cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Park design and children's active play: a microscale spatial analysis of intensity of play in Olmsted's Delaware Park

This paper offers a microscale exploration of the role of park design on the intensity of physical activity among youth. The actual, unstructured use of a park—specifically, Delaware Park, an Olmsted-designed park in Buffalo, New York—by ninety-four children was observed and analyzed objectively using geographic information systems, global positioning systems, and accelerometers. Data were analyzed at the scale of 25 ft x 25 ft cells overlaid as a grid on the entire park. Results from the regression analysis show that particular features of parks—especially complexity in landscape surfaces, proximity to sport facilities and playgrounds, and the availability of pedestrian trails—enable greater intensity of youth physical activity in a park
Empirical priors for reinforcement learning models

Abstract Computational models of reinforcement learning have played an important role in understanding learning and decision making behavior, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying these behaviors. However, fitting the parameters of these models can be challenging: the parameters are not identifiable, estimates are unreliable, and the fitted models may not have good predictive validity. Prior distributions on the parameters can help regularize estimates and to some extent deal with these challenges, but picking a good prior is itself challenging. This paper presents empirical priors for reinforcement learning models, showing that priors estimated from a relatively large dataset are more identifiable, more reliable, and have better predictive validity compared to model-fitting with uniform priors.
Examining the Acquisition of Cross-Cultural Knowledge: Women Anthropologists as Autobiographers

(1988). Examining the Acquisition of Cross-Cultural Knowledge: Women Anthropologists as Autobiographers. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 28-36.
Glioblastoma multiforme in two non-nuclear family members.

BACKGROUND: In spite of traditional and current epidemiological research, there have been few environmental risk factors identified for malignant brain tumors. It has been an equally difficult challenge to identify genetic causes for brain tumors because of the rarity of families with multiple affected individuals, which prevents the use of traditional methods of genetic analysis such as genetic linkage, sib-pair, or even population-based association studies. Thus, it is important to take advantage of rare occasions of familial brain tumors. METHODS: Identification and careful study of such families may provide important clues about the etiology of brain malignancies. We studied one family of which two nonnuclear family members were affected with pathologically diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays were used on archival sections from each patient's tumor to investigate the loss and/or gain of important allelic endpoints. Tissue sections were prepared and processed for FISH. DNA probes for targeted gene loci were used to assess allelic gain/loss. FISH probes targeted regions including 19q13, 1p36, 10q/phosphate and tensin homolog (PTEN), chromosome 3, chromosome 7, chromosome 17/17q and p53/17p. RESULTS: FISH analyses identified distinct abnormalities in the two patients, suggesting that despite the familial connections and histologically similar tumors, genetic abnormalities are abundant and heterogeneous among these malignancies. CONCLUSION: These abnormalities, however, serve to contribute to valuable information regarding patient outcomes, albeit their precise roles in the etiology of this malignancy are yet to be determined.
Advances in optically pumped semiconductor lasers for blue emission under frequency doubling

Optically pumped semiconductor lasers (OPSL) offer the advantage of excellent beam quality, wavelength agility, and high power scaling capability. In this talk we will present our recent progress of high-power, 920nm OPSLs frequency doubled to 460nm for lightshow applications. Fundamental challenges and mitigations are revealed through electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical modeling. Results also include beam quality enhancement in addressing the competition from diode lasers.
Paving the Higher Road: The Role of Voice in the Retention of IT Workers

Although research on employees experiencing dissatisfaction has focused on turnover, Hirschman?s (1970) classic discourse reminds us that the dissatisfied worker has another option: voice. While exit is defined as leaving the organization, voice represents an effort to gain correction of the aggravating work situation. For organizations to have an opportunity to correct a situation and not lose a valued IT employee, the worker must choose to voice his or her dissatisfaction rather than move directly to exit. To increase the likelihood of this, a better understanding of factors influencing the decision to voice is needed. Toward this end, we develop a theory-based model of exit and voice by drawing upon and extending the management literature. We test the model through a field survey. While confirming the associations of perceived safety of voice and proactive personality with the tendency to voice, our research elucidated an inhibitor to voice not identified in prior research: perceived job alternatives. Furthermore, our joint investigation of voice and turnover revealed a new contributor to turnover intention: perceived futility of voice impacted turnover intention, both directly and indirectly through affective commitment. Managerial openness was found to correspond with higher perceived safety of voice and with lower perceived futility of voice, suggesting a manager?s treatment of employee voice is a vital factor in retaining valued IT professionals. As a final point, we empirically explored differences between IT and non-IT workers in regard to the model of voice and exit.
Youth Chances and China's Urban/Rural Divide

