cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A spreadsheet analysis of different costing systems

Abstract This note describes a project that uses a spreadsheet to illustrate the conceptual similarities and differences between actual, normal, and standard costing systems, under both variable and absorption reporting formats. Budgeting and variance analysis are also included in the illustration. The purpose of the project is to enhance, via a comprehensive numerical example, the student's understanding of these three costing systems. A spreadsheet formulation enables the student to perform sensitivity analysis, while eliminating the need for repetitive income statement formatting and calculations.
Rigor, Impact and Prestige: A Proposed Framework for Evaluating Scholarly Publications

As publication pressure has increased in the world of higher education, more journals, books, and other publication outlets have emerged. Thus it is critical to develop clear criteria for effectively evaluating the quality of publication outlets. Without such criteria funding agencies and promotion committees are forced to guess at how to evaluate a scholar’s portfolio. In this article, we explore the perils of evaluating journals based on a single quantitative measure (e.g., the Impact Factor rating of the Institute for Science Information). We then discuss key considerations for evaluating scholarship, including three main criteria: rigor, impact, and prestige. Finally, we conclude with examples of how these criteria could be applied in evaluating scholarship.
Composition of Some Organic and Inorganic Compounds in Reverse Osmosis‐Concentrated Citrus Juices

Orange, grapefruit and lemon juices were concentrated over twofold in a pilot scale reverse osmosis (RO) process using a commercially available membrane system. Major sugars, acids, vitamin C, aroma volatiles and over 20 minerals were examined in feed, concentrate and permeate streams. Typically, 15–20 aroma compounds were identified in feed juices and concentrates. Compared with less volatile compounds (e.g., ethyl butyrate, limonene), poorer retention during processing was noted for more volatile molecules (methanol, acetaldehyde, ethanol). °Brix of membrane concentrates were orange (25.3°B), grapefruit (25.1°B) and lemon (22.5°B). Vitamin C was rejected efficiently by the membrane. Mineral analyses showed similar elemental contents in feed and concentrate and insignificant concentration in permeate streams.
Volumetric optical memory based on bacteriorhodopsin

An architecture for a three-dimensional optical computer memory based on the photoactive protein bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is described, utilizing a branch-off of the BR photocycle to access a long-lived photointermediate capable of serving as an active element for memory storage. This intermediate (the Q-state) is accessed as a result of the sequential absorption of two photons, the first to initiate the BR photocycle, and the second to drive the protein into the branched photocycle from the O-state several milliseconds later. The stability of the Q-state arises predominantly from the fact that it is strongly blue-shifted with respect to other intermediates in the photocycle, making it invisible to the laser wavelengths used to write and read information in the memory. Both proof of principle and second-generation prototypes are currently being developed in the W.M. Keck Center for Molecular Electronics, in collaboration with Critical Link, LLC of Syracuse, NY. The article will focus on the BR-branched photocycle memory architecture, the remaining challenges to fabrication of a commercially viable device, and the ongoing efforts in prototype development, optimization and protein characterization at Syracuse University.
A technique for the light microscopy of tissues fixed for fine structure

Young adult female rats were perfused with buffered aldehydes. Selected tissues were prepared for light microscopy by standard techniques. The only procedural modifications permitted were those required by the special physical and chemical characteristics of the tissue. Extreme brittleness called for special precautions in all manipulative steps from excision to final embedment. Turbulence during the early stages of dehydration was lessened by drop-by-drop addition of the next concentration of ethanol. High melting-point paraffins and celloidin-paraffin embedments were used to accommodate the hardness of the tissues and to prevent disarrangement during mounting. Steel knives specially sharpened with fine abrasives on plate glass were fitted with fluid reservoirs. Four micron sections were obtained routinely. Sections were transferred individually from the reservoir to glass slides. The common dyes used in light micoscopy tended to overstain these tissues. This tendency was overcome by using shorter exposure times, lower concentrations and blocking agents. The chromatic staining techniques familiar to histologists and pathologists were useful after minor modifications.
Mechanisms and instrument electronics for the Ohio State Multi-Object Spectrograph (OSMOS)

The Ohio State Multi-Object Spectrograph (OSMOS) is a new facility imager and spectrograph for the 2.4m Hiltner telescope at the MDM Observatory. We present a detailed description of the mechanical and electronic solutions employed in OSMOS, many of which have been developed and extensively tested in a large number of instruments built at Ohio State over the past ten years. These solutions include robust aperture wheel and linear stage designs, mechanism control with MicroLYNX programmable logic controllers, and WAGO fieldbus I/O modules.
Exact Relation between Wave Aberration and Ray Aberration

