cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of age on estrogen and progesterone receptor in primary breast cancer

We evaluated the estrogen receptors (Er) and progesterone receptors (Pr) in 228 female patients with primary breast cancer by Dextran-Charcol method. Their ages vary from 30 to 91 years. Mean age 60.7 years. (SD: 13.6 years). Er mean was 70.31. (SD:103); there exists a statistically significant correlation between age and Er at p less than .001; older patients have higher Er. Pr mean was 60.73, (SD:128). There is statistically significant correlation between age and Pr at .01 less than p less than .025; older patients have higher Pr. There is also very statistical significant correlation between Er and Pr at p less than 0.1; when Er is high Pr is high.
Microstructural evolution of 7 wt.% Y2O3–ZrO2 thermal barrier coatings due to stress relaxation at elevated temperatures and the concomitant changes in thermal conductivity

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of stress and temperature on the microstructure of air plasma-sprayed 7 wt.% Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-ZrO{sub 2} thermal barrier coatings, and relate microstructural changes to the thermal conductivity, k{sub th}. To simulate TBC service conditions, stand-alone tubes of YSZ were stress relaxed, starting from a compressive stress of 60 MPa, at temperatures of 1000 C or 1200 C. The duration of the stress relaxation test was either 5 min or 3 h. Detailed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Porod's specific surface area (SSA) analysis of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) results were used to determine which void systems, either interlamellar pores or intralamellar cracks, contributed to the observed relaxation of stress in the coatings. SEM investigations revealed closure of intralamellar cracks located perpendicular to the stress direction. For thinner YSZ coatings, SANS measurements indicated a statistically significant reduction in the total SSA and SSA associated with intralamellar cracks after stress relaxation at the times, temperatures, and stress investigated compared to those samples that were exposed to identical times and temperatures, but no stress. The SSA associated with the interlamellar pores was not significantly smaller in YSZ coatings stress relaxed frommore » 60 MPa at 1200 C for 3 h compared to as-sprayed coatings. The thermal conductivity of the coatings was strongly influenced by stress, with increases in kth observed after only 5 min at 60 MPa and 1200 C. Reductions in the total SSA were directly linked to increases in k{sub th}.« less
Occupational exposure to terbufos and the incidence of cancer in the Agricultural Health Study.

Terbufos is the fourth most commonly used organophosphate insecticide (OP) in the United States. Terbufos has not been demonstrated to be carcinogenic in rodents, although non-arsenical insecticides, including OPs, have been associated with excess cancer in epidemiologic studies. We investigated associations between use of terbufos and the incidence of cancer. The Agricultural Health Study is a prospective cohort study of 57,310 licensed pesticide applicators from Iowa and North Carolina. Detailed information about 50 pesticides, including terbufos, and potential confounders was obtained from self-administered questionnaires. Terbufos intensity-weighted lifetime exposure-days were defined as (lifetime exposure-days) × (exposure intensity score). Cases include all first primary cancers diagnosed between enrollment and December 31, 2005. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI were calculated with Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for potential confounders. Overall cancer risk was slightly increased among terbufos users [HR 1.21 (1.06–1.37)]. Suggestive associations were observed between terbufos use and cancers of the prostate (HRhighest tertile = 1.21; 95% CI = 0.99–1.47) and lung (HRmiddle tertile = 1.45; 95% CI = 0.95–2.22) and leukemia (HRmiddle tertile = 2.38; 95% CI = 1.35–4.21) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HRmiddle tertile = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.16–3.22), although the exposure–response gradients were non-monotonic and p for trends were not significant. We found suggestive associations between occupational terbufos use and several cancer sites. However, cautious interpretation of these results is warranted by the lack of existing experimental and epidemiologic evidence to support carcinogenic effects of terbufos.
Frequency specificity in the adaptation of apparent concomitant motion

The apparent motion of a fixated spot stimulus during head oscillations (apparent concomitant motion, ACM) was measured before and after an adaptation period during which the fixation stimulus moved in synchrony with the head. During the adaptation period, the fixation stimulus moved either in the same (with) or the opposite (against) direction as did head movement. With adaptation increased ACM in the direction opposite head motion, whereas against adaptation increased ACM in the same direction as head motion. Pre- and postadaptation measures were obtained for .25-, .5-, 1.0-, and 2.0-Hz active head movements. Each of these frequencies was used in separate sessions as the adaptation frequency. ACM changes were greatest when the test and adaptation frequencies were the same, demonstrating frequency specificity of ACM adaptation. This frequency specificity, which is similar to that of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, indicates that ACM adaptation may reflect plasticity in oculomotor systems.
Scene Identification Using Invariant Radial Feature Descriptors

