cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Las reformas neoliberales del sector de la salud: déficit gerencial y alienación del recurso humano en América Latina

This work analyzes the neoliberal health sector reforms that have taken place in Latin America, the preparation of health care workers for the reforms, the reforms' impacts on the workers, and the consequences that the reforms have had on efficiency and quality in the health sector. The piece also looks at the process of formulating and implementing the reforms. The piece utilizes secondary sources and in-depth interviews with health sector managers in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Mexico. Neoliberal reforms have not solved the human resources problems that health sector evaluations and academic studies had identified as the leading causes of health system inefficiency and low-quality services that existed before the reforms. The reforms worsened the situation by putting new pressures on health personnel, in terms of both the lack of necessary training to face the challenges that came with the reforms and efforts to take away from workers the rights and benefits that they had gained during years of struggles by unions, and to replace them with temporary contracts, reduced job security, and lower benefits. The secrecy with which the reforms were developed and applied made workers even more unified. In response, unions opposed the reforms, and in some countries they were able to delay the reforms. The neoliberal reforms have not improved the efficiency or quality of health systems in Latin America despite the resources that have been invested. Nor have the neoliberal reforms supported specific changes that have been applied in the public sector and that have demonstrated their ability to solve important health problems. These specific changes have produced better results than the neoliberal reforms, and at a lower cost.
An oversampling analog-to-digital converter topology for high-resolution signal acquisition systems

High-precision analog-to-digital converters (ADC's) which periodically sample continuous time waveforms are required in many "signal acquisition" applications such as digital audio and instrumentation. This paper describes a specific topology for an oversampling differential pulse code modulation (DPCM)-type ADC that requires neither an analog anti-aliasing filter nor a sample-and-hold. Dithering techniques are presented which cause the quantization error to resemble an additive Gaussian white-noise source whose mean and variance are independent of the input. A smoothing technique is presented which improves the linearity of the ADC's transfer function. Results presented are based on both simulations and measurements of a test system constructed from discrete components. The potential for integration in a standard digital CMOS process is discussed.
PET, CT, and MRI with Combidex for mediastinal staging in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Background. To determine the relative utility of positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging with Combidex (MRI-C) in the non-invasive staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN), we compared the three tests’ individual performance with surgical mediastinal sampling. In contrast to prior studies, cytology was not used. Methods. The MLN were evaluated using PET and CT in 64 NSCLC patients. MRI-C was performed in 9 of these patients. MLN with a PET standard uptake value greater than or equal to 2.5, or greater than 1 cm in the short axis by CT or lack of MRI-C signal change were considered positive for metastatic disease. All MLN were sampled and subjected to standard pathologic analysis. PET, CT, and MRI-C scans were interpreted blinded to the histopathological results. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for each scan type to appropriately stage MLN was determined using pathologic results as the standard. Results. Thirty patients had stage I disease, 8 stage II, 9 stage IIIA, 7 stage IIIB, and 10 stage IV. Two-hundredand-thirty MLN were sampled. Sixteen patients had metastatic mediastinal disease. Compared to the pathological results, PET, CT, and MRI-C had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 70%, 86%, 84%; 65%, 79%, 76%; 86%, 82%, and 83%, respectively. PET and MRI-C were statistically more accurate than CT (p < 0.001). In cases where PET and CT did not identify MLN involvement with NSCLC, 8% (2/25) were pathologically positive. Conclusions. PET and MRI-C are statistically more accurate than CT. However, the differences are small and may not be clinically relevant. No technique was sensitive or specific enough to change the current recommendation to perform mediastinoscopy for MLN staging in NSCLC.
A dynamical model for the coupled inner magnetosphere and tail

WINDMI-RC is a family of physics-based models that range in dimensionality from low-order models of dimension d = 8, which model the flow of energy between the eight highest global energy components of the tail, to high-order models with dimension d /spl sim/ 100 or more, for models that resolve the nonlinear dynamics of the system into different latitude zones. The models are intrinsically three-dimensional in configuration space and use the basic geometry of the Tsyganenko magnetic field model to define the geometrical quantities. The models satisfy the constraints of the conservations laws of energy and electrical charge in their network of nodes and branches that follow from the structure of the system. These models describe the injection of plasma from the plasma sheet and across the Alfve/spl acute/n layer into the inner ring current. The transport uses the storm-time solar wind dynamo electric field as the driver for the network model coupled to the inner magnetospheric corotation electric field.
Soil feedback and pathogen activity in Prunus serotina throughout its native range

