cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies of a serum albumin-liposome complex as a model lipoprotein membrane.

Abstract Electron microscopy shows that the lipoprotein dispersions formed from the interaction of negatively charged liposomes with bovine serum albumin contain closed, vesicular, multilamellar structures. Discontinuous density gradient studies indicate that the lipoprotein suspensions are vesicles in which bovine serum albumin homogenously associate with lipid. Low angle X-ray diffraction results show that all the systems, positively and negatively charged, with and without protein, have the characteristic lamellar structure observed in biological membranes. The lamellar spacing (bilayer plus water layer) of negatively charged liposomes without bovine serum albumin is 55 A. The same lamellar separation in the positively charged system is 108 A. The lamellar spacing corresponding to bilayer, water, and protein for the negatively charged lipoprotein system is 93 A while that for the positively charged lipoprotein system is 91 A. These dimensions suggest that a layer of protein one molecule thick is incorporated between the lamellae bound to the surface of the bilayer. Wide angle X-ray diffraction results indicate no major effect of the protein on the 4.1 A spacing, characteristic of hexagonal packing of the hydrocarbon chains. A classical light scattering technique is to used to show that the lipoprotein systems are osmotically active. The solute permeability exhibited by these lipoprotein systems follows the sequence (glucose + diffusion from negatively charged lipoprotein systems is greater than that found for positively charged lipoprotein systems.
Fusion of nasal swellings in the mouse embryo. DNA synthesis and histological features.

Fusion between the epithelial linings of the medial and lateral nasal swellings transforms the nasal groove into a primitive nasal cavity and forms an epithelial seam, the nasal fin, in the line of contact. Epithelial contact occurs between a restricted group of opposing epithelial cells; adjacent eithelial cells do not fuse but form the linings of the nasal and oral cavities. After its formation, the epithelial nasal fin regresses and is replaced by mesenchymal cells, except for a small posterior portion which remains as the bucconasal membrane. DNA synthesis at 3 different periods (20, 10 and 5 h) before contact on day 11 3/4 was examined in the fusing epithelia and adjacent non-fusing epithelia. DNA synthetic activity decreased in both regions at successive stages of development. Howerer, the decrease in the presumptive fusing epithelia at 10 and 5 h before contact was noteworthy in that it was significantly greater than in the non-fusing epithelia. In the fusing epithelia this decrease of DNA synthetic activity occurred not only in prospective degenerating cells, but was a general phenomenon involving viable cells also. To analyze the regression of the nasal fin, it was studied in serial sections. The majority of the cells were viable and only few degenerating cells were seen, suggesting that not all cells of the nasal fin undergo necrosis. Since the epithelial cells of the nasal fin always appeared to be separated from the surrounding mesenchymal cells, the transformation of surviving cells into mesenchymal cells appears unlikely. It is postulated that surviving epithelial cells are incorporated into the adjacent epithelia of the primitive oral and nasal cavities.
Uptake and transport of glucagon by rat liver: evidence for transcytotic pathway

The binding of125I-glucagon to the cell surface and the pathway of intracellular transport of this hormone by rat hepatocytes in vivo were studied by light and EM autoradiography. Radiolabeled glucagon injected into the blood stream was taken up predominantly by the hepatocytes. Negligible radioactivity was found to be associated with other cell types such as endothelial or Kupffer cells. Our results indicate that at early time points after injection glucagon has been preferentially interacting with the sinusoidal domain of the hepatocytes and found to be associated with coated pits and uncoated vesicles corresponding to endosomes. At 15–20 min time intervals glucagon grains were found within hepatocyte interior. Later, at 30 min after injection glucagon grains accumulate in the Golgi-lysosomal region of hepatocyte often in close proximity to the opening of the bile canaliculi. Accordingly a portion of internalized125I-glucagon was found to be released into the bile thereby indicating that a transcytotic pathway may be involved in this peptide's clearance process.
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON SUMERIAN COMPOUND VERBS 1

This paper focuses on the lexico-semantic and morphosyntactic aspects of Sumerian compound verbs, namely, the verbs that consist of a noun and a verb stem. They are very frequent in Sumerian, and the majority have a noun designating a part of the body as their nominal constituent, indicating the body-part's involvement in a given expression. I consider Sumerian compound verbs as a type of noun incorporation called lexical compounding whose constituents are formally discontinuous. The nominal constituent is semantically incorporated but, unlike typical cases of noun incorporation in other languages, it holds its syntactic status occupying the absolutive position. Therefore, it can regain its semantic independence in some constructions, thus allowing its referentiality to be manipulable. I believe that this study of the compound verbs, using a functional-typological approach, contributes to our understanding of some aspects of the Sumerian verbal system and to the typology of noun incorporation.
Pulsed-Source investigations-II. The effect of cylindrical void channels in a neutron diffusing medium

Abstract A series of consistent experimental measurements of the neutron leakage from cavity-containing media were made and interpreted in terms of effective diffusion parameters. The technique employed was the pulsed-source method, in which the diffusion coefficient is inferred from the asymptotic decay constant curve. The ranges of pertinent variables (e.g., size and shape of the medium, cavity size, cavity spacing) were made large enough to afford a sound basis for checking the adequacy of various theoretical treatments of the problem. The graphite assembly used enabled construction of solid graphite systems or lattices of cylindrical void channels with seven different combinations of channel spacing and diameter (void fractions ranging from 0·0371 to 0·3801). The experimental results are compared with the analytical results of Benoist (1964), Carter (1961), and Behrens (1949) and discussed in the light of the recent measurements of Deniz et al. (1968),
Thiamin Deficiency as a Cause of Persistent Hyperlactatemia in a Parenteral Nutrition-Dependent Patient.

