Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clarifying the Use of Formative Measurement in the IS Discipline: The Case of Computer Self-Efficacy

The spirited nature of the Marakas et al. reply speaks volumes about the importance of continuing the debate on how best to measure computer self-efficacy (CSE), as well as on the proper application of formative measurement in the IS discipline. While we believe that formative measurement can be appropriately applied in very specific situations, we also continue to witness the misapplication of formative measurement in our discipline, including (in our opinion) the formative specification of CSE. We believe the potential exists (given the natural constraints of time) for researchers in any discipline to necessarily rely on oft-cited papers when drawing conclusions on how to properly employ formative measures. In preparing our original comment on Marakas et al. (2007), we reviewed more than three decades’ worth of work on formative measurement, and when conflicting opinions were discovered, looked to well-known psychological methods experts for clarification. Given the large quantity of methodological work that has spanned multiple disciplines across extended periods of time, we believe synthesizing this research—and applying it to the particular context of CSE in the information systems discipline—can help us better understand not only CSE, but also formative measurements in general. Such an understanding allows us to appropriately and systematically advance knowledge in our discipline.
Co‐option and dissociation in larval origins and evolution: the sea urchin larval gut

SUMMARY The origin of marine invertebrate larvae has been an area of controversy in developmental evolution for over a century. Here, we address the question of whether a pelagic “larval” or benthic “adult” morphology originated first in metazoan lineages by testing the hypothesis that particular gene co‐option patterns will be associated with the origin of feeding, indirect developing larval forms. Empirical evidence bearing on this hypothesis is derivable from gene expression studies of the sea urchin larval gut of two closely related but differently developing congenerics, Heliocidaris tuberculata (feeding indirect‐developing larva) and H. erythrogramma (nonfeeding direct developer), given two subsidiary hypotheses. (1) If larval gut gene expression in H. tuberculata was co‐opted from an ancestral adult expression pattern, then the gut expression pattern will remain in adult H. erythrogramma despite its direct development. (2) Genes expressed in the larval gut of H. tuberculata will not have a coordinated expression pattern in H. erythrogramma larvae due to loss of a functional gut. Five structural genes expressed in the invaginating archenteron of H. tuberculata during gastrulation exhibit substantially different expression patterns in H. erythrogramma with only one remaining endoderm specific. Expression of these genes in the adult of H. erythrogramma and larval gut of H. tuberculata, but not in H. erythrogramma larval endoderm, supports the hypothesis that they first played roles in the formation of adult structures and were subsequently recruited into larval ontogeny during the origin and evolution of feeding planktotrophic deuterostome larvae.
Deficiency of peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharide components in Rickettsia tsutsugamushi

Analyses of chemical composition in whole cells of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi were performed and compared with those of the other rickettsiae and gram-negative bacteria. The results indicated that R. tsutsugamushi does not contain detectable amounts of 3-deoxy-D-mannooctulosonic acid, heptose, muramic acid, or glucosamine (less than 2, less than 2, less than 3, and less than 3 nmol/mg, respectively). The microorganism was found to contain four kinds of fatty acids (16:0, 18:0, 18:1, and 18:2), but not hydroxy fatty acids. Furthermore, in analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver or Coomassie blue staining, lipopolysaccharide bands were not detected in preparations treated with proteinase K. It is concluded that R. tsutsugamushi has little or no peptidoglycan or lipopolysaccharide.
Effects of Extracorporeal Circulation on Renal Function in Coronary Surgical Patients

