cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inactivation of p38 MAPK during liver regeneration

There is increasing evidence that p38 MAPK, which is classified as a stress-activated kinase, also participates in cell cycle regulation, functioning as a suppressor of cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. We conducted a study of p38 MAPK phosphorylation during liver regeneration in mice to determine whether p38 MAPK activation or inactivation may correlate with events that lead to DNA replication after partial hepatectomy (PH), and whether p38 MAPK activation may be required for hepatocyte DNA replication in vivo and in culture. We report that active p38 (Pi-p38 MAPK) is present in normal liver, is rapidly inactivated starting 30 min after PH, and is re-activated by 12h. Although levels of Pi-MKK 3/6, the upstream kinases that activate p38 MAPK increase after PH, the expression of the dual protein phosphatase 1 is also elevated, and may be responsible for Pi-p38 MAPK dephosphorylation after PH. Inactivation and re-activation of p38 MAPK inversely correlates with the stimulation of protein synthesis and translation pathways, as indicated by activation of p70S6 kinase, increases in the phosphorylation of initiation factor elF-4E and translational repressor, 4E-BP. The activity of a p38 MAPK downstream substrate, MAPKAPK2 (MK2), did not reflect the changing levels of Pi-p38 MAPK during liver regeneration. Pi-p38 MAPK may be involved in TNF-stimulated DNA replication of murine hepatocytes in culture, but is not necessary for hepatocyte DNA replication after PH. Our results suggest that p38 MAPK inactivation plays a permissible role in DNA replication during liver regeneration and is consistent with a role for p38 MAPK in the maintenance of hepatocyte cell cycle arrest in adult liver.
Stereo matching: performance study of two global algorithms

Techniques such as clinometry, stereoscopy, interferometry, and polarimetry are used for Digital Elevation Model (DEM) generation from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. The choice of technique depends on the SAR configuration, the means used for image acquisition, and the relief type. The most popular techniques are interferometry for regions of high coherence and stereoscopy for regions such as steep forested mountain slopes. Stereo matching, which is finds the disparity map or correspondence points between two images acquired from different sensor positions, is a core process in stereoscopy. Additionally, automatic stereo processing, which involves stereo matching, is an important process in other applications including vision-based obstacle avoidance for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), extraction of weak targets in clutter, and automatic target detection. Due to its high computational complexity, stereo matching has traditionally been, and continues to be, one of the most heavily investigated topics in computer vision. A stereo matching algorithm performs a subset of the following four steps: cost computation, cost (support) aggregation, disparity computation/optimization, and disparity refinement. Based on the method used for cost computation, the algorithms are classified into feature-, phase-, and area-based algorithms; and they are classified as local or global based on how they perform disparity computation/optimization. We present a comparative performance study of two pairs, i.e., four versions, of global stereo matching codes. Each pair uses a different minimization technique: a simulated annealing or graph cut algorithm. And, the codes of a pair differ in terms of the employed global cost function: absolute difference (AD) or a variation of normalized cross correlation (NCC). The performance comparison is in terms of execution time, the global minimum cost achieved, power and energy consumption, and the quality of generated output. The results of this preliminary study provide insights into the suitability and relative merits of these algorithms and cost functions for execution on field-deployable and on-board computer systems with size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints. The results show that for 12 out of 14 instances the graph cut codes, compared to their simulated annealing counterparts provided a 35-85% improvement in energy consumption and, therefore, are promising candidates for use in field-deployable and on-board systems.
Hypothalamic secretion of somatostatin and growth hormone-releasing factor into the hypophysial-portal circulation is reduced in streptozotocin diabetic male rats.

Growth hormone (GH) secretory patterns are disrupted in streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. Alterations in hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) or hypothalamic somatostatin (SRIF) secret
SU‐E‐T‐149: Couch and Gantry Rotation Isocenter QA Using Portal Imager

Purpose: Propose a method for extending digital image starshot analysis to gantry and couch rotation isocenters using and EPID. Methods: The portal imager can easily be used for creating spoke shots for the collimator rotation, but for the couch and gantry rotation typically films (traditional or GafChromics) are used. (a) For couch rotation a metal rod or a narrow slit in a metal sheet (e.g. an electron block cutout) is placed on the top of the couch. Exposures with several couch angles are obtained with the portal imager to create the spoke shot. (b) For gantry angle measurement a long rod is placed obliquely on the table top from the table axis and exposures are obtained with several gantry angles resulting in a spoke shot. The image summations and spoke shot evaluations were performed with DoseLab quality assurance/image analysis software (developed by Mobius Medical Systems). Results: The resulting spoke shots were all suitable for analysis (see supporting data). For couch rotation isocenter, the slit in an electron block worked better than a solid rod. For the gantry rotation isocenter the best Results was obtained with about ∼60 degree angle between the rod and the long axis of the table, and using 0, 70, 90, 110 and 180 degree gantry angles. The source‐portal imager distance was extended to 180cm, in order to decrease the differences in intensity between the proximal and distal parts of the rod. Conclusion: The method is easy to use and is faster than using films for isocenter analysis. This process also eliminates the need to scan films after exposure. All tests can be performed in one session with three entries into the treatment room. The DoseLab software performed the rotation isocenter tests for all three easily and efficiently.
THE RELATION BETWEEN HEIGHT PATTERNS AT 500 MB. AND 100 MB.

