cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characteristics Associated with Hospitalization Among Patients with COVID-19 — Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, March–April 2020

The first reported U.S. case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was detected in January 2020 (1). As of June 15, 2020, approximately 2 million cases and 115,000 COVID-19-associated deaths have been reported in the United States.* Reports of U.S. patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection (the virus that causes COVID-19) describe high proportions of older, male, and black persons (2-4). Similarly, when comparing hospitalized patients with catchment area populations or nonhospitalized COVID-19 patients, high proportions have underlying conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or chronic respiratory disease (3,4). For this report, data were abstracted from the medical records of 220 hospitalized and 311 nonhospitalized patients aged ≥18 years with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from six acute care hospitals and associated outpatient clinics in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify patient characteristics associated with hospitalization. The following characteristics were independently associated with hospitalization: age ≥65 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.4), black race (aOR = 3.2), having diabetes mellitus (aOR = 3.1), lack of insurance (aOR = 2.8), male sex (aOR = 2.4), smoking (aOR = 2.3), and obesity (aOR = 1.9). Infection with SARS-CoV-2 can lead to severe outcomes, including death, and measures to protect persons from infection, such as staying at home, social distancing (5), and awareness and management of underlying conditions should be emphasized for those at highest risk for hospitalization with COVID-19. Measures that prevent the spread of infection to others, such as wearing cloth face coverings (6), should be used whenever possible to protect groups at high risk. Potential barriers to the ability to adhere to these measures need to be addressed.
State Medicaid expansion status, insurance coverage and stage at diagnosis in head and neck cancer patients.

Abstract Objectives Only one in three head and neck cancer (HNC) patients present with early-stage disease. We aimed to quantify associations between state Medicaid expansions and changes in insurance coverage rates and stage at diagnosis of HNC. Methods Using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences (DID) approach and data from 26,330 cases included in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (2011–2015), we retrospectively examined changes in insurance coverage and stage at diagnosis of adult HNC in states that expanded Medicaid (EXP) versus those that did not (NEXP). Results There was a significant increase in Medicaid coverage in EXP (+1.6 percentage point (PP) versus) vs. NEXP (-1.8 PP) states (3.36 PP, 95% CI = 1.32, 5.41; p = 0.001), and this increase was mostly among residents of low income and education counties. We also observed a reduction in uninsured rates among HNC patients in low income counties (−4.17 PP, 95% CI = −6.84, −1.51; p = 0.002). Overall, early stage diagnosis rates were 28.3% (EXP) vs. 26.7% (NEXP), with significant increases in early stage diagnosis post-Medicaid expansion among young adults, 18–34 years (17.2 PP, 95% CI – 1.34 to 33.1, p = 0.034), females (7.54 PP, 95% CI = 2.00 to 13.10, p = 0.008), unmarried patients (3.83 PP, 95% CI = 0.30–7.35, p = 0.033), and patients with lip cancer (13.5 PP, 95% CI = 2.67–24.3, p = 0.015). Conclusions Medicaid expansion is associated with improved insurance coverage rates for HNC patients, particularly those with low income, and increases in early stage diagnoses for young adults and women.
Feasibility of Clinicians Aligning Health Care with Patient Priorities in Geriatrics Ambulatory Care.

Background/objectives Aligning healthcare decisions with patients' priorities may improve care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs). We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of identifying patient priorities in routine geriatrics care and to compare clinicians' recommendations for patients who did or did not have their priorities identified. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Veterans Administration Medical Center Geriatrics Clinic. Participants Older adults with MCCs receiving Patient Priorities Care (PPC; n = 35) were matched with patients receiving usual care (UC; n = 35). Both PPC and UC patients were cared for by three primary care providers (PCPs) in an ambulatory geriatric clinic. Intervention In the PPC group, a clinician facilitator met with each patient to identify their healthcare priorities and transmitted patients' priorities in the electronic health record (EHR). Trained PCPs then sought to align healthcare decisions with patients' priorities. In the UC group, patients received usual care from the same PCPs. Measurements We matched patients by clinician seen, patient's age, number of active conditions, medications, hospitalizations, functional status, and prior hospitalizations. EHRs were reviewed to identify care decisions including medications added or stopped, referrals and consults added or avoided, referrals to community services and supports, self-management activities added or avoided, and total number of changes to care. Mean differences in recommended care between PPC and UC patients from the same PCPs were examined. Results Clinician facilitators could identify patient priorities during routine clinic encounters. Compared with patients in the UC group, those in the PPC group had, on average, fewer medications added (P = .05), more referrals to community services and supports (P = .03), and more priorities-aligned self-management tasks added (P = .005). Conclusion These findings support the feasibility of identifying and documenting patient priorities during routine encounters. Results also suggest that clinicians use patient priorities in recommending care.
Hypnotizability and Dissociation

