cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Developments In Basic Finite Element Technologies

ABSTRACT High performance (HP) elements are simple finite elements constructed to deliver engineering accuracy with arbitrary coarse meshes. This paper overviews original developments based on parametrized variational principles, which provide a common foundation for various approaches to HP element construction. This work led to the template approach. Templates are parametrized algebraic forms of finite element stiffness equations. The application of templates to the construction of an optimal 3-node plate bending element is outlined. The template approach holds future promise in the unification of finite element methods and connection to arbitrary grid finite differences. Essential to this unification work is the availability of powerful computer algebra systems.
7-Transmembrane Receptors

The 7-transmembrane receptors comprise the single largest superfamily of receptors. They derive their name from the seven hydrophobic regions that are thought to form alpha helix structures and span or transverse the …
Time Scale and Diet Choice Decisions

The development of optimal foraging theory has in large part involved an evaluation of the time scales over which animal decision-making processes work. Early models primarily considered long-term averages of short-term static processes. As I discuss below, recent modelers have proposed that animal decisions consider longer and more complicated time scales. The new models are more specific and more realistic in their representation of foraging behavior, but the predictions from these models require that foragers either anticipate future events and regulate their behavior accordingly, or that they use rules which perform well under expected future conditions. The addition of time scale to foraging models raises the empirical question of how well animals forecast events that should affect current decisions. The question is particularly important because some evidence suggests that animals are incapable of planning future rewards that will arrive after a period of 1 hr (Timberlake 1984; Timberlake et al. 1987). In this review I will consider time scales implied by several foraging models and review studies that address the problem of the use of time scales by foragers. I will focus primarily on the time scale of diet choice decisions. Krebs & Kacelnik (1984; also see Kacelnik & Krebs 1985) considered this topic primarily for the problem of patch utilization and Staddon (1984) discussed time horizons and memory.
Abstract TP380: Highlighting Your Hospitalization: An Improvement In Post Stroke Care Education

Background: Post stroke care can be complex and overwhelming for patients and their caregivers. As recommended by the American Stroke Association, discharge planning including appropriate referrals...
Industrially PERC Solar Cells with Integrated Front-Side Optimization

In this paper, we proposed a significant improvement for cell efficiency of 1.2%$_{\mathbf {abs}}$ by optimizing the front side structure of PERC solar cells without any additional equipment. The feasible achievement includes triple silicon oxynitride anti-reflection coating (ARC) layers which absorb more incident light for base than silicon nitride single layer. Knotless screen printing with fine-line finger of 23 $\mu \textbf{m}$ width compares to that of conventional screen printing. Moreover, multi-busbars contact pattern was optimized instead of four busbars contact pattern. As a result, the best efficiency of PERC solar cells of 21.51% with an area size of 244.32 cm$^{\mathbf {2}}$textbf was obtained, which can be utilized for industrial production.
A weighted normalized likelihood procedure for empirical land change modeling

A critical foundation for empirical land change modeling is the mapping of transition potentials—quantitative evaluations of the readiness or suitability of land to go through a transition. This paper presents a procedure based on empirically determined normalized likelihoods of transition. It shows that these normalized likelihoods equate to posterior probabilities if case–control sampling is carried out among historical instances of change and persistence. The posterior probabilities can then be aggregated at the pixel level across multiple covariates using linear opinion pooling where the pixel-specific weight for each covariate is determined locally by its ability to distinguish between the alternatives of change or persistence. Thus, covariates with spatially varying diagnostic ability can be productively incorporated. The resulting algorithm is shown to have a skill comparable to that of a multi-layer perceptron approach with the advantage of high efficiency and amenability to distributed processing in a cloud environment.
Covert Audio Coaching to Increase Question Asking by Female College Students with Autism: Proof of Concept

Deficits in social-communication skills are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Deficits in social communication progress into adolescence and adulthood, making complex social interactions particularly difficult and preventing the development of meaningful friendships. Interventions aimed to improve conversational skills needed to foster development of relationships for this age group are needed. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of instructional modules and covert audio coaching (CAC), on the frequency of question asking skills among college students diagnosed with ASD. Four college females diagnosed with ASD and six neurotypical peers participated in the current study. The effects of the instructional modules and covert audio coaching were evaluated using a concurrent multiple-baseline design. CAC was associated with variable increases in the frequency of question asking across participants. The introduction of a feedback phase resulted in further increases in the frequency of question asking for two of the participants. Results suggest that CAC is feasible and may be an effective tool to teach conversation skills to female college students with ASD. Further, participants indicated they found the intervention helpful and preferred it to other interventions in which they had previously experienced. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Impact of a Short-Term Domestic Service-Learning Program on Medical Student Education