Abstract The flow at 500 mb. is compared with that at 100 mb. With the exception of the polar vortex, the patterns at the two levels tend to show a distinct similarity, with the major exception that small-scale features at 500 mb. are not present at 100 mb. In middle latitudes, the wind speeds at the two levels are of the same order of magnitude, with a systematic excess of the 100-mb. speeds over the 500-mb. speeds at latitudes 30° and farther south. In the region of the polar vortex, heights at the two levels are still well correlated. Variations in height over long periods tend to be much larger at 100 mb. than at 500 mb. Similarly, the winds at 100 mb. are much stronger than those at 500 mb.
Differential Cross Sections with Spin Analysis for 4 S 1 2 2 − 4 P 1 2 , 3 2 2 Excitation of Potassium by Electrons

The atomic-beam recoil technique has been used to obtain the ratio of spin-flip to full differential cross sections, for $4^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}}\ensuremath{-}4^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2},\frac{3}{2}}$ excitation in potassium by electrons. Data are presented at energies of from 3 to 10 eV, and for electron scattering angles of from $\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\approx}0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} \mathrm{to} 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$, in 5-deg intervals. Additional data at $\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\approx}0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$, for energies from threshold to 20 eV, are also presented. Appropriate scattering amplitudes are calculated using the Born, Ochkur, and close-coupling approximations, and comparison with our experiments is made. Exchange is necessary to account for the $\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\approx}0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ data; the close-coupling results are in fair agreement with all of the angular data, while the Ochkur approximation gives good agreement at very small angles.
Postoperative cutaneous wound infections

Abstract Postoperative infectious complications are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the surgical patient. These septic events usually involve the urinary or respiratory tracts or occur in the operative wound. The overall incidence of postoperative wound infection was 7.5% in a much-quoted national study reported nearly two decades ago. 1 The incidence varied from surgeon to surgeon, from hospital to hospital, and from one surgical procedure to another. The lowest infection rate ( Some surgeons have been relatively nonchalant about uncomplicated wound sepsis, thinking that it rarely influenced the patient's physical or psychological well-being or markedly altered the duration or cost of hospitalization; however, Green and Wenzel 2 reported that the average hospital stay doubled and the costs of hospitalization were thus increased when postoperative wound infection developed after any of six commonly performed operations. The economic, physical, and psychological impact of postoperative wound sepsis mandates the use of preventive methods, 3 of which the most critical are proper operative technique and sound judgment—e.g., in the choice of operation—on the part of a responsible surgeon and his team. In addition, well controlled prospective, blinded clinical studies have defined the circumstances in which antibiotic prophylaxis is of benefit, as well as the situations in which the risks of prophylaxis outweigh the expected benefit, 4 and have led to authoritative recommendations concerning the indications for antibiotic prophylaxis in the surgical patient. 5,6 For the dermatologist who may be called upon to assist in repair of postoperative cutaneous wound infection, we review the factors that can lead to this complication.
Methyl Spillover on Silica-Supported Copper Catalysts from the Dissociative Adsorption of Methyl Halides

Abstract Transmission infrared spectroscopy has been used to investigate the chemistry of methyl halides adsorbed on silica-supported copper catalysts. The infrared data show that after dissociative adsorption of CH 3 I on the copper particles at 298 K, methyl groups are present on the copper surface and the silica support. Methyl groups adsorbed on the copper particles are characterized by an infrared absorption band near 2920 cm −1 . Other bands in spectrum are characteristic of SiOCH 3 groups. The IR data suggest that methyl groups migrate or “spillover” onto the silica support where they react with surface hydroxyl groups to form SiOCH 3 . Spillover of methyl groups is observed for the dissociative adsorption of CH 3 Br and CH 3 Cl on Cu/SiO 2 as well, although higher temperatures are required to activate the C–Br and C–Cl bonds. Possible mechanisms for methyl spillover are proposed.
Kunen and set theory

Abstract This commemorative article provides an account of Kenneth Kunenʼs work in set theory.
Teacher Study Groups: In Search of Teaching Freedom

By looking at teacher collaborative structures in an urban public elementary school, this article demonstrates how, in the face of top-down school decisions under the pressures of high-stakes testing and assessment-driven curriculum, teachers can find the power and freedom for creative and effective pedagogy to flourish. We describe how teachers at PS165 created the spaces for working together and how these spaces brought new opportunities for (a) problematizing and prioritizing the issues they faced in classrooms, (b) reinventing and expanding their sense of self as individuals in the collaboration, (c) growing beyond their personal space and engaging intellectually in public forums, (d) shifting their ways of seeing teaching, and (e) ensuring sustainability of the ways of engaging in professional development through mentoring and taking ownership of the structures for collaboration. We include personal stories and/or reflections of six teachers and their experiences with study groups and theorize on the...
Novel porphyrin-fullerene assemblies: from rotaxanes to catenanes.

