cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
More on monetary policy in a small open economy A credit view

Abstract When the representative bank's backward-bending loan supply curve peaks at the profit-maximizing loan rate, credit rationing could exist as an equilibrium phenomenon and the equilibrium interest rate in the loan market is subject to upward rigidity. With the loan-market setting as micro-foundation for investment, this paper further develops a macro model of a small open economy under the regime of fixed exchange rates with perfect capital mobility in the bond market and imperfect asset substitutability between bonds and loans. In spite of whether there exists credit rationing, a change in money supply shifts the IS as well as LM curves; the credit-driven adjustment in transaction demand for money lessens the disequilibrium pressure on the money and foreign exchange markets so that the offset coefficient of open market operation is less than one. The stronger the credit channel is, the more legacy of monetary policy it can preserve as desired. In particular, monetary autonomy tends to be less impaired under the credit-rationing regime than under the market-clearing regime.
Stopped-flow technique for transit time measurement in a gas jet

Abstract A “stopped-flow” technique for the measurement of transit time of reaction products in a gas jet is described. The method involved establishing the gas flow through the jet system when the reactor is operating steadily and allowing the pressure to reach equilibrium values. The gas flow is stopped by means of electrically operated valves. The transit-time measurement is achieved by opening the valves and initiating the multiscaling of total activity simultaneously. The value obtained agrees well with the transit time measured by pulsing the reactor. The “stopped-flow” technique allows on-line measurement of transit time in any gas jet system where the physical transportation time is the major component of the transit time. This technique is especially useful for systems installed in reactors which do not have pulsing capability.
Rational Design of p53, an Intrinsically Unstructured Protein, for the Fabrication of Novel Molecular Sensors *

The dominant paradigm of protein engineering is structure-based site-directed mutagenesis. This rational approach is generally more effective for the engineering of local properties, such as substrate specificity, than global ones such as allostery. Previous workers have modified normally unregulated reporter enzymes, including β-galactosidase, alkaline phosphatase, and β-lactamase, so that the engineered versions are activated (up to 4-fold) by monoclonal antibodies. A reporter that could easily be “reprogrammed” for the facile detection of novel effectors (binding or modifying activities) would be useful in high throughput screens for directed evolution or drug discovery. Here we describe a straightforward and general solution to this potentially difficult design problem. The transcription factor p53 is normally regulated by a variety of post-translational modifications. The insertion of peptides into intrinsically unstructured domains of p53 generated variants that were activated up to 100-fold by novel effectors (proteases or antibodies). An engineered p53 was incorporated into an existing high throughput screen for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus protease, an arbitrarily chosen novel effector. These results suggest that the molecular recognition properties of intrinsically unstructured proteins are relatively easy to engineer and that the absence of crystal structures should not deter the rational engineering of this class of proteins.
Energy-Aware Workload Consolidation on GPU

Enterprise workloads like search, data mining and analytics, etc. typically involve a large number of users who are simultaneously using applications that are hosted on clusters of commodity computers. Use of GPUs for enterprise computing is challenging because of poor performance and higher energy consumption compared to running enterprise workloads on CPUs. In this paper, we show that the GPU work consolidation can improve system throughput and results in significant energy savings over multicore CPUs. We develop a novel runtime framework that dynamically consolidates instances from different workloads from multiple user processes into a single GPU workload. However, arbitrary consolidation of GPU workloads does not always lead to better energy efficiency. We use new GPU performance and power models to make predictions for potential workload consolidation alternatives and identify useful consolidations. Our experiments on a variety of workloads (that perform poorly on a GPU compared to well optimized multicore CPU implementations) show that the proposed framework for GPUcan provide 2X to 22X energy benefit over a multicore CPU.
Comparison of task-based estimates with full-shift measurements of noise exposure

Using a large data set of noise exposure measurements on construction workers, task-based (TB) and full-shift (FS) exposure levels were compared and analyzed for the sources and magnitudes of the error associated with this methodology. Data-logging dosimeters recorded A-weighted sound pressure levels in decibels using Occupational Safety and Health Administration criteria for every minute of monitoring and were combined with information from task cards completed by subjects. Task-related information included trade, construction site type, location, activity, and tool. A total of 502 FS measurements were made, including 248,677 min of exposure on five construction trades. Six TB models of varying degrees of specificity were fit to the minute-level data and the results used to obtain TB estimates of the daily FS exposure levels. The TB estimates were derived using the predictions alone and also including subject and shift-specific residual means and variances. The predictions alone, which ignore within-task variability, produced a significant negative bias that was corrected by incorporation of the residual variance. This bias is only an issue in this setting in which the exposure of interest is noise, which follows a nonlinear averaging relationship. These estimates explained 10 to 60% of the variability in FS measures; adding the residual mean produced estimates that explained about 90% of the variability. In summary, TB estimates are important for exposure estimation when task time varies substantially. However, TB estimates include a substantial degree of error when there is large interindividual or intershift variability in exposure levels for a given task. Methods to improve the prediction of task-associated exposure, or adjusting for individual and shift differences, are needed.
Pruritus induced self injury behavior: An overlooked risk factor for amputation in diabetic neuropathy?