This paper provides an overview of employment prospects for young people under China's "socialist market economy." It argues that China is relatively well-positioned to deal with the present economic crisis due to excellent economic indicators prior to the recession. China presents an admixture of characteristics usually associated with the developed world alongside features more typical of the developing world: for example, high levels of graduate unemployment exist alongside child labor. Traditional labor law models are therefore inadequate to describe the situation in China today.
Asymptotic Biot’s Model For Estimation of Seismic Attenuation In Porous Layered Medium

This study attempts to estimate seismic attenuation experienced by P-wave while it propagates through a porous layered fluid-saturated medium. The model of thinlylayered porous fluid-saturated media was constructed based on petro physical data from productive reservoir located in West Siberia. To predict seismic Pwave behavior in such model we used asymptotic solution for wave propagation in porous medium which was initially proposed by Silin & Goloshubin, (2010). The asymptotic solution at seismic frequencies gives precise approximation of Biot model describing seismic wave propagation in such medium. In this work only the case of seismic wave propagating at normal angle of incidence to the surface of the medium was considered. Numerically calculated values of P-wave attenuation coefficient, phase velocity and quality factor demonstrated highly dispersive properties of the reservoir, which affects both P-wave transmissions and reflections at seismic frequencies. Such high attenuation can’t be explained by homogeneous approximation of the layered reservoir structure.
Action of adrenal hormones on lethal toxicities of certain organic compounds.

SummaryPrior administration of beef adrenal extract increased the resistance of mice, particularly male mice, to semi-lethal doses of arsenite, oxophenarsine and clorarsen. Male mice were protected against arsenite by cortisone and ACTH, but not by desoxycorti-costerone. Prior administration of cortisone did not increase the resistance of mice to semi-lethal doses of p-chloromercuribenzoate, iodo-acetamide, alphapeltatin, or 9-phenyl-9-chlor-10-methyl-3-dimethyl amino acridan. The minimum dose of arsenite required to induce marked hemorrhagic necrosis in mouse Sarcoma 37 was somewhat greater for adrenal extract or cortisone injected mice than for control mice.
The Power of Sharing Opinions: The Mutually Reinforcing Effects of Power and Advice Giving

Existing research provides considerable insight into what motivates people to seek and use advice. However, we know surprisingly little about what motivates people to give advice. In this paper, we...
Application of Antithesis in Machinery Innovation

This article mainly introduced the basic concept of antithesis in the mechanical theory,and introduced the machinery innovation theory simply.Then,it analyzed the application of antithesis in the machinery innovation,pointed out the transformation between explicit and implicit in the space.Through the analysis to some example,summarized the essence of the machinery innovation,and put forward that antithesis would lead machine innovation.
Facture and Application of the Multimedia Courseware for Ice Hockey Tactical Teaching

Aiming at the problems that the coaches or teachers are short of comprehensive,objective and intensive understand on the players or students' tactical ability in ice hockey games,are difficult of comparative evaluation on their learning effect of tactical methods,it's necessary to program the courseware of ice hockey tactical teaching by using multimedia technology.For understanding the concept,method,application and consciousness of ice hockey tactics,the multimedia courseware is a visual aid which can show the space-time trait of ice hockey tactical change for having an objective and quantitative teaching of ice hockey tactics.
Trace anesthetic exposure. Consequences and control.

The author presents the evidence that chronic exposure to trace levels of anesthetic gases is hazardous and discusses the means available for measurement and control of trace anesthetic levels.
19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signals from Peptide Amphiphile Nanostructures Are Strongly Affected by Their Shape

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive imaging modality that provides excellent spatial and temporal resolution. The most commonly used MR probes face significant challenges originating from the endogenous 1H background signal of water. In contrast, fluorine MRI (19F MRI) allows quantitative probe imaging with zero background signal. Probes with high fluorine content are required for high sensitivity, suggesting nanoscale supramolecular assemblies containing 19F probes offer a potentially useful strategy for optimum imaging as a result of improved payload. We report here on supramolecular nanostructures formed by fluorinated peptide amphiphiles containing either glutamic acid or lysine residues in their sequence. We identified molecules that form aggregates in water which transition from cylindrical to ribbon-like shape as pH increased from 4.5 to 8.0. Interestingly, we found that ribbon-like nanostructures had reduced magnetic resonance signal, whereas their cylindrical counterparts exhibited ...
Stress analysis: A case study

Compte rendu de l'evaluation pour les trois categories de personnel de la bibliotheque Harold B. Lee de l'Universite Brigham Young ― personnel technique, personnel responsable du developpement des collections et personnel des services generaux ― de leurs sources de stress et de leurs sources de satisfaction. Comparaison avec l'etude de Bunge. Liste de symptomes du stress et de moyens d'y remedier
Cybersecurity: aerospace system-of-systems

