cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevention of Early Postoperative Decline (PEaPoD): protocol for a randomized, controlled feasibility trial

Delirium is associated with a significantly increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, delirium has been associated with an increased risk of prolonged cognitive deficits and accelerated long-term cognitive decline. To date, experimental interventions for delirium have mainly focused on alternative pharmacologic and behavioral strategies in the postoperative period. Few studies have examined whether proactive strategies started before surgery can prevent delirium or reduce its sequelae. Neurocognitive training programs such as Lumosity have been shown to be effective in increasing cognitive performance in both elderly healthy volunteers and patients suffering from a myriad of acute and chronic medical conditions. When initiated in the preoperative period, such training programs may serve as interesting and novel patient-led interventions for the prevention of delirium and postoperative cognitive decline (POCD). We hypothesize that perioperative neurocognitive training is feasible in the older cardiac surgical population and are testing this hypothesis using a randomized controlled design. The Prevention of Early Postoperative Decline (PEaPoD) study is a randomized, controlled trial with a target enrollment of 45 elderly cardiac surgical patients. Subjects will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either at least 10 days of preoperative neurocognitive training, continued for 4 weeks postoperatively, or usual care control. The primary outcome, feasibility, will be assessed by study recruitment and adherence to protocol. Secondary outcomes will include potential differences in the incidence of postoperative in-hospital delirium and POCD up to 6 months, as determined by the Confusion Assessment Method and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. PEaPoD will be the first trial investigating the use of perioperative cognitive training to potentially reduce delirium and POCD in the cardiac surgical population. Information gleaned from this feasibility study will prove valuable in designing future efficacy studies aimed at determining whether this low-risk, patient-led intervention can reduce serious postoperative morbidity. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02908464 . Registered on 21 September 2016.
Using an individual-based model to assess common biases in lek-based count data to estimate population trajectories of lesser prairie-chickens

Researchers and managers are often interested in monitoring the underlying state of a population (e.g., abundance), yet error in the observation process might mask underlying changes due to imperfect detection and availability for sampling. Additional heterogeneity can be introduced into a monitoring program when male-based surveys are used as an index for the total population. Often, male-based surveys are used for avian species, as males are conspicuous and more easily monitored than females. To determine if male-based lek surveys capture changes or trends in population abundance based on female survival and reproduction, we developed a virtual ecologist approach using the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) as an example. Our approach used an individual-based model to simulate lek counts based on female vital rate data, included models where detection and lek attendance probabilities were <1, and was analyzed using both unadjusted counts and an N-mixture model to compare estimates of population abundance and growth rates. Using lek counts to estimate population growth rates without accounting for detection probability or density-based lek attendance consistently biased population growth rates and abundance estimates. Our results therefore suggest that lek-based surveys used without accounting for lek attendance and detection probability may miss important trends in population changes. Rather than population-level inference, lek-based surveys not accounting for lek attendance and detection probability may instead be better for inferring broad-scale range shifts of lesser prairie-chicken populations in a presence/absence framework.
Cloud-Based System for Fake Tweet Identification

Twitter, as a popular social media platform, has great influence on society. Unfortunately, studies have observed some unreliable or fake information spread via Twitter with harmful consequences. In this paper, we present a cloud-based system to identify tweets with fake news by using tweet text characteristics, machine learning technique, reverse image research, and fake news source comparison. Major components in the system have been deployed as web services, which can be easily integrated or extended in other applications. In addition, web-based interface is developed for general users to validate tweet credibility via web browsers.
STUDIES OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN Ia-LIKE ANTIGEN

A two-chain glycoprotein complex from human B lymphoblastoid cell lines has been purified following solubilization by detergent (p29,34). The two chains are of unequal size, tightly associated and both contain carbohydrate. The amino terminal sequences suggest homology to Ia antigens of other species. The tyrosine tryptic peptide maps suggest homology between the small and large subunit.
Enhancing analytical accuracy of intravascular electrochemical oxygen sensors via nitric oxide release using S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) impregnated catheter tubing.

Implantable medical devices are an integral part of primary/critical care. However, these devices carry a high risk for blood clots, caused by platelet aggregation on a foreign body surface. This study focuses on the development of a simplified approach to create nitric oxide (NO) releasing intravascular electrochemical oxygen (O2) sensors with increased biocompatibility and analytical accuracy. The implantable sensors are prepared by embedding S-nitroso-N-acetylpenacillamine (SNAP) as the NO donor molecule in the walls of the catheter type sensors. The SNAP-impregnated catheters were prepared by swelling silicone rubber tubing in a tetrahydrofuran solution containing SNAP. Control and SNAP-impregnated catheters were used to fabricate the Clark-style amperometric PO2 sensors. The SNAP-impregnated sensors release NO under physiological conditions for 18 d as measured by chemiluminescence. The analytical response of the SNAP-impregnated sensors was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Rabbit and swine models (with sensors placed in both veins and arteries) were used to evaluate the effects on thrombus formation and analytical in vivo PO2 sensing performance. The SNAP-impregnated PO2 sensors were found to more accurately measure PO2 levels in blood continuously (over 7 and 20 h animal experiments) with significantly reduced thrombus formation (as compared to controls) on their surfaces.
An Embarrassment of Riches: Admission and Ambition in American Higher Education

