cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
[Ru(2,2′-bipy)3]2[Bi4I16]: A bimetallic inorganic–organic complex consisting of a d-metal coordination cation and a polynuclear iodobismuthate anion

Abstract The crystal structure of [Ru(2,2′-bipy) 3 ] 2 [Bi 4 I 16 ] (2,2′-bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) contains the photochemically active coordination cation [Ru(2,2′-bipy) 3 ] 2+ and the large, polynuclear [Bi 4 I 16 ] 4− anion. [Bi 4 I 16 ] 4− consists of four edge-sharing BiI 6 octahedra and is derived from the neutral, semiconductor BiI 3 by uptake of I − . The title compound is a rare example of a mixed-metal halobismuthate material [crystal data C 60 H 48 Bi 4 I 16 N 12 Ru 2 : triclinic, P 1 ¯ , a = 12.2963(7) A, b = 14.0147(8) A, c = 14.7234(8) A, α = 70.1900(1)°, β = 69.2010(1)°, γ = 72.6570(1)°].
Evaluation of radiotherapists' reports for treatment of prosthodontic patients after irradiation

A simplified explanation of gaining insight into the radiotherapist's report in order to deal with a patient who has received radiation treatment has been discussed. The best method for increasing understanding of this report is to work in conjunction with the radiotherapist before and after the patient is given radium. Five factors are important in the treatment of the irradiated patient. These are: (1) initially recognizing the radiation patient, (2) understanding the radiotherapist's report, (3) following good prosthodontic principles, (4) integrating treatment with the radiotherapist's report to prevent future problems, and (5) maintaining extremely close follow-up to detect any sore spots that could lead to major complications such as bone or soft-tissue necrosis. A poor candidate for dentures is normally a difficult candidate following radiation. Not all patients are capable of tolerating a prosthesis following radiation therapy. However, for many, function and esthetics can be restored.
Why C1 = 16-17 in the WLF equation is physical - And the fragility of polymers

Abstract From the well-recognized equivalence of the Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) equation and the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) equation, τ = τ o exp ( B /[ T - T o ]), we shall show that the parameter C 1 in the former is just the number of orders of magnitude between the relaxation time at the chosen reference temperature and the pre-exponent of the VTF equation. Thus C 1 g = log(τ g /τ o ) (a relation which is not found in the present polymer literature), measures the gap between the two characteristic time scales of the polymer liquid, microscopic and α-relaxation, at the glass transition temperature. For systems which obey these two equations over wide temperature ranges, τ o is consistent with a quasilattice vibration period in accord with theoretical derivations of the VTF equation and also with the microscopic process of mode coupling theory. Thus for such systems, C 1 g is obliged to have the value 16–17 (depending on how T g is defined), while C 2 g scaled by T g will reflect the non-Arrhenius character, i.e. fragility, of the system. In fact when C 1 g has the physical value of 16–17, then (1 − C 2 g / T g ), which varies between 0 and unity, conveniently gives the ‘fragility’ of the polymer within the ‘strong/fragile’ classification scheme. This is useful because it permits prediction from the WLF parameters of other properties such as physical ageing behaviour through the now-established correlation of fragility with other canonical characteristics of glassforming behaviour. Where the best fit C 1 g is not 17 ± 2, the corresponding best fit τ o must be unphysical, and then the range of relaxation times for which the VTF or WLF equations are valid with a single parameter set will be limited, and the predictions of other properties based on that parameter set will be unreliable. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Total synthesis of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and lysoglobotriaosylceramide (lysoGb3)

We have recently reported a highly efficient and stereocontrolled synthesis of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3, 1) in optically pure form. Key to our synthetic strategy was the implementation of the two-stage activation of thioglycosides for formation of the glycosidic bonds and the utilization of (2S, 3S, 4E)-2-azido-3-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-4-octadecen-1,3-di ol (9) as a sphingosine equivalent. The syntheses of Gb3 (1) and lysoGb3 (2) were achieved by stereocontrolled coupling of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactosyl fluoride (15) with phenyl O-(6-O-benzoyl-2,3-di-O-pivaloyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)- (1----4)-2,3,6-tri-O-pivaloyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside (14) to form the P kappa antigen trisaccharide masked as a phenyl 1-thioglycoside at the reducing end. Thioglycoside 16 was converted into glycosyl fluoride 19, which was coupled to 9 in high yield. The coupled product 20 was converted into the title compounds 1 and 2 in four and three steps, respectively. This article presents the total synthesis of 1 and 2 in full experimental detail.
On adiabatic stabilization and geometry of bunsen flames

