779 research outputs found
Evidence for magnetic clusters in NiV close to the quantum critical concentration
The d-metal alloy NiV undergoes a quantum phase transition from
a ferromagnetic ground state to a paramagnetic ground state as the vanadium
concentration is increased. We present magnetization, ac-susceptibility and
muon-spin relaxation data at several vanadium concentrations near the critical
concentration at which the onset of ferromagnetic order is
suppressed to zero temperature. Below , the muon data reveal a broad
magnetic field distribution indicative of long-range ordered ferromagnetic
state with spatial disorder. We show evidence of magnetic clusters in the
ferromagnetic phase and close to the phase boundary in this disordered
itinerant system as an important generic ingredient of a disordered quantum
phase transition. In contrast, the temperature dependence of the magnetic
susceptibility above is best described in terms of a magnetic quantum
Griffiths phase with a power-law distribution of fluctuation rates of dynamic
magnetic clusters. At the lowest temperatures, the onset of a short-range
ordered cluster-glass phase is recognized by an increase in the muon
depolarization in transverse fields and maxima in ac-susceptibility.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Proceedings of SCES 201
University and Business Accreditation Processes: Building on Commonalities
National and regional accrediting bodies have specific requirements of higher education institutions designed to ensure educational quality and institutional effectiveness. Specialized accrediting bodies such as AACSB also outline expectations designed to meet similar goals. However, the requirements vary in both scope and scale, and terminology differs. There are many areas of overlap in the principles and standards of national and regional accrediting bodies for universities and of AACSB, including strategic planning and assessment or assurance of learning. This article presents the experiences of one college of business and how its leadership team has built synergy to meet the requirements of both accrediting bodies while minimizing duplication of effort
A combined approach to data mining of textual and structured data to identify cancer-related targets
BACKGROUND: We present an effective, rapid, systematic data mining approach for identifying genes or proteins related to a particular interest. A selected combination of programs exploring PubMed abstracts, universal gene/protein databases (UniProt, InterPro, NCBI Entrez), and state-of-the-art pathway knowledge bases (LSGraph and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis) was assembled to distinguish enzymes with hydrolytic activities that are expressed in the extracellular space of cancer cells. Proteins were identified with respect to six types of cancer occurring in the prostate, breast, lung, colon, ovary, and pancreas. RESULTS: The data mining method identified previously undetected targets. Our combined strategy applied to each cancer type identified a minimum of 375 proteins expressed within the extracellular space and/or attached to the plasma membrane. The method led to the recognition of human cancer-related hydrolases (on average, ~35 per cancer type), among which were prostatic acid phosphatase, prostate-specific antigen, and sulfatase 1. CONCLUSION: The combined data mining of several databases overcame many of the limitations of querying a single database and enabled the facile identification of gene products. In the case of cancer-related targets, it produced a list of putative extracellular, hydrolytic enzymes that merit additional study as candidates for cancer radioimaging and radiotherapy. The proposed data mining strategy is of a general nature and can be applied to other biological databases for understanding biological functions and diseases
Documentation of specific mesh implant at the time of midurethral sling surgery in women with stress incontinence
Objective: We aimed to assess documentation completeness of the operative record for mesh implanted at the time of midurethral sling surgery and to identify modifiable predictors of documentation completeness.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of women with stress incontinence who underwent midurethral sling placement between January 2009 and December 2011 was conducted. Data from the dictated operative note and nursing operative record were extracted to determine if the specific mesh implanted during surgery was documented. The primary outcome was the rate of documentation of mesh implanted in the physician's dictated operative note and in the nursing record. Logistic regression was used to determine if any characteristics were associated with the rate of documentation while accounting for correlation of patients from the same dictating surgeon.
Results: There were 816 surgeries involving the implantation of a midurethral sling during the study period. All surgeries were performed at 6 Indiana University hospitals. Fifty-two surgeons of varying specialties and levels of training dictated the operative notes. A urogynecologist dictated 71% of the operative notes. The rate of documentation completeness for mesh implanted in the physician's note was 10%. The rate of documentation completeness for mesh implanted in the nursing operative record was 92%. Documentation of mesh implanted in the physician's note was not significantly associated with the level of training, specialty, or year of surgery.
