cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Ventricular Excitability-Interval Relationship in Early Diastole in Humans: The Influence of the Electrode Configuration During Bipolar Stimulation

TOIVONEN, L.K., ET AL.: The Ventricular Excitability-Interval Relationship in Early Diastole in Humans: The Influence of the Electrode Configuration During Bipolar Stimulation. The purpose of this sludy was to determine (he relationship belween ventricular excitability and the extrastimuJus (S2) coupling interval in early diastole in humans. The influence of the electrode configuration during bipolar stimulation was examined. Ventricular strength-interval curves were constructed using an eight beat drive train at a cycle length 0/ 600 msec, 2-msec decrements in the S2 coupling interval, and 0.2-mA increments in the current intensity 0/ S2 at each coupling interval. A transient dip in ihe excitation threshold was observed in early diastole during bipolar pacing when the distal electrode was the anode in six of 17 patients {35%}. In contrast, this type of dip was not observed when the distal electrode was the cathode. The excitation threshold at the trough of the dip ranged from 1.0 to 2.2 mA. Unipolar strength-interval curves indicated that a dip occurred with anodal but not cathodal pacing. We postulated that the dip might inter/ere with the accurate determination of the ventricular ejfective refractory period hy resulting in transient loss of ventricular capture during decremental scanning of diastole with S2. A gap in ventricular capture was produced in all six patients who demonstrated a dip in the bipolar strength-interval curve by selecting an S2 current intensity that fell within the dip. In conclusion, the bipolar strength-interval curve may display an early diastolic dip in the excitation threshold, depending on the electrode conjiguration. During determination of the ventricular effective refractory period, if the stimulus intensity falls within the range of current intensities encompassed by the dip, a transient early diastolic gap in ventricular capture will he observed as diastole is scanned with S2. If this type of gap is not recognized, the ventricular effective refractory period may be overestimated. (PACE. Vol. 13, July 1990}
Role of CYP2A5 in the Bioactivation of the Lung Carcinogen 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-Pyridyl)-1-Butanone in Mice

The tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a potent lung carcinogen. Previously, we have demonstrated that NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis in mice depends on target-tissue bioactivation by pulmonary cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that mouse CYP2A5 plays an essential role in NNK bioactivation in mouse lung. The role of CYP2A5 in NNK bioactivation was studied both in vitro and in vivo, by comparing the kinetic parameters of microsomal NNK metabolism and tissue levels of O6-methylguanine (O6-mG) (the DNA adduct highly correlated with lung tumorigenesis) between wild-type (WT) and Cyp2a5-null mice. In both liver and lung microsomes, the loss of CYP2A5 resulted in significant increases in the apparent Km values for the formation of 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)butanone, which represents the reactive intermediate that produces O6-mG in vivo. The loss of CYP2A5 did not change circulating levels of NNK or 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol in mice treated intraperitoneally with NNK at either 20 or 100 mg/kg. However, the levels of lung O6-mG were significantly lower in Cyp2a5-null than in WT mice; the extent of the reduction was greater at the 20 mg/kg dose (∼40%) than at the 100 mg/kg dose (∼20%). These results indicate that CYP2A5 is the low-Km enzyme for NNK bioactivation in mouse lung. It is noteworthy that the remaining NNK bioactivation activities in the Cyp2a5-null mice could be inhibited by 8-methoxypsoralen, a P450 inhibitor used previously to demonstrate the role of CYP2A5 in NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis. Thus, P450 enzymes other than CYP2A5 probably also contribute to NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis in mice.
Kinematics, dynamics and control of wheeled mobile robots

The controllability of nonholonomic robot systems is proved for six common wheel and axle configurations that possess two or three degrees of freedom. After the kinematics and dynamics were modeled using the synchro-drive vehicle as an example, it was proved that continuous feedback stabilization of the vehicle to an equilibrium point is impossible. The dynamic model so developed is also used to prove that simple controllers are sufficient to guarantee stability for the drive- and steering-angle components of synchro-drive vehicles. Although the underlying control systems are stable, the experimental results demonstrated that potential-field navigation can lead robot trajectories to an unexpected invariant set. The results reported can easily be extended to the modeling and control of other mobile robot systems. >
Reporters vs. Undecided Voters: An Analysis of the Questions Asked during the 1992 Presidential Debates.

For the first time in the history of televised presidential debates, organizers in 1992 used undecided voters to query the candidates, a significant deviation from the traditional practice of using experienced journalists. The present study uses quantitative and qualitative analysis to compare the questions asked by undecided voters and reporters. Results indicate reporters used more successful question types and asked questions more concisely, however they were equally if not more likely to jeopardize question clarity. Reporters were also more likely to ask more argumentative, accusatory, and leading questions. Both groups did reasonably well addressing topics considered important in making vote decisions.
Reappraisal of routine oral care with chlorhexidine gluconate for patients receiving mechanical ventilation: systematic review and meta-analysis.