Two aspects of stretched flame dynamics are investigated via the model problem of the stabilization andgeometry of Bunsen flames. Specifically, the possibility of stabilizing a Bunsen flame without heat loss to the burner rim is experimentally investigated by examining the temperature of the rim, the temperature gradient between the rim and the flame base, and the standoff distance of the flame base in relation to the flame thickness. Results show that, while heat loss is still the dominant stabilization mechanism for flames in uniform flows and for strong flames in parabolic flows, adiabatic stabilization and, subsequently, blowoff are indeed possible for weak flames in parabolic flows. The adiabatically stabilized flame is then modeled by using the scalar field formulation and by allowing for the effects of curvature and aerodynamic straining on the local flame speed. The calculated flame configuration agrees well with the experiment for the adiabatically stabilized flame but not for the nonadiabatic flame. Results further show that active modification of the flame curvature is the dominant cause for the flame to maintain adiabatic stabilization. Implications of the present results on turbulent flame modeling are discussed.
Lymphocytic Subpopulation Profiles in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid and Peripheral Blood From Tobacco and Marijuana Smokers

The effect of heavy, habitual marijuana use compared with tobacco smoking on the composition of bronchoalveolar and peripheral blood lymphocytic phenotypes was examined. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and peripheral blood (PB) samples were taken from 14 nonsmokers (NS), 14 tobacco smokers (TS), 19 heavy, habitual marijuana smokers (MS), and 9 marijuana and tobacco smokers (MTS). In BAL fluid, marijuana use was associated with significantly higher alveolar macrophage concentrations, whereas tobacco smoking was associated with significantly higher alveolar macrophage, as well as higher bronchoalveolar lymphocyte and neutrophil concentrations. The bronchoalveolar T-lymphocytic phenotypic profiles of marijuana users differed from those of tobacco smokers. Tobacco, not marijuana, was found to have a significant effect toward lower percentages of bronchoalveolar CD4 cells, toward higher concentrations of bronchoalveolar CD8 cells, and toward lower bronchoalveolar CD4:CD8 ratios. Marijuana use had a significant effect toward lower percentages of bronchoalveolar CD8 cells. In peripheral blood, marijuana, but not tobacco, use was associated with significantly higher percentages of CD4 cells, lower percentages of CD8 cells, and higher CD4:CD8 ratios. These findings suggest that tobacco and marijuana have effects on bronchoalveolar and peripheral blood immunoregulatory T-lymphocytic subpopulations that differ in type or magnitude.
SCIENCE MEETS BIBLICAL EXEGESIS IN THE GALILEO AFFAIR

Although Galileo's venture into theology, as discussed by McMullin, is limited to Galileo's exegesis of Scripture, it can be seen as an important element in a broader role in theology, namely in ecclesiology and in the development of doctrine. From the Council of Trent, the Reformation Council, until today there has been a development in the Church concerning the manner in which Sacred Scripture should be interpreted and as to whether it can be said to be in conflict with our scientific knowledge of nature. Galileo made a significant contribution to this development. With his telescopic observations he was, in fact, undermining the prevailing Aristotelian natural philosophy of his day and was defending the birth of modern science against a mistaken view of Scripture. The Church of his time was not prepared to accept his contribution to this theological development. What does this history have to contribute to the challenges we face today in the interactions between science and religious belief?
Compact wearable dual-mode imaging system for real-time fluorescence image-guided surgery

A wearable all-plastic imaging system for real-time fluorescence image-guided surgery is presented. The compact size of the system is especially suitable for applications in the operating room. The system consists of a dual-mode imaging system, see-through goggle, autofocusing, and auto-contrast tuning modules. The paper will discuss the system design and demonstrate the system performance.
Quantitative assessment of fetal ventricular function: establishing normal values of the myocardial performance index in the fetus.

Objective Assessment of ventricular function in the fetus has been limited for many reasons, including relative cardiac size and atypical orientation of fetal cardiac structures. A myocardial performance index (MPI) has been described in adult and pediatric populations as an echocardiographic measure of global (systolic and diastolic) ventricular performance. Because the MPI is a Doppler index, it is independent of ventricular geometry and can be applied to both left and right ventricular function. This study attempts to define the MPI in a group of normal fetuses and compare these data to other published studies of this index. Study design The right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) MPI were measured in 125 normal fetuses (20--40 weeks gestation, mean age 28 weeks). These fetuses were divided into five gestational age groups for comparison. These data were compared to 152 normal children (age 3--18 years, mean age 9.3 years). Results In normal fetuses, the LV MPI was 0.36 +/- 0.06 and the RV MPI was 0.35 +/- 0.05. This was not statistically different from the group of normal children in whom the LV MPI was 0.35 +/- 0.03 and the RV MPI was 0.32 +/- 0.03. In addition, no significant change in the fetal MPI was seen with advancing gestational age. Conclusion This study demonstrates that fetal ventricular function can be quantitatively measured with the MPI. The MPI provides an easily obtainable and reproducible measure of fetal ventricular performance that can be readily incorporated into all fetal echocardiographic examinations.
ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Which Patients Do Quality Assurance Programs Include?

