cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Replicating real-time garbage collector for Java

Real-time Java is becoming a viable platform for real-time applications, bringing new challenges to a garbage collector. A real-time collector has to be incremental as not to cause deadline misses by suspending an application for too long. In particular, a real-time collector has to relocate objects in the heap, incrementally and transparently to the application. This is usually achieved via an indirection that has to be followed on every read and write to the heap.We present an alternative solution, based on object replication, which does not need any special handling for memory reads, but writes are more expensive: every value is written twice. As writes are less frequent than reads, the total overhead is reduced. With our implementation in a research real-time Java VM and DaCapo, pseudo-jbb, and SPEC JVM 98 benchmarks, we observe an average speed-up of 3%.A similar technique was implemented in Sapphire, a copying concurrent collector targeting highly parallel systems. Sapphire requires that all accesses to non-volatile shared variables in applications are protected by locks. Our uniprocessor non-concurrent mostly non-copying collector, targeting green-threading embedded systems, does not have this requirement. The mutator barriers supporting our collector are simpler and more predictable.
German Women's Poetry Circa 1900: A Forgotten Anthology

The anthology Frauenlyrik unserer Zeit (1907), edited by the artist-writer Julia Virginia Scheuermann, appeared at a pivotal moment in literary history when the economic conditions for poetry, aesthetic tastes, and women's roles in society were in dramatic flux. In this article, I examine those dynamic conditions and the influence such anthologies once attained as quintessential social and cultural projects. I propose that the intermediality of this unique collection marks it as a transitional project that bridged the private and public spheres and illustrated the expansion of women's writing. I argue that the author's rights movement, advanced by the Kartell lyrischer Autoren, influenced the stylistic and ideological heterogeneity of the collection. By boldly defining the emergence of women's writing in the early twentieth century in terms of universal human history (Menschheitsgeschichte), Scheuermann proposes a narrative rationale for the lyric genre that endures in later modernist projects.
Measurement of the magnetic field coefficients of particle accelerator magnets

The measurement system developed for application to the AGS (Alternating Gradient Synchrotron) is an outgrowth of that used for the SSC (Superconducting Supercollider) dipoles. The use of the system to measure the field multipoles on a plateau and during a fast ramp is discussed theoretically. The same basic coil assembly can be used to obtain the magnetic multipoles in dipole, quadrupole, and sextupole magnets. >
A 1.9Gb/s 358mW 16-to-256 State Reconfigurable Viterbi Accelerator in 90nm CMOS

A 16-to-256 state coarse-grain reconfigurable Viterbi accelerator fabricated in 1.3V, 90nm dual-Vt CMOS technology is described for 3.8GHz operation, with 1.9Gb/s data rate in 32-state mode. Radix-4 ripple-carry ACS circuits, reconfigurable path metric read/write control and tree-bitline traceback memory circuits with programmable ring-buffer decoders enable 358mW total power, measured at 1.3V, 50 degC, with performance scalable to 2.35Gb/s at 17V, 50 degC.
Decision-making life-cycle cost analysis model for energy-efficient housing retrofits

Housing retrofit can reduce energy consumption and decrease long-term costs associated with the operation of a building. The objective of this study is to introduce an approach for evaluating energy-efficient housing retrofit alternatives, using data from a real case. A detailed life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) of possible retrofitting strategies is performed for the case of a house built in the 1960s in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Based on this case study, an approach is developed to illustrate the impact trend of retrofitting costs on energy consumption savings. By defining three separate cost evaluation zones, comprising of a cost effective zone, an energy efficient zone, and an improvement needed zone, the results of this study can potentially be used not only in decision-making for retrofitting, but also in the evaluation of projects related to energy retrofits. Then, using the proposed methodology for the case study, a normalised model is developed to evaluate the effectiveness of retrofitting effo...
Estimating Social Network Structure and Propagation Dynamics for an Infectious Disease

The ability to learn network structure characteristics and disease dynamic parameters improves the predictive power of epidemic models, the understanding of disease propagation processes and the development of efficient curing and vaccination policies. This paper presents a parameter estimation method that learns network characteristics and disease dynamics from our estimated infection curve. We apply the method to data collected during the 2009 H1N1 epidemic and show that the best-fit model, among a family of graphs, admits a scale-free network. This finding implies that random vaccination alone will not efficiently halt the spread of influenza, and instead vaccination and contact-reduction programs should exploit the special network structure.
Diversity of epithelial morphogenesis during eggshell formation in drosophilids

The eggshells of drosophilid species provide a powerful model for studying the origins of morphological diversity. The dorsal appendages, or respiratory filaments, of these eggshells display a remarkable interspecies variation in number and shape, and the epithelial patterning underlying the formation of these structures is an area of active research. To extend the analysis of dorsal appendage formation to include morphogenesis, we developed an improved 3D image reconstruction approach. This approach revealed considerable interspecies variation in the cell shape changes and neighbor exchanges underlying appendage formation. Specifically, although the appendage floor in Drosophila melanogaster is formed through spatially ordered neighbor exchanges, the same structure in Scaptodrosophila pattersoni is formed through extreme changes in cell shape, whereas Drosophila funebris appears to display a combination of both cellular mechanisms. Furthermore, localization patterns of Par3/Bazooka suggest a self-organized, cell polarity-based origin for the variability of appendage number in S. pattersoni. Our results suggest that species deploy different combinations of apically and basally driven mechanisms to convert a two-dimensional primordium into a three-dimensional structure, and provide new directions for exploring the molecular origins of interspecies morphological variation.
A Glacial Time