Allegations of bribery and corruption in admission to prestigious American colleges brought academics and athletics into the public forum in March 2019. This paper distinguishes illegalities from inequities in the decisions that elite college admissions offices make about student applications. Typically special admission allowances tend to favor outstanding athletes whose academic record may be marginal. The incidents in Varsity Blues indicated a different imbalance: namely, that athletic admission slots, especially in so-called “country club” sports tended to give an admissions edge to applicants who did not show great athletic achievement or potential. These episodes put into bold relief new examples of advantage and privilege in going to college as part of American society.
Consumer Perceptions of Wearable Technology Devices: Retrospective Review and Analysis.

Background: Individuals of all ages are becoming more health conscious, and wearable technology devices (eg, Fitbit and Apple Watch) are becoming increasingly popular in encouraging healthy lifestyles. Objective: The aim of this paper was to explore how consumers use wearable devices. Methods: A retrospective review was done on the top-rated verified purchase reviews of the Fitbit One posted on Amazon.com between January 2014 and August 2018. Relevant themes were identified by qualitatively analyzing open-ended reviews. Results: On retrieval, there were 9369 reviews with 7706 positive reviews and 1663 critical reviews. The top 100 positive and top 100 critical comments were subsequently analyzed. Four major themes were identified: sleep hygiene (“charts when you actually fall asleep, when you wake up during the night, when you're restless--and gives you a cumulative time of “actual sleep” as well as weekly averages.”), motivation (“25 lbs lost after 8 months – best motivator ever!”), accountability (“platform to connect with people you know and set little competitions or group…fun accountability if you set a goal with a friend/family.”), and discretion (“able to be clipped to my bra without being seen.”). Alternatively, negative reviewers felt that the wearable device’s various tracking functions, specifically steps and sleep, were inaccurate. Conclusions: Wearable technology devices are an affordable, user-friendly application that can support all individuals throughout their everyday lives and potentially be implemented into medical surveillance, noninvasive medical care, and mobile health and wellness monitoring. This study is the first to explore wearable technology device use among consumers, and further studies are needed to examine the limitless possibilities of wearable devices in health care.
Abstract P2-14-04: Delayed initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer

Background: Early stage breast cancer patients benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, but delays in initiation of treatment can negatively impact outcomes. Delays may be more common in older women. In this study we evaluate the survival impact of delays in adjuvant chemotherapy initiation in patients over 65 years of age and identify factors associated with delays. Methods: Patients age 66 years and older diagnosed between 2001 and 2013 with localized or regional breast cancer were identified in the SEER-Medicare and Texas Cancer Registry-Medicare databases. All patients received adjuvant chemotherapy within 9 months of surgery. Patients were required to have continuous Medicare Parts A and B coverage and no HMO enrollment 12 months before and 12 months after diagnosis. We grouped patients according to time from surgery to chemotherapy in 4 groups: 0-30, 31-60, 61-90, and > 90 days. Delayed chemotherapy initiation was defined as > 90 days. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of delayed chemotherapy. We estimated overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) using Kaplan-Meier method. Inverse probability treatment weights were applied to survival analyses. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the association between delays in chemotherapy and outcome after adjustment for other variables. Results: 25,902 women were included in the analysis, and the median age was 71 years. The median time from surgery to chemotherapy was 43 days. From 2001-2013 this interval increased from 38 days to 47 days (p 90 days after surgery were 0.82, 0.81, 0.80 and 0.73 respectively (p Discussion: Delays in initiating adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer are associated with worse OS and BCSS. Our data demonstrates that delays should be avoided and should encourage providers to initiate chemotherapy ≤ 90 days after surgery. In addition, the multidisciplinary medical team should be aware of the socioeconomic factors that may impact patients’ ability to receive timely treatment. Further studies should seek to elucidate the causes of these inequities in care. Citation Format: Demetria Smith-Graziani, Xiudong Lei, Sharon Giordano, Hui Zhao, Meghan Karuturi, Mariana Chavez-MacGregor. Delayed initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-14-04.
Low Unemployment, or Just Undercounted Unemployment? A Note on America's

