cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stress in the information systems professional

Stress is and always has been a normal part of life. It has both beneficial and harmful effects. The present study examines occupational stress among information systems personnel. A self-report stress and health behavior instrument was completed by 580 respondents in eighteen large corporations in the midwest and southwestern sections of the United States. The data indicates that various job factors are perceived as stressful by respondents. However, the stress levels reported by respondents are not as excessive as has been found in studies of other occupational groups. The data was also examined on the basis of position held, years of service, and sex to clarify the profile of stress among information systems personnel.
Morphological Changes at a Silver Surface Resulting from Exposure to Hyperthermal Atomic Oxygen

Bulk single crystals of Ag(100) and Ag(111) at a sample temperature of 220 °C were exposed to a beam containing hyperthermal atomic oxygen with a nominal translational energy of 5.2 eV. The resultant oxide scales and interface structures were characterized by cross-sectional (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The oxide scales formed on Ag(100) and Ag(111) were more than 10 microns thick and contained numerous micropores, microchannels, grain boundaries, and defects (e.g., twins), which can provide pathways for the rapid transport of oxygen atoms through the thick oxide scales to the oxide/Ag interface. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and nanoarea electron diffraction pattern (NA-EDP) investigations revealed that the oxide scales were predominately polycrystalline silver, containing only ∼3−5 atom % of oxygen, which is mainly in the form of Ag2O. Additional low-fluence exposures of thin foils of single-crystal Ag followed by analysis with...
Pension Choice: An Analysis of U.S. Corporate Financial Characteristics and Post‐Reversion Pension Plan Formation

This paper examines the formation of pension plans from a corporate finance perspective. The theoretical underpinnings for selecting a defined‐benefit or defined‐contribution plan are discussed and used to form empirically testable hypotheses. Linear probability and logit models are used to identify corporate financial characteristics that affect the likelihood of forming a defined‐benefit or defined‐contribution plan. The results strongly indicate that firms with high degrees of debt and intangible assets are least likely to form defined‐benefit plans in a post‐reversion situation, while firm size enhances the probability of forming defined‐benefit plans. The growth in private retirement plans over the past quarter century has made pension fund management a critical concern for many financial managers. The total amount of assets in private pension plans amounted to approximately $150 billion in 1970, while this figure was about $2 trillion in 1989. A corresponding trend to this growth has been an acceleration in the formation of defined‐contribution plans relative to defined‐benefit plans. In 1975 about 29 percent of all plans were defined‐contribution plans, and 71 percent were defined‐benefit plans. In contrast, defined‐contribution plans comprised 55 percent of all plans in 1988, while 45 percent were defined‐benefit plans.1 Gustman and Steinmeier (1987) suggest that the shift to defined‐contribution plans in recent years may be attributable to shifts in jobs in the economy away from the manufacturing sector and toward the service sector. Furthermore, the role of unions, firm size, and administrative costs have also been sighted as factors which partially explain the economy wide shift toward defined‐contribution plans (see Gustman and Steinmeier (1989), Clark and McDermed (1990), and Kruse (1991)). In this paper, we address the pension choice by examining the formation of individual plans from a corporate finance perspective. Specifically, we examine the pension choice issue when firms are faced with making this decision after the termination of an overfunded defined‐benefit plan. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. Section I discusses the possible motives for selecting one plan over the other, and develops testable hypotheses. The data and methodology are discussed in section II, while section III presents the empirical results. Section IV summarizes and concludes the paper.
Minimizing transfer time to an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction-receiving center: a modified Delphi consensus.

Of patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), approximately two-thirds present to a hospital not capable of percutaneous coronary intervention. Transfer to a STEMI receiving center delays time to reperfusion in patients with STEMI, but factors that affect this delay have not been well studied. We performed a three-round modified Delphi study to identify system practices that minimize transfer time to a STEMI receiving center. A comprehensive literature review was used to identify candidate system practices. Emergency medical services, emergency medicine, and cardiology experts were invited to participate. Consensus was defined as 80% agreement that a variable was “very important (5)” or “important (4)” with a mean score ≥4.25 or 80% agreement that a variable was “not important (1)” or “somewhat important (2)” with a mean score ≤1.75. In Round 1, participants rated the candidate items and suggested additional items. Individual feedback was provided, and participants discussed items via conference calls before rating them again in Round 2. In Round 3, participants ranked the consensus items from Rounds 1-2 from most to least important, and the mean score for each item was calculated. Of the 98 experts invited, 29 participated in Round 1, 22 in Round 2, and 14 in Round 3. Participants identified 18 system practices that they agree are critical in minimizing transfer time to STEMI receiving centers, with the most important being performance of a prehospital electrocardiogram and having established transfer protocols. These factors should be considered in the development of STEMI systems of care.
Contributions to the history of psychology. XXXIX: T. V. moore and his Cognitive psychology of 1939

