cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

This study assessed self-reported adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from underserved healthcare settings. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 102 ethnically diverse patients—70 with RA and 32 with SLE—attending rheumatology clinics at publicly funded hospitals in Houston, Texas; 43% were Hispanic, 32% African-American, and 25% White. Treatment adherence was evaluated using the compliance questionnaire rheumatology (CQR; 0, low adherence and 100, high adherence) and the questionnaire of the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (AACTG). The patients were also asked how often they forgot to take their prescribed medications or discontinued them on their own. Mean patient age was 48.5 years; 75% were female, 32% were African-American, 43% Hispanic, and 25% White. Only one third reported never forgetting to take their medications; 40% reported having stopped their medications on their own because of side effects, and 20% because of lack of efficacy. Mean CQR score was 69.1 ± 10.5, suggesting moderate adherence overall. Differences were also observed across ethnic groups: 23% of ethnic minority patients had problems taking their medications at specified times compared to 11% of Whites (p = 0.03). Lower education and side effects were associated with lower adherence. No differences were observed between RA and SLE patients. Many patients with RA and SLE report problems with treatment adherence. These appear to be more prevalent in African Americans and Hispanics than Whites; the impact of decreased adherence on outcomes could be significant and should be considered when treating patients with RA and SLE.
Amber suppression relaxes stringent control by elongating stringent factor

Efficient expression of an amber suppressing tRNA Su+7, relaxes E. coli's stringent response to amino acid starvation. This suppressor tRNA interferes with the accumulation of (p)ppGpp rather than the cell's ability to respond to it, and this appears to be independent of which amino acid is withdrawn. Isogenic UAA- or UGA-reading derivatives of Su+7 do not relax their hosts, but all other UAG suppressors tested also show the control effect. In fact, the extent of relaxation induced by a given amber suppressor is directly proportional to its suppressor efficiency. Suppressor tRNAs do not directly effect relaxation because when Su+7 expression is induced with IPTG, it takes twice as long to achieve full relaxation as it takes to reach the maximum level of Su+7 accumulation. This suggests that the tRNA does not affect relaxation directly but rather causes the accumulation of a secondary effector. The nature of this secondary effector was determined using antibodies to stringent factor. In Su+7-bearing cells, half of the stringent factor antigen migrates on SDS polyacrylamide gels as if it is about 30 amino acids longer than the wild type protein. The ratio of elongated to wild type stringent factor is directly correlated with the amber suppressor efficiency of the cell's resident Su+ tRNA. When half the cell's stringent factor is elongated, it can make half as much (p)ppGpp in response to amino acid starvation. When a second gene for stringent factor is introduced to these cells, the amount of wild type stringent factor is doubled and stringency is restored, confirming that the effect on the stringent factor gene product is sufficient to explain the tRNA effect on stringent control.
Combined vitamin responsiveness in homocystinuria.

Studies in four patients with homocystinuria secondary to cystathionine synthase deficiency revealed varying degrees of folic acid deficiency. One patient responded biochemically to pyridoxine but only after administration of folic acid. Plasma and urine amino acid concentrations after repletion with folic acid support the hypothesis that in vivo remethylation of homocysteine to methionine is a functionally important metabolic step in both normal individuals and patients with homocystinuria.
Septum Primum Defect Repair

Two technical maneuvers in septum primum defect repair have resulted in improved mitral valve function and security against heart block. One maneuver, critical to restoring mitral competence, is accurate reconstruction of the leading edge of the mitral valve. A second maneuver, suturing the septal defect patch at its inferior aspect to the mitral valve near the annulus instead of to the inferior septal defect margin or to the tricuspid annulus, eliminates the hazard of atrioventricular node or bundle injury.
Inhibition of Postirradiation Diuresis in Rats by Pitressin

Thirst and diuresis was prevented in rats exposed to 1500 r gamma radiation by the injection of 500 milliunits of Pitressin in 0.1 ml of peanut oil. (C.H.)
Getting Connected: The Virtual Holding Environment

This article introduces and describes the virtual holding environment—a space where supportive relationships can be developed and maintained through the use of technology over time—and its role in helping us thrive during our doctoral program, dissertation process, and subsequent career transitions. Here, we present concepts related to computer-mediated communication, distance education, and psychodynamic theory (Winnicott's holding environment, Bowlby's attachment theory, and Fonagy's mentalization/intersubjective process) that have helped shape this virtual holding environment. Also, we present individual vignettes that illustrate the role this virtual holding environment has played in our shared successes. Our partnership offers collaborative principles that may be applied to other forms of education and training which require independent work, yet benefit from mutual ongoing support. We provide several recommendations for strengthening learning experiences and computer-mediated communication across di...
Decay of statistical dependence in chaotic orbits of deterministic mappings

