cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonprehensile two palm manipulation with non-equilibrium transitions between stable states

Manipulation without prehension is a natural way of handling objects for both humans and machines. Nonprehensile operations are appropriate when complete constraint over the object to be manipulated is either undesirable or impractical, but some control over the object is desired over its entire trajectory in order to bring the object reliably to a desired final state. Research to date has explored only a small portion of this class. We are interested in controlling the shape of the constraint surfaces so that constraint and external forces naturally attract the system to the desired state, even if the object momentarily loses stability during the motion. We present a preliminary analysis of the nonprehensile orientation of planar objects by two low friction palms joined at a central hinge. These palms support an object in a gravitational field, without grasping or gripping. We determine connected regions of stable states of the object, and give a method of planning part orientation based on a graph search over these regions, allowing nonequilibrium transitions between them. We conclude with the results of simulations and tests of an example plan.
Human Uterine Luminal Fluid Proteins Associated with Secretory Phase Endometrium: Progesterone-Induced Products?

Molecular sieve chromatography over Sephadex G-200 columns of human uterine washings from patients in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle revealed the presence of a protein peak that was absent from serum and, with one exception, was not found in similarly treated washes of proliferative endometria. Ten of 11 secretory washes contained this material, whereas it could not be demonstrated in seven of eight of the proliferative washes and each of two washes of inactive endometria. None of the nine sera obtained simultaneously (4 proliferative, 4 secretory, and 1 inactive) contained this protein peak. This secretory-phase-specific material was shown to contain one major and several minor bands of stained protein on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. The major protein fraction could also be stained with the periodic acid-Schiff reagent, suggesting its glycoprotein nature. The possibility that these proteins are secreted into the lumen of the uterus as a direct result of progesterone action on this tissue is currently under investigation.
Teaching computer science with virtual worlds

The ProgrammingLand MOOseum of Computer Science is a multiuser virtual environment hosted on the Internet. It is built on a model of exploratory, spatially oriented immersion, where visitors learn principles of computer science as they journey through the content. The MOOseum is divided into "wings" that are devoted to particular programming languages and is populated with an array of interactive objects and agents that facilitate an active learning experience. This paper describes the environment and the effort to integrate it into the curriculum.
Accessory Protein 5a Is a Major Antagonist of the Antiviral Action of Interferon against Murine Coronavirus

The type I interferon (IFN) response plays an essential role in the control of in vivo infection by the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). However, in vitro, most strains of MHV are largely resistant to the action of this cytokine, suggesting that MHV encodes one or more functions that antagonize or evade the IFN system. A particular strain of MHV, MHV-S, exhibited orders-of-magnitude higher sensitivity to IFN than prototype strain MHV-A59. Through construction of interstrain chimeric recombinants, the basis for the enhanced IFN sensitivity of MHV-S was found to map entirely to the region downstream of the spike gene, at the 3' end of the genome. Sequence analysis revealed that the major difference between the two strains in this region is the absence of gene 5a from MHV-S. Creation of a gene 5a knockout mutant of MHV-A59 demonstrated that a major component of IFN resistance maps to gene 5a. Conversely, insertion of gene 5a, or its homologs from related group 2 coronaviruses, at an upstream genomic position in an MHV-A59/S chimera restored IFN resistance. This is the first demonstration of a coronavirus gene product that can protect that same virus from the antiviral state induced by IFN. Neither protein kinase R, which phosphorylates eukaryotic initiation factor 2, nor oligoadenylate synthetase, which activates RNase L, was differentially activated in IFN-treated cells infected with MHV-A59 or MHV-S. Thus, the major IFN-induced antiviral activities that are specifically inhibited by MHV, and possibly by other coronaviruses, remain to be identified.
Development and application of an adaptive finite element method to reaction-diffusion equations

SUMMARY An adaptive finite element method is developed and applied to study the ozone decomposition laminar flame. The method uses a semidiscrete, linear Galerkin approximation in which the size of the elements is controlled by an integral which minimizes the changes in mesh spacing. The sizes and locations of the elements are controlled by the location and magnitude of the largest temperature gradient. The numerical results obtained with this adaptive finite element method are compared with those obtained using fixed-node finite-difference schemes and an adaptive finite-difference method. It is shown that the adaptive finite element method developed here using 36 elements can yield as accurate flame speeds as fourth-order accurate, fixed-node, finite-difference methods when 272 collocation points are employed in the calculations.
Significance Thresholds for Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping Under Selective Genotyping

In the case of selective genotyping, the usual permutation test to establish statistical significance for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping can give inappropriate significance thresholds, especially when the phenotype distribution is skewed. A stratified permutation test should be used, with phenotypes shuffled separately within the genotyped and ungenotyped individuals.
The Relation Between Persistence Theory and the Time-Series Properties of Earnings

