cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Type of Image-Based Key

Keys are character based tools for plant identification. They are based on the decomposition of the plant into very small, atomistic parts. These parts are described with the technical and often arcane terminology of plant taxonomy. Even the best electronic keys (Delta, Lucid) make use of this terminology. Keys are not based on pattern recognition, the forte of visual experts. Instead they demand that the user look at the plant as if it consisted of a series of isolated parts that are classified by name. Keys would be more effective if they were visually based. They would be easier to use for visual experts because accurate perception is their providence. They would also be easier to use for novices because they would not depend on knowledge of arcane terminology. This paper proposed an innovative image-based key system for species recognition.
Behavioural differences between consumers attracted to shopping online versus traditional supermarkets: implications for enterprise design and marketing strategy

Despite the dot.com shakeout, online revenues continue to increase and are projected to impose greater pressure on traditional distribution channels. However, there is a striking absence of published empirical work on how consumers attracted to shopping online behave relative to consumers shopping in a traditional store. Such behavioural differences, if they exist, could guide online enterprise design and marketing strategy. This study uses data from both traditional supermarket scanners and an online supermarket to test expected differences in choice behaviours of such consumers. For two product categories, statistically significant differences are found between consumers attracted to shopping online versus traditional supermarkets with regard to the parameters describing the choice process. Compared to traditional supermarket consumers, online consumers are less price sensitive, prefer larger sizes to smaller sizes (or at least have weaker preferences for small sizes), have stronger size loyalty, do more screening on the basis of brand names but less screening on the basis of sizes, and have stronger choice set effects. Many of these differences are found to be prevalent among the majority of online consumers rather than due to the substantially unique behaviour of a minority. Indeed, 11 to 39% of traditional supermarket consumers (depending on the product category) are found to behave like the majority of online consumers whilst 0 to 31% of online consumers are found to behave like the majority of traditional supermarket consumers. Implications of both sets of results for online enterprise design, marketing, and evolution are outlined.
A recursive approach to low complexity codes

A method is described for constructing long error-correcting codes from one or more shorter error-correcting codes, referred to as subcodes, and a bipartite graph. A graph is shown which specifies carefully chosen subsets of the digits of the new codes that must be codewords in one of the shorter subcodes. Lower bounds to the rate and the minimum distance of the new code are derived in terms of the parameters of the graph and the subeodes. Both the encoders and decoders proposed are shown to take advantage of the code's explicit decomposition into subcodes to decompose and simplify the associated computational processes. Bounds on the performance of two specific decoding algorithms are established, and the asymptotic growth of the complexity of decoding for two types of codes and decoders is analyzed. The proposed decoders are able to make effective use of probabilistic information supplied by the channel receiver, e.g., reliability information, without greatly increasing the number of computations required. It is shown that choosing a transmission order for the digits that is appropriate for the graph and the subcodes can give the code excellent burst-error correction abilities. The construction principles
Scalable, high performance InfiniBand-attached SAN Volume Controller

We have developed a highly reliable InfiniBand host attached block storage management and virtualization system that supports several off-the-shelf Fibre Channel RAID controllers on the back end. The system is based on the existing IBM TotalStorage SAN Volume Controller (SVC) product, and therefore offers performance, a wide array of storage virtualization features, and support for many existing storage controllers. We provide an overview of the driver design as well as performance results. Large read performance from SVC cache exceeds 3 GB/s in a minimal two-node cluster configuration.
Early Molecular Investigations of Lichen-Forming Symbionts: 1986–2001*

From the mid-1980s the symbionts in lichen associations, heterotrophic fungi and photosynthetic algae or cyanobacteria, were the subject of increasing numbers of molecular investigations. Many of the studies examined the phylogenetic placement of the individual symbiotic partners with their free-living relatives, refining their nomenclature and classification. Resulting phylogenies permitted the mapping of transitions to and from lichenization and stimulated discussion of the relative ease of gaining and losing symbiotic lifestyles. Comparing symbiont phylogenies both rejected strict cospeciation and mirrored phylogenies and hinted at more complex forces of coevolution, including symbiont switching and selection. Studies at the species and population levels examined patterns of species delimitation and geographic dispersion and processes such as gene flow, self-fertilization, and founder effect. Significant genetic variation often was associated with mobile elements, group I and spliceosomal introns. This review examines the influence of molecular investigation on lichenology during this first 15 years.
Control-Configured Design of Spheroidal, Appendage-Free, Underwater Vehicles

