cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transglycosyl-Amylase of Candida tropicalis

Transglucosyl-amylase was purified 96-fold and partially characterized. The Km value with dextrin as substrate was 9.1 mg/ml. Glycerol, an acceptor of d-glucose, appeared to inhibit dextrin hydrolysis noncompetitively. The energy of activation of the enzyme was 7,920 cal/mole. Indirect determinations showed that synthesis of d-glucosyl glycerol was significantly affected by the nature of the amylaceous substrate. Glucosyl-glycerol synthesis did not increase as incubation temperature was raised from 50 to 60 C. Direct determinations by gas-liquid chromatography indicated that the synthesis of glucosyl glycerol, as a function of the concentration of either enzyme, substrate, or glycerol, traced a curvilinear path approaching 15 mg/ml as the maximum. When enzyme, substrate, and glycerol at high concentrations were varied in all possible combinations, however, conditions for producing as much as 47.5 mg/ml of glucosyl glycerol were established.
Shock modeling of the head-media interface in an operational hard disk drive

A complete model of an operational hard disk drive (HDD) subject to shock loads is developed to investigate the response of the head/media interface. The model is a coupled solution of the structural components and the hydrodynamic lubrication between the magnetic recording head and the disk surface. The structural model is a finite element simulation of the HDD using commercially available software. The hydrodynamic lubrication, or air bearing, model is a numerical solution of the Reynolds equation used to solve for pressure and spacing between the head and the disk. Combining the two models gives a complete solution of the head/media interface for an operational HDD.
Room temperature hemispherical and bi-directional reflectances

The emissivity of a material is conveniently determined from its reflectance, which is turn can be used to validate optical models for estimating emissivity at high temperatures. The Optical Technology Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology maintains the national reference instruments for measurements of reflectance. Within the Division, the Spectrophotometry project is responsible for reflectance measurements at wavelengths from 250 nm to 2500 nm on non-fluorescent materials at room temperature. The reflecting properties of a material can be categorized as either specular (mirror-like) or diffuse. In addition, the reflectance depends upon the geometry of the measurement. In general, the reflectance of a specular material is measured using a bi-directional geometry (incident and reflected radiant flux at fixed directions) while a diffuse material is measured using a directional-hemispherical geometry (incident or reflected radiant flux at a fixed direction, the other flux at all directions). The Spectrophotometry project has reference and commercial instruments for measurements at both geometries, with uncertainties (k=2) in reflectance of approximately 0.2% for specular materials and 0.4% for diffuse materials.
Pectoralis major transfer for anterior-superior subluxation in massive rotator cuff insufficiency

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome after subcoracoid pectoralis major transfer for anterior-superior shoulder instability in massive rotator cuff insufficiency. Fourteen patients underwent subcoracoid pectoralis major transfer for this debilitating surgical complication. At a mean 17.5-month follow-up, there were 11 satisfactory and 3 unsatisfactory results. Nine of the patients were satisfied with the procedure and would repeat the operation under similar circumstances. Pain scores, as measured on a visual analog scale, decreased from 6.9 to 3.2 postoperatively. Mean forward flexion increased from 24.4 degrees to 60.8 degrees. American Shoulder and Elbow Society functional outcome score increased from 27.2 preoperatively to 47.7 postoperatively. Thirteen of the fourteen patients had improved humeral head containment and improved ability to perform activities of daily living at waist level. A subcoracoid pectoralis major muscle transfer has a low complication rate and is a viable option in this difficult patient population, with better results than those previously reported.
Hydraulic Conductivity Imaging from 3-D Transient Hydraulic Tomography at Several Pumping/Observation Densities

[1] 3-D Hydraulic tomography (3-D HT) is a method for aquifer characterization whereby the 3-D spatial distribution of aquifer flow parameters (primarily hydraulic conductivity, K) is estimated by joint inversion of head change data from multiple partially penetrating pumping tests. While performance of 3-D HT has been studied extensively in numerical experiments, few field studies have demonstrated the real-world performance of 3-D HT. Here we report on a 3-D transient hydraulic tomography (3-D THT) field experiment at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site which is different from prior approaches in that it represents a ‘‘baseline’’ analysis of 3-D THT performance using only a single arrangement of a central pumping well and five observation wells with nearly complete pumping and observation coverage at 1 m intervals. We jointly analyze all pumping tests using a geostatistical approach based on the quasi-linear estimator of Kitanidis (1995). We reanalyze the system after progressively removing pumping and/or observation intervals; significant progressive loss of information about heterogeneity is quantified as reduced variance of the K field overall, reduced correlation with slug test K estimates at wells, and reduced ability to accurately predict independent pumping tests. We verify that imaging accuracy is strongly improved by pumping and observational densities comparable to the aquifer heterogeneity geostatistical correlation lengths. Discrepancies between K profiles at wells, as obtained from HT and slug tests, are greatest at the tops and bottoms of wells where HT observation coverage was lacking.
Genomic, RNAseq, and Molecular Modeling Evidence Suggests That the Major Allergen Domain in Insects Evolved from a Homodimeric Origin

