cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contrasting above‐ and belowground sensitivity of three Great Plains grasslands to altered rainfall regimes

Intensification of the global hydrological cycle with atmospheric warming is expected to increase interannual variation in precipitation amount and the frequency of extreme precipitation events. Although studies in grasslands have shown sensitivity of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) to both precipitation amount and event size, we lack equivalent knowledge for responses of belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) and NPP. We conducted a 2-year experiment in three US Great Plains grasslands – the C4-dominated shortgrass prairie (SGP; low ANPP) and tallgrass prairie (TGP; high ANPP), and the C3-dominated northern mixed grass prairie (NMP; intermediate ANPP) – to test three predictions: (i) both ANPP and BNPP responses to increased precipitation amount would vary inversely with mean annual precipitation (MAP) and site productivity; (ii) increased numbers of extreme rainfall events during high-rainfall years would affect high and low MAP sites differently; and (iii) responses belowground would mirror those aboveground. We increased growing season precipitation by as much as 50% by augmenting natural rainfall via (i) many (11–13) small or (ii) fewer (3–5) large watering events, with the latter coinciding with naturally occurring large storms. Both ANPP and BNPP increased with water addition in the two C4 grasslands, with greater ANPP sensitivity in TGP, but greater BNPP and NPP sensitivity in SGP. ANPP and BNPP did not respond to any rainfall manipulations in the C3-dominated NMP. Consistent with previous studies, fewer larger (extreme) rainfall events increased ANPP relative to many small events in SGP, but event size had no effect in TGP. Neither system responded consistently above- and belowground to event size; consequently, total NPP was insensitive to event size. The diversity of responses observed in these three grassland types underscores the challenge of predicting responses relevant to C cycling to forecast changes in precipitation regimes even within relatively homogeneous biomes such as grasslands.
Predicting across scales: Theory development and testing

Landscape ecologists deal with processes that occur at a variety of temporal and spatial scales. The ability to make predictions at more than one level of resolution requires identification of the processes of interest and parameters that affect this process at different scales, the development of rules to translate information across scales, and the ability to test these predictions at the relevant spatial and temporal scales. This paper synthesizes discussions from a workshop on ‘Predicting Across Scales: Theory Development and Testing’ that was held to discuss current research on scaling and to identify key research issues.
The Aesthetics of Imperferction: Friedrich Schlegel's Romantic Subversion of Comedy

This study is the attempt to elucidate the modern perception of comedy by means of an analysis of the impact of the notion of the sublime on Romantic aesthetics. The early essays of Friedrich Schlegel provide a model example of the transition from a neoclassical adulation of antiquity to a strictly Romantic perception of art and reality. A central contention of this paper is that the rejection of the traditional division of drama into two mutually exclusive genres occurred during the rise of Romanticism and was constitutive to its development. Schlegel begins one of his earliest essays on classical Greek culture by asserting that “pure” comedy is the true touchstone of all aesthetic judgements and by condemning his contemporary dramatists because they mix the two dramatic genres. Yet Schlegel's own first definition of comedy is permeated with ambivalence. He asserts that comedy must actually humanize by ridiculing, it must produce aesthetic harmony out of ugliness. Schlegel is concerned with how “pure” comedy is possible since it of necessity must live from the “impurity” of its subject matter. Schlegel concludes the essay with extreme scepticism as to the very possibility of such comic purity and admits that a mixture of the tragic and the comic may after all produce a viable work of art. In ensuing essays Schlegel not only approves of the “tragicomedy” as an admissible work of literature, but even defends the grotesque as an essential element in Romantic aesthetics. The grotesque and the sublime become the encompassing poles of Romantic art. A careful analysis of the Kantian notion of the sublime provides a valuable key to explain the rise of the grotesque tragicomedy. While Kant can still see the sublime as an affirmation of man's dignity in the face of the enormity of the cosmos, modern comedy (e.g. Beckett's Godot) can be seen as the inversion of Kant, as the grotesque underside of man's purported sublimity.
Towards feasible solutions of the tautology problem

This part studies the problem of testing Boolean validity in polynomial time. A number of hitherto unnoticed elegant properties of Boolean expressions are established in Section 12.3 to yield generally more efficient methods for many expressions. Combinatorial metatheorems concerning the tautology problem are proved in Section 12.4 Special partial methods are developed in Sections 12.6 and 12.7 which yield efficient solutions to two sets of hard examples which defeat existing methods in the literature. Finally, two general approaches in terms of size calculations and composite expressions with symbolic abbreviations which are under investigation are briefly indicated in Section 12.7
A new approach to the simulation of the coupled point defects and impurity diffusion

A program, named FINDPRO, has been developed which efficiently solves the coupled diffusion of point defects and multiple impurity species in two dimensions, using the finite difference method for space discretization. The program simulates an oxidation process step by interfacing with a boundary element oxidation program. It accounts for the effect of point defect recombination by subtracting the vacancy continuity equation from that of the interstitials and then using the point defect equilibrium relationship. The resulting equation is easier to handle numerically because the recombination term has been eliminated. Further, the point-defect-dopant interactions are essentially based on a steady-state approximation, but the correct defect gradients and concentrations in two or three dimensions relative to equilibrium are efficiently generated at a great saving in computational resources. The essential feature of the model used in this program is a realistic coupling between point defects and impurity species. The point defect fluxes depend on the concentrations of impurities and their gradients. Similarly, the impurity fluxes depend on the concentration and gradients of the point defects. This approach allows successful two-dimensional simulation of all major point-defect-mediated diffusion phenomena. >
Acute appendicitis in a child with swine influenza (H1N1).

Swine flu is a multisystemic disease and can affect the gastrointestinal system. There are only three published reports of swine flu cases with acute appendicitis; two of them in children under 16 years of age. We present an unusual case of acute appendicitis in a child already diagnosed with swine flu infection. A 9½-year-old girl presented with febrile illness and mild abdominal pain. PCR (+) was positive for H1N1. 3 days after hospital admission she developed acute appendicitis and was operated on. On the fourth postoperative day she developed right upper lobe atelectasis; she was started on antiviral treatment to which she responded very well. She was discharged on day 7 without further consequences in her postoperative course. Children with swine flu may be susceptible to rapidly deteriorating and complicated acute appendicitis. This calls for more caution especially in periods of epidemics.
Parsing and interpreting ambiguous structures in spatial hypermedia

When reflecting on information, spatial hypermedia users express their understanding of the information's structure visually. In order to facilitate this process, spatial hypermedia uses spatial parsers that enable systems to infer the structure of information based on the implicit relationships between components of the representation. This paper describes the two main purposes of spatial parsers in spatial hypermedia systems and how particular parsing approaches and features influence their effectiveness and responsiveness. An alternative approach that provides better support for ambiguity and adaptability is instantiated in FLAPS, an adaptive spatial parser that uses fuzzy-logic in order to infer the implicit structure of spatial hypermedia. The comparison of FLAPS to other parsers reveals benefits of supporting ambiguous structures by computing multiple possible interpretations and identifies limitations that provide goals for future spatial parsers.
Automatic implementation of FIR filters on field programmable gate arrays

This letter describes a CAD system for automatic implementation of FIR filters on Xilinx field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). Given the frequency specifications, this software package designs an FIR filter, optimizes the filter coefficients in the power of two coefficient space, and implements it on FPGA chips. The FPGA specific mapping techniques used to increase speed are discussed. The performance of the typical filters that were implemented is presented. >
Soil water storage and rooting depth: key factors controlling recharge on rangelands

The practice of removing woody vegetation to enhance water supply in semiarid rangelands in the United States continues to generate considerable interest, even though past research has yielded apparently contradictory results concerning its efficacy. In an attempt to elucidate the factors that determine whether and how woody vegetation removal affects water supply, we analysed the problem using a water balance approach. In our analysis, deep drainage is the water balance component associated with water supply. Because the herbaceous vegetation that replaces the woody plants generally has a shallower effective rooting depth (Rd), the amount of soil water potentially available for transpiration is reduced and more is available for deep drainage. The potential increase in deep drainage can be estimated from the capacity of the soil to store plant-available water (Sc) and may be substantial. Our case study on sagebrush rangeland documents how Rd, and consequently Sc, changed after woody vegetation at the site was removed by burning. Using depth profiles of soil water content and matric potential, we showed that the Rd of the post-fire vegetation was about 140 cm, 60 cm less than that of the pre-fire vegetation, and that this resulted in a potential increase in deep drainage of about 6 cm of water—which in semiarid rangelands is substantial. Historical precipitation patterns indicate that there is nearly always sufficient net precipitation to generate the additional 6 cm of deep drainage at this site. However, in most of the area the soil depth is less than 140 cm, so that transpiration and deep drainage would be unaffected by the vegetation change and the overall water supply enhancement would be much less than 6 cm. These results indicate that the change in Sc that may follow woody shrub removal is an important criterion to evaluate sites for vegetation conversion. Copyright  2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bronchial Hyperreactivity and Cough due to Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Seventeen patients using angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for hypertension were evaluated with baseline spirometry followed by determination of bronchial reactivity by challenge with methacholine. There were nine coughers and eight noncoughers in the study. Among the nine coughers, eight demonstrated bronchial hyperreactivity. Conversely, none of the noncoughers disclosed bronchial hyperreactivity. Eight of the nine coughers were rechallenged two to six months following cessation of ACE inhibitor therapy. Six of these eight showed persistent bronchial hyperreactivity. We conclude that cough is associated with the use of ACE inhibitors in patients with underlying bronchial hyperreactivity. The findings indicate caution in administration of ACE inhibitors in asthmatic patients and those with known bronchial hyperreactivity.
Sequence diversity, population genetics and potential recombination events in grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus in Pacific North-West vineyards.

Grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV; genus Foveavirus, family Flexiviridae) is present in many grape-growing regions of the world. A total of 84 full-length coat protein (CP) sequences and 57 sequences representing the helicase-encoding region (HR) of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase were obtained from wine grape cultivars grown in the Pacific North-West (PNW) of the United States and their molecular diversity was compared with corresponding sequences previously reported from other grape-growing regions. In pairwise comparisons, the CP sequences from PNW isolates showed identities between 80 and 100 % at the nucleotide level and the HR sequences showed identities between 79 and 100 %. A global phylogenetic analysis of the CP and HR sequences revealed segregation of GRSPaV isolates into four major lineages with isolates from PNW distributed in all four lineages, indicating a lack of clustering by geographical origin. Scion cultivars grafted onto rootstock were found to contain mixtures of more genetic variants belonging to different lineages than own-rooted cultivars. Assessment of population genetic parameters found that the CP was more variable than the HR region. The discordant gene phylogenies obtained for some CP and HR sequences and the identification of potential recombination events involving parents from different lineages provided strong evolutionary evidence for genetic diversity among GRSPaV isolates. These results underscore the highly variable nature of the virus with implications for grapevine health status and distribution of virus-tested planting materials. This study also contributes to an increased understanding of molecular population genetics of viruses infecting deciduous woody perennials.
A Conjugate Heat Transfer RANS/DES Simulation Procedure

*† Heat transfer between fluid and solid media is prevalent in typical thermodynamic systems. Common cycles, such as the Brayton cycle, rely on air, which is compressed and expanded through metal vanes and blades. Due to high temperatures developed during the cycle, thermal stresses along with metal liquefaction can occur. Because of the possibility for material failure, many engineering applications are limited in thermodynamic efficiency. For example, today’s jet engines are able to achieve higher inlet temperatures than raw materials can withstand. Ceramic coatings and other blade cooling schemes have been developed in an effort to increase system efficiency by increasing the gas temperature of the combustor and thus the inlet temperature to the turbine. However, the ability to accurately model the heat interaction between fluid and solid bodies remains critical in achieving higher levels of efficiency and performance in modern engineering systems. Using an existing and proven flow solution procedure capable of both Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) solutions as well as detached-eddy simulations (DES), a heat flow solver has been developed and integrated into the procedure to study the heat interaction between solid and fluid bodies. This paper describes the integration, data structure and numerical techniques of the conjugate heat flow solver. Conjugate test cases performed on a two dimensional cylinder are presented for unsteady, time-averaged flows using both RANS and DES flow solvers.
Ablative material removal utilizing the copper vapor laser

Summary form only given. Laser drilling has been widely used in industry because of its high production rate, ability to rapidly vary hole size, ability to drill holes at shallow angles, and ability to drill traditionally hard to work materials such as ceramics and composite materials. We have extended this utility to sub-millimeter dimensions by use of a near diffraction limited copper laser and precision wave front tilting technology.
Comparison of Prompting Hierarchies on the Acquisition of Leisure and Vocational Skills

Task analyses are used for teaching response chains, perhaps most notably to individuals with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorders. Selection of effective tactics for prompting desired responses within a response chain and subsequently fading these prompts is critical to the effectiveness of task analysis as a teaching strategy.
Sexually transmitted infections and contraceptives: selective issues

At all ages women are more likely than men to contract genital herpes chlamydia or gonorrhea and up to 50% of pregnancies in the United States are unintended. There is a complicated relationship between contraceptives and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Does a persons perceived risk of STIs affect his or her contraceptive choice? Do contraceptives interact with treatment for STIs such as HIV or do contraceptives affect STIs? Do hormonal contraceptives change the immunologic milieu in the genital tract significantly so there is increased risk of ST1 acquisition? STIs are prevalent in all countries. Chlamydia currently affects up to 3 million Americans a year and HIV is becoming a more significant infection among women with current estimates that nearly 46% of persons infected with HIV worldwide are women. Is there truly a biologic interaction between contraceptives and STIs or is it a behavioral interaction? The answer is likely both. Current standard of care incorporates pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention when counseling women about reproductive health services. There is an unchanged need for women to have more options available to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases which they can control. Currently the only dual methods available to women are barrier ones. A vast literature addresses the interactions between contraceptives and STIs so the more common concerns and questions that arise in clinical practice are addressed in this section. (authors)
Simple methods for direct antibiotic protection of synthetic vascular grafts

Abstract Two simple methods for direct antibacterial protection of synthetic vascular grafts were investigated. In the first protocol the highly protein-bound antibiotics nafcillin (90% protein bound), cefazolin (80%), and cefamandole (70%) were added directly to preclotting blood. Knitted Dacron grafts preclotted in the presence of one of these drugs absorbed significant amounts. Although at high concentrations these antibiotics exhibited anticoagulant effects, significant antibacterial protection was obtained at lower antibiotic levels. Washing treated grafts for 6 hours failed to eliminate the antibacterial activity. Antibiotics remained on the grafts for at least 96 hours. In the second protocol knitted Dacron grafts were soaked in a suspension of silver-pefloxacin, a silver—nalidixic acid analogue with intense antistaphylococcic activity. Using 110 Ag-labeled complexes, significant antibiotic activity was documented on the graft after 19 days of washing. Four nafcillin-treated prostheses, six silver-pefloxacin-coated grafts, and 11 control grafts were interposed in the infrarenal aorta of dogs and immediately challenged with an intravenous infusion of 1 × 10 7 Staphylococcus aureus . None of the four nafcillin-treated grafts was infected at 3 weeks. One of the six silver-pefloxacin-coated grafts grew staphylococci, and 9 of 11 controls had positive graft cultures for Staphylococcus when harvested. These studies suggest that prosthetic grafts can be simply coated at the time of implantation with antibiotics selected for appropriate binding and antibacterial characteristics to obtain an infection-resistant prosthesis. (J VASC SURG 1984;1:372-80.)
Therapeutic concentrations of theophylline and enprofylline potentiate catecholamine effects and inhibit leukocyte activation

Abstract Methylxanthines are primary agents used in treatment of hypersensitivity disease. Because polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) activation is associated with generation of potent inflammatory mediators, xanthine effects on the PMN respiratory burst were studied. Enprofylline, a xanthine with important therapeutic potential, does not antagonize adenosine and was contrasted with theophylline. Although enprofylline was more potent at low concentrations, both drugs exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of PMN activation at concentrations >10 μmol/L (1.8 μg/ml). Oxygen metabolite generation was decreased by 30% to 40% at therapeutic drug concentrations and by 85% at 1 mmol/L of theophylline. Inhibition by isoproterenol or prostaglandin E 2 but not dibutyryl cAMP was potentiated by either xanthine. Isoproterenol effects were also increased when isoproterenol was evaluated in whole blood specimens obtained from subjects after a loading dose of aminophylline. Although these results were most compatible with cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibition, other commonly proposed mechanisms of methlxanthine activity were also studied. Theophylline but not enprofylline blocked adenosine inhibition of PMN activation. Neither xanthine shifted the calcium dose-response when PMNs were activated with calcium ionophore. Because oxygen metabolites generated by the PMN are mediators of inflammation and hypersensitivity, direct inhibition of PMN activation as well as potentiation of catecholamine activity may be important therapeutic effects of theophylline and enprofylline.
Amelioration of Experimental Bacterial Meningitis by Levamisole: Evidence of a Direct Effect on the Infecting Bacteria

The immune-modulating effects of levamisole were evaluated in vivo in rabbits with experimental meningitis due to Escherichia coli and in vitro in assays of ingestive and digestive functions of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Intracisternal treatment of rabbits with 0.5 ml of levamisole (400 ag/ml) 48 and 24 hr before infection resulted in a longer survival time (mean, 49.3 hr) than either control (mean, 21.3 hr; P < 0.01) or intravenously treated animals (mean, 18.3 hr; P < 0.05). However, treatment of the organism by incubation in levamisole (100 jg/ml) resulted in survival times significantly longer than that of intracisternally treated animals (mean, 98.5 hr; P< 0.05). A reduction of 5 logs of viable bacteria 22 hr after infection was noted by previous therapy of either the animal or the bacteria. No antibiotic effect was demonstrated. In vitro studies revealed increased ingestion by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (P < 0.02) and digestion (P < 0.05) of bacteria incubated in levamisole. These results suggest that levamisole may alter the bacteria, enhance killing, and produce salutary in vivo effects.
Content and functional specifications for a standards-based multidisciplinary rounding tool to maintain continuity across acute and critical care

Background Maintaining continuity of care (CoC) in the inpatient setting is dependent on aligning goals and tasks with the plan of care (POC) during multidisciplinary rounds (MDRs). A number of locally developed rounding tools exist, yet there is a lack of standard content and functional specifications for electronic tools to support MDRs within and across settings. Objective To identify content and functional requirements for an MDR tool to support CoC. Materials and methods We collected discrete clinical data elements (CDEs) discussed during rounds for 128 acute and critical care patients. To capture CDEs, we developed and validated an iPad-based observational tool based on informatics CoC standards. We observed 19 days of rounds and conducted eight group and individual interviews. Descriptive and bivariate statistics and network visualization were conducted to understand associations between CDEs discussed during rounds with a particular focus on the POC. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. All analyses were triangulated. Results We identified the need for universal and configurable MDR tool views across settings and users and the provision of messaging capability. Eleven empirically derived universal CDEs were identified, including four POC CDEs: problems, plan, goals, and short-term concerns. Configurable POC CDEs were: rationale, tasks/‘to dos’, pending results and procedures, discharge planning, patient preferences, need for urgent review, prognosis, and advice/guidance. Discussion Some requirements differed between settings; yet, there was overlap between POC CDEs. Conclusions We recommend an initial list of 11 universal CDEs for continuity in MDRs across settings and 27 CDEs that can be configured to meet setting-specific needs.
Turnover Rate Enhancement of Reforming Reactions on Polycrystalline Pt–Ir Foils

The reactions ofn-hexane over bimetallic Pt–Ir polycrystalline foils were studied at 720 K, H2/n-hexane = 67, and a total pressure of 0.9 MPa. The addition of Ir to Pt increases the hydrogenolysis turnover rate by up to two orders of magnitude and decreases the dehydrogenation turnover rate to 1-hexene by up to one order of magnitude. The rates of isomerization to 2- and 3-methylpentane and cyclization to methylcyclopentane show a volcano-type correlation when plotted against the surface Ir composition. The maximum rate occurs at a surface composition of Pt2Ir and the rate is about three times higher than the rate for pure Pt. Addition of sulfur to the surface decreases the rates for isomerization, cyclization, and especially the rate for hydrogenolysis, resulting in a substantial decrease in the initial selectivity for hydrogenolysis. However, sulfur addition increases the dehydrogenation rates for the monometallic and bimetallic surfaces. It is observed that Pt–Ir shows a surface chemistry for the reactions ofn-hexane similar to the surface chemistry of Pt when the bimetallic surface is sulfided. The turnover rates, however, are higher for Pt2Ir than for Pt in the presence and absence of sulfur.
Phospholipase A2 Stimulated Release of Lipoxin B4 Formation from Endogenous Sources of Arachidonic Acid in Porcine Leukocytes

Incubation of an isoenzyme of phospholipase A2 (PLA2, isolated from snake venom) with porcine leukocytes resulted in the formation of several trihydroxytetraene- containing compounds which were derived from endogenous sources of arachidonic acid. The formation of these endogenous compounds was dose-dependent with an EC50 of approximately 1.25 x 10−8M. At this concentration of the isoenzyme and time (10 min) of explosure the cells remained viable as determined by the exclusion of trypan blue. The trihydroxytetraene compounds were purified by RP-HPLC and their identities were analyzed by U.V. spectrometry, GC/MS and by comparison with synthetic materials. The biologically derived compounds proved to be lipoxin B4 (5S,14R,15S-trihydroxy-6,10,12-trans-8-ciseicosatetraenoic acid) and its two structural isomers (8-trans-LXB4 and 14S-8-trans-LXB4). Results of the present study indicate that porcine leukocytes can generate lipoxin 84 and its isomers from endogenous sources of arachidonic acid. Moreover, they suggest that certain PLA2 isoenzymes may stimulate the formation of lipoxins and related compounds.
Bis(acetato-κO)bis­(4,5-dimethyl­benzene-1,2-diamine-κN)zinc

The structure of the title compound, [Zn(CH3COO)2(C8H12N2)2], has one half molecule in the asymmetric unit. The ZnII atom is situated on a twofold rotation axis and is tetrahedrally coordinated by two N and two O atoms. The crystal packing displays inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and intra­molecular N—H⋯O and N—H⋯N hydrogen bonding.
Modified finite difference schemes for geophysical flows

In previous works we developed a method to improve both the accuracy and computational efficiency of a given finite difference scheme used to simulate a geophysical flow. The resulting modified scheme is at least as accurate as the original, has the same time step, and often uses the same spatial stencil. However, in certain parameter regimes it is higher order. In this paper we apply the method to more realistic settings. Specifically, we apply the method to the Navier-Stokes equations and to a sea breeze model.
STUDIES ON THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF NUCLEOTIDE EXCISION REPAIR IN UV-IRRADIATED HUMAN CELLS IN CULTURE

ABSTRACT Thymine-containing pyrimidine dimers produced in mammalian cell DNA by UV irradiation at 10–40 J/m2 were removed with very slow kinetics. In contrast, most unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) occured within the first few hours after irradiation. Dimers were not excised as acid-insoluble oligonucleotides.
Causative Organisms and Associated Antimicrobial Resistance in Healthcare-Associated, Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections From Oncology Settings, 2009-2012.

BACKGROUND Recent antimicrobial resistance data are lacking from inpatient oncology settings to guide infection prophylaxis and treatment recommendations. We describe central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns reported from oncology locations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). METHODS CLABSI data reported to NHSN from 2009 to 2012 from adult inpatient oncology locations were compared to data from nononcology adult locations within the same hospitals. Pathogen profile, antimicrobial resistance rates, and CLABSI incidence rates per 1000 central line-days were calculated. CLABSI incidence rates were compared using Poisson regression. RESULTS During 2009-2012, 4654 CLABSIs were reported to NHSN from 299 adult oncology units. The most common organisms causing CLABSI in oncology locations were coagulase-negative staphylococci (16.9%), Escherichia coli (11.8%), and Enterococcus faecium (11.4%). Fluoroquinolone resistance was more common among E. coli CLABSI in oncology than nononcology locations (56.5% vs 41.5% of isolates tested; P < .0001) and increased significantly from 2009-2010 to 2011-2012 (49.5% vs 60.4%; P = .01). Furthermore, rates of CLABSI were significantly higher in oncology compared to nononcology locations for fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli (rate ratio, 7.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.20-8.76) and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (rate ratio, 2.27, 95% CI, 2.03-2.53). However, resistance rates for some organisms, such as Klebsiella species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were lower in oncology than in nononcology locations. CONCLUSIONS Antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and E. faecium have become significant pathogens in oncology. Practices for antimicrobial prophylaxis and empiric antimicrobial therapy should be regularly assessed in conjunction with contemporary antimicrobial resistance data.
Role of LDL subfraction heterogeneity in the reduced binding of low density lipoproteins to arterial proteoglycans in cynomolgus monkeys fed a fish oil diet.

Previous studies using cynomolgus monkeys have shown that isocaloric substitution of dietary fish oil for lard reduced the in vitro binding of plasma low density lipoproteins (LDL) to arterial proteoglycans (PG) (Edwards, I.J., A.K. Gebre, W. D. Wagner, and J. S. Parks. 1991. Arterioscler. Thromb., 11: 1778-1785). The purpose of the present study was to determine whether all LDL subfractions were equally affected by the type of dietary fat with regard to PG binding and to identify compositional changes in LDL subfractions that might relate to the differential in PG binding. Two groups of cynomolgus monkeys (n = 5 each) were fed atherogenic diets (40% calories as fat; 0.26 mg cholesterol/kcal) containing 20% of calories as egg yolk and 20% as either lard or menhaden fish oil. LDL were isolated from plasma by ultracentrifugation and size exclusion chromatography and subfractionated by density gradient centrifugation. Three density ranges of LDL subfractions were collected from the gradients for determination of chemical composition, apoE and apoB content by ELISA, and binding to arterial PG in vitro. The d 1.015-1.025 g/ml subfraction contained 39 +/- 8% of the LDL cholesterol in the lard group but only 7 +/- 3% for the fish oil group. Values for cholesterol distribution were opposite for the d 1.035-1.045 g/ml subfraction, 8 +/- 1% versus 41 +/- 8%, respectively. Similar trends were noted for the distribution of apoB. For the lard group, LDL binding to arterial PG increased with decreasing density (i.e., increasing size) of the subfractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Analyzing the Intersections of Race and Class: An Essay Review of Nicola Rollock, David Gillborn, Carol Vincent, and Stephen J. Ball's "The Colour of Class: The Educational Strategies of the Black Middle Class" (New York, NY: Routledge, 2015, pp. 201. ISBN: 978-0-415-80982-5).

In England, we might say that “the Empire has come home.” This means that while racism and the processes of racialization are indeed extraordinarily powerful, there will not only be strong similari...
Study of Impact Mechanism of Corporate Culture to Training Programs

Corporate culture,a significant tool of regulating the conflict between organizational needs and individual needs,is an important factor influencing the successful implementation of training programs.This article the cultural influence model(CIM) as the starting point,and made an in-depth analysis of the impact mechanism of corporate culture to training programs from the perspective of corporate culture.The author also provided a little inspiration that human resource development personnel could think about how to deal with the culture influences during the process of training implementation process.
Research on the special education teacher and special education teaching.

Research on the special education teacher and special education teaching was reviewed, and several unpublished studies reported. The need for systematic research programs in this area was highlight...
Effects of Water on Structure and Dynamics of Trehalose Glasses at Low Water Contents and its Relationship to Preservation Outcomes

Dry preservation of biologics in sugar glasses is regarded as a promising alternative to conventional cryopreservation. Evidence from various studies has suggested that there is a critical range of water content beyond which the viability of preserved biologics can be greatly compromised. In this study the viability of T-cells was determined as a function of end water content after microwave-assisted drying in trehalose solutions. Hydrogen-bonding and clustering phenomena in trehalose solutions of the same moisture content were also evaluated using molecular dynamics simulation. Post-rehydration viability decreased dramatically within the range of 0.1–1 gH2O/gdw. Molecular modeling revealed that as the water content approached 0.1 gH2O/gdw the matrix formed a large interconnected trehalose skeleton with a minimal number of bound water molecules scattered in the bulk. The diffusion coefficients of trehalose oxygen atoms most distant from the glycosidic linkage fluctuated around 7.5 × 10−14 m2/s within the range of 0.02–0.1 gH2O/gdw and increased again to ~1.13 × 10−13 m2/s at 0.01 gH2O/gdw and below due to the loss of water in the free volume between trehalose molecules. These insights can guide the optimal selection of final moisture contents to advance dry preservation methods.
Organocatalytic Cross-Coupling of Biofuranics to Multifunctional Difuranic C11 Building Blocks

To synthesize the still missing C11 furoins as potential trifunctional difuranic building blocks for biopolymers and biofuels, the route based on the cross-coupling of two biofuraldehydes, furfural (FF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), has been investigated using organic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysts. This NHC-catalyzed coupling reaction in solution gives a statistical mixture of products including homocoupled C10 and C12 furoins 1 and 4, as well as cross-coupled C11 furoins 2 and 3, regardless of the electronics or sterics of the NHC precatalyst used, but a slight preference for cross-coupled products (∼60% 2 + 3 combined) under neat conditions has been achieved. Cross-coupled products 2 and 3 have been isolated in 48.1% yield and further separated into their pure state in 22.2% and 19.9% yield for 2 and 3, respectively. The isolated 2 and 3 have been fully characterized by NMR, HRMS, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. A simple metal-free/in-air oxidation reaction converts these two isomeri...
Assessing Legislative Performance: A Reply to the Critics of Congress

Critics of the performance of legislatures in democratic regimes often approach the task of assessment in terms of criteria that combine an emphasis on abstract and generic organizational character...
Ferriheme catalyzes nitric oxide reaction with glutathione to form S-nitrosoglutathione: A novel mechanism for formation of S-nitrosothiols

S-nitrosothiols (SNO) perform many important functions in biological systems, but the mechanism by which they are generated in vivo remains a contentious issue. Nitric oxide (NO) reacts with thiols to form SNO only in the presence of a molecule that will accept an electron from either NO or the thiol. In this study, we present evidence that ferriheme accepts an electron from NO or glutathione (GSH) to generate S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) in vitro under anaerobic or hypoxic (2% O2) conditions. Ferriheme formed charge transfer-stable complexes with NO to form ferriheme-NO (heme-Fe(II)-NO+) and with GSH to form ferriheme-GS (heme-Fe(II)-GS•) under anaerobic conditions. The reaction between GSH and the heme-Fe(II)-NO+ complex or between NO and the heme-Fe(II)-GS• complex resulted in simultaneous reductive ferriheme nitrosylation (heme-Fe(II)NO) and the generation of GSNO. Thus, ferriheme is readily reduced to ferroheme in the presence of NO and GSH together, but not with either individually. The reaction between NO and the heme-Fe(II)-GS• complex to generate GSNO occurred more rapidly than NO was consumed by endothelial cells, but not red blood cells. In addition, pretreatment of endothelial cells with ferriheme or the ferriheme-GS complex generated SNO upon addition of NO under hypoxic conditions. The results of this study raise the possibility that in vivo, ferriheme can complex with GSH to form ferriheme-GS complex (heme-Fe(II)-GS•), which rapidly reacts with NO to generate GSNO under intracellular oxygen levels. The GSNO formation by this mechanism is more efficient than any other in vitro mechanism(s) reported so far.
Whistleblowers: Broken Lives and Organizational Power

(2003). Whistleblowers: Broken Lives and Organizational Power. Public Integrity: Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 369-373.
Towards sustainable agriculture: Fossil-free ammonia

About 40% of our food would not exist without synthetic ammonia (NH3) for fertilization. Yet, NH3 production is energy intensive. About 2% of the world's commercial energy is consumed as fossil fuels for NH3 synthesis based on the century-old Haber-Bosch (H.-B.) process. The state of the art and the opportunities for reducing the fossil energy footprint of industrial H.-B. NH3 synthesis are discussed. It is shown that even a hypothetical utterly revolutionary H.-B. catalyst could not significantly reduce the energy demand of H.-B. NH3 as this is governed by hydrogen production. Renewable energy-enabled, fossil-free NH3 synthesis is then evaluated based on the exceptional and continuing cost decline of renewable electricity. H.-B. syngas (H2, N2) is assumed to be produced by electrolysis and cryogenic air separation and then supplied to an existing H.-B. synthesis loop. Fossil-free NH3 could be produced for energy costs of about $232 per tonne NH3 without claiming any economic benefits for the avoidance of about 1.5 tonnes of CO2 released per tonne NH3 compared to the most efficient H.-B. implementations. Research into alternatives to the H.-B. process might be best targeted at emerging markets with currently little NH3 synthesis capacity but significant future population growth in markets such as Africa. Reduced capital intensity, good scale-down economics, tolerance for process upsets and contamination, and intermittent operability are some desirable characteristics of NH3 synthesis in less developed markets and for stranded resources. Processes that are fundamentally different from H.-B. may come to the fore under these specific boundary conditions.
Smart Phone Use and the Increased Risks of Cumulative Trauma Disorders in Children

The prevalence and use of portable electronic devices have contributed to the sedentary lifestyle of children. When used, these devices often cause children to remain in astatic posture for minutes and even hours within a day. This study investigated the possible effects of smart phone use on the musculoskeletal system of children. The focus was on children 10 to 12 years of age. Nine participants and parents completed a questionnaire. A goniometer was used to measure neck flexion and a measuring tape was used to measure viewing distance. While all participants reported feelings of discomfort after using a cell phone, all parents reported their child never complained of any discomfort. Seven of eight children identified feelings of pain in one or more body regions. Neck flexion ranged from 3° to 56°. Findings raise concern about the increased risks of children developing cumulative trauma disorders.
Pulling an intruder from a granular material: a novel depinning experiment

Two-dimensional impact experiments by Clark et al. [2] identified the source of inertial drag to be caused by ‘collisions’ with a latent force network, leading to large fluctuations of the force experienced by the impactor. These collisions provided the major drag on an impacting intruder until the intruder was nearly at rest. As a complement, we consider controlled pull-out experiments where a buried intruder is pulled out of a material, starting from rest. This provides a means to better understand the non-inertial part of the drag force, and to explore the mechanisms associated with the force fluctuations. To some extent, the pull out process is a time reversed version of the impact process. In order to visualize this pulling process, we use 2D photoelastic disks from which circular intruders of different radii are pulled out. We present results about the dynamics of the intruder and the structures of the force chains inside the granular system as captured by slow and high speed imaging.
Monocyte function in children with neutropenia and chronic infections.

The phagocytic, bactericidal, and metabolic activities of monocytes from patients with congenital neutropenia were not significantly different than the activities of monocytes from patients with cyclic neutropenia or chronic infections. However, significant differences in metabolic, phagocytic, and bactericidal functions were found between monocytes from any source and normal neutrophils. During phagocytosis, monocytes produced more of the bactericidal product hydrogen peroxide than did neutrophils. However, monocytes in suspension had decreased phagocytic capacity compared to neutrophils and killed staphylococci less well. Moreover, monocytes had a diminished capacity to iodinate ingested bacteria. Quantitation of granular myeloperoxidase activity revealed that monocytes had a relative deficiency of this enzyme, which could explain the decreased iodination and killing of ingested bacteria by monocytes when compared to neutrophils. These findings offer an explanation for the failure of compensatory monocytosis to protect the host from bacterial infection when neutrophil reserves are diminished.
Biological and statistical processes jointly drive population aggregation: using host-parasite interactions to understand Taylor's power law.

The macroecological pattern known as Taylor9s power law (TPL) represents the pervasive tendency of the variance in population density to increase as a power function of the mean. Despite empirical illustrations in systems ranging from viruses to vertebrates, the biological significance of this relationship continues to be debated. Here we combined collection of a unique dataset involving 11 987 amphibian hosts and 332 684 trematode parasites with experimental measurements of core epidemiological outcomes to explicitly test the contributions of hypothesized biological processes in driving aggregation. After using feasible set theory to account for mechanisms acting indirectly on aggregation and statistical constraints inherent to the data, we detected strongly consistent influences of host and parasite species identity over 7 years of sampling. Incorporation of field-based measurements of host body size, its variance and spatial heterogeneity in host density accounted for host identity effects, while experimental quantification of infection competence (and especially virulence from the 20 most common host–parasite combinations) revealed the role of species-by-environment interactions. By uniting constraint-based theory, controlled experiments and community-based field surveys, we illustrate the joint influences of biological and statistical processes on parasite aggregation and emphasize their importance for understanding population regulation and ecological stability across a range of systems, both infectious and free-living.
16S Ribosomal RNA Gene Sequencing to Evaluate the Effects of 6 Commonly Prescribed Antibiotics

Abstract Introduction The rapid antibiotic sensitivity test (RAST) is a novel in-office culture and sensitivity system for endodontic infections. The purpose of this research was to validate the RAST system as a viable, in-office alternative to antibiotic sensitivity testing using turbidity to determine antibiotic sensitivities of endodontic infections. Methods Aspirates were taken from the root canals of 9 necrotic human teeth at the initiation of root canal therapy. These samples were cultured in the RAST medium, and antibiotic sensitivity to 6 antibiotics was tested. Further analysis was performed using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. Results Thirty-one bacterial phyla were identified as well as 2 phyla of the kingdom Archaea. Augmentin (Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, Hyderabad, India) and ampicillin performed identically at 24 hours, inhibiting turbidity in 100% of the samples. At 48 hours in anaerobic conditions, Augmentin outperformed ampicillin by 13%. Ciprofloxacin was the least efficacious antibiotic. At 48 hours, only 22% of anaerobic ciprofloxacin cultures affectively inhibited bacterial growth. Conclusions The RAST medium is a viable in-office alternative to antibiotic susceptibility testing in an off-site laboratory. It is able to support the growth of a wide variety of microorganisms in both aerobic and anaerobic environments, and, in combination with 16S rRNA gene sequencing, it led to the identification of a new archaebacterial phylum, Crenarchaeota, as part of the endodontic infection microbiome.
High-resolution mapping of DNA polymerase fidelity using nucleotide imbalances and next-generation sequencing

DNA polymerase fidelity is affected by both intrinsic properties and environmental conditions. Current strategies for measuring DNA polymerase error rate in vitro are constrained by low error subtype sensitivity, poor scalability, and lack of flexibility in types of sequence contexts that can be tested. We have developed the Magnification via Nucleotide Imbalance Fidelity (MagNIFi) assay, a scalable next-generation sequencing assay that uses a biased deoxynucleotide pool to quantitatively shift error rates into a range where errors are frequent and hence measurement is robust, while still allowing for accurate mapping to error rates under typical conditions. This assay is compatible with a wide range of fidelity-modulating conditions, and enables high-throughput analysis of sequence context effects on base substitution and single nucleotide deletion fidelity using a built-in template library. We validate this assay by comparing to previously established fidelity metrics, and use it to investigate neighboring sequence-mediated effects on fidelity for several DNA polymerases. Through these demonstrations, we establish the MagNIFi assay for robust, high-throughput analysis of DNA polymerase fidelity.