cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examination of the pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A assay on the Beckman Coulter Access® platform: suitability for use in first trimester Down's syndrome screening:

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical validity of the new Access® pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) assay for Down's syndrome screening.SettingAcademic hospital.MethodResidual serum samples (n = 416) received for routine first trimester Down's syndrome screening (10-13 weeks) were retrieved from freezer storage and tested using two PAPP-A immunoassay methods. The new Access® assay was specifically compared, on a subset of these samples (n = 194), with an assay proven to give acceptable Down's syndrome screening performance, the PerkinElmer (PE) AutoDELFIA method. Access® PAPP-A levels were examined in relation to gestational age and maternal weight, and were compared with the PE method by regression and Bland-Altman analyses.ResultsAccess® PAPP-A assay results were highly correlated with the PE AutoDELFIA method (r = 0.97). PAPP-A levels obtained using the Access® assay increased with advancing gestational age and were inversely related to maternal weight, as expected. The distribution of multiple...
Hierarchical Analysis of IC Artwork with User Defined Abstraction Rules

Hierarchical DRC and component extract offer many advantages but no one form of hierarchical analysis fits all situations. This paper introduces hierarchical analysis in which the user specifies how abstract representations of cells are formed, how they are checked, and what to do if a violation is detected. This allows one analysis program (with different rules) to use the designer's hierarchy for a wide variety of different analyses. In particular, analyses that had been difficult in previous schemes (cross coupling capacitances, terminals in the center of cells, multilayer interconnects) can now be handled hierarchically. Topics: 2,5,7
The expected duration of upward-shallowing peritidal carbonate cycles and their terminal hiatuses

Meter-scale accommodation cycles, which dominate the stratigraphic record of peritidal carbonate accumulation, might provide a time scale of unusually high resolution, but the duration of the hiatuses that cap the resulting cyclothems is difficult to determine. Thousands of rates of peritidal accumulation from many different carbonate sections have been combined, according to the length of the time span of measurement, to describe a hypothetical average section. Because all sections are interrupted by hiatuses, the average accumulation rate falls progressively with increasing time span and most steeply at the time spans that capture the highest proportion of hiatuses. The process of combining rates from many sections cancels local differences in the distribution of hiatuses. Only hiatuses that have similar spacing and duration in a majority of sections will stand out after compilation. The size and position of a pronounced inflection in the combined plot of accumulation rates against time span identifies a dominant cycle period of ∼100,000 yr, of which the terminal hiatus accounts for 80%-90%. The expected cyclothem is ∼10 m thick. Because peritidal accommodation cycles begin and end with the sediment surface at sea level, the expected cycle period can be estimated by finding the time span at which accommodation and accumulation rates balance. The maximum duration of the hiatus is the time span at which rates of subsidence and sea-level fall balance. Compilations of many empirical measurements were again employed to determine the relationship between time span and the rates of subsidence, sea- level change, and net accommodation. This second method confirms the results of the first and can be modified to predict the expected cyclothem in different climatic, tectonic, and depositional settings. Because Quaternary data dominate short-term rates, the hypothetical average section best describes a passive margin in an icehouse climate with strong glacio-eustatic fluctuations in sea level. After modification for an extreme greenhouse climate, devoid of ice caps, the second method predicts that 20,000-yr accommodation cycles will be preferentially recorded.The expected cyclothem is 2 m thick and accounts for about 50% of the cycle period. Increased subsidence rates, whether on active margins, in the initial phase of passive margin formation, or at the seaward edge of a platform, tend to extend the limit of cycle duration, increase cyclothem thickness, and partition less time to the bounding hiatus. Increased subsidence, however, raises the risk that the sediment surface will drown.
Impact of diabetes on glaucoma screening using frequency-doubling perimetry.

Purpose To determine whether diabetes is a potential source of abnormal test results in glaucoma screening by use of frequency-doubling perimetry. Design Observational case series. Participants and controls Twenty-five patients with diabetes and 25 nondiabetic normal controls, all without cataract or glaucoma. Methods Frequency-doubling perimetry using the C-20-5 screening mode was performed in 1 randomly selected eye of each participant. Abnormal test results were immediately repeated to reduce artifacts caused by test inexperience. Frequency-doubling technology (FDT) results were assigned a numerical score between 0 (normal) and 87 (no stimuli detected). Main outcome measure Abnormal FDT test scores. Results Overall, 7 of 25 (28%) patients with diabetes and 1 of 25 (4%) normal controls had an abnormal test; the 1 normal subject with an abnormal test was subsequently determined to have an abnormal glucose tolerance test. Four of the 7 patients with diabetes with abnormal FDT tests had no evidence of diabetic retinopathy on clinical examination. Patients with diabetes had higher test scores than normal controls (8.9±16.9 vs. 1.0±4.4, P = 0.028) and had longer test times than normal controls (66.4±35.5 seconds vs. 48.3±11.2 seconds, P = 0.019). Conclusions Frequency-doubling perimetry is abnormal in some patients with diabetes, including some patients with diabetes without clinical evidence of diabetic retinopathy. Abnormal FDT testing in diabetic eyes may not represent glaucomatous visual field loss. Diabetes may be a source of "false-positive" test results when this technology is used for glaucoma screening.
High Touch Through High Tech: The Impact of Salesperson Technology Usage on Customer Satisfaction and Sales Performance