Summary 1 Oomycete soil pathogens are known to have a negative effect on Prunus serotina seedling establishment and to promote tree diversity in a deciduous forest in Indiana, USA. Here, we investigate whether negative feedbacks operate widely in its native range in eastern USA. 2 In laboratory experiments, soil sterilization was used to test the net effect of soil biota (pathogens and mutualists) and fungicide treatments to test the effects of soil pathogens (oomycetes) on survival of P. serotina seedlings in soils from 22 P. serotina populations throughout the eastern USA. 3 In soil associated with P. serotina trees, there was a significant positive effect of both soil sterilization and fungicide on seedling survival. The two effects were positively correlated, suggesting that oomycetes were responsible for the observed mortality of seedlings in untreated soils relative to sterilized soils. 4 We determined the host-specificity of these interactions by comparing the effects of the soil biota associated with conspecific and heterospecific trees. There was no interaction between the effects of soil origin and soil sterilization, or of soil origin and fungicide, on seedling survival, although an effect of soil origin on the relative oomycete effect suggested that soil pathogens associated with conspecifics had a more negative influence than those from heterospecifics. 5 Fungicide treatment decreased pre-emergence mortality of P. serotina seedlings at two of three field sites in the northern USA. 6 The overall consistency between the laboratory experiments and the field experiment strongly suggests that oomycete soil pathogens have a negative effect on the survival of P. serotina seedlings throughout its native range in the eastern USA. 7 Soil-borne pathogens therefore appear to regulate the densities of a common tree species ( P. serotina ) at larger geographical scales than previously described, providing additional evidence of the important role that soil biota play in regulating plant populations and structuring plant communities.
Trans-SNARE interactions elicit Ca2+ efflux from the yeast vacuole lumen

Ca2+ transients trigger many SNARE-dependent membrane fusion events. The homotypic fusion of yeast vacuoles occurs after a release of lumenal Ca2+. Here, we show that trans-SNARE interactions promote the release of Ca2+ from the vacuole lumen. Ypt7p–GTP, the Sec1p/Munc18-protein Vps33p, and Rho GTPases, all of which function during docking, are required for Ca2+ release. Inhibitors of SNARE function prevent Ca2+ release. Recombinant Vam7p, a soluble Q-SNARE, stimulates Ca2+ release. Vacuoles lacking either of two complementary SNAREs, Vam3p or Nyv1p, fail to release Ca2+ upon tethering. Mixing these two vacuole populations together allows Vam3p and Nyv1p to interact in trans and rescues Ca2+ release. Sec17/18p promote sustained Ca2+ release by recycling SNAREs (and perhaps other limiting factors), but are not required at the release step itself. We conclude that trans-SNARE assembly events during docking promote Ca2+ release from the vacuole lumen.
The life and works of J. C. Kapteyn

List of Illustrations. Preface. Introduction: J.C. Kapteyn and Modern Astronomy. 1. Family Life. 2. The Beginning Years. 3. Early Professional Years. 4. University Life. 5. International Astronomy. 6. Last Years. Bibliography.
Watching Language Grow in the Manual Modality: Nominals, Predicates, and Handshapes

All languages, both spoken and signed, make a formal distinction between two types of terms in a proposition – terms that identify what is to be talked about (nominals) and terms that say something about this topic (predicates). Here we explore conditions that could lead to this property by charting its development in a newly emerging language – Nicaraguan Sign Language (NSL). We examine how handshape is used in nominals vs. predicates in three Nicaraguan groups: (1) homesigners who are not part of the Deaf community and use their own gestures, called homesigns, to communicate; (2) NSL cohort 1 signers who fashioned the first stage of NSL; (3) NSL cohort 2 signers who learned NSL from cohort 1. We compare these three groups to a fourth: (4) native signers of American Sign Language (ASL), an established sign language. We focus on handshape in predicates that are part of a productive classifier system in ASL; handshape in these predicates varies systematically across agent vs. no-agent contexts, unlike handshape in the nominals we study, which does not vary across these contexts. We found that all four groups, including homesigners, used handshape differently in nominals vs. predicates – they displayed variability in handshape form across agent vs. no-agent contexts in predicates, but not in nominals. Variability thus differed in predicates and nominals: (1) In predicates, the variability across grammatical contexts (agent vs. no-agent) was systematic in all four groups, suggesting that handshape functioned as a productive morphological marker on predicate signs, even in homesign. This grammatical use of handshape can thus appear in the earliest stages of an emerging language. (2) In nominals, there was no variability across grammatical contexts (agent vs. no-agent), but there was variability within- and across-individuals in the handshape used in the nominal for a particular object. This variability was striking in homesigners (an individual homesigner did not necessarily use the same handshape in every nominal he produced for a particular object), but decreased in the first cohort of NSL and remained relatively constant in the second cohort. Stability in the lexical use of handshape in nominals thus does not seem to emerge unless there is pressure from a peer linguistic community. Taken together, our findings argue that a community of users is essential to arrive at a stable nominal lexicon, but not to establish a productive morphological marker in predicates. Examining the steps a manual communication system takes as it moves toward becoming a fully-fledged language offers a unique window onto factors that have made human language what it is.
Conceptual Sequencing and Disordered Speech in Schizophrenia

