cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
β-Galactosidase-induced destabilization of liposome composed of phosphatidylethanolamine and ganglioside GM1

A novel type of liposome bilayer destabilization catalyzed by the enzyme, β-galactosidase, is described. Unsaturated phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), an HII-phase-forming lipid, does not form stable liposomes at physiological temperature and pH. However, stable unilamellar lipomosomes can be prepared by mixing PE with a minimum of 5 mol% ganglioside GM1, a micellar-phase-forming lipid. Treatment of these GM1/PE liposomes with β-galactosidase induces a rapid leakage (3–6 min) of the entrapped fluorescent dye, calcein. The studies indicate that liposome destabilization is the result of catalytic degradation of GM1, rather than a stoichiometric binding of GM1 by β-galactosidase. Kinetic data indicate that the destabilization takes place via liposome collision. This simple, rapid method of liposome destabilization by β-galactosidase will be useful in designing a liposome-based signal amplification mechanism for assays involving enzymes.
An ecological analysis of competition among US communities

We apply the ecological concept of the organization's niche pioneered by John Freeman and Mike Hannan to the study of geographic communities. We define a community's market niche by the ties linking a community to the industries on which it depends for growth. We then hypothesize that the extent to which a community's market niche is occupied by other communities is a source of constraint and opportunity depending on the geographical locations of the communities that occupy the same market niche. Geographically distant communities occupying similar market niches are hypothesized to experience primarily constraint arising from competition for opportunities of exchange. Geographically proximate communities occupying similar market niches are hypothesized to face constraint arising from competition for exchange opportunities, as well as opportunity arising from access to valuable resources associated with the existence of similar others. Empirical analyses of firm foundings and exits across US communities support these hypotheses. Implications of our findings for ecological research on the niche and for the literature on communities are discussed. Copyright 2012 The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Associazione ICC. All rights reserved., Oxford University Press.
Separation of binary gas mixture into two high-purity products by a new pressure swing adsorption cycle

Abstract Binary mixtures can be separated into two high-purity products by a new pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycle. The product purity depends on the purge/feed ratio of the respective gases in the PSA cycle. The process characteristics of the new PSA cycle, using activated carbon as the sorbent, can be adequately predicted by an equilibrium model.
139: Foxp3+ regulatory T cells sustain pregnancy through a CTLA-4 independent pathway

through a CTLA-4 independent pathway Marijo Aguilera, Jared Rowe, James Ertelt, Kirk Ramin, Sing Sing Way University of Minnesota, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, University of Minnesota, Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology, Minneapolis, MN OBJECTIVE: Establishing the immune basis whereby pregnancy is sustained remains an area of paramount importance. Our prior studies have established an essential role for the sustained expansion of maternal immune-suppressive Foxp3 regulatory T cells (Treg) in maintaining tolerance to the developing fetus. Given the heterogeneity in Treg usage of defined molecules for context-specific immune suppression, we sought to identify the Treg-associated molecules required for maintaining pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Mating with MHC mismatched strains of mice was used to recapitulate the natural heterogeneity between maternal and fetal antigen. At mid-gestation when the expansion of maternal Tregs peaks, mice were treated with neutralizing antibody against defined Treg-associated molecules. In particular, we focused on Cytotoxic T lymphocte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) because this molecule is essential for Treg-mediated immune suppression in other contexts. The impacts on pregnancy outcomes (fetal resorption and number of live pups born) were enumerated. To investigate the maternal response to fetal antigen, transgenic male mice expressing ovalbumin (OVA) were used for breeding with non-OVA-expressing females allowing the response to the surrogate fetal-OVA antigen to be tracked using well-characterized cellular immunology tools. RESULTS: The number of live pups born to pregnant mice treated with anti-CTLA-4 compared with isotype antibody was modestly reduced, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (6.68 / 0.44 vs 7.75 / 0.40; p 0.095). Similarly, anti-CTLA-4 antibody did not trigger fetal resorption, or prime the expansion of fetal specific T cells among maternal immune cells (fetal-OVA-specific among total CD8 T cells were 0.55 / 0.18 and 0.39 / 0.09 percent; p 0.501 for anti-CTLA-4 and isotype antibody treated mice, respectively). CONCLUSION: Although the expansion of maternal Tregs is essential for sustaining tolerance to the developing fetus and these cells have been shown to utilize CTLA-4 for immune suppression in other contexts, CTLA-4 plays non-essential roles in maintaining pregnancy.
Local resistivity probe for study of point properties of gas‐liquid flows

