cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of Hospital Emergency Department (HED) adherence to universal precautions

A longitudinal cross sectional study of Hospital Emergency Department (HED) procedures over a nine month period was conducted. A total of 1,541 procedures were observed on 56 randomly selected 8-h work shifts. Shifts were distributed: 34% day shift; 34% evening shift; and 32% on the night shift. Observations on the evening shift were oversampled to capture an adequate number of trauma patients. Observations were distributed: 33% day shift; 39% evening shift; and 28% on the night shift. Measurements included: type of procedure; adherence to specific barrier technique, i.e., use of gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection; and occurrence of adverse exposure. Ten types of HED procedures were documented and analyzed. Computerized tracking of study observations established periodic rates of HED health care worker (HCW) adherence to universal precautions. These data are important for internal quality control/assurance programs and rate comparisons within and across institutions over time. The longitudinal evaluation of the database revealed that glove compliance increased over the period of the study and adverse exposure decreased. Conducting ongoing or periodic observational studies of this kind are important and necessary in order to gauge HED response to the epidemiologic challenges of urban society.
From Monodisperse Sulfurized Palladium Nanoparticles to Tiara Pd(II) Thiolate Clusters: Influence of Thiol Ligand on Thermal Treatment of a Palladium(II)−Amine System

In the present research, the influence of dodecanethiol on product distribution upon heating a Pd(II)−octylamine system was investigated. The molar ratio of octylamine to Pd(II) was fixed at 20:1, and the concentration of dodecanethiol was changed systematically, which resulted in different final products. Without the thiol ligand, only aggregated Pd(0) particles were obtained due to the reduction of Pd(II) by octylamine. When the molar ratio of dodecanethiol to Pd(II) was increased to 0.5, highly monodisperse sulfurized palladium nanoparticles with a diameter of 7.55 ± 0.73 nm were generated. Continually increasing the molar ratio led to mixed products composed of decreasing amounts of sulfurized palladium nanoparticles plus increasing amounts of a Pd(II)−thiolate complex. When the molar ratio reached 2, only the thiolate complex was found as the final product, which was further characterized and then proven to be a tiara Pd(II) thiolate cluster compound, [Pd(SC12H25)2]6, that has been described in one o...
Peromyscus and Ochrotomys from the Pleistocene of Reddick, Florida

Mandibles of 416 Peromyscus and Ochrotomys from the Pleistocene of Reddick, Florida, were examined. Molar width for m2 and m3, the alveolar length for the molar series, and the first two molars combined were measured. Code numbers were given to four qualitative categories of ml and m2. Six quantitative by quantitative, six qualitative by qualitative, and 16 qualitative by quantitative scatter diagrams were constructed by a computer. With the aid of these diagrams four species were segregated. Members of species A occupied a distinct cluster in the quantitative by quantitative diagrams. Members of species B occupied distinct sectors of the qualitative by qualitative diagrams. Members of species C and D were distinguished by utilizing the single observation formula to calculate the maximum and minimum likely value on the distribution of logarithms calculated from the values of the smallest and largest specimens, respectively, in each quantitative by quantitative diagram. Species A, B, C, and D are referable respectively to Peromyscus floridanus, Ochrotomys nuttalli, P. gossypinus and P. polionotus . Inasmuch as the Reddick site appears no younger than late Sangamon, speciation of these four species must have occurred at an earlier time.
Nonadiabatic Trajectories at an Exhibition

The present article reviews two classes of semiclassical (mixed quantum mechanical/classical) methods for investigating multielectronic-state dynamics: the trajectory surface-hopping (TSH) method ...
Resolving multifont character confusion with neural networks

Abstract The existence of similar characters contributes to most of the errors made by multifont character recognition systems. A set of feedforward neural networks and a rule invocation procedure are added to a conventional character recognition system to help resolve similar character confusion. Compared to previous methods, the approach has the advantage of automating the feature selection and feature extraction processes, and it is more robust to noise as confirmed by experiments. The contributions are a snowball training algorithm and a smoothing technique, both are modifications to the back-propagation training algorithm. The snowball training algorithm presents training data in a better sequence to remedy the training convergence problem. The smoothing technique seeks a solution with smooth connection weights during training to improve a network's generalization capability. Combining the two proposed techniques increases the average recognition rate of the rule nets to 99.65 from 87.35%.
Polo Box Domain of Plk3 Functions as a Centrosome Localization Signal, Overexpression of Which Causes Mitotic Arrest, Cytokinesis Defects, and Apoptosis

Polo-like kinase 3 (Plk3), an immediate early response gene product, plays an important role in the regulation of mitosis, DNA damage checkpoint activation, and Golgi dynamics. Similar to other members of the Plk family, Plk3 has a conserved kinase domain at the N terminus and a Polo box domain consisting of two Polo boxes at the C terminus. In this study, we demonstrate that the Polo box domain of Plk3 is sufficient for subcellular localization of this kinase to the centrosomes, the spindle poles, and the midbody when ectopically expressed in HeLa and U2OS cells. Both Polo boxes are required for the subcellular localization. Overexpression of the Polo box domain, not the kinase domain, of Plk3 causes significant cell cycle arrest and cytokinesis defects, eventually leading to mitotic catastrophe/apoptosis. Interestingly, the Polo box domain of Plk3 is more potent in inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis than that of Plk1, suggesting that this domain can provide an additional structural basis for discovery of new anticancer drugs given the current emphasis on Plk1 as a therapeutic target.
Further investigation of effect of colloidal materials upon the Shwartzman phenomenon.