This study examined associations between impairments of attention, memory, and conceptual sequencing ability, and specific schizophrenia thought and language symptoms. Speech samples of stable schizophrenia outpatients were assessed for frequencies of six different types of communication failures. The classification of types of failures was based on hypothesized differences in underlying cognitive process. Frequencies of the four types of communication failures believed to involve language structural weaknesses all were significantly and fairly strongly related to conceptual sequencing ability. In addition, regression analyses indicated that each of these four types of communication failures was associated with a unique configuration of attentional, memorial, and conceptual sequencing processes. In contrast, the two types of communication disturbances not suggestive of language structural problems were not positively associated with any of the cognitive weaknesses assessed.
Concepts of Mental Health in Malaysia

AbstractThis study uses a qualitative, emic approach to assess differing concepts of mental health in Malaysia. Respondents were asked to list five characteristics of psychological well-being in the Malay language. The responses were analyzed by a self-identified religion (Islamic, Christian, Buddhist) and ethnicity (Malay, Chinese, tribal). Among all respondents, the most often noted concepts of mental health were rational thinking, interpersonal skills, controlling emotions, positive thinking, open-mindedness, and the ability to solve problems (in that order of frequency). The interpersonal skills concept was the most frequently identified by Chinese Buddhists/Christians and tribal Christians, while controlling emotions was the most frequently identified by Malay and tribal Muslims. Yet, when Malay responses were analyzed only by ethnicity, the highest frequency was interpersonal skills.
African-American Transgender Youth

The author, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, discusses his experience working with minority transgender youth in Los Angeles. He describes two cases of adolescents he has treated in Los Angeles at a clinic which serves sexual minority youth who are often wards of the foster care and criminal justice systems and who often have chaotic and traumatic family histories. Unlike the classic descriptions of transsexuals, these youth are often varied and fluid in terms of their gender identities, expression, and sexual identities and orientation.
Ostwald Ripening in Metallic Nanoparticles: Stochastic Kinetics

This paper looks at the factors that control Ostwald ripening in a bimodal silver nanocolloid system containing tabular particles having one dimension equal to or less than 5 nm. The test system was based on a seeded process using the staged addition of sodium borohydride and hydroquinone (HQ) to silver nitrate. The result was a blend of 20 nm spheres and 30 nm/4–5 nm nanodiscs. The mixture of morphologies allows for a greater differentiation in free energy stability between particles and consequently an accelerated rate of ripening. The rate of the ripening process is shown to be heavily dependent on the relative amount of spherical receptor particles as well as on the presence of hydroquinone as a redox catalyst. A stochastic model is proposed for stepwise adatom kinetics.
pH-Dependent DNA Distortion and Repression of Gene Expression by Pectobacterium atrosepticum PecS

Transcriptional activity is exquisitely sensitive to changes in promoter DNA topology. Transcription factors may therefore control gene activity by modulating the relative positioning of -10 and -35 promoter elements. The plant pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum, which causes soft rot in potatoes, must alter gene expression patterns to ensure growth in planta. In the related soft-rot enterobacterium Dickeya dadantii, PecS functions as a master regulator of virulence gene expression. Here, we report that P. atrosepticum PecS controls gene activity by altering promoter DNA topology in response to pH. While PecS binds the pecS promoter with high affinity regardless of pH, it induces significant DNA distortion only at neutral pH, the pH at which the pecS promoter is repressed in vivo. At pH ∼8, DNA distortions are attenuated, and PecS no longer represses the pecS promoter. A specific histidine (H142) located in a crevice between the dimerization- and DNA-binding regions is required for pH-dependent changes in DNA distortion and repression of gene activity, and mutation of this histidine renders the mutant protein incapable of repressing the pecS promoter. We propose that protonated PecS induces a DNA conformation at neutral pH in which -10 and -35 promoter elements are suboptimally positioned for RNA polymerase binding; on deprotonation of PecS, binding is no longer associated with significant changes in DNA conformation, allowing gene expression. We suggest that this mode of gene regulation leads to differential expression of the PecS regulon in response to alkalinization of the plant apoplast.
The late postpartum eclampsia controversy

The diagnosis of late postpartum eclampsia remains controversial. Six cases thought to represent eclampsia occurring 3 or more days post partum are reported, as is a review of the pertinent literature.
Structural oversupply and credibility in California’s carbon market

