cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intellectual Capital and Firm Performance of U.S. Multinational Firms: A Study of the Resource-Based and Stakeholder Views

The resource-based view of the firm maintains that firms achieve a sustainable comparative advantage and earn superior profits by owning or controlling tangible as well as intangible strategic assets. The stakeholder view recommends that a better measure of financial performance than accounting profit is the total wealth created or net value added. Accordingly, this study examines the relationship between a return on total assets based on net value added and the specific intangible asset of intellectual capital to test the resource view of the firm. The results using a sample of U.S. multinational firms are statistically significant in support of both the resource-based and stakeholder views.
Stabilization of s -wave superconductivity through arsenic p -orbital hybridization in electron-doped BaFe 2 As 2

Using random-phase approximation spin-fluctuation theory, we study the influence of the hybridization between iron $d$ orbitals and pnictide $p$ orbitals on the superconducting pairing state in iron-based superconductors. The calculations are performed for a 16-orbital Hubbard-Hund tight-binding model of ${\mathrm{BaFe}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ that includes the As-$p$ orbital degrees of freedom in addition to the Fe-$d$ orbitals and compared to calculations for a 10-orbital Fe-$d$ only model. In both models we find a leading ${s}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ pairing state and a subleading ${d}_{{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}}$-wave state in the parent compound. Upon doping, we find that the ${s}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ state remains the leading state in the 16-orbital model up to a doping level of 0.475 electrons per unit cell, at which the hole Fermi-surface pockets at the zone center start to disappear. This is in contrast to the 10-orbital model, where the $d$-wave state becomes the leading state at a doping of less than 0.2 electrons. This improved stability of ${s}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ pairing is found to arise from a decrease of ${d}_{xy}$ orbital weight on the electron pockets due to hybridization with the As-$p$ orbitals and the resulting reduction of near $(\ensuremath{\pi},\ensuremath{\pi})$ spin-fluctuation scattering which favors the competing $d$-wave state. These results show that the orbital dependent hybridization of Fermi-surface Bloch states with the usually neglected $p$-orbital states is an important ingredient in an improved itinerant pairing theory.
Association Between Utilization of Chiropractic Services for Treatment of Low Back Pain and Risk of Adverse Drug Events

Abstract Objectives Mortality rates due to adverse drug events (ADEs) are escalating in the United States. Analgesics are among the drug classes most often associated with occurrence of an ADE. Utilization of nonpharmacologic chiropractic services for treatment of low back pain could lead to reduced risk of an ADE. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the association between utilization of chiropractic services and likelihood of an ADE. Methods We employed a retrospective cohort design to analyze health insurance claims data from the state of New Hampshire. After inversely weighting each participant by their propensity to be in their cohort, we employed logistic regression to compare recipients of chiropractic services to nonrecipients with regard to likelihood of occurrence of an ADE in an outpatient setting. Results The risk of an ADE was significantly lower among recipients of chiropractic services as compared with nonrecipients. The adjusted likelihood of an ADE occurring in an outpatient setting within 12 months was 51% lower among recipients of chiropractic services as compared to nonrecipients (OR 0.49; P = .0002). The reported ADEs were nonspecific with regard to drug category in the majority of incidents that occurred in both cohorts. Conclusions Among New Hampshire adults with office visits for low back pain, the adjusted likelihood of an ADE was significantly lower for recipients of chiropractic services as compared to nonrecipients. No causal relationship was established between utilization of chiropractic care and risk of an ADE. Future research should employ larger databases, rigorous methods to reduce risk of bias, and more sensitive means of identifying ADEs.
Experiences of a gender non-conforming lesbian in the "ladies' (rest)room".

Public restrooms in U.S. culture are highly gendered, politicized, problematic spaces. Gender non-conforming lesbians may feel especially at risk for various forms of harassment or policing by othe...
PLC based load shedding mechanism using battery SOC in micro grids

Renewable energy is clean, reliable and potentially very cheap once the technology improves. The renewable energy sources are not instantaneous as a result the storage plays an important role in renewable energy based microgrids. In addition to storage they are hybrid coupled with conventional sources such as the diesel generators to make them instantaneous supplier of power. The sizing of the microgrids will be based on the load profile obtained during the survey. If the load operation is not according to load profile, then it will affect the system operation and also the batteries. To avoid such mess, the PLC based load shedding mechanism is proposed which operates the load based on the battery SOC.
Gas Concentration Effects on Secondary Metabolite Production by Plant Cell Cultures

