cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data mining on an OLTP system (nearly) for free

This paper proposes a scheme for scheduling disk requests that takes advantage of the ability of high-level functions to operate directly at individual disk drives. We show that such a scheme makes it possible to support a Data Mining workload on an OLTP system almost for free: there is only a small impact on the throughput and response time of the existing workload. Specifically, we show that an OLTP system has the disk resources to consistently provide one third of its sequential bandwidth to a background Data Mining task with close to zero impact on OLTP throughput and response time at high transaction loads. At low transaction loads, we show much lower impact than observed in previous work. This means that a production OLTP system can be used for Data Mining tasks without the expense of a second dedicated system. Our scheme takes advantage of close interaction with the on-disk scheduler by reading blocks for the Data Mining workload as the disk head “passes over” them while satisfying demand blocks from the OLTP request stream. We show that this scheme provides a consistent level of throughput for the background workload even at very high foreground loads. Such a scheme is of most benefit in combination with an Active Disk environment that allows the background Data Mining application to also take advantage of the processing power and memory available directly on the disk drives.
Sec13 Shuttles between the Nucleus and the Cytoplasm and Stably Interacts with Nup96 at the Nuclear Pore Complex

Sec13 is a constituent of the endoplasmic reticulum and the nuclear pore complex (NPC). At the endoplasmic reticulum, Sec13 is involved in the biogenesis of COPII-coated vesicles, whereas at the NPC its function is unknown. We show here, by yeast two-hybrid screenings and biochemical assays, that a region at the amino terminus of the human nuclear pore complex protein Nup96 interacts with the WD (Trp-Asp) repeat region of human Sec13. By using immunofluorescence and confocal and immunoelectron microscopy, we found that in interphase, Sec13 and Nup96 are localized at both sides of the NPC in addition to other intracellular sites. In mitosis, Sec13 was found dispersed throughout the cell, whereas a pool of Nup96 colocalized with the spindle apparatus. Photobleaching experiments showed that Sec13 shuttles between intranuclear sites and the cytoplasm, and a fraction of Sec13 is stably associated with NPCs. Cotransfection of Sec13 and the Sec13 binding site of Nup96 decreased the mobile pool of Sec13, demonstrating the interaction of Sec13 and Nup96 in vivo. Targeting studies showed that Sec13 is actively transported into the nucleus and contains a nuclear localization signal. These results indicate that Sec13 stably interacts with Nup96 at the NPC during interphase and that the shuttling of Sec13 between the nucleus and the cytoplasm may couple and regulate functions between these two compartments.
Transepithelial Electrical Resistance is Not a Reliable Measurement of the Caco-2 Monolayer Integrity in Transwell

The significance of monitoring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) value during the study on drug absorption through Caco-2 monolayers in Transwells was re-evaluated. TEER value was monitored before, during, and after the absorption of Streptokinase (45 KD). Four enhancers--disodium ethylenediaminetetracetate (disodium EDTA), sodium cholate (NaC), sodium taurocholate (NaTC), and sodium caprate along with alpha-hemolysin (a cell membrane pore-forming toxin)--were used to signify the outcome of this study. Modified trypan blue exclusion technique was used to examine the Caco-2 cell viability throughout the absorption studies. The enhancers at the used concentration exhibited toxic effect on the Caco-2 cells as evident from the trypan blue exclusion studies. This toxic effect was not reflected by the TEER profile because TEER value dropped after the addition of the absorption enhancers. But it came back to its initial value after the cell culture media was replaced by enhancer-free media. This toxic effect was confirmed by the antiproliferation studies on the four enhancers and alpha-hemolysin against Caco-2 cells. Therefore, we concluded that the measurement of TEER is not a reliable method to determine the absorption enhancers toxicity or integrity of the Caco-2 monolayers in the Transwells.
The endemic headwater stream amphibians of the American Northwest: associations with environmental gradients in a large forested preserve

We used a large forested preserve (Olympic National Park, USA) to examine the habitat associations of a unique and environmentally sensitive stream amphibian fauna: Ascaphus truei Stegneger, Rhyacotriton olympicus (Gaige) and Dicamptodon copei Nussbaum. We quantified the relative abundance of stream amphibians and compared them to physical, topographic, climatic and landscape variables. All three species were associated with the south-west to north-east climate gradient, tending to be most abundant in the south-west. Although a habitat generalist relative to the other two species, Dicamptodon copei was absent from the north-eastern portion of the park. Ascaphus truei and Rhyacotriton olympicus were both associated with coarse substrates and steep gradients. Unlike studies in harvested forests, all stream amphibians were common in waters with unconsolidated surface geology (e.g. marine sediments that erode easily). Studies of ecological preserves can provide an important baseline for evaluating species associations with environmental gradients and can reveal patterns not evident in more disturbed landscapes.
Capsid Protein Synthesis from Replicating RNA Directs Specific Packaging of the Genome of a Multipartite, Positive-Strand RNA Virus