Titration of porphyrin-fullerene rotaxanes with DABCO or 4,4‘-bipyridine led to photo- and redoxactive catenanic architectures, which upon photoexcitation undergo a sequence of short-range energy and electron transfer events to give a long-lived charge-separated radical-pair state.
Targeted proteomics in biomarker validation: Detection and quantification of proteins using a multi‐dimensional peptide separation strategy

Authentic biomarkers, distilling the essence of a complex, functionally significant process in a mammalian system into a precise, physicochemical measurement have been implicated as a tool of increasing importance for drug discovery and development. However, even in spite of recent technological advances, validating a new biomarker candidate, where generation of suitable antibodies is required, is still a long-lasting task. Methods to accelerate initial validation by MS approaches have been suggested, but all methods described so far are associated with serious drawbacks, finally leading to non-generic methods of detection and quantification. Moreover, when complex body fluids are used as samples, efficient debulking strategies are crucial to open a window of analytical sensitivity in the ng/mL range, where many diagnostically relevant analytes are present. Here we report the proof-of-principle of a multi-dimensional strategy for accelerated initial validation of biomarker candidates by MS, which promises to be generally applicable, sensitive and quantitative. The method presented employs a combination of electrophoretic and chromatographic steps on the peptide level, followed by MS quantification using isotopically labeled synthetic peptides as internal standards. Our proposed workflow includes up to four dimensions, finally resulting in a desired LOD sufficient to detect and quantify diagnostically relevant analytes from complex samples. Although the current state of the method only represents a starting point for further validation and development, it reveals great potential in biomarker validation.
Season and testosterone affect contractile properties of fast calling muscles in the gray tree frog Hyla chrysoscelis

In anurans, circulating levels of androgens influence certain secondary sexual characteristics that are expressed only during the breeding season. We studied the contractile properties of external oblique muscles (used to power sound production) in a species of North American gray tree frog, Hyla chrysoscelis, during the breeding season and also in testosterone-treated captive males and females after the breeding season. Compared with the muscles of breeding-season males, the trunk muscles of postbreeding-season males have 50% less mass, 60% longer twitches, and 40% slower shortening velocities. Testosterone levels similar to those found in breeding-season male hylid frogs restore the contractile speed and mass of male trunk muscles and also convert the small slow trunk muscles of females into larger fast-contracting muscles. We conclude that androgens likely play a key role in altering the contractile properties of these muscles in males during the annual cycle, allowing them to operate in the breeding season at the frequencies required to produce the characteristic rapidly pulsed calls of this species. Females as well as nonbreeding-season males do not produce advertising calls, and therefore the slower muscles found in these animals may allow more economic operation of these muscles. The effects of testosterone on female trunk muscles indicate the potential of this hormone in contributing to the sexual dimorphism in size and contractile properties of these muscles, but this dimorphism is likely due to the interaction of more than one hormone.
Mechanistic consequences of temperature on DNA polymerization catalyzed by a Y-family DNA polymerase

Our previous publication shows that Sulfolobus solfataricus Dpo4 utilizes an 'induced-fit' mechanism to select correct incoming nucleotides at 37 degrees C. Here, we provide a comprehensive report elucidating the kinetic mechanism of a DNA polymerase at a reaction temperature higher than 37 degrees C in an attempt to determine the effect of temperature on enzyme fidelity and mechanism. The fidelity of Dpo4 did not change considerably with a 30 degrees C increase in reaction temperature, suggesting that the fidelity of Dpo4 at 80 degrees C is similar to that determined here at 56 degrees C. Amazingly, the incorporation rate for correct nucleotides increased by 18 900-fold from 2 degrees C to 56 degrees C, similar in magnitude to that observed for incorrect nucleotides, thus not perturbing fidelity. Three independent lines of kinetic evidence indicate that a protein conformational change limits correct nucleotide incorporations at 56 degrees C. Furthermore, the activation energy for the incorporation of a correct nucleotide was determined to be 32.9 kcal/mol, a value considerably larger than those values estimated for a rate-limiting chemistry step, providing a fourth line of evidence to further substantiate this conclusion. These results herein provide evidence that Dpo4 utilizes the 'induced-fit' mechanism to select a correct nucleotide at all temperatures.
The Asymmetry of Predictive and Descriptive Capabilities in Quantitative Communication Research: Implications for Hypothesis Development and Testing

