cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Large Bowel Obstruction

Acute large bowel obstruction (LBO) refers to any condition which blocks the flow of enteric contents through the colon and rectum. It is a condition which is encountered frequently by the acute care surgeon. Large bowel obstruction has many etiologies including mechanical causes such as colorectal malignancies and volvulus, as well as physiological causes due to disruption of normal peristalsis. As such, an astute surgeon must expeditiously make the diagnosis and implement the correct treatment strategy so as to limit the high morbidity and mortality associated with acute colonic obstruction. This chapter describes the etiologies, clinical presentation, workup, and treatment options for both mechanical and physiological causes of acute bowel obstruction in the adult population.
Occasions and Gatherings

There is a tradition in the social sciences that says that when researchers engage in the analysis of detailed interactional sequences between individuals, they are engaging in a microlevel study; and when investigators examine the operation of large-scale, external forces and the impact of broadly defined structures on populations and areas, they are engaging in macrolevel analysis. This tradition sets these studies in opposition to one another. There is a developing set of theoretical challenges in the social science literature that says that this distinction is false, misleading, and unproductive (see, for example, the work of Bordieu 1977; Brown 1978; Giddens 1984; Karp 1986; Marcus and Fisher 1986; McDermott and Roth 1978; Ortner 1984; Ranson, Hinings, and Greenwood 1980). I locate the theoretical review and argument that I present in this chapter in terms of these recent challenges because I believe that the study of meetings requires rethinking micro-versus macrolevel distinctions and is itself one of the important contexts for linking, theoretically and empirically, the concepts of practice, process, structure, and agency.
Highly magnetic Co nanoparticles fabricated by X-ray radiolysis

Abstract Advanced routes for the synthesis of nanomaterials, such as ferromagnetic nanoparticles, are being explored that are easy to perform using cost-effective and non-toxic precursors. Radiolytic syntheses based on the use of X-rays as ionizing radiation are promising towards this effort. X-rays were used to produce highly magnetic cobalt nanoparticles (NPs), stable in air up to 200 °C, from the radiolysis of water. Crystal structure analysis by XRD indicates a mixture of Cofcc, 63%, and Cohcp, 37%, phases. Magnetic analysis by VSM gave a saturation magnetization (Ms) ~136 emu/g at 1 T and coercivity (Hc) = 325 Oe when the reaction solution was purged with N2 while an air-purged treatment resulted in Co NPs having ~102 emu/g with a coercivity (Hc) ~270 Oe. Overall, the reduction of Co2+ occurred in an aqueous reaction environment without addition of chemical reductants resulting in Co NPs with size distribution from 20 to 140 nm. This clean approach at ambient temperature produced highly magnetic Co NPs that may be used for switching devices (i.e. reed switches) or as additives for alloys that require high Curie points.
Supporting Adolescent Exploration and Commitment: Identity Formation, Thriving, and Positive Youth Development

The large body of literature on adolescent identity formation, pre-dating and found largely outside the main body of positive youth development (PYD) literature, shows that identity formation remains a key process for adolescent well-being. This paper revisits the critical adolescent task of identity formation proposed by Erikson (1950) and outlines an alignment of identity formation with adolescent thriving and PYD. By highlighting the congruency of identity formation and PYD the paper considers the role that youth development programs can play in assisting the process of identity formation in adolescents. Practical program implications for facilitating identity formation are presented.
When Residents Let Conscience Be Their Guide: Professional Development and Educational Opportunity

Abstract Residency is a time of professional identity formation. During this time, residents may first be exposed to conflicts between professional duties and personal beliefs which may lead to a request for a conscience-based exemption. Faculty, whether the supervising attending or the program director, have an important role in the professional and ethical development of residents by acknowledging and supporting residents as they encounter these potential conflicts. In this paper, we highlight three areas of unique issues that arise within the context of residency training programs when a resident makes a request to be excused from clinical duties based on personal conscience: namely, the maintenance of educational standards, the burdens that may be placed on colleagues, and the responsibility for faculty to foster the professional development of ethically sensitive pediatricians.
Three-dimensional dynamic channel modeling and tracking for terahertz band indoor communications

Terahertz (0.06–10 THz) band serves as a promising technology to accommodate the exponential increase in data rates and number of connected devices. The THz band propagation is greatly affected by channel variations. In this paper, a novel and accurate approach is developed for time-varying channel modeling and tracking for the THz indoor communications. In particular, a three-dimensional time-varying THz channel model that captures the peculiarities in propagation parameters is presented. Moreover, based on the THz channel characteristics, an extended Kalman filtering approach is proposed to accurately track the line-of-sight component along time variation. Additionally, the proposed channel modeling and tracking approach under a realistic access-point-to-user-equipment link scenario in an office environment is evaluated in detail. Based on the simulation results validated from ray-tracing techniques, the proposed time-varying channel model yields satisfying system capacity.
Volunteers in Community Organizations

This chapter first defines volunteering and discusses the prevalence of volunteering in the United States. It then defines three types of community organizations in which people may volunteer: functional, moral, and interactive. It reviews the research on who volunteers and why, dividing causal factors into demographic characteristics, resources, motivations, social networks, and life course development. The third section discusses best practices in the management of volunteers. The final section looks at volunteering in moral and interactive organizations, episodic volunteers, and the nature of leadership within community organizations.
Performance and vanadium content of tissues in sheep as influenced by dietary vanadium.