A highly maneuverable, spheroid-shaped, underwater robot using appendage-free, multi-degree of freedom (DOF) propulsion technologies is presented. The vehicle is hydrodynamically unstable due to the Munk moment. The vehicle is stabilized by feedback control, rather than passive fins, which facilitates rapid turns and agile motions. The new design was motivated by nuclear reactor inspection and other applications where external appendages must be avoided. Two technical challenges are addressed in this paper. One is the development of a compact, multi-DOF propulsion system that generates multiaxis water jets and switches them rapidly. The other is the design of a jet configuration and control system that augments stability and achieves high maneuverability. A nonlinear hydrodynamic model is formulated, and its linearized dynamics are analyzed to attain insights into how jet direction influences controllability and stability. A prototype vehicle is built and used to verify these concepts. The integrated design method is implemented and shown to achieve stable motions, high maneuverability, and multidirectional capability.
An Exploratory Model of Play

Play is defined as a state of experience in which the actor's ability to act matches the requirements for action in his environment. It differs from anxiety, in which the requirements outnumber the ability, and from boredom, in which the requirements are too few for the ability level of the actor. Games are reviewed with illustrations from a cross-cultural context of traditional and modern societies. It is suggested that games of skill, strategy, and chance all share structural characteristics that allow the player to limit his experiences so as to maximize the play experience as defined. Further theoretical implications are drawn from the model in terms of the relationship of individuals and the social system.
Advantages of Joint Modeling of Component HIV Risk Behaviors and Non-Response: Application to Randomized Trials in Cocaine-Dependent and Methamphetamine-Dependent Populations

The HIV risk-taking behavior scale (HRBS) is an 11-item instrument designed to assess the risks of HIV infection due to self-reported injection-drug use and sexual behavior. A retrospective analysis was performed on HRBS data collected from approximately 1,000 participants pooled across seven clinical trials of pharmacotherapies for either the treatment of cocaine dependence or methamphetamine dependence. Analysis faced three important challenges. The sample contained a high proportion of missing assessments after randomization. Also, the HRBS scale consists of two distinct behavioral components which may or may not coincide in response patterns. In addition, distributions of responses on the subscales were highly concentrated at just a few values (e.g., 0, 6). To address these challenges, a single probit regression model was fit to three outcomes variables simultaneously – the two subscale totals plus an indicator variable for assessments not obtained (non-response). This joint-outcome regression model was able to identify that those who left assessment early had higher self-reported risk of injection-drug use and lower self-reported risky sexual behavior because the model was able to draw on information on associations among the three outcomes collectively. These findings were not identified in analyses performed on each outcome separately. No evidence for an effect of pharmacotherapies was observed, except to reduce missing assessments. Univariate-outcome modeling is not recommended for the HRBS.
Honing Crisis Communication Skills Using Interactive Media and Student-Centered Learning to Develop Agile Leaders

Leaders need to be able to respond quickly to crisis situations when information is incomplete and the scope for damage is increasing rapidly. Communicating with a range of stakeholders during a cr...
Factors associated with incidence of "inappropriate" ambulance transport in rural areas in cases of moderate to severe head injury in children.

: Context: Ambulance transport of pediatric trauma patients to designated trauma centers in cases of moderate and severe injury is not always performed, which has been shown to result in poor treatment outcomes. Determination of factors involved in inappropriate patient transport, especially in rural areas, remains an important avenue of research. Purpose: To identify factors involved in ambulance transport of pediatric patients sustaining moderate-to-severe head injury to nondesignated trauma centers in rural North Dakota. Method: Emergency medical service ambulance records for North Dakota from 1995 to 2000 were used. One hundred fifty-six cases of pediatric head injuries with Glasgow Coma Scale scores ≤12 and transported by rural ambulance squads were selected. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify a set of significant predictors of cases of inappropriate deliveries to acute care facilities with no trauma-center designation of any level (II-V). Results: Greater distance (mean = 19.96 miles) to the nearest trauma center and shorter distance traveled by the ambulance squad to the receiving facility (mean = 19.07 miles) corresponded to higher probabilities of mistriage, especially when a child was Native American (16 times more likely) and the transportation was conducted in the winter (9 times more likely). Conclusions: Timely delivery of pediatric trauma patients to designated trauma centers is encumbered in the winter, particularly in Native American communities, because of the greater traveling distances, which could be counteracted by better mobilization of available resources aimed at administration of optimal trauma care.
Amyloid and APOE ε4 interact to influence short-term decline in preclinical Alzheimer disease