Background— In the United States, efforts are underway to improve timely access to percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The Joint Commission (TJC) and the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) have developed standardized definitions and clinical performance measures for STEMI. The purpose of this study was to determine differences in 3 quality-assurance registries for STEMI patients. Methods and Results— STEMI patients presenting to the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis, Minn) are tracked by 3 distinct quality assurance programs: NCDR, TJC, and the level 1 MI registry (a regional system for percutaneous coronary intervention in STEMI which includes transfer patients). Over 1 year, we examined consecutive STEMI patients in level 1 and compared them with individuals meeting NCDR and TJC inclusion criteria. Of 501 STEMI patients treated using the level 1 MI protocol, 422 patients had a cl...
Fiber-optic scrambler reduces the bandpass range dependence of Fabry-Perot étalons used for spectral analysis of lidar backscatter.

Lidar systems that analyze backscatter with Fabry–Perot etalons exhibit range-dependent spectral transmission functions. A fiber-optic scrambler is described that reduces this range dependence.
Low doses of apomorphine suppress operant motor performance in rats

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of low doses of apomorphine on motor performance. Six rats were rewarded with sugar water on a partial reinforcement schedule for pressing force-sensitive beams with a minimum force of 1 g. The kinetics of individual responses and the temporal characteristics of response sequences were measured; open field locomotor activity was also measured in a separate apparatus. Apomorphine (APO), amphetamine (AMP), and haloperidol (HAL) were administered systemically. It was found that low doses of APO (0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg, SC) produced weaker and longer beam presses. These decreases in response peak force resulted from decreases in the rate of rise of force. APO also caused disproportionate lengthening of beam release time. In addition, the low doses of APO increased the time intervals between consecutive components of response sequences. These low doses of APO are known to decrease dopaminergic tone. Hence, the observed pattern of motor dysfunctions produced by APO is similar to the bradykinesia seen in human Parkinson's disease.
Fiscal Policy and Economic Development

This paper offers possible explanations for three generally observed facts about fiscal policy and development: (F1) The relative size of government increases as an economy develops, (F2) The rise in government and taxation are associated with rising or constant economic growth rates, and (F3) Today's developing countries have larger government sectors than did today's developed countries at similar stages of development. The explanations for these facts are based on the structural transformation from traditional (mostly agricultural) to modern (industrial and post-industrial) production, rising public infrastructure investment, and less representative governments in many of today's developing economies.
Liver Cirrhosis Manifested by Dysfibrinogenemia

We report a case in which liver cirrhosis was manifested by dysfibrinogenemia before the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis was made. A patient developed gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy although liver function tests, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), bleeding time, fibrin (ogen) degradation products (FDP), and platelet counts were normal. However, thrombin time (TT) was prolonged. The gastrointestinal bleeding (GI bleeding) was successfully treated with cryoprecipitate and fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Key Words: Dysfibrinogenemia—Liver disease—Thrombin time.
Benefits of HLA typing a family with diabetes

. A boy whose father and three sisters have insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, presented with anxiety symptoms related to his developing a similar disorder. Haplotype segregation analysis based on HLA typing of the family revealed which of the parents' haplotypes were most likely to be associated with the susceptibility gene for diabetes. As the boy did not inherit either of these haplotypes, his risk of developing diabetes is not increased. Explanation of these findings resulted in a decrease in his anxiety and his relationship with other family members improved. This family study demonstrates how HLA typing of families with diabetes can have practical benefits for non-affected members.
GRAIL — A microwave ranging instrument to map out the lunar gravity field

Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, is a NASA mission to map out the gravity field of the moon to an unprecedented level of detail. The instrument for this mission is based on GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment), an earth-orbiting mission currently mapping out the gravity field of the earth. This paper will describe the similarities and differences between these two instruments with a focus on the microwave ranging measurements used to determine the gravity parameters and the testbed built at Jet Propulsion Laboratory to demonstrate micron level ranging capability. The onboard ultrastable oscillator and RF instruments will be described and noise contributions discussed.
Economic and Personal Factors Affecting Women's Use of Nurse-Midwives in Michigan

CONTEXT The proportion of American women who use a nurse-midwife rather than an obstetrician to deliver their baby is increasing. Relatively little is known, however, about the determinants of a midwife-assisted birth. METHODS Logistic regression analyses using birth-certificate data on 149,437 Michigan births in 1990 examined the characteristics associated with midwife-attended births. RESULTS Women who paid for childbirth with Medicaid were 3.5 times more likely than those paying with private insurance to use a certified nurse-midwife, net of controls for maternal characteristics; this effect varied significantly by race, with Medicaid payment increasing the odds of midwife use threefold among whites and nearly fivefold among nonwhites. The effect of education on midwife use also varied by race: A college education significantly increased the likelihood of midwife use among white women (odds ratio of 2.1), but higher education decreased that probability among nonwhite women (odds ratio of 0.74). Father's education and age, were also significantly associated with the likelihood of a midwife-attended birth; the babies of college-educated fathers had higher odds of being delivered by a nurse-midwife, as did the babies of men in their 30s. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between socioeconomic status and the use of midwives may not be as straightforward as previously thought. The patients of nurse-midwives are a diverse group whose socioeconomic characteristics and probable reasons for choosing a midwife over a physician vary widely.
Ubiquitous sensing for smart and aware environments