RESULTS There were fewer lower respiratory tract infections in cardiac surgery patients randomized to chlorhexidine (relative risk [RR], 0.56 [95% CI, 0.41-0.77]) but no significant difference in ventilator-associated pneumonia risk in double-blind studies of non–cardiac surgery patients (RR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.66-1.16]). There was no significant mortality difference between chlorhexidine and placebo in cardiac surgery studies (RR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.25-2.14]) and nonsignificantly increased mortality in non–cardiac surgery studies (RR, 1.13 [95% CI, 0.99-1.29]). There were no significant differences in mean duration of mechanical ventilation or intensive care length of stay. Data on hospital length of stay and antibiotic prescribing were limited.
Computerized antimicrobial decision support: an offline evaluation of a database-driven empiric antimicrobial guidance program in hospitalized patients with a bloodstream infection.

Abstract Introduction: We developed a computerized antimicrobial guidance program based on the last 5 years of our laboratory culture data augmented by expert infectious disease logic. The program is designed to assist physicians with the targeting of empiric antimicrobials for hospitalized patients by tracking pathogenic bacteria and their evolving antimicrobial resistance profiles. Costs, toxicities, and environmental impact of antimicrobial use also influence the final recommendations. We undertook the following analysis to verify its potential safety and efficacy in hospitalized patients with a bloodstream infection. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled all inpatients with a positive blood culture for a previously undetermined pathogen during the first 6 months of 2002 and determined the empiric therapy initiated within the 12h before and after the time of culture. Antimicrobial recommendations from the microbiologic decision support tool were then determined by matching specimen (blood), hospital unit, community- versus hospital-acquired category, age category, and gender. Generated antimicrobial recommendations were tailored to patient allergies, age category, and presence of pregnancy, lactation, or hepatic impairment. Results: The microbiology laboratory recorded 226 unique patient/pathogen blood cultures during the study period. Physicians initiated effective empiric therapy in 150 of the 226 cases, for an effectiveness rate of 66%. The computer-guided therapy was effective in 195 of the 226 cases for a rate of 86%. A contingency table analysis showed 55 cases where the computer recommendation was effective but the physicians' selection was not, and eight cases where the physicians' antimicrobials were effective but the computer's were not ( P Discussion: For patients with a bloodstream infection, we found that our computer-guided statistically-derived antimicrobial therapy would potentially improve the rate of effectiveness of empirically chosen antimicrobials.
Correlated MIMO wireless channels: capacity, optimal signaling, and asymptotics

The capacity of the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless channel with uniform linear arrays (ULAs) of antennas at the transmitter and receiver is investigated. It is assumed that the receiver knows the channel perfectly but that the transmitter knows only the channel statistics. The analysis is carried out using an equivalent virtual representation of the channel that is obtained via a spatial discrete Fourier transform. A key property of the virtual representation that is exploited is that the components of virtual channel matrix are approximately independent. With this approximation, the virtual representation allows for a general capacity analysis without the common simplifying assumptions of Gaussian statistics and product-form correlation (Kronecker model) for the channel matrix elements. A deterministic line-of-sight (LOS) component in the channel is also easily incorporated in much of the analysis. It is shown that in the virtual domain, the capacity-achieving input vector consists of independent zero-mean proper-complex Gaussian entries, whose variances can be computed numerically using standard convex programming algorithms based on the channel statistics. Furthermore, in the asymptotic regime of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), it is shown that beamforming along one virtual transmit angle is asymptotically optimal. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the optimality of beamforming, and the value of the corresponding optimal virtual angle, are also derived based on only the second moments of the virtual channel coefficients. Numerical results indicate that beamforming may be close to optimum even at moderate values of SNR for sparse scattering environments. Finally, the capacity is investigated in the asymptotic regime where the numbers of receive and transmit antennas go to infinity, with their ratio being kept constant. Using a result of Girko, an expression for the asymptotic capacity scaling with the number of antennas is obtained in terms
High-resolution Earthquake Relocation in the New Madrid Seismic Zone

We present high-resolution earthquake locations for the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ) using the double-difference location method. The NMSZ consists of four major arms of seismicity centered in the central United States and is one of the few places of concentrated earthquake activity far from a major plate boundary. The zone generates approximately 200 earthquakes per year. Double-difference relocation techniques prove well suited for this region because the distance between neighboring events is small and station coverage is relatively dense. The initial data set consists of 1,394 earthquakes recorded between 2000 and 2006 by 197 stations. The catalog contains approximately 67,000 P -wave and 54,000 S -wave observations, which yields 480,000 differential times. Waveform cross-correlation of P and S waves provides an additional 135,000 high-precision differential times. Relocated hypocenters align along individual segments of the seismic zone, providing a sharper image of the NMSZ faults.
A ten-year search for synchronous cells: obstacles, solutions, and practical applications