New England elevated 10,000 or 12,000 ft above the sea—Her mountains covered with perennial snow—Scenery of the times—Flora and fauna of the age—First appearance of glaciers in the country—The peculiar phenomena connected with them—Scenery of the times—New England covered with a glacial cap—The glacier and the climate described—Aurora borealis—Separation of icebergs from the glacier – Their general appearance when first detached—A storm, and breaking up of floe ice—Boulder materials deposited by the glacier on dry land—Much of this debris washed away by floods and rivers towards the south.
Exploring Ethnic Differences in Taste Perception

It is well known that nutritional intake can vary substantially as a function of demographic variables such as ethnicity and/or sex. Although a variety of factors are known to underlie the relationship between these demographic variables and nutritional intake, it is interesting to speculate that variation in food intake associated with ethnicity or sex may result, in part, from differences in the perceived taste of foods in these different populations. Thus, we initiated a study to evaluate taste responsiveness in different ethnic groups. Moreover, because of the known differences in taste responsiveness between males and females, analyses were stratified by sex. The ethnic groups tested differed significantly from one another in reported perceived taste intensity. Our results showed that Hispanics and African Americans rated taste sensations higher than non-Hispanic Whites and that these differences were more pronounced in males. Understanding the nature of these differences in taste perception is important, because taste perception may contribute to dietary health risk. When attempting to modify diet, individuals of different ethnicities may require personalized interventions that take into account the different sensory experience that these individuals may have when consuming foods.
Pattern of Flagellar Tubules in the Sperm of Krizousacorixa femorata

Descriptions of the pattern of sperm tubules of 14 Orders of insects are reviewed by Philips (1969, 1970) with the conclusion that the 9+9+2 pattern prevails except for 5 Orders. Representatives of the Hemiptera (Homoptera) were presented (Philips 1970, Robison 1966). To my knowledge, however, excepting the publication of Barker and Riess (1965), no other report is made of the pattern of spermatid tubules among the Hemiptera (Heteroptera). During studies of meiotic chromosomes of Krizousacorixa femorata (Guerin) the tubules of the sperm flagella were observed, but not described (Peters and Kleba 1971). Since the size and appearance of the accessory tubules in the spermatids seem to be species-specific (Philips 1970), a comprehensive knowledge of the pattern of the tubules among insects seems to be of taxonomic significance in distinguishing species.
Systematic implications of comparative ultrastructure of secretory acini in the submandibular salivary gland in Artibeus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)

The principal submandibular salivary gland in four species of the stenodermatine genus Artibeus was examined ultrastructurally to determine the possible intrageneric systematic value of salivary gland morphology. In terms of general architecture, the submandibular glands are similar in Artibeus cinereus , the previously studied A. phaeotis, A. jamaicensis, A. lituratus , and A. concolor . The secretory acini in all five species consist of serous cells that often are capped by a seromucous demilune. Secretory granules in the serous cells are large and uniformly electron-dense. In contrast, secretory granules in the seromucous cells have a complex substructure that varies from species to species. The most highly organized seromucous granules are found in A. cinereus and closely resemble those in A. phaeotis . The secretory granules in Artibeus jamaicensis and A. lituratus differ slightly from these other two species, but are extremely similar to one another. Artibeus concolor differs from all of the other four in having seromucous granules that are ultrastructurally distinctive. Similarities and differences in seromucous secretory granules thus match independently derived genic data, showing that the ultrastructure of salivary gland secretory product can have systematic significance. This also is the first reported instance in which ultrastructural differences in a cell product have been correlated with intrinsic genic differences as opposed to functional state or some other factor.
Pulsed Laser Deposition of NbNx (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.4) Thin Films

The structure, morphology, and electrical properties of pulsed laser deposited NbNx (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.4) thin films have been investigated. Films were deposited from Nb metal targets on oriented MgO (100) and amorphous fused silica substrates as a function of substrate temperature and ambient pressure. A reducing atmosphere (N2 with 10% H2) was used to prevent oxide formation. At elevated temperatures, the N/Nb ratios of films deposited on MgO, as determined from Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy, increased from 0 −1.4 as the ambient pressure was varied from vacuum to 200 mTorr, respectively. NbNx films (x=l) were deposited at 600 °C and 60 mTorr. Both the structure and electrical properties of the deposited films varied strongly with the substrate type. On fused silica, NbN films were poorly crystalline with low critical temperatures (Tc ∼ 8–11 K) and low critical currents (Jc (4.2 K) ∼ 2 MA/cm2), whereas on MgO the NbN films were oriented and had better transport properties (Tc ∼ 16.4 K and Jc (4.2 K) = 7.1 MA/cm2).
Prostatic Artery Embolization Using Embosphere Microspheres for Prostates Measuring 80–150 cm3: Early Results from a US Trial

