Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
on Information Systems Failures and Successes : Status Update and Future Directions

Information systems success and failure are among the most prominent streams in IS research. Explanations of why some IS fulfill their expectations, whereas others fail, are complex and multi-factorial. Despite the efforts to understand the underlying factors, the IS failure rate remains stubbornly high. A Panel session was held at the IFIP Working Group 8.6 conference in Bangalore in 2013 which forms the subject of this Special Issue. Its aim was to reflect on the need for new perspectives and research directions, to provide insights and further guidance for managers on factors enabling IS success and avoiding IS failure. Several key issues emerged, such as the need to study problems from multiple perspectives, to move beyond narrow considerations of the IT artifact, and to venture into underexplored organizational contexts, such as the public sector.
Novel quantitative assessment of metamorphopsia in maculopathy.

PURPOSE Patients with macular disease often report experiencing metamorphopsia (visual distortion). Although typically measured with Amsler charts, more quantitative assessments of perceived distortion are desirable to effectively monitor the presence, progression, and remediation of visual impairment. METHODS Participants with binocular (n = 33) and monocular (n = 50) maculopathy across seven disease groups, and control participants (n = 10) with no identifiable retinal disease completed a modified Amsler grid assessment (presented on a computer screen with eye tracking to ensure fixation compliance) and two novel assessments to measure metamorphopsia in the central 5° of visual field. A total of 81% (67/83) of participants completed a hyperacuity task where they aligned eight dots in the shape of a square, and 64% (32/50) of participants with monocular distortion completed a spatial alignment task using dichoptic stimuli. Ten controls completed all tasks. RESULTS Horizontal and vertical distortion magnitudes were calculated for each of the three assessments. Distortion magnitudes were significantly higher in patients than controls in all assessments. There was no significant difference in magnitude of distortion across different macular diseases. There were no significant correlations between overall magnitude of distortion among any of the three measures and no significant correlations in localized measures of distortion. CONCLUSIONS Three alternative quantifications of monocular spatial distortion in the central visual field generated uncorrelated estimates of visual distortion. It is therefore unlikely that metamorphopsia is caused solely by retinal displacement, but instead involves additional top-down information, knowledge about the scene, and perhaps, cortical reorganization.
Surface Energy Balance and Melt Thr esholds over 11 years at

11 years. Ablation (� 18 cm a � 1 ) was dominated by sublimation with very few occurrences of melt (42 days during 11 years). Results also indicated that above freezing air temperatures did not necessarily result in melt and, in turn, melt occurred during subfreezing air temperatures under some conditions. For air temperatures near freezing, low wind speed was critically important for melt initiation. According to the model, subsurface melt, away from rocks and sediment in the ice, occurred three times more frequently than surface melt; occurs no deeper than 50 cm below the glacier surface; and was small, never exceeding 8% by mass. The magnitude of subsurface melting and the energy balance indicate that Taylor Glacier ice is intermediate in optical properties between snow and blue ice.
Every Study Begins With a Query

School nurses have demonstrated a keen interest in research and the research process with the purpose of generating evidence that supports their practice and increases the value of school nursing services. This article will help school nurses to formulate research questions and to identify the components of the research question that delineate the next steps in the development of a research study from such questions. School nurses benefit from collaborating with experienced nurse researchers in order to gain competence in defining research questions.
Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae andHelicobacter pylori DNA in Human Atherosclerotic Plaques by PCR