The major allergen domain (MA) is widely distributed in insects. The crystal structure of a single Bla g 1 MA revealed a novel protein fold in which the fundamental structure was a duplex of two subsequences (monomers), which had diverged over time. This suggested that the evolutionary origin of the MA structure may have been a homodimer of this smaller subsequence. Using publicly available genomic data, the distribution of the basic unit of this class of proteins was determined to better understand its evolutionary history. The duplication and divergence is examined at three distinct levels of resolution: 1) within the orders Diptera and Hymenoptera, 2) within one genus Drosophila, and 3) within one species Aedes aegypti. Within the family Culicidae, we have found two separate occurrences of monomers as independent genes. The organization of the gene family in A. aegypti shows a common evolutionary origin for its monomer and several closely related MAs. Molecular modeling of the A. aegypti monomer with the unique Bla g 1 fold confirms the distant evolutionary relationship and supports the feasibility of homodimer formation from a single monomer. RNAseq data for A. aegypti confirms that the monomer is expressed in the mosquito similar to other A. aegypti MAs after a blood meal. Together, these data support the contention that the detected monomer shares similar functional characteristics to related MAs in other insects. An extensive search for this domain outside of Insecta confirms that the MAs are restricted to insects.
Some Differences in the Political Socialization Patterns of Canadian and American Party Officials: A Preliminary Report

Cette ´tude porte sur 1257 responsables de partis dans les r´gions m´tropolitaines de Vancouver, Winnipeg, Seattle et Minneapolis. De facon plus particuliere, elle compare la relative homog´n´it´ des responsables des partis politiques canadiens et am´ricains en regard de leurs ant´c´dents sociaux et de leur statut actuel. Elle examine les int´rets s´lectifs de leurs premieres exp´riences de socialisation politique dont le type de leur identification partisane, le degr´ de leur conscience et de leur participation politique, ainsi que l'âge approximatif ou se produisent ces phenomenes. Elle ´value l'importance relative et diff´rentielle des divers facteurs de socialisation en ses processus majeurs, ainsi que le role que jouent les traits politiques des parents, au moment de la premiere socialisation politique aussi bien qu'a l'´poque adulte.A l'examen de ces caract´ristiques sociales, on s'apercoit qu'aucun de ces groupes de responsables de partis n'est, de facon claire, davantage homogene ou h´t´rogene. Comme les deux groupes se trouvent a sur-repr´senter les couches socio-´conomiques sup´rieures de leur population respective, on peut d´duire que la responsabilit´ de postes sup´rieurs dans les partis commande suffisamment de prestige pour attirer dans la vie politique des gens d'un statut relativement ´lev´.II y a des diff´rences, selon la ligne nationale, entre le moment ou les responsables canadiens et am´ricains ont d´velopp´ une conscience politique et ou se sont affirm´es les premieres identifications a un parti. Dans les deux cas, le ph´nomene se produit a un âge plus avanc´ chez les Canadiens, qui ont aussi tendance a changer plus fr´quemment de parti que leurs ´quivalents am´ricains. De facon g´n´rate, l'´ducation des Am´ricains fut I'œuvre de parents davantage politis´s, ce qui les marqua davantage que les Canadiens.On peut conclure qu'il y a, chez les responsables canadiens de partis, tendance a retarder leur identification a un parti, a tenir moins compte des pr´f´rences partisanes de leurs parents ou a avoir tout simplement des parents moins int´ress´s a la politique, que le milieu social canadien est moins politis´ et qu'il s'y trouve moins de continuit´ politique entre les g´n´rations.
Sources of transconductance collapse in III-V nitrides - consequences of velocity-field relations and source/gate design

Experimental results from submicrometer devices in III-V nitride devices often exhibit a significant decrease in the transconductance when gate bias is increased. This creates new challenges for circuit design in III-V nitride technology. In this paper, we discuss possible sources of this collapse from a theoretical and computational standpoint. We find that polar optical phonon emission related velocity-field nonlinearities in 5-40 kV/cm region are the primary reason for the decrease in the transconductance. We also discuss possible solutions to this problem and examine the practicality of each solution. Shorter S/G spacing and higher doping in the source gate region are predicted to remove much of the transconductance collapse.
Attenuation due to rain--A mini-review

This is a brief review paper on rain caused attenuation. The paper is a mini-review sponsored by the Wave Propagation Standards Committee of the IEEE. The paper reviews progress on the development and verification of a theory of rain caused attenuation. The paper also considers the statistical models required to predict attenuation.
THE RATE OF OXYGEN UTILIZATION BY YEAST AS RELATED TO TEMPERATURE.

