cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical planning for living donor liver transplant using 4D flow MRI, computational fluid dynamics and in vitro experiments

AbstractThis study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling and in vitro experiments to predict patient-specific alterations in hepatic hemodynamics in response to partial hepatectomy in living liver donors. 4D Flow MRI was performed on three donors before and after hepatectomy and models of the portal venous system were created. Virtual surgery was performed to simulate (1) surgical resection and (2) post-surgery vessel dilation. CFD simulations were conducted using in vivo flow data for boundary conditions. CFD results showed good agreement with in vivo data, and in vitro experimental values agreed well with imaging and simulation results. The post-surgery models predicted an increase in all measured hemodynamic parameters, and the dilated virtual surgery model predicted post-surgery conditions better than the model that only simulated resection. The methods used in this study have potential significant value for the surgical planning process for the liver and ...
Outcomes of Warfarin Therapy for Bioprosthetic Valve Thrombosis of Surgically Implanted Valves: A Prospective Study

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of warfarin in the treatment of bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) of surgically implanted valves. Background There are limited data about treatment outcomes for BPVT. Methods This was a prospective study of patients with suspected BPVT of surgically implanted valves who received warfarin therapy at the Mayo Clinic from January 2013 to January 2016. BPVT score was calculated using previously described echocardiographic criteria. One point was assigned for each criterion: a 50% increase in prosthetic gradient within 5 years of implantation, increased cusp thickness, and abnormal cusp motion. Results Fifty-two patients were enrolled in the study (mean age 61 ± 18 years, 34 men [66%]). The mean follow-up duration from presumed BPVT was 86 ± 24 weeks. Prosthesis positions were aortic in 31 patients (60%), mitral in 17 (32%), pulmonary in 2 (4%), and tricuspid in 2 (4%). Positive responses (defined as a 50% reduction in prosthesis gradient) occurred in 43 patients (83%) within 11 weeks (interquartile range [IQR]: 6 to 22 weeks) of anticoagulation with warfarin. Nine patients (17%) did not respond to warfarin, and these patients underwent surgical valve replacement (n = 5), transcatheter valve replacement (n = 1), and intervention (n = 3). BPVT scores were calculated for 48 patients (92%) with good-quality echocardiographic images; 9 had BPVT scores of 2, and 39 had BPVTs score of 3. A BPVT score of 3 predicted a positive response to anticoagulation therapy with sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 93%. Conclusions A trial of anticoagulation was effective in 83% of patients with suspected BPVT, and most patients responded within 3 months. BPVT score was predictive of response to therapy and should be considered during patient selection.
On-line diagnosis and compensation for parametric failures in linear state variable circuits and systems using time-domain checksum observers

A large class of real-time circuits and systems can be expressed in linear state variable form. Of particular interest are systems with sensors and actuators that can degrade over time or circuits that can suffer from parametric deviations due to electrical degradation. In the past, multiple checksum codes have been used for error detection and correction in linear systems. In this research, it is shown for the first time that under multi-parameter failures (variations), the transient checksum response (single checksum) to a system contains multi-parameter diagnostic information about the parametric failure. In other words, when a single checksum transient response is time-sampled, the resulting sampled values can be mapped to the critical parameters of the system that affect its performance under multi-parameter variations. The resulting information can be used to rapidly actuate adaption of relevant linear control mechanisms for the system (e.g. PID control) in order to restore system performance with very low correction latency. We make a case for this new “checksum observer” paradigm using motors, generators and a simple biquadratic filter. Preliminary results are presented and demonstrate the viability of the proposed ideas.
Comprehensive profiling of H-Ras signalling in angiosarcoma endothelium.

Summary The MS1/SVR system, in which MS1 represents immortalized endothelial cells and SVR represents MS1 cells transformed with oncogenic human–rat sarcoma protein (H-Ras), has been used for around 20 years as a valuable tool to study angiogenesis and carcinogenesis. Despite the use of these cells in numerous studies, a comprehensive profile of the signalling differences due to oncogenic H-Ras transformation has not been performed previously. In this study, we profiled the well-known MS1 and SVR cell lines using a combination of both Western blot and gene chip assays.
Monolithic beam steering in a mid-infrared, surface-emitting, photonic integrated circuit

The mid-infrared (2.5 < λ < 25 μm) spectral region is utilized for many purposes, such as chemical/biological sensing, free space communications, and illuminators/countermeasures. Compared to near-infrared optical systems, however, mid-infrared component technology is still rather crude, with isolated components exhibiting limited functionality. In this manuscript, we make a significant leap forward in mid-infrared technology by developing a platform which can combine functions of multiple mid-infrared optical elements, including an integrated light source. In a single device, we demonstrate wide wavelength tuning (240 nm) and beam steering (17.9 degrees) in the mid-infrared with a significantly reduced beam divergence (down to 0.5 degrees). The architecture is also set up to be manufacturable and testable on a wafer scale, requiring no cleaved facets or special mirror coating to function.
Classifier learning from noisy data as probabilistic evidence combination

This paper presents an approach to learning from noisy data that views the problem as one of reasoning under uncertainty, where prior knowledge of the noise process is applied to compute a posteriori probabilities over the hypothesis space. In preliminary experiments this maximum a posteriori (MAP) approach exhibits a learning rate advantage over the C4.5 algorithm that is statistically significant.
Testicular undescent and torsion.