Between November 2014 and October 2015, 12 patients with prostates measuring 80-150 cm(3) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) were enrolled in a prospective single-center US trial to evaluate Embosphere Microspheres for use in prostatic artery embolization (PAE). At 3 months, mean improvements in International Prostate Symptom Score and quality of life score were 18.3 points (range, 5-27) and 3.6 points (range, 1-6), respectively. One-month cystoscopies and anoscopies demonstrated no ischemic injuries. There were no major complications. In this cohort, Embosphere Microspheres, when used for PAE, were safe and effective in reducing LUTSs in the early follow-up period.
Effect of Collimator Setting on the Output of Rectangular Fields from Linear Accelerators

The output (cGy/mu) of a rectangular field from a linear accelerator is not always the same as that of its equivalent square field. We have summarized output variations with upper and lower collimator setting for 4, 6, and 24 MV X-rays. It is concluded that an error in output on the order of a few percent is introduced for elongated fields if lower set of collimator jaws is used for setting the longer dimension of the field, and computing the output using equivalent square method. It is recommended that specific guidelines be developed regarding rectangular field setting on high energy linacs.
Additive manufacturing of steady-state mirrors for the KSTAR ECH launchers

Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) launchers typically use a fixed and a steerable mirror to direct a microwave beam to a small volume of a plasma, for the purpose of heating or current drive. Superconducting tokamaks such as KSTAR are now operating their ECH systems at pulse lengths that require steady-state equilibrium between heat input and heat extraction. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory has designed, and fabricated, a set of fixed and steerable mirrors for use in the KSTAR system during the 2015 campaign. During the course of our design work, the emergence of additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, of metal components prompted a decision to take advantage of this technology in our mirrors.
Evolution: Gene regulation in transition

An in-depth analysis of a close relative of animals, Capsaspora owczarzaki, provides clues to the changes in gene regulation that occurred during the transition to multicellularity.
MAPPING RNA REGIONS IN EUKARYOTIC RIBOSOMES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO METHIDIUMPROPYL-EDTA.FE(II) AND EDTA-FE(II)

Methidiumpropyl-EDTA•Fe(II) [MPE.Fe(II)] and EDTA•Fe(II) were used to investigate the structure of Drosophila melanogaster ribosomes. Cleavage reactions were performed on intact ribosomes in cell lysates in vitro and analyzed by primer extension with reverse transcriptase using oligodeoxynucleotide primers. Regions of 18S and 28S ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) which are accessible to MPE•Fe(II) and EDTA•Fe(II) are located almost exclusively within expansion segments. The accessibility of these regions to cleavage indicates that they are likely exposed on the surface of eukaryotic ribosomes. These results provide information about the overall tertiary structure of rRNA in ribosomes.
Robust, Transformable and Crystalline Single-Node Organometallic Networks Constructed from Ditopic m-Terphenyl Isocyanides

The preparation of 3D and 2D Cu(I) coordination networks using ditopic m-terphenyl isocyanides is described. The incorporation of sterically encumbering substituents enables the controlled, solid-state preparation of Cu(I) tris-isocyanide nodes with a labile solvent ligand in a manner mirroring solution-phase chemistry of monomeric complexes. The protection afforded by the m-terphenyl groups is also shown to engender significant stability towards heat as well as acidic or basic conditions, resulting in robust single-metal-node networks that can transition from 3D to 2D extended structures.
Early growth faltering in post-institutionalized youth and later anthropometric and pubertal development.

Early-life adversity that increases the risk of growth stunting is hypothesized to increase the risk of obesity and, in girls, early-onset puberty. This hypothesis was tested in children adopted from orphanages. Post-institutionalized (PI) youth were compared with youth reared in comparable families (non-adopted; NA) on height, weight, pubertal stage, and fat mass (127 PI, 80 female; 156 NA, 85 female, aged 7–14 years). Anthropometric findings at adoption were obtained from first US clinic visits. Overall, 25% of PI youth were height-stunted (<3rd percentile) at adoption. Years post adoption, PI youth had lower BMI-for-age (P=0.004), height-for-age (P<0.001), and less body fat (P<0.001) than NA youth had, but they did not differ by sex. Pubertal status did not differ by group or sex. The anthropometric findings held when the stunted-at-adoption subset was examined; they were also less likely to be in central puberty than other PI youth. Early deprived orphanage care increases the risk of growth stunting but not obesity in children adopted into US families, and it does not independently contribute to early-onset puberty for PI girls. The role of the environment following early adversity may modify the impact of early adverse care.
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura INDUCED PANCREATITIS– A Rare Complication