The author describes the multidimensionality of hypnosis itself and hence of hypnotizability. He also points to the lack of clarity regarding the concept of dissociation and the extent to which its roots lie in the clinical experience of hypnosis. The concept of dissociation increasingly preempts repression and other def ense mechanisms in current nosological thinking. The author cautions against equating hypnotizability scores with dissociative capacity and advocates a clearer elaboration of the concept of dissociation. Meanwhile, restraint in the use of the term “dissociation” is recommended.
Comparison of algorithm learning tools to assist the education of alabama students

With the introduction of the Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) education standards, there is a need for Alabama teachers at all grade levels to be equipped with software tools that can be used to bolster students' learning of content standards as well as the knowledge and resources to quickly begin leveraging them in the classroom. The purpose of this paper is to examine software solutions that can be adapted for teaching within the scope of DLCS content standards based on, among other characteristics, cost, supplemental resources, verbal and coding language options, and accessibility. It was found that free and open-source tools with a wide range of additional resources exist in abundance. However, these tools generally lack accessibility, either for English as a second language (ESL) or blind/visually impaired users. Furthermore, integration with learning management systems (LMS) is very limited, but in some instances, this is a limitation of the LMS rather than the software, and file submission for assignments ensures these tools are still viable for instructors and schools that rely on an LMS in their classes.
Genistein: Dual Role in Women's Health.

Advanced research in recent years has revealed the important role of nutrients in the protection of women’s health and in the prevention of women’s diseases. Genistein is a phytoestrogen that belongs to a class of compounds known as isoflavones, which structurally resemble endogenous estrogen. Genistein is most often consumed by humans via soybeans or soya products and is, as an auxiliary medicinal, used to treat women’s diseases. In this review, we focused on analyzing the geographic distribution of soybean and soya product consumption, global serum concentrations of genistein, and its metabolism and bioactivity. We also explored genistein’s dual effects in women’s health through gathering, evaluating, and summarizing evidence from current in vivo and in vitro studies, clinical observations, and epidemiological surveys. The dose-dependent effects of genistein, especially when considering its metabolites and factors that vary by individuals, indicate that consumption of genistein may contribute to beneficial effects in women’s health and disease prevention and treatment. However, consumption and exposure levels are nuanced because adverse effects have been observed at lower concentrations in in vitro models. Therefore, this points to the duplicity of genistein as a possible therapeutic agent in some instances and as an endocrine disruptor in others.
Total sleep deprivation reduces top-down regulation of emotion without altering bottom-up affective processing

Sleep loss is reported to influence affective processing, causing changes in overall mood and altering emotion regulation. These aspects of affective processing are seldom investigated together, making it difficult to determine whether total sleep deprivation has a global effect on how affective stimuli and emotions are processed, or whether specific components of affective processing are affected selectively. Sixty healthy adults were recruited for an in-laboratory study and, after a monitored night of sleep and laboratory acclimation, randomly assigned to either a total sleep deprivation condition (n = 40) or a rested control condition (n = 20). Measurements of mood, vigilant attention to affective stimuli, affective working memory, affective categorization, and emotion regulation were taken for both groups. With one exception, measures of interest were administered twice: once at baseline and again 24 hours later, after the sleep deprived group had spent a night awake (working memory was assessed only after total sleep deprivation). Sleep deprived individuals experienced an overall reduction in positive affect with no significant change in negative affect. Despite the substantial decline in positive affect, there was no evidence that processing affectively valenced information was biased under total sleep deprivation. Sleep deprived subjects did not rate affective stimuli differently from rested subjects, nor did they show sleep deprivation-specific effects of affect type on vigilant attention, working memory, and categorization tasks. However, sleep deprived subjects showed less effective regulation of negative emotion. Overall, we found no evidence that total sleep deprivation biased the processing of affective stimuli in general. By contrast, total sleep deprivation appeared to reduce controlled processing required for emotion regulation.
Predictors of Linkage to Care for Newly Diagnosed HIV-Positive Adults.

Introduction Linkage to care following a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis is critical. In the U.S. only 69% of patients are successfully linked to care, which results in delayed receipt of antiretroviral therapy leading to immune system dysfunction and risk of transmission to others.
Identification of a novel synthetic microtubule depolymerizer with antitumor activity

