cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying the Nature of Knowledge Using the Pressures Applied to a Computer Mouse

The nature of knowledge retention is not that a student either knows or doesn't. Using signal detection theory, the correct and incorrect responses a student provides can each be subdivided into two more levels of knowledge using the student's confidence of answer correctness. The proposed study will attempt to link confidence of answer correctness to the categorized pressures applied to a computer mouse allowing for the partitioning of responses. Twenty participants that were part of a pedagogical methods study will be retested using a computer-based multiple choice test and pressure sensitive computer mouse. Participants will also rate their confidence of answer correctness. It is hypothesized that the analyzed pressures applied to the computer mouse will indicate the confidence of answer correctness. Using the categorized pressures from the computer mouse allows for the real-time assessment of a student's knowledge to guide pedagogical follow-up.
Performance analysis and projections for Petascale applications on Cray XT series systems

The Petascale Cray XT5 system at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Leadership Computing Facility (LCF) shares a number of system and software features with its predecessor, the Cray XT4 system including the quad-core AMD processor and a multi-core aware MPI library. We analyze performance of scalable scientific applications on the quad-core Cray XT4 system as part of the early system access using a combination of micro-benchmarks and Petascale ready applications. Particularly, we evaluate impact of key changes that occurred during the dual-core to quad-core processor upgrade on applications behavior and provide projections for the next-generation massively-parallel platforms with multi-core processors, specifically for proposed Petascale Cray XT5 system. We compare and contrast the quad-core XT4 system features with the upcoming XT5 system and discuss strategies for improving scaling and performance for our target applications.
Mortality after an Emergency Department Visit for Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective. To describe the mortality after emergency department (ED) visits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation. Design. Retrospective cohort study of ED patients with COPD exacerbation. Setting. Administrative data analysis. Participants. Patients age 55 and over who visited the ED during a 2-year period with primary ICD-9 codes of 491, 492, or 496. Measurements. Demographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, hospital utilization for COPD, and vital status. Results. During the study period, there were 482 index visits with a median follow-up of 1,1 28 days (3.1 years). Demographic characteristics of the cohort were as follows: mean age 72 years, 56% female, 93% White, and 37% currently married. Mortality increased over time: 5% at 30 days, 9% at 60 days, 11% at 90 days, 16% at 180 days, 23% at 1 year, 32% at 2 years, and 39% at 3 years. At the end of follow-up, 220 (46%) patients had died. On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of mortality were increasing age (haza...
Inflammation produces catecholamine resistance in obesity via activation of PDE3B by the protein kinases IKKε and TBK1

Obesity produces a chronic inflammatory state involving the NFκB pathway, resulting in persistent elevation of the noncanonical IκB kinases IKKe and TBK1. In this study, we report that these kinases attenuate β-adrenergic signaling in white adipose tissue. Treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with specific inhibitors of these kinases restored β-adrenergic signaling and lipolysis attenuated by TNFα and Poly (I:C). Conversely, overexpression of the kinases reduced induction of Ucp1, lipolysis, cAMP levels, and phosphorylation of hormone sensitive lipase in response to isoproterenol or forskolin. Noncanonical IKKs reduce catecholamine sensitivity by phosphorylating and activating the major adipocyte phosphodiesterase PDE3B. In vivo inhibition of these kinases by treatment of obese mice with the drug amlexanox reversed obesity-induced catecholamine resistance, and restored PKA signaling in response to injection of a β-3 adrenergic agonist. These studies suggest that by reducing production of cAMP in adipocytes, IKKe and TBK1 may contribute to the repression of energy expenditure during obesity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01119.001.
Functional analysis of human microsomal epoxide hydrolase genetic variants

Human microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1) is active in the metabolism of many potentially carcinogenic or otherwise genotoxic epoxides, such as those derived from the oxidation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. EPHX1 is polymorphic and encodes allelic variation at least two amino acid positions, Y113H and H139R. In a number of recent molecular epidemiological investigations, EPHX1 polymorphism has been suggested as a susceptibility factor for several human diseases. To better evaluate the functional contribution of EPHX1 genetic polymorphism, we characterized the enzymatic properties associated with each of the respective variant proteins. Enzymatic profiles were evaluated with cis-stilbene oxide (cSO) and benzo[a]pyrene-4,5-epoxide (BaPO), two prototypical substrates for the hydrolase. In one series of experiments, activities of recombinant EPHX1 proteins were analyzed subsequent to their expression using the pFastbac® baculovirus vector in Spodoptera frugiperda-9 (Sf9) insect cells, and purification by column chromatography. In parallel studies, EPHX1 activities were evaluated with human liver microsomes derived from individuals of known EPHX1 genotype. Using the purified protein preparations, rates of cSO and BaPO hydrolysis for the reference protein, Y113/H139, were approximately 2-fold greater than those measured with the other EPHX1 allelic variants. However, when activities were analyzed using human liver microsomal fractions, no major differences were evident in the reaction rates generated among preparations representing the different EPHX1 alleles. Collectively, these results suggest that the structural differences encoded by the Y113H and H139R variant alleles exert only modest impact on EPHX1-specific enzymatic activities in vivo.
Predicting Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Seasonal Activity in April