This paper addresses the challenge of identifying and retrieving related scenes from image databases with a focus on low-level feature descriptor construction. A set of affine covariant regions are identified via a radial segmentation algorithm. Local descriptors are built using two different types of histograms: (i) polar image gradient (PIG) orientation histogram, and (ii) saturation-weighted hue histogram. The combination of geometric and photometric information yields a significant improvement in a feature's discriminative power. A cascading matching algorithm is used for feature matching and evaluation. To demonstrate the descriptor's image matching capabilities, a voting algorithm for similar scene retrieval is implemented utilizing results from the feature matches. Challenging images of buildings with inherent replicative feature regions due to common edificial texture are used to test the robustness and applicability of the radial-based methodology.
Evaluation of Bacillus species as potential candidates for direct-fed microbials in commercial poultry

Increasing sociopolitical concerns with an- tibiotic use have led to investigations of potential alter- natives for food safety and growth promotion. Direct- fed microbials (DFM) including spore-based probiotics are amenable to feed inclusion and are extremely sta- ble. We isolated several Bacillus spp. from environmen- tal and poultry sources and tested them for their ability to reduce Salmonella in vitro. In a preliminary in vivo trial, day-of-hatch chicks and poults were randomly as- signed to the following treatments (24 birds/treatment): control and one of 8 DFM candidates at 10 6 spores/g of feed. Chicks and poults were tagged, weighed, and orally challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). Body weight gain and ST recovery were measured 11 d posthatch. Total percentages of ST-positive crop and ceca were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in at least 3 DFM candidates compared with control. Additionally, beneficial effects on BW gain were observed in at least 5 DFM candidates (P < 0.05) compared with control. In a second study, birds treated with NP122 (identi- fied as Bacillus subtilis) had significantly lower (P < 0.05) cecal ST than control and benefitted BW gain irrespective of the presence or absence of a Salmonella challenge. In conclusion, NP122 markedly reduced ST recovery and increased BW gain in both chicks and poults. This provides preliminary evidence that this isolate may have potential use as a DFM in poultry.
Plant Secondary Compounds as Diuretics: An Overlooked Consequence

Abstract Plant secondary compounds are deterrents and toxins to a variety of herbivores. The effect of secondary compounds on water balance of herbivores is virtually unexplored, yet many secondary compounds are renowned for their diuretic effects in humans and laboratory rats. We review data from the ethnopharmocological literature on plants with diuretic effects. We also present our data from experiments on water intake of specialist (Neotoma stephensi) and generalist woodrats (N. albigula) consuming plant secondary compounds from their natural diet. We measured effects of dietary secondary compounds on voluntary water consumption, urine volume and urine osmolarity. Ingestion of secondary compounds increased water intake and urine output and decreased urine osmolarity in both species. However, the generalist was more impacted by dietary secondary compounds than the specialist. Our results combined with that from the literature suggest that diuresis may be a prevalent consequence of ingestion of secondar...
Cardiac arrest in the Emergency Department: A report from the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Summary Background Little is known about cardiac arrests (CA) in the Emergency Department (ED). The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of ED CAs. Methods 60,852 adult, in-patient CA events in the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation were included. Multiple regression analysis compared ED CA with those occurring in the ICU, telemetry, or general floors. Subgroup analysis examined traumatic vs. non-traumatic ED CA and ED CA occurring after a successful pre-hospital resuscitation (recurrent) vs. primary ED event. Results In multivariate analysis, ED location predicted improved survival to discharge (OR 0.74, 95%CI [0.67–0.82]). ED CAs had higher survival to discharge rates (ED 22.2, ICU 15.5, Tele 19.8, Floor 10.8, p p p p p p p Conclusions ED CAs have unique characteristics, and better survival and neurologic outcomes compared to other hospital locations. Primary ED CAs have a better chance of survival to discharge than recurrent events. Traumatic ED CAs have worse outcomes than non-traumatic CA.
Transcriptional components of anteroposterior positional information during zebrafish fin regeneration

Many fish and salamander species regenerate amputated fins or limbs, restoring the size and shape of the original appendage. Regeneration requires that spared cells retain or recall information encoding pattern, a phenomenon termed positional memory. Few factors have been implicated in positional memory during vertebrate appendage regeneration. Here, we investigated potential regulators of anteroposterior (AP) pattern during fin regeneration in adult zebrafish. Sequence-based profiling from tissues along the AP axis of uninjured pectoral fins identified many genes with region-specific expression, several of which encoded transcription factors with known AP-specific expression or function in developing embryonic pectoral appendages. Transgenic reporter strains revealed that regulatory sequences of the transcription factor gene alx4a activated expression in fibroblasts and osteoblasts within anterior fin rays, whereas hand2 regulatory sequences activated expression in these same cell types within posterior rays. Transgenic overexpression of hand2 in all pectoral fin rays did not affect formation of the proliferative regeneration blastema, yet modified the lengths and widths of regenerating bones. Hand2 influenced the character of regenerated rays in part by elevation of the vitamin D-inactivating enzyme encoded by cyp24a1, contributing to region-specific regulation of bone metabolism. Systemic administration of vitamin D during regeneration partially rescued bone defects resulting from hand2 overexpression. Thus, bone-forming cells in a regenerating appendage maintain expression throughout life of transcription factor genes that can influence AP pattern, and differ across the AP axis in their expression signatures of these and other genes. These findings have implications for mechanisms of positional memory in vertebrate tissues.
A quantitative methodology for rapid prototyping and high-level synthesis of signal processing algorithms

