cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proper Insertion Angle Is Essential to Prevent Intra-Articular Protrusion of a Knotless Suture Anchor in Shoulder Rotator Cuff Repair

The advent of new arthroscopic devices has led to the development of novel techniques of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. However, failure to recognize specific technical aspects and improper application of these devices can lead to complications. We report a case of intra-articular protrusion of knotless anchors (PEEK PushLock SP, 4.5 x 18.5 mm; Arthrex, Naples, FL), used in the lateral row of a suture-bridging technique for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. This case draws attention to the increased length of such devices when compared with traditional suture anchors, the technical aspects of proper device use, the possible patient-related factors such as implant-patient size mismatch, and the importance of additional imaging for the investigation of failure to progress postoperatively.
Famine: a Perspective for the Nutrition Community

Famine is a nasty turn of events that intrudes on the world's consciousness from time to time. Pictures of starving people and acutely malnourished children, rampant disease, a rising death toll, and massive suffering in some far-off land move many among us to contribute to famine relief, shocked by the paradox of famine in a world “awash in grain.” Those who think about it appreciate that famine is related to poverty, that it is often triggered by climatic instability, and that it is both an instrument and tragic by-product of political conflict. But few know very much about famine beyond such fleeting insights. Even fewer are aware that the collective response to famine is woefully deficient. Just as we in the nutrition community had to fight long and hard to get malnutrition onto the development agenda as an explicit concern of public policy, so we and others like us are going to have to labor hard again to do the same for famine. This paper is an attempt to crystallize the issues involved.
Efficient identification of uncongested internet links for topology downscaling

It has been recently suggested that uncongested links could be completely ignored when evaluating Internet's performance. In particular, based on the observation that only the congested links along the path of each flow introduce sizable queueing delays and dependencies among flows, it has been shown that one can infer the performance of the larger Internet by creating and observing a suitably scaled-down replica, consisting of the congested links only. Given that the majority of Internet links are uncongested, it has been demonstrated that this approach can be used to greatly simplify and expedite performance prediction.However, an important open problem, directly related to the practicability of such an approach, is whether there exist efficient and scalable ways for identifying uncongested links, in large and complex Internet-like networks. Of course, such a question is not only very important for scaling down Internet's topology, but also in many other contexts, e.g. such as in traffic engineering and capacity planning.In this paper we present simple rules that can be used to efficiently identify uncongested Internet links. In particular, we first identify scenarios under which one can easily deduce whether a link is uncongested by inspecting the network topology. Then, we identify scenarios in which this is not possible, and propose an efficient methodology, based on the large deviations theory and flow-level statistics, to approximate the queue length distribution,and in turn, to deduce the congestion level of a link. We also demonstrate how simple commonly used metrics, such as the link utilization, can be quite misleading in classifying an Internet link.
Functional Genomics and Cardiovascular Drug Discovery

The history of cardiovascular drug discovery is filled with delightful stories of serendipity. Had William Withering not first advanced his expertise in botany to court Helena Cook, a young woman who enjoyed painting flowers and later became his wife, he may not have been able to identify foxglove as a therapy for heart failure.1 Similarly, warfarin owes its discovery not to a search for therapeutic anticoagulants, but to studies of a hemorrhagic disease of cattle that devastated the American northern prairie farming community in the 1920s.2 More recently, cardiovascular drugs have arisen less from chance and more from logical scientific approaches. The development of captopril, for example, depended on an understanding of the active site of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and logical chemical modifications of active site antagonists.3 However, advances in genomic technology over the past several years have transformed drug discovery. This article will provide an overview of one new approach to drug discovery that is often called Functional Genomics. Although the progress of the Human Genome Project and privately-funded genome databases enabled the functional genomics approach, other powerful uses of the genome in drug discovery will be not be discussed in detail here. For example, single-base genomic differences between individuals called single nucleotide polymorphisms are common in candidate genes for cardiovascular diseases4 and can be used to identify genes associated with disease susceptibility in populations. Genes associated with disease susceptibility are obvious potential targets for novel therapies, although many of these genes may not be suitable targets for drugs. Single nucleotide polymorphisms may also be used to identify patients who may respond to specific therapies. Clinicians are aware that some patients benefit from a given drug while others do not; the science of pharmacogenetics aims to identify the genetic basis for this variation.5 Thus, …
Elevated CO2 increases the long-term decomposition rate of Quercus myrtifolia leaf litter