Twenty-four Florida native wethers averaging 37 kg initially were used in an 84-day study of dietary vanadium toxicity. Supplemental levels of 0, 10, 100, 200, 400 and 800 ppm vanadium as ammonium metavanadate were fed in a roughage, corn-soy diet to treatment groups of either five or two lambs each. Those animals offered the two highest levels of vanadium (400 and 800 ppm) ceased eating and exhibited diarrhea after an exposure of 1 day to the experimental diets. Subsequent feeding of the control diet to these sheep resulted in complete recovery within 5 to 8 days. No outward indications of toxicity were observed in sheep fed the lower levels of vanadium. For lambs fed 0, 10, 100 and 200 ppm vanadium, average daily gains were 214, 221, 216 and 225 g per day and were not influenced by treatment. Metacarpal bone, liver, kidney and muscle vanadium concentrations were highest (P < .05) when 200 ppm dietary vanadium was fed, with the greatest concentration in kidney. Levels of vanadium expressed in ppm and on a dry tissue basis for liver were .12, .18, .96 and 2.81, respectively, for 0, 10, 100 and 200 ppm. The data indicate that vanadium is notmore » markedly toxic when fed to growing lambs for an 84-day period at a level of 200 ppm or less.« less
Prediction of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in multiple myeloma (MM): Myeloma clot score (MCS).

6585Background: Guidelines support pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis in MM patients identified as “high-risk” for VTE. Tools for VTE risk assessment in MM are contradictory and have not been validat...
Race Difference in Psychological Outcome Among Heart Failure Family Caregivers

Background Family caregivers (FCGs) of persons with heart failure (HF) experience negative psychological outcomes due to chronic caregiving stress. Culture may play a role in how FCGs experience and cope with caregiving demands and stress. Purpose To examine differences in caregiver burden and the psychological outcome of depressive symptoms based on caregiver race. Method Participants were FCGs of persons with HF from a family caregiver intervention study (N=127, mean age=55.3 ± 1.5years, 92% women, 58% African American (AA), 42% White). Variables measured included demographic characteristics, depressive symptoms (CES-D), caregiver stress (Perceived Stress Scale; PSS), life changes resulting from caregiving (Bakas Caregiving Outcome Scale; BCOS) and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; PSQI). Descriptive statistics, t-tests, Chi square, and regression were used for analysis. Results AA FCGs were younger in age (n=74, mean age=53 ± 11 years) compared with white FCGs (n=53, mean age=59 ± 11years), (p=.006), and less reported their overall health as good or excellent (n=61, 82.5% vs n=47, 88.7%; χ2=6.69, p=.035). AA FCGs reported slightly lower but non-significantly different levels of CES-D scores (14.9 ± 11) compared to the white FCGs (15.6 ± 9). Multiple linear regression to predict CES-D scores accounted for 60% of the variance (Adjusted R 2 =.60, F(7,119)=28.4, p Conclusions Race moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and both perceived stress and life changes from caregiving. AA FCGs were less likely to experience higher depressive symptoms from stress and caregiving life changes than white FCGS. Implications These results suggest that greater understanding of the impact of family caregiving based on cultural norms and expectations may guide clinical assessments and interventions. Culturally sensitive interventions have potential to benefit FCG outcomes.
Platinum(II) Complexes with Sterically Expansive Tetraarylethylene Ligands as Probes for Mismatched DNA.

Deficiencies in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) machinery result in greater incidence of DNA base pair mismatches in many types of cancer cells relative to normal cells. Consequently, luminescent probes capable of signaling the presence of mismatched DNA hold promise as potential cancer diagnostic and therapeutic tools. In this study, a series of cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes with sterically expansive tetraarylethylene ligands were synthesized and examined for selective detection of mismatched DNA. Increased steric bulk of the tetraarylethylene ligands in these complexes was observed to correlate with greater preferential luminescence enhancement in the presence of hairpin DNA oligonucleotides containing a mismatched site compared to well-matched oligonucleotides, with the most effective complex displaying ∼14-fold higher emission upon binding CC mismatched oligonucleotides compared to well-matched oligonucleotides. The results indicate binding to mismatched sites in DNA oligonucleotides occurs through ...
Current Crowding Impact on Electromigration in Al Interconnects