A numerical study is made of the decay of statistical dependence in chaotic orbits of the iterated mappings of Chirikov and of Rannou. The decay appears to be exponential; the decay exponent is proportional to, but smaller than, the Liapunov exponent.
Food intake at age 8 3. Distribution and food density by meal

This report describes how nutrient intake was distributed throughout the day, and the nutrient density according to meal, in 78 boys and 63 girls who have been studied from birth. The food intake was calculated from 4 day weighed records using the CSIRONET data bank based on British tables of food composition. The percentages of total energy from breakfast, lunch, evening meal, and snacks were 20, 26, 31, 23%. There was a very wide range of individual nutrient intake for each meal. The evening meal made the largest contribution to fat and protein intake. Most starch came from lunch (30%) and least from snacks (16%). Snacks contained a large portion of the simple sugars (39%). Breakfast was an important source of calcium and B vitamins, but with wide ranges of micronutrients occurring for each meal. This analysis of nutrient density and distribution contributes towards the formulation of practical recommendations about beneficial dietary changes.
The Sestet of Milton's Sonnet VIII

Editor's note: At a time when American Miltonists are helping their fellow scholars from England preserve national monuments to the memory of Milton such as the cottage at Chalfont St. Giles, perhaps it is fitting to notice a Victorian memorial, which was the occasion of Matthew Arnold's last public address: the Milton Window at St. Margaret's, Westminster, next to Westminster Abbey.
Multiscale finite element methods for porous media flows and their applications

In this paper, we discuss some applications of multiscale finite element methods to two-phase immiscible flow simulations in heterogeneous porous media. We discuss some extensions of multiscale finite element methods which take into account limited global information. These methods are well suited for channelized porous media, where the long-range effects are important. This is typical for some recent benchmark tests, such as the SPE comparative solution project [M. Christie, M. Blunt, Tenth SPE comparative solution project: A comparison of upscaling techniques, SPE Reser. Eval. Engrg. 4 (2001) 308-317], where porous media has a channelized structure. The applications of multiscale finite element methods to inverse problems arisen in subsurface characterization are also discussed in the paper.
Vitamin A and Carotenoids as Antioxidants in a Physiological Context

Under selected conditions, vitamin A and carotenoids can both accept and donate electrons, and carotenoids can also quench singlet oxygen. Thus both sets of compounds can theoretically participate in a biological antioxidant network. Under physiological conditions, vitamin A esters are transported and stored in a lipid matrix that contains other antioxidants, and retinol and its active metabolites are largely bound in clefts of specific retinoid-binding proteins. Thus, vitamin A seems to be protected in vivo by other antioxidants and proteins rather than protecting other molecules. Carotenoids are largely distributed in lipoproteins, membranes, and the lipid phases of intracellular structures, usually together with vitamin E. Carotenoids can interact with other antioxidants in vitro, but whether they play similar significant roles in vivo is not clear. Nonetheless, some genetic conditions and precancerous lesions respond to carotenoids, and the dietary intake of carotenoids has been associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases. Carotenoids seem to act per se in such systems rather than by their conversion into vitamin A.
Rates of RNA synthesis in the normal and lobeless embryo of Ilyanassa obsoleta

Abstract From measurements of the absolute rates of RNA synthesis it was shown that the removal of the third polar lobe from the Ilyanassa egg causes a significant decrease in gene transcription during cleavage and gastrulation.
Robustness of scale-free networks under attack with tunable grey information

We study the robustness of scale-free networks against attack with grey information, which means that one can obtain the information of all nodes, but the attack information may be imprecise. The known random failure and intentional attack are two extreme scenarios of our robustness model. By introducing two attack information parameters α and β, where α governs negative deviation of one's observation while β governs positive deviation of the observation, we demonstrate tunable equilibrium of degree, which accommodates abundant observation mechanisms. We derive the exact solution of the critical removal fraction of nodes for the disintegration of networks. Increasing the precision of attack information can reduce the robustness of scale-free networks. Our main finding is that the attack robustness of scale-free networks is more sensitive to the parameter α than to the parameter β. Moreover, if α and β for a node having degree k are proportional to kγ, where −∞ 0 and that the network seems rather fragile for any γ<0. Our model provides insight into the investigation of attack and defence strategies of complex networks.
Measurements of Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor Instability Growth during the Implosion of Initially Solid Al Tubes Driven by the 20-MA, 100-ns Z Facility

The first controlled experiments measuring the growth of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability in fast ($\ensuremath{\sim}100\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{ns}$) Z-pinch plasmas are reported. Sinusoidal perturbations on the surface of an initially solid Al tube (liner) with wavelengths of $25--400\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ were used to seed the instability. Radiographs with $15\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ resolution captured the evolution of the outer liner surface. Comparisons with numerical radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations show remarkably good agreement down to $50\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ wavelengths.
Disaster‐preparedness of health maintenance organizations

Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are becoming increasingly dependent on health management information systems (HMISs) for their effective functioning. Because of this reliance, HMOs must use disaster recovery planning to safeguard their HMIS assets from natural as well as man‐made disasters. This article assesses the HMIS environment and identifies the state of practice by HMOs as it pertains to HMIS disaster preparedness.
Identification of critical arginine residues in the functioning of Rubisco activase.