Pruritus is a risk factor for self-injury behavior (SIB) in sensory polyneuropathies. Although diabetes patients have elevated risk for pruritus, there are no reports of SIB in diabetic neuropathy. We present the case of a diabetes patient with neuropathy, whose pruritus induced SIB, resulted in partial amputation of a toe.
Broadband over Powerline field trial for commercial in-building application in a Multi-Dwelling-Unit environment

this paper presents the results of a twelve month Broadband over Powerline (BPL) in-building trial in a Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) environment utilizing the building's low voltage electric distribution wiring for the BPL system transport medium to support an IP Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and VoIP Intercom application. Specifically, the BPL infrastructure for this trial was designed to provide high speed bi-directional data communications in support of voice and video security applications for a sixteen story residential building with over one hundred apartments. The BPL system has been extensively monitored during the trial over a five month period with a network management system and has been highly stable, indicating a viable network solution using this technology for broadband applications such as CCTV and Intercom. In contrast to traditional CAT-5E cabling, this system had a much shorter implementation time along with up to 50% cost savings.
Uniform in Bandwidth Estimation of Integral Functionals of the Density Function

. We apply recent results on local U-statistics to obtain uniform in bandwidth consistency and central limit theorems for some commonly used estimators of integral functionals of density functions.
Ammonia Emissions in the United States, European Union, and China Derived by High-Resolution Inversion of Ammonium Wet Deposition Data: Interpretation with a New Agricultural Emissions Inventory (MASAGE_NH3)

We use the adjoint of a global 3-D chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to optimize ammonia (NH3) emissions in the U.S., European Union, and China by inversion of 2005–2008 network data for NH4+ wet deposition fluxes. Optimized emissions are derived on a 2° × 2.5° grid for individual months and years. Error characterization in the optimization includes model errors in precipitation. Annual optimized emissions are 2.8 Tg NH3−N a−1 for the contiguous U.S., 3.1 Tg NH3−N a−1 for the European Union, and 8.4 Tg NH3−N a−1 for China. Comparisons to previous inventories for the U.S. and European Union show consistency (∼±15%) in annual totals but some large spatial and seasonal differences. We develop a new global bottom-up inventory of NH3 emissions (Magnitude And Seasonality of Agricultural Emissions model for NH3 (MASAGE_NH3)) to interpret the results of the adjoint optimization. MASAGE_NH3 provides information on the magnitude and seasonality of NH3 emissions from individual crop and livestock sources on a 0.5° × 0.5° grid. We find that U.S. emissions peak in the spring in the Midwest due to corn fertilization and in the summer elsewhere due to manure. The seasonality of European emissions is more homogeneous with a well-defined maximum in spring associated with manure and mineral fertilizer application. There is some evidence for the effect of European regulations of NH3 emissions, notably a large fall decrease in northern Europe. Emissions in China peak in summer because of the summertime application of fertilizer for double cropping.
Occupational safety and health inspection scores predict rates of workers' lost-time injuries

This study examined statistical relationships between safety inspection scores and occupational injury rates among civilian employees in 11 types of United States Navy shore facilities ranging from shipyards to research and development centers. The study's results indicate that workplace inspection scores are significantly predictive of lost-time injury rates, even in the presence of statistical controls for differences in facility characteristics. Further, these results suggest that even a 1% improvement in these facilities' safety inspection scores would yield an expected 1% decrease in the rate of severe injuries. Although this is a very small decrease in the injury rate, the number of civilian workers at these Navy shore facilities is so large, and the average cost of such injuries is so great, that the reduction in total injury costs would be nearly $2 million per year. These data suggest that periodic, comprehensive safety inspections can be rewarded with lower rates of occupational lost-time injuries.
Selecting and conserving lands for biodiversity: The role of remote sensing