In 1939 Thomas Verner Moore authored a book entitled Cognitive Psychology which shared many commonalities with the psychological perspective that emerged under the same name 25 years later. Moore rejected the behaviorism of his day, took knowing as the fundamental problem of psychology, employed reaction time procedures to differentiate among mental processes, and was committed to representationalism as an epistemology. His career, early experimental work, interaction with E. C. Tolman, and textbook are discussed.
Social comparison, individualism-collectivism, and self-esteem in china and the United States

Possible differences in social comparison choices between individualistic and collectivistic cultures and individuals were explored among a sample of 235 student participants from the United States and China, focusing on self-esteem as a possible mediating variable. A self-report social comparison measure was developed and factor analyzed. Correlations revealed that higher collectivism scores were associated with an increased desire to compare in general, an increased desire to make upward comparisons, and a decreased desire to make downward comparisons. It is speculated that upward self-improvement comparisons for the sake of the group may be more common for those high in collectivism.
Amphiphilic Thermosensitive N-Isopropylacrylamide Terpolymer Hydrogels Prepared by Micellar Polymerization in Aqueous Media

New amphiphilic terpolymer hydrogels confining a thermosensitive N-isopropylacryalmide component, a hydrophilic comonomer (sodium acrylate), and hydrophobic alkylated comonomers (N-alkylacrylamides) of various lengths were fabricated using a micellar polymerization technique in aqueous media. These gels exhibit compositionally dependent swelling as a function of both pH and temperature, demonstrating large, rapid discontinuous collapse in aqueous media between 30 and 40°C. Surfactant release from these gels can be modulated by gel composition, demonstrating extended release over several weeks in some cases
Total duplicate exstrophic bladder and urethra Variation of incomplete bladder exstrophy

A rare variant of incomplete bladder exstrophy with an intact internal bladder and urethra and a duplicate exstrophic bladder and urethra is reported.
An Emergency Department Guideline for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism: An Outcome Study

Objective To assess the clinical outcome of patients suspected of pulmonary embolism (PE) following implementation of an emergency department (ED) diagnostic guideline. Methods A prospective observational study of all patients suspected of PE who presented to the ED during a four-month study period. The authors' modification of the Charlotte criteria recommended D-dimer testing in those younger than 70 years of age with a low clinical suspicion of PE and no unexplained hypoxemia, unilateral leg swelling, recent surgery, hemoptysis, pregnancy, or prolonged duration of symptoms. The primary outcome was the identification of venous thromboembolism during a three-month follow-up period. The negative predictive value of the overall diagnostic strategy and the test characteristics of D-dimer were calculated. Results A total of 1,207 consecutive patients were evaluated for suspected PE; 71 (5.8%) were diagnosed with venous thromboembolism. One missed case of PE was identified on follow-up, yielding a negative predictive value of 99.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 99.5% to 100%). The missed case was a patient who presented with pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath; a chest radiograph revealed pneumothorax, and the physician decided not to pursue the positive D-dimer result. The patient returned six weeks later with PE. Subgroup analysis of patients having D-dimer performed (n = 677) yields a sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI = 0.77 to 0.98) and a specificity of 0.74 (95% CI = 0.70 to 0.77). Conclusions Implementation of a PE diagnostic guideline in a community ED setting is safe and has improved the specificity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay D-dimer test when compared with previous studies.
Ionic liquid-assisted exfoliation and dispersion: stripping graphene and its two-dimensional layered inorganic counterparts of their inhibitions.

Research on graphene—monolayers of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice—is proceeding at a relentless pace as scientists of both experimental and theoretical bents seek to explore and exploit its superlative attributes, including giant intrinsic charge mobility, record-setting thermal conductivity, and high fracture strength and Young's modulus. Of course, fully exploiting the remarkable properties of graphene requires reliable, large-scale production methods which are non-oxidative and introduce minimal defects, criteria not fully satisfied by current approaches. A major advance in this direction is ionic liquid-assisted exfoliation and dispersion of graphite, leading to the isolation of few- and single-layered graphene sheets with yields two orders of magnitude higher than the earlier liquid-assisted exfoliation approaches using surface energy-matched solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). In this Minireview, we discuss the emerging use of ionic liquids for the practical exfoliation, dispersion, and modification of graphene nanosheets. These developments lay the foundation for strategies seeking to overcome the many challenges faced by current liquid-phase exfoliation approaches. Early computational and experimental results clearly indicate that these same approaches can readily be extended to inorganic graphene analogues (e.g., BN, MoX2 (X = S, Se, Te), WS2, TaSe2, NbSe2, NiTe2, and Bi2Te3) as well.
Two-factors with few cycles in claw-free graphs