The current flow through interconnects can be locally crowded and its impact on electromigration (EM) has not been studied well. We design test structures with different levels of current crowding and test its impact on EM Lifetime. We also simulate the current crowding of each case and correlate them with the observed EM lifetimes. Even if there is localized hot spot having very high current density but the region is small, the impact on EM lifetime is small. For example, EM lifetime decreases less than 4% for 24% local current density increase. The extent of impact is a function of length of the crowding as well as the local current density. Including both the current density and the length effects on EM, we propose a quantifiable local current crowding factor (LCCF). The EM lifetime depends on the power of the LCCF with variable power exponents. The power exponent increases with LCCF and reaches a maximum value before starting to decrease to zero. At very large LCCF, when currents are crowded over long length, the impact is not localized anymore and the additional lifetime reduction by additional current crowded space is zero. So the power exponent is zero for the case. Utilizing the LCCF provides a practical method for how to address the inevitable local current crowding and enhance the EM check accuracy especially for the analog semiconductor circuits.
Extended release formulations using silk proteins for controlled delivery of therapeutics

Introduction: Silk is a promising biomaterial for controlled delivery of therapeutics and has a unique protein chemistry that can be tuned to form different carrier formats. The protein has been st...
Music-Based Discharge, Healthy Music Use, and Unhealthy Music Use Explain Adaptive and Maladaptive Coping Strategies in Adults Hospitalized with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Investigation

Background:Although people self-administer music for affect enhancement and self-regulation, there is a dearth of empirical inquiry investigating whether music-based regulatory factors and healthy ...
Perceptual responses: Clinical versus practical blood flow restriction resistance exercise

The purpose of the current investigation was to compare the acute perceptual responses during low-load resistance exercise (RE) with clinical blood flow restriction (cBFR-RE) and practical blood flow restriction (pBFR-RE), and during conventional low- (LL-RE) and high-load resistance exercise (HL-RE), to determine if these responses differed between young males and females. Twenty-nine participants (14 males: 23.6±2.7years, 25.3±3.1kg/m2 and 15 females: 20.3±1.6years, 23.4±1.9kg/m2) completed the following exercise conditions in a randomized design: 1) cBFR-RE, 2) pBFR-RE, 3) HL-RE, and 4) LL-RE. Low-load conditions consisted of 30-15-15-15 repetitions of two-leg press (LP) and knee extension (KE) exercises with 30% one-repetition maximum (1-RM), and HL-RE consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 80% 1-RM, all with 60s rest intervals. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and discomfort were assessed before exercise and immediately following each set. RPE was significantly higher in HL-RE compared to all low-load conditions for both exercises after each set (all p<0.05). cBFR-RE resulted in significantly greater RPE than pBFR-RE and LL-RE for both exercises for sets 1-4 for LP and sets 2-3 for KE (all p<0.05). Levels of discomfort were similar between cBFR-RE and HL-RE, which tended to be significantly higher than pBFR-RE and LL-RE (p<0.05). Men reported significantly greater RPE than women following sets 2-4 during KE with cBFR-RE and sets 2 and 3 during KE for HL-RE (all p<0.05). Males also reported significantly greater discomfort than women following sets 2-4 for KE LL-RE (p<0.05). Altogether, these data suggest that pBFR-RE may provide a more favorable BFR condition based on perceptual responses and that perceptual responses may differ between sexes across varying resistance exercise conditions.
Mid-Term Results Comparing the Use of Artificial Chords Versus Native Chords for Mitral Valve Repair in Children.

Background:Our study is aimed at evaluating the mid-term surgical outcomes of mitral valve repair in children using various chordal reconstructive procedures (autologous in situ chords or artificia...
Artemisinin and artemisinin derivatives as anti-fibrotic therapeutics.

Fibrosis is a pathological reparative process that can occur in most organs and is responsible for nearly half of deaths in the developed world. Despite considerable research, few therapies have proven effective and been approved clinically for treatment of fibrosis. Artemisinin compounds are best known as antimalarial therapeutics, but they also demonstrate antiparasitic, antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-fibrotic effects. Here we summarize literature describing anti-fibrotic effects of artemisinin compounds in in vivo and in vitro models of tissue fibrosis, and we describe the likely mechanisms by which artemisinin compounds appear to inhibit cellular and tissue processes that lead to fibrosis. To consider alternative routes of administration of artemisinin for treatment of internal organ fibrosis, we also discuss the potential for more direct oral delivery of Artemisia plant material to enhance bioavailability and efficacy of artemisinin compared to administration of purified artemisinin drugs at comparable doses. It is our hope that greater understanding of the broad anti-fibrotic effects of artemisinin drugs will enable and promote their use as therapeutics for treatment of fibrotic diseases.
Na/H Exchange Regulatory Factor 1 Deficient Mice Show Evidence of Oxidative Stress and Altered Cisplatin Pharmacokinetics