Objective: To examine whether β-amyloid (Aβ) and APOE e4 status independently contribute or interact to influence longitudinal cognitive decline in clinically normal older individuals (CN). Methods: Data from 490 CNs were aggregated across 3 observational cohort studies (Harvard Aging Brain Study, Alzheimer9s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle Study of Ageing; median age = 75.0 years, 255 female), and the contributions of APOE e4 and Aβ on longitudinal change over a median of 1.49 years were examined. Cognitive decline was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Logical Memory (immediate and delayed recall scores). Results: High Aβ participants were more likely to be APOE e4+ than low Aβ participants. CNs who were both high Aβ and APOE e4+ showed greater decline in Logical Memory immediate recall ( p p p APOE e4− , low Aβ/ APOE e4+ , and high Aβ/ APOE e4− ). No other pairwise contrast was significant for any cognitive measure. Conclusions: Clinically normal individuals who are APOE e4+ and have high Aβ showed the highest cognitive decline. These results suggest that Aβ and APOE e4 are not redundant contributors of decline in aging but rather interact to promote decline during the short follow-up period examined in this study. Longer follow-up periods will be essential to fully elucidate the influence of Alzheimer disease risk factors on cognitive decline in aging.
UNCOUPLED DYNAMIC THERMAL STRESSES IN INFINITE FLAT PLATES WITH INSTANTANEOUS AND TRANSIENT INTERNAL HEATING.

Abstract The classical theory of thermoelasticity for infinitesimal displacements was used to study the stresses and displacements caused by heat generation in infinite single or multiple flat plates. The initial conditions required the particle velocity to be zero at time zero, and stress-free or no-displacement boundary conditions were used. The study ignores heat conduction and the coupling between the temperature and strain fields and assumes the material of the plates to be homogeneous and isotropic. The given temperature function is dependent upon the distance coordinate across the thickness of the plate and the time, but is independent of the spatial coordinates perpendicular to the plane of the plate. These assumptions make the problems one-dimensional. The method of characteristics is used to solve the simpler problems for which analytical solutions exist, and the method of finite differences is used with variable grid spacings when Young's modulus is temperature-dependent. One comparison is given between the analytical and numerical solutions.
Group structure, effectiveness, and individual morale

Abstract In studies in industry, individual job satisfaction and the individual's satisfaction with his group's performance have both been shown to be positively related to group effectiveness. In laboratory studies of communication structures both have been found to be positively related to centrality but not to effectiveness. However, effectiveness in the sense of “knowledge of one's group performance” has not been varied in laboratory studies. This study by concomitantly varying effectiveness and centrality of communication structures attempted to: (1) discover the relationship of effectiveness to satisfaction; (2) determine the relative contributions of both centrality and effectiveness to satisfaction with job and group; and (3) determine the relationship between job satisfaction and satisfaction with the group's performance. The results of the present study suggest that satisfaction with job and group, not necessarily concurrent states, may be mediated by different conditions, namely centrality and effectiveness. Performance effectiveness feedback does affect satisfaction with group but it has very little effect on job satisfaction. The latter appears to be mediated largely by centrality. The separateness of the effects of centrality and group effectiveness was further supported by data indicating scapegoating. Just as job satisfaction appears to be insulated from the effects of performance effectiveness so do feelings of responsibility for the group's performance. When groups did “poorly” individual members attributed this not to themselves but to others in the group including the leader.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 in myocardial tissue: interaction with tumor necrosis factor.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 is a well characterized growth factor that plays a role in the regulation of myocardial structure and function. Using an ex vivo murine model, Davani and coworkers, in this issue of Critical Care, demonstrate that IGF-1 confers cardiac protection against ischemia via mitochondria-dependent mechanisms. Those investigators used the ratio of mitochondrial to nuclear DNA to demonstrate that IGF-1, which prevents reduction in this ratio during reperfusion, provides cytoprotection. This commentary also reviews mechanisms of IGF-1 function and provides a graphic representation of IGF-1 signaling mechanisms in potential crosstalk relations with mediators of inflammation in the heart (specifically tumor necrosis factor-α).
New developments in the dynamics of constrained systems and applications to tracking control

This paper deals with the development of the explicit equations of motion for nonlinear mechanical and structural systems, which are holonomically and/or nonholonomically constrained. Based on these new results from analytical dynamics, the paper goes on to develop a class of tracking controllers for controlling general, nonlinear, mechanical systems. Unlike most control methods that perform some kind of linearization and/or cancellation, the methodology developed here obtains a class of control forces that 'exactly' maintain the system along a certain trajectory, which in general, may be described by a set of differential equations in the observations/measurements. While having the ability to control general nonlinear mechanical systems so that the trajectory requirements as 'exactly' satisfied, the method involves very little computation compared to standard approaches. This therefore makes the approach useful for the on-line real-time control of highly nonlinear systems.
Implications of Selfish Neighbor Selection in Overlay Networks