Abstract Abstract 4683 Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) is a rare clinical disorder characterized by clinical combination of fever, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, renal failure and neurological changes. Pancreatitis may occur as a result of TTP or may rarely trigger TTP. We present a case of acute Pancreatitis as a complication of TTP. A 29 year-old African-American female with history of alcohol abuse presented with three days of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and fever. Vitals: BP-120/80mmHg, HR-75/min, Temp-98F, and RR-14/min. Examination was remarkable for lethargy and mild epigastric tenderness. Pertinent laboratory: Hgb-12.4g/dL (Day1) - 8.5g/dL (Day3), reticulocyte count-3.35, Platelets-13,000mm3, BUN/Cr-69/6.3 (mg/dL), LDH-1523U/L, indirect hyperbilrubinemia-3.6mg/dL, Amylase/Lipase-117/87(U/L), fibrinogen-462, D-dimer-15.39, PT/PTT-normal and Haptoglobulin TTP was diagnosed and patient was admitted to ICU. Plasmapheresis was initiated with clinical improvement by day 3 with subsequent deterioration by day 7. On day 10, patient developed severe abdominal pain with increase in Amylase (145U/L) and lipase (281U/L). Repeat CT Abdomen showed acute pancreatitis. Day 13 - Rapid worsening in clinical status with death of the patient. Autopsy revealed micothrombi and infarcts in multiple organs including kidney, pancreas, and heart. Acute Pancreatitis is a rare complication of TTP suggested to occur in 2% of cases of TTP but no case has ever been reported in the literature. There are cases that have been reported where Acute Pancreatitis have triggered TTP-HUS syndrome and chronic relapsing TTP. Idiopathic cases of TTP have a deficiency of ADAMS 13, a metalloprotease enzyme that cleaves von Willebrand factor (vWF) resulting in abnormal vWF multimers causing hyaline thrombi formation with end-organ damage due to ischemia. Pancreatic inflammation in TTP has been regarded as ischemic in nature, due to microthrombi of pancreatic small vessels. It is common to see the inflammation of pancreas in the histological specimens on autopsy, but very rare to develop pancreatitis with clinical symptoms, increase in pancreatic enzymes and CT findings of Pancreatitis. Prognosis of Patients with Acute Pancreatitis in TTP is guarded. Patient should be closely monitored in ICU setting aiming to control TTP by Plasmapheresis and Immunosuppressive therapy (Rituximab) in refractory cases. Acute Pancreatitis is a rare complication of TTP and carries a worse prognosis. In patients developing abdominal pain during the course of TTP, Acute Pancreatitis should always be considered in the differential diagnosis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Variation in the use of advanced imaging at the time of breast cancer diagnosis in a statewide registry.

BACKGROUND Although national guidelines do not recommend extent of disease imaging for patients with newly diagnosed early stage breast cancer given that the harm outweighs the benefits, high rates of testing have been documented. The 2012 Choosing Wisely guidelines specifically addressed this issue. We examined the change over time in imaging use across a statewide collaborative, as well as the reasons for performing imaging and the impact on cost of care. METHODS Clinicopathologic data and use of advanced imaging tests (positron emission tomography, computed tomography, and bone scan) were abstracted from the medical records of patients treated at 25 participating sites in the Michigan Breast Oncology Quality Initiative (MiBOQI). For patients diagnosed in 2014 and 2015, reasons for testing were abstracted from the medical record. RESULTS Of the 34,078 patients diagnosed with stage 0-II breast cancer between 2008 and 2015 in MiBOQI, 6853 (20.1%) underwent testing with at least 1 imaging modality in the 90 days after diagnosis. There was considerable variability in rates of testing across the 25 sites for all stages of disease. Between 2008 and 2015, testing decreased over time for patients with stage 0-IIA disease (all P < .001) and remained stable for stage IIB disease (P = .10). This decrease in testing over time resulted in a cost savings, especially for patients with stage I disease. CONCLUSION Use of advanced imaging at the time of diagnosis decreased over time in a large statewide collaborative. Additional interventions are warranted to further reduce rates of unnecessary imaging to improve quality of care for patients with breast cancer. Cancer 2017;123:2975–83. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
A population on the rise: The origin of deepwater sculpin in Lake Ontario

Abstract Deepwater sculpin, Myoxocephalus thompsonii, were thought to have been extirpated from Lake Ontario. However, in recent years, abundance has increased and recruitment has been documented. There are two hypotheses concerning the origin of the current Lake Ontario deepwater sculpin population. First, individuals from the upper Great Lakes may have recolonized Lake Ontario. Alternatively, the Lake Ontario population may have not been extirpated, and the remnant population has recovered naturally. To test these hypotheses, eight microsatellite loci were used to analyze samples from the current Lake Ontario population, museum specimens from the historic Lake Ontario population, and current upper Great Lakes populations. The genetic data suggest that historically throughout the Great Lakes, deepwater sculpin exhibited low levels of spatial genetic structure. Approximate Bayesian Computation analyses support the hypothesis that the current Lake Ontario population is more closely related to populations in the upper Great Lakes than to the historic Lake Ontario samples, indicating that the current Lake Ontario population likely resulted from recolonization from the Upper Great Lakes. The current Lake Ontario population has reduced allelic diversity relative to upper Great Lakes populations, indicating a possible founder effect. This study demonstrates the role life history variation can play in recolonization success. The pelagic larval phase of the deepwater sculpin allowed recolonization of Lake Ontario via passive larval drift.
Algorithms for stable and perturbation-resilient problems