Abstract Let G be a graph of order n . Define f k (G) ( F k (G) ) to be the minimum (maximum) number of components in a k -factor of G . For convenience, we will say that f k (G)=0 if G does not contain a k -factor. It is known that if G is a claw-free graph with sufficiently high minimum degree and proper order parity, then G contains a k -factor. In this paper we show that f 2 (G)⩽n/δ for n and δ sufficiently large and G claw-free. In addition, we consider F 2 (G) for claw-free graphs and look at the potential range for the number of cycles in a 2-factor.
PTPμ expression and catalytic activity are required for PTPμ-mediated neurite outgrowth and repulsion

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) regulate neural development via both homophilic and heterophilic binding interactions. Various members of the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) subfamily of CAMs mediate neurite outgrowth, yet in many cases, their ligands remain unknown. However, the PTP mu subfamily members are homophilic binding proteins. PTP mu is a growth-permissive substrate for nasal retinal ganglion cell (RGC) neurites and a growth inhibitory substrate for temporal RGC neurites. Whether PTP mu regulates these distinct behaviors via homophilic or heterophilic binding interactions is not currently known. In this manuscript, we demonstrate that PTP mu influences RGC axon guidance behaviors only in the E8 retina and not earlier in development. In addition, we demonstrate that PTP mu is permissive only for neurites from ventral-nasal retina and is repulsive to neurites from all other retinal quadrants. Furthermore, we show that PTP mu-mediated nasal neurite outgrowth and temporal repulsion require PTP mu expression and catalytic activity. These results are consistent with PTP mu homophilic binding generating a tyrosine phosphatase-dependent signal that ultimately leads to axon outgrowth or repulsion and that PTP mu's role in regulating axon guidance may be tightly regulated developmentally. In summary, these data demonstrate that PTP mu expression and catalytic activity are important in vertebrate axon guidance.
Price, Financial Quality, and Capital Flows in Insurance Markets

Abstract This paper develops a model of price determination in insurance markets. Insurance is provided by firms that are subject to default risk. Demand for insurance is inversely related to insurer default risk and is imperfectly price elastic because of information asymmetries and private information in insurance markets. The model predicts that the price of insurance, measured by the ratio of premiums to discounted losses, is inversely related to insurer default risk and that insurers have optimal capital structures. Price may increase or decrease following a loss shock that depletes the insurer's capital, depending on factors such as the effect of the shock on the price elasticity of demand. Empirical tests using firm-level data support the hypothesis that the price of insurance is inversely related to insurer default risk and provide evidence that prices declined in response to the loss shocks of the mid-1980s. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: G22, G32, G33.
Hierarchical coding in speech timing

Abstract The analysis of syllable and pause durations in speech production can provide information about the properties of a speaker's grammatical code. The present study was conducted to reveal aspects of this code by analyzing syllable and pause durations in structurally ambiguous sentences. In Experiments 1–6, acoustical measurements were made for a key syllabic segment and a following pause for 10 or more speakers. Each of six structural ambiguities, previously unrelated, involved a grammatical relation between the constituent following the pause and one of two possible constituents preceding the pause. The results showed lengthening of the syllabic segments and pauses for the reading in which the constituent following the pause was hierarchically dominated by the higher of the two possible preceding constituents in a syntactic representation. The effects were also observed, to a lesser extent, when the structurally ambiguous sentences were embedded in disambiguating paragraph contexts (Experiment 7). The results show that a single hierarchical principle can provide a unified account of speech timing effects for a number of otherwise unrelated ambiguities. This principle is superior to a linear alternative and provides specific inferences about hierarchical relations among syntactic constituents in speech coding.
Role of over-sampled data in superresolution processing and a progressive up-sampling scheme for optimized implementations of iterative restoration algorithms