Suspensions of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae gave reproducible rates of O2 uptake over a period of 6 months. The relation of rate of consumption of O2 to temperature was tested over a wide range of temperatures, and the constant in the formulation of the relationship is found to be reproducible. The values of this constant (µ) have been obtained for five separate series of experiments by three methods of estimation. The variability of µ has the following magnitudes: the average deviation of a single determination expressed as per cent of the mean is ±2 per cent in the range 30–15°, and ±0.8 per cent in the range 15–3°C. This constancy of metabolic activity measured as a function of temperature can then be utilized for more precise investigations of processes controlling the velocity of oxidations of substrates, and of respiratory systems controlled by intracellular respiratory pigments. The data plotted according to the Arrhemus equation give average values of the constant µ as follows: for the range 35–30°, µ = 8,290; 30–15°, µ = 12,440 ±290; 15–3°, µ = 19,530 ±154. The critical temperatures are at 29.0° and 15.7°C. A close similarity exists between these temperature characteristics (µ) and values in the series usually obtained for respiratory activities in other organisms. This fact supports the view that a common system of processes controls the velocities of physiological activities in yeast and in other organisms.
Dps and DpsL Mediate Survival In Vitro and In Vivo during the Prolonged Oxidative Stress Response in Bacteroides fragilis

ABSTRACT Bacteroides fragilis is a Gram-negative anaerobe and member of the human intestinal tract microbiome, where it plays many beneficial roles. However, translocation of the organism to the peritoneal cavity can lead to peritonitis, intra-abdominal abscess formation, bacteremia, and sepsis. During translocation, B. fragilis is exposed to increased oxidative stress from the oxygenated tissues of the peritoneal cavity and the immune response. In order to survive, B. fragilis mounts a robust oxidative stress response consisting of an acute and a prolonged oxidative stress (POST) response. This report demonstrates that the ability to induce high levels of resistance to tert -butyl hydroperoxide (tBOOH) after extended exposure to air can be linked to the POST response. Disk diffusion assays comparing the wild type to a Δ dps mutant and a Δ dps Δ bfr mutant showed greater sensitivity of the mutants to tBOOH after exposure to air, suggesting that Dps and DpsL play a role in the resistance phenotype. Complementation studies with dps or bfr (encoding DpsL) restored tBOOH resistance, suggesting a role for both of these ferritin-family proteins in the response. Additionally, cultures treated with the iron chelator dipyridyl were not killed by tBOOH, indicating Dps and DpsL function by sequestering iron to prevent cellular damage. An in vivo animal model showed that the Δ dps Δ bfr mutant was attenuated, indicating that management of iron is important for survival within the abscess. Together, these data demonstrate a role for Dps and DpsL in the POST response which mediates survival in vitro and in vivo . IMPORTANCE B. fragilis is the anaerobe most frequently isolated from extraintestinal opportunistic infections, but there is a paucity of information about the factors that allow this organism to survive outside its normal intestinal environment. This report demonstrates that the iron storage proteins Dps and DpsL protect against oxidative stress and that they contribute to survival both in vitro and in vivo . Additionally, this work demonstrates an important role for the POST response in B. fragilis survival and provides insight into the complex regulation of this response.
Implementation of Mobile Devices on Jobsites in the Construction Industry

Abstract In the construction industry, the use of mobile devices at various stages of a construction project is on the upswing. In the construction industry having accurate information on the fly is essential to make critical decisions in a timely manner and eventually compete in the industry. Construction is witnessing efficient and effective ways of using mobile devices for personnel on a construction site. It is increasingly clear that mobile devices are her to stay in the construction industry because of their ability to improve communication and productivity. In the United States, mobile devices such as tablets and mobile phones are being used constantly amongst superintendents and project managers on constructions sites. Large software providers such as Autodesk, are making efforts to improve availability of building information models on mobile devices for jobsite use. In this qualitative research, several end users were interviewed to discover how they are using mobile devices on construction sites. Thematic and content analysis of the interview data was conducted as part of the data collection and analysis procedures of this research. The results reveal that these devices are increasingly effective in enabling site personnel in a myriad of ways. The benefits of using these mobile devices on jobsites will be discuss
Trends in short- and long-term outcomes for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy among medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, 2007 to 2012

AbstractObjectives: The aim of this study was to assess trends in hospitalizations and outcomes for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC).Background: There is a paucity of nationally representative data o...
OBSERVED LARGE DEVIATION OF THE SUPERCONDUCTIVE CRITICAL-FIELD RATIO H/sub c3//H/sub c2/ FROM THE EXISTING THEORIES NEAR T/sub c/.