Decomposition of Quercus myrtifolia leaf litter in a Florida scrub oak community was followed for 3 years in two separate experiments. In the first experiment, we examined the effects CO2 and herbivore damage on litter quality and subsequent decomposition. Undamaged, chewed and mined litter generated under ambient and elevated (ambient 1350ppmV) CO2 was allowed to decompose under ambient conditions for 3 years. Initial litter chemistry indicated that CO2 levels had minor effects on litter quality. Litter damaged by leaf miners had higher initial concentrations of condensed tannins and nitrogen (N) and lower concentrations of hemicellulose and C:N ratios compared with undamaged and chewed litter. Despite variation in litter quality associated with CO2, herbivory, and their interaction, there was no subsequent effect on rates of decomposition under ambient atmospheric conditions. In the second experiment, we examined the effects of source (ambient and elevated) of litter and decomposition site (ambient and elevated) on litter decomposition and N dynamics. Litter was not separated by damage type. The litter from both elevated and ambient CO2 was then decomposed in both elevated and ambient CO2 chambers. Initial litter chemistry indicated that concentrations of carbon (C), hemicellulose, and lignin were higher in litter from elevated than ambient CO2 chambers. Despite differences in C and fiber concentrations, litter from ambient and elevated CO2 decomposed at comparable rates. However, the atmosphere in which the decomposition took place resulted in significant differences in rates of decomposition. Litter decomposing under elevated CO2 decomposed more rapidly than litter under ambient CO2, and exhibited higher rates of mineral N accumulation. The results suggest that the atmospheric conditions during the decomposition process have a greater impact on rates of decomposition and N cycling than do the atmospheric conditions under which the foliage was produced.
SYNTHESIS OF cis AND trans-4-AMINOCYCLOHEXYL-D-ALANINE DERIVATIVES AND DETERMINATION OF THEIR STEREOCHEMISTRY

(1991). SYNTHESIS OF cis AND trans-4-AMINOCYCLOHEXYL-D-ALANINE DERIVATIVES AND DETERMINATION OF THEIR STEREOCHEMISTRY. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 103-110.
Spouses of demented patients with low cobalamin levels: a new risk group for cobalamin deficiency

: Low serum cobalamin levels are common in conditions such as dementia and often represent mild deficiency. We surveyed serum cobalamin levels prospectively in spouses and blood relatives of demented patients to determine if any familial predisposition exists for the low levels. Cobalamin status in most of the relatives found to have low levels was assessed further by means of blood counts, metabolic tests, neurologic evaluation, absorption studies and response to cobalamin therapy. Serum cobalamin levels in 36 spouses correlated with those of the 36 demented patients related to them (r = 0.46, p = 0.004). A significant association was not seen in 34 blood relatives of 34 demented patients (r = 0.27). Most importantly, 67% of the spouses of demented patients with low serum cobalamin had low values themselves, compared with only 3% of the spouses of patients with normal levels (p = 0.001). Detailed study of 4 of the 5 spouses (and 3 blood relatives) with low cobalamin levels showed no anemia in any case. Nevertheless, 4 of the subjects had metabolic evidence of deficiency and one had electrophysiological abnormalities; all these defects improved with cobalamin therapy. These observations identify a hitherto unsuspected group of people at high risk for cobalamin deficiency and suggest that spouses of demented patients with low cobalamin levels should also have their cobalamin levels measured. The increased frequency of low serum cobalamin levels in spouses of demented patients with low levels represents in most cases a true, mild cobalamin deficiency that responds to treatment.
New GaAlAs-GaAs surface-emitting laser diodes with lateral pumping structure

We have fabricated a new GaAlAs/GaAs surface-emitting laser diode with lateral pumping structure. With this structure, the thickness of the active layer can be increased beyond the electron diffusion length, and also both current and light confinement can be incorporated. The lowest threshold current was 180 mA. The far-field pattern shows stable double lobes with an FWHM of 39°. By reducing the size of the mesa, making the wall of the mesa vertical and using the GaAlAs/GaAs quarter-wave stack for the mirror, further improvement can be expected.
Intra-operative decision making: More than meets the eye

Operating room teams consist of team members with diverse training backgrounds. In addition to differences in training, each team member has unique and complex decision making paths. As such, team members may function in the same environment largely unaware of their team members' perspectives. The goal of our work was to use a theory-based approach to better understand the complexity of knowledge-based intra-operative decision making. Cognitive task analysis methods were used to extract the knowledge, thought processes, goal structures and critical decisions that provide the foundation for surgical task performance. A triangulated and iterative approach is presented.
Resonant inductive applicator for neck hyperthermia

An inductive applicator especially suited for producing hyperthermia in cancerous regions in the neck was designed and phantom tested. The applicator is tuned to resonate near 27 MHz; its inductive nature provides efficient coupling to the irregular neck anatomy. An inhomogeneous neck phantom consisting of an outer fat layer and bone and air columns was constructed. The heating pattern in the phantom was relatively uniform within the cross-sectional area, indicating promise for clinical applications. The exception was the muscle area between the bone and air columns, which had much lower temperatures, attributed to low eddy current density in this area. >
INHIBITION OF CHLORELLA (CHLOROPHYCEAE) GROWTH BY FATTY ACIDS, USING THE PAPER DISC METHOD1,2