The bulk of hypotheses in quantitative communication research are directional (e.g., the correlation is positive, the treatment mean is larger than the control mean). For testing such hypotheses, null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) and the use of effect sizes and confidence intervals (ES+CI) are functionally equivalent. ES+CI provides more precise descriptions of research results (effect sizes, confidence intervals) than does NHST, but that descriptive capability exceeds researchers' current predictive capabilities. Developing more refined predictive capabilities will require making good use of the additional information provided by ES+CI—and careful thinking about how such refined hypotheses might be tested.
Manufacture of advanced Cu-PI multi chip modules

A process has been developed for fabricating advanced Cu-PI multi chip modules (MCMs). This technology has been in prototype manufacturing for three years. Several thousand MCM's or interposers, with exceptional AC and DC characteristics, have been manufactured and used in prototype systems. Each interposer allows interconnection for 4 integrated circuits, 18 chip resistors, and 9 decoupling chip capacitors. Components are attached to the interposer by a flip-chip (or C4) process. The interposers are in turn attached to larger substrates. Interposers are made up of multilayer thin film (MLTF) on a multilayer glass ceramic substrate. The MLTF consists of 7 metal layers (4 wiring, 3 power-ground). An interposer measures less than 25 mm on a side. For four signal layers, the interposer provides as much as 500 cm/cm/sup 2/ or roughly 20 meters of wiring. There are several thousand signal and power vias in each interposer, for a total via density in excess of 800 vias/cm/sup 2/. The physical and electrical characteristics of the interposers, the process and test details, manufacturing information, and reliability data are presented. >
Distribution and status of seven native salmonids in the interior Columbia River basin and portions of the Klamath River and Great basins

Abstract We summarized presence, absence, current status, and potential historical distribution of seven native salmonid taxa—bull trout Salvelinus confluentus, Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri, westslope cutthroat trout O. c. lewisi, redband trout and steelhead O. mykiss gairdneri, stream type (age-1 migrant) chinook salmon O. tshawytscha, and ocean type (age-0 migrant) chi nook salmon—in the interior Columbia River basin and portions of the Klamath River and Great basins. Potential historical range was defined as the likely distribution in the study area prior to European settlement. Data were compiled from existing sources and surveys completed by more than 150 biologists. Within the potential range of potamodromous salmonids, status was unknown in 38–69% of the area, and the distribution of anadromous salmonids was unknown in 12–15%. We developed models to quantitatively explore relationships among fish status and distribution, the biophysical environment, and land management, ...
A new dynamic path computation algorithm for multi-domain optical networks

Several emerging applications such as storage area networks, multimedia, video, and digital services demand high bandwidth. Although optical networks are deployed to provide high bandwidth at reduced costs, they are not flexible and not efficiently utilized. Such applications require end-to-end delivery of information and flexible bandwidth allocation; therefore provisioning in optical networks need to be dynamic, flexible and consider provisioning in multiple domains. This paper presents a novel dynamic path computation algorithm for optical multi-domain networks. This algorithm updates the inter-domain paths and domainpsilas egress node dynamically after visiting an intermediate domain between the source and the destination. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed algorithm is better than existing source routing algorithm for provisioning circuits in optical multi-domain networks.
Population dynamics of type I and II methanotrophic bacteria in rice soils

Methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) consume a significant but variable fraction of greenhouse-active methane gas produced in wetlands and rice paddies before it can be emitted to the atmosphere. Temporal and spatial dynamics of methanotroph populations in California rice paddies were quantified using phospholipid biomarker analyses in order to evaluate the relative importance of type I and type II methanotrophs with depth and in relation to rice roots. Methanotroph population fluctuations occurred primarily within the top 0-2 cm of soil, where methanotroph cells increased by a factor of 3-5 over the flooded rice-growing season. The results indicate that rice roots and rhizospheres were less important than the soil-water interface in supporting methanotroph growth. Both type I and type II methanotrophs were abundant throughout the year. However, only type II populations were strongly correlated with soil porewater methane concentrations and rice growth.
Do you see what eyes see?: implementing inattentional blindness

This paper presents a computational model of visual attention incorporating a cognitive imperfection known as inattentional blindness. We begin by presenting four factors that determine successful attention allocation: conspicuity, mental workload, expectation and capacity. We then propose a framework to study the effects of those factors on an unexpected object and conduct an experiment to measure the corresponding subjective awareness level. Finally, we discuss the application of a visual attention model for conversational agents.
The French mode of social regulation and sustainable tourism development: The case of Disneyland Paris