The wave aberration function W(x y) expresses the deformation of the wave-front with respect to a sphere of radius R. It is shown that the wave aberration and the components X Y of the ray aberration are related by the exact equations  W/  x = m X/(R m W),  W/  y = m Y/(R m W).
Calculating the Bulk Modulus for a Lipid Bilayer with Nonequilibrium Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) computer simulations are used to calculated the bulk modulus for a dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer. A methodology is developed whereby NEMD can be effectively used to calculate material properties for complex systems that undergo long time-scale conformational changes. It is found that the bulk modulus upon expansion from a zero stress state agrees well with experimental estimates. However, it is also found that the modulus upon contraction from a zero stress state is larger. From a molecular perspective, it is possible to explain this phenomena by examining the molecular origins of the pressure response. The finding that the two moduli are not equal upon compression and expansion is in apparent contradiction to osmotic stress experiments where the area modulus was found to be the same upon expansion and contraction. This issue is addressed.
Effects of Varying MBE Growth Conditions on Layered Zn-Se-Te Structures

We report the effects of varying growth parameters on the photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) emission from layered Zn-Se:Te structures with submonolayer quantities of ZnTe grown by a combination of migration-enhanced epitaxy (MEE) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Dependences on Te effusion cell temperature (T Te source) and “wait time” (duration for which all shutters are closed, t all-off) are investigated to show that these parameters contribute towards changing the size and/or composition of the quantum dots (QDs). Optical studies showed that increasing T Te source resulted in the formation of larger QDs. Increasing t all-off from 0 s to 3 s contributed towards the formation of larger QDs, while further increasing t all-off to 9 s led to desorption of Te adatoms which resulted in smaller QDs. These parameters are easy to control, and thus understanding their effects should help us to gain better control towards obtaining high-quality QDs.
DICTIONARY LOOK-UP WITHIN SMALL EDIT DISTANCE

Let be a dictionary consisting of n binary strings of length m each, represented as a trie. The usual d-query asks if there exists a string in within Hamming distance d of a given binary query string q. We present a simple algorithm to determine if there is a member in within edit distanced of a given query string q of length m. The method takes time O(dmd+1) in the RAM model, independent of n, and requires O(dm) additional space. We also generalize the results for the case of the problem over a larger alphabet.
Monosuccinate ester of melampomagnolide B.

The title monosuccinate derivative of melampomagnolide B [systematic name: 4-(((1aR,7aS,10aS,10bS,E)-1a-methyl-8-meth­yl­ene-9-oxo-1a,2,3,6,7,7a,8,9,10a,10b-deca­hydro­oxireno[2′,3′:9,10]cyclo­deca­[1,2-b]furan-5-yl)meth­oxy)-4-oxo­butan­oic acid], C19H24O7, was obtained from the reaction of melampomagnolide B with succinic anhydride under nucleophilic addition reaction conditions. The mol­ecule is built up from fused ten-, five- (lactone) and three-membered (epoxide) rings. The inter­nal double bond in the ten-membered ring has the cis geometry (i.e. it is the E isomer). The lactone ring has an envelope-type conformation, with the (chiral) C atom opposite the lactone O atoms as the flap atom. In the crystal, O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into chains parallel to the b-axis direction.
Adiponectin receptor 1 variants associated with lower insulin resistance in African Americans.

CRIMMINS, NANCY A., JESSICA G. WOO, RITESH D. KAUSHAL, RANJAN DEKA, LAWRENCE M. DOLAN, AND LISA J. MARTIN. Adiponectin receptor 1 variants associated with lower insulin resistance in African Americans. Obesity. 2007;15:1903–1907. Adiponectin has been shown to have a role in insulin resistance. However, little is known about the contribution of genetic variation in the adiponectin receptor 1 gene (ADIPOR1) in this regard. We hypothesized that variation in ADIPOR1 would be associated with significant changes in insulin resistance and tested this hypothesis in a cohort of 483 African-American adolescents. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ADIPOR1 spanning from the promoter to the 3-untranslated region were genotyped. We analyzed single SNPs and haplotypes for associations with insulin resistance [homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)] in the full cohort as well as lean (BMI 85%) and non-lean (BMI 85%) subsets. There was no evidence of ADIPOR1 variant effects on HOMA-IR in the full cohort or in the lean subset. However, in the non-lean subset, SNP 5843 (A allele), and haplotypes including SNPs –8505/–5692/3002/5843 (ATTA and AGTG) showed significant associations with decreased HOMA-IR after adjustment for sex, puberty, adiponectin, and waist z-score. Our findings suggest not only that ADIPOR1 variants influence insulin resistance in the presence of adiposity, but also that these variants and haplotypes are protective in African Americans.
Inhibition of Phosphofructokinase by Quinone Methide and α -Methylene Lactone Tumor Inhibitors