Seasonal hurricane forecasts are continuing to develop skill, although they are still subject to large uncertainties. This study uses a new methodology of cross-correlating variables against empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of the hurricane track density function (HTDF) to select predictors. These predictors are used in a regression model for forecasting seasonal named storm, hurricane, and major hurricane activity in the entire Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, a scheme for predicting landfalling tropical systems along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, southeastern, and northeastern coastlines is developed, but predicting landfalling storms adds an extra layer of uncertainty to an already complex problem, and on the whole these predictions do not perform as well. The model performs well in the basin-wide predictions over the entire Atlantic and Caribbean, with the predictions showing an improvement over climatology and random chance at a 95% confidence level. Over the Gulf of Mexico, only named storms showed that level of predictability. Predicting landfalls proves more difficult, and only the prediction of named storms along the U.S. southeastern and Gulf coasts shows an improvement over random chance at the 95% confidence level. Tropical cyclone activity along the U.S. northeastern coast is found to be unpredictable in this model; with the rarity of events, the model is unstable.
MOSFET transistors fabricated with high permitivity TiO/sub 2/ dielectrics

Layers of polycrystalline anatase TiO/sub 2/ have been deposited through the thermal decomposition of titanium tetrakisisopropoxide (TTIP). 500 /spl Aring/ films deposited and annealed in oxygen at 750/spl deg/C had average roughnesses (R/sub a/) of about 30 /spl Aring/. Capacitors made from 190 /spl Aring/ layers of TiO/sub 2/ displayed a voltage dependent accumulation capacitance. This was postulated to be caused by finite width effects in the accumulation layer which we have dubbed the quantum capacitance effect. N-channel transistors made with these films showed near ideal behavior, but mobilities were significantly lower than those of thermal oxide MOSFETs. This mobility reduction was believed to be caused by interface states, which fell below 10/sup 11/ cm/sup -2/ eV/sup -1/ at midgap, but rose sharply on either side, unlike the "U" shaped behavior in thermal oxide MOSFET's.
Anxiety-induced hyperventilation. A common cause of symptoms in patients with hypertension.

THE DIAGNOSIS and treatment of hypertension is often accompanied by anxiety that may be manifested by recurrent episodes of acute hyperventilation, with symptoms that may interfere with the control of the disease. This study was designed to establish the prevalence and nature of anxiety-induced hyperventilation in a large group of difficult-to-control patients with hypertension. A prospective survey on the prevalence of anxiety-induced hyperventilation was performed with 300 consecutive adult patients referred to the author at a tertiary care referral clinic for difficult-to-treat primary (essential) hypertension. In those with suggestive episodic symptoms, voluntary hyperventilation was performed to validate the diagnosis. Of the 300 referred patients, 104 were suspected of having hyperventilation from preexisting episodic symptoms. Of the 104 patients, 88 reproduced their typical symptoms by the hyperventilation test. Eight did not reproduceall their usual symptoms and 8 others did not develop any symptoms during the 3-minute test. Anxiety-induced hyperventilation is common
The Seattle Symposium on the Training of Foreign Language Teachers

A"SYMPOSIUM" to the ancient Greeks was entertainment characterized by drinking, feasting, and intellectual discussion. Webster defines the contemporary version as "a conference organized for the discussion of some particular subject." The Seattle Symposium on the Training of Foreign Language Teachers, which was sponsored by the Washington Foreign Language Program, October 5-6, 1970, combined the best features of ancient comforts and modern scholar-
Core-stateless fair queueing: a scalable architecture to approximate fair bandwidth allocations in high-speed networks

