cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The moderating effect of environmental munificence and dynamism on the relationship between discretionary social responsibility and firm performance

This study examines the relationships between a company's emphasis on discretionary social responsibility, environment, and firm performance. It tests the proposition that environmental munificence and dynamism moderate the relationship between discretionary social responsibility and financial performance. Social responsibility was measured with a three-item scale in a sample of 62 firms using a questionnaire. Environmental munificence and dynamism were measured using archival sources as was financial performance (return on assets and return on sales). The results of moderated regression analyses and subgroup analyses found a significant moderating effect of environment on the social responsibility-firm performance relationship. Discretionary social responsibility contributes to firm performance in environments that are dynamic and munificent.
Independent fuzzy events

The epoch making paper of Zadeh [3] provided a mathematical theory for the development of models in many areas of sicnetific research in which fuzziness is a pervasive phenomenon [cf. 2, 51. In 1968, Zadeh [4] introduced the concept of a fuzzy event and studied its basic properties. This was the first attempt at providing a mathematical theory that accounts for the two fundamental modes of uncertainty inherent in most practical problems, i.e., statistical uncertainty and fuzziness or ambiguity. This paper deals with independent fuzzy events. In Section 2 some results which are basically of a set theoretic nature are presented. Section 3 contains the basis elementary results on independent fuzzy events. Finally in Section 4 analogues of some of the important Zero-One laws of prbability theory for fuzzy events are established.
Differentiation of Equine Mesenchymal Stromal Cells into Cells of Neural Lineage: Potential for Clinical Applications

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are able to differentiate into extramesodermal lineages, including neurons. Positive outcomes were obtained after transplantation of neurally induced MSCs in laboratory animals after nerve injury, but this is unknown in horses. Our objectives were to test the ability of equine MSCs to differentiate into cells of neural lineage in vitro, to assess differences in morphology and lineage-specific protein expression, and to investigate if horse age and cell passage number affected the ability to achieve differentiation. Bone marrow-derived MSCs were obtained from young and adult horses. Following demonstration of stemness, MSCs were neurally induced and microscopically assessed at different time points. Results showed that commercially available nitrogen-coated tissue culture plates supported proliferation and differentiation. Morphological changes were immediate and all the cells displayed a neural crest-like cell phenotype. Expression of neural progenitor proteins, was assessed via western blot or immunofluorescence. In our study, MSCs generated from young and middle-aged horses did not show differences in their ability to undergo differentiation. The effect of cell passage number, however, is inconsistent and further experiments are needed. Ongoing work is aimed at transdifferentiating these cells into Schwann cells for transplantation into a peripheral nerve injury model in horses.
Apocalyptic Violence: The Seduction of Terrorist Subcultures

This article critically examines the concept of apocalyptic violence. Drawing on a wide range of methods, the study examines the social histories of some 40 neo-Nazi males. The network of knowledge that gives meaning to terrorist subcultures is examined in two case studies, showing a great diversity in the human conditions that adapt people to the subcultural products that makes terrorism possible. Yet the outcome is the same: terrorists use their products to reach for the same star that has attracted American terrorists since Jesse James and John Wilkes Booth—celebrity.
Using the School Environment to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Eating

Abstract Background. The role of the community environment in shaping dietary and physical activity behaviors has received increasing attention in recent years. Al though schools are a key part of the community envi ronment, interventions that promote physical activity and healthy eating among students through changes in the school environment have received relatively lit tle attention. Method. After reviewing the role of environmental factors in shaping health behavior, this paper de scribes the various aspects of the school environment that influence physical activity and nutrition behav iors. Relevant research is described and new research directions are proposed for five key environmental in fluences: recess periods, intramural sports and physi cal activity programs, physical activity facilities, foods and beverages available at school outside of the school meals program, and psychosocial support for physical activity and healthy eating. Results. Recess, intramural programs, and access to school physical activity facilities outside of school hours can provide opportunities for health-enhancing physical activity. States, school districts, and schools can establish strong policies and implement creative interventions to promote healthy eating through the foods and beverages offered at school. Schools can offer psychosocial support for physical activity and healthy eating through school policies, administrative commit ment, role modeling by school staff, and the use of cues and incentives. Conclusions. Enough is known from theory, practice, and research to suggest that school-based environmen tal strategies to promote physical activity and healthy eating among young people merit implementation and ongoing refinement.
Reduced levels of mRNA for myofibrillar proteins in skeletal muscle from septic rats.

Abstract The influence of sepsis on transcription of myofibrillar proteins in skeletal muscle was studied in rats. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP); control rats were sham-operated. Sixteen hours later, muscle levels of mRNA for myofibrillar proteins were determined by using cDNA probes specific for transcripts for α actin and myosin heavy chain. Sepsis resulted in a 2–6 fold decrease in α actin mRNA levels and an even more pronounced reduction in myosin heavy chain mRNA levels. Results suggest that sepsis-induced reduction of muscle protein synthesis is at least partly regulated at the transcriptional level.
Genetic modification of an echinocandin B-producing strain of Aspergillus nidulans to produce mutants blocked in sterigmatocystin biosynthesis.