Abstract For several years, California’s carbon market has cleared just above a quarterly auction price floor. Following an anemic February 2016 auction, however, secondary market prices fell below the price floor. At the May auction, 90% of available allowances went unsold—$880 million worth, if valued at the price floor. These developments suggest that a combination of allowance oversupply and uncertainty over post-2020 climate policy has destabilized the market.
Influence of Al3+ doping on structural and magnetic properties of CoFe2-xAlxO4 Ferrite nanoparticles

Abstract A series of Al3+ substituted CoFe2-xAlxO4 (x = 0.0 to 0.9) ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized via autocombustion method. XRD data show that all the samples exhibit single phase cubic spinel structure where the lattice parameter was observed to decrease linearly with increasing Al3+ content. Structurally Al3+ doping was observed to bring in grain refinement and increase dislocation density in CoFe2-xAlxO4. The magnetic parameters namely saturation magnetization, MS, coercive field, HC, and remanent magnetization, Mr vary significantly with Al3+ doping. The Al3+ doping resulted in reduction in Ms and Hc due to magnetic dilution effect and reduction in anisotropy constant K1, respectively. Room temperature Mossbauer spectra were analyzed to extract cation distribution and hyperfine parameters. The hyperfine magnetic field decreases at both tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) interstitial sites with the increase in Al3+ content. The Mossbauer spectral analysis reveals that Al3+ has preference for the tetrahedral A site and Co2+ prefers B sites.
Discourse, Pragmatics and Narrative Data

Field linguists are often told to rely on naturalistic data as much as elic­ited data. By this we usually think of recorded narratives. However, a comprehensive description of a language should be built not just on elicited data, but also other types of spontaneously produced speech. Narratives and discourse data are covered in this chapter.
The Impact Approximation in Transition-State Absorption Spectroscopy: On the Possibility of Obtaining Difference Potentials Directly from the Transient Spectra

The impact approximation in transition-state absorption spectroscopy is introduced. Its usefulness in recovering difference potentials from transient spectra is evaluated.
Pater and Patria: Cervantes’s Muslim Fathers

The epistemic problems of interpreting and narrating the past occupied both Henry James and Miguel de Cervantes. But what gives James “courage” is precisely what upsets Cervantes—that is, that history is not what actually happens. History is, in fact, a selective memory of the past, one that lends itself nicely to manipulation. A political body, for example, carefully selects its official history and emphasizes the events that best narrate that story. James’s “finer complexity” of what is read into the past and thought of in connection with it are the bread and water of national identity: the myths, the festivals, and the parades. In a similar yet more intimate fashion, people create personal histories by selecting from their individual memories: the retelling of these experiences is the source of individual identities. Memory informs how people think of themselves and how they define themselves. Cervantes explicitly draws our attention to these themes many times in Don Quijote, but never more significantly than in the famous narrative rupture of Chapter 9 in Part I. A careful reading of that chapter initiates an understanding of the function of history and memory in the whole of Don Quijote and, in particular, begins to attend to the essential role of Muslims and Moriscos in Cervantes’s narrative project.
Determinants of moving plans: Did white residents panic move?

The previous chapter described the speed and character of racial transition in Wynnefield. This and the following two chapters seek to explain these shifts. There is increasing consensus among researchers that in order to explain residential shifts of particular ethnic groups it is necessary to examine the mobility decisions of individual households. Consequently, this chapter focuses on three research questions related to the determinants of moving plans of white Wynnefield households: 1. To what extent was racial change associated with a tendency on the part of white families to accelerate their moving plans? 2. What family characteristics (including the family’s religious identification) contributed to the willingness to remain? 3. To what extent did two Jewish religious characteristics — Jewish denominational affiliation and frequency of synagogue attendance — contribute to explaining variations in moving plans?
754 Farm mapping to assist, protect, and prepare emergency responders (farm mapper)

Background Farm Mapping to Assist, Protect and Prepare Emergency Responders (Farm MAPPER) is an interactive web-based tool developed by the NFMC that provides emergency responders onsite information about hazards, resources and physical layouts of agricultural operations. Emergency responders generally do not have right of entry to private farms to map them for future emergencies. Farm MAPPER provides a palate of icons representing items important in emergency events such hazards, access points, water sources, etc., even information on special needs farm residents. Methods The system was developed to allow a farmer to drag and drops icons on an overhead farm map using their computer. Through Farm MAPPER this information is accessible to emergency responders in the fire station, in-route by web connected device, or onsite using QR codes located on post box posts. This knowledge assists responders to efficiently and safely respond to on farm emergencies. MAPPER presently displays icons on Bing maps in an overhead bird’s eye view of the farm. Results The team developed and tested the prototype Farm MAPPER application with local farmers and conducted mock response with the Pittsville fire department using the MAPPER on a volunteer farms. Feedback was received from both groups. Farmers found it easy to use and expressed willingness to map their farms for the benefit of the emergency responders who might use the application. Emergency responders who participated in the mock responses found the application helpful in quickly locating the items that they needed to avoid or employ for their safety and response efficiency. They suggested modifications to the application which have since been incorporated. Conclusions The system was developed to handle geographic diversity, and will be available for worldwide adoption. The team is currently seeking collaborative opportunities to further expand the project reach beyond central Wisconsin.
Interaction of D1 and D2 Dopamine Receptors in the Expression of Dopamine Agonist Induced Behaviors