Super-resolution algorithms are often needed to enhance the resolution of diffraction-limited imagery acquired from certain sensors, particularly those operating in the millimeter-wave range. While several powerful iterative procedures for image superresolution are currently being developed, some practical implementation considerations become important in order to reduce the computational complexity and improve the convergence rate in deploying these algorithms in applications where real-time performance is of critical importance. Issues of particular interest are representation of the acquired imagery data on appropriate sample grids and the availability of oversampled data prior to super-resolution processing. Sampling at the Nyquist rate corresponds to an optimal spacing of detector elements or a scan rate that provides the largest dwell time (for scan- type focal plane imaging arrays), thus ensuring an increased SNR in the acquired image. However, super-resolution processing of this data could produce aliasing of the spectral components, leading not only to inaccurate estimates of the frequencies beyond the sensor cutoff frequency but also corruption of the passband itself, in turn resulting in a restored image that is poorer than the original. Obtaining sampled image data at a rate higher than the Nyquist rate can be accomplished either during data collection by modifying the acquisition hardware or as a post-acquisition signal processing step. If the ultimate goal in obtaining the oversampled image is to perform super- resolution, however, upsampling operations implemented as part of the overall signal processing software can offer several important benefits compared to acquiring oversampled data by hardware methods (such as by increasing number of detector elements in the sensor array or by microscanning). In this paper, we shall give a mathematical characterization of the process of image representation on a sample grid and establish the role of oversampling by studying the dynamics of information transfer during image restoration. A new progressive upsampling procedure is presented that provides optimized implementations of iterative superresolution. Finally, the super-resolution performance of the overall scheme that combines the progressive upsampling technique with a maximum likelihood restoration algorithm will be demonstrated quantitatively by presenting processed passive millimeter-wave imagery data.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Primary care providers human papillomavirus vaccine recommendations for the medically underserved: a pilot study in U.S. Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Introduction In the United States, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are safety-net clinics that provide cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to medically underserved women, some of whom may be at risk for developing cervical cancer. National guidelines recommend against using screening test results or sexual history to determine vaccine eligibility. Documenting HPV vaccine recommendations and beliefs of primary care providers in FQHCs may aid in promoting evidence-based practices and prioritizing health interventions for vulnerable populations.
Perceptions of Democracy in Guatemala: an Ethnic Divide?

AbstractAs democracy spreads around the world, new challenges and questions arise as to how liberal democracy fits in societies where large segments of the population do not share Western values and lifestyles. This article explores whether or not democratic values and political behaviour vary among the two major ethnic groups existing in Guatemala, the Western-oriented Ladino population and the indigenous Maya population. Using a political science framework of analysis and survey data, the article examines individual-level differences with respect to the support for democracy, the prevalence of authoritarian orientations, and political participation. Multivariate statistical models show that there are minor differences between the two ethnic groups and that other variables account for the variation among the population, particularly gender, education, the perception of corruption in government, and physical insecurity. In brief, the results show that there does not seem to be an ethnic divide in Guatemal...
Determination of minimal cut sets of a complex fault tree

Minimum cut sets are commonly obtained for evaluation of large fault trees. The number of minimum cut sets usually increases with the size of trees and this leads to a complexity in the evaluation of a fault tree. Modules of fault trees could be developed to reduce the size of trees and simplify the quantitative analysis. This paper will discuss procedures for developing modules, and methods for finding the minimum cut sets of a fault tree.
International Rivers as Boundaries: The Dispute over Kasikili/Sedudu Island and the Decision of the International Court of Justice

Abstract International rivers serve a number of purposes, the most obvious are the navigational and non-navigational uses. Less noticed is the fact that international rivers are also used to delimit boundaries between nations. The immediate question that would arise is: Where are such boundaries actually drawn across the river? Boundaries, however, are established by treaties and the answer to this question is often included in the interpretation of treaties delimiting such water boundaries, taking into account the special characteristics of the international river. Indeed, this has been the case regarding the boundaries across the Chobe river between Botswana and Namibia. Determining where such boundaries lie would result in deciding to whom a disputed Island, the Kasikili/Sedudu, belongs. In a praiseworthy step, the two countries agreed to take their dispute over the Island, after failure to resolve it through negotiations, to the International Court of Justice. This paper discusses the uses of internat...
Enfuvirtide antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1 infection.

It has been over 25 years since the fi rst diagnosis of what would be known as AIDS. Although great strides in anti-HIV therapeutics have been made, there is still a great need for antiretrovirals that are effective against drug-resistant HIV. Enfuvirtide (ENF) is the fi rst of a new class of fusion inhibitors to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in combination with other antiretroviral agents among HIV-1 infected patients with previous treatment experience. The inclusion of enfuvirtide in an optimized antiretroviral background regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infected (treatment-experienced) patients followed the success of two critical clinical trials (TORO: T20 vs Optimized Regimen Only I and II). Even though injection-site reactions persisted in these trials, improved virological and immunological responses were observed among patients. Challenges associated with ENF treatment include the high cost of the drug, injection-site reactions, determining the optimal time to initiate treatment, and the potential for the selection of drug resistant mutants and viral evolution. ENF is a promising novel treatment for HIV infected individu- als whose choices for effective treatment are limited by previous treatment and resistance. Understanding the implications of viral fi tness and evolution in the presence of ENF treat- ment is crucial in determining effective and safe treatment regimens, particularly among treatment-experienced patients.
Experimental Study of Energy Exchange Attending Electron Emission from Carbon Nanotubes

