cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Empowering collaborative commerce with Web services enabled business process management systems

Collaborative commerce (C-Commerce) is a set of technologies and business practices that allows companies to build stronger relationships with their trading partners through integrating complex and cross-enterprise processes governed by business logic and rules, as well as workflows. Business Process Management (BPM) is a key element of C-Commerce solutions for complex process coordination. It provides a mechanism to support e-businesses in modeling, deploying, and managing business processes that involve various applications with greater flexibility. Traditional BPM solutions often lack the capability to integrate external applications in that they have very limited support for interoperability. In recent years, Web services have emerged as a promising enabling technology for BPM in support of C-Commerce. Web services offer effective and standard-based means to improve interoperability among different software applications over Internet protocols. This paper aims to give an in-depth analysis of BPM and Web services in the context of C-Commerce. We propose an architecture for Web services enabled BPM in C-Commerce and provide technical insights into why Web services can enhance business process coordination. Finally, an implementation of a dynamic e-procurement application based on the proposed architecture is presented. With the advent of Web service standards and business process integration tools that support them, BPM systems enabled by Web services are empowering the development of more flexible and dynamic C-Commerce.
GABA physiology: modulation by benzodiazepines and hormones.

This review compares the ability of acute and chronic benzodiazepine treatments (BZs), gonadal hormone treatments, and neurosteroids to modify gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) physiologic responses in animals. Both BZ ligands and certain "neurosteroid" derivatives of steroid hormones can modulate GABA responses through direct interactions with the GABA receptor complex. Fluctuations in gonadal steroids can be anticonvulsant or proconvulsant, anxiolytic or anesthetic, suggesting a pharmacologic profile comparable to that of the BZs. A comparison of neuronal physiological responses in spinal cord, hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus-preoptic area, cerebellum, dorsal raphe, locus coeruleus, and cortex indicates that both acute and chronic BZ treatments produce region-specific effects on in vivo GABAergic responses. This appears to be based on regional variability in intrinsic sensitivity to GABA and/or BZ ligands, the level of ongoing GABA neurotransmission in a region, and the indirect influences of BZs on afferent inputs to an area. Regionally specific adaptations to chronic BZ treatments that lead to the development of tolerance include the following: intrinsic subsensitivity to GABA, reduced activity in GABAergic circuits (e.g., reduced recurrent inhibition in hippocampus), attenuated responses to BZs without alterations in GABA sensitivity, modulation of the intrinsic properties of neurons, and alterations in the activity of non-GABAergic afferent inputs. The in vivo evidence that neurosteroid derivatives modify physiological responses to GABA is also beginning to emerge. Progesterone, through conversion to its neurosteroid metabolite 3 alpha-OH DHP, potentiates GABA responses of cerebellar Purkinje cells. This neurosteroid also enhances GABA responses in hippocampal slices, including recurrent inhibition, in a BZ-like manner. Despite the evidence that fluctuations in estrogen levels can modulate several aspects of GABA neurotransmission, neither in vivo estrogen treatments nor in vitro administration of estrogen to brain slices clearly modifies physiological GABA responses. Although estrogens alter excitability in several areas, these changes are associated with estrogenic effects on responses to excitatory neurotransmitters or inputs. Relatively few studies have examined the in vivo influences of androgenic steroids on GABA responses.
Improving the intracytoplasmic sperm injection technique by transmembrane electric potential monitoring.

Abstract Objective : To evaluate electrophysiologic techniques for transmembrane potential measurement during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Design : Mature mouse oocytes were subjected to intracellular measurements of membrane potential using conventional techniques and modifications of the techniques for use with sham ICSI. During the procedure, the actual penetration of the membrane was determined subjectively or objectively with or without monitoring membrane potential. Setting : Academic medical center. Animal(s) : Mouse. Intervention(s) : Measurement of oocyte membrane potential (Sham ICSI). Main Outcome Measure(s) : Detectability of transmembrane potential using different electrodes and comparison of subjective and objective determination of membrane penetration. Result(s) : Measurement of the membrane potential with the same glass pipettes used in ICSI means compromise between signal amplitude and compatibility with the conventional ICSI setup. Signal quality is related inversely to the diameter of the injection pipette, and its amplitude decreases as the concentrated electrode filling solution is replaced by physiologic solutions used in ICSI. When successful membrane penetration is suspected by visualization, measuring the potential at the tip of the injection pipette often proves otherwise. Conversely, when membrane penetration is confirmed by detection of transmembrane potential, the procedure may appear subjectively unsuccessful. Conclusion(s) : Monitoring of transmembrane potential can be done successfully in conjunction with standard ICSI and has several potential applications.
Preface to topics in data envelopment analysis