Abstract A major focus of conservation is on protecting areas to ensure the persistence of biological diversity. Because such areas may be large, not easily accessible, subject to change, and sensitive to the surrounding landscape, remote sensing can be a valuable tool in establishing and managing protected areas. We describe three case studies to illustrate how remote sensing can contribute to setting priorities for conservation actions, monitoring the status of conservation targets, and evaluating the effectiveness of conservation strategies. In the Connecticut River watershed, remote sensing has been used to assess flood regimes and identify key areas of floodplain forests and their context for conservation planning. At Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, remote sensing has provided information to assess the effectiveness of management strategies to restore fire to the longleaf pine sandhills ecosystem, control invasive species, and prioritize annual prescribed burns. In eastern US forests, remote sensing is being used to evaluate the ecological condition and changes at properties where direct access would be difficult. As the resolution and capacities of remote-sensing technology continue to develop, however, several issues are becoming increasingly important. It is essential that the spatial and temporal resolution of remote-sensing data be matched to the relevant scales of biodiversity, major threats, and management actions. Data layers must be compatible, both in scale and in measurement properties, and key patterns must be distinguished from irrelevant detail, especially at the finer scales of application in local management. Combining remote sensing with ground surveys can expand the array of information used in management and contribute to the ecological interpretation of remote-sensing data. Because conservation funds are always limited, remote sensing also must be cost effective. This requires balancing the wealth of detail afforded by ever-finer resolution of remote-sensing data with what is actually needed to implement sound conservation and management. Remote sensing is a valuable tool, but it is not a panacea for all of the challenges of conservation monitoring and management.
Estimating Dependency Structure as a Hidden Variable

This paper introduces a probability model, the mixture of trees that can account for sparse, dynamically changing dependence relationships. We present a family of efficient algorithms that use EM and the Minimum Spanning Tree algorithm to find the ML and MAP mixture of trees for a variety of priors, including the Dirichlet and the MDL priors.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Cortactin Is Required for H2O2-mediated Injury of Human Endothelial Cells

Abstract Injury of endothelial cells induced by reactive oxygen species plays an important role in the development of early stages of vascular diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a common form of reaction oxygen species, triggers a series of intracellular events, including actin cytoskeletal reorganization, cytoplasm shrinkage, membrane blebbing and protein-tyrosine phosphorylation. The effect of H2O2 on endothelial cells is dramatically enhanced when a survival pathway involving extracellular signal-regulated kinase is blocked by PD098059. In contrast, the injury of endothelial cells mediated by H2O2 is inhibited by PP2, a selective specific inhibitor for protein-tyrosine kinase Src. Cortactin, a filamentous actin (F-actin)-associated protein, becomes phosphorylated at tyrosine residues upon stimulation by H2O2 in a manner dependent on the activity of Src. The level of tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin is correlated with the formation of membrane blebs. Overexpression of wild-type cortactin tagged with green fluorescent protein in endothelial cells via a retroviral vector substantiates the H2O2-induced morphological changes, whereas overexpression of a green fluorescent protein-cortactin mutant deficient in tyrosine phosphorylation renders endothelial cells resistant to H2O2. The functional role of cortactin in H2O2-mediated shape changes was also evaluated in NIH 3T3 cells. Stable 3T3 transfectants expressing wild-type cortactin in the presence of either H2O2/PD098059 or H2O2alone at 200 μm exhibited a dramatic shape change characterized by rounding up or aggregation. However, the similar changes were not detected with cells overexpressing a cortactin mutant deficient in tyrosine phosphorylation. These data demonstrate an important role of the Src/cortactin-dependent actin reorganization in the injury of endothelial cells mediated by reactive oxygen species.
Rational, natural, and open: Organizational system typologies and their relevance for performance improvement professionals

The work of human performance technology (HPT) is always conducted in an organization of some type. However, many of the frameworks and models of this field do not differentiate between types of organizations. The discipline of organizational sociology has produced a typology of organizations that can be of substantive use to the HPT practitioner. This article provides a brief description of these types and links to HPT, with the goal of providing new “tools to think with” for the HPT practitioner.
Simulation for predictive control of a distribution center

In this paper we present the application of Simulation for Predictive Control (SimPC) as a decision making tool for improvement of non-automated distribution centers (DCs). SimPC is focused on determining the viability of a given truck- dock assignment schedule, including arrival times and dock assignments for inbound and outbound trucks. SimPC also serves to perform iterative procedures of system parameter adjustments while searching for a viable schedule. The proposed model utilizes real-time data from DC's warehouse management system (WMS) to obtain the current state of the DC, which serves as initial conditions for the simulation. The model emulates the decision rules imbedded in WMS, which include assigning tasks to system-guided resources, selecting storage locations for inbound operations and determining retrieval locations for outbound operations. The SimPC model provides insights for the identification of scheduling problems, guidance for operational and tactical solutions, and serves as a tool to verify these solutions.
Increasing Critical Multicultural Understanding via Technology: "Teachable Moments" in a University-School Partnership Project

A university-school correspondence partnership project was designed, in part, to enhance the multicultural awareness and understanding of preservice teachers. This electronic mail-based correspondence project enabled undergraduates to interact with students from different cultural and experiential backgrounds. The focus of this article is the manner in which participation in the project provided many teachable moments, which resulted in the contextualized understanding of concepts, an awareness of biases and experiential gaps, increased critical self-reflection, and an orientation toward action for greater educational and social equity. The implications for technologically mediated communication to achieve these outcomes are also discussed.
Study of optimal load lock dedication for cluster tools