Abstract Rubisco activase is a member of the AAA+ family in which arginines located in the Box VII and Sensor 2 domains are a recurrent feature and typically contribute to ATP-binding/hydrolysis or an inter-subunit interface. Replacement of R241 or R244 in Box VII or R294 or R296 in Sensor 2 with alanine in tobacco activase did not greatly alter the binding of ATP or ADP. However, ATP hydrolysis was minimal (R241A and R244A) or greatly diminished (R296A) and none of these mutants were able to activate Rubisco. R241, R244 and R296 were also required for nucleotide-dependent conformational changes detected by intrinsic fluorescence and limited proteolysis. ATP-induced oligomerization, monitored by gel filtration, was not observed with the wild type and mutant tobacco activases in contrast to spinach activase and a R239A mutant (corresponding to R244A in tobacco). Thus, there is not a strict correlation of oligomerization with ATP hydrolysis and intrinsic fluorescence.
Direct AA determination of metallic pollutants in air with a carbon rod atomizer

Abstract The use of carbon rod atomizer tubes as filters for airborne particulates was investigated. The filtration efficiency for lead particulates from 0.15 to 0.037 μm in diameter was from 97 to 99 per cent. Sensitivites for Se, Ag, Hg, Pb, Be, and Cd are from 0.02 to 0.0001 μg m 3 based on a 101. air sample. The relative standard deviation for determinations of metals in air is on the order of 7–14 per cent.
Changes in the ultrafine structure of anthracites upon heat treatment

Abstract Changes in the ultrafine structure of three 200 × 325 mesh Pennsylvania anthracites, of VM ranging from 4.5 to 9.0 per cent, upon heat treatment in an oxygen-free atmosphere have been followed. After going through slight maxima at lower HTT, the total surface areas decreased sharply upon heat treatment at 900°C. Helium and mercury densities increased monotonically with increasing HTT. Unsteady-state diffusion of gases from the anthracites has been measured. The diffusion rate decreased sharply and continuously upon heat treatment at temperatures between 600 and 1700°C, primarily because of a steady increase in activation energy for diffusion. The increase in activation energy is attributed to a continuous decrease in the size of the ultrafine pores with increasing HTT.
Evaluation of the performance of a distribution system by Q-Analysis

The performance of an existing goods distribution system is evaluated by means of a modern system-theoretic tool called Q-analysis. It is assumed that the system has been developed without an initial master plan, so that potential difficulties or breakdowns may occur. The case of a water distribution network which has been expanded stagewise in a southwestern U.S. city is used to illustrate the approach. The system consists of interconnected sources (reservoirs or ''vertices'') supplying a set of sinks (users or ''simplices'') through a capacitated network. Q-analysis, a technique which stems from algebraic topology, may be visualized as dealing with multidimensional graph theory, and yields indices that are used to measure performance. Specifically, the following indices are used: the q-vector, indicating the connectivity level between sources; the eccentricity, measuring whether or not elements are well integrated in the system (represented as a complex); the pattern, introducing dynamics into the analysis; the obstruction vector, identifying potential bottlenecks; and the complexity, measuring the length of various distribution paths and, indirectly, the stability. The analysis, first done from the viewpoint of source adequacy, is repeated by considering the conjugate complex, in which sources and sinks are interchanged: this introduces the user's viewpoint into the performance analysis. A numerical example shows how the above concepts provide a simple way to compare designs, identify problem areas, and improve operation characteristics of a distribution system.
Human Factors on the Flight Deck The Influence of National Culture

Pilots from the United States, the Philippines, and Taiwan as well as flight attendants from the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and Taiwan completed a 20-item attitudinal questionnaire about group processes on the flight deck. A three-dimensional INDSCAL analysis revealed one dimension, used primarily by the eight Asian groups, which reflected high power distance and collectivism. The second dimension, reflecting individualism and moderate power distance, was used by the U.S. flight attendants. The third dimension, individualism and low power distance, was used almost exclusively by the U.S. pilots. The attitudinal similarity among the eight Asian groups was attributed in part to the questionnaire's monocultural bias. A new study is outlined, and training recommendations are offered.
Coca in History and Political Economy