Phenomena based on nanoscale transport processes offer new possibilities for direct refrigeration by electron emission between opposing electrodes across a vacuum region. The average energy of emitted electrons depends upon the magnitude and shape of the potential energy barrier in the vacuum region, which is affected by the emission gap, emitter work function (potential barrier height), and emitter tip geometry. Emitted electrons are replaced by other electrons to maintain charge continuity, and the difference in energy between the emitted and replacement electrons produces a heating or cooling effect, known as the Nottingham effect, at the emitter surface. Theoretical studies indicate the possibility of very large (> 100 W/cm2) cooling rates, but experimental confirmation is lacking due to challenging material and experimental requirements. To obtain the results discussed in this paper, the energy exchange attending electron emission from multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) array samples is measured wit...
Evolving cyclic control for a hexapod robot performing area coverage

For a robot to search an entire area, it must follow a path that allows the range of its sensors to cover all parts of the area. This problem is a subset of path planning called area coverage. Most work done in this type of path planning has concentrated on ways of dividing the area up to avoid obstacles while covering the area. This is an important step in the process, but often takes for granted the movement of the robot within clear areas. This is not a problem if the robot has sufficient calibration to ensure the accuracy of calculated turns or if it has accurate enough navigational devices to keep track of its location. However, simple legged robots usually lack both of these attributes. It is difficult to make turns that fit a specified arch and sufficient on board navigational devices are expensive and/or too large to carry. In this paper, we use cyclic genetic algorithms to learn the control cycles required to make an actual hexapod robot perform area coverage.
A conceptualization of the relationships between service quality and visitor satisfaction, and their links to destination selection

Six different conceptualizations of the relationship between visitor satisfaction and service quality have been suggested in the literature. A model is developed which integrates and reconciles the...
The Selfe Undone: Individualism and Relationality in John Donne and Aemilia Lanyer

There is something right about the hoary old claim that Protestantism spawned individualism. It has been challengedfrom all sides: by those who argue the reverse, by historians of religion who point out that introspective piety was not unique to the early modern period, and by scholars who demonstrate that early Protestants were deeply invested in ecclesiology and communal rituals. Yet this claim—even though clunky and inadequate—remains important, not least because it highlights an enduring link between the way we interpret early Protestant texts and the way we understand individualism today. Consider John Donne's famous denial of isolation, written nearly four hundred years ago: “No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe.” This statement compels us because it refutes what often feels irrefutable: that each person is, essentially, a solitary being, and that, while this existential state may be ameliorated, it is an unavoidable fact of life.
Does One Size Fit All? The Multiple Organizational Forms Leading to Successful Academic Entrepreneurship

This paper offers an integrative theory, through the use of transaction cost theory principles, that attempts to match the attributes of university–held innovations with the specific organizational...
The relation between dietary change and rising US obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the source from which food is obtained has contributed to the increased obesity of the US population, while controlling for demographic, lifestyle and regional factors. METHODS: Multiple regression was used to estimate the effect of food source on body mass index (BMI) while accounting for other factors which have been shown to affect obesity in a nationally representative sample of the US population. SAMPLE: This study used secondary data from the 1994–1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII). The CSFII is a nationally representative sample of 16,103 individuals, obtaining for each respondent 24 h recalls of all food intake on two nonconsecutive days as well as demographics and information on lifestyle choices. RESULTS: For a large number of demographic and lifestyle factors, our results support those which have previously been found to contribute to increased overweight. Our contribution is to examine whether the source from which food is obtained also contributes to increased overweight. Our evidence suggests that this is the case. The average height for males in our sample was 1.77 m. For two such males, one who ate food away from home (FAFH) during the previous 24 h period and the other who did not, results suggest that the first will be about 1 kg heavier, all other factors being equal. For two females of average height (1.63 m) the same is true for those who ate fast food, but not at restaurants. In all cases, except females who ate at restaurants, the effects are significant in the regression (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The trends in both increased US obesity and in increased consumption of FAFH are unlikely to be coincidental. FAFH, and particularly fast food consumption, are likely to be contributing factors to increased obesity.
Differentiating Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia from Junctional Tachycardia: Novel Application of the Delta H-A Interval

Introduction: Junctional tachycardia (JT) and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) can be difficult to differentiate. Yet, the two arrhythmias require distinct diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. We explored the utility of the delta H-A interval as a novel technique to differentiate these two tachycardias. Methods: We included 35 patients undergoing electrophysiology study who had typical AVNRT, 31 of whom also had JT during slow pathway ablation, and four of whom had spontaneous JT during isoproterenol administration. We measured the H-A interval during tachycardia (H-AT) and during ventricular pacing (H-AP) from the basal right ventricle. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability of measurements was assessed. Ventricular pacing was performed at approximately the same rate as tachycardia. The delta H-A interval was calculated as the H-AP minus the H-AT. Results: There was excellent interobserver and intraobserver agreement for measurement of the H-A interval. The average delta H-A interval was −10 ms during AVNRT and 9 ms during JT (P < 0.00001). For the diagnosis of JT, a delta H-A interval ≥ 0 ms had the sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 83%, positive predictive value of 84%, and negative predictive value of 88%. The delta H-A interval was longer in men than in women with JT, but no gender-based differences were seen with AVNRT. There was no difference in the H-A interval based on age ≤ 60 years. Conclusion: The delta H-A interval is a novel and reproducibly measurable interval that aids the differentiation of JT and AVNRT during electrophysiology studies.
Lumbar disc herniation in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial: does educational attainment impact outcome?