Purpose: The number of global health opportunities offered to medical students has increased over the past 20 years. Recognizing the growing prevalence of these experiences, a number of studies have shown that these types of exposures have a significant impact on medical students’ education. However, there is a paucity of literature on the educational impacts of short-term domestic service-learning trips, which can be more accessible due to fewer logistical and financial barriers. This mixed-methods qualitative/quantitative study aims to understand the impact of a domestic one-week service learning program on medical students’ educational development and career choices. Methods: The authors conducted a qualitative analysis of journal entries written by a cohort of students during a domestic weeklong service trip. They also administered a survey to all students who had participated in the program between 2009–2016. Results: In 88.6% (n = 31) of the journal entries, students reported learning about border town life, Native American health, and rural medical practice. In 42.8% (n = 15) of entries, participants described experiences they felt would impact their future medical career decisions. The students’ reflections also revealed implicit benefits such as becoming aware of privilege within society (n = 14, 40.0%). The majority of survey respondents reported that the trip improved their medical education and influenced the field and location of their future/current practice. Conclusion: This study suggests that domestic short-term service-learning trips impact medical students’ immediate educational development and may influence their future career plans. Further investigation into the local community’s perceptions of this service-learning trip will provide greater understanding of the impact on all involved.
Short Take: Story-mapping Experiences:

This short take presents story-mapping as a research technique that incorporates multiple methods and data sources to build visual narratives of individual and collective experiences. The goals of ...
Endovascular Revascularization Incorporating Infrapopliteal Coronary Drug-Eluting Stents Improves Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia and Tissue Loss.

Background Critical limb ischemia (CLI) involving infrapopliteal arterial atherosclerosis and tissue loss remains a formidable clinical scenario with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite level IA evidence, tibial revascularization with coronary drug-eluting stents (DES) remains a seldom-used technique in the United States due, in part, to lack of a Food and Drug Administration–approved indication and dedicated stent technology for infrapopliteal application. Furthermore, follow-up data beyond 1 year remain scarce, and further evidence for improvement in clinical outcomes using this technique is needed. Herein, we present our multi-institutional experience with endovascular revascularization of patients with CLI and tissue loss using coronary DES for infrapopliteal lesions of appropriate dimensions and the Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) score as supportive evidence for improvement in clinical outcomes. Methods In this retrospective study, 40 sequential tibial revascularization procedures performed in 32 patients with CLI were reviewed. Outcomes including changes in WIfI scores, patency rates, freedom from major amputation, target lesion recurrence, and all-cause mortality were analyzed. Average follow-up duration was 19.3 months (interquartile range: 7–27.1 months). Results Freedom from major amputation was 88.6%. One-year primary patency was 90.3%. Mean ankle-brachial indices increased after revascularization (0.57 ± 0.26 to 0.97 ± 0.26; P = 0.03). All components of the WIfI score significantly improved after revascularization (W: 1.9 to 1.1, P = 0.03; I: 2.0 to 0.6, P = 0.001; and fI: 1.5 to 0.8, P = 0.01). WIfI risk of major amputation score before revascularization was 3.58 ± 0.75 (high risk), which was reduced to 2.04 ± 1.31 (low risk; P Conclusions Coronary DES continue to demonstrate promising primary patency and limb salvage rates in appropriately selected patients undergoing multilevel endovascular revascularization for CLI and tissue loss. In addition to its value as a predictor for major amputation and revascularization benefit, the WIfI score can also serve as a multicomponent tool for objective assessment of outcomes after revascularization.
Immune-mediated Disorders

Autoimmune cutaneous conditions are an important part of medical dermatology. This chapter will cover the most common immunobullous diseases including bullous pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris, connective tissue diseases including dermatomyositis, lupus, morphea and systemic sclerosis, as well as psoriasis and pyoderma gangrenosum. The differential diagnosis, work-up pearls, ‘what not to miss’ and treatment ladder are included for a straightforward approach to common autoimmune cutaneous diseases.
Poster: Deployment-quality and Accessible Solutions for Cryptography Code Development

