cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurements of wall shear stress and aortic pulse wave velocity in swine with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Purpose To assess measurements of pulse wave velocity (PWV) and wall shear stress (WSS) in a swine model of atherosclerosis. Materials and Methods Nine familial hypercholesterolemic (FH) swine with angioplasty balloon catheter-induced atherosclerotic lesions to the abdominal aorta (injured group) and 10 uninjured FH swine were evaluated with a 4D phase contrast (PC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisition, as well as with radial and Cartesian 2D PC acquisitions, on a 3T MR scanner. PWV values were computed from the 2D and 4D PC techniques, compared between the injured and uninjured swine, and validated against reference standard pressure probe-based PWV measurements. WSS values were also computed from the 4D PC MRI technique and compared between injured and uninjured groups. Results PWV values were significantly greater in the injured than in the uninjured groups with the 4D PC MRI technique (P = 0.03) and pressure probes (P = 0.02). No significant differences were found in PWV between groups using the 2D PC techniques (P = 0.75–0.83). No significant differences were found for WSS values between the injured and uninjured groups. Conclusion The 4D PC MRI technique provides a promising means of evaluating PWV and WSS in a swine model of atherosclerosis, providing a potential platform for developing the technique for the early detection of atherosclerosis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:1475–1485. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A quaternary partial-response class-IV system for 125 Mbit/s data transmission over unshielded twisted-pair cables

A 125-Mb/s quaternary partial-response class-IV (QPRIV) data transmission system is described for the physical connection between stations and concentrators in a fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) network over unshielded voice-grade twisted-pair cables with a maximum length of 100 m. It is shown that near-end crosstalk (NEXT) cancellation at the receiver is necessary to achieve satisfactory error rates. The problem posed by the drifting phase between the NEXT signal and the signal from the remote transsitter is solved by synchronous digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversion and adaptive NEXT cancellation, followed by self-training adaptive interpolation/equalization performed at a rate that is controlled so that the elastic buffer storing input signals for the digital equalizer is kept half full, on average. Numerical results on the convergence of the adaptive filters are given. >
Least-cost high-quality object retrieval for distributed multimedia collaborations

In a collaborative network, retrieval of media objects from corresponding servers introduces many challenges. A major challenge is the multi-objective route establishment requirement, where various QoS and object quality parameters should be simultaneously optimized. This task requires new quality-based routing algorithms. We present optimistic, pessimistic and hybrid algorithms that optimize the media delivery costs while maximizing the quality of the transmitted objects. We also report on simulation results to show the applicability of these algorithms for varying sizes of collaborative networks. These algorithms can be implemented either as sub-application-layer solutions in an information-centric network or as application-layer information sharing/communication protocols between collaborators.
The role of androgens in male gender role behavior

I. Introduction II. Sexual Behavior of Animals III. Control of Libido and Potentia in Humans IV. Gender Identity/Role Behavior in the Human A. Normal and abnormal sexual development B. Behavior studies in subjects with abnormal sexual development V. Gender Role Behavior in Individuals with Male Pseudohermaphroditism A. 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 deficiency B. Steroid 5α-reductase 2 deficiency C. Features common to 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 and steroid 5α-reductase 2 deficiencies D. Androgen receptor mutations VI. Discussion VII. Conclusions
The Use of Ultrasonic Spectroscopy to Characterize Calcified Lesions

A quantitative basis is developed for the medical application of ultrasonic spectroscopy, particularly in the characterization of calcified lesions associated with atherosclerotic conditions. A theory of the field radiation patterns of disk and ring sources is presented which can be used to predict minima in the reflection spectra of a target as a function of frequency and angle relative to the acoustic axis. The theory is then tested experimentally for objects of known geometry by the use of a time delay spectroscopy system using a swept frequency technique, and results are obtained which demonstrate the usefulness of the technique. Finally, the theory is verified in the determination of lesion diameter and orientation from spectra received from calcified lesions on in vitro arterial specimens as a function of angle.
Optimal hot spot allocation on meshes for large-scale data-parallel algorithms

Hot spots are notorious for degrading the performance of a parallel algorithm. We attempt to minimize the hot-spot access time for a class of problems, namely, Large-Scale Data-Parallel (LSDP) algorithms, on a 2D mesh. An LSDP algorithm has rich data parallelism but without exclusive task and data partitioning. Our approach is to allocate the hot spots at the optimal locations such that the hot-spot access time is minimized. Also, we have designed scheduling algorithms which control hot spot access sequences to achieve the minimal access time. Both uniform and nonuniform hot spots have been considered in this study. We have analytically derived the optimal allocations for wrapped-around and non-wrapped-around square meshes. The theoretical results have been verified by parallelizing the EM algorithm for 3D PET image reconstruction on the Intel iPSC/860. >
Knowledge-Based Training of Artificial Neural Networks for Autonomous Robot Driving

