cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Targeted Disruption in Connexin40 Leads to Distinct Atrioventricular Conduction Defects

Introduction: Gap junctions consist of connexin (Cx) proteins that enable electrical coupling of adjacent cells and propagation of action potentials. Cx40 is solely expressed in the atrium and His-Purkinje system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate atrioventricular (AV) conduction in mice with a homozygous deletion of Connexin40 (Cx40−/−). Methods: Surface ECGs, intracardiac electrophysi-ology (EP) studies, and ambulatory telemetry were performed in Cx40−/− mutant mice and wild-type (WT) controls. Atrioventricular (AV) conduction parameters and arrhythmia inducibility were evaluated using programmed stimulation. Analysis of heart rate variability was based on results of ambulatory monitoring. Results: Significant findings included prolonged measures of AV refractoriness and conduction in connexin40-deficient mice, including longer PR, AH, and HV intervals, increased AV refractory periods, and increased AV Wenckebach and 2:1 block cycle lengths. Connexin40-deficient mice also had an increased incidence of inducible ventricular tachycardia, decreased basal heart rates, and increased heart rate variability. Conclusion: A homozygous disruption of Cx40 results in prolonged AV conduction parameters due to abnormal electrical coupling in the specialized conduction system, which may also predispose to arrhythmia vulnerability.
Computer aided dispatch technology: A study of the evolution and expectations of CAD and a comparative survey of CAD in the U. S. Fire Service and the Clark County Fire Department.

Dispatchers are the first link to assistance in the event of an emergency. Dispatchers must remain calm and gather information from terrified individuals, sort and extract the pertinent information, then relay that information to the responders. Effective dispatching is one of the most important functions of any public service agency (Christen 1991). This paper takes a look at the history and development of Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD). It will explain the various components of a fully functional state of the art CAD system and how each component affects the efficiency of emergency operations. Has computer aided dispatching made an impact on emergency response? The Clark County Fire Department utilizes a CAD system operated by the City of Las Vegas Fire Department. This study will determine how the Clark County Fire Department measures against the other departments in the United States.
Toward Reproducible Results from Targeted Metabolomic Studies: Perspectives for Data Pre-Processing and a Basis for Analytic Pipeline Development

Contemporary metabolomics experiments generate a rich array of complex high-dimensional data. Consequently, there have been concurrent efforts to develop methodological standards and analytical workflows to streamline the generation of meaningful biochemical and clinical inferences from raw data generated using an analytical platform like mass spectrometry. While such considerations have been frequently addressed in untargeted metabolomics (i.e., the broad survey of all distinguishable metabolites within a sample of interest), this methodological scrutiny has seldom been applied to data generated using commercial, targeted metabolomics kits. We suggest that this may, in part, account for past and more recent incomplete replications of previously specified biomarker panels. Herein, we identify common impediments challenging the analysis of raw, targeted metabolomic abundance data from a commercial kit and review methods to remedy these issues. In doing so, we propose an analytical pipeline suitable for the pre-processing of data for downstream biomarker discovery. Operational and statistical considerations for integrating targeted data sets across experimental sites and analytical batches are discussed, as are best practices for developing predictive models relating pre-processed metabolomic data to associated phenotypic information.
The Green Bay saga: Environmental change, scientific investigation, and watershed management

Abstract The Green Bay watershed, draining a total area of approximately 40,468 km2, comprises about a third of the Lake Michigan drainage. In the early years, fur trade was the dominant economic activity within the watershed. Later, when timber harvesting, papermaking, and agriculture came on the scene in the 19th and early 20th centuries, major environmental changes occurred in a relatively short period of time. Nutrient and sediment loadings, accompanied by organic wastes from sawmills and paper mills, resulted in a pollutant overload in the Fox River and in the eutrophication of the waters of lower Green Bay. Citizen complaints about these severely degraded conditions initiated a period of scientific investigation. Starting slowly with a few studies and surveys in the first half of the 20th century, serious investigatory work began at mid-century with support from the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. Examples of topics that have been investigated since then with support from numerous sources are: biological oxygen demand (BOD), phosphorus and total suspended solids loads, trophic status and food chain efficiencies, coastal wetland characterization, dynamics of the benthic layer, algae and abiotic solids, phosphorus cycling and mass balance, PCBs, seasonal hypoxia, and climate change impacts. These studies have provided the scientific foundation for government-led programs such as the Green Bay Remedial Action Program, the PCB clean-up program, and the TMDL program. Progress has been made—reduction in BOD is an example—but a fuller rehabilitation of this large-scale ecosystem remains an elusive goal. The saga goes on.
A Malignant Squeeze: A Rare Cause of Cardiac Tamponade.

