cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plane-Wave Based Low-Scaling Electronic Structure Methods for Molecules

This paper reviews the use of plane-wave based methods to decrease the scaling of the most time-consuming part in molecular electronic structure calculations, the Coulomb interaction. The separability of the inverse distance operator allows the efficient calculation of the Coulomb potential in momentum space. Using the Fast Fourier Transform, this can be converted to the real space in essentially linearly scaling time. Plane wave expansions are periodic, and are better suited for infinite periodic systems than for molecules. Nevertheless, they can be successfully applied to molecules, and lead to large performance gains. The open problems in the field are discussed.
Basis for prediction of the sharp reversal of climate from autumn to winter 1988–1989

A major reversal in the pattern of temperature anomalies occurred over the contiguous United States of America between autumn of 1988 and winter 1988–1989, a climatic break which reflected a change in phase of the prevailing midtropospheric wind pattern over much of the Western Hemisphere. This transformation is described and attributed to forcing by remote and persistent circulations acting in concert with seasonal forcing. Practically all conventional forecast tools, especially those involving local persistence and climatic contingencies, failed to predict the break. However, the instability of autumn's and November's flow pattern was indicated by: (i) conserving the standardized November height anomalies into winter; (ii) testing the stability of this new hypothetical pattern with the help of statistically derived teleconnections; (iii) applying a modified mean barotropic model to the hypothetical chart; and (iv) extrapolating the winter pattern from trends of circulation within the autumn months. Making use of all this material, a forecast was made for winter at the end of November that turned out highly successful despite the failure of persistence between seasons.
Preoperative patient education for breast reconstruction: a systematic review of the literature.

This study aims to assess the current state of patient educational tools available for the purposes of educating women about postmastectomy breast reconstruction. A systematic review of the English language literature was conducted between the years 1966 and 2009 of all studies pertaining to the use of educational materials for breast reconstruction. MEDLINE, CINAHAL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the Science Citation Index were searched. Only studies that both employed and evaluated a patient educational tool in the setting of postmastectomy reconstruction were selected for review. Qualifying studies were then evaluated with respect to their study design, sample size, and outcome measure evaluated. Each educational tool identified was similarly evaluated with respect to its development process, content, and educational medium. A total of 497 articles were retrieved. Of these, only seven met our inclusion criteria. These publications evaluated a total of seven educational tools. Among them were employed various mediums including written, visual, and audio materials. Detailed review revealed that the development of only one educational program included an educational needs assessment. Only two of the seven studies identified evaluated the efficacy of their educational tool using a randomized controlled trial study design. Outcome measures evaluated varied among the studies identified and included: knowledge gains (n = 4), the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision to undergo reconstruction (n = 3), satisfaction with decision regarding reconstruction (n = 1), decisional conflict (n = 3), and type of reconstruction (n = 3). This review highlights the need for well-designed, methodologically sound research into patient education regarding breast reconstruction. Such information is invaluable in developing patient education programs and decision aids that aim at patient empowerment.
Real‐time monitoring of fluorescence anisotropy and temperature during processing of biaxially stretched polypropylene film

An optical sensor based on fiber optics has been developed to measure fluorescence anisotropy and temperature during processing of biaxially stretched polypropylene films. The sensor, containing optical fibers, polarizing elements and lenses, was mounted above the polypropylene film as it was processed in a tenter frame oven stretching machine. Fluorescence observations were made using the fluorescent dye, bis (di-tert butylphenyl) perylenedicarboximide (BTBP), which was doped into the resin at very low concentrations. To monitor biaxial stretching, fluorescence anisotropy measurements were carried out with light polarized in the machine and the transverse directions corresponding to the directions of biaxial stretching. Fluorescence based temperature measurements were obtained from the ratio of fluorescence intensities at 544 nm and 577 nm. A matrix of experiments involving three levels of stretch ratio in both the machine and transverse directions was undertaken. We observed significant differences between anisotropy in the machine and transverse directions that we attributed to the sequential stretching operation, i.e., the film was stretched in the machine direction first, followed by stretching in the transverse direction, and to film temperature and strain rate for each stretching operation. The result was uniformly higher anisotropies in the machine direction. Film temperature obtained from fluorescence corresponded to oven thermocouple measurements within 2°C. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:805–813, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Combinatorial Auctions and Knapsack Problems

This note summarizes the connection between winner determination problems (WDPs) in multi-unit combinatorial exchanges and generalized knapsack problems (KPs); see [2] for an extensive treatment. Taxonomies of sealed-bid auction WDPs and of KPs align precisely, i.e., the two classes of problems are identical. The relationship between KPs and WDPs has received remarkably little attention in E-commerce and multi-agent systems literature. However the WDP-KP connection is important because it allows us to leverage a vast body of Operations Research literature for developing and benchmarking WDP solvers. For low-dimensional multi-unit CA WDPs (i.e., few types of goods), extremely simple dynamic-programming algorithms are available whose time and memory requirements are linear (in the pseudo-polynomial sense) in three out of four natural measures of problem size.
Hydranencephaly in an infant with vascular malformations.