SUMMARY Using the paper disc-agar plate method, a number of fatty and related acids have been tested for tested activity for inhibiting the growth of Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick. Of the saturated acids, a peak in growth inhibiting activity wax observed in the C7–C12 range, where inhibition wax observed when solutions down to 0.02 M were applied to the discs. Most of the unsaturated acids tested showed greater inhibition than did the corresponding saturated acids. Acrylic acid showed detectable inhibition at 0.001 M concentration.
Optimal control of latent fault accumulation

The problem of controlling latent fault accumulation in digital memory devices in a dynamic space environment is analyzed. Previous analytical modeling work has examined constant error rate environments and constant rate error scrubbing and has generally assumed single error correction. This work is extended to consider environments that cause orders of magnitude variation in the device error rate over the mission life. Such variation can be caused by solar flare activity or time-dependent variations in geomagnetic shielding. Based on the probability models and approximations developed, optimal time-invariant and time-varying error scrubbing policies are analyzed. The models are generalized to allow multiple error correction. Definitions of optimal scrubbing policies are given, and this class of policies is shown to bound the performance of nonoptimal policies. >
Global Rule of Law or Global Rule of Law Enforcement? International Police Cooperation and Counterterrorism

With increasing vigor since the events of September 11, 2001, police institutions across the globe have proliferated their counterterrorism strategies, including participation in international police organizations such as the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). This article discusses some of these developments in light of the prospects of the development toward a global rule of law. Based on the theory of police bureaucratization, it is shown that police institutions have independently developed international structures and practices irrespective of international accords. This article reveals the dynamics of such international police efforts by examining the counterterrorist policies of Interpol. It is argued that the outcome of the relative separation between international police practices, on one hand, and global legal developments, on the other, will be critical in assessing any efforts to counteract the societal processes and conditions that may facilitate the development of terrori...
Calcium and Phosphorus Metabolism

During normal human pregnancy, the fetus accumulates approximately 30 g calcium and 24 g phosphorus, most of which is deposited in the skeleton, and is born with approximately 11 mg calcium and 5.6 mg phosphorus/dl serum. (36) These figures are independent of maternal intakes of calcium, phosphorus, and calciferol (“vitamin D”) over rather wide ranges. In the neonatal period, especially in premature infants, clinically significant fluctuations in serum calcium and phosphorus concentration are common. In this chapter, we shall discuss the factors that contribute to intrauterine stability and postpartum perturbations of calcium and phosphorus metabolism.
Crystal Growth Mechanisms: Energetics, Kinetics, and Transport

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews a survey and organizes the extremely diverse phenomena coming under the heading of crystallization, and presents a physics framework for understanding their mechanisms. This framework consists of the application of statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and especially transport theory to crystallization problems. The chapter emphasizes the quantitative approach on well-defined systems, both for experiment and theory. The subject of the growth of crystals is an interdisciplinary one, in the sense that contributions to this field have been and continue to be made by scientists and engineers from many professional fields: solid-state physicists, mineralogists, crystallographers, physical chemists, mathematicians, chemical engineers, metallurgists, and probably many others. A similar diversity exists in the wide range of media of publication of the research, and in the departments of universities and research organizations in which the work is performed. The chapter discusses crystallization problems by analyzing them from the point of view of a particular discipline of physics. It begins with the more general disciplines—that is, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics and proceeds to more specialized ones—that is, mass transport and fluid flow.
Heterogeneous sub-continuum ionic transport in statistically isolated graphene nanopores

Isolated sub-2 nm nanopores in graphene exhibit diverse transport behaviours that are reminiscent of biological ion channels and arise from electrostatic and hydration interactions between ions and the pores. Graphene and other two-dimensional materials offer a new class of ultrathin membranes that can have atomically defined nanopores with diameters approaching those of hydrated ions1,2,3,4,5,6,7. These nanopores have the smallest possible pore volumes of any ion channel, which, due to ionic dehydration8 and electrokinetic effects9, places them in a novel transport regime and allows membranes to be created that combine selective ionic transport10 with ultimate permeance11,12,13 and could lead to separations14,15 and sensing16 applications. However, experimental characterization and understanding of sub-continuum ionic transport in nanopores below 2 nm is limited17,18. Here we show that isolated sub-2 nm pores in graphene exhibit, in contrast to larger pores, diverse transport behaviours consistent with ion transport over a free-energy barrier arising from ion dehydration and electrostatic interactions. Current–voltage measurements reveal that the conductance of graphene nanopores spans three orders of magnitude8 and that they display distinct linear, voltage-activated or rectified current–voltage characteristics and different cation-selectivity profiles. In rare cases, rapid, voltage-dependent stochastic switching is observed, consistent with the presence of a dissociable group in the pore vicinity19. A modified Nernst–Planck model incorporating ion hydration and electrostatic effects quantitatively matches the observed behaviours.
Nodal Upstaging Is More Common with Thoracotomy than with VATS During Lobectomy for Early-Stage Lung Cancer: An Analysis from the National Cancer Data Base