This paper serves as an introduction to a series of three papers which are directed to different aspects of DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) as follows: (1) uses and extensions of window analyses' to study DEA efficiency measures with an illustrative applications to maintenance activities for U.S. Air Force fighter wings, (2) a comparison of DEA and regression approaches to identifying and estimating, sources of inefficiency by means of artificially generated data, and (3) an extension of ordinary (linear programming) sensitivity analyses to deal with special features that require attention in DEA. Background is supplied in this introductory paper with accompanying proofs and explanations to facilitate understanding of what DEA provides in the way of underpinning for the papers that follow. An attempt is made to bring readers abreast of recent progress in DEA research and uses. A synoptic history is presented along with brief references to related work, and problems requiring attention are also indicated and possible research approaches also suggested.
Two-dimensional Hydrodynamic Simulations of Zero-Age Main-Sequence Convective Cores

Two-dimensional, fully implicit hydrodynamic simulations of the structure and motion of convective cores are made on complete zero-age main-sequence stellar models between 1.2 and 20 M☉. The calculations present a picture of hydrogen-burning convective cores where the convective speeds are tens of kilometers per second and the superadiabatic excess may be quite large at various locations in the core at any time. However, when averaged over angle, radius, and time the superadiabatic excess is only about 10-3, although the steps to obtain this number involve some uncertainties. Convective core overshooting occurs in all models. In units of the pressure scale height at the convective core boundary, the overshooting calculated is about 0.45Hp for models above 3 M☉, and it decreases to about 0.3Hp for lower mass models. Part of this decrease arises from the increase in the pressure scale height at the convective core boundary as the convective core boundary approaches the center of the model while the model mass becomes small. However, using the actual e-folding distance for the pressure as the unit of measure, the overshooting still shows a small decrease for lower masses.
Chemical potential shift due to coupled orbit conduction

Abstract The hexagonal, compensated metals (e.g. Be, Mg, Zn) exhibit large transverse resistivity oscillations when a magnetic field perpendicular to the ΓKM plane coherently couples hole and electron orbits near that plane. These orbits form a narrow slab of states which may be sufficiently isolated from the remaining Fermi surface that it is advantageous for their chemical potential to change significantly in sympathy with the resistivity as a function of the current. We show how this happens and review possible experimental observation of it.
Branched TiO2 Nanorods for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production

We report a hierarchically branched TiO2 nanorod structure that serves as a model architecture for efficient photoelectrochemical devices as it simultaneously offers a large contact area with the electrolyte, excellent light-trapping characteristics, and a highly conductive pathway for charge carrier collection. Under Xenon lamp illumination (UV spectrum matched to AM 1.5G, 88 mW/cm2 total power density), the branched TiO2 nanorod array produces a photocurrent density of 0.83 mA/cm2 at 0.8 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency reaches 67% at 380 nm with an applied bias of 0.6 V versus RHE, nearly two times higher than the bare nanorods without branches. The branches improve efficiency by means of (i) improved charge separation and transport within the branches due to their small diameters, and (ii) a 4-fold increase in surface area which facilitates the hole transfer at the TiO2/electrolyte interface.
Cross-compartment protection by SOD1.

The absence of SOD1 in yeast has been found (M.A. Wallace et al., J. Biol. Chem. 279:32055–32062; 2004) to result in inactivation of Lys4p. This [4Fe-4S]-containing dehydratase is in the pathway of biosynthesis of lysine, hence the oxygen-dependent lysine auxotrophy seen in this case. O2− is known to oxidize and thus destabilize the [Fe–4S] clusters of dehydratases; hence, this would make perfect sense were it not for the fact that SOD1 localizes to the cytosol and the intermembrane space of mitochondria, whereas Lys4p localizes to the mitochondrial matrix. How could SOD1 in one compartment protect against O2− attack in a different compartment? We suggest that the relatively high levels of O2− in the cytosol and intermembrane space of the SOD1 mutant may react with endogenous NO, forming HOONO that can diffuse into the mitochondrial matrix and there inactivate Lys4p and other [4Fe–4S]-containing dehydratases.
TVICS: An Efficient Traffic Video Information Converting System

This paper presents a new system called TVICS that converts traffic video data into vehicular motion information in spatio-temporal databases. The TVICS system interpolates the vehicular trajectory data (time, location and velocity), which are extracted from video, and integrates them with spatial road information for the storage of dynamic transportation environments. TVICS can avoid the storage issues caused by traffic videos with their associated large data size. Moreover, users can manage and operate multiform and multidimensional traffic data in a spatio-temporal transportation environment. Experimental results show that TVICS has a high accuracy in transportation applications.
TRIP/NOPO E3 ubiquitin ligase promotes ubiquitylation of DNA polymerase η