Book reviewed in this article: Coca Prohibition in Peru: The Historical Debates. Joseph Gagliano. The Coca Boom and Rural Social Change in Bolivia. Harry Sanabria.
Using Frames to Influence Consumer Willingness to Pay for the Patient Health Record: A Randomized Experiment

The American College of Medical Informatics rated the lack of willingness to pay for the patient health record (PHR) as the biggest obstacles to its rapid diffusion. Extending research propositions from the decision sciences and political communication, this study tests the influence of different types of emphasis frames on increasing consumer willingness to pay for the PHR. Using a randomized experiment embedded within a probability survey, the effects of 3 different types of emphasis frames (individual-focused, collective-focused, and joint), along with a no-frames control, are tested on a sample of early and later technology adopters. The results indicate a significant relationship between the type of frame and the type of adopter. Early adopters were more susceptible to individual-focused frames that made causal attributions at the individual level, whereas later adopters were significantly influenced by collective-focused frames that made causal attributions at the societal level. Interestingly, the ...
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: epidemiology and clinical consequences of an emerging epidemic.

Summary: Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs), endovascular infections, pneumonia, septic arthritis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, foreign-body infections, and sepsis. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were once confined largely to hospitals, other health care environments, and patients frequenting these facilities. Since the mid-1990s, however, there has been an explosion in the number of MRSA infections reported in populations lacking risk factors for exposure to the health care system. This increase in the incidence of MRSA infection has been associated with the recognition of new MRSA clones known as community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). CA-MRSA strains differ from the older, health care-associated MRSA strains; they infect a different group of patients, they cause different clinical syndromes, they differ in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, they spread rapidly among healthy people in the community, and they frequently cause infections in health care environments as well. This review details what is known about the epidemiology of CA-MRSA strains and the clinical spectrum of infectious syndromes associated with them that ranges from a commensal state to severe, overwhelming infection. It also addresses the therapy of these infections and strategies for their prevention.
Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists: perioperative implications.

THE COST OF RESTENOSIS after percutaneous coronary interventions and revascularization procedures is estimated to exceed $2 billion annually.1 Consequently, there is great interest in the development of adjuvant anticoagulant drugs and antiplatelet agents. Platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists have shown great promise as adjunctive therapy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. To date, more than 40,000 patients with ischemic heart disease have been treated with platelet GP IIb/IIIa antagonists.2 Some of these patients subsequently required urgent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery with substantial risks for adverse outcomes related to impaired hemostasis. Understanding the mechanisms of action, drug interactions, and adverse side effects of these novel platelet antagonists can lead to strategies to decrease the potential for adverse perioperative outcomes after the administration of GP IIb/IIIa antagonists.
Analysis of large array surface myoelectric potentials for the low back muscles

An algorithm was developed and tested for the ability to differentiate between the spatial distribution of large arrays of acute and normal recordings of surface electromyographic (EMG) data from subjects with and without low back pain (LBP). The surface EMG data from 62 channels were statistically analyzed and the spatial distribution of the root mean square (RMS) values were used in a multivariate quadratic discriminant model to classify the healthy and acute LBP subjects. The surface EMG distribution from the low back of 161 healthy and 44 acute LBP subjects were collected in three minimum stress postural positions including standing, 20 degrees of lumbar flexion and standing with arms extended forward holding 1.36 kg (3 lb) of weight in each hand. The best results obtained from the 'flexion' group of experiments correctly reclassified 95.5% (42 of 44) of the acute subjects and 99.4% (160 of 161) of the healthy. The success rate of this reclassification were found to be superior to reported patient classifications based on smaller set of electrode pairs using fewer subjects. The results indicated a potential of the model for clinical patient classification.
Primary liver carcinoma.

From 1948 through 1970, 164 histologically diagnosed cases of primary liver carcinoma were managed at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. The disease was five times more common in males, and most frequently occurred in the 6th and 7th decades of life. Weight loss, upper abdominal pain, anorexia, and jaundice made up the most significant symptom complex. Hepatomegaly was the most common physical finding. Approximately 85% of the cases were hepatocellular carcinoma. Extra-hepatic metastases were present in 55% of the 120 cases which came to autopsy. Lung, regional nodes, adrenals, and bone were the favored sites. Tumor was limited to one lobe in 32% of cases. Cirrhosis of the liver was diagnosed in 56%. Six patients underwent hepatic resection; 1 lived over 3 years, and 1 is alive 3 1/2 years after operation. Twelve patients received chemotherapy; 1 was alive at 2 1/2 years. Forty-nine patients had an intra-abdominal operative procedure. Over-all survival data for operated vs. non-operated cases did not vary significantly. Twenty-seven patients had percutaneous liver biopsy; the death of 3 was directly attributable to intra-abdominal hemorrhage after this procedure. Cancer 33:1624–1629, 1974.
Microfluidic Wheatstone bridge for rapid sample analysis