SummaryThe injection of thorotrast or Angiopac, a colloidal organic iodide preparation, abolishes resistance to the Shwartzman reaction within 30 minutes and for at least 24 hours. Treatment with these materials enhances strikingly the lethal effect of bacterial toxin and animals given thorotrast manifest increased susceptibility to the local injurious effect of intradermally injected toxin.
Electrochemical behavior of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium complexes in films of poly(styrenesulfonate) on electrodes

Abstract Poly(styrenesulfonate, sodium salt) was spincoated onto Pt electrodes at dry thicknesses near 100 nm. These films were then loaded with Ru(bpy)2+3 by exposing them to solutions of the complex in the mM range in CH3CN containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium fluoborate (TBABF4), 5–16% MeOH, and 1 mM dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6. Exchange was encouraged by voltammetric cycling over the Ru(III/II) couple. Loaded films contained quantities of Ru(II) high enough to account for 70% neutralization of sulfonate groups in the films. Cyclic voltammetry of the films in Ru-free CH3CN with 0.01 M TBABF4 revealed that the complex exists in two distinct, interconvertible sites. Galvanostatic transients showed evidence for nucleation of Ru(III) centers into very tight, almost electroinactive domains. A structural model is proposed on the basis of the results.
Materializing poverty: how the poor transform their lives

Spending much of one's academic career looking at the plight of impoverished consumers is a difficult road to follow, even under the best of circumstances. While the world is made up mostly of poor...
Tripelennamine interactions with the pscyhotomimetic sigma agonist N-allylnormetazocine

The pharmacological effects of individual and combined intravenous doses of the antihistamine tripelennamine and the psychotomimetic sigma benzomorphan opioid derivative, N-allylnormetazocine (NANM), on nociceptive reflexes, autonomic parameters and behavior were assessed in the chronic spinal dog. NANM (1.65 mg/kg, IV) produced antinociception, mydriasis, tachycardia, hyperthermia and behavioral signs of canine delirium. Tripelennamine (1.25 mg/kg, IV) produced antinociception, mydriasis and tachycardia without affecting behavior. The combined effects of the two drugs were additive except for heart rate. However, tripelennamine did not antagonize any of the physiological effects or the signs of canine delirium produced by NANM. The findings are inconsistent with the hypothesis that tripelennamine antagonizes the psychotomimetic NANM-like effects of pentazocine to make pentazocine-tripelennamine combinations (T's and Blues) more desirable as a heroin substitute.
Pore Pressure Effects on Berea Sandstone Subjected to Experimental Deformation

The effects of pore pressure on Berea Sandstone deformed at room temperature and 0 to 8000 psi effective confining pressure have been investigated. “Drained” tests, in which the applied pore pressure (μ) is kept constant at a preselected level, and “undrained” tests, in which applied pore pressure (μ) is allowed to fluctuate during loading, were conducted. Several tests were also conducted on air-dry specimens. The drained tests show that the effective stress theory is applicable to Berea Sandstone, as suggested by previous investigators, and that wet specimens are approximately 11 percent weaker than air-dry specimens at all pressure levels. Peak strength (strength at failure) of an undrained test specimen is controlled by the effective confining pressure at failure (![Graphic][1] ), and the magnitude of pore pressure rise in the specimen is governed by the initial effective confining pressure (![Graphic][2] ). [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif [2]: /embed/inline-graphic-2.gif
Time dependence of crack healing

We propose that crack healing in polymers occurs by the stages of surface rearrangement, surface approach, wetting, diffusion, and randomization. The stages of wetting and diffusion are responsible for the majority of the mechanical property recovery or healing, and control the intrinsic healing function Rh(t). However, the observed macroscopic recovery R is a convolution product of Rh(t) and a wetting distribution function Φ(t). Each Rh(t) function contains a wetting and diffusion component. Experiments were designed to investigate intrinsic healing functions for fracture stress, strain, and energy; the results were found to be in excellent agreement with theory.
Risk factors for mortality in septic patients who received etomidate.