Flock house virus (FHV) is a bipartite, positive-strand RNA insect virus that encapsidates its two genomic RNAs in a single virion. It provides a convenient model system for studying the principles underlying the copackaging of multipartite viral RNA genomes. In this study, we used a baculovirus expression system to determine if the uncoupling of viral protein synthesis from RNA replication affected the packaging of FHV RNAs. We found that neither RNA1 (which encodes the viral replicase) nor RNA2 (which encodes the capsid protein) were packaged efficiently when capsid protein was supplied in trans from nonreplicating RNA. However, capsid protein synthesized in cis from replicating RNA2 packaged RNA2 efficiently in the presence and absence of RNA1. These results demonstrated that capsid protein translation from replicating RNA2 is required for specific packaging of the FHV genome. This type of coupling between genome replication and translation and RNA packaging has not been observed previously. We hypothesize that RNA2 replication and translation must be spatially coordinated in FHV-infected cells to facilitate retrieval of the viral RNAs for encapsidation by newly synthesized capsid protein. Spatial coordination of RNA and capsid protein synthesis may be key to specific genome packaging and assembly in other RNA viruses.
Sodium Retention Accompanying Insulin Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

Urinary sodium excretion before and during insulin therapy was studied in six patients with poorly controlled diabetes. One subject had ketoacidosis; manifestations in the other five ranged from slight ketoacidosis to hyperglycemia alone. All patients retained sodium when diabetes was controlled by insulin, the mean positive sodium balance being 286 mEq. over three days. The diminished urinary sodium excretion did not correlate with the fall in glucosuria or ketonuria; insulin withdrawal studies in two patients indicated that sodium depletion during insulin lack is not a prerequisite for sodium retention during retreatment Im-munoreactive glucagon fell from elevated levels as control of diabetes was established. It is concluded that sodium retention occurs regularly during insulin treatment of poorly controlled diabetes, whether ketoacidosis is present or not. The positive sodium balance should be anticipated when insulin therapy is instituted.
Parameters affecting mode partition noise in laser transmission systems

An analysis is carried out to determine the parameters affecting mode partition noise in a laser transmission system operating at a gigabits per second data rate using long dispersive fibers. The analysis is based on a Monte Carlo simulation technique of mode partition noise in systems using single-mode or multimode lasers. Some interesting results were found when the fiber dispersion and/or bit rate were high and raised cosine shaping of the data was used. The results show that, as the dispersion is increased, the bit error rate floor, due to the mode partition noise, increases to a maximum value and then decreases substantially to a minimum and oscillates periodically between those two extremes. The period between maximums is determined by the bit rate, fiber dispersion, and mode spacing. Experimental results substantiating the theoretical predictions are given for a single-mode laser. For the case of a multimode laser, it was found that because of pulse shaping there are certain modes which contribute most to mode partition noise. Specifically, the modes contributing most to mode partition noise in typical 560 Mb systems are typically the fifth to seventh modes, which are displaced from the central mode on the short wavelength side. This result suggests a new criterion for choosing multimode lasers with low mode partition noise based on the intensity of those modes. >
Engineered proteins detect spontaneous DNA breakage in human and bacterial cells

Spontaneous DNA breaks instigate genomic changes that fuel cancer and evolution, yet direct quantification of double-strand breaks (DSBs) has been limited. Predominant sources of spontaneous DSBs remain elusive. We report synthetic technology for quantifying DSBs using fluorescent-protein fusions of double-strand DNA end-binding protein, Gam of bacteriophage Mu. In Escherichia coli GamGFP forms foci at chromosomal DSBs and pinpoints their subgenomic locations. Spontaneous DSBs occur mostly one per cell, and correspond with generations, supporting replicative models for spontaneous breakage, and providing the first true breakage rates. In mammalian cells GamGFP-labels laser-induced DSBs antagonized by end-binding protein Ku; co-localizes incompletely with DSB marker 53BP1 suggesting superior DSB-specificity; blocks resection; and demonstrates DNA breakage via APOBEC3A cytosine deaminase. We demonstrate directly that some spontaneous DSBs occur outside of S phase. The data illuminate spontaneous DNA breakage in E. coli and human cells and illustrate the versatility of fluorescent-Gam for interrogation of DSBs in living cells. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01222.001.
Effect of sucrose on the metabolic disposition of aspartame.