We study the notion of stability and perturbation resilience introduced by Bilu and Linial (2010) and Awasthi, Blum, and Sheffet (2012). A combinatorial optimization problem is α-stable or α-perturbation-resilient if the optimal solution does not change when we perturb all parameters of the problem by a factor of at most α. In this paper, we give improved algorithms for stable instances of various clustering and combinatorial optimization problems. We also prove several hardness results. We first give an exact algorithm for 2-perturbation resilient instances of clustering problems with natural center-based objectives. The class of clustering problems with natural center-based objectives includes such problems as k-means, k-median, and k-center. Our result improves upon the result of Balcan and Liang (2016), who gave an algorithm for clustering 1+√≈2.41 perturbation-resilient instances. Our result is tight in the sense that no polynomial-time algorithm can solve (2e)-perturbation resilient instances of k-center unless NP = RP, as was shown by Balcan, Haghtalab, and White (2016). We then give an exact algorithm for (2-2/k)-stable instances of Minimum Multiway Cut with k terminals, improving the previous result of Makarychev, Makarychev, and Vijayaraghavan (2014), who gave an algorithm for 4-stable instances. We also give an algorithm for (2-2/k+ς)-weakly stable instances of Minimum Multiway Cut. Finally, we show that there are no robust polynomial-time algorithms for n1-e-stable instances of Set Cover, Minimum Vertex Cover, and Min 2-Horn Deletion (unless P = NP).
Earth-observing satellite intercomparison using the Radiometric Calibration Test Site at Railroad Valley

This paper describes the current ground-based calibration results of Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Suomi National Polar orbiting Partnership Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), and Sentinel-2A Multispectral Instrument (MSI), using an automated suite of instruments located at Railroad Valley, Nevada, USA. The period of this study is 2012 to 2016 for MODIS, VIIRS, and ETM+, 2013 to 2016 for OLI, and 2015 to 2016 for MSI. The current results show that all sensors agree with the Radiometric Calibration Test Site (RadCaTS) to within ±5% in the solar-reflective regime, except for one band on VIIRS that is within ±6%. In the case of ETM+ and OLI, the agreement is within ±3%, and, in the case of MODIS, the agreement is within ±3.5%. MSI agrees with RadCaTS to within ±4.5% in all applicable bands.
Effects of pentoxifylline on sperm motility and hyperactivation in normozoospermic and normokinetic semen.

Objective To determine the effects of in vitro incubation with pentoxifylline on sperm motion characteristics of spermatozoa from normozoospermic, normokinetic specimens. Design Prospective, controlled experiment. Setting Andrology laboratory, university-based fertility center. Participants Healthy, untreated male partners of couples attending the fertility center. Intervention Each specimen was washed, pelleted by centrifugation, then resuspended in human tubal fluid medium (HTF). Two portions were incubated at 37°C, one with pentoxifylline (final concentration=1 mg/mL = 3.6 mM) and the other without pentoxifylline (control). After 1 hour, the pentoxifylline-treated portion was divided: one half was washed to remove pentoxifylline, then further incubated in HTF; the other half remained incubated in HTF with pentoxifylline. Main Outcome Measures Motility, hyperactivation, amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight line velocity (VSL), linearity (LIN), beat-cross frequency. Results Incubation with pentoxifylline did not increase motility, VSL, LIN, or beat-cross frequency but did significantly increase HA, VCL, and ALH at 1, 2, and 4 hours, compared with control. Incubation in control medium without pentoxifylline did not significantly increase any of the parameters measured. After 24 hours of incubation with or without pentoxifylline, all parameters measured were significantly decreased, with the exception of LIN. Conclusions Pentoxifylline does not increase percentage motility of washed spermatozoa in capacitation medium. Enhancement of sperm HA by pentoxifylline in capacitation medium occurs with normozoospermic, normokinetic semen specimens. This effect persists for up to 4 hours when pentoxifylline is removed from the medium after 1 hour of incubation.
Food Choices of Minority and Low-Income Employees: A Cafeteria Intervention

Background Effective strategies are needed to address obesity, particularly among minority and low-income individuals. Purpose To test whether a two-phase point-of-purchase intervention improved food choices across racial, socioeconomic (job type) groups. Design A 9-month longitudinal study from 2009 to 2010 assessing person-level changes in purchases of healthy and unhealthy foods following sequentially introduced interventions. Data were analyzed in 2011. Setting/participants Participants were 4642 employees of a large hospital in Boston MA who were regular cafeteria patrons. Interventions The first intervention was a traffic light–style color-coded labeling system encouraging patrons to purchase healthy items (labeled green) and avoid unhealthy items (labeled red). The second intervention manipulated "choice architecture" by physically rearranging certain cafeteria items, making green-labeled items more accessible and red-labeled items less accessible. Main outcome measures Proportion of green- (or red-) labeled items purchased by an employee. Subanalyses tracked beverage purchases, including calories and price per beverage. Results Employees self-identified as white (73%); black (10%); Latino (7%); and Asian (10%). Compared to white employees, Latino and black employees purchased a higher percentage of red items at baseline (18%, 28%, and 33%, respectively, p p p >0.05 for interaction between race or job type and intervention). Mean calories per beverage decreased similarly over the study period for all racial groups and job types, with no increase in per-beverage spending. Conclusions Despite baseline differences in healthy food purchases, a simple color-coded labeling and choice architecture intervention improved food and beverage choices among employees from all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Membrane-wrapped nanoparticles probe divergent roles of GM3 and phosphatidylserine in lipid-mediated viral entry pathways