Despite the demonstrated dangers of inadequate supplies of injectable multivitamins, periodic shortages of these crucial pharmaceuticals continue to occur in the developed world. This case report provides a recent example of the potential danger of rationing parenteral multivitamins in chronically parenteral nutrition (PN)-dependent patients in the setting of national supply shortages.Case report describing a chronically PN-dependent 21-year-old man who presented with signs and symptoms of septic shock to a pediatric intensive care unit at a university hospital. The patient demonstrated hyperlactatemia that persisted following hemodynamic stabilization, and he was determined to be severely deficient in thiamin despite thrice-weekly home multivitamin infusions, instead of daily due to national supply shortages. The patient's hyperlactatemia rapidly resolved following thiamine supplementation.Physicians must be vigilant for potentially life-threatening nutrition deficiencies, as illustrated in this case of thiamine insufficiency, in PN-dependent children and adults in the setting of nationwide limitations in multivitamin supply.
A perspective on the efficacy and safety of intensive antiplatelet therapy in the trial to assess improvement in therapeutic outcomes by optimizing platelet inhibition with prasugrel-thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 38.

A primary goal of the Trial to Assess Improvement in Therapeutic Outcomes by Optimizing Platelet Inhibition With Prasugrel–Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 38 (TRITON–TIMI 38) was to test the hypothesis that an agent achieving a greater and more consistent level of platelet inhibition (prasugrel) would improve clinical ischemic outcomes compared with standard approved doses of clopidogrel in patients at moderate to high risk with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). 1 The results of TRITON–TIMI 38 support this hypothesis, with a highly significant 19% relative reduction favoring prasugrel in the primary composite end point of cardiovascular (CV) death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and nonfatal stroke, from 12.1% to 9.9%, over a period of up to 15 months of followup. This reduction was observed at the cost of more serious bleeding. 2
Isolation and characterization of α-guaiaconic acid and the nature of guaiacum blue☆

Abstract α-Guaiaconic acid, the constituent of gum guaiac resin that turns blue upon oxidation, was purified by elution from a polyamide column with aqueous formic acid and shown to be 2,5-di-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3,4-dimethylfuran. The blue product, guaiacum blue, is the bis-methylenequinone obtained by twofold one-electron oxidation of α-guaiaconic acid.
The role of media in contemporary international relations: culture and politics at the crossroads

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to reflect on the role of media in contemporary international relations and the ecological aspects of international communication in the technological age through the life and work of Edgar Snow, an American pioneering writer on China–US relations and an exemplary internationalist. The article postulates that the battlefield of international politics has shifted from geographical and physical levels to cultural and communication levels with modern media playing a crucial role in perceptions and image-making. Consequently, we are increasingly removed from experience and becoming overly dependent on the representations of reality that come to us through media. We have often lost our place within an actual community and our touch with a particular natural landscape that had always grounded us. The article therefore posits that a new paradigm and an ethical way of communicating across cultures for mutual dialogue, respect, and dignity are required if we desire to move to...
4D TeleCast: Towards Large Scale Multi-site and Multi-view Dissemination of 3DTI Contents

3D Tele-immersive systems create real-time multi-stream and multi-view 3D collaborative contents from multiple sites to allow interactive shared activities in virtual environments. Applications of 3DTI include online sports, tele-health, remote learning and collaborative arts. In addition to interactive participants in 3DTI environments, we envision a large number of passive non-interactive viewers that (a) watch the interactive activities in 3DTI shared environments, and (b) select views of the activities at run time. To achieve this vision, we present 4D Tele Cast, a novel multi-stream 3D content distribution framework for non-interactive viewers providing the functionality of multi-view selection. It addresses the following challenges: (1) supporting a large number of concurrent multi-stream viewers as well as multi-views, (2) preserving the unique nature of 3DTI multi-stream and multi-view dependencies at the viewers, and (3) allowing dynamic viewer behavior such as view changes and large-scale simultaneous viewer arrivals or departures. We divide the problem space into two: (1) multi-stream overlay construction problem that aims to minimize the cost of distribution of multi-stream contents, and maximize the number of concurrent viewers with sufficient viewer dynamism in terms of their resources and availabilities, and (2) effective resource utilization problem that aims to preserve the multi-stream dependencies in a view considering the heterogeneous resource constraints at the viewers. We evaluate 4D Tele Cast using extensive simulations with 3DTI activity data and Planet Lab traces.
Enrichment of High-Affinity CO Oxidizers in Maine Forest Soil