Abstract Purpose To characterize risk factors for mortality in septic patients who received etomidate for rapid sequence intubation. Materials and Methods This study was a retrospective cohort conducted at a large, tertiary, urban, academic medical center that included patients with severe sepsis or septic shock who received etomidate between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012. Results A total of 169 patients were included with similar baseline characteristics. There were more men in the nonsurvivor group than in the survivor group (67.1% vs 50.6%, P = .03). Septic shock occurred in 91.5% of nonsurvivors and 69% of survivors ( P P = .02) and more vasopressor therapy (91.5% vs 69%, P P P = .01). Abdominal source of sepsis ( P = .048) and number of vasopressors ( P = .01) were predictive of 30-day mortality. Conclusion An alternative sedative induction agent may be considered for use in rapid sequence intubation in patients on multiple vasopressors or with abdominal source of infection.
Regulation of CD34 transcription by Sp1 requires sites upstream and downstream of the transcription start site

Abstract Objective CD34 is a cell surface glycoprotein expressed on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, but not on fully differentiated cells in the peripheral blood. To better understand the molecular regulation of early hematopoiesis, we are elucidating the mechanisms of CD34 transcriptional regulation. Materials and Methods By deletion analysis we identify a 39-bp element in the proximal region of murine CD34 promoter that is critical for promoter activity. Electromobility shift assays indicate that nuclear proteins of hematopoietic cells bind to this domain; however, the presence of this binding activity does not correlate directly with CD34 expression. Results Using methylation interference, the DNA binding site for this activity was localized to four guanine residues within the G GGG TCG G sequence from −48 to −54 bp. When the four contact guanines were mutated, both protein binding and promoter activity were abolished. Although this sequence does not contain a standard consensus for Sp1, this transcription factor binds specifically to the 39-bp region and stimulates promoter activity in both hematopoietic cells and in Sp1 null Drosophila S2 cells. In addition, Ku binds to this domain in a sequence-specific manner. Activation of the CD34 promoter by Sp1 requires the presence of a binding domain at −48 bp as well as the 5′ untranslated region, which also binds Sp1. Conclusion A functional interaction between regulatory regions upstream and downstream of the transcription start site is required for CD34 gene expression.
Estimating the Number of Faults in Code

This paper provides formulas relating the number of faults or ``bugs'' to the number of lines of code and to the number of conditional jumps. A result is that there are, on the average, about 21 bugs per KSLOC discoverable after successful compilation. A major motivation for the work presented here was to determine if some published data suggest any relationship between the level of the coding language employed (e.g., Jovial is a ``high'' level language) and the number of bugs found. It is shown that the number of bugs appears not to be a function of the ``level'' of the coding language employed. In addition, knowledge of items such as the size of the vocabulary (operator and operand) used appears to be of little consequence to the estimate of bug content beyond that based on SLOC count.
Minimum redundancy array structure for interference cancellation

A special thinned array structure, called the minimum redundancy array (MRA), is proposed for interference cancellation. This array structure has been proven in the past to have advantages in direction finding application. It is shown here that MRA performs better as a canceler than a comparable uniform array structure. Simulation results support this conclusion. >
Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Aspergillosis Syndromes

Both inherited and acquired immunodeficiency and chronic pulmonary disease predispose to the development of a variety of pulmonary syndromes in response to Aspergillus, a fungus that is ubiquitous in the environment. These syndromes include invasive aspergillosis, which is now recognized to occur in patients with critical illness without neutropenia and in those with mild degrees of immunosuppression, including from corticosteroid use in the setting of COPD. Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis includes simple aspergilloma, which is occasionally complicated by life-threatening hemoptysis, and progressive destructive cavitary disease requiring antifungal therapy. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis occurs almost exclusively in patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. Recent advances in each of these syndromes include a greater understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and hosts at risk; improved diagnostic algorithms; and the availability of more effective and well-tolerated therapies. Improvement in outcomes for Aspergillus pulmonary syndromes requires that physicians recognize the varied and sometimes subtle presentations, be aware of populations at risk of illness, and institute potentially life-saving therapies early in the disease course.
Fault-Tolerant and Scalable Key Management for Smart Grid

In this paper, we study the problem of secure key management for smart grid. Since existing key management schemes are not suitable for deployment in smart grid, in this paper, we propose a novel key management scheme which combines symmetric key technique and elliptic curve public key technique. The symmetric key scheme is based on the Needham-Schroeder authentication protocol. We show that the known threats including the man-in-the-middle attack and the replay attack can be effectively eliminated under the proposed scheme. The advantages of the new key management scheme include strong security, scalability, fault-tolerance, accessibility, and efficiency.
Lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in Alzheimer's disease brain: potential causes and consequences involving amyloid beta-peptide-associated free radical oxidative stress.