The study of behaviors induced by centrally acting dopaminergic agents is a classical means of investigating the pharmacology of the dopamine system and the pathophysiology of human neuropsychiatric diseases for which these behaviors serve as animal models. Observation and quantification of stereotypic and nonstereotypic behaviors has been a standard research protocol since the earliest work on the central activity of amphetamine and related agents (Randrup and Munkvad, 1967; Kelly and Iversen, 1975). Quantification of rotational behavior in lesioned rats (Ungerstedt and Arbuthnott, 1970) has more recently become an established means of investigating the activity of dopaminergic agents within the CNS. The compartmentalization of dopamine receptors on the basis of their ability to stimulate (D1 receptors) or not stimulate (D2 receptors) adenylate cyclase (Kebabian and Calne, 1979) and the introduction of agents selective for these receptor subtypes have provided the means with which to extend the classical behavioral observations and to utilize these techniques to more comprehensively characterize the pharmacology of the central dopamine system.
Drug Metabolism in Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract This chapter introduces key concepts related to drug metabolism and disposition in the setting of common cardiovascular diseases and drugs used to treat these conditions. The burden of disease and prevalence of cardiovascular drugs prescribed are substantial. Several factors impact drug metabolism in this population, including the disease itself and its associated comorbidities, such as hepatic and kidney dysfunction, along with physiologic changes in aging, and pharmacogenetic factors. Common cardiovascular diseases reviewed include heart failure, cardiac arrest, hypertension, acute coronary syndromes, thromboembolism, and dyslipidemia. Drug classes highlighted in this chapter include: diuretics, antihypertensives, antiarrhythmics, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, and lipid-modifying agents. The therapeutic complexity, potency, and narrow therapeutic index for several drugs also mandate special attention to factors which could alter metabolism and clinical response. In summary, recognition of factors that alter the metabolism of drugs used in cardiovascular disease is critical to making appropriate adjustments in therapy to optimize outcome.
Durability assessment of nanostructured TiO2 coatings applied on limestones to enhance building surface with self-cleaning ability

Abstract Coating with nanostructured Titanium dioxide is able to enhance natural stone surface with self-cleaning and depolluting abilities; nonetheless, the durability of the coatings is a crucial issue to be assessed in relation to their potential for use in the context of the building heritage. In this paper, the resistance of coatings applied on a compact and a soft limestone, which differ in roughness, porosity and cohesion features, has been investigated. A peeling and a water impact test were performed and their effect on the coated surface was evaluated as film loss by qualitative/quantitative ESEM-EDS analyses. Self-cleaning effectiveness was assessed by performing a photodegradation test of Rhodamine B. Crack-free and conformable films showed a good anchorage to both limestones; after the durability tests the coated surfaces exhibited almost unchanged Ti/Ca ratios and self-cleaning efficiencies. Large adhesion failures and decreased Ti amounts were recorded where coatings were fissured; they especially occurred on the surface of the compact limestone, along with a reduced self-cleaning ability. High surface roughness accounted for a better adhesion of both crack-free and fissured films to the soft limestone, but some erosion of the coated surface, which affected this friable stone under the water impact, compromised their preservation. Nonetheless, good self-cleaning performances were still provided due to the retention of nanoparticles under the surface. The overall results support that preservation of nanostructured TiO2 coatings on the stone surface depends on the inherent characteristics of both films and supports; durability of the stone itself can play an important role.
Family-Centered Care Measurement and Associations With Unmet Health Care Need Among US Children

Abstract Objective Family-centered care (FCC), including shared decision making (SDM), has become increasingly emphasized in pediatric health care delivery. Past studies using national surveys have used different FCC measurement approaches without determining their validity. We, therefore, sought to develop an FCC measurement model with Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) items previously used to assess FCC or SDM; and to determine temporal associations of FCC with unmet health care need. Methods Four longitudinal MEPS data files (2007–2011) were combined. The study sample included 15,764 US children aged 0 to 17 years. Eight items assessed FCC, and 5 items assessed unmet health care need. We performed exploratory factor analyses to develop an FCC measurement model and fit a cross-lagged structural equation model to determine temporal associations between FCC and unmet health care need. Results Results supported a 2-factor FCC model including family–provider communication and SDM. The family–provider communication factor was indicated by items reflecting general communication between the child's doctor and family. The SDM factor was indicated by items reflecting decision-making about the child's health care. Adjusted cross-lagged structural equation model results showed family–provider communication and SDM were associated with a reduced likelihood of unmet health care need the following year. Unmet health care need was not significantly associated with family–provider communication or SDM the subsequent year. Conclusions Study results support differentiating between family–provider communication and SDM as interrelated aspects of FCC in future pediatric health care quality measurement and improvement. Family–provider communication and SDM may reduce the likelihood of unmet health care need the following year among US children.
Attachment-based character deformation