Conclusions: Documentation completeness for specific mesh implant in the physician's note is low, independent of specialty and level of training. Nursing documentation practices are more rigorous. Postmarket surveillance, currently mandated by the Food and Drug Administration, may not be feasible if only the physician's note is available or if nursing practices are inconsistent. Development of documentation guidelines for physicians would improve the feasibility of surveillance
Mid-Infrared Photometry and Spectra of Three High Mass Protostellar Candidates at IRAS 18151-1208 and IRAS 20343+4129
We present arcsecond-scale mid-ir photometry (in the 10.5 micron N band and
at 24.8 microns), and low resolution spectra in the N band (R~100) of a
candidate high mass protostellar object (HMPO) in IRAS 18151-1208 and of two
HMPO candidates in IRAS 20343+4129, IRS 1 and IRS 3. In addition we present
high resolution mid-ir spectra (R~80000) of the two HMPO candidates in IRAS
20343+4129. These data are fitted with simple models to estimate the masses of
gas and dust associated with the mid-ir emitting clumps, the column densities
of overlying absorbing dust and gas, the luminosities of the HMPO candidates,
and the likely spectral type of the HMPO candidate for which [Ne II] 12.8
micron emission was detected (IRAS 20343+4129 IRS 3). We suggest that IRAS
18151-1208 is a pre-ultracompact HII region HMPO, IRAS 20343+4129 IRS 1 is an
embedded young stellar object with the luminosity of a B3 star, and IRAS
20343+4129 IRS 3 is a B2 ZAMS star that has formed an ultracompact HII region
and disrupted its natal envelope.Comment: 40 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in
Astrophysical Journal (Part 1
If you could see what we see, would it bother you?
Objective
The purpose of our study was to determine whether the anatomic threshold for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) diagnosis and surgical success remains valid when the patient sees what we see on exam.
Methods
Two hundred participants were assigned, by computer-generated block randomization, to see one of four videos. Each video contained the same six clips representative of various degrees of anterior vaginal wall support. Participants were asked questions immediately after each clip. They were asked: “In your opinion, does this patient have a bulge or something falling out that she can see or feel in the vaginal area?” Similarly, they were asked to give their opinion on surgical outcome on a 4-point Likert scale.
Results
The proportion of participants who identified the presence of a vaginal bulge increased substantially at the level of early stage 2 prolapse (1 cm above the hymen), with 67 % answering yes to the question regarding bulge. The proportion of participants who felt that surgical outcome was less desirable also increased substantially at early stage 2 prolapse (1 cm above the hymen), with 52 % describing that outcome as “not at all” or “somewhat” successful.
Conclusion
Early stage 2 POP (1 cm above the hymen) is the anatomic threshold at which women identify both a vaginal bulge and a less desirable surgical outcome when they see what we see on examination
Dust Emission from Evolved and Unevolved HII Regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud
We present a study of the dust properties of 12 classical and superbubble HII
regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We use infrared photometry from Spitzer
(8, 24, 70, and 160 \mum bands), obtained as part of the Surveying the Agents
of a Galaxy's Evolution (SAGE) program, along with archival spectroscopic
classifications of the ionizing stars to examine the role of stellar sources on
dust heating and processing. Our infrared observations show surprisingly little
correlation between the emission properties of the dust and the effective
temperatures or bolometric magnitudes of stars in the HII regions, suggesting
that the HII region evolutionary timescale is not on the order of the dust
processing timescale. We find that the infrared emission of superbubbles and
classical HII regions shows little differentiation between the two classes,
despite the significant differences in age and morphology. We do detect a
correlation of the 24 \mum emission from hot dust with the ratio of 70 to 160
\mum flux. This correlation can be modeled as a trend in the temperature of a
minority hot dust component, while a majority of the dust remains significantly
cooler.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures. Accepted to Ap
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