaic management structures have resulted in often very inefficient utilities, in which IRP procedures can potentially bring quick results. But for IRP to become self-sustaining, institutional changes are required not only in the utilities themselves, but also in the willingness of the international assistance community to support long term training. In most countries understanding of IRP is still restricted to a few young engineers recently trained in the United States, and a few enlightened managers in the upper echelons who find it hard to fight entrenched traditions of supply-side expansion. International financial institutions must also place greater emphasis on lending programs for demand side management and end-use efficiency improvements. Economically efficient pricing is another essential requirement.
Perceptions of risk for stress fractures: A qualitative study of female runners with and without stress fracture histories.

Abstract Objectives To gain insight into perceived factors related to bone health and stress fracture (SF) prevention for female runners and to understand their experiences within the medical community. Design Cohort qualitative study. Setting University health system. Participants Forty female runners, 20 who had SF histories and 20 age-and-running-distance matched women without SF. Main outcome measures Women participated in audiotaped qualitative semi-structured interviews. For women with a SF history, questions sought their perspectives on factors that they felt contributed to SF, experiences with the medical community, and changes made post SF. For women without a SF history, questions sought perspectives on factors felt important to perceived running-related bone health. Results Six themes emerged; 1) Previous/Recurrent Musculoskeletal Injuries, 2) Activity Patterns and Training Regimens, 3) Nutrition, 4) Prevention and Intervention, 5) Pain, and 6) Mindset. Within these themes, between group differences are characterized by differences in knowledge and/or application of knowledge for health and wellness. Compared to women without SF, women with SF histories increased training load more quickly, had poorer nutrition, performed less cross-training, and kept running despite pain. Conclusions More education is needed for female runners to decrease risks for SF.
Chapter 2 – Carbon Materials

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the structure and properties of the various forms of carbon, carbon clusters, and molecules. Carbon-based materials, clusters, and molecules arc unique in many ways. One distinction relates to the many forms that carbon based materials can assume. Under ambient conditions and in bulk form, the graphite phase with strong in-plane trigonal bonding is the stable phase under the application of high pressure and high temperature (both of which are somewhat reduced when catalyst particles like iron or nickel are used), transformation to the diamond structure takes place. Once the pressure is released, diamond remains essentially stable under ambient conditions although, in principle, it will very slowly transform back to the thermodynamically stable form of solid carbon, which is graphite. However, when exposed to various perturbations, such as irradiation and heat, diamond will quickly transform back to the equilibrium graphite phase. In the graphite phase, the structure is highly anisotropic, exhibiting semimetallic behavior in the basal (ab) plane and poor electrical conductivity.
Multimodal Care for Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Feasibility Study of a Novel Approach to a Common Problem.

Background Osteoarthritis is common and debilitating. Evidence-based care exists; there is a gap between recommended and received are. Multimodal treatment is recommended, with unknown effectiveness. We report pilot feasibility data for a new university-based clinic providing multimodal care for knee and hip osteoarthritis (KHOA). Methods Quality-improvement case series with the first 50 patients. A multidisciplinary team provided care. Feasibility outcomes included treatment duration, patient adherence, provision of guideline-recommended care, and satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included self-reported and objectively assessed patient measures. Results Fifty patients (59±10.5 years, 32 female) received guideline-recommended care; 40 adhered to 3.83±2.21 follow-up visits over 12.24±7.79 months; satisfaction was high. Objectively assessed outcomes improved, but self-reported outcomes did not. Discussion Early data suggest multimodal care for knee and hip osteoarthritis is feasible and may be associated with improved outcomes.
Differential hysteresis models for a silicon-anode Li-ion battery cell

Voltage hysteresis in Li-ion battery cells makes it very difficult to estimate their state-of-charge (SOC) accurately. Hysteresis is prominent in next-generation chemistries, which have anodes with at least some silicon content. Good models can improve SOC-estimation accuracy, allowing longer use and enabling safer charge and discharge processes. This paper presents the first application of which we are aware of two computationally simple differential hysteresis models (vs. common operator-based models) to a Li//Si-graphite cell, and optimizes model parameter values in stages to get progressively better fits to measured data, ultimately arriving at SOC-dependent parameter values that fit the data well.
Intimate Partner Violence Help-Seeking for Latina Undocumented Immigrant Survivors: Feminist Intersectional Experiences Narrated Through Testimonio:

In addressing the grand challenge to build healthy relationships to end violence, social workers continue to engage in helping individuals affected by intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV often res...
The Effects of Joint Provision and Disclosure of Nonaudit Services on Audit Committee Members' Decisions and Investors' Preferences

Recent corporate governance reforms that require audit committees to pre‐approve audit and nonaudit services increase audit committees' accountability to third parties for actual auditor independence and audit quality. Other SEC reforms mandate the disclosure of fees for auditor‐provided services and are aimed at influencing investors' perceptions of auditor independence. These fee disclosures also reveal audit committees' pre‐approval decisions, enhancing public accountability. Thus, audit committees may be less willing to hire auditors for nonaudit services to avoid fee disclosures, even when joint provision improves audit quality. One hundred experienced corporate directors, responding as audit committee members or investors, participated in an experiment in which we manipulated the effect of the auditor's provision of nonaudit services on audit quality and the fee disclosure requirement. We find that audit committee members are more likely to recommend joint provision if audit quality improves, consis...
Estimating Risk of Pituitary Apoplexy after Resection of Giant Pituitary Adenomas

Background Pituitary apoplexy after resection of giant pituitary adenomas is a rare but often cited morbidity associated with devastating outcomes. It presents as hemorrhage and/or infarction of residual tumor in the postoperative period. Because of its rarity, its incidence and consequences remain ill defined. Objective The aim of this study is to estimate the rate of postoperative pituitary apoplexy after resection of giant pituitary adenomas and assess the morbidity and mortality associated with apoplexy. Methods A systematic review of literature was performed to examine extent of resection in giant pituitary adenomas based on surgical approach, rate of postoperative apoplexy, morbidities, and mortality. Advantages and disadvantages of each approach were compared. Results Seventeen studies were included in quantitative analysis describing 1,031 cases of resection of giant pituitary adenomas. The overall rate of subtotal resection ( Conclusion Postoperative pituitary apoplexy is uncommon but is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality in subtotal resection cases. These findings highlight the importance in achieving a maximal resection in a time sensitive fashion to mitigate the severe consequences of postoperative apoplexy.
The Process of “Pushing Out”: Accumulated Disadvantage across School Punishment and Math Achievement Trajectories:

Students drop out of school for a variety of reasons, yet are “pushed out” when they exhibit traits that are deemed undesirable to school officials, such as misbehavior and academic failure. While ...
Stylet Probing Behavior of Two Bactericera (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Triozidae) Species on Host and Nonhost Plants

Understanding host use by psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) benefits from comparative studies of behavior on host and nonhost plant species. While most psyllid species develop on one or a few closely related plant species, some species are generalized enough to develop on species across plant families. We used electropenetography (EPG) technology to compare probing activities of an oligophagous psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc)) and a host-specialized psyllid (Bactericera maculipennis) on two species of Solanaceae (potato, Solanum tuberosum L. and matrimony vine, Lycium barbarum L.) and two species of Convolvulaceae (field bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis L. and sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas). Bactericera cockerelli develops on all four species, albeit with longer development times on Convolvulaceae. Bactericera maculipennis develops only on Convolvulaceae. Bactericera cockerelli fed readily from phloem of all four species, but the likelihood of entering phloem and duration of time in phloem was reduced on suboptimal hosts (Convolvulaceae) relative to behavior on Solanaceae. We observed instances of cycling between bouts of phloem salivation and ingestion in assays of optimal (Solanaceae) hosts not observed on Convolvulaceae. The Convolvulaceae-specialized B. maculipennis (Crawford) failed to feed from phloem of nonhosts (Solanaceae). Both psyllid species readily ingested from xylem of all plant species, irrespective of host status. Our finding that phloem feeding by B. maculipennis did not occur on potato has implications for understanding epidemiology of phloem-limited psyllid-vectored plant pathogens. Our results also showed that EPG assays detect subtle variation in probing activities that assist in understanding host use by psyllids.
Segments vs. Clusters: Postaspiration in Sevillian Spanish

Sevillian Spanish is undergoing a change from preaspiration to postaspiration in /s ptk/ sequences ([pahta] -> [pat h a]) (Ruch & Peters, 2016). Some previous work suggests that postaspirated stops are phonologizing in Sevillian Spanish (O'Neill, 2009; Gylfadottir, 2015). In this paper, I argue that postaspirated stops are underlyingly clusters. Evidence for the cluster representation comes from two sources: sociolinguistically-conditioned variation and phonologically-conditioned alternations across word and morpheme boundaries. I then present the results of a perception experiment showing that Sevillian listeners perceive postaspiration and map it onto an underlying cluster. Listeners of another dialect (Mexican Spanish) do not perceive or interpret postaspiration. Finally, I outline an analysis in which postaspiration is the result of gradual coda reduction followed by metathesis. This kind of metathesis may be possible due, in part, to perceptual difficulties in perceiving aspiration.
The development of theta and alpha neural oscillations from ages 3 to 24 years.