The production of echinocandin B (ECB), a lipopolypeptide used for chemical manufacture of the anti-Candida agent CilofunginTM, was accomplished by fermentation using a strain ofAspergillus nidulans. In addition to ECB, this fermentation also produces a significant amount of sterigmatocystin (ST), a potent carcinogen structurally related to the aflatoxins. Mutants blocked in the ST biosynthetic pathway were created by genetic modification of the polyploid production strain C747. The following steps were involved: (i) reduction of the genotype to haploid by treatment with the spindle fiber poison methyl 1-(butylcarbamoyl)-2-benzimidazole carbamate (MBC), using colony morphology, conidia size, and the ability to obtain 5-fluoro-orotic acid (5-FOA)-resistant mutants as criteria for ploidy; (ii) mutagenesis of a haploid isolate using UV irradiation; and (iii) screening of mutants for inability to produce ST by thin layer chromatography. Six mutants blocked in ST production were isolated. All six remained capable of producing ECB equivalent in quantity to the haploid strain C747-GR14. One of the mutants was shown to be the result of a chromosomal translocation.
Catecholaminergic CATH.a cells express predominantly δ-opioid receptors

CATH.a cells are a catecholaminergic cell line of neuronal origin. The opioid receptor complement expressed by CATH.a cells was defined pharmacologically and by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CATH.a cells were found to express mRNA encoding all three of the major subtypes of opioid receptors. The relative abundance of CATH.a cell opioid receptor transcripts was delta > kappa> mu. Pharmacological and functional data were in agreement with the results of RT-PCR inasmuch as delta-opioid receptor was identified as the most abundant opioid receptor subtype expressed by CATH.a cells. In addition, at least one of the opioid signalling pathways, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity, was found to be operant in this cell line. CATH.a cells should be of general utility for the study of opioid receptor signalling mechanisms in the context of catecholaminergic neurons.
Computer Aided Synthesis of Piecewise Rational Motions for Spherical 2R and 3R Robot Arms

This paper deals with the problem of synthesizing piecewise rational spherical motions of an object that satisfies the kinematic constraints imposed by a spherical robot arm with revolute joints. The paper brings together the kinematics of spherical robot arms and the recently developed freeform rational motions to study the problem of synthesizing constrained rational motions for Cartesian motion planning. Using quaternion kinematics of spherical arms, it is shown that the problem of synthesizing the Cartesian rational motion of a 2R arm can be reduced to that of circular interpolation in two separate planes. Furthermore, the problem of synthesizing the Cartesian rational motion of a spherical 3R arm can be reduced to that of constrained spline interpolation in two separate planes. Due to the limitation of circular interpolation, for spherical 2R robot arm, only C1 continuous rational motions are generated. In this case, for applications that require C2 continuous motions, the paper presents a method for generating a C2 continuous joint motion that approximates a given C1 rational motion of the end-effector. For spherical 3R arm, C2 continuous rational motions are generated exactly.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Studies on the mechanism of hypothalamic control of thyrotropin secretion: effect of thyroxine injection into the hypothalamus or the pituitary on thyroid hormone release.

In an attempt to ascertain whether or not thyroxine can change hypothalamic as well as pituitary activity in regulating thyrotropin secretion, microinjections of thyroxine were made directly into a localized area of the hypothalamus or into the anterior pituitary. Determination of thyroid secretion was utilized in evaluating possible changes in thyrotropin secretion. Inhibition of thyrotropin secretion was produced by injection of thyroxine into either the “thyrotropin area” of the hypothalamus or into the anterior pituitary. Injection into the subarachnoid space or into other areas of the hypothalamus was ithout effect. Hypothalamic injections had a latent period of six to nine hours before thyrotropin secretion was inhibited, whereas the inhibition was immediate after pituitary injections. The duration of inhibition was approximately 20 hours in either location. It is suggested that two separate mechanisms might control thyrotropin secretion, a slower one acting through the central nervous system and a ...
Optimal wiresizing under the distributed Elmore delay model

We study the optimal wiresizing problem under the distributed Elmore delay model. We show that the optimal wiresizing solutions satisfy a number of interesting properties, including the separability, the monotone property, and the dominance property. Based on these properties, we develop a polynomial-time optimal wiresizing algorithm for arbitrary interconnect structures under the distributed Elmore delay model. Extensive experimental results show that our wiresizing solution reduces interconnection delay by up to 51% when compared to the uniform-width solution of the same routing topology. Furthermore, compared to the wiresizing solution based on a simpler RC delay model in our wiresizing solution reduces the total wiring area by up to 28% while further reducing the interconnection delays to the timing-critical sinks by up to 12%.
Clinical Recommendations for Avoiding and Managing Surgical Complications Associated With Implant Dentistry: A Review