The plant-derived tumor inhibitors taxodone, taxodione, vernolepin, eupacunin, and euparotin acetate each inhibit the sulfhydryl enzyme, phosphofructokinase. The substrates, fructose-6-phosphate and adenosine triphosphate, protect the enzyme from this, inhibition as does the addition of dithiothreitol to the inhibitors. Incubation of taxodione with phosphofructokinase is associated with the loss of about one sulfhydryl group per inhibitor molecule, and the substrates protect six sulfhydryl groups per protomer of 93,000 daltons.
The stigma of seeking care and depression

This study investigates the relationship between stigma and care-seeking for depression. One hundred-seventeen people in a primary care facility and an urban public health clinic completed the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Help Scale and the Attribution Questionnaire. The belief that depression was under personal control was associated with less receptivity toward seeking care, and greater anger toward the person with depression. Pity was associated with seeking professional care and with a desire to help. Dangerousness was unrelated to care-seeking. Gender and setting influenced the results-for men and urban respondents there was no relationship between responsibility and care-seeking.
Product platform flexibility planning by hybrid real options analysis

Product platforms are believed to facilitate product design flexibility; however, the value and best form of such flexibility have yet to be fully understood. This article treats the design flexibility that is inherent in product platforms as being irreversible investment decisions that are crafted with a portfolio of platform real options that are continuously exercised to fulfill expected returns on investment. While options thinking has been appealing to the design community, the existing design real options models suffer from poor validity of the basic assumptions about the real options. Most existing work intuitively imitates real options decision making based on modularity and configuration. The missing link lies in the lack of an explicit time horizon, in which real options theory has its roots. This article proposes to craft platform real options in line with the management flexibility that is staged along the design project life. A hybrid real options analysis framework is developed by incorporat...
Learning concepts of fractals and probability by “doing science”

Abstract Very recent advances in computer technology provide the power of mainframe systems in relatively compact and inexpensive personal computers; soon the computing power of even a supercomputer will be available on a desktop at a price comparable to today's personal computers. Over the next decade this tremendous computing power can and probably will become available in schools throughout the world. Here we discuss the possibility of harnessing this new technological resource as a teaching tool for specific topics in mathematics and science, focusing on random processes in nature and their deep connection to concepts in probability and fractal geometry. Such natural phenomena as the growth of snowflakes via random aggregation and the disordered geometric configurations of polymer chains demonstrate that fundamentally random microscopic processes can give rise to predictable macroscopic behaviors. They also give rise to random fractal structures of inherent interest and great beauty. Because it is impossible to view the underlying processes directly, computer simulation and visualization is an indispensable tool for understanding and studying these phenomena. In the process of “doing science” with both hands-on experiments and computer simulations, students would learn abstract mathematical concepts in a context which is at once concrete and inherently motivating. Furthermore, the techniques they could employ would mirror in most respects those in current use by researchers, thus forging an unprecedented link between this curriculum and the professional worlds of science and mathematics.
Effect of focused debriefing on team communication skills.

Background and Objective: Community hospitals often lack tertiary care support such as pediatric intensivists and anesthesiologists. Resuscitation of critically ill and injured children in community hospitals requires a well-coordinated team effort, because good team performance improves quality of care. The lack of subspecialty support makes team coordination and communication more imperative yet much more challenging. This study sought to determine if the addition of a defined focused post-mock code debriefing session improved communication skills among team members in a community pediatric emergency department. Methods: Twenty-two volunteer members of the pediatric emergency and respiratory therapy departments at Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center took part in monthly simulated resuscitations for 3 consecutive months. After each simulation, participants answered an 18-item survey on observed communication among their team members. Members then participated in a 30-minute debriefing session in which they reflected on their own communication skills. A video taping of the resuscitation was later scored by one of the investigators by using a rubric designed by the investigators. Descriptive statistics were calculated for both the participant survey and the team communication indicator scores. Paired-sample Wilcoxon signed rank test examined the difference in the scores between each of 3 sessions. Results: The mean scores by investigator-scored video recordings of the teams’ mock resuscitation by session showed overall team communication improved between sessions 1 and 3 for all communication areas (P = .03), with significant improvement in 4 of 9 communication areas by the third session. All team members improved communication skills as well, with the greatest improvement by the clinical multifunctional technicians. Conclusions: Communication skills improve with the addition of focused debriefing sessions after mock codes as perceived by participants during debriefing sessions and evidenced by investigator-scored video recordings of resuscitations.
Extracellular ATP stimulates volume decrease in Necturus red blood cells.