Assuring cybersecurity of mobile platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a challenging problem in a dynamic environment. The System-of-Systems (SoS) group at Purdue seeks to meet these challenges by using an SoS approach to analyze and address cybersecurity issues for UAVs in both civil and defense applications. Current issues include protecting UAVs from cyberattacks in defense intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) networks, as well as safely and securely integrating UAVs into the National Airspace System. In both cases, assuring cybersecurity is critical to maintaining a high level of net-centricity, network robustness, and overall SoS performance.
Complete Bodies, Whole Arts, and the Limits of Epic

In the first decades of the seventeenth century, the English philosopher and statesman Sir Francis Bacon declared in both The Advancement of Learning and The Great Instauration that any and all works that claimed or were believed to have brought the arts and sciences to a state of perfection actually left human knowledge woefully incomplete. In his plan to advance and achieve complete knowledge, Bacon recognized the need to compile a comprehensive account of all phenomena; he likewise acknowledged that the limitations of human memory and mortality ensured that such an account would take lifetimes and legions to complete. His emphasis on comprehensiveness and long-term collaboration, whether the result of design or necessity, set the new learning in opposition not only to the many self-described whole arts and complete systems attempted before, during, and after his lifetime, but also to traditional (though never uncontested) interpretations and praise of the classical epics.
Thermal sensitivity and the role of behavior in driving an intertidal predator‐prey interaction

Environmental stress models (ESM) provide a useful framework to study the direct and indirect ecological drivers of community diversity and resilience. ESMs make predictions about the relative importance of structuring processes (e.g. predation) based on the relative stress suffered by consumers and prey. Their practical application, i.e. determining the conditions under which consumers and prey performance is more negatively affected, has been limited because the roles of behavior and physiology are not usually considered. We examined the role of thermal sensitivity and behavior on the thermal performance of the rocky intertidal predator Pisaster ochraceus and its main prey Mytilus californianus. We propose a novel framework that merges thermal performance curves (TPC) with observations of microhabitat use to provide a realistic perspective of the relative physiological conditions of predator and prey. First, by deriving aquatic and aerial TPCs for both species and from two sites, we found differences in parameter values that in some cases correspond to the individuals’ origins. Second, we calculated realized thermal performance in the field by combining TPCs with body temperatures recorded with biomimetic sensors. Notably, thermal performance of Pisaster was higher than that for Mytilus (i.e. prey-stress model), contrary to previous expectations based on caging experiments. Third, these estimates of thermal performance corresponded loosely with a measured indicator of overall physiological condition (body mass index, BMI) and a marker for extreme thermal stress (heat-shock proteins 70kDa), suggesting that environmental drivers other than temperature such as food supply must be considered. We found no evidence that Pisaster movement significantly influences thermal performance under typical conditions, suggesting instead that its preference for sheltered microhabitats provides a mechanism for avoiding exposure to extreme environmental conditions. Through the application of TPCs and ESMs, this study provides a unique perspective on the importance of physiology and behavior in driving the sensitivity of species interactions to environmental change. Crucially, this framework allowed clarifying that this system behaves as a prey- instead of consumer-stress model, which may also apply to many other ectotherm species interactions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Independent of Cirrhosis, Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Is Increased with Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver malignancy, commonly a sequelae of hepatitis C infection, but can complicate cirrhosis of any cause. Whether metabolic syndrome and its components, type II diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma independent of cirrhosis is unknown. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the MarketScan insurance claims database from 2008-2012. Individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma aged 19-64 years and age and sex-matched controls were included. Multivariate analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma risk factors was performed. Results Hepatitis C (odds ratio [OR] 2.102) was the largest risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. Other independent risk factors were type II diabetes (OR 1.353) and hypertension (OR 1.229). Hyperlipidemia was protective against hepatocellular carcinoma (OR 0.885). The largest risk increase occurred with hypertension with type II diabetes and hepatitis C (OR 4.580), although hypertension and type II diabetes without hepatitis C still incurred additional risk (OR 3.399). Type II diabetes and hyperlipidemia had a similar risk if hepatitis C was present (OR 2.319) or not (OR 2.395). Metformin (OR 0.706) and cholesterol medications (OR 0.645) were protective in diabetics. Insulin (OR 1.640) increased the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma compared with the general type II diabetes population. Conclusion In the absence of cirrhosis, type II diabetes and hypertension were independent risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma. Hyperlipidemia and medical management of type II diabetes with metformin and cholesterol medication appeared to reduce the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, insulin was associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Immunologic phenotypes of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas: Correlation with morphology and function

