cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Secure communications over opportunistic-relay channels

In this paper, we derive information-theoretic performance limits for secure communications over two classes of discrete memoryless relay channels. We consider two different communication scenarios over a four node wireless network comprising a source–destination pair, a relay node and a malicious node eavesdropping on the link between the relay and the destination. In both scenarios, the relay is (1) opportunistic in the sense that, it utilizes the communication opportunity to transmit its own message to the destination; and (2) constrained to secure its communication from the external eavesdropper. We present a novel achievability scheme, namely layered coding, to simultaneously deal with cooperation, cognition and confidentiality. We derive inner bounds on the capacity region for the two communication scenarios, and characterize the rate-penalty for satisfying the security constraints on the messages. Outer bounds are derived using auxiliary random variables which enable single-letter characterization. We also compare the opportunistic-relay models to the classical cognitive radio network setup. Finally, we discuss some of the advantages and drawbacks of our coding strategy in comparison to those in the existing literature, which provides interesting insights into the relative merits of the methods employed in this work for obtaining the capacity bounds.
The Refractory State of Luteal Cells Isolated from Rhesus Monkeys after Prolonged Exposure to Chorionic Gonadotropin during Early Pregnancy

To assess the regractory state of the rhesus monkey corpus luteum following 2-3 weeks exposure to endogenous macaque chorionic gonadotropin (mCG) in early pregnancy, we investigated in vitro the effect of hCG, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) and pregnenolone on progesterone production by luteal cells isolated from monkeys during early pregnancy (Days 2229 of gestation). For comparison, luteal cells obtained during the menstrual cycle (Days 16-19 postmenses) and at term pregnancy (Days 160-165 of gestation) were also studied. Under control conditions, luteal cells obtained on Days 22-24 of pregnancy produced significantly (P<0.01) less progesterone than cells from midluteal phase of the menstrual cycle, despite little difference in the weight of corpora lutea excised at these 2 stages. However, a marked (P<0.01) decline in luteal weight was observed between Days 22-24 and 26-29 of pregnancy, which was associated with a further reduction in luteal cell progesterone production in vitro. Maximal stimulatory doses of hCG (27 nM) and dbcAMP (1 mM) were equally effective in enhancing (P<0.01) progesterone production by luteal cells from the menstrual cycle. The combination of hCG and dbcAMP elicited no greater response. Whereas luteal cells from Days 22-24 of pregnancy failed to respond to hCG, exposure to dbcAMP significantly (P<0.01) increased progesterone production. By Days 26-29 of pregnancy, isolated luteal cells failed to respond to either hCG or dbcAMP. In contrast, progesterone production by luteal cells from term pregnancy was significantly (P<0.01) enhanced by both hCG and dbcAMP. The addition of 1 MM pregnenolone markedly (P<0.01) increased progesterone production by luteal cells from both midluteal phase of the cycle and early pregnancy. However, the progesterone synthetic activity of cells from Days 22-24 and 26-29 of pregnancy was only 20 and 5%, respectively, of that of luteal cells from the menstrual cycle, during incubation with pregnenolone. By Days 160-165 of pregnancy, progesterone production by luteal cells, in the presence and absence of pregenolone, was similar to that of cells from the menstrual cycle. The data indicate that the gonadotropin refractory state of the rhesus monkey corpus luteum following prolonged exposure to mCG in early pregnancy may include an impairment of the gonadotropin receptor-adenylyl cyclase system in luteal cells and a reduction in enzyme activity necessary for progesterone synthesis. The refractory condition of the corpus luteum appears to be reversible since gonadotropin-sensitive progesterone production is characteristic of rhesus monkey luteal cells at term pregnancy.
Relativistic Uranium Beams--the Bevalac Experience

This paper will address areas where relativistic heavy ion accelerators differ from proton facilities. Salient areas are: (1) the specialized injectors for heavy ions; ion sources, structures for very low charge-to-mass ratio (q/A) ions, and stripper optimization; (2) special requirements for the synchrotron ring; ultrahigh vacuum, flexible controls and instrumentation. These areas are discussed in the context of the Bevalac, as well as our idea for a next-generation relativistic heavy ion accelerator.
The activity of pepsin-albumin films.