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is a rare condition described as a lymphoma localized to the heart or pericardium. Although cardiac involvement is seen in 10–20% of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, PCL is extremely rare. It comprises merely 0.5% of all lymphomas and 1.3–2% of cardiac malignancies. Early detection is essential to avoid potentially fatal complications, and prognosis is highly dependent on the management of cardiac complications. The etiology of PCL is still unknown, and molecular characterization has yet to be studied leaving a great deal of research to be done in order to gain a better understanding of this rare disease process. We discuss the case of an 85-year-old female presenting with dyspnea and chest pain. Computed tomography of the chest revealed a pericardial effusion, and subsequent echocardiogram demonstrated a large circumferential effusion. She underwent emergent pericardiocentesis. Morphologic and immunophenotypic features were consistent with high-grade B-cell lymphoma with , and the patient was started on rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) with excellent response.
Implementation Research as Applied Science: Bridging the Research to Practice Gap

Implementation research is intended to address challenges posed by the slow adoption of evidence-based science by the medical and health promotion practice community. A case study approach is used to illustrate and discuss the use of Quality improvement and Evaluation as an applied approach to implementation science in contrast of more classic purposes of research. Quality improvement was the implementation model used to facilitate organizational change needed to adopt the use of texting to report sexually transmitted infection test results in over a fifth of Florida's larger county health departments. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate implementation. All seven participating county health departments were successful in enrolling clients in texting with extensive variation (24% to 72%) in texting enrollment at the end of the 10-month study. Statistically significant outcomes for those enrolled in texting were recorded through Florida's online sexually transmitted infection reporting system in the form of increased number of people receiving early (1-4 days) treatment and reductions in delayed (≥8 days) or no treatment. This study illustrates an applied approach to implementation research which may be critical to adapt emerging evidence and technologies to the multiple and complex characteristics of the diverse populations served by health promotion institutions.
Free Fields in Temporally Dispersive Media

If there are no sources of an electromagnetic field present anywhere in space during a period of time, then that field is said to be a free-field during that time. The detailed properties of such free-fields were first studied in detail by Sherman, Devaney and Mandel, Sherman, Stamnes, Devaney and Lalor, and Devaney and Sherman in the early 1970s. Such fields are of interest because they form the simplest type of wave phenomena encountered in both electromagnetics and optics.
Made From Henna! A Fast-Charging, High-Capacity, andRecyclable Tetrakislawsone Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

Nature-inspired solutions to energy storage are aimed at sustainability, cost-efficiency, and humanitarian issues surrounding current lithium ion battery (LIB) technologies. Tetrakislawsone (TKL), ...
Active dictionary learning for image representation

Sparse representations of images in overcomplete bases (i.e., redundant dictionaries) have many applications in computer vision and image processing. Recent works have demonstrated improvements in image representations by learning a dictionary from training data instead of using a predefined one. But learning a sparsifying dictionary can be computationally expensive in the case of a massive training set. This paper proposes a new approach, termed active screening, to overcome this challenge. Active screening sequentially selects subsets of training samples using a simple heuristic and adds the selected samples to a "learning pool," which is then used to learn a newer dictionary for improved representation performance. The performance of the proposed active dictionary learning approach is evaluated through numerical experiments on real-world image data; the results of these experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Fast Methods for Speeding up the Induction Machine Simulation

In induction machine simulation, it usually takes quite a long time to reach the steady state due to the large time constant. In this paper, two methods are proposed to speed up the transient process to reach the steady state. In both methods, the initial condition of the simulation is estimated from the solution of FEA model with locked rotor and equivalent conductivity/resistance. The effectiveness of the methods is validated by two examples with the comparison of the performance between two methods.
Chapter 10.1 – Chromatin Modification and Remodeling in Heart Development

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses chromatin modification and remodelling in heart development. Transcription factors are important regulators of morphogenesis and lineage decisions. In the heart, for example, DNA-binding transcription factors such as Tbx5 and Nkx2-5 bind to target genes to activate or repress them, thereby initiating lineage decisions and setting morpho-genetic events in motion. However, they must function in the context of DNA that is packed into the dense structure that is chromatin. This poses a daunting topological problem for gene activation, as dense chromatin must be “loosened” to allow gene activation. Transcriptional regulation of heart development is tightly-linked to chromatin-remodeling. This is especially apparent with respect to complexes that alter the structure of chromatin, such as the BAF complexes. It is also readily apparent that enzymatic modification of histones is a powerful means of affecting lineage decisions, and is likely to be a critical mediator of several aspects of heart development. The integration of signaling inputs and transcriptional activity by chromatin-modifying and chromatin-remodeling complexes adds a layer of complexity and fine-tuning to the myriad events that drive heart development, from early lineage determination, throughout cardiac organogenesis and including postnatal regulation of patterned gene expression.
Benefits of MeV-Scale Reconstruction Capabilities in Large Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