The paper introduces a systematic quantitative methodology to prototype deterministic recursive DSP algorithms onto multiple programmable signal processors. A scheduling framework that is based upon linear integer programming techniques is used to obtain rate, processor, delay, and communications optimal schedules for a given data flow graph representation of a signal processing algorithm. This powerful design synthesis environment facilitates optimal scheduling for randomly connected heterogeneous systems with multiple pipelined functional units and finite resources in VLSI. This framework can also be used in the high-level synthesis of efficient register-transfer level (RTL) VLSI descriptions from behavioral specifications. >
Recent advances in disorders of iron metabolism: mutations, mechanisms and modifiers

The spectrum of known disorders of iron metabolism has expanded dramatically over the past few years. Identification of HFE, the gene most commonly mutated in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis, has allowed molecular diagnosis and paved the way for identification of other genes, such as TFR2, that are important in non-HFE-associated iron overload. There are clearly several other, unidentified, iron overload disease genes yet to be found. In parallel, our understanding of iron transport has expanded through identification of Fpn1/Ireg1/MTP1, Sfxn1 and Dcytb. Ongoing studies of Friedreich's ataxia, sideroblastic anemia, aceruloplasminemia and neurodegeneration with brain-iron accumulation are clarifying the role for iron in the nervous system. Finally, as the number of known iron metabolic genes increases and their respective functions are ascertained, new opportunities have arisen to identify genetic modifiers of iron homeostasis.
Experiments with computer animation

Three generally accepted facts are:1. Computers are getting cheap and fast enough to do cost-effective graphics on line and in real time;2. The future of computer graphics is in raster scan;3. Computer animation is emerging as a volatile art form and as a medium for scientific communication.Concurrently, we find computer animation somewhat polluted and distorted by1. The illusionary immediacies of analog techniques;2. The line gestalt of computer output microfilm;3. The transformational paradigm of the 4 by 4 matrix.In contrast, this paper dwells on on-line, real-time, color rasterscan, digital techniques and associated videotapes. Accompanying illustrations present the specific application of a "veridical memory" approach to computer graphics, distinguished from other similar efforts by:1. A 90 nano-second, writable control store;2. Noncontiguous and variable bits per pixel;3. Minicomputer support of PL/1, LISP, and LOGO;4. Advanced graphical input techniques;5. Hardware priorities indigenous to cell animation;6. Production of color hard copy.Results indicate an opportunity for complex descriptions and displays1. In which the message is not the medium;2. Through which color assumes a new role;3. With which the user works without a typeable genre;4. About which our wildest fantasies offer only modest extrapolation.Inasmuch as our work on animation is just beginning, this paper does not take a rigorous posture. Instead, we submit a collage of output, classify some of our errors, and outline likely solutions.
A Note on Armenian hrmštk-el

The hapax *framastaq in the Babylonian Talmud is a loan from a Middle Iranian slang word for the penis; from its base comes the common Armenian verb hrmstkel, "to shove in", which is not attested in Classical texts and might have had an obscene connotation in ancient times that it no longer possesses. The Aramaic of the Babylonian Talmud is replete with Middle Iranian loan words, some of which reflect the same dialect variations as the Middle Iranian loans into Armenian of roughly the same period: hraman instead of framān for "command", navasard instead of nō sāl for "new year", and so on. The narratives in the text abound in Iranian themes, too; and in recent years a number of scholars, notably Daniel Sperber, Isaiah Gafni, Shaul Shaked, Yaakov Elman, and Geoffrey Herman have been exploring these. They are of interest to the study of ancient Armenia in both expected and unpredictable ways. For instance, we learn that in the fourth century the Sasanian monarch Sābuhr (Shapur II, r. AD 309-379) sat down to lunch with the Jewish Exilarch and the two august personages dined upon a single ethrog―a sort of citrus fruit used by Jews during the festival of Sukkot. This sounds rather silly on the face of it and it is probably an abbreviation: presumably they ate, and most definitely drank, a great deal more. The dessert of fruit is most likely to be understood as a kind of rhetorical shorthand for the comfortable intimacy of friendship and leisure the two men enjoyed. This was an enviable situation for the leader of a religious minority of course. In a world of swords and sabers one checked at the entrance to the
Automatic ultrastructure segmentation of reconstructed CryoEM maps of icosahedral viruses