Cluster or chamber tools are often used in the semiconductor industry. In a research environment, moving to smaller device dimensions requires experimentation with new chamber types and materials to overcome challenges with Moore?s Law. To make the most of expensive mainframes and clean room floor space multiple chamber types can be placed on one mainframe. Although this type of configuration can reduce cost while evaluating new complex processes, the efficiency of the tool as a whole can be drastically reduced. A major bottleneck within tools configured with multiple process chambers can be the load locks. These load locks are the single wafer entry point into the vacuum chamber. This paper will show the effect of load lock dedication on a sample multi-process chamber tool.
The performance of demand meters under varying load conditions

The influence of load variations on the performance of four different types of electricity demand meters was studied using a computer controlled test system capable of reproducing load profile data recorded in the field. Results of the tested meters are compared with computer calculated demand values based on readings of a fast response reference multimeter. Differences in readings in the range of -9.3% to +5.3% were observed during the tests of the four demand meters. For the load profiles considered, demand calculations based on one minute subintervals resulted in values closer to the true peak demand than calculations with five minute subintervals. >
Ventricular remodeling in a mouse model of myocardial infarction

We investigated the suitability of studying ventricular remodeling in a mouse model of myocardial infarction (MI). We performed left coronary ligation (n = 22) or a sham procedure (n = 21) on norma...
Understanding Kappa Distributions: A Toolbox for Space Science and Astrophysics

In this paper we examine the physical foundations and theoretical development of the kappa distribution, which arises naturally from non-extensive Statistical Mechanics. The kappa distribution provides a straightforward replacement for the Maxwell distribution when dealing with systems in stationary states out of thermal equilibrium, commonly found in space and astrophysical plasmas. Prior studies have used a variety of inconsistent, and sometimes incorrect, formulations, which have led to significant confusion about these distributions. Therefore, in this study, we start from the N-particle phase space distribution and develop seven formulations for kappa distributions that range from the most general to several specialized versions that can be directly used with common types of space data. Collectively, these formulations and their guidelines provide a “toolbox” of useful and statistically well-grounded equations for future space physics analyses that seek to apply kappa distributions in data analysis, simulations, modeling, theory, and other work.
Comparison of palatability characteristics of beef gluteus medius and triceps brachii muscles.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate triceps brachii steaks as a substitute for gluteus medius steaks in foodservice and retail appli- cations, including the effect of aging time and USDA quality grade on the palatability of both muscles. Top sirloin butts (n = 600) and shoulder clod arm roasts (n = 600) representing US Choice and US Select quality grades were selected at 48 h postmortem and aged for 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, or 42 d. Steaks were evaluated us- ing a trained sensory panel, slice shear force, sarcomere length, and Western blotting of desmin measurements. Sarcomere length was measured only on steaks at 14 and 42 d. Triceps brachii and gluteus medius steaks were similar in tenderness rating at 7 and 14 d, but tri- ceps brachii steaks aged longer were more tender (P < 0.05) than were gluteus medius steaks. Triceps brachii steaks reached ultimate tenderness values by 21 d. Glu- teus medius steak tenderness ratings improved through 35 d, and at 42 d were similar to those given to triceps brachii steaks at 21 d. Sarcomere lengths were longer (P < 0.05) in triceps brachii than in gluteus medius (2.09 and 1.58 μ m, respectively). Significant increases in desmin degradation were detected through 42 d in both muscles (30.9, 46.3, 50.6, 51.0, 57.6, and 64.1% at d 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 for gluteus medius and 28.9, 40.8, 49.3, 59.2, 61.8, and 71.9% at d 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 for triceps brachii). At 14 d, gluteus me- dius had more (P < 0.05) desmin degraded than triceps brachii, but by 28 d, desmin degradation was greater (P < 0.05) in triceps brachii. Quality grade had mini- mal effects on palatability traits. Desmin degradation contributed to gluteus medius tenderness variation (r = 0.36) across all aging times, but not at individual ag- ing times. Sarcomere length contributed to variation in slice shear force values of gluteus medius at 14 and 42 d (r = −0.59 and −0.48, respectively). Sarcomere length contributed to triceps brachii tenderness variation at 14 d, but not 42 d (r = 0.44 and −0.12, respectively). Desmin degradation was strongly correlated (r = 0.55) to triceps brachii tenderness ratings pooled across ag- ing times but not at individual aging times. These data indicate that triceps brachii steaks could provide the same or improved palatability as gluteus medius steaks at the same or slightly shorter aging times.
Dental caries - not just holes in teeth! A perspective.