Router mechanisms designed to achieve fair bandwidth allocations, such as Fair Queueing, have many desirable properties for congestion control in the Internet. However, such mechanisms usually need to maintain state, manage buffers, and/or perform packet scheduling on a per-flow basis, and this complexity may prevent them from being cost-effectively implemented and widely deployed. In this paper, we propose an architecture that significantly reduces this implementation complexity yet still achieves approximately fair bandwidth allocations. We apply this approach to an island of routers--that is, a contiguous region of the network--and we distinguish between edge routers and core routers. Edge routers maintain per-flow state; they estimate the incoming rate of each flow and insert a label into each packet based on this estimate. Core routers maintain no per-flow state; they use first-in-first-out packet scheduling augmented by a probabilistic dropping algorithm that uses the packet labels and an estimate of the aggregate traffic at the router. We call the scheme Core-Stateless Fair Queueing. We present simulations and analysis on the performance of this approach.
A prospective clinical trial evaluating urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Abstract Background To improve the diagnostic accuracy of identifying acute appendicitis, imaging modalities, such as ultrasound and the computed tomography scan, are used in combination with the history and physical examination. There is no reliable single laboratory marker to assist with this diagnosis. During inflammation, enterochromaffin cells in the appendix secrete serotonin, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), a serotonin metabolite excreted in urine, has been found to be elevated in patients presenting with acute appendicitis. Objective The aim of this study was to measure the urinary 5-HIAA concentrations of patients presenting with symptoms of acute appendicitis to determine the sensitivity and specificity of urinary 5-HIAA levels for diagnosing acute appendicitis. Methods 5-HIAA was quantitatively measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in the spot urine of 100 healthy individuals, aged 18 to 70 years, who presented to the emergency medicine department with a clinical picture of acute appendicitis. Urine concentration results were correlated to the gold standard of histopathologic reports of removed appendices. The sensitivity, specificity, and their 95% confidence intervals were derived. Results Of the 100 patients presenting with symptoms consistent with acute appendicitis, 72 had appendectomies and 2 had cholecystectomies. The remaining 26 patients were discharged after hospital observation. A total of 64 patients were found to have appendicitis: 52 had acute appendicitis, whereas 12 had perforated and/or gangrenous (nonacute) appendices. The acute appendicitis group had a mean urinary 5-HIAA level of 19.31 μ mol/L, slightly lower than the 23.10 μ mol/L of the patients with gangrenous/perforated appendicitis. The group without appendicitis had a urinary 5-HIAA value of 17.27 μ mol/L. Using the lowest of previously reported cutoffs, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of this test for acute appendicitis as 63% and 33%, respectively. Conclusion Urinary 5-HIAA level is not a good diagnostic tool for determining acute appendicitis.
An Empirical Study of Standards Development for E-Businesses: A Social Network Perspective

Research on the nature of e-business standards and the organizational context in which they are developed has received little attention in the literature of IT standards and standardization. This study investigates communication patterns in online standards groups to provide insights into the nature of group dynamics among standards decision makers and its relation to the standards context. Email data is used from the ebXML standards initiative. Findings suggest that standards groups operating on the Internet appear to form a cohesive structure, despite the fact that they tend to consist of large group of participants coming from various backgrounds and industries, while their communication patterns are influenced by standards orientation. Policy implications for managers in online standards groups are presented.
The Perseverance of Paul Samuelson's Economics

A reflection of the economics profession through Paul Samuelson's Economics. Samuelson offers an uneasy mix of laissez faire in micro and government interventionism in macro. In earlier editions, Keynesian thinking dominated, with an antisaving, progovernment bias and a need for an activist fiscal policy aimed at alleviating unpredictable chronic business cycles under private enterprise. Middle editions had chapters on the Soviet Union and China, rather than Japan and West Germany. Recently, Samuelson and coauthor William Nordhaus have gradually shifted from antithrift to prosavings policies, from deficit spending to fiscal restraint, and from fiscal policy to monetary policy as effective countercyclical tools.
Isolation and characterization of an isoantigenic variant from a heterozygous mouse lymphoma in culture

A cell line from a mouse lymphoma heterozygous at the chromosome region for the H-2d and H-2k alleles was originally obtained from a transplantable lymphoma in the (C3H × DBA/2)F1 hybrid (H-2d/H-2k) and cultured in vitro. The original cultured line, termed parent line, was susceptible to the cytotoxic action of antibodies directed against antigenic components of both the d and k alleles. The parent line also absorbed hemagglutinins from both anti-d anti-k antisera. A resistant, variant subline was selected from the original population by immunoselection in vitro with anti-H-2d antibody and complement in a cytotoxic system. After one year in continuous culture in the absence of selecting antisera, the variant subline was still resistant to the cytotoxic action of anti-H-2d antibody. Serologic analysis of the variant indicated that it had lost the D antigenic component of the d allele, had a reduced amount of the H component, controlled by both the d and k alleles, and had retained the K component of the k allele. Possible genetic mechanisms that might account for the emergence of the variant line are discussed. While the results do not necessarily support an analysis based on mitotic recombination, ascribing other mechanisms is also difficult because of aneuploidy in the cell line. Finally, the experiments point out the advantages of using in vitro immunoselective methods in the genetics of mammalian somatic cells.
The induced vibration touch sensor – a new dynamic touch sensing concept

SUMMARYThis report describes a new touch sensing concept in which active, exploratory touching resembles the manner in which humans use their fingertips. The concept utilizes the vibrations produced during sliding motion of the sensor to provide information for characterizing objects and features. The sensing system consists of a textured compliant artificial “skin”, a transduction element, and means for recognizing items of interest.A relatively simple prototype was fabricated and tested for a range of potentially useful tactile tasks. Results from these experiments demonstrate the promise of the concept. The prototype sensor is shown to be effective at recognizing feature size and shape, patterns of features, feature orientation, feature position, and surface texture.
Young Adults’ Roles as Partners and Parents in the Context of Family Complexity