(1) Background: One third of patients who receive cisplatin develop an acute kidney injury. We previously demonstrated the Na/H Exchange Regulatory Factor 1 (NHERF1) loss resulted in increased kidney enzyme activity of the pentose phosphate pathway and was associated with more severe cisplatin nephrotoxicity. We hypothesized that changes in proximal tubule biochemical pathways associated with NHERF1 loss alters renal metabolism of cisplatin or response to cisplatin, resulting in exacerbated nephrotoxicity. (2) Methods: 2–4 month-old male wild-type and NHERF1 knock out littermate mice were treated with either vehicle or cisplatin (20 mg/kg dose IP), with samples taken at either 4, 24, or 72 h. Kidney injury was determined by urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and histology. Glutathione metabolites were measured by HPLC and genes involved in glutathione synthesis were measured by qPCR. Kidney handling of cisplatin was assessed by a kidney cortex measurement of γ-glutamyl transferase activity, Western blot for γ-glutamyl transferase and cysteine S-conjugate beta lyase, and ICP-MS for platinum content. (3) Results: At 24 h knock out kidneys show evidence of greater tubular injury after cisplatin and exhibit a decreased reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio under baseline conditions in comparison to wild-type. KO kidneys fail to show an increase in γ-glutamyl transferase activity and experience a more rapid decline in tissue platinum when compared to wild-type. (4) Conclusions: Knock out kidneys show evidence of greater oxidative stress than wild-type accompanied by a greater degree of early injury in response to cisplatin. NHERF1 loss has no effect on the initial accumulation of cisplatin in the kidney cortex but is associated with an altered redox status which may alter the activity of enzymes involved in cisplatin metabolism.
Neurotransmitter regulation rather than cell-intrinsic properties shape the high-pass filtering properties of olfactory bulb glomeruli

Abstract GABAergic periglomerular (PG) cells in the olfactory bulb are proposed to mediate an intraglomerular “high-pass” filter through inhibition targeted onto a glomerulus. With this mechanism, weak stimuli (e.g., an odor with a low affinity for an odorant receptor) mainly produce PG cell-driven inhibition but strong stimuli generate enough excitation to overcome inhibition. PG cells may be particularly susceptible to being activated by weak stimuli due to their intrinsically small size and high input resistance. Here, we used dual-cell patch-clamp recordings and imaging methods in bulb slices obtained from wild-type and transgenic rats with labeled GABAergic cells to test a number of predictions of the high-pass filtering model. We first directly compared the responsiveness of PG cells with that of external tufted cells (eTCs), which are a class of excitatory interneurons that reside in a parallel but opposing position in the glomerular circuitry. PG cells were in fact found to be no more responsive than eTCs at low levels of sensory neuron activity. While PG cells required smaller currents to be excited, this advantage was offset by the fact that a given level of sensory neuron activity produced much smaller synaptic currents. We did however identify other factors that shaped the excitation/inhibition balance in a manner that would support a high-pass filter, including glial glutamate transporters and presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors. We conclude that a single glomerulus may act as a high-pass filter to enhance the contrast between different olfactory stimuli through mechanisms that are largely independent cell intrinsic properties. Key Points Summary GABAergic periglomerular (PG) cells in the olfactory bulb are proposed to mediate a “high-pass” filter at a single glomerulus that selectively blocks weak stimulus signals. Their efficacy may reflect their intrinsically small size and high input resistance, which allows them to be easily excited. We found that PG cells were in fact no more likely to be activated by weak stimuli than excitatory neurons. PG cells spiked more readily in response to a fixed current input, but this advantage for excitability was offset by small synaptic currents. Glomeruli nevertheless display an excitation/inhibition balance that can support a high pass filter, becoming much more favorable with increasing stimulus strength. Factors shaping the filter include glial glutamate transporters and presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors. We conclude that a single glomerulus may act as a high-pass filter to enhance stimulus contrast through mechanisms that are largely independent of cell-intrinsic properties.
Nanopore networks in colloidal silica assemblies characterized by XCT for confined fluid flow modeling

Abstract Fluid flow through nanopore structures has exhibited different behavior than that described by Darcy's law, derived from pore networks of micrometer scale. Pressure assemblies of colloidal silica spheres of a specific diameter from tens to hundreds of nanometers were prepared as model nano-porous media. The smaller silica spheres tend to form random packing, and some substantial ordering was found in the packing of larger silica spheres. X-ray computed tomography (XCT), with a voxel resolution of 16 nm, was used to identify the nanopore networks. The porosity of Nano-XCT pore network (34%) was less than the total porosity of the assemblies determined by X-ray attenuation (52%), due to possible partial volume effect during segmentation. Fluid flow in the nanopore networks was simulated using the single-phase Lattice Boltzmann Method, and the simulated permeability was compared with the empirical and experimental values. Based on our characterization, although a well-ordered packing of silica spheres was not achieved, the nanopore network in colloidal silica assemblies had a pore size distribution corresponding to the particle size. The simulated permeability was less than the experimental measurement for water flow, but the complex packing of silica spheres and surface chemistry issues should be considered in future study.
Altruism and Prosocial Behavior

The psychological study of prosocial behavior covers a wide range of actions that people perform to benefit other persons or groups. Although instances of interpersonal (i.e., one-to-one) helping, in which one person provides assistance to another, have dominated investigations into prosocial behavior for many years, theory and research has since broadened from this initial focus to consider collective forms of prosocial behavior (e.g., volunteerism and participation in social movements) and the dynamics of cooperation within and between collectives. Investigators have sought to understand what leads people to engage in these behaviors, identifying sources of prosocial motivation that are internal (such as personal needs and drives) and external (such as situational demands and social norms). We review theory and research seeking to understand diverse sources of prosocial motivation across three distinct categories of prosocial behavior: interpersonal prosocial behavior, collective prosocial behavior, and cooperation within and between collectives. Keywords: altruism; cooperation; helping; prosocial behavior; prosocial motivation
Co-occurrences of antonymous adjectives and their contexts