nonoperative outcomes, however, higher levels of education were associated with signifi cantly greater overall improvement over 4 years in BP ( P = 0.007), PF ( P = 0.001), and ODI ( P = 0.003). At 4 years a “dose-response” type relationship was shown for BP (high school or less = 25.5, some college = 31, and college graduate or above = 36.3, P = 0.004) and results were similar for PF and ODI. The success of nonoperative treatment in the more educated cohort resulted in an attenuation of the relative benefi t of surgery. Conclusion. Patients with higher educational attainment demonstrated signifi cantly greater improvement with nonoperative treatment while educational attainment was not associated with surgical outcomes.
Developing a clinically feasible personalized medicine approach to pediatric septic shock.

Rationale: Using microarray data, we previously identified gene expression–based subclasses of septic shock with important phenotypic differences. The subclass-defining genes correspond to adaptive immunity and glucocorticoid receptor signaling. Identifying the subclasses in real time has theranostic implications, given the potential for immune-enhancing therapies and controversies surrounding adjunctive corticosteroids for septic shock.Objectives: To develop and validate a real-time subclassification method for septic shock.Methods: Gene expression data for the 100 subclass-defining genes were generated using a multiplex messenger RNA quantification platform (NanoString nCounter) and visualized using gene expression mosaics. Study subjects (n = 168) were allocated to the subclasses using computer-assisted image analysis and microarray-based reference mosaics. A gene expression score was calculated to reduce the gene expression patterns to a single metric. The method was tested prospectively in a separate...
Triplet Overhauser Mechanism of CIDNP

Soon after the discovery of CIDNP it was proposed that the observed nuclear spin polarizations resulted from a small deviation from equilibrium in the electron spin states of the chemically generated radicals (such as all states equally populated), which was converted by electron-nuclear cross relaxation into a large deviation of the nuclear spin states from thermal equilibrium [1, 2]. This model is often called an Overhauser mechanism, because of its similarity to the Overhauser effect in which microwave pumping of the electron spin states of a paramagnetic species in a magnetic field leads to large nuclear spin polarizations [3]. This model failed to account for many features of CIDNP, however, and it was superseded by the radical pair mechanism [4, 5]. This did not prove the Overhauser mechanism is nonexistent, however. It could be that it is usually much less efficient than the radical pair mechanism, which therefore dominates the polarization process and hides the smaller effects of the Overhauser mechanism. If so, the Overhauser mechanism could be important in cases where the radical pair mechanism is inoperative, or if there is a very large initial electron spin polarization.
Irradiation Induced Fluorescence Enhancement in PEGylated Cyanine-Based NIR Nano- and Mesoscale GUMBOS

We report on the synthesis and characterization of a PEGylated IR786 GUMBOS (Group of Uniform Materials Based on Organic Salts). The synthesis of this material was accomplished using a three step protocol: (1) substitution of chloride on the cyclohexenyl ring in the heptamethine chain of IR786 by 6-aminohexanoic acid, (2) grafting of methoxy polyethylene glycol (MeOPEG) onto the 6-aminohexanoic acid via an esterification reaction, and (3) anion exchange between [PEG786][I] and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (LiNTf2) or sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) in order to obtain PEG786 GUMBOS. Examination of spectroscopic data for this PEG786 GUMBOS indicates a large stokes shift (122 nm). It was observed that this PEG786 GUMBOS associates in aqueous solution to form nano- and mesoscale self-assemblies with sizes ranging from 100 to 220 nm. These nano- and mesoscale GUMBOS are also able to resist nonspecific binding to proteins. PEGylation of the original IR786 leads to reduced cytotoxicity....
Photosynthesis, light and nitrogen relationships in a young deciduous forest canopy under open‐air CO2 enrichment