Many real world problems require a degree of flexibility that is difficult to achieve using hand programmed algorithms. One such domain is vision-based autonomous driving. In this task, the dual challenges of a constantly changing environment coupled with a real time processing constrain make the flexibility and efficiency of a machine learning system essential. This chapter describes just such a learning system, called ALVINN (Autonomous Land Vehicle In a Neural Network). It presents the neural network architecture and training techniques that allow ALVINN to drive in a variety of circumstances including single-lane paved and unpaved roads, multilane lined and unlined roads, and obstacle-ridden on-and off-road environments, at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour.
Comparison of gestational weight gain–related pregnancy outcomes in American primiparous and multiparous women

Background: In Danish data, the tradeoffs between mother and infant in the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes were reached at lower gestational weight gain (GWG) among multiparous than among primiparous women. It is unknown whether the same difference exists among American women. Objective: The objective was to determine whether these tradeoffs also differ by parity among women in a contemporary American birth cohort. Design: Data from 822 primiparous and 2055 multiparous American women who participated in the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (2005–2007), a national cohort study, were analyzed. Their selfreported GWG was divided into 4 categories (#10, .10 to ,15, 15 to ,20, and $20 kg). GWG-specific absolute adjusted risks for emergency cesarean delivery, birth of a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infant, and postpartum weight retention at 6 mo were estimated by multiple logistic regression analyses for women in 3 categories of prepregnancy body mass index. Results: Primiparous women gained more weight during pregnancy than did multiparous women (mean 6 SD: 15.9 6 6.9 compared with 13.5 6 6.2 kg; P , 0.0001). The absolute adjusted risk of postpartum weight retention rose steeply with increasing GWG among both primiparous and multiparous women. The risk of emergency cesarean delivery and of delivering LGA infants increased with increasing GWG only among multiparous women. The risk of SGA tended to decrease with increasing GWG in both parity groups. Conclusion: These findings extend the concept of a lower optimal GWG among multiparous than primiparous women to American women. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.052258.
Lack of evidence for ectopic sprouting of genetically labeled Aβ touch afferents in inflammatory and neuropathic trigeminal pain.

Background: Mechanical and in particular tactile allodynia is a hallmark of chronic pain in which innocuous touch becomes painful. Previous cholera toxin B (CTB)-based neural tracing experiments and electrophysiology studies had suggested that aberrant axon sprouting from touch sensory afferents into pain-processing laminae after injury is a possible anatomical substrate underlying mechanical allodynia. This hypothesis was later challenged by experiments using intra-axonal labeling of A-fiber neurons, as well as single-neuron labeling of electrophysiologically identified sensory neurons. However, no studies have used genetically labeled neurons to examine this issue, and most studies were performed on spinal but not trigeminal sensory neurons which are the relevant neurons for orofacial pain, where allodynia oftentimes plays a dominant clinical role. Findings: We recently discovered that parvalbumin::Cre (Pv::Cre) labels two types of Aβ touch neurons in trigeminal ganglion. Using a Pv::CreER driver and a Cre-dependent reporter mouse, we specifically labeled these Aβ trigeminal touch afferents by timed taxomifen injection prior to inflammation or infraorbital nerve injury (ION transection). We then examined the peripheral and central projections of labeled axons into the brainstem caudalis nucleus after injuries vs controls. We found no evidence for ectopic sprouting of Pv::CreER labeled trigeminal Aβ axons into the superficial trigeminal noci-receptive laminae. Furthermore, there was also no evidence for peripheral sprouting. Conclusions: CreER-based labeling prior to injury precluded the issue of phenotypic changes of neurons after injury. Our results suggest that touch allodynia in chronic orofacial pain is unlikely caused by ectopic sprouting of Aβ trigeminal afferents.
The relationship of protein conservation and sequence length

In general, the length of a protein sequence is determined by its function and the wide variance in the lengths of an organism's proteins reflects the diversity of specific functional roles for these proteins. However, additional evolutionary forces that affect the length of a protein may be revealed by studying the length distributions of proteins evolving under weaker functional constraints. We performed sequence comparisons to distinguish highly conserved and poorly conserved proteins from the bacterium Escherichia coli, the archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus, and the eukaryotes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster, and Homo sapiens. For all organisms studied, the conserved and nonconserved proteins have strikingly different length distributions. The conserved proteins are, on average, longer than the poorly conserved ones, and the length distributions for the poorly conserved proteins have a relatively narrow peak, in contrast to the conserved proteins whose lengths spread over a wider range of values. For the two prokaryotes studied, the poorly conserved proteins approximate the minimal length distribution expected for a diverse range of structural folds. There is a relationship between protein conservation and sequence length. For all the organisms studied, there seems to be a significant evolutionary trend favoring shorter proteins in the absence of other, more specific functional constraints.
Optimal Remote Homing for Providing Service Differentiation in Information-Aware Multi-Layered Wireless Sensor Networks