We previously identified a Drosophila maternal effect-lethal mutant named ‘no poles’ (nopo). Embryos from nopo females undergo mitotic arrest with barrel-shaped, acentrosomal spindles during the rapid cycles of syncytial embryogenesis because of activation of a Chk2-mediated DNA checkpoint. NOPO is the Drosophila homolog of human TNF receptor associated factor (TRAF)-interacting protein (TRIP), which has been implicated in TNF signaling. NOPO and TRIP contain RING domains closely resembling those of known E3 ubiquitin ligases. We herein sought to elucidate the mechanism by which TRIP/NOPO promotes genomic stability by performing a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify potential substrates/interactors. We identified members of the Y-family of DNA polymerases that facilitate replicative bypass of damaged DNA (translesion synthesis) as TRIP interactors. We show that TRIP and NOPO co-immunoprecipitate with human and Drosophila Polη, respectively, from cultured cells. We generated a null mutation in Drosophila Polη (dPolη) and found that dPolη-derived embryos have increased sensitivity to ultraviolet irradiation and exhibit nopo-like mitotic spindle defects. dPolη and nopo interact genetically in that overexpression of dPolη in hypomorphic nopo-derived embryos suppresses nopo phenotypes. We observed enhanced ubiquitylation of Polη by TRIP and NOPO E3 ligases in human cells and Drosophila embryos, respectively, and show that TRIP promotes hPolη localization to nuclear foci in human cells. We present a model in which TRIP/NOPO ubiquitylates Polη to positively regulate its activity in translesion synthesis.
Urethane-induced somatostatin mediated inhibition of gastric acid: reversal by the somatostatin 2 receptor antagonist, PRL-2903.

Abstract Urethane increases the release of somatostatin (SRIF) which inhibits gastric acid secretion. The SRIF monoclonal antibody, CURE.S6 and the novel sst 2 antagonist, PRL-2903 injected intravenously at maximal effective doses increased gastric acid secretion by 2 and 10 fold respectively from basal values within 30 min in urethane-anesthetized rats. Plasma gastrin levels were elevated 2.5 fold within 15 min by PRL-2903 (1.3 μmol/kg, iv). These data indicate that the low gastrin and acid secretion levels induced by urethane result from endogenous SRIF acting on sst 2 and that PRL-2903 is a valuable SRIF antagonist to assess sst 2 mediated events.
The influence of therapy rationales upon perceptions of clinical problems 1

A 4 ×4 group design varied therapy rationale conditions (psychoanalytic, rational-emotive therapy, behavior therapy, and no rationale) by type of clinical problem (snake phobia, test anxiety, depression, and paranoid schizophrenia). Materials were presented in written format. Dependent measures consisted of 17 10-point Likert-type scales evaluating therapy, the client, the psychologist, and the clinical problem. Clear rationale effects were found for measures tapping confidence and faith in treatment and perception of the psychologist. The behavior therapy rationale attained the most favorable ratings with mixed differences among the three remaining rationale conditions across the measures. Both rationales and type of problem influenced judgements regarding client adjustment. The pattern of results indicated that subjects consistently responded favorably to client involvement in any form of psychological treatment.
Maximum temperature in a reverse-flow reactor with two independent reactions

Abstract Estimates are derived for the maximum bed temperature in a reverse-flow reactor in which two reactions, having relatively low adiabatic temperature rise, occur and are masstransfer limited at the high temperature zone in the bed. The estimates are derived using a pseudohomogeneous model and a step-approximation of the temperature dependence of the observed rate expression. When the switching frequency is very high, the estimate of the bed temperature is given by eq. (16). When the switching frequency is very low, the reactions may be completed either in a temperature front moving at a constant velocity and shape, or in two consecutive temperature fronts, separated by an almost constant temperature plateau, with the upper front moving faster than the lower one. The corresponding maximum bed temperature for these two cases is given by eqs (29) and (38), respectively. A simple criterion predicts which of the two types of front movement occurs. The estimates show that for reactants with low adiabatic temperature rise, the maximum bed temperature depends mainly on the critical temperature of the reactions, defined by eq. (8), and only weakly on the switching frequency. When the two critical temperatures are widely separated and both reactants are converted in the reactor, the maximum bed temperature is essentially independent of the reaction occurring at the lower temperature.
Abstract LB-237: Epigenetic antagonism between Polycomb and SWI/SNF complexes duringoncogenic transformation