Proposing to place endosseous implants is an integral facet of dental treatment plans. Their insertion is usually associated with a low incidence of untoward events. However, despite careful planning, surgical complications can arise: infection, intraoral hemorrhage, wound dehiscence, postoperative pain, lack of primary implant stability, inadvertent penetration into the maxillary sinus or nasal fossa, sinus lift sequelae, neurosensory disturbances, injuries to adjacent teeth, tissue emphysema, and aspiration, or ingestion of surgical instruments. This article addresses some surgical complications associated with dental implant placement and discusses how to avoid and manage them when they occur.
Rapid and sensitive detection by PCR of mpcI gene in the rhizosphere

A simple and sensitive detection system, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a soil microcosm, was developed to detect a bacterial catabolic gene in the rhizosphere. The inoculated population of Alcaligenes eutrophus JMP134, a phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid utilizer, was readily detected by this technique, which permitted taking of samples from specific locations of root (including rhizosphere) and soil. The number of JMP134 viable cells (102–103 cells), typically picked up by the nitrocellulose filter strip method, yielded sufficient amount of the target DNA to be detected by PCR. Primers encoding metapyrocatechase I (MPC I; catechol 2,3-dioxygenase) enabled the discrimination of at least five viable cells of JMP134 among the indigenous microorganisms inhabiting bush bean roots. This simplified PCR detection procedure facilitated monitoring of the specific degradative gene in the rhizosphere in only 5 h.
Uranyl nitrate complex extraction into TBP/dodecane organic solutions: a molecular dynamics study

Liquid–liquid extraction of uranyl is studied by conducting atomistic molecular dynamics simulation using quantum chemistry calibrated force fields via restrained electrostatic potential fitting of atomic forces. The simulations depict the migration of uranyl nitrate complexes from the aqueous–organic interface into the tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP)/dodecane organic phase, in the form of UO2(NO3)2·H2O·2TBP and UO2(NO3)2·3TBP. The migration process is characterized by the gradual breaking of all the hydrogen bonds between the complex and the water molecules at the interface. Moreover, our simulation results suggest that the experimentally observed complex UO2(NO3)2·2TBP is formed after the migration of the aforementioned complexes into the organic phase by means of a reorganization of the nitrate binding mode from mono to bidentate which removes the excess oxygen atoms bound to uranyl.
Integrated recombinant protein expression and purification platform based on Ralstonia eutropha.

Protein purification of recombinant proteins constitutes a significant cost of biomanufacturing and various efforts have been directed at developing more efficient purification methods. We describe a protein purification scheme wherein Ralstonia eutropha is used to produce its own “affinity matrix,” thereby eliminating the need for external chromatographic purification steps. This approach is based on the specific interaction of phasin proteins with granules of the intracellular polymer polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). By creating in-frame fusions of phasins and green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a model protein, we demonstrated that GFP can be efficiently sequestered to the surface of PHB granules. In a second step, we generated a phasin-intein-GFP fusion, wherein the self-cleaving intein can be activated by the addition of thiols. This construct allowed for the controlled binding and release of essentially pure GFP in a single separation step. Finally, pure, active β-galactosidase was obtained in a single step using the above described method.
Anandamide amidase inhibition enhances anandamide-stimulated nitric oxide release in invertebrate neural tissues.

Anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid signaling molecule, in a concentration dependent manner, initiates the release of nitric oxide (NO) from leech and mussel ganglia. SR 141716A, a cannabinoid antagonist, blocks the anandamide stimulated release of NO from these tissues. Methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate (MAFP), a specific anandamide amidase inhibitor, when administered to either ganglia with anandamide (10−6 M) did not increase the peak level of NO release but did significantly extend NO release from 12 to 18 min (P<0.05). Lower levels of anandamide (10−8 and 10−7 M) do not stimulate the release of significant amounts of NO from these tissues. However, in the presence of MAFP (2.5 nM), the lower anandamide concentrations were able to release significant peak amounts of NO. In mussel neural tissues, the peak NO release increased from 2.2±1.3 nM to 8.6±2.1 nM. Taken together, the results indirectly demonstrate the presence of anandamide amidase in these tissues, suggesting that the enzyme may serve as an endogenous regulator of anandamide action.
The expanding role of university patenting in the life sciences: assessing the importance of experience and connectivity

Abstract We extend debates about the sources of university capabilities at research commercialization. Drawing upon quantitative data for a panel of 89 research-intensive US universities and interview data from two academic licensing offices, we model the relationship between technology transfer experience, embeddedness in biotechnology industry networks, basic science quality and capacity, and citation impact measures of university life science patents. Technology licensing officers draw upon the expertise of corporate partners to evaluate the potential impact of invention disclosures. The information gleaned through network ties to industry enables well-connected institutions to develop higher impact patent portfolios. Reaping the benefits of such connections, however, requires experience in balancing academic and corporate priorities to avoid the danger of ‘capture’ by industrial interests as overly tight connections limit patent impact. This pattern of diminishing returns to connectivity is robust across multiple citation measures of patent quality.
Institutionalizing Peer-Mediated Instruction and Interventions in Schools Beyond "Train and Hope"