Cavitation in teeth results from a pathogenic process termed dental caries that has occurred on the tooth surface for weeks or even years. Accumulation of dental plaque (biofilm) on the tooth is usually the first manifestation of the disease. Although acid production is the immediate and proximal cause of dissolution of teeth; it is the milieu within which the acid is formed that should be of primary concern. Focusing on the 'critical pH' has detracted attention from the more biological aspects (biofilm formation) of dental caries. Dental caries is unique; it is a biological process occurring on essentially an inert surface. Investigation of the multitude of interactions occurring in plaque ranging from enamel interfaces to surfaces of bacteria and matrices poses challenges worthy of the best scientific minds. The mouth clearly offers unique opportunities to investigate the multi facets of biofilm formation in vivo, generating data that have relevance way beyond the mouth. Prevention of this ubiquitous disease, dental caries, continues to present serious challenges. The public health benefits of fluoride delivered in its various formats are well recognized. Nevertheless, additional preventive approaches are required. Overcoming the rapid clearance of agents from the mouth is particularly challenging. Building on the polymerizing capacity of glucosyltransferases it may be possible to incorporate a therapeutic agent into the matrix plaque, thereby delivering therapeutic agents precisely to where they are needed.
Raising the Bar, Razing Langdell

As an introduction to the Wake Forest Law Review’s symposium edition on “Revisiting Langdell: Legal Education Reform and the Lawyer’s Craft,” this article highlights longstanding, substantial damage Christopher Columbus Langdell has inflicted on law schools and legal education. Much of this damage stems from three of Langdell’s wrong and counterintuitive notions: (1) law is a science of principles and doctrines known with certainty and primarily traced through case law; (2) studying redacted appellate cases is “much the shortest and best, if not the only way” of learning such law, and (3) despite Langdell’s own roughly fifteen years of practice experience, practice experience taints one’s ability to teach law. This article highlights problems with, and harms resulting from, each of these wrong notions. Among other things, this article explores: (A) contradictions, oversights, and wrong assumptions in Langdell’s views; (B) how the very meanings of “theory” and “practice” reject Langdell; (C) how the necessary role of experience in meaning itself rejects Langdell; (D) parallels between Langdell and unworkable Cartesian dualism; and (E) how the necessary role of framing in the law rejects Langdell. This article also briefly surveys some remedies suggested by reason, experience, common sense, and modern cognitive psychology. These include rejecting the redacted appellate case method as a primary mode of instruction, recognizing the necessary fusion of theory and practice, recognizing the need for practice experience in law professors, recognizing the embodied nature of meaning and the resulting role of practice and simulation in good legal education, embracing the humanities (including classical rhetoric) in legal education, abandoning meaningless distinctions such as distinctions between “doctrinal” and “non-doctrinal” courses, and abandoning “caste” systems demeaning those with law practice experience and elevating those who lack such necessary experience.
Linear Programming and the Simplex Method

Problems where the objective function to be optimized is linear in its design variables are of particular interest, because then a solution can be found very efficiently. Solutions of linear objective functions can only be unique if additional constraints exist. While the constraints bound the solution space, the linear nature of the objective ensures that the solution must be located at the border of this bounded solution space. In the case of linear constraints, the bounded solution space has the form of a polyhedron, and, hence, it suffices to seek for the solution at the vertices of the bounded space. As a consequence, the optimum can be found very fast. One method for solving linear programs is the simplex algorithm, which is one of the most famous optimization algorithms. It identifies the solution by moving from a vertex to one of its neighbors until the value of the objective cannot be reduced further for all neighboring vertices. In order to benefit from the speed advantage of linear programming, it sometimes is promising to approximate a given problem by linear relationships. Such an approximation is presented for the task of stereo disparity estimation at the end of this chapter.
A 30-Year-Old Man With Sickle-Cell Disease and Severe Dyspnea From Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a clinical syndrome of respiratory distress that develops within 6 hours of transfusion of plasma-containing blood components, with an estimated incidence of 1:5,000 transfusions and a mortality rate of 5–10%. Although rare, TRALI represents the
The Pre-Acquisition Performance of Target Firms: A Re-Examination of the Inefficient Management Hypothesis

It is often stated that bidders acquire poorly-run targets in order to improve firm performance. This inefficient management hypothesis is frequently tested by examining target stock returns in the years prior to an acquisition. While the hypothesis is commonly assumed in the literature to be true, previous papers generally do not show significantly negative returns for targets in the years prior to acquisition. Our paper re-examines this issue thoroughly with a number of methodological improvements and a large sample of acquisitions over the period from 1930 to 1987. We find that the abnormal returns are insignificant over the four years prior to the bid. But over the ten-year period before the bid, target firms experience a statistically significant abnormal return of -7% to -18%. Our results suggest that takeovers discipline managers, but with a delay that may protect them through much of their normal tenures. However, this delay is shorter during periods of lenient anti-trust enforcement, during merger waves, and for unregulated firms.
Judy Moore (Mrs. Tom Curren)