Abstract Intrinsic, unconstrained neural activity exhibits rich spatial, temporal, and spectral organization that undergoes continuous refinement from childhood through adolescence. The goal of this study was to investigate the development of theta (4−8 Hertz) and alpha (8−12 Hertz) oscillations from early childhood to adulthood (years 3–24), as these oscillations play a fundamental role in cognitive function. We analyzed eyes-open, resting-state EEG data from 96 participants to estimate genuine oscillations separately from the aperiodic (1/f) signal. We examined age-related differences in the aperiodic signal (slope and offset), as well as the peak frequency and power of the dominant posterior oscillation. For the aperiodic signal, we found that both the aperiodic slope and offset decreased with age. For the dominant oscillation, we found that peak frequency, but not power, increased with age. Critically, early childhood (ages 3–7) was characterized by a dominance of theta oscillations in posterior electrodes, whereas peak frequency of the dominant oscillation in the alpha range increased between ages 7 and 24. Furthermore, theta oscillations displayed a topographical transition from dominance in posterior electrodes in early childhood to anterior electrodes in adulthood. Our results provide a quantitative description of the development of theta and alpha oscillations.
Comparison of Pediatric Otolaryngology clinical and operative case volume among surgical specialties in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Objectives To report changes in clinical and surgical volume impacting a Pediatric Otolaryngology division one year prior to and following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison to five other pediatric surgical subspecialties. Methods The number of clinical visits and surgical cases per month for six pediatric surgical specialties (Otolaryngology, Orthopedic Surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, and General Surgery) for 12 months prior to the pandemic and 12 months following the onset of the pandemic was collected. Poisson regression analysis was performed for the number of visits and cases per season adjusting for specialty, season, staffing changes, and the pandemic to determine adjusted rate ratios (aRR) post-pandemic for the surgical fields compared to Otolaryngology. Results A percentage decrease in median visits per paired month (−15.63%, IQR = −23.01, −1.66) and operative cases (−19.86%, IQR = −29.39, −10.17) was seen for Pediatric Otolaryngology. Regression analysis showed a significant negative effect on the number of visits (aRR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.70–0.77) and cases (aRR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.60–0.71) due to the pandemic. While many of the other specialties had predicted reductions in volume (notably Orthopedics), they all experienced significant predicted increases in productivity following the pandemic compared to Otolaryngology. Conclusions These findings suggest that Pediatric Otolaryngology is particularly vulnerable to this change in clinical pattern, which could be due to a decline in community infections from mask wearing and social distancing, and may result in a longer-term volume deficit when compared to other pediatric surgical subspecialties.
Unsupervised Deep Learning for Power Allocation in CRAN

The cloud radio access network (CRAN) is considered a very promising architecture for the next generation cellular networks. However, in order to fully utilize the advantages of that architecture, optimization algorithms with superior performance and low complexity are needed. Such algorithms can improve the network performance significantly, in terms of enhancing spectral efficiency and reducing latency. Deep learning based techniques are considered very potential candidates due to their high performance and very low online computational complexity. In this paper, we implement a deep learning based power allocation technique for CRAN. Unlike the previous works, we consider user association in our optimization problem, which is essential to reflect a real cellular scenario. Simulation results prove that our technique can obtain a very close to optimal performance, with negligible computational complexity.
The prostate tissue-based telomere biomarker as a prognostic tool for metastasis and death from prostate cancer after prostatectomy