Sensor networks are fundamentally deployed to handle extreme behaviors across sensing sites. Service differentiation in information-aware wireless sensor network refers to the ability to provide reliable and low-latency transmissions of critical data. In this paper, we present remote-homing based solutions to support service differentiation in wireless sensor network. For each sensor (source), we designate remote homes that bypass certain layers in a multi-layered sensor network in order to reduce transmission delay, and also identify node-disjoint remote homes in order to provide high reliability. We develop algorithms that identify optimal remote homes, which minimize the total energy consumed for data transmission given a delay and a loss constraint. We evaluate the effectiveness of our dynamic programming-based optimal algorithms using simulation results.
Effects of particle shape on settling velocity at low Reynolds numbers

Extensive theoretical and experimental studies have been conducted at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research in an investigation of the effect of shape on the settling velocity of particles. A number of representative axisymmetric shapes were used in the experiments, the Reynolds numbers of the particle motion ranging from 10−4 to 10+1. Stability of orientation was also investigated. Analytical results were obtained for the motion of ellipsoids within the Stokes range by solving Oberbeck's integral equation. The ratio of the principal-axis lengths was found to be by far the most significant of the various shape factors which have been proposed. In fact, the settling velocities of particles over a wide range of shape can be estimated within ten per cent from the theoretical results for ellipsoids.
Unidirectional optical Bloch oscillations in asymmetric waveguide arrays

We present an analytical proof of the existence of unidirectional optical Bloch oscillations in a waveguide array system. It is shown that the presence of nonreciprocity in the system allows for a complete normal-mode dephasing in one of the propagation directions, resulting in a unidirectional breakdown in Bloch oscillations. A model system consisting of an array of transversely magnetized asymmetric Si/SiO2 waveguides with a magneto-optic cover layer is presented. Large index contrasts between film and cover are critical for practical realizations.
Strategic technology planning in higher education

Higher education institutions struggle with planning for future needs, growth, and, sometimes, contraction. As student populations expand and as faculty members adopt new technologies, universities struggle to support these needs. To the casual observer, it may seem that the technology planning process is haphazard. This article details a process that organizations can use to develop a strategic plan to satisfy near- and long-term technology needs. A case study of how this process was used to develop a technology roadmap at San Diego State University will be discussed.
Quantifying Bacteria on Poultry Carcass Skin

Abstract THERE are four sampling methods that have been used for determining numbers of bacteria on poultry meat and carcasses, and a number of variations of each method (Fromm, 1959; Kotula, 1966; and Seekins et al., 1958). The four basic methods are: 1) direct contact plating, 2) swab sampling, 3) rinse sampling, and 4) skin tissue removal. Direct contact plating involves placing the surface of a solid bacterial growth medium directly against the carcass skin, then incubating the medium in the petri plate and counting bacterial colonies. A modification of this method utilizes a moist membrane filter to remove bacteria from the carcass skin. The membrane filter is then placed on the surface of a solidified medium for incubation. This method has three serious disadvantages: a) clumps of bacteria removed from the carcass skin are counted as one colony-forming unit; b) even with moderately contaminated carcasses, individual colonies are not distinguishable…
Prednisone improves chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy more than no treatment

Of 40 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), 28 completed a controlled three-month trial of prednisone. Prednisone was shown to cause a small but significant improvement over no treatment in scored neurological disability, some measures of computer-assisted sensory detection threshold, graded muscle strength, and some attributes of nerve conduction. No subset of patients was more likely than another to be responsive to prednisone; those with a progressive course were as likely to be responsive as recurrent cases. This finding provides further justification for classifying progressive with recurrent cases as CIDP and demonstrates that prednisone treatment should not be withheld from patients with progressive disease.
Values Added: The Uses of Educational Philosophies in an Accelerated Teacher Training Program

In this article I report on the ways that an educational philosophies course in a performance-based program enables teacher candidates to identify, reflect upon, and evaluate a wide range of educational purposes. The context for the report is an accelerated graduate program in childhood education at a small urban college where intensive fieldwork is required every semester and applied learning is the norm. Using teacher candidates’ reactions to selected texts in the history of educational thought as evidence, I aim to show that an encounter with provocative foundational ideas can promote effective value-formation and reflective analysis of educational practice.
Scrotal exploration for acute scrotal pain: a 10-year experience in two tertiary referral paediatric units.