In a typical overlay network for routing or content sharing, each node must select a fixed number of immediate overlay neighbors for routing traffic or content queries. A selfish node entering such a network would select neighbors so as to minimize the weighted sum of expected access costs to all its destinations. Previous work on selfish neighbor selection has built intuition with simple models where edges are undirected, access costs are modeled by hop-counts, and nodes have potentially unbounded degrees. However, in practice, important constraints not captured by these models lead to richer games with substantively and fundamentally different outcomes. Our work models neighbor selection as a game involving directed links, constraints on the number of allowed neighbors, and costs reflecting both network latency and node preference. We express a node's "best response" wiring strategy as a k-median problem on asymmetric distance, and use this formulation to obtain pure Nash equilibria. We experimentally examine the properties of such stable wirings on synthetic topologies, as well as on real topologies and maps constructed from PlanetLab and AS-level Internet measurements. Our results indicate that selfish nodes can reap substantial performance benefits when connecting to overlay networks constructed by naive nodes. On the other hand, in overlays that are dominated by selfish nodes, the resulting stable wirings are optimized to such great extent that even uninformed newcomers can extract near-optimal performance through naive wiring strategies.
The Engineer and the Life Sciences

Within recent years the life sciences have realized the significance of the contributions which can be made by the engineer, and the engineering sciences are beginning to realize the value of the contributions which can be made by the life sciences in bionics. A new field has developed which may be called bio-medical engineering. The National Institutes of Health is now engaged in a program designed to provide support in research, training, and facilities for this broad area. Support will be largely in the field of the application of engineering theory to the biological sciences, and may not include some of the aspects of applied engineering or instrumentation except as they arise as a result of theoretical development.
Beneficial Effects of Moderate Exercise in Arterial Hypertension

Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide . — —Cicero Exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness have long been associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality and overall longevity in apparently healthy individuals and also in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases.1,2 It is part of the general recommendations for lifestyle modifications in patients with early forms of cardiovascular disease and has been associated with changes in multiple cardiac risk factors, such as lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, weight, inflammation, and psychosocial variables.3,4 Effects of exercise on blood pressure are mild to moderate, with an average reduction of −10 mm Hg systolic and −8 mm Hg diastolic. However, exercise as a specific therapeutic intervention is difficult to evaluate and dose.3 Controversy exists on the specific form of exercise, such as aerobic versus resistance training, as well as the intensity, duration, and training intervals of the specific form of exercise chosen as a lifestyle intervention regimen.4 Experimental evidence from animal models and clinical data in individuals with hypertension suggest that cardiac and vascular remodeling in hypertension are positively influenced by exercise but also showed detrimental results associated with excessive exercise in an animal model of hypertension.5 Miyachi et al6 studied the effects of moderate exercise on cardiovascular remodeling and function in an established animal model of hypertension with resulting heart failure (male salt-sensitive Dahl rats). Rats were exercised by swimming for 1 hour per day, 5 days per week, for 9 weeks, and sedentary animals on a high-salt diet served as controls, whereas a …
Optimization of single and layered surface texturing

In visualization problems, surface shape is often a piece of data that must be shown effectively. One factor that strongly affects shape perception is texture. For example, patterns of texture on a surface can show the surface orientation from foreshortening or compression of the texture marks, and surface depth through size variation from perspective projection. However, texture is generally under-used in the scientific visualization community. The benefits of using texture on single surfaces also apply to layered surfaces. Layering of multiple surfaces in a single viewpoint allows direct comparison of surface shape. The studies presented in this dissertation aim to find optimal methods for texturing of both single and layered surfaces. This line of research starts with open, many-parameter experiments using human subjects to find what factors are important for optimal texturing of layered surfaces. These experiments showed that texture shape parameters are very important, and that texture brightness is critical so that shading cues are available. Also, the optimal textures seem to be task dependent; a feature finding task needed relatively little texture information, but more shape-dependent tasks needed stronger texture cues. Subsequent, narrower experiments investigated specific texture parameters for optimal textures. Textures with significant directionality and structure were found to be useful on both surface layers. A range of viable top surface opacities was found, and relationships between texture sizes were investigated. A feasibility experiment was run to estimate bounds on the number of layers that can be effectively visualized. Finally, a single surface experiment was run to investigate causes of bias and error in principal direction and projected grid textures. Overall performances of principal direction and projected grid textures were not statistically different, but differences were found in the location of errors between the two texture types.
First- and second-hand consequences of alcohol in college: differential associations with later alcohol use