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 5439 A long term goal of our work is the identification of new microtubule disrupting agents that might have utility in the treatment of cancer. Microtubule stabilizers and microtubule depolymerizers have proved to be useful anticancer agents. Although our previous efforts focused mainly on identifying microtubule disrupting compounds from natural products, we recently began screening large synthetic chemical libraries to identify small molecule inhibitors of microtubules. A novel microtubule-depolymerizing compound with a molecular weight of 365 was identified using the phenotypic screening assay. The compound, designated CB694, is a potent inhibitor of cellular proliferation with an average IC50 value of 85 nM against a wide range of cancer cell lines. The NCI/ADR cell line, which has a high level of expression of P-glycoprotein, is resistant to the vinca alkaloids and Taxol and yet it is very sensitive to inhibition by CB694, suggesting that this compound is a poor substrate for transport by P-glycoprotein. Similar to the effects of the vinca alkaloids, CB694 causes loss of interphase microtubules. The lowest concentrations of CB694 cause loss of the microtubules at the cell periphery and higher concentrations cause complete depletion of cellular microtubules. Similar to the effects of other microtubule disrupting compounds, CB694 causes micronucleation and the formation of abnormal mitotic spindles. A concentration dependent increase in multipolar mitotic spindles occurs in HeLa cells treated with this compound. As expected from the effects on mitotic spindles, CB694 causes mitotic accumulation followed by G1 aneuploidy and apoptosis. The compound was also evaluated for efficacy against a syngeneic, transplantable solid tumor model. CB694, given on a qDx6 intravenous treatment schedule, was well tolerated and produced antitumor activity against early stage Mammary Adenocarcinoma 16/C. Supported by a grant from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation to SLM.
Optics and Photonics in Image Encryption, Anti-Counterfeiting, and Security Systems

The need for security and verification systems are diverse and there are many applications. One example is credit card fraud which is a serious problem facing many banks, businesses, and consumers. Reliable low cost systems are also needed to combat other types of fraud and counterfeiting. Counterfeit parts such as computer chips, machine tools, etc. are arriving on our shores in great numbers. With the rapid advances in computers, CCD technology, image processing hardware and software, printers, scanners, and copiers, it is becoming increasingly simple to reproduce pictures, logos, symbols, money bills, or patterns. Presently, credit cards and passports use holograms for security. The holograms are inspected by human eye. In theory, the hologram cannot be reproduced by an unauthorized person using commercially available optical components. In practice, the holographic pattern can be easily acquired from a credit card (photographed or captured by a CCD camera) and then a new hologram synthesized.
Carbon Nanotube-Based Chemical Sensors

The need to sense gases and vapors arises in numerous scenarios in industrial, environmental, security and medical applications. Traditionally, this activity has utilized bulky instruments to obtain both qualitative and quantitative information on the constituents of the gas mixture. It is ideal to use sensors for this purpose since they are smaller in size and less expensive; however, their performance in the field must match that of established analytical instruments in order to gain acceptance. In this regard, nanomaterials as sensing media offer advantages in sensitivity, preparation of chip-based sensors and construction of electronic nose for selective detection of analytes of interest. This article provides a review of the use of carbon nanotubes in gas and vapor sensing.
Containment response to postulated core meltdown accidents in the Fast Flux Test Facility

An assessment of the containment margin available in the Fast Flux Test Facility to mitigate the consequences of a postulated failure on in-vessel post-accident heat removal following a hypothetical core-disruptive accident (HCDA) has been completed. Two general meltdown configurations (termed in-vessel and ex-vessel) have been considered, and it is concluded that: (1) For the in-vessel meltdown scenario, the quantity of sodium assumed ejected from the vessel into the cavity during the HCDA is crucial to the subsequent reactor containment building (RCB) pressurization. If the reactor cavity liner is also assumed to fail, then the containment integrity could be challenged within 10 hours. (2) For the ex-vessel meltdown scenario, the collapse of the reactor cavity floor, which allows sodium to contact the unlined subcavity, is crucial to the subsequent RCB pressurization. Predictions of cavity floor penetration vary between 2 to 60 hours depending on the initial assumptions made; however, after floor collapse occurs overpressurization of the RCB occurs rapidly within several hours.
The simple, efficient, elegant, and effective model (SE3M) of land use and transportation

Integrated land use/transportation forecasting models add significant policy and infrastructure alternatives analysis capabilities to the urban planning process. Historically, the financial, time, and staff requirements to develop one of these models has put them beyond the reach of most small- to medium-sized urban areas. The purpose of this paper is to present the large zone economic submodel of SE3M, an integrated model – founded upon economic base theory and bid-rent theory – that is reasonably accurate, yet simpler in form, function, and implementation than competing models. The US territory of Guam is used as the case study/proof of concept implementation for this model framework. The submodel presented here was validated against a horizon year with known data for zonal level population and employment totals together with control totals for the island as a whole. The model was able – across two base years and one validation, horizon year – to locate all jobs and a high percentage of the population o...
Contextual effects of transforming growth factor β on the tumorigenicity of human colon carcinoma cells