Abstract Introduction Questions remain regarding differences in nodal evaluation and upstaging between thoracotomy (open) and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) approaches to lobectomy for early-stage lung cancer. Potential differences in nodal staging based on operative approach remain the final significant barrier to widespread adoption of VATS lobectomy. The current study examines differences in nodal staging between open and VATS lobectomy. Methods The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with clinical stage T2N0M0 or lower lung cancer who underwent lobectomy in 2010–2011. Propensity score matching was performed to compare the rate of nodal upstaging in VATS with that in open approaches. Additional subgroup analysis was performed to assess whether rates of upstaging differed by specific clinical setting. Results A total of 16,983 lobectomies were analyzed; 4935 (29.1%) were performed using VATS. Nodal upstaging was more frequent in the open group (12.8% versus 10.3%; p p = 0.03). For patients who were treated in an academic/research facility, however, the difference in nodal upstaging between an open and VATS approach was no longer significant (12.2% versus 10.5%, p = 0.08). Conclusions For early-stage lung cancer, nodal upstaging was observed more frequently with thoracotomy than with VATS. However, nodal upstaging appears to be affected by facility type, which may be a surrogate for expertise in minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Arm-in-Arm Response Regulator Dimers Promote Intermolecular Signal Transduction.

ABSTRACT Bacteriophytochrome photoreceptors (BphPs) and their cognate response regulators make up two-component signal transduction systems which direct bacteria to mount phenotypic responses to changes in environmental light quality. Most of these systems utilize single-domain response regulators to transduce signals through unknown pathways and mechanisms. Here we describe the photocycle and autophosphorylation kinetics of RtBphP1, a red light-regulated histidine kinase from the desert bacterium Ramlibacter tataouinensis. RtBphP1 undergoes red to far-red photoconversion with rapid thermal reversion to the dark state. RtBphP1 is autophosphorylated in the dark; this activity is inhibited under red light. The RtBphP1 cognate response regulator, the R. tataouinensis bacteriophytochrome response regulator (RtBRR), and a homolog, AtBRR from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, crystallize unexpectedly as arm-in-arm dimers, reliant on a conserved hydrophobic motif, hFWAhL (where h is a hydrophobic M, V, L, or I residue). RtBRR and AtBRR dimerize distinctly from four structurally characterized phytochrome response regulators found in photosynthetic organisms and from all other receiver domain homodimers in the Protein Data Bank. A unique cacodylate-zinc-histidine tag metal organic framework yielded single-wavelength anomalous diffraction phases and may be of general interest. Examination of the effect of the BRR stoichiometry on signal transduction showed that phosphorylated RtBRR is accumulated more efficiently than the engineered monomeric RtBRR (RtBRRmon) in phosphotransfer reactions. Thus, we conclude that arm-in-arm dimers are a relevant signaling intermediate in this class of two-component regulatory systems. IMPORTANCE BphP histidine kinases and their cognate response regulators comprise widespread red light-sensing two-component systems. Much work on BphPs has focused on structural understanding of light sensing and on enhancing the natural infrared fluorescence of these proteins, rather than on signal transduction or the resultant phenotypes. To begin to address this knowledge gap, we solved the crystal structures of two single-domain response regulators encoded by a region immediately downstream of that encoding BphPs. We observed a previously unknown arm-in-arm dimer linkage. Monomerization via deletion of the C-terminal dimerization motif had an inhibitory effect on net response regulator phosphorylation, underlining the importance of these unusual dimers for signal transduction.
Scaling Hydrodynamic Boundary Conditions of Microstructured Surfaces in the Thin Channel Limit.

Despite its importance in many applications and processes, a complete and unified view on how nano- and microscale asperities influence hydrodynamic interactions has yet to be reached. In particular, the effects of surface structure can be expected to become more dominant when the length scale of the asperities or textures becomes comparable to that of the fluid flow. Here we analyze the hydrodynamic drainage of a viscous silicone oil squeezed between a smooth plane and a surface decorated with hexagonal arrays of lyophilic microsized cylindrical posts. For all micropost arrays studied, the periodicity of the structures was much larger than the separation range of our measurements. In this thin channel geometry, we find the hydrodynamic drainage and separation forces for the micropost arrays cannot be fully described by existing boundary condition models for interfacial slip or a no-slip shifted plane. Instead, our results show that the influence of the microposts on the hydrodynamic drag exhibits three d...
Noise-Like and Gain-Guided Pulses from a Dual-Mode Femtosecond Fiber Ring Laser

We report a mode-locked femtosecond erbium-doped fiber laser that can be tuned for stable operation in either the noise-like pulse generation mode or gain-guided soliton pulse generation regime. Detailed results and theory will be presented.
Detection and Analysis on the sanitation of milk powder in JiNing

60 samples from milk powder enterprise and point of sale were taken in urban area in JiNing City from August to November 2007,and protein,fat,water,vitamin A,vitamin D,lead,arsenic,the total numbers of colony,coli group,salmonella,the genus Shigella,Staphylococcus aureus and hemolytic streptococcus were detected according to the national standards.Milk powder in JiNing has lots of problems,and good measures should be taken for ensure the people's health.
Surveillance of foodborne disease in Guangdong,2012