The researchers featured in this special issue of Remedial and Special Education describe how they have worked toward the development, implementation, and institutionalization of peer-mediated instruction and interventions (PMII) that teachers find practical and useful for their heterogenous learners. In this article, the concept of institutionalization is examined as it relates to paradigms, systems change, and individual change. Guidelines for knowing when to institutionalize are provided, and generalization techniques familiar to special educators are linked specifically to institutionalization of PMII. Barriers and promoters of sustained PMII in schools are identified, with implications for how stakeholders need to continue to push forward on barriers and celebrate successes.
Mechanical Ventilation and Pharmacologic Strategies for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute or adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) contributes to mortality and morbidity in the intensive care environment. Appropriate application of microprocessor-controlled mechanical ventilatory support, pathophysiology of the disease, and new pharmacologic modalities are currently being investigated. Mechanical ventilation is usually begun when respiratory failure is caused by alveolar hypoventilation or hypoxia. Primary choices for this therapy are control-mode ventilation, assist-control ventilation, pressure-control ventilation, intermittent mandatory ventilation, and synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation with the addition of positive end-expiratory pressure. Patients who deteriorate despite these interventions may require alternative modes of ventilation. Pharmacologic agents in ARDS is important due to the multifactorial pathophysiologic and pharmacodynamic processes that are part of the disease. Clinical studies will continue to determine advantageous agents. Unfortunately, no convincing data exist that any pharmacologic or nonpharmacologic strategy is superior for the support of these patients or results in a better outcome than others.
Comparison of the effects of 3,5,3′-triiodothyroacetic acid and triiodothyronine on bone resorption in cultured fetal rat long bones and neonatal mouse calvariae

Thyroid hormones can stimulate bone resorption both directly and indirectly by increasing endogenous prostaglandin (PG) synthesis. Because 3,5,3'-triiodothyroacetic acid (Triac, Tiratricol) can bind to nuclear thyroid hormone receptors with high affinity, we compared the effects of Triac and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) on bone resorption. 45Ca release was measured at 2, 5, and 8 days from 19-day-old-fetal rat long bones in the presence or absence of calcitonin, indomethacin, aphidicolin (APC), cortisol, or interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). Both Triac and T3 stimulated 45Ca release in a dose-dependent manner. The maximal treated/control ratio (T/C) for Triac (10(-7) M) was 1.6 +/- 0.1 at 2 days and 2.5 +/- 0.1 at 5 days and, for T3 (10(-7) M), 1.5 +/- 0.1 at 2 days and 2.6 +/- 0.1 at 5 days. These responses were smaller and slower than that to PTH. Significant stimulation of resorption was observed at 10(-8), 10(-9), and 10(-10) M for Triac but only at 10(-8) and 10(-9) M for T3. Indomethacin (10(-6) M) and IL-1ra (1 microgram/ml) did not decrease the effects of Triac or T3. In contrast, calcitonin (10(-9) M), APC (30 microM), and cortisol could all block the response to these hormones. These results indicated that the resorptive responses were not mediated by endogenous PG or IL-1 but were osteoclast mediated and dependent on DNA synthesis, suggesting that these hormones acted by stimulating replication of osteoclast precursors or other supporting cells. Thyroid hormones were less effective in 7-day-old neonatal mouse calvariae.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Symbolic bounded conformance checking of model programs

Model programs are high-level behavioral specifications typically representing Abstract State Machines or ASMs. Conformance checking of model programs is the problem of deciding if the set of traces allowed by one model program forms a subset of the set of traces allowed by another model program. This is a foundational problem in the context of model-based testing, where one model program corresponds to an implementation and the other one to its specification. Here model programs are described using the ASM language AsmL. We assume a background ${\mathcal{T}}$ containing linear arithmetic, sets, and tuples. We introduce the Bounded Conformance Checking problem or BCC as a special case of the conformance checking problem when the length of traces is bounded and provide a mapping of BCC to a theorem proving problem in ${\mathcal{T}}$. BCC is shown to be highly undecidable in the general case but decidable for a class of model programs that are common in practice.
Evaluation of Single and Combination Therapies with Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Emtricitabine In Vitro and in a Robust Mouse Model Supporting High Levels of Hepatitis B Virus Replication