Abstract Amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) is heavily deposited in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients, and free radical oxidative stress, particularly of neuronal lipids and proteins, is extensive. Recent research suggests that these two observations may be linked by Aβ-induced oxidative stress in AD brain. This review summarizes current knowledge on phospholipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in AD brain, one potential cause of this oxidative stress, and consequences of Aβ-induced lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in AD brain.
Thermal Nitridation of Silicon in Active Nitrogen

The dissociation of N 2 in a microwave discharge has been studied using a gas phase titration between N( 4 S) and NO. SF6 added in small concentrations (20–100 ppm of N 2 ) is shown to be an efficient catalyst for dissociating N 2 . Dissociation fractions [N]/[N 2 ] of 4–5% have been obtained. The studies suggest how the partial pressure of atomic nitrogen can be maximized. These results have been applied to thermal nitridation of Si in active nitrogen. A strong dependence of the film thickness on the partial pressure of atomic nitrogen (P N ) has been shown. In addition to the nitridation rate, the nitrogen fraction [N]/([N] + [O]) also increases with P N .
A nitric oxide synthase transgene ameliorates muscular dystrophy in mdx mice

Dystrophin-deficient muscles experience large reductions in expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which suggests that NO deficiency may influence the dystrophic pathology. Because NO can function as an antiinflammatory and cytoprotective molecule, we propose that the loss of NOS from dystrophic muscle exacerbates muscle inflammation and fiber damage by inflammatory cells. Analysis of transgenic mdx mice that were null mutants for dystrophin, but expressed normal levels of NO in muscle, showed that the normalization of NO production caused large reductions in macrophage concentrations in the mdx muscle. Expression of the NOS transgene in mdx muscle also prevented the majority of muscle membrane injury that is detectable in vivo, and resulted in large decreases in serum creatine kinase concentrations. Furthermore, our data show that mdx muscle macrophages are cytolytic at concentrations that occur in dystrophic, NOS-deficient muscle, but are not cytolytic at concentrations that occur in dystrophic mice that express the NOS transgene in muscle. Finally, our data show that antibody depletions of macrophages from mdx mice cause significant reductions in muscle membrane injury. Together, these findings indicate that macrophages promote injury of dystrophin-deficient muscle, and the loss of normal levels of NO production by dystrophic muscle exacerbates inflammation and membrane injury in muscular dystrophy.
The impact of viewing geometry on material discriminability in hyperspectral images

An increase in the off-nadir viewing angle for an airborne visible/near-infrared through short-wave infrared (VNIR/SWIR) imaging spectrometer leads to a decrease in upward atmospheric transmittance and an increase in line-of-sight scattered path radiance. These effects combine to reduce the spectral contrast between different materials in the sensed signal. The authors analyze the impact of viewing angle on material discriminability for 237 materials over a wide range of conditions. Material discriminability is quantified using a statistical algorithm that employs a subspace model to represent the set of spectra for a material as conditions vary. The authors show that reliable material discrimination is possible over a range of conditions even for large off-nadir viewing angles. They illustrate the performance of material identification over different viewing angles using simulated forest and desert hyperspectral digital imagery collection experiment (HYDICE) images.
Active Scheme to Measure Throughput of Wireless Access Link in Hybrid Wired-Wireless Network

In this letter, we propose an active scheme to measure the download throughput of an IEEE 802.11 wireless access link in a hybrid wired-wireless network. The proposed scheme is based on sending pairs of probing packets to a wireless end host to determine the smallest and average intra-packet gaps of the probing packets that are used for the estimation of the constant dispersion gap that wireless access creates. We present experimental evaluations of the proposed scheme, and the obtained results show that the proposed scheme achieves high measurement accuracy. Furthermore, we show that the proposed scheme is able to work under the presence of cross traffic along the path.
Single session stereotactic radiosurgery boost to the post-operative site in lieu of whole brain radiation in metastatic brain disease

Purpose Whole brain radiation (WBXRT) reduces the incidence of local and distant recurrence following resection of metastatic brain disease but does not prolong life and may entail neurocognitive decline. We employed a novel treatment modality of providing a single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) boost to the surgical resection site to achieve local control without the risk of cognitive effects. Methods We reviewed all patients at our institution that were treated with SRS to the post-operative bed following resection of a metastatic brain deposit. Results There were 32 patients identified (16 F) and median age was 60 years. One lesion was resected in all patients of whom 21 were solitary (eight with two lesions, three with three). Median survival was 16.4 months with a 14 month median follow-up. Factors which improved survival were solitary tumor, age <65 and RPA 1, although none achieved statistical significance. In the Cox multivariate analysis only smaller post-operative treatment volume correlated with survival (P = .04). There were two local recurrences (6.25%) to the surgical site and four patients required SRS for new lesions. Nine patients ultimately required salvage WBXRT (3/21 solitary v. 6/11 multiple lesions, P = .03 χ2), two for local recurrence post resection and seven for diffuse new disease. Conclusion The use of SRS to the surgical site results in local recurrence rates comparable to WBXRT and is associated with excellent survival. Over 70% of patients managed this way were spared WBXRT. The presence of multiple lesions on presentation is predictive of the need for subsequent salvage WBXRT.
AI2O3 Coatings as Diffusion Barriers Deposited from Particulate‐Containing Sol‐Gel Solutions