Using data from the 1979 and 1997 cohorts of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we estimate the proportions of young men and women who will take on a variety of partner and parent roles by age 30, and describe how these estimates have changed between cohorts. We then draw on identity theory and related theoretical work to consider how the multiple family roles that young adults are likely to occupy—both over their life course and at a single point in time—may influence interfamily and intrafamily relationships. Our discussion highlights key implications of identity theory as it relates to family complexity and proposes several hypotheses for future empirical research, such as the greater likelihood of role conflict in families with greater complexity and limited resources. Our analysis suggests that families may be less likely to function—economically and socially—as cohesive units than has been the case in the past and than most existing policies assume.
Formation and genotoxicity of a guanine–cytosine intrastrand cross-link lesion in vivo

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be induced by both endogenous and exogenous processes, and they can damage biological molecules including nucleic acids. Exposure of isolated DNA to X/gamma-rays and Fenton reagents was shown to lead to the formation of intrastrand cross-link lesions where the neighboring nucleobases in the same DNA strand are covalently bonded. By employing HPLC coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with the isotope dilution method, we assessed quantitatively the formation of a guanine-cytosine (G[8-5]C) intrastrand cross-link lesion in HeLa-S3 cells upon exposure to gamma-rays. The yield of the G[8-5]C cross-link was 0.037 lesions per 10(9) nucleosides per Gy, which was approximately 300 times lower than that of 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine (0.011 lesions per 10(6) nucleosides per Gy) under identical exposure conditions. We further constructed a single-stranded M13 genome harboring a site-specifically incorporated G[8-5]C lesion and developed a novel mass spectrometry-based method for interrogating the products emanating from the replication of the genome in Escherichia coli cells. The results demonstrated that G[8-5]C blocked considerably DNA replication as represented by a 20% bypass efficiency, and the lesion was significantly mutagenic in vivo, which included a 8.7% G-->T and a 1.2% G-->C transversion mutations. DNA replication in E. coli hosts deficient in SOS-induced polymerases revealed that polymerase V was responsible for the error-prone translesion synthesis in vivo.
Light-Evoked Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Inputs to ON and OFF α Ganglion Cells in the Mouse Retina

Bipolar cell and amacrine cell synaptic inputs to alpha ganglion cells (alphaGCs) in dark-adapted mouse retinas were studied by recording the light-evoked excitatory cation current (DeltaIC) and inhibitory chloride current (DeltaICl) under voltage-clamp conditions, and the cell morphology was revealed by Lucifer yellow fluorescence with a confocal microscope. Three types of alphaGCs were identified. (1) ONalphaGCs exhibits no spike activity in darkness, increased spikes in light, sustained inward DeltaIC, sustained outward DeltaICl of varying amplitude, and large soma (20-25 microm in diameter) with alpha-cell-like dendritic field approximately 180-350 microm stratifying near 70% of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) depth. (2) Transient OFFalphaGCs (tOFFalphaGCs) exhibit no spike activity in darkness, transient increased spikes at light offset, small sustained outward DeltaIC in light, a large transient inward DeltaIC at light offset, a sustained outward DeltaICl, and a morphology similar to the ONalphaGCs except for that their dendrites stratified near 30% of the IPL depth. (3) Sustained OFFalphaGCs exhibit maintained spike activity of 5-10 Hz in darkness, sustained decrease of spikes in light, sustained outward DeltaIC, sustained outward DeltaICl, and a morphology similar to the tOFFalphaGCs. By comparing the response thresholds and dynamic ranges of alphaGCs with those of the preganglion cells, our data suggest that the light responses of each type of alphaGCs are mediated by different sets of bipolar cells and amacrine cells. This detailed physiological analysis complements the existing anatomical results and provides new insights on the functional roles of individual synapses in the inner mammalian retina.
In Vivo Inhibition of Elevated Myocardial β-Adrenergic Receptor Kinase Activity in Hybrid Transgenic Mice Restores Normal β-Adrenergic Signaling and Function

Background —The clinical syndrome of heart failure (HF) is characterized by an impaired cardiac β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) system, which is critical in the regulation of myocardial function. Expression of the βAR kinase (βARK1), which phosphorylates and uncouples βARs, is elevated in human HF; this likely contributes to the abnormal βAR responsiveness that occurs with β-agonist administration. We previously showed that transgenic mice with increased myocardial βARK1 expression had impaired cardiac function in vivo and that inhibiting endogenous βARK1 activity in the heart led to enhanced myocardial function. Methods and Results —We created hybrid transgenic mice with cardiac-specific concomitant overexpression of both βARK1 and an inhibitor of βARK1 activity to study the feasibility and functional consequences of the inhibition of elevated βARK1 activity similar to that present in human HF. Transgenic mice with myocardial overexpression of βARK1 (3 to 5-fold) have a blunted in vivo contractile response to isoproterenol when compared with non-transgenic control mice. In the hybrid transgenic mice, although myocardial βARK1 levels remained elevated due to transgene expression, in vitro βARK1 activity returned to control levels and the percentage of βARs in the high-affinity state increased to normal wild-type levels. Furthermore, the in vivo left ventricular contractile response to βAR stimulation was restored to normal in the hybrid double-transgenic mice. Conclusions —Novel hybrid transgenic mice can be created with concomitant cardiac-specific overexpression of 2 independent transgenes with opposing actions. Elevated myocardial βARK1 in transgenic mouse hearts (to levels seen in human HF) can be inhibited in vivo by a peptide that can prevent agonist-stimulated desensitization of cardiac βARs. This may represent a novel strategy to improve myocardial function in the setting of compromised heart function.
Optical monitoring of tumor angiogenesis