Gold nanoparticles (NPs) wrapped in a membrane can be utilized as artificial virus nanoparticles (AVNs) that combine the large nonblinking or bleaching optical cross-section of the NP core with the biological surface properties and functionalities provided by a self-assembled lipid membrane. We used these hybrid nanomaterials to test the roles of monosialodihexosylganglioside (GM3) and phosphatidylserine (PS) for a lipid-mediated targeting of virus-containing compartments (VCCs) in macrophages. GM3-presenting AVNs bind to CD169 (Siglec-1)–expressing macrophages, but inclusion of PS in the GM3-containing AVN membrane decreases binding. Molecular dynamics simulations of the AVN membrane and experimental binding studies of CD169 to GM3-presenting AVNs reveal Na + -mediated interactions between GM3 and PS as a potential cause of the antagonistic action on binding by the two negatively charged lipids. GM3-functionalized AVNs with no or low PS content localize to tetherin + , CD9 + VCC in a membrane composition-depending fashion, but increasing amounts of PS in the AVN membrane redirect the NP to lysosomal compartments. Interestingly, this compartmentalization is highly GM3 specific. Even AVNs presenting the related monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) fail to achieve an accumulation in VCC. AVN localization to VCC was observed for AVN with gold NP core but not for liposomes, suggesting that NP sequestration into VCC has additional requirements beyond ligand (GM3)–receptor (CD169) recognition that are related to the physical properties of the NP core. Our results confirm AVN as a scalable platform for elucidating the mechanisms of lipid-mediated viral entry pathways and for selective intracellular targeting.
Child life in colonial days and Honeysuckle skipping: The plant lore of childhood

Alice Morse Earle, Child Life in Colonial Days (Macmillan, 1899).Jeanne R. Chesanow, Honeysuckle Sipping: The Plant Lore of Childhood, illustrated by Norma Cuneo (Down East Books, 1987).It is an ho...
Tea Environments and Plantation Culture: Imperial Disarray in Eastern India

Arnab Dey examines the intersecting role of law, ecology, and agronomy in shaping the history of tea and its plantations in British east India. He suggests that looking afresh at the legal, environmental, and agro-economic aspects of tea production illuminate covert, expedient, and often illegal administrative and commercial dealings that had an immediate and long-term human and environmental impact on the region. Critiquing this imperial commodity's advertised mandate of agrarian modernization in colonial India, Dey points to numerous tea pests, disease ecologies, felled forests, harsh working conditions, wage manipulation, and political resistance as examples of tea's unseemly legacy in the subcontinent. Dey draws together the plant and the plantation in highlighting the ironies of the tea economy and its consequences for the agrarian history of eastern India.
Interaction-enabled topological crystalline phases

In this article we provide a general mechanism for generating interaction-enabled fermionic topological phases. We illustrate the mechanism with crystalline symmetry-protected topological phases in one, two, and three spatial dimensions. These nontrivial phases require interactions for their existence, and in the cases we consider, the free-fermion classification yields only a trivial phase. For the one- and two-dimensional phases we consider, we provide explicit exactly solvable models which realize the interaction-enabled phases. Similar to the interpretation of the Kitaev Majorana wire as a mean-field $p$-wave superconductor Hamiltonian arising from an interacting model with quartic interactions, we show that our systems can be interpreted as ``mean-field'' charge-$4e$ superconductors arising, e.g., from an interacting model with eight-body interactions or through another physical mechanism. The quartet superconducting nature allows for the teleportation of full Cooper pairs and, in two dimensions, for interesting semiclassical crystalline defects with non-Abelian anyon bound states.
Improved synthesis of substituted 2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes: 1,3-anhydro-2,4,6-tri-O-benzyl- and 1,3-anhydro-2,4,6-tri-O-p-bromobenzyl-β-d-mannopyranose

The D-mannopyranoside (I) is tosylated, reduced and then etherified to give the deoxy compounds (IV).
Essential Function of PDGF-B Signaling In the Placental Microenvironment In Protecting Hematopoietic Progenitors From Erythroid Differentiation.