This case accompanies "Tom Curren: The Life and Career of a Senior Executive Officer" (UVA-PACS-0023). It presents the viewpoint of Judy Moore, the wife of senior executive Tom Curren. Moore, a Stanford MBA and Marriott veteran, discusses Curren's career and managerial style. She comments on their lifestyle and relationship.
Whole body fat oxidation is related to in situ adipose tissue lipolytic response to isoproterenol in males

A high 24-h respiratory quotient (RQ), i.e., low fat oxidation, predicts weight gain. To determine whether impaired fat mobilization (lipolysis) may contribute to weight gain, we studied the relation between lipolytic response to nonselective beta-adrenergic stimulation and RQ measured in a respiratory chamber in 21 males (11 Caucasians, 10 Pima Indians; age 32 +/- 5 yr, weight 93 +/- 24 kg, body fat 30 +/- 8%; means +/- SD) and 23 females (10 Caucasians, 13 Pima Indians; age 32 +/- 9 yr, weight 95 +/- 26 kg, body fat 44 +/- 8%). Lipolytic response was assessed as the relative increase in dialysate glycerol concentration (% above baseline) when isoproterenol (1 micromol/l) was added to the perfusate of a microdialysis probe inserted in the abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue. In males, but not in females, basal RQ measured during sleep from 0500 to 0630 and adjusted for waist circumference was negatively correlated to lipolytic response (r = -0.66, P = 0.001). The results suggest that in males, impaired beta-adrenergic-mediated lipolysis may contribute to low rates of fat oxidation, a condition known to predispose to weight gain.
A framework for guiding efforts to reward value instead of volume

The U.S. healthcare system is in the midst of a major shift from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement models. To date, these new reimbursement models have been focused on quality-contingent bonuses and cost-of-care risk sharing for providers, both of which have yielded only modest success.An analysis of health policy and business strategy literature was performed to identify the mechanisms of how value is rewarded in other industries and to understand the barriers to those mechanisms operating in the healthcare industry. A framework was developed to organize these findings. Rewarding healthcare providers for delivering value can only be achieved by enabling profitability to increase as value increases relative to competitors. Four variables determine a provider’s profitability, each of which is considered as a potential lever to reward value with profit. The lever that offers the greatest potential is quantity (i.e., market share). Ironically, this means rewarding value with volume. The major barriers to value improvements being rewarded with market share are identified, and the profound impact of minimizing or removing those barriers is illustrated using a variety of examples from our healthcare system. Trending reforms that rely on quality-contingent bonuses and cost-of-care risk sharing are limited in the degree of value improvement they will stimulate because they rely on ineffective levers to reward value; instead, reform efforts must focus on removing barriers to rewarding value with market share. The framework presented can be used to predict the impact of any proposed reform.
Corrective Feedback in Oral Reading

We examined 24 studies to determine the effects on word recognition and reading comprehension of correcting errors during oral reading. Corrective feedback improved students' word reading accuracy on words in lists, and accuracy in reading words in passages. Some correction procedures had greater benefits than others. Successful error correction procedures share common characteristics, leading to recommendations about instruction: Teachers should (a) correct errors immediately; (b) require students to repeat the correct response; and (c) match correction procedure to the instructional situation and the learner. Several research recommendations are outlined.
Assessing the impact of palliative care in the intensive care unit through the lens of patient-centered outcomes research.

Purpose of reviewProfessional organizations, consensus groups, and stakeholders are calling for better palliative care in acute care settings, particularly in ICUs. Our ability to deliver that care is dependent on the outcomes associated with palliative care in the ICU. This review provides a concep
Short Spell Kangaroo Mother Care and Its Differential Physiological Influence in Subgroups of Preterm Babies

In routine practice, 4-6 h of kangaroo mother care (KMC) is adopted. Many mothers feel the duration impracticable. In 86 preterm babies, pre and post 1 h KMC changes in heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), axillary temperature and SpO(2) are measured, in each baby. Postnatal age at the time of the study is 7.7 ± 5.2 days. Significant changes observed are decrease in mean HR by 3 bpm, RR by 3 min(-1) and increase in mean axillary temperature by 0.4 F and SpO(2) by 1.1%. In SGA babies, post KMC decrease in mean HR by 5 bpm, increase in mean axillary temperature by 0.6 F and SpO(2) by 2.1% are significant. In female babies, post KMC decrease in mean RR by 6 min(-1) and increase mean axillary temperature by 0.3 F and SpO(2) by 1.5% are significant. We conclude that preterm babies are benefited by 1 h KMC. SGA and female preterm babies showed different and greater response.
Constructing BADA Models of Existing UASs from Public Data and Photos using Open Source Tools

