cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binding of active (57 kDa) membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) to tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 regulates MT1-MMP processing and pro-MMP-2 activation.

Previous studies have shown that membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) (MMP-14) initiates pro-MMP-2 activation in a process that is tightly regulated by the level of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2. However, given the difficulty in modulating TIMP-2 levels, the direct effect of TIMP-2 on MT1-MMP processing and on pro-MMP-2 activation in a cellular system could not be established. Here, recombinant vaccinia viruses encoding full-length MT1-MMP or TIMP-2 were used to express MT1-MMP alone or in combination with various levels of TIMP-2 in mammalian cells. We show that TIMP-2 regulates the amount of active MT1-MMP (57 kDa) on the cell surface whereas in the absence of TIMP-2 MT1-MMP undergoes autocatalysis to a 44-kDa form, which displays a N terminus starting at Gly285 and hence lacks the entire catalytic domain. Neither pro-MT1-MMP (N terminus Ser24) nor the 44-kDa form bound TIMP-2. In contrast, active MT1-MMP (N terminus Tyr112) formed a complex with TIMP-2 suggesting that regulation of MT1-MMP processing is mediated by a complex of TIMP-2 with the active enzyme. Consistently, TIMP-2 enhanced the activation of pro-MMP-2 by MT1-MMP. Thus, under controlled conditions, TIMP-2 may act as a positive regulator of MT1-MMP activity by promoting the availability of active MT1-MMP on the cell surface and consequently, may support pericellular proteolysis.
Foam dilatational rheology. I, Dilatational viscosity

Abstract The dilatational viscosity of a three-dimensional model, spatially periodic foam, composed of tetrakaidecahedron unit cells is determined by considering the local flow induced within planar thin liquid films during expansion or contraction of foam cells. From this fine-scale hydrodynamic motion, a global foam dilatational viscosity is calculated by equating local and global energy dissipation. The calculation is intended to illustrate the nature of dilatational viscous effects in ordered “dry foam” systems, as opposed to an earlier result (1) aimed at the “wet foam,” or lower dispersed volume fraction range. Unlike the “wet” foam calculation where primary viscous stresses are localized within Plateau border regions and derive from interfacial viscous properties, the local viscous stress for the dry foam is distributed throughout the planar thin liquid films, and the two primary contributions to the global dilatational viscosity are found to be liquid-phase viscosity and interfacial tension gradients.
Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma in the pediatric age group: a lymphoma of low malignant potential.

Background Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare neoplasm of mature αβ cytotoxic T-cells. Most commonly occurring in young adults, few reports are described in children. A separate analysis of a significant cohort of pediatric patients has not previously been performed. Procedure We analyzed the pathology including molecular results as well as available clinical data from 16 pediatric patients (age 5 months to 21 years) who had a total of 19 biopsies submitted to the National Cancer Institute from 1999 to 2011. This included 6 males and 10 females. Results Most patients (10/16, 62.5%) had multiple skin lesions at the time of biopsy. Histologic features included rimming of adipocytes by atypical lymphocytes, fat necrosis, and karyorrhectic debris. Four biopsies showed only partial involvement by lymphoma; and plasma cells were identified in 14/19 (74%) cases, including three in which they were focally prominent. The neoplastic cells in general were positive for CD3, CD8, TIA-1, and βF1 and were negative for CD4 and CD56. CD5 expression was weak to negative in 5/8 cases (63%). A clonal T-cell receptor gene rearrangement was demonstrated in 11/17 (65%). Patients were treated with a variety of agents. While 5/9 (56%) patients had evidence of recurrent skin lesions, no deaths were attributed to disease for the seven patients with follow-up information. Conclusions Pediatric SPTCL shares many clinical and pathologic features with adult SPTCL. The presence of partial involvement or admixed plasma cells makes the differential diagnosis with reactive conditions challenging in some cases. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 1165–1170. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Towards the optimal Fontan operation: a single-institution experience

Abstract Many groups, including ours, have played a more or less significant role in the development and evolution of the Fontan operation that has taken place over the past four decades. This is a brief review of the contributions developed by our institution. Contributions to clinical and technical areas include: development of the ventricular exclusion concept; promoting the staged approach to the Fontan operation by bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis with or without a modified Damus–Kaye–Stansel anastomosis; endorsement of the total extracardiac cavopulmonary connection; a rational approach to the management of systemic venous aberrances in single-ventricle patients; and criteria for transition to heart transplantation. Contributions to computational fluid dynamics include: investigation of the best spatial arrangement for the total extracardiac cavopulmonary anastomosis and identification of the so-called ‘beneficial vortex'; studies on the effect of unbalanced pulmonary resistances on the hydrodynamic performance of the total extracardiac cavopulmonary connection; and a rationale for the management of systemic venous anomalies in single-ventricle patients.
Hinging hyperplanes for regression, classification, and function approximation

A hinge function y=h(x) consists of two hyperplanes continuously joined together at a hinge. In regression (prediction), classification (pattern recognition), and noiseless function approximation, use of sums of hinge functions gives a powerful and efficient alternative to neural networks with computation times several orders of magnitude less than is obtained by fitting neural networks with a comparable number of parameters. A simple and effective method for finding good hinges is presented. >
Memorability of Image Regions

While long term human visual memory can store a remarkable amount of visual information, it tends to degrade over time. Recent works have shown that image memorability is an intrinsic property of an image that can be reliably estimated using state-of-the-art image features and machine learning algorithms. However, the class of features and image information that is forgotten has not been explored yet. In this work, we propose a probabilistic framework that models how and which local regions from an image may be forgotten using a data-driven approach that combines local and global images features. The model automatically discovers memorability maps of individual images without any human annotation. We incorporate multiple image region attributes in our algorithm, leading to improved memorability prediction of images as compared to previous works.
Noise-induced hearing loss alters the temporal dynamics of auditory-nerve responses

Auditory-nerve fibers demonstrate dynamic response properties in that they adapt to rapid changes in sound level, both at the onset and offset of a sound. These dynamic response properties affect temporal coding of stimulus modulations that are perceptually relevant for many sounds such as speech and music. Temporal dynamics have been well characterized in auditory-nerve fibers from normal-hearing animals, but little is known about the effects of sensorineural hearing loss on these dynamics. This study examined the effects of noise-induced hearing loss on the temporal dynamics in auditory-nerve fiber responses from anesthetized chinchillas. Post-stimulus-time histograms were computed from responses to 50-ms tones presented at characteristic frequency and 30 dB above fiber threshold. Several response metrics related to temporal dynamics were computed from post-stimulus-time histograms and were compared between normal-hearing and noise-exposed animals. Results indicate that noise-exposed auditory-nerve fibers show significantly reduced response latency, increased onset response and percent adaptation, faster adaptation after onset, and slower recovery after offset. The decrease in response latency only occurred in noise-exposed fibers with significantly reduced frequency selectivity. These changes in temporal dynamics have important implications for temporal envelope coding in hearing-impaired ears, as well as for the design of dynamic compression algorithms for hearing aids.
Rethinking Housing Bubbles: Economic Crises, Economic Policy, and Economic Analysis

The committee determined that a trough in business activity occurred in the U.S. economy in June 2009. The trough marks the end of the recession that began in December 2007 and the beginning of an expansion. The recession lasted 18 months, which makes it the longest of any recession since World War II. – Business Cycle Dating Committee, National Bureau of Economic Research, September 20, 2010 The crisis showed that the standard macroeconomic models used by central bankers and other policymakers…contain…no banks. They were omitted because macroeconomists thought of them as a simple “veil” between savers and borrowers. – The Economist , January 19, 2013 Macroeconomic Policy: Failed Expectations In a speech on January 10, 2008, when the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) had yet to declare that a recession had begun in the previous month, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke stated: “We stand ready to take substantive additional action as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks.” Then, in response to a question following his speech, Bernanke replied that “The Federal Reserve is not currently forecasting a recession” but noted that it was, however, “forecasting slow growth.”
Privacy: personal information, threats, and technologies

The three primary thrusts of this paper are: first, that people do not think enough about their own privacy, in particular, they may not know enough about their privacy that they can really make informed decisions about sharing information; second, that technologies exist that can mitigate some of the problems associated with information sharing; and third, that services (in addition to to technologies) might be a reasonable way to think about addressing the privacy problem.
Low-Temperature Thermal Reactions Between SO2 and H2O2 and Their Relevance to the Jovian Icy Satellites

Here we present first results on a non-radiolytic, thermally-driven reaction sequence in solid H2O +SO2 + H2O2 mixtures at 50-130 K, which produces sulfate (SO(-2)/(4)), and has an activation energy of 53 kJ/mole. We suspect that these results may explain some of the observations related to the presence and distribution of H2O2 across Europa's surface as well as the lack of H2O2 on Ganymede and Callisto.
Experimental Arthritis in Mice with Mycoplasma pulmonis

A Mycoplasma pulmonis strain, recovered from the arthritic joints of mice employed in the serial passage of a chemically induced tumor, was found to be arthritogenic for mice under experimental conditions. Some joint involvement occurred in all mice challenged intravenously with this strain, and M. pulmonis was recovered frequently from the enlarged joints. The arthritis was migratory, appearing first in the radiocarpal joints and later in the tibiotarsal joints. There was little evidence of a generalized mycoplasmal infection as a consequence of the experimental challenge. Histopathologically, the early stages of the infection in the joints was characterized by an inflammatory response in the synovium and periarticular tissues. Exudate in the joint space contained about equal numbers of polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells. The polyarthritis resolved slowly, but some residual joint enlargement was noted for as long as 4 months. Two other M. pulmonis strains were also observed to be arthritogenic for mice. Rats were not susceptible to M. pulmonis challenge. Characteristics of the nonsuppurative M. pulmonis arthritis in mice were compared to M. arthritidis joint infections in rats. Images
Heterotic string covariant amplitudes and low-energy effective action

Abstract We compute the 3- and 4-point scattering amplitudes for gravitons, antisymmetric tensors, and gauge bosons in the heterotic string model using the covariant path integral formalism. From these amplitudes we deduce all the terms in the low-energy effective action involving cubic and quartic interactions of those fields, that are not affected by pole subtractions. We show that the spin connection should naturally contain torsion whose sign is unambiguously determined by the string amplitudes. The quartic interactions arising from the pure heterotic string part of the amplitudes (i.e. the pieces which are not contained in the SST-scattering amplitudes) are shown to vanish when the gauge field is embedded in the spin connection with torsion ( A μ → ω μ ). Some consequences for compactification are discussed.
Methods to Tame the Madness: A Practitioner’s Guide to User Assessment Techniques for Online Finding Aid and Website Design

© 2012 Rachael Hu Methods to Tame the Madness: A Practitioner’s Guide to User Assessment Techniques for Online Finding Aid and Web Site Design ~ Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t. ~ Hamlet, act 2, sc. 2 S hakespeare could hardly have anticipated the proliferation of Web resources and content available to academic researchers in the twentieth century, yet the common expression “method in the madness” derived from his work is strangely applicable to assessing how users engage with these rich and complicated resources. With the ubiquity of Internet connectivity and electronic devices, searching for information has become an almost exclusively online endeavor. For the special collection librar- ies and archives that deal in primary source collections and a variety of material formats, the online presentation of their materials gives rise to special challenges due to the complex nature of the descriptive records that provide access to the collections they manage. For archival collections, a formally structured descrip- tive document known as a finding aid has been used to describe their content and organization. In the 1990s, the traditional paper-based finding aid made its way into the Internet age and was transitioned into the Encoded Archival Description (EAD) standard, a machine-readable XML-based format designed to facilitate its online dis- play and indexing. 1 This new format precisely captured and translated the inherent structure of the finding aid into an online environment. The EAD standard also enabled archival collections to become systematically discoverable on the World Wide Web for the first time and encouraged the growth of Web sites dedicated to the aggregation of these descriptive records as well as providing environments to view digitally scanned facsimiles of objects from these collections. As the creation and development of Web content—both commercial and academ- ic—grew, an important indicator of an archives’ continued value became a user- 1. Library of Congress, “EAD: Encoded Archival Description Version 2002 Official Site,” available online at www.loc.gov/ead/. *Please note: URLs for all Web sites referenced herein were valid at the time of article submission.
A transient explosive vapor generator based on capillary gas chromatography

Abstract A vapor generator is described which produces transient clouds of pure explosive vapor. This vapor generator is based upon a commercially available capillary gas chromatograph. By using a gas chromatograph, and generating transient vapor clouds, a higher purity of explosive vapor is obtainable than was previously possible. The chemical composition of the vapor generator was confirmed by both gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by ion mobility spectrometry. Although this research only involved the generation of dinitrotoluene (DNT), trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) vapors, this system should be able to generate vapors of any volatile explosive. The vapor generator was successfully used in comparative testing of four commercially available explosive vapor detection systems.
Hope in Environmental Philosophy

Ecological philosophy requires a significant orientation to the role of hope in both theory and practice. I trace the limited presence of hope in ecological philosophy, and outline reasons why environmental hopelessness is a threat. I articulate and problematize recent environmental publications on the topic of hope, the most important worry being that current literature fails to provide the necessary psychological grounding for hopeful action. I turn to the psychology of hope to provide direction for conceptualizing hope and actualizing hoped for states of affairs. If positive moral action is the goal, hope is a vital concept for underwriting ecological philosophy and a practice requiring considerably more attention.
Fabrication and modeling of broadband ultrasonic transducers using partial composites

Broadband ultrasound imaging is capable of achieving superior resolution in clinical applications. An effective and easy way of manufacturing broadband transducers is desired for these applications. In this work, a partial composite in which the piezoelectric plate is mechanically graded with a number of rectangular grooves is introduced. Finite element analysis (FEA) demonstrated that the partial composite could easily obtain multiple resonant modes, resulting in a broadband time domain response. Experimental tests were carried out to validate the theoretical results. Based upon the FEA designs, several single-element transducers were fabricated using either a non-diced ceramic or a diced partial composite. A superior bandwidth of 92% was achieved by the partial composite transducer when compared to a bandwidth of 56% produced by the non-diced ceramic transducer.
Hybrid of PBL and ACL to enhance student learning in electromagnetic undergraduate courses

Due to fast-paced technological advances and global economy, the undergraduate education in STEM disciplines, in general, and in Electrical Engineering, in particular, is facing tremendous challenges. To be relevant, it must create new competencies and skills at all cognitive levels: knowledge; comprehension; application; analysis; synthesis; and evaluation [1–3].
Investigation of biphasic tumor oxygen dynamics induced by hyperoxic gas intervention: the dynamic phantom approach

We have developed dynamic tumor vascular phantoms and utilized them to investigate the biphasic behavior of increases in light absorption, which is directly associated with oxygenated hemoglobin concentration that was observed in vivo from rat breast tumor experiments during carbogen/oxygen inhalation. The experimental setup for the phantom study included a continuous-wave, multichannel, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system and syringe pumps to drive the simulated blood through the dynamic vascular phantoms. The results from such phantom experiments clearly show that the two time constants observed in tumor oxygenation dynamics in vivo can result from two different perfusion rates or two different blood flow velocities. We provide experimental support for our previous hypothesis: the biphasic tumor hemodynamic feature stems from a well-perfused and poorly perfused region that could be detected with the two time constants of the NIRS signals. With a multichannel approach, noninvasive NIRS measurements may have useful and prognostic values to quantify the therapeutic effects of cancer treatments.
Differences in Mating Behavior Among Three Populations of Anthocoris antevolens (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae): A Comparison of Intra- and Interpopulation Crosses

Mating behavior was compared among three populations of Anthocoris antevolens White (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae). Two of the three populations are sympatric in the Yakima Valley, Washington, and are known to differ in length of the setae on the hemelytra and in characteristics of the male's genitalia. The third population occurred 120 km west of the Yakima populations. All possible inter- and intrapopulation crosses were studied. Males attempted to mate females in all crosses and were as rapid in initiating mating attempts in interpopulation crosses as in intrapopulation crosses. Mating success, defined to be insemination of the female, varied between 64 and 92% in intrapopulation crosses, but only between 0 and 21% in interpopulation crosses. The crosses between the two sympatric populations never resulted in insemination. Females in all crosses resisted mating attempts by males. Resistance behavior included hunching of the abdomen to prevent insertion of the clasper by the male, use of a hind leg to block male attempts to insert the clasper, and attempts to dislodge the male. For two of the populations, female resistance increased when paired with a male from a different population than when paired with a male from her population; females from the third population showed similar levels of resistance in interpopulation and intrapopulation crosses. Our results support the idea that A. antevolens is actually composed of an unknown number of reproductively isolated cryptic species.
Reduced PLP2 expression increases ER-stress-induced neuronal apoptosis and risk for adverse neurological outcomes after hypoxia ischemia injury

Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of intellectual disability (ID). Previously, we identified a promoter variant (-113C>A) in PLP2 (proteolipid protein 2) that results in an ∼4-fold reduction of transcript and protein and is overly represented in males with X-linked ID (XLID). The functional connection between reduced PLP2 expression and increased risk to XLID is unknown. To investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms, we studied a Plp2-loss-of-function murine model and fibroblasts from XLID patients hemizygous for PLP2-(-113C>A). We found that Plp2-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblast and human fibroblasts carrying PLP2-(-113C>A) have similarly defective endoplasmic reticulum (ER) trafficking, increased basal ER stress and exaggerated susceptibility to inducers of ER stress. Plp2-deficient mice show increased neuronal death to ER stress and hypoxia in vitro and in a neonatal hypoxia-ischemia model in vivo. Finally, we provide evidence that up-regulation of PLP2 directly promotes resistance to ER stressors. Results of our studies support the hypothesis that reduced PLP2 expression increase susceptibility of neurons to environmental ER stressors such as hypoxia and ischemia and that increased apoptosis and neuronal death contribute to the risks to ID in humans.
Twelfth Night and the Philology of Nonsense

This article argues that nonsense words in Twelfth Night and other early modern English comedies can help us think more clearly about our attempts to explicate difficult language in historical contexts. Focusing in particular on Sir Toby's untranslatable exclamation ‘Castiliano Vulgo’ and other meaningless foreign-sounding phrases in a range of plays, the article discusses the social ramifications of miscomprehension or false interpretations, both for imagined characters on stage, and for scholars, editors, teachers, students, and audience members. How does our desire to eliminate confusion in our encounter with historical literature shape our responses to comic texts? Can we imagine a classroom or a Shakespearean theatre in which baffling, incomprehensible nonsense is a productive presence?
Some Iban (Sea-Dayak) Customary Law in Sarawak

Sarawak is inhabited by a plural group comprised of the Iban, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Murut, Kejaman, Skapan, Melanau, Bidayuh (Land Dayak), Malay and Chinese. Of all these races, only the Malays and some Melanaus are Muslims, while most of the others are animistsbelieving in God and various other deities.
ASIC technologies

The physical differences between currently available ASIC technologies are reported with emphasis on field-programmable gate arrays. Two factors affecting the choice of ASIC technology (costs and the importance of synthesis) are discussed. It is shown that the use of synthesis techniques can make as much difference in the performance of a system as a change in technology. The ability to use synthesis techniques effectively is an important criterion in selecting an ASIC technology. >
Oxygen vacancy formation characteristics in the bulk and across different surface terminations of La(1−x)SrxFe(1−y)CoyO(3−δ) perovskite oxides for CO2 conversion

Density functional theory (DFT) based investigation of two parameters of prime interest – oxygen vacancy and surface terminations along (100) and (110) planes – has been conducted for La(1−x)SrxFe(1−y)CoyO(3−δ) perovskite oxides in view of their application towards thermochemical carbon dioxide conversion reactions. The bulk oxygen vacancy formation energies for these mixed perovskite oxides are found to increase with increasing lanthanum and iron contents in the ‘A’ site and ‘B’ site, respectively. Surface terminations along (100) and (110) crystal planes are studied to probe their stability and their capabilities to accommodate surface oxygen vacancies. Amongst the various terminations, the oxygen-rich (110) surface and strontium-rich (100) surface are the most stable, while transition metal-rich terminations along (100) revealed preference towards the production of oxygen vacancies. The carbon dioxide adsorption strength, a key descriptor for CO2 conversion reactions, is found to increase on oxygen vacant surfaces thus establishing the importance of oxygen vacancies in CO2 conversion reactions. Amongst all the surface terminations, the lanthanum-oxygen terminated surface exhibited the strongest CO2 adsorption strength. The theoretical prediction of the oxygen vacancy trends and the stability of the samples were corroborated by the temperature-programmed reduction and oxidation reactions and in situ XRD crystallography.
Notes on testing carry-over effects in continuous data under an incomplete block crossover design

We consider hypothesis testing and estimation of carry-over effects in continuous data under an incomplete block crossover design when comparing two experimental treatments with a placebo. We devel...
Filters and Feedbacks in Metamaterial Nanocircuits

Optical lumped nanofilters and circuit feedbacks may be envisioned by arranging collections of lumped nanocircuit modules made of photonic metamaterial nanostructures that form multielement optical nanocircuits. Analytical results and full-wave numerical simulations are presented.
Low Dielectric Constant Fluorocarbon Films

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) continues to generate immutable interest as a method of producing thin fluorocarbon films. This impetus stems from both the process advantages of CVD and the extensive market potential for the resultant films. Fluorocarbon films find extremely diverse applications because of their unique electrical, chemical and surface properties. They are currently being evaluated, among other applications, as dielectric interconnects in microelectronic circuits 1–3 and as passivation coatings in clinical devices.
SIMULATION MODELING OP DUNE EROSION

Using a combination of laboratory, field, and numerical techniques, we have developed a methodology for predicting the extent of dune erosion due to a given set of wave conditions and the beach and dune morphology. A basic assumption in this model is that the volume eroded from the dune is a function of the swash acting on the dune. Because the model is built on this premise, it is necessary to look at the mechanics of two ongoing processes in the storm environment. The first is the relationship between the swash characteristics and the volume of material eroded from the dune face. The second is the relationship between the time history of the swash characteristics at the dune face and the statistics of the storm event, the significant wave height and wave period.
Provision of Rural Public Goods and the Related System Arrangement

The effective provision of public goods in rural area is essential to the development of production, environment, and increase of farmers' income in the countryside. For a quite long period of time, problems of provision of various kinds of rural public goods have existed and these problems have affected the solution of three issues of farmers, countryside and agriculture. In the reform of public finance system in rural areas, we should dedicate to the increase of provision of rural public goods, formation of an effective rural fiscal system, so as to provide suitable conditions for solving problems existed in county and township public finance.
Surveillance on Food-Borne Pathogens in Food in Zhaoqing City from 2004 to 2007

Objective To investigate the situations and levels of food-bone pathogens in food in Zhaoqing city and find out the kinds of high-risk food in order to provide scientific basis for surveillance of food-born disease.Method According to the standard operation procedure(SOP) of the National Surveillance Network on food contaminants,three hnudred and twentyfive food samples from five kinds(raw meats,cooked meats,aquatic products,raw aquatic products and raw vegetables) were collected from four areas of Zhaoqing city from 2004 to 2007.The Salmonella,Listeria monocytogenes,Escherichia coli O157∶H7 and Vibrio phrahaemolyticus in samples were monitored and analyzed.Results Among all samples,27 strains were positive for pathogens and the detection rates were 8.31%.The strains and detection rates for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes were 16,4.92% and 10,3.08%,respectively.No Escherichia coli O157∶H7 was detected.One strain of Vibrio phrahaemolyticus was detected from 80 aquatic products.The raw meats were eriously polluted by food-borne pathogens,and the detection rate was 11.35%.The detection rates of cooked meats,aquatic products,raw aquatic products and raw vegetables were 9.68%,5.45%,4.00% and 2.56%,respectively.Conclusion The results showed that Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes widely existed in foods in Zhaoqing city,and the raw meats and cooked meats were the high-risk food.
How to resolve the difficulty of performance evaluation of managers in general hospital

The qualitative indexes of performance evaluation of managers in general hospital are so more than the quantitative indexes at present.Subjectivity of evaluation is so strong that it can't ensure the objectivity and fairness.This article explores those methods of performance evaluation,and puts forward the assumption of performance evaluation.
Fish meal as a protein supplement in ruminant diets: a review

Fish meal (FM) as a protein supplement in ruminant diets is presented to illustrate production responses to FM supplementation and to explain the possible factors that may affect the magnitude of these responses. Positive responses are consistently detected when FM is fed to nonruminants, but the responses when fed to ruminants have lacked consistency. Research indicates that ruminal protein degradation of FM is affected by processing factors including type and freshness of fish, addition of preservatives, stabilization of fat, type of dryer used, temperature and duration of heating, and the amount of fish solubles added back to the meal. Performance data published in the last two decades have been categorized into body weight gain and milk yield and composition. Fish meal was more effective in improving body weight gain in young than in finishing ruminants and in males than in females or castrated males. Daily gains and feed efficiencies were higher when FM supplemented medium- or poor-quality silages than when it was added to high-quality silages. No significant advantage was found for replacing protein sources that were highly ruminally degradable with FM in high-corn diets fed to growing ruminants. Milk yield and milk protein concentration were improved by FM supplementation of low-concentrate diets fed to cows in early lactation. However, milk fat percentage was negatively affected by FM supplementation. Reproduction data indicated that body gain and conception rates of high-producing cows were improved by supplementing their diets with FM during early lactation. Results suggest a significant advantage of FM supplementation to ruminant diets if the physiological status of the animal and the quality of the dietary ingredients are taken into account.
Microsurgical Techniques in Repair of Peripheral Nerves

An illustrated description of the operating microscope and microsurgical instruments and sutures used in repair of peripheral nerves.
A Role for CR2 in FDC-B Cell Interactions

If animals lack C3 or if C3 is destroyed by cobra venom factor, antibody responses are dramatically depressed1–5. Treatment of animals with mAb against CR2 or CD19, which are part of the CD19, CR2 TAPA-1 complex on B cells, also result in dramatically depressed antibody responses6–8. Furthermore, if animals are treated with a soluble construct of CR2, which will bind C3 fragments, the ability to mount a humoral response is markedly suppressed’. In addition, a recent study of CR2 knockout mice revealed that B cell expression of CR2 is required for immune responses to T-dependent antigens9. Furthermore, complement markedly lowers the threshold at which B cells respond to antigen and this effect may be attributable to the co-ligation of CR2 to BCR via the association with C3b-associated antigen10,11. It is also known that cross-linking of CR2 on the B cell by multiple C3b fragments on a carrier renders B cells more easily stimulated by mitogens including anti-μ12,13. These results suggest that CR2 is associated with an important signaling mechanism which is involved when B cells proliferate and differentiate into antibody forming cells (AFC).
Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase as a novel approach to high dose diazepam induced hypotension

Context: Hypotension is one of the dose limiting side effects of benzodiazepines (BZDs), in particular of diazepam (DZP) which is still widely used in the clinic. Currently, only one FDA approved antidote exists for BZD overdose and novel approaches are needed to improve management of DZP overdose, dependency and withdrawal. Objective: Here, we hypothesized that increasing bioactive lipid mediators termed epoxy fatty acids (EpFAs) will prevent hypotension, as was shown previously in a murine model of LPS-induced hypotension. Therefore, we first characterized the time and dose dependent profile of DZP induced hypotension in mice, and then investigated the reversal of the hypotensive effect by inhibiting the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), an enzyme that regulates the levels of EpFAs. Materials and Methods: Following baseline systolic BP recording using tail cuffs, mice were administered a sEH inhibitor (TPPU) before DZP and BP was monitored. Blood and brain levels of DZP and TPPU were quantified to examine distribution and metabolism. Plasma EpFAs levels were quantified to determine TPPU target engagement. Results: In this murine model, DZP induced dose dependent hypotension which was more severe than midazolam. The temporal profile was consistent with the reported pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of DZP. Treatment with TPPU reversed the hypotension resulting from high doses of DZP and decreased the sEH metabolites of EpFAs in the plasma demonstrating target engagement. Discussion and Conclusion: Overall, these findings demonstrate the similarity of a murine model of DZP induced hypotension to clinical observations in humans. Furthermore, we demonstrate that stabilization of EpFAs by inhibiting sEH is a novel approach to overcome DZP-induced hypotension and this beneficial effect can be enhanced by an omega three diet probably acting through epoxide metabolites of the fatty acids.
Asynchronous Two-level Checkpointing Scheme for Large-scale Adjoints in the Spectral-Element Solver Nek5000

Abstract Adjoints are an important computational tool for large-scale sensitivity evaluation, uncertainty quantification, and derivative-based optimization. An essential component of their performance is the storage/recomputation balance in which efficient adjoint checkpointing strategies play a key role. We introduce a novel asynchronous two-level adjoint checkpointing scheme for numerical time discretizations targeted at large-scale numerical simulations. The checkpointing scheme combines bandwidth-limited disk checkpointing and space-limited binomial memory checkpointing. Based on assumptions about the target petascale systems, which we later demonstrate to be realistic on the IBM Blue Gene/Q system Mira, we create a model of the predicted performance of the adjoint computation and validate it using the highly scalable Navier-Stokes spectral-element solver Nek5000 on small to moderate subsystems of the Mira supercomputer.
Managing Redox Chemistry To Deter Marine Biological Adhesion

With global shipping accounting for 3.5% of annual fossil fuel use, we have incentive to keep hulls clean from encrusting foulers including barnacles, oysters, and mussels. Current antifouling coatings function by releasing biocidal copper into the surrounding waters. Rather than poisoning the oceans, environmentally benign approaches to defeating biological adhesion are in great demand. Recent chemical characterization insights have found that oxidative cross-linking of proteins plays a potentially key role in the formation of several bioadhesives. Here, antioxidant compounds were placed into coatings in order to quench oxidative chemistry and inhibit glue formation. Antioxidant-containing surfaces decreased mussel adhesion relative to controls. Attacking the mechanisms of biological adhesion may provide us with a new strategy for foul release coatings and minimize the environmental impacts of shipping.
Acceptance of the Dana Medal of the Mineralogical Society of America for 2002

I read several years ago about a Noble Laureate in chemistry who was being interviewed by a reporter. He was asked what it takes to win a Noble Prize. Without hesitation, the chemist said that it took three things. First, being a genius was definitely not required. Being reasonably intelligent was perfectly fine. Second, you needed to be a hard worker. (I remember thinking at that point in reading this story that the great majority of all successful scientists that I have ever known have fulfilled these two criteria. What then was the third, and presumably deciding factor, which resulted in winning a Nobel Prize. I read on anxiously.) Third, you not only had to be at the right place at the right time, but you had to be very, very fortunate! Indeed. And that is why I never even gave serious thought to winning a science prize of any sort. Not to mention …
Pathogenesis of NEC: Role of the innate and adaptive immune response

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease in premature infants with high case fatality and significant morbidity among survivors. Immaturity of intestinal host defenses predisposes the premature infant gut to injury. An abnormal bacterial colonization pattern with a deficiency of commensal bacteria may lead to a further breakdown of these host defense mechanisms, predisposing the infant to NEC. Here, we review the role of the innate and adaptive immune system in the pathophysiology of NEC.
Renal Cortical and Medullary Microcirculations: Structure and Function

Approximately 170 liters per day of glomerular filtrate is formed in the human renal cortex. Nephrons and collecting ducts perform the enormous task of reabsorbing ~99% of the filtrate while regulating the small quantity finally excreted. Highly specific tubular-vascular relationships in the cortex and medulla accommodate the task of reabsorption. Postglomerular capillaries in the cortex form a dense plexus that surrounds proximal and distal tubules. In contrast, the medullary microcirculation is organized as a countercurrent exchanger that traps and recycles NaCl and urea. Essential tubular-vascular relationships are maintained across mammalian species and the capacity for regional control of perfusion within the kidney is highly developed. A growing body of literature supports the hypothesis that differential regulation of blood flow to the cortex and medulla plays a mechanistic role in the regulation of salt and water excretion.
Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (EMC) is a relatively slow growing soft tissue sarcoma that often presents with metastatic disease, typically innumerable round lung nodules of varying sizes that also grow slowly but relentlessly [1, 2]. It is different in all genetic and histopathological aspects from skeletal chondrosarcoma [3]. EMC typically affects people between ages 30 and 60 [1, 4] (Fig. 20.1), and occurs most commonly in the lower extremity (Fig. 20.2). Men are affected more commonly than women, but there does not appear to be a difference in incidence based on race [5]. Tumors present as painless, slow growing multi-lobulated masses, and are soft, gelatinous in consistency, and often hemorrhagic.
Bayesian Statistics: Computation

By Bayes theorem the posterior density of θ is given by $$\displaystyle{p(\theta \vert x) = \frac{f(x;\theta )p(\theta )} {f(x)} }$$ where $$\displaystyle{f(x) =\int _{\Theta }f(x;\theta )p(\theta )dm(\theta )}$$ The calculation of the posterior thus requires calculation of an integral of the likelihood weighted by the prior. Usually this integral can only be determined in closed form for conjugate priors.
Studies on the Mode of Action of Vitamin A

Although there is a voluminous literature on the use of large doses of vitamin A in the treatment of diseases characterized by excessive or abnormal keratiniza-tion (e.g. Darier's disease, pityriasis rubra pilaris, ichthyosis, calluses, keratoder-mas, etc.), nothing definite is known about the mode of action of this vitamin in cutaneous metabolism. It has been shown that vitamin A has an “anti-keratiniz-ing” effect which is manifested in a number of ways: In vitro vitamin A prevents the differentiation of epidermal cells into keratin in tissue cultures (1). In animals, large doses of vitamin A given by mouth (2), or applied locally (3), interfere with hair formation and cause reversible baldness. A decreased rate of keratin formation was also suggested by observations made on rats after local application of the vitamin (4). In human hypervitaminosis A, temporary loss of hair is a common symptom (5). Finally, vitamin A frequently has been an excellent therapeutic agent in the treatment of different types of anomalous keratinizing processes (6).
Evaluation of carinata meal as a feedstuff for growing dairy heifers: Effects on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and total-tract digestibility of nutrients

ABSTRACT Our objective was to determine the effects of feeding carinata meal (CRM) compared with distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and nutrient utilization in peripubertal dairy heifers. A 16-wk randomized block design experiment with 24 Holstein heifers [6.6 ± 0.7 mo and 218 ± 27 kg of body weight (BW)] was conducted. Treatments diets were (1) 10% cold-pressed CRM and (2) 10% DDGS on a dry matter (DM) basis. The remainder of the diets consisted of grass hay, ground corn, soybean meal, and mineral mix. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Heifers were individually fed using a Calan gate feeding system, and the rations were limit-fed at 2.65% of BW on a DM basis to target a 0.8 kg/d of average daily gain. Heifers were weighed every 2 wk and the ration amount offered was adjusted accordingly. Frame sizes, BW, and body condition scores were measured 2 d every 2 wk throughout the study. During wk 12 and 16, rumen fluid samples were collected via esophageal tubing for pH, ammonia N, and volatile fatty acid analyses. In wk 16, fecal grab samples were collected for apparent total-tract digestibility estimation. Heifer DM intake, BW, average daily gain, and gain:feed were similar between treatments. No differences were observed between treatments in frame measurements or body condition scores. Rumen pH tended to be greater in CRM compared with DDGS. Rumen ammonia N and total volatile fatty acid concentration were not different between treatments. Apparent total-tract digestibility of DM, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were decreased in CRM compared with DDGS. A tendency was detected for reduced organic matter digestibility in CRM. No difference was observed between treatments for crude protein total-tract digestibility. However, these differences in total-tract nutrient digestibility were not large enough to influence growth performance. Overall, results demonstrated that growing heifers can be limit-fed diets with 10% CRM and maintain growth performance compared with a control diet containing 10% DDGS.
Procedural Approaches to Software Design Modelling

Several approaches to modelling a software system during its design are discussed. Existing software design modelling techniques are categorized and it is concluded that the category of procedural techniques, which utilizes many of the same concepts as programming languages, offers the most promising opportunity for providing an effective design support system as an integrated collection of tools.
Interrelationships of Forced Migration, Fertility and Reproductive Health

The chapter reviews research on forced migration and fertility, identifies problems and challenges in this research and present suggestions for future research avenues and priorities. It starts with a critical examination of the definitional ambiguities that hamper and constrain research on forced migration and fertility, then outlines the current state of the field, and offers suggestions on how the field could be advanced by critically incorporating theoretical paradigms and models applied in studies of the association between voluntary migration and childbearing and accounting for both the changing nature of forced migration and the changing global fertility landscape. It concludes with a discussion of possible directions for research in the area of forced migrants’ reproductive behaviour and health.
Crystalline orientation dependent photoresponse and heterogeneous behaviors of grain boundaries in perovskite solar cells

Using photoconductive atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy, we characterize the local electrical properties of grains and grain boundaries of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) thin films on top of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/ITO substrate. Three discrete photoconductivity levels are identified among perovskite grains, likely corresponding to the crystal orientation of each grain. Local J-V curves recorded on these grains further suggest an anti-correlation behavior between the short circuit current (JSC) and open circuit voltage (VOC). This phenomenon can be attributed to diffusion-limited surface recombination at the non-selective perovskite-tip contact, where a higher carrier mobility established in the perovskite grain results in an enhanced surface recombination and thus a lower VOC. In addition, the photoresponse of perovskite films displays a pronounced heterogeneity across the grain boundaries, with the boundaries formed b...