This study examined whether extracellular ATP stimulates regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in Necturus maculosus (mudpuppy) red blood cells (RBCs). The hemolytic index (a measure of osmotic fragilit...
Systematic Design of Wide-Bandwidth Photonic Crystal Waveguide Bends With High Transmission and Low Dispersion

We identify factors affecting transmission and dispersive properties of photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) bends, using 2-D simulations and present a method for systematic design of PCW bends to achieve high transmission and low dispersion over large bandwidths. The bends presented here have higher bandwidth and lower dispersion than bends already reported.
Comparing mostly-copying and mark-sweep conservative collection

Many high-level language compilers generate C code and then invoke a C compiler for code generation. To date, most, of these compilers link the resulting code against a conservative mark-sweep garbage collector in order to reclaim unused memory. We introduce a new collector, MCC, based on an extension of mostly-copying collection.We analyze the various design decisions made in MCC and provide a performance comparison to the most widely used conservative mark-sweep collector (the Boehm-Demers-Weiser collector). Our results show that a good mostly-copying collector can outperform a mature highly-optimized mark-sweep collector when physical memory is large relative to the live data. A surprising result of our analysis is that cache behavior can have a greater impact on overall performance than either collector time or allocation time.
Propagation of a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) pulse in a thin-surface waveguide

Field observations are tested against modal propagation theory to find the practical limitations upon derivation of layer permittivities and signal attenuation rates from a radar moveout profile over two‐layer ground. A 65‐MHz GPR pulse was transmitted into a 30‐60‐cm‐thick surface waveguide of wet, organic silty to gravelly soil overlying a drier refracting layer of sand and gravel. Reflection profiles, trench stratigraphy, resistivity measurements, and sediment analysis were used to quantify the propagation medium and possible attenuation mechanisms.Highly dispersive modal propagation occurred within the waveguide through 35 m of observation. The fastest phase velocity occurred at the waveguide cutoff frequency of 30 MHz, which was well received by 100‐MHz antennas. This speed provides the refractive index of the lower layer, so the near‐cutoff frequencies must match a lower layer refraction. A slower, lower frequency phase of the dispersed pulse occurred at about 60–70 MHz, with an average attenuation ...
Life Patterns of Women Transitioning Through Menopause: A Newman Research Study

The purpose of this study was recognition of a unitary pattern emergent within the lives of women transitioning through menopause. This research as praxis method study included 10 women transitioning through menopause. The findings showed that participants recognized unitary pattern within their unique life patterns. Unitary pattern also emerged through three themes which were coming to terms with losses and unexpected gains, increasing awareness of time passing, and concentrating on health and vitality. The findings were connected to the theory of health as expanding consciousness, thereby contributing to nursing knowledge, expanding the theory, and enhancing understanding of unitary pattern.
Sensitivity of tungsten oxide thin films for nitric oxide and methane gases

Tungsten oxide (WO3) thin films were investigated to detect trace amount of nitric oxide (NO) and methane gases in air. WO3 thin films were deposited between micro-patterned gold electrodes and annealed at 500°C in air for 2 hours. The asdeposited films exhibited an amorphous structure and annealed films indicated crystalline WO 3 with the average grain size of 40.3 nm. The crystallinity and surface structure of films were measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The highest sensitivity for 9 ppm NO gas in air at 250°C was 92.6% and 160% for thin and thick WO 3 films, respectively. The respond and recovery times of thinner films were faster than thicker films. The sensitivity was also measured for high concentration level of methane gas to understand and compare the sensitivity of WO 3 films. The highest methane gas sensitivity was 600% for 6% (60,000 ppm) methane in air at 360°C.
The infant microbiome development: mom matters

The infant microbiome plays an essential role in human health and its assembly is determined by maternal–offspring exchanges of microbiota. This process is affected by several practices, including Cesarean section (C-section), perinatal antibiotics, and formula feeding, that have been linked to increased risks of metabolic and immune diseases. Here we review recent knowledge about the impacts on infant microbiome assembly, discuss preventive and restorative strategies to ameliorate the effects of these impacts, and highlight where research is needed to advance this field and improve the health of future generations.
Retinal Function and Rhodopsin Levels in Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa With Rhodopsin Mutations

We studied rod and cone function in 20 patients from six families with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, who represented five different point mutations in the gene encoding rhodopsin. In a family with a stop codon mutation at the carboxyl end of the molecule (glutamine-344), young members with the mutation were asymptomatic and clinically unaffected but showed about 1 log unit of rod sensitivity loss across the visual field and decreased rhodopsin levels; at this stage, cone function was essentially normal. In three families with mutations at the border of a transmembrane segment (arginine-135-leucine and arginine-135-tryptophan), there was neither detectable rod function nor measurable rhodopsin; cone function was variably impaired. Two families carrying different mutations (threonine-17-methionine and threonine-58-arginine) had altitudinal visual field defects with less impaired rod and cone function in the inferior than in the superior field. Rod adaptation was abnormal in both families, but the time course of adaptation differed between patients with the two mutations. Differences in the pattern of retinal dysfunction were therefore discernible in patients with different rhodopsin mutations.
Prospects for enhancing carbon sequestration and reclamation of degraded lands with fossil-fuel combustion by-products