Sales technology has been touted as a primary tool for enhancing customer relationship management. However, empirical research is sparse concerning the use of information technology (IT) and its effects on the relationship between salespersons and customers. Using an interdisciplinary research approach, we extend task technology-fit (TTF) theory by examining the mechanisms through which use of IT by the sales force influences salesperson performance. We test a model that incorporates salespersons’ customer service, attention to personal details, adaptability, and knowledge - key marketing constructs that could mediate IT’s impact on salesperson performance. Results in a pharmaceutical sales setting indicate that IT use can improve customer service and salespersons’ adaptability, leading to improved sales performance.
microRNA and Wound Healing

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules which play pivotal roles in wound healing. The increased expression of certain genes and expression of some others represent a key component of the wound biology and are largely under the regulation of naturally occurring miRNAs. Understanding the dysregulated miRNAs in chronic wound biology will therefore enable the development of newer therapies. This chapter focuses on the miRNAs that can be potentially targeted for improving skin wound healing and the challenges in miRNA therapy, including considerations in miRNA target identification and delivery.
Bone abnormalities in male germ-cell cancer survivors

5053 Background: Survival of men with testicular cancer is long due to successful therapeutic intervention, which usually includes orchidectomy. Therefore, we studied the prevalence of osteoporosis...
Substance use after bariatric surgery: A review

Abstract Background Prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically. Obese individuals may undergo bariatric surgery to lose excessive body fat and mitigate obesity-related comorbidities. However, bariatric patients are particularly vulnerable to substance use problems. We conducted a review to examine the prevalence change and factors associated with substance use and determine the association between substance use and health status after weight loss among bariatric patients. Methods We searched peer-reviewed articles published between January 1990 and January 2015 in several databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar) using different keywords combinations. Studies that focused on pre-surgery substance use only or without reported effect measurements were excluded. Results Overall, 40 studies were included in the review. Preoperative history of substance use was a reliable correlate of postoperative substance use. The prevalence of postoperative alcohol use was higher among patients with preoperative history of alcohol use than those without. Postoperative prevalence of alcohol use ranged from 7.6% to 11.8%. No significant prevalence change in cigarette smoking from pre-to postoperative period was observed. Time effect was not observed on smoking or drug use prevalence, while an increase in alcohol consumption was inconsistent across studies. The proportion of new-onset substance users among bariatric patients after surgery ranged from 34.3% to 89.5%. Conclusion Substance use is associated with poor health among bariatric patients. Preoperative assessment and postoperative follow-up should include interventions to reduce relapse among users and prevent substance use initiation.
Observations on electrocorticographic effects of acetylcholine in monkeys and cats.

Summary1. Topical application of acetylcholine usually produced a local depression. The depression was not propagated, and was not due to changes of systemic blood pressure. 2. The local depression was often succeeded and sometimes masked by enhanced electrical reactivity. This action varied from a barely discernible increase to a sustained high voltage pattern lasting 30 minutes. The discharges were randomly distributed in time in some instances; in others, the activity was organized in distinct groups of paroxysmal spikes each group being accompanied by a distinct surface negative D. C. pulse.
Time-Domain Simulation of Three Dimensional Quantum Wires.

A method is presented to calculate the eigenenergies and eigenfunctions of quantum wires. This is a true three-dimensional method based on a direct implementation of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. It makes no approximations to the Schrodinger equation other than the finite-difference approximation of the space and time derivatives. The accuracy of our method is tested by comparing it to analytical results in a cylindrical wire.
Advances in the study of the mechanisms of Cronobacter pathogenicity and pathogenesis

Cronobacter spp.can cause severe neonatal meningitis,sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis,lasting neurological sequelae,and even death.Research has shown that the mechanism of Cronobacter pathogenesis may be related to its invasion,induction of apoptosis,and toxicity to the intestines.
Risk Factors Associated with Development of Histiocytic Sarcoma in Bernese Mountain Dogs.