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL While epigenetic alterations are widely present in cancers, in the context of genomic instability it has been difficult to determine the degree to which epigenetic alterations serve as primary drivers of tumorigenesis. Cancers initiated by mutation of the SNF5 chromatin remodeling subunit, despite being highly aggressive and lethal, are diploid and genomically stable, making them an ideal model for this purpose. SNF5 is a core subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin complex and is mutated in the large majority of malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRT), highly lethal cancers that occur in kidney, brain, and soft tissues of young children. Inactivating mutations in SNF5 have also recently been found to occur in a variety of other cancers and mutations in other SWI/SNF subunits occur frequently in ovarian, endometrial, renal, and lung cancers. Given our findings of genomic stability, we hypothesize that the consequences of SNF5 loss are fundamentally epigenetic in nature; that characterization of the epigenetic changes present in our model systems, rather than in cancers with genome instability, will identify those epigenetic alterations capable of driving oncogenic transformation; and lastly that cancers carrying mutations in the SWI/SNF complex can be effectively treated with epigenetically targeted therapies. Analysis of Drosophila mutants suggests that Polycomb and SWI/SNF complexes can serve antagonistic developmental roles. However, the relevance of this relationship to human disease is unclear. Here we have investigated functional relationships between these epigenetic regulators in oncogenic transformation. Mechanistically, we show that loss of the SNF5 tumor suppressor leads to elevated expression of the Polycomb gene EZH2 and that Polycomb targets are broadly H3K27-trimethylated and repressed in SNF5-deficient fibroblasts and cancers. Further, we show antagonism between SNF5 and EZH2 in the regulation of stem cell-associated programs and that Snf5 loss activates those programs. Finally, using conditional mouse models, we show that inactivation of Ezh2 blocks tumor formation driven by Snf5 loss. Collectively, we demonstrate that the rapid onset of tumor formation following SNF5 loss arises due to imbalanced epigenetic antagonism between the SWI/SNF complex and the Polycomb complex PRC2. Our work reveals essential roles for epigenetic modifications during tumor formation and demonstrates that inactivation of EZH2 can have therapeutic efficacy against cancer in vivo. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-237. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-LB-237
Collaborative group engagement in a computer-supported inquiry learning environment

Computer-supported collaborative learning environments provide opportunities for students to collaborate in inquiry-based practices to solve authentic problems, using technological tools as a resource. However, we have limited understanding of the quality of engagement fostered in these contexts, in part due to the narrowness of engagement measures. To help judge the quality of engagement, we extend existing engagement frameworks, which have studied this construct as a stable and decontextualized individual difference. We conceptualize engagement as multi-faceted (including behavioral, social, cognitive and conceptual-to-consequential forms), dynamic, contextualized and collective. Using our newly developed observational measure, we examine the variation of engagement quality for ten groups. Subsequently, we differentiate low and high quality collaborative engagement through a close qualitative analysis of two groups. Here, we explore the interrelationships among engagement facets and how these relations unfolded over the course of group activity during a lesson. Our results suggest that the quality of behavioral and social engagement differentiated groups demonstrating low quality engagement, but cognitive and conceptual-to-consequential forms are required for explaining high quality engagement. Examination of interrelations indicate that behavioral and social engagement fostered high quality cognitive engagement, which then facilitated consequential engagement. Here, engagement is evidenced as highly interrelated and mutually influencing interactions among all four engagement facets. These findings indicate the benefits of studying engagement as a multi-faceted phenomenon and extending existing conceptions to include consequential engagement, with implications for designing technologies that scaffold high quality cognitive and conceptual-to-consequential engagement in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment.
On the construction of finite projective planes from homology semibiplanes

From a projective plane Π with involutory homology τ one constructs an incidence system Π/τ having as points and blocks the (τ) -orbits of length 2 on the points and lines of Π, and with incidence inherited from Π. Such incidence systems satisfy certain properties which, when taken as axioms, define the class of homology semibiplanes. We describe how one determines, in principle, whether a given homology semibiplane Σ is realizable as IΠ/τ for some Π and τ and, moreover, how many non-equivalent pairs (Π, τ) yield Σ. In case Π' is Desarguesian of prime order we show that Π' is characterized by its homology semibiplane; i.e. Π/τ ≃ Π'/σ' implies Π ≃ Π.
Patient Satisfaction and Clinical Outcomes With Laser Refractive Surgery Performed by Surgeons in Training

Purpose To evaluate the refractive error quality of life (RQL) improvement, patient satisfaction, and clinical results of laser refractive surgery performed by residents or fellows. Setting Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. Design Case series. Methods This study reviewed the clinical results of consecutive refractive surgery cases performed between March 2010 and February 2012 by ophthalmology residents or fellows. One-year postoperative analysis of the RQL and patient satisfaction in a subgroup of patients was completed using the National Eye Institute Refractive Error Correction Quality of Life-42 instrument (NEI RQL-42), and a comparison with NEI published normative data and post-refractive data was performed. Results Data were obtained from 138 eyes that had laser in situ keratomileusis and 4 eyes that had photorefractive keratectomy. The 1-year postoperative analysis of the RQL and patient satisfaction was completed in 34 patients. After 6 months postoperatively, the mean uncorrected distance visual acuity was 0.01 logMAR (95% confidence interval [CI], −0.012 to 0.023). The mean postoperative residual refractive error spherical equivalent was −0.20 diopter (D) (95% CI, −0.26 to −0.13). No eye lost corrected distance visual acuity. Equivalent or better satisfaction in the RQL was found in all but 1 of the 13 scale scores of the NEI RQL-42 compared with previously published NEI data. Conclusions Laser refractive surgery performed by residents and fellows showed high patient satisfaction and an improved RQL 1-year postoperatively. Clinical outcomes validated the safety and efficacy of refractive surgery performed by surgeons in training. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
American option pricing under stochastic volatility: an efficient numerical approach