Abstract 1. 1. Active pepsin-albumin fibers may be prepared by spreading monolayers from mixed solutions at pH 4, and compressing the film into a fiber. 2. 2. Enzyme activity of the compressed films may be measured by microscopic observation of self-digestion in acid solution and by microdetermination of trichloroacetic acid-soluble products of proteolysis. 3. 3. The pH optimum of the system is 1.5. 4. 4. Rates of digestion in this “solid phase” system are compared with rates in corresponding systems where the enzyme is in solution. The activity of the former is higher than predicted from its content of enzyme and substrate, even without allowing for supposed “surface denaturation”. 5. 5. The rate of digestion depends on the ratio of substrate to enzyme in the film, within certain limits. 6. 6. The activity of the compressed films depends on the pressure at which they were spread. 7. 7. The relation between surface spreading and enzyme activity is discussed. The evidence suggests that we are dealing with B-films (Joly) of partially unfolded protein and that a degree of unfolding that leads to loss of solubility does not necessarily destroy enzyme activity. 8. 8. The biological implications of enzyme reactions in solid, structured systems are discussed.
Structure of adsorbate inverse photoemission spectra: A model Hamiltonian study

Abstract We present an Anderson-Newns Hamiltonian model of inverse photoemission spectra (IPES) of adsorbates on metals. We find that besides image screening, another screening mechanism may operate in IPES when intra-adsorbate electron correlation is strong and the adsorbate has filled levels near the Fermi energy of the metal. While image screening results in spectral shifts and the appearance of plasmon satellites, this new screening mechanism gives a doublet structure to the IPES. We also find that the hybridization of the adsorbate affinity levels with the unoccupied metal levels plays a crucial role in determining both the width and energy of the spectra.
High-density mapping of single-molecule trajectories with photoactivated localization microscopy

We combined photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) with live-cell single-particle tracking to create a new method termed sptPALM. We created spatially resolved maps of single-molecule motions by imaging the membrane proteins Gag and VSVG, and obtained several orders of magnitude more trajectories per cell than traditional single-particle tracking enables. By probing distinct subsets of molecules, sptPALM can provide insight into the origins of spatial and temporal heterogeneities in membranes.
Uremic Sera Contain Inhibitors That Block Digitoxin-Valproic Acid Interaction

ABSTRACT Background Digitoxin and valproic acid show strong binding to serum albumin. Thus, when present simultaneously in serum, digitoxin and valproic acid compete for binding sites. We studied digitoxin-valproic acid interaction in normal and uremic sera. Methods Fluorescence polarization immunoassays were used for measuring total digitoxin and total valproic acid concentrations. We used a modified protocol of improved sensitivity to measure free digitoxin concentrations. We supplemented 2 normal and 2 uremic pools with digitoxin and then aliquots of these pools were further supplemented with various concentrations of valproic acid. After incubation at 37°C for 2 hours in a water bath, specimens were allowed to re-equilibrate at room temperature for 20 minutes. Free digitoxin concentrations were measured. We also investigated digoxin-valproic acid interaction using 1 normal and 1 uremic serum pool. Results We observed significant increases in free digitoxin concentrations in normal sera in the presence of valproic acid. In contrast, we observed a slight decline in free digitoxin concentration in the presence of valproic acid in uremic sera. We speculated that uremic sera contained inhibitors that block digitoxin-valproic acid interaction and identified indoxyl sulfate as an inhibitor. However, another uremic compound, hippuric acid showed no inhibitory effect. Interestingly, we observed no significant interaction between digoxin and valproic acid in either normal or uremic serum pool. This is probably because of poor protein binding of digoxin. Conclusion We conclude that valproic acid significantly displaces digitoxin from protein binding sites in normal serum. However, uremic sera contain inhibitors that block digitoxin-valproic acid interaction.
A precise timing method for the determination of short half-lives

Abstract A very precise timing technique for the determination of half-lives is described. Using this technique, the half-life of 132Sn was determined to be 40.6±0.8 s.
Reducing Readmissions: What Might it Take?

Why do some patients discharged from a hospital come back whereas others do not? This is a question that has been vexing clinical and policy leaders over the past 5 years. Spurred by the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, hospitals have begun to focus on ensuring that patients are not
Compression of words over a partially commutative alphabet

Concurrency is a fundamental concept in computer science which is concerned with the study of systems involving multiple processes. The order of events in a concurrent system is unpredictable because of the independence of events occurring in the individual processes. Trace theory is a successful model for the execution of concurrent processes which employs congruence classes of words over partially commutative alphabets. These congruence or interchange classes generalize the more familiar notions of strings and type classes. Motivated by recent work in the areas of program profiling and compression of executable code, we consider a rate distortion problem in which the objective is to reproduce a string which is equivalent to the original string. This leads to a generalization of Kolmogorov complexity and a new graph entropy called the interchange entropy. We provide some of the basic properties of the interchange entropy. We also consider some universal compression schemes for this problem and show that for a large collection of dependence alphabets we can asymptotically attain the interchange entropy.
Further studies of a natriuretic substance occurring in human urine and plasma.