True cryptorchidism occurs in approximately 1 in 125 male children. The higher the testis resides above the scrotum, the more dysgenetic the morphology is likely to be. High testes are rarely responsive to HCG and should be treated by orchiopexy by the age of 2 to 3 years. The undescended testis does not mature normally after the age of 2 years and may produce adverse effects on the contralateral descended testis, possibly by an autoimmune mechanism. Unilateral cryptorchid testes that are dysplastic or located high should generally be removed before adolescence in order to reduce the likelihood of malignant degeneration.
Quantitative NH2 terminal evaluation of elastin as a measure of polypeptide integrity.

The quality of a given elastin preparation has been a matter of growing concern to those of us involved in isolating this fiber from complicated tissues such as the lung. Amino acid analysis is not a good index of quality. When we speak of quality we specifically refer to integrity of the polypeptide chains of the elastin which has been isolated. In this paper we wish to present a method that appears promising for the evaluation of such quality. It is a method which looks at the free NH2 terminal amino acids in purified elastin, identifies and quantitates them in a relatively short period of time. The need for the method arose after we had applied various “non-degradative” techniques in isolating elastin from porcine lung. The analyses in all these preparations look very similar and yet we were quite certain that the integrity of the polypeptide chains varied considerably. We had specifically focused on a method described by Serafini-Fracassini, et al. (1), which involved the use of highly purified collagenase to rid the elastin of collagen contaminants.
IntegerSequences: A Package for Computing with k-Regular Sequences

IntegerSequences is a Mathematica package for computing with integer sequences. Its support for k-regular sequences includes basic closure properties, guessing recurrences, and computing automata. Recent applications have included establishing the structure of extremal a / b-power-free words, obtaining a product formula for the generating function enumerating binomial coefficients by their p-adic valuations, and proving congruences for combinatorial sequences modulo prime powers.
Physics Champions Among White Women and People of Color.

If a person were to observe my classroom when I taught high school physics, he or she would find the traditional labs with the lectures, notes, and problems to solve that enhanced understanding. As I became more skilled in my profession, I promoted inquiry and critical thinking skills. However, the necessity was never obvious to me, nor was I ever taught how, to address social inequity in physics (let alone did I fully understand it myself). Why was that? My job was to teach concepts such as momentum, forces, inertia, circuits, etc. This list goes on and on. It wasn’t until years later in my career that I began to understand the importance of bringing social inequities in physics to the front of the classroom. It started to become obvious I needed to do something at least in my own classroom when I had difficulties highlighting anyone in physics who was not White and not male. Though this was never my intent while teaching, I believe I helped maintain this social inequity, and perpetuate the idea that physics is for White males (and yes, I am a White male teacher). This article provides arguments and resources for teaching explicitly about equity issues in introductory physics.
Chapter 5.2 – Five-Membered Ring Systems: Pyrroles and Benzo Analogs

The reactions and syntheses of pyrroles, indoles, isatins, carbazoles, and related fused heterocyclic ring systems from the year 2015 are reviewed. Pyrroles and indoles are treated in separate sections with the ring-forming reactions discussed by intramolecular or intermolecular bond disconnection. Other sections include nucleophilic, electrophilic, or radical reactivity of the parent rings; C–H functionalization/organometallic reactions; reactions of side chains; and examples in total synthesis.
Jail Incarceration: A Common and Consequential Form of Criminal Justice Contact

Although jails are both common and consequential, affecting millions of individuals annually, they are a relatively understudied aspect of the criminal justice system. In this review, we first docu...
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH.

Success of the National Mental Health Program proposed by President Kennedy hinges on public acceptance of the comprehensive Community Mental Health Center concept of care for the mentally ill; on coordinated and adequate planning; on proper recruitment and utilization of manpower; and on an expanded and intensified search for new knowledge and techniques.
Acetylation of Aβ42 at Lysine 16 Disrupts Amyloid Formation

The residue lysine 28 (K28) is known to form an important salt bridge that stabilizes the Aβ amyloid structure, and acetylation of lysine 28 (K28Ac) slows the Aβ42 fibrillization rate but does not affect fibril morphology. On the other hand, acetylation of lysine 16 (K16Ac) residue greatly diminishes the fibrillization property of Aβ42 peptide and also affects its toxicity. This is due to the fact that lysine 16 acetylated amyloid beta peptide forms amorphous aggregates instead of amyloid fibrils. This is likely a result of increased hydrophobicity of the K16-A21 region due to K16 acetylation, as confirmed by molecular dynamic simulation studies. The calculated results show that the hydrophobic patches of aggregates from acetylated peptides were different when compared to wild-type (WT) peptide. K16Ac and double acetylated (KKAc) peptide aggregates show significantly higher cytotoxicity compared to the WT or K28Ac peptide aggregates alone. However, the heterogeneous mixture of WT and acetylated Aβ42 peptide aggregates exhibited higher free radical formation as well as cytotoxicity, suggesting dynamic interactions between different species could be a critical contributor to Aβ pathology.
Auditing RadExam: Employing Psychometrics to Improve Exam Quality.