Transforming growth factor βs (TGF-βs) are a growth factor family with negative autocrine growth functions for most epithelial cells including colon carcinoma cell lines. Both type I (RI) and type II (RII) transmembrane TGF-β receptors have been shown to be indispensable for TGF-β-mediated cell growth regulation. Previous studies using different model systems have shown that both overexpression of TGF-β1 and transfection of antisense TGF-β1 to reduce TGF-β1 expression could lead to increased tumorigenicity. These results are seemingly contradictory and suggest that effects of TGF-β modulation on malignant properties of cancer cells may be contextual. This study addresses this issue using human colon carcinoma cells (CBS and FET) to determine the effects of modulation of the various components of the TGF-β system on in vitro and in vivo growth properties in two independent isogenic models of colon carcinoma. Cells were stably transfected with a tetracycline-repressible RII expression vector (CBS4-RII), a tetracycline-repressible expression vector containing a truncated RII cDNA lacking the serine/threonine kinase domain (CBS4-ΔRII and FET6-ΔRII), or with a vector containing the TGF-β1 cDNA (CBS4-β1S and FET-β1S). Expression of the truncated RII reduced TGF-β sensitivity, whereas overexpression of RII increased TGF-β sensitivity. TGF-β overexpression did not affect TGF-β response. In vivo tumorigenicity assays revealed that CBS4-RII cells had lower tumorigenicity than control cells, whereas CBS4-ΔRII and CBS4-β1S had higher tumorigenicity than controls. The CBS4 cells are poorly tumorigenic in athymic mice, and the wild-type FET6 cells are nontumorigenic. FET6-ΔRII cells formed rapidly growing tumors, and FET-β1S cells also formed tumors. These data illustrate the paradoxical tumor-promoting and -suppressing effects of TGF-β signaling activity in two isogenic model systems from human colon carcinomas, thus demonstrating that the effects of modulation of TGF-β expression or TGF-β signaling capability affects malignancy in a contextual manner.
Effect of Bread Baking on the Bioavailability of Hydrogen-Reduced Iron Powder Added to Unenriched Refined Wheat Flour

Elemental iron powders are widely used to fortify flour and other cereal products. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that baking enhances the bioavailability of elemental iron powders by oxidizing Fe0 to Fe2+ or Fe3+. An in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell culture model and a piglet model were used to measure bioavailability. Bread flour, either unfortified or fortified with hydrogen-reduced (HR) iron powder or FeSO4 (300 mg Fe/kg flour), was baked into bread. For the in vitro studies, bread samples were treated with pepsin at pH 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 and subsequently incubated with pancreatic enzymes at pH 7 in a chamber positioned above monolayers of cultured Caco-2 cells. Ferritin formation in the cells was used as an index of iron bioavailability. Ferritin formation in cells fed HR Fe bread was similar to cells fed FeSO4 bread when the peptic digestion was conducted at a pH 2 but lower when the peptic phase was conducted at pH 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 (P < 0.05). Pig diets containing 35% dried bread were prep...
Decoding the evolving grasping gesture from electroencephalographic (EEG) activity

Shared control is emerging as a likely strategy for controlling neuroprosthetic devices, in which users specify high level goals but the low-level implementation is carried out by the machine. In this context, predicting the discrete goal is necessary. Although grasping various objects is critical in determining independence in daily life of amputees, decoding of different grasp types from noninvasively recorded brain activity has not been investigated. Here we show results suggesting electroencephalography (EEG) is a feasible modality to extract information on grasp types from the user's brain activity. We found that the information about the intended grasp increases over the grasping movement, and is significantly greater than chance up to 200 ms before movement onset.
Development and transferability of two multiplexes nSSR in Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.)

Single sequence repeat (SSR) multiplexing is a semi high-throughput PCR methodology for the analysis of multiple SSRs. We developed two SSR multiplexes selected from SSR loci previously reported in the pine literature and tested the transferability of both SSR multiplexes in nine other pine species. We tested 234 nuclear SSR loci (nSSRs) previously described in the pine literature and selected ten nSSRs following the simple criteria of interpretability and reproducibility. Selected nuclear loci were divided into two nSSRs multiplex sets and their amplification was optimized for three different multiplex PCR methods based on: (a) a custom PCR protocol, (b) a custom protocol with hotstart taq polymerase, and (c) a commercially available kit for SSR multiplexing. To validate their performance, the level of genetic diversity was assessed in three Scots pine natural populations (Hungary, northern Sweden and southern Sweden). In addition, we also tested the transferability of these multiplexes in nine other pine species. We have developed two nSSRs multiplexes of five loci each that will contribute to reduce the costs of nSSR scoring, while increasing the capacity of nSSR loci analysis. Amplification was successful in all three populations (94 % success) and the level of polymorphism (7.1 alleles/marker) was similar to that previously reported for other Scots pine natural populations. Transferability of both multiplexes was successful for those pine species closely related to Scots pine.
Anion exchange resins as a source of nitrosamines and nitrosamine precursors.