Studies are presented which provide additional physiological and biochemical characterization of a natriuretic agent which has been identified in extracts of plasma and urine of human subjects. The natriuretic activity of active fractions was consistently demonstrable in normal hydropenic rats as well as in rats with congenital diabetes insipidus. The induced natriuresis usually developed slowly and could last for several hours. The natriuresis was not usually associated with increases in water or potassium excretion. It occurred without measurable changes in glomerular filtration rate or arterial blood pressure. Altogether, these results suggest that the substance acts to depress sodium reabsorption in the distal tubule. In bioassays of similarly prepared fractions utilizing direct perfusion of the renal artery, an immediate and transient natriuresis has been consistently observed. This immediate response appears to be produced by a substance different from that responsible for the delayed and more prolonged natriuresis, because the immediate response was always associated with a rise in blood pressure in the assay animal. Also, the activity of the agent responsible for the immediate natriuresis did not fluctuate with changes in sodium balance in the experimental subjects. Contamination with this substance may explain the occasional immediate response observed in earlier assays. This experience points to the importance of monitoring blood pressure during assays for natriuretic agents. Additional fractionation studies continue to suggest that the substance occurring in salt-loaded human subjects which causes the more delayed and prolonged natriuresis in assay animals appears to be of a molecular weight of from 10,000 to 50,000.
Characterization of TCR Gene Rearrangements During Adult Murine T Cell Development

Development of the αβ and γδ T cell lineages is dependent upon the rearrangement and expression of the TCRα and β or γ and δ genes, respectively. Although the timing and sequence of rearrangements of the TCRα and TCRβ loci in adult murine thymic precursors has been characterized, no similar information is available for the TCRγ and TCRδ loci. In this report, we show that approximately half of the total TCRδ alleles initiate rearrangements at the CD44 high CD25 + stage, whereas the TCRβ locus is mainly in germline configuration. In the subsequent CD44 low CD25 + stage, most TCRδ alleles are fully recombined, whereas TCRβ rearrangements are only complete on 10–30% of alleles. These results indicate that rearrangement at the TCRδ locus can precede that of TCRβ locus recombination by one developmental stage. In addition, we find a bias toward productive rearrangements of both TCRδ and TCRγ genes among CD44 high CD25 + thymocytes, suggesting that functional γδ TCR complexes can be formed before the rearrangement of TCRβ. These data support a model of lineage commitment in which sequential TCR gene rearrangements may influence αβ/γδ lineage decisions. Further, because TCR gene rearrangements are generally limited to T lineage cells, these analyses provide molecular evidence that irreversible commitment to the T lineage can occur as early as the CD44 high CD25 + stage of development.
Asian-Immigrant Students—Unique Problems That Hamper Learning

Many Americans, including educators, mistakenly believe that all Asian immigrant children are model students. Because of their cultural and educational backgrounds they sometimes react to the American public school system with bewilder ment and/or disinterest. The author recommends that educa tors try to understand and work with parents.
Input vector control for post-silicon leakage current minimization in the presence of manufacturing variability

We present the first approach for post-silicon leakage power reduction through input vector control (IVC) that takes into account the impact of the manufacturing variability (MV). Because of the MV, the integrated circuits (ICs) implementing one design require different input vectors to achieve their lowest leakage states. We address two major challenges. The first is the extraction of the gate- level characteristics of an IC by measuring only the overall leakage power for different inputs. The second problem is the rapid generation of input vectors that result in a low leakage for a large number of unique ICs that implement a given design, but are different in the post-manufacturing phase. Experimental results on a large set of benchmark instances demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods. For example, the leakage power consumption could be reduced in average by more than 10.4%, when compared to the previously published IVC techniques that did not consider MV.
Evaluation of the macrocyclic antibiotic vancomycin as a chiral selector for capillary electrophoresis

Vancomycin is one of a family of related macrocyclic glycopeptide antibiotics that were discovered by scientists at the Eli Lilly Company in the 1950s. It has been used to treat severe staphylococcal infections, particularly when bacterial resistance to other antibiotics has developed. Vancomycin is a naturally occurring chiral compound and has a number of stereogenic centers. Furthermore, it contains a variety of functionalities that are known to be useful for enantioselective interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding groups, hydrophobic pockets, aromatic groups, amide linkages, etc.). The physicochemical properties of vancomycin, including its stability in solution, are discussed as they pertain to capillary electrophoresis. Over 100 racemates were resolved including many nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, antineoplastic compounds and N-derivatized amino acids. Many of these compounds had very high resolution factors. Optimization and the effect of different experimental parameters on the enantioselective separations are discussed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Family Context in Pediatric Psychology: A Transactional Perspective

The degree to which the family is seen as a significant contributor to child health conditions impacts directly on the successful functioning of the pediatric psychologist. A transactional model of family functioning is proposed for pediatric psychology. Development is considered to be the result of a three-part process that starts with child behavior that triggers family interpretation that produces a parental response. Family interpretation is presented as part of a regulatory system that includes family paradigms, family stories, and family rituals. Corresponding to the proposed three-part regulation model, three forms of intervention are discussed: remediation, redefinition, and reeducation. Clinical decision making based on this model is outlined with examples given from different treatment approaches. Implications for the treatment of families in pediatric psychology are discussed.
Adaptation of Models Versus Variations in Form: Classifying Structures of City Government:

A great deal of variability exists in American local government structures. It would be useful to analyze the differences in outcomes associated with different structures, but two factors stand in the way. First, there is no agreement about how to classify city governments. Second, many of the components used in existing classifications are inaccurately reported or missing in survey data. In this research note, a new classification system based on three easily determined components is developed and used to measure the current distribution of forms and variations in an expanded data set that includes almost all cities over 10,000 in population.
Nongovernmental resources to support disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

ObjectiveAlthough recent emergencies or disasters have underscored the vital role of nongovernmental (NGO) resources, they remain not well understood or leveraged. We intended to develop an assets framework that identifies relevant NGO resources for disaster preparedness and response that can be used to assess their availability at state and local levels.MethodsWe conducted a search of peer-reviewed publications to identify existing asset frameworks, and reviewed policy documents and gray literature to identify roles of NGOs in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. A standardized data abstraction form was used to organize the results by NGO sector.ResultsWe organized NGO assets into 5 categories: competencies, money, infrastructure or equipment, services, relationships, and data for each of the 11 sectors designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the 2011 preparedness capabilities.ConclusionsOur findings showed that the capacity of each sector to capture data on each asset type needs strengthening so that data can be merged for just-in-time analysis to indicate where additional relief is needed. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;0:1–6)
Newer multiple sclerosis drugs and disability scores-are key data analyses missing?

Keywords: expanded disability status scores (EDSS); multiple sclerosis (MS); immune-modulating drugs; no evidence of disease activity (NEDA); African American MS, disability metrics
DEVELOPMENT OF A FLAVOR LEXICON FOR PROCESSED AND IMITATION CHEESES

ABSTRACT In the U.S.A., the production of processed cheese (PC) totaled 1,014 million kg in 2005. These products are made using natural cheese (NC), but imitation products are also available. Functionality and meltability are primary characteristics of these products, but flavor also plays a role. Studies have not focused on the flavor of these products. This study was conducted to identify and define the sensory properties of PC and imitation cheese (Imi). Three dairy experts evaluated 55 PC and Imi for initial language development. Following language development and refinement, 26 PC and Imi were selected and evaluated in triplicate by an experienced sensory panel (n = 8). Data were evaluated by analysis of variance with Fisher's least significant difference for means separation and by principal component analysis. Eighteen aromatics and five basic tastes were documented in the products. PC products, which are made from NC, were characterized by sweet aromatic, cooked/milky, caramelized/toasted cheese, diacetyl, whey, milkfat and brothy flavors. Imis that had casein/caseinates were distinguished by minty flavors and Imis with other protein sources were differentiated by cardboard and oxidized/fatty flavors. This study demonstrated an array of flavor profiles among PC and between PC and Imi. This flavor lexicon can help the industry to better define and differentiate PC and Imi and ultimately to help better understand consumer flavor preferences for these products. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Processed cheese (PC) makes up a large market segment with processed cheese foods, spreads, and cold pack products and imitation products. These products are distinct from natural cheeses. This study established a defined descriptive flavor language for these products that can help cheese manufacturers understand the flavor profiles of different PC- and imitation cheese-type products.
The Live Well, Be Well Study: A Community-Based, Translational Lifestyle Program to Lower Diabetes Risk Factors in Ethnic Minority and Lower–Socioeconomic Status Adults

Objectives. We evaluated a community-based, translational lifestyle program to reduce diabetes risk in lower–socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnic minority adults.Methods. Through an academic–public health department partnership, community-dwelling adults at risk for diabetes were randomly assigned to individualized lifestyle counseling delivered primarily via telephone by health department counselors or a wait-list control group. Primary outcomes (6 and 12 months) were fasting glucose level, triglycerides, high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, weight, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure. Secondary outcomes included diet, physical activity, and health-related quality of life.Results. Of the 230 participants, study retention was 92%. The 6-month group differences for weight and triglycerides were significant. The intervention group lost 2 pounds more than did the control group (P = .03) and had decreased triglyceride levels (difference in change, 23 mg/dL; P = .02). At 6 months, the i...
A general model for detecting genetic determinants underlying longitudinal traits with unequally spaced measurements and nonstationary covariance structure

A mixture model for determining quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting growth trajectories has been proposed in the literature. In this article, we extend this model to a more general situation in which longitudinal traits for each subject are measured at unequally spaced time intervals, different subjects have different measurement patterns, and the residual correlation within subjects is nonstationary. We derive an EM-simplex hybrid algorithm to estimate the allele frequencies, Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium, and linkage disequilibrium between QTL in the original population and parameters contained in the growth equation and in the covariance structure. A worked example of head circumference growth in 145 children is used to validate our extended model. A simulation study is performed to examine the statistical properties of the parameter estimation obtained from this example. Finally, we discuss the implications and extensions of our model for detecting QTL that affect growth trajectories.
Mutations in hemagglutinin of a novel avian-origin H7N9 virus that are critical for receptor binding specificity