ABSTRACT Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori can cause persistent infections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, respectively. It has been suggested that persistent infection of arteries with these bacteria can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. The aims of this study were to determine the presence of C. pneumoniae and H. pylori DNA in atherosclerotic plaque samples by PCR and to evaluate the correlation between clinical status and DNA positivity of these bacteria. Eighty-five consecutive patients (mean age, 59 ± 10; 75 male, 10 female) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, carotid endarterectomy, and surgery of the abdominal aorta for atherosclerotic obstructive lesions were included in the study. Forty-six endarterectomy specimens from the atherosclerotic lesions and 39 specimens from healthy regions of the ascending aorta, which were accepted as the control group, were excised. The presence of microorganism DNA in endarterectomy specimens was assessed by PCR.C. pneumoniae DNA was found in 12 (26%) of 46 endarterectomy specimens and none of the healthy vascular-wall specimens (P < 0.001), while H. pyloriDNA was found in 17 (37%) of 46 endarterectomy specimens and none of the controls (P < 0.001). Either C. pneumoniae or H. pylori DNA was positive in 23 (50%) of 46 patients and none of the controls (P < 0.001). Six of the atherosclerotic lesions showed coexistence of both of the microorganism DNAs. The presence of C. pneumoniae andH. pylori DNA in a considerable number of atherosclerotic plaques but their absence in healthy vascular wall supports the idea that they may have a role in the development of atherosclerosis, especially in countries where infection is prevalent and where conventional risk factors fail to explain the high prevalence of atherosclerotic vascular disease.
[The preliminary study on in vitro differentiation of human umbilical cord blood cells into neural cells].

OBJECTIVE To explore the feasibility of in vitro differentiation of human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC) into neural cells induced by receptor activator of NF-KappaB ligand (RANKL) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). METHODS Normal fresh HUCBC were cultured as the following: (1) Control group cultured by differentiation medium only; (2) BDNF group, cultured by differentiation medium + BDNF; (3) RANKL group, cultured by differentiation medium + human soluble RANKL (sRANKL); (4) BDNF + RANKL group, cultured by differentiation medium + BDNF and sRANKL. Cultured cells were observed with invert microscope. After ten-days culture, the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN) of the cultured cells were detected by immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS After 10 day's culture, the NeuN positive cells were (97.0 +/- 13.5), (85.0 +/- 5.6), (167.0 +/- 19.7) in RANKL, BDNF and BDNF + RANKL groups, respectively, with 1.7, 1.5, 3.0 fold in crease than that of control (55.7 +/- 8.5), the GFAP positive cells were (114.7 +/- 18.0), (233.3 +/- 21.7), (289.0 +/- 24.7), respectively, with 1.4, 2.9, 3.6 fold increase compared with the control group. The differentiation ratio of neurons in RANKL group was similar to that of the BDNF group, but the differentiation ratio of glial cells was lower than that in the BDNF group. In the RANKL + BDNF group, the differentiation of HUCBC into neurons and glial cells were enhanced obviously, the differentiated neural cells were typical with longer axons and dendrites. CONCLUSION RANKL and BDNF could induce HUCBC into neurons and glial cells, and they have synergistic effect on the induced differentiation. It is hopeful that HUCBC might be an source of stem cells for the treatment of central nervous system injury.
Biomonitoring of tobacco smoke carcinogenicity by dosimetry of DNA adducts and genotyping and phenotyping of biotransformational enzymes: a review on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

In this review article, we summarize the data on tobacco smoke carcinogenicity in relation to DNA adduct dosimetry and genotyping and phenotyping of biotransformational enzymes. A major class of carcinogens, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, present in substantial quantities in tobacco smoke, is discussed. The historical background and an overview of the metabolic pathways are given. The epidemiological and biological data in particular on dosimetry of the representative DNA adducts and genotyping and phenotyping of the respective activating and detoxifying enzymes are presented. The salient findings are highlighted, the uncertainties are underlined and, finally, recommendations for future research are made.
Diagnostic Performance of Integrated Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography for Mediastinal Lymph Node Staging in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Bivariate Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Accurate clinical staging of mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is important in determining therapeutic options and prognoses. Integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning is becoming widely used for MLN staging in patients with NSCLC. We performed a bivariate meta-analysis to determine the pooled sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPE) of this imaging modality. Methods: The PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and SpringerLink databases were searched for articles related to PET/CT for MLN staging in patients with NSCLC. SEN and SPE were calculated for every study. Hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves were used to summarize overall test performance and assess study quality. Potential between-study heterogeneity was explored by subgroup analyses. Results: Fourteen of 330 initially identified reports were included in the meta-analysis. When we did not consider the unit of analysis, the pooled weighted SEN and SPE were 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65–0.79) and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.88–0.94), respectively. In the patient-based data analysis, the pooled weighted SEN was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65–0.84) and the pooled weighted SPE was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.82–0.92). In the MLN-based data analysis, the pooled SEN was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.56–0.78) and the pooled SPE was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.91–0.97). Conclusions: Integrated PET/CT is a relatively accurate noninvasive imaging technique, with excellent specificity for MLN staging in patients with NSCLC. Nevertheless, current evidence suggests that we should not depend on the results of PET/CT completely for MLN staging in patients with NSCLC.
Similarities between Methamphetamine Toxicity and Proteasome Inhibition