Abstract Objective.Acute scrotal pain is a common presentation to the paediatric emergency department. Testicular torsion is one of the most common causes of acute scrotal pain. Testicular torsion is a surgical emergency requiring immediate surgical exploration to prevent permanent testicular damage or loss. The aim of this study was to determine the surgical outcome of all scrotal explorations and to assess the use of colour Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) in the assessment of acute scrotal pain in two tertiary referral paediatric units. Material and methods. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was carried out for all scrotal explorations between 1999 and 2010. Results.In total, 155 scrotal explorations were carried out for acute scrotal pain. The mean age was 9.1 years (range 0–15 years). The pathology in 46.5% (n = 72) was testicular torsion, 30.3% (n = 47) were torsion of a testicular appendage, 16.1% (n = 25) were epididymitis, 3.3% (n = 5) had no obvious pathology identified and ...
Sabadilla Alkaloids: IV. Separation of Veratridine and Cevadine by Partition Chromatography

Veratridine and cevadine have been separated in a high state of purity from prepared mixtures of the known alkaloids, from commercial veratrine, and from the mixture of alkaloids obtained by Skellysolve® B extraction of sabadilla seed by partition chromatography on a silicic acid column buffered at pH 4.00 and 4.25, using chloroform as the eluting solvent.
Commissural synapses, but not mossy fiber synapses, in hippocampal field CA3 exhibit associative long-term potentiation and depression.

Abstract When CA3 commissural afferents received low-frequency (weak) stimuli synchronized with a train of mossy fiber bursts (strong), associative long-term potentiation (LTP) was induced at mixed commissural and associational synapases on hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells in vitro. In contrast, a weak mossy fiber input did not potentiate when given in phase with commissural/associational bursts. Furthermore, commissural/associational synapses receiving low-frequency stimuli out-of-phase with strong rhythmic mossy fiber input showed associative long-term depression (LTD), whereas mossy fiber synaptic strengths were not depressed when they received weak inputs out-of-phase with a strong commissural/associational input. Thus, both associative LTP and associative LTD can be induced at commissural/associational synapses, but not at mossy fiber synapses.
Dissipative Collisions and Multifragmentation in the Fermi Energy Domain

Multiple emission of intermediate-mass fragments (IMFs) is one of the salient reaction modes in heavy-ion collisions in the Fermi-energy domain (E/A ≈ 10 to 100 MeV).[1] It has been established that for heavy systems, and at the lower boundary of the Fermi energy regime (E/A ≈ 30 MeV), sequential thermal IMF emission from either the projectile-like fragment (PLF) or the target-like fragment (TLF) is rather weak.[3,5] IMFs are rather emitted from the “neck zone” formed between PLF and TLF, both in peripheral[2, 3, 4] and in central[6] collisions. It has also been shown that in peripheral collisions the “neck zone” is transiently formed from the neutron-rich projectile and target surface matter.[3, 7] These findings are consistent with a dynamical IMF production scenario, such as that of microscopic molecular dynamics models.[8, 9, 10] Since protons and α-particles are emitted mostly sequentially from PLF and TLF,[3, 5] while in the same events, IMFs are emitted mostly from a midrapidity “neck-like” source, a single fused system can be ruled out as a possible source of all particles and fragments, for nearly the entire observed cross section.
The Market for Failure: An Examination of Collective Knowledge Theory and What Bond Markets Tell Us About Corporate Bankruptcy Filings

The ability to predict how many large public companies file for bankruptcy protection per year is useful for understanding underlying reasons for economic turmoil. Most literature on the subject does not address aggregate filing frequency, but instead focuses, at a microeconomic level, on the reason why an individual firm files for bankruptcy. This Article, however, takes a macroeconomic approach to analyzing the issue. It examines the relationship between large corporate bankruptcy filings and traditional measures of economic health, such as GDP and unemployment rates. It also examines the relationship between bankruptcy filings and corporate bond issuances. The model presented shows that while there is no statistically significant relationship between the filings and the traditional measures of the economy, there does exist a relationship between the number of filings and the issuances of corporate bonds. The Article then uses this finding to explore a theory of collective knowledge-the idea that the aggregate information created by individuals for their own self-interest is more useful than a single source of knowledge-to explain the predictive power of bond issuances.
Life cycle assessment of alternative swine management practices