Introduction RadExam is a question item and exam database jointly developed by the Association of Program Directors in Radiology and the American College of Radiology to provide formative resident assessment, offering performance metrics benchmarked against institutional and national resident performance. Beyond resident performance, data is available on question and exam performance. Despite considerable investment in the education and training of its question writers and editors and meticulous attention to current psychometrically validated methods, it was anticipated a minority of exam questions would still perform poorly. Audits were performed to identify these questions, identify reasons for poor performance, and modify or replace so-affected questions. Exam performance was also assessed. Methods Two audits were performed, the first after the February-May 2018 RadExam pilot phase, and the second nearly 1 year after the full implementation of RadExam. In each audit, RadExam subspecialty editors evaluated all exam questions and exams using statistical data: question and test number of administrations, question p value, question Discrimination Index (DI), question Bloom's taxonomy learning level, exam P-value, and the number of image-based questions in each exam. Identified questions were modified or removed and replaced. Results Audit 1 was performed after the administration of 3114 exams comprised of 2520 questions administered across 100 residency programs. Audit 1 identified 617 questions with DI Conclusion The positive impact of our audit system on question and exam performance was reflected in a significant decrease in the number of questions flagged and improved overall exam performance in Audit 2. This illustrates the positive impact of Audit 1.
Bounding the number of arithmetical structures on graphs

Abstract Let G be a connected undirected graph on n vertices with no loops but possibly multiedges. Given an arithmetical structure ( r , d ) on G, we describe a construction which associates to it a graph G ′ on n − 1 vertices and an arithmetical structure ( r ′ , d ′ ) on G ′ . By iterating this construction, we derive an upper bound for the number of arithmetical structures on G depending only on the number of vertices and edges of G. In the specific case of complete graphs, possibly with multiple edges, we refine and compare our upper bounds to those arising from counting unit fraction representations.
MuDR/Mu Transposable Elements of Maize

The MuDR/Mu two-component system is the most aggressive DNA transposon yet characterized. Even PCR strategies based on the most highly conserved sequences of the terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) may not recover all the Mu elements in maize or other species. The MuDR/Mu two-element system was recovered independently as Cy/rcy; this element system yielded the same high frequency of late somatic excisions as Mutator, but the Cy regulator exhibited near- Mendelian segregation. Autoregulation of the TIR promoters by MuDR encoded products has been assessed by examining TIRB-GUS and TIRB-luciferase expression in Mutator and non-Mutator plants. Effects are weak and may be best explained by the ability of MURA to interfere with host methylation of the promoter regions. Transgenes are also subject to epigenetic silencing, but independently of Mutator silencing. In one’s view, the key to understanding Mutator activities requires elucidating which MuDR-encoded products are necessary and sufficient for each component of somatic and germinal activities. Clarification of which MURA and MURB products are required for somatic insertion and the insertional events in germinal cells will be the foundation for testing models proposed for the control of transposition outcome. If different MUR proteins are required for specific activities, then regulation of protein production and/or localization will be the key research area. On the other hand, if the same MUR proteins conduct all the biochemistry, then their posttranslational modification or the changing contributions of host proteins will be the focus of future analysis.
Implementation of a Ponseti Clubfoot Program Decreases Major Surgery: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Clubfoot describes a congenital condition. If untreated, clubfoot can cause long-term functional issues. The Ponseti method is the gold-standard treatment; it emphasizes casting over surgery. We identified a high rate of major recurrence in patients with isolated clubfoot at our institution. We implemented a quality improvement intervention to address the recurrences. Methods We established a clubfoot program that aimed to (1) develop a standardized treatment pathway; (2) improve care team education; (3) improve coordination of care with families; and (4) improve documentation. The purpose of this study was to outline our quality improvement intervention and evaluate its success. Data were retrospectively collected from isolated clubfeet before (2003-2007, phase I) and after (2012-2014, phase II) implementation of the clubfoot program. We compared the differences in treatment and major recurrence between the 2 phases using generalized logistic or linear mixed models. Modified Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the association between provider nonadherence and recurrence. Results The pre- (phase I) and post- (phase II) implementation groups included 91 patients (131 feet) and 68 patients (101 feet), respectively. The incidence of major recurrence (odds ratio: 59.5, 95% confidence interval: 7.8-454.4, P < 0.0001) was lower during phase II compared to phase I. Nonadherence with the care pathway was associated with an increased risk of recurrence (risk ratio: 4.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-14.3, P = 0.0274). Conclusions The implementation of a clubfoot program was associated with a decrease in major clubfoot surgery and improved adherence to established guidelines for clubfoot management.
Do Search Terms Matter for Online Consumers? The Interplay Between Search Engine Query Specification and Topical Organization