Next-generation therapies for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection will involve combinations of established and/or experimental drugs. The current study investigated the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and/or emtricitabine [(-)-FTC] alone and in combination therapy for HBV infection utilizing the HepAD38 system (human hepatoblastoma cells transfected with HBV). Cellular pharmacology studies demonstrated increased levels of (-)-FTC triphosphate with coincubation of increasing concentrations of TDF, while (-)-FTC had no effect on intracellular tenofovir (TFV) diphosphate levels. Quantification of extracellular HBV by real-time PCR from hepatocytes demonstrated the anti-HBV activity with TDF, (-)-FTC, and their combination. Combination of (-)-FTC with TDF or TFV (ratio, 1:1) had a weighted average combination index of 0.7 for both combination sets, indicating synergistic antiviral effects. No cytotoxic effects were observed with any regimens. Using an in vivo murine model which develops robust HBV viremia in nude mice subcutaneously injected with HepAD38 cells, TDF (33 to 300 mg/kg of body weight/day) suppressed virus replication for up to 10 days posttreatment. At 300 mg/kg/day, (-)-FTC strongly suppressed virus titers to up to 14 days posttreatment. Combination therapy (33 mg/kg/day each drug) sustained suppression of virus titer/ml serum (<1 log(10) unit from pretreatment levels) at 14 days posttreatment, while single-drug treatments yielded virus titers 1.5 to 2 log units above the initial virus titers. There was no difference in mean alanine aminotransferase values or mean wet tumor weights for any of the groups, suggesting a lack of drug toxicity. TDF-(-)-FTC combination therapy provides more effective HBV suppression than therapy with each drug alone.
A robust meshing and calibration approach for sensorless freehand 3D ultrasound

The elevational distance between two ultrasound images can be obtained from the correlation between the two images, leading to sensorless freehand 3D ultrasound systems. Most of these systems rely on the correlation between patches of fully developed speckles (FDS). Previous work 1 has compared different FDS detectors and concluded that the elevational distance measurement limited to the FDS patches obtained by low order moment test yields significantly more accurate results than other FDS detectors. However, small coherent and FDS regions are spread throughout a typical ultrasound image of real tissue. This makes it extremely unlikely to find a regularly shaped (conventionally a rectangle) FDS patch, making it infeasible to estimate elevational distance accurately. 1 In this work, first we propose a simple and fast algorithm which is capable of detecting arbitrarily irregular FDS regions in an ultrasound image. In vitro experiments on beef liver, beef steak and chicken breast indicates that the proposed algorithm generates remarkably more FDS patches than the current methods. Preliminary results show that the FDS patches obtained by this algorithm generate more accurate elevational distance measurement. Second, we propose a new calibration scheme to generate decorrelation curves. At a particular location in the image, conventional methods acquire one decorrelation curve. We create multiple curves, as a function of particular statistical properties of the patch. The results reveal a theoretically expected relation between the decorrelation curve and the statistical properties of the patch. As a result of this calibration based on the patch statistical properties, improvement in the out of plane motion estimation is expected.
Topographical changes induced by high dose carbon-bombardment of graphite

Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite has been implanted at room temperature with 165 keV C+-ions at doses from 6 × 1017 to 3 × 1019 ions/m2. Implantation-induced topographical changes of differing size scales were studied by optical, scanning electron, scanning tunneling, and atomic force microscopies. Defects with atomic resolution are seen for the lower dose implants. The formation of a vacancy line is revealed for the first time. At the higher doses a dendrite-like system of deep surface cracks is observed. This cracking develops as a result of the large basal plane contraction produced by irradiation which generates high shearing stresses between the implanted, damaged surface layer and the underlying material. Two independent systems of ridges have been characterized. One appears to follow a crystallographic direction while the other appears as a dense, intricate, generally curvilinear network with short ramifications. Additional experiments in which both the ion energy and dose rate have been varied indicate that ridge evolution progresses with increased energy and fluence, but is independent of dose rate. It is suggested that the ridge networks may form as a result of C transport by diffusion from the heavily damaged near-surface region or of a tectonic-plate-like motion or both. The geometric features of the ridge networks are related to the subsurface radiation damage as well.
Model-driven energy-aware rate adaptation

Rate adaptation in WiFi networks has received significant attention recently. However, most existing work focuses on selecting the rate to maximize throughput. How to select a data rate to minimize energy consumption is an important yet under-explored topic. This problem is becoming increasingly important with the rapidly increasing popularity of MIMO deployment, because MIMO offers diverse rate choices (e.g., the number of antennas, the number of streams, modulation, and FEC coding) and selecting the appropriate rate has significant impact on power consumption. In this paper, we first use extensive measurement to develop a simple yet accurate energy model for 802.11n wireless cards. Then we use the models to drive the design of energy-aware rate adaptation scheme. A major benefit of a model-based rate adaptation is that applying a model allows us to eliminate frequent probes in many existing rate adaptation schemes so that it can quickly converges to the appropriate data rate. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach using trace-driven simulation and real implementation in a wireless testbed.
High-performance and energy-efficient heterogeneous subword parallel instructions