Cryptographic API misuses seriously threaten software security. Automatic screening of cryptographic misuse vulnerabilities has been a popular and important line of research over the years. However, the vision of producing a scalable detection tool that developers can routinely use to screen millions of line of code has not been achieved yet. Our main technical goal is to attain a high precision and high throughput approach based on specialized program analysis. Specifically, we design inter-procedural program slicing on top of a new on-demand flow-, context- and field- sensitive data flow analysis. Our current prototype named CryptoGuard can detect a wide range of Java cryptographic API misuses with a precision of 98.61%,, when evaluated on 46 complex Apache Software Foundation projects (including, Spark, Ranger, and Ofbiz). Our evaluation on 6,181 Android apps also generated many security insights. We created a comprehensive benchmark named CryptoAPI-Bench with 40-unit basic cases and 131-unit advanced cases for in-depth comparison with leading solutions (e.g., SpotBugs, CrySL, Coverity). To make CryptoGuard widely accessible, we are in the process of integrating CryptoGuard with the Software Assurance Marketplace (SWAMP). SWAMP is a popular no-cost service for continuous software assurance and static code analysis.
Sex Differences in Characteristics and Outcomes Following HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Purpose In addition to goal-directed therapies, advanced therapies for heart failure including left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) remain underutilized in women. Sex-specific data in the area of mechanical circulatory support remains sparse and women are often underrepresented in heart failure trials. Even less is known about sex differences in outcomes with the HeartMate 3 LVAD, an FDA approved centrifugal-flow device. Methods Consecutive patients who received HeartMate 3 LVAD as bridge-to-transplant or destination therapy at a single institution were included in the study. Demographics, co-morbidities, device-related factors, and outcomes were comparatively examined between women and men. Results 175 patients (28 women, 16.0%) were identified. Women were significantly younger than men (53.9 vs. 60.1 years, p=0.023) with smaller body surface area (1.83 vs 2.08, p Conclusion In our single-center experience with HeartMate 3 LVADs, there were no significant differences in early morbidity and mortality between women and men.
Sentience and Feeling in the Anthropology

This chapter first provides a critical discussion of Hegel’s theory of the soul’s (or natural spirit’s) emergence from nature, as laid out in the first paragraphs of the Anthropology. It then reconstructs what Hegel considers to be logically necessary stages of the existence of the soul as living organism, as animal subject, and as human individual (§§399–407). The chapter stresses (i) the importance of understanding the continuity and difference between sentience (Empfindung) in the Anthropology and sensibility (Sensibilitat) in the Philosophy of Nature; (ii) the asymmetrical relationship of dormancy and wakefulness as key to Hegel’s account of the emergence of sentience in nature; and (iii) the soul’s hybrid ontological status as an existent that is at once material and immaterial. The latter is key, not just for understanding various conceptual transitions in the Anthropology but also for appreciating Hegel’s embrace of psychosomatic explanations of phenomena such as the fetal life, hypnotism, and human insanity.
Keratinophilic fungi: Specialized fungal communities in a desert ecosystem identified using cultured-based and Illumina sequencing approaches

Soil fungi in desert ecosystems are adapted to harsh environmental conditions such as high soil surface temperatures and limited organic matter and water. Given limited carbon inputs from plant material, heterotrophic fungi likely use unconventional sources of carbon in these systems. A baiting method was used to culture keratinophilic fungi from biocrust and rhizosphere soils in an arid grassland in Utah, USA. Fungi were baited using llama and sheep wool, horsehair, and snakeskin on two media, and pure cultures were identified using ITS and LSU rRNA sequences. One hundred-eighteen fungal colonies were grown, representing a total of 32 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) at 97 % similarity. Cultures were dominated by the phylum Ascomycota (88 %) followed by Mucoromycota (8.6 %) and Basidiomycota (3.4 %). The orders Pleosporales, Eurotiales, Hypocreales, and Sordariales were commonly isolated, with the dominant taxa Alternaria (27 %), Aspergillus (22 %), Fusarium (11 %), and Chaetomium (8%). Thirty percent of the fungi isolated have the capacity to degrade keratin in vitro using a keratin azure assay, with Penicillium showing the highest degradation followed by Geomyces, Alternaria, and Fusarium. Although keratin degraders can be infectious, dermatophytes associated with skin infections were not isolated in culture or detected in Illumina sequencing. Illumina sequencing was used to determine general patterns in seasonal variation and habitat preference of keratinophiles. Alternaria was the most abundant genus with >70 % of the sequences. The combination of Illumina data with culture-dependent approaches facilitated the characterization of a specialized community and confirmed the low abundance of dermatophytes in this arid site.
Representations of local spatial information in the human medial temporal lobe during memory-guided navigation

The hippocampus (HC) and surrounding medial temporal lobe (MTL) cortical regions play a critical role in spatial navigation and episodic memory. However, it remains unclear how the interaction between the hippocampal conjunctive coding and mnemonic differentiation contributes to neural representations of spatial environments. Multivariate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analyses enable examination of how human HC and MTL cortical regions encode multidimensional spatial information to support memory-guided navigation. We combined high-resolution fMRI with a virtual navigation paradigm in which participants relied on memory of the environment to navigate to goal locations in two different virtual rooms. Within each room, participants were cued to navigate to four learned locations, each associated with one of two reward values. Pattern similarity analysis revealed that when participants successfully arrived at goal locations, activity patterns in HC and parahippocampal cortex (PHC) represented room-goal location conjunctions and activity patterns in HC subfields represented room-reward-location conjunctions. These results add to an emerging literature revealing hippocampal conjunctive representations during goal-directed behavior.
Di-arginine and FFAT-like motifs retain a subpopulation of PRA1 at ER-mitochondria membrane contact sites