Abstract: The monoamine neurotoxin methamphetamine (METH) is commonly used as an experimental model for Parkinson's disease (PD). In fact, METH‐induced striatal dopamine (DA) loss is accompanied by damage to striatal nerve endings arising from the substantia nigra. On the other hand, PD is characterized by neuronal inclusions within nigral DA neurons. These inclusions contain a‐synuclein, ubiquitin, and various components of a metabolic pathway named the ubiquitin‐proteasome (UP) system, while mutation of genes coding for various components of the UP system is responsible for inherited forms of PD. In this presentation we demonstrate for the first time the occurrence of neuronal inclusions in vivo in the nigrostriatal system of the mouse following administration of METH. We analyzed, in vivo and in vitro, the shape and the fine structure of these neuronal bodies by using transmission electron microscopy. Immunocytochemical investigation showed that these METH‐induced cytosolic inclusions stain for ubiquitin, a‐synuclein, and UP‐related molecules, thus sharing similar components with Lewy bodies occurring in PD, with an emphasis on enzymes belonging to the UP system. In line with this, blockade of this multicatalytic pathway by the selective inhibitor epoxomycin produced cell inclusions with similar features. Moreover, using a multifaceted pharmacological approach, we could demonstrate the need for endogenous DA in order to form neuronal inclusions.
Dietary habits and the risk of stomach cancer: a comparison study of patients with and without intestinal metaplasia.

Patients with chronic atrophic gastritis intestinal metaplasia (IM) are suspected of being at increased risk for the intestinal type of gastric cancer. Diet is one of several etiologic components that may contribute to the development of the IM lesion. One hundred patients (50 with IM and 50 without IM) were evaluated to determine their dietary intake of nitrosating agents and vitamin C and their smoking habits. Patients with IM reported a higher consumption of two foods rich in nitrosating agents, bacon (.28 vs. .10, p = .02) and sausages (.16 vs. .02, p = .01), compared to patients without IM. Smoking and vitamin C intake were similar in both the IM-positive and the IM-negative groups.
Spectral Envelope Transformation in Singing Voice for Advanced Pitch Shifting

The aim of the present work is to perform a step towards more natural pitch shifting techniques in singing voice for its application in music production and entertainment systems. In this paper, we present an advanced method to achieve natural modifications when applying a pitch shifting process to singing voice by modifying the spectral envelope of the audio excerpt. To this end, an all-pole model has been selected to model the spectral envelope, which is estimated using a constrained non-linear optimization. The analysis of the global variations of the spectral envelope was carried out by identifying changes of the parameters of the model along with the changes of the pitch. With the obtained spectral envelope transformation functions, we applied our pitch shifting scheme to some sustained vowels in order to compare results with the same transformation made by using the Flex Pitch plugin of Logic Pro X and pitch synchronous overlap and add technique (PSOLA). This comparison has been carried out by means of both an objective and a subjective evaluation. The latter was done with a survey open to volunteers on our website.
Three-Dimensional T2-Weighted MRI of the Human Femoral Arterial Vessel Wall at 3.0 Tesla