We present an automatic algorithm to segment all the local and global asymmetric units of a three-dimensional density map of icosahedral viruses. This approach is readily applicable to the structural analysis of a broad range of virus structures that are reconstructed using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) technique. Our algorithm includes three major steps operating on the three dimensional density map: the detection of critical points of the volumetric density function, the detection of global and local symmetry axes, and, finally, the boundary segmentation of all the asymmetric units. We demonstrate the efficacy of our algorithm and report our results on several experimental volumetric datasets, consisting of both reconstructed cryo-EM molecular density maps taken from the European Bioinformatics Institute archive, as well our own synthetically generated (blurred) maps calculated from X-ray resolution molecular structural data taken from the Protein Data Bank.
Estimation of Cardiac Respiratory-Motion by Semi-Automatic Segmentation and Registration of Non-Contrast-Enhanced 4D-CT Cardiac Datasets

The goal of this work is to investigate, for a large set of patients, the motion of the heart with respiration during free-breathing supine medical imaging. For this purpose we analyzed the motion of the heart in 32 non-contrast enhanced respiratory-gated 4D-CT datasets acquired during quiet unconstrained breathing. The respiratory-gated CT images covered the cardiac region and were acquired at each of 10 stages of the respiratory cycle, with the first stage being end-inspiration. We devised a 3-D semi-automated segmentation algorithm that segments the heart in the 4D-CT datasets acquired without contrast enhancement for use in estimating respiratory motion of the heart. Our semi-automated segmentation results were compared against interactive hand segmentations of the coronal slices by a cardiologist and a radiologist. The pairwise difference in segmentation among the algorithm and the physicians was on the average 11% and 10% of the total average segmented volume across the patient, with a couple of patients as outliers above the 95% agreement limit. The mean difference among the two physicians was 8% with an outlier above the 95% agreement limit. The 3-D segmentation was an order of magnitude faster than the Physicians' manual segmentation and represents significant reduction of Physicians' time. The segmented first stages of respiration were used in 12 degree-of-freedom (DOF) affine registration to estimate the motion at each subsequent stage of respiration. The registration results from the 32 patients indicate that the translation in the superior-inferior direction was the largest component motion, with a maximum of 10.7 mm, mean of 6.4 mm, and standard deviation of 2.2 mm. Translation in the anterior-posterior direction was the next largest component of motion, with a maximum of 4.0 mm, mean of 1.7 mm, and standard deviation of 1.0 mm. Rotation about the right-left axis was on average the largest component of rotation observed, with a maximum of 4.6 degrees, mean of 1.6 degrees, and standard deviation of 2.1 degrees. The other rotation and shear parameters were all close to zero on average indicting the motion could be reasonably well approximated by rigid-body motion. However, the product of the three scale factors averaged about 0.97 indicating the possibility of a small decrease in heart volume with expiration. The motion results were similar whether we used the Physician's segmentation or the 3-D algorithm.
On amplitude modulation for monaural speech segregation

We propose a computational auditory scene analysis (CASA) model for monaural speech segregation. It deals with low-frequency and high-frequency signals differently. For high-frequency signals, it generates segments based on the common amplitude modulation (AM) and groups them according to AM repetition rates. This model performs substantially better than previous CASA systems.
A Novel Approach to Treating Anxiety and Enhancing Executive Skills in an Older Adult With Parkinson’s Disease:

Scientific interest in the nonmotoric symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) has increased dramatically, and psychiatric symptoms (e.g., cognitive impairment, anxiety and mood disorders) are now considered prime targets for treatment optimization. Psychiatric complications in PD are quite common, affecting as many as 60 to 80% of patients. This study describes the case of a 74 year-old male with PD who presented with complaints of anxiety and trouble with memory and attention. A combined cognitive behavior therapy and cognitive enhancement intervention was delivered in ten 90-to-120 minute sessions. The patient showed a reduction in anxiety symptoms that was of sufficient magnitude to meet criteria for 'responder' status. His cognitive skills were mostly unchanged, despite the rigorous rehabilitation practice. Implications for treatment and strategies for enhancing therapeutic benefits are discussed.
Project DATA for Toddlers: An Inclusive Approach to Very Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Because more children under the age of 3 years are being diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), early interventionists face the challenge of identifying appropriate programs to meet the u...
Hydrogen storage in metal‐organic and covalent‐organic frameworks by spillover

Covalent-organic framework COF-1 and metal-organic frameworks HKUST-1 and MIL-101 were synthesized and studied for hydrogen storage at 77 and 298 K. Although MIL-101 had the largest surface area and pore volume among the three materials, HKUST-1 had the highest uptake (2.28 wt %) at 77 K. However, the H2 storage capacity at 298 K and high pressure correlated with the surface area and pore volume. The H2 storage in the COF and MOF materials assisted by hydrogen spillover, measured at 298 K up to a pressure of 10 MPa, have been examined for correlations with their structural and surface features for the first time. By using our simple technique to build carbon bridges, the hydrogen uptakes at 298 K were enhanced significantly by a factor of 2.6–3.2. The net uptake by spillover was correlated to the heat of adsorption through the Langmuir constant. Results on water vapor adsorption at 298 K indicated that COF-1 was unstable in moist air, while HKUST-1 and MIL-101 were stable. The results suggested that MIL-101 could be a promising material for hydrogen storage because of its high heat of adsorption for spiltover hydrogen, large surface area and pore volume, and stability upon H2O adsorption. 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 54: 269–279, 2008
Regulatory reform and managerial choice: an analysis of the cost savings from airline deregulation