In this analytical study we question the theoretical consistency of using time-series parameters estimated from autoregressive integrated moving average [ARIMA] models as proxies for the persistence component of earnings construct. We examine Miller and Rock's (1985) theoretical arguments that the earnings announcement effect is associated with not only the magnitude of the unexpected portion of earnings but also with the persistent component of the unexpected earnings as determined by a persistence parameter. Next we examine the validity of Kormendi and Lipe's (1987) theoretical arguments suggesting that Miller and Rock's persistence construct could be proxied empirically by a moving average parameter from an ARIMA time-series model. The conclusion we draw from our analysis is that the use of an ARIMA moving average parameter is not theoretically consistent with Miller and Rock's persistence construct. Furthermore we find that the argument for use of parameters of an ARIMA model requires that Miller and Rock's persistence construct be equal to zero suggesting no earnings persistence. The most important and urgent implication of our findings is for future earnings persistence research. If the analysis is valid the persistence construct should not be proxied by using parameters from ARIMA time-series models.
Functional Effects of the H1-Helix of Rat Cardiac Troponin T on Crossbridge Detachment Rate is Differently Modulated by α- and β-Myosin Heavy Chain Isoforms

The primary structure of the H1-helix of troponin T (TnT) varies among different types of striated muscles. Moreover, these muscles also express different myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. Recently, we demonstrated that pseudo-phosphorylation of residue 204 (near the H1-helix) of cardiac TnT affected the functional state of the thin filament differently in fibers that expressed either α- or β-MHC isoforms (Michael et al., Basic Res Cardiol, 109:442, 2014). In this follow-up study, we investigated how the isoform-specific function of the H1-helix of cardiac TnT was influenced by α- and β-MHC isoforms. We generated a mutant rat cardiac TnT (RfsH1) in which the cardiac H1-helix was replaced by the fast skeletal H1-helix. Recombinant RfsH1 was reconstituted into detergent-skinned cardiac muscle fibers from either normal rats (expressing α-MHC) or propylthiouracil treated rats (expressing β-MHC). Steady-state and dynamic measurements were carried out at sarcomere length 2.3 µm. Our results demonstrated that RfsH1 decreased Ca2+-activated maximal ATPase activity differently in α-MHC (∼33%) and β-MHC (∼17%) fibers. Furthermore, RfsH1 decreased tension cost (∼31%) and crossbridge (XB) distortion dynamics (∼25%) in α-MHC but not in β-MHC fibers. Because the above mentioned parameters are indices of the rate of XB detachment, our results suggest that the interplay between the RfsH1- and α-MHC-mediated effects on the thin filament modulates XB detachment kinetics. Our findings suggest that the conformational changes in the H1-helix of TnT are sensitive to MHC isoform-mediated changes in the thin filament.
The dependence of proton irradiated microstructure on dose, temperature and composition of austenitic stainless steels

The radiation-induced microstructure of austenitic stainless steel was investigated using proton irradiation. Samples of Fe-20Cr-24Ni and Ni-18Cr-9Fe were irradiated using 3.2 MeV protons at a dose rate of 7 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} dpa/s between 300 C and 600 C. The radiation produced a microstructure consisting of dislocation loops and voids in both alloys. The number density and size of dislocation loops and voids are strong functions of irradiation temperature with the number density decreasing and the size increasing with temperature for both defects. The dose dependence of dislocation loop density saturated around 1.0 dpa for Fe-20Cr-24Ni and 0.3 dpa for Ni-18Cr-9Fe. The microstructure evolution in the nickel base alloy is faster than that in Fe-20Cr-24Ni. The dose and temperature dependence of proton irradiated Fe-20Cr-24Ni closely follow that of neutron irradiated austenitic stainless steels. The changes in yield strength due to irradiation were estimated from nano indenter hardness measurements and compared to calculation using a dispersed barrier hardening model. Results were in close agreement with each other. Yield strength changes as a function of dose for proton irradiated Fe-20Cr-24Ni are similar to those resulting from neutron irradiation of austenitic stainless steels.
Release of haze material from the cell walls of agitated yeast

Haze-forming material containing carbohydrate and protein was released from agitated yeast. The presence of mannan and glucan in the released material, a high ratio of carbohydrate to protein, the ...
Keynes’s Development as a Cambridge Monetary Theorist

Needless to say, Keynes was an integral member of the intellectual circle working in the Cambridge tradition of monetary and business cycle theory that we have just surveyed. His life work spanned the arc that we just traversed, from Marshall to the General Theory. As we approach the General Theory end of this arc, as we have seen in all other sections of the book, events, and his own evolving views of them, rather than those of his contemporaries’, increasingly acted upon his mind. Having now isolated the importance of an overarching theory of money and the economic system to his attempt to explain unemployment, it will be our task in this chapter to treat Keynes as a Cambridge monetary theorist, which until the General Theory primarily meant Keynes as a monetary cycle theorist. Once again we will see the immense importance of Marshall, an influence that only slowly decayed and never disappeared.
In Vitro Cellular Assays for Oxidative Stress and Biomaterial Response