Using truth-level Monte Carlo simulations of particle interactions in a large volume of liquid argon, we demonstrate physics capabilities enabled by reconstruction of topologically compact and isolated low-energy features, or ``blips,'' in large liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) events. These features are mostly produced by electron products of photon interactions depositing ionization energy. The blip identification capability of the LArTPC is enabled by its unique combination of size, position resolution precision, and low energy thresholds. We show that consideration of reconstructed blips in LArTPC physics analyses can result in substantial improvements in calorimetry for neutrino and new physics interactions and for final-state particles ranging in energy from the MeV to the GeV scale. Blip activity analysis is also shown to enable discrimination between interaction channels and final-state particle types. In addition to demonstrating these gains in calorimetry and discrimination, some limitations of blip reconstruction capabilities and physics outcomes are also discussed.
Phytolith Analysis in Paleoecology and Archaeology

Opaline phytoliths are formed when plants accumulate silica at the cellular level. This biomineralization process reproduces, to some extent, the original plant tissue in the form of microscopic particles that are incorporated into soils and sediments when the plant dies and decays. Phytoliths’ inorganic nature makes them resistant to most pre- and post-depositional processes, including fire, and they can preserve over long periods in a different range of conditions. However, not all plants produce the same amount of phytoliths and phytolith morphologies can be redundant, impeding the identification of the original plant tissue. Phytolith assemblages can also suffer post-depositional processes that might affect their preservation and bias the interpretation. The present chapter reviews the current knowledge on phytolith formation and cycling, sampling and extraction methods, identification procedures, taphonomy, and phytolith applications in paleoecology and archaeology.
Examining the neighborhood-level socioeconomic characteristics associated with fatal overdose by type of drug involved and overdose setting

Abstract Background Fatal drug overdose in the United States is a public health crisis fueled by increased opioid and polysubstance use. Few studies have compared the neighborhood-level socioeconomic characteristics associated with overdoses of various substance classes and, to our knowledge, no investigation has yet assessed these factors in relation to polysubstance overdoses. Further, no study has determined whether socioeconomic conditions predict other contextually relevant aspects of overdoses such as whether they occur at-home or out-of-home. Methods Overdose data (2015–2018) were obtained from the Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office of Jefferson County, Alabama. The toxicology results of decedents with a known overdose locations (N = 768) were assessed for the presence of synthetic opioids, natural and semi-synthetic opioids, heroin, stimulants, benzodiazepines, and alcohol. Socioeconomic characteristics were obtained from the Unites States Census Bureau at the census tract level. Results Stimulant overdoses occurred in neighborhoods with the highest rates of disadvantage relative to other substance and polysubstance overdose types. The majority of included overdoses occurred at-home (63.7%) and an index of socioeconomic disadvantage predicted overdose rates for both at-home and out-of-home overdoses. Heroin overdose deaths were more likely to occur at-home while polysubstance stimulant-heroin overdoses were more common out-of-home. Conclusions An index of socioeconomic disadvantage was generally predictive of overdose, regardless of the setting in which the overdose occurred (in-home vs. out-of-home). The associations between neighborhood-level socioeconomic characteristics and fatal overdose can be tailored by substance type to create targeted interventions. Overdose setting may be an important consideration for future policy efforts, as overdoses were nearly twice as likely to occur at-home.
A randomized trial of aerobic exercise for major depression: examining neural indicators of reward and cognitive control as predictors and treatment targets.

Background Aerobic exercise has demonstrated antidepressant efficacy among adults with major depression. There is a poor understanding of the neural mechanisms associated with these effects. Deficits in reward processing and cognitive control may be two candidate targets and predictors of treatment outcome to exercise in depression. Methods Sixty-six young adults aged 20.23 years (s.d. = 2.39) with major depression were randomized to 8 weeks of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (n = 35) or light stretching (n = 31). Depressive symptoms were assessed across the intervention to track symptom reduction. Reward processing [reward positivity (RewP)] and cognitive control [error-related negativity (ERN)] were assessed before and after the intervention using event-related brain potentials. Results Compared to stretching, aerobic exercise resulted in greater symptom reduction (gs = 0.66). Aerobic exercise had no impact on the RewP (gav = 0.08) or ERN (gav = 0.21). In the aerobic exercise group, individuals with a larger pre-treatment RewP [odds ratio (OR) = 1.45] and increased baseline depressive symptom severity (OR = 1.18) were more likely to respond to an aerobic exercise program. Pre-treatment ERN did not predict response (OR = 0.74). Conclusions Aerobic exercise is effective in alleviating depressive symptoms in adults with major depression, particularly for those with increased depressive symptom severity and a larger RewP at baseline. Although aerobic exercise did not modify the RewP or ERN, there is preliminary support for the utility of the RewP in predicting who is most likely to respond to exercise as a treatment for depression.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on core body temperature during exercise: A systematic review.