One aspect of secondary metabolite production that has been studied relatively infrequently is the effect of gaseous compounds on plant cell behavior. The most influential gases are believed to be oxygen, carbon dioxide and other volatile hormones such as ethylene and methyl jasmonate. Organic compounds of interest include the promising antimalarial artemisinin known as “qing hao su” in China where it has been a folk remedy for centuries) that is produced by Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood) and taxanes used for anticancer therapy that are produced by species of Taxus (yew). The suspension cultures of both species were grown under a variety of dissolved gas conditions in stoppered culture flasks and under conditions of continuous headspace flushing with known gas mixtures. An analysis is presented to show the culture conditions are such that equilibrium between the culture liquid and gas head-space is assured. The growth rate of the cells and their production rates of artemisinin and paclitaxel were determined. These and other parameters are correlated as functions of the gas concentrations. Interdependence of ethylene and methyl jasmonate is also explored with respect to regulation of secondary metabolite formation.
Data Collection for the Bonneville Power Administration Project on Wind Loading of Transmission Conductors

ABSTRACT The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) project, “Wind Effects on Conductors for Span Factors” was established to determine the relationship between actual and theoretical wind loads on overhead transmission conductors. This study aims to improve BPA transmission line design methods and criteria as they relate to wind conditions in the Pacific Northwest. For the past seven years, BPA has collected data from seven sites in the Pacific Northwest. Measurements of wind speeds and directions, ambient temperatures and barometric pressures, and conductor swing angles enable engineers to compare measured wind loads on conductors to theoretical values. Impact of such variables as height of conductor, span lengths and conductor diameter are also investigated. Three sites were instrumented with vertically arranged anemometers to measure wind speed as a function of height above ground. This paper covers site determination, instrumentation, data collection, and some site maintenance and operation challenges. The maintenance and manipulation of the very large data base that has been collected is discussed. As data analysis is not yet finished, final results are not included.
The Urinary System

The major by-products of cellular metabolism are heat, carbon dioxide, water, inorganic salts, and nitrogen compounds. In excess quantities, any of these byproducts are toxic, and unless they are excreted from the body, the cells would eventually be destroyed by their own metabolic processes. The skin (Chapter 5) plays a major role in excreting excess heat, and the respiratory system (Chapter 6) plays a major role in excreting carbon dioxide. Except in extremely hot environments, the skin and lungs combined do not excrete sufficient water or salts to balance the quantities produced by cellular metabolism. Moreover, neither system excretes nitrogen compounds such as urea in any quantity. The urinary system performs the complex task of maintaining the chemical balance in the body. Without a functioning urinary system, excess nitrogen compounds accumulate in the blood (uremia), the blood becomes acidic (acidosis), and excess water accumulates in the tissues (edema). Within a few days, the individual lapses into a coma, and death occurs within 2 weeks.
Lightweight Mitigation of Hardware Trojan Attacks in NoC-based Manycore Computing

Data-snooping is a serious security threat in NoC fabrics that can lead to theft of sensitive information from applications executing on manycore processors. Hardware Trojans (HTs) covertly embedded in NoC components can carry out such snooping attacks. In this paper, we first describe a low-overhead snooping invalidation module (SIM) to prevent malicious data replication by HTs in NoCs. We then devise a snooping detection module (THANOS) to also detect malicious applications that utilize such HTs. Experimental analysis shows that unlike state-of-the-art mechanisms, SIM and THANOS not only mitigate snooping attacks but also improve NoC performance by 48.4% in the presence of these attacks, with a minimal $\sim 2.15$% area and $\sim 5.5$% power overhead.
Interfacial and Nanoconfinement Effects Decrease the Excited-State Acidity of Polymer-Bound Photoacids

Summary Photo-initiated ion transport on the nanoscale is relevant to various fields including energy conversion, neuron triggering, and biomimetic processes. To study this phenomenon, we synthesized and evaluated photoacid-modified polymers, which generate hydrated protons in response to visible-light excitation. Pyrenol photoacid dye molecules were covalently bonded within conical nanopores that had been track etched in poly(ethylene terephthalate). The data suggest that ∼90% of the nanopore surfaces were modified with photoacids and that photoacids were, on average, bound through three sulfonamide groups. In comparison to photoacids dissolved in an aqueous solution, photoacids bound specifically to the nanoporous tip region were, on average, weaker acids in their ground and excited states, which we presume is due to differences in surface potential or solvation environment in the confined nanopores. These results suggest that ion transport initiated by nanoconfined photoacids will require careful molecular engineering to enable efficient light-to-ionic energy conversion.
Temperature effects on structure: Six-coordinate [Fe(TPP)(1-MeIm)(CO)]

We have examined the effects of changing the temperature on the structure of a six-coordinate (tetraphenylporphinato)iron(II) complex, [Fe(TPP)(1-MeIm)(CO)] C6H6. In particular, we examined whether...
Treatment outcomes of head and neck cancer patients 70 years and older receiving different chemo-radiation combinations