My effort to use synchronously dividing cultures to examine the Escherichia coli cell cycle involved a ten-year struggle with failure after failure punctuated by a few gratifying successes, especially at the end. In this essay, I recount my personal journey in this obsessive experimental pursuit. That narrative is followed by a description of a simplified version of the "baby machine," a technique that was developed to obtain minimally disturbed, synchronously growing E. coli cells. Subsequent studies with this methodology led to an understanding of the basic properties of the relationship between chromosome replication and cell division. Accordingly, I end this reminiscence with a simple, fool-proof graphical strategy for deducing the pattern of chromosome replication during the division cycle of cells growing at any rate.
Public-Key Cryptography

The problem of key distribution has been mentioned many times in this book. For many years it was strongly believed that this problem has no satisfactory solution, but in the 1970s, an ideal, simple solution was found and has since become the foundation upon which much of modern cryptography is based.
Two-step sintering of ultrafine-grained barium cerate proton conducting ceramics

Abstract Ultra-fine grained dense BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3− δ (BZCYYb) ceramics have been successfully prepared via a two-step sintering method. Co-precipitation method has been adopted to prepare nano-sized BZCYYb precursors with an average particle size of 30 nm. By controlling the sintering profile, an average grain size of 184 nm was obtained for dense BZCYYb ceramics via the two-step sintering method, compared to 445 nm for the conventional sintered samples. The two-step sintered BZCYYb samples showed less impurity and an enhanced electrical conductivity compared with the conventional sintered ones. Further, the two-step sintering method was applied to fabricate anode supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) using BZCYYb as the electrolyte, resulting in dense ultrafine-grained electrolyte membranes and porous anode substrates with fine particles. Due to the reduced ohmic as well as polarization resistances, the maximum power output of the cells fabricated from the two-step sintering method reached 349 mW m −2 at 700 °C, significantly improved from 172 mW cm −2 for the conventional sintered cells, suggesting that two-step sintering method is very promising for optimizing the microstructure and thus enhancing the electrochemical performances for barium cerate based proton-conducting SOFCs.
Vertical stratification of the nutritional value of fruit: macronutrients and condensed tannins.

Competing successfully for the best feeding sites is an important behavioral strategy but little is known about how feeding sites vary nutritionally within a fruit tree. To answer this question we tested how the nutritional value of a fruit is influenced by its ripeness and its height within the tree crown. A complementary objective was to assess the nutritional value of the midripe fruit, a food item rarely mentioned in the literature despite being exploited on a daily basis by many frugivores. We measured how the dry weight of pulp, water content, and concentration of macronutrients and condensed tannins varied within the tree crowns of 15 fruit species. Collections occurred early in the fruiting cycle, so as to assess the amount of food in the tree before its exploitation by primates. We found that (1) the upper crown produced fruit densities 4.2 times higher, and a fruit crop 4.8 times larger, than the lower crown of the same tree; (2) considering only midripe and ripe stages, upper-crown fruits contained 28.6% more dry pulp, 21.1% more water, and 13.5% more sugars per dry matter than lower-crown fruits of the same tree; (3) midripe fruits contained 80% of the concentrations of sugars of ripe fruits, making them a sweeter food item than one would expect from the intermediate color of their epidermis; (4) cellulose, hemicellulose, proteins, and ash proportionally decreased in concentration while dry pulp and sugars increased during ripening; and (5) ripe fruits were usually rare in the tree (<0.5% of all fruit available) compared to midripe fruits (3–8%). Overall, upper-crown feeding sites produced a higher density and quality of food than lower-crown sites of the same tree. Our data therefore provide a clear nutritional explanation for why tree-feeding frugivores compete for the highest feeding sites. Am. J. Primatol. 76:1207–1232, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adiponectin antagonizes the oncogenic actions of leptin in hepatocellular carcinogenesis

Obesity is rapidly becoming a pandemic and is associated with increased carcinogenesis. Obese populations have higher circulating levels of leptin in contrast to low concentrations of adiponectin. Hence, it is important to evaluate the dynamic role between adiponectin and leptin in obesity-related carcinogenesis. Recently, we reported the oncogenic role of leptin including its potential to increase tumor invasiveness and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. In the present study we investigated whether adiponectin could antagonize the oncogenic actions of leptin in HCC. We employed HCC cell lines HepG2 and Huh7, the nude mice-xenograft model of HCC, and immunohistochemistry data from tissue-microarray to demonstrate the antagonistic role of adiponectin on the oncogenic actions of leptin. Adiponectin treatment inhibited leptin-induced cell proliferation of HCC cells. Using scratch-migration and electric cell-substrate impedance-sensing-based migration assays, we found that adiponectin inhibited leptin-induced migration of HCC cells. Adiponectin treatment effectively blocked leptin-induced invasion of HCC cells in Matrigel invasion assays. Although leptin inhibited apoptosis in HCC cells, we found that adiponectin treatment induced apoptosis even in the presence of leptin. Analysis of the underlying molecular mechanisms revealed that adiponectin treatment reduced leptin-induced Stat3 and Akt phosphorylation. Adiponectin also increased suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS3), a physiologic negative regulator of leptin signal transduction. Importantly, adiponectin significantly reduced leptin-induced tumor burden in nude mice. In HCC samples, leptin expression significantly correlated with HCC proliferation as evaluated by Ki-67, whereas adiponectin expression correlated significantly with increased disease-free survival and inversely with tumor size and local recurrence. Conclusion: Collectively, these data demonstrate that adiponectin has the molecular potential to inhibit the oncogenic actions of leptin by blocking downstream effector molecules. (HEPATOLOGY 2010
Frequent Instruction Sequential Pattern Mining in Hardware Sample Data