Life cycle assessment of various alternative management strategies in the swine industry was performed to evaluate their impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, cumulative energy use, and cumulative water use. The management strategies included the use of immunocastration (IC), production without ractopamine (NoRAC), production without antimicrobials used for either growth promotion (NoAGP) or disease prevention (NoPREV), production of entire males (boars) (EM), and use of gestation pens (PENS). A common baseline scenario representing standard management practices in the swine industry was created against which all alternative management practices were compared pairwise. The study scope was from cradle-to-farm gate with a functional unit of 1 kg live weight at the farm gate. The baseline and each alternative management scenario was simulated in Pig Production Environmental Footprint Calculator (PPEC) model by varying key variables to populate life cycle inventory inputs for SimaPro V7.3 (Pre' Consultant, the Netherlands), a life cycle assessment modeling program. Increase in GHG emissions, energy use, and water use were observed for NoAGP (1.56, 1.75, and 1.03%, respectively), NoPREV (17.32, 18.40, and 15.58%, respectively), and NoRAC (6.52, 4.87, and 7.52%, respectively) scenarios. For EM scenario, GHG emissions and energy use increased by 2.09 and 3.75%, respectively but water use decreased by 2.29%. Lower GHG emissions, energy use, and water use were observed for PENS (0.97, 1.50, and 0.97%, respectively) and IC (2.39, 2.57, and 2.96%, respectively) scenarios. These changes in the impact categories were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for all scenarios except for changes to GHG emissions for EM and changes to water consumption for PENS and NoAGP. However, the uncertainty analysis showed that the tails of distribution for baseline and alternative management scenario pair overlapped. The impact of management practices on sustainability metrics resulted from differences in pig performance parameters, manure production, feed consumption, etc. between various management practices and the baseline scenario. Due to uncertainties in input parameters, the results should be interpreted as general trends which specifically highlight trade-offs that may result from shifts in production practices. The study identified some of the hot spots in pig production and can be useful in determining best management practices to make swine production more environmentally sustainable.
Acute head trauma in infancy and childhood. Clinical and radiologic aspects.

Clinical aspects of head injuries in childhood are discussed, with special attention to plain radiography and CT scanning as investigative techniques. When high yield criteria for performing radiologic studies are met, needless radiation is minimized. Children are able to recover from even severe head trauma and should be promptly assessed and actively treated.
Thermotropic liquid crystalline bimesogenic molecules with highly flexible oligosiloxane spacer

A number of potentially mesomorphic ester derivatives of 4-allyloxybenzoic acid have been prepared. Bimesogenic molecules were synthesized by addition of the 4-allyloxymesogenic unit to α-dimethylsilanyl-ω-hidrogenooligodimethylsiloxane catalized by hexacloroplatinic acid. The thermal properties of this new series of thermotropic, liquid crystalline bimesogenic compounds were studied by differential scanning calorymetry (DSC) and polarized light microscopy. It was found that the length of the oligosiloxane spacer was the most important factor for the low transition temperature. The effects of structural changes on mesophase stability are also discussed.
Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) reduces adipocyte hyperplasia associated with feeding rats a high-fat diet

Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) reduces adipocyte hyperplasia associated with feeding rats a high-fat diet
Generalizing Regrasping with Supervised Policy Learning

We present a method for learning a general regrasping behavior by using supervised policy learning. First, we use reinforcement learning to learn linear regrasping policies, with a small number of parameters, for single objects. Next, a general high-dimensional regrasping policy is learned in a supervised manner by using the outputs of the individual policies. In our experiments with multiple objects, we show that learning low-dimensional policies makes the reinforcement learning feasible with a small amount of data. Our experiments indicate that the general high-dimensional policy learned using our method is able to outperform the respective linear policies on each of the single objects that they were trained on. Moreover, the general policy is able to generalize to a novel object that was not present during training.
Assessment of WEPP Model Applicability (Hillslope Version) on Hill-gully Region of the Loess Plateau——A Case Study in Slope Length Factor

Based on observed meteorological data and measured soil loss data from field runoff plots in 1985—1992 at Ansai Comprehensive Experimental Station,the applicability of WEPP model to different slope lengths on hill-gully region of the Loess Plateau was assessed.Results showed that simulated values of event runoff,annual runoff,and average annual runoff by WEPP model were not desirable for the slope lengths of 10 m,20 m,30 m and 40 m.However,the simulated values of event soil loss and annual soil loss by WEPP model were desirable for the slope lengths of 10 m,20 m,30 m and 40 m,respectively.The differences of simulated values between slope lengths and increasing trend with increase of slope length were close to observed data of the soil loss.The Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiencies of event runoff simulation and annual runoff simulation were 0.915 and 0.879,respectively;and the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiencies of event soil loss simulation and annual soil loss simulation were 0.853 and 0.758,respectively.The simulated accuracy of annual average runoff and soil loss by WEPP model was satisfied.I30 had a great effect on runoff simulated values at individual storms;the error between simulated values and observed data probably increased when I30 was higher than 0.92 mm/min.The soil loss simulated values at individual storm had a close correlation with PI30,and the error between simulated values and observed values increased when PI30 was greater than 129 mm2/min.∑PI30 was an important factor affecting simulated accuracy of WEPP model,and simulated accuracy decreased when the ∑PI30 was higher than 150 mm2/min;meanwhile,the effect of ∑PI30 on runoff simulation was more greater than that on soil loss.
Determination of barium in steamed bread by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with wet digestion precipitation enrichment