Charles and Miller propose that lexical associations between antonymous adjectives are formed via their co-occurences within the same sentence (the co-occurrence hypothesis), rather than via their syntatic substitutability (the substitutability hypothesis), and that such co-occurrences must take place more often than expected by chance. This paper provides empirical support for the co-occurrence hypothesis in a corpus analysis of all high-frequency adjectives and their antonyms and of a major group of morphologically derived antonyms (e.g., impossible, un-happy). We show that very high co-occurrence rates do appear to characterize all antonymous adjective pairs, supporting the precondition for the formation of the association; and we find that the syntactic contexts of these co-occurrences raise the intrinsic associability of antonyms when they do co-occur. We show that via one of these patterns, mutual substitution within otherwise repeated phrases in a sentence, the co-occurrences hypothesis captures the generalizations that were the basis for the substitutability hypothesis for the formation of antonymic associations.
Once-daily cefepime versus ceftriaxone for nursing home-acquired pneumonia.

OBJECTIVES To compare once-daily intramuscular cefepime with ceftriaxone controls. DESIGN Double-blind study. SETTING Six skilled nursing facilities. PARTICIPANTS Residents aged 60 and older with nursing home-acquired pneumonia. INTERVENTION Cultures were obtained, and patients were randomized to cefepime or ceftriaxone 1 g intramuscularly every 24 hours. MEASUREMENTS Clinical success: cure or improvement. Cure was defined as complete resolution of all symptoms and signs of pneumonia or a return to the patient's baseline state. Improvement was defined as clear improvement but incomplete resolution of all pretherapy symptoms or signs or incomplete return to the patient's usual baseline status. Safety and pharmacoeconomics were also assessed. RESULTS Sixty-nine patients were randomized; 61 were evaluable: (32 to cefepime, 29 ceftriaxone). Patients were predominately female (76%). They had a mean age+/-standard deviation of 85+/-6, with a mean 5.8+/-1.9 comorbidities; they had age-appropriate renal dysfunction, with a mean estimated creatinine clearance of 35+/-7 mL/min. Clinical success occurred in 78% of cefepime- and 66% of ceftriaxone-treated patients (P=.39). Fifty-seven patients (93%) were switched to oral antibiotics after 3 days. Antibiotic-related adverse events occurred in 5% of patients. Seven patients (11.5%) were hospitalized. The overall mortality rate was 8%. Mean antibiotic costs were 117+/-40 dollars for cefepime- and 215+/-68 dollars for ceftriaxone-treated patients (P<.001). Cost-effectiveness analysis of total costs showed that cefepime would cost 597 dollars and ceftriaxone 1,709 dollars per expected successfully treated patient. One- and two-way sensitivity analyses using a generic price for ceftriaxone and improving its comparative efficacy revealed that the results were robust. CONCLUSIONS Once-daily cefepime was a cost-effective alternative to ceftriaxone for the treatment of elderly nursing home residents who developed pneumonia and did not require hospitalization.
EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

Publisher Summary This chapter describes various aspects of emission computed tomography (CT). In the nuclear medicine case, the computer reconstructed tomogram is a map of the distribution of radioactivity within a slice of the object or patient being studied. Because the information necessary to reconstruct this distribution of radioactivity is contained in the emitted gamma rays emerging from the subject, the technique has come to be called emission computed tomography (ECT). Two general techniques have evolved for performing ECT. These are the so-called single photon systems and systems that rely on coincidence detection of the annihilation radiation given off by positron emitting radionuclides. Single photon systems utilize rather conventional nuclear medicine detection systems such as the scintillation cameras or detector arrays with converging, focused collimators that are similar to those that are used in rectilinear scanners. The ability to accurately depict the distribution of tracer substances in three dimensions with accurate attenuation correction coupled with the potential for labeling a variety of physiologically active substances with radioisotopes of normal constituent atoms holds a tremendous amount of promise.
Module Dependences in Software Design

A new model of inter-module dependences is proposed. The key idea is that dependences are mediated by specifications, so that not only the existence of a dependence is recorded, but also its quality. A single module does not necessarily offer only a single specification; each dependent module may use it through a different specification. This notion of dependence seems to explain some common programming idioms more readily than the conventional notion, and offers new opportunities for analysis and design critique.
Balancing IJV knowledge contributions and trust needs

