7,391 research outputs found
Planning for the mobile library: a strategy for managing innovation and transformation at the University of Glasgow Library
Modern mobile devices have powerful features that are transforming access to information. Lippincott argues that as mobile devices such as smartphones become âkey information devicesâ for our users, libraries will want to have a significant presence in offering content and services that are suitable for this medium. This article outlines the process of development and implementation of a mobile strategy at the University of Glasgow Library. What began as an investigation into a mobile interface to the library catalogue evolved into a comprehensive strategic review of how we deliver services now and in the future in this rapidly changing mobile environment
PPARα contributes to protection against metabolic and inflammatory derangements associated with acute kidney injury in experimental sepsis
Abstract Sepsisâassociated acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant problem in critically ill children and adults resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Fundamental mechanisms contributing to sepsisâassociated AKI are poorly understood. Previous research has demonstrated that peroxisome proliferatorâactivated receptor α (PPARα) expression is associated with reduced organ system failure in sepsis. Using an experimental model of polymicrobial sepsis, we demonstrate that mice deficient in PPARα have worse kidney function, which is likely related to reduced fatty acid oxidation and increased inflammation. Ultrastructural evaluation with electron microscopy reveals that the proximal convoluted tubule is specifically injured in septic PPARα deficient mice. In this experimental group, serum metabolomic analysis reveals unanticipated metabolic derangements in tryptophanâkynurenineâNAD+ and pantothenate pathways. We also show that a subgroup of children with sepsis whose genomeâwide expression profiles are characterized by repression of the PPARα signaling pathway has increased incidence of severe AKI. These findings point toward interesting associations between sepsisâassociated AKI and PPARαâdriven fatty acid metabolism that merit further investigation
DNA repair biomarkers XPF and phospho-MAPKAP kinase 2 correlate with clinical outcome in advanced head and neck cancer.
BackgroundInduction chemotherapy is a common therapeutic option for patients with locoregionally-advanced head and neck cancer (HNC), but it remains unclear which patients will benefit. In this study, we searched for biomarkers predicting the response of patients with locoregionally-advanced HNC to induction chemotherapy by evaluating the expression pattern of DNA repair proteins.MethodsExpression of a panel of DNA-repair proteins in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded specimens from a cohort of 37 HNC patients undergoing platinum-based induction chemotherapy prior to definitive chemoradiation were analyzed using quantitative immunohistochemistry.ResultsWe found that XPF (an ERCC1 binding partner) and phospho-MAPKAP Kinase 2 (pMK2) are novel biomarkers for HNSCC patients undergoing platinum-based induction chemotherapy. Low XPF expression in HNSCC patients is associated with better response to induction chemoradiotherapy, while high XPF expression correlates with a worse response (pâ=â0.02). Furthermore, low pMK2 expression was found to correlate significantly with overall survival after induction plus chemoradiation therapy (pâ=â0.01), suggesting that pMK2 may relate to chemoradiation therapy.ConclusionsWe identified XPF and pMK2 as novel DNA-repair biomarkers for locoregionally-advanced HNC patients undergoing platinum-based induction chemotherapy prior to definitive chemoradiation. Our study provides insights for the use of DNA repair biomarkers in personalized diagnostics strategies. Further validation in a larger cohort is indicated
Search for Higher Flavor Multiplets in Partial Wave Analyses
The possible existence of higher multi-quark flavor multiplets of baryons is
investigated. We argue that the S-matrix should have poles with any quantum
numbers, including those which are exotic. This argument provides a novel
justification for the existence of hadrons with arbitrary exotic structure.
Though it does not constitute a proof, there are still no theoretical arguments
against exotics. We then consider KN and piN scattering. Conventional and
modified partial-wave analyses provide several sets of candidates for
correlated pairs (Theta1, Delta), each of which could label a related 27-plet.
Properties of the pairs (masses, mass orderings, spin-parity quantum numbers)
do not quite correspond to the current theoretical expectations. Decay widths
of the candidates are either wider or narrower than expected. Possible reasons
for such disagreements are briefly discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure; v2: references corrected; v3: minor changes, to
appear in Eur.Phys.J.