We prospectively studied perioperative changes of renal function in 12 previously normal patients (plasma creatinine <1.5 mg/dL) scheduled for elective coronary surgery. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) were measured with inulin and125 I-hippuran clearances before induction of anesthesia, before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), during hypo- and normothermic CPB, after sternal closure, and 1 h postoperatively. Renal and systemic vascular resistances were calculated. Urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and plasma and urine electrolytes were measured, and free water, osmolal, and creatinine clearances, and fractional excretion of sodium and potassium were calculated before and after surgery.125 I-hippuran clearance was lower than normal in all patients before surgery. During hypothermic CPB, ERPF increased significantly (from 261 +/- 107 to 413 +/- 261 mL/min) and returned toward baseline values during normothermia. GFR was normal before and after surgery and decreased nonsignificantly during CPB. Filtration fraction was above normal before surgery and decreased significantly during CPB (0.38 +/- 0.09 to 0.18 +/- 0.06). Renal vascular resistance (RVR) was high before surgery and further increased after sternotomy (from 18,086 +/- 6849 to 30,070 +/- 24,427 dynes centered dot s centered dot cm-5), decreasing during CPB to 13,9647 +/- 14,662 dynes centered dot s centered dot cm-5. Urine NAG, creatinine, and free water clearances were normal in all patients both pre- and postoperatively. Osmolal clearance and fractional excretion of sodium increased postoperatively from 1.54 +/- 0.06 to 12.47 +/- 11.37 mL/min, and from 0.44 +/- 0.3 to 6.07 +/- 6.27, respectively. We conclude that renal function does not seem to be adversely affected by CPB. Significant functional alterations, such as decreased ERPF and increased RVR, were found before and during surgery, preceding CPB. These periods could contribute to postoperative renal dysfunction. (Anesth Analg 1995;81:446-51)
Assessing Information Security Risks using Pairwise Weighting

In practice, assessing information security risks is difficult since available methods lack specificity on how to perform the assessments as well as what input should be used. Thus, the process becomes resource demanding with fairly large rater-dependency. An established way of facilitating rating processes is to weight objects against each other, rather than rating each object independently on an absolute scale. In this paper, we investigate whether such a method, inspired by the Analytic Hierarchy Process, can be useful for assessing information security risks. However, the new method did not result in higher inter-rater reliability or lower cognitive load. This result was true both for experts and non-experts, as well as among raters with different cognitive styles.
The roles of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Pol protein and the primer binding site in the placement of primer tRNA(3Lys) onto viral genomic RNA

Factors that modulate the placement of primer tRNA(3Lys) onto the viral RNA genome in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were investigated through analysis of reverse-transcribed products that are extended from the tRNA(3Lys) primer. Mutations were introduced into the HIV-1 pol gene to result in the appearance of a stop codon in the open reading frame of the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene. These constructs, BH10-RT1 and BH10-RT2, yielded viruses with truncated Pol proteins. Alternatively, we altered the sequences involved in frameshifting by generating the construct BH10-FS. With each of these mutated viruses, we found that the primer tRNA(3Lys) that was placed onto viral genomic RNA was present in an unextended state. In contrast, as expected, tRNA(3Lys) in the case of wild-type BH10 virus had been extended by 2 bases. Furthermore, the amount of tRNA(3Lys) that was placed onto viral RNA in mutated viruses was significantly less than that placed in the wild-type virus. We also generated a mutant within the polymerase-active site of RT (D185H) (Asp-->His) that eliminated RT polymerase activity. We found that the placement of primer tRNA(3Lys) onto viral genomic RNA was independent of enzyme function; however, the tRNA(3Lys) that was placed was present in an unextended state due to the loss of RT activity. In contrast, the elimination of protease activity through a D25A (Asp-->Ala) point mutation in the protease-active site (construct BH10-PR) did cause a drop in the efficiency of tRNA(3Lys) placement. In this situation, a proportion of the placed tRNA(3Lys) was found to be extended by 2 bases, although not to the extent found with wild-type virus (BH10), due to a decrease in RT activity associated with unprocessed Gag-Pol protein that could not be cleaved because of the loss of protease activity. We also investigated the role of the primer binding site (PBS) in the placement of tRNA(3Lys) through a series of 2-, 4-, and 8-nucleotide (nt) deletions at the 3' end of the PBS, i.e., BH10-PBS2, BH10-PBS4, and BH10-PBS8, respectively. In mutated viruses BH10-PBS2 and BH10-PBS4, the 2-base-extended form of tRNA(3Lys) was still detected. However, less primer tRNA(3Lys) was placed onto viral genomic RNA as more nucleotides were deleted until the percentage of placement seen with wild-type BH10 virus dropped to only 4% in the virus with 8 nt deleted (BH10-PBS8). Consistently, these mutated viruses possessed decreased initial replication capacity compared with that of the wild-type virus, with the extent of incapacity corresponding to the size of the deletion. However, after several days, an increase in replication potential was accompanied by a reversion to a wild-type PBS.
Probiotics for prevention of Clostridium difficile infection