Prenylated Rab Acceptor 1 (PRA1/Rabac1) is a four-pass transmembrane protein that has been found to localize to the Golgi and promiscuously associate with a diverse array of Rab GTPases. We have previously identified PRA1 to be among the earliest significantly down-regulated genes in the rd1 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa, a retinal degenerative disease. Here, we show that an endogenous subpopulation of PRA1 resides within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) at ER-mitochondria membrane contact sites in cultured mammalian cells. We also demonstrate that PRA1 contains two previously unidentified ER retention/retrieval amino acid sequences on its cytosolic N-terminal region: a membrane distal di-arginine motif and a novel membrane proximal FFAT-like motif. Using a truncation construct that lacks complete Golgi targeting information, we show that mutation of either motif leads to an increase in cell surface localization, while mutation of both motifs exhibits an additive effect. We also present evidence that illustrates that N- or C- terminal addition of a tag to full-length PRA1 leads to differential localization to either the Golgi or reticular ER, phenotypes that do not completely mirror endogenous protein localization. The presence of multiple ER retention motifs on the PRA1 N-terminal region further suggests that it has a functional role within the ER.
Characteristics, complications, and sites of bleeding among infants and toddlers less than 2 years of age with VWD

Data on infants and toddlers (ITs) with von Willebrand disease (VWD) are lacking. We used data collected in the US Hemophilia Treatment Center Network (USHTCN) to describe birth characteristics, bleeding episodes, and complications experienced by 105 patients with VWD who were <2 years of age. In 68% of the patients, the reason for diagnostic testing was a family history of a bleeding disorder. The mean age at diagnosis was 7 months, with little variation by sex. Patients with type 2 VWD were diagnosed earlier than those with types 1 or 3 (P = .04), and those with a family history were diagnosed ∼4 months earlier than those with none (P < .001). Among the patients who experienced a bleeding event (70%), oral mucosa was the most common site of the initial bleeding episode (32%), followed by circumcision-related (12%) and intracranial/extracranial bleeding (10%). Forty-one percent of the initial bleeding events occurred before 6 months of age, and 68% of them occurred before the age of 1 year. Approximately 5% of the cohort experienced an intracranial hemorrhage; however, none was associated with delivery at birth. Bleeding patterns and rates were similar by sex (P = .40) and VWD type (P = .10). Forty-seven percent were treated with plasma-derived von Willebrand factor VIII concentrates. The results of this study indicate that a high percentage of ITs diagnosed with VWD and receiving care within the multidisciplinary structure of the USHTCN have a family history of VWD. In addition, bleeding events such as circumcision-related, oropharyngeal, and intracranial or extracranial episodes are common and are leading indicators for treatment.
DC Side Voltage Control for Static Var Generator Based on DMC

Static Var Generator (SVG) is an advanced equipment used to manage grid reactive power and low-order harmonics. Considering the influence of the DC side voltage on its performance and power consumption, the DC side voltage control problem of SVG is discussed, the voltage loop system model is given, and the DC side control method is discussed with the help of the dynamic matrix control (DMC) algorithm. The genetic algorithm of elite strategy puts forward the idea of optimization of time domain parameters of dynamic matrix control. The simulation results show that the time-domain parameter optimization method based on genetic algorithm is feasible. Compared with the traditional Proportional Integral (PI) control algorithm, the optimized dynamic matrix control algorithm has better control effect and can be used for DC side voltage control of SVG.
Safety and efficacy study of retifanlimab and epacadostat in combination with radiation and bevacizumab in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

TPS2070Background: Recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) after chemoradiotherapy has a dismal outcome with very limited treatment options. Addition of reirradiation to bevacizumab appears to improve progre...
Investigating sensation seeking as a predictor of false identification attainment and associated risks among a college student sample.

Abstract Background To date, few studies have included false identification (fake ID) use as a specific health risk behavior despite the fact that research has established a link between fake ID attainment and problematic alcohol use in a college student sample. The present study investigated the role of risk seeking, a facet of sensation seeking, in fake ID attainment, and the relation between fake ID attainment and risk seeking in predicting problematic drinking. Methods Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey battery from a sample of college students at a large, Colorado university. Analyses included penalized likelihood and negative binomial regression models. Results and Conclusions: Risk seeking positively predicted fake ID attainment. Additionally, a negative binomial hurdle model established that, controlling for 30-day alcohol use, both fake ID attainment and risk seeking predicted being drunk in the past 30 days. The role of risk seeking and fake ID attainment in problematic drinking outcomes is important to consider for informing prevention and intervention efforts in a college student population.
Surgical Treatment of Type III Laryngotracheoesophageal Clefts: Techniques and Outcomes