Purpose – This paper aims to present a model that explains how knowledge contributions of international joint venture (“IJV”) partners can be balanced or imbalanced, which affects each partners’ trust needs, with implications for future partner relationships. Design/methodology/approach – Illustrative examples aid in explaining propositions associated with the knowledge/trust needs balance model. In addition, consideration is given to the trust-building complication of liability of foreignness and the implications balance or imbalance. Findings – In total, 12 illustrative cases are evaluated to determine whether the knowledge contributions of the IJV partners are balanced. Knowledge intensity associated with the venture is assessed to determine the value of the foreign firm partner’s knowledge contribution. Cultural distance between the relevant countries provides a measure of the host country partner’s knowledge contribution. Balance is assessed after factoring in mitigating partner experience. The cases...
Semantic Analysis of Business Process Executions

Business Process Management Systems log a large amount of operational data about processes and about the (human and automated) resources involved in their executions. This information can be analyzed for assessing the quality of business operations, identify problems, and suggest solutions. However, current process analysis systems lack the functionalities required to provide information that can be immediately digested and used by business analysts to take decisions. In this paper we discuss the limitations of existing approaches and we present a system and a set of techniques, developed at Hewlett-Packard, that overcome this limitations, enabling the use of log data for efficient business-level analysis of business processes.
A Model for Part-of-Speech Prediction

Robust natural language analysis systems must be able to handle words that are not in the lexicon. This paper describes a statistical model that predicts the most likely Parts-of-Speech for previously unseen words. The method uses a loglinear model to combine a number of orthographic and morphological features, and returns a probability distribution over the open word classes. The model is combined with a stochastic Part-of-Speech tagger to provide a model of context. Empirical evaluation shows that this results in significant gains in Part-of-Speech prediction accuracy over simpler methods.
Enhancing innovation capacity through vertical, horizontal, and third-party networks for traditional foods.

Across many sectors, the locus of innovation has shifted from the individual firm to networks of collaboration. Networking is one way for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food sector to cope with the many challenges they face with regards to innovation. In this article, we investigate the influence of different types of networking on the innovation capacity of chain networks in the traditional food sector. Our results highlight that networking among the vertical network members contributes most to the enhancement of the innovation capacity of all members. We also find that, horizontal or third-party networking can enhance the innovation capacity of each member of a vertical network. Managerial implications include a prescription for network engagement through a set of joint activities and effort.
The effect of hEGF and insulin on corneal metabolism during optisol storage

We examined the effect of the growth factors, human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) and insulin, on corneal metabolism during storage in Optisol, a chondroitin-sulfate-(CS)-based storage medium. Paired cat corneas, in either Optisol only or Optisol with growth factor(s), were analyzed using ex vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance, after storage for 1 week at 4 degrees C. Lysosomal enzyme release into the media at the end of the storage period also was measured fluorometrically. Both epithelial-intact and epithelial-denuded corneal pairs were examined for all conditions. Considering corneas having either intact epithelia or epithelium-denuded corneas, the addition of either growth factor alone to Optisol did not alter the relative corneal concentrations of five of the six phosphatic metabolite spectral bands measured or two metabolic ratios calculated from these bands. Phosphodiesters, however, were significantly lower in corneas stored in Optisol containing both hEGF and insulin (23%) than in corneas stored in Optisol alone (30%). Intracorneal pH was unaffected by the addition of growth factor(s). A significantly higher release of alpha-glucosidase and alpha-mannosidase was noted in those corneas stored in Optisol containing both hEGF and insulin. Optisol maintains high-energy phosphate corneal metabolism similar to other CS-based media, K-Sol and Chondroitin Sulfate Corneal Storage Medium (CSM). The addition of the growth factors hEGF and insulin to Optisol alters corneal metabolic activity during storage in a manner indicative of conserving corneal phospholipids.
Granulomatous disease of male genitalia

Five cases of granulomatous disease of the male genitalia are presented. Of these, 3 cases involved foreign-body reactions in which some form of hydrocarbon was the causative agent. In the other 2 cases, idiopathic granulomatous processes were found, and this condition may be secondary to endogenous lipoid degenerative processes.
Establishing Age-Associated Normative Ranges of the Cerebral 18F-FDG Uptake Ratio in Children