While advancements have made it easier to work with digital characters, it remains difficult to author animations that display the free and highly expressive shape change that characterize hand-drawn animation. We present a deformation method that combines skeletal control and free shape change in a single framework, along with an intuitive, sketch-based interface. By finding attachment points between the mesh and skeleton, we enable configurable skeleton and surface-based deformations, and avoid common skinning artifacts. Use of sketch-based interfaces and graphics hardware make both skeletal and mesh deformation simple to control and fast enough for interactive use.
A History of Ideas in Evolutionary Neuroscience

Abstract The field of evolutionary neuroscience is more than 100 years old, and it has deep pre-evolutionary roots. Because that illustrious history has been reviewed repeatedly (Northcutt, 2001; Striedter, 2005) and is treated piecemeal in several articles of this book, I shall not review it fully. Instead, I will discuss a selection of the field’s historically most important ideas and how they fit into the larger context of evolutionary theory. I also emphasize ideas that are, or were, controversial. Specifically, I present the field’s central ideas in contrast pairs, such as ‘common plan versus diversity’ and ‘natural selection versus constraints’. This approach scrambles the chronology of theoretical developments but helps to disentangle the diverse strands of thought that currently characterize evolutionary neuroscience. It also helps to clarify which future directions are likely to be most fruitful for the field.
Force–Fluorescence Spectroscopy at the Single-Molecule Level

During the past decade, various powerful single-molecule techniques have evolved and helped to address important questions in life sciences. Yet these techniques would be even more powerful if they would be combined, that is, single-molecule manipulation with an orthogonal single-molecule observation. Here, we present a recently developed approach to combine single-molecule optical tweezers with single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. Optical tweezers are used to manipulate and observe mechanical properties on the nanometer scale and piconewton force range. However, once the force range is in the low piconewton range or less, the spatial resolution of optical tweezers decreases significantly. In combination with fluorescence spectroscopy, like Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), we are able to observe nanometer fluctuations and internal conformational changes in a low-force regime. The possibility to place fluorescent labels at nearly any desired position and a sophisticated design of the experiment increases the amount of information that can be extracted in contrast to pure mechanical or fluorescence experiments.
eModel-BDB: a database of comparative structure models of drug-target interactions from the Binding Database.

Background The structural information on proteins in their ligand-bound conformational state is invaluable for protein function studies and rational drug design. Compared to the number of available sequences, not only is the repertoire of the experimentally determined structures of holo-proteins limited, these structures do not always include pharmacologically relevant compounds at their binding sites. In addition, binding affinity databases provide vast quantities of information on interactions between drug-like molecules and their targets, however, often lacking structural data. On that account, there is a need for computational methods to complement existing repositories by constructing the atomic-level models of drug-protein assemblies that will not be determined experimentally in the near future. Results We created eModel-BDB, a database of 200,005 comparative models of drug-bound proteins based on 1,391,403 interaction data obtained from the Binding Database and the PDB library of 31 January 2017. Complex models in eModel-BDB were generated with a collection of the state-of-the-art techniques, including protein meta-threading, template-based structure modeling, refinement and binding site detection, and ligand similarity-based docking. In addition to a rigorous quality control maintained during dataset generation, a subset of weakly homologous models was selected for the retrospective validation against experimental structural data recently deposited to the Protein Data Bank. Validation results indicate that eModel-BDB contains models that are accurate not only at the global protein structure level but also with respect to the atomic details of bound ligands. Conclusions Freely available eModel-BDB can be used to support structure-based drug discovery and repositioning, drug target identification, and protein structure determination.
Enantioselective, Lewis Base-Catalyzed Carbosulfenylation of Alkenylboronates by 1,2-Boronate Migration.