Objectives/hypothesis Determine surgical and swallowing outcomes after surgery for type III laryngotracheoesophageal cleft (LTEC). Study design Case series with chart review. Methods Chart review was performed on patients with type III LTEC between 2000 and 2019. Demographics, surgical outcomes, and swallowing outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results Thirty-three patients met inclusion criteria (28 open and 5 endoscopic repairs). Mean age was 3.4 years for the open group and 0.9 years for the endoscopic group. Seventeen (51.5%) patients had a syndromic diagnosis, most commonly Opitz syndrome and Trisomy 21. Mean follow-up was 33.6 months. Thirteen (39.4%) patients had a previous repair attempt prior to repair at our institution. Twenty-four (70.6%) patients had a tracheostomy prior to or at the time of surgical repair and 13 (38.2%) remain tracheostomy-dependent. Nine patients (27.3%) required a revision cleft repair and four (12.1%) required two revisions. Thirty-one patients had an intact repair at last follow-up (93.9). Two patients died outside the hospital over a year after surgery. Preoperatively 13 of 17 patients with swallowing evaluations aspirated. After repair, 11 of 20 patients were deemed safe for all consistencies and seven were safe for thickened. Endoscopic approaches were performed during the last 2 years of the study and had significantly lower operative time (354.4 minutes vs. 171.5 minutes). Conclusions Endoscopic and open approaches are effective for treatment of type III LTEC with 27.3% requiring revision and 93.9% of repairs intact at last follow-up. Overall swallowing outcomes were good in patients who underwent postoperative instrumental swallow evaluation. Level of evidence IV Laryngoscope, 2021.
Assured Neural Network Architectures for Control and Identification of Nonlinear Systems.

In this paper, we consider the problem of automatically designing a Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) Neural Network (NN) architecture (number of layers and number of neurons per layer) with the assurance that it is sufficiently parametrized to control a nonlinear system; i.e. control the system to satisfy a given formal specification. This is unlike current techniques, which provide no assurances on the resultant architecture. Moreover, our approach requires only limited knowledge of the underlying nonlinear system and specification. We assume only that the specification can be satisfied by a Lipschitz-continuous controller with a known bound on its Lipschitz constant; the specific controller need not be known. From this assumption, we bound the number of affine functions needed to construct a Continuous Piecewise Affine (CPWA) function that can approximate any Lipschitz-continuous controller that satisfies the specification. Then we connect this CPWA to a NN architecture using the authors' recent results on the Two-Level Lattice (TLL) NN architecture; the TLL architecture was shown to be parameterized by the number of affine functions present in the CPWA function it realizes.
TWO MEANS OF ALLEVIATING RUSH-HOUR CROWDING

Two means are suggested for increasing the rush-hour capacity of urban train systems already operating trains of maximum headway. They are: (1) replacing some or all of the regular cars by standee-only cars; and (2) using double-length trains and, at the stations, having each train first stop with its front half alongside the station platform, and then advance to put its second half alongside the platform. A theoretical analysis shows that in some cases these methods can lead to a significant increase in the carrying capacity of a system. Formulas are presented for estimating the increase achievable in any particular case.
Disentangling the effects of interest and choice on learning, engagement, and attitude

Abstract The importance of interest and choice in motivation and learning has been the central focus of much educational and psychological research. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of choice and topic and situational interest on learning, engagement, and attitudes. Ninety undergraduate college students were randomly assigned to Choice-High Interest, No Choice-High Interest, or No Choice-Low Interest conditions, and completed reading tasks, multiple choice tests, essays, measures of situational interest, and attitude. Hypotheses were tested using path analysis. Results indicate that situational interest had strong direct and indirect effects on learning, engagement, and attitude. Topic interest had a direct effect on situational interest and indirect effect on engagement through situational interest. Choice, although having a direct effect on attitude, had no effect on situational interest, learning, or engagement. Findings confirmed the primary role of situational interest in enhancing engagement and learning, as well as positive attitudes. Topic interest appeared to work through its impact on increasing or decreasing situational interest rather than by having its own independent motivational effects. Choice made students feel more positive, but it did not produce more engagement, personal connection to the material, or learning. Implications for teaching are discussed.
Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and regulation of the Bacillus subtilis gpr gene, which codes for the protease that initiates degradation of small, acid-soluble proteins during spore germination.