Objective:To establish a method to determine barium content in steamed bread by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.Methods:After wet digestion,arium ion in sample was deposited with sulfuric acid then filtrated.The precipitation was dissolved in the boiling EDTA in ammonium alkaline medium.Determination was performed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry at a wavelength of 553.6 nm.Results:This method had good linearity(r=0.9994) for the concentration of barium ranged from 5.0 mg/L to 150 mg/L.The detection limit of the method was 5.0 mg/L.The RSD was 2.03%～4.59%,the average recoveries of the method were 87.5%～96.8%.Conclusion:This method is simple,rapid and accurate and has been successfully used to determine barium in steamed bread.
The Effect of Regulatory Loop-Holes on the Choice to Discontinued Operations

In recent decades there have been several changes in the definition of discontinued operations in the U.S., suggesting that regulators and prepares consider them important. We examine the reasons that firms choose to discontinue operations and their performance after the changes. As in earlier studies of asset sales, we find that corporate diversification, poor performance and financial constraints affect decisions to discontinue operations. We also present evidence that these divestitures are usually part of an on-going restructuring, and that single-unit entities do occasionally announce discontinuations. In 2002, the definition of items that could be reported as a discontinued operation was broadened, which changed reporting behaviors. After that, there are many more reports, particularly with positive values, and the magnitude of the average announcement is much smaller. These findings suggest that loop-holes in the earlier regulation allowed managers leeway to classify this item to their advantage. We also find that before 2002, firm earnings and share price performance improved after the announcement of discontinued operations, particularly with negative values. But, after the regulatory change, profits decline following reports. In addition, we show that firms that announce positive-valued discontinuations are larger, have slow growth, high financial leverage and are more financially constrained than those making negative valued divestitures, suggesting that they are disposing of their most liquid or valuable assets. As expected, firms are more likely to discontinue operations when equity markets are expanding. But, announcements are also more common when the economy is weak, which is contrary to the widely-held Liquidity Hypothesis.
Interpreting body MRI cases: what you need to know to get started

Interpreting body MRI cases can seem overwhelming to an uninitiated radiologist. The standard study includes a variety of pulse sequences, the names of which vary depending on the MR vendor. Pulse sequences may be displayed haphazardly on the picture archiving and communication system (PACS), frequently not synchronized with the imaging protocol. Adding to the complexity is the use of different gadolinium-based contrast agents, which may affect the timing and diagnostic yield of each sequence. The following introductory primer for interpreting body MRI cases is meant to create a basic framework for efficiently reviewing body MRI cases to provide high quality interpretations, fully utilizing the diagnostic information of the modality. There are 4 components that need to be mastered when interpreting body MRI cases including: (1) recognizing the key sequences in a basic body MRI protocol, (2) learning how to best display the key pulse sequences on PACS, (3) understanding the technique and clinical utility of each sequence and learning how to utilize sequences to be an "MR Pathologist", and (4) understanding the key features of the different gadolinium based contrast agents.
Top-down cognitive influences on object recognition: a commentary on Perry and Lupyan (2016)

In their recent paper, Perry and Lupyan (2016) ask, what role does a label play during the recognition of an object, and specifically does it play a greater role for “sparse categories” (note: in t...
UNRelenting Translation UNRestrains Melanoma Migration

The cytoplasmic RNA-binding protein UNR influences key developmental processes by controlling mRNA turnover and translation initiation. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Wurth et al. report that UNR is highly expressed in melanoma and enhances invasion and metastasis at least partly by inducing translation elongation of VIM and RAC1 mRNAs.
Molecular imaging and fusion targeted biopsy of the prostate

Purpose This paper provides a review on molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for prostate cancer detection and its applications in fusion targeted biopsy of the prostate.
Resolving the OcuCheck: A Human-Centered Design Approach

The OcuCheck is a point-of-care device that uses nanotechnology to quantify specific biomarkers in the tear film that result from micro leaks from the corneal wound after a serious eye trauma or su...
A Similitude Theory for Modeling Traffic Flow Dynamics

Similitude theory, particularly dimension analysis, is a common tool for testing scaled-down engineering models and is widely used in vehicle dynamics and other engineering fields. However, it is barely employed in scaling traffic flow dynamics. In this paper, dimension analysis is adopted to scale car-following dynamics. Under the guidance of the similitude theory, a scaled downvehicle test bed is built where seven cars are running on a circular track at a maximum speed initially and congestion emerges after a period of time. In other words, a phantom traffic jam appears in our similitude test bed without any bottlenecks. The fundamental diagrams drawn from the experimental results show that our test bed has the capability of generating traffic hysteresis that is commonly observed in the field. Therefore, the design of this test bed can be used to simulate traffic dynamics to a certain degree and will pave the way for scaled-down connected and automated vehicle systems development.
Room for Improvement: Girls’ and Boys’ Home Environments are Still Gendered