Background Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare but aggressive malignancy in humans that is poorly responsive to existing treatments. Although rare in most breeds of dogs, HS is common in Bernese mountain dogs (BMDs). Objective Determine risk factors associated with development of HS in BMD. Animals A total of 216 BMD were registered with the Berner-Garde Foundation. Methods An internet-based cross-sectional survey was used to collect information from owners of BMD diagnosed with HS and owners of disease-free littermates of dogs with HS. Mixed-effects logistic regression (MELR) and conditional logistic regression (CLR) were used in parallel to examine associations between potential risk factors and the occurrence of HS. Results When controlling for litter as a marker of relatedness, dogs diagnosed with orthopedic conditions were found to be more likely to develop HS (MELR, OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.5, 5.2; CLR, OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.3), whereas dogs receiving prescription anti-inflammatory medications were found to be at considerably lower risk of developing HS (MELR, OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.8; CLR, OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.8). Conclusions and Clinical Importance These results suggest inflammation may be a modifiable risk factor for the development of HS in BMD.
SU-A-BRC-05: The Path of a FDA Physicist

This year’s Annual Student Meeting consists of a panel of professionals who have pursued a traditional education in medical physics and have since pursued a variety of careers. These range from chief medical physicist, small business founder, FDA scientist, industry R&D scientist, and academic researcher. Each panelist will discuss their education, positions that they have held leading to their current one, and factors that influenced them to pursue their careers. Time will be left at the end of the talk to open the floor for questions from students and trainees. Discussion between the presenters and participants is encouraged. Learning Objectives: 1. The audience will learn about how to prepare for a career in medical physics. 2. The audience will be able to consider some of the widely different job opportunities open to medical physicists. 3. The audience will gain a better understanding of some future challenges facing medical physics graduates. N. Childress, I am the owner of Mobius Medical Systems, LP.
Acinar Cell Carcinoma

Acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant epithelial neoplasm of the exocrine pancreas. It mostly affects older individuals; however, it can occur in individuals of any age, from 3 to 90 years. It is slightly more common in men. The neoplasms most often arise in the head of the pancreas and may have developed both lymph node and liver metastases at time of diagnosis. Most patients present with nonspecific abdominal complaints, and biliary obstruction is uncommon. Rarely, patients may display symptoms associated with increased serum levels of pancreatic enzymes, such as distal fat necrosis or arthralgias.
Assessment of virtual towers performed with scanning wind lidars and Ka-band radars during the XPIA experiment

Abstract. During the eXperimental Planetary boundary layer Instrumentation Assessment (XPIA) campaign, which was carried out at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) in spring 2015, multiple-Doppler scanning strategies were carried out with scanning wind lidars and Ka-band radars. Specifically, step–stare measurements were collected simultaneously with three scanning Doppler lidars, while two scanning Ka-band radars carried out simultaneous range height indicator (RHI) scans. The XPIA experiment provided the unique opportunity to compare directly virtual-tower measurements performed simultaneously with Ka-band radars and Doppler wind lidars. Furthermore, multiple-Doppler measurements were assessed against sonic anemometer data acquired from the meteorological tower (met-tower) present at the BAO site and a lidar wind profiler. This survey shows that – despite the different technologies, measurement volumes and sampling periods used for the lidar and radar measurements – a very good accuracy is achieved for both remote-sensing techniques for probing horizontal wind speed and wind direction with the virtual-tower scanning technique.
A comparison of MOVE! versus TeleMOVE programs for weight loss in Veterans with obesity

Summary Background Obesity is a leading contributor to disability. Treatment approaches incorporating telehealth technologies are becoming increasingly popular in treating obesity, but their benefits relative to established behavioural weight loss therapies are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to compare a new telehealth treatment (TeleMOVE) to an established behavioural treatment (MOVE!) among Veterans with obesity. Methods This was an observational study of Veterans in the TeleMOVE or MOVE! programs between October, 2011 and March, 2013. A total of 699 Veterans enrolled in these programs from 2011–2013. A secondary focus was on Veterans that were ≥90% adherent to their treatment. From this group, 72 (33.1%) TeleMOVE and 141 (29.3%) MOVE! participants met adherence criteria. The primary outcome criterion was changes in body weight. Results Both programs were associated with significant weight reductions, with MOVE! participants showing significantly less weight loss relative to those in TeleMOVE (MOVE! mean weight loss = 4.5[7.1] lb/2.0[3.2] kg; 1.8% mean weight loss; 12.0% achieving ≥5% weight loss; TeleMOVE mean weight loss = 8.6[9.9] lb/3.9[4.5] kg; 3.6% mean weight loss; 26.6% achieving ≥5% weight loss, p’s Conclusions In this observational study, TeleMOVE was at least as effective for weight loss as the more established multidisciplinary MOVE! program.
The impact of temperature in aortic arch surgery patients receiving antegrade cerebral perfusion for >30 minutes: How relevant is it really?