Tumors send chemical signals to the body to trigger angiogenesis to fuel their growth. These new vessels are hyperpermeable compared to normal, mature vessels. A new type of cancer treatment, anti-angiogenic therapy, inhibits the tumor's ability to recruit new blood vessels, limiting tumor growth. When effective, these drugs lower the permeability of the tumor vasculature because the production of new, leaky vessels is reduced. Currently, only expensive imaging methods such as MRI and CT can be used to evaluate microvascular permeability. We have developed an optical system that is less expensive and portable. It can non-invasively monitor the dynamics of chromophores in vivo in the tumor by measuring the rapidly changing concentration of the dye over time. When these optical measurements of the first-pass kinetics are paired with a computational pharmacokinetic model, we can extract parameters related to the permeability of the tumor microvasculature. In this proof-of-concept demonstration, we present the data for two molecules of different molecular weight tagged with chromophores. The molecules were injected simultaneously into a live animal model. The data show that our system can differentiate between the dynamics of the two molecular weights and their ability to permeate into the tumor tissue from the microvasculature.
Parties as Programmatic Agents A Test of Institutional Theory in Brazil

The received wisdom in the study of Brazilian parties holds that Brazilian electoral law precludes programmatic parties. Yet we have little comprehensive data on party behavior in Brazil, and the electoral law thesis of party weakness has never been directly tested. I test the theory by examining party behavior in two periods of democratic rule (1945–64 and 1989–2002) in which electoral law is constant. I examine several features of governing and opposition coalition behavior, including inter-coalition divisiveness and intra-coalition unity in legislative voting, and party alliances in legislative elections and governing cabinets. All three indicators demonstrate more programmatic behavior in the current period, despite the constancy of electoral law. The results indicate that Brazilian parties are more coherent collective actors than previously recognized, and that scholars must augment institutional analysis with other variables in order to develop a general theory of party behavior.
Sacred Cows and Greener Pastures: Reflections from 40 Years in Addiction Research

ABSTRACTIn this invited editorial, Prof. William R. Miller reflects on lessons learned through 40 years in addiction research and treatment on topics including evidence-based treatment, client-treatment matching, waiting lists, brief intervention, therapist effects, empathy, polydrug use, relapse, diagnostic labels, manual-guided treatment and standard care, abstinence and moderation, acute treatment and case management, residential and outpatient care, concomitant disorders and integrated care, motivation for change, and spirituality. Concluding that there are ample reasons for humility about our professional expertise, he offers recommendations in nine areas for improving the care of people with substance use disorders.
Coronary autoregulation and metabolism in hypothermic rat and ground squirrel hearts

An isovolumic Langendorff preparation was used to perfuse rat and ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus) hearts at 37, 27, 17, and 7 degrees C. Perfusion pressure (PP) was randomly increased or decreased (40, 60, 70, 110, 120, or 140 mmHg) from a control PP of 90 mmHg. Coronary flow (CF) was measured immediately after each PP change (initial CF) and after stable flow was observed (final CF). Compared with initial flow, final CF was decreased at high PPs or increased at low PPs (autoregulation) in hearts from both species, but rat hearts did not autoregulate CF or develop left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) at 7 degrees C. Squirrel hearts generated LVSP at all temperatures and perfusion pressures. LVSP and initial CF were proportional to PP in both species, but squirrel heart LVSP was independent of PP at 7 degrees C. Myocardial O2 consumption (MVO2) was highly correlated with CF in all hearts at 37 degrees C but not at lower temperatures. Squirrel hearts were more efficient (MVO2 vs. HR X LVSP) than rat hearts at low temperatures but less efficient at 37 degrees C. The intrinsic temperature adaptations displayed by squirrel hearts would support continued myocardial function when body temperature and blood pressure fluctuate throughout the stages of hibernation.
Ecological consequences of toxin production by Cochliobolus and related fungi.