Since at least 2016, and certainly in 2019, it was common for economists to write of the U.S. economy being at "full employment." This paper undertakes a critical examination of the data relevant to the question as it stood in early 2019, considering the multiplicity of employment measures; labor force participation in selected demographics (particularly younger males and women); and less direct indicators of unemployment (notably trends with regard to capacity utilization, wages and credentialing); as at the very least suggesting a more complex, and less sanguine, picture.
Cyberterrorism: An examination of the preparedness of North Carolina local law enforcement

Since the September 11th terror attacks in New York City, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania, the American public has remained on high alert for the possibility of another terror attack. Law enforcement personnel have received training in terrorism prevention and detection techniques, yet terrorists are constantly looking for ways to improve their methods of attack. Seemingly unrelated, the American public has become increasingly dependent on technology in every aspect of everyday life. It would only seem natural that terrorists would use this dependence on technology to their advantage. This brings to the forefront a relatively new concept in the area of terrorism: cyberterrorism. This paper will look at the idea of cyberterrorism and analyze the preparedness of 12 North Carolina police departments. The paper will also review the plans that these 12 agencies have for future cyberterrorism preparations. Policy suggestions will also be offered so that local law enforcement agencies can be prepared in the event of a cyberterror attack.
Vitamin E Deficiency Disrupts Gene Expression Networks during Zebrafish Development

Vitamin E (VitE) is essential for vertebrate embryogenesis, but the mechanisms involved remain unknown. To study embryonic development, we fed zebrafish adults (>55 days) either VitE sufficient (E+) or deficient (E-) diets for >80 days, then the fish were spawned to generate E+ and E- embryos. To evaluate the transcriptional basis of the metabolic and phenotypic outcomes, E+ and E- embryos at 12, 18 and 24 h post-fertilization (hpf) were subjected to gene expression profiling by RNASeq. Hierarchical clustering, over-representation analyses and gene set enrichment analyses were performed with differentially expressed genes. E- embryos experienced overall disruption to gene expression associated with gene transcription, carbohydrate and energy metabolism, intracellular signaling and the formation of embryonic structures. mTOR was apparently a major controller of these changes. Thus, embryonic VitE deficiency results in genetic and transcriptional dysregulation as early as 12 hpf, leading to metabolic dysfunction and ultimately lethal outcomes.
Regulation, Entrepreneurship, and Dynamism

Recent empirical studies estimating the impact of US federal regulations on domestic business activity have reached seemingly contradictory conclusions. When measuring business activity with traditional measures of entrepreneurship (i.e., firm startups and job formation), some researchers observe a negative association between regulatory accumulation and entrepreneurship. Others, however, fail to find a significant association between regulatory accumulation and startup business activity when measuring business activity with metrics common to the dynamism literature. After ruling out differences in unit of measure (i.e., firms vs. establishments), industry aggregation (i.e., three- vs. four-digit NAICS code classification), and measurement of regulation (i.e., RegData 2.0 vs. 2.1), we demonstrate that methodological differences in the measurement of entrepreneurship are responsible for the conflicting results. However, when we allow the impact of regulation on the startup rate to vary across industries and over time, we empirically demonstrate that the decline in dynamism measured over the sample period is associated with higher regulation.
Engineering arbitrarily oriented spatiotemporal optical vortices using transmission nodal lines

It has been recently demonstrated that optical pulses can hold transverse orbital angular momentum (OAM). Generation of such vortices typically requires bulky optics, and only OAMs that are fully longitudinal or transverse have been demonstrated until now. Here we investigate a general family of spatiotemporal vortices with arbitrarily oriented OAM and introduce a compact device for its generation. The device operates by having a transmission nodal line, which is a topological defect in the wavevector-frequency spectra of the transmission coefficient. We show that the position and dispersion of the transmission nodal line can be controlled by structural symmetry of the device. By transmitting a Gaussian pulse through the device, we can generate spatiotemporal vortices with its nodal line and OAM oriented along any arbitrary direction. This ability to generate a full family of spatiotemporal vortex pulses may find application in pulse shaping or sensing in the spatiotemporal domain. Our work also provides a novel approach of engineering topological response functions in photonic crystal slabs.
Self-objectification and sexual satisfaction: A preregistered test of the replicability and robustness of Calogero & Thompson (2009) in a sample of U.S. women

Objectification theory has provided a useful framework for the study of women's sexual outcomes. However, little research has been conducted on the role of self-objectification in predicting sexual satisfaction. We conducted a replication of Calogero and Thompson (2009a), which reported a direct relationship between self-surveillance and sexual satisfaction, and expanded upon their work. We tested four path analysis models: Calogero and Thompson's reported and hypothesized models, and two previously untested models, all containing our variables of interest (media internalization, self-surveillance, body shame, sexual self-esteem, and sexual satisfaction). Each model was tested with the full sample (N = 349) and a restricted sample (N = 127) that met Calogero and Thompson's relationship status and sexual frequency inclusion criteria, and with and without BMI covaried. Both samples consisted of U.S. college women recruited in Fall 2019, with a mean age of M = 19.68 in the restricted sample. Results showed good fit for all tested models but failed to replicate the direct pathway between self-surveillance and sexual satisfaction. Instead, our models supported an indirect effect of self-surveillance on sexual satisfaction through body shame and sexual self-esteem. Findings support the role of sociocultural channels in influencing college women's body image and sexual experiences.
Doubly multivariate linear models with block exchangeable distributed errors and site-dependent covariates