High instruction throughput and energy efficiency are becoming increasingly important design requirements for embedded and mobile computing systems. The paper presents the quantized color pack extension (QCPX) ISA to improve execution performance of multimedia processing applications on programmable superscalar processors while reducing the energy consumption for these applications. QCPX exploits parallelism within the color space representation (YCbCr - luminance-chrominance) in addition to generic subword parallelism exploited by existing multimedia instruction set extensions (e.g., MMX, SSE, MDMX). We evaluate the performance (execution time in cycles) and energy consumption using QCPX on a media benchmark suite that includes vector median filter, scalar median filter, edge detection, and vector quantization. Our experimental results indicate that a 32-bit QCPX version achieves speedups ranging from 205% to 562% compared with that of a 32-bit baseline RISC version and 90% to 100% over the 32-bit MDMX-like version on identically configured, dynamically scheduled ILP superscalar processors. In addition, the QCPX version reduces the energy consumption from 69% to 83% over the baseline version and 47% to 50% over the MDMX-like version due to the significant reduction of executed instructions and cache accesses.
Trading away damage: Quantifying environmental leakage through consumption-based, life-cycle analysis

This research quantifies the extent to which the US has shifted the environmental impact associated with the goods it consumes to other countries through trade. To achieve this, we use a life-cycle, consumption-based approach to measure the environmental impacts embodied in US trade activities for global warming potential (GWP), energy, toxics, and the criteria air pollutants. We use these values to determine the amount of environmental impact “leaked” from current, production-based approaches to analyzing national environmental trends for the years 1998–2004. We find that in 2004, with reasonable assumptions about the environmental intensity of imports and exports, this leakage exceeds 10% for all studied impacts, exceeds 20% for GWP, energy, and most criteria air pollutants, and exceeds 80% for lead emissions and toxics. By including the environmental impacts embodied in trade activities into national environmental accounts, we provide consumption-based, US per capita, environmental impacts, which we use to evaluate the relationship between income and environmental impact. We find evidence for rising per capita environmental impacts over time in the US, contra the Environmental Kuznets Curve. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for international environmental policy of increasing embodied emissions in trade.
Cost-Effectiveness of Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer and Age Effect in Older Women

Abstract Background Previous economic evaluations compared specific chemotherapy agents using input parameters from clinical trials and resource utilization costs. Cost-effectiveness of treatment groups (drug classes) using community-level effectiveness and cost data, however, has not been assessed for elderly patients with breast cancer. Objective To assess the cost-effectiveness of chemotherapy regimens by age and disease stage under "real-world" conditions for patients with breast cancer. Methods The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare data were used to identify patients with breast cancer with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I/II/IIIa, hormone receptor–negative (estrogen receptor–negative and progesterone receptor–negative) patients from 1992 to 2009. Patients were categorized into three adjuvant treatment groups: 1) no chemotherapy, 2) anthracycline, and 3) non–anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Median life-years and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were measured using Kaplan-Meier analysis and were evaluated against average total health care costs (2013 US dollars). Results A total of 4575 patients (propensity score–matched) were included for the primary analysis. The anthracycline group experienced 12.05 QALYs and mean total health care costs of $119,055, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $7,688 per QALY gained as compared with the no chemotherapy group (QALYs 7.81; average health care cost $86,383). The non–anthracycline-based group was dominated by the anthracycline group with lower QALYs (9.56) and higher health care costs ($122,791). Base-case results were found to be consistent with the best-case and worst-case scenarios for utility assignments. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios varied by age group (range $3,790–$90,405 per QALY gained). Conclusions Anthracycline-based chemotherapy was found cost-effective for elderly patients with early stage (stage I, II, IIIa) breast cancer considering the US threshold of $100,000 per QALY. Further research may be needed to characterize differential effects across age groups.
Information Noise and Credit Risk: Evidence from Corporate Bankruptcy

Theory predicts that information noise induces interactions between the degree of noise and default/bankruptcy determinants (Duffie and Lando [2001, Econometrica 69, 633–664]). Using well-known bankruptcy hazard models and over two million firm-months of data during 1979-2012, we demonstrate the existence of the noise-induced interactions. We also find strong evidence consistent with the important implications of the interactions on causality inference and prediction of credit risk. Empirically, covariates have complicated, non-monotonic causal effects on credit risk, and higher degree of noise markedly reduces predictability of hazard models. Additionally, incorporating the interactions within hazard specifications significantly improves in-sample model fit and out-of-sample forecasting accuracy. The improvements in empirical performance are persistent over time, robust to empirical choices, and more substantial when information quality is poor.
Developmental changes in continuity and stability of breathing in the fetal lamb