Hydranencephaly is a condition in which cerebral hemispheres are absent and reduced to fluid-filled sacs in a normal skull. Numerous causes have been proposed. We report a male infant with hydranencephaly and congenital vascular malformations (port wine stains, generalized nevus flammeus, anomalous retinal vessels, and absent internal carotid flow). Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed absence of most of the cerebrum except for small portions of the occipital cortex and thalami. Magnetic resonance angiography showed flow within the vertebral and basilar arteries without internal carotid intracranial flow above the internal carotid petrous and cavernous portion. This is a report of cutaneous and retinal malformations associated with hydranencephaly. Vascular malformations of larger vessels (e.g., webbing of the carotid arteries and an absent internal carotid arterial system) have been observed in other infants with hydranencephaly, and are proposed to lead to brain destruction. The case reported herein supports the role of primary vascular malformations in the development of some cases of hydranencephaly.
The Role of Transportation Costs for People

Exports can enable developing countries to overcome the problem of small domestic markets. Manufactured exports from developing to industrial countries often require transfer of technological know-how from the latter to the former through repeated movement of engineers and other skilled personnel. The cost of this movement increases with distance. Distance from the temperate industrial world thus becomes an obstacle for productivity increase in the tropics. Export trading companies can help to conquer distance by gathering information and matching domestic producers with foreign buyers.
DNA rearrangement mediated by inverted repeats

Abstract Inverted repeats of DNA are widespread in the genomes of eukaryotes and prokaryotes and can mediate genome rearrangement. We studied rearrangement mediated by plasmid-borne inverted repeats in Escherichia coli. We show that inverted repeats can mediate an efficient and recA-independent recombination event. Surprisingly, the product of this recombination is not that of simple inversion between the inverted repeats, but almost exclusively an unusual head-to-head dimer with complex DNA rearrangement. Moreover, this recombination is dramatically reduced by increasing the distance separating the repeats. These results can be readily explained by a model involving reciprocal switching of the leading and lagging strands of DNA replication within the inverted repeats, which leads to the formation of a Holliday junction. Reciprocal strand switching during DNA replication might be a common mechanism for genome rearrangement associated with inverted duplication.
Impact of pelvic radiotherapy on morbidity and durability of sphincter preservation after coloanal anastomosis for rectal cancers.

This study was designed to assess the impact of pelvic radiotherapy on the incidence of complications and colostomy-free survival of patients after a coloanal anastomosis for rectal cancer. A total of 192 patients underwent a coloanal anastomosis between 1982 and 2001: 87 patients did not receive pelvic radiotherapy; 105 patients received pelvic radiotherapy (39 preoperative and 66 postoperative). Early and late complications requiring surgical intervention and the colostomy-free survival rate were assessed by retrospective review of patient records. After a median follow-up of 62 months, 151 patients were alive. The most frequent complication was development of an anastomotic stricture (5-year rate of a stricture, 16 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 10–21). Patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy had a higher rate of complications other than anastomotic strictures, including fecal incontinence, fistulas, abscesses, and bowel obstructions compared with patients not receiving pelvic radiotherapy (5-year rate: 20 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 10–29) vs. 5 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 0–10); P = 0.001). Patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy had a lower colostomy-free survival than did patients not receiving pelvic radiotherapy (5-year colostomy-free rate: 72 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 62–84) vs. 92 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 86–98); P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the colostomy-free survival of patients receiving preoperative and postoperative pelvic radiotherapy. After coloanal anastomosis, a significant number of patients will have complications requiring surgical intervention, and some will require a permanent colostomy. Pelvic radiotherapy, whether it is administered preoperatively or postoperatively, significantly increases the need for a permanent colostomy.
Study of (π-C5H5)2Ti(CH3)Cl and (π-C5H5)2Ti(C6H5)Cl in soluble Ziegler catalysts

Soluble ethylene polymerization catalysts derived from (π-C5H5)2Ti(R)Cl and R ′AlCl2, where R = methyl or phenyl and R ′ = methyl or ethyl, were studied both by polymerization kinetics at 0°C and by diagnostic experiments. It was found that the first insertion of ethylene into the TiR bond is difficult when R = methyl or phenyl, and for this reason these catalysts show a different overall behavior than when R = ethyl or higher alkyl.
Thoracoscopic Lung Suffusion

The lung is a common site of metastatic disease, which may be the only measurable malignancy in some patients. Unfortunately, because of the invasiveness of previous techniques and the fragility of these target organs, many attempts at regional lung therapies have not become that popular. Accordingly, a method for thoracoscopic vascular control to enable permeation of the lung with agents was developed and termed suffusion to distinguish it from earlier methods. This article describes the preclinical work supporting lung suffusion and our early human experience.
Health care: the largest human service system