Abstract The gpr gene, which codes for the protease that initiates degradation of small, acid-soluble proteins during spore germination, has been cloned from Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus subtilis, and its nucleotide sequence has been determined. Use of a translational gpr-lacZ fusion showed that the B. subtilis gpr gene was expressed primarily, if not exclusively, in the forespore compartment of the sporulating cell, with expression taking place approximately 1 h before expression of glucose dehydrogenase and ssp genes. gpr-lacZ expression was abolished in spoIIAC (sigF) and spoIIIE mutants but was reduced only approximately 50% in a spoIIIG (sigG) mutant. However, the kinetics of the initial approximately 50% of gpr-lacZ expression were unaltered in a spoIIIG mutant. The in vivo transcription start site of gpr has been identified and found to be identical to the in vitro start site on this gene with either E sigma F or E sigma G. Induction of sigma G synthesis in vivo turned on gpr-lacZ expression in parallel with synthesis of glucose dehydrogenase. These data are consistent with gpr transcription during sporulation first by E sigma F and then by E sigma G.
Strategic Behavior in Capital Markets and Asset Prices

In this paper we study the impact of the degree of concentration of a financial system on the aggregate demand for housing as well as the feedback effect of the size of the mortgage loan market on lenders’ profits, internal capital accumulation, loan losses and potential bailouts. In a general equilibrium framework with endogenous borrowing constraints, we show that, contrary to the traditional view, competitive lenders can generate larger profits and accumulate more internal capital than monopolistic lenders. Furthermore, in the event of a severe economic downturn, a competitive financial system can withstand a financial crisis just as well as a concentrated financial system. We provide empirical evidence consistent with the main predictions of our model.
Inhalational anaesthetics and n-alcohols share a site of action in the neuronal Shaw2 Kv channel.

Background and purpose: Neuronal ion channels are key targets of general anaesthetics and alcohol, and binding of these drugs to pre-existing and relatively specific sites is thought to alter channel gating. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this action are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the neuronal Shaw2 voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channel to ask whether the inhalational anaesthetic halothane and n-alcohols share a binding site near the activation gate of the channel. Experimental approach: Focusing on activation gate mutations that affect channel modulation by n-alcohols, we investigated n-alcohol-sensitive and n-alcohol-resistant Kv channels heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes to probe the functional modulation by externally applied halothane using two-electrode voltage clamping and a gas-tight perfusion system. Key results: Shaw2 Kv channels are reversibly inhibited by halothane in a dose-dependent and saturable manner (K0.5= 400 µM; nH= 1.2). Also, discrete mutations in the channel's S4S5 linker are sufficient to reduce or confer inhibition by halothane (Shaw2-T330L and Kv3.4-G371I/T378A respectively). Furthermore, a point mutation in the S6 segment of Shaw2 (P410A) converted the halothane-induced inhibition into halothane-induced potentiation. Lastly, the inhibition resulting from the co-application of n-butanol and halothane is consistent with the presence of overlapping binding sites for these drugs and weak binding cooperativity. Conclusions and implications: These observations strongly support a molecular model of a general anaesthetic binding site in the Shaw2 Kv channel. This site may involve the amphiphilic interface between the S4S5 linker and the S6 segment, which plays a pivotal role in Kv channel activation.
Game Theory, Signaling, and International Legal Relations

Is consistency a proper goal of international relations? If not, when is inconsistency appropriate? This article proposes that inconsistent responses to essentially identical situations in international relations can indeed be justified on a principled basis - when certain conditions are satisfied. In doing so, this article uses analytic tools from game theory: cooperative v. competitive games, preliminarity v. anteriority, and direct v. inverted signaling. The article then goes on to consider specific examples where the United States has apparently sent mixed signals in international settings and posits that "sending mixed signals" may, indeed, be appropriate in certain circumstances.
Polytopes of Polynomials with Zeros in a Prescribed Region

In Bartlett, Hollot and Lin [2], a fundamental result is established on the zero locations of a family of polynomials. It is shown that the zeros of a polytope P of n-th order real polynomials is contained in a simply connected region D if and only if the zeros of all polynomial along the exposed edges of P are contained in D. This paper is motivated by the fact that the requirement of simple connectedness of D may be too restrictive in applications such as dominant pole assignment and filter design where the separation of zeros is required. In this paper, we extend the "edge criterion" in [2] to handle any region D whose complement Dc has the following property: Every point d Dc lies on some continuous path which remains within Dc and is unbounded. This requirement is typically verified by inspection and allows for a large class of disconnected regions. We also allow for polynomials with complex coefficients.
Overexpression of Pim-1 and Myc accelerates genomic instability