Purpose of review Probiotics may prevent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), a leading healthcare-associated infection in the United States. However, prior studies were limited by heterogeneity in products and patient populations. Recent clinical evidence and new approaches to probiotic development are reviewed. Recent findings Probiotic use may reduce incident CDI in high-risk populations by as much as 50%, though prior clinical trials have yielded conflicting results. Combining probiotics with prebiotics improves growth and engraftment in the host. Bacillus clausii and Lactobacillus reuteri secrete compounds that directly inhibit C. difficile. Organisms that produce secondary bile acids, such as Clostridium scindens, enhance C. difficile colonization resistance. Nontoxigenic C. difficile, which provides nutritional niche competition, may prevent CDI. Refinements to fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) blur the line between probiotics and FMT. These include a quality-controlled stool product (RBX2660), purified Firmicutes spores (SER-109) and sterile fecal filtrate. Bacteriophages may treat CDI but have unknown safety and efficacy in humans. Summary There have been a number of advances in probiotics and our understanding of their role in prevention of CDI, but a number of important safety and efficacy questions remain. An improved understanding of the native microbiota structure and function will allow for continued development of rationally designed probiotic therapy to provide enhanced protection against CDI.
Susceptibility of Ocular Tissues to Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract: The orbital tissues may form a unique immunological environment, as evidenced by autoimmune disorders that specifically target orbital tissues, particularly myasthenia gravis (MG) and Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). The reasons for the preferential susceptibility are likely to be multiple, based on the interplay of molecular and physiological properties of extraocular muscles (EOM), the unique requirements of the ocular motor system, and the specific autoimmune pathology. Of general importance, even a minor loss of EOM force generation will sufficiently misalign the visual axes to produce dramatic symptoms, and proprioceptive feedback is limited to overcome such a deficit. Particular to MG, EOM synapses appear susceptible to neuromuscular blockade, the autoimmune pathology differs between ocular and generalized MG patients, and the influence of complement regulatory factors may be less prominent in preventing damage at EOM neuromuscular junctions. GO pathogenesis is poorly understood, but shared epitopes of orbital fibroblasts, EOM, and thyroid could lead to specific autoimmune targeting of these tissues. The differential response of orbital fibroblasts to cytokines may be a key factor in disease development. Greater appreciation of the immunologic environment of orbital tissues may lead to therapies specifically designed for orbital autoimmune diseases.
Human papillomavirus genotype spectrum in Czech women: Correlation of HPV DNA presence with antibodies against HPV‐16, 18, and 33 virus‐like particles