In 1972 one dollar in four (a total of $268 billion) of the American economy was spent on social welfare services. Of this total, health expenditures accounted for nearly one-third, or $83.4 billion, an amount surpassing all costs for education ($75 bil lion), and exceeded only by the $98.8 bil lion expended for social security and other income maintenance programs.2 The in crease that this represents is dramatic. In less than ten years the figure rose from $39 billion in 1965 to the present $83 billion. In terms of jobs, health is the third largest "industry" in the country, employing 5 per cent of the labor force. Few people thus employed will appreciate the distinction of being part of one of the country's most expensive social welfare service systems. Nor will all like the projection that by the year 2000 health care expenditures un doubtedly will become wholly public.3 As Freeman has noted:
Distance learning strategies for weight management utilizing social media: A comparison of phone conference call versus social media platform. Rationale and design for a randomized study

Management of obesity in the context of the primary care physician visit is of limited efficacy in part because of limited ability to engage participants in sustained behavior change between physician visits. Therefore, healthcare systems must find methods to address obesity that reach beyond the walls of clinics and hospitals and address the issues of lifestyle modification in a cost-conscious way. The dramatic increase in technology and online social networks may present healthcare providers with innovative ways to deliver weight management programs that could have an impact on health care at the population level. A randomized study will be conducted on 70 obese adults (BMI 30.0-45.0 kg/m(2)) to determine if weight loss (6 months) is equivalent between weight management interventions utilizing behavioral strategies by either a conference call or social media approach. The primary outcome, body weight, will be assessed at baseline and 6 months. Secondary outcomes including waist circumference, energy and macronutrient intake, and physical activity will be assessed on the same schedule. In addition, a cost analysis and process evaluation will be completed.
Stepwise nucleosome translocation by RSC remodeling complexes

The SWI/SNF-family remodelers regulate chromatin structure by coupling the free energy from ATP hydrolysis to the repositioning and restructuring of nucleosomes, but how the ATPase activity of these enzymes drives the motion of DNA across the nucleosome remains unclear. Here, we used single-molecule FRET to monitor the remodeling of mononucleosomes by the yeast SWI/SNF remodeler, RSC. We observed that RSC primarily translocates DNA around the nucleosome without substantial displacement of the H2A-H2B dimer. At the sites where DNA enters and exits the nucleosome, the DNA moves largely along or near its canonical wrapping path. The translocation of DNA occurs in a stepwise manner, and at both sites where DNA enters and exits the nucleosome, the step size distributions exhibit a peak at approximately 1-2 bp. These results suggest that the movement of DNA across the nucleosome is likely coupled directly to DNA translocation by the ATPase at its binding site inside the nucleosome.
Neighbors’ Perceptions of Animal Agriculture

Abstract Residential development in many parts of the nation is bringing non-farmers in closer proximity to livestock farms, increasing the potential for conflicts over agricultural production. Understanding rural residents’ perceptions of animal agriculture is important, because such knowledge can help farmers and the agricultural community reduce the potential for farm-nonfarm conflicts. This study used a survey of residents of five rural townships in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to examine neighbors’ perceptions of animal agriculture. Responses were received from 416 of the 1500 randomly selected residents for a response rate of 28.8%. The survey included questions about how close they lived to a variety of farm types, and their concerns about those farm types. About one-third of the respondents had at least one complaint about a nearby livestock farm. Fifty-seven percent of these concerns were odor-related, and 18% were fly-related. Not surprisingly, respondents living closest to a farm were more likely to complain about that type of farm than were respondents living at other distances. Although many respondents had concerns about the livestock farms, they also perceived livestock farms as being very important to the economic well-being of their community. Respondents also generally viewed the farms as adding significantly to the aesthetic and amenity values of their communities.
Interlúdio norteamericano - 1960/61

The life and work of Castro Soromenho as it is reflected in his status as a professor, at the University of Wisconsin (December 1960 to June 1961) and through the testimonies of his friends and his widow Dona Mercedes, like an important element to trace the personality of writer, are the fulcrum points of this communication.
Apparatus and method for time-integrated, active sampling of contaminants in fluids demonstrated by monitoring of hexavalent chromium in groundwater