Carboxydotrophic activity in forest soils was enriched by incubation in a flowthrough system with elevated concentrations of headspace CO (40 to 400 ppm). CO uptake increased substantially over time, while the apparent Km (appKm) for uptake remained similar to that of unenriched soils (<10 to 20 ppm). Carboxydotrophic activity was transferred to and further enriched in sterile sand and forest soil. The appKms for secondary and tertiary enrichments remained similar to values for unenriched soils. CO uptake by enriched soil and freshly collected forest soil was inhibited at headspace CO concentrations greater than about 1%. A novel isolate, COX1, obtained from the enrichments was inhibited similarly. However, in contrast to extant carboxydotrophs, COX1 consumed CO with an appKm of about 15 ppm, a value comparable to that of fresh soils. Phylogenetic analysis based on approximately 1,200 bp of its 16S rRNA gene sequence suggested that the isolate is an α-proteobacterium most closely related to the genera Pseudaminobacter, Aminobacter, and Chelatobacter (98.1 to 98.3% sequence identity).
Type of Insurance and Use of Preventive Health Services Among Older Adults in Mexico.

Objective: The main purpose of this article was to assess the differences between Seguro Popular (SP) and employer-based health insurance in the use of preventive services, including screening tests for diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer among older adults at more than a decade of health care reform in Mexico. Method: Logistic regression models were used with data from the Mexican Health and Nutrition Survey, 2012. Results: After adjusting for other factors influencing preventive service utilization, SP enrollees were more likely to use screening tests for diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension, and cervical cancer than the uninsured; however, those in employment-based and private insurances had higher odds of using preventive care for most of these services, except Pap smears. Discussion: Despite all the evidence that suggests that SP has increased access to health insurance for the poor, inequalities in health care access and utilization still exist in Mexico.
‘The Natives Are Getting Out of Hand’: Legislating Manners, Insolence and Contemptuous Behaviour in Southern Rhodesia, c. 1910–1963*

In Southern Rhodesia, as elsewhere in colonial Africa, insolent Africans disrupted the image of natural and just domination that settlers and their government projected. Indeed, Native Commissioners (NCs) argued that they needed judicial power to prosecute insolent Africans, who, if left unpunished, would undermine state and settler authority. The Southern Rhodesia Native Regulations, 1910 (Native Regulations) and the Native Affairs Act, 1927 (NAA) provided NCs with enhanced judicial power precisely because the poor manners of insolent Africans threatened the prestige of government officials. Despite the wide range of acts that constituted ‘insolence’, such cases reveal a formulaic quality to the evidence base: insolent Africans were men who shouted, threw notes to the ground, made a scene outside government offices, and expressed their anger. In sharp contrast to unruly, provocative and ill-mannered Africans, NCs were routinely portrayed in court records as sober, self-contained and reasonable. Despite t...
Landscape of Diversity in Higher Education: Linking Demographic Shifts to Contemporary University and College Counseling Center Practices

American institutions of higher education are increasingly called upon to respond to demographic changes. Current and future shifts in the environmental, academic, social, and emotional climate of campuses are likely to spawn both concerns and opportunities for academic and student services personnel and students. There are inherent challenges facing campus stakeholders seeking to navigate an ever-evolving higher education landscape, which require campus mental health professionals to understand person-in-environment variables as best practices relative to service delivery are continually refined. Cada vez se pide mas a las instituciones americanas de educacion superior que respondan a los cambios demograficos. Las fluctuaciones actuales y futuras en el clima ambiental, academico, social, y emocional de los campus generan con frecuencia tanto preocupaciones como oportunidades para estudiantes y personal academico y de servicios al alumnado. Hay desafios inherentes que afrontan los grupos de interes del campus que buscan la forma de navegar el paradigma en constante evolucion de la educacion superior, lo cual requiere que los profesionales en salud mental del campus entiendan las variables del individuo-en-su-medio mientras las practicas adecuadas relativas a la prestacion de servicios se refinan constantemente.
Supply Chain Planning Processes for Two Major Retailers

This chapter describes supply chain practices and processes observed at two retailers in the home furnishing sector. Because of the large number of stock-keeping-units (SKUs), the inter-relationships among the SKUs, as well as use of multiple store formats and multiple marketing channels targeted to different customer segments, home furnishings is one of the most complex retail sectors. In addition to documenting the complex flows of materials and information in such multi-channel environments, we present details of key supply chain planning processes: product design and assortment planning, sourcing and vendor selection, logistics planning, distribution planning and inventory management, clearance and markdown optimization, and cross-channel optimization.
B2B E-Commerce: Economy and Strategies

(2002). B2B E-Commerce: Economy and Strategies. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 77-92.
Design considerations and expiremantal results of an adaptive frequency controller under variable line and load conditions