Twelve normal adult subjects ingested a bev- erage providing 0. 136 mmol aspartame/kg body wt on 2 different days. On 1 study day the beverage provided only aspartame, on the other the beverage provided both aspartame and 3.5 1 mmol sucrose/kg body wt. The high mean plasma phenylabanine concentrations were similar after administra- tion of aspartame alone (158 ± 28.9 �mob/L, I ± SD) and ad- ministration of aspartame plus sucrose (134 ± 44. 1 �tmol/L). Evaluation of the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) for phenylalanine also showed no significant difference between groups (197 ± 49.1 vs 182 ± 28.3 �mol. L � . h for aspartame alone and aspartame plus sucrose, respec- tively). Similarly, the high mean ratio ofphenylalanine to large neutral amino acids (Phe:LNAA) in plasma did not differ sig- nificantly (0.265 ± 0.046 for aspartame alone, 0.275 ± 0.107 for aspartame plus sucrose). However, there was a small but significant difference between groups for the 4-h AUC values for plasma Phe:LNAA. The simultaneous ingestion of sucrose with aspartame had only minor effects on aspartame's meta- bolic disposition. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;52:335-4 1.
Investigation of Current Methods to Identify Helicopter Gear Health

This paper provides an overview of current vibration methods used to identify the health of helicopter transmission gears. The gears are critical to the transmission system that provides propulsion, lift and maneuvering of the helicopter. This paper reviews techniques used to process vibration data to calculate conditions indicators (CI's), guidelines used by the government aviation authorities in developing and certifying the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), condition and health indicators used in commercial HUMS, and different methods used to set thresholds to detect damage. Initial assessment of a method to set thresholds for vibration based condition indicators applied to flight and test rig data by evaluating differences in distributions between comparable transmissions are also discussed. Gear condition indicator FM4 values are compared on an OH58 helicopter during 14 maneuvers and an OH58 transmission test stand during crack propagation tests. Preliminary results show the distributions between healthy helicopter and rig data are comparable and distributions between healthy and damaged gears show significant differences.
Unsaturated polyoxalates: Synthesis and mass spectral study of their thermal behavior

The thermal decomposition of a series of four saturated and unsaturated C4 polyoxalates shows competing modes of depolymerization, fragmentation to polyenes and CO2, and crosslinking. These decompositions, which were studied by DSC and TGA, and intensively by EI- and CI-MS, could be rationalized in terms of the structure of the alcohol portions of the polyesters. The polymers were synthesized by ester interchange, which gave materials with DP values of 5–32.
On resolving two-dimensional sinusoids in white noise using different spectral estimates

Several well-known spectrum estimates are examined in terms of their performance in resolving two closely located sinusoids in white noise. Closed-form expressions for the estimates, using the different approaches and models, are derived and used to study the resolution question. The notions of 3-dB contour and single-peak area (SPA) are introduced and used to compare the different models. The harmonic mean of two single-quadrant linear prediction models is shown to be particularly promising as a high-resolution estimate. >
A buffered charge pump with zero charge sharing

The origins and detrimental effects of charge injection in charge-pump PLLs are discussed. Standard topologies for minimizing charge injection are discussed, and a new charge- pump topology with virtually zero charge injection is presented. Simulation results are presented to compare the performance of the proposed topology with standard designs, and it is shown that the new topology minimizes the steady state phase offset.
Vulvodynia, a step-wise therapeutic prospective cohort study

Vulvodynia is characterised by the presence of vulval allodynia (pain evoked by non-painful stimuli) and vulval dysaesthesias (burning, soreness, rawness, stinging and irritation). We assessed a protocol for the evaluation and management of vulvodynia. The protocol was based on the most recent evidence available. We began a simple evaluation and proceeded to an aggressive one. From the cohort of 74 patients, 69 patients (93.2%) were adherent to the protocol. A total of 25 patients (36.3%) improved after antibiotic therapy: 14 patients (20.4%) had a positive fungal culture and 11 patients (15.9%) had a positive bacterial culture; none with a positive viral culture. Eight patients (11.6%) improved with dietary modification. Ten patients (14.5%) benefitted from tricyclic medications; 13 patients (18.8%) improved after gabapentin therapy; 13 patients (18.8%) did not show improvement of their condition. Some 56 patients (81.2%) manifested an improvement of their symptoms, which allowed them to achieve painless sexual intercourse.
Single aerosol particle size and mass measurements using an electrodynamic balance

Abstract Evaporation rates of single droplets of dibutyl sebacate (DBS) have been measured using a new instrument developed for the simultaneous measurement of size and mass of a suspended droplet. A charged droplet was captured in the path of a polarized laser beam in the electric field produced by two hyperboloidal endcap electrodes and a central ring electrode. The droplet radius was measured as a function of time using Mie theory to interpret light-scattering data, and the mass was determined from the dc voltage applied across the endcap electrodes to balance the droplet at the null point where the droplet intercepted the laser beam. The droplet sizes studied were in the micron and submicron range, and the masses were in the range 10−13 to 10−11 g. The droplet radii determined from light-scattering data agree well with the radii calculated from the particle mass, and the evaporation rates are in good agreement with the theory for isothermal diffusion-controlled evaporation. The electrodynamic balance or picobalance, designed to operate in the picogram range of particulate mass, can be used to study a wide variety of aerocolloidal phenomena.
Enabling Dynamic Heterogeneity Through Core-on-Core Stacking