In this work a resistivity probe for local property measurements, developed originally(1, 2, 3) for (non-wetting) mercury-nitrogen flows, was adapted to a broader class of gas-liquid flows, such as air-water. To compensate for the non-negligible dry-out time of the probe in aqueous systems, a trigger circuit was installed to sense bubble arrival rapidly. Another problem which was solved was the greater tendency for bubbles in water, as compared to mercury, to deflect away from the probe. The probe signal is an instantaneous record of the arrival and departure of bubbles at any point in the flow, and hence is well-adapted to auto and cross-correlation measurements, as well as distribution function studies. Pour mesurer des proprietes locales, on a adapte dans le travail actuel a une classe plus etendue d'ecoulements de gaz et de liquides (e. g. air et eau) une sonde de resistivite qu'on avail originalement(1, 2, 3) mise au point pour des ecoulements (non-mouillants) de mercure et d'azote. Pour obvier au sechage non-negligeable de la sonde dans des systemes aqueux, on a installe un circuit a detente pour deceler rapidement l'arrivee des bulles. Un autre probleme qu'on a resolu a ete celui que presente la tendance des bulles a devier davantage de la sonde dans l'eau que dans le mercure. Le signal de la sonde indique instantanement l'arrivee et le depart des bulles en n'importe quel point de l'ecoulement et il est, par consequent, bien adapte aux mesures d'auto-correlation ainsi qu'aux etudes de la fonction de distribution.
Quality of Care

Quality of care performance measures published by accreditation groups. Federal government and states' initiatives in quality improvement. Differina perspectives on measurement of quality.
Intrinsic Point Defects on a TiO2(110) Surface and Their Reaction with Oxygen: A Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study

The interaction of molecular oxygen, at room temperature, with a reduced TiO2(110) surface has been studied in situ by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Oxygen vacancies (point defects) were created on a clean TiO2(110) surface by annealing in ultra-high vacuum and successfully imaged on the atomic scale. These point defect sites were stable under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. During exposure to molecular oxygen, new point defects appear at different locations on the surface although their overall number is reduced. A mechanism for this dynamic healing process is proposed.
Using Butterfly-Patterned Partial Sums to Optimize GPU Memory Accesses for Drawing from Discrete Distributions

We describe a technique for drawing values from discrete distributions, such as sampling from the random variables of a mixture model, that avoids computing a complete table of partial sums of the relative probabilities. A table of alternate (“butterfly-patterned”) form is faster to compute, making better use of coalesced memory accesses. From this table, complete partial sums are computed on the fly during a binary search. Measurements using an NVIDIA Titan Black GPU show that for a sufficiently large number of clusters or topics (K > 200), this technique alone more than doubles the speed of a latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) application already highly tuned for GPU execution.
Data Assimilation in the Low Noise Regime with Application to the Kuroshio

AbstractOnline data assimilation techniques such as ensemble Kalman filters and particle filters lose accuracy dramatically when presented with an unlikely observation. Such an observation may be caused by an unusually large measurement error or reflect a rare fluctuation in the dynamics of the system. Over a long enough span of time it becomes likely that one or several of these events will occur. Often they are signatures of the most interesting features of the underlying system and their prediction becomes the primary focus of the data assimilation procedure. The Kuroshio or Black Current that runs along the eastern coast of Japan is an example of such a system. It undergoes infrequent but dramatic changes of state between a small meander during which the current remains close to the coast of Japan, and a large meander during which it bulges away from the coast. Because of the important role that the Kuroshio plays in distributing heat and salinity in the surrounding region, prediction of these transit...
Pharmacotherapy for traumatic spinal cord injury: the science behind the promise.

* Corresponding author. Department of Surge Center, 10 Union Square East, Suite 2M, New E-mail address: mleitman@chpnet.org (I. 0022-4804/$ e see front matter a 2013 Elsev doi:10.1016/j.jss.2012.02.056 Since the evolution of man, the management of spinal cord injury (SCI) has been a great challenge. One of the first known medical treatises, the “Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus,” reveals the first descriptions of SCIs dating back to 2500 BC [1]. Although surgery had been the fundamental method in dealing with SCIs, it was not until the late 20th century, when pharmacological treatments began to appear [1]. Do these therapies reduce the morbidity of this life altering and debilitating disease? SCI results in either a loss of motor function or a loss of sensation from either mechanical disruption of neural pathways or the resultant edema, swelling and inflammation. Injuries can be described as “complete” or “incomplete” and may result in varying degrees of disability. Secondary damage after primary SCI extends beyond the site of mechanical trauma, and effective management is imperative for anatomicaland functional recovery [2].Tounlock themysteriesbehind SCIs, an understanding of a “two-hit hypothesis” is necessary. Walker et al. [3] describe a primary injury attributable to mechanical forces applied to the spinal cord at the time of impact. A proposed secondary injury is then associated with the inflammatory response [4]. It is this inflammatory response
A Perfluorinated Nanosphere: Synthesis and Structure of Perfluoro-deca-B-methyl-para-carborane.