Concern for the potential global change consequences of increasing atmospheric CO has prompted interest in the 2 development of mechanisms to reduce or stabilize atmospheric CO .During the next several decades, a program 2 focused on terrestrial sequestration processes could make a significant contribution to abating CO increases.The 2 reclamation of degraded lands, such as mine-spoil sites, highway rights-of-way, and poorly managed lands, represents an opportunity to couple C sequestration with the use of fossil-fuel and energy by-products and other waste material, such as biosolids and organic wastes from human and animal sewage treatment facilities, to improve soil quality. Degraded lands are often characterized by acidic pH, low levels of key nutrients, poor soil structure, and limited moisture-retention capacity.Much is known about the methods to improve these soils, but the cost of implementation is often a limiting factor.However, the additional financial and environmental benefits of C sequestration may change the economics of land reclamation activities.The addition of energy-related by-products can address the adverse conditions of these degraded lands through a variety of mechanisms, such as enhancing plant growth and capturing of organic C in long-lived soil C pools.This review examines the use of fossil-fuel combustion by-products and organic amendments to enhance C sequestration and identifies the key gaps in information that still must be addressed before these methods can be implemented on an environmentally meaningful scale. 2002 Elsevier Ltd.All rights reserved.
Population structure and genetic variation of lane snapper (Lutjanus synagris) in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Lane snappers (Lutjanus synagris), sampled from eight localities in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and one locality along the Atlantic coast of Florida, were assayed for allelic variation at 14 nuclear-encoded microsatellites and for sequence variation in a 590 base-pair fragment of the mitochondrially encoded ND-4 gene (mtDNA). Significant heterogeneity among the nine localities in both microsatellite allele and genotype distributions and mtDNA haplotype distributions was indicated by exact tests and by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). Exact tests between pairs of localities and spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA) for both microsatellites and mtDNA revealed two genetically distinct groups: a Western Group that included six localities from the northwestern and northcentral Gulf and an Eastern Group that included three localities, one from the west coast of Florida, one from the Florida Keys, and one from the east (Atlantic) coast of Florida. The between-groups component of molecular variance was significant for both microsatellites (ΦCT = 0.016, P = 0.009) and mtDNA (ΦCT = 0.208, P = 0.010). Exact tests between pairs of localities within each group and spatial autocorrelation analysis did not reveal genetic heterogeneity or an isolation-by-distance effect among localities within either group. MtDNA haplotype diversity was significantly less (P < 0.0001) in the Western Group than in the Eastern Group; microsatellite allelic richness and gene diversity also were significantly less in the Western Group (P = 0.015 and 0.013, respectively). The difference in genetic variability between the two groups may reflect reduced effective population size in the Western Group and/or asymmetric rates of genetic migration. The relative difference in variability between the two groups was substantially greater in mtDNA and may reflect one or more mtDNA selective sweeps; tests of neutrality of the mtDNA data were consistent with this possibility. Bayesian analysis of genetic demography indicated that both groups have experienced a historical decline in effective population size, with the decline being greater in the Western Group. Maximum-likelihood analysis of microsatellite data indicated significant asymmetry in average, long-term migration rates between the two groups, with roughly twofold greater migration from the Western Group to the Eastern Group. The difference in mtDNA variability and the order-of-magnitude difference in genetic divergence between mtDNA and microsatellites may reflect different demographic events affecting mtDNA disproportionately and/or a sexual and/or spatial bias in gene flow and dispersal. The spatial discontinuity among lane snappers in the region corresponds to a known zone of vicariance in other marine species. The evidence of two genetically distinct groupings (stocks) has implications for management of lane snapper resources in the northern Gulf.
Design of reprogrammable FPLA

A new design scheme for field programmable logic arrays is presented. The proposed design uses transistors with double polysilicon gates instead of fuses. The design is highly useful since the PLA can be programmed again and again without any constraint. The proposed design offers the concept of reusable hardware to implement combinational circuits.
Mechanics of Fiber Assemblies

The present industrial position of composites, is reviewed. There is competition, polymeric and inorganic, in fibres and matrices, but optimisation depends on the interaction with developing methods of composite manufacturing. Interlaced 3-D textile structures have advantages, but their mechanics cannot be treated well by laminate theory. Relevant advances in textie mechanics are summarised.
A phase-indexed tracking controller for interactive physical simulation of animated characters