Anion exchange resins are important tools for the removal of harmful anionic contaminants from drinking water, but their use has been linked to the presence of carcinogenic nitrosamines in treated drinking water. In bench-scale batch and column experiments, anion exchange resins from a large, representative group were investigated as sources of the nitrosamines N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine (NDPA), and N-nitrosodi-n-butylamine (NDBA) and their precursors. Several resins were found to release high levels (up to >2000 ng/L, orders of magnitude above drinking water regulatory levels) of nitrosamines upon initial rinsing with lab-grade water, with levels subsiding within 50–100 bed volumes of rinsing. Resins released similarly high levels of nitrosamine precursors, with spikes in precursor release triggered by regeneration of resins with sodium chloride or by interruptions in flow resulting in prolonged contact times. Free chlorine or preformed monochlo...
Testicular hamartomas in Cowden disease.

We report a case of testicular hamartomas in association with Cowden disease. Clinical examination of the patient, a 39-year-old man, revealed a palpable mass in the right side of the scrotum. Sonographic examination showed that the mass was either a spermatocele or an epididymal cyst and that multiple hyperechoic lesions were present in both testes. On subsequent MRI, the appearance of these lesions was consistent with that of fat-containing hamartomas. Testicular biopsy was not performed, but follow-up serial sonographic examination was recommended. To our knowledge, this report is the first to describe testicular hamartomas as a probable manifestation of Cowden disease.
Frequency and predictors of glaucoma after pediatric cataract surgery

Abstract Purpose To determine the frequency of and identify predictors of chronic glaucoma after pediatric cataract surgery. Design Interventional case series. Methods Retrospective review at an eye hospital identified 570 eyes among 322 patients who underwent limbal-approach surgery without intraocular lens implantation at age ≤16 years for cataract unassociated with other ocular anomalies aside from microcornea. Patients had a minimum of 5 years' postoperative follow-up, which included intraocular pressure measurement. The outcome measure was the presence or absence of postcataract surgery glaucoma, defined as intraocular pressure ≥26 mm Hg, as measured on at least two occasions. Results Mean follow-up was 9.0 ± 3.1 years (median, 8.1 years; range, 5.0–18.3 years). Glaucoma developed in 118 of 570 patients' eyes (21%), including 101 of 272 (37%) undergoing surgery at ≤9 months of age and 17 of 298 (6%) undergoing surgery thereafter. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis with adjustment for potential intrasubject correlation identified surgery at ≤9 months of age (hazard ratio [HR], 3.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8–7.7; P P = .006), microcornea (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2–3.1; P = .008), and primary posterior capsulotomy/anterior vitrectomy (HR, 10.7; 95% CI, 1.4–80.6; P = .02) as predictors of glaucoma. Conclusions Chronic glaucoma is common after cataract surgery performed at or before, but not after, a certain age in childhood. The data suggest that this age threshold is 9 months, but a true threshold occurring at a somewhat later age cannot be fully excluded.
Curriculum and training reform in clinical psychology: Improving the integration of science and practice

Abstract Current graduate curricula do not fully grapple with and take advantage of the dialectical interplay of science and practice that is at the core of the scientist—practitioner (Boulder) model. This article addresses factors that interfere with the realization of the Boulder model and offers suggestions for curriculum reform. It emphasizes the importance of both science and practice, as well as the merit of both nomothetic and idiographic approaches to clinical training. The article discusses how academic politics often interfere with the incorporation of empirically supported treatments or assessment methods into training programs. Even when evidence-based approaches are a part of the curriculum, the challenges continue. Because empirically supported treatments are almost always associated with treatment manuals that rely on categorically defined diagnostic categories, they may inadvertently discourage idiographic functional analyses and the appreciation of underlying change principles. In addition, in light of the fact that many, if not most, students eventually pursue applied careers and because science-based interventions and assessment methods are currently underused by clinicians in the field, it is argued that clinical training should receive more recognition in scientist—practitioner programs. Programs should be mindful of the need to prepare a certain subset of interested students for scientifically based careers in applied settings. This article also highlights the importance of educating and training students in communicating and disseminating science-based clinical psychology to nonacademic psychologists and health professionals from other disciplines.
ConfGen: a conformational search method for efficient generation of bioactive conformers.

We describe the methodology, parametrization, and application of a conformational search method, called ConfGen, designed to efficiently generate bioactive conformers. We define efficiency as the ability to generate a bioactive conformation within a small total number of conformations using a reasonable amount of computer time. The method combines physics-based force field calculations with empirically derived heuristics designed to achieve efficient searching and prioritization of the ligand’s conformational space. While many parameter settings are supported, four modes spanning a range of speed and quality trades-offs are defined and characterized. The validation set used to test the method is composed of ligands from 667 crystal structures covering a broad array of target and ligand classes. With the fastest mode, ConfGen uses an average of 0.5 s per ligand and generates only 14.3 conformers per ligand, at least one of which lies within 2.0 A root-mean-squared deviation of the crystal structure for 96%...
Diagnostic thoracoscopy for pleural disease