Abstract The Walt Disney Company located its European resort in the French new town of Marne‐La‐Vallee because it is centrally located relative to a market of 310 million potential visitors. The French Government sought to anchor this circuit of cultural capital in Ile‐de‐France to sustain the economic growth of the region while capturing public amenities (jobs, tax revenues and increased foreign currency reserves) without sacrificing the environment. Its forward planning enabled it to offer the acreage the private company required and to sign with it a Convention to ensure that this urbanizing landscape would not become prematurely derelict. This large investment was regulated by both national and European norms for environmental impacts. These impacts are broadly interpreted to include jobs, demographic characteristics and built structures, not just the natural environment. Regulation theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. It is the particular mode of social regulation found in France ...
Open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: Indications and results in fifty-three patients☆

Abstract Background: Although acute cholecystitis is one of the most common indications for abdominal surgery in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), previous studies have reported disappointingly high morbidity and mortality among those patients who have undergone cholecystectomy. The aims of this study were to analyze the indications for and the outcome of cholecystectomy performed for acute cholecystitis in patients with AIDS. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the hospital charts of 53 patients with AIDS who underwent open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy from 1992 to 1997. Statistical analysis using the chi-square, Student's t, and Fisher exact tests was conducted to determine whether cause of cholecystitis, type of surgical approach, and CD4+ T-lymphocyte count influenced outcome. Results: The clinical findings and imaging by ultrasonography were always reliable in establishing diagnosis and guiding treatment of acute cholecystitis. Open cholecystectomy was performed in 24 patients (45%). The procedure was begun laparoscopically in 29 patients (55%) and converted to open in 4 (14%). The pathologic findings showed acalculous cholecystitis in 19 patients (36%) and cholelithiasis in 32 (60%). Morbidity was 34% and mortality was 2%. Type of operative approach, cause of cholecystitis, and CD4+ T-lymphocyte count (greater or less than 50 cells/mm 3 ) did not significantly affect morbidity and mortality. The length of hospital stay was significantly influenced by the CD4+ T-lymphocyte count. Conclusions: These findings suggest that in most patients with AIDS, laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy may be performed with significant but acceptable morbidity and low mortality. (Surgery 1999;125:172-7.)
Does Peer Support Help Patients With Heart Failure? Finding the Perfect Match

Match making has been an intriguing and reoccurring theme in books, songs, plays, and movies. Parents have been doing it for generations … tirelessly working to find the right match for their unmarried children. Close friends launch similar campaigns to help single friends find a life partner. Sometimes parents and friends hit the jackpot. Sometimes the results of the most well-intentioned matches end in an evening of painful tragedy or unintended comedy. Unfortunately, the majority of subjects of these heroic efforts know that the chances are slim that the connection will result in a match. Article see p 246 In this issue of Circulation: Heart Failure , Heisler et al1 designed an elegant effectiveness study to test the hypothesis that an intervention in which patients recently discharged from the hospitals with heart failure (HF) were matched with similar peers, and the pair was instructed to call each other weekly for information and support would improve all-cause hospitalization and all-cause mortality, as well as increase social support and quality of life. All the participants were recently discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of HF and were unable or unwilling to attend an outpatient HF program. Patients were randomized to 1 of 2 groups: a peer-support intervention with weekly phone calls or an intervention that …
Efficient Probing Techniques for Fault Diagnosis

Increase in the network usage and the widespread application of networks for more and more performance critical applications has caused a demand for tools that can monitor network health with minimum management traffic. Adaptive probing holds a potential to provide effective tools for end-to-end monitoring and fault diagnosis over a network. In this paper we present adaptive probing tools that meet the requirements to provide an effective and efficient solution for fault diagnosis. In this paper, we propose adaptive probing based algorithms to perform fault localization by adapting the probe set to localize the faults in the network. We compare the performance and efficiency of the proposed algorithms through simulation results.
A Calculus Without Consent: Mass Tort Bankruptcies, Future Claimants, and the Problem of Third Party Non-Debtor 'Discharge'

This article demonstrates the distortional effects of third party non-debtor "discharge" plans with regard to the settlement of mass tort claims in the context of chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The article shows that (1) the bankruptcy process is designed to preserve, not alter, rights created under state and federal non-bankruptcy law; (2) truncation of the rights of future claimants violates the "fairness" provisions of the code, and (3) the premature determination of the rights of future claimants distorts the resource reallocation function performed by the interaction of chapter 11 and chapter 7, resulting in a consistent downward bias of trust funds earmarked for future claimants. The article then proposes that consent serve as the guiding principle for courts confronted with these third party non-debtor discharge plans. Where third party non-debtor co-tortfeasors are able to reach consensual agreements with present claimants, bankruptcy courts should refrain from interfering with these private contractual releases. Where third party non-debtors are unable to reach such consensual arrangements with claimants, either because they are unwilling or temporally unable to give their consent, courts should refrain from truncating the rights of claimants with their section 105(a) equitable powers.
Opening Civil Marriage to Same-Gender Couples: a Netherlands-United States Comparison