Future computing platforms will need to be flexible, scalable, and power-conservative, while saving size, weight, energy, etc. Heterogeneous architecture can address these challenges by allowing each application to run on a core that matches resource needs more closely than a one-size-fits-all core. Dynamic heterogeneous architectures can extend these benefits further, allowing the system to construct the right core at run-time for each application, borrowing or freeing resources only as needed by the particular application that is running. The key insight in the described design is that 3D stacking of cores eliminates the fundamental barrier to dynamic heterogeneity, allowing various resources belonging to different cores to be shared at run-time with minimal overhead.
The motives of judges: Empirical evidence from antitrust sentencing

Most judges would sooner admit to grand larceny than confess a political interest or motivation. It is so rare as to approach the charming to hear ajudge concede that power, prestige, or security of the bench holds some attraction for him. Find a judge who admits to political calculation or, worse, ambition, and you’ve found one who may shortly be blackballed for violating the lodge rules. -Donald Dale Jackson Judges
Perspectives, frame rates and resolutions: it's all in the game

Hardware and platform limitations restrict the display settings for most computer games, forcing a tradeoff between frame rate and resolution to achieve acceptable performance. Previous work has explored the effects of frame rate and/or resolution on a variety of multimedia applications, but most of these are less interactive than typical computer games. Previous work within the context of computer games has concentrated primarily on user actions for specific environments, such as combat in a first-person shooter game. This paper provides a detailed study of the effects of frame rate and resolution on discrete, canonical actions common to many games, shooting and navigation. The study uses a novel perspective based classification defined by the position of the camera relative to the user and the visual change in object sizes relative to the camera, to further refine the findings across a broad spectrum of game genres. A custom game with levels that combine actions and perspectives and measures user performance with different display settings provides the core for the user study experiments. Analysis for over 25 users shows that frame rate has a much greater impact on user performance than does resolution across all game perspectives and gameplay actions. Both frame rate and resolution impact user opinion on playability and quality. These insights into the effects of frame rates and resolution on user performance and opinions can guide game players in their choice for game settings and new hardware purchases, and inform system designers in their development of new hardware.
In Vivo and In Vitro Rearing of Pediculus humanus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae)

Four geographically distinct colonies of the human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer (Anoplura: Pediculidae) were reared on a live host and exhibited significantly different life history patterns. Florida head lice exhibited ≈10% slower development and ≈15% reduced longevity relative to California or Ecuador head lice. Fecundity (4.9 ± 0.2 eggs/female/d) and fertility (76.4 ± 2.9% mean hatching rate) declined over the lifetime of female lice, especially when separated from males (i.e., unmated recently). All four colonies (above plus one from Panama) were similar in their ability to tolerate starvation, although older stages tended to die sooner. An in vitro feeding apparatus was developed to rear head lice. Teneral first instar lice were placed on human hair tufts on the upper side of membrane-covered feeders, which were immersed bottom-side down within a vessel containing warmed human blood. Relative to lice reared on a human host, in vitro-reared lice required a significantly longer time (10–20%) to molt and survived a significantly shorter time as adults (30–50%); the addition of antibiotics did not adversely affect louse development. Teneral first instars were more likely than any other stage to feed through the membrane. Lice spent a significantly greater proportion of time searching in the in vitro apparatus than on a host, but the proportion of time spent feeding did not differ. This research is the first to demonstrate that head lice can be reared successfully in vitro through a complete life cycle.
Jejunal mucosal injury and restitution: role of hydrolytic products of food digestion.

The effects of hydrolytic products of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid digestion on jejunal mucosal injury and restitution were assessed in anesthetized rats. Mucosal epithelial integrity was conti...
A 25-ppm/°C, 9-bit linear 11–53 MHz Tunable, 5 μA/MHz DCO in 90nm for low power microcontrollers

A 9-bit linear VCO based RC oscillator supporting a wide frequency range of 11–53MHz is described. DNL of < ±0.8 LSB is achieved at 9 bit level of frequency tuning. The oscillator uses chopper stabilization to achieve low drift with temperature variations. The frequency stability is ±25-ppm/°C for the temperature range between −40 to 85 °C in off-chip resistor mode. This oscillator is implemented in 90nm CMOS process technology, occupies 0.1 mm2 area and consumes 5μA/MHz.
Biofilm Accumulation & Activity: A Process Analysis Approach

Process Analysis refers to the application of systematic methods to recognize, define and clarify problems and to develop methodologies for their solution. Biofilm formation and persistence in both natural and engineered systems is governed by a collage of complex physical, chemical, and biological processes; each process dependent on a unique set of system parameters. Process analysis applied to biofilm formation provides an integrated approach which incorporates microbial physiology, reaction engineering, and transport phenomena to understand, control, and exploit biofilm processes. Application of process analysis allows one to (a) interpret the operation of an existing biofilm system, (b) design new biofilm reactor systems, and (c) understand the complexities of natural biofilm systems. It is increasingly apparent that research into biofilm processes which does not comprise microbial, chemical, and fundamental engineering aspects is incomplete.
Opportunity Consultants, Inc., 2007