Abstract Objective We examined the early outcomes and the long-term survival associated with different degrees of hypothermia in patients who received antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) for >30 minutes. Methods During a 10-year period, 544 consecutive patients underwent proximal and total aortic arch surgery and received ACP for >30 minutes and 1 of 3 levels of hypothermia: deep (14.1°C-20°C; n = 116 [21.3%]), low-moderate (20.1°C-23.9°C; n = 262 [48.2%]), and high-moderate (24°C-28°C; n = 166 [30.5%]). A variable called "predicted temperature" was used in propensity-score analysis. Multivariate analysis was done to evaluate the effect of actual temperature on outcomes. Results The operative mortality rate was 12.5% (n = 68) overall and was 15.5%, 11.8%, and 11.5% in the deep, low-moderate, and high-moderate hypothermia patients, respectively ( P = .54). The persistent stroke rate was 6.6% overall and 12.2%, 4.6%, and 6.0% in these 3 groups, respectively ( P = .024 on univariate analysis). On multivariate analysis, actual temperature was not associated with mortality, but lower temperatures predicted persistent stroke and reoperation for bleeding. In the propensity-matched subgroups, the patients with predicted deep hypothermia had (nonsignificantly) greater rates of persistent stroke (12.2% vs 4.9%; relative risk, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.87-1.15) and reoperation for bleeding (14.6% vs 2.4%; relative risk, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.87-1.15) than the patients with predicted moderate hypothermia. On long-term follow-up (mean duration, 5.12 years), 4- and 8-year survival rates were 62.3% and 55.7% in the deep hypothermia group and 75.4% and 74.2% in the moderate hypothermia group ( P = .0015). Conclusions In proximal and arch operations involving ACP for >30 minutes, greater actual temperatures were associated with less stroke and reoperation for bleeding. There were no significant differences among the predicted hypothermia levels, although a trend toward a higher rate of adverse events was noticed in the deep hypothermia group. Long-term survival was better in the moderate hypothermia group.
On information-theoretic privacy with general distortion cost functions

The privacy-utility tradeoff problem is formulated as determining the privacy mechanism (random mapping) that minimizes the mutual information (a metric for privacy leakage) between the private features of the original dataset and a released version. The minimization is subject to a constraint on the average distortion cost defined as a function f evaluated for every distortion d between the public features and the released version of dataset. The asymptotic optimal leakage is derived both for general and stationary memoryless privacy mechanisms. It is shown that for convex cost functions there is no asymptotic loss in using stationary memoryless mechanisms. Of independent interest are the proof techniques developed here for arbitrary cost functions.
Modeling Optical Spectra of Large Organic Systems Using Real-Time Propagation of Semiempirical Effective Hamiltonians.

We present an implementation of a time-dependent semiempirical method (INDO/S) in NWChem using real-time (RT) propagation to address, in principle, the entire spectrum of valence electronic excitations. Adopting this model, we study the UV/vis spectra of medium-sized systems such as P3B2 and f-coronene, and in addition much larger systems such as ubiquitin in the gas phase and the betanin chromophore in the presence of two explicit solvents (water and methanol). RT-INDO/S provides qualitatively and often quantitatively accurate results when compared with RT- TDDFT or experimental spectra. Even though we only consider the INDO/S Hamiltonian in this work, our implementation provides a framework for performing electron dynamics in large systems using semiempirical Hartree–Fock Hamiltonians in general.
SU (5) Theory vs. Experiment

The “standard” SU(3) cxSU(2)LxU(l) model of strong and electroweak interactions contains the following parameters: 1) It has three independent gauge couplings g3, g2, and g1. The strong QCD coupling g3 is often parametrized in terms of a mass scale \( {{\Lambda }_{{\overline {MS} }}} \), while g2 and g1 are usually traded off for the electric charge e and the weak mixing angle θW via the relationships1 e2 = g 2 2 sin 2θW and tan 2θW = 3g 1 2 /5g 2 2 . 2) There are two intermediate vector boson masses mw and mz which are related by mw = mzcosθW and an arbitrary physical Higgs scalar mass mΦ. 3) Of its nine fermion masses me, mμ, mτ, md, ms, mb, mu, mc, and mt, all except mt have phenomenologically measured values. From e+e− annihilation experiments at PETRA one has the lower bound mt >18 ∼ 19 GeV2. 4) There are three quark mixing angles θ1, θ2, θ3, and a CP violating phase δ. In addition to the above, there may be neutrino masses, lepton mixing angles, new generations of fermions, etc. As experimentalists measure these parameters with higher precision, theorists seek natural relationships (such as mw= mzcosθw) in an attempt to understand their origin. Such relationships are generally obtained by constraining the theory with additional symmetries. In that regard we now know how to correlate the three couplings g3, g2, and g1 through grand unification, i.e. by embedding the “standard” model in a simple gauge group G.
Radiation Pressure Assisted Acousto-Optical Transducer

We study the acousto-optical response of the optomechanical resonators in subthreshold regime and demonstrate that the reduced damping due to radiation pressure can be used for high sensitivity detection of acoustic waves.
Complete Mitochondrial Genomes and Eutherian Evolution