This paper explores the question of how the differential exercise of managerial choice can facilitate organizational adaptation and improve efficiency over periods of regulatory change. We address this question in the context of the US airline industry, with a detailed decomposition of an airline cost function. Our findings suggest that managers employ choice in unconstrained domains to counteract the effects of constrained or pre-determined choices. This is an adaptive mechanism that helps firms adjust to environmental change or maneuver over a rugged landscape. We view this as a type of dynamic managerial capability for achieving dynamic fit under changing conditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Validation of Volterra Series Approach for Modelling Parametric Rolling of Ships

Parametric motion is the phenomenon where a structure is excited into large amplitude motion even when there is no direct excitation. A well-known example of this type of motion is the parametric roll of ships in head or following seas. Parametric roll of container ships in head seas is relatively a new problem which has gained much importance after the catastrophic incidence of APL China in 1998. Although a lot of analytical techniques are available on the assessment of parametric roll in regular excitation, not many investigations have explored its occurrence in irregular seas. A consensus on the stability criteria to assess the danger due to this phenomenon in actual ocean has not yet been reached making it an active area of investigation.A precursor to the development of stability criteria is a simple model to capture the phenomenon of parametric rolling. However, it is important that the model is not over simplified and ignores important dynamics of the process. Therefore it is necessary to perform validation studies between the simplified model and the complete nonlinear model capturing all the physics of the phenomenon.This paper provides the validation studies of a 1-DOF (degree of freedom) simplified model for roll motion against a standard 6-DOF time domain simulation approach. The 1-DOF model is based on the Volterra series representation of the hydrostatic stiffness in waves while accounting for the heave and pitch motions of the model. It also includes a nonlinear damping model capturing the radiation and the viscous damping. The 6-DOF model solves for the nonlinear equations of motion based on Euler angles and also includes the nonlinear Froude Krylov excitations and nonlinear hydrostatic forces on the vessel. Details of the modeling in the two approaches are described and comparisons are performed to assess the validity of 1-DOF simplified model.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Dynamic Cache Pooling in 3D Multicore Processors

Resource pooling, where multiple architectural components are shared among cores, is a promising technique for improving system energy efficiency and reducing total chip area. 3D stacked multicore processors enable efficient pooling of cache resources owing to the short interconnect latency between vertically stacked layers. This article first introduces a 3D multicore architecture that provides poolable cache resources. We then propose a runtime management policy to improve energy efficiency in 3D systems by utilizing the flexible heterogeneity of cache resources. Our policy dynamically allocates jobs to cores on the 3D system while partitioning cache resources based on cache hungriness of the jobs. We investigate the impact of the proposed cache resource pooling architecture and management policy in 3D systems, both with and without on-chip DRAM. We evaluate the performance, energy efficiency, and thermal behavior for a wide range of workloads running on 3D systems. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed architecture and policy reduce system energy-delay product (EDP) and energy-delay-area product (EDAP) by 18.8p and 36.1p on average, respectively, in comparison to 3D processors with static cache sizes.
A LOCUS THAT CONTROLS FILAMENT FORMATION AND SENSITIVITY TO RADIATION IN ESCHERICHIA COLI K-12.

Long form radiosensitive mutants were selected from among the progeny of survivors of an ultraviolet irradiated parental strain of E. coli K-12 by their mucoid appearance on supplemented minimal agar. The parental strain was F/sup -/ and carried various auxotrophic markers. Crosses with Hfr strains revealed that all the long-form cells carried a mutation at a locus designated lon, which is situated between lac and gal, close to T6. The parental lon/sup +/ strain resembles B/r in survival following x or uv irradiation, while lon mutants are relatively sensitive and are similar to strain B. The greater radiosensitivity of the lon mutants is not due to the loss of the capacity to reactivate uv- photoproducts in DNA because equal numbers of plaques are found when uv irradiated Tl phage is plated on lon and lon/sup +/ strains. (auth)
AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF MEDIA ARTICLES IN THE MAINSTREAM

The Internet has provided a large opportunity for an abundance of information to be produced and available with very little cost. One of the downsides of this ‘free’ information is the credibility and legitimacy of the facts and the news source. One important goal of academia is to ensure that students are able to learn critical thinking techniques and be able to evaluate an author’s intention in material presentation, their qualifications, and most importantly the message imparted and whether or not that message is verified. This study seeks to evaluate how students obtain their news and research information as well as the current state of student’s perception and their evaluation of purported news articles available in the Internet. Fifty-eight students participated in an exploratory study where each student reviewed seven different articles and asked to respond to several questions regarding author role, motivation, credibility, as well as if information presented was perceived as factual or opinion. This study found that the websites that students were selected to utilize had an impact on their ability to accurately assess the credibility of articles on the Internet.
Technology Self-Efficacy in the AIS Course: An Outcomes Assessment