When parallelism and heterogeneity has become the trend for computer system design, both the size and the complexity of the hardware sample data generated by Performance Monitoring Unit (PMU) increase fast, thus automatic analysis methods, i.e. data mining methods, are urgently needed to accelerate hardware sample data analysis. We are the first to study instruction sequential pattern mining for hardware sample data. It is a challenging task due to the implicit sequential relationship contained in the data and due to the importance of low frequency patterns. As a solution, we i) provide a novel algorithm ProfSpan, ii) adapt two existing algorithms, which are based on candidate generation and projected database generation, to hardware sample data. Our evaluation results show ProfSpan can reduce up to 75% and 80% of execution time compared with other two algorithms. Particularly, up to 50% of frequent patterns mined by ProfSpan in hardware sample data are crossing basic block boundaries and can not be found by existing methods for source code or disassembly code. We also analyze three example patterns identified by ProfSpan: consecutive loads, JIT entry sequence, and conditional code dependency sequence, to illustrate how ProfSpan can benefit performance analysis. Finally, we apply patterns to module classification and obtain promising results.
The Safety After Fifty Evaluation trial: Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of antihypertensive therapy with metoprolol in patients 50 to 75 years of age: Study design

Abstract Hypertension increases in prevalence with advancing age and is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in elderly patients. However, the presence of coexisting illness, altered drug metabolism, enhanced susceptibility to drug side effects, and physiologic changes such as reduced plasma volume and lower plasma renin levels make truatment of hypertension in elderly patients more difficult. Nonetheless, several studies have now demonstrated the beneficial effects of antihypertensive drug therapy in older parlents. The Safety After Fifty Evaluation trial was designed to determine the short-term efficacy and tolerabillty of once-daily therapy with the cardioselective β-blocker metoprolol anone or in combination with hydrochlorothiazide in the treatment of mild hypertension in patients 50 to 75 years of age. A total of 24,816 patients were enrolled in the trial by 2821 practicing physicians from across the United States. This article describes the detalls of the Safety After Fiffy Evaluation study design. Results of the trial will be reported separately.
Ventricular enlargement, neuropsychological status, and premorbid function in schizophrenia,

Ventricular enlargement is one of the most consistently documented neurobiological abnormalities in schizophrenia. The timing of the development of this abnormality in the course of schizophrenic illness and its relationship to neuropsychological dysfunction and premorbid adjustment is, however, unclear. To address these questions, we examined the relationship between ventricle-brain ratio (VBR), premorbid adjustment, and neuropsychological function, in 23 acutely exacerbated chronic schizophrenic inpatients. We observed that larger ventricles were associated with better current neuropsychological test performance, better premorbid cognitive ability, greater cognitive deterioration, better childhood premorbid social function, and greater decline in social function from premorbid levels. These data suggest that at least two developmental processes may operate in the genesis of cognitive and social dysfunction in schizophrenia: (1) childhood onset associated with poor premorbid childhood function, low educational achievement, lower intelligence quotient (IQ) and variably with VBR; and (2) adolescent onset associated with relatively normal childhood social function, higher academic achievement and IQ and increased VBR. Ventricular enlargement may reflect a late developmental or degenerative pathological process in schizophrenia.
Ageing as an Influence on Tree Response to Ozone: Theory and Observations

Tropospheric ozone (O3) is considered to be a likely contributing factor to tree and forest decline at several forested areas in North American and Europe (Sandermann et al. 1997, Matyssek and Innes 1999). This hypothesis is largely based on O3 exposure-response relationships from studies of seedlings. Ozone exposure-response data for the growth of mature forest trees are not yet widely available, and will be difficult to obtain for many species in the future because of logistical constraints.
Variations in active outflow along the trabecular outflow pathway.

