cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Canine intestinal myoelectric activity after open versus laparoscopically assisted right hemicolectomy

background It is a common belief that a laparoscopic procedure results in a shorter duration of postoperative ileus compared with the equivalent open procedure. This study was undertaken to determine whether laparoscopically assisted right hemicolectomy in the dog results in a shorter duration of ileus compared with open right hemicolectomy. methods Eight bipolar serosal electrodes (4 on the small bowel, 4 on the left colon) were implanted in each dog (n = 10). Three weeks after electrode implantation baseline recording was made for 5 days; then 5 dogs underwent laparoscopically assisted right hemicolectomy and 5 underwent open right hemicolectomy. Myoelectric activity was recorded continuously for 72 hours postoperatively. Tracings were analyzed for the time of reappearance, duration, migration velocity, and cycle length of phase 2, phase 3, and the migrating colonic complex. The criteria used for the resolution of postoperative ileus were the return of phase 2, phase 3, and the migrating colonic complex. results: All dogs had temporary loss of organized myoelectric activity postoperatively. The mean reappearance time (minutes±standard deviation) for phase 3 was 857±574 versus 761±600; the phase 2 reappearance time was 1,845±610 versus 1,590±668; and the migrating colonic complex reappearance time was 534±365 versus 57252, open versus laparoscopically assisted right hemicolectomy, respectively. The times were not different (Wilcoxon rank sum test, P > 0.05). The time required for phase 3, phase 2, and the migrating colonic complex to attain preoperative configuration also was not different between the open and laparoscopically assisted group. conclusion Myoelectric resolution of postoperative ileus did not occur earlier in the dog undergoing laparoscopically assisted right hemicolectomy compared to the dog undergoing open right hemicolectomy. This data does not support the hypothesis that a laparoscopically assisted colectomy results in a shorter duration of postoperative ileus than the equivalent open procedure.
Genomic clocks and evolutionary timescales

For decades, molecular clocks have helped to illuminate the evolutionary timescale of life, but now genomic data pose a challenge for time estimation methods. It is unclear how to integrate data from many genes, each potentially evolving under a different model of substitution and at a different rate. Current methods can be grouped by the way the data are handled (genes considered separately or combined into a 'supergene') and the way gene-specific rate models are applied (global versus local clock). There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these approaches, and the optimal method has not yet emerged. Fortunately, time estimates inferred using many genes or proteins have greater precision and appear to be robust to different approaches.
A Characterization of Wireless NIC Active Scanning Algorithms

In this paper we characterize the proprietary active scanning algorithms of several wireless network interface cards (WNICs) and driver combinations. We believe our experiments are the first of their kind to observe the complete scanning process as the WNICs probe all the channels in the 2.4GHz spectrum. We discuss the 1) channel probe order; 2) correlation of channel popularity during active scanning and access point (AP) channel deployment popularity; 3) number of probe request frames (PRFs) sent on each channel across WNICs; 4) amount of time spent on each channel across WNICs (dwell time); and 5) variation in scanning algorithms. The knowledge gained from profiling WNICs is of significant importance to numerous disciplines. It enables us to understand different implementations (hardware and software) of active scanning. The same knowledge can help lay a foundation for implementing active scanning in network simulators. It is generically considered in only one of the popular simulators. Finally, the results from our work can also radically influence research in link-layer handovers, effective deployment of access points (APs), securing wireless networks, etc.
Monoclonal antibodies and polyvalent antiserum to chicken choline acetyltransferase.

: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to chick cho-line acetyltransferase (ChAT) were obtained from mouse-hybridoma cultures after immunization with partially purified enzyme isolated from optic lobes. Antibodies that bound active enzyme were detected in 11 hybridoma cultures. The mAbs showed cross-reactivity to ChAT from quail and beef but not to ChAT from several other species. An affinity column prepared with one of the mAbs was used to purify ChAT to apparent homogeneity. Polyclonal antiserum to mAb affinity-purified ChAT was produced in a rabbit. This antiserum inhibited chick ChAT activity and quantitatively precipitated ChAT activity from solution. On immunoblots, the antiserum stained ChAT and two other proteins. After preadsorption of the antiserum with effluent from the mAb affinity column, the antiserum became monospecific for ChAT. This an-tiserum was useful for immunocytochemical localization of ChAT. it selectively stained neuronal cell bodies in chick spinal cord and rat brain at locations known to contain cholinergic neurons.
Privacy, anonymity, and big data in the social sciences

Open data has tremendous potential for science, but, in human subjects research, there is a tension between privacy and releasing high-quality open data. Federal law governing student privacy and t...
A note on adjoint linear systems

In dimension 2 there is a very useful criterion, due to Miles Reid, giving a necessary and sufficient condition for an adjoint linear system on a nonsingular complex projective surface X to be free at a point \({p\in X}\) , in terms of the coherent cohomology of certain divisors on the blowup of X at p. In this note we extend Miles Reid’s result to higher dimensions.
Multilinear projection for face recognition via canonical decomposition