Decades ago, Rheingold and Cook (1975) observed marked gender-typing of preschool children’s playthings and room furnishings. Our purpose was to determine whether this form of implicit gender socialization has been altered by cultural shifts toward more egalitarian attitudes. We also examined potential predictors of children’s room contents, including parents’ self-perceived gender-stereotypical personality traits (i.e., expressivity and instrumentality), sibling composition, and preschool experience as a proxy for exposure to peer pressure to conform to gender norms. In-depth cataloging of 75 U.S. preschoolers’ room contents (n = 39 girls) found significant gender differences that were consistent with the gender-typing documented decades ago. Multilevel modeling showed parents’ expressivity and instrumentality largely to be unrelated to their child’s gender-typed playthings. Also, children in families with same-gender siblings, and girls who had spent more time in preschool, had more gender-typed playthings. Thus, the gender-typing of children’s playthings is attributable to multiple pathways, although familial contributors were minimal in our study. We discuss implications for toy advertising and how parents can be astute consumers, as well as strategies to create gender-neutral preschool classrooms and home environments.
Evidence for Mid-Holocene Environmental Change in the Western Khabur Drainage, Northeastern Syria

Vegetation on the semi-arid steppe of northern Syria responds quickly to fluctuations in patterns of precipitation and even small shifts may preclude subsistence agriculture. Archaeological survey in the western Khabur drainage has revealed periodic human settlement that responded to these fluctuations. During the late fifth-early fourth millennium B.C. the wadis held water perennially, indicating a more favorable water balance than today. Sites of this period were then buried beneath two meters of sands and gravels before the surface stabilized in the early third millennium. During this period, the numerous sites as large as 30 hectares indicate excellent conditions for agriculture. Shortly after 2500 B.C., all these sites were abandoned and the region was not again resettled until the first millennium. Subsequent occupations occured during the Roman/Byzantine and Islamic periods (after A. D. 622). The short periods of settlement were each separated by 1000 or more years of abandonment. After Medieval times, until recently, the region was occupied primarily by nomadic tribes of sheep herders. Changes in precipitation patterns probably account for some of these changes in the landscape and human settlement.
Neoadjuvant Pertuzumab-containing Regimens Improve Pathologic Complete Response Rates in Stage II to III HER-2/neu-positive Breast Cancer: A Retrospective, Single Institution Experience.

Abstract Introduction Several human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-targeted regimens are used to treat HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer (BC). The goal of this study was to retrospectively determine the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate for trastuzumab and pertuzumab (HP)-containing regimens compared with trastuzumab (H)-containing regimens for stage II to III HER2+ BC. Patients and Methods Patients (n = 977) with stage II to III HER2+ BC who received neoadjuvant HER2-targeted therapy from 2005 to 2016 and underwent definitive breast and axillary lymph node surgery were identified. pCR was defined as ypT0/is, ypN0. Univariate/multivariate logistic regression and the χ2 test for comparing proportions was used for the statistical analysis. Results The pCR rate was higher for the HP group (n = 170) compared with the H group (n = 807): 59% versus 46% (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-2.37; P = .0021). After adjustment for clinically important factors (age, date of diagnosis, stage, tumor grade, nodal status, hormone receptor [HR] status, menopausal status, and chemotherapy backbone) the adjusted odds ratio was 2.25 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-4.73; P = .032). In multivariate analysis, a significant predictor of pCR in both groups included HR status (HR-negative > HR-positive). Conclusion These results demonstrate that HP-containing regimens yield higher pCR rates compared with H-containing regimens in patients with stage II to III HER2+ BC in clinical practice regardless of chemotherapy backbone.
Chemical, Biologic and Biophysical Studies on ‘Hematoporphyrin Derivative’

This article will describe procedures for fractionation, analysis, and chemical, biological and biophysical characterization of the tumor-localizing product HPD. Since the latter is a mixture of different porphyrins, many of the early studies on HPD represent composite results. Such studies could initially be justified, since HPD was being used in the clinic without purification. As products with fewer components are provided for clinical work, biological and biophysical investigations on an impure product become less relevant. Results are presented which bear on the structure of the tumor-localizing component and on some of its properties related to tumor-localization.
Experimental evaluation of a prototype hybrid CPV/T system utilizing a nanoparticle fluid absorber at elevated temperatures