Exhaustive fluorination of deca-B-methyl-para-carborane (1) furnishes perfluoro-deca-B-methyl-para-carborane (2) almost quantitatively [Eq. (1)]. Compound 2 represents the first neutral perfluorinated sphere mimicking a "Teflon ball". The properties of 2 as well as its X-ray structure are discussed.
US Expansionism: The Imperialist Urge in the 1890s

Americans, in viewing the globe in 1897, saw a world of empires that were dynamic and fast-growing. Western powers such as Germany, France, and particularly Great Britain were making colonial imperialism fashionable, and the United States, eager to flex its muscles as an emerging world power, was swept along with the European tide. One year later, the United States had truly established itself as a contender in the global game, victorious in a war with Spain and committed to imperialism. In "US Expansionism," David Healy examines this brief but important chapter in American history. Analyzing the various intellectual, cultural, and economic forces that engendered and shaped America s imperialist drive, Healy also illustrates the key personalities involved, including the soon-to-be president, Theodore Roosevelt. A final section of the book examines the anti-imperialist opposition inspired by the new policy, and the ensuing debates about the proper role of American power."
Template analysis of the collaborations on a social visualization website

In recent years, online social data visualization has captured attention from the users as a new platform for constructing and sharing data visualizations as well as collaboration through user comments. Many Eyes and Tableau are the most popular among them. In this paper, we present a statistical analysis of the data retrieved from Many Eyes — an IBM research project. By analyzing all the data visualizations constructed by users from 2007 to 2010, we provide an insight into the online user behavior as well as the patterns and trends in social data visualization.
The Asset Growth Effect in Stock Returns

We document a strong negative relationship between the growth of total firm assets and subsequent firm stock returns using a broad sample of U.S. stocks. Over the past 40 years, low asset growth stocks have maintained a return premium of 20% per year over high asset growth stocks. The asset growth return premium begins in January following the measurement year and persists for up to five years. The firm asset growth rate maintains an economically and statistically important ability to forecast returns in both large capitalization and small capitalization stocks. In the cross-section of stock returns, the asset growth rate maintains large explanatory power with respect to other previously documented determinants of the cross-section of returns (i.e., size, prior returns, book-to-market ratios). We conclude that risk-based explanations have some difficulty in explaining such a large and consistent return premium.
Improved Performance Using a Modified PI Controller

A modification of the basic PI controller structure capable of improving performance with little or no loss of stability characteristics is presented. Several test cases are examined for both set point changes and load rejection and the results compared to those obtained with a standard PI algorithm.
Education and inequality: historical and sociological approaches to schooling and social stratification

The 30th International Standing Conference on the History of Education was held at Rutgers‐Newark from 23 July to 26 July 2008. The conference theme, “Education and Inequality: Historical Approache...
A blind adaptive transmit antenna algorithm for wireless communication

A method is proposed for forming an adaptive phased array transmission beam pattern at a base station without any knowledge of array geometry, path angles or mobile feedback. Estimates of receive vector channels are used to form a transmit weight vector optimization problem. The authors provide closed form solutions for both the single user case and the multiple user case. They show through simulation of a multiple user cellular network that the cooperative transmission network algorithm is capable of improving network frequency re-use capacity by a factor of 5 to 8.
Imaging of esophageal tumors with a water-filled condom and a catheter US probe.

Abstract Background: High-frequency catheter ultrasound (C-EUS) probes provide high resolution images of the gastrointestinal tract. Their use in the esophagus is limited by the requirement for a water-filled lumen for good acoustical coupling. We have developed a system using a condom that provides a continuous column of water for high resolution C-EUS imaging of the esophagus. Methods: Nine patients underwent condom C-EUS for evaluation of esophageal mucosal and submucosal tumors. A standard latex condom was attached to a 2-channel endoscope and filled with water after esophageal intubation. A 20 MHz C-EUS probe placed within the water-filled condom was used to characterize all lesions. Results: The condom C-EUS system provided a 360 degree, high resolution image throughout the length of the esophagus without air artifact and without the risk of aspiration associated with filling the esophageal lumen with water. Complete imaging of the tumor was obtained in all cases, and no additional C-EUS procedures were required. The condom C-EUS was subjectively rated superior overall in comparison to standard C-EUS by 4 independent endosonographers. Conclusions: Condom C-EUS is a new method of high resolution imaging of the esophagus. This method provides a contained column of water within the esophagus that improves image quality and ease of use and may reduce the risk of aspiration.
A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF DESIGN ISSUES IN MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS: THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS

: Numerous methods for helping consumers deal with medical care costs have been suggested. One way that has been discussed is the use of Medical Saving Accounts. A pilot program introducing Medical Spending Accounts was passed by Congress as part of the Health Insurance Reform Act of 1996. The authors review the major points of this program and attempt to examine what impact this program could have on medical care cost.
Regulation of phototransduction responsiveness and retinal degeneration by a phospholipase D–generated signaling lipid