The aim of this discussion is to emphasize an aspect of toxin study that has received little attention and is still in an embryonic state. The background information is scattered through the literature; I will try to clarify and integrate current data and observations. The treatment will of necessity be somewhat speculative.
INSTITUTIONAL LOGICS AND LOOSELY COUPLED PRACTICES: THE CASE OF NASA'S ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

This paper reports on three independent studies: (1) a qualitative meta‐analysis of published, interpretive case studies on the adoption of ERP; (2) a study of conflicting institutional logics and loose coupling in the wake of NASA’s ERP implementation; and (3) a study of loose coupling across the four years following this implementation. The goal of the research is to theorize about the causes and effects of loose coupling between local practices and the ERP system. Findings indicate that in situations where the institutional logics associated with incumbent practices conflict with that of ERP, the result will likely involve some form of loose coupling. This research finds that incidents of loose coupling early in the implementation tend stabilize over time in loosely coupled equilibrium rather than into the tight alignment that is often assumed to be necessary for system success. Thus, "stability" is found to be a key objective relating to enterprise system implementation in addition to the presumptive goals of integration and control. Further, due in part to the legitimizing influence that a stable ERP system affords, the tightly coupled enterprise system can counter‐intuitively be viewed as an enabler of NASA’s loosely coupled organizational structures.
Prolonged Release of LH and FSH and Depletion of Pituitary Gonadotropin Content after Administration of [d-LEU6, desGly-NH210]-LH-RH Ethylamide

SummaryLH and FSH releasing activities of [D-Leu6, desGly-NH210]-LH-RH ethylamide were examined using immature male rats. The gonadotropin release induced by various doses of [D-Leu6, desGly-NH210]-LH-RH ethylamide followed a different pattern than when LH-RH was given, reaching a peak at 2 hr after injections, serum LH and FSH being still elevated at 4 hr. In contrast the LH and FSH release induced by LH-RH reached a peak in 15 min and declined at 1 hr. This provides further evidence that this analog is indeed long-acting. The LH-RH analog had a potency 20-60 times greater for LH release and 10-30 times higher for FSH release than LH-RH. [D-Leu6, desGly-NH210]-LH-RH ethylamide also caused a significant depletion of the pituitary gonadotropin content.The authors express their thanks to Mrs. J. Gau-thier and Mrs. D. Pierson for their technical help, and to Dr. G. Niswender, Dr. A. Ward and NIAMDD Rat Pituitary Program for the gift of the Material used for radioimmunoassays.
Stress in Giant Magnetoresistive Ni66Fe16Co18/Ag Multilayer thin Films

Thin film stress has been measured in (Ni66Fe16Co18 25 A/Ag 50 A) multilayer thin films that exhibit annealing-induced giant magnetoresistance (GMR) known as ‘discontinuous’ GMR1. This GMR results when NiFeCo layers are broken up into discontinuous ferromagnetic islands or platelets by immiscible Ag atom grain boundary diffusion normal to the film plane. As-deposited films display no GMR and are in compression. An MR value of 5 % with a relatively sharp profile can be induced in a ten bilayer sample annealed at 400°C for 15 min. Annealing generally results in a decrease in the as-deposited compressive stress and can result in tensile stress at high enough temperatures. Interestingly, at the annealing temperatures corresponding to the maximum induced GMR, there is a plateau in the otherwise monotonic decrease in compressive stress with increasing temperature. Stress-temperature plots reveal a plateau in the stress value during the heating of a ten bilayer sample due to plastic deformation in the film via densification. Isothermal stress-time plots done on a single sample show increasing compressive stress relief after each successively higher temperature anneal. The stress was also measured in a single bilayer film with the same volume of film as in a ten bilayer sample but far fewer interfaces. High and low angle x-ray diffraction (HXRD, LXRD) was used to reveal the structural evolution with annealing. Magnetic (M-H) hysteresis measurements revealed increasing coercivity and decreasing induced as-deposited in-plane magnetic uniaxial anisotropy with annealing temperature.
Effect of Glucagon on Plasma Free Fatty Acids and Blood Sugar in Birds.

SummaryIntravenous injection of crystalline glucagon caused a prompt elevation of plasma FFA and blood sugar in geese, ducks, turkeys, and roosters. The FFA response in geese, for doses between 1 and 100 μg/kg showed a highly significant correlation with the logarithm of the dose (r = 0.981, p<0.01). The relative changes in FFA concentration, for a given dose of glucagon, were greater than the relative blood sugar changes. These observations indicate that glucagon may play a role in the process of fat mobilization in birds.
High temperature motorette systems testing-evaluation of aromatic polyamide insulation

“Nomex”® nylon, formerly known as HT-1, is a high temperature resistant material being produced by Du Pont. This wholly aromatic polyamide fulfills the need for a material which combines high temperature durability with the mechanical and electrical properties required for broad utility in industrial and military uses. The polyamide is available as continuous filament yarn, staple fibers, and as paper structures of a wide range of weights, sizes, and densities. Initial reports on the properties of paper and fiber structures were given before the Electrical Insulation Conference(1) and the Textile Research Institute in 1962(2).
Why not give consumers a framework for understanding quality