The problem of testing the intercept and slope parameters of doubly multivariate linear models with site-dependent covariates using Rao's score test (RST) is studied. The RST statistic is developed...
A Case of Pancreatic Duct Leak Presenting as Lower Extremity Pain and Edema.

Pancreatic pseudocyst from pancreatic duct leak is one of the common complications of both acute and chronic pancreatitis. The presentation of such leaks can range from patients being completely asymptomatic to septic shock. Extra-abdominal collections of fluid due to pancreatic duct leaks are very rare. We describe a diagnostically challenging patient with acute chronic pancreatitis presenting with lower extremity swelling and pain, who was found to have a pancreatic fluid leak into the right iliopsoas, right gluteal, and thigh muscle compartment. Despite endoscopic stenting of the pancreatic duct and multiple percutaneous drain placement and antibiotic treatment for abscess formation, the patient's condition deteriorated clinically. Surgical options could not be pursued due to poor functional status.
Minoxidil in Severe Hypertension with Renal Failure Effect of its Addition to Conventional Antihypertensive Drugs

Abstract Minoxidil, a new vasodilator antihypertensive compound, was given to 9 uremic patients with severe hypertension uncontrollable with currently available drugs. Addition of minoxidil in doses of 5 to 10 mg twice daily to their prior therapy, resulted in satisfactory control of blood pressure in all patients. Supine blood pressure fell from a control value of 200 ± 6/124 ± 3 to 164 ± 5/91 ± 2 mm Hg (mean and standard error) after administration of minoxidil, and no patient experienced orthostatic hypotension. Tachyphylaxis has not been seen during a follow-up period averaging 26 weeks. Side effects resulting from minoxidil have been limited to mild hypertrichosis in 2 patients, nausea in another 2 and fluid retention, which was readily controlled by either hemodialysis or furosemide. Minoxidil appears, therefore, to provide a means for controlling blood pressure in patients with severe hypertension resistant to all other antihypertensive drugs.
Consumerism in World History: The Global Transformation of Desire

The desire to acquire luxury goods and leisure services is a basic force in modern life. Consumerism in World History explores both the historical origins and world-wide appeal of this relatively modern phenomenon. By relating consumerism to other issues in world history, this book forces reassessment of our understanding of both consumerism and global history. Consumerism in World History draws on recent research of the consumer in the West and Japan, while also examining societies less renowned for consumerism, such as Africa. Raising new issues about change and continuity in western history and discussing specific societies in world history, the book presents: human societies before consumerism and how they have changed; the origins of modern consumerism in western society; the extent to which consumerism undercuts traditional regional cultures; consumerism in Russia, East Asia, Africa and the Islamic Middle East; contemporary issues and evaluations of consumerism.
Searching for patterns of snakes in hypercubes (student paper)

The problem of finding longest snakes in hypercubes, which has applications in error checking, error correction, and electronic locking schemes, among others, has been an open problem for over forty years. Recently, some attention has been given to maximal snakes in hypercubes, in the hope that this approach will produce information that will be useful in the study of longest snakes. This paper presents a finding that is based on previous research of maximal snakes. The hope is that this line of research can be continued to discover general properties of the existence of maximal snakes in hypercubes.
Numerical Experience with a Reduced Hessian Methodfor Large Scale Constrained Optimization

The reduced Hessian SQP algorithm presented in Biegler et al. [SIAM J. Optimization, Vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 314–347, 1995.] is developed in this paper into a practical method for large-scale optimization. The novelty of the algorithm lies in the incorporation of a correction vector that approximates the cross term Z^TWY_p. This improves the stability and robustness of the algorithm without increasing its computational cost. The paper studies how to implement the algorithm efficiently, and presents a set of tests illustrating its numerical performance. An analytic example, showing the benefits of the correction term, is also presented.
Sacrality and worldmaking: new categorial perspectives

The category of the sacred in particular and the role of transcultural concept-formation in general have undergone an obvious crisis. For the most part, "the sacred," if not an empty label, has been linked with theologism, and transcultural concepts have been condemned for their general non-comparability and colonialist intent. The author approaches the matter of transcultural templates through an analysis of certain concepts of sacrality. With some exceptions, the discourse of sacrality has indeed been dominated by a single model, where "the sacred" became a reified noun—a substantive term for a supernatural reality, a label for the transcendent, or even an epithet for divinity, mystery, the wholly other. As such, the expression has functioned to bestow a sense of unity to the diversity of cultures, link that unity with a transcendent reality, and offer a simple way of making sense of otherwise foreign beliefs and practices by giving them a familiar, generic referent.
Identity-Based aggregate and multi-signature schemes based on RSA