The most common use for diagnostic thoracoscopy in pleural disease is to clarify whether or not an effusion is malignant. General anesthesia with single-lung ventilation when combined with new endoscopic instrumentation produces a high diagnostic yield. These anesthetic and surgical techniques when used with talc pleurodesis yield a 90% success rate in treating benign and malignant pleural effusions.
Critical Success Factors in Outsourcing: Case of Software Industry

In the software development arena, offshore outsourcing currently plays a dominant role in the composition of today's business environment. From the smallest startups to most major corporations, offshore outsourcing is touted as having major benefits for these companies alike. Offshore Outsourcing allows businesses the ability to reduce costs, increase shareholder value, gain competitive advantage, decrease cycle time, improve customer loyalty, gain staffing flexibility, increase revenue, and ultimately allows a business to focus on its core competencies. In theory, these facets should equal a successful venture when applied correctly. However, things are not always as they appear. There are a multitude of challenges that await each offshore outsourcing endeavor. Just as there are a plethora of software programmers from a large number of developing nations waiting to capture a portion of this maturing trend, there are also a variety of challenges that await their prospective employers. The objective of this research paper is to investigate the fundamental role of managers in guiding and growing the relationships of the offshore outsourcing partnership.
Effect of an inhomogeneous resistivity on the induced-torque pattern of a metal sphere

We have sought to determine whether an inhomogeneous residual resistivity could cause the low-temperature induced-torque anisotropy observed in single-crystal spheres of potassium, especially the nonsaturating, four-peak patterns observed between 5 and 25 kOe. On the basis of our previous results and the analysis presented herein, we conclude that the residual-resistivity gradient cannot explain induced-torque anomalies.
Designing online courses that effectively engage learners from diverse cultural backgrounds

This study examines the effect of an important cultural dimension—power distance index (PDI)—on learners’ perceptions of their online learning experiences. PDI refers to the degree to which a learner’s response to another individual in a learning setting is inhibited or otherwise negatively altered when the other individual holds a position that is superior or inferior to the learner’s own position. This study aims to generate guidelines for better design and facilitation of online courses that can effectively engage all students in the learning process. Research findings are particularly relevant to researchers and practitioners who are interested in the cultural aspects of online learning. This study contributes to the current knowledge base about designing effective online courses and about practicing culturally responsive teaching in an online setting.
Renin subgroups in essential hypertension.

A nomogram based on the relationship between plasma renin activity and urinary sodium excretion in normal subjects has been used to classify 956 patients with essential hypertension into low, medium and high renin subgroups. Patients with low renin hypertension (27 percent of all patients) were older (P<0.001) than patients with medium or normal renin hypertension. They also contained more women (P<0.01) and had higher systolic blood pressures than patients with medium renin hypertension. Creatinine clearance, albumin concentration and hematocrit were lower in low renin patients than in patients with medium renin activity. Serum potassium levels were lower, but urinary potassium excretion was higher in low renin patients. Most of the differences in clinical and biochemical parameters could be explained by the differences in age and male: female ratio between the subgroups. Despite lower renin values, aldosterone excretions were similar between the subgroups. Differences in renin activity and differences i...
Marshall Warren Nirenberg (1927–2010)

Of all the astonishing advances and discoveries of 20th-century biology, few compare to the elucidation of the genetic code in terms of importance and universal impact. The code is the Rosetta Stone of life, specifying how genetic information in the form of a linear array of four nucleotides in RNA directs the incorporation of each of the 20 amino acids into proteins.
The β subunit of human rod photoreceptor cGMP-gated cation channel is generated from a complex transcription unit

Human and bovine rod photoreceptor cGMP-gated cation channel consists of two subunits: α (63 kDa) and β (240 kDa). The human β subunit was shown to consist partly of sequence encoded by the cDNA clone hRCNC2b. Here we present the complete sequence of the human β subunit and demonstrate that the previously reported human GAR1 gene encoding a glutamate-rich protein (hGARP) encodes its N-terminal portion. Using PCR, RNA blot and genomic DNA analysis, we provide evidence that the β subunit is produced from a complex locus on chromosome 16 which is also capable of generating independent transcripts corresponding to GAR1 and the C-terminal two-thirds of the β subunit. The results indicate that the β subunit of the cGMP-gated cation channel is produced from an unusual locus consisting of more than one transcription unit.
Texture analysis of manganese-germanide/germanium nanowire heterostructures by high resolution electron microscopy and diffraction