Abstract Generation of free radicals and oxidative stress play important roles in the physiological response to engineered biomaterials and nanoparticles. Critical to developing new materials and understanding this process is the ability to detect changes in oxidative stress and the red/ox status of cells. In this chapter, a comprehensive overview of most commonly used methods for detection of oxidative stress is presented. Specifically addressed are issues and limitations related to the choice of model (in vitro vs in vivo studies) and approach (direct detection of free radicals vs detection of indexes of oxidative stress). A comprehensive overview of the literature is provided for some of the classical methods, involving the use of highly fluorescent 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein, thiobarbituric acid reactive species test, etc., and more modern and sophisticated assays, such as the Seahorse XF, Redox proteomics for the detection of changes of cellar function, oxidative stress in contact with biomaterials and nanoparticles..
in situ methods for monitoring silver nanoparticle sulfidation in simulated waters

To probe the transformation pathways of metallic nanomaterials, measurement tools capable of detecting and characterizing the broad distribution of products with limited perturbation are required. Here, we demonstrate the detection of transformation products resulting from 40 kDa PVP-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) reacted in aerated, sulfide-containing water and EPA moderately hard reconstituted water standard. Using single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, silver mass preservation in primary AgNP populations during sulfidation was observed under all reaction conditions examined. Disparate sensitivities of Ag+ and AgNPs to different media were observed, limiting confidence in the measured dissolved fraction. Examination with hyphenated asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (A4F) methods supported similar mass preservation. Using flow-cell FTIR measurements, we provide direct evidence for the preservation of PVP-coatings in the presence of Na2S and fulvic acid, which we attribu...
Incidence and Risk Factors for Volar Wrist Ganglia in the U.S. Military and Civilian Populations.

Purpose To identify the incidence and demographic factors associated with volar wrist ganglia in both military and civilian beneficiary populations. Methods The U.S. Department of Defense Management Analysis and Reporting Tool (M2) accesses a comprehensive database of all health care visits by military personnel and their dependents. Because there is no specific code for ganglions of the wrist, the database was searched for all military personnel and civilian beneficiaries with an International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, diagnosis of 727.41 (ganglion of a joint) or 727.43 (ganglion, unspecified location) between 2009 and 2014. Two random samples of 1000 patients were selected from both the military and the civilian beneficiary cohorts, and their electronic medical records were examined to identify those with volar wrist ganglia. The proportion of volar wrist ganglia was then applied to the overall population data to estimate the total incidence with a 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error. Unadjusted incidence rates and adjusted incidence rate ratios were determined using Poisson regression, controlling for age, sex, branch of military service, and military seniority. Results The unadjusted incidence of volar wrist ganglia is 3.72 per 10,000 person-years (0.04%/y) in female civilian beneficiaries, 1.04 per 10,000 person-years (0.01%/y) in male civilian beneficiaries, 7.98 per 10,000 person-years (0.08%/y) in female military personnel, and 3.73 per 10,000 person-years (0.04%/y) in male military personnel. When controlled for age, military personnel have a 2.5-times increased rate of volar wrist ganglia, and women have a 2.3-times increased rate. In the military cohort, female sex, branch of service, and seniority were significantly associated with the diagnosis of a volar wrist ganglion when controlled for age. In the civilian beneficiary cohort, only female sex was significant. Conclusions Military service members have higher rates of volar wrist ganglia diagnoses than their age- and sex-matched civilian counterparts. Women are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with a volar wrist ganglion, regardless of age or military status. Clinical relevance The epidemiology of volar wrist ganglia is poorly defined, and few studies have firmly defined demographic factors associated with the diagnosis. We provide the overall incidence rate of the diagnosis and report a significant association with female sex even when controlled for age.
Big data essentials by Anil Maheshwari

The book review of Big Data Essentials is history-in-the-making in the sense that this is the very first digital-only book being reviewed for the Journal of Information Technology Case and Applicat...
Resveratrol regulates Bcl-2 family members, phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/AKT, mitochondrial p53 and apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

A37 Resveratrol, an active ingredient derived from grapes and red wine, has anticancer activity. Although resveratrol possesses chemopreventive properties against several cancers, the molecular mechanisms by which it inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis have not been clearly understood. Resveratrol inhibited growth and induced apoptosis in androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer cells, but had no effect on normal human prostate epithelial cells. Resveratrol downregulated the expression of Bcl-2, and Bcl-XL and upregulated the expression of p53, Bax, Bak, PUMA, Noxa, and Bim. Resveratrol upregulated the expression of p53 as well as its phosphorylation at serine 15, and acetylation. Treatment of LNCaP cells with resveratrol resulted in translocation of Bax and p53 to mitochondria, production of reactive oxygen species, drop in mitochondrial membrane potential, release of mitochondrial proteins (cytochrome c, Smac/DIABLO and Omi/HtrA2), activation of caspase-3 and induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, resveratrol inhibited phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) / AKT pathway, and downregulation of AKT increased resveratrol-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of constitutively active AKT inhibited resveratrol-induced p53 translocation to mitochondria, and Smac release to cytoplasm, whereas inhibition of AKT by dominant negative AKT enhanced resveratrol-induced p53 translocation to mitochondria and Smac release. Resveratrol also induced the acetylation of histone H3 and H4, suggesting histone modification may regulate gene expression. Our study establishes a role for AKT inmodulating the direct action of p53 on the caspase-dependent mitochondria l death pathway and suggests that these important biological molecules interact at the level of the mitochondria to influence resveratrol sensitivity. These properties of resveratrol strongly suggest that it could be used as a cancer chemopreventive agent.
A Two-Sided Market Analysis of Behaviorally Targeted Display Advertising