The commercial and military use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) continues to grow and thus safe integration of unmanned and manned aircraft in the same airspace will require detailed knowledge of UASs flight performance. The current standard for information used in air traffic control analysis is BADA, an aircraft performance model developed by Eurocontrol. However, due to corporate and government confidentiality, BADA models are not publicly available for current UASs. We present a methodology for employing publicly available data and open source software tools to generate this high fidelity model and extract BADA data from the model through static analysis of the aircraft’s flight performance. To analyze the accuracy of the proposed method, we conduct our analysis on a small, commercially available UAS and compare the estimated flight performance using our method with results obtained through wind tunnel testing. The accuracy of the models produced by the proposed method depends strongly on the amount of data available and the similarity of the system to existing systems with known characteristics. Our method is shown to be an effective strategy for estimating the flight performance and deriving models of UASs with limited public data.
Top Ten Myths Regarding the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract Background Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common type of infection in the United States. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in March 2014 regarding antibiotic use in hospitals reported “UTI” treatment was avoidable at least 39% of the time. The accurate diagnosis and treatment of UTI plays an important role in cost-effective medical care and appropriate antimicrobial utilization. Objective We summarize the most common misperceptions of UTI that result in extraneous testing and excessive antimicrobial treatment. We present 10 myths associated with the diagnosis and treatment of UTI and succinctly review the literature pertaining to each myth. We explore the myths associated with pyuria, asymptomatic bacteriuria, candiduria, and the elderly and catheterized patients. We attempt to give guidance for clinicians facing these clinical scenarios. Discussion From our ambulatory, emergency department, and hospital experiences, patients often have urine cultures ordered without an appropriate indication, or receive unnecessary antibiotic therapy due to over-interpretation of the urinalysis. Conclusions Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common in all age groups and is frequently over-treated. A UTI diagnosis should be based on a combination of clinical symptoms with supportive laboratory information. This review will assist providers in navigating common pitfalls in the diagnosis of UTI.
Residential Exposure to Pesticide During Childhood and Childhood Cancers: A Meta-Analysis

CONTEXT: There is an increasing concern about chronic low-level pesticide exposure during childhood and its influence on childhood cancers. OBJECTIVE: In this meta-analysis, we aimed to examine associations between residential childhood pesticide exposures and childhood cancers. DATA SOURCES: We searched all observational studies published in PubMed before February 2014 and reviewed reference sections of articles derived from searches. STUDY SELECTION: The literature search yielded 277 studies that met inclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: Sixteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. We calculated effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by using a random effect model with inverse variance weights. RESULTS: We found that childhood exposure to indoor but not outdoor residential insecticides was associated with a significant increase in risk of childhood leukemia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.26–1.72; I 2 = 30%) and childhood lymphomas (OR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.15–1.78; I 2 = 0%). A significant increase in risk of leukemia was also associated with herbicide exposure (OR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.10–1.44; I 2 = 0%). Also observed was a positive but not statistically significant association between childhood home pesticide or herbicide exposure and childhood brain tumors. LIMITATIONS: The small number of studies included in the analysis represents a major limitation of the current analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this meta-analysis indicated that children exposed to indoor insecticides would have a higher risk of childhood hematopoietic cancers. Additional research is needed to confirm the association between residential indoor pesticide exposures and childhood cancers. Meanwhile, preventive measures should be considered to reduce children’s exposure to pesticides at home.
Time course and determinants of recovery of function after reversible ischemia in conscious dogs

The postischemic recovery of contractile function [measured as systolic wall thickening (WT)] was analyzed in 21 conscious dogs undergoing a 15-min coronary occlusion followed by 7 days of reperfusion (REP). Average WT was still depressed 24 h after REP (85% of base line, P less than 0.001) and returned to base line by 48 h. Analysis of individual dogs, however, revealed marked variability, whereby some recovered completely by 1 h of REP and others required up to 48 h. WT recovered completely within 30 min in dogs with collateral blood flow (CBF) greater than 50% of nonischemic zone flow (NZF) but was still impaired at 24 h (P less than 0.05) in those with CBF less than 25% of NZF. There was a close, curvilinear relation between WT during the first 4 h of REP and transmural CBF, which was described best by an exponential equation WT (as percent of base line) = P0-P1e-P2.CBF(as % of NZF) (r2 = 0.92 at 1 h, 0.76 at 2 h, 0.71 at 3 h, and 0.72 at 4 h), where P0, P1, and P2 are regression coefficients. Importantly, the slope of the regression line was very steep at low CBF, implying that even small differences in CBF produce large differences in postischemic function. Heart rate, systolic pressure, and rate-pressure product during ischemia were also related to WT after REP, but when the effect of CBF was taken into account, the influence of these variables became insignificant. The size of the occluded vascular bed did not correlate with postischemic WT. The presence of hypokinesis or akinesis during ischemia was associated with rapid recovery after REP, but there was no relation between ischemic and postischemic dysfunction when dyskinesis was present during occlusion. Thus, on the average, regional function remains depressed for 24 h after a 15-min ischemic episode, but there is considerable individual variability. This variable rate of recovery is determined primarily by the severity of blood flow reduction during ischemia. Systemic hemodynamics may modulate recovery of function indirectly via their effects on ischemic blood flow.
Photoinduced DNA Interstrand Cross‐Link Formation by Naphthalene Boronates via a Carbocation

