cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary controversy and psychobiology

Abstract Unlike some of my colleagues, I do not believe the debate among evolutionary biologists regarding punctuated equilibria theory can have any major impact on the various disciplines of behavioural science. The ramifications of punctuated equilibria are esoteric to this area due to the time frame involved and the lack of any empirical evidence for biological punctuational evolutionary impacts on human behaviour. Any tested hypothesis still standing will stand until subsequent research, not theorizing, knocks it down. Psychobiologists need not worry about their findings floating about with no theoretical base upon which to rest from time to time. As one of my mentors periodically reminded me whenever I would get overly excited about some new and enticing explanation for results: ‘data stand, theories fall’. Repeatable observations shape and stabilize the theories upon which they stand. But a theory with no observations tips easily. Scholars and scientists in pursuit of predictable explanations of human behaviour will go about their business as usual, perhaps with a bit more vigour knowing that the field has a bigger spotlight shining on it. Punctuated equilibrium or gradualism, whichever scheme best explains an expanding collection of data from the fossil record, will have no direct altering impact on advances in the area of ‘real-time’ proximal psychobiology, the ‘how’ aspects of explaining the biological mechanisms impacting human behaviour. And even in those theoretical areas in which evolutionary mechanisms/explanations are necessarily invoked, the outcome of whether a given idea is correct or not will ultimately depend upon supportive evidence collected from here on out, not from some Devonian fossils. In the meantime, we have a lot of ‘real-time’ proximal explaining to do.
Egg development in the mosquito Anopheles albimanus

Summary In the mosquito, Anopheles albimanus, previtellogenic egg development was completed by 48 h after emergence, and vitellogenic growth was completed by 36 h after a blood meal. Ecdysteroid levels reached a peak of 800 pg/female by 18 h, while vitellin levels rose to their maximum 36–48 h after a blood meal. Most of the ecdysteroids present in the female before 36 h behaved as ‘free’ hormone, while after 42 h the ecdysteroids were ‘conjugated’. Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone into non-blood-fed females induced degeneration of the resting stage oocytes, but vitellogenin synthesis was detectable by autoradiography. Injection of 5 μ of 20-hy-hroxyecdysone into blood-fed decapitated females induced almost precisely normal levels of vitellin. Detailed analysis of the effect of decapitating blood-fed females suggested that the release of factors from the head (e.g., egg development neurosecretory hormone) occurs as an all-or-none phenomenon, and probably occurs twice.
Aortic root dilation in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is characterized by a highly variable phenotype including a range of cardiac malformations. The most common cardiovascular features include a subset of conotruncal defects, perimembranous ventricular septal defects and aortic arch anomalies. This report describes a series of patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome with the novel cardiac finding of mild aortic root dilation. A chart review was performed on 93 patients with documented 22q11.2 deletion without significant congenital heart disease to determine the number of patients with aortic root dilation. Patients ranged in age from 1 to 13 years of age. Of these 93 patients, 10 patients were found to have aortic root dilation on a screening echocardiogram. Seven of these patients did not have any additional risk factors while three patients had a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Four of 10 patients had additional minor cardiac anomalies including repaired ventricular septal defect (1), patent ductus arteriosus(1), arch anomalies (1), and left pulmonary artery stenosis (1). Three patients had isolated cases of aortic root dilation. Interestingly, several of these patients did not have aortic root dilation on their initial echocardiograms. The purpose of this study is to draw attention to a novel cardiac finding in patients with 22q11.2 deletion that may be of clinical importance. Further long-term study is warranted to assess the need for echocardiographic screening in the 22q11.2 deleted population for aortic root dilation into adolescence and adulthood.
The effects of mesotocin on renal function in hypophysectomized Ambystoma tigrinum larvae.

The effects of mesotocin (8-Ile-oxytocin) were assessed on the kidneys of hypophysectomized and sham-operated larvae of Ambystoma tigrinum. Hypophysectomy decreased GFR from 0.244 to 0.133 ml/10 g-hr (P < 0.001). Injections of mesotocin increased GFR in hypophysectomized animals with a peak GFR (at 50 ng mesotocin) of 0.221 ml/10 g-hr which was significantly higher than GFR in control hypophysectomized larvae (P < 0.001). Mesotocin injections had no significant effect on GFR in sham-operated larvae. Hypophysectomy had no effect on fractional water and sodium reabsorption. A slight (<3%) significant increase in fractional chloride reabsorption followed hypophysectomy; however, mesotocin did not reverse it. A larger (27%) decrease in fractional potassium reabsorption resulted from hypophysectomy (P < 0.01) which was fully corrected by 50 ng mesotocin (P < 0.005). It is concluded that mesotocin may play a physiological role in controlling GFR and potassium excretion in these animals.
Extremity soft-tissue sarcomas selectively treated with surgery alone.