Targeting breadth is defined as the number of consumer interests that an ad network uses to form the set of potential advertisers who compete for an ad impression to a consumer in the context of display advertising. Despite its relevance and importance to display ad platforms, the impact and optimal design of targeting breadth remain largely unexplored. We develop an integrated model of decisions made by consumers, advertisers, and the platform, where advertisers’ bids are characterized by the mean field equilibrium. Using a proprietary dataset obtained from a large ad platform that comprises of 1.26 million ad impressions over 56,000 unique ads from 4,400 consumers over six weeks, we estimate model parameters, draw insights, and configure the optimal targeting breadth to improve the platform’s ad revenue. Counterfactual experiments indicate that both click-through rate (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC) first increase and then decrease, when a broader targeting is used in ad serving. The inverted-U shaped effect of targeting breadth on CTR is because a broader targeting tends to serve more ads that are less relevant to consumers (which decreases CTR), but also from different product categories and therefore alleviate the negative spillovers from the highly similar ads delivered simultaneously (which increases CTR). For CPC, the non-monotonic effect is driven by the increased competition (which increases CPC) and the lower match value of targeted audience (which decreases CPC) under a broader targeting. Moreover, the platform’s revenue can be improved by 9.2% if optimizing the targeting breadth uniformly and by another increase of 6.8% if setting the targeting breadth individually.
Where's The Bear?: Automating Wildlife Image Processing Using IoT and Edge Cloud Systems

We investigate the design and implementation of Where's The Bear (WTB), an end-to-end, distributed, IoT system for wildlife monitoring.WTB implements a multi-tier (cloud, edge, sensing) system that integrates recent advances in machine learning based image processing to automatically classify animals in images from remote, motion-triggered camera traps.We use non-local, resource-rich, public/private cloud systems to train the machine learning models, and ``in-the-field,'' resource-constrained edge systems to perform classification near the IoT sensing devices (cameras).We deploy WTB at the UCSB Sedgwick Reserve, a 6000 acre site for environmental research and use it to aggregate, manage, and analyze over 1.12M images.WTB integrates Google TensorFlow and OpenCV applications to perform automatic classification and tagging for a subset of these images.To avoid transferring large numbers of training images for TensorFlow over a low-bandwidth network linking Sedgwick to the public/private clouds, we devise a technique that uses stock Google Images to construct a synthetic training set using only a small number of empty, background images from Sedgwick.Our system is able to accurately identify bears, deer, coyotes, and empty images and significantly reduces the time and bandwidth requirements for image transfer, as well as end-user analysis time, since WTB automatically filters the images on-site.
Alcohol Use and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background & Aims Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Moderate drinking (vs abstinence) is associated with lower risk of CVD in the general population. We assessed whether alcohol use is associated with CVD risk in patients with NAFLD. Methods We analyzed data from participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults longitudinal cohort study of 5115 black and white young adults, 18–30 years old, recruited from 4 cities in the United States from 1985 through 1986. Participants self-reported alcohol use at study entry and then again after 15, 20, and 25 years. At year 25 (2010–2011), participants underwent computed tomography examination of the thorax and abdomen and tissue Doppler echocardiography with myocardial strain measured by speckle tracking. Coronary artery calcification was defined as an Agatston score above 0. NAFLD was defined as liver attenuation Results Of the 570 participants with NAFLD (mean age, 50 years; 54% black; 46% female), 332 (58%) were drinkers; significantly higher proportions of drinkers were white, male, and with higher levels of education compared with nondrinkers (P Conclusions In a population-based sample of individuals with NAFLD in midlife, prospectively assessed alcohol use is not associated with significant differences in risk factors for CVD or markers of subclinical CVD. In contrast to general population findings, alcohol use may not reduce the risk of CVD in patients with NAFLD.
Characterizing the Acoustic Output of an Ultrasonic Propulsion Device for Urinary Stones