A procedure for the formation of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} coatings as diffusion barriers between ductile reinforcements (e.g., Nb and Ta) and intermetallic matrices (e.g., MoSi{sub 2} and NiAl) is described. The coating technique involved sol-gel processing of alumina-forming sols with the addition of submicrometer-sized Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles. Cracking in the coatings, a typical shortcoming of alumina sol-gel coating, was overcome by the addition of the fine particles into the sols. The surface charge of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles was adjusted to be the same as the AlO(OH) colloids in the sols and electrophoresis was used to codeposit Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and AlO(OH) onto the surfaces of the reinforcements. The alumina gel derived from the sols acted as a binder for the alumina particles, while the particles reduced the shrinkage of the sol-gel coatings and promoted the formation of dense coatings. The thickness of the coatings could be easily controlled without cracking and the effectiveness of the coatings as diffusion barriers was improved substantially.
Facilitative Affiliation: Nurse-Client Interactions That Enhance Healing

Facilitative affiliation is a new concept developed to capture the essence of effective nurse-client interactions, regardless of the client population or the practice setting. This concept has been synthesized within the theoretical framework of Modeling and Role-Modeling. Defining attributes have been identified as (a) presence, (b) assessment of needs based on the client's self-care knowledge and perceived resources, (c) creative individualized interventions, (d) selective normative disregard, (e) mutual trust, (f) nurturance, and (g) advocacy: Facilitative affiliation is defined as any nurse-client interaction in which the nurse assesses the client's needs based on that individual's self-care knowledge and perceived resources and creates individualized interventions based on those identified needs. The relationship is then characterized by availability, nurturance, and advocacy on the part of the nurse and a sense of mutual trust between the client and the nurse. Several client outcomes have been posited including that of enhanced healing.
Characterization and prediction of subsurface pneumatic response at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Abstract Yucca Mountain, Nevada is being investigated as the proposed site for geologic disposal of the United States' high level nuclear waste. A massive effort to collect data for characterization of the thermo-hydrologic behavior of the unsaturated zone is being conducted at the site. Several boreholes have been instrumented by the United States Geological Survey and the Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office for passive pneumatic monitoring of the subsurface. One-, two- and three-dimensional numerical models are used to simulate the observed subsurface pressure variations. The data are inverted using these models in order to characterize the unsaturated system and estimate the pneumatic diffusivity of important geologic features. Blind predictions of subsurface response and subsequent comparison to recorded data have built confidence in the models of Yucca Mountain. Inversions show that the pneumatic response of the system is dominated by the Paintbrush non-welded unit (PTn). Faults are shown to be fast pathways for gas flow but affect subsurface response only on a relatively local scale. Estimates of the diffusivity of the tuffs that comprise Yucca Mountain range from a low of 0.008 m 2 /s in the non-welded pre-Yucca bedded tuff layer to a high of 4 m 2 /s in the densely welded, fractured Topopah Spring tuff. Estimates of diffusivity in fault zones at Yucca Mountain range between 0.03 m 2 /s and 1500 m 2 /s with the highest being in the Drill Hole Wash fault where it intersects the Topopah Spring tuff.
EFFECT OF ENGLISH, SIBERIAN, AND CHINESE ELMS ON THE ATTACK BEHAVIOR AND BROOD SURVIVAL OF SCOLYTUS MULTISTRIATUS (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE)

Scolytus multistriatus female adults demonstrated a distinct preference for English and Siberian elm over Chinese elm in attacking bolts and establishing egg galleries. Density of attacks appeared related to bark roughness of the exposed bolt. A ranking of elm species suitability for S. multistriatus is thus possible. Some of the females forced to attack Chinese elm died after making nuptial chambers but before establishing egg galleries. Egg production by females was unaffected by attack densities observed, elm species, or the place where the trial was conducted. In the laboratory, survival from egg to adult was lower in Chinese elm than in English or Siberian elm. Ability of the larvae to mine outer bark at high densities is believed to be a response to intraspecific competition and probably enhances survival. The first estimates of subcortical population parameters are presented for this species in North America. Adaptive value of variations in relationships between the beetle and various elm species is discussed.
Sources of Social Information: A Longitudinal Analysis

The degree to which co-workers, supervisors, doctors, instructors, family members, and patients are used to gather information regarding task characteristics was studied over a 3-month period. The influences of information sources changed as nurses and students gained work experience. Differences in information source influence was also found between nurses and student nurses. The findings support the social information processing approach to the study of task characteristics; however, relevant sources of social information should be expanded beyond the influence of co-workers and supervisors.
Ethnic fear: The social construction of insecurity

(1998). Ethnic fear: The social construction of insecurity. Security Studies: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 151-203.
Current Trends in Methods for Neutron Diffusion Calculations