This article discusses and compares the contrasting legal developments in the United States and the Netherlands concerning the right of same-gender couples to marry. It does so by discussing the case law and the current legislative activity, first in the Netherlands and then in the United States, dealing with the right of same-gender couples to marry. The article also analyzes and compares the Dutch and United States legal histories concerning opening civil marriage to same-gender couples. The article ends by examining how the differences in the two countries' legal systems, as well as the social status of homosexuals and the legal status of nonmarital cohabitation, have influenced the contrasting routes these two countries have taken toward opening marriages to same-gender couples.
Place of Education and Residence of Eminent Southerners

with women are not significant on the .01 level. Including the omitted 8 with the 16 which are presented in Table 3, 24 differences have been tested, bearing on Dr. Hamilton's quoted generalizations. Of these 24 only 2 are clearly significant. His data did establish the fact that, in the universes which he sampled, women born in 1886 to 1890 were less likely to have experienced illicit copulation than those born later, and that men born in 1890 or earler were more likely to have had such experiences than women in the same age group. But 13 of the possible comparisons did not establish significance on the .01 level, and two are doubtful. Hamilton's data do not support his assertion that "for both sexes these percentages indicate an increasing tendency toward conventionality with increasing lateness of birth year until 1890." They give no basis for his assertion that "after 1890 the men reach their maximum percentages indicating sexual conventionality." They certainly give no basis for his conclusion that "our men are becoming more virtuous." Since Hamilton's data were so inadequate to support his conclusions, the question arises as to how many cases he would have needed to have collected before such differences as those cited would have been significant. The smallest difference on which he based an unjustified conclusion is that of 7.1 percent between men born in 1886 to 1890 and those born later. Referring back to Chart 1, a difference of 7 between 46.5 and 53.5 would be significant if each of the samples had not less than 680 cases in it. No matter how large NL might be, NS would have to contain at least 79 cases in order that a difference of 7 between the percentages would be significant. None of the samples cited in Table 3 has a larger Ns than 50.
Activated Acinus boosts basal autophagy

Acinus (Acn) is a nuclear protein that participates in the regulation of autophagy. Loss of Acn function prevents autophagy in starving cells. Conversely, Acn activation induces basal autophagy. This enhances the quality control functions of autophagy such as the removal of misfolded proteins, thereby reducing neurodegeneration and prolonging lifespan. Acn activity is enhanced by Akt1-mediated phosphorylation, which counteracts the cleavage of Acn by a caspase-3 homolog.
Efficient Fluid-Structure Interaction Method for Optimization of Micro Air Vehicle Wings

Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) wing design has been influenced by biological flyers such as birds and insects due to the natural advantages of flexible wing material aiding in low Reynolds number flight and gust stability. Because flexible membranes deform in the presence of aerodynamic loading, accurate simulation of the flight performance of a flexible membrane wing must involve fluid-structure interaction. Many fluid-structure interaction simulations of micro air vehicle wings have implemented high-fidelity, computationally expensive methods such as coupled computational fluid dynamics and nonlinear finite element analysis. While these methods result in detailed flow field information about a particular wing setup, it is difficult to determine optimum flight conditions such as airspeed and angle of attack for flexible wing applications because of the prohibitive simulation times. This paper introduces a fluid-structure simulation method for evaluating structural characteristics of micro air vehicle wings efficient enough to be used at the conceptual design stage for optimization purposes. The method utilizes an advanced potential flow model to determine the aerodynamic loads and a simplified finite element structural model consisting of shell and shear-deformable frame elements. This particular study focuses only on static flight regimes such as steady, level flight. Contents of the paper include an introduction to both the aerodynamic and structural models, the features of the coupling mechanism between the two models, the framework for the fluid-structure interaction optimization algorithm, and an example wing flexibility optimization performed using this method.
In search of the optimized stroke trial design

“If you are explaining, you’re losing” —Ronald Reagan There remains a widespread conviction among most neurointerventionists and many non-interventional neurologists that mechanical thrombectomy is a life- and function-saving procedure in appropriately selected patients with acute ischemic stroke from large vessel occlusion (LVO). However, this has yet to be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) for mechanical thrombectomy. While critical analyses of recent published RCTs provide insight into how they failed to demonstrate a benefit for thrombectomy, they do not negate their impact upon our field.1 Until we provide conclusive data in support of mechanical thrombectomy, our ability to offer this procedure to patients remains in constant jeopardy. In addition, as a larger volume of negative data accrues, our opportunities to conduct RCTs in this area will ultimately dissipate. For these reasons, now—more than ever—we must carefully and thoughtfully design future trials which will investigate, and potentially validate, the utility of endovascular stroke therapy in that patient population with the greatest potential for benefit. Designing such a trial presents a challenge from the standpoint of equipoise, as many physicians believe it unethical to randomize a ‘likely to benefit’ patient to no treatment. However, given the negative data generated to date, it would be ill-conceived to dispense with equipoise for such patients. There are many past examples where treatment advocates were equally convinced of a lack of equipoise and subsequent RCTs demonstrated no benefit for intervention (eg, SAMPRIS, ECIC Bypass, COSS).2 ,3 In fact, one might posit that, in an appropriately designed RCT, it is better that the participating interventionists are believers in the benefits of the intervention and possibly have some reservations regarding procedural equipoise, but are still committed to the trial. Indeed, we believe firmly in the role of mechanical thrombectomy in appropriately selected patients while …
Topiramate-Induced Valproate Toxicity