As computing technology continues to become increasingly pervasive and ubiquitous, we envision the development of environments that can sense what we are doing and support our daily activities. In this article, we outline our efforts toward building such environments and discuss the importance of a sensing and signal-understanding infrastructure that leads to awareness of what is happening in an environment and how it can best be supported. Such an infrastructure supports both high- and low-end data transmission and processing, while allowing for detailed interpretation, modeling and recognition from sensed information. We are currently prototyping several aware environments to aid in the development and study of such sensing and computation in real-world settings.
Site-Specific Zwitterionic Polymer Conjugates of a Protein Have Long Plasma Circulation

Many proteins suffer from suboptimal pharmacokinetics (PK) that limit their utility as drugs. The efficient synthesis of polymer conjugates of protein drugs with tunable PK to optimize their in vivo efficacy is hence critical. We report here the first study of the in vivo behavior of a site-specific conjugate of a zwitterionic polymer and a protein. To synthesize the conjugate, we first installed an initiator for atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) at the N terminus of myoglobin (Mb-N-Br). Subsequently, in situ ATRP was carried out in aqueous buffer to grow an amine-functionalized polymer from Mb-N-Br. The cationic polymer was further derivatized to two zwitterionic polymers by treating the amine groups of the cationic polymer with iodoacetic acid to obtain poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) with a one-carbon spacer (PCBMA; C1 ), and sequentially with 3-iodopropionic acid and iodoacetic acid to obtain PCBMA(mix) with a mixture of C1 and C2 spacers. The Mb-N-PCBMA polymer conjugates had a longer in vivo plasma half-life than a PEG-like comb polymer conjugate of similar molecular weights (MW). The structure of the zwitterion plays a role in controlling the in vivo behavior of the conjugate, as the PCBMA conjugate with a C1 spacer had significantly longer plasma circulation than the conjugate with a mixture of C1 and C2 spacers.
Effects of Hypophysectomy and Cell Isolation on the Transport of L-Arabinose by Adipocytes

Hypophysectomy decreased the basal rate of glucose metabolism in segments of epididymal fat studied in vitro and lowered their maximum capacity to use glucose. However, hypophysectomy changed neither the sensitivity to insulin nor the magnitude of the response when the results were expressed relative to the basal rate of glucose metabolism. Adipocytes isolated from both hypophysectomized and normal rats exhibited a higher basal rate of glucose metabolism than cells remaining in situ in the contralateral tissues, but this consequence of cell isolation was more pronounced for adipocytes of hypophysectomized than normal rats. Glucose metabolism could not be further increased by exposure of the adipocytes of hypophysectomized rats to insulin, whereas insulin produced a 3-to 5-fold stimulation of glucose oxidation in normal adipocytes. The effects of insulin and hypophysectomy on the transport of the nonmetabolizable sugar L-[1-14C]arabinose in tissue segments and isolated adipocytes were also studied. Uptake of L-arabinose was usually more rapid in segments of epididymal fat of normal rats than in segments of tissue obtained from hypophysectomized rats and was significantly accelerated by insulin in both groups. Uptake of L-arabinose was more rapid than normal in adipocytes isolated from hypophysectomized rats and, like glucose metabolism, could not be accelerated by insulin. The same concentration of insulin markedly promoted arabinose uptake in normal adipocytes. Efflux of L-arabinose from segments of tissue from hypophysectomized rats was twice as rapid as that from normal tissue and, in contrast with the rate of efflux from normal tissues, was not accelerated by insulin. The data suggest that in the absence of pituitary secretion, sugar transport in the adipocyte membrane may be asymmetrical. The data also support the view that hypophysectomy renders adipocytes more susceptible than normal to the cell isolation procedure which maximally accelerates glucose utilization and inward transport of arabinose in these cells.
Adaptive Distributed Time-Slot Based Scheduling for Fairness in Multi-Hop Wireless Networks

Recent research indicates that multi-hop wireless networks can suffer from extreme imbalances in the throughput achieved by simultaneous competing flows. We address this problem by designing a practical distributed algorithm to compute a time-slot based schedule that provides end-to-end max-min fairness. Our system uses randomized priorities based on local weights to arbitrate access between nodes that directly compete with each other (we call this weighted slot allocation or WSA). The local weights are in turn computed by a higher layer called end-to-end fairness using local weights (EFLoW). EFLoW implements an additive-increase multiplicative-decrease (AIMD) algorithm that can automatically adapt to changes in traffic demands and network conditions. In each iteration, EFLoW only uses state obtained from within a given node's contention region. We have implemented WSA and EFLoW in both a simulator and a real system by using the overlay MAC layer (OML). Unlike previous work on end-to-end fairness, our approach does not use a centralized coordinator and works for traffic patterns with any number of sources and sinks. Also, since we compute both the fair allocation and a schedule to achieve it, we do not make any assumptions about the efficiency of carrier-sense (CS) based MACs - this is very important in the light of recent work which shows that current CS-based MACs can be very unfair even when all nodes are limited to sending at their fair rate. Our results show that WSA and EFLoW can prevent starvation of flows and improve fairness without sacrificing efficiency for a wide variety of traffic patterns.
A Performance Prediction Framework for Grid-Based Data Mining Applications