Most photoinduced DNA cross-link formation by a bifunctional aryl derivative is through a bisquinone methide. DNA cross-linking via a bisarylcarbocation remains a less explored area. We designed and synthesized a series of naphthalene boronates that produce DNA interstrand cross-links via a carbocation upon UV irradiation. A free radical was generated from the naphthalene boronates with 350 nm irradiation and further converted to a carbocation by electron transfer. The activation mechanism was determined using the orthogonal traps, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and methoxyamine that react with either the free radical or the carbocation but not both. This represents a novel example of photoinduced DNA cross-link formation via carbocations generated from a bisaryl derivative. This work provides information useful for the design of novel photoactivated DNA cross-linking agents.
Downstream Outcomes: Using Insurance Claims Data to Screen for Errors in Clinical Laboratory Testing

A methodology is described by which health insurance claims data might be used to discover the occurrence of systematic errors by clinical laboratories. False-positive results should generate a series of tests or treatments that are eventually abandoned as the false signal of the initial test is discovered while false-negative results may cause necessary tests or treatments to be unduly delayed. False results may also generate adverse outcomes such as an unusually high number of deaths or hospitalizations among persons who have received particular laboratory tests. Health insurance claims data may be used to discover these patterns and how the inclusion of laboratory results on claims would improve the precision of such inferences. Appropriate statistical tests are discussed.
The trumpet shall sound: de-anonymizing jazz recordings

We are experimenting with automated techniques to identify performers on jazz recordings by using stylistic measures of acoustic signals. Many early jazz recordings do not identify individual musicians, leaving them under-appreciated. We look at individual notes and phrasing for recognition of jazz trumpeters as an example.
Effects of oral calcium supplementation on productive and reproductive performance in Holstein cows

The objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of oral Ca supplementation on milk yield, body condition, pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI), and days to pregnancy in Holstein cows considered to be of low (LRM; no calving assistance, live singleton without retained placenta) or high (HRM; at least one of the following: dystocia, twins, stillbirth, retained placenta, or vulvo-vaginal laceration) risk of developing metritis. The hypotheses were that oral Ca supplementation during the early postpartum period would reduce the loss of body condition and improve lactation performance and reproduction. Four hundred fifty Holstein cows were blocked by parity as primiparous cows (n=174) or multiparous cows (n=276). Within parity, a cow considered at HRM was matched with a cow of LRM and the pair was randomly assigned to control (no Ca supplementation), 86g of Ca on d 0 and 1 postpartum (CaS1), or 86g of Ca on d 0 and 1 postpartum followed by 43g/d on d 2 to 4 postpartum (CaS4). Body condition was scored at calving and 32 d postpartum and estrous cyclicity was evaluated at 38 and 52 d postpartum. Milk yield was recorded daily. Multiparous cows were classified as above or below the mean 305-d mature equivalent milk yield based on production in the previous lactation. Reproductive performance was evaluated for the first 210 d postpartum. Body condition did not differ among treatments, and cows lost on average 0.44 units of body condition in the first month of lactation. Calcium supplementation did not affect milk yield in the first 5 mo postpartum. For multiparous cows, Ca supplementation was beneficial to milk yield in the first 30 DIM in cows of greater production potential, but detrimental to multiparous cows with below average production potential. Calcium supplementation to primiparous cows reduced P/AI at first (control=55.8, CaS1=31.5, CaS4=37.0%) and all artificial inseminations (control=48.5, CaS1=34.6, CaS4=38.5%); however, Ca supplementation to multiparous cows improved P/AI at the first (control=32.1, CaS1=38.6, CaS4=41.3%) and all artificial inseminations (control=28.1, CaS1=35.3, CaS4=40.5%). These responses in P/AI to Ca supplementation resulted in extended median days to pregnancy (control=75, CaS1=100, CaS4=94 d) and smaller proportion of pregnant cows (control=89.3, CaS1=83.9, CaS4=83.9%) in primiparous cows, but shorter days to pregnancy (control=115, CaS1=94, CaS4=94 d) and increased proportion of pregnant cows in multiparous cows (control=67.0, CaS1=77.2, CaS4=74.3%). Risk of metritis depressed most measures of reproduction evaluated in the experiment. Results indicate that responses to oral Ca supplementation are conditional on parity and production potential of cows. Oral Ca supplementation was detrimental to reproduction in primiparous cows. On the other hand, Ca supplementation benefited reproduction in multiparous cows and milk yield in the cohort of multiparous cows of greater production potential.