Abstract Background/Objective Because of their anti-pyretic effects, some individuals prophylactically use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to blunt core temperature (Tc) increases during exercise, thus, potentially improving performance by preventing hyperthermia and/or exertional heat illness. However, NSAIDs induce gastrointestinal damage, alter renal function, and decrease cardiovascular function, which could compromise thermoregulation and increase Tc. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of NSAIDs on Tc in exercising, adult humans. Methods We conducted searches in MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, and Google Scholar for literature published up to November 2020. We conducted a quality assessment review using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Nine articles achieved a score ≥ seven to be included in the review. Results Seven studies found aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen had no effect (p > .05) on Tc during walking, running, or cycling for ≤ 90 min in moderate to hot environments. Two studies found significant Tc changes. In one investigation, 81 mg of aspirin for 7–10 days prior to exercise significantly increased Tc during cycling (p Conclusions There are limited quality studies examining NSAID effects on Tc during exercise in humans. The majority suggest taking non-selective NSAIDs (e.g., aspirin) 1–14 days before exercise does not significantly affect Tc during exercise. However, it remains unclear whether Tc increases, decreases, or does not change during exercise with other NSAID drug types (e.g., naproxen), higher dosages, chronic use, greater exercise intensity, and/or greater environmental temperatures.
Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support: Validating Scores on the Mental Distress Response Scale With High School Students:

This investigation tested the internal structure of scores on the Mental Distress Response Scale (MDRS), a peer-to-peer mental health support screening tool, with a national sample of 237 adolescen...
Board Diversity Shareholder Suits: Diverging Materiality Tests under Rules 10b-5 and 14a-9

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing has grown significantly as an investment strategy over the past decade, leading to intensified demands among investors for more ESG disclosures from publicly listed companies. Perhaps the most high-profile example of this trend is the recent widespread demand among institutional investors, proxy advisory firms, and exchanges for more disclosure and compliance as it relates to board and workplace diversity. Given these efforts and the signals coming from the SEC that it intends to take a more proactive approach to ESG disclosure and compliance, issuers can expect an environment of more specific and detailed diversity disclosures. These increasingly comprehensive disclosures implicate the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, particularly Rules 10b-5 and 14a-9. While the Supreme Court has held that the materiality requirement under each of these rules is identical, this note argues that, in the case of securities fraud claims related to diversity disclosures, they require distinct evaluations and lead to different outcomes. Specifically, Rule 14a-9, with its focus on what is important to a reasonable investor’s voting decisions, is more favorable to plaintiffs than Rule 10b-5, which regulates information important to a reasonable investor’s buying and selling decisions. The divergent outcomes are due, in large part, to the combined effects of ownership concentration, passive investing, and the preference among investors for addressing ESG and diversity by voting their shares rather than by selling them. As a result, this note finds that Rule 14a-9 is an increasingly viable option for claims against issuers for false or misleading statements related to board diversity. Consequently, Rule 14a-9 may constitute a mechanism by which plaintiffs can motivate compliance with board diversity standards by making noncompliance too costly.
Child reward neurocircuitry and parental substance use history: Findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.