Drosophila melanogaster phototransduction proceeds via a phospholipase C (PLC)–triggered cascade of phosphatidylinositol (PI) lipid modifications, many steps of which remain undefined. We describe the involvement of the lipid phosphatidic acid and the enzyme that generates it, phospholipase D (Pld), in this process. Pldnull flies exhibit decreased light sensitivity as well as a heightened susceptibility to retinal degeneration. Pld overexpression rescues flies lacking PLC from light-induced, metarhodopsin-mediated degeneration and restores visual signaling in flies lacking the PI transfer protein, which is a key player in the replenishment of the PI 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) substrate used by PLC to transduce light stimuli into neurological signals. Altogether, these findings suggest that Pld facilitates phototransduction by maintaining adequate levels of PIP2 and by protecting the visual system from metarhodopsin-induced, low light degeneration.
Automated product grade transitions, exposing the inherent and latent dangers of neural networks in manufacturing process control: an industrial case study

The proliferation of neural network based solutions in manufacturing process control is causing concern for many engineers in the industry [American Automatic Control Conference (paper FP18-2), Denver, 2003; AIChE Spring Meeting (paper 144f), New Orleans, 2003]. The intrinsic and latent dangers of neural nets (within a control framework) are often overlooked when assessing a suitable technology for real-time control application. This case study examines the intrinsic properties of a neural net that make it wholly unsuitable as a technology directly or indirectly involved in the manipulation of process valves. Of particular concern is the optimization of product grade transitions. Apart from start up and shutdown, product grade transitions are the most safety critical procedures performed on a manufacturing plant. Any control system involved in the automation of such procedures should be of the highest integrity and adhere to sound, intrinsically safe control engineering principles—something neural networks categorically fail to provide. The objectives of this case study are twofold. Firstly, the aim is to raise awareness in the manufacturing industry of the inherent and latent dangers of neural networks in control. The second objective is to provide a platform for best practice guidance on what is and is not acceptable as a modeling paradigm in a manufacturing process control scheme.
Low&#8211;frequency circuit theory of the double&#8211;base diode

The double-base diode is a single-junction semiconductor triode. When an electric potential is applied between the two ohmic contacts, a negative-resistance is obtained between the junction and one of the ohmic contacts. This negative resistance is bounded by two positive-resistance regions, one of considerably high magnitude which corresponds to the cut-off state and one of very low magnitude which corresponds to a saturating condition. The magnitude of the negative resistance is related to the ratio of majority-to-minority carrier mobilities. Small-signal low-frequency equivalent circuits are developed to approximate the double-base diode in each of the operating regions of the negative-resistance characteristic and equations for current and voltage amplification, input and output resistance and power gain are developed. The important circuit parameters are related to the physical constants of the device.
Unsupervised Segmentation Of Non Stationary Images With Non Gaussian Correlated Noise Using Triplet Markov Fields And The Pearson System

The hidden Markov field (HMF) model has been used in many model-based solutions for image segmentation, and generally gives satisfying results. However, when the class image is non stationary, the unsupervised segmentation results provided by HMF can be poor. In this paper, we propose a new model based on triplet Markov fields (TMF) and the Pearson system which enables one to deal with non stationary hidden fields and correlated, possibly non Gaussian noise. Moreover, the nature of marginal distributions of the noise can vary with the class. We specify a new general parameter estimation method and apply it to unsupervised Bayesian image segmentation.
Characterizing the microenvironment surrounding protein sites

Sites are microenvironments within a biomolecular structure, distinguished by their structural or functional role. A site can be defined by a three-dimensional location and a local neighborhood around this location in which the structure or function exists. We have developed a computer system to facilitate structural analysis (both qualitative and quantitative) of biomolecular sites. Our system automatically examines the spatial distributions of biophysical and biochemical properties, and reports those regions within a site where the distribution of these properties differs significantly from control nonsites. The properties range from simple atom-based characteristics such as charge to polypeptide-based characteristics such as type of secondary structure. Our analysis of sites uses non-sites as controls, providing a baseline for the quantitative assessment of the significance of the features that are uncovered. In this paper, we use radial distributions of properties to study three well-known sites (the binding sites for calcium, the milieu of disulfide bridges, and the serine protease active site). We demonstrate that the system automatically finds many of the previously described features of these sites and augments these features with some new details. In some cases, we cannot confirm the statistical significance of previously reported features. Our results demonstrate that analysis of protein structure is sensitive to assumptions about background distributions, and that these distributions should be considered explicitly during structural analyses.
Multidisciplinary approaches to palliative oncology care.