We developed a microfluidic analogue of the classic Wheatstone bridge circuit for automated, real-time sampling of solutions in a flow-through device format. We demonstrate precise control of flow rate and flow direction in the “bridge” microchannel using an on-chip membrane valve, which functions as an integrated “variable resistor”. We implement an automated feedback control mechanism in order to dynamically adjust valve opening, thereby manipulating the pressure drop across the bridge and precisely controlling fluid flow in the bridge channel. At a critical valve opening, the flow in the bridge channel can be completely stopped by balancing the flow resistances in the Wheatstone bridge device, which facilitates rapid, on-demand fluid sampling in the bridge channel. In this article, we present the underlying mechanism for device operation and report key design parameters that determine device performance. Overall, the microfluidic Wheatstone bridge represents a new and versatile method for on-chip flow control and sample manipulation.
Is the information systems profession gendered?: characterization of IS professionals and IS careers

In spite of a more "feminine" nature of the IS disciplinedue to its greater perceived social component, stereotypes and educational prejudices that are prevalent in the computerscience discipline are assumed to exist in the information systems field. The objective of this study was to test the validity of this assumption by uncovering the perceptions of potential IS professionals, i.e., college students, toward IS professionals and the IS profession. Our study reveals that stereotypes found to be associated with computer science also seem to permeate the IS field. These stereotypic images do not fade away even after the students are more informed about IS careers. However, it does not fully support the assumption that women believe the field of information systems is identical to computer science. When describing an IS professional and the IS profession, women were cognizant about the unique nature of the IS field, i.e., the IS profession is a blend of technical, systems, social, and managerial components.
Neural network-based modeling and parameter identification of switched reluctance motors

Phase windings of switched reluctance machines are modeled by a nonlinear inductance and a resistance that can be estimated from standstill test data. During online operation, the model structures and parameters of SRMs may differ from the standstill ones because of saturation and losses, especially at high current. To model this effect, a damper winding is added into the model structure. This paper proposes an application of artificial neural network to identify the nonlinear model of SRMs from operating data. A two-layer recurrent neural network has been adopted here to estimate the damper currents from phase voltage, phase current, rotor position, and rotor speed. Then, the damper parameters can be identified using maximum likelihood estimation techniques. Finally, the new model and parameters are validated from operating data.
Large-Scale Sequence Analysis of Avian Influenza Isolates

The spread of H5N1 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) from China to Europe has raised global concern about their potential to infect humans and cause a pandemic. In spite of their substantial threat to human health, remarkably little AIV whole-genome information is available. We report here a preliminary analysis of the first large-scale sequencing of AIVs, including 2196 AIV genes and 169 complete genomes. We combine this new information with public AIV data to identify new gene alleles, persistent genotypes, compensatory mutations, and a potential virulence determinant.
Managers' and Senior Executives' Perceptions of Frequency and Type of Employee-Perpetrated Information Sabotage and Their Attitudes toward It - The Results of a Pilot Study

A pilot study investigating information sabotage found most responding managers and senior executives polled feel that most forms of sabotage are considered as grounds for termination. Respondents know sabotage occurs in their companies and many personally know someone who has committed sabotage. One in five respondents reported having been a victim, half know employees who have been victimized and a third know of other managers and customers who have been victimized. Findings are discussed. Firm size was not related to occurrence, attitudes or victimization rate.
Where Freedoms Collide: Blasphemy Laws in the Twenty-First Century

Despite the general recognition of freedoms of religion and speech, nations of the world enforce a wide variety of restrictions where both freedoms overlap. Blasphemy laws in some nations can earn a death sentence and other nations refuse to recognize religions that differ from long-established institutions. Meanwhile, in the United States, the first line of offense in political conversations often is to attack the religious practices of another group. Public prayer, far from being protected, is attacked by the press as proselytizing and lacks government support for fear of excessive entanglement. International theories of modern blasphemy laws such as Defamation of Religions and Religious Vilification become very attractive to those who no longer wish to tolerate public assault on their core beliefs. This article examines the constitutional freedoms of religion and speech from several nations where restrictions on religious speech are enforced. Blasphemy laws are generally enacted to protect religions. Unfortunately, the very nature of these blasphemy laws prevents the free discussion and exercise of religion. No blasphemy law could defend freedom of religion as effectively as the freedom of speech currently does in the United States. This article takes examples of 21st century blasphemy laws from across the globe and applies those underlying theories to events in the United States. The results range from the merely ridiculous to the ludicrously oppressive. The best and only effective tool to protect freedom of religion in the United States is freedom of speech.
Cultural characteristics of IT professionals: an ethnographic perspective