The non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL) represent multiple diseases with diverse morphologic and clinical expressions. Morphologic classification schemes such as that proposed by Rappaport have been shown to be useful in predicting the clinical course [1]. However, in some instances distinctive morphologic entities may be very closely related clinically and/or biologically, whereas other diseases that share morphologic similarities may be clinically and biologically quite distinct (Table I). The application of modern immunologic techniques and concepts has enabled us to develop a conceptual framework which we may use to decipher the morphologic diversity of these neoplasms [2]. This review will focus on the non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas presenting primarily in adult life.
Is Nationalism a Force for Change in Russia

This essay defines three categories of Russian nationalist actors: nonstate actors, whose agenda is anti-Putin; parastate actors, who have their own ideological niche, not always in tune with the presidential administration's narrative, but who operate under the state umbrella; and state actors, in particular, the presidential administration. In the future, the Russian ethnonationalism embodied by nonstate actors is the main trend that could pose a serious threat to the regime. However, the Kremlin is not “frozen” in terms of ideology, and its flexibility allows it to adapt to evolving situations. One of the most plausible scenarios is the rise of a figure inside the establishment who would be able to prevent the polarization of Russian nationalism into an antiregime narrative and could co-opt some of its slogans and leaders, in order to gradually channel the official narrative toward a more state-controlled nationalism.
An integrated evacuation decision support system framework with social perception analysis and dynamic population estimation

Abstract In designing evacuation plans, it is critical for the responsive agencies to consider the dynamic change of human population within impact areas and understand social perception from local residents. Although a large number of evacuation models has been reported in the literature, many used census survey data which represent only the nighttime population distribution. To fill this research gap, this paper introduces a novel data integration framework for developing an evacuation decision support system for wildfire, Integrated Wildfire Evacuation Decision Support System (IWEDSS). IWEDSS integrates multiple data sources including social media, census survey, geographic information systems (GIS) data layers, volunteer suggestions, and remote sensing data. The integration is based on multi-disciplinary theoretical and modeling approaches including Geographic Information Science, civil and transportation engineering, computer science, social media and communication. IWEDSS includes four core modules: dynamic population estimation, stage-based robust evacuation planning, social perception analysis, and web-based geomatical analytic platform. It offers tools for evacuation planers and resource managers to make better decisions that can reduce the evacuation time and potential number of injuries and deaths. This paper also presents a case study to demonstrate the suitability of incorporating social media data to estimate the dynamic change of human population.
Overexpression of Four Joint Box-1 Protein (FJX1) in Eutopic Endometrium From Women With Endometriosis.

The four jointed box 1 (FJX1) is a regulator of angiogenesis, and the levels of FJX1 are increased in several types of cancer. Angiogenesis plays a critical role in endometrial growth as well as in...
Effortful and Involuntary Responses to Stress

When Elaine received her diagnosis of breast cancer, she was faced with stress in virtually all aspects of her life. The diagnosis itself was unexpected and acutely stressful—her surgeon found and removed a 2 centimeter tumor and four positive lymph nodes. Yet the diagnosis was only the beginning of a long and frightening process. Her surgery was difficult and left her with the loss of her breast, feeling self-conscious and concerned about her appearance and her sexuality. In the ensuing months she faced several cycles of chemotherapy that left her fatigued, somewhat nauseous, and embarrassed about the loss of her hair. She felt unable to fulfill her responsibilities to her family or her job, because all of her daily routines at home and at work were disrupted. Her husband had withdrawn from her, apparently unwilling or unable to talk about her illness. She was worried about her oldest daughter, who was assuming far too many responsibilities for a 14-year-old girl by trying to care for Elaine, her siblings, and her father. And when she finally laid down at night, a time when she hoped to escape all of the stresses of her disease, Elaine was hounded by uncontrollable thoughts and images of her cancer, the aversive treatment procedures, and fears about her own and her family’s future.
Ethical Ambiguity in the Hebrew Bible: Philosophical Analysis of Scriptural Narrative

In this book, Shira Weiss elucidates the moral tradition of the Hebrew Bible by subjecting ethically challenging biblical texts to moral philosophical analysis. Examining the most essential questions of Jewish Thought, she uses contemporary philosophy to decipher Scriptural ethics as uncovered from a variety of biblical stories. Aided by ancient, medieval, and contemporary resources, Weiss presents a comprehensive discussion of enduring ethical questions that arise from biblical narrative and continue to be contested in modern times. She shows how such analysis can unsettle assumptions and beliefs, as well as foster moral reflection. Ethical Ambiguity in the Hebrew Bible will be of interest to scholars and students of ethics, philosophy, Jewish thought, biblical theology, and exegesis.
Comparison of Finite Difference and Finite Element Methods

A paper which purports to make a comparison between finite difference and finite element methods is doomed to be met with much criticism. The reason for this inevitable fate is that a study such as this must contain a high degree of subjectivity which many readers will have cause to disagree with. Issues such as ulterior motives of the author, the proficiency of a computer programmer, the blurring of features which distinguish finite element from finite difference methods and the reader’s own biases or preferences make presentation of a satisfactorily complete and inoffensive comparison of these two numerical techniques virtually impossible.
Optimal pre-cooling time: A closed form analysis