A novel avian-origin H7N9 influenza virus was discovered in March in China and has caused a total of 131 people infected including 39 deaths in China as of June 9, 2013. Adaptation of avian viruses to efficiently infect humans requires the viral hemagglutinin (HA) binding switches from avian to human type receptors with help of some mutations in HA. As such it is critical for pandemic assessment to discover these mutations as hallmarks of adaptation. To continue our previous study of this novel H7N9 virus, we identified two sets of mutations in HA. The first set of mutations are present in the current circulating strains of 2013 H7N9 in China, and the second set are potential mutations that were found when compared to the HAs of previous human H7 subtype. These two sets of mutations exhibited unique features. The first group of mutations, on average, enhanced the HA binding to human type receptors whereas reduced that to avian types. Further the reduction of avian binding was almost three times of the increase of the human binding. The second group increased the binding to both human and avian types. But the increase in human types was almost three times of that in the avian types. Though different in their way of changing the binding preference, these two sets of mutations both contained more mutations to decrease the avian binding and increase the human binding than those that did the opposite. Our research highlighted the pandemic potential of this novel virus by showing the important mutations that could potentially help it to adapt to human hosts. Our findings offered new insights into the current state of evolution of this virus, which might be helpful for the continued surveillance of the emergence of H7N9 strains having the ability of human-to-human transmission.
Weighted decision fusion for supervised and unsupervised hyperspectral image classification

A decision fusion approach is proposed to combine the results from supervised and unsupervised classifiers. The final output takes advantage of the power of supervised classification in class separation and the capability of unsupervised classification in reducing spectral variation impact in homogeneous regions. This approach simply adopts the majority voting rule, but can achieve the same objective of object-based classification. In this paper, we propose a weighted majority voting rule for decision fusion, where pixels in the same segment contribute differently according to their distance to the spectral centroid. The weighted majority voting rule can further improve the performance of the majority voting rule.
Effects of acetylcholine and biogenic amines on pulmonary smooth muscle in the African lungfish, Protopterus aethiopicus.

Smooth muscles from the glottis sphineter and pulmonary parenchyma were excised from freshly killed specimens of the African lungfish, Protopterus aethiopicus, and mounted in a bath of Ringer solution while responses to pharmacological agents were studied. Both muscle preparations gave qualitatively similar responses. Acetylcholine caused contraction which was abolished by pretreatment with atropine. Histamine and serotonin also contracted the muscles, their effects being diminshed by mepyramine and methysergide. Adrenaline and noradrenaline relaxed the muscle preparations. Neither regitine nor propranolol affected this response. Isoproterenol had a slight relaxing effect. Anoxia and hypercapnia did not influence the contractile state of the muscles.
Short-term testing of antifouling surfaces: the importance of colour

Data from short-term biofouling assays are frequently used to evaluate the performance of antifouling (AF) coatings. There are a large number of factors, however, that may influence community development. One such factor is colour. The hypothesis was that differences in colour may impact the short-term development of a biofouling community and therefore bias the results. An experiment was designed to investigate the effect of black and white substrata on settlement of fouling organisms in the field. Both Ulva sp. and Spirorbis sp. had significantly higher settlement on black surfaces. This result emphasises the importance of considering colour and other factors when undertaking short-term testing of AF coatings.
Homoclinic Orbits and Bäcklund Transformations for the Doubly Periodic Davey-Stewartson Equation

This is a preliminary report of some of the results in a paper under the same title. We want to study the geometric structure of the solution manifold of the doubly periodic Davey-Stewartson equation as an infinite dimensional Hamiltonian system. Specifically we are concerned with the homoclinic structure of the following DS equation $$\begin{gathered} i{q_t} - \left( {{\partial _x}{\partial _x} + {\alpha ^2}{\partial _y}{\partial _y}} \right)q + r\_q = 0, \hfill \\ \left( {{\partial _x}{\partial _x} - {\alpha ^2}{\partial _y}{\partial _y}} \right)r\_ = - 2 \in \left( {{\partial _x}{\partial _x} + {\alpha ^2}{\partial _y}{\partial _y}} \right){\left| q \right|^2} \hfill \\ \end{gathered}$$ (1) .
Current Quality Management Practices In U.S. Hospitals: A Survey

For decades, the U.S. health care industry has been operating on its own, ignoring emerging factors, such as competition, patient safety, skyrocketing health care cost, liability, malpractice insurance cost, and DRG for Medicare payment. However, as these factors became more prevalent and competition within the industry intensified, many U.S. hospitals have been becoming increasingly aware of the critical needs of controlling the operating costs and attempting to meet the needs and expectations of patient care quality. This paper presents the findings of a questionnaire survey unveiling the current quality management policies and practices in U.S. hospitals for achieving excellence in patient care quality.
Anatomical characterization of the porcine hoof capsule