There are an estimated 12.7 million cancer cases worldwide annually (1), with the global cancer burden continuing to increase each year and projected to reach to 22.2 million cases by 2030 (2,3). Cancer remains the leading cause of death in economically developed countries and the second leading cause of death in developing countries, with an estimated 7.6 million cancer deaths each year (1). Palliative care should ideally play a prominent role in these patients and others with advanced malignancies to reduce pain and suffering, promote quality of life, allow death with dignity, and support patient families and caregivers (4).
Luminal influences on potassium secretion: Sodium concentration and fluid flow rate

Two methods of in vivo continuous microperfusion were used to evaluate separately luminal sodium concentration and fluid flow rate as factors regulating potassium secretion by the renal distal tubule of the rat. Emphasis was placed on evaluating changes in sodium concentration (43-97 mM) and flow rate (4-27 nl/min) within the physiological range. Absolute rates of Na, K, Cl, and H2O transport were measured. Results showed that increasing early distal flow rate without increasing early distal Na concentration significantly increased the absolute rate of potassium secretion by the distal tubule. In contrast, increasing early distal Na concentration, distal Na delivery, and distal Na absorption did not affect potassium secretion if flow rate was not changed. Further studies showed that reducing early distal Na concentration below the physiological range (to 15 mM) caused the direction of net sodium transport to be reversed but did not significantly reduce potassium secretion. Increasing early distal K concentration (to 34 mM) caused the direction of net potassium transport to be reversed. The rate of potassium secretion appears to depend in part on the luminal potassium concentration. Increases in luminal flow rate may increase the rate of potassium secretion by lowering the luminal K concentration.
Health services and policy research in hepatology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article examines recent health services and policy research studies in hepatology and liver transplantation. RECENT FINDINGS Critical issues include access to medical care, timeliness of referral and consultation, resource utilization in clinical practice, comparative effectiveness research, and the evaluation of care delivery models. Despite policymaking efforts, there continues to be unwarranted variation in access to subspecialty care and liver transplantation services based on race and geographic location. Variations in primary care and specialist awareness of practice guidelines for liver disease contribute to disparities in appropriateness and timeliness of treatments. Defining the cost-effectiveness of increased resource utilization for novel antiviral therapies and liver transplantation continues to stimulate controversy. Few comparative effectiveness studies in hepatology exist to date, yet a growing number of analyses using national datasets will help inform policy in this arena. Identifying care delivery models that demonstrate high value for populations with chronic liver disease is critical in the context of recent healthcare reform efforts. SUMMARY Health services and policy research is a growing field of investigation in hepatology and liver transplantation. Further emphasis on research training and workforce development in this area will be critical for understanding and improving patient-centered outcomes for this population.
I-131 orthoiodohippurate assessment of renal function after heart transplantation

PURPOSE The authors studied the relation between cardiac output (CO) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and compared values from control patients with various cardiac problems with those in a group of study patients who had undergone heart transplantation. METHODS The experimental group was divided into three subgroups according to the interval between the time of surgery and the time of the CO-ERPF studies. Group 1 consisted of patients studied fewer than 10 days after surgery; group 2 consisted of patients studied 10 to 20 days after operation; and group 3 consisted of patients studied more than 20 days after operation. Effective renal plasma flow was determined by the single-injection, single plasma sample method, where 50 microCi I-131 orthoiodohippurate was injected intravenously in a single dose and plasma concentrations of radioactivity were determined. The quotient of injected dose radioactivity divided by plasma radioactivity is highly predictive of global ERPF. Cardiac output was measured by thermodilution. RESULTS In the control group, a positive linear correlation was found between CO and ERPF; however, the CO:ERPF ratio was elevated, and after heart transplantation, a lag time was observed for as long as 3 weeks in some patients before CO:ERPF ratios returned to control group levels. The regression equation and standard error for the control group was CO = 1.85 + 0.0065 ERPF (+/-0.62) l/min versus 1.433 + 0.0068 ERPF (+/-0.64) l/min for group 3. The correlation coefficients comparing CO with ERPF were r = 0.88, 0.23, 0.51, and 0.85, for the control group and groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. CONCLUSION A localized release of catecholamines from the adrenal gland is proposed to cause ERPF damping after abrupt increases in CO.
Labyrinthula Inside the Spores of a Vesicular—Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus

Approximately 20% of the ruptured spores ("spore shells") of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Gigaspora gigantea collected from the face of a barrier sand dune contained spindle-cells of Labyrinthula sp. Single large spore shells harbored from a few to thousands of spindle-cells. Cultures of Labyrinthula were obtained by incubating surface-sterilized spore shells on a modified serum-seawater agar medium. Only spore shells from the dune face contained spindle-cells. The absence of Laybrinthula from spore shells from other areas of the dune correlates with lower salinities at these sites. Because G. gigantea spores and spore shells are common in the barrier dune, the occurrence of Labyrinthula within them may represent a significant reservoir of inoculum able to enter the waters on either side of the dune.
Research on Enhance of Polyethylene Composite and Its Thermal Neutron Shielding Performance by Borate Whisker