Purpose: This study determined local control (LC), freedom from distant recurrence (FFDR), overall survival (OS), and potential prognostic factors in 34 adult patients with primary extremity or limb girdle soft-tissue sarcoma selectively managed with limb-conservation surgery alone. Methods and Materials: The medical records of 34 patients who underwent surgery alone for localized soft-tissue sarcoma of the extremity were reviewed. Median duration of follow-up in survivors was 55 months (range, 24–143). There were 13 (38%) females. Eighteen (53%) of the tumors were low-grade, 15 (44%) were superficial, 15 (44%) were small (5 cm or less), and 16 (47%) involved the distal extremity. Results: Actuarial 5-year LC was 80%, FFDR was 86%, and OS was 82%. All recurrences (local and distant) were in patients with high-grade tumors; their 5-year LC was 60%, FFDR was 71%, and OS was 69%. In 2 patients, metastatic disease developed either concurrent with or after their local recurrence. Univariate analysis revealed better OS, FFDR, and LC for patients with low-grade tumors (p < 0.05). Female patients had significantly better FFDR and OS (p < 0.05). Conclusion: It is appropriate to consider withholding irradiation for selected patients with low-grade tumors resected with negative margins if, in the event of a local failure, a function-preserving surgical salvage is anticipated. For patients with high-grade sarcomas, the control of local and distant disease was not acceptable with limb-conservation surgery alone.
Effects of methoprene and juvenile hormone on larval ecdysis, emergence, and metamorphosis of the endoparasitic wasp, Apanteles congregatus

Abstract Topical application of juvenile hormone I and III or the hormone analogue methoprene to parasitized Manduca sexta larvae inhibited subsequent emergence of the endoparasitic wasp Apanteles congregatus. Methoprene treatment inhibited wasp emergence in a dose-dependent manner, causing either a delay or total inhibition of emergence. These results were interpreted as reflecting inhibitory effects of juvenile hormone on the second-larval ecdysis of the parasitoid that normally occurs during emergence from the host larva. Parasitoid ecdysis was disrupted even when methoprene was applied to host larvae a few hours prior to the normal expected time of emergence. A correlation between the number of emerging parasitoids and the timing of emergence was seen in methoprene-treated hosts, and few parasitoids emerged after day 9 of the host's fifth-instar. Our findings suggest that the suppression of emergence by juvenile hormone analogues noted in previous studies may be due to a similar inhibitory effect on parasitoid ecdysis. We also observed that parasitoids emerging from hosts treated with a low dose of methoprene (1 μg) later pupated normally but then formed nonviable pupal-adult intermediates. Thus use of this insect growth regulator must be undertaken carefully to prevent possible adverse effects on natural parasitoid populations.
Comparison of Damping Augmentation Mechanisms with Position and Velocity Feedback in Active Constrained Layer Treatments

In active constrained layer damping treatments there are two distinct physical mechanisms that contribute to vibration damping - increased passive damping due to increased shear in the viscoelastic material (VEM) layer, and damping due to transmission of active forces to the host structure. The present study demonstrates that the first mechanism is dominant when proportional feedback is used while the second mechanism is dominant when derivative feedback is used. In the case of proportional feedback, the shear in the VEM increases considerably so that the passive damping is significantly larger than that obtained for the zero-voltage case, but the active action is actually detrimental. In the case of velocity feedback, the shear strain levels in the VEM are virtually unchanged, and all of the damping augmentation is due to the active action. It is also seen that if position feedback is used, moderate values of VEM shear modulus that provide optimal passive damping, are best. On the other hand, if velocity...
Phonon mode and electronic bottleneck associated with the nonradiative relaxation in Ni2+‐doped MgO

The up‐converted hot luminescence technique was utilized to obtain information on the nonradiative relaxation in Ni2+:MgO. The experiment shows the presence of an electronic bottleneck associated with the 3T1(t4e4) electronic state which was determined to be at 2.973±0.003 eV (23978±25 cm−1). The spectral profiles indicate that the 395±15 cm−1 phonon mode is involved in the nonradiative relaxation of the impurity Ni2+ ions.
Second-Hand Spaces: Restructuring Retail Geographies in an Era of E-Commerce

Are online markets replacing or remaking second-hand markets in cities? The restructuring of secondary markets in light of virtual outlets like eBay is not well understood. In this article, we describe secondary markets and their important historic, economic, cultural, and social roles in cities. The literature on e-Commerce suggests that virtual retailers compete with bricks-and-mortar stores and potentially displace them. We question whether the internet can substitute for second-hand stores, which have traditionally relied on a loyal and local customer base, personalized shopping experiences, and surprise encounters. Given the historically embedded nature of exchange, we focus on one large Mid-western city, drawing upon survey and interview data from Chicago retailers. Our exploration of supply, demand, and geographic practices reveals subtle and complex alterations in second-hand exchange, rather than a displacement of second-hand markets by eBay. We also find substantive integration, fluidity, and hy...
Unique side-chain conformation encoding for chirality and azimuthal orientation in the molecular packing of skin collagen.