Abstract Annual U.S. expenditures of $2B for site characterization invite the development of new technologies to improve data quality while reducing costs and minimizing uncertainty in groundwater monitoring. This work presents a new instrument for time-integrated sampling of environmental fluids using in situ solid-phase extraction (SPE). The In Situ Sampler (IS2) is an automated submersible device capable of extracting dissolved contaminants from water (100s–1000s mL) over extended periods (hours to weeks), retaining the analytes, and rejecting the processed fluid. A field demonstration of the IS2 revealed 28-day average concentration of hexavalent chromium in a shallow aquifer affected by tidal stresses via sampling of groundwater as both liquid and sorbed composite samples, each obtained in triplicate. In situ SPE exhibited 75 ± 6% recovery and an 8-fold improvement in reporting limit. Relative to use of conventional methods (100%), beneficial characteristics of the device and method included minimal hazardous material generation (2%), transportation cost (10%), and associated carbon footprint (2%). The IS2 is compatible with commercial SPE resins and standard extraction methods, and has been certified for more general use (i.e., inorganics and organics) by the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) of the U.S. Department of Defense.
Towards fully automated closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's disease patients: A LAMSTAR-based tremor predictor

This paper describes the application of the LAMSTAR (LArge Memory STorage and Retrieval) neural network for prediction of onset of tremor in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to allow for on-off adaptive control of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Currently, the therapeutic treatment of PD by DBS is an open-loop system where continuous stimulation is applied to a target area in the brain. This work demonstrates a fully automated closed-loop DBS system so that stimulation can be applied on-demand only when needed to treat PD symptoms. The proposed LAMSTAR network uses spectral, entropy and recurrence rate parameters for prediction of the advent of tremor after the DBS stimulation is switched off. These parameters are extracted from non-invasively collected surface electromyography and accelerometry signals. The LAMSTAR network has useful characteristics, such as fast retrieval of patterns and ability to handle large amount of data of different types, which make it attractive for medical applications. Out of 21 trials blue from one subject, the average ratio of delay in prediction of tremor to the actual delay in observed tremor from the time stimulation was switched off achieved by the proposed LAMSTAR network is 0.77. Moreover, sensitivity of 100% and overall performance better than previously proposed Back Propagation neural networks is obtained.
O-005 The Price Is Right - A Cost-Effective Analysis Of Endovascular Therapy And Intravenous Thrombolysis For Large Vessel Strokes

Background Cost-effectiveness is integral in judging a treatment’s impact on healthcare. While endovascular therapy may yield better outcomes versus intravenous thrombolysis, the potential benefit is lost if the cost is prohibitive. A comparative analysis of IV rt-PA and endovascular therapy is warranted. Methodology The setting is a rural tertiary-level academic hospital. The hospital charges, DRG, direct and indirect costs and payments received were analysed for 257 patients who received treatment for AIS. All patients had a large vessel occlusion (LVO) defined as involvement of the ICA-Terminus or the MCA on the admission CTA. The patients were divided into an endovascular (EV, n=141) and an intravenous thrombolysis group (IV, n=116). A favourable clinical outcome was defined as a 90-day mRS of 0–2. The net-cost was calculated as the difference between payments received and total hospital cost. Results The DRGs used and the payments associated with each are listed in table 1. The total charges, direct and total hospital cost and the payments received were significantly higher for the EV than the IV-group (table 2). The direct cost was recovered in both groups however the net surplus was significantly higher for the EV-group. The difference between payments and total costs showed a net deficit for the IV-group and a net positive for the EV group. Amongst patients who lived, the hospitals had a net surplus of $3336 ( ± 22371) for EV-group as opposed a net deficit of $3118 ( ± 9349) for the IV-group (p=0.02). A favourable outcome was seen in 42% of the EV-group and 26.8% of the IV-group (p=0.007). Conclusion Endovascular therapy was associated with a net-surplus for the hospital as opposed to intravenous thrombolysis, which was associated with a net-deficit. Additionally better functional outcomes for the EV-group make it the more cost-effective treatment option for large vessel strokes. Disclosures A. Rai: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular, Codman Neurovascular.
Antilevitation of Landau levels in vanishing magnetic fields

We report in this Rapid Communication an antilevitation behavior of Landau levels in vanishing magnetic fields in a high quality heterojunction insulated-gated field-effect transistor. We found, in the Landau fan diagram of electron density versus magnetic field, the positions of the magnetoresistance minima at Landau-level fillings $\ensuremath{\nu}=4\ensuremath{-}6$ move below the ``traditional'' Landau-level line to lower electron densities. Moreover, the even and odd filling factors show quantitatively different behaviors in antilevitation, suggesting that the exchange interactions may be important.
Cost benefit and outcomes analysis for fine-needle aspiration. Why do we know so little?