This paper presents critical design guidelines and consideration for the adaptive step size function of the previously proposed ASSAT controller that tracks the optimum switching frequency with improved convergence speed and accuracy to maximize power converter efficiency. It is revealed how the adaptive step size function is affected by several factors and it is shown how the function should be designed to guarantee good convergence stability, speed, and accuracy. The design is verified by experimental results.
A new and simple algorithm for quality 2-dimensional mesh generation

We present a simple new algorithm for triangulating polygons and planar straightline graphs. It provides "shape" and "size" guarantees: -All triangles have a bounded aspect ratio. - The number of "Steiner points" added is within a constant factor of optimal. Such "quality" triangulations are desirable as meshes for the finite element method, in which the running time generally increases with the number of triangles, and where the convergence and stability may be hurt by very skinny triangles. The technique we use--successive refinement of the Delaunay triangulation--extends a mesh generation technique of Chew by allowing triangles that vary in size. Previous algorithms with shape and size bounds have all been based on quadtrees. The Delaunay refinement algorithm matches their bounds, but uses a fundamentally different approach. It is much simpler, and hence easier to implement, and it generally produces smaller meshes in practice.
A specific subset of E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes regulate Parkin activation and mitophagy differently

Loss-of-function mutations in the genes encoding PINK1 and Parkin (also known as PARK2) are the most common causes of recessive Parkinson's disease. Both together mediate the selective degradation of mitochondrial proteins and whole organelles via the proteasome and the autophagy-lysosome pathway (mitophagy). The mitochondrial kinase PINK1 activates and recruits the E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin to de-energized mitochondria. However, the cognate E2 co-enzymes of Parkin in this ubiquitin-dependent pathway have not been investigated. Here, we discovered a total of four E2s that either positively or negatively regulate the activation, translocation and enzymatic functions of Parkin during mitochondrial quality control. UBE2D family members and UBE2L3 redundantly charged the RING-HECT hybrid ligase Parkin with ubiquitin, resulting in its initial activation and translocation to mitochondria. UBE2N, however, primarily operated through a different mechanism in order to mediate the proper clustering of mitochondria, a prerequisite for degradation. Strikingly, in contrast to UBE2D, UBE2L3 and UBE2N, depletion of UBE2R1 resulted in enhanced Parkin translocation and clustering upon mitochondrial uncoupling. Our study uncovered redundant, cooperative or antagonistic functions of distinct E2 enzymes in the regulation of Parkin and mitophagy that might suggest a putative role in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.
Community Structure and the Metropolitan Division of Labor: The Impact of Key Functions on Community Social Characteristics

Metropolitan communities in the United States are interdependent. Each metropolis serves the economy through its key functions while at the same time it depends on other metropolises and systems for some of its own needs. Using 1960 data for SMSAs, this paper demonstrates that a community's position in this differentiated system influences the characteristics of its population. Two perspectives for determining a metropolitan community's key functions are used: one considers economic activities one at a time; the other considers the entire configuration of these activities at once. These two procedures are compared in their ability to identify groups of communities having distinctive social structures, as indicated by occupational and educational composition, income level, age and sex structure, and ability to attract and hold migrants. The structure of an organization results partly from the way it articulates with its environment. This paper treats one type of organization, the metropolitan community, and the way its functions in regional and national systems accord with its social structure. One of the basic principles of ecological organization, applicable to any system of functional relationships, is the concept of the key function (Hawley, c). The connection of a system's elements with its environment is primarily mediated by one or a few of the functions performed in the system. In contemporary society, these key functions link the local system to the larger social and economic environment. In this paper, the key functions are also referred to as specialized functions. Some other terms which have been used for the same concept are basic functions (Alexander; *This paper has benefited greatly from the comments and suggestions of Leo Rigsby, Lane Johnson, and anonymous referees. The author, of course, remains responsible for any errors
Issue-linkages to Climate Change Measured through NGO Participation in the UNFCCC

NGOs comprise over half the cumulative number of delegates attending the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) for the 1995–2009 period. These NGOs represent a wide array of issues, including sustainable development, business, and higher education, to name just a few. Based on UNFCCC publicly available participation statistics, this article analyzes NGO participation from a quantitative issue-based perspective, and compares the results with the relevant conclusions drawn by the other contributors to this special issue. The findings of this analysis confirm informed expectations about issue-driven NGO participation. In particular, three main findings are that: (1) environment and conservation, academic, business, and energy NGOs dominate civil society participation in the UNFCCC; (2) UNFCCC constituencies do not adequately capture the range of issues addressed by observer NGOs; and (3) since 2007, NGO participation has significantly increased and diversified.
Antigenic Variation of TprK Facilitates Development of Secondary Syphilis