Objective To analyze foodborne disease surveillance results of Guangdong in 2012 and explore the foodborne disease surveillance strategies. Methods Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze data collecting from active symptom surveillance of foodborne disease( including food poisoning) reports of outbreaks with two and more patients( or 1 and more deaths) from 27 hospitals in 12 cities,suspected cases of foodborne disease and abnormal health event report,and pathogen testing results of stool / anus swabs of patients with diarrhea as main symptom in the surveillance hospitals. Results A total of 96 outbreaks of foodborne diseases( including food poisoning) were reported. These outbreaks caused a reported 1 037 persons to become ill and 6 deaths. The case fatality rate was 5. 8 per thousand. Food poisoning occurred mainly in the third quarter of 2012. The number of poisoning outbreaks accounted for 35. 4%( 34 /96) of the yearly total outbreaks and the number of cases accounted for 37. 1%( 385 /1 037) of the total number of poisoning. Restaurants,families and canteens were main places of high incidence. In total,600 patients in 49 outbreaks were caused by microbial contamination,of which 193 patients in 17 outbreaks were caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus and 155 patients in 11 outbreaks by Salmonella. The top four foods causing food poisoning were meat and its products( 23. 8%,19 /80),legumes and their products( 13. 8%,11 /80),seafood( 10. 0%,8 /80),and toadstool( 10. 0%,8 /80). No suspected cases of foodborne disease and abnormal health incident were reported. A total of 2 192 cases were collected,mainly concentrating from May to August,and their main symptoms were diarrhea( 55. 2%,1 211 /2 192),fever( 28. 5%,625 /2 192),and vomiting( 16. 4%,360 /2 192). Totally,790 strains of Salmonella,9 strains of Shigella and 32 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were isolated from 21 358 stool / anus swabs sent by surveillance hospitals. Salmonella serotypes mainly included Typhimurium( 26. 1%,206 /790),Typhimurium variant( I 4,5,12: i:-)( 15. 6%,123 /790),Enteritidis( 14. 7%,116 /790),and Stanley( 10. 6%,84/790). Salmonella was resistant to sulfamethizole,tetracycline,ampicillin,nalidixic acid, and streptomycin,but sensitive to ceftazidime,cefotaxime,cefepime,ciprofloxacin. Nine suspected foodborne disease gathering events were found through the surveillance system,of which,one was verified as salmonella infection,and the others were unclear. Conclusion Foodborne disease( including food poisoning) in Guangdong showed seasonal fluctuations and mainly caused by microbial contamination. The surveillance of foodborne disease generally reflected foodborne disease outbreak situation in Guangdong,but the defining objects of surveillance and report quality should be improved.
At the nexus of fire, water and society

The societal risks of water scarcity and water-quality impairment have received considerable attention, evidenced by recent analyses of these topics by the 2030 Water Resources Group, the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. What are the effects of fire on the predicted water scarcity and declines in water quality? Drinking water supplies for humans, the emphasis of this exploration, are derived from several land cover types, including forests, grasslands and peatlands, which are vulnerable to fire. In the last two decades, fires have affected the water supply catchments of Denver (CO) and other southwestern US cities, and four major Australian cities including Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne. In the same time period, several, though not all, national, regional and global water assessments have included fire in evaluations of the risks that affect water supplies. The objective of this discussion is to explore the nexus of fire, water and society with the hope that a more explicit understanding of fire effects on water supplies will encourage the incorporation of fire into future assessments of water supplies, into the pyrogeography conceptual framework and into planning efforts directed at water resiliency.This article is part of the themed issue 'The interaction of fire and mankind'.
Teachers of the culturally disadvantaged.

The personal qualities emphasized as desirable in teachers of the disadvantaged begin with respect for the pupil and include patience, understanding, sensitivity, good judgment, and a sense of humor. Teachers of the disadvantaged usually have middle class backgrounds, values, and attitudes which are in conflict with those learned by the children living in the slum areas. There is a need to develop training programs for teachers of the disadvantaged at university and public school inservice levels.
Hypertension epidemiology and economic burden: refining risk assessment to lower costs.