Leaf photosynthesis ( Ps ), nitrogen (N) and light environment were measured on Populus tremuloides trees in a developing canopy under free-air CO 2 enrichment in Wisconsin, USA. After 2 years of growth, the trees averaged 1·5 and 1·6 m tall under ambient and elevated CO 2 , respectively, at the beginning of the study period in 1999. They grew to 2·6 and 2·9 m, respectively, by the end of the 1999 growing season. Daily integrated photon flux from cloudfree days (PPFD day,sat ) around the lowermost branches was 16·8 ± ± ± 0·8 and 8·7 ± 0·2% of values at the top for the ambient and elevated CO 2 canopies, respectively. Elevated CO 2 significantly decreased leaf N on a mass, but not on an area, basis. N per unit leaf area was related linearly to PPFD day,sat throughout the canopies, and elevated CO 2 did not affect that relationship. Leaf Ps light-response curves responded differently to elevated CO 2 , depending upon canopy position. Elevated CO 2 increased Ps sat only in the upper (unshaded) canopy, whereas characteristics that would favour photosynthesis in shade were unaffected by elevated CO 2 . Consequently, estimated daily integrated Ps on cloudfree days ( Ps day,sat ) was stimulated by elevated CO 2 only in the upper canopy. Ps day,sat of the lowermost branches was actually lower with elevated CO 2 because of the darker light environment. The lack of CO 2 stimulation at the midand lower canopy was probably related to significant down-regulation of photosynthetic capacity; there was no down-regulation of Ps in the upper canopy. The relationship between Ps day,sat and leaf N indicated that N was not optimally allocated within the canopy in a manner that would maximize whole-canopy Ps or photosynthetic N use efficiency. Elevated CO 2 had no effect on the optimization of canopy N allocation.
Potent restriction of HIV-1 and SIVmac239 replication by African green monkey TRIM5α.

Background The TRIM5α protein is a principal restriction factor that contributes to an HIV-1 replication block in rhesus macaque CD4+ T cells by preventing reverse transcription. HIV-1 restriction is induced in human CD4+ T cells by expression of rhesus TRIM5α as well as those of other old world monkeys. While TRIM5α restriction has been extensively studied in single-round infection assays, fewer studies have examined restriction after extended viral replication.
QUANTIFYING THE INFORMATION VALUE OF CLINICAL ASSESSMENTS WITH SIGNAL DETECTION THEORY.

The aim of clinical assessment is to gather data that allow us to reduce uncertainty regarding the probabilities of events. This is a Bayesian view of assessment that is consistent with the well-known concept of incremental validity. Conventional approaches to evaluating the accuracy of assessment methods are confounded by the choice of cutting points, by the base rates of the events, and by the assessment goal (e.g. nomothetic vs idiographic predictions). Clinical assessors need a common metric for quantifying the information value of assessment data, independent of the cutting points, base rates, or particular application. Signal detection theory (SDT) provides such a metric. We review SDT's history, concepts, and methods and provide examples of its application to a variety of assessment problems.
Yokes of the holy-ones: the embodiment of a Christian vocation

In his sixth demonstration, Aphrahat, the fourth-century Persian Christian sage, describes the behavior of the bnay qyama , the “members of the covenant,” through the image of the “yoke of the holy-ones.” These men, often called, ihidaye , “single-ones,” or “single-minded-ones,” are a celibate elite. The ihidaye 's sexual status separates them psychologically and physically from the rest of the Christian community. While some scholars, including Jean Parisot ( Patrologia Syriaca 1.240) have translated ihidaya as “monk,” Parisot goes so far as to render the title of the sixth demonstration, “Concerning the ihidaya ,” as “De Monachis.” John Gwyn ( NPNF , Sec. ser., 13.362) follows suit with “Of Monks.” This translation is anachronistic at best as Arthur Voobus has pointed out ( The History of Asceticism in the Syrian Orient 1 [Louvain: CSCO 184, 1958] 106, 220). Even if in later generations the single ones became associated with the monastic movement, these early celibates were not monastic. They continued to live and function within their communities. Yet the sexual behavior of these men is more than a lifestyle choice; it is a religious vocation of sexual continence embodied in the name they bear, “single-ones,” as well as the “holy-yoke” they wear.
Agaritine Content of Fresh and Processed Mushrooms [Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach]

Agaritine concentrations were determined in both fresh and processed mushrooms using HPLC. Agaritine concentrations (% of fresh weight) of fresh mushrooms varied considerably among 14 lots from 10 different sources; the range was 0.033% to 0.173% and the average was 0.088%. Postharvest storage for 5 days at both 2°C and 12°C reduced original agaritine content by as much as 68%. Freezing, storage for 30 days at −25°C and subsequent thawing reduced agaritine by about 74%. Bisulfite treatment prior to freezing and freezing rate was found to have no significant effect on agaritine content. Canning operations reduced agaritine levels by as much as 87%; approximately 66% was removed during blanching and the remainder by thermal processing and storage.
Ventricular Tachycardia and Right Ventricular Fibrosis After Tetralogy of Fallot Surgical Repair