Abstract Abstract 1559 The goals of hematopoiesis during embryogenesis are two-fold, to rapidly produce red blood cells to support the survival and development of the embryo, and to establish a pool of undifferentiated hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) for postnatal life. These goals are achieved by segregation of fetal hematopoiesis in multiple waves that are executed in distinct anatomical sites and microenvironmental niches. However, the microenvironmental cues that promote “stemness” vs. differentiation remain poorly understood. The placenta is a recently discovered hematopoietic organ that supports HSC generation and expansion without promoting their differentiation. The placental HSC pool is thought to reside in the placental labyrinth, which is comprised of an intricate vascular network surrounded by trophoblasts. So far, it has been unknown how a disruption of the integrity of the placental vascular labyrinth affects fetal hematopoiesis. The structure of the placental labyrinth is compromised in embryos that lack components of PDGF-B signaling. PDGF-B-/- and PDGF-Rβ-/- (receptor for PDGF-B) embryos display dilation of fetal blood vessels and reduction of trophoblast cells in the placental labyrinth. Our studies revealed that loss of PDGF-B signaling alters the unique placental hematopoietic microenvironment, resulting in active erythropoiesis in the placenta. The unexpected erythropoiesis in the placenta exhibited the same hallmarks of normal definitive erythropoiesis observed in the fetal liver as confirmed by flow cytometry for erythroid markers, morphological analysis and association of erythroblasts with macrophages. Interestingly, deletion of PDGF-Rβ in hematopoietic cells by using a Tie2-Cre strain did not induce the differentiation of placental hematopoietic progenitors into erythroid cells, implying that the ectopic definitive erythropoiesis results from the lack of PDGF-B signaling in the placental microenvironment rather than in the hematopoietic cells themselves. Our studies revealed that the erythroid differentiation in placentas of PDGF-B-/- embryos was induced by marked upregulation of Epo in placental trophoblasts. Strikingly, lentiviral overexpression of Epo specifically in the placental trophoblasts was sufficient to convert the placenta into an ectopic erythropoietic organ. These data reveal a critical function of PDGF-B signaling in protecting the integrity of the placental microenvironment that is required for preventing hematopoietic progenitors from differentiation during their residence in the placenta. Furthermore, these studies highlight the placenta as a versatile hematopoietic organ that supports HSC development during normal pregnancy but can be recruited as a site for definitive erythropoiesis during pathological conditions. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy accelerates wound healing in diabetic mice by decreasing active matrix metalloproteinase-9

Diabetic foot ulcers are characterized by hypoxia. For many patients, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is the last recourse for saving the limb from amputation, for which the molecular basis is not understood. We previously identified the active form of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) as responsible for diabetic foot ulcer's recalcitrance to healing. Transcription of mmp-9 to the inactive zymogen is upregulated during hypoxia. Activation of the zymogen is promoted by proteases and reactive oxygen species (ROS). We hypothesized that the dynamics of these two events might lead to a lowering of active MMP-9 levels in the wounded tissue. We employed the full-thickness excisional db/db mouse model to study wound healing, and treated the mice to 3.0 atm of molecular oxygen for 90 minutes, 5 days per week for 10 days in an HBO research chamber. Treatment with HBO accelerated diabetic wound healing compared to untreated mice, with more completed and extended reepithelialization. We imaged the wounds for ROS in vivo with a luminol-based probe and found that HBO treatment actually decreases ROS levels. The levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase-enzymes that turn over ROS-increased after HBO treatment, hence the observation of decreased ROS. Since ROS levels are lowered, we explored the effect that this would have on activation of MMP-9. Quantitative analysis with an affinity resin that binds and pulls down the active MMPs exclusively, coupled with proteomics, revealed that HBO treatment indeed reduces the active MMP-9 levels. This work for the first time demonstrates that diminution of active MMP-9 is a contributing factor and a mechanism for enhancement of diabetic wound healing by HBO therapy.
Pregnancy loss in beef cattle: A meta-analysis

Abstract Pregnancy loss in beef cattle causes both management and economic challenges to a producer. A meta-analysis was conducted to quantify reproductive failures that occur during fertilization, early embryonic development, and late embryonic/early fetal development periods of gestation in beef cattle. The meta-analysis included more than 56,000 diagnostic records in 159 studies from 48 papers with 12 studies included in fertilization and pre- blastocyst loss analysis (FERT; days 1–7 of gestation), 107 in early embryo (EEM; days 7–32), and 40 in late embryo/early fetal period (LEF; days 32–100) analysis. Although fertilization rates are reportedly high in beef cattle, significant developmental failure occurs within the first 7 days of gestation. Approximately 28.4 % of embryos will not develop past day 7 of gestation with most embryonic losses occurring before day 4. By the conclusion of the first month of gestation, 47.9 % of cows submitted to a single insemination at day 0 will not be pregnant. Overall, LEF between days 32–60 and 100 was 5.8 %. Bos indicus animals had greater (P = 0.001) EEM compared to Bos taurus, but there was no difference (P = 0.39) for the LEF period between subspecies. Primiparous cows had greater EEM (P = 0.002) compared to nulliparous heifers and multiparous cows; and nulliparous heifers had a greater LEF compared to primiparous and multiparous cows (P = 0.048). Collectively, these cumulative findings provide a baseline assessment of pregnancy loss specific to beef cattle.
Beyond surveillance capitalism: Privacy, regulation and big data in Europe and China

Technology giants, bolstered by weak regulatory oversight, have expanded capacities for personal data collection and analysis. This has resulted in a new set of power dynamics and logics of accumul...
Phosphoribosyl-5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase activity in the adenine-histidine auxotroph ad-3 of S. cerevisiae