Article-at-a-Glance Background Consumers care about the quality of medical care but do not pay attention to currently available quality information or use it to make more informed health care choices. According to the theory of constructed preferences, when people are in a situation that is both complex and unfamiliar, they likely do not have fixed ideas about what is important to them. This theory seems to describe the situation of consumers and comparative quality information. The alternative would be to help consumers understand the overall concept of quality and the different elements that make up quality of care. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Crossing the Quality Chasm provides a framework for understanding, measuring, and evaluating the quality of medical care. Impact of Providing a Framework for Understanding Quality Focus groups were conducted in 2001 to determine what performance information they would like to see to help them select a physician. The findings indicated that consumers' understanding of health care quality information was expanded to include a broader array of factors when a cogent framework was used to present quality information. Using the IOM Framework for All Public Reporting on Quality The IOM framework or a modified version should be used for all public reporting on health care quality. The consistent use of some or all of the six IOM categories of performance reporting will reinforce the message that this is what constitutes high-quality care and it is what the public should expect to know when they make health care choices.
College Student Perceptions of Notification About Sex Offenders on Campus

Sexual victimization is a growing concern on college campuses. Although academic literature has examined the extent and perceived risk and fear of sexual assault at universities, studies focusing on college student attitudes about appropriate sex crime–related policies are severely limited. The Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act of 2000 requires post-secondary institutions to provide a statement giving the campus community guidance on how to access information about registered sex offenders. Colleges and universities are afforded wide discretion regarding whether to use more direct and involved methods for notifying faculty, staff, and students. The current study examines how college students attending a Midwestern university feel about various approaches to notification about sex offenders on campus. Results indicate that impressions of vulnerability are driving some of student opinion about notification, but that other considerations, such as character assessment, privacy concerns, and feelings of uneasin...
Ecological differentiation in planktonic and sediment-associated chemotrophic microbial populations in Yellowstone hot springs.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology (NNX13AI11G); National Science Foundation (EAR-1529963)
Surgical Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Resection Versus Transplantation

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the second most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide and its incidence is rising in North America, with an estimated 35,000 cases in the U.S. in 2014. The best chance for cure is surgical resection in the form of either segmental removal or whole organ transplantation although recent survival data on radiofrequency ablation approximates surgical resection and could be placed under the new moniker of “thermal resection”. The debate between surgical resection and transplantation focuses on patients with “within Milan criteria” tumors, single tumors, and well compensated cirrhosis who can safely undergo either procedure. Although transplantation historically has had better survival outcomes, early diagnosis, reversal of liver disease, and innovations in patient selection and neo-adjuvant therapies have led to similar 5-year survival. Transplantation clearly has less risk of tumor recurrence but exposes recipients to long term immunosuppression and its side effects. Liver transplantation is also limited by the severe global limit on the supply of organ donors whereas resection is readily available. The current data does not favor one treatment over the other for patients with minimal or no portal hypertension and normal synthetic function. Instead, the decision to resect or transplant for HCC relies on multiple factors including tumor characteristics, biology, geography, co-morbidities, location, organ availability, social support and practice preference.
Growth of Listeria monocytogenes on Different Muscle Tissues

Growth of Listeria monocytogenes on raw and cooked beef, chicken, catfish, and shrimp was compared. Samples were inoculated with L. monocytogenes and stored at 4°C for 11 days. Listeria monocytogenes and psychrotrophic populations were monitored. Growth of L. monocytogenes was faster and reached a higher population on raw and cooked catfish and shrimp than on beef or chicken. Psychrotrophic populations were greater on beef and chicken than on catfish and shrimp after 11 days regardless of whether the muscle was raw or cooked. To determine what factor or factors inherent in the tissues may contribute to this growth-rate difference, beef and shrimp tissues were used. The pH of each tissue type was adjusted to yield portions of beef and shrimp at pH 5.7 (pH of fresh beet) and 7.6 (pH of fresh shrimp). Portions were inoculated with L. monocytogenes and stored at 4°C for 11 days. Listeria monocytogenes grew significantly faster on beef adjusted to 7.6 than on beef at the normal pH and on shrimp at pH 7.6 than on shrimp adjusted to pH 5.6. Thus, some difference in growth rate is due to inherent pH differences of fresh tissues. However, on cooked tissues the growth rate on acidified shrimp was the same as that on shrimp with the normal pH of 7.6. Growth rates of Listeria on cooked beef at either pH were similar to those noted on the uncooked tissue. This indicates additional factors in shrimp exert inhibitory effects at reduced pH levels that may be heat related.
Comparison of transradial and transfemoral access in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for complex coronary lesions.