A noninvasive ultrasound (US) system to facilitate the passage of small kidney stones has been developed. The device incorporates a software-based US platform programmed with brightness mode and Doppler for visualizing stones, plus long duration focused pulses for repositioning stones using the same transducer. This paper characterizes the acoustic outputs of the ultrasonic propulsion device. Though the application and outputs are unique, measurements were performed based on the regulatory standards for both diagnostic US and extracorporeal lithotripters. The extended length of the pulse, time varying pressure output over the pulse, the use of focused targeting, and the need to regulate the output at shallow depths, however, required modifications to the traditional acoustic measurement methods. Output parameters included spatial-peak intensities, mechanical index (MI), thermal index, pulse energy, focal geometry, and target accuracy. The imaging and Doppler operating modes of the system meet the Food and Drug Administration acoustic power and intensity limits for diagnostic US device. Push mode operates at a maximum MI of 2.2, which is above the limit of 1.9 for diagnostic US, but well below any lithotripsy device and an ISPTA of 548 mW/cm2, which is below the 720-mW/cm2 limit for diagnostic US.
Testing the effect of paraquat exposure on genomic recombination rates in queens of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera

The rate of genomic recombination displays evolutionary plasticity and can even vary in response to environmental factors. The western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) has an extremely high genomic recombination rate but the mechanistic basis for this genome-wide upregulation is not understood. Based on the hypothesis that meiotic recombination and DNA damage repair share common mechanisms in honey bees as in other organisms, we predicted that oxidative stress leads to an increase in recombination rate in honey bees. To test this prediction, we subjected honey bee queens to oxidative stress by paraquat injection and measured the rates of genomic recombination in select genome intervals of offspring produced before and after injection. The evaluation of 26 genome intervals in a total of over 1750 offspring of 11 queens by microsatellite genotyping revealed several significant effects but no overall evidence for a mechanistic link between oxidative stress and increased recombination was found. The results weaken the notion that DNA repair enzymes have a regulatory function in the high rate of meiotic recombination of honey bees, but they do not provide evidence against functional overlap between meiotic recombination and DNA damage repair in honey bees and more mechanistic studies are needed.
Clinical Case Examples

As is evident from the previous chapters, childhood neglect is an insidious form of childhood maltreatment that can go undetected by both the untrained and trained eye, and can have negative implications across cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, and occupational domains. As a result, this chapter serves to illustrate the conceptualization and approach to treatment of several adult survivors of childhood neglect and co-occurring abuse.
Herpes simplex virus virucidal activity of MST-312 and epigallocatechin gallate.

Abstract Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is the cause of cold sores, blindness and encephalitis and often leads to recurrent infections. Use of current anti-viral therapies can be limited when drug resistant HSV mutants arise. Thus, novel drugs for the treatment of HSV are needed. Previous research in our laboratory has determined that the telomerase inhibitor, MST-312, interferes with multiple steps of the HSV life cycle. The structure of MST-312 contains moieties related to a natural compound found in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG has been reported to possess direct virucidal activities toward HSV-1. Here, we tested the virucidal activity of MST-312 and compared it to that of EGCG. Specifically, HSV-1 was exposed to various concentrations of MST-312 or EGCG for time periods between 1 and 60 min and then the ability of the treated virions to form plaques on Vero cells was assessed. When treated for 60 min, 40 μM MST-312 and 0.5–1.0 μM EGCG significantly reduced the number of HSV-1 plaque forming units. The temperature at which treatment occurred impacted the ability of the compounds to limit viral replication. Both compounds were effective when treatment occurred at 37 °C and room temperature (RT). However, no inhibition was seen when virions were treated with MST-312 at 4 °C. 1 min treatment with 2 μM EGCG at RT was sufficient to significantly reduce HSV titers. Higher concentrations of MST-312 were required to inactivate HSV-1 virions compared to EGCG. These data indicate that both EGCG and MST-312 possess direct virucidal properties on HSV-1.
The Relation of Metaphysics to Aesthetics

Views on the relationship which holds between aesthetics and metaphysics vary along the whole spectrum of opinion. Some have held that aesthetics is a completely autonomous discipline, and others believe it to be a part and parcel of metaphysics. A quite defensible view is that aesthetics is in part derivative from metaphysics, since it uses a specialized form of certain notions which are discussed and presumably defined in metaphysics. In turn art criticism uses many concepts which are clarified in aesthetics. Thus aesthetics occupies an intermediary position between metaphysics and criticism. The nature of aesthetics will be made more perspicious when its relation to these two environing studies is understood. We turn first to consider its relationship to metaphysics.
The effects of modified posterior tibial slope on anterior cruciate ligament strain and knee kinematics: a human cadaveric study.

Increases to the posterior tibial slope can lead to an anterior shift in tibial resting position. However, the effect of this shift on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) strain has not been investigated sufficiently. This study examined the relationship between increased tibial slope and ACL strain, as well as the subsequent kinematics of the tibiofemoral joint. We hypothesized increases in slope would shift the tibia anterior relative to the femur and increase ACL strain. ACL strain measurements and tibiofemoral kinematics were compared for 5 intact and experimental knees subject to anterior opening wedge osteotomy. Combinations of both compressive and AP loading were applied. As slope increased, the resting position of the tibia shifted anteriorly, external tibial rotation increased, and tibial translation remained unchanged. Contrary to our hypothesis, ACL strain decreased. The clinical implication of these findings is that alterations to the posterior tibial slope should not increase strain in the ACL.
Models and Mechanisms of Cytochrome P450 Action