Background Hypertension (HTN) continues to be a serious public health problem in the United States and is a major risk factor for stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and other serious cardiovascular and renal diseases. Because HTN can be asymptomatic, its detection and control continues to be a challenge. The total economic burden of HTN is estimated at $73.4 billion in 2009. Objective To examine the potential prognostic utility of biomarkers to assess hypertension-related cardiovascular risk and their potential impact on treatment in the context of current epidemiology and demographics of HTN. Summary and conclusions Although blood pressure control rates among people treated for HTN have increased from 51.3 percent to 63.9 percent over the past five years, there remains a vast unmet need for improved efficiency and effectiveness in diagnosis and treatment. Biomarkers provide a promising approach to improve detection and management of disease progression while optimizing health care expenditures.
A comparative study of the effects of chemical modification on the immunochemical and optical properties of human plasma low-density lipoprotein(s) and apoproteins

1. The structure of human plasma low-density lipoprotein(s) [LD lipoprotein(s)] was investigated by several immunological and optical techniques. The effects of delipidation and of chemical modification by 3-carboxypropionylation, acetylation, diazotization and amidination were examined. A sensitive double-antibody radioimmunoassay for human LD lipoproteins is presented and is used to assess the extent of immunochemical modification. A computer best-fit analysis is used to analyse circular-dichorism (c.d.) spectra. These methods permit comparisons of the relative effects of chemical modification and delipidation of LD lipoprotein under similar experimental conditions. 2. 3-Carboxypropionylation, acetylation or diazotization produces qualitative and quantitative changes in the immunochemical properties of LD lipoprotein. Amidination causes minor changes detected by radioimmunoassay but not by double-diffusion experiments. In general, the order of effectiveness in displacing 125I-labelled LD lipoprotein is amidinated>diazo or acetyl>3-carboxypropionyl derivatives. 3. The order of the extent of conformational alteration induced in apoLD lipoprotein and LD lipoprotein, as judged by c.d. analyses, was 3-carboxypropionylation>diazotization>acetylation or amidination. 4. Delipidation of LD lipoprotein results in immunological alterations that are qualitatively detected by antisera to LD lipoprotein. Four of five antisera to apoLD lipoprotein form precipitin lines of identity between native LD lipoprotein and apoLD lipoprotein in double-diffusion experiments. An anti-(apoLD lipoprotein) serum that forms precipitin lines of complete identity between LD lipoprotein and apoLD lipoprotein reacts differently with these two antigens in radioimmunoassay. ApoLD lipoprotein is only one-fourth to one-half as effective as LD lipoprotein, on a protein basis, in the displacement of 125I-labelled LD lipoprotein from this anti-(apoLD lipoprotein). 5. Conformational analysis indicates that apoLD lipoprotein retains a high proportion of the structural integrity of the native lipoprotein. Delipidation induces a small decrease in the content of β-structure and a small increase in disordered structure, without greatly affecting the α-helical content. Chemical modification produces more severe conformational changes of apoLD lipoprotein than of LD lipoprotein. Computer analysis of the c.d. spectra of apoLD lipoprotein indicates that addition of high concentrations of sodium decyl sulphate abolishes most of the β-conformation concomitant with increases in α-helical and disordered structure. 6. There is parallelism between the alteration of the charge of LD lipoprotein and apoLD lipoprotein and the extent of immunochemical and conformational changes.
Benign Periurethral Masses in Women

AbstractBenign periurethral masses were encountered in 4 women. The masses included 2 vaginal leiomyomas, 1 of which was found simultaneously with a urethral diverticulum, a fibrocystic urethral mass and hyperplastic glandular tissue obstructing the bladder outlet and resembling male prostate. The physical and endoscopic features were helpful in establishing the benign nature and extent of the lesions. Although the bladder base was deformed on an excretory urographic cystogram in each case the radiographic features were non-specific except as they applied to a urethral diverticulum. Transvaginal needle biopsy is recommended in contemplation of open surgical excision. Leiomyomas are best approached transvaginally and anterior urethral masses can be reached suprapubically.
The determinants and consequences of private equity buyouts of private firms: Evidence from U.S. corporate tax returns

This paper uses corporate tax return data to study the determinants and consequences of private equity (PE) buyouts of U.S. private firms between 1995 and 2009. In contrast with prior evidence that PE acquirers target public firms facing overinvestment problems, we find that PE acquirers target private firms facing underinvestment problems due to financing constraints. We then provide evidence that PE buyouts create value through their real effects on private firms in two ways: by leading to operational turnarounds in struggling firms and by relaxing financing constraints that limit the exercise of growth options in healthier firms.
Efficiency measurement on 6.0 cm 3 3-D CdZnTe detectors

This work investigate the full energy and total efficiencies of large volume CdZnTe detectors. The efficiencies of three 20 mm × 20 mm × 15 mm pixelated CdZnTe detectors were measured using the H3Dv2 Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) readout system developed by Brookhaven National Laboratory with un-collimated 241Am, 137Cs, and 60Co sources. One detector was made by eV-Products while the other two were manufactured by Redlen Technologies. Geant4 simulation results are used as the benchmark. The relative efficiency, defined as the ratio between the measured efficiency and the simulated efficiency, is an indicator of the active volume in the detector. The total relative efficiency is close to 100% for all three sources. However, there are deficits on full energy efficiency at higher energies, especially for 60Co. This loss of full energy efficiency could be due to distorted electric field near the detector side surfaces. Our measurements showed that Redlen detectors have similar efficiency with that of eV-Products detector. The active volume of each detector is more than 90%.
Real-time monitoring of the transients of HIFU-induced lesions