In many areas of anatomic pathology, there have been little application of health services research methods. Diagnostic fine- needle aspiration has been performed for decades in the United States, but there is still little knowledge of the benefits and limitations of this procedure. This article examines some of the research regarding fine-needle aspiration cytology and hypothesizes why there has been so little evaluation.
Factors Governing the Use of Microwave/Radiofrequency Energies in Cancer Therapy*

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the factors that govern the use of microwave/radiofrequency (MW/RF) energies in cancer therapy. There has been a renewed interest in the use of regional or systemic hyperthermia as a modality for cancer treatment either singly or in conjunction with other treatment modalities such as ionizing radiation or chemotherapy. Numerous techniques have been utilized to induce hyperthermia in localized areas or the entire body. These include hot water immersion, hot air, or the use of pyrogens. One of the primary needs in hyperthermia treatment is the uniform heating of the tumor to obviate possible growth enhancement that may occur as a result of nonuniform heating. To obtain more rapid and deeper thermogenesis, and more uniform distribution of the heat, the use of ultrasound and microwave/radiofrequency energies have been investigated. The chapter reviews the information on electromagnetic radiant energy so that the use of MW/RF energy in the therapy of cancer can be approached in a rational and productive manner. The frequency ranges considered in the chapter include 300 kHz to 300 MHz (radiofrequency) and 300 MHz to 300 GHz (microwaves). The ranges represent one of the several conventions used in characterizing these energies. The limits have no particular biological significance. Although the radiofrequency range includes all the frequencies below 300 GHz with the microwave domain as just a part of the whole RF spectrum, the spectrum of frequencies below 300 MHz will be designated as the radiofrequency range. Sometimes a subdivision of the RF range extending from 30 to 300 MHz is termed the “shortwave” range.
The Climate-Trade Conundrum: A Critical Analysis of the WTO’s Jurisprudence on Subsidies to Renewable Energy

Subsidies to solar and wind energy products are on the rise throughout the world, and have been at the heart of many vexing trade disputes under the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework. The Canada–Renewable Energy/Feed-in Tariff case (Canada–FIT) is the first case where the WTO Appellate Body has addressed the trade-climate conundrum with regards to renewable energy subsidies. The Appellate Body’s ruling in this case struck down the discriminatory “domestic content requirement” of the feed-in tariff program, but kept the rest of it intact. To better understand the ruling’s implications for future climate support schemes, this paper first presents a comprehensive overview of the WTO’s past jurisprudence on subsidy issues, and then critically evaluates the Appellate Body’s ruling on renewable energy subsidies in the Canada – FIT case. The key question to be examined concerns whether the Appellate Body engaged in overly activist interpretation in its benefit analysis. This paper argues that although the Appellate Body took an activist approach in creating a separate benchmark market for renewable energy, this evolutionary approach is warranted by the uniqueness of the renewable energy sector and the interpretive rules embodied in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. The Appellate Body’s ruling in this case represented the WTO Appellate Body’s efforts to adapt to the pressing policy considerations on climate change, and to reconcile the climate support subsidies with its restrictive jurisprudence on subsidies under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.
A Nano-micro-macro-multiscale Model for Progressive Failure Prediction in Advanced Composites

The bottleneck for inserting new and improved polymer matrix composites (PMC) is the overwhelming amount of testing required to incorporate new material into the Design Allowables Database (DAD). The development of the DAD requires evaluation of multiple batches of composites with the associated construction of very large mechanical and other physical properties databases. Also, to quantify uncertainty in the structural performance, (1) numerous subcomponents may have to be fabricated requiring expensive tooling, and (2) one must then perform expensive tests on these elements to determine their long-term performance. In this context, Integrated Computational Materials Science and Engineering (ICMSE) provides a methodology to support materials development without recourse to expensive trial-and-error approach to materials fabrication and characterization. The motivation for this chapter is that design requirements and knockdown factors are limiting our ability to exploit advanced composite and nanostructured composite materials for system-level payoffs. While there has been a large body of research conducted in atomistic simulation of crystalline metallic materials, a large technology gap exists in the multiscale simulation of amorphous polymeric materials and their composites. This chapter is a description of a methodology for fundamentally addressing failure in a polymer composite. The nanoscale is addressed first, to highlight incorporation of damage using both strength- and fracture-based criterions and problems associated when modeling a polymer system, followed by a discussion of microscale modeling which receives information from the nanoscale using homogenized properties. This in turn iteratively interacts with the macroscale to provide global strength estimates of a composite structure.
Promoting smoking abstinence in pregnant and postpartum patients: a comparison of 2 approaches.