We propose new identity-based multi-signature (IBMS) and aggregate signature (IBAS) schemes, secure under RSA assumption. Our schemes reduce round complexity of previous RSA-based IBMS scheme of Bellare and Neven [BN07] from three to two rounds. Surprisingly, this improvement comes at virtually no cost, as the computational efficiency and exact security of the new scheme are almost identical to those of [BN07]. The new scheme is enabled by a technical tool of independent interest, a class of zero-knowledge proofs of knowledge of preimages of one-way functions which is straight-line simulatable, enabling concurrency and good exact security, and aggregatable, enabling aggregation of parallel instances of such proofs into short multi/aggregate signatures.
Self-assembled silicon nano-bridges as an enabler for nano-sensors

To build efficient sensors a large sensing area can be achieved by forming a massively parallel set of nanostructures. We have grown laterally oriented, metal-catalyzed silicon nanowires bridging between vertical (111) Si planes formed by anisotropically etching a [110]-oriented silicon wafer. The surrounding silicon can be developed into electrodes. The bridges are mechanically robust and resist significant force. By employing only coarse optical lithography to form the electrodes ("top-down" formation) combined with self-assembled ("bottom-up") fabrication of nanostructures, a large array of nano-scale sensors can be fabricated between biasing electrodes.
Asperger's disorder and higher functioning autism: Same or different?

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the Asperger's disorder and higher functioning. Asperger's disorder or, as it is more commonly known, Asperger's syndrome (AS), is a chronic developmental disorder that resembles autism in the extent and pervasiveness of social dysfunction but differs from autism in language skills that are largely preserved. Validity of AS could be based on any of the several factors. Many studies of validity have tended to be circular and that it is critical that validity be based on data external to the criteria used to diagnose AS in the first place. Interest in a possible association, with schizophrenia, was given early impetus, by the notion that AS might represent some transitional condition, between autism and schizophrenia. Differences in response treatment offer a potentially very important rationale for the inclusion of AS as a diagnosis different from autism. It appears that, in general, the child with AS has important strengths in the form of preserved verbal skills that can be capitalized on in intervention programs, such as to adopt explicit and verbally mediated strategies for learning, interacting, and coping.
The Hardship Waiver of the Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement Under Section 212(E) of the INA: The Need for a Change

Introduction 550 I. Background 552 A. Exchange Programs and the Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement 552 B. How “Exceptional” Must the Hardship Be to Qualify for a Waiver Under Section 212(e) of the INA? 558 1. Legislative intent is to interpret hardship stringently, even in cases of marriages 558 2. Case law and administrative decisions interpreting the “exceptional hardship” standard 561 II. Analysis 566 A. Potential Unconstitutionality of Section 212(e) of the INA 566 1. A fundamental right to family unity 567 2. U.S. citizens’ right to reside in the United States....... 568 3. Balancing interests at stake 569 B. Inconsistency of Section 212(e) with Immigration Law .. 571 1. Family unity in the context of immigration law 572 2. Inconsistency in the waiver adjudication process...... 575 III. Recommendations: A Bona Fide Marriage Exception 576 Conclusion 579
CMOS technology evolution: from 1 /spl mu/m to 0.1 /spl mu/m

This paper reviews a number of key device and technology advances that enabled CMOS VLSI technology to evolve from 1 /spl mu/m to 0.1 /spl mu/m. They include: lithography, DRAM cell structure, shallow trench isolation, power supply voltage, thin gate oxide, n+/p+ polysilicon gate, shallow source-drain junctions, channel doping profile, and multi-level interconnect. Challenges to future scaling of CMOS technology are addressed at the end.
Localized induction equation, Heisenberg chain, and nonlinear Schrodinger equation

The three equations named in the title are examples of infinite-dimensional completely integrable Hamiltonian systems, and are related to each other via simple geometric constructions. In this paper, these interrelationships are further explained in terms of the recursion operator for the Localized Induction Equation, and the recursion operator is seen to play a variety of roles in key geometric variational formulas.
Replotting the ethnographic romance: revolutionary Frenchmen in the Pacific, 1768-1804.