Objectives:To evaluate the potential use of a novel 3D turbo spin-echo (TSE) T2-weighted (T2w) technique for assessing the vessel wall in the superficial femoral artery at 3.0 T. Background:Magnetic resonance imaging can be used for the noninvasive assessment of atherosclerotic plaque burden in the peripheral circulation. Although black-blood 2D TSE techniques have been used for femoral arterial wall imaging, these techniques require prolonged imaging time to cover a large field of view required to cover the leg. Recently, variable-flip-angle 3D TSE T2w (SPACE) has been introduced as a fast vessel wall imaging technique with submillimeter spatial resolution. A systematic investigation of the application of this technique to femoral arterial wall imaging has yet to be performed. Methods:Fifteen healthy volunteers and 3 patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) underwent 3D SPACE imaging of the superficial femoral artery at 3.0 T, with the conventional 2D TSE T2w imaging as a reference. Muscle-lumen contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and wall/lumen volumes (WV, LV) were measured at the matched locations on the 3D and 2D image sets. Statistical comparison on a per-subject basis was conducted to determine the difference and agreement between 3D SPACE and the 2D TSE techniques. Results:The 3D SPACE data sets enabled vessel visualization from arbitrary orientation through multiplanar reformation technique. Muscle-lumen CNR was significantly higher with 3D SPACE than with the 2D TSE (3.12 ± 0.84 vs. 2.17 ± 0.34, P < 0.01). This trend was confirmed when CNR efficiency (CNReff) values were further compared. A similar trend was observed in PAD patients (SPACE vs. 2D TSE T2w: CNR 2.35 ± 0.13 vs. 1.77 ± 0.25; CNReff 15.35 ± 0.61 vs. 3.59 ± 2.62. all P < 0.05). Measurements of WV and LV from the 3D and 2D techniques were highly correlated in volunteers and PAD patients (volunteers, WV: linear regression r2 = 0.98, LV: r2 = 0.98, P < 0.001 for both; patients, WV: linear regression r2 = 0.96, LV: r2 = 0.94, P < 0.001 for both). Conclusion:We established the feasibility of using the 3D SPACE technique for vessel wall imaging in the superficial femoral artery at 3.0T. High, isotropic-resolution SPACE images, with the aid of multiplanar reformation, enable superior vessel wall visualization. Superior blood signal suppression comparable to vessel wall morphologic measurements, and superior time efficiency compared to conventional 2D TSE imaging indicate the great potential of the SPACE method as a noninvasive imaging technique for the assessment of atherosclerotic plaque burden in PAD patients.
Reporting Guidelines for Music-based Interventions

Music-based interventions are used to address a variety of problems experienced by individuals across the developmental lifespan (infants to elderly adults). In order to improve the transparency and specificity of reporting music-based interventions, a set of specific reporting guidelines is recommended. Recommendations pertain to seven different components of music-based interventions, including theory, content, delivery schedule, interventionist, treatment fidelity, setting, and unit of delivery. Recommendations are intended to support Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Non-randomized Designs (TREND) statements for transparent reporting of interventions while taking into account the variety, complexity, and uniqueness of music-based interventions.
Is Science Eliminating Ordinary Talk

Discussions dealing with natural science, philosophy and common sense are bound to draw on long-standing debates dealing with realism, methodology of science, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, epistemology, theories of meaning, and other topics. Instead of presenting a broad overview of these main trends, which will necessarily be superficial, I will do a kind of case study. The aim is to present just one particular debate which is of relevance to current research. The presentation is meant to give a taste of how these various long-standing debates are brought to bear on a specific issue. In this way, the very practice of engaging in a particular area of philosophy of science will serve as a platform from where the major areas can be seen in actual operation. The paper has four sections: the nature of ordinary talk; the ontological implications of this; the recently proposed account of the mental; an evaluation.
Pinosylvin Methyl Ether Deters Snowshoe Hare Feeding on Green Alder

Pinosylvin methyl ether (PME), a toxic phenol, is a potent deterrent to showshoe hare feeding on green alder. Concentrations of PME found in green alder parts can account for the low palatability of winter-dormant foliar buds and staminate catkins but cannot affect internode palatability. The lack of a PME-related defense system in internodes suggests that green alder has at least a two-level defense system: defense of growth stages and defense of parts within growth stages.
The role of adenosine in promoting cardiac beta-adrenergic subsensitivity in aging humans.