OBJECTIVE To compare the implementation, delivery, and implications for dissemination of 2 different maternal smoking-cessation/relapse-prevention interventions in managed care environments. STUDY DESIGN Healthy Options for Pregnancy and Parenting (HOPP) was a randomized, controlled efficacy trial of an intervention that bypassed the clinical setting. Stop Tobacco for OuR Kids (STORK) was a quasi-experimental effectiveness study of a point-of-service intervention. Both incorporated prenatal and postnatal components. PATIENTS AND METHODS Subjects in both studies were pregnant women who either smoked currently or had quit recently. The major intervention in HOPP was telephone counseling delivered by trained counselors, whereas the STORK intervention was delivered by providers and staff during prepartum, inpatient postpartum, and well-baby visits. RESULTS In HOPP, 97% of telephone intervention participants reported receiving 1 or more counselor calls. The intervention delayed but did not prevent postpartum relapse to smoking. Problems with intervention delivery related primarily to identification of the target population and acceptance of repeated calls. STORK delivered 1 or more cessation contacts to 91% of prenatal smokers in year 1, but the rate of intervention delivery declined in years 2 and 3. Modest differences were obtained in sustained abstinence between 6 and 12 months postpartum, but not in point prevalence abstinence at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS The projects were compared using 4 of the 5 dimensions of the RE-AIM model including reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. It was difficult to apply the fifth dimension, efficacy, because of the differences in study design and purpose of the interventions. The strengths and limitations of each project were identified, and it was concluded that a combined intervention that incorporates elements of both HOPP and STORK would be optimal if it could be implemented at reasonable cost.
Predictive Model for Dynamically Provisioning Resources in Multi-Tier Web Applications

In the competitive world of modern web applications, performance plays a crucial role. An e-commerce company estimated that every 100ms delay reduces sales by 1 percent, and a popular search engine reported that every 500ms delay in search reduces earnings by 20 percent. The demands from users for these services can vary widely based on factors such as the time-of-day and unexpected events that can trigger flash crowds. To meet these demands web applications can be organized using a multi-tier architecture to make them modular and scalable in a cloud environment. However, a highly dynamic workload and different types of resource requirements in each tier can make it difficult to model the behavior of these applications. This presents two significant challenges to infrastructure providers: 1) to model the behavior of an application workload and provide responsive resources using dynamic resource provisioning, and 2) to maintain performance-based (response time) Service Level Agreements (SLAs). In this paper, we formulate a convex optimization problem for resource allocation, and offer a strict SLA for performance. We adopt an SLA violation cost model to formulate our optimization problem and derive the solution for dynamic resource provisioning. To achieve a strict SLA for the response time of an application, we propose a predictive model that seeks to dynamically provision resources using a Feedback-based Control System (FCS). Our model is applicable for a broad range of multi-tier applications. We demonstrate the effective use of our model through experiments that analyze the behavior of an online auction application using a common workload benchmark.
Bundled Therapies in Sepsis

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on delivering appropriate, efficient, and effective medical care. As a result of this, a number of tools and techniques have been developed and increasingly used to assist in this process. One such entity is that of care bundles or, more simply, bundles. These are a set of evidence-based interventions that, when implemented together, tend to result in significantly better outcomes than when implemented individually [1]. Bundles usually consistent of three to five elements and are targeted for a defined patient population or care setting. Their effectiveness is centered on bringing together independent practices and tying them into a package that needs to be completed for each encounter with these patients or care settings [2].
The transactional perspective on occupation: A way to transcend the individual in health promotion interventions and research

Ten years after its introduction, the role of the transactional perspective in occupational science has grown. Although the perspective has been used for a variety of purposes, application remains ...
Effect of bio-char on methane generation from glucose and aqueous phase of algae liquefaction using mixed anaerobic cultures

Abstract Activated carbon is known to enhance methane formation in anaerobic reactors via interspecies electron transfer between fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea. Biochar, a by-product of biomass pyrolysis process, could also perform similar functions due to its conductive properties and the presence of redox active moieties. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of activated carbons and biochars on anaerobic digestion. Biochars obtained from canola meal, switchgrass and Ashe juniper were tested for methane production from both glucose and aqueous phase of bio-oil generated via hydrothermal liquefaction of algae. The results suggested that absorbents enhanced methane production. Furthermore, biochars synthesized at intermediate temperatures significantly increased methane yield and reduced the lag time required for methane formation. In addition, the results suggested that the redox active moieties such as quinones and phenazines in biochars are responsible for electron transport, which ultimately enhanced methane production.
A simple predictor of post-operative complications after open surgical adhesiolysis for small bowel obstruction

Abstract Background Small bowel obstruction is common and often requires surgical management. Simple preoperative models are lacking to predict post-operative complications after surgical management of adhesive small bowel obstruction. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from 15,036 patients who underwent open lysis of adhesions for small bowel obstruction from 2005 to 2013 using the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Predictors of post-operative complications were identified using logistic regression. Predictive models were compared using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC). Results A three-parameter model was constructed, termed FAS: Functional status, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, and prior Sepsis. FAS predicted post-operative complications with odds ratio (OR) 1.11, 95% CI (1.10, 1.12), P Conclusions FAS predicts post-operative complications after open lysis of adhesions using three readily available clinical parameters.
Kooperationsskripts beim technologieunterstützten Lernen