The Pediatric Sepsis Biomarker Risk Model (PERSEVERE) Biomarkers Predict Clinical Deterioration and Mortality in Immunocompromised Children Evaluated for Infection
Pediatric sepsis and bacterial infection cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, with immunocompromised patients being at particularly high risk of rapid deterioration and death. This study evaluated if PERSEVERE, PERSEVERE-II, or the PERSEVERE biomarkers, can reliably estimate the risk of clinical deterioration and 28-day mortality among immunocompromised pediatric patients. This is a single-center prospective cohort study conducted from July 2016 through September 2017 incorporating 400 episodes of suspected bacterial infection from the inpatient units at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, a large, tertiary care children's hospital. The primary analysis assessed clinical deterioration within 72âhours of evaluation for infection. Secondarily, we assessed 28-day mortality. Clinical deterioration was seen in 15% of subjects. Twenty-eight day mortality was 5%, but significantly higher among critically ill patients. Neither PERSEVERE nor PERSEVERE-II performed well to predict clinical deterioration or 28-day mortality, thus we derived new stratification models using the PERSEVERE biomarkers with both high sensitivity and negative predictive value. In conclusion, we evaluated previously validated biomarker risk models in a novel population of largely non-critically ill immunocompromised pediatric patients, and attempted to stratify patients based on a new outcome metric, clinical deterioration. The new highly predictive models indicate common physiologic pathways to clinical deterioration or death from bacterial infection
An Application Of A Hydrostatic Pressure Lift System For Control Of Variable Thrust Loads.
LecturePg. 27-32Thrust bearing failures on older equipment, especially large steam turbines, can be costly problems to remedy. A unique solution to a steam turbine thrust bearing problem that confronted Southern California Edison (SCE) is examined. The prohibitive cost of correcting the problem had forced SCE to consider mothballing the turbine. An evaluation of the situation by experts in the area of thrust bearing design produced a cost effective solution-a hydrostatic assisted thrust bearing design. The solution was implemented, and the results have proven satisfactory
Post-Foucauldian governmentality: what does it offer critical social policy analysis?
This article considers the theoretical perspective of post-Foucauldian governmentality, especially the insights and challenges it poses for applied researchers within the critical social policy tradition. The article firstly examines the analytical strengths of this approach to understanding power and rule in contemporary society, before moving on to consider its limitations for social policy. It concludes by arguing that these insights can be retained, and some of the weaknesses overcome, by adopting a ârealist governmentalityâ approach (Stenson 2005, 2008). This advocates combining traditional discursive analysis with more ethnographic methods in order to render visible the concrete activity of governing, and unravel the messiness, complexity and unintended consequences involved in the struggles around subjectivity
Annihilation-Gamma-based Diagnostic Techniques for Magnetically Confined Electron-Positron Pair Plasma
Efforts are underway to magnetically confine electron--positron pair plasmas
to study their unique behavior, which is characterized by significant changes
in plasma time and length scales, supported waves, and unstable modes. However,
use of conventional plasma diagnostics presents challenges with these
low-density and annihilating matter-antimatter plasma. To address this problem,
we propose to develop techniques based on the distinct emission provided by
annihilation. This emission exhibits two spatial correlations: the distance
attenuation of isotropic sources and the back-to-back propagation of
momentum-preserving 2- annihilation. We present the results of our
analysis of the emission rate and the spatial profile of the
annihilation in a magnetized pair plasma from direct pair collisions, from the
formation and decay of positronium, as well as from transport processes. In
order to demonstrate the effectiveness of annihilation-based techniques, we
tested them on annular emission profiles produced by a
radioisotope on a rotating turntable. Direct and positronium-mediated
annihilation result in overlapping volumetric sources, and the
2- emission from these volumetric sources can be tomographically
reconstructed from coincident counts in multiple detectors. Transport processes
result in localized annihilation where field lines intersect walls, limiters,
or internal magnets. These localized sources can be identified by the
fractional counts on spatially distributed detectors.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables, contribution to the 13th
International Workshop on Non-Neutral Plasma
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Search for strongly interacting massive particles generating trackless jets in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV
A search for dark matter in the form of strongly interacting massive particles (SIMPs) using the CMS detector at the LHC is presented. The SIMPs would be produced in pairs that manifest themselves as pairs of jets without tracks. The energy fraction of jets carried by charged particles is used as a key discriminator to suppress efficiently the large multijet background, and the remaining background is estimated directly from data. The search is performed using proton–proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 16.1fb−1, collected with the CMS detector in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed above the expected background. For the simplified dark matter model under consideration, SIMPs with masses up to 100GeV are excluded and further sensitivity is explored towards higher masses.</p
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