Three children with severe refractory epilepsy who developed typical valproate (VPA) adverse effects after introducing topiramate (TPM) in combination are reported from the University of Mannheim, Germany.
Geographic Variation and Taxonomy of the Southeastern Shrew (Sorex longirostris)

Three subspecies of the southeastern shrew ( Sorex longirostris ) currently are recognized: S. l. eionis from Citrus Co., Florida; S. l. fisheri from the Dismal Swamp in eastern Virginia and North Carolina; and S. l. longirostris from the remainder of the southeastern United States. Based on geographic variation of seven skull, dental, and external measurements, differences among the three subspecies were confirmed. S. l. eionis was distributed throughout peninsular Florida, but S. l. fisheri had a restricted distribution. Hence, land development might represent a threat to the survival of this population. A few specimens hint at a larger range for this subspecies, but more data are needed to explore this possibility.
Calcium- and sodium-dependent modulation of stretch-induced arrhythmias in isolated canine ventricles

Gadolinium-sensitive stretch-activated channels have been implicated in the process of mechanotransduction signaling of ventricular myocardium. Such channels nonspecifically transport Na+ and Ca2+ in the inward direction. We tested the hypothesis that Na+ and Ca2+ influx are important in the genesis of stretch-induced arrhythmias (SIAs) in an isolated, blood-perfused canine ventricle. To elicit SIAs, left ventricular volume was transiently increased in early diastole using a computerized servo-pump system. Monophasic action potential recordings revealed stretch-induced depolarizations (SIDs) that preceded the arrhythmias. In five ventricles, raising the perfusate Ca2+ concentration from 1 to 3 mM increased ventricular sensitivity to SIAs, manifested by a decrease in the volume change required to precipitate an arrhythmia 50% of the time (delta V50) from 19.5 +/- 2.7 to 15.2 +/- 1.9 ml (P < 0.05). When the perfusate Na+ concentration was decreased from 150 to 90 mM in seven ventricles, delta V50 greatly increased (31.1 +/- 14.4 vs. 17.7 +/- 5.3 ml, P < 0.05), and SID amplitude decreased by 47% (P = 0.002). The suppression of SIAs with low extracellular Na+ is unlikely to be mediated by voltage-gated Na+ channels because lidocaine (5 mg/dl) did not alter SID amplitude. Thus the transsarcolemmal Na+ gradient (and probably that of Ca2+) modulates the amplitude of SIDs, which, in turn, initiate SIAs. These data provide initial evidence that Na+ and Ca2+ help mediate the mechanotransduction processes that underly the genesis of SIAs.
Endovascular approaches for traumatic arterial lesions.

Abstract Vascular injuries caused by blunt or penetrating trauma can be challenging to diagnose and treat, particularly when they involve central vessels. Endovascular treatment for vascular trauma includes the placement of embolization coils and intravascular stents and the employment of stented grafts. The use of stented grafts appears to be associated with decreased blood loss, a less invasive insertion procedure, reduced requirements for anesthesia, and a limited need for an extensive dissection in a traumatized field. These advantages are especially important in patients with central arteriovenous fistulas or false aneurysms, particularly those who are critically ill from other coexisting injuries or medical comorbidities. In these circumstances, the use of stented grafts already appears justified to treat traumatic central arterial lesions. Endovascular grafts are important tools for the treatment of vascular trauma, and they should be included in the armamentarium of the vascular surgeon.
Generation of Solid Models from Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Data

Many important CAD data bases exist only in wire frame (three-dimensional edge and vertex) or projection (two-dimensional planar view) form. In order to exploit the many advantages of computer-based solid modeling, the data descriptors of the objects in these data bases must be converted to solid form. This paper surveys methods for performing the transformation automatically, describes one polyhedral algorithm in some detail, and explores the degree of automation that is both possible and practicable.
A point mutation in the integrin beta 3 cytoplasmic domain (S752-->P) impairs bidirectional signaling through alpha IIb beta 3 (platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa).