Recent large-scale nuclear DNA phylogenies have supported unconventional interordinal relationships among modern eutherians as well as divergence dates (100 mya) that substantially predate the first appearance of fossils from modern eutherians near the Cretaceous/Cenozoic (K/T) boundary (65-70 mya). For comparison to the nuclear data, I analyzed 12 complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) protein-coding genes (10,677 bp) from 53 eutherian taxa, using maximum-likelihood methods to estimate model parameters (GTR + I + Γ) and to optimize topology and branch-length estimates. Although closely resembling the nuclear DNA trees, the mtDNA maximum-likelihood tree is just one of seven statistically indistinguishable (Δ lnL ≤ 1.747) trees, each suggesting different evolutionary relationships. This 53-taxon data set and another including 56 taxa provide no statistically significant support for a monophyletic afrotherian clade. In fact, these mitochondrial DNA sequences fail to support the monophyly of three putative eutherian divisions suggested by the nuclear data (Afrotheria, Laurasiatheria or Euarchontoglires). By comparison to well-supported branches describing relationships among families, those describing interordinal relationships are extremely short and only tenuously supported. Neither these sequences, nor sequences simulated under a known tree, fully resolve any interordinal relationship. Even simulated sequences that are twice as long (22kb) as mtDNA protein-coding genes are too short and too saturated to resolve the deepest and shortest interordinal relationships. Further, the mammalian mtDNA sequences appear to depart significantly from molecular-clock and quartet dating assumptions. Unlike recent nuclear DNA studies, I find that mtDNA genes, by themselves, are inadequate to describe relationships or divergence times at the base of the eutherian tree.
The Role of Temperature in Electronic Design

Four hundred years ago (c. 1600 CE), a bearded old man added a new contraption to his workshop—a hollow glass bulb attached to a long, hollow glass tube. He warmed the bulb in his hands and lowered the open end of the tube into a cool liquid. As the air inside the bulb cooled, some liquid was drawn upward into the instrument. The warmer the man could make the bulb before placing the tube in the liquid, the further up the tube the liquid would climb. The man’s name was Galileo Galilei, and he was experimenting with a new invention: the thermoscope [1].
New York City Taxis in an Uber World

We empirically examine the effect of Uber’s presence on the demand for medallion taxi trips in New York City. We estimate the percent change in number of Yellow and Green cab trips given a one percent change in number of Uber rides – the elasticity - using rainfall as an instrumental variable. Citywide, Uber rides supplement, rather than replace, Yellow and Green cab rides. For Yellow cabs, this result is powered by the area of Manhattan below 110th street; however during the morning rush only, Uber rides replace Yellow cab rides there. These results suggests Uber competition will have quite different effects in markets depending upon the thickness and vigor of the existing taxi market, and site-specific commuting patterns
A B-Cell-Specific Enhancer Orchestrates Nuclear Architecture to Generate a Diverse Antigen Receptor Repertoire

The genome is organized into topologically associated domains (TADs) that enclose smaller subTADs. Here, we identify and characterize an enhancer that is located in the middle of the V gene region of the immunoglobulin kappa light chain (Igκ) locus that becomes active preceding the stage at which this locus undergoes V(D)J recombination. This enhancer is a hub of long-range chromatin interactions connecting subTADs in the V gene region with the recombination center at the J genes. Deletion of this element results in a highly altered long-range chromatin interaction pattern across the locus and, importantly, affects individual V gene utilization locus-wide. These results indicate the existence of an enhancer-dependent framework in the Igκ locus and further suggest that the composition of the diverse antibody repertoire is regulated in a subTAD-specific manner. This enhancer thus plays a structural role in orchestrating the proper folding of the Igκ locus in preparation for V(D)J recombination.
Food insecurity among adult cancer survivors in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of food insecurity among US adults with a history of a cancer diagnosis and to understand if socio-demographic factors and cancer characteristics (i.e., time since diagnosis, cancer type) relate to food insecurity. This was a secondary analysis of cancer survivors drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2011–2014. Weighted analyses included descriptive, bivariate, and multinomial logistic regression. Of the cancer survivors identified in the sample (n = 1,022), 8.36% were food insecure. In bivariate analysis, several factors were significantly associated with food insecurity among cancer survivors, including female gender, younger age, non-Hispanic black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, lower income, no insurance coverage, lower education, single relationship status, having children at home, having poor health or diet, and cancer characteristics (i.e., non-melanoma skin cancer, female reproductive cancer). In logistic regression analyses, odds of food insecurity decreased with older age and higher income and increased with poor health, although cancer type was no longer significant. Though a low proportion of cancer survivors indicated being food insecure, food insecurity was evident, and this study identified socio-demographic factors related to food insecurity which may be important to consider in clinical and community health settings serving cancer survivors. Nutrition is essential throughout the cancer care trajectory, including survivorship. Clinicians should consider processes for screening patients, especially younger and lower income patients, for food insecurity through all stages of treatment and particularly as part of survivorship planning. Furthermore, availability and referral to community partners for nutrition and food support is essential.
Can Combined Trans-physeal and Lateral Extra-Articular Pediatric ACL Reconstruction Techniques Be Employed to Reduce ACL Re-Injury While Allowing for Growth?:

Objectives:To describe outcomes, including failure rates, following a pediatric ACL reconstruction (ACLR) employing combined trans-physeal technique with hamstring autograft (TPH) and a hybrid extr...
Exploring complexity and contradiction in information technology outsourcing: A set-theoretical approach