Abstract Background Substance use research has focused on family history of alcohol use disorders but less on other addictions in biological family members. We examined how parental substance use history relates to reward system functioning, specifically nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and putamen activation at age 9–10 in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. This research hopes to address limitations in prior literature by focusing analyses on a large, substance-naive sample. Method We included ABCD participants with valid Monetary Incentive Delay task fMRI Baseline data and parent substance use history at project baseline from Data Release 2.0 (N = 10,622). Parent-history-positive (PH+) participants had one or both biological parents with a history of two+problems with alcohol (n = 741; PH+A) and/or other drugs (n = 638; PH+D). Of participants who were parent-history-negative (PH-) for alcohol and/or drugs, a stratified random sample based on six sociodemographic variables was created and matched to the PH+group (PH-A n = 699; PH-D n = 615). The contrast of interest was anticipation of a large reward vs. neutral response. Results PH+A youth had more activation in the right NAcc during large reward anticipation than PH-A. PH+D youth showed enhanced left putamen activation during large reward anticipation than PH-D youth. Bayesian hypothesis testing showed moderate evidence (BF > 3) in favor of the null hypothesis. Conclusion These findings suggest that pre-adolescents whose biological parents had a history of substance-related problems show small differences in reward processing compared to their PH- peers.
Effect of preoperative radiation on free flap outcomes for head and neck reconstruction: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND There is an ongoing debate about whether neoadjuvant radiation therapy is associated with higher rates of postoperative complications after head and neck reconstruction. Herle et al. conducted a systematic review in 2014 of 24 studies, finding higher complication rates in irradiated fields. We sought to perform an exhaustive updated systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS We conducted an updated systematic review of the literature, as outlined in our protocol, which was registered on PROSPERO. Databases included Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central, and Web of Science. There were no limits placed on the date range, place of publication, or origin. Exclusion criteria included patients less than 18 years of age, studies with less than 20 participants (n < 20), case studies, skull base reconstructions, and local tissue rearrangements. The combined results of the studies and relative risks (RR) were calculated. RESULTS 53 studies were included for analysis, including 5,086 free flaps in an irradiated field, and 9,110 free flaps in a non-irradiated field. Of the 53 studies, 21 studies overlapped with those discussed in Herle et al.'s study, with a total of 32 additional studies. Neoadjuvant radiation was found to be a statistically significant risk factor for postoperative complications (RR 1.579, P < 0.001), total flap failure (RR, 1.565; P < 0.001), and fistula (RR, 1.810; P < 0.001). Our work reaffirmed the findings of the Herle et al. STUDY CONCLUSION Preoperative radiation was associated with a statistically significant increase in the risk of total flap failure, fistula, and total complications but not partial flap failure. These high-morbidity complications must be taken into consideration when determining which patients should receive neoadjuvant radiation therapy.
Original contributionEnhanced preattentive central nervous system reactivity in irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional disorder characterized by enhanced perceptual sensitivity and hypervigilance toward afferent signals from the viscera. We hypothesize that the increased responsiveness of IBS patients is a generalized phenomenon applying to stimuli other than visceral and attempt to demonstrate increased responsiveness to sounds as measured by the P1 scalp potential. METHODS: Event-related potentials were recorded from IBS patients and control subjects in an auditory task requiring detection of rare pitch targets in a designated ear. Visual words served as targets in an additional block. RESULTS: Compared to control subjects, IBS patients displayed a robust increase in the amplitude of the P1 scalp potential elicited by both attended and unattended sounds. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced P1 indicates preattentive central nervous system dishabituation in response to repeated sounds. A generalized preattentive increase in central nervous system reactivity may be a feature that IBS shares with several anxiety disorders that frequently co-occur in these patients.
Mass spectrometric analysis of prion proteins.

Publisher Summary Mass spectrometry offers an array of powerful techniques for the analysis of the primary structure of proteins. By using a combination of these methods, PrPSc was confirmed to have an amino acid sequence identical to that predicted from the gene sequence. The nature of the post translational modifications was also delineated. Preliminary data on the heterogeneous N-linked sugars was substantiated by recent comprehensive studies that suggest that there are no unique components responsible for PrPSc formation. The glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor was subjected to extensive analysis, revealing certain features never previously reported for comparable structures. Experiments suggested that these features are also present in PrPC and therefore do not provide the basis for an explanation of the different properties of PrPSc. Non-PrP peptides and other accessory molecules have been identified, but it appears unlikely that these are of any significance.
Mount Rate Robust Optimization for Idle Shake Performance

ABSTRACT Analytical study of vehicle idle shake performance is standard NVH work within the vehicle development process. Robust design for idle shake performance takes variations into account besides nominal design based performance evaluation. In other words, in addition to the nominal design, Robust Design includes additional evaluations that may incorporate variation due to manufacturing, usage or the environment. This paper presents an example of how to obtain a robust design through performing Robust Optimization on idle shake performance with respect to powertrain mount rates and their tolerance variation. The paper describes a two-phase process that has been systematically implemented to analytically obtain a robust design. In the first phase, performance variation assessment is conducted. Then a Robust Optimization is performed to obtain a robust design. The goal is not only to move the performance onto target, but also to desensitize the system performance to the noises and the anticipated variations (e.g. mount rate variation).
Particle suppression at high-xF in Au+Au collisions at RHIC

Measurements of xF-dependent nuclear modification factors of charged mesons and protons in Au+Au collisions at and 62.4 GeV at RHIC are presented. Particle suppression at high-xF is discussed in the context of kinematic constraints of particle production competing with dynamically induced nuclear modification mechanisms.
A Case Report of Acute Esotropia in a Young Woman following Heroin Withdrawal.