The basic shared norms, values, beliefs, and assumptions of an organization help define the organizations culture (Schein, 1992). Just as an organization can be comprised of different departments, functional units, groups, or occupational specialties having varying points of view, an organizations culture may also contain subcultures reflecting these differences (Frederick, 1995, p. 202; Martin, 1992; Schein, 1992, pp. 256-257; Trice, 1993). According to Trice, subcultures differentiated by occupations within an organization can also extend beyond the boundaries of the organization forming a cultural community of their own. One such occupational subculture, which can be found within many modern organizations, relates to information technology (IT) and is represented by IT professionalsthe individuals responsible for the operations of modern computer information systems. Information technology (IT), in its broadest meaning, is having a profound influence on modern society (Davis, 1992; Due, 1992; Earl, 1996). Additionally, the impact of IT is strongly felt throughout todays entire modern organization (e.g., Davis, 1992; Earl, 1996; Grover & Cheon, 1996). As articulated in Szewczak and Khosrowpour (1996), organization members, including IT professionals, have seen many changes in organizational life. These changes include the way they think about themselves, their futures, their shared norms, values, and beliefs, and what it means to contribute effectively to the well-being of their organizations. These issues
High Density Plasma Processing of Microcrystalline Si Thin Films

In the present work, we report on the fabrication of high quality microcrystalline Si thin films by high-density PECVD technique. The typical deposition rate of the HD-PECVD μ-Si thin films was greater than 350 A/min in the H2/SiH4 ratio range of 20–100. For a 150-nm-thick film deposited at a H2/SiH4 ratio of 20, the typical microcrystalline volume fraction and the average crystallite size corresponding to orientation were 75% and 160 A, respectively. The observed growth and properties of the μ-Si thin films show the potential of the high-density PECVD technique for the low temperature processing of high quality films with superior control of bulk and interfacial characteristics.
How Tobacco Quitline Callers in 38 US States Reported Hearing About Quitline Services, 2010-2013.

INTRODUCTION Telephone-based tobacco quitlines are an evidence-based intervention, but little is known about how callers hear about quitlines and whether variations exist by demographics or state. This study assessed trends in "how-heard-abouts" (HHAs) in 38 states. METHODS Data came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Quitline Data Warehouse, which stores nonidentifiable data collected from individual callers at quitline registration and reported quarterly by states. Callers were asked how they heard about the quitline; responses were grouped into the following categories: media, health professional, family or friends, and "other." We examined trends from 2010 through 2013 (N = 1,564,437) using multivariable models that controlled for seasonality and the impact of CDC's national tobacco education campaign, Tips From Former Smokers (Tips). Using data from 2013 only, we assessed HHAs variation by demographics (sex, age, race/ethnicity, education) and state in a 38-state sample (n = 378,935 callers). RESULTS From 2010 through 2013, the proportion of HHAs through media increased; however, this increase was not significant when we controlled for calendar quarters in which Tips aired. The proportion of HHAs through health professionals increased, whereas those through family or friends decreased. In 2013, HHAs occurred as follows: media, 45.1%; health professionals, 27.5%, family or friends, 17.0%, and other, 10.4%. Media was the predominant HHA among quitline callers of all demographic groups, followed by health professionals (except among people aged 18-24 years). Large variations in source of HHAs were observed by state. CONCLUSION Most quitline callers in the 38-state sample heard about quitlines through the media or health care professionals. Variations in source of HHAs exist across states; implementation of best-practice quitline promotional strategies is critical to maximize reach.
Risk – Reward Representations of Expected Utility Theory

For each individual with von Neumann and Morgernstern’s preferences and for each gamble that can take negative values yet has positive expected value we calculate separately the reservation values of the losses and of the gains of the gamble and denote those values by risk and reward, respectively. In this paper we show the connection between these numbers and the certainty equivalent of a gamble, explain how the (risk, reward) pair paints a richer picture about the risk and return characteristics of that gamble to that individual than the one obtained from the (risk premium, expected value) profile, and argue that the resulting risk measure is a more accurate measure of risk of loss than those that arise from strict considerations of first and second order stochastic dominance.
Quantifying On-Road Emissions from Gasoline-Powered Motor Vehicles: Accounting for the Presence of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Diesel Trucks