In this thesis, I describe a method of animating characters using physical simulation. The main advantage of this approach, verses traditional keyframing methods, is that the animated character can react to physical interactions. These reactions can be synthesized in real-time in interactive applications, such as video games, where traditional approaches can only playback pre-recorded sequences. Physically simulating a character requires a controller, but creating a controller is known to be a challenging task, especially when animation concerns about the style of the motion are taken into consideration. This thesis describes a method of generating a controller automatically and quickly from an input motion. The stylistic aspects of the controller are particularly easy to control, as they are a direct result of the input motion. In order to generate a controller from an input motion, I address two main challenges. First, the input motion must be rectified (minimally modified) to ensure that it is physically plausible. Second, a feedback strategy must be formulated to generate control forces during the simulation. The motion rectification problem is addressed by formulating a fast trajectory optimization that solves for a reference motion. The reference minimally deviates from the input motion to satisfy physical constraints. The second challenge is addressed by employing a novel phase-indexed controller that uses a combination of local and global feedback strategies to keep the character tracking the reference motion. Beyond tracking just a single reference motion, I also demonstrate how variation to a input motion can be automatically synthesized using the same trajectory optimization method used in the rectification process, and how these variations can be sequenced, using optimal control, to accomplish various goals. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
CLINICAL PRACTICE. Peripheral Artery Disease.

Key Clinical PointsPeripheral Artery Disease Atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease affects more than 200 million persons worldwide, including at least 8.5 million persons in the United States, and is associated with high rates of cardiovascular events and death. Smoking and diabetes are the strongest risk factors. Noninvasive vascular testing provides information on the presence, severity, and location of peripheral artery disease. Exercise testing can uncover mild disease and quantify functional capacity. In the treatment of peripheral artery disease, the main goals are to reduce cardiovascular risk and improve functional capacity. Supervised exercise increases walking distance. Cilostazol can be used as an adjunct to an exercise program. Conventional angiography is typically performed when revascularization is being considered. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance angiography can also be useful in planning for revascularization. Revascularization, endovascular or surgical, is indicated for symp...
Preventing Postpartum Smoking Relapse: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Most women who quit smoking during pregnancy will relapse postpartum. Previous efforts to prevent postpartum relapse have been unsuccessful at increasing rates of sustained abstinence. Objective To evaluate the relative efficacy of 2 different approaches to prevent postpartum smoking relapse. Design, Setting, and Participants Pregnant women who recently had quit smoking were recruited before the end of pregnancy. Intervention sessions were conducted through a combination of telephone calls and in-person visits beginning at delivery and continuing through 24 weeks postpartum. Participants completed assessments at the prenatal baseline and at 12, 24, and 52 weeks postpartum. Participants were recruited between March 2008 and December 2012. The dates of the analysis were April 2014 to February 2015. Interventions Women received postpartum-adapted, behavioral smoking relapse prevention intervention and were randomly assigned to an enhanced cognitive behavioral intervention that included additional specialized strategies and content focused on women’s postpartum concerns about mood, stress, and weight (Strategies to Avoid Returning to Smoking [STARTS]) or a supportive, time and attention–controlled comparison (SUPPORT). Intervention began before delivery and continued through 24 weeks postpartum. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was biochemically confirmed sustained tobacco abstinence at 52 weeks postpartum. Secondary outcomes were self-reported mood, levels of perceived stress, and degree of concern about smoking-related weight gain. Results The study cohort comprised 300 participants (150 randomly assigned to each group). Their mean (SD) age was 24.99 (5.65) years. Overall, 38.0% (114 of 300), 33.7% (101 of 300), and 24.0% (72 of 300) of the sample maintained abstinence at 12, 24, and 52 weeks’ postpartum, respectively. There were no differences between the intervention groups in abstinence or time to relapse. Self-reported depressive symptoms and perceived stress significantly improved over time, and improvements were similar for both intervention groups. Women with more depressive symptoms and higher levels of perceived stress were more likely to relapse (hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.04; P = .04 for depressive symptoms and hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07; P = .003 for stress). Conclusions and Relevance An intervention designed to address women’s concerns about mood, stress, and weight did not differentially improve rates of sustained tobacco abstinence postpartum compared with a time and attention–controlled comparison. Women in STARTS and SUPPORT reported postpartum improvements in mood and stress, and the experience of fewer depressive symptoms and less perceived stress was related to sustained abstinence. Given that most pregnant quitters will relapse within 1 year postpartum and that postpartum smoking has negative health consequences for women and children, effective interventions that target postpartum mood and stress are needed. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00757068
Unusual cause of aborted sudden cardiac death in a teen athlete: homozygosity for the 4G allele of the plasminogen activase inhibitor type 1 gene

Common aetiologies of sudden cardiac death in children include coronary anomalies, channelopathies, and cardiomyopathies. Less frequently, hypercoagulable states cause sudden arrest. We report an unusual case of aborted sudden cardiac death in a teenager, ultimately found to have homozygosity for the 4G allele of the plasminogen activase inhibitor type 1 gene.
Tubes, Topology, and Polymer Entanglement