Because the biological spectrum of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes present in cervical cancer lesions varies according to the geographical region studied, and because little genotype information is available for Central and Eastern European countries, we studied the endemic HPV‐genotype spectrum in cervical samples collected from women visiting gynaecological departments of selected hospitals in the Czech Republic. In a series of 389 samples, 171 (44.0%) were positive for HPV DNA using a consensus‐primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Genotyping of the HPV PCR products was done using dot‐blot hybridisation with type‐specific oligonucleotide probes and thermocycle DNA sequencing. Twenty‐two different HPV types were detected, HPV‐16 being the most prevalent type irrespective of severity of the lesions (55.0%). Multiple HPV types were found in 16.4% of our HPV‐DNA‐positive samples. The prevalence of HPV infection was 23.0% in women with normal findings and 59.4% in patients with cervical neoplasia, and increased significantly with the severity of the disease: 52.9% in low‐grade lesions, 58.0% in high‐grade lesions, and 73.5% in cervical carcinomas (P for trend < .00001). In the sera of 191 subjects, 89 with normal findings and 102 with different forms of cervical neoplasia, the prevalence of HPV‐specific IgG antibodies was tested by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using virus‐like particles (VLPs) of HPV‐16, ‐18, and ‐33. Antibodies were significantly more prevalent in HPV‐DNA‐positive than in HPV‐DNA‐negative women and there was no association with age. In agreement with the results of HPV genotyping, antibodies reactive with HPV‐16 VLPs were the most frequent and, moreover, their prevalence increased with the cervical lesion severity. About half of the subjects with smears in which either HPV‐16 or HPV‐33 DNA had been detected possessed antibodies reactive with homotypic VLPs. With HPV‐18‐DNA‐positive subjects, however, fewer than 25% displayed homotypic antibodies. In general, subjects older than 30 years of age had antibodies reactive to HPV‐specific VLPs more often than subjects younger than 30 years of age. In women with benign findings, the seropositivity to HPV‐16, ‐18, and ‐33 VLPs increased with age, whereas in women with cervical neoplasia the seropositivity decreased with age. J. Med. Virol. 58:378–386, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nongenomic signaling pathways triggered by thyroid hormones and their metabolite 3‐iodothyronamine on the cardiovascular system

Thyroid hormones play a wide range of important physiological activities in almost all organism. As changes in these hormones levels—observed in hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism—promote serious derangements of the cardiovascular system, it is important to know their mechanisms of action. Although the classic genomic actions which are dependent on interaction with nuclear receptors to modulate cardiac myocytes genes expression, there is growing evidence about T3 and T4‐triggered nongenomic pathways, resulted from their binding to plasma membrane, cytoplasm, or mitocondrial receptors that leads to a rapidly regulation of cardiac functions. Interestingly both actions converge to amplify thyroid hormone effects on cardiovascular system. T3 and T4 nongenomic actions modify inotropic and chronotropic effects, cardiac action potential duration, cardiac growth, and myocyte shape by protein translation through protein kinases‐dependent signaling cascades, which include PKA, PKC, PI3K, and MAPK, and changes on ion channels and pumps activity. In respect to the decreased systemic vascular resistance seen in hyperthyroidism, T3 appears to activate NOS or ATP‐sensitive K+ channels. In addition, a novel biologically active T4‐derived metabolite has been described, 3‐iodothyronamine, T1AM, which also acts through membrane receptors to mediate nongenomic cardiac effects. This metabolite influences the physiological manifestations of thyroid hormone actions by inducing opposite effects from those stimulated by T3 and T4, such as negative inotropic and chronotropic effects. Therefore, beyond genomic and nongenomic effects of thyroid hormones, it is crucial for there to be an equilibrium between T3 or T4 and T1AM levels for maintaining cardiac homeostasis. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 21–28, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical Study of Platelet Function and Coagulation/ Fibrinolysis With Duraflo II Heparin Coated Cardiopulmonary Bypass Equipment

This clinical study was performed to evaluate the effects of Duraflo II heparin coated cardiopulmonary bypass equipment on platelet and coagulationsol;fibrinolysis activation. Twenty-four patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were assigned to two groups using either heparin coated (Duraflo group, n=13) or uncoated equipment (control group, n=11). In the Duraflo group, the cardiotomy reservoir was also coated with heparin. Standard systemic heparinization was performed in both groups. There were no significant differences in activated clotting times or plasma free hemoglobin concentrations between the two groups. Platelet loss and platelet activation, as measured by increases in plasma β-thromboglobulin (β-TG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4), in the Duraflo group (β-TG:237 ± 143 ngsol;ml, PF4:167 ±104 ngsol;ml at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass) were less than those in the control group (β-TG:373 ±131 ngsol;ml, PF4:295 ±131 ngsol;ml at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass). No significant differences were found in thrombinantithrombin III complex levels or α2 plasmin inhibitorplasmin complex levels between the groups. Therefore, the use of Duraflo II heparin coated equipment with a heparin coated cardiotomy reservoir suppressed platelet activation.
Ventricular Assistance with a Centrifugal Pump

