Understanding the role of sexual transmission in the spread of ZIKA virus using an individual-based interconnected population model

Citation: Tanver, F., Lee, C., Mcvey, D., & Scoglio, S. (2018). Understanding the role of sexual transmission in the spread of ZIKA virus using an individual-based interconnected population model. Pre-Print, Unpublished Manuscript.Zika virus has affected the world as a long-term threat. Modeling its transmission is important in order to facilitate forecasts and control measures. We propose a novel node-based interconnected population model to simulate both vectored and sexual transmission of Zika virus. Using a sexual contact network, we incorporate heterogeneous mixing in the host population with stochastic transmission for realistic predictions. We also incorporate climatic variations in our model, which affect the mosquito vector population and consequently the arbovirus transmission. We perform extensive simulations to understand the effects of sexual transmission rate and network topology on the spreading of infections. Sexual transmission contributes to the epidemic spread and under certain conditions, can sustain it up to several months without vectors. This can potentially lead to recurrences once the mosquitoes overwinter. We also find that sexual transmission can have a stronger effect when vectored transmission is relatively weaker due to climatic conditions. Our results show that vectored and sexual transmission affect the disease dynamics differently

Changes in Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents with ASD Completing the PEERS® Social Skills Intervention

Depression is a common concern among people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is often associated with social skills and relationship challenges. The present data, from a randomized controlled trial, examined the effect of PEERS® on self-reported depressive symptoms via the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) among 49 adolescents with ASD. Findings revealed that many CDI subscale scores declined (p’s \u3c 0.05) and were related to direct social contact on the Quality of Socialization Questionnaire at posttest (p’s \u3c 0.05). Exploratory analyses uncovered that suicidality was less evident following PEERS®. Findings support the notion that social functioning and depression may be intimately intertwined in ASD; therefore, bolstering social skills in ASD may positively influence other domains of functioning, including mental health

Social Difficulties in Youth with Autism With and Without Anxiety and ADHD Symptoms

Social difficulties inherent to autism spectrum disorder are often linked with co‐occurring symptoms of anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study sought to examine the relation between such co‐occurring symptoms and social challenges. Parents of adolescents with autism (N = 113) reported upon social challenges via the social responsiveness scale (SRS) and anxiety and ADHD symptomatology via the Child Behavior Checklist. Results revealed differences in SRS scores across co‐occurring symptom subgroups (Anxiety, ADHD, Both, Neither)—namely, adolescents with autism and anxiety as well as those with autism, anxiety, and ADHD showed greater scores on the SRS than the other groups. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed and recommendations are offered. Lay Summary Anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are related to greater social challenges for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. The present study found that autism with anxiety and autism with anxiety and ADHD, was related to greater social difficulties than autism alone. Findings provide further support for the intertwined nature of anxiety and ADHD symptoms in autism. What this may mean for research and clinical practice is considered and recommendations are suggested

Stability of Nonlinear Control Systems by the Second Method of Liapunov

This report investigates the stability of autonomous closed-loop control systems containing nonlinear elements. An n-th order nonlinear autonomous system is described by a set of n first order differential equations of the type dxi/dt=xi(x1, x2, …xn) i=1,2,…n. Liapunov\u27s second (direct) method is used in the stability analysis of such systems. This method enables one to prove that a system is stable (or unstable) if a function V=V (x1, x2, … xn) can be found which, together with its time derivative, satisfies the requirements of Liapunov\u27s stability (or instability) theorems. At the present time, there are no generally applicable straight forward procedures available for constructing these Liapunov\u27s functions. Several Liapunov\u27s functions, applicable to systems described in the canonic form of differential equations, have been reported in the literature. In this report, it is shown that any autonomous closed-loop system containing a single nonlinear element can be described by canonic differential equations. The stability criteria derived from the Liapunov\u27s functions for canonic systems give sufficient and not necessary conditions for stability. It is known that these criteria reject many systems which are actually stable. The reasons why stable systems are sometimes rejected by these simplified stability criteria are investigated in the report. It is found that a closed-loop system will always be rejected by these simplified stabi1ity criteria if the root locus of the transfer function G(s), representing the linear portion of the system, is not confined to the left-half of the s-plane for all positive values of the loop gain. A pole-shifting technique and a zero-shifting technique, extending -the applicability of the simplified stability criteria to systems that are stable for sufficiently high and/or sufficiently low values of the loop gain, are proposed in this report. New simplified stability criteria have been developed which incorporate the changes in the canonic form of differential equations caused by the application of the zero-shifting technique. Other methods of constructing Liapunov\u27s functions for nonlinear control systems are presented in Chapter III, These include the work of Pliss, Aizerman and Krasovski. Numerous other procedures, which have been reported in literature, apply to only very special cases of automatic control systems. No attempt has been made to account for all of these special cases and the presentation of methods of constructing Liapunov’s functions is limited to only those which are more generally applicable. A pseudo-canonic transformation has been developed which enables one to find stability criteria of canonic systems without the use of complex variables. The results of this research indicate that the second method of Liapunov is a very powerfuI tool of exact stability analysis of nonlinear systems. Additional research, especially in the direction of the methods of construction of Liapunov’s functions, will not only yield new analysis and synthesis procedures, but also will aid in arriving at a set of meaningful performance specifications for nonlinear control systems

Social Difficulties in Youth with Autism With and Without Anxiety and ADHD Symptoms