The Internet has become the primary source of information for a large number of consumers. Thus, search engines as the mediators between consumers and online information is an increasingly important topic of research. The present study contributes specifically to the research in consumer search and decision-making by investigating how a search engine's support for topical organization of search results can help improve search performance. Search term formulation is an integral part of the online search process that consumers conduct. Past research shows that the actual search terms used in search queries do matter for improving search performance and also that users often mis-specify search terms, thereby reducing the efficacy of their online search and decision-making. The results of our experimental study offer evidence that topical organization using clustering support, which is provided by some search engines, helps increase relevance and usefulness of search results. The strongest performance improvements were achieved when clustering support was used in combination with terms that were under-specified.
Assessing Health Care Utilization and Compliance in Kawasaki Disease.

Objective To characterize health care utilization and costs associated with care after diagnosis of Kawasaki disease including adherence to guidelines for echocardiograms. Study design We analyzed children hospitalized for Kawasaki disease using 2015-2017 national Truven MarketScan commercial claims data. The mean 90-day prehospitalization utilization and costs were quantified and compared with the 90 days posthospitalization via Wilcoxon 2-sample test. Adherence to echocardiogram guidelines was examined using multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with adherence. Results The mean total payments 90 days prior to hospitalization ($2090; n = 360) were significantly lower than those after discharge ($3778), though out of pocket costs were higher ($400 vs $270) (P Conclusions Outpatient health care expenditure nearly doubles after Kawasaki disease hospital discharge when compared with prehospitalization, suggesting the financial ramifications of this diagnosis persist beyond costs incurred during hospitalization. A significant portion of patients do not receive guideline recommended follow-up echocardiograms. This issue should be explored in more detail given the morbidity and mortality associated with this diagnosis.
Measuring IFN activity in suspected SLE: a valuable step?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by a complex immune dysregulation leading to diverse clinical phenotypes. The preclinical lupus phase (preclinical SLE) is...
Divisions of Belief

Belief plays positive roles in various religious traditions. It does so in the Abrahamic monotheistic traditions and particularly in the Christian tradition. At the same time belief as doctrine can be divisive. This chapter takes up the divisions of belief that have divided Protestant and Catholic Christians since the sixteenth century, that divide the Western and Eastern Churches, and that divide Eastern nontheistic traditions from the Western Abrahamic traditions, as well as those that divide Protestant denominations. This chapter also consults and examines John Hick’s typology of conflicting religious beliefs.
A persistent behavioral state enables sustained predation of humans by mosquitoes

Predatory animals first detect, then pursue, and ultimately capture prey. Sensory cues, including scent emitted by prey, are detected by the predator and used to guide pursuit. Because the pursuit phase can last for extended periods of time, it is critical for predators to persist in the chase even when prey is difficult to detect in a noisy sensory land-scape. It is equally important for predators to abandon pursuit if enough time has elapsed that prey capture is unlikely to occur. We studied prey detection and sustained pursuit in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, a micropredator of humans. These animals first detect hu-mans through sensory cues that are emitted at a distance such as carbon dioxide in breath and odor from skin. As the mosquito approaches a human, additional cues such as body heat and visual contrast signal the promise of a blood meal, which females need to produce eggs. To study how initial prey detection influences the duration of pursuit, we developed optogenetic tools to induce a brief fictive sensation of carbon dioxide and used machine learning-based classification of behavior to investigate how mosquitoes respond to subsequent human cues. We found that a 5-second optogenetic pulse of fictive carbon dioxide induced a persistent behavioral state in female mosquitoes that lasted for more than 10 minutes. This state is highly specific to females searching for a blood meal and was not induced in recently blood-fed females or in males, who do not feed on blood. In males that lack the gene fruitless, which controls persistent social behaviors in other insects, fictive carbon dioxide induced a long-lasting behavior response resembling the predatory state of females. Finally, we show that the persistent state triggered by detection of fictive carbon dioxide enabled females to engorge on a blood meal mimic offered up to 14 minutes after the initial stimulus. Our results demonstrate that a persistent internal state allows female mosquitoes to integrate multiple human sensory cues over long timescales, an ability that is key to their success as an apex micropredator of humans
Synaptic Plasticity and Aging