Developmental changes in the continuity and stability of fetal breathing patterns were studied in 27 fetal lambs with chronically implanted electromyographic electrodes in the diaphragm throughout the third trimester (102-140 days). The results showed that there was a progressive decrease in the incidence of fetal breathing movements throughout the third trimester (P less than 0.001). This reduction in incidence of fetal breathing movements was due, in part, to a 20% decrease in the total number of breathing bursts at approximately 125 days (P = 0.05). The breathing patterns in both immature (less than 120 days) and mature fetal lambs were fragmented by a large number of pauses (interburst interval 6-10 s) and apneas (interburst interval greater than 10 s). Increase in gestational age was associated with a decrease in the number of pauses and apneas but longer apnea durations. The breathing pattern in fetuses less than 120 days old was more continuous than that in those greater than 120 days old, as demonstrated by significantly longer epoch durations (P = 0.013). There was no significant change in the continuity of the breathing pattern after 120 days. However, there was a significant increase in the stability of the instantaneous breathing rates throughout the third trimester. This was indicated by a significant increase in the percent of breathing bursts that occurred in stable clusters (P = 0.046), the number of bursts per cluster (P = 0.013), and cluster duration (P = 0.018). Thus an increase in stability appears to be the major developmental change in breathing control in late gestation.
Effect of chromium picolinate on growth and serum and carcass traits of growing-finishing pigs

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate chromium picolinate (CrPic) in growing-finishing pigs. Treatments were replicated four times within each experiment with three pigs per replicate in Exp. 1 and four pigs per replicate in Exp. 2 and 3. Average initial weights were 37.8, 30.5, and 22.4 kg in Exp. 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In Exp. 1, the basal corn-soybean meal diet (B, 120% NRC Lys) was supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 100, or 200 ppb of Cr from CrPic. Daily gain was increased (Cr cubic, P < .02) and serum cholesterol decreased (Cr cubic, P < .08) by addition of CrPic. In Exp. 2, the basal diet was supplemented with 0, 100, 200, 400, or 800 ppb of Cr from CrPic. Daily gain and ADFI were decreased (Cr linear, P < .05) by CrPic. Serum cholesterol also was decreased (Cr quadratic, P < .05) by CrPic. Longissimus muscle area (LMA) and percentage of muscling (MUS) were increased (Cr quadratic, P < .01) and 10th rib fat (TRF) was decreased (Cr quadratic, P < .01) by CrPic. In Exp. 3, pigs were allotted to the following treatments: 1) B, 2) B + 1,467 ppb of picolinate (Pic), 3) B + 200 ppb of Cr from CrCl3.6H2O, 4) B + 1,467 ppb of Pic + 200 ppb of Cr from CrCl3.6H2O, 5) B + 100 ppb of Cr from CrPic, or 6) B + 200 ppb of Cr from CrPic. Longissimus muscle area and MUS were increased (P < .01) and TRF decreased (P < .01) in pigs fed CrPic but not in pigs fed CrCl3.6H2O and(or) Pic.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Evaluation of Homogeneous Electrocatalysts by Cyclic Voltammetry

The pursuit of solar fuels has motivated extensive research on molecular electrocatalysts capable of evolving hydrogen from protic solutions, reducing CO2, and oxidizing water. Determining accurate figures of merit for these catalysts requires the careful and appropriate application of electroanalytical techniques. This Viewpoint first briefly presents the fundamentals of cyclic voltammetry and highlights practical experimental considerations before focusing on the application of cyclic voltammetry for the characterization of electrocatalysts. Key metrics for comparing catalysts, including the overpotential (η), potential for catalysis (Ecat), observed rate constant (kobs), and potential-dependent turnover frequency, are discussed. The cyclic voltammetric responses for a general electrocatalytic one-electron reduction of a substrate are presented along with methods to extract figures of merit from these data. The extension of this analysis to more complex electrocatalytic schemes, such as those responsibl...
Wandering Subspaces and Reduced Order Models for Flow Control

We develop a family of reduced-order models for the modeling and control of a flow system operating under varying fluid and actuation parameters. The parametric subspaces of the reduced-order models are formed by considering the angle between the reduced-order subspaces that span the velocity fields. This grouping is combined with a discrete switching law to form a switched dynamical system composed of a set of reduced-order models. This methodology is applied to the modeling of a lid-driven cavity under varying translation velocities and phase differentials between the upper and lower walls. It is shown that the subspace angle metric successfully partitions the parametric space and provides insight on the dominant parameters that characterize the flow fields. An open-loop simulation of the resulting switched dynamical system demonstrates its ability to capture the evolution of the flow and input parameters as it occurs in the full-order model.
Scottish Missionaries and the Governance of the New Hebrides

Perhaps in no part of the world have missionaries been more heav ily involved in matters of civil governance than in the South Pacific. Particularly enterprising in this respect were the seven Scotsmen whose efforts to convert the inhabitants of certain islands in that group known as the New Hebrides were supported by the Scottish Presbyte rian churches during the period from 1852 to 1933. They influenced significandy the evolution and operation of both the indigenous polit ical system and the regime that Europeans instituted there. Seeking to promote the welfare of the islanders as well as to further their own interests, they developed relationships with Melanesian chiefs and with British officials that were multi-faceted and that ranged from collabo ration to confrontation. They played a role in the process of govern ment that often enabled them to secure the results they sought, but sometimes they were frustrated and occasionally they suffered from the risks entailed in performing functions that were not of a religious nature.
Science Saturdays: A Simple Science Outreach Model to Achieve Broad Impact