Um positive Effekte auf den Wissens- und Kompetenzerwerb von Lernenden zu bewirken, bedarf technologiegestutztes Lernen haufig einer sorgfaltigen instruktionalen Anleitung. In kooperativen Lernsettings kann diese uber die Vorgabe von Kooperationsskripts realisiert werden, die den Lernenden innerhalb einer Kleingruppe unterschiedliche Lernaktivitaten und/oder Kooperationsrollen vorgeben und auf diese Weise die Zusammenarbeit strukturieren. Dieser Beitrag gibt einen Uberblick uber die empirische Forschung zu Kooperationsskripts fur das technologiegestutzte Lernen.
Congenital Pulmonary Myofibroblastic Tumor

Congenital pulmonary myofibroblastic tumor (CPMT) is a very rare benign lung tumor occurring in fetuses and neonates. It typically results in intrauterine fetal demise, hydrops fetalis, or severe respiratory distress at birth. Approximately 10 cases of CPMT have been described in the literature, including cases reported under names such as “bronchopulmonary leiomyosarcoma,” “bronchopulmonary fibrosarcoma,” and “congenital fibroleiomyosarcoma.” The tumor is thought to arise from the pluripotent peribronchial mesenchyme, a precursor to the myofibroblastic phenotype. On chest radiograph, a mass lung lesion causing flattening of the diaphragm and medistinal shift may be seen.
Belief, probability and exchangeability

We first discuss what properties a reasonable belief function should have, and show that probabilities have these properties. Then, we review the basic machinery of discrete and continuous random variables and probability distributions. Finally, we explore the link between independence and exchangeability.
Acquired Donor Peanut Allergy From Lung Transplantation Resulting in Respiratory Failure: A Case Report

This case report describes a patient who acquired a donor peanut allergy after lung transplantation. A 53-year-old woman with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency underwent left-sided lung transplant from a donor with a history of anaphylaxis to peanut. Two weeks after the transplant, the patient developed acute respiratory failure immediately after consuming a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The donor's serum confirmed high titers of peanut-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE). The recipient patient had never had allergies to peanuts or other nuts before her transplant. After the transplant, she had negative serology but positive skin testing to peanuts. This case illustrates the importance of considering donor food allergies when caring for solid organ transplant recipients.
Outcomes associated with trial of labor after cesarean in women with one versus two prior cesarean deliveries after a change in clinical practice guidelines in an academic hospital.

Objective: In 2010, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) published a new clinical practice guideline on trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) that was considered less restrictive. It allowed for offering TOLAC to women with two prior cesarean deliveries, even without a prior vaginal delivery, and for labor induction. As a result, our hospital, a public tertiary care academic center, updated our TOLAC practice guideline to reflect ACOG's new recommendations. We thus aim to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes for women undergoing TOLAC with 1 versus 2 prior cesareans, with and without a prior vaginal delivery, following these clinical practice changes at our hospital.Study design: This was a secondary analysis of a 2-year retrospective cohort following implementation of a hospital guideline in women undergoing TOLAC with a live, cephalic, singleton without lethal anomaly ≥24 0/7 weeks and 1 or 2 prior cesarean deliveries. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with one prior cesarean were compared to women with two prior cesareans. The primary outcome was composite maternal morbidity (uterine rupture, uterine dehiscence, hysterectomy, transfusion, postpartum venous thromboembolism, delivery/surgical injury, chorioamnionitis or endometritis, shoulder dystocia, death). Secondary outcomes included neonatal morbidity. The analysis was performed in SAS; p < .05 was considered significant.Results: Seven hundred women with one prior cesarean and 73 women with two prior cesareans underwent TOLAC after the 2011 guideline implementation. Post guideline maternal demographics, labor length, comorbid conditions, simplified Bishop score, and induced labor were similar between groups. Composite maternal morbidity was similar between groups (18.3 versus 23.3%, p = .30 for women with 1 versus 2 prior cesarean deliveries, respectively). The same was true when comparing women with 1 versus 2 prior cesareans who had never had a prior vaginal delivery (25.5 versus 33.3%, p = .28 for 1 versus 2 prior cesarean deliveries, respectively). There were no differences in neonatal outcomes. Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) success rates were similar between groups (78.9% in women with 1 prior cesarean versus 74.0% in women with 2 prior cesareans, p=.33), even when only analyzing women without a prior vaginal delivery (69.4% in women with 1 prior cesarean versus 71.4% in women with 2 prior cesareans, p = .78).Conclusion: Adoption of ACOG's TOLAC practice changes, specifically offering TOLAC to women with two prior cesareans even without a prior vaginal delivery, and offering induction of labor regardless of cervical favorability, may increase VBAC rates without increasing maternal or neonatal morbidity from TOLAC.
Debranching Concepts and Techniques for Arch Surgery

Conventional open repair of aortic arch aneurysms carries the potential for significant morbidity and mortality despite recent advances in available graft materials and perioperative management strategies. The risk of adverse perioperative events is further magnified in the face of elderly, frail, multiply comorbid, or reoperative patients. Extra-anatomic arch “debranching” to create landing zones in the proximal aorta or aortic arch allows for the use of endovascular techniques to treat arch pathologies and subsequently serves as the foundation for “hybrid” repair of the aortic arch.
Political budget cycles and the civil service: Evidence from highway spending in US states