Abstract Novel approaches for solar energy conversion continue to garner interest as a potential thermal and electrical energy source. Additionally, the need for systems capable of producing thermal energy at temperatures up to 300 °C is growing as a means to provide process heat to industry and distributed generation for small communities. An approach that has seen recent increased interest is the hybrid concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collector that can co-produce electricity and heat energy above 100 °C. One technique for this is to use nanoparticles in the heat transfer fluid to spectrally filter off wavelengths poorly utilized by the photovoltaic component. Here, we have demonstrated the first on-sun operation of a nanoparticle based hybrid CPV/T solar collector at temperatures exceeding 100 °C using a combination of gold and indium tin oxide nanoparticles in Duratherm S flowing in the receiver, with an aperture area a full order of magnitude larger than other tests. At 14× concentration the system achieved a photovoltaic efficiency of 4% while achieving a peak thermal efficiency of 61% with an outlet temperature of the fluid of 110 °C.
Are Proteinopathy and Oxidative Stress Two Sides of the Same Coin

Parkinson's disease, like other neurodegenerative diseases, exhibits two common features: Proteinopathy and oxidative stress, leading to protein aggregation and mitochondrial damage respectively. Because both protein aggregates and dysfunctional mitochondria are eliminated by autophagy, we suggest that inadequate clearance may couple the two phenomena. If a neuron's autophagy machinery is overwhelmed, whether by excessive oxidative stress or by excessive protein aggregation, protein aggregates and dysfunctional mitochondria will both accumulate. Parkinson's disease may provide a unique window into this because there is evidence that both sides contribute. Mutations amplifying the aggregation of α-synuclein are associated with Parkinson's disease. Likewise, mutations in Parkin and PINK1, proteins involved in mitophagy, suggest that impaired mitochondrial clearance is also a contributing factor. Many have suggested that dopamine oxidation products lead to oxidative stress accounting for the dopaminergic selectivity of the disease. We have presented evidence for the specific involvement of hypochlorite-oxidized cysteinyl-dopamine (HOCD), a redox-cycling benzothiazine derivative. While toxins like 6-hydroxydopamine and 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP+) have been used to study mitochondrial involvement in Parkinson's disease, HOCD may provide a more physiologically relevant approach. Understanding the role of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in Parkinson's disease and their relation to α-synuclein proteinopathy is important to gain a full picture of the cause, especially for the great majority of cases which are idiopathic.
Poor Control of Sarcoidosis-Related Panuveitis with an Antibody to IL-23

Purpose: To report a case of uveitis worsening in a patient with sarcoidosis while receiving guselkumab (anti-IL-23) for dermatologic disease. Methods: Case report. Results: A 61-year-old gentleman had been diagnosed with plaque psoriasis in his 30s. He had been unsuccessfully treated with multiple conventional immunosuppressive agents as well as biologics. He was subsequently diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis with confirmatory oropharyngeal biopsy. His presumed psoriatic skin lesions were subsequently biopsied and were consistent with cutaneous sarcoidosis. His ocular involvement from sarcoidosis had been minimal, requiring only occasional topical corticosteroids. He was started on the interleukin (IL)-23 inhibitor, guselkumab, for his cutaneous disease. Despite mild improvement in his cutaneous disease, he had a bilateral flare of uveitis requiring oral and topical corticosteroids. Conclusions: IL-23 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of uveitis, but there are limited data supporting efficacy of inhibitors of IL-23 in the management of uveitis.
Effect of influenza H1N1 neuraminidase V116A and I117V mutations on NA activity and sensitivity to NA inhibitors

Abstract Neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) play a key role in the management of influenza. Given the limited number of FDA-approved anti-influenza drugs, evaluation of potential drug-resistant variants is of high priority. Two NA mutations, V116A and I117V, are found in ∼0.6% of human, avian, and swine N1 isolates. Using the A/California/04/09-like (CA/04, H1N1) background, we examined the impact of V116A and I117V NA mutations on NAI susceptibility, substrate specificity, and replicative capacity in normal human bronchial (NHBE) cells and a human respiratory epithelial cell line (Calu-3). We compared the impact of V116A and I117V on the functional properties of NA and compared these mutations with that of previously reported NAI-resistant mutations, E119A, H275Y, and N295S. All NA mutations were genetically stable. None of the viruses carrying NA mutations grew to significantly lower titers than CA/04 in Calu-3 cells. In contrast, V116A, I117V, E119A, and N295S substitutions resulted in significantly lower viral titers (1.2 logs) than the parental CA/04 virus in NHBE cells. V116A conferred reduced sensitivity to oseltamivir and zanamivir (13.7-fold). When MUNANA, 3′SL, and 6′SL substrates were applied, we observed that V116A reduced binding ability for all substrates (13.9-fold) and I117V led to the significantly decreased affinity for MUNANA and 6′SL (4.2-fold). Neither mutation altered the catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) in catalyzing 3′SL, but the efficiency in catalyzing MUNANA and 6′SL was significantly decreased: only ∼34.7% compared to the wild-type NA. The efficiencies of NAs with E119A, H275Y, and N295S mutations to catalyze all substrates were ∼19.4% of the CA/04 NA. Our study demonstrates the direct effect of drug-resistant mutations located inside or adjacent to the NA active site on NA substrate specificity.