For a grid middleware to perform resource allocation, prediction models are needed, which can determine how long an application will take for completion on a particular platform or configuration. In this paper, we take the approach that by focusing on the characteristics of the class of applications a middleware is suited for, we can develop simple performance models that can be very accurate in practice. The particular middleware we consider is FREERIDE-G (frame-work for rapid implementation of datamining engines in grid), which supports a high-level interface for developing data mining and scientific data processing applications that involve data stored in remote repositories. The FREERIDE-G system needs detailed performance models for performing resource selection, i.e., choosing computing nodes and replica of the dataset. This paper presents and evaluates such a performance model. By exploiting the fact that the processing structure of data mining and scientific data analysis applications developed on FREERIDE-G involves generalized reductions, we are able to develop an accurate performance prediction model. We have evaluated our model using implementations of three well-known data mining algorithms and two scientific data analysis applications developed using FREERIDE-G. Results from these five applications show that we are able to accurately predict execution times for applications as we vary the number of storage nodes, number of nodes available for computation, the dataset size, the network bandwidth, and the underlying hardware.
Magnetic bead toy ingestion: uses and disuses in children

A 2-year-old female presented acutely with peritonitis and small bowel obstruction. An abdominal radiograph demonstrated a radiopaque foreign body. At laparotomy she was found to have bowel perforations with entero-enteric fistulae caused by four magnets. The magnets were removed, and debridement and closure of the perforations performed. We review our case and highlight this problem to other medical practitioners as a potential cause of significant morbidity and mortality in the paediatric population.
Cognitive Style and Attitudinal Correlates of the Perceived Causes of Rape Scale

This study examines the relations between beliefs about the causes of rape and attitudinal and cognitive style (the tendency to think about social problems systemically, the view of people as complex and changeable, and an intellectual personality) measures in a sample of 270 community-college students. The Perceived Causes of Rape (PCR) Scale included the following subscales: Male Dominance, Society and Socialization, Female Precipitation, Male Sexuality, and Male Hostility. Beliefs about the causes of rape varied on three dimensions: individual versus sociocultural causes of rape, those causes that focus on the perpetrator versus those that focus on the victim, and rape myths versus feminist beliefs. The causes of rape identified as rape myths were associated with male sexuality stereotypes, a version of Burt's (1980) Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, attitudes toward feminism, and self-identification as a feminist. Agreement with the sociocultural causes of rape was associated with cognitive style measures a...
Big data in biomedicine — An NIH perspective

Biomedical research is becoming increasingly data driven, analytical and hence digital. In recognition of this evolution NIH has established the Office for Data Science with trans NIH responsibility for maximizing the value of this digital enterprise. This effort brings together communities, policy changes and new infrastructure to be applied to existing and new areas of research such as precision medicine. We will review these changes from the perspective of research advances that are underway and highlight how this community can further engage in these activities.
Personal and Social Identity in Dialogue

About two years ago at a birthday party for an eight-year-old boy named Simon, I was surprised to hear him sing, as the birthday cake was brought in, first with the rest of the company “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Simon. Happy birthday, to you.” and then by himself “Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear Simon. Happy birthday to me.” The party was a small family affair; besides Simon’s mother and grandmother, an aunt and uncle, several older cousins, my wife, and I joined in what has become an annual affair.
Multi-View Stereo: A Tutorial

This tutorial presents a hands-on view of the field of multi-view stereo with a focus on practical algorithms. Multi-view stereo algorithms are able to construct highly detailed 3D models from images alone. They take a possibly very large set of images and construct a 3D plausible geometry that explains the images under some reasonable assumptions, the most important being scene rigidity. The tutorial frames the multiview stereo problem as an image/geometry consistency optimization problem. It describes in detail its main two ingredients: robust implementations of photometric consistency measures, and efficient optimization algorithms. It then presents how these main ingredients are used by some of the most successful algorithms, applied into real applications, and deployed as products in the industry. Finally it describes more advanced approaches exploiting domain-specific knowledge such as structural priors, and gives an overview of the remaining challenges and future research directions.
Abstract T P280: Do-not-resuscitate Orders Are Not Increasing Observed or Risk Adjusted In-hospital Mortality in Patients With Intracranial Hemorrhage