Abstract We used molecular mechanics to study the role of gly X − Y + sequences, where X − was Asp or Glu and Y + was Lys or Arg, in the molecular packing of type I collagen. In the minimal energy conformation of a triply stranded molecule having a coiled-coil configuration, the side-chains of these sequences segregated into two oppositely charged groupings of the forms X − Y + X − and Y + X − Y + . Groupings having the same net charge were clustered along two complementary azimuthal edges of the molecule. Intermolecular interactions, through these oppositely charged edges, align the molecules appropriately for the formation of the HHL crosslink of skin. This alignment also can account for the axial periodicity and chiral appearance of skin collagen fibrils.
Innervation of pulmonary alveoli of the mouse lung: an electron microscopic study.

The nerve supply to the alveolar ducts and alveoli of mouse lungs was studied with the electron microscope. In the alveolar ducts, nerve bundles consisting of as many as nine unmyelinated axons surrounded by connective tissue fibers were usually located in the interstitium surrounding the openings of the alveoli. In the alveolar walls, nerve bundles consisting of as many as five unmyelinated axons were located in the interstitium between pneumocytes and the capillaries. The unmyelinated axons contained neurotubules and some mitochondria, and were partially or completely surrounded by Schwann cells. Two distinct types of enlarged nerve endings were identified. The first type contained many small mitochondria and was either associated with the type I pneumocyte or located alone in the interstitium. The second type was packed with numerous large dense-core vesicles and was in close contact with the type II pneumocyte. It is suggested that the first type of ending is sensory and the second type is motor in function.
Conformal thin sandwich initial data for a single boosted or spinning black hole puncture

Sequences of initial-data sets representing binary black holes in quasi-circular orbits have been used to calculate what may be interpreted as the innermost stable circular orbit. These sequences have been computed with two approaches. One method is based on the traditional conformal-transverse-traceless decomposition and locates quasi-circular orbits from the turning points in an effective potential. The second method uses a conformal-thin-sandwich decomposition and determines quasi-circular orbits by requiring the existence of an approximate helical Killing vector. Although the parameters defining the innermost stable circular orbit obtained from these two methods differ significantly, both approaches yield approximately the same initial data, as the separation of the binary system increases. To help understand this agreement between data sets, we consider the case of initial data representing a single boosted or spinning black hole puncture of the Bowen-York type and show that the conformal-transverse-traceless and conformal-thin-sandwich methods yield identical data at the perturbative level, both satisfying the conditions for the existence of an approximate Killing vector.
Characterization of α-adrenoceptor activity in the preterm piglet mesentery☆

To characterize neonatal mesenteric alpha-adrenoceptor populations, an extracorporeal perfusion circuit was established to control intestinal blood flow in prematurely delivered (by cesarean section at 90% of gestational age) piglets. Activation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors was documented by observing dose-dependent increases in mesenteric perfusion pressure after intramesenteric arterial injection of methoxamine; alpha 2-adrenoceptor activity was confirmed by finding similar increases in mesenteric perfusion pressure after intramesenteric arterial injections of BHT 933. Peripheral intravenous injections of WB 4101 (a competitive alpha 1A-adrenoceptor antagonist), but not clorethylclonidine (CEC, an alpha 1B-adrenoceptor antagonist), significantly blunted (P < .05, ANOVA) the mesenteric vasoconstrictor responses to methoxamine. The mesenteric vasoconstrictor response to BHT 933 (an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist) also was blunted by WB 4101, but not by CEC. These data suggest that alpha 1A- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors can be activated in the small intestinal mesentery of piglets well before they reach full-term maturation, although receptor specificity has not been fully established.
A discrete-time wavelet transform based on a continuous dilation framework

We present a new form of wavelet transform. Unlike the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) or discrete wavelet transform (DWT), the mother wavelet is chosen to be a discrete-time signal and wavelet coefficients are computed by correlating a given discrete-time signal with continuous dilations of the mother wavelet. The results developed are based on the definition of a discrete-time scaling (dilation) operator through a mapping between the discrete and continuous frequencies. The forward and inverse wavelet transforms are formulated. The admissibility condition is derived, and examples of discrete-time wavelet construction are provided. The new form of wavelet transform is naturally suited for discrete-time signals and provides analysis and synthesis of such signals over a continuous range of scaling factors.
Modeling water ages and thermal structure of Lake Mead under changing water levels

Abstract Water age and thermal structure of Lake Mead were modeled using the 3-dimensional hydrodynamic Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC). The model was calibrated using observed data from 2005 and then applied to simulate 2 scenarios: high-stage with an initial water level of 370.0 m and low-stage with a projected initial water level of 320.0 m. The high-stage simulation described predrought lake hydrodynamics, while the low-stage simulation projected how lake circulation could respond under significant lake drawdown, should drought conditions persist. The results indicate that water level drawdown plays an important role in thermal stratification and water movement of Lake Mead during receding water levels. The impact of the dropping water level on lake thermal stratification is more significant in shallow regions such as Las Vegas Bay. Depth-averaged (the mean value of 30 vertical layers) water temperature in the low-stage was estimated to increase by 4–7 C and 2–4 C for shallow (<20 m) and deep...
Eating disorders, obesity and addiction.