Borate whisker/high density polyethylene(HDPE)composite materials were prepared using magnesium borate and aluminum borate whiskers as neutron absorber object.The effects on tensile strength and shielding ratio of the composites were studied and the experiment results were compared with boron carbide(B4C)commonly used as shielding materials.The results show that the shielding ratio of three composite materials to the thermal neutron is B4CMg2B2O5Al4B2O9.The shielding ratio of the com-posite material increases with borate content and thickness of the composite material.The shielding ratio of the composite material is 86.58% when the thickness of the Mg2B2O5 whisker/HDPE composite material is 15.76 mm.The tensile strength of the whisker/HDPE composite material increases with whisker content.The tensile strength of the Mg2B2O5 whisker/HDPE composite material with 9.1% content of Mg2B2O5 whisker is 24.39 MPa.The composites enhanced by whisker possess prominent mechanical properties compared with B4C/HDPE composite material.
Chondrosarcoma simulating malignant atrial myxoma.

A 69-year-ohl patient underwent removal of a left atrial tumor which was diagnosed clinically and pathologically as atrial myxoma. Fourteen, 18, and 22 months later, distant metastases were discovered. Two of the metastases were removed entirely and one partially. The metastatic tumors were also thought to be of myxomatous origin by light and electron microscopy. Only at autopsy was it demonstrated that the patient had a primary chondrosarcoma of the pelvis giving rise to widespread myxoid metastases to the heart and other sites.
Temperature-induced alteration of inositolphosphorylceramides in the putative glycosylated lipid precursors of Tetrahymena mimbres glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins

Tetrahymena species contain relatively prominent glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins as well as their putative precursor phosphatidylinositol (PI) glycans. We have characterized the lipid components of the two principal T. mimbres PI glycans. Following their purification by preparative TLC, the PI glycans were hydrolysed in methanolic HCl or NaOH, and resulting lipids were analysed by chromatography and mass spectrometry. The two PI glycans contained nearly identical lipid moieties having long-chain bases with N-linked fatty acids. The predominant long-chain base, 3-O-methylsphinganine, was first assumed to be O-methylated as an artifact of hydrolysis, but subsequently, on the basis of control experiments, it was shown to be naturally occurring. PI glycans from cells grown at 28 degrees C contained primarily palmitic acid (79%) and some stearic acid (11%), whereas the principal PI glycan from 38 degrees C-grown T. mimbres contained 65% stearic acid. In 15 degrees C-grown cells stearic acid accounted for only 2% of ceramide-bound fatty acids and was almost totally replaced by palmitic acid (95%). The distributions of fatty acids bound to T. mimbres GPI-anchored proteins [Ko, Hung and Thompson (1995) Biochem. J. 307, 115-121] were similar but not identical to those of the PI glycans described here. Temperature-induced specification of the lipid components of mature T. mimbres GPI-anchored proteins appears to be established both at the level of PI-glycan synthesis and the level of PI-glycan utilization for protein attachment.
A soft version of predicate invention based on structured sparsity

In predicate invention (PI), new predicates are introduced into a logical theory, usually by rewriting a group of closely-related rules to use a common invented predicate as a "subroutine". PI is difficult, since a poorly-chosen invented predicate may lead to error cascades. Here we suggest a "soft" version of predicate invention: instead of explicitly creating new predicates, we implicitly group closely-related rules by using structured sparsity to regularize their parameters together. We show that soft PI, unlike hard PI, consistently improves over previous strong baselines for structure-learning on two large-scale tasks.
Maintenance of the sexes and persistence of a clonal organism in spatially complex metapopulations

Clonal organisms persist at a range of population sex ratios, from equal numbers of males and females to single-sex systems. When intersexual competition is strong enough to drive one sex locally extinct, the maintenance of the sexes is facilitated by the semi-independent dynamics of populations within a metapopulation. These semi-independent dynamics are influenced by dispersal and recolonization rates, which are affected by the spatial arrangement of populations. To establish the quantitative relationship between spatially complex metapopulations and the maintenance of the sexes, we used a mathematical model of the liverwort Marchantia inflexa. This clonal organism is found in discrete patches on rocks and along the banks of streams, which form single-sex and two-sex metapopulations. In this system, asexual propagules mainly disperse short distances. Long-distance between-patch dispersal and recolonization mainly occurs via sexual propagules, which require both sexes to be present. Dispersal of these two types of propagules could interact with the spatial arrangement of populations to affect the maintenance of the sexes. With our mathematical model, we found that at intermediate distances between populations, metapopulations maintained both sexes, and the spatial arrangement of populations changed the threshold at which one sex was lost. On the other hand, when populations were close to one another, one sex was lost and the single-sex metapopulation persisted through dispersal of asexual propagules. When populations were far apart, one sex was lost, and the metapopulation either went extinct due to lack of recolonization by asexual propagules or persisted because clumped populations facilitated recolonization. These idealized spatial arrangements help clarify the effects of the spatial arrangement on the maintenance of the sexes and the persistence of metapopulations of clonal organisms, which can help explain geographic parthenogenesis and the distribution of asexual populations, the persistence of asexual species, and inform the conservation of clonal organisms.
Does the Level of Assistant Experience Impact Operative Outcomes for Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy?