A catalytic, enantioselective method for the preparation of chiral, non-racemic, alkylboronic esters bearing two vicinal stereogenic centers is described. The reaction proceeds via a 1,2-migration of a zwitterionic thiiranium–boronate complex to give exclusively anti carbosulfenylation products. A broad scope of aryl groups migrate with good yield and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99:1 e.r.). Similarly, a range of di- and trisubstituted alkenylboronic esters are competent reaction partners. This method provides access to both secondary and tertiary chiral alkylboronic esters.
Partial peak-load pricing of a transportation bottleneck with homogeneous and heterogeneous values of time

Abstract The first-best solution for a transportation bottleneck is to impose a first-best peak-load toll that varies continuously over time, reaching its maximum value at the most desirable crossing time. This eliminates all wasteful queueing. With homogeneous values of time, the private costs of consumers are unchanged, but the large maximum value of the first-best toll may make it politically infeasible. In this paper, I consider continuously time-varying partial peak-load tolls that have a much lower maximum value, but which still achieve a large fraction of the efficiency gain of the first-best toll. With heterogeneous values of time, a partial peak-load toll can leave all consumers with unchanged or decreased private costs even when the first-best toll does not do this.
Managing an “America First” Strategy: Donald Trump’s transition from a private to a public executive

The election of Donald Trump as America’s forty-fifth president took much of the world by surprise. Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump assured the electorate that he would solve the nation’s problems and implement an “America First” strategy which emphasises nationalism and unilateral action. He consistently contrasted his managerial skills with the ineptitude of career politicians and promised to make the best deals for America. However, the initial year of the Trump presidency has not generated the much-anticipated foreign policy successes and confusion and uncertainty have surfaced regarding America’s global leadership. Many of the difficulties the administration has faced in implementing its foreign policy strategy stem from the President’s unique management style. The current paper analyses the challenges Trump has encountered in employing his corporate management style in the Presidency and the effects it has had on America’s ability to lead the liberal international order.
Break Up the Ninth Circuit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has long been a target for those who view the court as out of step with the rest of the nation’s federal appellate courts. Conservatives have been particularly critical of the Ninth Circuit for its ostensibly liberal leanings and rebellious abandonment of precedent. Others have criticized the circuit’s disproportionately large caseload and apparent inability to resolve appeals at the same rate as other circuit courts. Although the Ninth Circuit began as one of the least prolific appellate courts, its docket now hosts one fifth of the nation’s federal appeals. Tracing back to the 1970s, there have been recurrent calls to divide the court into several smaller circuits. Such efforts have been met with resistance from those who believe dividing the circuit is merely a politically motivated scheme to dilute the court’s liberal composition—though the court’s tilt is much more a function of history (many judgeships added and filled under President Carter) than geography. In dispelling the critiques often raised by opponents, this Article maintains that the Ninth Circuit should be split into several smaller circuits—but not because of its ideological composition. Splitting up the Ninth Circuit makes perfect sense when looking to the court’s unwieldly size, procedural inefficiencies, jurisprudential unpredictability, and unusual en banc process. The untenable nature of the Ninth Circuit’s current configuration supports the proposition that Congress should finally adopt one of the many reasonable proposals for reorganizing the court.
A Predictive Model for Nodal Metastases in Patients With Appendiceal Cancers.

Background:Histologic subtypes of appendiceal cancer vary in their propensity for metastases to regional lymph nodes (LN). A predictive model would help direct subsequent surgical therapy.Methods:The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with appendiceal cancer undergoing surgery between
Certain Metabolic Effects of Estrogens

This presentation will concern itself with the effects of estrogenic hormones, either administered or through increased production during pregnancy, on two protein systems: 1. liver enzymes involved in the metabolism of cortisol and 2. the elevation in plasma transcortin concentration and its relation to progesterone-cortisol interplay. Both of these parameters have been the subjects of separate reports from our laboratory (Sandberg, Rosenthal and Slaunwhite, 1966; Rosenthal, Slaunwhite and Sandberg, 1969) and this paper will endeavor to stress the salient points of these effects.
Queer Diasporic Practice of a Muslim Traveler: Syed Mujtaba Ali’s Chacha Kahini

I do not know if Syed Mujtaba Ali identified as queer, and the question itself is anachronistic to my study. Here, my use of “queer” extends beyond contemporary identity categories, and refers to a broad spectrum of transgressive orientations vis-a-vis patriarchy and nationalism. Queer, in this essay, is an epistemological and social category, not a personal one. Today, it is important to study in queer ways because Western and postcolonial nations and nationalisms, such as in the USA, on one hand, and in India, on the other, compulsively seek to straighten out “the Muslim” through forceful applications of surveillance, interrogation, incarceration, and elimination. The abjection of the Muslim, as a national figure, is used to distribute and encode majoritarian national sentiment and identity (Berlant 1993; Mamdani 2004; Jasbir Puar 2007). The figure of the Muslim is often interpellated in popular media, but also in contemporary anthropological and area studies writings, as a subject locked within patriarchy, and within patrilines of tradition and descent: the Hadrami, the Ashraf, and Arab-centric authenticity. These regnant genealogies of Muslimness necessarily present Muslims as agonistically positioned in racist and caste-ist conceptions of modernity. The “terrorist”, invented by the American, European, and postcolonial Indian security states over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and by Western and Hindutva patriarchies and nationalisms, overdetermines discussions about Islamic cultures and peoples. The Muslim is erected as a transnational fantastic Other (Asad 2003, 2007). And the figure of the Muslim serves to represent a “bad patriarchy” that is counterposed to the supposedly good Christian, or caste Hindu, patriarchy of modern Western and Indian security states, respectively. We might say that at the core of colonial and neo-colonial fantasies of the Muslim is a displacement and mediation of authoritarian heteronationalism’s abject view of itself.
Designing a Robust Gasoline Blending Recipe Via Scenario-based Optimization