An addiction model of both eating disorders and obesity has received increasing attention in the popular and scientific literature. The addiction is viewed as a brain disease that must be directly targeted if treatment is to succeed. Evidence from laboratory feeding studies, epidemiology, genetic and familial research, psychopathological mechanisms, and treatment outcome research on cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is inconsistent with the clinical validity or utility of the addiction model of eating disorders. Neurobiological research has shown commonalities in brain reward processes between obesity and substance abuse disorders. Yet emphasis on apparent similarities overlooks important differences between obesity and drug addiction. Interest in obesity as a brain disease should not detract from a public health focus on the ‘toxic food environment’ that is arguably responsible for the obesity epidemic and related nutrition-based chronic disease. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with Addison's disease: measurements of serum insulin levels.

Abstract A review of the cninical records of 41 patients with Addison's disease was made with the purpose of determing the prevalence of diabetes mellitus. The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was made in 17 per cent of the patients by the oral glucose tolerance test. The prevalence of diabetes associated with Addison's disease was higher than expected in view of the dichotomy of effects on carbohydrate metabolism in the 2 diseases alone. Serum insulin values obtained in 2 diabetic patients with Addison's disease resembled those noted in other adult-onset diabetics. Two of the diabetic patients showed elevated and delayed peaks in the insulin response to a glucose load. The insulin responses in the remaining nondiabetic patients were normal. The apparent increase in prevalence of diabetes mellitus in association with chronic adrenal insufficiency could be due to (1) excessive corticoid replacement therapy; (2) inadequate or discontinuous corticoid replacement causing increased ACTH secretion; (3) a viral infection afflicting both the adrenal cortex and the pancreatic islet cells; (4) auto-immune reactions involving both the adrenal and pancreatic glands; or (5) the prolonged survival of patients with Addison's disease. In view of these findings it is important to consider the coexistence of diabetes mellitus, thyroid abnormalities, and possible other endocrine disorders in patients with Addison's disease.
Evaluation of tunnel FET-based flip-flop designs for low power, high performance applications

As proliferation of embedded systems and mobile devices increases, power has become one of the most paramount concerns in current microprocessor designs. Technology scaling has provided many benefits in terms of dynamic power; however, static power has become the bottleneck to reducing power. We address this by evaluating Tunnel FETs (TFETs) for use in low-power, high-performance flip-flop designs. Due to the nature of TFETs, some of the flip-flop designs that are evaluated require additional modifications beyond simple device replacement-most notably the pseudo-static D flip-flop (DFF). We find that despite these additional transistors, the low voltage TFET DFF provides clear advantages in power and energy combined with performance comparable to higher voltage MOSFET and FinFET designs.
Accent conversion through cross-speaker articulatory synthesis

Accent conversion (AC) seeks to transform second-language (L2) utterances to appear as if produced with a native (L1) accent. In the acoustic domain, AC is difficult due to the complex interaction between linguistic content and voice quality. Alternatively, AC can be performed in the articulatory domain by building a mapping from L2 articulators to L2 acoustics, and then driving the model with L1 articulators. However, collecting articulatory data for each L2 learner is impractical. Here we propose an approach that avoids this expensive step. Our method builds a cross-speaker forward mapping (CSFM) to generate L2 acoustic observations directly from L1 articulatory trajectories. We evaluated the CSFM against a baseline articulatory synthesizer trained with L2 articulators. Subjective listening tests show that both methods perform comparably in terms of accent reduction and ability to preserve the voice quality of the L2 speaker, with only a small impact in acoustic quality. Index terms– Data-driven articulatory synthesis, accent conversion, voice conversion
Particle swarm optimization of a modified Bernstein polynomial for conformal array excitation synthesis

Bernstein polynomials are well known in the computer graphics community as the basis functions of Bezier curves. Like popular amplitude weighting functions, such as Taylor weights, Bernstein polynomials are nonnegative and decay smoothly from a single maximum. A modified Bernstein polynomial is introduced, defined with just four parameters for ease and speed of optimization. A particle swarm optimizer sets these four parameters to realize low array sidelobe amplitude distributions for a conformal array at various scan angles. This yields a novel method of generating realistic aperture weights, using the relatively new technique of particle swarm optimization.
Evaluation of animal models for the study of exercise-induced muscle enlargement