This paper describes the development and implementation of an outcomes assessment plan used to gauge how successfully professional technologies have been integrated into an undergraduate AIS course. The plan attempted to determine the impact that the increased use of accounting-related software and databases had on students' attitudes. To measure how successfully the technologies had been integrated into the AIS curriculum, the authors measured changes in students' self-efficacy. Pretest and posttest questionnaires were based on the Self-Efficacy for Computer Technologies instrument (SCT) developed by Kinsie, Delcourt, and Powers (1994). The SCT measures confidence in using a number of applications. This project was intended to demonstrate that one way to improve students' self-efficacy with respect to computer applications was to treat computer and professional software as routine. Direct evidence of improvements in appropriate skills may be attributed to the AIS course and provides a measure of outcomes assessment.
A new variation of dual left anterior descending coronary artery.

Abstract A 63-year-old male with past medical history of type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, stroke, and permanent pacemaker implant for poor chronotropic response to exercise underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for worsening atypical chest pain. The patient had normal myocardial perfusion by nuclear stress testing 3 months prior to this test. A rare variation of dual left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) was identified by CCTA and subsequent coronary angiography confirmed a dual LAD and revealed no significant stenosis of the coronary arteries. Six types of dual LADs have been previously reported. However, this case showed a short LAD directly originating from the left coronary sinus and long LAD originating from the left main coronary artery. This configuration has not been reported previously in the literature to our knowledge. The short LAD main stem showed an intramyocardial course and provided septal perforators to the basal-mid interventricular septum (IVS) and right ventricular branches. The long LAD provided both diagonal branches and septal perforators to the distal IVS. CCTA in conjunction with coronary angiography played an essential role to characterize this anomaly and awareness of this anomaly merits reducing misinterpretation of coronary angiography for cardiology care providers. Learning objective: Dual left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) is an important coronary anomaly to be aware of by cardiology care providers to avoid misinterpretation of coronary angiography and surgical complications related to coronary interventions. We report a new variation of dual LAD which has not been reported previously and coronary computed tomography angiography helped to characterize this anomaly. Our case further expands anatomical variations of dual LADs.>
The emergence of candidosis. The dominant postmortem cerebral mycosis.

Com-parable human postmortem surveys in central Kentucky and southern Florida have demonstrated an altered pattern of cerebral mycoses due primarily to therapeutic manipulations. From both states 8,975 complete autopsies yielded 39 patients with histologically verified cerebral mycoses. The most common infection was candidosis (49%), characterized by intraparenchymal microabscesses without significant leptomeningitis in hospitalized patients compromised by antibiotic therapy for infection with gram-negative organisms. The remaining 20 patients with noncandidal cerebral mycoses included 9 (23%) with cryptococcosis, 5 (13%) with zygomycosis, 2 (5%) with aspergillosis, 2 (5%) with histoplasmosis, 1 (2.5%) with blastomycosis and 1 (2.5%) with curvulariosis. These compromised patients had leptomeningitis when infected with yeasts and cerebral infarcts with cerebritis when infected with hyphal fungi. In contrast to human cerebral candidosis, the non-candidal cerebral mycoses precipitated the patient’s terminal hospitalization. These infections seemed to be contracted outside the hospital. Therapy for gram-negative bacterial infections has enabled Candida species to overtake Cryptococcus neoformans as the most common cause of post-mortem cerebral mycosis.
Diversity of Staphylococcus aureus strains colonizing various niches of the human body.

Summary Objectives As individuals may be colonized with multiple strains of Staphylococcus aureus at different body sites, the objectives of this study were to determine whether S. aureus polyclonal colonization exists within one body niche and the optimal sampling sites and culture methodology to capture the diversity of S. aureus strains in community-dwelling individuals. Methods Swabs were collected from the nares, axillae, and inguinal folds of 3 children with community-associated S. aureus infections and 11 household contacts, all with known S. aureus colonization. S. aureus isolates were recovered from each body niche using 4 culture methods and evaluated for polyclonality using phenotypic and genotypic strain characterization methodologies. Results Within individuals, the mean (range) number of phenotypes and genotypes was 2.4 (1–4) and 3.1 (1–6), respectively. Six (43%) and 10 (71%) participants exhibited phenotypic and genotypic polyclonality within one body niche, respectively. Broth enrichment yielded the highest analytical sensitivity for S. aureus recovery, while direct plating to blood agar yielded the highest genotypic strain diversity. Conclusions This study revealed S. aureus polyclonality within a single body niche. Culture methodology and sampling sites influenced the analytical sensitivity of S. aureus colonization detection and the robustness of phenotypic and genotypic strain recovery.
Effects of Soil Moisture, Exposure Time, Nematode Age, and Nematode Density on Laboratory Infection of Scapteriscus vicinus and S. acletus (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) by Neoaplectana sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae)

Infectivity of an undescribed Uruguayan Neoaplectana species to the mole crickets Scapteriscus vicinus Scudder and S. acletus Rehn and Hebard was tested under a variety of conditions in the laboratory. At 30°C, soil moisture in the range of 5–15% had no effect on infection of the mole crickets. There was no consistent difference in infection of mole crickets exposed to nematode-infested soil for 24 h and those exposed for 72 h. There was no decline in infection of crickets for the first 7 d after introduction of nematodes into the soil at 30°C, but after 14d at that temperature, there was significant reduction in infection. Crickets exposed to nematodes at 10°C were infected significantly less often than those exposed at 30°C. Increasing nematode density from 100,000 to 1 million per m2 did not increase the incidence of infection but did decrease the variability of results.
DLVO interactions of carbon nanotubes with isotropic planar surfaces.