Students' preparations and first-class discussions focus on the key resources, factors, and relationships that could be causing the poor performance of the student-run consulting organization. Students should develop a causal-loop diagram showing the key resources, feedback relationships, and delays in the system. As a follow up assignment, sufficient information is available for the students to develop a system simulation model. Instructors can choose an alternate assignment requesting students to evaluate and utilize a simulation model developed by the authors. Systems-intervention analysis and policy testing is expected once a valid model is developed or given to the students. Instructors should contact Professor Robert D. Landel at the Darden School for free use of the model.
Technology Competency: The Urgency to Clarify Comment 8 of Model Rule 1.1

Technology connects attorneys to publications, cases, courts, legislatures, and clients. The American Bar Association (ABA) recognized the trend and created the Commission on Ethics 20/20 in 2009 to study the impact of technology and globalization on the legal profession.” One result of the Commission was amending Comment 8 (formerly comment 6) of Rule 1.1 to reflect, “A lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology. The problem resides in the vagueness of the phrase because the 20/20 Commission’s intent on including the phrase was as a reminder only. This article reviews technological advances in the legal profession and the impact of those advances commencing in ancient Roman through present day; provides an analysis of how society defines technology and how understanding the actual technology is in contrast to knowing technology. The article continues by breaking down the suggested core technologies and explaining the benefits and risks associated with each. Lastly, the article breaks down why a new proposed comment is more viable and concludes by urging the ABA and the State Bar Associations either adopt the proposed comment or use it as a blueprint to create their own technology focused comments.
Nanocatalysts in Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Applications

Current needs for sustainable energy have popularized the development and use of fuel cell technology. Fuel cells provide a clean alternative to other types of energy. Since this is a relatively new technology, many aspects of this field still need improvement. Catalysts are vital fuel cell components, and in recent years research efforts have focused on the development new types of catalysts. This review describes the deficiencies of several types of catalysts used in hydrogen and direct‐methanol fuel‐cell applications and the recent development of new catalysts for these devices based on nanoscale materials. Several important types of nanocatalysts (Pt‐Ru nanocomposites, gold nanocatalysts, and carbon nanotubes supported Pt‐Fe) will be covered. In addition, the merits and shortcomings of these nanocatalysts will be briefly discussed.
Response to the Contributors to the Review Colloquium on Scale and Scope

I am extremely grateful for the valuable and challenging comments of the contributors to this review colloquium on Scale and Scope. Their remarks have allowed me to clarify and to define more sharply the basic concepts, focus, and aims of the book. In discussing each reviewer's comments, I attempt whenever possible to place them in the larger context of my views on the development of industrial capitalism.
Spinal glomus (type II) arteriovenous malformations: a pooled analysis of hemorrhage risk and results of intervention

Background The natural history and treatment results for spinal glomus (type II) arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) remain relatively obscure. Objective To calculate spinal glomus (type II) AVM hemorrhages rates and amalgamate results of intervention. Methods We performed a pooled analysis via the PubMed database through May 2012, including studies with at least 3 cases. Data on individual patients were extracted and analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards regression model to obtain hazard ratios for hemorrhage risk factors. Results The annual hemorrhage rate before treatment was 4% (95% confidence interval [confidence interval]: 3%-6%), increasing to 10% (95% CI: 7%-16%) for AVMs with previous hemorrhage. The hazard ratio for hemorrhage after hemorrhagic presentation was 2.25 (95% CI: 0.71-7.07), increasing to 13.0 within the first 10 years (95% CI: 1.44-118). The overall rates of complete obliteration were 78% (95% CI: 72%-83%) for surgery and 33% (95% CI: 24%-43%) for endovascular treatment. Long-term clinical worsening occurred in 12% of patients after surgical treatment (95% CI: 8%-16%) and in 13% after endovascular treatment (95% CI: 7%-21%). No hemorrhages occurred after complete obliteration. After partial surgical treatment, the annual hemorrhage rate was 3% (95% CI: 1%-6%); no hemorrhages were reported over 196 patient-years after partial endovascular treatment. Conclusion Spinal glomus (type II) AVMs with previous hemorrhage, particularly within 10 years, demonstrated a greater risk of hemorrhage. Complete obliteration and even partial endovascular treatment significantly decreased their hemorrhage rate.
Sequential Adsorption of an Irreversibly Adsorbed Nonionic Surfactant and an Anionic Surfactant at an Oil/Aqueous Interface

Aerosol-OT (AOT) and Tween 80 are two of the main surfactants in commercial dispersants used in response to oil spills. Understanding how multicomponent surfactant systems interact at oil/aqueous interfaces is crucial for improving both dispersant design and application efficacy. This is true of many multicomponent formulations; a lack of understanding of competition for the oil/water interface hinders formulation optimization. In this study, we have characterized the sequential adsorption behavior of AOT on squalane/aqueous interfaces that have been precoated with Tween 80. A microtensiometer is used to measure the dynamic interfacial tension of the system. Tween 80 either partially or completely irreversibly adsorbs to squalane/aqueous interfaces when rinsed with deionized water. These Tween 80 coated interfaces are then exposed to AOT. AOT adsorption increases with AOT concentration for all Tween 80 coverages, and the resulting steady-state interfacial tension values are interpreted using a Langmuir is...
Basic Research Considerations for Performance Management of Staff