This paper develops a new numerical technique to price an American option written upon an underlying asset that follows a bivariate diffusion process. The technique presented here exploits the supermartingale representation of an American option price together with a coarse approximation of its early exercise surface that is based on an efficient implementation of the least-squares Monte–Carlo algorithm (LSM) of Longstaff and Schwartz (Rev Financ Stud 14:113–147, 2001). Our approach also has the advantage of avoiding two main issues associated with LSM, namely its inherent bias and the basis functions selection problem. Extensive numerical results show that our approach yields very accurate prices in a computationally efficient manner. Finally, the flexibility of our method allows for its extension to a much larger class of optimal stopping problems than addressed in this paper.
Brain Maturation and Risky Behavior: The Promise and the Challenges of Neuroimaging‐Based Accounts

Emerging brain-imaging findings suggest that developmental differences in the structure and activity of brain regions involved in motivation and behavior control may contribute to risky behavior in adolescence. Adolescence may be characterized by robust motivational neurocircuitry that is relatively unhindered by developing cognitive control neurocircuitry. However, how developmental differences in brain structure or function depend on task features or other experimental contexts, or whether observed differences are functionally relevant for real-world risky behavior, is not well understood. The challenge of attributing adolescent risk taking to developmental patterns of brain morphology and brain activity underscores the need for future research sensitive to development and the contexts of adolescence.
Ascertaining Health‐Related Information on Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: Development and Field Testing of the Rochester Health Status Survey

There is a growing need for researchers and service providers to ascertain and track health status and health care utilization among adults with intellectual disabilities as they pass through the lifespan. This paper reports the development and field testing of the Rochester Health Status Survey (RHSS), a survey instrument that identifies incidence, lifetime prevalence, and point prevalence of diseases common in adults, as well as functional abilities and medication usage. The instrument also provides information about health system access and utilization. The survey is designed to be completed from chart review. An initial version of the survey was developed in 1998, revised in 2003, and then validated on a cohort of adults ages 21 to 73 years living in supervised community residences in the U.S. The RHSS includes 51 questions and requires about 45 min to complete. In the present study, data were collected on each subject by 3 different respondents (a service coordinator, a nurse, and when available, a family member). Their responses were compared item by item with the responses of the second author, a developmental disabilities geriatrician, who also completed the survey on each subject. Correlations and Kappa statistics confirmed that the highest agreement scores occurred between nurses and the geriatrician.
Convection Parameterization, Tropical Pacific Double ITCZ, and Upper-Ocean Biases in the NCAR CCSM3. Part I: Climatology and Atmospheric Feedback

The role of convection parameterization in the formation of double ITCZ and associated upper-ocean biases in the NCAR Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3) is investigated by comparing the simulations using the original and revised Zhang‐McFarlane (ZM) convection schemes. Ten-year model climatologies show that the simulation with the original ZM scheme produces a typical double ITCZ bias, whereas all biases related to the spurious double ITCZ and overly strong cold tongue in precipitation, sea surface temperature (SST), wind stress, ocean thermocline, upper-ocean currents, temperature, and salinity are dramatically reduced when the revised ZM scheme is used. These results demonstrate that convection parameterization plays a critical role in the formation of double ITCZ bias in the CCSM3. To understand the physical mechanisms through which the modifications of the convection scheme in the atmospheric model alleviate the double ITCZ bias in the CCSM3, the authors investigate the impacts of convection schemes on the atmospheric forcing and feedback in the uncoupled Community Atmospheric Model, version 3 (CAM3). It is shown that the CAM3 simulation with the original ZM scheme also produces a signature of double ITCZ bias in precipitation, whereas the simulation with the revised ZM scheme does not. Diagnostic analyses have identified three factors on the atmospheric side (i.e., the sensitivity of convection to SST, the convection‐ shortwave flux‐SST feedback, and the convection‐wind‐evaporation‐SST feedback) that may contribute to the differences in the coupled simulations.
Estimating Particulate Matter-Mortality Dose-Response Curves and Threshold Levels: An Analysis of Daily Time-Series for the 20 Largest US Cities

Numerous studies have shown a positive association between daily mortality and particulate air pollution, even at concentrations below regulatory limits. These findings have motivated interest in the shape of the exposure-response relation. The authors have developed flexible modeling strategies for time-series data that include spline and threshold exposure-response models; they apply these models to daily time-series data for the 20 largest US cities for 1987-1994, using the concentration of particulate matter <10 microm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) as the exposure measure. The spline model showed a linear relation without indication of threshold for PM10 and relative risk of death for all causes and cardiorespiratory causes; by contrast, for other causes, the risk did not increase until approximately 50 microg/m3 PM10. For all-cause mortality, a linear model without threshold was preferred to the threshold model and to the spline model, using the Akaike information criterion (AIC). The findings were similar for cardiovascular and respiratory deaths combined. By contrast, for causes other than cardiovascular and respiratory, a threshold model was more competitive with a threshold value estimated at 65 microg/m3. These findings indicate that linear models without a threshold are appropriate for assessing the effect of particulate air pollution on daily mortality even at current levels.
Pulmonary function in hypertensive patients treated with pindolol: A report of two studies