Introduction. Esotropia is a form of strabismus that can give the affected individual a “cross-eyed” appearance. Acute onset of esotropia is an uncommon form; in the vast majority of cases, no underlying neurological etiology is found. Case Presentation. A 22-year-old female with a long history of opiate abuse presented with acute onset of diplopia. She noted her eyes were crossing and started seeing double. She stopped using heroin 11 days prior to presentation. There was large inward deviation of her left eye. Convergence was difficult and accompanied by horizontal nystagmus. Diplopia resolved by covering each eye. Further investigations including imaging studies were normal. Discussion. Acute onset esotropia is rare and must be investigated right away to exclude central nervous system pathologies, where no opiates use is reported. Diplopia in the form of acute esotropia may manifest in up to 30% of individuals undergoing heroin withdrawal. Evaluating acute esotropia requires detailed information of medical history with an emphasis on drug use. Conclusion. Acute onset esotropia with double vision can be caused by abrupt withdrawal of opiates. This case should serve to raise awareness among health care professionals, to avoid costly and unnecessary diagnostic evaluations and interventions.
Attaining Competitive Advantage Through Web Services: A Theoretical Perspective

There is growing debate in the research literature on the competitive advantage offered by information technology. This has been further noted after the publication of an article in Harvard Business Review provocatively titled “IT Does Not Matter”. Researchers have looked into different aspects such as; IS alignment, a firms IT capability etc. to support the perspective that IT does have an impact on a firm’s performance. Similarly literature exists supporting the counter claim – IT does not matter. These researchers claim that IT investments do not improve company performance; that the cost-benefit analysis of IT investment does not justify the IT investment; and more importantly that IT does not give any competitive advantage as it is easily imitable. We argue that a revolutionary emerging technology, Web Services can give an organization competitive advantage through a series of limited time competitive advantage. We argue this by using a multi-theoretic lens and look mainly into the literature of strategic alignment and dynamic capabilities.
A sensemaking environment for literature study

We present a sensemaking environment for literary text analysis. Literature study is a cycle of reading, interpretation, exploration, and understanding. While there is now abundant technological support for reading and interpreting literary text in new ways through text-processing algorithms, the other parts of the cycle - exploration and understanding - have been relatively neglected. Motivated by the literature on sensemaking, we are developing a software system that integrates tools for algorithmic processing of text with interaction techniques that support the interpretive, exploratory, and note-taking aspects of scholarship. At present, our project supports grammatical search and contextual similarity determination, visualization of patterns of word context, and examination and organization of the source material for comparison and hypothesis-building. This article illustrates its capabilities by analyzing language-use differences between male and female characters in Shakespeare's plays. We find that when love is a major plot point, the language Shakespeare uses to refer to women becomes more physical, and the language referring to men becomes more sentimental. Future work will incorporate additional sensemaking tools to aid comparison, exploration, grouping, and pattern recognition.
Characterizing the nano and micro structure of concrete to improve its durability

New and advanced methodologies have been developed to characterize the nano and microstructure of cement paste and concrete exposed to aggressive environments. High resolution full-field soft X-ray imaging in the water window is providing new insight on the nano scale of the cement hydration process, which leads to a nano-optimization of cement-based systems. Hard X-ray microtomography images of ice inside cement paste and cracking caused by the alkali?silica reaction (ASR) enables three-dimensional structural identification. The potential of neutron diffraction to determine reactive aggregates by measuring their residual strains and preferred orientation is studied. Results of experiments using these tools are shown on this paper.
Dissolution and Absorption of the Antineoplastic Agent Ellipticine

Ellipticine, a poorly water-soluble alkaloid, is active in several experimental tumor systems. Marked solubility increases were produced by polyvinylpyrrolidone of varying molecular weights (10,000–160,000) and were optimal (~ 13 mg/ml at 25°) with polyvinylpyrrolidone mol. wt. 10,000. Dissolution of ellipticine-polyvinylpyrro-lidone (1:22 w/w) tablets in simulated gastric juice was superior to that of ellipticine hydrochloride. Release rates were controlled by combinations of polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers without affecting maximum dissolution at 37°. Physiological disposition of ellipticine-polyvinyl- pyrrolidone was compared with that of the hydrochloride salt and ellipticine in suspension following oral administration at 250 mg/kg in fasted mice. In comparison to the suspension, ellipticine tissue levels were about threefold higher with polyvinylpyrrolidone or hydrochloride preparations. Antitumor activity of the three preparations was evaluated intraperito-neally and orally versus L-1210 leukemia. The optimal dose of ellipticine-polyvinylpyrrolidone and ellipticine hydrochloride was lower than that of the suspension and suggested improved absorption.
Gross hematuria as a sign of acute rejection