Performance management involves the application of behavioral principles to manage and change employee behavior so that desired organizational results may be accomplished. With the exception of research on incentive systems and feedback, a vast majority of performance management research takes place in the applied setting. Thus, this chapter provides an overview of select basic and translational research on topics relevant to the performance management of staff in service delivery settings. Topics include rules and instructions, motivating staff, and performance feedback. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the benefits of translational or use-inspired basic research about performance management.
The correlation analysis of serum albumin levels and prognosis in children with sepsis

Objective To explore the association between hypoalbuminemia and the severity and prognosis of sepsis in children.Methods Children diagnosed as sepsis in PICU in Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital from February to July 2010 were retrospectively collected.Clinical manifestation,laboratory examination index,related parameters of disease severity and prognosis were extracted.According to albumin levels within 24 h admission into PICU,the patients were divided into severe hypoalbuminemia group(≤25 g·L-1),moderate hypoalbuminemia group(-30 g·L-1),mild hypoalbuminemia group(-35 g·L-1) and normal albumin group( 35 g·L-1).The correlation of albumin levels with clinical manifestations,laboratory index and relevant outcome were analyzed.The relevance of albumin levels and the prognosis was analyzed by Logistic regression.Results A total of 212 cases meeting with sepsis criteria were analyzed,including 24 cases in severe hypoalbuminemia group,50 in moderate hypoalbuminemia group,61 in mild hypoalbuminemia group and 77 in normal albumin group.① The incidences of diarrhea,abdominal distension,bowel sound weakened,stress ulcer,edema and MODS 3 in severe hypoalbuminemia group were significantly elevated(P0.05).②With the serum albumin levels decreasing,the incidences of WBC count,CRP≥8 mg·L-1 and PCT2 mg·L-1,glucose ≥6.7 mmol·L-1 and lactate levels were increased(P0.05).③With the serum albumin levels decreasing,PRISM Ⅲ,the incidences of severe sepsis and septic shock were significantly elevated,while PICS was declined(P0.05).④Logistic regression analysis showed that PRISM Ⅲ≥8,severe sepsis and septic shock,severe hypoalbuminemia were death risk factors in children with sepsis,OR(95%CI) was 8.20(1.325-18.96),2.85(1.34-10.73)and 1.22(1.02-15.78) respectively.⑤The albumin levels in survival group 1,3 and 7 days after admission were significantly higher than the death or abandon group in the corresponding period,and there were significant differences.Conclusions Hypoalbuminemia can be used as an indirect inflammatory infection indicator to reflect the degree of severe infection.The albumin level≤25 g·L-1 can be used as the death risk factors in children with sepsis.
Microtubule organization of unstimulated and stimulated adherent human neutrophils in Chediak-Higashi syndrome

The numbers and length of centriole-associated microtubules of two patients with Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) were examined. Detergent- extracted whole-mount preparations of adherent cells were studied by stereo high-voltage electron microscopy. Under conditions of random migration, neutrophils from both patients had a microtubule organization similar to that of the control; microtubule numbers (28 +/- 3) and length (7.0 +/- 2.8 micron) were within normal range. When cells were treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), differences in the response of the two patients were noted. Neutrophils from patient No. 2 and the control showed a significant rise in numbers (38 +/- 5) and length (9.5 +/- 3.6 micron) of microtubules. In contrast, neutrophils from patient No. 1 were unresponsive to PMA treatment. Because vitamin C is used therapeutically in CHS patients and has been shown to correct microtubule-related cell function, neutrophils were exposed to ascorbic acid. A significant increase in microtubule numbers (35 +/- 6) was observed in cells from the control and patient No. 2 after ascorbate treatment; neutrophils from patient No. 1 showed no increase in microtubule numbers. While ascorbic acid did not affect microtubule length in the control cells, it caused a significant increase in microtubule length in neutrophils from both patients. Results suggest that adherent CHS neutrophils contain centriole-associated microtubules which are normal in number and length. However, differences between patients are observed regarding neutrophil responsiveness to stimuli which induce microtubule polymerization.
Taking Care of Our Own: A Multispecialty Study of Resident and Program Director Perspectives on Contributors to Burnout and Potential Interventions