Why do certain individuals age successfully? Some elderly subjects perform within the range for normal adult subjects (e.g., age successfully), while others show dramatic losses on various tests of cognitive performance. These deviations may be precipitated by illness or environmental factors rather than by the aging process. In addition to variations in heredity, different life-styles can either enhance or compromise vitality. Heterogeneity within the aged population increases in nearly all aging studies. Until recently, individual variability with respect to physiological or behavioral measures has been ignored. Thus, heterogeneity within the elderly population may be an inherent characteristic that needs to be addressed.
Rhodopsin and Phototransduction

Publisher Summary When light strikes a rod photoreceptor cell in the retina, rhodopsin molecules become photoexcited and a series of biochemical events rapidly follows. Photoexcited rhodopsin activates a G protein, transducin, which in turn activates a cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-phosphodiesterase (PDE). The resulting hydrolysis of cGMP leads to the closure of cation channels in the plasma membrane, which triggers a neural signaling event. This chapter focuses on rhodopsin and discusses the way it functions as a photoreceptor protein. This is of intrinsic importance because it forms the molecular basis of the visual transduction process. It is of general significance because rhodopsin is a well-studied member of the class of G protein-linked receptors. Thus, the function of rhodopsin in signal transduction may be of importance in understanding the behavior of the entire class of receptors. Two types of photoreceptor cells, rods and cones, are present in the vertebrate retina. Rod cells operate optimally at low light intensities and contain the photosensitive pigment rhodopsin. Cones operate at higher light intensities and facilitate color vision in many animals.
Power supplies for poloidal magnets in the Alcator C-MOD tokamak

The highly flexible plasma shaping and diverter configuration of Alcator C-MOD necessitates the use of many separate magnet power supply systems. Eleven separate systems are used to power the 14 magnets in the tokamak. The severe budgetary constraints prevented the purchase of an entirely new converter set for each of these 11 systems. The solution to this dilemma was the long-term loan of the TMX Upgrade magnet power supplies from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to MIT. The converters operate in groups of two or three to power four of the 10 poloidal field magnet systems and to provide excitation to the alternator. The 'TMX supplies' have been completely overhauled and redesigned for their use in the Alcator program. All have new control logic, PLC interface, and gate drive circuits. Several have been modified to provide two-quadrant operation. The AC and DC bus has been redesigned and simplified. Twelve of the units are mounted in a double-high rack to preserve floor space. The AC unit substations are located near the converters to minimize resistive and reactive losses. Some test data from rebuilt supplies are presented along with details of the interface to the Alcator control system. All power supplies have been pulse tested to 300 V at 5 kA into an inductive load. >
Controls on methane production in a tidal freshwater estuary and a peatland: methane production via acetate fermentation and CO2 reduction

Rates of total methane production, acetate fermentation and CO2 reduction were compared for two different wetland sites. On a per-liter basis, sediments from the White Oak River estuary, a tidal freshwater site in eastern North Carolina, had an annual methane production rate (53.3 mM yr-') an order of magnitude higher than that of Buck Hollow Bog (5.5 mM yr-'), a peatland in Michigan. Meth- ane was produced in the White Oak River site on an annual basis by both acetate fermentation (72%) and CO2 reduction (28%) in a ratio typical of freshwater methanogenic sites. Competition for acetate by non-methanogenic microorganisms in Buck Hollow peat limited methane production from acetate to only a few months a year, severely impacting annual methane production rates. However, when acetate was available to the methanogens in the peat during early spring, the percentage of methane production from acetate fermentation (84%) and CO2 reduction (16%) and rates of total methane production were similar to those of the White Oak River sediments at the same temperature. Rates of CO2 reduction and acetate fermentation conducted at both sites at various temperatures showed that Buck Hollow peat methane production was also limited by a colder temperature regime as well as differences in the re- sponse of the CO2 reducing and aceticlastic methanogens to temperature variations.
Microtiter plate assay for biopterin using cryopreserved Crithidia fasciculata

Publisher Summary This chapter presents microtiter plate assay for biopterin, using cryopreserved Crithidia fasciculate. The term “total biopterin” includes biopterin, dihydrobiopterin, and tetrahydrobiopterin. Most of the diagnostic criteria and normative data available for the Crithidia assay have been obtained by automated tube assay without chloramphenicol. This requires heating to remove protein, and although heat treatment is not necessary for the microtiter plate assay, the practice has continued for comparative, diagnostic purposes. Plasma samples are diluted 1:30 and whole-blood samples are diluted 1:40 in phosphate buffer. Dried blood spots have an 8-ram circle punched out into 1 ml of phosphate buffer. Samples are then heated in a steamer for 10 min, centrifuged, and passed through 0.2- μ m filters to clarify. When there are reasons to suspect that the biopterin level is raised, for example, in phenylketonuria, further dilutions should be prepared in phosphate buffer after filtration.
3D lung tumor motion model extraction from 2d projection images of mega-voltage cone beam CT via optimal graph search