Energy costs from Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems can be greater than 50% of the total operational expenditure of a commercial building. Demand side strategies such as pre-cooling and supply side strategies such as using renewable energy resources (e.g. solar panels) have the potential to reduce the operating energy costs. Several optimization frameworks have been proposed that use these strategies in an efficient manner. However, incorporating the dynamics of HVAC in an optimization framework often renders the framework computationally intractable — due to the inherent non-linearities — for large buildings. In this paper, we focus on the demand side strategy and develop a closed form expression for the optimal pre-cooling time assuming a 1R, 1C model of a building. Using simulations, we demonstrate that the optimal pre-cooling time obtained from the closed form expression matches the one from the optimization framework. Furthermore, we show that the expression — when used in conjunction with existing HVACoptimization frameworks to determine the optimal schedule of set-point temperatures — reduces the computation time of the optimization by two orders of magnitude, without loss of optimality.
The Biochemistry of Oocyte Maturation

Oocyte maturation is a complex process that encompasses growth and differentiation of the oocyte, acquisition of meiotic competence, initiation and completion of nuclear maturation, and cytoplasmic changes related to fertilizability and post-fertilization developmental potential. The oocyte develops within a syncytial environment, being intimately coupled to the entire somatic compartment of the follicle via granulosaoocyte and granulosa—granulosa gap junctions (Larsen and Wert 1988). This condition provides an efficient delivery system through which small molecular weight nutritional and regulatory signals can reach the developing oocyte. As the oocyte grows, it continuously stockpiles macromolecules needed for later development, and near the end of its growth phase, the oocyte completes the biochemical changes required to achieve meiotic competence, a condition that supports the resumption of meiosis beyond prophase I. Once oocytes achieve meiotic competence, they are maintained in a prophase I-arrested, germinal vesicle stage until stimulated to resume maturation, either by the preovulatory gonadotropin surge or by follicular atresia. The former stimulus produces developmentally competent ova while the latter condition leads to degenerating oocytes trapped within anovulatory follicles. Meiotic progression beyond the germinal vesicle stage requires the activation of maturation, or M phase, promoting factor (MPF), a heterodimeric protein complex composed of a 34-kDa kinase and 45-kDa cyclin regulatory subunit. Control of the activity of MPF is an essential component of the system regulating both meiotic arrest and meiotic resumption, since this kinase is the driving force behind cell division. Following meiotic resumption (initially manifested by germinal vesicle breakdown), maturation proceeds through extrusion of the first polar body and formation of the second metaphase spindle (MII), where the oocyte arrests for a second time until activated by fertilization. For the purpose of this review, maturation will be defined as the process of meiosis reinitiation; the focus will be on regulation of the immature, germinal vesicle stage, with particular emphasis on how the oocyte is stimulated to resume meiotic maturation.
Supplier Cost Evaluation: Estimating the Excess Costs of Purchased Components

The performance of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is driven in part by the quality, delivery, and cost performance of its first-tier suppliers. Many different methods for evaluating suppl...
α-Adrenoceptor Mechanisms of Thermoregulation during Cold Challenge in Humans

1. Previous studies on the thermoregulatory effects of alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists have been performed primarily in animals and the findings have been inconsistent. There is evidence for thermoregulatory impairment by alpha-adrenergic antagonists in humans not exposed to cold, but the effects of alpha-adrenergic blockade during cold challenge have not been investigated. 2. Fourteen healthy human volunteers (seven elderly, aged 55-68 years and seven young, aged 19-27 years) were studied on three separate days and received three randomly assigned treatments; (i) control (no drug), (ii) low-dose phentolamine and (iii) high-dose phentolamine. On each day cold intravenous saline (4 degrees C) was given until both vasoconstriction and shivering were triggered or a maximum fluid volume (40 ml/kg) was delivered. Core temperature, peripheral vasoconstriction and metabolic heat production were measured. 3. The alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist caused a dose-dependent inhibition of vasoconstriction in the elderly but did not impair vasoconstriction in the young subjects at the doses that were given. Shivering and metabolic heat production were unaffected by alpha-adrenergic blockade in the elderly or in the young. 4. These findings illustrate the selective inhibition of vasoconstriction (but not shivering) by alpha-adrenoceptor antagonism in elderly individuals. Compared with the young, the elderly are more sensitive to the effects of alpha-antagonists, perhaps due to downregulation of the alpha-adrenoceptor. These findings lead us to conclude that thermoregulatory vasoconstriction is alpha-adrenergically mediated, and this response is attenuated by alpha-adrenoceptor blockade in elderly humans.
Dilute Solutions of Poly(Vinylbutyral): Characterization of Aggregated and Non-Aggregated Solutions