Skeletal muscle is known to enlarge in response to high-resistance training programs in humans. Study of the cellular mechanisms of muscle enlargement and the adaptations of muscle to strength-training programs has been difficult because of the need to analyze entire muscles. This precludes the use of human subjects in many experiments of this nature. Several animal models have been developed for the study of muscle enlargement; these models basically fall into three categories: 1) stretch hypertrophy, 2) compensatory hypertrophy, and 3) exercise-induced hypertrophy. This review attempts to analyze these models as models of muscle enlargement produced by strength training in humans. Three areas must be considered when evaluating animal models of human muscle enlargement produced by strength training: 1) response topography, 2) magnitude of enlargement, and 3) muscle fiber adaptations produced as a result of the enlargement. Based on these considerations, it is concluded that none of the animal models currently in use truly represents the human strength-training situation under all conditions. All three models, however, provide valuable information about the plasticity of skeletal muscle in response to a broad spectrum of muscle enlargement.
Endoleaks after Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms shows promising initial results. Endoleaks represent one of the unique causes of endovascular repair failure not seen with traditional abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Endoleaks occur when there is blood flow outside the stent-graft lumen but within the aneurysm sac. They can be difficult to diagnose and treat, and their management is a source of continued controversy. This review further defines endoleaks and the clinical challenges that they create. Current methods for endoleak detection, classification, and management are reviewed.
Robot-assisted skull base surgery

We created an image-guided robot system to assist with skull base drilling by integrating our Steady Hand Robot with a Medtronic StealthStationreg Navigation System via its Stealthlink portal. The objective of this procedure is to create a opening in the skull base to allow access for neurosurgical interventions such as aneurysm clipping or tumor biopsy. The motivation for introducing an image-guided robot is to improve safety by preventing the surgeon from violating critical structures during the drilling procedure. Our approach is to attach the cutting tool to the robot end-effector and operate the robot in a cooperative control mode, where robot motion is determined from the forces and torques applied by the surgeon. We employ "virtual fixtures" to constrain the motion of the cutting tool so that it remains in the safe zone that was defined on a preoperative CT scan. This paper presents the system design and the results of phantom experiments performed with a synthetic skull.
The Crown and Stem of the V3 Loop Play Distinct Roles in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope Glycoprotein Interactions with the CCR5 Coreceptor

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 interacts with CD4 and the CCR5 coreceptor in order to mediate viral entry. A CD4-induced surface on gp120, primarily composed of residues in the V3 loop and the C4 domain, interacts with CCR5. In the present study, we generated envelope glycoproteins comprising chimeric V3 loops and/or V3 loops with deletions and studied their binding to CCR5 amino-terminal domain (Nt)-based sulfopeptides and cell surface CCR5, as well as their ability to mediate viral entry. We thus delineated two functionally distinct domains of the V3 loop, the V3 stem and the V3 crown. The V3 stem alone mediates soluble gp120 binding to the CCR5 Nt. In contrast, both the V3 stem and crown are required for soluble gp120 binding to cell surface CCR5. Within the context of a virion, however, the V3 crown alone determines coreceptor usage. Our data support a two-site gp120-CCR5 binding model wherein the V3 crown and stem interact with distinct regions of CCR5 in order to mediate viral entry.
Too difficult to protect: a history of the 1934 Monaco Draft and the problem of territory for international humanitarian law

‘Blurry’, ‘indeterminate’, and ‘elastic’ are terms used to describe the spatial, legal, and categorical ambiguities that have characterized the war–law–space nexus since September 11th. I argue here that these same qualities were central to the lawmaking process eighty years ago in the case of the Monaco Draft, a draft convention that proposed rules to establish hospital and safety towns, zones, and localities in order to strengthen international humanitarian law. This paper reviews the Monaco Draft’s spatial proposals from their conception in 1934 and their discussion at three expert consultations during the 1930s to their incorporation into the 1949 Geneva Conventions as nonbinding recommendations. An analysis of the conversations among experts charged with examining the proposed rules reveals how the interplay of territorial ideology with the more contingent realities of the battlefield produced uncertainties that conditioned the law. This was further complicated by the law’s customary basis, which makes untested legal measures especially risky. The broader significance of this research is that it presents a historical case showing the problematic nature of territory, uncertainty, and materializing norms as a continuing feature of humanitarian law.
Immunization Strategies to Protect Preterm Infants

The development of a safe and effective childhood immunization schedule has effectively reduced morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). VPDs are particularly severe in young infants, especially preterm (gestational age
An overview of videostreaming on the Internet and its application to surgical education

The Information Age has endowed mankind with a wealth of new technologies. Applications of these technologies are being developed to facilitate content exchange between individuals and institutions. Internet streaming is an exciting new technology that allows multimedia content to be stored and sent over the Internet, and medical educators are challenged to harness the potential of streaming for educational enhancement. This article helps to define streaming, examining its potential for surgical education.
Social behaviors on XP and non-XP teams: a comparative study