The ratio $\frac{{H}_{c3}}{{H}_{c2}}$ is calculated in the presence of a phonon-mediated interaction which is slightly depressed in a surface layer. It is shown that if the surface layer has a thickness of order ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}$, then this ratio will drop rapidly to unity as the transition temperature is approached from below. This result is in good agreement with the recent observation by Ostenson and Finnemore, who reported that for temperatures very close to ${T}_{c}$, the ratio $\frac{{H}_{c3}}{{H}_{c2}}$ falls far below the factor 1.7 of Saint-James and de Gennes. The present paper gives a mean-field-theory explanation of this phenomenon.
Evaluation of the Hemodynamic Effects of Intravenous Amiodarone Formulations During the Maintenance Phase Infusion

Background: Two of the excipients in intravenous formulations of amiodarone, polysorbate 80 and benzyl alcohol, have been shown to cause hypotension. A newer formulation of amiodarone, which contains cyclodextrin, is devoid of these excipients. Objective: To evaluate the change in mean arterial pressure when utilizing 2 intravenous amiodarone formulations. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis conducted at an academic medical center. Patients received intravenous amiodarone containing either polysorbate 80/benzyl alcohol (control) or cyclodextrin (cyclodextrin). Patients received these formulations based on a standard institutional protocol of 1 mg/min for 6 hours, followed by 0.5 mg/min for at least 18 hours or until discontinued by the provider. All data were collected from the medical record and included changes in blood pressures, time to lowest systolic blood pressure, concurrent antihypertensive use, and number of patients requiring treatment for hypotension. Results: A total of 160 pati...
Spatial and temporal variation of 10-cm background soil moisture

Soil moisture affects soil thermal and dielectric properties and may cause false alarms in detecting manmade objects when dielectric or thermal discontinuities exist in the soil. The spatial variability of soil moisture changes with time and it is important to understand this behavior because it is relevant for detection of small targets, and for modeling background moisture and temperature. Surface moisture of the top 6 cm of soil was sampled on regular grids with an impedance probe at a 0.1-m interval during wetting and drying events, both four days in duration. Maximum variances for data collected in August 2004 increased with decreasing mean moisture, as soil dried following a soaking rainfall. Maximum variances in June 2005 decreased over several days of intermittent rain as the soil rewetted following a prolonged drought. Spatially dependent ranges of approximately 0.5-m lag distance and exponential model fits were consistent among all the data sets, despite changes in moisture, moisture trend, and sample variance. The procession of spatial variation is described by variograms that transition from high to low maximum variances (sills) for wetting events, and from low to high maximum variances for drying events. A linear relationship between the maximum variance and mean of square root of e was consistent for both years, except when the soil was incompletely wetted after a drought. The highest spatial variance in moisture that produced the most variable background for small target detection occurred as a consequence of the incomplete or uneven wetting following a drought.
Consumer Preferences for Coffee: Hot and Wet, or Quality and Flavor?

An econometric model is developed and estimated for all brands of coffee sold at the retail level in four supermarkets in Columbus, Ohio. These brands are segmented into 24 categories, and the four stores are classified into two groups, inner-city and suburban, based on 2010 census tract data. Using estimated measures of price-sensitivity, these 24 categories are further segmented into four groups to help guide and clarify the discussion. Estimated results show different purchasing patterns and different levels of price-sensitivity for inner-city and suburban shoppers. Further, these purchasing patterns and levels of price-sensitivity suggest alternative marketing strategies for retailers. Private-label coffee brands are shown to be quite competitive with many national brands, and indeed private-label brands command a market share among inner-city shoppers that is more than double that for the nation (21.95% vs. 9%).
Temperature and diet effect on black cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larval development

The effect of 3 constant temperatures (18, 24, and 30°C) and diet (artificial diet and corn) on larval development rate, growth, and survival was studied. Larvae required 6-9 instars to complete larval development. The development rates, development time, larval and pupal weight, and larval head capsules were influenced by the diet regime but not by temperature. Survival was lower for larvae fed on corn and for larvae reared at 18°C. Larvae took longer to develop and required a greater number ofinstars to complete development on corn than on artificial diet.
Investigation of the Transcallosal Ventral Premotor Connection (P6.079)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of the contralateral ventral premotor cortex (PMv) on the ipsilateral PMv in healthy subjects at rest, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). BACKGROUND: The production of planned movement is thought to involve various brain regions, most notably the primary motor cortex (M1) and other areas, including the premotor,posterior parietal cortices and cerebellum.Previous TMS studies performed on healthy human subjects have reported influences on M1 coming from these regions, including ventral and dorsal premotor cortices, bilateral posterior parietal cortices, cerebellum and contralateral M1.The premotor cortex has been an area of particular interest with respect to motor control, and several paired-pulse TMS studies have demonstrated an ipsilateral premotor to motor inhibition in healthy subjects at rest. In this study, the influence of the contralateral PMv on the ipsilateral PMv was assessed using the M1 as a read-out. DESIGN/METHODS: Thirteen subjects (seven women and six men, mean age 29) completed the study. We used a three single-pulse TMS paradigm (preconditioning, conditioning and test pulse) to sequentially stimulate the right PMv, left PMv and left M1, allowing us to observe the effects of the contralateral PMv on the ipsilateral PMv. RESULTS: We confirmed the presence of an ipsilateral premotor to motor inhibition at rest, and further found that stimulating the contralateral PMv prior to the paired ipsilateral premotor to motor stimulation resulted in reversal of this inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy subjects at rest, effects of stimulation of the contralateral on ipsilateral PMv resulted in disinhibition, suggesting that the contralateral PMv exerts an inhibitory influence on the ipsilateral PMv. This is the first study to evaluate the connectivity between the two PMv. Further investigation on this connectivity during different motor tasks is needed to understand its role in the generation of motor control. Study Supported by: The NINDS Intramural Research Program. Disclosure: Dr. Park has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hallett has received personal compensation for activities with Neurotoxin Institute, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Wiley-Blackwell, and Springer.
Smart spot instances for the supercloud