Although primary syphilis lesions heal spontaneously, the infection is chronic, with subsequent clinical stages. Healing of the primary chancre occurs as antibodies against outer membrane antigens facilitate opsonophagocytosis of the bacteria by activated macrophages. TprK is an outer membrane protein that undergoes antigenic variation at 7 variable regions, and variants are selected by immune pressure. We hypothesized that individual TprK variants escape immune clearance and seed new disseminated lesions to cause secondary syphilis. As in human syphilis, infected rabbits may develop disseminated secondary skin lesions. This study explores the nature of secondary syphilis, specifically, the contribution of antigenic variation to the development of secondary lesions. Our data from the rabbit model show that the odds of secondary lesions containing predominately TprK variant treponemes is 3.3 times higher than the odds of finding TprK variants in disseminated primary lesions (odds ratio [OR] = 3.3 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.98 to 11.0]; P = 0.055) and that 96% of TprK variant secondary lesions are likely seeded by single treponemes. Analysis of antibody responses demonstrates significantly higher antibody titers to tprK variable region sequences found in the inoculum compared to reactivity to tprK variant sequences found in newly arising secondary lesions. This suggests that tprK variants escape the initial immune response raised against the V regions expressed in the inoculum. These data further support a role for TprK in immune evasion and suggest that the ability of TprK variants to persist despite a robust immune response is instrumental in the development of later stages of syphilis.
A step-indexed model of substructural state

The concept of a "unique" object arises in many emerging programming languages such as Clean, CQual, Cyclone, TAL, and Vault. In each of these systems, unique objects make it possible to perform operations that would otherwise be prohibited (e.g., deallocating an object) or to ensure that some obligation will be met (e.g., an opened file will be closed). However, different languages provide different interpretations of "uniqueness" and have different rules regarding how unique objects interact with the rest of the language.Our goal is to establish a common model that supports each of these languages, by allowing us to encode and study the interactions of the different forms of uniqueness. The model we provide is based on a substructural variant of the polymorphic λ-calculus, augmented with four kinds of mutable references: unrestricted, relevant, affine, and linear. The language has a natural operational semantics that supports deallocation of references, strong (type-varying) updates, and storage of unique objects in shared references. We establish the strong soundness of the type system by constructing a novel, semantic interpretation of the types.
Is the Mexican American "Epidemiologic Paradox" Advantage at Birth Maintained through Early Childhood?

We examine the influence of the relative good health at birth in the Mexican American population on their subsequent well-being. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Child Data (NLSY-CD), we conduct a comparative analysis of child development among Mexican American, non-Hispanic black, and non-Hispanic white children ages 3 and 4 (N = 3,710). We use the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) as our operationalization of child development. Descriptive results suggest that, unlike the relative similarity in the rates of low birth weight between the white and Mexican American populations, Mexican Americans have much lower developmental outcomes. Multivariate analysis shows that birth weight is not a powerful predictor of child development, nor does it explain pronounced racial and ethnic differences. Mother's education, poverty, and immigrant status of parents remain significantly more important in the developmental process of all children in our sample.
Economic Incentive, Embeddedness, and Social Support: A Study of Korean-Owned Nail Salon Workers’ Rotating Credit Associations1

Much of the past research on rotating credit associations (RCAs) in the U.S. Korean community has been conducted in the context of Korean entrepreneurs’ success in small businesses. By contrast, little has been known about the significance of RCAs in the lives of Korean immigrant workers. Based on a sample of Korean female workers at Korean-owned nail salons in the New York–New Jersey area, the first aim of this study is to address whether Korean immigrant workers, like Korean immigrant merchants, take into account RCAs as a way to save money or raise capital. Second, this study also speculates about the importance of embeddedness (Granovetter) and social capital (Portes and Sensenbrenner) views for both economic behavior and a likelihood of malfeasance by RCA participants. Lastly, this study regards RCA membership as a mechanism of social support for its participating members. Overall, the analyses provide evidence that RCA membership at nail salons leads to both economic benefit and social support for some of its participants, and that embedded networks and an accompanying sense of trust have some connection to the suppression of its members’ latent malfeasance.
Response to 'Plasma proteins present in osteoarthritic synovial fluid can stimulate cytokine production via Toll-like receptor 4' - authors' reply

We thank Oliviero and colleagues for their interest in our recent publication [1] and for reporting their very interesting related experiments [2]. Th eir results strongly support the concept that extravascular plasma proteins may act as damage-associated molecular patterns, and specifi cally as Toll-like receptor 4 agonists. In addition, we note that the NALP-3 infl ammasome exhibits dependence on Toll-like receptor 4 or other mechanisms of priming of IL-1β transcription, thereby generating pro-IL-1β that can be converted to IL-1β by the activated infl ammasome [3]. Although biochemical measurement of plasma and serum were not performed, we suspect the enhanced eff ect of serum compared with plasma could be related to mediators generated in the clotting process or released by platelets during the clotting process (but not released in the generation of plasma) and not related to the removal of fi brinogen. Th e observation that fi brinogen is itself able to prime the response to calcium crystalinduced infl ammation further supports the role of fi brino gen as a Toll-like receptor 4 agonist [4,5], as demon strated by its ability to prime the infl ammasome for response to activation by calcium crystals. We thank Oliviero and colleagues for sharing their results and look forward to future studies elucidating the potentially critical role of plasma proteins as extravascular damage-associated molecular patterns.
Systolic Time Intervals before and after Maximal Exercise Treadmill Testing for Evaluation of Chest Pain