Agonist-induced inside-out signaling results in an increased affinity of integrin alpha IIb beta 3 (platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) for soluble ligands (fibrinogen [Fg] and PAC1). Ligand binding to integrins initiates outside-in signaling that leads to cellular responses such as cell spreading and focal adhesion formation. A point mutation in the beta 3 cytoplasmic domain (S752-->P) is associated with blocked inside- out alpha IIb beta 3 signaling in a variant Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. This mutation was introduced into beta 3 and cotransfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells with a chimeric alpha subunit consisting of the alpha IIb extracellular and transmembrane domains and the alpha 6B cytoplasmic domain. The substitution of the alpha IIb cytoplasmic domain with that of alpha 6 led to activation of alpha IIb beta 3 to bind PAC1, mimicking inside-out signaling. This effect was reversed by the S752-->P mutation, indicating a disruption of inside-out signaling by the mutation. In addition, transfectants expressing this beta 3 variant showed reduced alpha IIb beta 3-mediated cell spreading on immobilized Fg, focal adhesion, and fibrin clot retraction, suggesting an impairment in outside-in alpha IIb beta 3 signaling. Therefore, a single point mutation in the beta 3 cytoplasmic domain impaired bidirectional signaling through alpha IIb beta 3.
Incorporation of Generational Learning in Familiar Interfaces and Systems: A Design Fiction

This design fiction presents a self-contained fictional study of the following description: Familiar interfaces have grown to be one of the most common forms of reaction computing in applications today. The last few years have seen a rise in the number of familiar interfaces that incorporate generational learning to improve their functionality between versions. Though the practice has many advantages, this study aims to add criticisms against the practice to the so far optimistic discussion. By analyzing the familiar interface of a popular game which aggressively incorporates generational learning into its versioning, the study suggests there may be unintentional consequences of generational learning that require further exploration.
The Future of Telecommunications Systems as Applied to Meteorology

Improvements in telecommunications during the next decade will markedly improve both the amount and reliability of meteorological data. Synoptic data will be available in almost real time on a global basis.
Design of a 3D printed lightweight orthotic device based on twisted and coiled polymer muscle: iGrab hand orthosis

Partial or total upper extremity impairment affects the quality of life of a vast number of people due to stroke, neuromuscular disease, or trauma. Many researchers have presented hand orthosis to address the needs of rehabilitation or assistance on upper extremity function. Most of the devices available commercially and in literature are powered by conventional actuators such as DC motors, servomotors or pneumatic actuators. Some prototypes are developed based on shape memory alloy (SMA) and dielectric elastomers (DE). This study presents a customizable, 3D printed, a lightweight exoskeleton (iGrab) based on recently reported Twisted and Coiled Polymer (TCP) muscles, which are lightweight, provide high power to weight ratio and large stroke. We used silver coated nylon 6, 6 threads to make the TCP muscles, which can be easily actuated electrothermally. We reviewed briefly hand orthosis created with various actuation technologies and present our design of tendon-driven exoskeleton with the muscles confined in the forearm area. A single muscle is used to facilitate the motion of all three joints namely DIP (Distal interphalangeal), PIP (Proximal Interphalangeal) and MCP (Metacarpophalangeal) using passive tendons though circular rings. The grasping capabilities, along with TCP muscle properties utilized in the design such as life cycle, actuation under load and power inputs are discussed.
Minimality, Rigidity, and Flows

A symmetric stable random process has many integral representations. Among these, the so-called minimal representations play a fundamental role, as described in the chapter. Minimal representations are characterized by a rigidity property that allows relating stable processes with an invariance property to nonsingular flows and their functionals. Various types of nonsingular flows (dissipative, conservative, periodic, fixed and others) are also discussed. They underlie the decompositions of stable processes derived in the following chapter.
Structural predictions for curli amyloid fibril subunits CsgA and CsgB

Curli are amyloid fibrils that grow from many enteric bacteria and play a structural role in the biofilm extracellular matrix (ECM). Although curli biogenesis is one of the best understood amyloidogenic pathways, the exact atomistic structure of the major subunit CsgA is still unknown. We assess structural models of CsgA and the minor subunit CsgB obtained using the Robetta, Quark, FALCON@home and RaptorX protein structure prediction servers, as well as previously published models. Our objective is to identify or produce models of CsgA and CsgB that exhibit (1) beta-helical structure, (2) sizing in agreement with experiment, (3) alignment among conserved residues, and (4) stability in MD simulations. To this end, an additional CsgA model is created by threading the sequence to the only CsgB model that meets these criteria. Static models are first assessed in terms of structure, sizing, and residue alignment. Additionally, short MD simulations are used to rule out models exhibiting instability. Of the servers used, only Robetta and Raptor produced beta-helical structures. We propose candidate models of CsgA and CsgB that meet all four selection criteria, and remain stable in 150 ns simulations. The development of these subunit structural models will enable molecular-level investigation of curli properties.