This paper introduces a new multilinear projection algorithm for appearance-based recognition in a tensor framework. The multilinear projection simultaneously maps an unlabeled image from the pixel space into multiple causal factors underlying image formation, including illumination, imaging, and scene structure. For facial recognition, the most relevant aspect of scene structure is the specific person whose face has been imaged. Our new multilinear projection algorithm, which is based on the canonical decomposition of tensors, is superior to a previously proposed multilinear projection algorithm that is based on an M-mode SVD. To develop our algorithm, we extend and formalize the definition of the mode-m product, the mode-m identity tensor, and the mode-m pseudo-inverse tensor. We demonstrate our multilinear projection in the context of facial image recognition and compare its results in simultaneously inferring the identity, view, illumination, etc., coefficient vectors of an unlabeled test image with those obtained using multilinear projection based on M-mode SVD, as well as the results obtained using a set of multiple linear projections. Finally, a practical strategy for biometric systems is discussed in which an uncooperative subject can be enrolled using a small number of training images and then recognized in unconstrained test images.
Mutations in the Chromosomal Passenger Complex and the Condensin Complex Differentially Affect Synaptonemal Complex Disassembly and Metaphase I Configuration in Drosophila Female Meiosis

Production of haploid gametes relies on the specially regulated meiotic cell cycle. Analyses of the role of essential mitotic regulators in meiosis have been hampered by a shortage of appropriate alleles in metazoans. We characterized female-sterile alleles of the condensin complex component dcap-g and used them to define roles for condensin in Drosophila female meiosis. In mitosis, the condensin complex is required for sister-chromatid resolution and contributes to chromosome condensation. In meiosis, we demonstrate a role for dcap-g in disassembly of the synaptonemal complex and for proper retention of the chromosomes in a metaphase I-arrested state. The chromosomal passenger complex also is known to have mitotic roles in chromosome condensation and is required in some systems for localization of the condensin complex. We used the QA26 allele of passenger component incenp to investigate the role of the passenger complex in oocyte meiosis. Strikingly, in incenpQA26 mutants maintenance of the synaptonemal complex is disrupted. In contrast to the dcap-g mutants, the incenp mutation leads to a failure of paired homologous chromosomes to biorient, such that bivalents frequently orient toward only one pole in prometaphase and metaphase I. We show that incenp interacts genetically with ord, suggesting an important functional relationship between them in meiotic chromosome dynamics. The dcap-g and incenp mutations cause maternal effect lethality, with embryos from mutant mothers arrested in the initial mitotic divisions.
First‐Principles Thermochemistry and Thermodynamic Modeling of the Al2O3–Nd2O3–SiO2–Y2O3 Pseudoquaternary System

The Al2O3–Nd2O3–SiO2–Y2O3 pseudoquaternary system was thermodynamically modeled with a focus on the phase equilibria concerning the sintering of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet, Nd:YAG ((Y1−xNdx)3Al5O12). The Nd2O3–SiO2 and Nd2O3–Y2O3 systems were evaluated. Due to the lack of experimental thermochemical data, first-principles calculations were used to predict the enthalpy of formation of Nd2SiO5 and the enthalpy of mixing of Nd in YAG. Isothermal sections of the Al2O3–Nd2O3–SiO2, Al2O3–Nd2O3–Y2O3, and Nd2O3–SiO2–Y2O3 pseudoternary systems are presented.
Quantitative eye movement recordings in a patient with acquired bilateral superior oblique palsy before and after a bilateral Harada-Ito procedure.

Purpose We examined the effects of the Harada-Ito procedure on static and dynamic alignment in an adult with acquired bilateral superior oblique palsy (SOP). Methods 3D eye movements were recorded before and six weeks after a bilateral Harada-Ito procedure. Superior oblique muscle (SOM) size and contractility were assessed with orbital imaging. Results On MRI, the left SOM was smaller than the right. Little contractile thickening was present in down gaze for either eye. Preoperatively, the patient had a hypertropia: 1.9° right hypertropia (at down 20°, left 20°) and 6.4° left hypertropia (at down 20°, right 20°). Postoperatively, the vertical tropia in all positions was < 1°. Listing's primary position rotated toward straight ahead for the RE but was unchanged for the LE. Postoperatively, for 40° upward saccades peak dynamic intrasaccadic extorsion decreased by 2.2–3.2° for both eyes and for 40° downward saccades by 2.3–3.6° for the RE but was unchanged for the LE. Saccade conjugacy improved and post-sacc...
The Changing Landscape of Scholarly Publishing: Will Radiation Research Survive?