Poly(vinylbutyral) samples of two different degrees of butyralization and varying molecular weights were studied in several solvents using the techniques of low-angle light scattering, exclusion chromatography and viscometry. The polymers showed evidence of aggregation in certain solvents. The aggregation could be broken up by heating to moderate temperature (~70°C), but would reform at room temperature in a period of time dependent on concentration. No dependence of apparent Mw on solvent was detected apart from that caused by aggregation. Chain dimensions calculated from intrinsic viscosities and molecular weights measured in non-aggregated solutions were compared with literature values of freely rotating dimensions calculated for a given degree of butyralization and tacticity.
Purified platelet phospholipids and blood coagulation.

Pure platelet phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are compared with brain cephalin (Ceph) in clotting-tests; ( 1 ) two-stage, using ( a ) stypven, ( b ) trypsin, ( c ) autoprothrombin-C; ( 2 ) PTT (partial thromboplastin time); ( 3 ) TGT (thromboplastin generation test); all showing "prothromboplastic" activity, except PE in the unmodified TGT. In validated bioassays ( 1a ), log-log plots of end point clotting-times against phosphatide concentrations are rectilinear and parallel. End points related to equivalents of prothrombin-activated (EPA), or thrombin yield (ETY), make possible computation of reactivities in mixtures. Unlike brain PS ("antithromboplastic"), platelet P-lipids show no inhibitor but summate quantitatively with each other or with Ceph. Alterations in lipid reactivities include: (i) decrease during storage, (ii) increase in desoxycholate, (both assayable), (iii) anomalous ("oxidative") increase, in thromboplastic enzyme tests, invalidating bioassays. TGT’s ( 3 ) do not show (iii), but can quantitate certain reactivities. Besides suggesting the basis for a physiologic thromboplastic role of platelets, these methods offer means to explore biochemical bases of reactivities in identifiable lipids. These may be partly related to certain enzymes or intermediates in blood clotting reactions.
Abstract P348: Validation of SGCD (rs2116737) Genotype-Discrimination Interaction as a Determinant of Blood Pressure Variation in the Jackson Heart Study

Introduction: Previous anthropological studies have demonstrated the utility of integrating genetic and psychosocial data, such as discrimination, to understand complex phenotypes such as blood pre...
Hydrogel Spacer Reduces Rectal Dose during Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer: A Dosimetric Analysis.

Abstract Purpose: Proton therapy for prostate cancer may reduce bowel dose and risk of bowel symptoms relative to photon-based methods. Here, we determined the effect of using a biodegradable, inje...
Major essential elements

Abstract Potassium and phosphorus are the highly prevailing mineral elements, whereas calcium and sodium comprise only very low proportion of ash. Data for chlorine and sulfur have yet been insufficient for a generalization. If compared with most of vegetables, mushrooms are richer in potassium and phosphorus and lower in magnesium, sodium and calcium. However, ability to bioaccumulate certain element is obviously affected by both particular species and level of the bioavailable element in the underlying substrate. These factors lead to wide variability of particular elements content in fruiting bodies within a species. The existing data suggest very extensive rate of bioaccumulation for potassium, high rate for phosphorus, while virtually no rate for calcium. Unfortunately, information on the bioavailability of the major elements from mushroom meals has been lacking.
Targeting soluble tumor necrosis factor as a potential intervention to lower risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes

Insulin impairment and inflammation are two features common to type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease; however, the molecular and signaling interactions underlying this relationship are not well understood. Mounting evidence point to the associations between the disruption of metabolite processing in insulin impairment and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Although the brain depends partially on metabolites processed in the periphery, to date, little is known about how soluble tumor necrosis factor signaling (solTNF) impacts integrated peripheral immune and metabolic feedback signals in states of energy overload and insulin insensitivity. C57Bl/6J mice were fed a high-fat high-carbohydrate diet (HFHC) for 14 weeks. The brain-permeant biologic XPro1595® was used to block solTNF-dependent pathways. Metabolic and immune alterations were evaluated in the gut, liver, and brain. Behavioral tests were performed. Untargeted metabolomics was carried out in the plasma and liver. HFHC diet promotes central insulin impairment and dysregulation of immune-modulatory gene expressed in the brain. Alteration of metabolites associated with type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s such as butanoate, glutamate, biopterin, branched-chain amino acids, purines, and proteoglycan metabolism was observed in HFHC-fed mice. solTNF inhibition ameliorates hepatic metabolic disturbances and hepatic and intestinal lipocalin-2 levels, and decreases insulin impairment in the brain and behavioral deficits associated with HFHC diet. Our novel findings suggest that HFHC diet impacts central insulin signaling and immune-metabolic interactions in a solTNF-dependent manner to increase the risk for neurodegenerative conditions. Our novel findings indicate that selective solTNF neutralization can ameliorate peripheral and central diet-induced insulin impairment and identify lipocalin-2 as a potential target for therapeutic intervention to target inflammation and insulin disturbances in obesogenic environments. Collectively, our findings identify solTNF as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in inflammatory states and insulin disturbances in obesogenic environments to lower risk for AD.
Childhood tonsillectomy alters the primary distribution of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives We investigated how tonsillectomy during childhood may influence the distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) positive cancer of the tonsils in adult life using p16 as a surrogate marker for HPV infection. Study Design Retrospective observational study. Methods A total of 280 patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and known p16 status were eligible for this study. Each participant was called to obtain the childhood tonsillectomy history. Respondents were subgrouped by p16 status and the primary tumor location. Patient demographic and clinical information was analyzed for association with Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Location of tumor was modeled using univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) logistic regression with associated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. Results Of the 280 patients, 115 (41%) were respondents: 104 (90.4%) were p16 positive and 11 (9.6%) were p16 negative. For p16 positive patients, we observed a majority (93%) of intact tonsils in those with tonsil cancer, compared to 45% of intact tonsils in patients with p16 positive cancer elsewhere in the oropharynx (P < .001). MVA logistic regression showed that female gender (OR = 4.16, P = .0675), prior smoking history (OR = 2.6, P = .0367), and intact tonsils (OR = 15.2, P < .0001) were associated with tonsillar OPSCC. Conclusion We found that patients with p16 positive OPSCC at a non-tonsil site were much more likely to have had prior tonsillectomy vs those with p16 positive OPSCC arising within the tonsil. Nevertheless, we do not advocate tonsillectomies as a public health policy to reduce HPV-related OPSCC. Level of Evidence 6.
Food assistance programs and income are associated with the diet quality of grocery purchases for households consisting of women of reproductive age or young children.

Abstract Women's diet quality during reproductive years and children's diet quality during early life influence long term health. Few studies have evaluated the impact of food assistance programs and income on the diet quality of grocery purchases made by households consisting of women of reproductive age and young children. We used data from the Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey 2012–2013 (FoodAPS) to evaluate how household income, Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participation, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation are related to the diet quality of grocery purchases made by households that include women of reproductive age or young children (n = 2436). The diet quality of household grocery purchases was assessed with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015. HEI-2015 total score (0−100) and component scores were evaluated according to household income (eligible for WIC: income-to-poverty ratio ≤ 185%; ineligible for WIC: income-to-poverty ratio > 185%) and WIC, SNAP, and WIC + SNAP participation. Median HEI-2015 total score was lowest among SNAP households and highest among income ineligible for WIC and WIC households (47.2 and 54.1, respectively). Compared to income ineligible for WIC households, WIC + SNAP and SNAP households had lower HEI-2015 whole fruit (β = −0.30, 95% CI: −0.59, −0.01 and β = −0.41, 95% CI: −0.63, −0.20, respectively) and total vegetable scores (β = −0.58, 95% CI: −0.83, −0.32 and β = −0.27, 95% CI: −0.45, −0.08, respectively). The diet quality of grocery purchases in this population varies according to household income and food assistance participation.
Discovery of Exosomes From Tick Saliva and Salivary Glands Reveals Therapeutic Roles for CXCL12 and IL-8 in Wound Healing at the Tick–Human Skin Interface

Ticks secrete various anti-coagulatory, anti-vasoconstrictory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-platelet aggregation factors in their saliva at the bite site during feeding to evade host immunological surveillance and responses. For the first time, we report successful isolation of exosomes (small membrane-bound extracellular signaling vesicles) from saliva and salivary glands of partially fed or unfed ixodid ticks. Our data showed a novel role of these in vivo exosomes in the inhibition of wound healing via downregulation of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and upregulation of interleukin-8 (IL-8). Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) analysis revealed that tick saliva and salivary glands are composed of heterogeneous populations of in vivo exosomes with sizes ranging from 30 to 200 nm. Enriched amounts of tick CD63 ortholog protein and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) were evident in these exosomes. Treatment of human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) with exosomes derived from tick saliva/salivary glands or ISE6 cells dramatically delayed cell migration, wound healing, and repair process. Wound healing is a highly dynamic process with several individualized processes including secretion of cytokines. Cytokine array profiling followed by immunoblotting and quantitative-PCR analysis revealed that HaCaT cells treated with exosomes derived from tick saliva/salivary glands or ISE6 cells showed enhanced IL-8 levels and reduced CXCL12 loads. Inhibition of IL-8 or CXCL12 further delayed exosome-mediated cell migration, wound healing, and repair process, suggesting a skin barrier protection role for these chemokines at the tick bite site. In contrast, exogenous treatment of CXCL12 protein completely restored this delay and enhanced the repair process. Taken together, our study provides novel insights on how tick salivary exosomes secreted in saliva can delay wound healing at the bite site to facilitate successful blood feeding.
Two Decades Using Stentless Porcine Aortic Root in Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Reconstruction.