Current work and trends in the application of neutron diffusion theory to reactor design and analysis are reviewed. Specific topics covered include finite difference methods, synthesis methods, nodal calculations, finite element methods, and perturbation theory.
Impact of Daptomycin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) on Outcomes of Patients with Hematologic Malignancies and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Recipients with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) Bloodstream Infection (BSI)

Impact of Daptomycin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) on Outcomes of Patients with Hematologic Malignancies and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Recipients with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) Bloodstream Infection (BSI) Pearlie P. Chong , David van Duin , Ananta Bangdiwala , Anastasia Ivanova , Alan Kerr , David J. Weber , Peter H. Gilligan , Tippu Khan , Thomas C. Shea . 1 Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; 2 Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; 3 Clinical Microbiology/Immunology, McLendon Clinical Laboratories, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC; 4 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; 5 Department of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; 6 Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Division of Medical Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
A Consumer Expenditure Approach to Estimating the Size of the Underground Economy

This research was designed to reveal the magnitude of consumer use of informal suppliers, in order to determine the level of unmeasured or “underground” economic activity in the U.S. economy. The r...
Virus-receptor interaction in poliovirus entry and pathogenesis

Knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of poliovirus has provided insight into many aspects of poliovirus infection. However, the structure alone cannot answer questions about how the virus interacts with the receptor to lead to release of the genome into the cell. Genetic and biochemical analysis of virus mutants are required to understand these steps in infection. The availability of cDNA clones of the poliovirus genome and PVR enables the isolation of virus and PVR mutants that can be used to study early events in infection. The results of these studies, coupled with the resolution of the three-dimensional structure of PVR, and perhaps of a PVR-poliovirus complex, should provide a detailed picture of virus binding, alteration, and uncoating. Viral receptors do not exist solely for the benefit of viruses, but serve a particular function in the cell. The study of virus receptors, therefore, bridges the disciplines of virology and cell biology. Identification of viral receptors may reveal previously unknown cell proteins whose functions can be studied, or might enhance our knowledge of a known protein. As a member of the Ig superfamily of proteins, PVR is likely to have a role in cell adhesion and/or cell-cell communication. It will, therefore, be important to identify a PVR ligand or coreceptor. The study of the expression of PVR and its ligand will provide a basis for understanding the normal function of this protein. Determination of the function of MPH will be facilitated by the analysis of mice containing a targeted disruption of the MPH gene. It is likely that knowledge of the cell function of MPH can also provide information on the interaction of poliovirus with host cells. It has been suggested that virus binding to cell receptors may lead to activation of cell events that lead to disease (69). While there is no evidence that poliovirus affects cells in this way, studying the interaction of MPH with its ligand might provide clues about cell processes that may be activated by poliovirus infection.
Topological Data Analysis Generates High-Resolution, Genome-wide Maps of Human Recombination

Meiotic recombination is a fundamental evolutionary process driving diversity in eukaryotes. In mammals, recombination is known to occur preferentially at specific genomic regions. Using topological data analysis (TDA), a branch of applied topology that extracts global features from large data sets, we developed an efficient method for mapping recombination at fine scales. When compared to standard linkage-based methods, TDA can deal with a larger number of SNPs and genomes without incurring prohibitive computational costs. We applied TDA to 1,000 Genomes Project data and constructed high-resolution whole-genome recombination maps of seven human populations. Our analysis shows that recombination is generally under-represented within transcription start sites. However, the binding sites of specific transcription factors are enriched for sites of recombination. These include transcription factors that regulate the expression of meiosis- and gametogenesis-specific genes, cell cycle progression, and differentiation blockage. Additionally, our analysis identifies an enrichment for sites of recombination at repeat-derived loci matched by piwi-interacting RNAs.
The extinction of topical erythromycin therapy for acne vulgaris and concern for the future of topical clindamycin.

AbstractObjective: This study aims to evaluate changes in topical antibiotic prescribing trends for acne.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data from 1993 to 2012 for all visits in which acne vulgaris was the primary diagnosis.Results: Acne vulgaris represented an estimated 94.5 million (92.3, 96.8) visits during the 20-year study period. Bivariate analysis showed that over time erythromycin use declined (p < 0.001) and clindamycin use rose (p = 0.10). Multivariate analysis showed that the likelihood of erythromycin use declined to near zero (p < 0.001), whereas clindamycin utilization increased (p < 0.05). PubMed searches of “erythromycin AND resistance” and “clindamycin AND resistance” demonstrated increasing publication frequency by year, fit with sigmoidal functions (erythromycin: R2 = 0.93 and clindamycin: R2 = 0.94). Yearly publications consistently exceeded 100 papers for erythromycin and clindamycin resistance in 1983 and 2003, respectively, roughly co...
Nano-based rescue of dysfunctional autophagy in chronic obstructive lung diseases.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: ΔF508-CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) is a common CF-mutation that is known to induce oxidative-inflammatory stress through activation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induces autophagy-impairment resulting in accumulation of CFTR in aggresome-bodies. Cysteamine, the reduced form of cystamine, is a FDA-approved drug that has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and mucolytic properties. This drug has been shown in a recent clinical trial to decrease lung inflammation and improve lung function in CF patients by potentially restoring autophagy and allowing CFTR to be trafficked to the cell membrane.Areas covered: The delivery of cysteamine to airway epithelia of chronic subjects prerequisite the need for a delivery system to allow rescue of dysfunctional autophagy.Expert opinion: We anticipate based on our ongoing studies that PLGA-PEG- or Dendrimer-mediated cysteamine delivery could allow sustained airway delivery over standard cysteamine tablets or delay re...
Value of the oxygenation index during 1-lung ventilation for predicting respiratory complications after thoracic surgery.