Purpose A skilled assistant surgeon is presumed necessary during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) to minimize warm ischemia time (WIT) and to facilitate complex renorrhaphy. Studies observing impact of resident participation have focused on robotic prostatectomies, showing no impact on core surgical outcomes. Herein, we evaluated the level of experience of the bedside assistant and its impact on perioperative outcomes in RAPN. Materials and methods All RAPN cases in our healthcare system from January 2011 to December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The cases were divided into teaching and nonteaching hospitals. There were 18 fellowship-trained attending surgeons. At teaching hospitals, surgeries were performed by an attending physician and postgraduate year (PGY)-2 or PGY-3 resident at bedside; at nonteaching hospitals, surgeries were performed by two attending surgeons. We compared age, gender, body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index, operative difficulty by R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score, and operative outcomes (WIT, estimated blood loss, operative time (OT), positive margin rate, length of stay (LOS), postoperative glomerular filtration rate, and readmission rate). Results Of the 170 patients captured, 162 had R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score and WIT: 112 from teaching hospitals and 50 from nonteaching hospitals. Patient characteristics were equivalent between both cohorts with the exception of the R.E.N.A.L. score, which was higher (6.3 vs 5.7, p = 0.046) in the teaching hospitals cohort. Regarding operative outcomes, we noted an overall increase in LOS by 1 day (p = 0.001) and OT by 16 minutes (p = 0.011) in the teaching hospitals. Conclusion We observed that increased LOS was the only clinically relevant measure negatively impacted by resident physician involvement during RAPN.
Intergenerational transmission of sociality: the role of parents in shaping social behavior in monogamous and non-monogamous species

Social bonds are necessary for many mammals to survive and reproduce successfully. These bonds (i.e. pair-bonds, friendships, filial bonds) are characterized by different periods of development, longevity and strength. Socially monogamous species display certain behaviors not seen in many other mammals, such as adult pair-bonding and male parenting. In our studies of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus), we have examined the neurohormonal basis of these bonds. Here, we discuss the evidence from voles that aspects of adolescent and adult social behavior are shaped by early experience, including changes to sensory systems and connections, neuropeptide systems such as oxytocin and vasopressin, and alterations in stress responses. We will compare this with what is known about these processes during development and adulthood in other mammalian species, both monogamous and non-monogamous, and how our current knowledge in voles can be used to understand the development of and variation in social bonds. Humans are endlessly fascinated by the variety of social relationships and family types displayed by animal species, including our own. Social relationships can be characterized by directionality (either uni- or bi-directional), longevity, developmental epoch (infant, juvenile or adult) and strength. Research on the neurobiology of social bonds in animals has focused primarily on 'socially monogamous' species, because of their long-term, strong adult affiliative bonds. In this Review, we attempt to understand how the ability and propensity to form these bonds (or lack thereof), as well as the display of social behaviors more generally, are transmitted both genomically and non-genomically via variation in parenting in monogamous and non-monogamous species.
Optimal Systolic Blood Pressure Target After SPRINT: Insights from a Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Abstract Background The optimal on-treatment blood pressure (BP) target has been a matter of debate. The recent SPRINT trial showed significant benefits of a BP target of Methods PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched for randomized trials comparing treating with different BP targets. Trial arms were grouped into 5 systolic BP target categories: 1) Results Seventeen trials that enrolled 55,163 patients with 204,103 patient-years of follow-up were included. There was a significant decrease in stroke (rate ratio [RR] 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-1.00) and myocardial infarction (RR 0.68; 95% CI, 0.47-1.00) with systolic BP Conclusions In patients with hypertension, a on-treatment systolic BP target of
IMPACT OF HOSPITAL OWNERSHIP ON IN-PATIENT MORTALITY AND COST OF HOSPITALIZATION IN PATIENTS ADMITTED FOR HEART FAILURE: INSIGHT FROM THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE (NIS)

Background: We sought to investigate the impact of hospital ownership on hospitalization outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample for HF hospitalizations in the U.S (2011-2013), we evaluated the impact of hospital ownership on clinical outcomes (i.e.
Diabetes mellitus and multivessel coronary artery disease: an ongoing battle for an ideal treatment strategy.