The change in systolic time Intervals from before exercise to three to four minutes following a maximal-exercise treadmill test was measured to evaluate chest pain in 110 fasting supine subjects. Forty-six (85 percent) of 54 patients with chest pain and with abnormal findings on coronary arteriograms were found to have at least a 10-msec prolongation in the left ventricular ejection time index (LVETI), whereas only two (8 percent) of 25 subjects without heart disease and 5 (16 percent) of 31 subjects with chest pain but with normal findings on coronary arteriograms had 10 msec or more of prolongation of the LVETI after exercise. The change in the other systolic time intervals (total electromechanical systole, preejection phase [PEP], and PEP/LVET) were less reliable in detecting the presence or absence of coronary disease. We conclude that determination of LVETI before and after maximal-exercise treadmill testing is a clinically useful noninvasive diagnostic test for obstructive coronary disease in patients with chest pain.
Hydrolytically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel scaffolds with tunable degradation and mechanical properties.

The objective of this work was to create 3D hydrogel matrices with defined mechanical properties as well as tunable degradability for use in applications involving protein delivery and cell encapsulation. Therefore, we report the synthesis and characterization of a novel hydrolytically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel composed of PEG vinyl sulfone (PEG-VS) cross-linked with PEG-diester-dithiol. Unlike previously reported degradable PEG-based hydrogels, these materials are homogeneous in structure, fully hydrophilic, and have highly specific cross-linking chemistry. We characterized hydrogel degradation and associated trends in mechanical properties, that is, storage modulus (G′), swelling ratio (QM), and mesh size (ξ). Degradation time and the monitored mechanical properties of the hydrogel correlated with cross-linker molecular weight, cross-linker functionality, and total polymer density; these properties changed predictably as degradation proceeded (G′ decreased, whereas QM and ξ increas...
Universal single-mode dispersion-flattened fluoride fibre designed for optimum performance from 1.5 to 2.9μm

A simple step-index with depressed-cladding single-mode fluoride fibre gives excellent dispersion flattening over a broad spectral range, 1.5–2.9μm. The extrinsic losses due to macrobending, microbending and splicing are also minimised. This design enables the use of fluoride fibres at 1.55μm and later can be upgraded to 2.55μm, where predicted losses are significantly less than those of silica fibres at 1.55μm.
SEEING INTO THE FUTURE : VISION AND AGING

The leading causes of visual impairment in North Americans are age-related, but appropriate care can preserve useful vision for most older adults. Cataract surgery is highly successful. Early detection and treatment of glaucoma can prevent vision loss. Laser treatment is remarkably effective against diabetic retinopathy. Vision loss due to macular degeneration cannot be delayed in all patients, but low-vision rehabilitation can maximize the usefulness of remaining sight.
Properties and Mechanisms of Locomotion

An account of any behavior must include descriptions of both its “properties” and its “mechanisms.” The “properties” of locomotion include its topographical characteristics, the kinematics, or movement in space and time, and an analysis of these in terms of masses and forces, kinetics. There are two groups of “mechanisms” to be considered. One of these concerns the hardware of which the organism is composed, and the functional relationships between the components. This mechanism has received much attention from neurophysiologists, who have established functional connections between neurons by examining impulses in numerous cells under many different conditions of activation.
Transformations and structures in the uranium-rhenium system I. Metastable α′, α“ and γ0 structures☆

Abstract The compositional limits within which the stable and metastable phases form, the effect of cooling rate and temperature on producing alternative structures, and the sequence of phase changes were determined. The metastable transition states observed were the orthorhombic α′, monoclinic α“ and tetragonal γ 0 phases. Arguments are presented to explain the observed crystal structures and microstructures and the effect of cooling rate and composition thereon. Finally, the relation between metastability in uranium-rhenium alloys and other systems in which metastable states are observed is discussed.
Sequential Sampling Plans with Fixed Levels of Precision for Liriomyza Species (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Fresh Market Tomatoes

Taylor’s power law and Iwao’s patchiness regression were used to determine the relationship between the mean and variance of leafminer counts obtained from yellow sticky traps and pupal trays in fresh market tomatoes. Taylor’s regression method provided a better fit at low mean densities of adults. Unlike Iwao’s technique, there were no significant differences between Taylor’s regression slopes or Y intercepts for Liriomyza sativae Blanchard and L. trifolii (Burgess) numbers on sticky traps during the growing seasons of 1981 and 1982. Constant-precision-level sequential sampling plans, therefore, were developed for leafminer adult and pupal stages based on Taylor’s power law. The minimum number of traps that must be counted to estimate various mean densities of adult leafminers at fixed levels of precision also were calculated.
A successful decade of regionalized perinatal care in Tennessee: the neonatal experience.