Knowledge of the interaction between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and planar surfaces is essential to optimizing CNT applications as well as reducing their environmental impact. In this work, the surface element integration (SEI) technique was coupled with the DLVO theory to determine the orientation-dependent interaction energy between a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and an infinite isotropic planar surface. For the first time, an analytical formula was developed to describe accurately the interaction between not only pristine but also surface-charged CNTs and planar surfaces with arbitrary rotational angles. Compared to other methods, the new analytical formulas were either more convenient or more accurate in describing the interaction between CNTs and planar surfaces, especially with respect to arbitrary angles. The results revealed the complex dependences of both force and torque between SWNTs and planar surfaces on the separation distances and rotational angles. With minor modifications, the analyt...
A bundled care approach to patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis improves transplant-free survival

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. The 2011 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT consensus statement provided a number of recommendations for the management of IPF patients. The primary objective of this study was to determine if "bundling" these recommendations in the management of patients with IPF impacts clinical outcomes. Methods We conducted a single center, retrospective cohort study of 284 patients diagnosed with IPF. The proposed bundle of care (BOC) components were: (1) visits to a specialized interstitial lung diseases clinic with evaluation of pulmonary function tests at least twice yearly; (2) referral to pulmonary rehabilitation yearly; (3) timed walk test yearly; (4) echocardiogram yearly; and (5) gastroesophageal reflux therapy. Each component of the BOC was given a score of "1" per year of follow up, and the average sum of the scores (ranging from 0 to 5) was determined for the entire period of follow-up (BOC S ), as well as during the first year of follow-up (BOC Y1 ). The primary outcome measure was transplant-free survival. Results Age, gender, smoking status, BMI, %FVC, %D L CO did not differ between levels of BOC S and BOC Y1 . Lowest BOC S (≤1) was associated with a lower transplant-free survival independent of age and %FVC compared to patients with the highest BOC S (>4) (HR 2.274, CI 1.12–4.64, p = 0.024). Lower BOC Y1 was associated with a higher risk for transplant or death independent of age and %FVC in comparison to patients with highest BOC Y1 (≤1 vs. >4, HR 2.23, p = 0.014; >1 to 2 vs. >4, HR 1.87, p = 0.011; >2 to 3 vs. >4, HR 1.72, p = 0.019). Conclusion IPF patients with higher BOC scores had improved transplant-free survival. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine the best strategies for the management of patients with IPF.
Ultrasound imaging of Peyronie's plaques.

AbstractWe herein present the results of our successful attempts to depict and to measure the plaques of Peyronie’s disease with an ultrasound technique. The potential use of this technique also is discussed.
TβRIII Expression in Human Breast Cancer Stroma and the Role of Soluble TβRIII in Breast Cancer Associated Fibroblasts

The TGF-β pathway plays a major role in tumor progression through regulation of epithelial and stromal cell signaling. Dysfunction of the pathway can lead to carcinoma progression and metastasis. To gain insight into the stromal role of the TGF-β pathway in breast cancer, we performed laser capture microdissection (LCM) from breast cancer patients and reduction mammoplasty patients. Microdissected tumor stroma and normal breast stroma were examined for gene expression. Expression of the TGF-β type III receptor (TGFBR3) was greatly decreased in the tumor stroma compared to control healthy breast tissue. These results demonstrated a 44-fold decrease in TGFBR3 mRNA in tumor stroma in comparison to control tissue. We investigated publicly available databases, and have identified that TGFBR3 mRNA levels are decreased in tumor stroma. We next investigated fibroblast cell lines derived from cancerous and normal breast tissue and found that in addition to mRNA levels, TβRIII protein levels were significantly reduced. Having previously identified that cancer-associated fibroblasts secrete greater levels of tumor promoting cytokines, we investigated the consequences of soluble-TβRIII (sTβRIII) on fibroblasts. Fibroblast conditioned medium was analyzed for 102 human secreted cytokines and distinct changes in response to sTβRIII were observed. Next, we used the fibroblast-conditioned medium to stimulate human monocyte cell line THP-1. These results indicate a distinct transcriptional response depending on sTβRIII treatment and whether it was derived from normal or cancerous breast tissue. We conclude that the effect of TβRIII has distinct roles not only in cancer-associated fibroblasts but that sTβRIII has distinct paracrine functions in the tumor microenvironment.
Research on Frequency-Converter Control Strategy Based on VSM Technology