entricular assistance may salvage viable myocardium after a severse ischemic insult. The effects of myocardial ischemia have been studied extensively over the last twenty-five years. The concept of an &dquo;all or none&dquo; phenomena of myocyte necrosis has been replaced by the concept of a gradation of injury. The resultant functional and structural changes are dependent on the duration of the coronary occlusion, the number of collateral vessels, the metabolic and hemodynamic conditions during which the myocardium is made ischemic, and the timing and nature of reperfusion. Early studies established the timing of cell death after coronary ligation in an acute canine model. Jennings and Reimer [1] ligated the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery in dogs for periods ranging from 5 to 60 minutes followed by reperfusion for 3 to 5 days. They examined the posterior papillary muscle for the extent of myocyte necrosis. With prolonged periods of occlusion, greater proportions of the papillary muscle were necrotic. In dogs subjected to less than fifteen minutes of occlusion followed by reperfusion there was no evidence of necrosis. They also examined the effects of collateral blood flow. In dogs subjected
Biomechanical Testing of the Lumbar Facet Interference Screw

Study Design. An in vitro study was conducted to determine the biomechanical properties of a new simple, percutaneous, posterior fixation technique for the lumbar spine involving a new implant, the so-called Lumbar Facet Interference Screw. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties of this new fixation device with translaminar and pedicle screw fixation. Summary of Background Data. Several techniques were described to perform a minimal invasive posterior stabilization of the lumbar spine after an anterior lumbar interbody fusion procedure. Yet, due to the high complexity of these minimally invasive surgical procedures, currently, hardly any of these percutaneous posterior fixation techniques is carried out routinely. Methods. Ten human lumbar spines were tested in flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending using a nonconstrained testing method. First, all motion segments were evaluated intact (group 1). After complete discectomy of L4–L5, the following stabilization techniques were tested sequentially (n = 10/group): group 2: “stand-alone” cage; group 3: cage plus translaminar screws; group 4: cage plus Lumbar Facet Interference Screw; and group 5: cage plus pedicle screws. Stiffness, ranges of motion, and neutral and elastic zones were determined. Results. In comparison to the intact motion segment, the “stand-alone” cage showed a significantly higher (P < 0.05) range of motion, neutral zone, and elastic zone and a significantly lower (P < 0.05) stiffness in extension and rotation. Generally, all fixation techniques using cages plus posterior stabilization decreased range of motion, neutral zone, and elastic zone and increased stiffness in comparison to the “stand-alone” cage group. There was no significant difference between the cage plus interference screw and the cage plus translaminar screw group in all test modes. In comparison to the 2 facet joint stabilization techniques, pedicle screw stabilization decreased (P < 0.01) range of motion, neutral zone, and elastic zone and increased (P < 0.01) stiffness significantly in flexion and rotation. Conclusions. Results of this study indicate that the new Lumbar Facet Interference Screw fixation yields initial biomechanical stability similar to translaminar screw fixation, yet inferior biomechanical stability compared to pedicle screw fixation. Although these results are encouraging, additional biomechanical studies including cyclic loading tests have to evaluate the mid- and long-term stabilization capacity of this new minimally invasive fixation technique before human application.
An attempt to measure psychological distance in advantaged and disadvantaged children.

The psychological distance of groups of advantaged and disadvantaged children was measured with a psychological distance board (PDB) and a modified version of the Make-A-Picture Story (MAPS) technique. The PDB called for Ss replacing combinations of pairs of figures differing in social or nonsocial value on a felt-covered board. The MAPS procedure permitted Ss to choose figures and scenes differing in their advantageddisadvantaged characterizations and to place them wherever they preferred. Disadvantaged children are more variable in their distance responses than advantaged children and consistently place farther apart all classes of social stimuli but not neutral stimuli. On the MAPS there are again greater distance responses for disadvantaged children in their placements of disadvantaged figures. The themes of disadvantaged children's stories, however, are more affiliative, suggesting a conflict in the establishment of optimal psychological distance.