Abstract Pulmonary function was measured serially in two separate randomized trials of pindolol in the treatment of essential hypertension. Patients with overt obstructive airways disease were excluded. In study 1, 131 hypertensive patients were randomized to placebo (31) and 15 mg (33), 30 mg (33), and 60 mg (34) of pindolol. Pulmonary function was measured before and at weeks 8 and 15 of active medication. Bronchospasm—a 20% increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ) after isoprenaline—developed in three patients on active treatment and one on placebo. In eight patients on pindolol and one on placebo, bronchospasm ceased. Compared to placebo, no deterioration in pulmonary function occurred with pindolol and in three tests—maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) (L/min), MVV%, midexpiratory flow rate (MEFR) (L/min)—significant improvement occurred. In study 2, 14 hypertensive patients were randomized to pindolol (mean dose 50 mg/day), 15 to propranolol (mean 360 mg/day), and 14 to chlorthalidone (mean 107 mg/day). Pulmonary function was measured after 3 weeks of placebo and again after 6 weeks of active treatment. While propranolol produced slight deterioration in pulmonary function, pindolol and chlorthalidone produced slight but significant improvement ( p
Development and validation of a self-administered questionnaire to measure water exposures in children.

Objective To develop and validate a questionnaire to measure water exposures in children. Methods Caregivers of children younger than 18 years old evaluated in a pediatric emergency department completed a self-administered questionnaire with items about the child's exposure to water for drinking (15 items), hygiene (4 items), and recreation (5 items); other beverages (11 items); and other risk factors (11 items). Test-retest reliability was measured by administering the questionnaire to the same respondent within 48 hours. Concurrent validity was measured by having a second caregiver, when available, complete the same questionnaire independently. Agreement of paired responses was calculated by kappa (κ) for categorical variables or Spearman rho (ρ) correlation coefficient along with percentage mean difference for continuous variables. Results Ninety-four initial surveys were completed (45 subjects with diarrhea). All 94 completed retesting, while 23 had a second independently completed survey. Test-retest reliability (κ or ρ > 0.6) was acceptable for 84% of items, and concurrent agreement was acceptable (κ or ρ > 0.5) for 91% of items. Conclusions This questionnaire has excellent test-retest and concurrent validity in measuring water exposures and other risk factors for gastrointestinal illness in children.
Bridging Global Boundaries for IS Project Success

Despite the increasing attention to global IS work, there is limited understanding of why and how global IS development projects succeed or fail. Based on the literature on IS success and global teams, we develop a conceptual framework for global IS development project success. We also conducted interviews with nine global IS project managers to validate this framework through a qualitative attribution analysis to identify common themes and patterns of the interview results. Global project managers identified time separation, cultural differences and geographic distance as the most significant barriers to project success. Organizations implemented various communication mechanisms, task programming, and project control methods to mitigate global risks, leading to project success.
Taser Blunt Probe Dart-To-Heart Distance Causing Ventricular Fibrillation in Pigs

The maximum distance between the heart and a model Taser stimulation dart, called the dart-to-heart distance, at which the Taser can directly cause ventricular fibrillation (VF), was measured in pigs. A 9-mm-long blunt probe was advanced snugly through the surrounding tissues toward the heart. Five animals [pig mass = 61.2plusmn6.23 standard deviation (SD) kg] for ten dart-to-heart distances where the Taser caused VF were tested. The dart-to-heart distances where the Taser caused VF of the first stimulation site ranged from 4 to 8 mm with average 6.2 mmplusmn1.79 (SD) and of the second stimulation site ranged from 2 to 8 mm with average 5.4 mmplusmn2.41 (SD). The results help inform the evolving discussion of risks associated with Tasers.
Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