In this paper, we explore the use of live VM migration to take advantage of spot markets such as provided by Amazon and Google. These markets provide an exciting low cost alternative to regular VM instances, but the threats of price spikes and premature termination severely limit their usability. Migration can address these threats: spot market instances facing price hikes or termination can migrate to other instance types, including regular ones. Reliability can be further improved by replication. In this paper we investigate various design options and present some preliminary results of experiments with dynamic programming techniques, both using simulation and using a realistic deployment. We find that in unstable markets we can achieve significant savings at low overhead and while maintaining good reliability.
Urine insulin in renal disease.

Abstract The double-antibody immunoussay method has been applied to the measurement of urine insulin in patients with renal disease. Uremic subjects with a creatinine clearance below 25 ml. per minute have significantly elevated urine insulin excretion and insulin clearance. Only marginally increased values occurred in subjects with creatinine clearance above 25 ml. per minute. Patients with the nephrotic syndrome, on the other hand, had low urine insulin levels and insulin clearance within the normal range. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that insulin is filtered at the glomerulus and almost totally reabsorbed by the tubules. The insulin "leak" in chronic renal failure is related to diminished tubular reabsorption of the hormone.
Prone Transradial Catheterization for Combined Single-Session Transarterial Embolization and Percutaneous Posterior Approach Cryoablation of Solid Neoplasms

Transradial access (TRA) has been associated with improved post-procedure hemostasis and patient satisfaction, and decreased hemorrhagic complications, sedation requirements, recovery times, and procedure-related costs when compared with traditional transfemoral catheterization. Supine TRA has been described for the treatment of myocardial infarctions, aortoiliac and femoropopliteal stenoses, and a variety of neoplasms. This original research describes prone transradial catheterization to facilitate combined single-session transarterial embolization and percutaneous cryoablation of solid neoplasms from a posterior approach without repositioning. Prone TRA access, transarterial embolization, and percutaneous cryoablation were successful in all cases described. Mean procedure time was 210 min (range: 140-250 min). One minor complication, transient bacteremia which responded to antibiotics, was reported. No major complications occurred.
Effects of flexible substrates on the performance of UWB planar monopole antennas

The effects of thickness and dielectric constant of flexible substrates on the performance of a circular planar monopole antenna (PMA) is reported in this paper. The antenna is printed on a flexible Polyimide substrate and fed by 50 Ω microstrip line. Results revealed that substantial effect on the antenna performance due to substrate thickness and material even if the radiating structure is ungrounded. Hence, the substrate is an essential part of the antenna and not just a supporting structure as it is the case usually assumed in the literature. As substrate thickness decreases, the following changes were observed: reduction in impedance bandwidth especially for higher dielectric constants, and slight increase in the co-polarized gain. As the dielectric constant increases the following effects were identified: the impedance bandwidth increased on the high frequencies side while it is insignificant on the lower frequencies, as well as a decreased in the co-polarized gain.
HYDROGEN AND METHANE PRODUCTION THROUGH MICROBIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the hydrogen and methane production through microbial photosynthesis. Hydrogen is widely proclaimed as the fuel of the future. Methane is the most desirable fuel of the present. The rapid depletion of fossil fuel sources of natural gas are threatening to soon make this the fuel of the past. Both gases—hydrogen and methane—have similar desirable properties; they are easily transported and are the least polluting energy sources. The chapter presents some approaches to the production of both gases using microbial photosynthesis. These ideas are based on the results of basic research in biological energy conversion, particularly photosynthesis and on the development of large-scale engineered algal photosynthesis systems. Hydrogen production by photosynthesis is a more direct process than methane production, which requires bacterial fermentations of the algal biomass. The chapter discusses the time course of hydrogen production by the chloroplast–ferredoxin–hydrogenase system. It also describes the two stage system for biochemical biophotolysis.
Principles of Patient Safety in Pediatric Hem/Onc/HSCT

In the past 15 years, there has been a dramatic expansion of efforts focused on improving systems of care and understanding the science of quality and patient safety. This chapter reviews the best practices to support a strong patient safety culture including a summary of hospital and departmental quality oversight programs, metrics, and voluntary reporting systems. A complete methodology of adverse event management is presented, including examples specific to pediatric oncology practice. Failure modes and effects analysis is discussed as a method to analyze a process and prioritize improvements to improve safety and reliability. When an adverse event occurs, there are strategies to determine the causative factors and guide response, including root cause analysis and the just culture algorithm. A primer to these methods is detailed within, as well as a case-based application of the just culture algorithm. Finally, technology is beginning to make a profound impact on patient safety, and the role of the electronic medical record as a tool for increasing reliability and reducing error is presented.
Coordination Module: Managing Supply Chains