Syntaxial growth of Mn11Ge8/Ge nanowire heterostructures was carried out using a vapor–solid–solid (VSS) growth process, and transmission electron microscopy imaging and selected-area electron diffraction were used to study the structure, orientation, and interface of each phase. Preferred crystallographic relationships were found to exist between the Mn11Ge8 seeds, which exhibit a single uniaxial growth direction, and the seeded Ge nanowires, which exhibit multiple growth directions. The crystallographic relationships for individual nanowire heterostructures were characterized in the context of microtexture analysis, which has not previously been applied to nanowire heterostructures. Fiber and off-normal fiber textures were predominant, although examples of epitaxial and uniaxial in-plane textures were also identified. Microtexture analysis of VSS-grown nanowire systems is shown to provide a useful perspective on the products of synthesis that can lead to new insights into growth mechanisms.
Internal model control approach for electrical furnaces based on nonlinear process modeling

Industrial electrical furnaces present many challenging control problems due to their non-linear dynamic behavior, uncertain and time varying parameters. This work presents internal model control approach for electrical furnaces based on nonlinear process modeling. First, a procedure for developing an approximate nonlinear analytical model of the thermal dynamic behavior of electrical furnaces in the required control region is presented. Second, IMC-PID based control strategy was implemented. Finally, modeling and controller performance is presented.
Generation and use of recombinant reporter viruses for study of herpes simplex virus infections in vivo.

It has become increasingly clear that the fate of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections involves complex interactions between the virus and the specific cell types that comprise the tissues of the animal host. No reliable cell culture system for studying the establishment of latency and reactivation exists, and therefore these studies must be performed within animal models. One difficulty in elucidating the molecular regulation of these events is in determining the transcriptional activity of key viral genes during different stages of the infection in vivo. The heterogeneous cell types comprising infected tissues make PCR analysis of tissue homogenates difficult to interpret. The need to characterize expression of multiple transcriptional markers reliably and quantitatively at the level of individual cells is therefore key to determining the interplay between viral and cellular genes during latency and reactivation. Here we discuss the construction and evaluation of HSV reporter viruses that have been used in these analyses. HSV-1 recombinants have been engineered with representative viral promoters driving beta-galactosidase as a reporter. Methodology used to evaluate the levels of gene expression using (1) quantitative enzyme assays, (2) precipitatable substrate assays to localize the positive cells, and (3) immunohistochemistry and fluorescence assays to look at colocalization of markers during in vivo infection is presented. In addition to studying the molecular pathogenesis of HSV, the application of similar reporter viruses to evaluate promoters for targeting various differentiated tissues will be useful in developing these viruses as potential vectors for gene therapy.
Voice, speech, and laryngeal features of primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective:This study examined voice, speech, and laryngeal characteristics in primary Sjogren’s syndrome (pSS).Methods:Eleven patients (10 female, 1 male; mean [SD] age = 57 [14] years) from The Un...
Removal of a triple-barbed fishhook from the hypopharynx with microlaryngoscopy.

Abstract Objectives: To review the literature involving removal of sharp foreign bodies from the hypopharynx and to present a case of a triple-barbed fishhook removed from the hypopharynx with suspension microlaryngoscopy. Study Design: Literature review and case presentation. Methods: Review of the literature was done using a MEDLINE search with the keywords hypopharynx, foreign bodies, and laryngoscopy. Results: Review of the literature revealed no prior description of either foreign body removal using microlaryngoscopy or report of the removal of a triple-barbed fishhook from humans. Conclusion: Removal of sharp foreign bodies from the aerodigestive tract always presents a technical challenge, and this case of a hypopharyngeal triple-barbed fishhook introduces new operative techniques. By using microlaryngoscopy and bimanual instrumentation to manipulate and remove the fishhook, an open surgical procedure was avoided. (Am J Otolaryngol 2002;23:233-236. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.)
Locating and imaging sources of gamma and X-radiation directly or through thick shields

Abstract This paper is a continuation of research published earlier. It describes the characterization of sensors that generate images of extended area sources, scatter patterns from irradiated targets, and radiation sources through walls of concrete and lead. Images of the primary sources as well as the photon scatter-patterns from the targets or container walls were produced. The unique directional sensitivity of the sensors made it possible to locate a 137Cs point source that produced a radiation intensity of 13.4 μrad (Tissue)/h (about 10 photons/cm2-s) at the detector, immersed in a radiation field of 79.8 μrad (Tissue)/h from another cesium source. Radiation sources of 137Cs, 60Co, and 300 kV X-ray photons were used in the scattering and wall penetration experiments and 232Th foils in the extended area source measurements.
Fatal toxic myopathy attributed to propofol, methylprednisolone, and cyclosporine after prior exposure to colchicine and simvastatin

We report a fatal case of toxic myopathy in a patient with a transplanted heart for severe ischemic coronary artery disease. He was on long-term cyclosporine, prednisone, and mycofenolate. Four months before the development of proximal muscle weakness, his simvastatin dose was doubled, and he was also started on colchicine for acute exacerbation of gout. He developed progressive muscle weakness leading to shortness of breath and hospitalization for respiratory failure. Colchicine and simvastatin were stopped on admission. He received high-dose methylprednisolone for continued muscle weakness while he was sedated with propofol. These changes led to a marked elevation of creatine kinase, peaking at 33,580 U/ml. The muscle biopsy revealed toxic vacuolization, mitochondrial damage, and no evidence of inflammation. Based on the timing of events, the combination of propofol, high-dose methylprednisolone, and cyclosporine have triggered rhabdomyolysis, which may have been facilitated by prior administration of colchicine and simvastatin.
Home visits by pediatric residents. A valuable educational tool.