Previous tracer studies have shown segmental outflow in the trabecular meshwork (TM) and along the inner wall (IW) of Schlemm's canal (SC). Whether segmental outflow is conserved distal to SC has not yet been investigated. This study aims to investigate whether the segmented pattern of outflow is conserved in distal outflow pathways by using a newly developed global imaging method and to evaluate variations of active outflow in three distinct regions along trabecular outflow pathway. Six normal whole globe human eyes were first perfused at 15 mmHg to establish a stable baseline outflow facility. The anterior chamber was then exchanged (5 mL) and perfused with fluorescent microspheres (0.002% v/v, 200 μL) to label areas of active outflow. All eyes were perfusion fixed and dissected into anterior segments. The TM and scleral surface were en face imaged globally. Effective filtration area (EFA) and fluorescent tracer distribution and intensity were analyzed in global images for both the TM and episcleral veins (EPVs). Anterior segments were further dissected into a minimum of 16 radial wedges, from which frontal sections were cut, stained, and imaged, using confocal microscopy. EFA from all three locations along the trabecular outflow pathway were measured and compared. Additionally, TM thickness, SC height, and total number of collector channels (CC) were analyzed and compared between active and inactive areas of outflow. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank test with a required significance of p ≤ 0.05. All three locations showed a segmental outflow pattern. The TM had a significantly higher mean EFA (86.3 ± 3.5%) compared to both the IW (34.7 ± 2.9%; p ≤ 0.01) and EPVs (41.1 ± 3.8%; p ≤ 0.01). No significant difference in mean EFA was found between IW and EPVs. Preferential active outflow was observed in the nasal and inferior quadrants. TM thickness was significantly larger in areas of active outflow (103.3 ± 4.0 μm; p ≤ 0.01) compared to areas of inactive outflow (78.5 ± 6.5 μm), but there was no significant difference in SC height between active and inactive outflow areas. Among all eyes, a total of 80 CCs were counted with 63 associated with active outflow and 17 associated with inactive outflow. A higher number of CCs associated with areas of active outflow were found in the nasal (26 of 63) and inferior (20 of 63) quadrants compared to the temporal (9 of 63) and superior (8 of 63) quadrants. A segmental nature of outflow is conserved along the trabecular outflow pathway with variations in three distinct locations (TM, IW, and EPVs). IW and EPVs showed a similar mean EFA. Preferential active outflow was observed in the nasal and inferior quadrants of the eye, which are associated with more expanded TM and higher number of CCs. Normal outflow patterns and its variations along the outflow pathway reported in this study will provide the basis for future studies of the outflow changes in eyes with glaucoma.
Connection making between multiple graphical representations

Making connections between graphical representations is integral to learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields. However, students often fail to make these connections spontaneously. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) are suitable educational technologies to support connection making. Yet, when designing an ITS for connection making, we need to investigate what concepts and learning processes play a role within the specific domain. We describe a multi-methods approach for grounding ITS design in the specific requirements of the target domain. Specifically, we applied this approach to an ITS for connection making in chemistry. We used a theoretical framework that describes potential target learning processes and conducted a series of four empirical studies to investigate what role graphical representations play in chemistry knowledge and to investigate which learning processes related to connection making play a role in students' learning about chemistry. These studies combined multiple methods, including knowledge testing, eye tracking, interviews, and log data analysis. We illustrate how our findings inform the design of an ITS for chemistry: Chem Tutor. Results from two pilot studies done in the lab and in the field with altogether 99 undergraduates suggest that Chem Tutor leads to significant and large learning gains on chemistry knowledge. Students' benefit from multiple graphical representations depends on connection making.Connection making support needs to align with the requirements of the specific target domain.We describe a multi-methods approach to ground the design of an intelligent tutoring system in the chemistry domain.The system supports sense-making and fluency-building processes.Two pilot studies demonstrate significant and large learning gains.
An Ultra Low Loss THz Waveguide

We demonstrate a new concept for guiding THz radiation with dB/km attenuation, by exploiting the unique properties of the TE 1 mode of a parallel-plate-waveguide. This represents a thousand-fold decrease of the attenuation over existing waveguides.
Topology Optimization on the Cloud: A Confluence of Technologies

Topology optimization is a systematic method of generating designs to meet specific engineering requirements. It is exploited today in several industries including aircraft, automobile, and machinery, and it strongly complements the emerging field of additive manufacturing. Yet, the wide-spread use of topology optimization has been deterred due to high computational cost and significant software/hardware investment.In this paper, we propose a cloud based topology optimization (CTO) framework to overcome these challenges, thereby promoting the wider use of topology optimization. CTO requires a confluence of several methods and technologies, each of which is discussed in this paper.First and foremost, CTO requires a fast 3D topology optimization method that can respond rapidly to multiple clients. Here, PareTO, a topological sensitivity based method is used as the backbone of the framework. PareTO relies on limited-memory finite element analysis with a deflated linear solver that is designed to exploit multi-core and many-core architectures. At the client-end, the framework relies on JavaScript based WebGL and ThreeJS technologies to display 3D geometry and formulate structural problems within a browser. Finally, Ajax, php and HTML5 technologies are exploited to achieve asynchronous and robust user experience. An implementation of this framework is available at www.cloudtopopt.com; to use this free service, JavaScript must be enabled within the browser.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Essays on Conflicts of Interest in Medicine