Background: Patients with Intracranial Hemorrhage (ICH) have a significant in-hospital mortality. Health systems are compared using risk adjusted mortality indices, which factor in Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) status. It is possible that hospitals overuse DNR and affect mortality and/or influence adjusted outcome measures. We explored a large inpatient database, the University HealthSystem Consortium® (UHC) to assess the frequency of DNR orders and effect on outcomes in patients with ICH . Methods: We included all hospitals within the UCH UHC database that had more than 50 ICH discharges (ICD-9 code 431) between 01/2012 and 12/2013. Hospitals were grouped by frequency of DNR order status: Group 1: 0-22.9% of all ICH discharges, Group 2: 23.0-40%. The groups were compared by frequency of DNR order (ICD-9 v49.86), Mortality and Case Mix Index (CMI), and in-hospital mortality. We used unpaired t-test for comparing means (continuous variables). Results: We analyzed 25,273 discharges from 120 hospitals (63 in Group 1, 57 Group 2). There was no significant difference in volume (209.2±137.0 versus 212±115.8) or in-hospital observed mortality (22.2%±5.2% versus 24.1%±6.2%). The Mortality Index (1.07±0.62 versus 0.92±0.24) and CMI (3.39±0.78 versus 3.02±0.66) were higher in Group 1. Conclusion: There is no evidence that frequent use of DNR orders affects in-hospital mortality in patients with ICH, or the DNR orders are used to influence risk adjustment models in the UHC database. Further nationwide analyses using diverse health systems are required to confirm these findings to assure generalizability. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
A Contingency View of Transferring and Adapting Best Practices within Online Communities

Online communities, much like companies in the business world, often need to transfer 'best practices' internally from one unit to another to improve their performance. Organizational scholars disagree about how much a recipient unit should modify a best practice when incorporating it. Some evidence indicates that modifying a practice that has been successful in one environment will introduce problems, undercut its effectiveness and harm the performance of the recipient unit. Other evidence, though, suggests that recipients need to adapt the practice to fit their local environment. The current research introduces a contingency perspective on practice transfer, holding that the value of modifications depends on when they are introduced and who introduces them. Empirical research on the transfer of a quality-improvement practice between projects within Wikipedia shows that modifications are more helpful if they are introduced after the receiving project has had experience with the imported practice. Furthermore, modifications are more effective if they are introduced by members who have experience in a variety of other projects.
Behavioral Treatment of Attentional Dysfunction in Chronic, Treatment-Refractory Schizophrenia

Attentional impairment is both a core characteristic of schizophrenia and a factor in producing poor outcomes in rehabilitative treatment. While cognitive rehabilitation interventions have demonstrated some success, the severity of some patients' attentional impairment is such that they cannot attend to material in these treatments, leading to unsatisfactory outcomes. In this paper, we report on the results of a behavioral intervention designed to increase attention span in the lowest functioning group of schizophrenia patients on a long-term inpatient unit. The treatment is based on social-learning procedures, especially the principle of shaping. Results indicate that chronic, treatment refractory patients with severe attentional impairment, including those with IQs near or within the mentally retarded range, can improve their attention spans to over 45 minutes with this treatment.
Epr Spectroscopy on Zn-Substituted YBa2Cu3O7

The temperature and concentration dependence of the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of YBa2(Cu1−xZnx)3O7 has been measured for 0≤x≤0.16. Zn substituted on the Cu-site cause a rapid nearly linear depression of the superconducting transition temperature Tc with Tc going to zero in the vicinity of x=0.10. Only weak EPR spectra due to ≤1% of the Cu-ions are seen in the superconducting phase of YBa2Cu3O7. These spectra are most likely attributed to Cu-ions in the vicinity of grain boundaries and do not represent a bulk response. However, a strong asymmetric resonance is observed in the Zn-substituted samples with x>0.1. The EPR results obtained for YBa2(Cu1−xZnx)3O7 are discussed in terms of a possible localization of d-electrons.
The Influences of Hydrolysis on Partial Glycerides Composition in Rice Bran Oils

The changes of the contents of partial glycerides were investigated about rice bran oils of which the extent of hydrolysis was different.Namely, rice bran which was obtained immediately after the rice-cleaning was stored at 25°C and crude oils were extracted from eight bran samples taken up according to circumstances during storage of 18 days. Subsequently, acid value and hydroxyl value of the each oil were determined, and the amount of the mono-, di-, and tri-glyceride in them were determined further.The results showed that acid values and hydroxyl values of extracted oils were within 7.896 and 630, respectively, contents of mono-, and di-glyceride in them were within 12.5% and 613%, respectively ; the most part of monoglyceride was assumed as α-type and a small quantity of β-type was assumed in the early stage of the hydrolysis.
e0001 The effects of trans fatty acids on fatty acid constitution ratios of erythrocyte membrane in rabbits