As a society published journal, Radiation Research has been a successful and enduring project of the Radiation Research Society (RRS). In 59 years of publication, the journal has produced 732 issues and 10,712 articles. As a nonprofit organization, RRS, like most societies, has used revenues from subscriptions to support, in part, the life of the organization (meetings, conferences and grants to new scholars). The model for scientific publishing, however, continues to evolve. Radiation Research has weathered the rise of electronic publishing, consolidation in the commercial publishing industry, the aggregation of library subscriptions and library subscription cuts. Recent years have seen dramatic changes in how scholarly publishing is financed and new funder and institution policies will accelerate these changes. The growth of open access to journal articles reflects the information habits of readers and facilitates the dissemination of new knowledge. The Radiation Research Society, however, will need to ...
Reactivation of Androgen Receptor–Regulated TMPRSS2:ERG Gene Expression in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

It seems clear that androgen receptor (AR)-regulated expression of the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene plays an early role in prostate cancer (PC) development or progression, but the extent to which TMPRSS2:ERG is down-regulated in response to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and whether AR reactivates TMPRSS2:ERG expression in castration-resistant PC (CRPC) have not been determined. We show that ERG message levels in TMPRSS2:ERG fusion-positive CRPC are comparable with the levels in fusion gene-positive primary PC, consistent with the conclusion that the TMPRSS2:ERG expression is reactivated by AR in CRPC. To further assess whether TMPRSS2:ERG expression is initially down-regulated in response to ADT, we examined VCaP cells, which express the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene, and xenografts. ERG message and protein rapidly declined in response to removal of androgen in vitro and castration in vivo. Moreover, as observed in the clinical samples, ERG expression was fully restored in the VCaP xenografts that relapsed after castration, coincident with AR reactivation. AR reactivation in the relapsed xenografts was also associated with marked increases in mRNA encoding AR and androgen synthetic enzymes. These results show that expression of TMPRSS2:ERG, similarly to other AR-regulated genes, is restored in CRPC and may contribute to tumor progression.
Electroshock-induced mortality in freshwater fish embryos increases with embryo diameter: a model based on results from 10 species

The purpose of this study was to develop a model to predict electroshock-induced mortality in embryos of freshwater fishes. Herein, electroshock-induced mortality was evaluated for sauger Sander canadensis and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, and results were combined with published results obtained for eight other species in studies that used consistent methodology. The model was based on embryo diameter (1·1–4·1 mm among species), the most sensitive stage of embryonic development (near completion of epiboly for all species), and mortality (to hatching or eyed stage) after exposure to a homogeneous electric field [direct current (DC) or 60 Hz pulsed DC (PDC)]. Embryo diameter was positively related to electroshock-induced mortality for DC ( P< 0·001) and 60 Hz PDC ( P< 0·05). Results suggested that vulnerability to electroshock-induced mortality was related to physical characteristics (i.e. size) of embryos rather than species differences, and indicated that prediction of vulnerability in untested species is possible. This is particularly important for protection of endangered species, and those species with larger embryo sizes may be at most risk from electroshock. Conversely, results also suggested that it may be possible to assist in removal of invasive non-native fish species with large embryo diameters (e.g. O. mykiss) by application of electroshock to target and kill embryos of these species in some freshwater habitats.
Non-cardiac causes of cardiac tamponade

![Figure 1][1] Figure 1 Chest roentgenogram showing obliteration of the right costophrenic angle consistent with a right pleural effusion. ![Figure 2][1] Figure 2 CT of the chest demonstrating large right pleural effusion displacing the heart to the left side. ![Figure 3][
The evolution of information optics

Information optics, which here includes optical information processing and holography, has evolved significantly since its rise to prominence in the 1950s. The development of these two areas of optics is traced. Their courses have been similar, but with their own successes and setbacks, leading to their present important positions in modern optics.
CDK-9/cyclin T (P-TEFb) is required in two postinitiation pathways for transcription in the C. elegans embryo

The metazoan transcription elongation factor P-TEFb (CDK-9/cyclin T) is essential for HIV transcription, and is recruited by some cellular activators. P-TEFb promotes elongation in vitro by overcoming pausing that requires the SPT-4/SPT-5 complex, but considerable evidence indicates that SPT-4/SPT-5 facilitates elongation in vivo. Here we used RNA interference to investigate P-TEFb functions in vivo, in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. We found that P-TEFb is broadly essential for expression of early embryonic genes. P-TEFb is required for phosphorylation of Ser 2 of the RNA Polymerase II C-terminal domain (CTD) repeat, but not for most CTD Ser 5 phosphorylation, supporting the model that P-TEFb phosphorylates CTD Ser 2 during elongation. Remarkably, although heat shock genes are cdk-9-dependent, they can be activated when spt-4 and spt-5 expression is inhibited along with cdk-9. This observation suggests that SPT-4/SPT-5 has an inhibitory function in vivo, and that mutually opposing influences of P-TEFb and SPT-4/SPT-5 may combine to facilitate elongation, or insure fidelity of mRNA production. Other genes are not expressed when cdk-9, spt-4, and spt-5 are inhibited simultaneously, suggesting that these genes require P-TEFb in an additional mechanism, and that they and heat shock genes are regulated through different P-TEFb-dependent elongation pathways.
The establishment of murine blood outgrowth endothelial cells and observations relevant to gene therapy

Endothelial cells are an attractive vehicle for gene therapy because they may be used in an autologous fashion and may allow for direct exposure of the gene product into the intravascular space. To explore this future potential, a reproducible system was developed for the culture of murine blood outgrowth endothelial cells. These cells demonstrated acetylated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) incorporation, matrigel tube formation, and specific endothelial staining characteristics, namely P1H12, VeCAD, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM), vWF, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2). They were also negative for smooth muscle actin and monocytic markers CD11b, CD14, and CD16. Moreover, these cells were amendable to gene transfer with red fluorescent and green fluorescent expression vectors as well as human Factor VIII (hFVIII) while maintaining endothelial characteristics. Both source- and gene-introduced cells also manifested excellent proliferative potential. Furthermore, murine blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) demonstrated persistent in vivo seeding in the liver, lung, spleen, and bone morrow of recipient mice.
Impact of Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades of Sectors on Sector Valuations

We apply several theories advanced for the mispricing of individual stock prices to suggest the existence of mispriced sectors. We find that sector upgrades result in a positive and significant sector share price response, while sector downgrades result in a negative and significant sector share price response. The favorable valuation effects associated with sector upgrades are more favorable when there is a high level of trading activity of the stocks in the sector, the sector share price runup is relatively weak, and the prevailing price-to-fundamental ratios in the sector are relatively low. In addition, the negative valuation effects associated with sector downgrades are more favorable when there is a high level of trading activity of the stocks in the sector and the share price runup is relatively strong. Overall, the valuation adjustments in response to changes in sector ratings vary with the prevailing market prices in the sector.
Learning From Falling

Walkers fall frequently, especially during infancy. Children (15-, 21-, 27-, 33-, and 39-month-olds) and adults were tested in a novel foam pit paradigm to examine age-related changes in the relationship between falling and prospective control of locomotion. In trial 1, participants walked and fell into a deformable foam pit marked with distinct visual cues. Although children in all 5 age groups required multiple trials to learn to avoid falling, the number of children who showed adult-like, 1-trial learning increased with age. Exploration and alternative locomotor strategies increased dramatically on learning criterion trials and displays of negative affect were limited. Learning from falling is discussed in terms of the immediate and long-term effects of falling on prospective control of locomotion.
Aggregation and Disaggregation of Information Goods: Implications for Bundling, Site Licensing and Micropayment Systems

We analyze pricing strategies for digital information goods that are based on aggregation or disaggregation. Bundling, site licensing, and subscription pricing can be analyzed as strategies that aggregate consumer utility across different goods, different consumers, or different time periods, respectively. Using micropayments for rental of software “applets,” or other discrete units of information, can be thought of as disaggregation. We show that reductions in marginal costs made possible by low-cost digital processing and storage of information will favor aggregation of information goods, while reductions in transaction and distribution costs made possible by ubiquitous networking tend to make disaggregation more profitable.
Dynamic autoregressive neuromagnetic causality imaging (DANCI)

This presentation provides a demonstration of how Granger causality (GC) can be applied to MEG data to visualize dynamic functional connectivity and causality between cortical regions on a millisecond time scale. GC is derived from autoregressive models and provides directionality information. We apply the GC technique to dynamic statistical parameter map source space to demonstrate that the dynamics of neural networks can visualized during a perceptual task. The results from this demonstration coincide with models of speech perception and suggest that Dynamic Autoregressive Neuromagnetic Causality Imaging (DANCI) can be used to investigate and verify theoretical neural network models of brain function.
Structural domains and matrix attachment regions along colinear chromosomal segments of maize and sorghum.

Although a gene’s location can greatly influence its expression, genome sequencing has shown that orthologous genes may exist in very different environments in the genomes of closely related species. Four genes in the maize alcohol dehydrogenase ( adh1 ) region represent solitary genes dispersed among large repetitive blocks, whereas the orthologous genes in sorghum are located in a different setting surrounded by low-copy-number DNAs. A specific class of DNA sequences, matrix attachment regions (MARs), was found to be in comparable positions in the two species, often flanking individual genes. If these MARs define structural domains, then the orthologous genes in maize and sorghum should experience similar chromatin environments. In addition, MARs were divided into two groups, based on the competitive affinity of their association with the matrix. The “durable” MARs retained matrix associations at the highest concentrations of competitor DNA. Most of the durable MARs mapped outside genes, defining the borders of putative chromatin loops. The “unstable” MARs lost their association with the matrix under similar competitor conditions and mapped mainly within introns. These results suggest that MARs possess both domain-defining and regulatory roles. Miniature inverted repeat transposable elements (MITEs) often were found on the same fragments as the MARs. Our studies showed that many MITEs can bind to isolated nuclear matrices, suggesting that MITEs may function as MARs in vivo.
Mother–infant interactions of medically fragile infants and non‐chronically ill premature infants

At 6 months corrected for prematurity, 41 medically fragile prematures, 20 medically fragile full-terms, and 28 prematures without chronic illnesses were observed interacting with their mothers for 1 hr. Mothers of non-chronically ill prematures gestured to and touched their infants less, were uninvolved with them for a longer time, and spent less time interacting and looking at their infants than did mothers of medically fragile infants. Medically fragile full-terms slept more than the non-chronically ill prematures. The non-chronically ill premature group played with objects more and exhibited more locomotion. Thus, the non-chronically ill prematures had more mature behaviors but less frequent interactions than did the medically fragile infants. These disparities reflect differences both in the infants' functional maturity and in maternal compensation for infant vulnerability.
Slitting Method Measurement of Residual Stress Profiles, Including Stress Discontinuities, in Layered Specimens

Layered specimens can, and often do, have discontinuities in residual stress across the material interfaces. Stress discontinuities internal to specimens are notoriously difficult to measure, yet they can have profound impact on debonding and other failures. The incremental slitting method, also known as crack compliance, is generally excellent at resolving stress profiles even when there are high gradients. However, the data reduction for slitting usually involves some smoothing, which makes it hard to resolve discontinuities. In this work, we start with a recent technique to analyze slitting data using Tikhonov regularization, and extend that technique to allow stress discontinuities at material interfaces. The new method is then demonstrated experimentally on several specimens, including metals and ceramics.
Marketing, Masking, and the Metropolis: The Economics of Performance in Calabar

Masquerades are ubiquitous aspects of African visual culture that define a geographical, time-bound phenomenon through multimedia theatrical art displays that involve two, three, and even four-dimensional elements. Scholars have approached masquerades as cultural systems, spectacles, paradoxical, transformational, transgressing, and as liminal acts. This paper examines the economic dimension of masquerade and performance in the metropolis of Calabar, capital of Cross River State, Nigeria.Calabar is home to a number of masquerade societies, some of which were once the governing institutions before and during colonialism that facilitated the trans-Atlantic slave traffic and subsequent oil trade. Others were warrior and anti-witchcraft societies. Still, others were organized by the youth. Since the 1980s, these masquerade societies have become more public and even aggressive as members voice their political, social, and economic agenda through the medium of performance. In this paper, I explore the ways in which masquerade performance has become a mechanism for marketing as members find new ways to cope within the post-colonial Nigerian state. In focusing on the economic aspect, I shift discussion away from notions of heritage and ancestral transformation to highlight the financial dimension of masquerade in a city saturated by converging local, international, and global complexities.
Sham feeding in intact and chronic decerebrate rats

In the traditional sham-feeding paradigm, the amount of sugar solution consumed by the rat is influenced by its concentration and the open or closed condition of the gastric fistula. The present experiments examine: 1) whether sham intake effects obtained under the “intraoral intake” paradigm, developed to explore controls of ingestion in otherwise aphagic preparations such as the decerebrate, are similar to those of previous studies in which intact rats obtained the fluid stimulus by spout licking; and 2) whether chronic decerebrate and intact rats show a similar elevation of their sucrose intake when ingesting with an open (sham intake) vs. closed gastric fistula. Experiment 1 showed that sham intraoral intake exceeded intake in the closed condition only for sucrose concentrations greater than 0.1 M. After it was established that the results obtained with the intraoral paradigm were consistent with those reported in the literature, the new paradigm was applied to the chronic decerebrate rat in experiment 2 to determine whether forebrain structures are necessary for sham-feeding effects. The effect of sucrose concentration and fistula condition on the behavior of chronic decerebrates was similar to that of intact rats. Like intact rats, decerebrate rats consumed more sucrose in the open condition but only for concentrations exceeding 0.1 M. This concentration-dependent sham sucrose intake of chronic decerebrate rats provides compelling evidence that the integration of sucrose's taste and postingestive effects that modulates ingestive behavior can be accomplished by the caudal brain stem.
Computer Modeling in New Vehicle Design

Cet article decrit comment les caracteristiques de capacite de resistance au choc et de protection des occupants sont developpees pour de nouvelles conception de vehicules en utilisant la simulation numerique et les essais
Development and Longevity of Xyletinus peltatus Under Constant Temperatures and Humidities

The influence of temperature and humidity on longevity and egg production of adults, viability of eggs, and survival of larvae of Xyletinus peltatus (Harris) was studied in the laboratory. No oviposition by field-collected females was recorded at 13 and 35 °C, with one small exception. Apparently those temperatures are at or near the lower and upper limits of temperature tolerance for egg laying. Relative humidities (RH) above 55% did not influence oviposition. A rise in temperature between 13 and 29CC increased the rate of egg laying, but decreased its duration. Based on average numbers of eggs produced, 24°C and 95% RH was the optimum combination for oviposition. Temperature and humidity affected the longevity of males and females. The longevity decreased with a rise in temperature but was increased at any given temperature with a rise in humidity. In all cases females lived longer than males. Viability of eggs maintained between 18 and 29°C and at 55, 75, and 95% RH varied little, usually being above 90%. More than 90% of the larvae survived 6 weeks or longer after oviposition, at 18, 24, and 29°C and 55, 75, and 95% RH. Although there was a high survival rate at 6 weeks, total penetration of the larvae into wood was considered the criterion for successful establishment in the wood. Using this criterion, about a third were established at the end of 6 weeks. Larval survival was equal in air- or oven-dried wood. There was more penetration into springwood than summerwood in all cases.
Pressure Sensitive Devices for Denervated Hands and Feet: A PRELIMINARY COMMUNICATION

For the purposes of re-education of hands which have some loss of sensation, it is useful to define two groups: (1) the inhibited and (2) the uninhibited. 1. Those who have a qualitative change in sensation often feel a light touch as though it were a painful thrust. Such patients are inhibited in the use of their hands and withdraw the affected digits from involvement with work. 2. Those who have only a quantitative loss of sensation tend to use their digits more forcefully than normal in an attempt to get the sensory feedback to which they are accustomed. These uninhibited hands tend to become damaged and absorbed. In both types of case, it is helpful to have a means of assessment of the actual pressures experienced by the hand in normal work situations. The relative merits of methods based on electronic transducers and on the rupture of the dye-containing microcapsules are discussed. In either case, the objective is to help the patient to calibrate his remaining sensations and to help the surgeon or therapist guide the patient in the development of new-patterns of grasp and pinch.
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding

Abnormal uterine bleeding in the reproductive age, that is, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, is a very common symptom encountered in office gynecology. The judicious use of hysteroscopy to manage this medical entity adds a new dimension in handling this often perplexing problem. This article focuses mainly on abnormal uterine bleeding in the reproductive years because the use of hysteroscopy for this problem in the peri- or postmenopausal woman is less well defined.
Integrated genomic profiling identifies microRNA‐92a regulation of IQGAP2 in locally advanced rectal cancer

Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is treated with chemoradiation prior to surgical excision, leaving residual tumors altered or completely absent. Integrating layers of genomic profiling might identify regulatory pathways relevant to rectal tumorigenesis and inform therapeutic decisions and further research. We utilized formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded pre-treatment LARC biopsies (n=138) and compared copy number, mRNA, and miRNA expression with matched normal rectal mucosa. An integrative model was used to predict regulatory interactions to explain gene expression changes. These predictions were evaluated in vitro using multiple colorectal cancer cell lines. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was also used as an external cohort to validate our genomic profiling and predictions. We found differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs that characterize LARC. Our integrative model predicted the upregulation of miR-92a, miR-182, and miR-221 expression to be associated with downregulation of their target genes after adjusting for the effect of copy number alterations. Cell line studies using miR-92a mimics and inhibitors demonstrate that miR-92a expression regulates IQGAP2 expression. We show that endogenous miR-92a expression is inversely associated with endogenous KLF4 expression in multiple cell lines, and that this relationship is also present in rectal cancers of TCGA. Our integrative model predicted regulators of gene expression change in LARC using pre-treatment FFPE tissues. Our methodology implicated multiple regulatory interactions, some of which are corroborated by independent lines of study, while others indicate new opportunities for investigation.
Liquid chromatographic determination of major secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus species from section Flavi

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method was developed for simultaneous determination of major secondary metabolites-including cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), O-methylsterigmatocystin (OMST), and the versicolorins-produced by Aspergillus species from section Flavi (A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. tamarii, and A. caelatus) on a liquid medium. Metabolites were extracted with chloroform and quantitated without prior cleanup by means of normal-phase ion-pair partition LC on silica gel with a mobile phase of n-heptane-2-propanol-n-butanol-water-tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (2560 + 900 + 230 + 32 + 8, v/v). Recoveries of CPA and OMST from fungal cultures spiked at 10 μg/mL were 98.90 ± 3.27 and 95.92 ± 5.27% (n = 5), respectively. At spike levels of 100 μg/mL, recoveries were 98.89 ± 3.87 and 97.65 ± 4.32% (n = 5), respectively. Limits of detection for pure standards were 0.25 μg/mL for CPA (at 280 nm) and 0.30 μg/mL for OMST (at 310 nm). UV detector responses to CPA and OMST were linear to about 0.5 and 3.5 μg/injection, respectively.
Do willful apes know what they are aiming at

The volitional nature of action as it may be inferred in the intentional acts of chimpanzees is explored through the medium of a theory of intention developed from cognitive psychology and the theory of action within philosophy. A sketch of a theory of intention from these sources is formulated. The behavioral basis for inferring intentional action is briefly explored to provide behavioral criteria applicable to chimpanzees and other nonhumans. Four episodes are then examined for the plausible use of these criteria for inferring intentions from the behavior of several chimpanzees. This examination suggests that the concept of intention based on human action theory appears applicable to the behavior of chimpanzees in complex problem-solving situations. In these situations, flexible planning of behavior is necessary for successful solution of problems and includes communication both between chimpanzees and with humans. Several approaches to future research are suggested.
Expression of bcl-2 genes in channel catfish after bacterial infection and hypoxia stress.

Bcl-2 proteins are of vital importance in regulation of apoptosis, and are involved in a number of biological processes such as carcinogenesis and immune responses. Bcl-2 genes have been well studied in mammals, while they are not well investigated in teleost fish including channel catfish, the major aquaculture species in the United States. In this study, we identified 34 bcl-2 genes from the channel catfish genome, and verified their identities by conducting phylogenetic and syntenic analyses. The expression profiles of the bcl-2 genes in response to bacterial infections (Edwardsiella ictaluri and Flavobacterium columnare) and hypoxia stress were determined by performing meta-analysis using the existing RNA-Seq datasets. Differential expressions of bcl-2 genes were observed after bacterial infections and hypoxia treatment, including 22 bcl-2 genes after E. ictaluri infection, 22 bcl-2 genes after F. columnare infection, and 19 bcl-2 genes after hypoxia stress. Overall, the expression of the pro-apoptotic bcl-2 genes were repressed after bacterial infection and hypoxia stress, indicating that bcl-2 genes are potentially involved in the stress response by reducing cell apoptosis. Some bcl-2 genes, such as bcl2b, mcl1a, bmf1, and bnip3, showed different expression pattern during the E. ictaluri and F. columnare infection, suggesting the difference in the pathogenicity of diseases. This work presented the first systematic identification and annotation of bcl-2 genes in catfish, providing essential genomic resources for further immune and physiological studies.
An Expert System Finite Element Modeler

Finite element modeling is a critical step in the process of structural analysis. It can be a time consuming and costly process as well as a potential source of error. A rule-based expert system is proposed as a tool to be used by the structural analyst in creating the finite element model. Given the structural geometry, material properties, loadings, boundary conditions, and pre-specified maximum allowable error and/or number of degrees of freedom, the system will decide on an optimal discretization for the finite element model. An empirical data base of case studies for standard subregions subjected to standard loadings and boundary conditions will be accessed during the decision making process. The job of interfacing the different standard subregions will be handled by heuristic rules. In this way we can combine heuristic reasoning with an empirical data base to achieve an accurate estimate for an optimal finite element mesh. This method differs from the adaptive methods in that we obtain our mesh a priori, before solving our system of equations.
Lessons Learned from the 2010 Haiti Earthquake for Performance-Based Design

The January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake caused more than 300,000 deaths and left more than one million people homeless. This earthquake is now considered one of the worst natural hazard disasters in history. Although it is clear that the Haitian people and its built environment were unprepared for this event, there are many other lessons that the earthquake community must take from this event. After a brief background on the country and on the seismological aspects of this event, a number of reflections on this earthquake are presented. In particular, several aspects that make this earthquake different to almost any other earthquake event are presented. It is argued that many of the factors that contributed to this catastrophe are the result of combination of a complicated socio-political history of the country coupled with being located in a multi-hazard setting. The earthquake led to perhaps the most complicated and challenging post-earthquake disaster management faced to date that overwhelmed the world’s humanitarian aid infrastructure. Challenges to improve earthquake resilience in developing countries are discussed.
Spatial distortion correction and crystal identification for position-sensitive avalanche photodiode-based PET scanners