Abstract Purpose Thoracic surgery requiring 1-lung ventilation (OLV) is associated with significant postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) due to patient- and surgery-specific risk factors. The aim of this study is to determine whether the oxygenation index (OI) (fraction of inspired oxygen × mean airway pressure/partial pressure of oxygen) during OLV predicts the development of PPC. Materials and methods The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database at the University of Virginia was used to identify all thoracic cases in 2012 to 2014. All subjects requiring OLV and in whom a blood gas was available for analysis were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine whether the OI predicted the development of PPC. Results A total of 296 subjects had OLV with a calculable OI during the study period. Composite PPC were identified in 97 (33%) of subjects. In the PPC group, mortality at 30 days was 7.2%, whereas no deaths were identified in the non-PPC group. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, OI was not predictive of PPC analysis (odds ratio [OR], 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9-1.1; P = .8). The only predictors of mortality were forced expiratory volume (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99; P = .03) and diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99; P = .03). Conclusion The calculated OI during OLV is not predictive of PPC in our sample. Additional studies in a larger cohort of patients are needed to identify intraoperative ventilation parameters during OLV that can predict the risk of PPC.
Persistent Visual Phenomena in Migraine

Ten patients with migraine and persistent positive visual phenomena lasting months to years are reported from the University of Pennsylvania, Scheie Eye Institute, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and the Cleveland Clinic, OH.
Effect of exchange-correlation functionals on the density functional theory simulation of phase transformation of fast-ion conductors: A case study in the Li garnet oxide Li7La3Zr2O12

Abstract The phase transformation of a fast-ion conductor Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZ) upon heating was investigated using first-principle molecular dynamics by applying the local density approximation (LDA) and thirteen generalized gradient approximations (GGA) of the electron exchange and correlation (XC) energy functionals within the density-functional theory (DFT) framework. It was found that some functionals in the selected group failed to predict the phase transformation behavior while others predicted too large or small lattice volumes. Of the fourteen, three functional types, PBEsol, SOGGA, and PBE2, exhibited behaviors consistent with the tetragonal to cubic phase transformation upon heating and they were able to reproduce crystallite volumes within 1.5% of the experimental values. The correlation of XC functional forms and their accuracy in predicting materials properties was discussed.
Response of human epidermis to graded thermal stress. A morphologic comparison of burns, cold-induced blisters, and pemphigus vulgaris.

(1965). Response of Human Epidermis to Graded Thermal Stress. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 498-507.
Prostate cancer loses when androgen receptor can’t stick the landing

A small-molecule inhibitor blocks the interaction of the androgen receptor with DNA to target drug-resistant prostate cancer.
Evolution of Civilizations

This chapter explains how human societies have developed over time; and how the movement from one civilization to another has caused each society to go through a difficult transitional period. Every time, a new society with a different culture and a new economy has emerged, causing the history of the previous civilization and its historical logic to end. In addition, the chapter develops the “societal processes of change,” the sociocultural, political, economic and infomedia processes, as tools with which to analyze past, present and future change and transformation. As these processes have become mechanisms through which societal change is introduced and managed, they have caused the roles of all other players to diminish.
Patterns and predictors of pain following lung transplantation.

Abstract Objective Our objective was to examine variability in pain levels following lung transplantation, and examine individual biopsychosocial factors influencing changes in pain. Method We performed a retrospective study of a cohort of 150 patients transplanted and discharged from Duke University Hospital between January 2015 and September 2016. During hospitalization and at clinic visits up to two months after discharge, subjective pain ratings were obtained using a 0–10 Numeric Rating Scale. Psychiatric diagnoses of anxiety and depression and Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression (CES-D) scores collected after hospital discharge were examined as predictors of post-surgery pain. Medical and surgical variables were examined as covariates. Results During hospitalization, pain ratings decreased over time (p Conclusion We conclude that patients with psychiatric comorbidities may be at risk for greater pain, and may require additional strategies for more effective pain management.
Conservation of three historic forest landscapes in the New York metropolitan area