Background The stentless porcine aortic root prosthesis (SPAR) has been described as a suitable valve for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (RVOTR). Indiana University Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana began using this valve for RVOTR in 1998. This study reports medium-term to late- term outcomes of the valve in the pulmonary position. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients older than 18 years of age who underwent RVOTR with a SPAR between April 2000 and October 2019. Primary outcomes included survival and freedom from any valvular reintervention. Secondary outcomes included endocarditis and conduit dysfunction detected by routine echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Results A total of 135 patients underwent RVOTR with a SPAR at a median age of 32.4 years (range, 18 to 71 years). Of these patients, 129 had previous surgery. Indications included pulmonary insufficiency (90.4%), stenosis (34.8%), endocarditis (7.4%), and carcinoid (4.4%). Median follow-up was 2.97 years (interquartile range, 0.6 to 8.0 years). Overall survival was 93.3%, with 3 perioperative death and 6 late deaths. Endocarditis developed in 4 patients (2.9%), 2 of whom required reoperation. Progressive conduit degradation was evident at 10 years, with 22.2% and 7.7% having moderate stenosis and insufficiency, respectively. Eight (5.9%) reinterventions included 2 surgical replacements, 3 percutaneous replacements, and 3 balloon valvuloplasties at means of 8.5, 7.4, and 2.2 years, respectively. Overall freedom from reintervention at 1, 5, and 10 years was 99.1%, 94.7% and 90.7%, respectively. Conclusions In this large, single-institution experience with a long follow-up period, use of the SPAR demonstrated excellent midterm to long-term durability, low rates of endocarditis, and high freedom from reintervention.
Association between vitamin D metabolites, vitamin D binding protein, and proteinuria in dogs

BACKGROUND Proteinuria has been associated with progression of renal disease and increased morbidity and mortality in dogs and people. In people, proteinuria also has been associated with hypovitaminosis D. Little is known about the relationship between vitamin D metabolism and proteinuria in dogs. OBJECTIVES To further elucidate vitamin D status in dogs with protein-losing nephropathy (PLN) and minimal to no azotemia. We hypothesized that vitamin D metabolites would be lower in dogs with PLN compared to healthy dogs. ANIMALS Twenty-three client-owned adult dogs with PLN and 10 healthy control dogs. METHODS Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH]2 D), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25[OH]2 D), serum vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), and urine 25(OH)D concentrations were measured. RESULTS Compared to healthy dogs, dogs with PLN had lower concentrations of all vitamin D metabolites (P < .01). Correlations (rho; 95% confidence interval [CI]) in dogs with PLN are reported. Serum 25(OH)D and 24,25(OH)2 D concentrations were positively correlated with albumin (r = 0.47; 0.07-0.74), and 24,25(OH)2 D was negatively correlated with urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC; r = -0.54; -0.78 to -0.16). Urine 25(OH)D-to-creatinine ratio was negatively correlated with serum albumin concentration (r = -0.77; -0.91 to -0.50) and positively correlated with UPC (r = 0.79; 0.53-0.91). Serum VDBP concentration was positively correlated with serum albumin concentration (r = 0.53; 0.05-0.81). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Dogs with PLN have decreased serum concentrations of vitamin D metabolites. Urine 25(OH)D-to-creatinine ratio and UPC are correlated in PLN dogs. Future studies are needed to assess additional management strategies for dogs with PLN.
Pulse tube cooling capacity versus tilt angle: testing and design implications

Ground-based observatories across a wide range of wavelengths implement cryogenic cooling techniques to increase the sensitivity of cameras and enable low temperature receiver technologies. Commercial pulse tube cryocoolers (PTCs) are frequently used to provide 40 K and 4 K stages as thermal shells in cameras. However, PTC operation is dependent on gravity, giving rise to changes in cooling capacity over the operational tilt range of pointed telescopes. We present a study of the performance of a PTC designed to provide a cooling capacity of 2.0 W at 4.2 K and 55 W at 45 K (Cryomech PT420-RM) from 0 to 55 degrees away from vertical to probe capacity as a function of angle over a set of realistic thermal loading conditions. We also discuss the design implications for current and future cryogenic cameras.
Pembrolizumab in the adjuvant treatment of melanoma: efficacy and safety

Introduction: Regional or distant metastases from melanoma may be surgically resected but remain at high-risk of recurrence. Over the last few years, several treatments have been approved to mitiga...