Long polymer chains in concentrated solutions or dense melts interpenetrate extensively. This results in molecular entanglement and topological constraints that severely restrict the motion of polymers and dominate their flow properties. The effect of entanglements on chain motion has long been understood in terms of a confining tube. The tube is characterized by its diameter, which measures the strength of confinement. We show that a purely topological approach can be used to compute the tube diameter by establishing a direct link to the statistics of topological states in simulations of topologically equilibrated ring polymers. We determine how the tube diameter varies with solvent dilution and chain stiffness. We use these results to choose among several phenomenological proposals that relate the tube diameter to the packing length, which sets the scale for close encounters between nearby chain segments.
Impact of membrane fluidity on steric stabilization by lipopolymers.

In this work, the impact of lipid lateral mobility on the steric interaction between membranes containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) functionalized lipids was investigated using the surface force apparatus. The force–distance profiles show the presence of electrostatic and steric repulsion that arise from the presence of negatively charged PEG functionalized lipids. Fluid-phase bilayers have high lateral diffusion relative to gel-phase bilayers; however, a quantitative comparison of the interaction forces between membranes in these two different phase states demonstrates a reduced rate of diffusion in the fluid phase for the PEG-lipids under constrained geometries. Thus, the amount of polymer in the contact zone can be modulated and is reduced with fluid membranes; however, complete exclusion was not achieved. As a result, the steric repulsion afforded by PEG chains or binding affinity of ligated PEG chains can only be modestly tailored by the phase state of the liposome.
Convergent Evolution Provides Evidence of Similar Radiations in Shell Shape in the Turtle Families Emydidae and Geoemydidae

Abstract: We investigated phenotypic diversification in the species-rich and ecologically diverse turtle families Emydidae and Geoemydidae. In particular, we were interested in whether these groups, with many ecologically and morphologically similar species, show similar patterns of evolutionary radiation. We focused on directions of evolution and evolutionary allometry; we also quantitatively investigated whether two supposed morphological analogs shared within the two groups (e.g., “Box Turtles” and “Wood Turtles”) show evidence of convergence. A set of 53 three-dimensional landmarks were digitized on 1029 turtle shells representing 50 emydid species and 62 geoemydid species. These data were analyzed using standard geometric morphometric techniques. Evolutionary patterns were assessed using tests for phylogenetic signal, and the relationship between size and shell shape was determined via phylogenetic regression. Tests for phylogenetic signal in shell shape and for allometry both yielded significant re...
The Vital Numbers: Births and Deaths

The general rule applicable to all living creatures is simple. If more births than deaths occur, a population is increasing in numbers. If there are more deaths, the population decreases. Of course, for any particular area such as a city or state or province, the increase or decrease in the number of people may result from in- or outmigration. But here we are considering only the result of births and deaths upon population size. Hence, we shall examine the course of births and deaths among the Amerindians of Canada and the United States with particular emphasis on the twentieth century. (For detailed information about the basic information available and how we analyzed it, see Appendix 8.)
Resonance Fluorescence in 3-Level Systems

Two types of double optical resonance are described theoretically, and studied experimentally in sodium. One is a ladder-like set of states, and the other has two lower levels each coupled to a single upper level. The atomic steady state populations and the spectrum of the scattered light are determined as a function of the various atomic and laser parameters. It is assumed that the only damping is due to spontaneous emission.
Loop Control Statements

Looping is similiar to creating functions in that they are merely a means to automate a certain multi-step process by organizing sequences of R expressions. R consists of several loop control statements which allow you to perform repetitive code processes with different intentions and allow these automated expressions to naturally respond to features of your data. Consequently, learning these loop control statements will go a long ways in reducing code redundancy and becoming a more efficient data wrangler.
Notch/HES1 Implicated As a Tumor Suppressor Mechanism in Human AML in Vivo