This Is the second of two articles describing a symposium on the relationship between inflammation and insulin resistance that was held in Niagra Falls, NY, 20–21 September 2002. Antonio Ceriello (Udine, Italy) discussed the role of glucose intake and postprandial hyperglycemia in the development of diabetes complications, as well as the relationship of hyperglycemia to oxidative stress. The DECODE (Diabetes Epidemiology: Collaborative analysis Of Diagnostic criteria in Europe) study showed high 2-h postload glucose to be associated with increased mortality independent of fasting glucose (1), and the Pacific and Indian Ocean Study showed isolated 2-h hyperglycemia to double the risk of mortality (2). The Funagata Diabetes Study showed that impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) but not impaired fasting glucose was a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) (3). There is evidence that lowering postprandial glucose improves outcome. Post hoc analysis of the STOP-type 2 diabetes study showed that myocardial infarction and hypertension decrease with use of the prandial glucose-lowering agent acarbose (4). In the Kumamoto study, postprandial hyperglycemia strongly predicted retinopathy and nephropathy (5). Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is a potential mediator of the effect of prandial glycemia, with altered vasodilation and procoagulant abnormalities. ED can be induced by hyperglycemia following a 75-g oral glucose load in persons with normal or IGT or with diabetes, with reduction of flow-mediated brachial artery dilation proportional to the degree of hyperglycemia (6). In a study of 225 persons with hypertension followed for 32 months, forearm ED was a marker of future CVD events (7), with a 4.5-year follow-up of 281 persons showing both ED and measures of oxidative stress to predict CVD events (8). Acute hyperglycemia may suppress vasodilation, which may involve oxidant stress, as it is reversed with antioxidant or l-arginine treatment (9). Glucose increases endothelial cell free radical production leading …
‘Invisible’ and ‘Womanish’: Black girls negotiating their lives in an African‐centered school in the USA

Abstract The author examines a cluster of themes in the school lives of 10‐ and 11‐year‐old African‐American girls in an independent African‐centered school in Illinois, USA. Through conversation and student writings, the author illustrates that these girls position themselves in multiple and contradictory ways. In the co‐educational classroom, they seemed passive, even invisible. Yet in conversation outside of class, they were wilful, audacious, ‘womanish’ girls who attempted to bring about change in their social environment regarding continued male peer harassment. The author discusses four themes from her data: (1) school as a site of gendered/sexual politics; (2) the contradictory and multiple consciousness of the girls; (3) the necessity of a separate space for girls to work through issues of concern; and (4) the tenuousness of feminist research in a Black nationalist school. The author concludes with some questions for (Black) feminists to consider regarding the needs of Black girls in schools.
Solubility in binary mixtures at the immiscibility critical point

It is shown that the solubility of organic solids in binary mixtures of partially miscible liquids is singular at the immiscibility critical point. The theoretically predicted maximum of solubility in the vicinity of the critical point is found experimentally. The effect is similar to the phenomenon observed near the gas-liquid critical point. The similarity of these two critical phenomena may have interesting technical applications and may provide guidelines for identifying promising new solvents for separation processes.
Plenary Lecture 2: Transcription factors, regulatory elements and nutrient-gene communication.

Dramatic advances have been made in the understanding of the differing molecular mechanisms used by nutrients to regulate genes that are essential for their biological roles to carry out normal metabolism. Classical studies have focused on nutrients as ligands to activate specific transcription factors. New interest has focused on histone acetylation as a process for either global or limited gene activation and is the first mechanism to be discussed. Nuclear ATP-citrate lyase generates acetyl-CoA, which has been shown to have a role in the activation of specific genes via selective histone acetylation. Transcription factor acetylation may provide a second mode of control of nutrient-responsive gene transcription. The third mechanism relates to the availability of response elements within chromatin, which as well as the location of the elements in the gene may allow or prevent transcription. A fourth mechanism involves intracellular transport of Zn ions, which can orchestrate localized enzyme inhibition–activation. This process in turn influences signalling molecules that regulate gene expression. The examples provided in the present review point to a new level of complexity in understanding nutrient–gene communication.
Analyzing Educational Testing Service Graduate Major Field Test Results

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) created the Graduate Major Field Test in Business (GMFT-B) for MBA students. This test is administered to all MBA classes at Jacksonville University for the purpose of measuring student academic achievement and growth, as well as to assess educational outcomes. The test is given in the capstone course, Business Strategy and Policy, typically taken by students at the end of their MBA program. It provides valuable feedback to each student as to their standing with regard to students across the nation. A total of six years of data (2006 to 2011) was collected for analysis of these test scores. For the first half of this time period, Jacksonville University was in candidacy for accreditation by the Association for the Advancement of Colleges and Schools of Business (AACSB), and for the time period 2009-2011 it was an AACSB accredited institution. Executive MBA, evening MBA (also known as flex MBA) and day-time (accelerated) MBA classes took the exam over that time period. It was determined that the executive MBA student grades were significantly better than their counterparts in the evening (flex) and day-time (accelerated) MBA students at Jacksonville University. It was also found that there was no significant difference in student performance during the first half (AACSB candidacy) and second half (AACSB accreditation) of the time period under investigation.
Candidal antigenemia: a prognostic determinant.