S c h o l a r S h av e o f t e n n o t e d t h a t f r e n c h engagement in the Pacific cast itself in the form of romance. The south Pacific was a distant space for the free play of French imaginations, whether social, scientific, or political. From the moment of first French contact, louis-Antoine de Bougainville’s arrival in Tahiti in 1768, that imaginative space was suffused with eroticism. The cast of characters for stories of Frenchmen in the south Pacific inevitably included beautiful and naked island women, freely offering themselves to conquering Frenchmen. According to Matt Matsuda, “the French romance of nineteenth-century imperialism”—what he refers to as France’s Pacific “empire of love”—developed from “the literary and philosophical templates” of early contact: “What was ‘French’ about the ‘Empire’ developed as a curious concatenation of story and unrealized ambition of possession.”
The Marriage of Sharon and Henry Sawbones: A Forensic Case Illustrating the Use of a Tax Return in a Litigation Advisory Services Context

ABSTRACT: This case is designed for use in a forensic accounting curriculum at the undergraduate or graduate level. The case contains no allegations of fraud. Rather, it illustrates the subset of forensic accounting referred to as litigation advisory services and is based upon an actual case that was investigated by the lead author working as a litigation support consultant. The case utilizes the problem-based learning approach wherein students are put in the role of the forensic accountant and must request additional information from the instructor. Students must first review a personal income tax return to develop a list of financial documents that would serve as a discovery request when assisting a family law attorney and his divorcing client. Using the information obtained from their requests, students must then prepare an income exhibit and an asset/liability exhibit that will support the client's need for a division of the marital estate, spousal maintenance, and child support. The process of using ...
Mate-seeking behavior of Ephestia cautella.

The almond moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker), mated as a result of extensive male flight and female calling which ensured that at least one moth was calling or flying during most flights or calling bouts, respectively. The flight paths of the males relative to the locations of the calling females and those of males in the absence of calling females suggest that, in still air, the sex pheromone simply intensified male search once he was within substantially less than 60 cm of a calling female.
Poly(dA)·Poly(dT) Forms Very Stable Nucleosomes at Higher Temperatures

Abstract The synthetic polymer poly(dA)·poly(dT) was long thought to be refractory to nucleosome formation. Several years ago our laboratory demonstrated that the polymr could be mixed with authentic nucleosomes in a low-salt exchange procedure to form a nucleoprotein complex that behaved in a manner identical with that of nucleosomes. Competitive exchange assays at 37°C showed that the homopolymer reconstituted about as well as heterogenous-sequence DNA. However, studies by other laboratories have shown that the conformation of poly(dA)·poly(dT) depends on temperature; the polymer converts from its well-known, atypical structure, found at ambient temperature, to a conformation more closely resembling a canonical B form as temperature is increased. We have measured the ability of the homopurine·homopyrimidine to form nucleosomes as a function of temperature. It is seen that poly(dA)·poly(dT) forms nucleosomes more strongly as the temperature of the exchange mixture is increased, so that poly(dA)·(dT) outcompetes heterogeneous-sequence DNA for histones at elevated temperatures.
Cartilage-Specific Ablation of Site-1 Protease in Mice Results in the Endoplasmic Reticulum Entrapment of Type IIB Procollagen and Down-Regulation of Cholesterol and Lipid Homeostasis

The proprotein convertase site-1 protease (S1P) converts latent ER-membrane bound transcription factors SREBPs and ATF6 to their active forms. SREBPs are involved in cholesterol and fatty acid homeostasis whereas ATF6 is involved in unfolded protein response pathways (UPR). Cartilage-specific ablation of S1P in mice (S1Pcko) results in abnormal cartilage devoid of type II collagen protein (Col II). S1Pcko mice also lack endochondral bone development. To analyze S1Pcko cartilage we performed double-labeled immunofluorescence studies for matrix proteins that demonstrated that type IIB procollagen is trapped inside the ER in S1Pcko chondrocytes. This retention is specific to type IIB procollagen; other cartilage proteins such as type IIA procollagen, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and aggrecan are not affected. The S1Pcko cartilage thus exhibits COMP-, aggrecan-, and type IIA procollagen-derived matrices but is characterized by the absence of a type IIB procollagen-derived matrix. To understand the molecular reason behind S1Pcko phenotypes we performed genome-wide transcriptional profiling of cartilage isolated from S1Pcko and wild type littermates. While the UPR pathways are unaffected, the SREBPs-directed cholesterol and fatty acid pathways are significantly down-regulated in S1Pcko chondrocytes, with maximal down-regulation of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (Scd1) gene. However, mouse models that lack Scd1 or exhibit reduction in lipid homeostasis do not suffer from the ER retention of Col II or lack endochondral bone. These studies indicate an indispensable role for S1P in type IIB procollagen trafficking from the ER. This role appears not to be related to lipid pathways or other current known functions of S1P and is likely dependent on additional, yet unknown, S1P substrates in chondrocytes.
Role of NAD(P)H oxidase in superoxide generation and endothelial dysfunction in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats as a model of nonobese NIDDM.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in diabetics, and it has a complex etiology that operates on several levels. Endothelial dysfunction and increased generation of reactive oxygen species are believed to be an underlying cause of vascular dysfunction and coronary artery disease in diabetes. This impairment is likely the result of decreased bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) within the vasculature. However, it is unclear whether hyperglycemia per se stimulates NADPH oxidase-derived superoxide generation in vascular tissue. Methods and Results: This study focused on whether NADPH oxidase-derived superoxide is elevated in vasculature tissue evoking endothelial/smooth muscle dysfunction in the hyperglycemic (16964 mg%) Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat. By dihydroethidine fluorescence staining, we determined that aorta superoxide levels were significantly elevated in 9 month-old GK compared with age matched Wistar (GK; 19566%, Wistar; 10063.5%). Consistent with these findings, 10 26 mol/L acetylcholine-induced relaxation of the carotid artery was significantly reduced in GK rats compared with age matched Wistar (GK; 4167%, Wistar; 10065%) and measurements in the aorta showed a similar trend (p=.08). In contrast, relaxation to the NO donor SNAP was unaltered in GK compared to Wistar. Endothelial dysfunction was reversed by lowering of superoxide with apocynin, a specific Nox inhibitor. Conclusions: The major findings from this study are that chronic hyperglycemia induces significant vascular dysfunction in both the aorta and small arteries. Hyperglycemic induced increases in NAD(P)H oxidase activity that did not come from an increase in the expression of the NAD(P)H oxidase subunits, but more likely as a result of chronic activation via intracellular signaling pathways.
The Scientific Approach to Better Birthday Parties