The dissertation abstract and reflection commentary present the work of Dr. Sunita Sah. The abstract provides an overview of three main research questions that address conflicts of interest in medicine. Sah first explores why physicians accept gifts from pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers that appear, to many critics, to be unethical. Second, she investigates situations that may increase or decrease bias in advice. Finally, Sah examines the impact of conflicted advice on advisees, particularly when they are aware of the conflict. Disclosure (informing advisees about the conflict of interest) is one of the most commonly proposed and implemented solutions to address conflicts of interest but can have surprising and unintended effects on both advisors and advisees. The reflection commentary discusses the author’s views of the research process as a junior scholar.
Bringing Uniformity in Topic Coverage and Grading Fairness in Multiple Sections of an Engineering Course

In large engineering departments, multiple sections of an engineering course are typically offered during a single semester to accommodate student enrollment demands. At times, multiple sections of a single course are taught by the same instructor, but very often, they are taught by different instructors. Having different instructors teaching various sections of the same course provides opportunities for students to select the instructor of their choice. But it also may create unfairness in grades received by all students taking the same course. Since the grading scale can vary significantly among the instructors, the grade distribution in various sections of the same course can also vary significantly. Some students, who pass a course with one instructor, might not be able to pass the same course if the course is taken with another instructor. One way to resolve this problem is for the instructors to coordinate their efforts in the way they are teaching the course and evaluating student knowledge. In fall 2014, and spring 2015 two instructors who were teaching two sections of a senior level engineering course collaborated in providing a uniform coverage of course topics and coordinated their efforts in assessing knowledge of all students enrolled in both sections. They worked together to put similar emphasize on the topics covered in the course. The weight of each exam, homework assignments, and projects counted towards the final exam were agreed upon at the start of the semester. Exam questions were developed and graded by both instructors. The benefits of coordination in teaching and evaluating the student knowledge uniformly are discussed. Lesson learned in this experiment are also included.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Hanging a Bird Feeder: Food for Thought

Calculus instructors who have grown weary of the usual maximum/minimum problems may find the following example of interest. Its context is one familiar to students, yet unlike most geometric optimization problems they will have encoun? tered, the optimal configuration depends in an unexpected way on the numerical values chosen for the parameters. It is a thinly veiled variant of Steiner's problem, a classic problem in geometry which has been unduly neglected by authors of calculus texts.
Far-Infrared Sounding of the Troposphere: Rational and the FIRST Instrument

The FIRST project shows the capabilities of an imaging FTS that covers the important long wavelength portion of the OLR. Here we describe the motivation behind the project, the prototype initial instrument, and results.
Artificial Radioactivity of Cr 49

A radioactive isotope of half-life 41.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 minutes has been produced by alpha-particle bombardment of titanium and by fast neutron bombardment of chromium. Evidence presented shows that the activity should be assigned to ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{49}$. Absorption measurements indicate the presence of gamma-rays of energies 0.19 and 1.55 Mev. The end point of the positron spectrum is 1.45 Mev. The 33-minute activity in vanadium is assigned to ${\mathrm{V}}^{47}$.
Sorption and redox reactions of As(III) and As(V) within secondary mineral coatings on aquifer sediment grains.

Important reactive phenomena that affect the transport and fate of many elements occur at the mineral–water interface (MWI), including sorption and redox reactions. Fundamental knowledge of these phenomena are often based on observations of ideal mineral–water systems, for example, studies of molecular scale reactions on single crystal faces or the surfaces of pure mineral powders. Much less is understood about MWI in natural environments, which typically have nanometer to micrometer scale secondary mineral coatings on the surfaces of primary mineral grains. We examined sediment grain coatings from a well-characterized field site to determine the causes of rate limitations for arsenic (As) sorption and redox processes within the coatings. Sediments were obtained from the USGS field research site on Cape Cod, MA, and exposed to synthetic contaminated groundwater solutions. Uptake of As(III) and As(V) into the coatings was studied with a combination of electron microscopy and synchrotron techniques to asses...
Posttraumatic growth in American and Japanese men: Comparing levels of growth and perceptions of indicators of growth.