OBJECTIVE Rates of resident physician burnout range from 60 to 76 % and are rising. Consequently, there is an urgent need for academic medical centers to develop system-wide initiatives to combat burnout in physicians. Academic psychiatrists who advocate for or treat residents should be familiar with the scope of the problem and the contributors to burnout and potential interventions to mitigate it. We aimed to measure burnout in residents across a range of specialties and to describe resident- and program director-identified contributors and interventions. METHODS Residents across all specialties at a tertiary academic hospital completed surveys to assess symptoms of burnout and depression using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively. Residents and program directors identified contributors to burnout and interventions that might mitigate its risk. Residents were asked to identify barriers to treatment. RESULTS There were 307 residents (response rate of 61 %) who completed at least one question on the survey; however, all residents did not respond to all questions, resulting in varying denominators across survey questions. In total, 190 of 276 residents (69 %) met criteria for burnout and 45 of 263 (17 %) screened positive for depression. Program directors underestimated rates of burnout, with only one program director estimating a rate of 50 % or higher. Overall residents and program directors agreed that lack of work-life balance and feeling unappreciated were major contributors. Forty-two percent of residents reported that inability to take time off from work was a significant barrier to seeking help, and 25 % incorrectly believed that burnout is a reportable condition to the medical board. CONCLUSIONS Resident distress is common and most likely due to work-life imbalance and feeling unappreciated. However, residents are reluctant to seek help. Interventions that address work-life balance and increase access to support are urgently needed in academic medical centers.
Phenobarbital-Induced Depression

Twenty-eight epileptic children aged six to 16 years were assessed for psychopathology in relation to anticonvulsant monotherapy at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA.
Respiratory effects of cannabis smoking: A literature review

Background: With increasing cannabis use, physicians need to know more about its respiratory effects. However, there are few long term studies of cannabis smoking, mostly due to legality issues and the confounding effects of tobacco. Aims: We reviewed the effect of chronic cannabis use on lung function, particularly FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio. Methods: 19 out of 256 English-language publications, prior to June 2015, from MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, which reported lung function in chronic cannabis users, were examined. Results: 8 studies reported no significant changes in FEV1/FVC ratio, while 6 found a significant decrease (0.5%-1.9%) in chronic marijuana only smokers compared to controls. While most reports omitted absolute FVC results, 3 large studies demonstrated increased FVC with marijuana smoking. 4 studies found a dose-related reduction in FEV1/FVC. All 8 studies examining respiratory symptoms reported an increase with cannabis smoking (odds ratio up to 3.0). The larger studies suggested that increased FVC may cause the reduced FEV1/FVC with chronic marijuana use (Hancox, et al. ERJ 2010;35:42-7). This contrasts starkly with airflow obstruction in tobacco smoking. Also, FEV1 appears to have a non-linear relationship with cannabis smoking: increasing up to 7 joint-years, but declining afterwards (Pletcher, et al. JAMA 2012;307:173-81). Acute bronchodilator effects of cannabis, on top of chronic effects, may partly explain these results. Conclusions: Cannabis, like tobacco, smoking causes chronic bronchitis but more work is needed to explain the different effects on lung function and address issues such as effects on small airways, imaging and histology.
Investigating delays in frequency-dependent load control

Increased penetration of renewables will require significant regulating reserves, so there is a need to re-think the traditional operating paradigm: supply follows demand. Recent work has expanded the role of flexible and controllable energy resources, such as energy storage and dispatchable demand, to regulate power imbalances and stabilize grid frequency. However, as shown in this paper, the large-scale deployment of dispatchable (i.e., controllable) loads needs to carefully consider the existing regulation schemes in power systems, i.e., generator droop control. That is, this paper illustrates with a standard linearized model, the complex nature of system-wide frequency stability from time-delays in actuation of dispatchable loads and the effect of different network topologies. Interestingly, we show that delay-induced instability can be stabilized by injecting additional delay into load controller.
Speech, Harm, and the Duties of Digital Intermediaries: Conceptualizing Platform Ethics

ABSTRACTThis article poses the following questions: Do digital intermediaries (sites such as Facebook or Twitter) have a duty to prevent or ameliorate harm to victims of vile speech? Or do they have a duty to ensure that as much speech as possible gets published on their platforms? To dissect this dilemma, this article offers ethical rationales behind these competing goals. The rationale for promoting speech is founded on a concern for the facilitation of discourse democracy, while the rationale for preventing harm is based on a concern for human dignity. The article concludes by discussing issues of accountability in digital intermediaries’ self-regulatory regimes.
Using ground penetrating radar to assess the variability of snow water equivalent and melt in a mixed canopy forest, Northern Colorado

Snow is an important environmental variable in headwater systems that controls hydrological processes such as streamflow, groundwater recharge, and evapotranspiration. These processes will be affected by both the amount of snow available for melt and the rate at which it melts. Snow water equivalent (SWE) and snowmelt are known to vary within complex subalpine terrain due to terrain and canopy influences. This study assesses this variability during the melt season using ground penetrating radar to survey multiple plots in northwestern Colorado near a snow telemetry (SNOTEL) station. The plots include south aspect and flat aspect slopes with open, coniferous (subalpine fir, Abies lasiocarpa and engelman spruce, Picea engelmanii), and deciduous (aspen, populous tremuooides) canopy cover. Results show the high variability for both SWE and loss of SWE during spring snowmelt in 2014. The coefficient of variation for SWE tended to increase with time during snowmelt whereas loss of SWE remained similar. Correlation lengths for SWE were between two and five meters with melt having correlation lengths between two and four meters. The SNOTEL station regularly measured higher SWE values relative to the survey plots but was able to reasonably capture the overall mean loss of SWE during melt. Ground Penetrating Radar methods can improve future investigations with the advantage of non-destructive sampling and the ability to estimate depth, density, and SWE.
Long‐term outcomes of living‐related small intestinal transplantation in children: A single‐center experience