Abstract We study political budget cycles in infrastructure spending that are conditional on bureaucratic organization. Bureaucrats can facilitate or hinder politicians' ability to engage in voter-friendly spending around elections. To test this idea, we use civil service reforms undertaken by US states in the second half of the 20th century to study political budget cycles in highway spending under civil service and patronage. We find that under patronage, highway spending is 12% higher in election years and 9% higher in the year before an election. By contrast, under civil service highway spending is essentially smooth over the electoral cycle. These findings provide a novel way through which civil service rules can stabilize government activity.
A Radioactive in vitro ERK3 Kinase Assay

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are serine/threonine kinases that have an important role in signal transduction. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3), also known as MAPK6, is an atypical MAPK. Here, we describe in detail an in vitro assay for the kinase activity of ERK3 using myelin basic protein (MBP) or steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) as substrates. The assay is carried out in the presence of [y-32P]-ATP which results in radiolabeling of phosphorylated substrates. Separation of the reaction components by gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography enables detection of the radiolabeled products, and hence determination of the kinase activity of ERK3. This assay can be used for several applications including identification of substrates, determination of the effect of molecules or mutations on kinase activity, and testing specific kinase inhibitors. Furthermore, the protocol outlined here can be adapted to measure the activity of other kinases by using their specific substrates.
Tissue-specific telomere dynamics in hibernating arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii)

ABSTRACT Hibernation is used by a variety of mammals to survive seasonal periods of resource scarcity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) released during periodic rewarming throughout hibernation, however, may induce oxidative damage in some tissues. Telomeres, which are the terminal sequences of linear chromosomes, may shorten in the presence of ROS, and thus the telomere length of an individual reflects the degree of accrued oxidative damage. This study quantified telomere length dynamics throughout hibernation in arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii). We hypothesized that telomere dynamics are tissue specific and predicted that telomere shortening would be most pronounced in brown adipose tissue (BAT), the organ that directly supports non-shivering thermogenesis during arousals. We used qPCR to determine relative telomere length (RTL) in DNA extracted from liver, heart, skeletal muscle (SM) and BAT of 45 juvenile and adult animals sampled either at mid- or late hibernation. Age did not have a significant effect on RTL in any tissue. At mid-hibernation, RTL of juvenile females was longer in BAT and SM than in liver and heart. In juvenile females, RTL in BAT and SM, but not in liver and heart, was shorter at late hibernation than at mid-hibernation. At late hibernation, juvenile males had longer RTL in BAT than did juvenile females, perhaps due to the naturally shorter hibernation duration of male arctic ground squirrels. Finally, BAT RTL at late hibernation negatively correlated with arousal frequency. Overall, our results suggest that, in a hibernating mammal, telomere shortening is tissue specific and that metabolically active tissues might incur higher levels of molecular damage.
Cell-free nuclear, but not mitochondrial, DNA concentrations correlate with the early host inflammatory response after severe trauma

Severe blunt trauma is associated with an early ‘genomic storm’ which causes simultaneous up- and down-regulation of host protective immunity. Excessive inflammation can lead to organ injury. In the absence of infection, the inflammatory response is presumably driven by release of endogenous alarmins called danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which initiate immune responses through pattern-recognition receptors (PRR). Here we examined the relationship between concentrations of cell-free (cf) nuclear DNA (ncDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) within 24 hours post trauma with circulating leukocyte transcriptomics and plasma IL-6 concentrations, as well as the patients’ clinical trajectories. In 104 patients enrolled from two level-1 trauma centers, ncDNA and mtDNA concentrations were increased within 24 hours of severe trauma, but only ncDNA concentrations correlated with leukocyte gene expression and outcomes. Surprisingly, ncDNA, not mtDNA concentrations, were significantly elevated in trauma patients who developed chronic critical illness versus rapid clinical recovery. Plasma IL-6 and leukocyte transcriptomics were better predictors of outcomes than cfDNA levels. Although mtDNA and ncDNA are significantly increased in the immediate post-trauma period, the dramatic inflammatory and gene expression changes seen after severe trauma are only weakly correlated with ncDNA concentrations, and more importantly, mtDNA concentrations are not associated with adverse clinical trajectories.
How to Plan (and Conduct) a Conference

Planning a conference requires considerable preparatory work in advance of the actual meeting. In addition to the educational tasks of selecting a subject, speaker, and format, there are multiple administrative procedures to complete ahead of the meeting. These include accrediting the program, developing a budget, negotiating contracts and completing paperwork, determining equipment needs, handling local site arrangements, and more. Most of this work, while invisible to attendees, is a crucial piece of the process.