INTRODUCTION: College students are at increased risk of experiencing a variety of consequences as result of their own as well as others' alcohol consumption. The current study examined the differential associations between both first-hand consequences (resulting from one's own drinking) and second-hand consequences (resulting in victimization as a result of others' drinking) and subsequent alcohol consumption across the first year of college. METHOD: First year students (n = 253) from a large northeastern U.S. university were randomly selected to participate and surveyed at the end of the first semester of college (time 1) and during the first semester of the second year of college (time 2). RESULTS: Results showed a significant, positive relationship between first-hand consequences and subsequent weekend drinking (β =.16, p DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The findings provided partial support for both a positive association hypothesis and a negative association hypothesis. The importance of personal alcohol consumption and peers' drinking in relation to first- and second-hand consequences are discussed. Language: en
An isentropic compression heated Ludwieg tube transient wind tunnel

Syracuse University's Ludwieg tube with isentropic compression facility is a transient wind tunnel employing a piston drive that incorporates insentropic compression heating of the test gas located ahead of a piston. The facility is well-suited for experimental investigations concerning supersonic and subsonic vehicles over a wide range of pressures, Reynolds numbers, and temperatures; all three parameters can be almost independently controlled. Work at the facility currently includes wake-induced stagnation point heat transfer and supersonic boundary layer transition.
Tarsoconjunctival Flap Supplementation: An Approach to the Reconstruction of Large Lower Eyelid Defects

In the presence of a full-thickness lower eyelid defect too large for reconstruction with a tarsoconjunctival flap alone, the posterior lamella is often reconstructed with a free graft of nasal septal cartilage and mucosa, ear cartilage, or hard palate mucosa. In this series, an alternative approach was taken: a tarsoconjunctival flap of maximum horizontal dimension was created to reconstruct the majority of the posterior lamella defect. A second reconstruction technique, such as a periosteal flap or a Tenzel semicircular flap, was then used to supplement the tarsoconjunctival flap and reconstruct the remainder of the posterior lamella defect. Tarsoconjunctival flap supplementation yielded favorable results in eight patients and is advocated for the reconstruction of large posterior lamella defects too large for reconstruction with a tarsoconjunctival flap alone.
Cellular Antibody Synthesis in Thiamin, Riboflavin, Biotin and Folic Acid-Deficient Rats

SummaryThe formation of splenic antibody-forming cells was determined by the Jerne agar-plaque technique in normal rats and in rats deficient in thiamin, riboflavin, biotin or folic acid immunized with sheep erythrocytes. The number of antibody-forming cells was reduced in all deficiency states with thiamin deficiency having the least effect. This decreased cellular immune response in biotin and folic acid deficiencies was partially restored to normal by administration of biotin or folic acid, respectively, shortly before immunization.
Bayesian and frequentist approaches to assessing reliability and precision of health-care provider quality measures.

Our purpose was to compare frequentist, empirical Bayes, and Bayesian hierarchical model approaches to estimating reliability of health care quality measures, including construction of credible intervals to quantify uncertainty in reliability estimates, using data on inpatient fall rates on hospital nursing units. Precision of reliability estimates and Bayesian approaches to estimating reliability are not well studied. We analyzed falls data from 2372 medical units; the rate of unassisted falls per 1000 inpatient days was the measure of interest. The Bayesian methods "shrunk" the observed fall rates and frequentist reliability estimates toward their posterior means. We examined the association between reliability and precision in fall rate rankings by plotting the length of a 90% credible interval for each unit's percentile rank against the unit's estimated reliability. Precision of rank estimates tended to increase as reliability increased but was limited even at higher reliability levels: Among units with reliability >0.8, only 5.5% had credible interval length 0.9, only 31.9% had credible interval length <20. Thus, a high reliability estimate may not be sufficient to ensure precise differentiation among providers. Bayesian approaches allow for assessment of this precision.
A study of the influence of forest gaps on fire–atmosphere interactions

Abstract. Much uncertainty exists regarding the possible role that gaps in forest canopies play in modulating fire–atmosphere interactions in otherwise horizontally homogeneous forests. This study examines the influence of gaps in forest canopies on atmospheric perturbations induced by a low-intensity fire using the ARPS-CANOPY model, a version of the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) model with a canopy parameterization. A series of numerical experiments are conducted with a stationary low-intensity fire, represented in the model as a line of enhanced surface sensible heat flux. Experiments are conducted with and without forest gaps, and with gaps in different positions relative to the fire line. For each of the four cases considered, an additional simulation is performed without the fire to facilitate comparison of the fire-perturbed atmosphere and the background state. Analyses of both mean and instantaneous wind velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, air temperature, and turbulent mixing of heat are presented in order to examine the fire-perturbed atmosphere on multiple timescales. Results of the analyses indicate that the impact of the fire on the atmosphere is greatest in the case with the gap centered on the fire and weakest in the case with the gap upstream of the fire. It is shown that gaps in forest canopies have the potential to play a role in the vertical as well as horizontal transport of heat away from the fire. Results also suggest that, in order to understand how the fire will alter wind and turbulence in a heterogeneous forest, one needs to first understand how the forest heterogeneity itself influences the wind and turbulence fields without the fire.
Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital during 2011-2012