Pediatric patients with irreversible intestinal failure present a significant challenge to meet the nutritional needs that promote growth. From 2002 to 2013, 13 living-related small intestinal transplantations were performed in 10 children, with a median age of 18 months. Grafts included isolated living-related intestinal transplantation (n=7), and living-related liver and small intestine (n=6). The immunosuppression protocol consisted of induction with thymoglobulin and maintenance therapy with tacrolimus and steroids. Seven of 10 children are currently alive with a functioning graft and good quality of life. Six of the seven children who are alive have a follow-up longer than 10 years. The average time to initiation of oral diet was 32 days (range, 13-202 days). The median day for ileostomy takedown was 77 (range, 18-224 days). Seven children are on an oral diet, and one of them is on supplements at night through a g-tube. We observed an improvement in growth during the first 3 years post-transplant and progressive weight gain throughout the first year post-transplantation. Growth catch-up and weight gain plateaued after these time periods. We concluded that living donor intestinal transplantation potentially offers a feasible, alternative strategy for long-term treatment of irreversible intestinal failure in children.
Low-Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background The entity of low-pressure hydrocephalus remains poorly understood and thoroughly debated. Symptomatic improvement accompanied by decrease in ventricular size after prolonged subatmospheric drainage has been well documented, and this method has been considered the criterion standard of management. Few studies have examined alternative treatment options, either to avoid the risks associated with prolonged external ventricular drainage or because of the failure of traditional methods. Objectives This study compiled and examined reported cases of low-pressure hydrocephalus in an attempt to provide an up-to-date summary of the condition. Methods A literature search was conducted by use of Ovid Medline and PubMed filtered for the past 25 years with specific key terms, inclusion criteria, and exclusion criteria. Selected case studies and case series were then compared, and statistical analysis was performed where appropriate. Results Over 25 years, 17 articles met our criteria. In addition to our case, 90 cases of LPH were reported. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has proved to be an effective means of studying the viscoelastic properties of the brain. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) appears to be a strong alternative, or additional, treatment. Conclusion MRE may prove to be effective in studying LPH because of its ability to quantify viscoelastic properties in response to therapy. Additionally, ETV should be considered in cases of LPH, although there is little evidence in the current literature to support its use. There are suggestions that it may lead to fewer shunt-dependent patients. Future studies are needed because there are few documented examples.
l-N-acetylcysteine protects outer hair cells against TNFα initiated ototoxicity in vitro.

OBJECTIVE The present study is aimed at determining the efficacy and exploring the mechanisms by which l-N-acetylcysteine (l-NAC) provides protection against tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα)-induced oxidative stress damage and hair cell loss in 3-day-old rat organ of Corti (OC) explants. Previous work has demonstrated a high level of oxidative stress in TNFα-challenged OC explants. TNFα can potentially play a significant role in hair cell loss following an insult to the inner ear. l-NAC has shown to provide effective protection against noise-induced hearing loss in laboratory animals but mechanisms of this otoprotective effect are not well-defined. DESIGN Rat OC explants were exposed to either: (1) saline control (N = 12); (2) TNFα (2 μg/ml, N = 12); (3) TNFα+l-NAC (5 mM, N = 12); (4) TNFα+l-NAC (10 mM, N = 12); or (5) l-NAC (10 mM, N = 12). Outer hair cell (OHC) density, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation of cell membranes, gluthathione activity, and mitochondrial viability were assayed. RESULTS l-NAC (5 and 10 mM) provided protection for OHCs from ototoxic level of TNFα in OC explants. Groups treated with TNFα+l-NAC (5 mM) showed a highly significant reduction of both ROS (p < 0.01) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal immunostaining (p < 0.001) compared to TNFα-challenged explants. Total glutathione levels were low in TNFα-challenged explants compared to control and TNFα+l-NAC (5 mM) treated explants (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS l-NAC is a promising treatment for protecting auditory HCs from TNFα-induced oxidative stress and subsequent loss via programmed cell death.
Corrosion and Deposition of Steels and Nickel-Base Alloys in Liquid Sodium

The corrosion of materials by a liquid metal can be described in terms of the thermodynamics and kinetics of the several reactions that lead to transport of the corroded material into and through the liquid metal circuit. The thermodynamic driving force for liquid metal corrosion is the equilibration of the liquid metal and all surfaces in contact with it. The measured corrosion rate, therefore, represents the net sum of the rates of each of the many reactions continuously occurring in the system as the reactants attempt to reach simultaneous equilibrium. These equilibria include the solubilities of metals and nonmetals in sodium and their interactions both in the sodium and at the solid-liquid interface. Each of these corrosion reactions has its own characteristic kinetics, which, with diffusion and transport of the reactants and products through the liquid metal, give the overall rate of corrosion.