RF data from standard B-mode and pulse inversion (PI) imaging of HIFU lesion formation of freshly excised tissue was collected before, during, and after lesion formation experiments in ex vivo tissue. Exposures at intensity levels of 1100 W/cm/sup 2/ to 2500 W/cm/sup 2/ for durations of 2, 3, and 5 seconds in a single shot were used. Also continuous raster scan of longer duration (10-20 seconds) to form slice or volumetric lesions were monitored. Monitoring was done with a diagnostic scanner and RF data was acquired at 1 frame/second for 60 seconds starting 5 seconds before each shot. Lesion maps from grayscale B-mode and PI images were obtained using level-set methods for each frame and compared with the actual lesion found by inspection. Lesion maps from PI imaging were consistently smaller in size and more in line with the actual lesion size. Transient analysis of harmonic content of lesion echoes show sustained harmonic activity for 10-15 seconds after the therapy pulse is turned off (in ex vivo liver tissue). A gradual drop in this activity follows with steady state reached within 50-60 seconds. It was also shown that the use of short microsecond pulses from the therapy transducer to expose the lesion location during real-time imaging significantly increased the scattering from lesion location.
Using Genome-Wide SNPs to Detect Structure in High-Diversity and Low-Divergence Populations of Severely Impacted Eastern Tropical Pacific Spinner (Stenella longirostris) and Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (S. attenuata)

Millions of spinner (Stenella longirostris) and pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) died since the 1960’s as bycatch in tuna nets in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Despite three decades of protection, they show little-to-no sign of recovery (although recent fisheries-independent abundance estimates are not available). In efforts to establish biologically meaningful management boundaries for recovery, endemic subspecies and multiple stocks have been proposed. However, genetic differentiation among most of these units has been difficult to identify, possibly due to low statistical power stemming from large historical abundances, ongoing gene flow, and recent divergence. We tested for genetic structure at multiple hierarchical levels by analyzing the largest dataset to date brought to bear on these questions. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were collected from nuclear DNA regions associated with the restriction enzyme site PstI from 72 spinner dolphins and 58 pantropical spotted dolphins using genotype-by-sequencing (GBS). Our results support the current subspecies for both species and indicate stock-level separation for Tres Marias spinner dolphins and the two offshore pantropical spotted dolphin stocks in this area. Although bycatch has been reduced a small fraction of pre-protection levels, incidental mortality continues to impact these populations. Our results are important for the ongoing management and recovery of these highly-impacted pelagic dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
The role of the medial prefrontal cortex in the generalization of conditioned fear.

Objective Fear generalization, the generalization of fear to innocuous stimuli, is a characteristic component of pathological anxiety. Neural models of fear generalization suggest the involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, conflicting empirical findings complicate our understanding of the role of the mPFC in pathological anxiety. To address important unanswered questions in this area, a detailed review and synthesis of results from human and nonhuman animal investigations of conditioned fear generalization was conducted. Method Empirical articles were identified through March 2017 and selected if they used fear conditioning, measured fear generalization, and included a measure of activity in the mPFC or manipulation of mPFC functioning. Results In human cued fear conditioning, the ventral mPFC plays an important role in the inhibition of fear generalization, whereas dorsal mPFC is important for the activation of generalized fear. This pattern remains to be further investigated in nonhuman animal models. Nonhuman animal research suggests an interaction between the neural correlates of contextual fear generalization and timing, such that the mPFC appears to increase fear generalization at remote time points and reduce generalization at recent time points following acquisition. Conclusions The literature suggests a key role for the mPFC in fear generalization, but empirical details vary depending on specific regions within the mPFC, the animal model used, and the timing of the generalization test. Further research is needed to elucidate the role of the mPFC in fear generalization, which could in turn facilitate more effective pharmacological interventions for pathological anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record
Models in Science and in Learning Science: Focusing Scientific Practice on Sense-making

The central aim of science is to make sense of the world. To move forward as a community endeavor, sense-making must be systematic and focused. The question then is how do scientists actually experience the sense-making process? In this chapter we examine the “practice turn” in science studies and in particular how as a result of this turn scholars have come to realize that models are the “functional unit” of scientific thought and form the center of the reasoning/sense-making process. This chapter will explore a context-dependent view of models and modeling in science. From this analysis we present a framework for delineating the different aspects of model-based reasoning and describe how this view can be useful in educational settings. This framework highlights how modeling supports and focuses scientific practice on sense-making.
A family of golden triangle tile patterns

An intriguing family of tile patterns can be generated by applying the self-replicating geometry of a pair of isosceles triangles called the golden triangles. The patterns have an aesthetic appeal and have geometric properties which might be investigated further. The family includes patterns which were discovered by Roger Penrose in the 1970s, and which received much attention when they were proposed as a model for quasicrystals. The use of golden triangles to obtain tile patterns stems from the work of R.M. Robinson cited in [2, p540] and extends the investigations of [3]. The method employed in obtaining the patterns is experimental mathematics; geometrically defined experiments are performed using a computer and the results examined for their properties.
Stochastic Second-Order Method for Large-Scale Nonconvex Sparse Learning Models