Abstract Effectively managing Information Technology outsourcing (ITO) requires integration of conceptually distinct and sometimes contradicting factors. For instance, ITO “best practices” for cost reduction can inhibit a firm’s innovativeness. To address these challenges, we build on governance and capability perspectives and employ a set-theoretic approach to examine ITO practices in 27 firms. Our exploratory study reveals four distinct ITO configurations, of which three lead to positive outcomes and one leads to negated-outcomes. Detailed contracts appear to be a necessary condition for cost reduction but can also be an impediment to strategic innovation; and firms can consider a “best-of-breed” strategy to overcome this tension. Our findings call for more attention to both transaction-based and portfolio-based governance to enable flexibility for innovation while retaining rigor and risk mitigation for cost reduction.
Systematic Application of Normative and Descriptive Aspects of Management Education

This theoretical study advocates strongly for clear differentiation and synthesis of descriptive and normative approaches in management education. There is a certain isolation of normative and descriptive theoretical frameworks presented in management courses. Normative models in management explain how organizations should be managed, while descriptive frameworks show how they actually are managed. Significant portions of what we teach in the business curriculum are predominantly descriptive; other parts are mostly normative, or prescriptive. If these domains are not sufficiently connected, the relevance of both approaches diminishes. When one piece of material explains the current reality without providing tools to improve it, while another piece prescribes steps for improvement that are not grounded in a particular context, students lose interest in both. The paper presents various modes of integration between two realms such as collocation of actual and desired conditions, contingency models, nesting descriptive and normative elements in the same framework.
Understanding and Preventing (N-Nitrosodimethylamine) NDMA Contamination of Medications:

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a hepatotoxic agent and carcinogen contaminant in commonly used medications such as valsartan, losartan, irbesartan, and ranitidine. NDMA can be produced during manufacture, introduced from contaminated ingredients procured elsewhere, or introduced from contaminated solvents and catalysts. The Food and Drug Administration has established a maximum dose of NDMA that is permissible per tablet and guidance for manufacturers. However, many unanswered questions about NDMA contamination need rigorous investigation.
Abstract #2980: Isothiocyanates induce formation of aggresome-like structures and inhibit ubiquitin-proteasome system

Cruciferous vegetable-derived isothiocyanates (ITCs) are versatile cancer chemopreventivecompounds showing activity that induces cell cycle arrestand apoptosis. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying these events are still not fully understood. Recently we showed that tubulin is one of the molecular targets of isothiocyanates (ITCs). The binding to tubulin by ITCs induces not only tubulin conformation changes and microtubule depolymerization, but also a selective degradation of \#945;- and \#946;- tubulins in a proteasome-dependent manner. Here, we report that ITCs can induce formation of aggresome-like structures (ALS) in cytoplasm. In addition to \#945;- and \#946;- tubulins, some key aggresome marker proteins, including small molecular chaperone hsp27, proteasome, and ubiquitinated proteins, were also enriched in the complexes. Different from aggresome induced by transfected misfolding proteins, there was no enrichment of \#947;-tubulin, vimentin, dynein, hsp70, and hsp90 in ITC-induced aggresome. Since \#945;- and \#946;- tubulins became substrates of degradation, the ITC-induced ALS is not microtubule-dependent, opposite to that shown in the aggresome induced by transfected misfolding proteins. The elevated proteasome activity and facile degradation of tubulin within the ALS suggest that the ALS are micro-disposers of modified and misfolding tubulins. In contrast, the cytoplasmic ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) was significantly inhibited by ITC treatment in a dose- and time- dependent manner. Our results indicate that both the formation of ALS and the inhibition of UPS are unrelated to oxidative stress. The ALS formation and the UPS inhibition were substantially alleviated by pretreating cells with tubulin binding agents, such as colchicine, vinblastine, and taxol. Since these agents block ITC binding to tubulin, the alleviation indicates that the ITC binding to tubulin plays an essential role in the ALS formation and UPS inhibition. Also the potency of inducing ALS formation and UPS inhibition: BITC>PEITC>SFN, is the same as that of binding affinity to tubulin by these ITCs. Our data also show that proapoptotic proteins such as I\#954;B and cell cycle inhibitors such as p27 were accumulated due to the inhibited UPS. These results confirm that tubulin is a molecular target of ITCs and ITC binding to tubulin may underlie an important mechanism of the ITC-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. (NCI grant CA 100853) Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 2980.
Glycosylated hemoglobin, but not advanced glycation end products, predicts severity of coronary artery disease in patients with or without diabetes.