In this paper, we propose a novel method to convert segmentation of objects with quasi-periodic motion in 2D rotational cone beam projection images into an optimal 3D multiple interrelated surface detection problem, which can be solved by a graph search framework. The method is tested on lung tumor segmentation in projection images of mega-voltage cone beam CT (MVCBCT). A 4D directed graph is constructed based on an initialized tumor mesh model, where the cost value for this graph is computed from the point location of a silhouette outline of projected tumor mesh in 2D projection images. The method was first evaluated on four different sized phantom inserts (all above 1.9 cm in diameter) with a predefined motion of 3.0 cm to mimic the imaging of lung tumors. A dice coefficient of 0.87 ±0.03 and a centroid error of 1.94 ±1.31 mm were obtained. Results based on 12 MVCBCT scans from 3 patients obtained 0.91 ±0.03 for dice coefficient and 1.83 ±1.31 mm for centroid error, compared with a difference between two sets of independent manual contours of 0.89 ±0.03 and 1.61 ±1.19 mm, respectively.
Did Kant Conflate the Necessary and the A Priori

It is commonly accepted by Kant scholars that Kant held that all necessary truths are a priori, and all a priori knowledge is knowledge of necessary truths. Against the prevailing interpretation, I argue that Kant was agnostic as to whether necessity and a priority are co-extensive. I focus on three kinds of modality Kant implicitly distinguishes: formal possibility and necessity, empirical possibility and necessity, and noumenal possibility and necessity. Formal possibility is compatibility with the forms of experience; empirical possibility is compatibility with the causal powers of empirical objects; noumenal possibility is compatibility with the causal powers of things in themselves. Because we cannot know the causal powers of things in themselves, we cannot know what is noumenally necessary and what is noumenally contingent. Consequently, we cannot know whether noumenal necessity is co-extensive with a priority. Therefore, for all we know, some a priori propositions are noumenally contingent, and some a posteriori propositions are noumenally necessary. Thus, contrary to the received interpretation, Kant distinguishes epistemological from metaphysical modality.
Why Are Lipid Rafts Not Observed In Vivo

The existence of lipid rafts in live cells remains a topic of lively debate. Although large, micrometer-sized rafts are readily observed in artificial membranes, attempts to observe analogous domains in live cells place an upper limit of ∼5 nm on their size. We suggest that integral membrane proteins attached to the cytoskeleton act as obstacles that limit the size of lipid domains. Computer simulations of a binary lipid mixture show that the presence of protein obstacles at only 5–10% by area dramatically reduces the tendency of the lipids to phase separate. These calculations emphasize the importance of spatial heterogeneity in cell membranes, which limits the transferability of conclusions drawn from artificial membranes to live cells.
Broken Atomic Beam Resonance Experiment

Cesium atoms from a heated oven were passed through a bouncing box, where they suffered at least two collisions, between two six-pole deflecting magnets. The characteristic Ramsey separated oscillatory field resonance pattern was found corresponding to atomic transitions between the F =4, M = 0 and F = 3, M = 0 state. (W.D.M.)
Intraspecific interference among larvae in a semivoltine dragonfly population.

This study focuses on ways that the size distribution of individuals influences the types and intensities of competitive interactions within a population of aquatic arthropod predators. Three field experiments and one laboratory experiment were designed to test for feeding interference, interference mortality, and dispersal effects within and between larval size classes of the primarily semivoltine dragonfly Tetragoneuria cynosura in Bays Mountain Lake. One field experiment documented the temporal pattern of colonization of large-mesh cylinders by the small, first-year-class larvae during a 30-day period; the results are consistent with passive (density-independent) colonization. A second field experiment examined the effect of large, second-year-class larvae at densities of 1 or 3 per cylinder (14 or 42 m-2) on colonization by small larvae; this colonization was inhibited at the high density of large larvae. In the laboratory experiment, when larvae of the two size-classes were together in the same aquarium, small larvae moved around less than when by themselves (dispersal inhibition). Thus the inhibition of colonization observed in the field may result from interference mortality, rather than from a flight response to the presence of larger conspecifics.
Fragile X: leading the way for targeted treatments in autism.

Two different mutations in the FMR1 gene may lead to autism. The full mutation, with >200 CGG repeats in the 5′ end of FMR1, leads to hypermethylation and transcriptional silencing of FMR1, resulting in absence or deficiency of the protein product, FMRP. Deficiency of FMRP in the brain causes fragile X syndrome (FXS). Autism occurs in approximately 30% of those with FXS, and pervasive developmental disorders-not otherwise specified occur in an additional 30%. FMRP is an RNA binding protein that modulates receptor-mediated dendritic translation; deficiency leads to dysregulation of many proteins important for synaptic plasticity. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1/5) activated translation is upregulated in FXS, and new targeted treatments that act on this system include mGluR5 antagonists and GABA agonists, which may reverse the cognitive and behavioral deficits in FXS. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is one of the proteins elevated in FXS, and minocycline reduces excess MMP-9 activity in the Fmr1 knockout mouse model of FXS. Both minocycline and mGluR5 antagonists are currently being evaluated in patients with FXS through controlled treatment trials. The premutation (55–200 CGG repeats) may also contribute to the mechanism of autism in approximately 10% of males and 2–3% of females. Premutations with <150 repeats exert cellular effects through a different molecular mechanism, one that involves elevated levels of FMR1 mRNA, CGG-mediated toxicity to neurons, early cell death, and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. In those with large premutations (150–200), lowered levels of FMRP also occur.
Doppler Echocardiographic Studies in Sequential Atrioventricular Pacing