Abstract Abstract 3524 Background: Although Notch signaling contributes to T cell leukemogenesis, the role of Notch in human AML is unclear. We and others have found that activation of Notch signaling inhibits AML growth and survival, e.g. a tumor suppressor like effect. However it is not known what the consequences of activating or inhibiting Notch signaling are in human AML in vivo. Approach: To determine whether Notch signaling would have growth inhibiting effects in vivo, we stably-transduced ML1 human AML cells with the constitutively-active forms of Notch1 and Notch2 (ICN1, ICN2), the common Notch target gene Hairy/Enhancer of Split 1 (HES1) or the pan-Notch inhibitor dominant-negative Mastermind-like (dnMAML) and performed in vivo competitive proliferation assays. Briefly, following transduction, each vector type were sorted to 50% GFP+ (containing the gene of interest) and GFP- (untransduced control cells). Groups of NSG mice were injected with these 50:50 mixtures of ML1 cells, and peripheral blood levels of GFP- and GFP+ cells were measured with flow cytometry for anti-human CD45 and GFP. Results: Peripheral blood engraftment of human CD45+ ML1 cells by week 5 was similar (2–5%) for ICN1, ICN2 and HES1 injected mice, but was significantly higher (23%) in dnMAML injected mice (Panel A). Similar to in vitro competitive proliferation assays, ICN1, ICN2 and HES1 all led to decreased relative numbers of GFP%+ cells, with 1%, 4% and 16% respectively (Panel B). Importantly, dnMAML had little effect on AML proliferation in vitro, however led to dramatic increases in GFP% as well as early morbidity and mortality due to increased leukemia burden, with 93% GFP+ (Panel B), demonstrating a selective advantage for dnMAML-expressing ML1 in vivo. When GFP+ (transduced) ML1 peripheral engraftment was directly compared to GFP- (parental CD45+) engraftment, the GFP- control cells had similar engraftment rates (2–5%) across groups of mice, while the GFP+ engraftment rates were significantly lower in ICN1, ICN2, and HES1 groups, but significantly higher in the dnMAML group (Panel C), demonstrating enhanced engraftment/proliferation in dnMAML-expressing cells. Conclusions: This suggests a previously unreported concept, namely that endogenous Notch ligands can inhibit human AML growth in vivo. This data supports the hypothesis that Notch behaves as a tumor suppressor in AML, and suggests the potential use of Notch agonists in human AML. Download : Download high-res image (19KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Conversations on restorative justice: a talk with Dominic Barter

Dominic Barter develops social technologies that promote dialogue and partnership, focusing primarily in the fields of education, justice, culture and social change. In the mid-90s he collaborated ...
Comparing Chinese undergraduate students’ level of intercultural communication competence: does studying in the USA make a difference?

This article presents the results of a study conducted in order to determine whether Chinese students who study in the USA for a portion of their internationalised undergraduate degree programme re...
Design of monolithic silicon photonics at 25 Gb/s

Monolithic CMOS photonics seeks to minimize total transceiver cost by simplifying packaging, design and test. Here, I examine 25 Gb/s applications in commercially available process technology with a focus on receiver sub-system optimization.
Neural network modeling for a two-stage production process with versatile variables: Predictive analysis for above-average performance

Abstract With growing academic interest and pragmatic need, adaptive two-stage production modeling becomes an emergent research topic for decision sciences and production management. Although prior research has addressed sequential production process, the primary focus was limited to efficiency analysis with a narrow scope of applications. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been commonly used for earlier studies; however, its lack of learning and deficiency in predictive capability seriously diminish the practical utility of DEA and call for an intelligent information-processing technique for further advancement. This paper uniquely presents an output-focused backpropagation neural network (BPNN) approach with capabilities to capture patterns of high performers, a significant departure from conventional efficiency-driven DEA analysis, as well as a promising analytic paradigm. In so doing, the proposed standalone BPNN can predict above-average performance and supports managerial decision-making in setting progressive performance targets in consecutive stages. The sound empirical application to the two-stage bank production process proves the effectiveness of the proposed analytic paradigm. In brief, the intelligent learning model advances existing two-stage production modeling with a methodological breakthrough and makes significant contributions to the existing literature.
Effect of Food Order on Ghrelin Suppression

Data suggest that the temporal sequence of carbohydrate ingestion during a meal has a significant impact on postprandial glucose (1–3), insulin, and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) excursions (4) in type 2 diabetes, while the effects on ghrelin suppression and satiety have not been reported. The study design and methods have previously been described in detail (4). Briefly, using a crossover design, 16 subjects with overweight/obesity and metformin-treated type 2 diabetes were assigned to consume the same meal on 3 days in random order: Blood was sampled for glucose, insulin, active GLP-1, and total ghrelin measurements at baseline (just before meal ingestion) and at 30-min intervals up to 180 min. Participants rated their hunger and fullness levels using a visual analog …
Polyaniline-Functionalized Nanofibers for Colorimetric Detection of HCl Vapor

Hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas is a hazardous byproduct of industrial processes. Colorimetric approaches to facilitate portable and remote detection are especially desirable. We graft polyaniline to the surface of electrospun nylon nanofibers to minimize mass transfer. Using the resulting nanofibers, we demonstrate colorimetric detection of HCl at sub-ppm levels. We investigated the reusability of the fibers and observed a twofold increase in the limit of detection with multiple uses because of dedoping of the PANi indicated by elemental analysis. The limit of detection using visual detection was compared to spectrophotometric analysis. The ΔE from CIE LAB color space analysis via diffuse reflectance spectroscopy enhances the limit of detection by ∼fivefold when compared to visual detection. This analysis is a promising approach for remote detection using simple commercial digital cameras to achieve low limits of detection.