The National Science Foundation (NSF) evaluates grant applications based on two criteria: intellectual merit and broader impact. The broader impact criterion (BIC), or the science outreach criterion, is intended to connect science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) research to the general public, and has grown in its relevance for successful grants. A method to increase the competitiveness of a grant application and, in turn, the quality of science outreach programs is to suggest successful science outreach models for connecting scientists to the public. Science Saturdays is a fun science lecture series for the general public that is a simple, scalable, and transferable model. Its main mission is to introduce participants to excellent communicators of science and to shatter stereotypes about those who do science. It aims to inspire and motivate children as they traverse the STEM pipeline by emphasizing that science is fun. This paper discusses the elements needed to create this outreach program and the lessons learned from its development.
Comparison of the β-lactamases ofBacteroides species

β-Lactam antibiotic susceptibility and the presence of β-lactamase were examined in clinical strains ofBacteroides species. All strains produced a noninducible, cell-associated cephalosporinase. Based on isoelectric focusing, molecular weight determinations, substrate profiles, and inhibition studies, it was concluded that allBacteroides strains examined produced a very similar, if not identical, β-lactamase in terms of these enzymatic and physical characteristics.
Lessons From Texas: Widespread Consequences of Assaults on Abortion Access.

The recently published analysis by Gerdts et al. on the impact of abortion restrictions in Texas adds to the body of evidence showing that these laws—enacted under the pretense of protecting women’s health—actually threaten women’s health and well-being.1 This study uses various measures of accessibility, availability and affordability to assess how Texas House Bill 2 (HB2), a multifaceted law passed in 2013, has complicated women’s ability to obtain an abortion. Along with other restrictions, HB2 implemented two types of targeted regulation of abortion providers (TRAP) policies. Specifically, the law requires physicians to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. It also mandates that facilities where either surgical or medication abortions are performed be the functional equivalent of ambulatory surgical centers, which provide significantly more complicated procedures often involving higher levels of sedation than used for abortion. The US Supreme Court is now considering the constitutionality of the measure; a decision is expected this June. As Gerdts et al. found, such policy changes have a very real impact. The clinic closures forced by HB2 created considerable burdens for many Texas women seeking abortion services. Women whose nearest abortion provider had closed were more likely to have traveled at least 50 miles, paid more than $100 and experienced various forms of hardship in obtaining an abortion compared with women whose nearest provider remained open. Notably, women wanting but unable to reach an abortion provider could not be interviewed, leaving their experiences largely untold.
Everett Kinsey Lecture. Keratocyte apoptosis in refractive surgery.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the relevance of keratocyte programmed cell death (apoptosis) in response to epithelial injury to corneal wound healing following refractive surgery and the pathogenesis of corneal diseases such as keratoconus. Methods The TUNEL assay (to detect DNA fragmentation in situ) DNA laddering assay, and transmission electron microscopy have been used to detect apoptosis in human and animal corneas and cultured corneal cells. Molecular and cell biologic techniques have been used to study the cytokine-receptor systems that are involved in modulating apoptosis in the cornea. Results Keratocyte apoptosis, mediated through the release of cytokines such as soluble Fas ligand and interleukin-1 from the injured epithelium, occurs following refractive surgical procedures like photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Keratocytes that die in the anterior stroma following PRK or along the lamellar cut following LASIK are replenished in 2 to 4 days by proliferation and migration. The replenishing cells are activated myofibroblastic keratocytes that produce collagen, hyaluronic acid, growth factors modulating epithelial healing, and other components of the wound healing response. Keratocyte apoptosis can be inhibited by transepithelial PRK (probably by photodisruption of the apoptotic cytokines in the epithelium) or pharmacologic agents. Conclusions Keratocyte apoptosis may be an initiator of the wound healing response in the cornea. Control of this response has the potential to regulate wound healing in the cornea in response to PRK or LASIK. Recent evidence suggests that keratocyte apoptosis mediated by chronic epithelial injury could have a role in the pathogenesis of keratoconus.
Einleitung: Kommunikative Vernetzungen junger russischer Migranten

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit kommunikativen Vernetzungsprozessen im Spannungsfeld digitaler Medienaneignung und Migrationsgemeinschaften. Ziel ist es, in einer qualitativen empirischen Analyse die per Aneignung digitaler Medien artikulierten sozialen und kommunikativen Vernetzungsprozesse junger russischer Diasporaangehoriger in Deutschland aufzuzeigen. Es werden unterschiedliche Medienaneignungsmuster herausgearbeitet, die in einer engen Verknupfung zur Identitatsartikulation von Migranten dieser Altersgruppe stehen.