How much does birthday cake cost? Put another way, how much does not being able to eat birthday cake “cost” for a 3-year-old who can only watch his friends eating cake because of a food allergy? A recent paper from a multicenter cooperative group led by Burks provides an opportunity to help children with food allergies safely eat their favorite foods, using a systematic approach to functional desensitization through oral allergen exposure. This group studied a dose-escalating oral egg exposure protocol for children with egg allergy. During the period of escalating allergen exposure, 25% of allergen doses caused mild allergic symptoms at the time of the treatment, but none of these reactions were severe, and the protocol was well tolerated overall. Out of 40 patients initially randomized to the experimental arm, 30 were transiently desensitized to egg protein while on the immunotherapy protocol, and 10 achieved long-term functional tolerance and successfully transitioned to a regular diet. The mechanisms underlying food allergy and treatment through exposure are unclear, but experimental data are growing. Recent data indicate that maternal exposure to allergens during pregnancy may, somewhat paradoxically, protect offspring from food allergy and that early postnatal exposure may not be harmful. Reconciliation of these data with known mechanisms of antigen exposure will require further research. Similarly, more research is needed to examine the impact of food allergy on child development and any psychological problems that may arise because of frustration caused by life-long dietary limitations. Using the new method for oral desensitization of children with food allergies, it may finally be possible to compare the children who are successfully treated with those who remain allergic and clarify the impact that the food allergies have on children’s quality of life. In the meantime, based on the results presented by Burks et al ., parents of children with food allergies who previously had to say “no” to the cake can now say “possibly later.” A. W. Burks et al. , Oral immunotherapy for treatment of egg allergy in children. N. Engl. J. Med. 367 , 233–243 (2012). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200435
Antenna design for microwave cancer ablation of osteosarcoma

Summery: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone cancer in children. Because it usually develops from osteoblast (cells responsible for bone growth) it most commonly affects individuals between 10 and 25 years of age. This type of cancer often occurs in the long bones of the arms and legs at areas of rapid growth around the knees and shoulders. It is often very aggressive with risk of spread to the lungs. The five-year survival rate for osteosarcoma is approximately 65%. Among the different medical procedures being developed to treat tumors, microwave ablation stands out as one of the most promising. Some of the advantages offered by this technique over traditional treatments are: it requires minimal invasiveness; it localizes treatment to the affected area; it can be indicated for patients that cannot undergo surgery, drug treatments or chemotherapy; it provides fast treatments and healing times. The main types of microwave ablation applicators are: superficial and interstitial. Interstitial microwave ablation applicators are coaxial-based antennas like cap-choke, monopoles and dipoles. These applicators have the disadvantage of producing small ablation areas and requiring insertion into the tumor under treatment. Superficial applicators on the other hand do not require insertion but are large and produce unwanted heating on the healthy tissues surrounding the tumor. The disadvantages mentioned before demonstrate that traditional microwave ablation applicators are not suited to treat osteosarcoma. Typically osteosarcoma develops into large tumors that due to their size and shape cannot be treated effectively by traditional applicators. Additionally the theory behind microwave ablation applicators has being developed for soft tissues (skin, blood, muscle). These tissues have electrical properties that differ significantly from the properties of the hard tissues (bone cortical, bone marrow, bone cancellous) from which osteosarcoma develops. In this work we show the design of microwave applicators that can treat osteosarcoma effectively. The performance of these applicators is demonstrated through numerical simulations of the absorbed power and temperature increase, which were computed using FDTD and the Bio-Heat equation.
Hydration in the Various Phases of the Triblock Copolymers EO13PO30EO13 (Pluronic L64) and EO6PO34EO6 (Pluronic L62), Based on Electron Spin Resonance Spectra of Cationic Spin Probes