Vehicle emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), organic aerosol (OA), and black carbon (BC) were measured at the Caldecott tunnel in the San Francisco Bay Area. Measurements were made in bore 2 of the tunnel, where light-duty (LD) vehicles accounted for >99% of total traffic and heavy-duty trucks were not allowed. Prior emission studies conducted in North America have often assumed that route- or weekend-specific prohibitions on heavy-duty truck traffic imply that diesel contributions to pollutant concentrations measured in on-road settings can be neglected. However, as light-duty vehicle emissions have declined, this assumption can lead to biased results, especially for pollutants such as NOx, OA, and BC, for which diesel-engine emission rates are high compared to corresponding values for gasoline engines. In this study, diesel vehicles (mostly medium-duty delivery trucks with two axles and six tires) accounted for <1% of all vehicles observed in the tunnel but were nevertheless responsible for (18 ± 3)%, (22 ± 6)%, and (45 ± 8)% of measured NOx, OA, and BC concentrations. Fleet-average OA and BC emission factors for light-duty vehicles are, respectively, 10 and 50 times lower than for heavy-duty diesel trucks. Using measured emission factors from this study and publicly available data on taxable fuel sales, as of 2010, LD gasoline vehicles were estimated to be responsible for 85%, 18%, 18%, and 6% of emissions of CO, NOx, OA, and BC, respectively, from on-road motor vehicles in the United States.
Abstract PL02-02: Community-centered HBV/liver cancer control interventions for Asian Americans

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) induced liver cancer represents the most glaring cancer health disparity facing Asian Americans. While liver cancer is relatively uncommon in the U.S., it leads all other cancer sites in the percentage increase in mortality, with dismal survival rates. The disease disproportionately affects all populations of color, but particularly Asian Americans, who experience the highest rates of liver cancer. Community-centered interventions to control HBV/liver cancer among Asian Americans, operationally defined as organized activities to increase awareness of HBV risks among Asian Americans and the promotion of HBV screening and vaccination, include programs working in policy/advocacy, screening, and community-based controlled intervention trials. These interventions have led to: 1) fostering the adoption of universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth, credited with averting at least 700,000 deaths annually; 2) community-based screenings that reach more than 21,000 individuals per year, catalyzing referrals for additional screening and treatment; and 3) the initiation of at least seven community-centered controlled intervention trials to increase vaccination or serological testing among Asian Americans. Despite the many advantages and accomplishments of community-centered interventions, large numbers of Asian Americans remain unaware of their HBV status and concerns exist regarding the validity of self-reported serological testing or vaccination for HBV as the measure of intervention effectiveness. In addition, in order to reduce the rate of liver cancer and other complications, there is a need to ensure continued community-centered HBV education and appropriate quality of care provided to those who have chronic hepatitis B diagnosed by screening. Greater integration of community-centered efforts with clinic-based interventions, which have complementary assets, appears to be a promising approach to reduce the unnecessary HBV/liver cancer disparities among Asian Americans as well as all populations at risk. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):PL02-02.
Standardization of the Therapeutic Range for Oral Anticoagulants Based on Standard Reference Plasmas

Standardization of therapy with oral anticoagulants can be achieved by measuring the performance of various thromboplastins against standard reference plasmas. The reference plasmas are assayed with regard to those coagulation factors (II, VII, and X) affected by oral anticoagulants and measured by the one-stage prothrombin time. Given these common points of reference, and in the absence of an acceptable mathematic comparison among various thromboplastins, a suggestion is made for the therapeutic range to be achieved for each of the thromboplastins studied. The suggested ranges are equivalent to each other and to a range of 10 to 20% reduction in the coagulation factors affected by oral anticoagulants.
Diagnosis of vasal obstruction with seminal vesiculography: an alternative to vasography in select patients

Objectives To determine whether the pelvic and inguinal portion of the vas deferens can be visualized during seminal vesiculography. Design Retrospective review of the seminal vesiculograms performed in six patients to determine the frequency of visualization of the vas deferens. A prospective evaluation to determine the amount of contrast necessary to visualize the vas deferens was performed in three patients. Results The vas deferens was visualized down to the level of the scrotum in four of the six initial studies examined retrospectively. The vas deferens was visualized adequately after the infusion of≥10mL of contrast in all three studies performed prospectively. Conclusion Seminal vesiculography is a minimally invasive diagnostic alternative to vasography that can be used to document the patency of the pelvic and inguinal portions of the vas deferens in select patients.
An Efficacy Trial of Carescapes: Home-Based Child-Care Practices and Children's Social Outcomes

This study reported findings from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of Carescapes, a professional development program for home-based child-care providers in promoting children's social competence. Participants included 134 child-care providers and 310 children, ages 3-5 years, in Oregon. The Carescapes intervention group made significant improvements in observed caregiver responsiveness and monitoring, and showed decreased caregiver-reported child problem behavior and improved parent-reported peer relationships compared to the control group. Increased caregiver-reported cooperation skills were found for the intervention group at follow-up. No differences in condition were found for kindergarten teacher-reported social-behavioral, classroom, and academic skills. Moderation effects on children's behavior and peer relations were found for child age and exposure to the intervention child care.
A cloud-based learning environment for comparing RNA-seq aligners