Purpose: Current biomarkers are inadequate prognostic predictors in localized prostate cancer making treatment decision-making challenging. Previously, we observed that the combination of more variable telomere length among prostate cancer cells and shorter telomere length in prostate cancer-associated stromal cells, the telomere biomarker, is strongly associated with progression to metastasis and prostate cancer death after prostatectomy independent of currently used pathologic indicators. Experimental Design: We optimized our method allowing for semi-automated telomere length determination in single cells in fixed tissue, and tested the telomere biomarker in tissue microarrays from five cohort studies of men surgically treated for clinically localized disease (N=2,255). We estimated the relative risk (RR) of progression to metastasis (N=311) and prostate cancer death (N=85) using models appropriate to the design of each study adjusting for age, prostatectomy stage, and tumor grade, which then we meta-analyzed using inverse variance weights. Results: Compared with men who had less variable telomere length among prostate cancer cells and longer telomere length in prostate cancer-associated stromal cells, men with the combination of more variable and shorter telomere length, had 3.76-times the risk of prostate cancer death (95% CI 1.37-10.3; p=0.01) and had 2.23-times the risk of progression to metastasis (95% CI 0.99-5.02, P=0.05). The telomere biomarker was associated with prostate cancer death in men with intermediate risk disease (Grade Groups 2 and 3: RR=9.18, 95% CI 1.14-74.0, p=0.037) and with PTEN intact tumors (RR=6.74, 95% CI 1.46-37.6, p=0.015). Conclusions: The telomere biomarker is robust and associated with poor outcome independent of current pathologic indicators in surgically-treated men.
An algebraic characterization of strictly piecewise languages

This paper provides an algebraic characterization of the Strictly Piecewise class of languages studied by Rogers et al. 2010. These language are a natural subclass of the Piecewise Testable languages (Simon 1975) and are relevant to natural language. The algebraic characterization highlights a similarity between the Strictly Piecewise and Strictly Local languages, and also leads to a procedure which can decide whether a regular language L is Strictly Piecewise in polynomial time in the size of the syntactic monoid for L.
Analysis of DNA-protein interactions using proteins synthesized in vitro from cloned genes.

To detect DNA binding activity, radiolabeled protein is incubated with specific DNA fragments, and protein-DNA complexes are separated from free protein by electrophoresis in native acrylamide gels. Unlike the more conventional mobility shift assay which utilizes (32)P-labeled DNA and unlabeled protein, the assay described here generally utilizes (35)S-labeled protein and unlabeled DNA. Major advantages of this method are that any desired mutant protein can be tested for its DNA-binding properties simply by altering the DNA template, and the subunit structure (e.g., dimer, tetramer) can be determined.
Universal Service in a Wireless World

In 2005, Lifeline, the primary federal program designed to promote universal basic phone service, was expanded to include discounts to qualifying low-income telephone service consumers to prepaid wireless as well as for traditional wireline service. Since then, the cost of Lifeline program has greatly increased along with calls for its reform. In this paper, I seek to provide further insights into the effects of the Lifeline program on household adoption of basic phone service. I focus first on two aspects: the impact of the size of the discount and the impact of the recent program expansion to include discounts for prepaid wireless service. Second, I conduct cost-benefit analysis of the subsidy as a whole and of its wireless element. I utilize a unique database taken from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for the 2003-2010 period. The results indicate that the Lifeline program increases a household’s propensity to subscribe to phone service, however the effects are quite small. Based on the counterfactual experiments, only one out of eight households that receive the subsidy subscribes to telephone service because of the subsidy. The extension of the Lifeline subsidy to include prepaid wireless service has attracted additional subscribers. However, the counterfactual experiment shows that only one out of twenty households enrolled in the wireless Lifeline program subscribes to telephone service because of the subsidy.
Recovering Retirement Security: An Analysis of the Lockdown Claims under ERISA, as Illustrated by the Enron Litigation

On December 2, 2001, Enron Corporation (“Enron”) filed for bankruptcy after “the biggest, fastest corporate collapse in American history.”1 Prior to the bankruptcy, many of Enron’s employees already had lost considerable amounts of money as participants in the Enron 401(k) Savings Plan (the “401(k) Plan”) during the decline in the value of both the 401(k) Plan and in their personal accounts specifically, which were heavily invested in Enron stock.2 Because of a period of time when changes in the investment allocation of the 401(k) Plan were prohibited, the participants were unable to move their retirement investments out of Enron stock while its value rapidly declined.3 A class action was filed in the Southern District of Texas under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”)4 on behalf of the Enron employees who were participants in or beneficiaries of the 401(k) Plan (the “Plaintiffs”).5 Filed on April 8, 2002, Tittle v. Enron, Corp.6 (the “Complaint”) includes allegations that the Enron Corporation; the Administrative Committee in charge of the 401(k) Plan;7 top executives, such as Kenneth Lay (“Lay”) and Jeffrey Skill-
Standby power supply with high frequency isolation