Aqueous solutions of the triblock copolymers poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) EO13PO30EO13 (Pluronic L64) and EO6PO34EO6 (Pluronic L62) were investigated over a wide polymer concentration range (20−90% w/w) across all phases, from micellar to liquid crystalline and to reverse micellar phases. Electron spin resonance spectra of a homologous series of cationic nitroxide spin probes, CATn (n is the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent), were used to deduce the local polarity in the water-rich domains of the self-assembled polymer aggregates. The isotropic hyperfine splitting from the 14N nucleus of the >NO fragment, aN, was the polarity sensitive parameter; aN values were translated into effective local hydration values Zeff by reference to a series of PEO/water mixtures with water contents expressed as Z = [H2O]/[EO]. By this approach it was possible to follow changes in the hydration of the EO blocks at various distances from the hydrophobic core in the L62 and...
Emerging paradoxes in executive leadership: A theoretical interpretation of the tensions between corruption and virtuous values

Abstract The recent mini scandal surrounding questionable on-line postings of John Mackey, the founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market Inc., raises once again ethical challenges related to contemporary business leadership. Given his visible commitment to environmentally sound strategies and other responsible business practices, Mackey’s actions epitomize the irony and paradox that can surround executive leadership ethics. While this essay acknowledges the potential role of stricter legal constraints, punishments for offenders, decentralized governance systems, and rationalized structures that help prohibit power abuse, it views such rationalistic considerations alone to be inadequate. Rather, the authors suggest that the promotion of authentic virtuousness is an often overlooked yet indispensable part of any meaningful long term ethical leadership process.
The role of time and cuing in a college lecture

Abstract The lecture process was studied systematically with the following objectives: to reexamine the effects of time upon note-taking and immediate retention, to compare the relative effectiveness of spoken and written cues, and to investigate cuing schedules. Students were asked to view one of a series of videotaped lectures in which certain statements were highlighted by either spoken or written cues. The contents of students' notes and assessments of immediate recall and recognition provided the dependent measures. Students recorded increasingly less information in their notes over the course of the lecture, but retention of material from different portions of the lecture was essentially the same. Written-cued statements were recorded more frequently and retained better than statements preceded by spoken cues. Finally, the different schedules of cuing were shown to have subtle effects upon note-taking and recall.
The Preface to Darwin’s Origin of Species : The Curious History of the “Historical Sketch” *

Almost any modern reader’s first encounter with Darwin’s writing is likely to be the “Historical Sketch,” inserted by Darwin as a preface to an early edition of the Origin of Species, and having since then appeared as the preface to every edition after the second English edition. The Sketch was intended by him to serve as a short “history of opinion” on the species question before he presented his own theory in the Origin proper. But the provenance of the “Historical Sketch” is somewhat obscure. Some things are known about its production, such as when it first appeared and what changes were made to it between its first appearance in 1860 and its final form, for the fourth English edition, in 1866. But how it evolved in Darwin’s mind, why he wrote it at all, and what he thought he was accomplishing by prefacing it to the Origin remain questions that have not been carefully addressed in the scholarly literature on Darwin. I attempt to show that Darwin’s various statements about the “Historical Sketch,” made primarily to several of his correspondents between 1856 and 1860, are somewhat in conflict with one another, thus making problematic a satisfactory interpretation of how, when, and why the Sketch came to be. I also suggest some probable resolutions to the several difficulties.
Branch length mediates flower production and inflorescence architecture of Fouquieria splendens (ocotillo)

The capacity of individual branches to store water and fix carbon can have profound effects on inflorescence size and architecture, thus on floral display, pollination, and fecundity. Mixed regression was used to investigate the relation between branch length, a proxy for plant resources, and floral display of Fouquieria splendens (ocotillo), a woody, candelabraform shrub of wide distribution in arid North America. Long branches produced three times as many flowers as short branches, regardless of overall plant size. Long branches also had more complex panicles with more cymes and cyme types than short branches; thus, branch length also influenced inflorescence architecture. Within panicles, increasing the number of cymes by one unit added about two flowers, whereas increasing the number of cyme types by one unit added about 21 flowers. Because flower production is mediated by branch length, and because most plants have branches of various lengths, the floral display of individual plants necessarily encompasses a wide range of inflorescence size and structure.