2807 Pim-1 is an oncogenic kinase that cooperates with c-Myc in oncogenesis. We have previously shown that Pim-1 overexpression can induce genomic instability in prostate epithelial cells. c-Myc expression also has been shown to induce genomic instability when p53 function is lost in 32D cells, which is a diploid murine myeloid cell line. To determine whether Pim-1 and c-Myc can cooperate to induce genomic instability, we estabilished stable prostate epithelial cell lines that overexpress both Pim-1 and c-Myc. There were no significant differences in cell proliferation or apoptosis in any of these cell lines even with stimulus such as TRAIL. However cell cycle profile analysis by FACS showed dramatic cooperation in induction of polyploidy between Pim-1 and c-Myc. Either Pim-1 or Myc alone induced modest increase of polyploidy cells (25.24%, 34.91% of >4N cells respectively) compared to control cell line (18.72%). However when Pim-1 and Myc were overexpressed simultaneously, the percentage of polyploidy cells was increased to 68.66%. We found that cyclin E expression level is significantly increased, and Cdc25C expression level is decreased in Myc overexpressing cells. We also found out that expression level of cyclin B1 is significantly increased in Pim-1 overexpressing cells. This increase is observed in early passage cells, suggesting that it is involved in genomic instability. Together our data suggest that Pim-1 and Myc can accelerate genomic instability by affecting different stage of cell cycles; Pim-1 affect G2/M phase, and Myc affect G1 /S phase
HAS INCREASED BODY WEIGHT MADE DRIVING SAFER

We develop a model of alcohol consumption that incorporates the negative biological relationship between body mass and inebriation conditional on total alcohol consumption. Our model predicts that the elasticity of inebriation with respect to weight is equal to the own-price elasticity of alcohol, consistent with body mass increasing the effective price of inebriation. Given that alcohol is generally considered price inelastic, this result implies that as individuals gain weight, they consume more alcohol but become less inebriated. We test this prediction and find that driver blood alcohol content (BAC) is negatively associated with driver weight. In fatal accidents with driver BAC above 0.10, the driver was 7.8 percentage points less likely to be obese than drivers in fatal accidents that did not involve alcohol. This relationship is not explained by driver attributes (age and sex), driver behaviors (speed and seatbelt use), vehicle attributes (weight class, model year, and number of occupants), or accident context (county of accident, time of day, and day of week). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Urinary biochemical markers of dietary intake in the INTERSALT study.

The INTERSALT Study, an international, collaborative, cross-sectional investigation of the relation between blood pressure and dietary and other factors, used quality-controlled, standardized procedures and assessment of multiple possible confounding factors to study 10 079 men and women in 52 population-based samples in 32 countries. In this study 24-h urinary excretion data were used as biochemical markers of intakes of sodium, potassium, and protein, with repeat examinations done in a randomly selected 8% of participants to assess reliability and correct for regression-dilution bias. INTERSALT showed that high salt intake, low potassium intake, excess alcohol consumption, and energy imbalance resulting in overweight are critically involved in the origins of the high blood pressure prevalent among a majority of adult populations. The findings also show that obtaining accurate estimates of associations between dietary intake and blood pressure requires large population-based samples, high-quality dietary information, control for multiple confounding variables, and modern multivariate methods of data analyses, including correction of observed associations for within-person variation in intake.
Cytotactin: a morphoregulatory molecule and a target for regulation by homeo☐ gene products

Two major lines of research in developmental biology should help us to understand the bases of morphogenesis. The first is the analysis of the morphogenetic effects of local expression of various adhesion molecules. The second is the analysis of cascades of regulatory genes that interact during development. Of particular significance are regulatory interactions involving homeobox-containing genes which are expressed in a place-dependent manner in the embryo. Success in connecting these two lines of research would help to resolve the puzzle of how species-specific tissue patterns can arise and be maintained. In this article, we focus on cytotactin, a morphoregulatory molecule of the extracellular matrix that exhibits sharply restricted spatiotemporal patterns of expression during development. Recent experiments indicate the promoter of the cytotactin gene contains target regions that appear to respond to homeodomain proteins. These observations, and those on other morphoregulatory molecules, suggest a possible connection between their effects on cell patterning and control by homeobox-containing genes.
Activation of ProMMP‐9 by a Plasmin/MMP‐3 Cascade in a Tumor Cell Model: Regulation by Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases

To examine MMP-9 activation in a cellular setting we employed cultures of human tumor cells that were induced to produce MMP-9 over a 200-fold concentration range (0.03 to 8.1 nM). The secreted levels of TIMPs in all the induced cultures remain relatively constant at 1-4 nM. Quantitation of the zymogen/active enzyme status of MMP-9 in the cultures indicates that even in the presence of potential activators, the molar ratio of endogenous MMP-9 to TIMP dictates whether proMMP-9 activation can progress. When the MMP-9/TIMP ratio exceeds 1.0, MMP-9 activation progresses, but only via an interacting protease cascade involving plasmin and stromelysin 1 (MMP-3). Plasmin, generated by the endogenous plasminogen activator (uPA), is not an efficient activator of proMMP-9. Plasmin, however, is very efficient at generating active MMP-3 from exogenously added proMMP-3. The activated MMP-3, when its concentration exceeds that to TIMP, becomes a potent activator of proMMP-9. Addition to the cultures of already-activated MMP-3 relinquishes the requirement for plasminogen and proMMP-3 additions and results in direct activation of the endogenous proMMP-9. The activated MMP-9 enhances the invasive phenotype of the cultured cells as their ability to transverse basement membrane is significantly increased following zymogen activation. That this enhanced tissue remodeling capability is due to the activation of MMP-9 is demonstrated through the use of a specific anti-MMP-9-blocking monoclonal antibody.
ALPHA-RECOIL TRACKS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL CERAMIC DATING