In the contemporary era of potent immunosuppressive regimens, previously encountered signs of renal allograft rejection such as fever and hematuria are rarely encountered. We report a teenager with severe recurrent acute humoral and cellular rejection whose presenting feature was gross hematuria with the presence of blood clots in the urine. We want to highlight that severe rejection even in the setting of modern immunosuppressive drugs can present as gross hematuria. Contrary to conventional wisdom that gross hematuria with the presence of blood clots in the urine is indicative of pathology in the renal collecting system, a parenchymal disease process should also be considered in renal transplant recipients.
The incidental pulmonary nodule: an impetus for guidelines

Sir, Every couple of months for the last several years, I find myself in a quandary about what to recommend for solitary and multiple non-calcified pulmonary nodules incidentally found on a pediatric chest CT exam. I am not speaking of those CTs ordered in the setting of pediatric oncology, but the occasional CT ordered by our referring clinicians for the workup of symptoms such as chronic cough. All too often, I find small (less than 1 cm) incidental nodules. Every fiber of my being screams that these are benign and of no clinical significance. However, sticking to the mantra of evidencebased medicine, I dutifully search the literature for articles or guidelines that tell me how these should be followed. I have not found any paper or guideline providing direction. For nearly a decade now, our adult colleagues have had guidelines published by our esteemed thoracic radiology leaders in the Fleischner Society [1]. There are size criteria and recommendations for follow-up imaging for the incidentally detected non-calcified pulmonary nodule. However the society did make one caveat: the guidelines only apply to individuals older than 35 years. In fact, a follow-up study by Feely and Hartman [2] found that the criteria were inappropriately used in 4% of cases for patients younger than 35 years [2]. However, if there is no guidance available in the literature can any of us blame other radiologists in today’s medico-legal environment for using the Fleischner guidelines rather than making up some arbitrary means of follow-up or simply dismissing the findings? Most pediatric radiologists are likely aware that incidental non-calcified pulmonary nodules, in the absence of known malignancy, are almost certainly benign in children. Furthermore what concerns adult imagers and not us (pediatric radiologists) is primary lung malignancy, which is exceedingly rare in those younger than 35, representing less than 1% of all cases. This fact was generally addressed in the Fleischner Society paper, which states that it is reasonable to follow up these incidental nodules with a CT in 6–12 months [1]. Does this suffice? There is no evidence to support or refute it. Also, would a general radiologist who almost certainly interprets more adult CTs than pediatric ones be more likely to use the Fleischner criteria in a child? Again, one cannot be sure. In the end, we will most likely not have studies with sufficient numbers of individuals to prove the benignity of incidental pulmonary nodules in children. For one, most of us likely do not follow them, at least not to the level performed in adults. Second, we have an ethical imperative to keep radiation doses low in our children. A prospective study would be something few of us would like to undertake. Therefore, we are back to what I have searched for over the years, i.e. guidelines. Is it time for us to come together as a society to develop a standard to follow in children? I think the answer is likely yes.
Further results about field theory on the world sheet and string formation

The present article is the continuation of the earlier work, which used the world sheet representation and the mean field approximation to sum planar graphs in massless {phi}{sup 3} field theory. The authors improve on the previous work in two respects: A prefactor in the world sheet propagator that had been neglected is now taken into account. In addition, they introduce a non-zero bare mass for the field {phi}. Working with a theory with cutoff and using the mean field approximation, they find that, depending on the range of values of the mass and coupling constant, the model has two phases: A string forming phase and a perturbative field theory phase. They also find the generation of a new degree of freedom, which was not in the model originally. This new degree of freedom can be thought of as the string slope, which is now promoted into a fluctuating dynamical variable. Finally, they show that the introduction of the bare mass makes it possible to renormalize the model.
Alumni Perceptions of a University’s Decision to Remove Native American Imagery From Its Athletic Program: A Case Study

One of the more contentious issues North American athletic organizations face is how to deal with Native American imagery that is associated with their sports teams. The National Collegiate Athleti...
Evaluation of meteneprost potassium (a PGE2 analogue) for cervical dilation and side effects in nonpregnant women.

Abstract Meteneprost potassium, a PGE2 analogue, was evaluated in thirty non-pregnant women for use as a prospective cervical dilator and softeming agent. No significant change in cervical dilation was noted. A significant relationship between obesity and side effects was observed.
Response of dogs to repeated intravenous injection of polyethylene glycol 4000 with notes on excretion and sensitization.