This note summarizes how the Coordination Module in the Operations Management course emphasizes decisions and strategies that enhance integration among multiple parties in a supply chain--suppliers, manufacturers, transportation firms, and distributors--as they serve customers and provide value. Excerpt UVA-OM-0976 COORDINATION MODULE: MANAGING SUPPLY CHAINS In the fall term of the Operations course, we stated, “Coordination refers to the ability of the organization to make the day-to-day operating decisions that determine how well the productive assets of the business are to be deployed in order to meet customers' demands and owners' financial expectations.” In the spring term, our course emphasis on Coordination expanded to the decisions and strategies that enhance integration among multiple parties in a supply chain—suppliers, manufacturers, transportation firms, and distributors—as they serve customers and provide value. In the last few years, industry has increasingly recognized the competitive value of effective supply-chain management. Coordination and supply-chain management have received much publicity in both the popular and business press recently, and have become crucial components of many e-commerce operations. A benchmarking study by the consulting firm Pittaglio Rabin Todd & McGrath showed that in one industry segment, the difference between average performance and best-in-class performance in total logistics costs was 6% of total revenue. The success stories in the business press—such as Hewlett-Packard, Wal-Mart, Dell Computer, Proctor & Gamble, Toyota, and Li & Fung—reveal what is possible from an effectively designed and managed network of interacting firms. The performance objectives of supply-chain management are cost effectiveness and customer-service responsiveness. In this module, you will study a few key concepts and practical tools useful in improving supply-chain performance. We will discuss examples of supply-chain strategies that have been implemented by some leading firms. . . .
Wood-based Bioenergy: An Update for North America with a Focus on Pellets

Over the past decade, renewable energy has accounted for approximately nine percent of the energy usage in the United States. Of this, biomass has consistently been about 50 percent of this, or 4.5 percent of the nation’s total. In Canada, the contribution of renewable energy has been much less with hydro-power being the primary power source. In recent years, the landscape has changed, not so much in domestic demand for wood-based energy, but rather in the arena of manufacturing of wood pellets for export. To a lesser degree, wood-based agricultural-based cellulosic biofuels have become a prominent part of North American policies, programs and even mandates. Wood-based bioenergy is potentially an important integral part of renewable energy portfolios in the U.S. and Canada. The growth of this sector globally has been driven by demand in Europe, Japan, and other countries. European policies have been the driver for a change in the global pellet sector. The goal in Europe of creating a 20 percent renewable energy share of energy consumption by 2020 has created a burgeoning wood pellet manufacturing sector in many countries. The U.S. and Canada have increased pellet production capacity to over three billion tons. The sector is concentrated in the Southern region of the U.S. Demand, again, primarily in Europe, has been driven by the desire to transition to non-fossil fuel energy. However, the reality has been a mix of great anticipation as well as disappointment with where wood fits into the renewable equation. A number of European countries are revising their incentives and subsidies that have allowed the pellet industry to flourish. The incentives are costly and have resulted in high consumer electricity prices in these countries. Currently, the underpinnings of the global renewables sector, particularly wood-based energy, is in a state of instability. This presentation will cover an overview of where wood currently stands in addition to a discussion of successes, challenges, pitfalls, and the overall reality of the future. Keywords: Renewable energy, Bioenergy, Wood pellet
An analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB): Immunotherapy and survival in stage III melanoma.

159Background: High dose Interferon (IFN) was the standard adjuvant treatment used for stage III melanoma between 2004-2010. To our knowledge, this is the largest study using the NCDB to determine ...
Before and After Orientalism: From The Oriental School to Asian American Studies

For many Asian Americans the lived experience of being classified, represented and marked as an "Oriental" occurred at least a century before the appearance of Edward Said's book, Orientalism, in 1978. The process of becoming "orientalized" was far from an abstraction, but rather involved exclusionary immigration, land and education laws, local lynchings, state violence, imprisonment and internment behind barbed wire, and cultural, linguistic, and political subordination.
Age: a nonmodifiable risk factor?*

Chronologic age has been identified in almost all cardiovascular investigations as a potent, independent risk for increased morbidity and mortality. As clinical cardiologists, we are constantly faced with diagnostic or treatment decisions regarding what is “appropriate” for an older individual.
Prognostic utility of noninvasive estimates of pulmonary vascular compliance in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Abstract Aim To evaluate echocardiographic indices of pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricular (RV) function in predicting death or ECMO in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods In this single center study, early ( Results Infants who died or received ECMO (n = 30) had significantly higher TRV/VTIpv and TRV2/VTIpv, and lower VTIpv, RV FAC and TAPSE, compared to the 17 survivors without ECMO. For TRV2/VTIpv and TRV/VTI at cutoffs of 1.3 and 0.38 respectively, the sensitivities were 92.3 (95% CI 75–99.1%) and 96 (95% CI 80.4–99.9%), specificities were 78.6 (49.2–95.4%) and 71.4 (42–91.6%), positive predictive values were 89 (75–95.6%) and 86.2 (73.2–93.5%) and negative predictive values were 84.6 (58.5–95.5%) and 90.9 (58.7–98.6%). Conclusion Early echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension and RV dysfunction predicts outcome in CDH. Further studies utilizing these indices to guide therapeutic decision-making are warranted. Level of evidence Level 1 for diagnostic study
Patient-reported health-related quality of life outcomes after HDR brachytherapy between small (<60 cc) and large (≥60 cc) prostate glands.

Abstract PURPOSE Patients with large prostate glands are underrepresented in clinical trials incorporating brachytherapy due to concerns for excessive toxicity. We sought to compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes between small ( METHODS AND MATERIALS One hundred thirty patients at Emory University were treated with HDR-B monotherapy (n = 75) or HDR-B in combination with external beam radiation therapy (n = 55). American Urologic Association Symptom Score (AUASS) and expanded prostate cancer index composite for clinical practice (EPIC-CP) scores were recorded. A linear mixed model was performed dichotomizing prostate volume ( Results Median followup was 22.6 months (range 2.2–55.8). The median gland volume for the entire cohort (n = 130), Conclusions In appropriately selected patients, HDR-B appears well tolerated in patients with ≥60 cc prostate glands without an increase in patient-reported toxicity. Volume should not be a strict contraindication in those with adequate baseline function.
Targeted Incentive Programs For Lung Cancer Screening Can Improve Population Health And Economic Efficiency

Because an intervention’s clinical benefit depends on who receives it, a key to improving the efficiency of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is to incentivize its use ...
Non-Orthogonal Configuration Interaction with Single Substitutions for Core-Excited States: An Extension to Doublet Radicals

In this paper, we present an open-shell extension of the non-orthogonal configuration interaction singles (NOCIS) method for the calculation of core-excited states, intended for peak assignment in XAS spectra of doublet radicals. This extension requires the consideration of additional configurations due to the singly occupied open-shell orbital, and the addition of essential orbital relaxation effects is found to provide a significant improvement on standard CIS, while maintaining the desirable properties of spin purity, variationality, and size consistency. We apply this method to the calculation of core excitations for several open-shell molecules and demonstrate that it performs competitively with other available methods, despite a lack of dynamic correlation. In particular, relative to CVS-ADC(2)-x, RMS error is reduced by a factor of 6 over usual orthogonal CIS and is comparable to time-dependent density functional theory with the best short-range corrected functionals.
Topic-centered Scientific Collaborations of Scholarly Journals in Information Science: A Pilot Study of Implementation

This proposal is the extended work in implementation of a framework of topic-centered collaboration network. A goal of this study is to investigate the question of: In which topics and in what extent researchers collaborate with others? Topic-centered collaboration networks for two scholarly journals in the field of information science are constructed using bibliographic datasets for the past five years. This proposal contributes to the areas of both collaboration social network and big metadata.
What Family Physicians Can Do to Reduce Maternal Mortality.

Family physicians can catalyze efforts to ensure the safety of all people who give birth and to support well-being during the postpartum period.
Pharmacology and clinical use of plasma expanders

Abstract Plasma expanders are colloidal solutions that expand the circulating blood volume more than isotonic crystalloids and are among the most commonly used fluids in critical care and perioperative medicine worldwide. We begin our review of these agents by introducing the modified Starling model, which incorporates the fundamental physiologic role of the endothelial glycocalyx in transcapillary fluid movement. Next, we individually discuss each fluid, starting with their relevant pharmacological properties before delving into the trials on their clinical use. Human trial data on gelatins and dextrans are scarce, making their routine use difficult to justify outside resource-poor settings. Trials on the use of hydroxyethyl starch in critical care imply increased risk of kidney injury, coagulopathy and, possibly, mortality; whether these harms apply to the surgical setting remains an area of debate and ongoing study, but there is no compelling evidence to support the routine use of hydroxyethyl starch in the operating room. Multiple trials suggest that albumin is a safe, albeit more expensive, alternative to crystalloid use in the intensive care unit, with secondary analyses suggesting harm in traumatic brain injury and benefit in septic shock. Finally, more data are required to better define the role of albumin in perioperative medicine.
High-Throughput Analysis of Urban Textures using Methods from Molecular Simulation

A central pursuit of micro- and nano-scale engineering is describing the small-scale structure of materials in terms of spatial relationships between positions of particles (representing, e.g., individual atoms). In order to carry out such analyses, molecular simulation practitioners have developed a large array of fast methods to compute spatial relationships on particle-resolved data sets. We have developed a computational workflow that directly applies molecular simulation methods to GIS building data, in which individual buildings (instead of, e.g., atoms) are treated as the particles of interest. In so doing, we enable efficient quantification of "urban textures" consisting of >> O(103) buildings. This interdisciplinary toolkit potentially opens the door to new vistas for urban-systems modeling. As one of a few early examples, we provide evidence for a novel scaling relationship between size and ordinal rank of building clusters within several American cities, reminiscent of Zipf's Law. This scaling relation suggests a new perspective on fractal-like organization of urban environments.
Phase Ib Study of the Oral Proteasome Inhibitor Ixazomib (MLN9708) and Fulvestrant in Advanced ER+ Breast Cancer Progressing on Fulvestrant.