Objective Comparison of transradial versus transfemoral access for complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with regard to both complications and long-term outcomes. Background Radial access has been shown to confer superior results in patients undergoing PCI, especially in patients with acute coronary syndromes. However, radial access has limitations of sheath and device size, which may increase procedure time and result in inferior outcomes. Methods Patients undergoing PCI for complex lesions, defined as type C according the ACC/AHA classification system, were included in this study. Propensity matching was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. Transradial patients were then compared to transfemoral patients in regard to procedural, in-hospital, and 6-month outcomes. Results Among 2142 patients with 2591 lesions treated, 1876 had femoral access and 267 had radial access. Radial access patients were more likely to be male (75% vs. 66%, P = 0.003) and less likely to present with acute myocardial infarction (27% vs. 42%, P < 0.001). Procedural characteristics demonstrated lower use of heparin in the femoral group (17% vs. 73%, P < 0.001) with similarly low use of glycoprotein inhibitors (5.6% vs. 3.4%, P = 0.14). Patients in the femoral group had higher rates of transfusions (3.7% vs. 0%, P = 0.004) and vascular complications (1.7% vs. 0%, P = 0.03). Following propensity matching, there was no difference in mid-term outcomes between radial and femoral groups. Conclusions In patients with complex coronary lesions undergoing PCI, the radial approach demonstrates similar mid-term outcomes as the femoral approach with a potentially lower rate of complications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of Intra-articular Fracture Extension After Gunshot Wounds to the Lower Extremity: Plain Radiographs Versus Computer Tomography.

OBJECTIVE This study was to compare the use of computer tomography with plain radiographs for the evaluation of intra-articular extension of long bone fractures in the lower extremity after low-energy gunshot wounds. DESIGN Retrospective chart and radiographic review. SETTING Level 1 Trauma Center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS Data were collected from a single institution from 2000 to 2014. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients greater than 17 years of age, low-velocity gunshot injuries causing fracture of the femur or tibia, plain radiographs with adequate films, and computed tomography (CT) imaging of the fracture. This consisted of 133 patients with 140 fractures. INTERVENTION Intra-articular fracture extension was evaluated on initial plain radiographs and CTs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Comparison of "gold standard" CT with all reviewers' evaluation of plain radiographs. RESULTS There were 140 total fractures; 108 were femoral fractures and 32 were tibial fractures. By comparing plain radiographs with the gold standard CT, the reviewers demonstrated correct diagnosis in 85% of intra-articular fractures and 96% of non-intra-articular fractures. In addition, the reviewers accurately diagnosed 70.8% of intra-articular extensions in the diaphysis and 70.5% in the metaphysis. The sensitivity and specificity for plain radiographs were 85.3% and 96.0%, respectively, for all locations. Metaphyseal and diaphyseal fractures demonstrated the poorest sensitivity at 80.7% and 82.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Low-energy gunshot wounds with fractures in the diaphyseal of the distal femur and all metaphyseal fractures warrant CT evaluation to better examine for intra-articular fracture extension. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Future Directions of Surgical Safety

Surgical care has evolved over the last century into a complex delivery system where errors in patient care occur throughout the entire perioperative period. Efforts to improve the quality of care and promote patient safety must include tools and conceptual frameworks from industries outside of health care. Systems engineering, establishing a culture of safety, and resilience engineering are systematic approaches to drive quality improvement, avoid errors, and minimize harm when errors do occur. These improvement strategies should be subjected to the same scientific rigor used in other areas of clinical research to determine which approaches are most effective. Physicians must embrace improvement science in order to drive and shape future quality and safety initiatives.
Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase Mutations Are Associated With Increased Local Failure in Brain Metastases Treated With Radiation.

PURPOSE To determine whether phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) mutations confer suboptimal local control after radiation therapy (RT) for brain metastases. METHODS AND MATERIALS We retrospectively reviewed 259 patients with brain metastases treated with RT during the period 2004 to 2017 for whom tumor genetic data (MSK-IMPACT) were available for primary or metastatic lesions. Associations between clinical factors, PI3K mutations status, and local failure (LF) were evaluated with univariate and multivariate competing risks regression. RESULTS A total of 112 patients received whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) to a median dose of 30 Gy in 10 fractions, and 147 patients received stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to 338 lesions; 276 lesions were treated with single fraction SRS (median dose 21 Gy) and 76 lesions over 3 to 5 fractions SRS (median dose 30 Gy). PI3K mutations were present in 36 WBRT patients (32%) and 44 SRS patients (30%). For WBRT, patients with PI3K mutations (hazard ratio 2.67, P < .001) were found to be at higher risk for LF on multivariable analysis, and the 1-year cumulative incidence of LF was 50% (95% confidence interval [CI] 32%-65%) for patients with PI3K mutations versus 26% (95% CI 17%-37%) for patients without PI3K mutations. For SRS lesions, while PI3K mutations positivity was not statistically significantly associated with LF, higher rate of LF was observed: 1-year LF cumulative incidence of 11% (95% CI 6%-17%) for patients with PI3K mutations versus 5% (95% CI 3%-9%) for patients without PI3K mutations. CONCLUSION Patients with PI3K mutations are at higher risk for LF for brain metastases after RT. Novel therapeutic strategies to improve treatment outcomes in these patients should be considered.