Abstract Repeated intravenous injections of sterile 10% polyethylene glycol 4000 in 0.85% aqueous NaCl caused no detectable ill effects in groups of 9 beagles on dosages of 90, 30, 10, and 0 mg/kg/day. Two dogs from each level were killed after 43 daily injections in 2 months, 2 more after 99 injections in 6 months, and the remaining 5 after 178 injections in 12 months. There were no statistically significant differences between any of the injected groups and the control group that received the 0.85% NaCl vehicle in an amount equivalent to the volume of the highest dosage, i.e., 9 ml. The criteria of effect included body and organ weights, hematology, biochemical tests, gross and histopathologic examination of cranial, thoracic, and abdominal organs. Two importantly related studies reveal that PEG 4000 is not a sensitizing agent in guinea pigs and that the major routes of excretion of 14C equivalents by rats after iv and po administration are via urine in the first instance and feces in the second. Its proposed use as a complexing agent in the preparation of a high purity antihemophilic factor for human intravenous use prompted these studies.
Balancing the conservation of wildlife habitat with subsistence hunting access: a geospatial-scenario planning framework.

Abstract Increased motorized access used for subsistence hunting has created a challenge for land managers trying to balance the conservation of wildlife habitat with the greater environmental impact of motorized access. We used an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate this challenge in a case study of subsistence moose ( Alces alces ) hunters who used off-highway vehicles (OHVs; e.g., four-wheelers) to access remote harvest areas in Yakutat, Alaska, USA, and the conservation needs to sustain moose. We developed a resilience-based planning framework that combined methods from wildlife ecology, land-use mapping, and scenario planning. The study started at the community level by working with local hunters to evaluate their values and goals for subsistence moose hunting, and to identify thresholds of undesired change. This process served as the basis for evaluating how four road closure scenarios would effect the distribution of moose and hunters’ access to moose harvest areas. The effect of roads and OHV routes on moose distribution was quantified in a previous study with a GIS-based resource selection function model. An index of access was quantified on a digitized map of harvest areas. The results of the scenario analyses suggest that a balance in the conservation of wildlife habitat and subsistence hunting access could be found in the spatial arrangement of routes that are outside of important moose habitat, but within reach of preferred harvest areas. This spatially explicit planning framework may prove useful in northern communities experiencing an increased use of motorized access for contemporary subsistence hunting practices.
Eysenck's personality dimensions and sex steroids in male abstinent alcoholics and nonalcoholics: an exploratory study

This study investigated the relationship between alcoholics' personality characteristics [as indexed by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ)] and sex steroid levels. Three serum samples were drawn over a 90-min period in 58 inpatient male alcoholics (mean 33 days sober) and 33 non-alcoholic controls. The EPQ was administered at approximately the same point in the treatment process. Replicating previous work, we found alcoholics scored significantly higher on the Neuroticism and Psychoticism scales of the EPQ than controls. Alcoholics also had higher levels of estradiol and total testosterone than controls, which may be reflective of a biological rebound or characteristic premorbid levels. A significant positive correlation was found between testosterone and extroversion in controls, but not in alcoholics. Alcoholics showed a positive correlation between estradiol and neuroticism and a negative relationship between estradiol and extroversion. The results suggest that (a) 'normal' hormone-personality relationships are disrupted in male alcoholics, and b) personality and psychological changes consistent with the physical feminization syndrome may occur in male alcoholics.
Association amacrine cells could mediate directional selectivity in pigeon retina.

Ganglion cell receptive fields in the vertebrate retina are classified as ‘simple’ if they display mutually antagonistic, concentric on and off responses to stimulation by light1, or ‘complex’ if they respond maximally to a stimulus which moves in a certain direction or has a particular orientation2. One complex unit frequently reported is directionally selective3–6. It is excited by stimuli moving through its receptive field in only one direction, the preferred direction, and is inhibited by motion in the reverse or null direction. In species such as cats and monkeys which have a predominantly simple centre-surround organization of ganglion cell receptive fields, there is a low ratio of conventional (amacrine cell) to ribbon (bipolar cell) synapses in the inner plexiform layer, while in species such as pigeons and frogs which have a large percentage of complex ganglion cell receptive fields, there is a high ratio of conventional to ribbon synapses. It is therefore thought that amacrine cells, which are laterally interconnecting neurones in the inner plexiform layer, form the complex ganglion cell receptive field7,8. Although quantitative electron microscopy of the inner plexiform layer has indicated that amacrine cells may form the complex receptive field properties of ganglion cells, it offers no clues to the particular morphology of amacrine cells involved. I have therefore now studied amacrine cells in pigeon retina using Golgi impregnation in both whole-mounted and radially sectioned material to see whether there is a correlation between the morphology of amacrine cells and the receptive fields of ganglion cells. In 30 Golgi-impregnated retinas, I have found many different morphological types of amacrine cell. One of these is so clearly different from all other amacrine cells that it requires the separation of pigeon amacrine cells into two distinct classes, those which lack axons (class I cells) and those which have axons (class II cells).