A scenario-based optimization approach is proposed to design a robust gasoline blending recipe under uncertainties. The proposed scheme considers the nonlinear behavior of blended octane, Monte Carlo simulation to generate a number of scenarios, and a sequential algorithm to converge to the optimal solution. This framework offers three advantages: First, incorporating the nonlinear functions into the optimization will provide a more realistic representation of the blending process. Second, the Monte Carlo sampling approach is capable of characterizing uncertainties with any probability distribution. Third, the sequential algorithm determines a near-global optimal solution in a significantly shorter time than directly using state-of-the-art optimization software. A case study with nine feedstocks and two products is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The Nobel Mabel. The woman who discovered that low oxygen stimulates hemoglobin production

The research of Mabel Purefoy FitzGerald (1872-1973) was recently recognized by Sir Peter Ratcliffe in his public lecture at the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine as a critical step in the recent delineation of the oxygen sensing pathway. This brief article offers a tantalizing glimpse into the life of a woman whose scientific career spanned four countries, worked with eminent scientists and clinicians including Haldane and Osler, and published important physiologic discoveries. Her accomplishments and astounding life were lost to history for more than one hundred years and it is time to bring her back. When this diminutive and proper English woman set out on her own to the wild and remote mining towns of Colorado, little did she know that this would be the moment for which she would be remembered in her long, productive research career and ludicrous struggle to become a physician more than a century ago. Hers is an extraordinary tale of privilege, hardship, discrimination, shocking perseverance, and grand adventure.
MRI KNEE BONE AGE: A NOVEL SHORTHAND APPROACH TO REDUCE BONE AGE RADIOGRAPHS IN CHILDREN:

Background:Determining bone age in skeletally immature patients is critical for proper management and surgical planning. Pennock et al. recently created and validated a bone age atlas using the oss...
Surgical Principles in Treating Osteogenesis Imperfecta

After a thorough multidisciplinary analysis and optimal medical management, surgical treatment serves to realign and stabilize deformed and weakened bones. Patient-specific outcome goals and limitations need to be understood preoperatively in formulating the surgical plan. Osteotomies to correct angulation generally are performed at the apex of deformity and should be percutaneous if possible, and soft tissue contractures addressed usually through bony shortening. Meticulous attention should be paid to preserving periosteum and obtaining and maintaining bony stabilization. Supplemental fixation and bone grafting are useful adjuncts to promote union. Early mobilization of the patient is encouraged. Decision-making in revision surgery is highly individualized as these may be technically demanding procedures.
Biomechanics of the Sacroiliac Joint: Surgical Treatments

ABSTRACT Background: Fixation is one of the most common surgical techniques for the treatment of chronic pain originating from the sacroiliac joint (SIJ). Many studies have investigated the clinical outcomes and biomechanics of various SIJ surgical procedures. However, the biomechanical literature points to several issues that need to be further explored, especially for the devices used in minimally invasive surgery of the SIJ. This study (part II) aims to assess biomechanical literature to understand the existing information as it relates to efficacies of the surgical techniques and the gaps in the knowledge base. Part I reviewed basic anatomy and mechanics of the SIJ joint, including difference between males and females, and causes of pain emanating from these joints. Methods: A thorough literature review was performed pertaining to studies related to SIJ fixation techniques and the biomechanical outcomes of the surgical procedures. Results: Fifty-five studies matched the search criteria and were considered for the review. These articles predominantly pertained to the biomechanical outcomes of the minimally invasive surgery with different instrumentation systems and surgical settings. Conclusions: The SIJ is one of the most overlooked sources of lower back pain. The joint is responsible for the pain in 15% to 30% of people suffering from lower back pain. Various studies have investigated the clinical outcomes of different surgical procedures intended to improve the pain and quality of life following surgery. The data show that these techniques are indeed effective. However, clinical studies have raised several issues, like optimal number and positioning of implants, unilateral versus bilateral placements, adjacent segment disease, implant designs, and optimal location of implants with respect to variations in bone density across the SIJ. Biomechanical studies using in vitro and in silico techniques have addressed some of these issues. Studies also point out the need for additional investigations for a better understanding of the underlying mechanics for the improved long-term surgical outcomes. Further long-term clinical follow-ups are essential as well. This review presents pertinent findings.