We hypothesized that successful implementation of regionalized perinatal care would result in early identification and antenatal referral of high-risk neonates, and also improved stabilization before and during transport of those transferred postnatally. We conducted a retrospective study of demographic characteristics and transport outcome in two defined groups of neonates transported to regional perinatal centers in Tennessee, one group (n = 218) from the first year of regionalization (1975), and a second group (n = 261) from the 12th year (1986). The percentage of outborn infants decreased, from 50% of all admissions in 1975 to 22% in 1986 (P = .005). Likewise, the percentage of low-birthweight neonates transported after birth decreased, from 59% of all transports to 32% (P = .002). The frequency of stabilization measures performed before and during transport increased between study years (intravenous line placement: 12% to 58%, P = .0001; assisted ventilation: 10% to 33%, P = .001). The incidence of complications during transport decreased between study years (cyanosis: 25% to 8%, P = .0001; hypothermia: 30% to 3%, P = .0001; acidemia: 33% to 13%, P = .011). Both transport-related mortality and neonatal mortality decreased between study years (2.8% to 0.8%, P = .043; 17% to 7%, P = .0001, respectively). We conclude that regionalization during its first decade has been successful in improving perinatal care in Tennessee as indicated by favorable changes in referral patterns and improved outcome of transported neonates.
Preservation of leukocytes.

A method for the separation and preservation of leukocytes is presented and discussed. The significance of different methods for measurement of cell viability are delineated.
MRS of pilocytic astrocytoma: The peak at 2 ppm may not be NAA.

Purpose To determine whether the chemical shift of residual N-acetylaspartate (NAA) signal in pilocytic astrocytomas (PA) is consistent with the position of the NAA peak in controls. Methods MR spectra from 27 pediatric World Health Organization (WHO) grade I pilocytic astrocytoma patients, fifteen patients with WHO grade II and high-grade (III–IV) astrocytomas, and 36 controls were analyzed. All spectra were acquired with a short echo time (35 ms), single voxel point-resolved spectroscopy sequence on clinical 3 tesla scanners. Fully automated LCModel software was used for processing, which included the fitting of peak positions for NAA and creatine (Cr). Results The chemical shift difference between the NAA and Cr peaks was significantly smaller (by 0.016 ± 0.005 parts per million, P < 1e–10) in PAs than in controls and was also smaller than what was observed in infiltrative astrocytomas. Conclusion The chemical shift position of the residual NAA peak in PAs is not consistent with NAA. The signal likely originates from an N-acetyl group of one or more other chemicals such as N-acetylated sugars. Magn Reson Med 78:452–456, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Diet and Cancer

Dietary factors have been estimated to account for about 35% of cancer deaths in the United States, although there is considerable uncertainty about which constituents of diet contribute to this risk. Recent meta-analyses suggest an association of colorectal, prostate, and brain cancers with certain dietary patterns. Not only may food components be associated with cancer risk, but cooking methods, the direct impact of food on the human gastrointestinal mucosa, and individual susceptibility to dietary carcinogens can significantly increase cancer risk. The specific role of dietary components, including supplements and chemoprevention, in cancer prevention/protection remains unclear. General recommendations include maintaining a healthy weight, eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and limiting consumption of refined carbohydrates and processed and red meats.
Pitch Strength as an Outcome Measure for Treatment of Dysphonia

Summary Background Measurement of treatment outcomes is critical for the spectrum of voice treatments (ie, surgical, behavioral, or pharmacological). Outcome measures typically include visual (eg, stroboscopic data), auditory (eg, Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice; Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain), and objective correlates of vocal fold vibratory characteristics, such as acoustic signals (eg, harmonics-to-noise ratio, cepstral peak prominence) or patient self-reported questionnaires (eg, Voice Handicap Index, Voice-Related Quality of Life). Subjective measures often show high variability, whereas most acoustic measures of voice are only valid for signals where some degree of periodicity can be assumed. However, this assumption is often invalid for dysphonic voices where signal periodicity is suspect. Furthermore, many of these measures are not useful in isolation for diagnostic purposes. Objective We evaluated a recently developed algorithm (Auditory Sawtooth Waveform Inspired Pitch Estimator—Prime [Auditory-SWIPE′]) for estimating pitch and pitch strength for dysphonic voices. Whereas fundamental frequency is a physical attribute of a signal, pitch is its psychophysical correlate. As such, the perception of pitch can extend to most signals irrespective of their periodicity. Methods Post hoc analyses were conducted for three groups of patients evaluated and treated for voice problems at a major voice center: (1) muscle tension dysphonia/functional dysphonia, (2) vocal fold mass(es), and (3) presbyphonia. All patients were recorded before and after surgical/behavioral treatment for voice disorders. Pitch and pitch strength for each speaker were computed with the Auditory-SWIPE′ algorithm. Results Comparison of pre- and posttreatment data provides support for pitch strength as a measure of treatment outcomes for dysphonic voices.
MOŽE LI KVALITETNO NOVINARSTVO PREŽIVJETI DIGITALNO DOBA