Sparse learning models have shown promising performance in the high dimensional machine learning applications. The main challenge of sparse learning models is how to optimize it efficiently. Most existing methods solve this problem by relaxing it as a convex problem, incurring large estimation bias. Thus, the sparse learning model with nonconvex constraint has attracted much attention due to its better performance. But it is difficult to optimize due to the non-convexity.In this paper, we propose a linearly convergent stochastic second-order method to optimize this nonconvex problem for large-scale datasets. The proposed method incorporates second-order information to improve the convergence speed. Theoretical analysis shows that our proposed method enjoys linear convergence rate and guarantees to converge to the underlying true model parameter. Experimental results have verified the efficiency and correctness of our proposed method.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RESPONSE MATRIX METHOD

Recent developments in the response matrix method are discussed. Particular attention is given to the derivation of the static response matrix, and two alternative approaches to the time-dependent problem are considered. Solution methods and future developments are also discussed.
Three-Dimensional Cultures of Normal and Malignant Human Breast Epithelial Cells to Achieve in vivo-like Architecture and Function

Publisher Summary This chapter describes an assay in which primary or phenotypically normal human breast epithelial cells, cultured in a laminin-rich basement membrane (lrBM), undergo a three-dimensional reorganization to form structures that mimic in vivo acinar structures in culture. Primary breast luminal cells from human reduction mammoplasty as well as human mammary epithelial cell lines have been successfully cultured utilizing the 3D BM assay. The HMT3522 progression series consists of immortal human mammary epithelial cells originally isolated from fibrocystic breast tissue and includes the phenotypically normal S1 cells, as well as their tumorigenic derivative T4-2 cells, which were selected for their ability to grow in the absence of EGF. Successful growth of these cells requires special attention to the media, confluency, trypsinization, and feeding regime in order to maintain healthy cells capable of undergoing differentiation. Single phenotypically normal mammary epithelial cells embedded into lrBM will undergo several rounds of cell division, withdraw from the cell cycle between 6 and 8 days depending on the cell type, organize into polarized structures, and form acini-like structures, including a central lumen.
Einsatz der echten Integration in der Atomabsorptions-Spektroskopie

Eine Verbesserung des Signal-Rausch-Verhaltnisses in der Atom-Absorptions-Spektroskopie kann mit Hilfe der drei folgenden Methoden erreicht werden: Erhohung der Zeitkonstanten, digitale Meswertmittlung, echte Integration.
Selecting from Normal Populations the One with the Largest Absolute Mean: Common Unknown Variance Case

Rizvi (1971) studied a single-stage procedure for selecting from several normal populations the one with the largest absolute mean using the indifference-zone formulation of Bechhofer (1954), assuming that the populations have a common known variance. When the common variance is unknown, a single-stage procedure that guarantees a minimum probability of a correct selection does not exist. In this paper, a non-eliminating two-stage procedure is proposed and studied for this situation.
Index of suspicion. Case 1: Anasarca in a 2-year-old boy. Case 2: Daily spiking fevers in an 8-year-old girl. Case 3: Poor weight gain and excessive sleepiness in a 7-week-old girl

The reader is encouraged to write possible diagnoses for each case before turning to the discussion. We invite readers to contribute case presentations and discussions. Please inquire first by contacting Dr. Deepak Kamat at DKamat@med.wayne.edu. A 2-year-old boy with a history of eczema and food allergies to nuts and soy presents to the emergency department with a 10-day history of generalized edema. The swelling began in the periorbital area but soon progressed to involve his entire body. There have been no fevers or any recent illnesses other than 1 day of cough and a few watery stools. He has had no new exposures to foods or other substances. His family history is remarkable for multiple allergies and eczema. Physical examination reveals a temperature of 98.8°F (37.1oC), heart rate of 98 beats per minute, respiratory rate of 36 breaths per minute, blood pressure of 103/65 mm Hg, and an oxygen saturation of 97% on room air. His weight is 12.6 kg (34th percentile). He is noted to have a moderate amount of periorbital edema, decreased breath sounds at the lung bases bilaterally, a protuberant abdomen, and 2+ pitting edema on his lower extremities. The rest of his physical examination findings are within normal limits. Laboratory evaluation reveals a white blood cell count of 23,800/μL (23.8 × 109/L), with 37% neutrophils, 49% lymphocytes, 4% bands, 7% monocytes, and 3% eosinophils; hemoglobin level of 13.3 g/dL (133 g/L); and platelet count of 427 × 103/μL (427 × 109/L). Serum electrolyte, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels are normal. Sodium level is 132 mEq/L (132 mmol/L). Serum albumin level is 1.7 g/dL (17 g/L) (reference range, 3.4-5.4 g/dL [34-54 g/L]). Total protein level is 3.8 g/dL (38 g/L). Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and coagulation profiles …