Objective To investigate the resistance of clinical bacterial isolates to commonly used antimicrobial agents in a hospital during 2011-2012.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of clinically isolated pathogens was performed by Kirby-Bauer method.Results A total of 3 946 pathogenic isolates were detected,gram-positive bacteria,gram-negative bacteria,fungi and mycoplasma accounted for 43.92%,37.91%,15.91%,and 2.26%respectively.The top one isolate was Escherichia coli(16.32%),followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae(16.02%),Staphylococcus aureus(9.00%),and Klebsiella pneumoniae(7.40%) and so on.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococcus(MRCNS) respectively accounted for 41.41%(147/355) of Staphylococcus aureus and 81.40%(197/242) of coagulase-negative staphylococcus;extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing rate of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae was 68.17%(439/644) and 72.95%(213/292) respectively.The resistant rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae to erythromycin and clindamycin was 99.84%and98.58%respectively;the resistance rate of MRSA to clindamycin and erythromycin was higher(75%),the resistance rates of MRSA and MRCNS to vancomycin,teicoplanin and linezolid were all 100.00%;the resistance rate of Enterococcus faeciumto vancomycin was 98.31%;the resistance rate of Acinetobacter baumannii to cefoperazone/sulbactam was low(8.70%),while to the other antimicrobial agents were all high;the resistance rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem,meropenem,ceftazidime,amikacin and ciprofloxacin were all low(26%).Four carbapenem-resistant ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and 15 pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii were detected.Conclusion Regular monitor on drug resistance of bacteria helps to understand the changes in bacterial resistance in hospitals,and provide the basis for empirical antimicrobial use.
“Will I Do It?”: Clarifying the Costs of Ethical Voice

Examining career public servants’ willingness to implement difficult decisions, this chapter explores the dynamics of taking action—exercising ethical voice—and the influence of personal loyalties and exit options on it. The chapter presents a framework to help career public servants consider options for assessing the interplay of exit, voice, and loyalty on the job. After presenting two case studies of explosive combinations of exit and voice resulting in workplace violence, guidelines are offered on following through on ethical decisions by combining individual conscience and second-order moral reasons. Finally, the chapter analyzes perverse loyalty to degraded public goods, such as for K-12 education, and discusses how career public servants may convert this perverse loyalty by reducing the cost of exercising ethical voice to support public purposes.
Oxidative stress-induced epigenetic changes associated with malignant transformation of human kidney epithelial cells

// Prathap Kumar S. Mahalingaiah 1 , Logeswari Ponnusamy 1 , Kamaleshwar P. Singh 1 1 Department of Environmental Toxicology, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA Correspondence to: Kamaleshwar P. Singh, email: Kamaleshwar.singh@ttu.edu Keywords: epigenetics, oxidative stress, DNA methylation, kidney cancer, histone modification Received: June 16, 2016 Accepted: September 05, 2016 Published: September 17, 2016 ABSTRACT Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) in humans is positively influenced by oxidative stress status in kidneys. We recently reported that adaptive response to low level of chronic oxidative stress induces malignant transformation of immortalized human renal tubular epithelial cells. Epigenetic alterations in human RCC are well documented, but its role in oxidative stress-induced malignant transformation of kidney cells is not known. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential role of epigenetic changes in chronic oxidative stress-induced malignant transformation of HK-2, human renal tubular epithelial cells. The results revealed aberrant expression of epigenetic regulatory genes involved in DNA methylation (DNMT1, DNMT3a and MBD4) and histone modifications (HDAC1, HMT1 and HAT1) in HK-2 cells malignantly transformed by chronic oxidative stress. Additionally, both in vitro soft agar assay and in vivo nude mice study showing decreased tumorigenic potential of malignantly transformed HK-2 cells following treatment with DNA de-methylating agent 5-aza 2’ dC further confirmed the crucial role of DNA hypermethyaltion in oxidative stress-induced malignant transformation. Changes observed in global histone H3 acetylation (H3K9, H3K18, H3K27 and H3K14) and decrease in phospho-H2AX (Ser139) also suggest potential role of histone modifications in increased survival and malignant transformation of HK-2 cells by oxidative stress. In summary, the results of this study suggest that epigenetic reprogramming induced by low levels of oxidative stress act as driver for malignant transformation of kidney epithelial cells. Findings of this study are highly relevant in potential clinical application of epigenetic-based therapeutics for treatments of kidney cancers.
Unified and lightweight tasks and conduits: A high level parallel programming framework