Objective To investigate the influences of high trans fatty acids (TFA) intake on fatty-acid constitution ratios of erythrocyte membrane in rabbits. Method 32 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: control group with common feed; high TFA group with additional TFA 5.0 g/kg.d; high-fat (HF) group with high cholesterol feed and TFA+HF group. The erythrocyte membranes were prepared at 0, 4, 8, 12 weeks. Two kinds of saturated FA (C18:0 and C16:0), four kinds of unsaturated FA (C18:1, C18:2, C20:4, C20:5 and total ω−3) and two kinds of TFA (t-C18:1 and t-C16:1) in erythrocyte membrane were determined with gas chroma. Four constitution ratios of C18:1/C18:0, C18:1/t-C18:1, ω−3/∑TFA and ω−3/C18:0 were calculated. Results Compared with the control group, TFA group showed not only obviously higher constitution ratios of TFA, but obviously higher ratios of saturated FA and lower ratios of polyunsaturated FA, especially ω−3 FA (2.38±0.35 vs 3.28±0.48, p Conclusions High TFA intake could increase the constitution ratios of TFA and saturated fatty acids, but decrease polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially ω−3 fatty acids, in erythrocyte membrane. These effects were equivalent with the effects of high cholesterol intake. Combined with TFA and high cholesterol intake had obviously synergistic effects.
An in Situ NMR Study of the Mechanism for the Catalytic Conversion of Fructose to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and then to Levulinic Acid Using 13C Labeled d-Fructose

The pathways for the formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) by dehydration of d-fructose and for the formation of levulinic acid and formic acid from HMF by rehydration were investigated by in situ13C and 1H NMR using both unlabeled and 13C-labeled fructose. Water or DMSO was used as the solvent with Amberlyst 70, PO43–/niobic acid, or sulfuric acid as catalysts. Only HMF is observed using NMR for fructose dehydration in DMSO with any of the three catalysts or without a catalyst. For each system, results with 13C-labeled fructose indicate that the first carbon (C-1) or sixth carbon (C-6) of fructose maps onto the corresponding carbons of HMF. For fructose dehydration in H2O with a PO43–/niobic acid catalyst, in addition to HMF, furfural was observed as a product. However, we show that furfural is not a reaction product deriving from HMF under our conditions. Rather our data indicate that there is a parallel reaction pathway open to fructose when the reaction takes place in H2O with a PO43–/niobic acid...
The effects of interruption of the ventral noradrenergic pathway on the proestrous discharge of prolactin in the rat.

Summary6-Hydroxydopamine was mi-croinjected bilaterally into the ventral nor-adrenergic tract at the level of the interpe-duncular nucleus. Effective injections into the tract as indicated by the lesions induced and by a decline in the catecholamine fluo-resence in the anterior hypothalamus were associated with a complete blockade of the rise in prolactin which occurs on the afternoon of proestrus and, in fact, a decline in prolactin ensued. Lesions which were asymmetrical or missed the ventral noradrenergic tract had only a slight effect in inhibiting the release of prolactin on the afternoon of proestrus. All lesions were capable of blocking the release of LH on the afternoon of proestrus. It is postulated that increased impulse traffic along the ventral noradrenergic tract induces the proestrous discharge of prolactin and LH or that, alternatively, tonic activity in this tract is required for this release to occur.
The influence of age on the wound healing of experimental myocardial infarction in rats.

Summary In 6-weeks-old, 5-months-old and 21-months-old rats myocardial infarction was induced by coronary artery ligature. After performing the ligature the animals were administered 3 H-thymidine, 3 H-proline or 35 S-sulphate at different times. The following parameters were determined: number of DNA- and tropocollagen-synthesizing connective tissue cells at the infarction border and at the infarction site; mean silver grain density above the nuclei or cells; duration of a cycle; number of mitoses, and incorporation of radioactive sulphate at the infarction site. In additon, the labelling and mitotic indices as well as the percentage of the standard deviation from the mean values were estimated. The following results were obtained: 1. The rate of granulation tissue formation in the necrotic zone is determined by the mitotic activity of the cells. With advancing age the cell cycles are being prolonged which results in retardation of wound healing. 2. The disturbed DNA-replication in old age is not associated with a time shift in the occurrence of the mitotic and labelling peaks. 3. With advancing age the number of fibroblasts synthesizing collagen precursors decreases. There exists no age-dependence of the 3 H-proline incorporation rate, of the intracellular transport, of the synthesis of collagen precursor and of the release of labelled tropocollagen. In all age-groups under study these processes last approximately 4 hours. 4. Collagen fibre formation is accompanied by an increased synthesis of acid mucopolysaccharides. In infarction callosities the content of acid mucopolysaccharides mostly is constant. 5. The proliferating endothelial cells have a pronounced metabolic activity and a markedly short generation time. In morbidity and mortality statistics ischemic heart disease ranks first among cardiovascular diseases. In recent years there has been a notable shift towards younger age-groups. Approximately 60 per cent of patients with mycocardial infarction do not survive the first 4 weeks, most of them die shortly after the acute episode (Bothig et al. 1972). In order to prevent disturbed wound healing which may entail cardiorrhexis, it is important to know the factors influencing granulation tissue formation in the necrotic zone - which takes place analogously to the wound-healing processes in other tissues. The present paper investigates the influence of age on the process of wound healing in experimental myocardial infarction.
Development of an Ad5H3 Chimera Using the “Antigen Capsid-Incorporation” Strategy for an Alternative Vaccination Approach