• Objective. —To establish how many pediatric residency programs offer home visits, to assess the feasibility of making home visits as part of pediatric training, and to determine whether residents perceive home visits as worthwhile learning experiences. Design. —A questionnaire was mailed to all medical school pediatric departments in the United States and Puerto Rico to determine the prevalence of home visits during residency training. To study the feasibility of residents making home visits, a pilot program was instituted. Participants. —Fourteen pediatric residents participated in the study. Each resident visited a house, trailer, apartment, or shelter for the homeless that was within a 20-minute radius from the medical center. To determine the educational value of home visits, each resident wrote a one-page report immediately on his or her return to the hospital. After about 6 months, all participating residents completed a questionnaire retrospectively evaluating their home visits. Selection Procedures. —Interns who were neither on-call nor postcall the day of the visits were invited to participate. Patients were selected because they were homebound (eg, ventilator-dependent), had missed follow-up appointments, or had transportation difficulties. Results. —Thirteen percent of the pediatric residency programs surveyed currently include home visits. In all 14 of the pilot visits, the home was located without difficulty and the patient was at home. In each case, the family welcomed the visit. All the pediatric residents believed that the home visit was a worthwhile learning experience. Conclusions. —Although very few programs (13%) currently offer home visits as part of pediatric residency training, such visits are feasible within a large urban area. Residents are enthusiastic about seeing how and where their patients live, and consider home visits a worthwhile learning experience. (AJDC.1992;146:1064-1067)
Mediastinal Parathyroid Carcinoma Detected on Routine Chest Films

Carcinoma of the parathyroid gland is rare. The incidence ranges from less than 1 percent to 4 percent in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. 6 , 9 In the majority of cases, the tumor arises from one of the lower two parathyroid glands in the neck. Parathyroid carcinoma originating in the mediastinum is believed to be very rare. The patient reported had pathologically advanced, but clinically silent, hyperparathyroidism caused by an ectopic parathyroid carcinoma located in the superior mediastinum.
Creation of knowledge & meaning manifested via cortical singularities in cognition: Towards a methodology to understand intentionality and critical behavior in neural correlates of awareness

Experimental and theoretical approaches aiming at the establishment of neural correlates of higher cognitive functions and awareness have been extensively studied in the past decade. Information-theoretical indices are useful tools in establishing quantitative metrics when analyzing data of cognitive experiments. In this work we report a systematic statistical analysis of multiple runs of ECoG measurements over the rabbit visual cortex. The results are interpreted invoking the concept of Pragmatic Information, which is complementary to the Shannon Entropy Index. We interpret these finding based on a dynamical system approach to brains and cognition. We identify large-scale synchronization across broad frequency band as potential manifestation of the `aha' effect, indicating the construction of knowledge and meaning from input sensory data and leading to awareness experience.
Characterization of ecdysteroid-22-O-acyltransferase from tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens

Abstract Selected characteristics of ecdysteroid-22-O-acyltransferase from the fifth instar larvae of Heliothis virescens were studied. The apparent Km and Vmax values were 1.16 × 10−2 ± 0.37 × 10−2 mM and 8.52 × 10−5 ± 0.93 × 10−5 IU/mg (μmol of ecdysone-22-oleate formed per min per mg of protein), respectively. Fatty acyl-CoA is required for this enzyme to esterify the ecdysteroids. The apparent optimum pH and temperature range for enzyme activity were 6.9 and 10–20°C, respectively. Ecdysteroid-22-O-acyltransferase in the crude tissue homogenate was sensitive to heat at 60°C, but stable at room temperature for 20 h. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Mn2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, PMSF, 1,10-phenanthroline, Triton X100 and ethanol. The activity of the enzyme was increased when it was treated with K+ and EDTA.
Hydrophilic properties of certain ointment base constituents

A series of saturated C10 to C18 fatty alcohols were studied for their effect on the hydrophilic properties of petrolatum. An optimum concentration at which each fatty alcohol exerts its maximum effect is noted. Cetyl alcohol has the lowest optimum value, but octadecyl alcohol (stearyl alcohol), having a slightly higher optimum value, but octadecyl alcohol (stearyl alcohol), having a slightly higher optimum value, exerts the strongest effect on the hydrophilic properties of petrolatum. The values obtained by two methods are compared and the practical value of this property of the fatty alcohols is discussed. A comparative study of these alcohols in bases analogous to that described in the Swiss Pharmacopoeia V is made.