Abstract Background The association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) is strong but the physiologic mechanisms responsible for this association remain unclear. Patients with DM exhibit high circulating levels of glycated proteins and lipoproteins called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which have been implicated in the development of oxidative damage to vascular endothelium. We examined the relationships between the presence and extent of CAD and AGEs in patients undergoing elective coronary artery catheterization in an urban teaching hospital. Methods Patients with possible CAD (n = 364) were recruited prior to elective cardiac catheterization (52% male, 48% diabetic). Regression and correlation analyses were used to examine the relationship between serum AGE concentrations, soluble AGE receptor (sRAGE) concentration, HbA1c, LDL and the presence of obstructive CAD along with the burden of CAD measured by SYNTAX and SYNTAX II scores. Results AGE and sRAGE levels did not significantly correlate with any of the studied coronary artery disease parameters. HbA1c showed positive correlation with both SYNTAX and SYNTAX II scores in patients with and without diabetes. Conclusion In this cross-sectional study of patients with possible CAD, serum AGEs and sRAGE concentrations did not correlate with SYNTAX or SYNTAX II scores regardless of diabetic status. HbA1C correlated positively with the SYNTAX and SYNTAX II scores in both diabetic and non-diabetic populations.
Power profiles of centre-distance multifocal soft contact lenses.

PURPOSE Centre-distance multifocal contact lenses (MFCLs) for myopia control are thought to slow myopia progression by providing both clear foveal vision and myopic defocus. Characterising the power profile of lenses is important to understanding their possible effects on retinal defocus when worn. The power profiles of three commercially available MFCLs were determined. METHODS Three centre-distance MFCL designs were studied: Biofinity Multifocal D +2.50 add (comfilcon A), Proclear Multifocal D +2.50 add (omafilcon A), and NaturalVue Multifocal (etafilcon A). Two lenses each in power from -1.00D to -6.00D in 1D steps were stored in ISO 18369-3:2017 standard phosphate buffered saline for 24 h. Optical power profiles were measured in a wet cell with the SHSOphthalmic profiler accounting for centre thickness and manufacturer-reported material refractive index. Sagittal power maps from the SHSOphthalmic were exported, and custom MATLAB code was used to generate power profiles by averaging along the vertical and horizontal meridians. One-way anova with Tukey's HSD post-hoc t-tests were used to analyse maximum add power by lens design. RESULTS Plus power increased out from the lens centre for all three MFCLs. Power profiles of Biofinity D and Proclear D MFCLs show three distinct areas within the optic zone; the distance zone (from lens centre to about 1.6 mm radius), intermediate zone (about 1.6 mm radius to 2.1 mm) and near zone (about 2 mm radius to 4 mm). For NaturalVue MFCLs, plus power starts increasing almost immediately from the lens centre, reaching maximum measured mean plus power at a radius of 2.7 mm. From 2.7 mm to 3.0 mm, there was a decrease in plus power, which was then generally maintained out to the optic zone edge. Across all lens powers, maximum add power was highest with the NaturalVue MFCL (+3.32 ± 0.44D), then Proclear D (+1.84 ± 0.28D) and Biofinity D (+1.47 ± 0.34D) MFCLs (all p < 0.04). Add power peaked at different locations for different lens powers and designs. CONCLUSIONS Power profiles of MFCLs vary based on lens design and power. These power profiles are consistent with reported myopic and hyperopic changes in peripheral refraction with MFCLs and provide some explanation for reported differences in peripheral refraction with these MFCLs. Further work is needed to determine whether these power profile differences influence myopia progression.
Increasing Prenatal Care Compliance in At-Risk Black Women: Findings from a RCT of Patient Navigation and Behavioral Incentives

In the USA, infant mortality remains a major public health concern, particularly for Black women and their infants who continue to experience disproportionately high mortality rates. Prenatal care is a key determinant of infant health, with inadequate prenatal care increasing risk for prematurity, stillbirth, neonatal loss, and infant death. The aim of the present study was to determine if concurrent delivery of patient navigation and behavioral incentives to at-risk Black pregnant women could improve prenatal care attendance and associated maternal and infant outcomes. Participants were 150 Black pregnant women recruited at first prenatal visit and screening at risk for adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Women were randomized to either the patient navigation + behavioral incentives intervention (PNBI) or assessment + standard care control (ASC) group. All were followed throughout pregnancy and 12-week postpartum. Group comparisons were made using intention-to-treat and per-protocol sensitivity analyses. While no group differences were found in prenatal care visits, the average number of visits for both groups (9.3 for PNBI and 8.9 for ASC) approached the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommended guidelines. There were also no group differences in maternal and infant outcomes. Both intention-to-treat and per-protocol sensitivity analyses, however, consistently found PNBI women attended more postpartum visits than ASC controls (p = 0.002). Given ACOG’s redefining of the postpartum period as the fourth trimester, study findings suggest PNBI may facilitate prevention and intervention efforts to more successfully reduce health disparities in outcomes for both mother and infant.
Natural History of Bilateral Congenital Absence of the L4 Pedicles