BACKGROUND Adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) achieved success as a conventional transgene vaccine vector in preclinical trials, however; achieved poor efficiency in some of the clinical trials, due to the major hurdle associated with Ad5 pre-existing immunity (PEI) in the majority of the human population. OBJECTIVE We sought to generate Ad5-based chimeras to assess their capabilities to bypass this bottleneck and to induce antigen-specific humoral immune response. METHODS A His6 tag was incorporated into the hypervariable region 2 (HVR2) of hexon3 (H3) capsid protein using the "Antigen Capsid-Incorporation" strategy. This lead to the construction of a viral chimera, Ad5H3-HVR2-His. Ad5H3 was generated previously by substituting the hexon of Ad5 (hexon5) with the hexon from adenovirus type 3 (Ad3). RESULTS His6 was presented on the viral capsid surface and recognized by a His6 antibody. An in vitro neutralization assay with Ad5 sera indicated the ability of Ad5 chimeras to partially escape Ad5 immunity. Immunization with Ad5H3-HVR2-His generated significant humoral response to the incorporated tagged peptide, when compared to the immunizations with controls. CONCLUSION Based on our in vitro studies the data suggested that Ad5H3 as a novel chimeric vaccine platform yields the possibility to escape Ad5 neutralization, and the potential to generate robust humoral immunity against incorporated antigens using the "Antigen Capsid-Incorporation" strategy.
Direct network report surveillance of 1,451 hepatitis B in island district

Objective To explore the surveillance effects of direct network report of hepatitis B(HB)in Dinghai district so as to provide a scientific basis for the establishment of control strategies.Methods Description epidemiological analysis was adopted.Results The morbidity report accumulative total of hepatitis B was 1,451 cases from 2004 to 2008,with an annual average morbidity rate of 73.35/lakh;onset of HB in Dinghai district took on a gradually increasing tendency,annual average morbidity rate is 76.23/lakh after revisal.And morbidity report were mainly chronic hepatitis B accounting for 76.97%,and morbidity population were mainly young people from 15 to 54 years old,the children under 15 were of a low level,but old folks above 55 took on a gradually increasing tendency of morbidity and morbidity rate of males was higher than that of females.This disease was mainly among workers,housewives,the jobless,farmers,officials and office clerks.ConclusionsAnnual hepatitis B loss case load was about 2-3% in Dinghai district,classification reports of hepatitis B became more and more standardized.We suggest that the present disease rate or case report rate can be adopted as evaluation index instead of morbidity report.In addition,the management of chronic hepatitis B should be promoted and vaccination work should be guaranteed among such population as workers,farmers and the old.
Integrated Enterprise Balancing mit integrierten Ertrags- und Risikodatenbanken

To support a value-based management and to satisfy regulatory transparency requirements and legal reporting obligations, corporations require a corporate-wide consistent database with return and risk information. Despite existing technical integration approaches, such as data warehouse or OLAP solutions, the development of corporate-wide consistent return and risk databases is so far impossible, as adequate financial methods and performance measurement systems are lacking. Integrated Enterprise Balancing enables corporations of all industries to control their business activities with corporate-wide consistent return and risk measures. The presented performance measurement system enables corporations to additively connect return and risk measures on arbitrary aggregation levels and to perform such an aggregation also within multiple dimensions. Hence, it is a conceptual solution for the development of integrated return and risk databases.
Investigations on the Use of Multiple Unique Radiating Modes for 2-D Beam Steering

The multiple mode approach to beam steering is extended to the case of 2-D scanning arrays. Beam pattern synthesis for a collection of arbitrary elements is accomplished using direct synthesis method. Three candidate arrays are defined on the basis of the type and number of radiating elements used in each array. A conventional patch antenna array consisting of a total of four elements each with two feed points is the baseline array against which the other two arrays are compared. A novel hybrid phased array contains the same number of patch antennas but with four additional collocated active monopole elements. The third array consists of nine patch antennas in which the array aperture has been oversampled by using smaller patch antennas with smaller spacing. The hybrid phased array is shown to produce the highest peak gain of 12.5 dBi with a 3 dB scan range that is 26° wider than the oversampled array and 36° wider than the baseline patch array in the $\phi =0 {^{\circ }}$ scan plane. Sidelobe and cross-polarization levels are also significantly improved over the baseline array. In terms of complexity, the hybrid phased array contains 50% more feed points than the baseline array but 33% less than the oversampled array. The hybrid phased array was fabricated and measured demonstrating a scan range of ±50°.
Business backs the basics

Earlier this year, a number of leaders from major U.S. corporations gathered at Sunnylands in California to discuss the critical importance of basic scientific research. For decades, the private sector has withdrawn from some areas of basic research, as accelerating market pressures, the speed of innovation, and the need to protect intellectual property in a global marketplace made a Bell Labs–style, in-house model of discovery and development hard to sustain. However, the leaders who gathered for the “CEOs and Leaders for Science” retreat* (which we convened) agreed that basic research will make or break corporations in the long term. Why?