Standby power supplies (SPS) are widely used as power backup systems for critical electrical loads. A single phase SPS utilizing a high frequency AC link is studied. Use of a high frequency transformer results in a compact and light weight system. Energy loss introduced in the system due to the high frequency AC link is analyzed. Design of the control circuit, to obtain a sinusoidal output voltage with linear and nonlinear loads, is explained. The SPS is used as an active filter to obtain sinusoidal line current under normal conditions of the utility. >
An electronically adjustable bandpass filter

An electronically adjustable bandpass filter based on the state-variable configuration is developed such that independent control of center frequency, quality factor, and gain is achieved. Electronic tuning of these parameters is accomplished with operational transconductance amplifiers is subcircuits which simulate floating resistors. Linearity of center frequency versus control input and relative independence are demonstrated for a wide input dynamic range. >
Protecting Children from the Consequences of Divorce: A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Parenting on Children's Coping Processes.

This study examines whether intervention-induced changes in mother-child relationship quality and discipline led to short-term (6 months) and long-term (6 years) changes in children's coping processes in a sample of 240 youth aged 9-12 years when assessed initially. Data were from a randomized, experimental trial of a parenting-focused preventive intervention designed to improve children's postdivorce adjustment. Three-wave prospective mediational analyses revealed that intervention-induced improvements in relationship quality led to increases in coping efficacy at 6 months and to increases in coping efficacy and active coping at 6 years. Tests of the mediated effects were significant for all 3 indirect paths. Results are discussed in terms of pathways to adaptive coping and implications for the implementation of preventive interventions targeting coping.
Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Policy Analysis

Purpose/objectives To present an overview of policy issues affecting hospice and palliative care focusing on the nursing home and hospital settings and to discuss factors affecting end-of-life care, policy initiatives, recent legislation, and nursing implications. Data sources Published articles; technical, advisory, and research reports (from government, professional, and private organizations); newsletters; textbooks; meeting minutes; online references; and legislative documents. Data synthesis Improvements are needed in end-of-life care, especially with regard to access, delivery, and financing of such services. Legal, organizational, and reimbursement policies, as well as healthcare professional education, have been identified as areas that need improvement. The nursing shortage and variable reimbursement policies for nursing services have a significant impact on access to quality end-of-life care, especially for underserved populations. Conclusions A need exists for further research, including demonstration projects to test new ways to deliver and integrate hospice and palliative care throughout the illness continuum. Education and research are needed regarding symptom management, communication and decision making, caregiver support, and other end-of-life issues. Nursing interventions, palliative care networks, and other models that promote a coordinated approach to care delivery have been shown to decrease costs and improve quality of care. Implications for nursing Nurses play a key role in advancing improvements in palliative and end-of-life care through their involvement in educational, quality improvement, research, and legislative initiatives. Nursing activities in these areas may contribute to improved access, lower costs, and improved quality of care in advanced illness.
Modeling delivery performance in pressurized irrigation systems from simulated peak-demand flow configurations

A methodology to assess performance of pressurized irrigation distribution networks is presented, which is based on generation of flow configurations from simulated delivery scenarios, and on subsequent analysis of network operation and delivery achievements. The rationale of the methodology entails simulating the peak-demand flow configurations in the pipe network through a deterministic–stochastic combined agro-hydrological model, and forecasting the delivery performance by means of a hydraulic simulation model and of some specific performance indicators. The agro-hydrological model generates disaggregated information on soil water deficits for all the cropped fields downstream from the delivery hydrants, and forecasts the demand flow hydrographs and irrigation deliveries for the entire service area during peak-demand periods. The simulated-demand flow configurations are then passed on to the hydraulic simulation model, which evaluates the hydraulic performance achievable by the pipe network. The performance analysis is then refined using additional indicators specifically adapted to pressurized irrigation networks. The proposed methodology was applied to a large-scale pressurized irrigation system of southern Italy that is in need of modernization. Results proved the usefulness of the combined use of simulation tools as components of an analytical framework to address modernization and re-engineering of existing irrigation delivery networks, on the basis of targeted delivery performance.