Six patients with sequential atrioventricular pacemakers were studied by Doppler echocardiography. A commercially available continuous wave system (transcutaneous aortovelography) was used and the transducer was placed in the suprasternal notch and angled to obtain peak aortic arch blood flow velocity. Changes in Doppler peak velocity have been previously shown to correlate closely and reliably with changes in hemodynamically measured stroke volume/cardiac output in the same patients following interventions, In all patients, the pacemaker was programmed from DVI mode to VVI (heart rate was kept constant) and then back to DVI, with the Doppler transducer held in a fixed position all the time, and peak velocities measured after the patient had been in any particular mode for at least 1 minute. Five of 6 patients showed reduction in peak velocities ranging from 13–25% (mean 18.4%) when the pacing mode was switched from DVI to VVI. Doppler peak velocity remained unchanged in 1 patient. Doppler echocardiography represents a simple, noninvasive method for estimating increments in stroke volume/cardiac output obtained with sequential AV pacing.
In Situ Electrical Monitoring of Cation Exchange in Nanowires

Controlling the extent of cation exchange reactions is a promising route for tuning the material composition and properties of nanostructures. Here we demonstrate how measuring the conductivity of nanowires during cation exchange can be used to monitor the transition from CdSe to Ag2Se, in situ. In addition, by imaging the same wire mat region before and after complete cation exchange, we find that the shape and morphology of the nanowires are completely preserved.
Pulsed heterodyne-array imaging

We discuss a 3D imaging modality called pulsed heterodyne-array imaging (PHI). The relationship between PHI and stepped-frequency methods for 3D coherent image formation is derived. For both cases, we consider flood-illumination of the object and detection with a 2D array of coherent receivers located in the pupil plane. It is shown that PHI can recover the same coherent 3D image as a stepped-frequency method such as holographic laser radar.
Hybridization of invasive Phragmites australis with a native subspecies in North America

Interspecific hybridization can lead to the extinction of native populations and increased aggressiveness in hybrid forms relative to their parental lineages. However, interbreeding among subspecies is less often recognized as a serious threat to native species. Phragmites australis offers an excellent opportunity to investigate intraspecific hybridization since both native and introduced lineages occur in North America. Introduced Phragmites is a highly successful estuarine plant invader throughout North America, but native Phragmites populations are declining in the eastern US. Despite range overlaps, hybridization has not yet been detected between the native and introduced lineages in the wild, suggesting that phenological or physiological barriers preclude cross-pollination. We demonstrate, for the first time, that native and introduced populations of Phragmites can hybridize. There is substantial overlap in flowering period between native and introduced populations from the same geographic locations. We manually cross-pollinated native individuals with pollen from introduced Phragmites and recovered viable offspring. We then used microsatellite markers to prove that alleles unique to the pollen parent were transferred to progeny. Our results imply a mechanism for the further decline of native Phragmites in North America and a potential for the formation of aggressive hybrid offspring.
Surface-passivation-induced optical changes in Ge quantum dots

One of the most interesting properties of quantum dots is the possibility to tune the band gap as a function of their size. Here we explore the possibility of changing the lifetime of the lowest-energy excited state by altering the surface passivation. We show that a moderately electronegative passivation potential can induce long-lived excitons without appreciable changes to the band gap. In addition, for such passivation the symmetry of the valence-band maximum is ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{{8}_{v}} {(t}_{1}$ derived) instead of the more usual ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{8v} {(t}_{2}$ derived). This reverses the effect of the exchange interaction on the bright-dark exciton splitting.
Nanoinjection: pronuclear DNA delivery using a charged lance.

We present a non-fluidic pronuclear injection method using a silicon microchip “nanoinjector” composed of a microelectromechanical system with a solid, electrically conductive lance. Unlike microinjection which uses fluid delivery of DNA, nanoinjection electrically accumulates DNA on the lance, the DNA-coated lance is inserted into the pronucleus, and DNA is electrically released. We compared nanoinjection and microinjection side-by-side over the course of 4 days, injecting 1,013 eggs between the two groups. Nanoinjected zygotes had significantly higher rates of integration per injected embryo, with 6.2 % integration for nanoinjected embryos compared to 1.6 % integration for microinjected embryos. This advantage is explained by nanoinjected zygotes’ significantly higher viability in two stages of development: zygote progress to two-cell stage, and progress from two-cell stage embryos to birth. We observed that 77.6 % of nanoinjected zygotes proceeded to two-cell stage compared to 54.7 % of microinjected zygotes. Of the healthy two-cell stage embryos, 52.4 % from the nanoinjection group and 23.9 % from the microinjected group developed into pups. Structural advantages of the nanoinjector are likely to contribute to the high viability observed. For instance, because charge is used to retain and release DNA, extracellular fluid is not injected into the pronucleus and the cross-sectional area of the nanoinjection lance (0.06 µm2) is smaller than that of a microinjection pipette tip (0.78 µm2). According to results from the comparative nanoinjection versus microinjection study, we conclude that nanoinjection is a viable method of pronuclear DNA transfer which presents viability advantages over microinjection.
Glutamate regulates caveolin expression in rat hippocampal neurons.