This is an ethnographic study of two software development teams within the same organization, one which utilizes the Extreme Programming (XP) methodology and one which does not. This study compares the work routines and work practices of the software developers on the XP team and the non-XP team. Observed behavior suggests that certain features of the XP methodology lead to greater uniformity in work routine and work practice across individual team members. The data also suggest that the XP methodology makes awareness development and maintenance less effortful on a software development team.
Ras-Mediated Signal Transduction and Virulence in Human Pathogenic Fungi

Signal transduction pathways regulating growth and stress responses are areas of significant study in the effort to delineate pathogenic mechanisms of fungi. In-depth knowledge of signal transduction events deepens our understanding of how a fungal pathogen is able to sense changes in the environment and respond accordingly by modulation of gene expression and re-organization of cellular activities to optimize fitness. Members of the Ras protein family are important regulators of growth and differentiation in eukaryotic organisms, and have been the focus of numerous studies exploring fungal pathogenesis. Here, the current data regarding Ras signal transduction are reviewed for three major pathogenic fungi: Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. Particular emphasis is placed on Ras-protein interactions during control of morphogenesis, stress response and virulence.
Effect of antepartum meconium staining on perinatal and neonatal outcomes among pregnancies with gastroschisis

AbstractObjective: To investigate the association between meconium staining and perinatal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with gastroschisis.Methods: Retrospective analysis of infants with prenatally diagnosed gastroschisis born in two academic medical centers between 2008 and 2013. Neonatal outcomes of deliveries with and without meconium staining were compared. Primary outcome was defined as any of the following: neonatal sepsis, prolonged mechanical ventilation, bowel atresia or death. Secondary outcomes were preterm delivery, preterm-premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and prolonged hospital length of stay.Results: One hundred and eight infants with gastroschisis were included of which 56 (52%) had meconium staining at delivery. Infants with meconium staining had a lower gestational age at delivery (36.3 (±1.4) versus 37.0 (±1.2) weeks, p = 0.007), and a higher rate of PPROM (25% versus 8%, p = 0.03) than infants without meconium. Meconium staining was not significantly associated with the pri...
Investigation of leading HPC I/O performance using a scientific-application derived benchmark

With the exponential growth of high-fidelity sensor and simulated data, the scientific community is increasingly reliant on ultrascale HPC resources to handle their data analysis requirements. However, to utilize such extreme computing power effectively, the I/O components must be designed in a balanced fashion, as any architectural bottleneck will quickly render the platform intolerably inefficient. To understand I/O performance of data-intensive applications in realistic computational settings, we develop a lightweight, portable benchmark called MADbench2, which is derived directly from a large-scale Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data analysis package. Our study represents one of the most comprehensive I/O analyses of modern parallel filesystems, examining a broad range of system architectures and configurations, including Lustre on the Cray XT3 and Intel Itanium2 cluster; GPFS on IBM Power5 and AMD Opteron platforms; two BlueGene/L installations utilizing GPFS and PVFS2 filesystems; and CXFS on the SGI Altix3700. We present extensive synchronous I/O performance data comparing a number of key parameters including concurrency, POSIX- versus MPI-IO, and unique- versus shared-file accesses, using both the default environment as well as highly-tuned I/O parameters. Finally, we explore the potential of asynchronous I/O and quantify the volume of computation required to hide a given volume of I/O. Overall our study quantifies the vast differences in performance and functionality of parallel filesystems across state-of-the-art platforms, while providing system designers and computational scientists a lightweight tool for conducting further analyses.
Cache miss characterization and data locality optimization for imperfectly nested loops on shared memory multiprocessors

This paper develops an algorithm to accurately characterize the number of cache misses for a class of compute-intensive calculations encountered in accurate quantum chemistry models of electronic structure. The proposed approach can handle imperfectly nested loop structures, symbolic loop bounds, and non-constant dependences for a constrained class of array references. It is proposed in the context of tensor contraction computations, and extends previous work on "stack distances" by Almasi et al. (2002) and Cascaval et al. (2003). We illustrate the application of the approach for determination of effective tile sizes and parallelization on shared-memory parallel systems.
On the Derivation of the Dispersion Formula for Nuclear Reactions

Kapur and Peierls gave a derivation of the nuclear dispersion formula which differed from other treatments in defining the compound states by means of wave functions in coordinate space. We have carried through the derivation starting out in a similar way, but avoiding certain disadvantages of their treatment, which mainly consist in too restricting assumptions.
Microscale kin discrimination in a famous soil bacterium.