Social difficulties inherent to autism spectrum disorder are often linked with co‐occurring symptoms of anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study sought to examine the relation between such co‐occurring symptoms and social challenges. Parents of adolescents with autism (N = 113) reported upon social challenges via the social responsiveness scale (SRS) and anxiety and ADHD symptomatology via the Child Behavior Checklist. Results revealed differences in SRS scores across co‐occurring symptom subgroups (Anxiety, ADHD, Both, Neither)—namely, adolescents with autism and anxiety as well as those with autism, anxiety, and ADHD showed greater scores on the SRS than the other groups. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed and recommendations are offered. Lay Summary Anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are related to greater social challenges for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. The present study found that autism with anxiety and autism with anxiety and ADHD, was related to greater social difficulties than autism alone. Findings provide further support for the intertwined nature of anxiety and ADHD symptoms in autism. What this may mean for research and clinical practice is considered and recommendations are suggested

Specification and Data Presentation in Linear Control Systems-Part Two

This is the second part of a 2 volume report on the specification and data presentation in linear control systems. This volume deals with Sample Data Systems, Linear Time Variable Parameter Systems, and Performance Indices, which are respectively Chapter II, III, and IV of the volume. Since these subjects are somewhat unrelated, a separate abstract is given at the beginning of each chapter, with the exception of the introductory Chapter I. The separate chapter abstracts are repeated here for the convenience of the reader. Abstract - Linear Sampled Data Control Systems The specifications recommended, for use with sampled data control systems are those recommended for linear, continuous systems [1]. These specifications must be supplemented, as is dictated by the requirements of a particular system, by compatibility considerations that are detailed in the following sections. Abstract - The Specification of Linear Time Variable Parameter Systems Linear time variable parameter (LTVP) systems are defined and subdivided into those systems with fast or slow variations and/or large or small variations. The methods of analysis of such systems are reviewed, and the following recommendations are made. Specifications 1) Time Domain Specifications (a) LTVP systems with fast variation of parameters. Simulated unfrozen system step function responses should all lie within a prescribed envelope. Whenever possible, the actual system response should be obtained. (b) LTVP systems with slow variation of parameters. Simulated or actual frozen or unfrozen system step function responses should all lie within a prescribed envelope. 2) Frequency Domain Specifications (a) LTVP system with fast variation of parameters. Frequency domain specifications are not recommended. (b) LTFP system with slow variation of parameters. The family of frequency response curves of the system frozen at different instants should all lie within a predetermined envelope. Data Presentation It is recommended that the region of variation of closed loop poles of the frozen system be exhibited on the complex plane. Thus, for example, if the only varying parameter is an open loop gain, then the region of variation of the closed loop poles will correspond to the root loci over the total range of variation of gain. It is also recommended that a family of Nyquist diagrams corresponding to the system frozen at different instants be displayed in the case of system with slow variations of parameters. Abstract - Performance Index This study was undertaken to determine whether or not Performance Indices should be used to evaluate and specify control systems* It is recommended that they not be used at this time by the Air Force for the stated purpose. A performance index is defined and detailed discussions are presented for the various performance indices. Analytical methods for evaluating performance indices are presented

Going places

Journeys. We all make them. Often they take us to exotic places. Sometimes they take us even further. They might take us through time. Or they might take us into a new way of life. There are times too, when we go all over the world and back again only to find that home is, after all, where it’s all happening. This book contains stories about many different types of journey. We hope you will enjoy travelling into it and finding a world that suits you

Live Reality Television: care structures within the production and reception of talent shows

This article focuses on production and reception practices for live reality television, using critical theory and empirical research to question how producers and audiences co-create and limit live experiences. The concept of care structures is used to make visible hidden labour in the creation of mood, in particular audiences as participants in the management of live experiences. In the case of Got to Dance there was a play off between the value and meaning of the live events as a temporary experience captured by ratings and social media, and the more enduring collective-social experience of this reality series over time

Agronomic characteristics of the spring forms of the wheat landraces (einkorn, emmer, spelt, intermediate bread wheat) grown in organic farming

Organic farmers look to the possibilities of growing neglected crops, such as the spring forms of hulled wheat – einkorn, emmer and spelt – for support in developing the organic farming system. In 2008, 169 landraces from the gene bank at the Crop Research Institute in Prague were tested on certifi ed organic plots. The experiment was aimed at fi nding suitable varieties for the organic farming system. In summary, our fi ndings show that einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) and emmer wheat [Triticum dicoccum Schrank (Schuebl)] are resistant to powdery mildew and brown rust, spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) is less resistant to these two diseases, and the intermediate forms of bread wheat are very sensitive to such infestation. The varieties evaluated incline to lodging, as they have long and weak stems. Einkorn and emmer wheat have short and dense spikes and a low thousand grains weight, whereas spelt wheat has long and lax spikes. The level of the harvest index is low. Potentially useful varieties were found during the fi eld experiment and evaluation, and our future efforts will therefore focus on improving resistance to lodging and increasing the productivity of the spike

Rift Valley fever virus structural and nonstructural proteins: recombinant protein expression and immunoreactivity against antisera from sheep

The Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) encodes the structural proteins nucleoprotein (N), aminoterminal glycoprotein (Gn), carboxyterminal glycoprotein (Gc), and L protein, 78-kD, and the nonstructural proteins NSm and NSs. Using the baculovirus system, we expressed the full-length coding sequence of N, NSs, NSm, Gc, and the ectodomain of the coding sequence of the Gn glycoprotein derived from the virulent strain of RVFV ZH548. Western blot analysis using anti-His antibodies and monoclonal antibodies against Gn and N confirmed expression of the recombinant proteins, and in vitro biochemical analysis showed that the two glycoproteins, Gn and Gc, were expressed in glycosylated form. Immunoreactivity profiles of the recombinant proteins in western blot and in indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against a panel of antisera obtained from vaccinated or wild type (RVFV)-challenged sheep confirmed the results obtained with anti-His antibodies and demonstrated the suitability of the baculo-expressed antigens for diagnostic assays. In addition, these recombinant proteins could be valuable for the development of diagnostic methods that differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA)