cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zinc Iodide Catalyzed Reaction of Oxetanes With Trimethylsilyl Cyanide

Abstract Oxetanes react regiospecifically with trimethylsilyl cyanide under zinc iodide catalysis to give high yields of 3-trimethylsiloxypropyl isocyanides.
Charting academic library staffing : Data from national surveys

Many issues in academic library practice and research are affected by staffing patterns. To provide an overview of librarian distribution among large, medium, and small institutions, librarian to nonlibrarian ratios, and ratios of library staff to students and faculty, a database comprising 1,380 four-year nonspecialized U.S. academic institutions was constructed. Among other findings, these descriptive data show that academic librarians are distributed bimodally, with a few large libraries employing about half of all academic librarians. Findings concerning librarians, institutions, and staffing ratios by library size, Carnegie classification, and control are presented.
Relative dental development of Upper Pleistocene hominids compared to human population variation

The relative development of permanent teeth in samples of Neandertal/archaic Homo and Early Modern/Upper Paleolithic hominids is compared to the range of variability found in three recent human samples. Both fossil hominid samples are advanced in relative M2 and M3 development compared to white French-Canadians, but only the Neandertal/archaic Homo M3 sample is advanced when compared to black southern Africans. Both fossil hominid samples are delayed in relative I1 and P3 development compared to the recent human samples. Two hypotheses concerning the significance of the advanced M3 and M2 development found in both hominid groups and southern Africans compared to French-Canadians are discussed. The first postulates that the differences in relative molar development are due simply to variation in tooth/jaw size relationships. The second postulates that the relatively advanced M3 and M2 development found in the fossil hominids and southern Africans is a correlate of their potential for advanced skeletal maturation compared to French-Canadians and other European-derived populations. It appears that dental development patterns have continued to evolve from the Upper Pleistocene to present times, and that Neandertals and Early Moderns shared similar patterns of relative dental development.
Sensitivity analysis of linear control systems with random plan parameters

Abstract-The effects of random variations of the plant parameters in multivariable linear control systems are analyzed in terms of stochastic sensitivity operators. Both tie-varying and time-invariant control systems are analyzed. Conditions are derived for the stochastic sensitivity operator which are sufficient to guarantee that the closed-loop realization of the control system is less sensitive to the random parameter variations than the nominally equivalent open-loop system.
Different patterns of developmental toxicity in the rat following prenatal administration of structurally diverse chemicals

Differences in the profiles of developmental toxicity for four structurally diverse chemical compounds have been defined following prenatal exposure in the rat. Diethylstilbestrol (DES), 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (4CB), zeranol, and cadmium were administered by gavage to Sprague-Dawley rats daily from d 6 through d 18 of gestation. Dams were sacrificed at four prenatal endpoints and the numbers of live and dead fetuses and resorbed embryos were counted. Additional dams were allowed to bring their litters to term, and their offspring were monitored until they reached adulthood. DES induced prenatal death primarily in early embryonic life, and also during parturition. 4CB increased mortality from late in gestation up to 24 h after birth, and altered the sex ratio of survivors by selectively acting against males in utero. Exposure to zeranol resulted in embryolethality only. Cadmium was not lethal to the conceptus at any dose below the dose that caused maternal mortality. Only 4CB had an obvious teratogenic effect, causing intestinal hemorrhage. All compounds produced transient perinatal decreases in the weight of the offspring.
Influence of Thyroidal Function on Vascular Reactivity in Dogs

Responsiveness to several vasoactive drugs has been found to be sharply reduced following suppression of thyroidal function with radioactive iodine, propylthiouracil or surgical thyroidectomy changed or increased with the appealance of the a thyroid state. Replacement therapy with desiccated thyroid did not restore vascular reactivity towards normal and produced inversion of adrenaline reesponses. Myxedema occurred in but 1 of 11 chronically athyroid dogs.
On the inference of Turing machines from sample computations

An algorithm is presented which when given a complete description of a set of Turing machine computations finds a Turing machine which is capable of doing those computations. This algorithm can serve as the basis for designing a trainable device which can be trained to simulate a Turing machine by being led through a series of sample computations done by that machine. A number of examples illustrate the use of the technique and the possibility of its application to other types of problems.
Repeat coronary angioplasty as treatment for restenosis

Repeat coronary angioplasty has become the standard approach to a first restenosis. However, the long-term outcome of such a strategy is not well defined. In the present study, 465 patients (mean age 58 years [range 27 to 79], 53% with multivessel disease) underwent a second angioplasty procedure at the same site. The procedure was successful in 96.8% with a 1.5% rate of in-hospital bypass surgery, a 0.9% incidence rate of myocardial infarction and no procedural deaths. Four hundred sixty-three patients (99.6%) were followed up for a mean of 40.5 months. Forty-nine patients (10.6%) underwent a third angioplasty procedure at the same site, 55 (11.8%) had coronary bypass surgery and 33 (7.1%) underwent angioplasty at a different site. During follow-up, 12 patients (2.6%) sustained a myocardial infarction and 21 (4.5%) died including 13 (2.8%) with cardiac death. Of the 442 surviving patients, 88% experienced sustained functional improvement and 78% were free of angina. The actuarial 5-year cardiac survival rate was 96% and the rate of freedom from cardiac death and myocardial infarction was 92%. For the subgroup of 49 patients who had a third angioplasty procedure at the same site, the success rate was 93.9% with a 2% incidence rate of myocardial infarction. There were no in-hospital deaths or coronary artery bypass operations. The mean follow-up interval for this subgroup was 30.5 months with a 22.4% cross-over rate to coronary bypass surgery, a 4.1% incidence rate of myocardial infarction and a 2% cardiac mortality rate. At last follow-up, 89% of patients had sustained functional improvement and 76% were free of angina. The combined angiographic and clinical restenosis rate was 48%. Repeat angioplasty as treatment for restenosis is an effective approach associated with a high success rate, low incidence of procedural complications, and sustained functional improvement in combination with an acceptable rate of bypass surgery. However, there is a trend toward diminished angioplasty efficacy after a second restenosis. Thus, decisions for further revascularization should be made after careful review of available options.
Innovation and Implementation in the Public Sector: An Examination of Public Entrepreneurship

This article develops an empirical measure of public entrepreneurship and uses it to discover the correlates that distinguish between those participants in a policy domain who are seen as more or less important in the entrepreneurial process. Looking at two rural regions dealing with telemedicine technologies, the authors examine the role of personal attributes and situational attributes in predicting who will emerge as the most mentioned public entrepreneurs on these issues in their community. Status in the local community, membership in the health professions, and strong local focus and ties are the most instrumental variables in distinguishing between those in a policy domain who are more likely to be identified as entrepreneurial. The authors provide an empirical test that can, for the first time, identify in a comparative context the traits that distinguish more entrepreneurial individuals from less entrepreneurial ones (or nonentrepreneurial ones) participating in the same policy domain.
The ELS-coder: a rapid entropy coder

Summary form only given. The ELS-coder is a new entropy-coding algorithm combining rapid encoding and decoding with near-optimum compression ratios. It can be combined with data-modeling methods to produce data-compression applications for text, images, or any type of digital data. Previous algorithms for entropy coding include Huffman coding, arithmetic coding, and the Q- and QM-coders, but all show limitations of speed or compression performance, so that new algorithms continue to be of interest. The ELS-coder, which uses no multiplication or division operations, operates more rapidly than traditional arithmetic coding. It compresses more effectively than Huffman coding (especially for a binary alphabet) and more effectively than the Q- or QM-coder except for symbol probabilities very close to zero or one.
Approximate Association Rule Mining

Association rule algorithms typically only identify patterns that occur in the original form throughout the database. In databases which contain many small variations in the data, potentially important discoveries may be ignored as a result. In this paper, we describe an associate rule mining algorithm that searches for approximate association rules. Our ~AR approach allows data that approximately matches the pattern to contribute toward the overall support of the pattern. This approach is also useful in processing missing data, which probabilistically contributes to the support of possibly matching patterns. Results of the ~AR algorithm are demonstrated using the Weka system and sample databases.
PANIC: an integrated approach to the preservation of composite digital objects using Semantic Web services

To date, long-term preservation approaches have comprised of emulation, migration, normalization, and metadata – or some combination of these. Most existing work has focussed on applying these approaches to digital objects of a singular media type: text, HTML, images, video or audio. In this paper, we consider the preservation of composite, mixed-media digital objects, a rapidly growing class of resources. We describe an integrated, flexible system that we have developed, which leverages existing tools and services and assists organizations to dynamically discover the optimum preservation strategy as it is required. The system captures and periodically compares preservation metadata with software and format registries to determine those objects (or sub-objects) at risk. By making preservation software modules available as Web services and describing them semantically using a machine-processable ontology (OWL-S), the most appropriate preservation service(s) for each object (or sub-object) can then be dynamically discovered, composed and invoked by software agents (with optional human input at critical decision-making steps). The PANIC system successfully illustrates how the growing array of available preservation tools and services can be integrated to provide a sustainable, collaborative solution to the long-term preservation of large-scale collections of complex digital objects.
Subject with a Quadratic Model of the Situation

Let us return to the example from the previous chapter, in which any choice by soldier X leads to the death of one of his comrades. Let this situation correspond to a quadratic form of one variable x, so that X is described by the following equation: $${x_1}^{{x_2}^{m(x)}} = {X_1},$$ (15.1) where m(x) is $$m\left( x \right) = b{x^2} + ax + c,$$ (15.2) and a, b, c are real numbers.
Toward a Democratic Manifesto

The Communist Manifesto combines two motifs that are often separated in Marx’s work. On the one hand, Marx thought of himself as a critic; nearly everything that he wrote was titled, or subtitled, “a critique.” On the other hand, he considered his work to be scientific; his opponents, from within or without the socialist orbit, were in his eyes utopians at best, ideologues at worst. Marx thought he could unite these two orientations in a philosophy conceived as a dialectical science. However, because it is an explicitly political document, the Manifesto shows the difficulties facing such a dialectical project and illustrates the philosophical origin of Marx’s antipolitics. At the same time, these dialectical premises of the Manifesto explain why the antipolitical politics that the Marx prescribes are manifested also in various forms of contemporary politics. This shared antipolitical orientation, particularly after 1989, suggests the need to reevaluate the philosophical foundations and political implications of modern democracy. Democracy, not communism (or capitalism), is the “specter” still haunting our world.
Variability of myocardial perfusion defects assessed by thallium-201 scintigraphy in patients with coronary artery disease not amenable to angioplasty or bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVES We sought to assess the variability of results obtained with thallium scintigraphy as a method for tracking the extent of myocardial ischemia in medically refractory patients with angina who are not suitable for coronary artery bypass graft surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. BACKGROUND New therapies are being evaluated for patients with “no option” angina in whom medical therapy has failed. Nuclear techniques, like thallium scintigraphy, are used in multicenter trials to evaluate whether such therapies improve myocardial perfusion. However, the variability of test results is unknown in this patient group in a multicenter study. METHODS The Angina Treatments: Lasers And Normal Therapies In Comparison (ATLANTIC) study was a randomized trial of transmyocardial laser revascularization (n = 182). Patients underwent dipyridamole thallium stress tests at baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months after enrollment. The control group (n = 90) was treated with constant medical therapy during the study and is a relevant group to investigate test variability. Test variability over time was quantified by the mean absolutechange in the percentage of reversible perfusion defects between baseline and follow-up. RESULTS Baseline percent myocardium with ischemia averaged 17.0 ± 13.7% and did not change during follow-up. However, variations in the percent myocardium with reversible perfusion defects over time amounted to an average of 6 to 8 percentage points, or 43% to 55% of the baseline value. Only ∼13% of this variability was attributable to variability in image reconstruction and analysis. CONCLUSIONS As demonstrated in the ATLANTIC study, percent myocardial ischemia in control subjects receiving constant medical therapy varied in individual patients by an average of ∼50%. This may limit the utility of thallium scintigraphy to detect improved myocardial perfusion over time in response to therapy.
Current Concepts in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Recent advances have demonstrated that thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), characterized by widespread thrombosis in the arterioles and capillaries, is caused by deficiency of a circulating zinc metalloprotease, ADAMTS13. Two types of TTP are recognized: autoimmune TTP, caused by inhibitory antibodies of ADAMTS13, and hereditary TTP, caused by genetic mutations of ADAMTS13. This article reviews the characteristics and function of ADAMTS13, the mechanism by which ADAMTS13 deficiency may lead to thrombosis, and the causes of ADAMTS13 deficiency. It also discusses how the new knowledge may improve the diagnosis and treatment of this previously mysterious disorder.
Evaluating high performance communication: a power perspective

Recently, high speed interconnects capable of remote direct memory access (RDMA) such as InfiniBand and iWARP have gained considerable popularity due to their superb latency and bandwidth. Most existing studies about RDMA have focused mainly on its performance aspect. However, as power management has become essential for high-end systems such as enterprise servers and high performance computing nodes which are often equipped with RDMA capable network adapters, it is very important for us to take a fresh look at the benefits of RDMA from the power perspective.In the paper, we provide a detailed empirical study of the benefits of RDMA in terms of power savings compared with traditional communication protocols such as TCP/IP. We used two popular RDMA adapters in our evaluations: Mellanox ConnectX InfiniBand HCAs and Chelsio T3 10GE RNICs. In order to isolate the impact of communication on power consumption, our evaluation focused on using micro-benchmarks which perform different communication patterns. We have also studied several important factors that may have an impact on the performance and the power consumption of RDMA adapters such as the use of polling versus blocking, CPU speeds, and extra memory copies.We show that using high speed RDMA adapters can result in significant amount of power consumption during communication. (In one test, the system power has increased by as much as 50 watts, or over 30% of the idle power.) We found that RDMA generally has better power efficiency compared to that of TCP/IP, especially for communication intensive phases, for example when large messages are transferred. The power savings of RDMA are achieved by minimizing the interactions between the network adapters and other system components such as the CPUs and the memory: Although nearly the same amount of data must be going through the network adapters for both RDMA and TCP/IP, RDMA requires much fewer CPU cycles for protocol processing and also generates less memory bus traffic, both of which contribute to its power savings.Overall, our research demonstrated that RDMA not only provides high communication performance, but also offers excellent power efficiency, making it a desirable choice in environments that have strict power/energy constraints and demand high communication performance.
Platelets and plasma stimulate sheep rotator cuff tendon tenocytes when cultured in an extracellular matrix scaffold

The addition of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to rotator cuff repair has not translated into improved outcomes after surgery. However, recent work stimulating ligament healing has demonstrated improved outcomes when PRP or whole blood is combined with an extracellular matrix carrier. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three components of blood (plasma, platelets, and macrophages) on the in vitro activity of ovine rotator cuff cells cultured in an extracellular matrix environment. Tenocytes were obtained from six ovine infraspinatus tendons and cultured over 14 days in an extracellular matrix scaffold with the following additives: (1) plasma (PPP), (2) plasma and platelets (PAP), (3) plasma and macrophages (PPPM), (4) plasma, platelets and macrophages (PAPM), (5) phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and (6) PBS with macrophages (PBSM). Assays measuring cellular metabolism (AlamarBlue), proliferation (Quantitative DNA assay), synthesis of collagen and cytokines (SIRCOL, TNF-α and IL-10 ELISA, and MMP assay), and collagen gene expression (qPCR) were performed over the duration of the experiment, as well as histology at the conclusion. Plasma was found to stimulate cell attachment and spreading on the scaffold, as well as cellular proliferation. Platelets also stimulated cell proliferation, cellular metabolism, transition of cells to a myofibroblast phenotype, and contraction of the scaffolds. The addition of macrophages did not have any significant effect on the sheep rotator cuff cells in vitro. In vivo studies are needed to determine whether these changes in cellular function will translate into improved tendon healing.
Mean Shift Trackers with Cross-Bin Metrics

Cross-bin metrics have been shown to be more suitable than bin-by-bin metrics for measuring the distance between histograms in various applications. In particular, a visual tracker that minimizes the earth mover's distance (EMD) between the candidate and reference feature histograms has recently been proposed. This tracker was shown to be more robust than the Mean Shift tracker, which employs a bin-by-bin metric. In each frame, the former tracker iteratively shifts the candidate location by one pixel in the direction opposite to the EMD's gradient until no improvement is made. This optimization process involves the clustering of the candidate feature density in feature space, as well as the computation of the EMD between the candidate and reference feature histograms after each shift of the candidate location. In this paper, alternative trackers that employ cross-bin metrics as well, but that are based on Mean Shift (MS) iterations, are derived. The proposed trackers are simpler and faster due to 1) the use of MS-based optimization, which is not restricted to single pixel shifts, 2) abstention from any clustering of feature densities, and 3) abstention from EMD computations in multidimensional spaces.
Tools for Evaluating Lipolexis oregmae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) in the Field: Effects of Host Aphid and Host Plant on Mummy Location and Color Plus Improved Methods for Obtaining Adults

Abstract Lipolexis oregmae Gahan was introduced into Florida in a classical biological control program directed against the brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy), on citrus. Prior to evaluating distribution, host range, and potential nontarget effects of L. oregmae in Florida, we evaluated the role of other potential host aphids and host plants on mummy production and location. Under laboratory conditions, this parasitoid produced the most progeny on the target pest, the brown citrus aphid on citrus. This parasitoid, unlike the majority of aphidiids, did not produce mummies on any of the host plants tested when reared in black citrus aphid T. aurantii (Boyer de Fonscolombe) on grapefruit, spirea aphid Aphis spiraecola Patch on grapefruit and pittosporum, cowpea aphid A. craccivora Koch on grapefruit and cowpeas, or melon aphid A. gossypii Glover on grapefruit and cucumber. Thus, sampling for L. oregmae mummies of these host aphids and host plants must involve holding foliage in the laboratory...
Mining document collections to facilitate accurate approximate entity matching

Many entity extraction techniques leverage large reference entity tables to identify entities in documents. Often, an entity is referenced in document collections differently from that in the reference entity tables. Therefore, we study the problem of determining whether or not a substring "approximately" matches with a reference entity. Similarity measures which exploit the correlation between candidate substrings and reference entities across a large number of documents are known to be more robust than traditional stand alone string-based similarity functions. However, such an approach has significant efficiency challenges. In this paper, we adopt a new architecture and propose new techniques to address these efficiency challenges. We mine document collections and expand a given reference entity table with variations of each of its entities. Thus, the problem of approximately matching an input string against reference entities reduces to that of exact match against the expanded reference table, which can be implemented efficiently. In an extensive experimental evaluation, we demonstrate the accuracy and scalability of our techniques.
The Role of the Individualism-Collectivism Dimension in Distance Learning Environments: An Empirical Study

With increasing reliance on outsourcing, crosscultural teams, distributed knowledge workers, and other international collaborations distance learning (DL) has become a key agent of strategic competitive advantage and organisational renewal. This study stresses the importance of culture to DL success. To effectively use DL, we must understand the role culture plays in conceptualizing, inventing, and adapting this technology. We focused on Hofstede’s individualismcollectivism dimension and asked whether it impacts perceived Satisfaction and Learning Climate, known measures of DL effectiveness. We find that collectivistic groups enjoy more than individualistic groups the Learning Climate of a DL environment yet are not as Satisfied as individualistic groups with the overall results. We contend that this is because the open-endedness of asynchronous communication gives collectivistic groups simultaneously a sense of connectedness to their peers and a sense of disconnectedness from the instructor. Organizations will increase the benefits of DL by providing choices that embrace cultural differences.
Benchmarking SQL-on-Hadoop Systems: TPC or Not TPC?

Benchmarks are important tools to evaluate systems, as long as their results are transparent, reproducible and they are conducted with due diligence. Today, many SQL-on-Hadoop vendors use the data generators and the queries of existing TPC benchmarks, but fail to adhere to the rules, producing results that are not transparent. As the SQL-on-Hadoop movement continues to gain more traction, it is important to bring some order to this “wild west” of benchmarking. First, new rules and policies should be defined to satisfy the demands of the new generation SQL systems. The new benchmark evaluation schemes should be inexpensive, effective and open enough to embrace the variety of SQL-on-Hadoop systems and their corresponding vendors. Second, adhering to the new standards requires industry commitment and collaboration. In this paper, we discuss the problems we observe in the current practices of benchmarking, and present our proposal for bringing standardization in the SQL-on-Hadoop space.
Tata Nano: Poor Man's Car or Radical Innovation?

A perusal of the history of innovation shows that great innovators brought the goods enjoyed by the elite to the masses. Tata’s Nano will go up as another example in this inspiring history. While some argue that the recession is a bad time to launch new products, a body of research shows that new products are the least resistant to recessions. Indeed, the Nano has the potential of flourishing despite the recession, becasue of its extraordinary low price. It’s a radical innovation precisely because it is a poor man’s car.
Injectivity and surjectivity of the Dress map

Abstract For a nontrivial finite Galois extension L / k (where the characteristic of k is different from 2) with Galois group G, we prove that the Dress map h L / k : A ( G ) → G W ( k ) is injective if and only if L = k ( α ) where α is not a sum of squares in k × . Furthermore, we prove that h L / k is surjective if and only if k is quadratically closed in L . As a consequence, we give strong necessary conditions for faithfulness of the Heller–Ormsby functor c L / k ⁎ : SH G → SH k , as well as strong necessary conditions for fullness of c L / k ⁎ .
Roles of the ER-α36-EGFR/HER2 positive regulatory loops in tamoxifen resistance

Tamoxifen provided a successful treatment for ER-positive breast cancer for the past four decades. However, most breast tumors are eventually resistant to tamoxifen therapy. Extensive researches were conducted to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in tamoxifen resistance, and have revealed that multiple signaling molecules and pathways such as EGFR and HER2 are involved in tamoxifen resistance. Currently, the mechanisms by which tamoxifen sensitive breast cancer cells acquire these signaling pathways and develop tamoxifen resistance have not been elucidated. The identification of ER-α36, a variant of ER-α, that is able to mediate agonist activity of tamoxifen provided great insights into the underlying mechanisms of tamoxifen resistance. In this review, we will discuss the biological function and the possible underlying mechanisms of ER-α36 in tamoxifen resistance and specifically illustrate a novel cross-talk mechanism; positive regulatory loops between the ER-α36 and EGFR/HER2 in tamoxifen resistance. The function and the underlying mechanisms of ER-α36 in tamoxifen resistance of the breast cancer stem/progenitor cells will also be discussed. Finally, we will postulate a novel approach to restore tamoxifen sensitivity in tamoxifen resistant breast cancer cells.
Pre-operative labs: Wasted dollars or predictors of post-operative cardiac and septic events in orthopaedic trauma patients?

Abstract Purpose As US healthcare expenditures continue to rise, there is significant pressure to reduce the cost of inpatient medical services. Studies have estimated that over 70% of routine labs may not yield clinical benefits while adding over $300 in costs per day for every inpatient. Although orthopaedic trauma patients tend to have longer inpatient stays and hip fractures have been associated with significant morbidity, there is a dearth of data examining pre-operative labs in predicting post-operative adverse events in these populations. The purpose of this study was to assess whether pre-operative labs significantly predict post-operative cardiac and septic complications in orthopaedic trauma and hip fracture patients. Methods Between 2006 and 2013, 56,336 (15.6%) orthopaedic trauma patients were identified and 27,441 patients (7.6%) were diagnosed with hip fractures. Pre-operative labs included sodium, BUN, creatinine, albumin, bilirubin, SGOT, alkaline phosphatase, white count, hematocrit, platelet count, prothrombin time, INR, and partial thromboplastin time. For each of these labs, patients were deemed to have normal or abnormal values. Patients were noted to have developed cardiac or septic complications if they sustained (1) myocardial infarction (MI), (2) cardiac arrest, or (3) septic shock within 30 days after surgery. Separate regressions incorporating over 40 patient characteristics including age, gender, pre-operative comorbidities, and labs were performed for orthopaedic trauma patients in order to determine whether pre-operative labs predicted adverse cardiac or septic outcomes. Results 749 (1.3%) orthopaedic trauma patients developed cardiac complications and 311 (0.6%) developed septic shock. Multivariate regression demonstrated that abnormal pre-operative platelet values were significantly predictive of post-operative cardiac arrest (OR: 11.107, p =0.036), and abnormal bilirubin levels were predictive (OR: 8.487, p =0.008) of the development of septic shock in trauma patients. In the hip fracture cohort, abnormal partial thromboplastin time was significantly associated with post-operative myocardial infarction (OR: 15.083, p =0.046), and abnormal bilirubin (OR: 58.674, p =0.002) significantly predicted the onset of septic shock. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate the utility of pre-operative labs in predicting perioperative cardiac and septic adverse events in orthopaedic trauma and hip fracture patients. Particular attention should be paid to haematologic/coagulation labs (platelets, PTT) and bilirubin values. Level of evidence Prognostic Level II.
Molecular Modeling of Self-Assembly of Anticancer Drug Amphiphiles

Recently, Drug amphiphiles (DAs) have been shown to form discrete and stable supramolecular nanostructures with high and quantitative drug loading1. A drug amphiphile consists of a hydrogen-bonding peptide sequence attached to a hydrophobic drug. Similar to peptide amphiphiles2, DAs also self-assemble into discrete and well-defined supramolecular structures. Using molecular dynamics simulations we investigate inter- and intra-molecular interactions driving the self-assembly and formation of the morphology of supramolecular DAs. More specifically, we investigate the self-assembly of camptothecin-based DAs, which have been shown to form cylindrical supramolecular assemblies with a well-defined structure. For each DA, we examine the self-assembly process from random using long-time all-atomistic molecular dynamics simulations (> 200 ns). We also examine the structure of pre-assembled cylindrical supramolecular assembly, comparing the cylindrical radii with reported experimental measurements. We also characterize the distribution of hydrogen bonds, Cl- ions, as well as the secondary structure formation in the peptide over time. Our findings can help add further insight into the rational design of supramolecular assemblies.1.Cheetham, A. G.; Zhang, P. C.; Lin, Y. A.; Lock, L. L.; Cui, H. G., Supramolecular Nanostructures Formed by Anticancer Drug Assembly. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2013, 135 (8), 2907-2910.2.Cui, H. G.; Pashuck, E. T.; Velichko, Y. S.; Weigand, S. J.; Cheetham, A. G.; Newcomb, C. J.; Stupp, S. I., Spontaneous and X-ray-Triggered Crystallization at Long Range in Self-Assembling Filament Networks. Science 2010, 327 (5965), 555-559.
The Immense Accumulation of Spectacles: Crisis Capitalism or Crisis Exceptionalism

Drawing on Debord’s Society of Spectacle, this paper explores the relationship between the broad neoliberal capitalism spectacle and the specific representations of the economic crisis mediated by an Italian newspaper, Il Sole 24 Ore. In the contest of informational capitalism and based on a theme analysis of the newspaper front-page articles in the period of 2010-11, the paper maintains that the crisis should be understood as a contradictory enactment: being in between a necessary and functional aspect of neoliberal capitalism as well as a genuine, potentially subversive, exception from it.
Choosing to Be Ethical

People often “go with the flow,” emulating other people’s behaviors in how they go about completing their work or assigned tasks. In many instances, we put very little thought or conscious effort into determining how we respond to our daily decisions. It’s like when you see someone jaywalk—you are easily tempted to do the same thing. Being ethical at work requires an overarching personal decision to be mindful of the ethical elements embedded within your everyday activities. This requires self-awareness, and being honest with yourself about identifying your moral strengths and weaknesses. Underutilizing the capacity for moral mindfulness, you are, in some ways, denying or even shirking a civic responsibility. In choosing to walk across the street against the light, aware or unaware of this decision, you are still accountable for your actions and must accept the punitive response if rendered.
Interventions for Human Frailty: Physical Activity as a Model

In the last 100 years, populations in developed countries have experienced an unprecedented addition of 30 years to life expectancy. Developing countries are now experiencing this same phenomenon, but over a shorter time frame. With this success comes the challenge of maximizing health and vitality across these added years. The compression of morbidity to the latest point in the human life span could unleash a sustained third demographic dividend that benefits all of society. To accomplish this, society needs to invest in the prevention and treatment of frailty, as well as in the prevention of chronic diseases at every age and stage of life. A model intervention, physical activity, may offer a road map.Copyright © 2016 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved. Language: en
The characteristic analysis and Evaluation of Source Rocks in the midshallow strata of Binbei region in Songliao Basin

some types of sedimentary facies developed in the medium to shallow layers include alluvial fan facies、braided stream facies、fan delta facies and lacustrine facies,etc.And there have been formed a large number of dark mudstone distributed abroad in basin.In this paper,we have an integrated analysis about the abundance,type and maturity of organic matter of source rocks in the midshallow strata of Binbei region in Songliao Basin.It turned out that the first member of Qingshankou formation,the first member of Nenjiang formation and the second member of Nenjiang formation's source rocks in this region are much better than others,but they are low in maturity of organic matter,and with limited capacity of hydrocarbon generation.
Epistaxis: A Comparison of Treatment:

Epistaxis is a common condition as well as a frequent otolaryngologic emergency, with up to 60% of people experiencing one episode in their lifetime and 6% seeking medical attention. Treatment is c...
Myeloid Leukemias Directly Suppress T Cell Proliferation Through STAT3 and Arginase Pathways

Abstract The immune-editing effect of myeloid leukemia has recently been reported in several studies. We previously demonstrated that the K562 leukemia-derived cell line suppresses T cell proliferation, which suggests that myeloid leukemia may function in a similar way to myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC). While the mechanism of suppression in leukemia is not fully understood, recent murine and human studies suggest that the STAT3 and arginase pathways play a key role in the immunosuppressive function of MDSC. We hypothesized that myeloid leukemia utilizes the MDSC STAT3 and arginase pathway to evade immune control, and block anti-leukemic immune responses. To evaluate the suppressive capacity of myeloid leukemia on T cell proliferation, we isolated CD34+ blasts and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC: CD11b+CD14+) from blood of primary leukemia samples by FACS sorting (n=5). These cells were co-cultured with CFSE-labeled CD4+ T cells (n=9), previously isolated from healthy donor PBMCs using an automated cell separator (RoboSep). After stimulating with CD3/CD28 Dynabeads (Invitrogen, New York, USA) for 72 hours, proliferation was measured by CFSE dilution of the viable cell population. In three myeloid leukemias studied, CD4+ T cell proliferation was significantly suppressed in the presence of primary CD34 blasts and MDSC cells (p 0.05), consistent with the results obtained with the primary leukemia samples. To evaluate the impact of STAT3 and arginase on the immunosuppressive function of myeloid leukemia, the five cell lines were primed overnight with either arginase inhibitor (N(ω)-Hydroxy-nor-L-arginine; EMD Biosciences, Inc., California, USA) or two STAT3 inhibitors (STAT3 Inhibitor VI or Cucurbitacin I; EMD Millipore, Massachusetts, USA). Then, CD4+ T cells from healthy donors (n=3) were cultured with either (1) leukemia without any inhibitor (2) leukemia in the presence of inhibitor (3) leukemia primed with inhibitor. Priming leukemia with arginase inhibitor and STAT3 inhibitors almost completely abrogated their suppressive effect of T cell proliferation (p We conclude that myeloid leukemia, like MDSC, directly immunosuppresses T cells, through STAT-3 and arginase. This finding may underlie the immune-editing of T cells by myeloid leukemia. Our results suggest that STAT3 inhibitors could be used to augment leukemia-targeted immunotherapy. Further investigation of T cell biology within the leukemia microenvironment is needed to further define immune editing mechanisms in myeloid leukemia. Download : Download high-res image (115KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (117KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Rearing environment differentially modulates cocaine self-administration after opioid pretreatment: A behavioral economic analysis.

Abstract Background Research has shown that previous experiences during development, especially if stressful, can alter an organism’s response to opioids later in life. Given the previous literature on opioid modulation of cocaine self-administration, the current study raised rats in either an enriched condition (EC) or isolated condition (IC) and employed behavioral economics to study the effects of naltrexone and morphine on cocaine self-administration. Methods EC and IC rats were trained to lever press for cocaine using a within-session demand procedure. This procedure measured cocaine consumption under changing cocaine price by decreasing the dose of cocaine earned throughout a session. Rats were able to self-administer cocaine on a FR1; every 10 min the cocaine dose was systematically decreased (0.75–0.003 mg/kg/infusion cocaine). After reaching stability on this procedure, rats were randomly pretreated with 0, 0.3, 1, or 3 mg/kg naltrexone once every 3 days, followed by random pretreatments of 0, 0.3, 1, or 3 mg/kg morphine once every 3 days. Economic demand functions were fit to each rat’s cocaine consumption from each pretreatment, and appropriate mathematical parameters were extracted and analyzed. Results Naltrexone decreased the essential value of cocaine in IC rats only. However, morphine decreased the essential value of cocaine and the consumption of cocaine at zero price in both EC and IC rats. Conclusion These results indicate that environmental experiences during development should be considered when determining the efficacy of opioid drugs, especially for the treatment of substance abuse.
951 Challenges in improving data systems of road traffic injuries in Sri Lanka

Background Road traffic injuries (RTI) are increasing in low and middle income countries, as twice the risk as the developed countries. This study aims to 1) review national RTI data sources in Sri Lanka, for their strengths and weaknesses and to identify gaps, that if addressed could help improve RTI data systems in Sri Lanka; and 2) summarise the published studies on RTI in Sri Lanka to make recommendations on RTI programs, policies, and research. Methods A comprehensive review of published articles and grey literature was done together with an analysis of existing data sources. Electronic searches were performed (updated as December 2015) using Pubmed and Google database using specific key words related to RTI. Only studies that included data pertaining to Sri Lanka were selected. Full text articles were then reviewed using the same inclusion criteria, and references from included articles were scanned to find additional relevant articles. Results RTI rate and the RTI death rate in 2010 was 130.0 and 13.2 per 100,000 population respectively in Sri Lanka. There is a 19% increase in RTI rate from 2006 to 2010 in Sri Lanka. The main RTI data sources in Sri Lanka are Sri Lanka traffic police, National death registration system, National transport board and Ministry of Health indoor morbidity and mortality reports. Each existing data system has its own strengths and weaknesses. There are gaps in the existing data systems including limited coverage, underreporting, overlapping, lack of injury surveillance system and even lack of data pertaining to financial burden, risk factors and disability. Despite some studies with limited population locally, overall country statistics or interventions have not been fully assessed. Conclusions Limited availability of important reliable data on RTI in Sri Lanka is an issue. Standardisation of data systems with intersystem connexions covering the country is recommended in order to be comparable internationally.
Micro-tubular flame-assisted fuel cells running methane

Abstract Direct flame fuel cells (DFFCs) have been investigated as an alternative means of combustion based power generation devices, but current challenges for this technology have included low fuel utilization and efficiency. In order to overcome these obstacles a new micro-tubular flame-assisted fuel cell (mT-FFC) concept is developed in this work and its performance is assessed at different equivalence ratios and temperatures. The concept is based on fuel-rich combustion exhaust, with the combustion equivalence ratio controlled and the exhaust flowing through the fuel cell for complete electrochemical energy conversion. The results were compared to a hydrogen baseline with the same electron potential as the fuel-rich exhaust. The mT-FFC concept offers significant advantages including high fuel utilization and greater performance stability compared to DFFCs.
Intrinsic defect engineering of cuprous oxide to enhance electrical transport properties for photovoltaic applications

Intrinsic point-defect species in cuprous oxide films are manipulated based on their thermodynamic properties via the implementation of a controlled annealing process. A wide range of electrical properties is demonstrated, with a window suitable for high-quality solar cell devices. A variation of carrier concentration over two orders of magnitude is demonstrated. Minority carrier lifetime is investigated by means of microwave photoconductance decay measurements, demonstrating a strong correlation with carrier concentration. Spectrally resolved photoluminescence yields are analyzed to provide insight into lifetime limiting mechanisms as a function of Cu2O processing parameters. Hall measurements of carrier mobility and concentration are taken at room temperature to provide insight into the effect of these processing conditions on net ionized defect concentration.
How Effective is Cultural Competence Training of Healthcare Providers on Improving Patient Satisfaction of Minority Groups? A Systematic Review of Literature

Background With the rapid growth of minority populations in the United States, the need to train healthcare providers to give culturally competent care has never been greater. Extensive research on cultural competence of healthcare providers has been conducted, but no systematic review specifically focused on the effect of cultural competence training on patient satisfaction of clients from minority groups. Aims To search and critically appraise published research articles that evaluated the effectiveness of cultural competence training of healthcare providers on improving patient satisfaction of clients from minority groups. Methods Using MeSH entry terms: Competency, Cultural; Cultural Competencies; Cultural Competence; Competence, Cultural; Satisfaction, Patient; and non-MeSh text words: Cultural Awareness, Cultural Sensitivity, Cultural Competence Training, Cultural Sensitivity Training, and Cultural Awareness Training, a comprehensive literature search of peer-reviewed articles from 2002 to 2014 in CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science databases was conducted. Original studies that reported cultural competence training and measured its impact on patient satisfaction were included. Quality of the reviewed studies was assessed on the basis of methodological limitations related to experimental design, sample size and sampling approaches, and ethnic spread of the participants. Results Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Six studies revealed that cultural competence training intervention significantly increased the cultural competence level of healthcare providers. Five studies demonstrated that cultural competence training of healthcare providers was significantly associated with increased patient satisfaction. Linking Evidence to Action Cultural competence training is an effective intervention that enables healthcare providers to give culturally competent care that increases satisfaction of patients from minority groups. However, more research with better research designs, large sample sizes, and validated standardized cultural competence and patient satisfaction assessment tools is needed to unequivocally attribute cultural competence training to patient satisfaction.
Reduced Ventral Tegmental Area-Hippocampal Connectivity in Children and Adolescents Exposed to Early Threat.

Background Preclinical data suggest that early life stress has detrimental effects on the brain’s dopaminergic system, particularly the mesocorticolimbic pathway. Altered dopamine function is thought to contribute to the development of stress-related pathologies; yet, little is known about the impact of early stress on dopamine systems during childhood and adolescence, when stress-related disorders frequently emerge. Here, we evaluate the impact of early threat exposure (violence, abuse) on functional connectivity of putative dopaminergic midbrain regions, the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SN), giving rise to mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways, respectively.