Hamilton (1) argued that prior to his theory of inclusive fitness, nobody had sought evidence for kin discrimination in animals because nepotism was an embarrassment to human society. Why did it take so long after Hamilton’s theory was proposed, however, to search for kin discrimination in simpler organisms, like bacteria? Perhaps we were prideful that we, as animals, have the unique ability to recognize kin and use the kin-unit as the basic building block of our advanced societies. This pride has since been diminished by the discoveries of kin discrimination in plants (2), social amoebae (3), and Gram-negative bacteria (4, 5). Now the discovery of kin discrimination in the Gram-positive soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis (6) may cause us to rethink what it means to be kin and why we exist as organisms at all.
World news at the Newseum: Interactive imaginings of international news reporting:

This article analyzes the Newseum’s attention to questions of the international in an attempt to answer two related research questions: (1) how does the Newseum represent the ‘world news’ story, an...
Reactivation of a Ruthenium-Based Olefin Metathesis Catalyst

First-generation Hoveyda–Grubbs olefin metathesis catalyst was purposely decomposed in the presence of ethylene, yielding inorganic species that are inactive in the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of the benchmark substrate diethyl diallylmalonate (DEDAM). The decomposed catalyst was treated with 1-(3,5-diisopropoxyphenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-yn-1-ol (3) to generate an olefin metathesis active ruthenium indenylidene-ether complex in 43% yield. This complex was also prepared independently by reacting RuCl2(p-cymene)(PCy3) with the organic precursor 3. The activity of the isolated reactivated catalyst in the RCM of DEDAM is similar to that of the independently prepared complex.
Commercial satellites open skies

As commercial remote-sensing systems improve and restraints on them are lifted, President Eisenhower's idea of free information exchange and mutual space surveillance is finally becoming a reality—and not just for the superpowers.
Factors Affecting Landslide-Susceptibility in San Mateo County, California

A data set was constructed to analyze regional landslide-susceptibility in San Mateo County, California. The data set consists of 2,639 cells spaced at 2,100 ft intervals. Six input variables were used to define the characteristics of each cell. Information was compiled from maps that had been published by others pertaining to slope angle, rock type, rainfall, soil type, vegetation type and the distribution of landslide deposits. A digitizing tablet was used to input and store the data in digital form on a computer. The geologic units were separated into four categories of relative susceptibility on the basis of a statistical analysis of the data: highly susceptible, susceptible, moderately susceptible, and least susceptible. The Purisima Formation, Monterey Shale, Mindego volcanics, San Lorenzo Formation and Tertiary intrusives were designated as highly susceptible. The distribution of landslides was found to be sensitive to slope angle only up to a slope of about 15 percent (9 degrees). Other factors appear to be more significant in controlling landslide distribution at steeper slope angles. Susceptibility to slope failures was found to be directly related to the mean annual rainfall. This can be explained theoretically by the relationship between pore-water pressure and soil shear strength. Soil type and vegetation type were found to be secondary factors in determining the distribution of slope failures. This may reflect the fact that only landslides with long dimension in excess of 500 ft were considered in this study. The methodologies of Brabb and others (1972), and Radbruch and Crowther (1973) used to create regional susceptibility maps were found to be consistent with the statistical analyses performed in this study.
Legal Theory after Deleuze

If Deleuze, and Deleuze and Guattari, appear to have re-shaped the very meaning of what it means to be theoretical, then what consequences does such a transformation of the critical paradigm have for legal theory? To begin with we might make a preliminary remark regarding theoria, with its emphasis on a distanced, elevated and self-consciously critical relation to everyday knowledge, opinion or doxa. Recently there has been much talk of an ‘end’ of or ‘death’ or indeed epoch ‘after’ theory, with the post-theoretical being defined as a return to life and history (Docherty, 1990; Eagleton, 2003). Part of the reason for this perceived opposition between theory and life results from a certain reading of theory in the 1980s and 1990s that was dominated by the linguistic paradigm. That is, theory was often assumed to be an interrogation into the ways in which life, experience and the world in general were mediated or constructed through systems such as language.1 In terms of legal theory this resulted in a highly specific reading of twentieth-century French thought: ‘law’ was taken to be not only the positive laws and traditions of the legal system but a condition for the possibility of experience in general. This expansion of the concept of law can be discerned in the uptake of the works of Jacques Derrida and Jacques Lacan (Cornell, 1991), where it was assumed that ‘law’ could refer both to the general condition of being subjected to some system of order, and to social normativity and legality.
Pharmacotherapy of Childhood Obesity and Pre-diabetes

The use of pharmacologic agents for treatment of obesity has a checkered history. A variety of drugs and hormones have been shown to cause short-term weight loss in obese adults; however, attempts to reduce body weight with powerful stimulants and appetite suppressants – examples include amphetamines, phenmetrazine, thyroid hormone, dexfenfluramine, and rimonabant – ultimately proved disastrous when the drugs were found to cause life-threatening cardiovascular complications and/or psychological decompensation (1).
The CT-simulator and the Simulator-CT: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Future Developments