The reactions catalyzed by the cytochrome P450 family of enzymes have challenged and intrigued chemists for more than two decades. Alkane hydroxylation and olefin epoxidation, particularly, have attracted a sustained worldwide effort, the allure deriving from both a desire to understand the details of biological oxygen activation and transfer and, as well, the sense that catalysts for the practical application of these principles to organic synthesis and to large-scale process chemistry could be of considerable economic value. Cytochrome P450 is able to incorporate one of the two oxygen atoms of an O2 molecule into a broad variety of substrates with concomitant reduction of the other oxygen atom by two electrons to H2O.1 Cytochrome P450 enzymes have been isolated from numerous mammalian tissues (e.g., liver, kidney, lung, intestine, adrenal cortex), insects, plants, yeasts, and bacteria.2 Cytochrome P450 is known to catalyze hydroxylations, epoxidations, N-, S-, and O-dealkylations, N-oxidations, sulfoxidations, dehalogenations, and other reactions.1 The reactive site of all of these enzymes is extraordinarily simple, containing only an iron protoporphyrin IX (1) (Fig. 1) with cysteinate as the fifth ligand, leaving the sixth coordination site to bind and activate molecular oxygen. The local environment of oxygen binding and activation is also very simple, with mostly hydrophobic protein residues and a single threonine hydroxyl which is essential for catalysis for some but not all P450s. The principal catalytic cycle of cytochrome P450 has been much discussed and often reviewed, but the essential features have been agreed upon now for some time. The essential steps involve (Scheme I): (1) binding of the substrate, (2) reduction of the ferric, resting cytochrome P450 to the ferrous state, (3) binding of molecular oxygen to give a ferrous cytochrome P450-dioxygen complex, (4) transfer of the second electron to this complex to give a peroxoiron(III) complex, (5) protonation and cleavage of the O-O bond with the concurrent incorporation of the distal oxygen atom into a molecule of water and the formation of a reactive iron-oxo species, (6) oxygen atom transfer from this oxo complex to the bound substrate, and (7) dissociation of the product. While the first three steps of the enzymatic process have been monitored spectroscopically, the transfer of the second electron, the O-O bond cleavage, and the oxidation of the substrate occur too rapidly and have yet to be observed.3
Amphoraceras rothschildi and A. jordani sp. n.: two sibling species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae)

One new species of Amphoraceras which has so far remained unrecognised and intermingled within A. rothschildi is described as A. jordani sp. n. Both species are endemic to New Guinea, where they even happen to locally coexist and overlap phenologically. Main diagnostic features between the two taxa occur in the development of the unusual amphora-shaped structure present on male antenna, which is herewith detailed morphologically, aspects of the habitus and features of the genitalia.
A Practical Algorithm for Structure Embedding

This paper presents an algorithm for the structure embedding problem: given two finite first-order structures over a common relational vocabulary, does there exist an injective homomorphism from one to the other? The structure embedding problem is NP-complete in the general case, but for monadic structures (each predicate has arity \(\le 1\)) we observe that it can be solved in polytime by reduction to bipartite graph matching. Our algorithm, MatchEmbeds, extends the bipartite matching approach to the general case by using it as the foundation of a backtracking search procedure. We show that MatchEmbeds outperforms state-of-the-art SAT, CSP, and subgraph isomorphism solvers on difficult random instances and significantly improves the performance of a client model checker for multi-threaded programs.
Red-eared slider hatchlings (Trachemys scripta) show a seasonal shift in behavioral types

Correlated and repeatable patterns of behavior, termed behavioral types, can affect individual fitness. The most advantageous behavioral type may differ across predictable environments (e.g., seasonally), and maternally mediated effects may match hatchling behavior to the environment. We measured righting response, an indicator of behavioral type, of juvenile red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) emerging from early and late season clutches to understand if the production of behavioral types differs across the nesting season. There was a significant effect of season, with early season hatchlings righting more quickly than late season hatchlings, and we explored two potential underlying mechanisms, maternal estrogens and maternal investment (e.g., yolk allocation). We dosed early season eggs with an estrogen mixture to mimic late season eggs and assayed hatchling righting response, but found no significant effect of this maternal effect. We assessed maternal investment by measuring egg, hatchling, and residual yolk masses. We found a seasonal pattern in yolk allocation, where early season eggs have more yolk than late season eggs. Early season hatchlings used more yolk for growth rather than maintenance of existing tissues, resulting in larger hatchlings. Interestingly, across both seasons, hatchlings that received less maternal yolk appeared to be more efficient at converting yolk to tissue, but we found no direct correlation with righting behavior. We demonstrate that the prevalence of behavioral types varies across the nesting season, creating correlated suites of seasonal phenotypes in turtle hatchlings, but it appears that neither maternal estrogens or investment in yolk directly underlie this shift in behavior.
Adult Spinal Arteriovenous Malformations: Natural History and a Multicenter Study of Short-Term Surgical Outcomes