Recent studies indicate that cross-cultural differences exist in posttraumatic growth (i.e., positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with a highly stressful life event). This study examined how the experiences and perceived indicators of posttraumatic growth varied between American and Japanese men. Based on the posttraumatic growth (PTG) theoretical model, it was hypothesized that American men would report higher PTG than Japanese men, and PTG would vary by the type of event experienced. In addition, this study tested the hypothesis that some indicators of change would be rated as more representative of growth in American men than in Japanese men. American and Japanese men completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) based on their most stressful experience from the past five years and rated how each of the items in the PTGI was indicative of personal growth by using the modified PTGI. Results indicated that American men scored higher on the total PTGI and on three out of five domains of PTG. PTGI scores also varied by the type of event experienced. In the appreciation of life domain of the PTGI, for example, those who lost a loved one reported higher growth than those who experienced injury or severe illness and those who experienced financial or academic problems. PTGI items and domains that were considered to be most indicative of growth differed between American and Japanese men. Suggestions for future research and the potential implications of attending to differences in perceived indicators of PTG are considered.
Plasminogen Activators: Regulators of Tumor Cell Adherence to Sites of Lower Urinary Tract Surgical Trauma

Abstract Tumor cell adherence (TCA) to sites of surgical injury is a requisite step in implantation-mediated tumor recurrence. This study examined the relationship between tumor-associated plasminogen activator (PA) and the ability of tumor cells to remain adherent to surgical injury sites. High (1E8) and low (3A9) PA producing clones from the murine transitional carcinoma cell line 4909 were selected using an in vitro 125I fibrinolysis assay. Net cellular PA activity of each clone was determined from cell lysates using a chromogenic substrate assay. In vitro TCA and fibrin substrate lysis as a function of time were simultaneously measured using a tetrazolium dye assay in combination with an 125I fibrinolysis assay. In vivo TCA to in situ cautery-injured rat bladders was measured 30 minutes (n = 12 animals/cell line) and 24 hours (n = 18 animals/cell line) following tumor exposure with a radiolabeled TCA assay. In vitro and in vivo competitive binding assays evaluated the relative adherence of mixtures of the 1E8 and 3A9 clones. Cellular PA activity was 0.022, 0.014 and 0.007 units per mg. protein for the 1E8, 4909 and 3A9 cell lines. In vitro TCA to fibrin in the presence of plasminogen was significantly different for each cell line and demonstrated an inverse relationship with both plasminogen-dependent fibrin lysis and cellular PA activity (p
Stress and coping in couples facing infertility

Infertility presents an ideal setting for examining how stress impacts couple relationships. The effect of facing fertility problems on couple relationships is highly varied. Traditional stress and coping models are limited, because they do not account for partner interdependence. We propose a stress and coping in couples model which argues that couples whose approaches to managing infertility (i.e., their appraisal and coping efforts) are compatible will experience more positive communication, and be more likely to experience a strengthening of their relationship; whereas couples with incompatible approaches will be more likely to experience negative communication and a weakening of their relationship. Evidence in support of this model is reviewed. Our approach to counseling couples emerges from the proposed model and represents a specific application of Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy.
Optimal weight gain in triplet pregnancies

AbstractObjective: To identify appropriate weight gain in triplet gestations, which may aid in reducing the risk of perinatal morbidity within this high-risk cohort.Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated all non-anomalous triplet pregnancies between 23 and 40 weeks’ gestation resulting in live births at five tertiary-care medical centers between 1991 and 2011. Subjects were divided by pre-pregnancy BMI into underweight, normal-weight, overweight, and obese groups, and then stratified by low (<0.5 lb/week), moderate (0.5–1.49 lbs/week), or excess weight gain (≥1.5 lbs/week). Primary outcomes included spontaneous preterm birth and preeclampsia.Results: We included 116 mothers and 348 corresponding neonates for final analysis. The incidence of preeclampsia and preterm delivery less than 32 weeks’ gestation was 37% and 41%, respectively. The incidence of preeclampsia increased with weight gain per week, but was not statistically different from subjects who gained less weight. We found no statistic...
Collaborative estimation in dispersive environments: A frequency domain approach

We investigate the feasibility of reconstructing a signal recorded at multiple sensors through dispersive channels, with minimal prior information regarding the signal and the channels. We first demonstrate the efficacy of a parallelizable frequency domain algorithm which exploits the continuity of the channels across frequency, operating over small, overlapped frequency bins. The algorithm employs SVD-based estimates of the signal over each frequency bin (over which the channels are modeled as quadratic), and then stitches these estimates together based on consistency conditions across adjacent bins. While this algorithm gives excellent signal reconstruction over frequency bands that are one order of magnitude larger than the channel “coherence bandwidth,” fundamental limitations arise for larger frequency bands, in that it is possible to construct multiple explanations consistent with the recorded data.
Intentional Leadership Planning and Development: The Collective Responsibility to Educate More Social Work Leaders

Social workers have the capacity and skills to assume leadership positions in social service agencies. Social work educational institutions must continue to prepare and encourage graduates to seek leadership roles in social service agencies. Social work curriculum and post-graduate professional development are significant avenues to ensure social workers will be excellent choices as organizational leaders and administrators. This article offers a review of the literature to identify gaps and ways to cultivate leaders through intentional recruitment and continuous training of social workers in human service leadership and administration.
Combination lapatinib and capecitabine in advanced, incurable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