The idea of using a CT unit in place of a conventional gantry-mounted radiographic/fluoroscopic x-ray simulator is not new. A converted CT unit, called a CT-simulator, capable of marking treatment field outlines on a patient, has been available in the United States since 1981 (originally manufactured by Pfizer Medical Corp. and now available through Medical High Technology International, Inc., Clearwater, Fl.). (Galvin et al. 1982). A short time later similar equipment was introduced in Japan (Endo et al. 1982). There is currently renewed interest in this technique. Two additional manufacturers in the United States now offer something called a CT-simulator [CT-simulators marketed by Siemens Medical Systems, Inc., Island, N.J. and the unit manufactured by Picker Medical Systems (marketed by Varian, Palo Alto, Calif.)] and two others are showing work-in-progress for their CT-simulator projects (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisc. and Philips Medical Systems North America, Shelton, Conn.).
Chacoan Roadways in the Goodman Point Region in Southwest Colorado

The interplay of practical and symbolic function is not often studied within the context of prehistoric roads or trails, and such an approach within the Southwest could provide researchers with an ...
Preoperative Tumor Embolization

The resection of vascular intra- and extracranial tumors is among the greatest challenges faced by neurological and ENT surgeons. Adjunctive techniques such as stereotactic imaging and neuronavigation have greatly enhanced the safety and efficacy of these procedures. Neurointervention also has a role to play in these complex conditions. Preoperative tumor embolization may reduce blood loss and the need of complex skull base approaches to occlude large vascular pedicles.
Book Reviews -- Families That Abuse: Diagnosis and Therapy by Stefano Cirillo and Paola DiBlasio

Cirillo, Stefano and Paola DiBlasio, Families That Abuse: Diagnosis and Therapy. New York, N.Y.: W.W. Norton & Co., Ltd., 1992, 195pp., $22.95 hardcover.In this well-translated and easily read book, Cirillo and DiBlasio have, in a sense, written the history of a social service agency that specializes in clients involuntarily ordered by a court into therapy for abusive behavior towards children. The book traces the development of the agency, which the authors helped found and, most interestingly, the ways clinical theory was involved in forming agency policy. Cirillo and DiBlasio successfully demonstrate how the agency synchronized its practice theory with agency structure and procedures into an integrated framework of organization and practice.Families that Abuse makes three other significant points as well. Using systems theory, Cirillo and DiBlasio invoke the "game" metaphor to describe how the relations among family members are organized and evolve over time. In some ways the metaphor, perhaps without sufficient theoretical sophistication however, improves upon traditional systems theory by involving an individual's contribution to the game. These authors, unlike many straightforward systems theorists, "recognize the relative autonomy of emotions, behaviors, and strategies" (15) among a family's individual players. In other words, this book takes the family systems approach to a multi-dimensional level of analysis that broadens the utility, and possibly the external validity, of the theory. As the authors note, mandated therapy functions differently from voluntary treatment by definition and they explore the predisposing and mediating variables involved in abuse and seeking assistance at the individual, family, social, and cultural levels.Second, this book offers valuable insight into abusive families and involuntary therapy. Cirillo and DiBlasio discuss the psycho-social factors in abusive families' decisions not to request help. Though these factors are common knowledge for the most part, the authors give new and useful clinical evidence and recommendations that would assist therapists and social workers working with this population. Among the more interesting examples is the authors' technique for reframing court involvement as a clinicul maneuver for communicating with a family that is not otherwise responding to interventions. In addition, their model unites the therapy and control functions of helping professionals to prevent a client from polarizing between the "good" counselor (associated with treatment) and the "bad" social worker (often considered a control agent). …
Disability and the Theodicy of Defeat

Marilyn McCord Adams argues that God’s goodness to individuals requires God to defeat horrendous evils; it is not enough for God to outweigh these evils through compensatory goods. On her view, God defeats the evils experienced by an individual if and only if God’s goodness to the individual enables her to integrate the evil organically into a unified life story she perceives as good and meaningful. In this essay, we seek to apply Adams’s theodicy of defeat to a particular form of suffering. We argue that God’s goodness to individuals requires that God defeat the suffering to which a range of disabilities can give rise.
The Impact of Democracy on the Socio-economic Development of the Sudan

The poor socio-economic performance of African countries has largely been related to a lack of democratic rule. The quest of the African nations for democratically elected governments that can lead to a prosperous life, prominent during the early nationalist movement of the 1960s, has faded away. Instead, a wave of authoritarian regimes has ravaged the continent since the early 1970s. Sudan has been especially affected by this phenomenon, followed by poor performance of the Sudanese economy, which depends largely on agricultural production, despite internal and external economic reforms. This article contributes to the ongoing debate over whether the democracy of free and fair elections can bring the expected socio-economic changes to developing countries. The case study of the Sudan demonstrates a successful experience with socio-economic development during the short period of democratic rule in the late 1960s. This situation is contrasted with low agricultural productivity, poor economic performance, an...
Making post-truth planning great again: confronting alternative facts in a fractured democracy

Donald Trump’s presidential election presents a pedagogic challenge for those, like me, who believe and teach that successful planning depends on our capacity for collective deliberation. This feel...