Rasprave o utjecaju i vrijednosti digitalnih medija zauzimaju dva stajalista. Jedni predviđaju da kvalitetno novinarstvo ne može preživjeti nestajanje tradicionalnih medija. Oni vide Facebook, Twitter, blogove i druge nove oblike komuniciranja kao suprotstavljenu stranu, potkopavajuci ulogu tiska u drustvu. Drugi pak prihvacaju medijsku revoluciju 21. stoljeca. Oni traže nove nacine komuniciranja i povezivanja s publikom, ne samo u njihovim zemljama, vec i sire. Za njih, novinarstvo je daleko od umiranja. Ono se razvija u novom i uzbudljivom obliku. Ovaj clanak istražuje rasprave o novim medijskim oblicima. Zakljucuje se da je vrijeme za eksperiment; testiranje suvremenih komunikacijskih teorija i iznalaženje novih modela kako bi se novinarstvu pomoglo da se razvije u sto je moguce pozitivnijem obliku. Medijski strucnjaci, profesionalni novinari i predavaci novinarstva moraju biti dio tog procesa.
Uterine size matters for fertility in lactating dairy cows

We hypothesized that greater size of uterus is related to reduced fertility in lactating dairy cows. A total of 705 Holstein dairy cows were synchronized for ovulation using Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF) in the Double-Ovsynch protocol (GnRH-7d-PGF-3d-GnRH-7d-GnRH-7d-PGF-56hGnRH-16h-timed AI). Blood samples were taken to evaluate progesterone (P4) concentrations at the time of last PGF and final GnRH. Based on P4, cows that were not synchronized (n = 52) were excluded from further analysis (P4 0.5 ng/mL at GnRH). A total of 653 cows (307 primiparous, 346 multiparous) were included in the final analysis for fertility. Overall pregnancies per AI (P/AI) were 48.9% for primiparous and 39.3% for multiparous cows. At time of final PGF (72h before AI), uterine diameter was determined for both uterine horns by ultrasound at the greater curvature. Length of uterus (cervix to ovary) was determined by hand palpation compared to a hand ruler. Total volume of uterus was estimated by determining volume of each horn as the volume of a cylinder (V= πr2h; r = diameter/2 at greater curvature; h = length of horn). Differences between groups were determined with Student’s t-test and logistic regressions were performed with Proc Logistic in SAS. Overall, pregnant cows (n = 286) were less than non-pregnant cows (n = 367) for uterine diameter (18.0 ± 2.3, 18.7 ± 2.3; P=0.0001), uterine length (25.1 ± 2.1, 25.6 ± 2.4; P=0.01), and total uterine volume (130.0 ± 38.3, 143.1 ± 41.8; P=0.0001). However, multiparous cows were greater than primiparous cows for uterine diameter (18.9 ± 2.4, 17.9 ± 2.2; P=0.0001), uterine length (25.8 ± 2.2, 24.8 ± 2.2; P=0.0001), and total uterine volume (147.3 ± 42.6, 126.2 ± 35.6; P=0.0001) and therefore analyses were performed by parity. For multiparous cows, pregnant cows (n = 136) were less than non-pregnant cows (n = 210) for uterine diameter (P = 0.003), uterine length (P=0.04), and total uterine volume (P = 0.001). In primiparous cows, pregnant cows (n = 150) were not different from non-pregnant cows (n = 157) for uterine length (P = 0.42) but tended to be less for uterine diameter (P = 0.05) and uterine volume (P = 0.07). Logistic regression indicated that P/AI for all cows was related to uterine diameter (P < 0.0001), uterine length (P = 0.01), and total uterine volume (P < 0.0001) with cows with greater uterine size having reduced P/AI. Similarly for just multiparous cows, diameter (P = 0.003), length (P = 0.04), and volume (P = 0.002) were related to P/AI. However for primiparous cows, P/AI tended to be related to uterine diameter (P = 0.06) and volume (P = 0.07) but was not related to length (P = 0.42). Uterine diameter was also related to circulating P4 concentrations in multiparous (r = -0.15; P = 0.005) but not primiparous (r = -0.08; P = 0.16) cows. Thus, uterine size is clearly related to fertility in synchronized lactating dairy cows with greater uterine size being associated with reduced fertility. These changes in uterine size may be a causative factor for reduced fertility in dairy cows particularly multiparous dairy cows.
Investigating deep side layers for skin lesion segmentation

Accurate skin lesion segmentation is an important yet challenging problem for medical image analysis. The skin lesion segmentation is subject to variety of challenges such as the significant pattern and colour diversity found within the lesions, presence of various artifacts, etc. In this paper, we present two fully convolutional networks with several side outputs to take advantage of discriminative capability of features learned at intermediate layers with varying resolutions and scales for the lesion segmentation. More specifically, we integrate fine and coarse prediction scores of the side-layers which allows our framework to not only output accurate probability map for the lesion, but also extract fine lesion boundary details such as the fuzzy border, which further improves the lesion segmentation. Quantitative evaluation is performed on the 2016 International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI 2016) dataset, which shows our proposed approach compares favorably with state-of-the-art skin segmentation methods.