Among the manifestations of radioactive decay which can be etched to optical visibility on the surface of mica are tracks from nuclei recoiling from alpha emission, called ‘alpha-recoil tracks’. If, beforeetching, the mica is heated to temperatures of the order of 600°C, all evidence of these tracks is annealed from muscovite mica in a few minutes. Alpha activity observed on mica from pot sherds, from stones surrounding fire places, from fire pits, and fired daub may constitute an alpha-recoil track clock which started at the moment of the last firing of the artifacts.
The Tri-Service Program -A Tribute to George M. Knauf, USAF (MC)

During World War II, the Department of Defense medical services became interested and concerned about possible hazards associated with the development, operation, and maintenance of the increasing numbers of RADARs and other radio-frequency emitting electronic equipment. After some investigations by the U. S. Navy and the U. S. Air Force, responsibility for research on the biomedical aspects of microwave radiation was delegated in July, 1957, as a tri-service arrangement to Rome Air Development Center, Griffiss Air Force Base, N. Y. Primary responsibility for coordination of the program rested with Dr. George M. Knauf, USAF (MC). The Tri-Service Program included investigation of effects of exposure of the whole-body, selected organs and tissues, single cells, and enzyme systems using various power levels, pulsed and continuous wave, in the frequency spectrum from 200 through 24 500 MHz under acute, subacute, and chronic conditions. The most important contribution of the Tri-Service Program was the validation of the 10-mW/cm/sup 2/ safety standard. The Tri-Service Program is to date the only large-scale coordinated effort in the Western world to elucidate and understand some of the basic mechanisms of microwave bioeffects and to assess possible health implications of this form of energy. This paper constitutes an overview of the Tri-Service Program to provide some historical insight into the significance of the program and its contributions to our understanding of the biologic effects of microwaves. The initiative, foresight, and drive of Colonel Knauf was an immeasurable contribution to the success of the program.
STUDIES ON INHIBITION OF BRAIN 5-HYDROXYTRYPTOPHAN DECARBOXYLASE BY PHENYLALANINE METABOLITES.

SummaryThe Km for brain 5HTPD is 5.2 × 10-5 M. The inhibition of this enzyme by phenylalanine derivatives is competitive and substrate-dependent at pH 8.05. This inhibition does not appear to play a major role in the decrease of brain 5HT reported in experimental phenylketonuria.The authors wish to express their appreciation to Dr. M. W. McOaman for helpful advice and Joan Gordon for technical assistance.
Constructing a past in infancy: a neuro-developmental account

The ability to recall the past is fundamental yet until relatively recently, infants were assumed to lack the capacity. Contrary to this perspective, non-verbal tests indicate that developments in recall are well underway by late in the first year of life; by the end of the second year, long-term recall is reliable and robust. New research combining electrophysiological and behavioral measures is identifying the loci of age-related changes: they are attributed to more effective and efficient encoding, consolidation and storage processes associated with developments in the temporal-cortical network that subserves recall. The emerging framework, which applies to episodic and autobiographical memory, highlights the essential developmental continuties in memory from infancy onwards and sheds new light on the phenomenon of childhood amnesia.
A Cooperative Approach to the Logic of Collective Action: Voluntary Organizations and the Prisoners’ Dilemma

A reexamination of certain tenets of Olson's logic of collective action suggests that it fails to explain some types of behavior found in voluntary organizations, especially mutual assistance groups. Specifically, Olson fails to account for non-coercive and non-individualistic factors and gives insufficient attention to the social context of voluntary organization life. A fresh applications of the prisoners’ dilemma and the introduction of the concept of community expand our understanding of behaviors heretofore unexplained. Implications are discussed for the design and management of voluntary organizations under certain conditions.
Oxindole‐3‐acetic Acid: Physical Properties and Lack of Influence on Growth

The auxin activity of OAA was studied. The assays used were the Avena coleoptile curvature and section tests, and the first internode test. OAA was completely inactive to these assays. Physical tests indicated no color reaction with modified Salkowski reagent (Gordon-Weber) and no activity of any of the biochromatograms run with OAA. These data indicate that OAA is inactive as an auxin due to its characteristics of structural difference from IAA and further lends some speculation as to the site of activity of IAA as an auxin.