Computing platforms for high performance and parallel applications have changed rapidly during the past few years, from single to multiple cores, and from traditional Central Processing Units (CPUs) to hybrid systems which combine CPUs with accelerators such as Graphics Processing Units(GPUs), Intel Xeon Phi, etc. These developments bring more and more challenges to application developers, especially to maintain a high performance application across various platforms. To reduce development effort and improve portability of applications, we propose a high level parallel programming framework called Unified Tasks and Conduits (UTC). An application represented as multiple tasks can be mapped and run on available computing devices of the target platform in parallel. Through this framework, higher level application program structure is independent from lower level task execution, making it easy to port applications to different platforms. To support the framework, we have implemented a lightweight and flexible runtime system prototype, providing a set of utilities for users to conveniently create parallel applications to run on multicore systems or clusters. Our micro-benchmarks show that the runtime system introduces little overhead to implement tasks and conduits. Application tests show that UTC based programs can make use of available computing resources to do parallel processing efficiently while easing the job of the developer.
Potential Underestimation of Sleep Apnea Severity by At-Home Kits: Rescoring In-Laboratory Polysomnography Without Sleep Staging.

Study Objectives:Home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) is increasingly available for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). One key limitation of most HSAT involves the lack of sleep staging, such tha...
Prioritizing Flexibility and Intangibles: Medical Crowdfunding for Stigmatized Individuals

HCI research on crowdfunding has primarily focused on creative or organizational endeavors. Yet a majority of crowdfunding campaigns are conducted by individuals in need, often for healthcare. To better understand and improve this common crowdfunding experience, especially for those that inhabit a vulnerable social status, we conducted 20 interviews with transmen crowdfunding for top-surgery. Design choices that optimize site flexibility (e.g. control of personal information; enable cross-site communication) and foreground intangibles, such as political values and emotional support, are priorities for individuals from a stigmatized community. Findings differed from previous crowdfunding research and contribute to limited research on transgender identities in HCI. Overall they provide unique insights into how design choices can facilitate marginalized identity management in highly public online spaces.
Abnormal brain metabolism on FDG-PET/CT is a common early finding in autoimmune encephalitis

Objective To compare the rate of abnormal brain metabolism by FDG-PET/CT to other paraclinical findings and to describe brain metabolism patterns in autoimmune encephalitis (AE). Methods A retrospective review of clinical data and initial dedicated brain FDG-PET/CT studies for neurology inpatients with AE, per consensus criteria, treated at a single tertiary center over 123 months. Z-score maps of FDG-PET/CT were made using 3-dimensional stereotactic surface projections with comparison to age group-matched controls. Brain region mean Z-scores with magnitudes ≥2.00 were interpreted as significant. Comparisons were made to rates of abnormal initial brain MRI, abnormal initial EEG, and presence of intrathecal inflammation. Results Sixty-one patients with AE (32 seropositive) underwent brain FDG-PET/CT at median 4 weeks of symptoms (interquartile range [IQR] 9 weeks) and median 4 days from MRI (IQR 8.5 days). FDG-PET/CT was abnormal in 52 (85%) patients, with 42 (69%) demonstrating only hypometabolism. Isolated hypermetabolism was demonstrated in 2 (3%) patients. Both hypermetabolic and hypometabolic brain regions were noted in 8 (13%) patients. Nine (15%) patients had normal FDG-PET/CT studies. CSF inflammation was evident in 34/55 (62%) patients, whereas initial EEG (17/56, 30%) and MRI (23/57, 40%) were abnormal in fewer. Detection of 2 or more of these paraclinical findings was in weak agreement with abnormal brain FDG-PET/CT (κ = 0.16, p = 0.02). Conclusions FDG-PET/CT was more often abnormal than initial EEG, MRI, and CSF studies in neurology inpatients with AE, with brain region hypometabolism the most frequently observed.
Exploration and practice of general practitioner responsibility system in an urban community of Shanghai