Conservation of historic forest landscapes at national historic sites involves maintaining and replacing the historic trees as well as removing modern trees. Tree stem inventories in 1995 and 2013 are compared to assess conservation efforts for the historic forest landscapes of three U.S. National Historic Sites located in the New York metropolitan area: Glenmont of Thomas Edison; Sagamore Hill; and Vanderbilt Mansion. The terms alien tree taxa and native tree taxa are defined in regard to the eastern United States. Among the three historic forest landscapes there are 77 alien tree taxa, but only Abies nordmanniana, Acer palmatum, Acer platanoides, Aesculus hippocastanum, Fagus sylvatica, and Magnolia × soulangeana are present in Glenmont, Sagamore Hill, and Vanderbilt Mansion. Of the 56 native tree taxa, there are 15 species common to the three historic forest landscapes. Paired t-tests (P ≤ 0.05) of taxa stem counts from the 1995 and 2013 inventories reveal the alien and native tree stems for historic and modern trees declined significantly at Sagamore Hill. Both alien and native historic tree stems decreased significantly at Glenmont. Only alien historic tree stems were significantly smaller at Vanderbilt Mansion. Differences in forest landscape management efforts among the national historic sites provide explanations for the significant decreases in alien and native trees at Glenmont, Sagamore Hill, and Vanderbilt Mansion.
OPTIMAL TR-BAND WEANING STRATEGY WHILE MINIMIZING VASCULAR ACCESS SITE COMPLICATIONS

Transradial cardiac catheterization is increasing in the United States due to the advantages of less access site complications and patient preference. A compression device is most commonly used to achieve hemostasis following sheath removal, however the optimal weaning strategy to expedite TR-band
Wellenpaket für ein freies Teilchen

Nachdem wir nun die Uberlagerung einiger diskreter ebener Wellen untersucht haben, wollen wir den allgemeineren Fall einer Uberlagerung ebener Wellen E^ (I k x) mit Wellenzahlen k aus einem kontinuierlichen Spektrum betrachten. Als einfaches, aber lehrreiches Beispiel betrachten wir eine Gaussche Spektralverteilung, die fur alle {k,-Infinity, Infinity} durch $$phi[k\_] = (Piw) \wedge ( - 1/4)E \wedge ( - k \wedge 2/(2w))\frac{1}{{\mathop {k/(2w)}\limits_E^2 \mathop {(Piw)}\nolimits^{1/4} }}$$ gegeben ist. Diese Funktion ist gemas $$ \ll Quantum'{\mathop{\rm int}} egGauss'{\mathop{\rm int}} egGauss[phi[k] \wedge 2,\left\{ {k, - Infinity,Infinity\left. {} \right\}} \right.]$$ normiert. Die Funktion integGauss enthalt eine kurze Liste unserer eigenen Regeln zur Berechnung von Integralen, die Gaus-Funktionen und Potenzen enthalten.
Experimenting Communities in Stem Cell Biology: Exemplars and Interdisciplinarity

This essay uses three case studies to illustrate the importance of experimenting communities in stem cell biology. An experimenting community is a collection of scientific groups that together produce knowledge using experimental methods. Three such methods, each an exemplar for stem cell biology, reveal the structure and significance of experimenting communities in stem cell research: the spleen colony assay, embryonic stem cell lines, and systems models. Together, these case studies show that (1) stem cell research progresses via multiple, diverse models and comparisons among them; (2) the spleen colony assay and embryonic stem cell lines have a special status in this field, as hubs of experimental networks; (3) hierarchical cell lineage models are a unifying framework for stem cell biology today; and (4) another general model of development, Waddington’s landscape, can help merge stem cell and systems biology into a new, expanded, experimenting community.
The Role of Standards in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

In the evolution of a basis for quantitative compositional analysis in an instrumental technique, the development of standards plays a critical role. For techniques which utilize a primary beam of radiation to excite secondary radiation which is characteristic of the sample composition, the measured signal intensity i for a constituent x is a complex function of C, the atomic concentration, specimen parameters (that is, matrix effects M), and instrument parameters I: $${\rm{i = f}}\left( {{\rm{C,M,I}}} \right).$$ (1) If the interactions of the primary and secondary radiation with the sample and the secondary radiation with the measuring instrument can be accurately described, then i could be measured and C calculated directly. Unfortunately, it is rare in any of the instrumental analysis techniques to obtain such complete characterization of the matrix and instrumental factors, and this is particularly true for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). In SIMS the secondary ion signals are strongly affected by the electronic character of the matrix [1], by modifications of the matrix due to implantation of the primary ions [2], by adsorbed atoms on the sample surface [3], and in crystalline samples, by effects of crystal orientation [4]. To complicate further this situation, the collection, transmission, and detection efficiencies of the mass spectrometer are not uniform with mass and may be difficult to measure or calculate accurately.