Lessons learned Fulvestrant is a selective estrogen receptor (ER)-downregulating antiestrogen that blocks ER transcriptional activity and is approved for ER-positive breast cancer. Fulvestrant also induces accumulation of insoluble ER and activates an unfolded protein response; proteasome inhibitors have been shown to enhance these effects in preclinical models. Background Fulvestrant is a selective estrogen receptor (ER)-downregulating antiestrogen that blocks ER transcriptional activity and is approved for ER-positive (+) breast cancer. Fulvestrant also induces accumulation of insoluble ER and activates an unfolded protein response; proteasome inhibitors have been shown to enhance these effects in preclinical models. Methods This is a single-center phase Ib study with a 3+3 design of fulvestrant and the proteasome inhibitor ixazomib (MLN9708) in patients with advanced ER+ breast cancer that was progressing on fulvestrant. A dose-escalation design allowed establishment of the ixazomib maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Secondary objectives included progression-free survival, pharmacokinetics, and tumor molecular analyses. Results Among nine evaluable subjects, treatment was well-tolerated without dose-limiting toxicities The MTD of ixazomib was 4 mg in combination with fulvestrant. Plasma concentrations of the active form of ixazomib (MLN2238) in the 4-mg dose cohort had a median (range) maximal concentration (Cmax ) of 155 (122-171) ng/mL, time of maximal concentration (Tmax ) of 1 (1-1.5) hour, terminal elimination half-life of 66.6 (57.3-102.6) hour after initial dose, and area under the curve (AUC) of 5,025 (4,160-5,345) ng*h/mL. One partial response was observed, and median progression-free survival was 51 days (range, 47-137). Conclusion This drug combination has a favorable safety profile and antitumor activity in patients with fulvestrant-resistant advanced ER+ breast cancer that justifies future testing.
Robotic Abdominal Perineal Resection

Abdominoperineal resection (APR) is a procedure that removes the lower part of the colon, the rectum and the anus. The most common indication for an APR is a malignancy of the rectum or the anus. Other tumors such as pelvic sarcomas, gynecologic or genitourinary malignancies may require APR as a part of their treatment. Advanced inflammatory bowel disease may be another indication. This chapter will focus on the technical details of curative intent surgical resection of patients with rectal malignancies. The techniques described herein can be adapted for benign indications.
Root-Lesion Nematodes Affecting Dryland Cereals in the Semiarid Pacific Northwest USA.

Root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) are parasites that invade and deteriorate roots, thereby reducing the efficiency of water and nutrient uptake. Pratylenchus neglectus and P. thornei are th...
The Importance of MPP+ Localization for the Manifestation of MPTP-Induced Neurotoxicity

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a neurotoxin which is very effective in inducing a lesion of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway in several species, including humans, monkeys and mice (Davis et al., 1979; Burns et al., 1983; Langston et al., 1984.; Heikkila et al., 1984a). MPTP provides a means with which to produce dopaminergic deficits in experimental animals which closely mimic those of human Parkinson’s disease. However, the degree of dopaminergic neurotoxicity induced by a given dose of MPTP can vary greatly in these species. For example, rats and mice exhibit marked differences in sensitivity to MPTP, with the rat being relatively unaffected by a dose of MPTP which would produce an 80–90% loss of dopamine in the neostriata of mice. Additionally, there is a considerable difference in sensitivity to MPTP among several strains of mice (Sonsalla and Heikkila, 1986; Sundstrom et al, 1987), and even within a particular strain, older mice are affected to a greater extent than are younger mice by a given dose of MPTP (Ricaurte et al., 1987). In some cases, as with the strains of mice, the differential sensitivity to MPTP-induced neurotoxicity may be explained by the pharmacokinetics of MPTP. More specifically, the amount of the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium species (MPP+), the neurotoxic oxidation product of MPTP, which is found in the neostriata of a particular strain of mice correlates positively with the degree of dopaminergic neurotoxicity induced by MPTP in that strain, relative to the other strains. These data suggest that the brain level, or perhaps more importantly the neostriatal level, of MPP+ is a determinant of MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Moreover, MAO-B inhibitors have been shown to block the formation of MPP+ in the brain of MPTP-treated animals and also to protect against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity (Heikkila et al., 1984b). In other studies, dopamine uptake inhibitors have been shown to protect against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity, presumably by preventing MPP+ accumulation by dopaminergic nerve terminals (Javitch et al., 1985; Mayer et al., 1986).