Case A 5-month-old girl was diagnosed with congenital bilateral absence of the L4 pedicles and an absent right kidney. She developed a right thoracic scoliosis at age 3 that was treated with a brace. At her most recent follow-up at age 16, she was skeletally mature and had a residual 20° right thoracic scoliosis. She was pain-free, had a normal neurological examination, and was fully active. Conclusion This case presents a long-term follow-up of a patient with congenital bilateral absence of L4 pedicles. She developed scoliosis that was successfully treated with bracing. No other significant issues developed over 15 years of follow-up.
Constitutional Off-loading at the City Limits

The most constitutionally divisive issues in the United States today often play out literally on the ground, in the realm of land use. For instance, towns that have proclaimed themselves to be ‘sanctuary cities for the unborn’ do not want abortion clinics opening up in neighborhood medical complexes, localities with “small town values” do not want strip clubs sprouting up on Main Street, and cities that support gun control do not want new firing ranges coming to their commercial districts. When municipalities try to exclude these constitutionally-protected uses, however, a perennially perplexing question arises: does it matter that whatever is being limited can be easily accessed beyond a locality’s borders? In other words, can one municipality constitutionally justify its exclusion of a particular service or facility by pointing to availability in a neighboring town? The answer, it turns out, largely depends on size. Across multiple constitutional contexts, courts frequently allow small localities to look beyond their borders and exclude particular facilities, yet typically prohibit large cities from doing that exact same thing. When mapped onto the political geography of the United States, this “horizontal tailoring” effectively means that small conservative “red” towns can maintain and even deepen their conservative community character through exclusions, while large “blue” cities are prohibited from crafting their community character through similar exclusionary methods. The tailored approach thus appears to privilege the self-determination of small localities over that of big cities, with potentially partisan political consequences. This Article argues, however, that this is not the end of the story. This Article shows that the ability to engage in constitutional off-loading comes at substantial cost for small localities, while the prohibition on constitutional off-loading comes with a corresponding benefit for big cities. When courts look beyond a locality’s borders, they undermine the significance of those borders and highlight the fundamental interconnectedness and interdependencies of that locality with other areas in the region. This vision profoundly undermines the version of localism espoused in cases like Miliken v. Bradley and Warth v. Seldin, and weakens the arguments of small localities that they should be taken seriously as independent constitutional actors. Conversely, the inability of cities to engage in constitutional off-loading comes with a corresponding benefit. By reinforcing the meaning of a city’s borders, and applying the same rule to cities as applies to states (i.e. that neither can engage in constitutional off-loading beyond their territorial borders), the constitutional off-loading jurisprudence strengthens and fortifies arguments for recognizing a “big city localism” and pushes toward recognition of a constitutional status for large cities. The correlated benefits and burdens of constitutional off-loading may therefore ultimately push towards a more balanced localism for all.
The Evolution of Antiplatelet Therapy in the Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndromes

Our knowledge of the mechanisms of platelet-mediated thrombosis has increased dramatically over the last 40 years. This increased understanding has identified treatment strategies for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) by targeting key mediators of platelet activation and aggregation processes. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) monotherapy improves patient outcomes by irreversibly inhibiting the cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 enzyme in the arachidonic acid pathway. The later-developed thienopyridines, prodrugs that irreversibly inhibit the P2Y12 receptor, and therefore adenosine diphosphate (ADP) binding, further enhance platelet inhibition and patient outcomes. The thienopyridine clopidogrel has been the standard of care, but it is limited by variable response and treatment failure. A more potent thienopyridine, prasugrel, requires fewer hepatic metabolic steps for activation, and elicits significantly improved outcomes for patients with ACS. The increased potency of prasugrel is associated with an increase in Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI)-defined major bleeding compared with clopidogrel. Ticagrelor represents a new chemical class of agents called the cyclopentyltriazolopyrimidines. It interacts reversibly with the platelet P2Y12 receptor, and does not require metabolic bioactivation for activity. Data show a significant improvement in ischaemic outcomes, including mortality, for ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel, without an increase in overall major bleeding, although non-coronary artery bypass graft bleeding is increased. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa targeted agents (abciximab, tirofiban and eptifibatide) are also used in ACS patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. These inhibitors utilize a different mechanism of action by preventing fibrinogen-mediated platelet aggregation. Other therapeutic strategies for platelet inhibition are being evaluated, including the investigative protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 and thromboxane A2 antagonists. This review highlights the mechanisms of action of these agents, and the continuing evolution of ACS therapy.
Enzyme-Assisted Synthesis of Plant Oil-Based Polymers

Enzymes are good alternative to chemical catalysts for polymer syntheses in terms of high region- and stereoselectivity and environmentally benign reaction conditions. In particular, for the synthesis of functional polymers, enzymatic process will not cause undesired reactions such as ring-opening of epoxy group without using protection–deprotection reagents. Lipase is the most widely used enzyme in the industry since no cofactor is required and the enzyme can maintain reactivity for multiple runs. In addition, immobilized lipase can be easily recovered and reused. Besides polymer synthesis, various enzymes can be used to modify plant oil by catalyzing oxidation, reduction, and transesterification reactions. Therefore, enzymes are versatile tools that can be applied in plant oil-based polymers.