6094 Background: In an era of increasing use of platinum-based induction chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy, most metastatic/recurrent SCCHN patients (pts) have received multiple chemotherapeutic a...
Systems Engineering Perspective of the Cruise Industry

The maturation of the cruise industry has led to increased competition which demands more efficient operations. Systems engineering, a discipline that studies complex organizations of material, people, and information, is traditionally only applied in the manufacturing sector; however, it can make significant contributions to service industries such as the cruise industry. The author describes this type of engineering, explores how it can be applied to the cruise industry, and presents two case studies demonstrating applications to the cruise industry luggage delivery process and the information technology help desk process. The results show that this approach can make the processes more productive and enhance profitability for the cruise lines.
Membranectomy in Chronic Subdural Hematoma: Meta-Analysis

Objective Initial management strategies of chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) are controversial and range from bedside twist-drill or burr-hole drainage to craniotomy with membranectomy (CWM). We aim to 1) perform a meta-analysis of the available data on the outcomes of CWM for treatment of cSDH in published English-language literature and 2) evaluate collective outcomes of CWM with respect to morbidity, mortality, and recurrence rates. Methods A search of English-language literature performed in PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane databases using key words (“subdural hematoma” or “chronic subdural hematoma”) and (“membrane” or “membranectomy”) from inception to December 2016 was conducted. Studies reporting outcomes of CWM in cSDH were included. Mortality, morbidity, follow-up duration, and recurrence rate data were extracted and analyzed. Pooled estimates and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for all outcomes using a random-effects model. Results Of 301 articles found, 17 articles containing 5369 patients met our eligibility criteria. Mean follow-up duration ranged from 1–30.8 months. Collective mean mortality and morbidity rates were 3.7% and 6.9%, respectively (95% CI 2–5.4% and 2.1–11.6%; P Conclusions Clinical data on outcomes of CWM in cSDH are limited to single institutional analyses, with considerable variation in recurrence rates and follow-up time. The rates we reported are comparable with the 5% mortality and 3%–12% morbidity rates and lower than the 10%–21% recurrence rate in the literature for burr holes or craniotomy without membranectomy. This meta-analysis provides an in-depth analysis of available data and reviews reported outcomes.
Experimental Study on the Porosity of Electrochemical Nickel Deposits

Abstract Porous metal parts offer unique advantages over traditional parts as they have excellent specific mechanical properties at a lesser weight. In this paper, the effect of the electrical parameters of deposition such as voltage and pulse duty cycle during pulsed electrodeposition on the current density and porosity of the manufactured parts was studied. Porosity at the micron scale, with a pore size between 1 – 10 μm was identified while using a 250 μm anode (tool). It is demonstrated that the porosity during these depositions occurs due to the kinetics of the electrochemical deposition, nucleation and crystal growth mechanisms. Through the study, it was found that the pulse duty cycle and voltage influence the porosity of the part. Higher duty cycle and higher voltage result in lower porosity in deposits, except in the case of 50% duty cycle when the double layer capacitance confines the deposit.
Online and Hybrid Learning

Online and hybrid learning research in business and management education has grown in the 21st century. This curated collection of articles highlights some emerging themes, including online/virtual...
Characterization of cyclic Cushing's disease using late night salivary cortisol testing.

OBJECTIVE To characterize a cohort of patients with cyclic Cushing's disease (CD) in comparison with noncyclic CD using late night salivary cortisol (LNSC) and examine the diagnostic sensitivity of LNSC in comparison with that of 24-hour urine-free cortisol (UFC) in this population. DESIGN Retrospective study of patients with CD seen in our institution between 2008 and 2017. PATIENTS A total of 205 patients, including 17 (8%) with cyclic CD (based on a minimum of 3 peaks and 2 troughs in cortisol levels). In a secondary analysis, 38 patients (19%) with cyclic CD were identified (based on a criterion of at least 2 peaks and 1 trough). MEASUREMENTS Data on presentation, laboratory tests and outcomes were extracted. The diagnostic sensitivity of LNSC vs UFC in establishing cyclic CD was calculated. Kaplan-Meier analyses of recurrence after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery (TSS) were performed. RESULTS The interval between presentation and TSS was significantly longer in patients with cyclic CD (P < .0001) in comparison with those with noncyclic CD. The sensitivity of LNSC in establishing cyclic CD was 88% and was higher than that of UFC (12%, P = .007). There were no differences in remission and recurrence rates between patients with cyclic CD and those with noncyclic CD. CONCLUSIONS Patients with cyclic CD account only for a minority of those with CD, but may require a lengthier diagnostic evaluation. The use of LNSC on multiple occasions provides a more sensitive method of detecting cyclic CD than UFC. Outcomes of TSS in cyclic CD are comparable to those with noncyclic disease.