In this study, we reported age-associated ranges of the regional cerebral 18F-FDG uptake ratio in pediatric patients as a surrogate to normative data from healthy children. Methods:18F-FDG PET scans of 132 children and adolescents (age, 1−20 y) with non–central nervous system–related diseases and normal-appearing tracer distributions in the brain were retrospectively analyzed. PET images of individual patients were warped to a 3-dimensional reference template. Uptake ratio was calculated for 63 anatomic regions by normalizing the regional count per voxel with the average count per voxel in all regions. Models of regional uptake ratio as a function of age and sex were developed to calculate the 95% prediction interval. Results: The paracentral lobule and cuneus had the highest resting metabolic state among all gray matter regions, whereas the brain stem, uncus, and hippocampus had the lowest uptake. A large left–right asymmetry was present in the angular gyrus and inferior occipital gyrus. Quantitative data of the regression, 95% confidence interval, and 95% prediction interval for each age were summarized for the 63 regions. In 52 of 63 regions, the 18F-FDG uptake ratio had a significant age effect. The linear model was optimal for 12 regions, whereas the spline model with 1 age knot was a better fit for 40 regions. In children younger than 5 y, frontal and temporal lobes had a lower uptake than parietal and occipital lobes in general. However, uptake in the frontal lobe continued to increase with age but it decreased in the parietal and occipital lobes. Conclusion: Anatomic regions of the brain in children and adolescents exhibited uniquely different 18F-FDG uptake trends with age. Our results may be useful for studying childhood development and possibly regional metabolic defects in children with traumatic brain injury or central nervous system disorders or children receiving cancer treatment.
Leukorrhea and bacterial vaginosis as in-office predictors of cervical infection in high-risk women.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 1) whether microscopic detection of leukorrhea or bacterial vaginosis identifies patients at high risk for cervical infection with Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and 2) if pregnancy alters the predictive value of these findings. METHODS: Wet-mount screening examination of vaginal discharge was performed on all new patients seen at two resident-staffed clinics serving primarily indigent women. Leukorrhea was defined as >10 white blood cells per high-power field on microscopic examination; Amsel criteria were used to determine the presence of bacterial vaginosis, with a positive clue cell test result defined as >20% of epithelial cells. The diagnoses of C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae infection were established by deoxyribonucleic acid amplification tests. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 194 women, 118 (61%) of whom were pregnant. Overall, 11% of women had positive cultures for chlamydia or gonorrhea. Although both leukorrhea and clue cells were independently associated with positive cervical cultures, multivariate analysis found that clue cells did not contribute to the predictive value of leukorrhea alone among both pregnant (relative risk [RR] = 15.7) and nonpregnant (RR = 58.7) women. Negative predictive values for the screening test were comparably high (98–100%), independent of pregnancy status. CONCLUSION: Leukorrhea, in the presence or absence of bacterial vaginosis, was strongly associated with cervical infections with C trachomatis or N gonorrhoeae among both pregnant and nonpregnant patients. In settings where patient follow-up is uncertain, on-site screening tests identify women for whom empiric antibiotic therapy for sexually transmitted diseases may be appropriate.
Planting Date, Rate, and Twin-Row vs. Single-Row Soybean in the Mid-South

Comparisons were made of single-row vs. twin-row soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production on a Beulah fine sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, active, thermic Typic Dystrudepts) (BFSL) and Sharkey clay (very-fine, smectitic, thermic Chromic Epiaquerts) (SC) in 2009 and 2010 at Stoneville, MS. Seeding rates of 20, 30, 40, and 50 seed m ―2 were planted on beds in 102 cm single rows or 25 cm twin rows with 102 cm centers. Three planting dates, mid-April and mid-May representing the Early Soybean Production System (ESPS) and mid-June common to double-crop soybean were made. Data included plants at growth stage R4 (full pod), nodes and pods plant ―1 , yield, seed weight, and seeds m ―2 . Twin rows yielded more than single rows on both soils (3.8 Mg ha ―1 vs. 3.6 Mg ha ―1 on BFSL; 4.2 Mg ha ―1 vs. 4.0 Mg ha ―1 on SC). Yields in 2010 were less than 2009 due to drought and heat stress. Delayed planting across row types decreased yields as much as 40% while increasing seeding rates had no effect. Twin rows produced more plants m ―2 than single rows. Differences in nodes plant ―1 were noted but did not affect yield. Pods per plant did not differ between row configurations on either soil. Seeding rates above 30 seeds m ―2 did not produce greater yields and above 50 seeds m ―2 on the BFSL produced seed with less weight. Twin-rows generally produced more seeds per m 2 than single rows. Small yield increases and high equipment costs make considering a twin-row planter's usefulness with other crops important before purchasing it for soybean production.
Abdominal Pain and Subcutaneous Nodules

A63-year-oldman is admitted for evaluation of recurrent abdominal pain and a 2-month history of tender nodules on the extremities (Figure 1).HehasahistoryofhepatitisB,hepatocellular carcinoma,and idiopathic pancreatitis. The lesions are initially verypainful andslowto resolve.New lesions tend to appearwith, or immediately after, episodes of acute pancreatitis. Laboratory evaluation reveals elevated levels of serum lipase (2700 IU/L) and amylase (3400 IU/L). Previous treatments have included incision and drainage of a nodule on the right foot as well as oral and intravenous administration of antistaphylococcal antibiotics forpresumedcellulitis. Examinationof the skin reveals erythematous subcutaneous nodules symmetrically distributed on the bilateral lower and upper extremities, primarily on the lower legs and feet. One of the largest nodules has a small amount of yellow, oily discharge. Thepatient is afebrile and reports nausea, vomiting, and arthralgias. Quiz at jama.com Figure 1. Erythematous nodules on foot and ankle of patient.
Torque measurements of an automotive halfshaft using micro double-ended tuning fork strain gauges