AbstractWe evaluated 98 hospital patients, debilitated by serious illness or major surgery with or without candiduria, for the development of candidal antigenemia with a commercially prepared antibody-coated latex particle assay. Group 1 (41 patients) had persistent Candida albicans candiduria (colony counts of more than 10,000 per ml.), group 2 (25 patients) had candiduria (more than 10,000 colonies per ml.) due to species other than Candida albicans and group 3 (32 patients) had no documented candiduria. Indwelling urinary catheters were present in 78 per cent of the patients in group 1, 80 per cent in group 2 and 66 per cent in group 3. In group 1 elevated candidal antigen titers of 1 to 8 or more occurred in 87 per cent of the patients with candiduria and other positive sites and in 31 per cent of those with candiduria alone (p less than 0.005), compared to 50 and 18 per cent, respectively, in group 2. In group 3 positive candidal cultures subsequently developed from other sites in 6 patients, 2 of wh...
Depression of pyrite flotation by yeast and bacteria

Microorganisms, such as the bacteria Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, have been reported to depress pyrite flotation (Elzeky and Attia, 1987; Atkins, 1990). However, the dependence of the depression on the type of organism or on suspension pH is still being determined. In this study, the relative effectiveness of various microorganisms (chemolithotrophic bacteria, chemoorganotrophic bacteria and yeast) over the pH range of 2 to 12 was studied. Screening tests using microflotation showed that every microorganism tested was capable of depressing naturally hydrophobic pyrite at acidic pH. Larger-scale experiments with both mineral pyrite and coal pyrite using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as depressants, showed that these microorganisms are very effective depressants for mineral pyrite at acid pH, but they are largely ineffective at neutral and alkaline pH, where the mineral pyrite surface is not naturally hydrophobic. The flotation response of the coal pyrite was completely different from the mineral pyrite. The coal pyrite was most floatable near neutral pH, with the floatability decreasing in acidic or alkaline solutions. Depression of the coal pyrite by yeast was not selective between the pyrite and the associated coal under the experimental conditions.
Imaging and menopausal hot flashes.

Farrell recently published an interesting review paper on imaging human brain responses during heating and cooling.1 Here, he discussed our work on imaging such responses during menopausal hot flas...
Diagnosis and Management of Sexual Pain Disorders: Dyspareunia

Dyspareunia can be one of the most challenging complaints that providers encounter in the office setting. Ensuring adequate time and a comfortable setting to address a woman’s concerns is essential to evaluation and treatment. Understanding the broad differential diagnosis of painful intercourse guides history taking. A thorough, yet focused, pelvic examination is necessary to determine the cause of the sexual pain. Identifying the location of the pain is the first step in determining the diagnosis. Although specific conditions may be associated with dyspareunia, sexual pain often falls into the category of vulvodynia or more specifically provoked vestibulodynia. Sexual pain can significantly affect a woman’s well-being and quality of life. Restoration of lasting and satisfying sexual function often requires a multidimensional understanding of the condition. Providers should feel empowered to treat this condition with the information reviewed in this chapter.
Radiation-Resistant Prostate Cancer and Salvage Prostatectomy

One in six men in the Unites States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer accounting for an incidence of 233,000 cases per year. Nearly half of the men that choose treatment will receive radiation therapy (RT), and depending on the aggressiveness of their tumor, an unknown but significant percentage will have radiation refractory cancers. Identifying recurrences post RT remains challenging with limited biomarkers that can identify persistent cancer. In this chapter, we will highlight methods to detect recurrence after RT, and discuss the oncologic and function outcomes of surgical salvage treatment.
Insulin, Glucose, and Glucagon are Potential Modulators of Thyroid Hormone Action Through Brown Adipose Tissue 5′-Deiodinase in Rats

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) contains Type II iodothyronine 5′deiodinase (5′D) (1). At variance with other tissues containing this enzyme, BAT 5′D is markedly stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system (2). This stimulation is physiologically relevant since it results in several-fold increments in locally-produced BAT T3 and generation of circulating T3 (3). These results, previously reported by us, suggest that BAT may become an important source of circulating T3 and, further, that T3 may have an important physiological role in the function of this tissue. Probably the main function of BAT is to generate heat through the oxidation of fatty acids uncoupled from ATP generation, which in turn is important for body temperature regulation and for dissipation of excess calories in the overfed state. Conversely, fasting and carbohydrate deprivation depress thermogenesis and the metabolic activity of BAT. We observed earlier that an adequate glucose supply was necessary for the elevation of BAT 5′D to occur following hypophysectomy. Altogether, these observations prompted us to examine the influence of insulin, glucagon, carbohydrate feeding, and fasting on BAT 5′D and its responses to various stimuli.
Assessment of Hypertension in Chronic Kidney Disease

Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is essential in the evaluation and management of hypertensive patients. Office BP measurement must follow basic precepts to generate accurate readings. Home and ambulatory BP monitoring provide greater reliability and reproducibility than office readings and are associated with greater ability to predict hypertension-related outcomes in patients with hypertension, including those with chronic kidney disease, thus representing the preferred method for the diagnosis of hypertension. Although clinical trial evidence to support the use of home and ambulatory BP to guide treatment among patients with chronic kidney disease is sparse, observational data suggest that these techniques add value to the management of hypertensive patients.