The mechanism by which aging decreases the cardiac chronotropic response in human subjects is unknown. We investigated the role of endogenous adenosine in attenuating the chronotropic response to beta-adrenoceptor stimulation due to aging by employing the adenosine receptor antagonist, theophylline. Sixteen healthy elderly (67.1 +/- 1.3 yrs) and sixteen healthy young (26.1 +/- 0.6 yrs) subjects were studied. The bolus dose of isoproterenol necessary to increase the heart rate 25 beats per minute (I25) was determined by calculating the log dose response curve before and after a 30-min infusion of theophylline (6.5 mg/kg) in each subject. In addition, the effect of theophylline on the orthostatic increase in plasma renin activity (PRA) was determined. The I25 for the elderly and young groups were 34.55 +/- 6.98 and 10.85 +/- 1.93 ng/kg, respectively (p < .01). After theophylline administration, the difference in I25 in the two groups was no longer present (13.32 +/- 2.72 vs 7.46 +/- 1.26 ng/kg). The dose ratios (I25 after theophylline/I25 before theophylline) in the elderly and young groups were 0.43 +/- 0.06 and 0.82 +/- 0.14, respectively (p < .05). After the administration of theophylline, the orthostatic increase in PRA was enhanced more in the elderly subjects (0.53 +/- 0.23 vs 1.54 +/- 0.35 ng AI/ml/hr; p < .01) than in the young (1.31 +/- 0.23 vs 2.49 +/- 0.53 ng AI/ml/hr; p-value n.s.). Plasma norepinephrine changes after theophylline and postural norepinephrine changes after theophylline were not different in the two age groups. Excessive adenosine production or effect is partly responsible for the cardiac chronotropic resistance to isoproterenol and the diminished postural change in PRA in the elderly.
Effects of ACA Medicaid Expansions on Health Insurance Coverage and Labor Supply

We examined the effect of the expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act on health insurance coverage and labor supply of low-educated and low-income adults. We found that the Medicaid expansions were associated with large increases in Medicaid coverage, for example, 50 percent among childless adults, and corresponding decreases in the proportion uninsured. There was relatively little change in private insurance coverage, although the expansions tended to decrease such coverage slightly. In terms of labor supply, estimates indicated that the Medicaid expansions had little effect on work effort despite the substantial changes in health insurance coverage. Most estimates suggested that the expansions increased work effort, although not significantly.
Transient Simulation of Delay and Switching Effects in Phase-Change Memories

The transient simulation of threshold switching in phase-change memory (PCM) devices is essential for the prediction and optimization of cell behavior depending on the circuit parameters and for the understanding of the ultimate limit of operation speed. This paper presents a simulation study of threshold switching in PCM devices aimed at investigating the role of delay and switching times in cell behavior. The analytical Poole-Frenkel model for conduction and the energy gain model for threshold switching are used to evaluate the transient effects. The current and field transients at the basis of the switching phenomenon are shown and discussed with the aid of the numerical model. The impact of cell parasitics, in particular the parallel capacitance, is finally addressed.
Synthesis and Characterization of SnO 2 Nanoparticle by Microwave Assisted Hydrothermal Method

The proposed project work is to synthesis SnO2 nanoparticles by microwave assisted hydrothermal method. We have used two solvents to synthesis SnO2 nanoparticles and comparing the structural and optical characteristics. The prepared samples are annealed with 250,500 and 750 for one hour. The structural parameters are studied using XRD spectrum. The optical characterizations are performed using FTIR spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The band gap values of the samples are calculated using tauc plot.