Objective The Minhang district of Shanghai was selected as the subject and its public health management model was investigated. Methods Minhang became a pilot location for the implementation of the general practitioner responsibility system (GPRS) in 2011. Since then, the management model of public health services in the district has gradually merged with the GPRS through a series of actions: the adjustment of organizations and the coordination mechanism in community public health services, the integration of basic public health services and clinic practice, the establishment of an informationized Internet service platform, comprehensive budgeting management of public health service programs, and performance assessment management of health workers. Results By the end of 2014, the number of residents who had a contractual relationship with a general practitioner (GP) in Minhang had reached 1.4367 million and all of them had family health records. Compared with 2010, both the rate of maternal management and the rate of children management stayed at high level (≥96%), the rate of hypertension management increased (40.73% vs. 28.70%), the rate of blood pressure control increased (82.13% vs. 77.51%), the incidence of diabetes decreased (21.93% vs. 37.85%), the rate of effective control of blood glucose for diabetic patients increased (82.43% vs. 62.77%), and the rate of child health management increased (99.79% vs. 91.54%). Conclusion The GPRS has helped to create a better community health environment. However, the development of this system is limited by several factors, including the following: the shortage of GPs, most GPs do not have good public health service skills and a correct public health concept, unclear division of different services, and imperfect department coordination.
The Analysis and Prediction of Eye Gaze When Viewing Statistical Graphs

Statistical graphs are images that display quantitative information in a visual format that allows for the easy and consistent interpretation of the information. Often, statistical graphs are in the form of line graphs or bar graphs. In fields, such as cybersecurity, sets of statistical graphs are used to present complex information; however, the interpretation of these more complex graphs is often not obvious. Unless the viewer has been trained to understand each graph used, the interpretation of the data may be limited or incomplete [1]. In order to study the perception of statistical graphs, we tracked users’ eyes while studying simple statistical graphs. Participants studied a graph, and later viewed a graph purporting to be a subset of the data. They were asked to look for a substantive change in the meaning of the second graph compared to the first.
General Effect of van der Waals Interactions on the Stability of Alkoxy Intermediates on Metal Surfaces.

The critical role of noncovalent van der Waals (vdW) interactions in determining the relative thermodynamic stability of alkoxy intermediates has been demonstrated for the Cu(110) surface using a combination of experiment and theory. The results may be significant for the selectivity control of copper-based reactions of alcohols. Previous examination of this effect on Au(110) was also extended to include higher molecular weight alcohols; on Cu(110) and Au(110) the hierarchy for the strength of binding of the alkoxys was found to be the same within experimental accuracy, with alkoxy species of greater chain length being more stable. The equilibrium constants governing the competition of alcohol pairs for binding sites of the alkoxys are also similar on the two surfaces. These results reveal the generality of such vdW effects. This work expands the understanding of the role of vdW interactions on the binding efficacy of key reactive intermediates on metal surfaces, a key factor in the rational design of com...
The Exserohilum rostratum Incident: The Compounding Pharmacy as a Source of Emerging Infections

Exserohilum rostratum is an environmental fungal phytopathogen that was the major cause of an outbreak of fungal disease including meningitis in the USA in 2012–2013. The illnesses were caused by contamination of a preservative-free corticosteroid used for injection that was prepared by a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts. Over slightly more than a year there were more than 750 cases with 64 deaths in 20 states. This chapter describes the outbreak and recommended diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, and overviews the concept of a compounding pharmacy and how better regulations are needed to protect the public, which should trump issues of First Amendment rights and state versus federal oversight.
Patient empowerment in online support group for temporomandibular disorder

Objective: Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) is a jaw joint dysfunction characterized by various symptoms including pain in the jaw joint, facial structures, head, and muscles controlling the joint movement. In many patients TMD results in chronic pain and other related conditions. As the exact cause and cure of TMD remains unknown, individuals affected by TMD continue to experience high amount of tension and anxiety. With wide accessibility of internet to the public, TMD patients gained new platform for empowerment, social support and informational gain. However, components of empowerment obtained by TMD patients from online support groups were not studied systematically. The aim of this study was to identify major dimensions of empowerment available for users of TMD online groups and to explore how they communicate personal experience. Methods: Qualitative content analysis of highly referenced TMD Online Support Group was carried out using patient empowerment and support themes developed for this study. Results: All major dimensions of empowerment were present in online exchange between TMD patients. The analysis indicated that TMD support group members most frequently discussed emotional issues (46.2%) followed by informational issues (26.2%) with counseling issues (10.8%) and cost of care issues (4.62%) least frequently discussed. Conclusion: The significant proportion of emotional and informational support indicated that online interaction facilitated patient empowerment by providing essential components for TMD self-management that were not made available sufficiently via alternatives venues. Practice implications: People have grown more familiar and comfortable with sharing their personal stories or situations with internet based support groups. Online forums offer effective means of patient empowerment by facilitating continuous engagement of patients with TMD in their self-care.
Human Resource Compensation and Maintenance Practices

A survey of small business firms In North-Central Indiana Indicated that, while these firms provided a work place and an Income to employees, most of their practices on compensation and maintenance...