The rapid rise of high-throughput, data intensive experimental techniques has thrust many biologists into the role of data analyst – a role many biologists feel ill equipped to fill. Novices often struggle to find the resources and expertise they need to analyze their experimental results in a wet-lab environment. To fill this need, we developed an educational resource as part of a National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) hackathon. Using RNA-seq as a model, our tutorial guides new users through the steps of data analysis, while placing an emphasis on understanding the motivation behind choices made in the process. To advance the goal of providing a deeper understanding of the analysis process, we developed a new tool, bamDiff. bamDiff allows users to compare the performance of multiple RNA-seq aligners, allowing users to select the most appropriate aligner for the data in question and experimental end-goal. Our tutorial is accessible via a GitHub wiki, with associated data and software provided on an Amazon Machine Image (AMI), which can be completed at no cost to the user through the Amazon Educate Program. Following the hackathon, our tutorial was integrated into the October 2015 offering of NCBI NOW (Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Online Workshop) a free online experience targeting individuals new to NGS analysis.
Políticas del espectro de John Cage: su obra musical a través de Jacques Derrida

In a philosophical approach to the work of North-American composer John Cage, we use Derridean's notions of ghost and spectrum for understanding his conception of sound and revealing the political status of his art. This condition is absolutely linked to a desire for justice that emerges in the roots of an America devastated by European dominance. Its manifestation in Cage's work is the intervention and the disarmament of Western music. Thus, artwork for John Cage is always rooted in a political work which horizon is justice. A horizon that Jacques Derrida puts as a basic condition for all doing.
Statistical Thinking in Total Quality Management: Implications for Improvement of Quality - with Ideas for Software Development

Total Quality Management (TQM) is being implemented in many organizations today as the competition for goods and services expands around the world. The principles involved in TQM apply to any enterprise whether it deals with software products, hardware, or service. This tutorial will discuss the role of statistical thinking in these efforts and offer several illustrations on how the field of statistical computing is involved. Some background on the new quality philosophy and the role of the statistician and management consult, W. Edwards Deming is included. Many of the concepts will be illustrated with ideas from the field of software development.
Scottish secession and voter turnout: simulating the effects of full voter turnout without Scottish participation in the union

ABSTRACTThis paper examines how increases in voter turnout might allow Labour to remain competitive in future general elections if Scottish representation is removed from Parliament or Labour continues to remain uncompetitive in Scotland. The loss of Scottish representation would be deleterious to Labour's prospects of gaining sizeable majorities again in Parliament. However, this prospect may be mitigated by an increase in voter turnout, as much has been made of the benefits that left parties can accrue with across the board increases in voter turnout. Using methods of multiple imputation, our analysis shows that Labour can modestly increase their vote share at full voter turnout, while the Conservatives consistently experience declining share. Results from this study also demonstrate that Labour losses could be mitigated by increasing voter turnout in the remainder of the UK. Using multinomial probit models for several elections, we are also able to see changes in the impacts of demographic attributes o...
Temporal increase in thymocyte negative selection parallels enhanced thymic SIRPα+ DC function

Dysregulation of negative selection contributes to T cell-mediated autoimmunity, such as type 1 diabetes. The events regulating thymic negative selection; however, are ill-defined. Work by our group and others suggest that negative selection is inefficient early in ontogeny and increases with age. This study examines temporal changes in negative selection and the thymic DC compartment. Peptide-induced thymocyte deletion in vivo was reduced in newborn versus 4 weeks-old NOD mice, despite a similar sensitivity of the respective thymocytes to apoptosis induction. The temporal increase in negative selection corresponded with an elevated capacity of thymic antigen presenting cells to stimulate T cells, along with altered subset composition and function of resident DC. The frequency of SIRPα+ and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) was increased concomitant with a decrease in CD8α+ DC in 4 weeks-old NOD thymi. Importantly, 4 weeks-old versus newborn thymic SIRPα+ DC exhibited increased antigen processing and presentation via the MHC class II but not class I pathway, coupled with an enhanced T cell stimulatory capacity not seen in thymic pDC and CD8α+ DC. These findings indicate that the efficiency of thymic DC-mediated negative selection is limited early after birth, and increases with age paralleling expansion of functionally superior thymic SIRPα+ DC. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Differences in flurbiprofen pharmacokinetics between CYP2C9*1/*1, *1/*2, and *1/*3 genotypes.

Objective This study was conducted to examine differences in flurbiprofen metabolism among individuals with the CYP2C9*1/*1, *1/*2, and *1/*3 genotypes.