Position-sensitive avalanche photodiodes (PSAPDs) are gaining widespread acceptance in modern PET scanner designs, and owing to their relative insensitivity to magnetic fields, especially in those that are MRI-compatible. Flood histograms in PET scanners are used to determine the crystal of annihilation photon interaction and hence, for detector characterization and routine quality control. For PET detectors that use PSAPDs, flood histograms show a characteristic pincushion distortion when Anger logic is used for event positioning. A small rotation in the flood histogram is also observed when the detectors are placed in a magnetic field. We first present a general purpose automatic method for spatial distortion correction for flood histograms of PSAPD-based PET detectors when placed both inside and outside a MRI scanner. Analytical formulae derived for this scheme are based on a hybrid approach that combines desirable properties from two existing event positioning schemes. The rotation of the flood histogram due to the magnetic field is determined iteratively and is accounted for in the scheme. We then provide implementation details of a method for crystal identification we have previously proposed and evaluate it for cases when the PET scanner is both outside and in a magnetic field. In this scheme, Fourier analysis is used to generate a lower-order spatial approximation of the distortion-corrected PSAPD flood histogram, which we call the ‘template‘. The template is then registered to the flood histogram using a diffeomorphic iterative intensity-based warping scheme. The calculated deformation field is then applied to the segmentation of the template to obtain a segmentation of the flood histogram. A manual correction tool is also developed for exceptional cases. We present a quantitative assessment of the proposed distortion correction scheme and crystal identification method against conventional methods. Our results indicate that our proposed methods lead to a large reduction in manual labor and indeed can routinely be used for calibration and characterization studies in MRI-compatible PET scanners based on PSAPDs.
When Winners Become Losers: Predicted Nonlinear Responses of Arctic Birds to Increasing Woody Vegetation

Climate change is facilitating rapid changes in the composition and distribution of vegetation at northern latitudes, raising questions about the responses of wildlife that rely on arctic ecosystems. One widely observed change occurring in arctic tundra ecosystems is an increasing dominance of deciduous shrub vegetation. Our goals were to examine the tolerance of arctic-nesting bird species to existing gradients of vegetation along the boreal forest-tundra ecotone, to predict the abundance of species across different heights and densities of shrubs, and to identify species that will be most or least responsive to ongoing expansion of shrubs in tundra ecosystems. We conducted 1,208 point counts on 12 study blocks from 2012–2014 in northwestern Alaska, using repeated surveys to account for imperfect detection of birds. We considered the importance of shrub height, density of low and tall shrubs (i.e. shrubs >0.5 m tall), percent of ground cover attributed to shrubs (including dwarf shrubs <0.5 m tall), and percent of herbaceous plant cover in predicting bird abundance. Among 17 species considered, only gray-cheeked thrush (Catharus minimus) abundance was associated with the highest values of all shrub metrics in its top predictive model. All other species either declined in abundance in response to one or more shrub metrics or reached a threshold where further increases in shrubs did not contribute to greater abundance. In many instances the relationship between avian abundance and shrubs was nonlinear, with predicted abundance peaking at moderate values of the covariate, then declining at high values. In particular, a large number of species were responsive to increasing values of average shrub height with six species having highest abundance at near-zero values of shrub height and abundance of four other species decreasing once heights reached moderate values (≤ 33 cm). Our findings suggest that increases in shrub cover and density will negatively affect abundance of only a few bird species and may potentially be beneficial for many others. As shrub height increases further, however, a considerable number of tundra bird species will likely find habitat increasingly unsuitable.
Single-Channel Measurements of Conductance through Sub-Nanometer Carbon Nanotube Porins

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have narrow hydrophobic inner pores, highly reminiscent of protein channels, that enable fast transport of water and ions. Their rigid structure and chemical robustness allow for diverse ex vivo applications. We have recently reported biomimetic membrane channels cased on carbon nanotubes—carbon nanotube porins (CNTPs). We have shown that CNTPs self-insert into lipid membranes and form stable pores. In this study, we used electrophysiological single-channel measurements to quantify ion conductance and selectivity of 0.8 nm diameter CNTPs. We report the conductance of single CNTP channels, as well as the scaling of the conductance with the ion concentration. We also used the reversal potential measurements to characterize the selectivity of the ion transport and found that CNTPs are highly selective to cations over anions. We will discuss the mechanism of this selectivity, and demonstrate ways to control it. These findings are important and relevant for developing CNTPs into a potential candidate nanopore for water treatment applications. Our studies on intrinsic characterization of CNTP transport properties will also enable researchers to consider this new material for a variety of biophysical applications.
Efficient VR and AR Navigation Through Multiperspective Occlusion Management

Immersive navigation in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) leverages physical locomotion through pose tracking of the head-mounted display. While this navigation modality is intuitive, regions of interest in the scene may suffer from occlusion and require significant viewpoint translation. Moreover, limited physical space and user mobility need to be taken into consideration. Some regions of interest may require viewpoints that are physically unreachable without less intuitive methods such as walking in-place or redirected walking. We propose a novel approach for increasing navigation efficiency in VR and AR using multiperspective visualization. Our approach samples occluded regions of interest from additional perspectives, which are integrated seamlessly into the user's perspective. This approach improves navigation efficiency by bringing simultaneously into view multiple regions of interest, allowing the user to explore more while moving less. We have conducted a user study that shows that our method brings significant performance improvement in VR and AR environments, on tasks that include tracking, matching, searching, and ambushing objects of interest.