Objective Spinal arteriovenous malformations (SAVMs) are a very rare and complex spinal cord pathology that require high clinical acumen to diagnose and treat. Management includes both nonoperative and operative paradigms. A review of the literature yields a paucity of data regarding the surgical outcomes of SAVMs, with the majority of data limited to single-center outcomes and/or small sample sizes. The purpose of this study was to use a multi-institutional international database to study the natural history of SAVMs. Methods We used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database to select patients that underwent laminectomy for surgical excision of a SAVM between 2008 and 2017. Results The data from 196 patients were studied (65.8% male, 34.2% female). A majority of cases were in the thoracic region (53.6%), followed by thoracolumbar (31.6%) and cervical (14.8%) regions. The mean age was 57.4 years and 52.5% patients were graded ASA class 3–5 before the operation. The mean operation time was 215 minutes, with a significantly lower operative time for thoracic arteriovenous malformations (195.6 minutes) when compared with cervical (266.6 minutes) and thoracolumbar (223.7 minutes). The mean length of hospital stay was 6.4 days. Patients had a 6.6% readmission rate and a 4.6% reoperation rate within 30 days. Conclusions This study presents the largest analysis of patients undergoing surgery for SAVMs and 30-day postoperative outcomes. Operative time differed based on SAVM location. The three most frequent complications (deep vein thrombosis, wound infection, and UTI) occurred at rates of 3.6% or less.
Hydrologic variability contributes to reduced survival through metamorphosis in a stream salamander

Changes in the amount, intensity, and timing of precipitation are increasing hydrologic variability in many regions, but we have little understanding of how these changes are affecting freshwater species. Stream-breeding amphibians—a diverse group in North America—may be particularly sensitive to hydrologic variability during aquatic larval and metamorphic stages. Here, we tested the prediction that hydrologic variability in streams decreases survival through metamorphosis in the salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus, reducing recruitment to the adult stage. Using a 20-y dataset from Merrill Brook, a stream in northern New Hampshire, we show that abundance of G. porphyriticus adults has declined by ∼50% since 1999, but there has been no trend in larval abundance. We then tested whether hydrologic variability during summers influences survival through metamorphosis, using capture–mark–recapture data from Merrill Brook (1999 to 2004) and from 4 streams in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (2012 to 2014), also in New Hampshire. At both sites, survival through metamorphosis declined with increasing variability of stream discharge. These results suggest that hydrologic variability reduces the demographic resilience and adaptive capacity of G. porphyriticus populations by decreasing recruitment of breeding adults. They also provide insight on how increasing hydrologic variability is affecting freshwater species, and on the broader effects of environmental variability on species with vulnerable metamorphic stages.
Enrichment of Aurora B kinase at the inner kinetochore controls outer kinetochore assembly

Outer kinetochore assembly enables chromosome attachment to microtubules and spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) signaling in mitosis. Aurora B kinase controls kinetochore assembly by phosphorylating the Mis12 complex (Mis12C) subunit Dsn1. Current models propose Dsn1 phosphorylation relieves autoinhibition, allowing Mis12C binding to inner kinetochore component CENP-C. Using Xenopus laevis egg extracts and biochemical reconstitution, we found that autoinhibition of the Mis12C by Dsn1 impedes its phosphorylation by Aurora B. Our data indicate that the INCENP central region increases Dsn1 phosphorylation by enriching Aurora B at inner kinetochores, close to CENP-C. Furthermore, centromere-bound CENP-C does not exchange in mitosis, and CENP-C binding to the Mis12C dramatically increases Dsn1 phosphorylation by Aurora B. We propose that the coincidence of Aurora B and CENP-C at inner kinetochores ensures the fidelity of kinetochore assembly. We also found that the central region is required for the SAC beyond its role in kinetochore assembly, suggesting that kinetochore enrichment of Aurora B promotes the phosphorylation of other kinetochore substrates.
Chess and Coronary Artery Ischemia: Clinical Implications of Machine-Learning Applications.

See Article by Coenen et al > I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring > > —David Bowie In December of 2017, DeepMind—an artificial intelligence company owned by Alphabet—released a software program called AlphaZero, a machine-learning (ML) approach to playing the game of chess.1 Although chess-playing artificial intelligence computers have been showcased for >2 decades before the release of AlphaZero—beginning with IBM’s DeepBlue notorious win against Grandmaster chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1996—the excitement surrounding AlphaZero was for its distinct approach from that taken by DeepBlue, which allowed AlphaZero to master chess with incomparable rapidity and efficiency.2 Within 1 day of its release, AlphZero realized superhuman levels of chess play, capable of beating both humans as well as championship chess software programs, such Stockfish, elmo, and AlphaGo Zero. Notably, AlphaZero was not taught through review of prior games, or by books on chess strategy, or by championship players; but rather learned to play chess by simply self play. After only 4 hours of this self play training, AlphaZero triumphed over Stockfish 8—the leading championship chess software—in a 100-game match, where it won 28, lost 0, and drew 72 games.3 During these games, AlphaZero was allowed to think for up to 1 minute per move and achieved its efficiency in decision making by simultaneous searching of >800-fold fewer moves than traditional software algorithms and counterbalancing this parsimony through the use of deep neural networks for better selection of promising moves and a particularly aggressive style of play. Similar to chess, there has been much discussion of late of the ability of artificial intelligence to disrupt healthcare, with much of the positive speculation by technology experts. As an example, Vinod Khosla, venture capitalist and founder of Sun Microsystems, presages that “by 2025, 80% of …
Pose and Optical Flow Fusion (POFF) for accurate tremor detection and quantification