Abstract Point mutations of the ad-3 locus in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cause a simultaneous requirement for adenine and histidine. The ad-3 mutants have been shown to be deficient in three enzymes involved in synthesis and interconversion of one-carbon adducts of tetrahydrofolic acid ( Jones and Magasanik, 1967 ). As a result of this lesion the mutants have no single carbon derivatives of tetrahydrofolate at the formate level of oxidation. Mazlen and Eaton (1967) have recently reported that ad-3 mutants lack phosphoribosyl-5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide (AICAR) formyltransferase. It is the purpose of this report to show that activity for AICAR formyltransferase is present in extracts of ad-3 mutants. Activity can only be seen, however, if 10-formyltetrahydrofolate (the requisite coenzyme for this reaction) is provided in the reaction mixture. Failure to demonstrate activity for this reaction if other one-carbon donors are provided supports our previous finding that the ad-3 mutant is unable to convert these derivatives to 10-formyltetrahydrofolate.
Shared discussion of transradial approach complications may help broaden use

To the Editor: We read with interest the recently published article by Almallouhi et al .1 Truly, the transradial approach (TRA) for neuroendovascular procedures has taken the field by storm. In this paper, benchmark rates for complications are documented. A 0.6% minor complication rate is recorded without major complications. In 2203 TRAs, minor complications included a local forearm hematoma in 11 patients, radial artery dissection in one patient, a local infection in one patient, and a radial artery pseudoaneurysm in one patient. 6.9% of cases required conversion to the transfemoral route. Over the last 2 years at our institution, TRA has become the access of choice for elective treatment of posterior circulation aneurysms or diagnostic procedures and retreatment of aneurysms evaluated from prior angiograms (via transfemoral). It is frequently used when the aortic arch is tortuous or femoral access is complicated. Over the last 6 months we have performed 17 TRAs for diagnosis and nine TRAs for intervention. As a point of comparison, 113 (59 diagnostic, 54 therapeutic) neurointerventional procedures were completed during that time period. We have attempted to incorporate as much of the published literature into our practice as we navigate the learning curve of this procedure. Given that TRA allows similar capabilities and has better access complication rates than the transfemoral approach, all neuroendovascular surgeons should be competent with this approach. Cardiology is frequently mentioned as the control arm for complication rates with the RIVAL and MATRIX studies. …
How Mira Variables Change Visual Light by a Thousandfold

Mira variables change visual light by up to 8 mag over their roughly yearly cycle. Here we present a simple explanation for the extremely large amplitudes of light curves of oxygen-rich Mira variables. Metallic oxides, such as TiO, form throughout the stellar atmosphere as the star cools when approaching minimum light. When this happens, the visual light can be almost completely absorbed at large radii, extending the visual photosphere to nearly twice its nominal size. At these large radii, temperatures can fall to ≈1400 K and essentially all of the star's radiation emerges in the infrared. Since almost no optical light is emitted at these low temperatures, Mira variables can decrease their visual light by more than a thousandfold and almost "disappear" to the human eye.
Performance investigations of cross flow indirect evaporative cooler

Abstract Dew point evaporative cooler is an indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) technique to lower temperature of incoming air below its wet bulb temperature and near to dew point temperature. The said technique does not involve any change in moisture content of incoming air. Performance parameters of dew point evaporative cooler are significantly influenced by configuration and structural arrangement of heat exchanger. The different arrangements of heat exchangers commonly used are counterflow, cross flow and counter-cross flow. This work presents performance investigations of cross flow indirect evaporative cooler. The cooling efficiencies and temperatures at the outlet of the cooler were investigated for different intake air temperatures and flow rates. Dew point evaporative cooling technique does not make use of compressor and harmful refrigerants hence would be a better option to conserve the environment and helps to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
Where Pundits Fit in Political News Coverage

This chapter transitions to the consideration of how media professionals look at the contributions of academics in political coverage. We draw on the expertise of news directors and other media leaders across platforms and organizations to first assess what these leaders consider to be useful approaches to political news. We then transition to a series of interviews with current news anchors and journalists about their preferences for political news and how they see academics fulfilling a key role in providing analysis, perspective, and research expertise as Professor Pundits.
Digital Twin Aided Product Design Framework For IoT Platforms

The increasing number of products is the trend of current industry. However, the product development process is significantly limited by budget and testing risk. Recently, digital twin has emerged as a promising industrial paradigm that provides an integrated and cohesive view of the product design process. In this paper, we propose a product design framework for Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, namely Digital Twin-aided IoT Platform Design (DTIPD). This framework considers a large number of IoT devices performing different tasks with machine learning (ML) technologies. Each IoT device constructs a particular ML-based model that deals with its task automatically by feeding related data with labels. The challenges of large-scale network management and ground truth shortage at the initial stage of product iteration are addressed. We propose a two-level hierarchical learning process using the real-time model status stored at Digital Twin Servers (DTS), aiming to improve product quality while shortening the development lifecycle. The comprehensive experimental results for both the single-DTS and multiple-DTS scenarios demonstrate the applicability of our framework.
Continuity in Indonesia’s Strategy in the South China Sea Under Joko Widodo:

This study seeks to address two interrelated questions: Does Indonesia underbalance against China? Why does President Joko Widodo stick with the strategy of to this day? The study lays out three ma...