One of the leading causes of involuntary culling of breeding stock in swine is lameness. Many of these sows are lame due to lesions of the hoof wall. Although an important function of the porcine hoof capsule is to protect the terminal limb structures, little is known about its anatomy. The purpose of this study was to create a basic reference for normal porcine hoof measurements as well as quantify the density of epidermal laminae. For the hoof wall measurements, forty forelimbs and forty hind limbs were obtained from clinically sound sows and sixty-­‐nine forelimbs and seventy-­‐four hind limbs were obtained for the second part of the study. For the hoof wall, measurements were made investigating the dorsal wall length, abaxial wall height, sole width, sole + wall length, ground surface, dorsal wall depth, abaxial wall depth and the sole depth at the cranial, caudal, axial and abaxial aspects. The second group of limbs were sliced for visualization of the laminar junction. The laminae were stained and divided into zones of 25 laminae each. Significant differences were present between the dorsal wall depth and the abaxial wall depth of various digits, but the sole depth at all four measurements (cranial, caudal, axial, abaxial) was significantly thicker than the abaxial wall depth on all eight measured digits (p<0.0001). The laminae also showed significant decreases in zone width as they moved from the palmar/plantar aspect of the hoof to the dorsal aspect with zones A and B being significantly smaller than all of the other zones on both the thoracic and pelvic limb
Population aging, macroeconomic changes, and global diabetes prevalence, 1990-2008

Diabetes is an important contributor to global morbidity and mortality. The contributions of population aging and macroeconomic changes to the growth in diabetes prevalence over the past 20 years are unclear. We used cross-sectional data on age- and sex-specific counts of people with diabetes by country, national population estimates, and country-specific macroeconomic variables for the years 1990, 2000, and 2008. Decomposition analysis was performed to quantify the contribution of population aging to the change in global diabetes prevalence between 1990 and 2008. Next, age-standardization was used to estimate the contribution of age composition to differences in diabetes prevalence between high-income (HIC) and low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs). Finally, we used non-parametric correlation and multivariate first-difference regression estimates to examine the relationship between macroeconomic changes and the change in diabetes prevalence between 1990 and 2008. Globally, diabetes prevalence grew by two percentage points between 1990 (7.4 %) and 2008 (9.4 %). Population aging was responsible for 19 % of the growth, with 81 % attributable to increases in the age-specific prevalences. In both LMICs and HICs, about half the growth in age-specific prevalences was from increasing levels of diabetes between ages 45–65 (51 % in HICs and 46 % in LMICs). After age-standardization, the difference in the prevalence of diabetes between LMICs and HICs was larger (1.9 % point difference in 1990; 1.5 % point difference in 2008). We found no evidence that macroeconomic changes were associated with the growth in diabetes prevalence. Population aging explains a minority of the recent growth in global diabetes prevalence. The increase in global diabetes between 1990 and 2008 was primarily due to an increase in the prevalence of diabetes at ages 45–65. We do not find evidence that basic indicators of economic growth, development, globalization, or urbanization were related to rising levels of diabetes between 1990 and 2008.
Enhanced Detectability of Community Structure in Multilayer Networks through Layer Aggregation

Many systems are naturally represented by a multilayer network in which edges exist in multiple layers that encode different, but potentially related, types of interactions, and it is important to understand limitations on the detectability of community structure in these networks. Using random matrix theory, we analyze detectability limitations for multilayer (specifically, multiplex) stochastic block models (SBMs) in which L layers are derived from a common SBM. We study the effect of layer aggregation on detectability for several aggregation methods, including summation of the layers' adjacency matrices for which we show the detectability limit vanishes as O(L^{-1/2}) with increasing number of layers, L. Importantly, we find a similar scaling behavior when the summation is thresholded at an optimal value, providing insight into the common-but not well understood-practice of thresholding pairwise-interaction data to obtain sparse network representations.
Palmer Renewable Energy Comments to Draft Air Permit

Comments to MassDEP draft permit issued under state implementation of the Clean Air Act to Palmer Renewable Energy, laying the groundwork for what will likely be the first case in the state invoking the state's constitutional right to clean air.
A Detector for Relic Monopoles Trapped in Magnetic Ores

We propose the construction of a four-coil superconducting SQUID magnetometer to search for relic monopoles trapped in sedimentary iron ores of age 2 × 108 years. Such monopoles may be released when the ore is heated through its Curie point as part of the industrial processing of the ores, permitting industrial-scale batches to be sampled. Engineering design of the device has been completed.
Patient-specific cutting blocks: Of Unproven Value.