Abstract Limb tremor measurements are one factor used to characterize and quantify the severity of neurodegenerative disorders. These tremor measurements can also provide dosage-response feedback to guide medication treatments. Here, we propose a system to automatically measure limb tremors in home or clinic settings. The key feature of proposed method is that it is contactless; not requiring a user to wear or hold a device or marker. Our sensor is a Kinect 2, which measures color and depth and estimates rough limb motion. We show that its pose accuracy is poor for small limb tremors below 10 mm amplitude, and so we propose an additional level of tremor tracking that recovers limb motion at a higher precision. Our method upgrades the sensitivity to achieve detection and analysis for tremors down to 2 mm amplitude. We include empirical experiments and measurements showing improved tremor amplitude and frequency estimation using our proposed Pose and Optical Flow Fusion (POFF) algorithm.
X-ray free-electron laser wavefront sensing using the fractional Talbot effect

Wavefront sensing at X-ray free-electron lasers is important for quantitatively understanding the fundamental properties of the laser, for aligning X-ray instruments and for conducting scientific experimental analysis. A fractional Talbot wavefront sensor has been developed. This wavefront sensor enables measurements over a wide range of energies, as is common on X-ray instruments, with simplified mechanical requirements and is compatible with the high average power pulses expected in upcoming X-ray free-electron laser upgrades. Single-shot measurements were performed at 500 eV, 1000 eV and 1500 eV at the Linac Coherent Light Source. These measurements were applied to study both mirror alignment and the effects of undulator tapering schemes on source properties. The beamline focal plane position was tracked to an uncertainty of 0.12 mm, and the source location for various undulator tapering schemes to an uncertainty of 1 m, demonstrating excellent sensitivity. These findings pave the way to use the fractional Talbot wavefront sensor as a routine, robust and sensitive tool at X-ray free-electron lasers as well as other high-brightness X-ray sources.
Candida albicans necrotizing fasciitis following elective surgery

Necrotizing fasciitis is a potentially fatal soft tissue infection that requires prompt clinical suspicion, pharmacological and surgical interventions. Bacterial pathogens, such as beta-hemolytic streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus, are the main etiology of necrotizing fasciitis, however, rare cases caused by fungal pathogens, such as Candida albicans, have been reported following trauma. Here, we present the first case of C. albicans necrotizing fasciitis following an elective surgical procedure in an immunocompetent adult.
A Potential Role for Stress-Induced Microbial Alterations in IgA-Associated Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea

Stress is a known trigger for flares of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, this process is not well understood. Here, we find that restraint stress in mice leads to signs of diarrhea, fecal dysbiosis, and a barrier defect via the opening of goblet-cell associated passages. Notably, stress increases host immunity to gut bacteria as assessed by immunoglobulin A (IgA)-bound gut bacteria. Stress-induced microbial changes are necessary and sufficient to elicit these effects. Moreover, similar to mice, many diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) patients from two cohorts display increased antibacterial immunity as assessed by IgA-bound fecal bacteria. This antibacterial IgA response in IBS-D correlates with somatic symptom severity and was distinct from healthy controls or IBD patients. These findings suggest that stress may play an important role in patients with IgA-associated IBS-D by disrupting the intestinal microbial community that alters gastrointestinal function and host immunity to commensal bacteria.
Long non-coding RNA MEG3 as a candidate prognostic factor for induction therapy response and survival profile in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cALL) is a common hematological malignancy in children with unfavorable prognosis. Identifying novel prognostic factors is critical to optimize personalized ...
Multiculturalism as Class Trauma: Antagonistic Authorship in Caché, Code Unknown, Happy End and Time of the Wolf

This chapter begins with an overview of the academic literature on the increasing hostility to multiculturalism in neoliberal societies. The scapegoating of immigrants for the systemic failures of neoliberal capitalism is countered in the French-language films of Michael Haneke through a focus on the class interests that motivate French resistance to multiculturalism. The chapter examines how ambiguity in Haneke’s oeuvre exposes the differences between the insecurity of marginalized groups and the manufactured moral panics of bourgeois elites, ethically implicating the viewer in the discriminatory logic of xenophobic displacements of neoliberal crisis. The chapter concludes with a consideration of Haneke’s antagonistic authorship which is related to the class particularism of earlier art cinema.