Abstract Double-ended tuning fork (DETF) strain gauges have potential applications in measuring a number of structural components, improving safety and reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, their small size, high bandwidth, high shock tolerance, and extreme sensitivity make them useful for high performance applications. To demonstrate the potential of a DETF strain gauge, we bond silicon substrates with gauges to a modified automotive halfshaft, a component which is difficult to monitor due to its high stiffness and structural strength, enabling real-time monitoring of wheel conditions. Using a simple and rapid induction bonding process, we show for the first time a DETF strain gauge measuring strains of 1000 μ ϵ , near the design limits of the testing apparatus. We also present for the first time system level temperature dependence data for a silicon gauge induction bonded to metal. Through a combination of analytical and computational models, we are able to predict the strain transfer through the substrate to the tuning fork. By using the insights from these models combined with the experimental data presented, this work can be extended to a number of different structural components, enabling highly sensitive, ubiquitous strain sensing networks.
Gadolinium encephalopathy in a patient with renal failure

Gadolinium chelates are extensively used in MRI studies. Neurotoxicity due to gadolinium chelates is minimal and uncommon. A 57-year-old woman in renal failure developed a subacute encephalopathy after inadvertent repetitive gadolinium contrast administration. An unusual MRI appearance with CSF hyperintensity due to gadolinium diffusion into the CSF is also shown.
Head-Injury Prevalence among Community College Students

835 community college students were surveyed to establish the prevalence of head injury or illness. Results are compared to prevalence rates among 4-year college students.
The impact of altruism and envy on competitive behavior and satisfaction

Abstract This paper argues that it is important to include the other party's payoff in a competitor's utility (satisfaction) function. Examples of the impact are provided as well as implications for multi-stage games (competitions). A sample of 200 provides empirical support for the critical role other party results play in satisfaction, in particular the importance of relative payoffs. Several implications emerge, including a parsimonious explanation for the exponential pattern of shares in mature markets.
The Value of Graded Exercise Testing in Today's World

With the continued high prevalence of coronary artery disease in our country, the need for diagnostic testing for myocardial ischemia will continue to be a high priority. Many advances have been made in the field of diagnostic testing for myocardial ischemia, but the combination of graded exercise testing (GXT) with 12-lead electrocardiogram (with or without nuclear perfusion imaging or echocardiography) continues to be the initial noninvasive test most accepted in the medical field. However, it is imperative that the patient is able and willing to give a good physical effort to increase the sensitivity in detecting disease. In addition to using GXT for diagnostic purposes, the GXT is also beneficial in respect to determining long-term prognosis, assessing therapeutic interventions, and assessing one's functional capacity for the purpose of determining appropriate and safe exercise training.
Blimp1: a conserved transcriptional repressor critical for differentiation of many tissues

B lymphocyte induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp1) is a zinc finger transcriptional repressor whose function as a master regulator of terminal differentiation of B cells into plasma cells has long been studied and is well established. Recent studies have identified novel roles for Blimp1 including homeostasis of effector T cells, specification of primordial germ cells in mouse, specification of muscle fiber type in zebrafish and as a tumor suppressor gene in germinal center derived B cells. Blimp1 associates with a multitude of chromatin modifying enzymes inducing epigenetic changes at specific targets to regulate these diverse cell fates. In this review, we focus on the novel and emerging roles of Blimp1 in multiple tissues, on mechanisms of transcriptional repression by Blimp1 and on the activity of Blimp1 as a tumor suppressor.
The source, statistical properties, and geoeffectiveness of long‐duration southward interplanetary magnetic field intervals

Geomagnetic activity is strongly controlled by solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions, especially the southward component of IMF (IMF Bs). We analyze the statistical properties of IMF Bs at 1 AU using in situ observations for more than a solar cycle (1995–2010). IMF Bs events are defined as continuous IMF Bs intervals with varying thresholds of Bs magnitude and duration and categorized by different solar wind structures, such as magnetic cloud (MC), interplanetary small-scale magnetic flux rope, interplanetary coronal mass ejection without MC signature (ejecta), stream interacting region, and Shock, as well as events unrelated with well-defined solar wind structures. The statistical properties of IMF Bs events and their geoeffectiveness are investigated in detail based on satellite and ground measurements. We find that the integrated duration and number of Bs events follow the sunspot number when Bz 6 h, Bz 3 h, Bz < −10 nT) do not always trigger magnetic storms.
Rationale for initial therapy with combination antihypertensive agents

Abstract Wednesday, May 19, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Optimizing Blood Pressure Control in Clinical Practice* Key Words: combination antihypertensive therapy, systolic hypertension, ISH, Lotrel, amlodipine, benazepril, SOLACE * This activity is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
Integration of on‐the‐fly kinetic reduction with multidimensional CFD

A reduction approach for coupling complex kinetics with engine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code has been developed. An on-the-fly reduction scheme was used to reduce the reaction mechanism dynamically during the reactive flow calculation in order to couple comprehensive chemistry with flow simulations in each computational cell. KIVA-3V code is used as the CFD framework and CHEMKIN is employed to formulate chemistry, hydrodynamics and transport. Mechanism reduction was achieved by applying element flux analysis on-the-fly in the context of the multidimensional CFD calculation. The results show that incorporating the on-the-fly reduction approach in CFD code enables the simulation of ignition and combustion process accurately compared with detailed simulations. Both species and time-dependant information can be provided by the current model with significantly reduced CPU time. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010