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias are known sequelae among adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. The incidence of sustained ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death in patients 35 years after corrective surgery is estimated at 11.9% and 8.3%, respectively.1 Studies have shown that right ventricular enlargement resulting from chronic pulmonic regurgitation is the most common hemodynamic substrate.2 QRS prolongation (>180 milliseconds) is one of the most sensitive ECG predictors and in turn correlates with right ventricular (RV) dilation.3 The exact mechanism is not as well studied as that of left ventricular arrhythmias, but it is purported that volume overload leads to RV myocardial stretching and RV fibrosis and hence serves as an arrhythmogenic focus. The anatomic location of the RV pathology leading to ventricular tachyarrhythmias after tetralogy of Fallot surgical repair is not well defined. The basal portions of the RV …
Ankle Flexibility and Injury Patterns in Dancers

Lower-extremity injuries are common among dancers and cause significant absences from rehearsals and performances. For this study of lower-extremity injuries in 101 ballet and 47 modern dance students, injuries requiring medical attention sustained over 1 academic year were associated with the following data obtained at the beginning of the school year: ankle flexibility, sex, dance discipline, previous injury, body mass index, and years of training. Eighty-three of the 148 students (age range, 12 to 28 years) reported prior lower-limb injuries, the most common being ankle sprains (28% of all dancers). Previous leg injuries correlated significantly with lower dorsiflexion measurements and with more new injuries. Female students had greater ankle and first metatarsophalangeal flexibility. Modern dancers had greater ankle inversion. Ninety-four students sustained 177 injuries during the study, including 75 sprains or strains and 71 cases of tendinitis. Thirty-nine percent (N = 69) were ankle injuries; 18% (N = 33) were knee injuries; 23% (N = 40) were foot injuries; and 20% (N = 35) were either hip or thigh injuries. Sixty-seven percent (N = 78) of the injured students were ballet dancers. Age, years of training, body mass index, sex, and ankle range of motion measurement had no predictive value for injury; previous injury and dance discipline both correlated with increased risk of injury.
Interpersonal problems and their relationship to depression, self-esteem, and malignant self-regard

DSM-5 Section III recommends that level of personality functioning be assessed. This requires an assessment of self and other representations. Malignant self-regard (MSR) is a way of assessing the level of functioning of those with a masochistic, self-defeating, depressive, or vulnerably narcissistic personality. In Study 1, 840 undergraduates were assessed for MSR, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, anaclitic and introjective depression, and interpersonal problems. MSR, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and anaclitic and introjective depression were correlated with multiple dimensions of interpersonal problems, and MSR predicted the most variance in interpersonal scales measuring social inhibition, nonassertion, over-accommodation, and excessive self-sacrifice. MSR, anaclitic, and introjective depression predicted unique variance in six of the eight domains of interpersonal problems assessed. In Study 2, 68 undergraduates were provided positive or negative feedback. Consistent with theory, MSR predicted unique variance in state anxiety but not state anger. Results support the validity of the MSR construct.
Political Influence on Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa

This article examines the extent to which political variables affect budget deficits, money growth and inflation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Using the Arellano–Bond dynamic panel data analysis on 36 SSA countries from 1980 to 2010, we first characterise the impact of presidential elections on two policy variables: government budget deficits and money growth. We then examine the impact of government budget deficits and money growth on inflation, while taking account of any direct political pressure via presidential elections. Importantly, we show that country groups, based on the level of income, are important in teasing out the varying effects of budget deficits and elections, finding evidence of political budget cycles and political monetary cycles in the middle-income countries. We also characterise whether a country is part of a fixed-exchange rate regime, showing that this limits electoral pressure on the monetary policy variable. We examine the competitiveness of elections by whether they are multiparty or single-party elections and by whether there is an incumbent candidate running for re-election. When we examine the feed-on effects on inflation, there is little indication that the election pressures on either fiscal or monetary variables become inflationary. There is evidence, however, of money growth and budget deficits being directly inflationary, particularly in the low-income countries.
Clinical Appearance, Progression, and Classification

Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to an acquired loss of intellectual function that features a disturbance in memory and impairment in function in at least one other domain, such as language, executive functioning, or visuospatial ability. Although most dementias are progressive, a few are reversible, such as dementia due to B 12 deficiency. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) usually presents with impairments in short-term memory and progresses through several stages to total dependence in all activities of daily living. Stages of this illness can be described using the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale and Global Deterioration Scale. The most frequently used criteria for dementia in epidemiologic studies are the DSM and ICD criteria, which have evolved over the past 40 years. Classification of subtypes of dementia is usually done with the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for AD and the NINDS-AIREN criteria for vascular dementia (VaD). Early stages of AD and VaD are defined by amnestic mild cognitive impairment and vascular cognitive impairment, for which criteria have been developed.