Caveolae are cholesterol-rich, membrane microdomains that appear critical to signaling between extracellular and intracellular macromolecules as well as cholesterol homeostasis. Caveolae formation is modulated by caveolin, a protein family that is the proteinaceous hallmark of caveolae. Very little is known regarding the events that modulate caveolin expression and regulation in neurons. To detect caveolin expression in neurons, primary rat hippocampal neurons were harvested at embryonic day 18, maintained for 7 days in vitro, and then analyzed for caveolin immunofluorescence. Caveolin-1 immunoreactivity was detected in cells that were identified as neurons by morphology and concurrent microtubule-associated protein (MAP2) staining. Changes in caveolin-1 expression were evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses of RNA isolated from hippocampal neurons treated with glutamate receptor agonists. Glutamate induced a concentration-dependent increase in caveolin-1 mRNA. The largest increases in caveolin-1 mRNA were detected after 6 hours of treatment. Kainate and AMPA both mimicked glutamate effects on caveolin-1 mRNA expression. Western blot analyses revealed that caveolin was induced at the protein level as well. Taken together, these data suggest that glutamate can regulate caveolin expression through kainate and AMPA ionotropic glutamate receptors.
Effect of corticosteroid treatment on cell recovery by lung lavage in acute radiation-induced lung injury.

The purpose of this study was to quantitate cell populations recovered by lung lavage up to 6 weeks following thoracic irradiation (24 Gy) as an index of the acute inflammatory response within lung structures. Additionally, rats were treated five times weekly with intraperitoneal saline (0.3 cc) or methylprednisolone (7.5 mg/kg/week). Lung lavage of irradiated rats recovered increased numbers of total cells compared to controls beginning 3 weeks after irradiation (P less than 0.05). The initial increase in number of cells recovered was attributable to an influx of neutrophils (P less than 0.05), and further increases at 4 and 6 weeks were associated with increased numbers of recovered macrophages (P less than 0.05). Lung lavage of steroid-treated rats at 6 weeks after irradiation recovered increased numbers of all cell populations compared to controls (P less than 0.05); however, numbers of recovered total cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and lymphocytes were all significantly decreased compared to saline-treated rats (P less than 0.05). The number of inflammatory cells recovered by lung lavage during acute radiation-induced lung injury is significantly diminished by corticosteroid treatment. Changes in cells recovered by lung lavage can also be correlated with alteration in body weight and respiration rate subsequent to treatmentmore » with thoracic irradiation and/or corticosteroids.« less
Investigations at the Sepulveda Adobe

AbstractPedro Sepulveda and his family built and lived at the Sepulveda Adobe in western Los Angeles County from 1863 until 1898. Historical accounts, an oral history account, and architectural evidence within the Sepulveda Adobe form the basis of its history. Archaeological investigations undertaken in 1987, 1990, 2000, and 2001-2003 around and within the adobe, however, have produced inconclusive evidence of 19th century occupation. The archaeological evidence consists of a few artifacts and one structural feature representing potential "signatures" from that period. On the other hand, archaeological remains attributable to 20th century use at the Sepulveda Adobe have been recovered here. The relative lack of 19th century occupational evidence is due to factors typical of such investigations, including archaeological sampling, the disposal habits of the Sepulveda family, the economic status of the family and its access to consumer goods, an ethos valuing self-sufficiency, the reliability of the oral his...
Stone Tools in the Paleolithic and Neolithic Near East: A Guide

1. Introduction 2. Lithics basics 3. The Lower Paleolithic 4. The Middle Paleolithic 5. The Upper Paleolithic 6. The Epipaleolithic 7. The Neolithic 8. Conclusion.
A historical review of tornadoes in Italy

Abstract The frequency and severity of tornadoes and waterspouts in and around Italy have generally passed unnoticed. The compendious Wind- und Wasserhosen in Europa Wegener, 1917, Vieweg & Sohn recalled many of the older events, but (perhaps due to wartime limitations) underrated Italy overall. This survey first summarizes the teachings of the classical authors and a few of the local legends. It then describes some of the evidence of tornadic activity during the subsequent centuries. This is followed by examples from the recent past of severe tornadoes which have struck Italy.