Patient specific instrumentation (PSI) uses advanced imaging of the knee (CT or MRI) to generate individualised cutting blocks aimed to make the procedure of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) more accurate and efficient. However, in this era of healthcare cost consciousness, the value of new technologies needs to be critically evaluated. There have been several comparative studies looking at PSI versus standard instrumentation. Most compare PSI with conventional instrumentation in terms of alignment in the coronal plane, operative time and surgical efficiency, cost effectiveness and short-term outcomes. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have also been published. PSI has not been shown to be superior compared with conventional instrumentation in its ability to restore traditional mechanical alignment in primary TKA. Most studies show comparative efficacy and no decrease in the number of outliers in either group. In terms of operative time and efficiency, PSI tended towards decreasing operative time, saving a mean of five minutes per patient (0 to 20). Furthermore, while some cost savings could be realised with less operative time and reduced instrumentation per patient, these savings were overcome by the cost of the CT/MRI and the cutting blocks. Finally, there was no evidence that PSI positively affected clinical outcomes at two days, two months, or two years. Consequently, current evidence does not support routine use of PSI in routine primary TKA. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B(1 Suppl A):78–80.
The Relation of Oxidative Stress and Hyperexcitation to Neurological Disease

AbstractThe expression of a considerable range of neurological diseases is thought to involve two pathological states, namely, the production of excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species and neuronal hyperactivity. These events may represent an outcome of general vulnerable features of nervous tissue. Since they are associated with many unrelated diseases, the phenomena may be considered the final common pathways of a range of metabolic defects. Superimposed on these general signs of cellular impairment are the more specific features of each disorder. This review describes some of the evidence for the presence of hyperactivity and oxidative stress in various neurological disorders. Mechanisms whereby the states may interact and modulate each other are discussed. The manner in which such understanding has implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches is also described.
ACUTE AND CHRONIC EXPOSURES TO NITROGEN DIOXIDE. EFFECTS ON OXYGEN CONSUMPTION AND ENZYME ACTIVITY ON GUINEA PIG TISSUES.

(1965). Acute and Chronic Exposures to Nitrogen Dioxide. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 220-223.
Modeling of Hysteresis Effect of SMA using Neuro Fuzzy Inference System

Hysteresis is the dependence of a physical property, not only on the present controlled parameters, but also on the path travelled. Although Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) exhibit a myriad of nonlinearities, SMAs show two major types of nonlinear hysteresis. During cyclic loading of the SMAs, it is observed that one type of hysteretic behavior depends on the rate of heating the SMAs, whilst the variation of maximum temperature of SMA in each cycle results in the other hysteretic behavior. This hysteretic behavior gives rise to major and minor nonlinear loops of SMAs. The present work analyzes the nonlinearities of hysteretic envelopes, given the different maximum temperature reached for each hysteretic cycle on the strain of the SMA. This work then models this behavior using Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and compares it to experimental results. The nonlinear learning and adaptation of ANFIS architecture makes it suitable to model the temperature path hysteresis of SMAs.
Characterization and Epidemiology of the Carpal Boss Utilizing Computed Tomography.

Background The carpal boss is an osseous protuberance occurring variably along the dorsum of the second or third metacarpal base, lacking a standardized definition. Aim We sought to characterize the dorsal second and third carpometacarpal joints in the general population on computed tomography (CT) to better define this variant anatomy. Patients and Methods A total of 129 wrist CT studies were reviewed. Note was made of the dorsal second/third carpometacarpal osseous anatomy, the presence of regional bursitis or tenosynovitis, and relationship of the extensor carpi radialis brevis attachment to the base of the third metacarpal. Results Out of the 129 wrists, 106 (82.2%) demonstrated a dorsal protuberance arising from the base of the third metacarpal, in isolation. Out of the 129 wrists, 14 (10.9%) lacked a dorsal protuberance or nonunited ossicle at the level of the second or third carpometacarpal joint. Out of the 129 wrists, 9 (7%) wrists demonstrated more complex anatomy—8 wrists (6.2%) with a dorsal protuberance at the base of the third metacarpal seen in combination with an adjacent nonunited ossicle and/or dorsal protuberance arising from the capitate, and 1 wrist (0.8%) with an isolated ossicle at the base of the third metacarpal. Of these nine wrists, eight (6.2%) demonstrated arthritis at the resultant pseudoarticulation(s). Conclusion The majority of wrists demonstrated an isolated protuberance arising from the dorsal base of the third metacarpal, with a small minority with a nonunited ossicle at this level and/or dorsal protuberance of the capitate. The presence of secondary arthritis (8 out of 129 wrists, 6.2%) may reflect a pain generator. Level of Evidence Cross-sectional study; level 2.
Genetic tools for identifying and manipulating fibroblasts in the mouse

The use of mouse genetic tools to track and manipulate fibroblasts has provided invaluable in vivo information regarding the activities of these cells. Recently, many new mouse strains have been described for the specific purpose of studying fibroblast behavior. Colorimetric reporter mice and lines expressing Cre are available for the study of fibroblasts in the organs prone to fibrosis, including heart, kidney, liver, lung, and skeletal muscle. In this review we summarize the current state of the models that have been used to define tissue resident fibroblast populations. While these complex genetic reagents provide unique insights into the process of fibrosis, they also require a thorough understanding of the caveats and limitations. Here, we discuss the specificity and efficiency of the available genetic models and briefly describe how they have been used to document the mechanisms of fibrosis.
Computational focus-tunable near-eye displays