Already in the late 90s, Haffner et al. introduced diabetes mellitus (DM) as a coronary artery disease (CAD) equivalent condition (1). Several more recent similar investigations confirmed those earlier findings (2). Despite broad developments in pharmacotherapy and revascularizations techniques, the combination of DM and CAD still represents a major challenge for the clinician. The clinical guidelines advocate intensive medical therapy with lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions as the initial approach in patients with stable CAD (3,4). Contemporary, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become one of the most frequently performed therapeutic intervention in medicine. Revascularization for significant narrowed coronary lesions has been shown to improve ischemic endpoints (5). Whether optimal conservative therapy alone or in combination with revascularization strategies in stable CAD leads to more anti-ischemic benefit has been investigated extensively. In patients with DM, finding optimal treatment strategies are more crucial in view of the fact of their poor prognosis in comparison with non-diabetics (6,7). Multivessel CAD in patients with DM has been evaluated in the FREEDOM trial (8,9). Most patients had very extensive disease and CABG was superior regardless SYNTAX score. Event curves started to diverge beyond 2-years after randomization. Insulin treated patients fared worse than those not treated with insulin. Cardiovascular events were generally concordant to the main study in the insulin treatment subgroups.
Effect of ZIF-71 Particle Size on Free-Standing ZIF-71/PDMS Composite Membrane Performances for Ethanol and 1-Butanol Removal from Water through Pervaporation

This paper reports the effects of synthesis time, temperature, and reactant ratio on ZIF-71 particle size and the effect of particle size on membrane performance. Temperature has the greatest effect on particle size, as the synthesis temperature varies from −20 °C to 35 °C. The synthesized ZIF-71 has particle diameters ranging from 150 nm to 1 μm. ZIF-71 particle size is critical in ZIF-71/PDMS composite membrane performance for ethanol and 1-butanol removal from water through pervaporation. The membranes that are made with micrometer-sized ZIF-71 particles exhibit higher alcohol/water selectivity than those with smaller particles. Both alcohol and water permeability increase when larger-sized ZIF-71 particles are incorporated, because the pathways through the membranes are less tortuous.
A new lab scale corn dry milling protocol generating commercial sized flaking grits for quick estimation of coproduct yield and composition

Abstract The objective was to develop a 100 g lab scale dry milling protocol to determine effects of corn cultivars on coproduct fraction yields and composition. Six yellow dent, three colored and one white cultivar of corn were processed using 100 g samples to generate six coproducts, namely large grits, medium grits, small grits, fines, germ and pericarp. Compositional characteristics (crude protein, crude oil and neutral detergent fiber) of corn kernel and coproduct fractions were determined and compared against commercial samples. After increasing moisture to 23.5% on wet basis, corn kernels were passed through a degerminator. Sieving and aspiration steps were used to separate endosperm, germ and pericarp fractions without using a roller mill. True sized flaking or large grits were recovered which was not possible in earlier lab scale dry milling protocol. Coproduct yields were estimated with small coefficients of variability ( r = 0.89) and test weight ( r = 0.85). The protocol estimated coproduct yields with low standard deviations with respect to means and yielded true sized large grits. This new 100 g dry milling protocol should be helpful for industry in ascertaining dry milling characteristics of newly developed corn cultivars with small sample sizes.
Congenital Absence of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Congenital absence of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a rare condition, with a reported prevalence of 0.017 per 1000 live births, and most commonly appears in association with other congenital lower extremity abnormalities such as knee dislocation, proximal focal femoral deficiency, and fibular hemimelia. The Manner classification system is used to describe three types of congential deficiency of the cruciate ligaments. The most common, Type I, is hypoplasia or aplasia of the ACL with a normal posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Type II describes absence of the ACL with hypoplasia of the PCL. In Type III, the femoral intercondylar arch and tibial eminence are absent, with dysplasia in both cruciate ligaments. Clinical presentation varies based on degree of deformity and the associated congenital conditions present. It is normally obvious at birth but in some cases is not recognized until a patient presents with what is assumed to be an injury. There is no consensus regarding management of this condition. Treatment will depend upon whether the condition is symptomatic and what other congenital abnormalities are present. The main indication for ACL reconstruction is symptomatic instability of the knee, despite conservative treatment.
Computer Game Fan Communities, Community Management, and Structures of Membership:

Community management is an important but relatively understudied facet of computer game development. This article begins filling this gap by examining how community managers in the computer game in...
Alexander Dugin’s views of Russian history: collapse and revival

AbstractAlexander Dugin is one of the most well-known and clearly the most prolific philosopher and public intellectual in post-Soviet Russia. He was especially popular in the late 1990s and early ...