Frequency converter occupies a large proportion in production and daily life, in order to enable it to effectively take part in the process of system frequency regulation, a control strategy based on the virtual synchronous motor technology (VSM) is proposed in this paper. In the inverter part, VSM control strategy is used, using the mechanical inertia and electrical characteristics of the synchronous motor, the power control and frequency control are researched and designed respectively. The frequency converter are simulated under environment of Simulink/Matlab. Simulation results show that the proposed control strategy can make the frequency converter follow the characteristics of VSM, can change the inverter’s output voltage and frequency with the change of motor load.
The persistence of human DNA in soil following surface decomposition

Though recent decades have seen a marked increase in research concerning the impact of human decomposition on the grave soil environment, the fate of human DNA in grave soil has been relatively understudied. With the purpose of supplementing the growing body of literature in forensic soil taphonomy, this study assessed the relative persistence of human DNA in soil over the course of decomposition. Endpoint PCR was used to assess the presence or absence of human nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, while qPCR was used to evaluate the quantity of human DNA recovered from the soil beneath four cadavers at the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility (ARF). Human nuclear DNA from the soil was largely unrecoverable, while human mitochondrial DNA was detectable in the soil throughout all decomposition stages. Mitochondrial DNA copy abundances were not significantly different between decomposition stages and were not significantly correlated to soil edaphic parameters tested. There was, however, a significant positive correlation between mitochondrial DNA copy abundances and the human associated bacteria, Bacteroides, as estimated by 16S rRNA gene abundances. These results show that human mitochondrial DNA can persist in grave soil and be consistently detected throughout decomposition.
Leaving the Lecture Behind: Putting PubMed Instruction into the Hands of the Students

This column describes the development of a one-shot PubMed instruction class for medical students at a health sciences library. Background information on the objective is presented and discussed in the context of educational practice literature. The new course design centers on a guided group method of instruction in order to integrate more active learning. Surveyed students reported that the method was an effective way to learn how to search PubMed and that they preferred it to a traditional lecture. Pros and cons of the method are offered for other health sciences libraries interested in presenting PubMed instruction in a similar manner.
Specificity of the Association between Marital Discord and Longitudinal Changes in Symptoms of Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

This longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate actor and partner effects of marital discord on changes in symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a large population sample of Irish adults (N = 1,445 couples), adjusting for the potential confounds of quality of other social relationships and other psychopathology symptoms. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to examine actor and partner effects of marital discord on changes in symptoms of depression and GAD at a 2-year follow-up. Additional models examined these associations adjusting for family and friend discord and symptoms of the other type of psychopathology (depressive or GAD symptoms). Actor effects of marital discord on depressive and anxiety symptoms were greater for men than for women. There were significant, positive actor effects of marital discord on depressive symptoms for husbands and wives, which remained significant when adjusting for family and friend discord and GAD symptoms. There were significant, positive actor effects of marital discord on GAD symptoms for husbands, which remained significant when adjusting for family and friend discord and depressive symptoms. Results demonstrate that longitudinal associations between marital discord and depressive symptoms (for wives and husbands) and GAD symptoms (for husbands) are incremental to other rival explanations (family and friend discord and the other set of symptoms). Findings provide evidence for a potential causal association leading from marital discord to symptoms of depression and GAD.
Does the Angle of the Nail Matter for Pertrochanteric Fracture Reduction? Matching Nail Angle and Native Neck-Shaft Angle

Objectives To determine whether fixation of pertrochanteric hip fractures with cephalomedullary nails (CMNs) with a neck-shaft angle (NSA) less than the native NSA affects reduction and lag screw cutout. Design Retrospective comparative study. Setting Level I trauma center. Patients/participants Patients treated with a CMN for unstable pertrochanteric femur fractures (OTA/AO 31-A2.2 and 31-A2.3) between 2005 and 2014. Intervention CMN fixation. Main outcome measurement NSA reduction and lag screw cutout. Results Patients fixed with a nail angle less than their native NSA were less likely to have good reductions [17% vs. 60%, 95% confidence interval (CI), -63% to -18%; P = 0.0005], secondary to more varus reductions (41% vs. 10%, 95% CI, 9%-46%; P = 0.01) and more fractures with ≥4 mm of displacement (63% vs. 35%, 95% CI, 3%-49%; P = 0.03). The cutout was not associated with the use of a nail angle less than the native NSA (60% vs. 76%, 95% CI, -56% to 18%; P = 0.5), varus reductions (60% vs. 32%, 95% CI, -13% to 62%; P = 0.3), or poor reductions (20% vs. 17%, 95% CI, -24% to 44%; P = 1.0). Conclusions The fixation of unstable pertrochanteric hip fractures with a nail angle less than the native NSA was associated with more varus reductions and fracture displacement but did not affect the lag screw cutout. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.