Immersive virtual and augmented reality systems (VR/AR) are entering the consumer market and have the potential to profoundly impact our society. Applications of these systems range from communication, entertainment, education, collaborative work, simulation and training to telesurgery, phobia treatment, and basic vision research. In every immersive experience, the primary interface between the user and the digital world is the near-eye display. Thus, developing near-eye display systems that provide a high-quality user experience is of the utmost importance. Many characteristics of near-eye displays that define the quality of an experience, such as resolution, refresh rate, contrast, and field of view, have been significantly improved in recent years. However, a significant source of visual discomfort prevails: the vergence-accommodation conflict (VAC). This visual conflict results from the fact that vergence cues, but not focus cues, are simulated in near-eye display systems. Indeed, natural focus cues are not supported by any existing near-eye display. Afforded by focus-tunable optics, we explore unprecedented display modes that tackle this issue in multiple ways with the goal of increasing visual comfort and providing more realistic visual experiences.
Planar Waveguides for Fluorescence Biosensors

Publisher Summary Biosensors consist of two important features: the molecular recognition element and the signal transduction mechanism. The leading methods for fluorescence-based, multianalyte detection are based on total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF). TIRF excitation of planar waveguides is the most utilized optical configuration. Immobilization of multiple capture biomolecules on planar waveguides provides for multianalyte detection on a single substrate. TIRF is a means of selectively exciting the fluorescence emission of fluorophores present near the surface of a waveguide and is relatively immune to bulk matrix effects. Planar waveguide TIRF has been used to measure a variety of analytes including hormones, toxins, bacteria, and viruses, leading to applications such as environmental and food safety monitoring, clinical diagnostics, and military defense. This technique has found numerous applications in the field of biosensors, in particular immunosensors and sensors for genetic analysis. The introduction of a fluorescent probe to a biomolecule has the advantage of allowing both site and spectral selection. Fluorescent labels have longer shelf lives, lower costs, and greater safety than radiolabels. An inherent advantage of using evanescent wave fluorescence is its surface-specific nature. While fluorescence-based detection provides sensitivity in terms of signal-to-background discrimination, the requirement for a fluorescent assay component may also be a disadvantage. The continued development and miniaturization of the biosensor instrumentation has led to systems that are fully automated, portable, and highly competitive with laboratory techniques. Such biosensors are now transitioning into the commercial market.
Action Recognition in Video by Covariance Matching of Silhouette Tunnels

Action recognition is a challenging problem in video analytics due to event complexity, variations in imaging conditions, and intra- and inter-individual action-variability. Central to these challenges is the way one models actions in video, i.e., action representation. In this paper, an action is viewed as a temporal sequence of local shape-deformations of centroid-centered object silhouettes, i.e., the shape of the centroid-centered object silhouette tunnel. Each action is represented by the empirical covariance matrix of a set of 13-dimensional normalized geometric feature vectors that capture the shape of the silhouette tunnel. The similarity of two actions is measured in terms of a Riemannian metric between their covariance matrices. The silhouette tunnel of a test video is broken into short overlapping segments and each segment is classified using a dictionary of labeled action covariance matrices and the nearest neighbor rule. On a database of 90 short video sequences this attains a correct classification rate of 97%, which is very close to the state-of-the-art, at almost 5-fold reduced computational cost. Majority-vote fusion of segment decisions achieves 100% classification rate.
IL-17 Receptor Signaling in the Lung Epithelium Is Required for Mucosal Chemokine Gradients and Pulmonary Host Defense against K. pneumoniae

The cytokine IL-17, and signaling via its heterodimeric IL-17RA/IL-17RC receptor, is critical for host defense against extracellular bacterial and fungal pathogens. Polarized lung epithelial cells express IL-17RA and IL-17RC basolaterally. However, their contribution to IL-17-dependent pulmonary defenses in vivo remains to be determined. To address this, we generated mice with conditional deletion of Il17ra or Il17rc in Scgb1a1-expressing club cells, a major component of the murine bronchiolar epithelium. These mice displayed an impaired ability to recruit neutrophils into the airway lumen in response to IL-17, a defect in bacterial clearance upon mucosal challenge with the pulmonary pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae, and substantially reduced epithelial expression of the chemokine Cxcl5. Neutrophil recruitment and bacterial clearance were restored by intranasal administration of recombinant CXCL5. Our data show that IL-17R signaling in the lung epithelium plays a critical role in establishing chemokine gradients that are essential for mucosal immunity against pulmonary bacterial pathogens.
Evaporation, Evapotranspiration, and Irrigation Water Requirement. Manual 70. 2nd edition.

Marvin Jensen and Richard Allen, editors. American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA. 2016. ISBN (print): 978-0-7844-1405-7 ISBN (PDF): 978-0-7844-7920-9 The second edition of Evaporation, Evapotranspiration, and Irrigation Water Requirement (Manual 70) is a modified and expanded version of