Abstract Background Concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) improves survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). Little is known about the outcomes of elderly patients (pts, ≥70 years old) in terms of treatment efficacy and side effects. This retrospective study compares acute toxicity, response to therapy, and overall survival between elderly pts receiving different CRT combinations. Methods Pts. without dementia, deficit on instrumental activities of daily living, Charlson comorbidity index Results 150 pts. (M/F: 111/39) with mean age 74.6 (range 70-88) were identified. 52 pts (34.7%) received adjuvant and 98 (65.3%) definitive CRT. Tumor site: oropharynx 74 (49.5%), oral cavity (17.5%), larynx 14%, others (19%). 60 pts (40%) were p-16 positive. 44 patients (29.5%) received CP, 43 (28.5%) CE 33 (22%) CB, and 30 (20%) CIS. 110 pts (73.5%) had a complete response (CR). 90 pts (60%) were admitted to the hospital during CRT, and pneumonia was the most common diagnosis (59 pts, 39.5%). 98 pts (65.5%) had percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG) due to G3 mucositis. Two patients (1.3%) experienced G5 cardiovascular toxicity. At 6 months, 38 (25.3%) still had PEG, and was associated with CRT regimen (p = 0.001): 6/44(14%) received CP, 22/43 (51%) CE, 4/33 (12%) CB, and 6/30 (20%) CIS. The overall survival at 3 yrs was 60% (95% confidence interval (CI), 52%-71%). The predictors for OS at 3 yrs were response to therapy (CR 78% (68%-88%), and non-CR 17% (7%-37%); P Conclusions CRT can be administered to a selected elderly population with HNSCC. Single agent CB was associated with worse outcomes. CE seems to be related to a higher rate of long term PEG dependence. Legal entity responsible for the study The Ohio State University, James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Portable application guidance for complex memory systems

The recent emergence of new memory technologies and multi-tier memory architectures has disrupted the traditional view of memory as a single block of volatile storage with uniform performance. Several options for managing data on heterogeneous memory platforms now exist, but current approaches either rely on inflexible, and often inefficient, hardware-based caching, or they require expert knowledge and source code modification to utilize the different performance and capabilities within each memory tier. This paper introduces a new software-based framework to collect and apply memory management guidance for applications on heterogeneous memory platforms. The framework, together with new tools, combines a generic runtime API with automated program profiling and analysis to achieve data management that is both efficient and portable across multiple memory architectures.To validate this combined software approach, we deployed it on two real-world heterogeneous memory platforms: 1) an Intel® Cascade Lake platform with conventional DDR4 alongside nonvolatile Optane™ DC memory with large capacity, and 2) an Intel® Knights Landing platform high-bandwidth, but limited capacity, MCDRAM backed by DDR4 SDRAM. We tested our approach on these platforms using three scientific mini-applications (LULESH, AMG, and SNAP) as well as one scalable scientific application (QMCPACK) from the CORAL benchmark suite. The experiments show that portable application guidance has potential to improve performance significantly, especially on the Cascade Lake platform -- which achieved peak speedups of 22x and 7.8x over the default unguided software- and hardware-based management policies. Additionally, this work evaluates the impact of various factors on the effectiveness of memory usage guidance, including: the amount of capacity that is available in the high performance tier, the input that is used during program profiling, and whether the profiling was conducted on the same architecture or transferred from a machine with a different architecture.
Wildfire risk, post-fire debris flows, and transportation infrastructure vulnerability

Wildfires have grown in number, size and intensity in the American West and forecasts predict worsening trends. Evidence mounts that post-fire debris flows pose a major hazard to infrastructure, pa...
Robust inference and model criticism using bagged posteriors

Standard Bayesian inference is known to be sensitive to model misspecification, leading to unreliable uncertainty quantification and poor predictive performance. However, finding generally applicable and computationally feasible methods for robust Bayesian inference under misspecification has proven to be a difficult challenge. An intriguing, easy-to-use, and widely applicable approach is to use bagging on the Bayesian posterior ("BayesBag"); that is, to use the average of posterior distributions conditioned on bootstrapped datasets. In this paper, we develop the asymptotic theory of BayesBag, propose a model-data mismatch index for model criticism using BayesBag, and empirically validate our theory and methodology on synthetic and real-world data in linear regression, sparse logistic regression, and a hierarchical mixed effects model. We find that in the presence of significant misspecification, BayesBag yields more reproducible inferences and has better predictive accuracy than the standard Bayesian posterior; on the other hand, when the model is correctly specified, BayesBag produces superior or equally good results. Overall, our results demonstrate that BayesBag combines the attractive modeling features of standard Bayesian inference with the distributional robustness properties of frequentist methods, providing benefits over both Bayes alone and the bootstrap alone.
Pseudomonas Mendocina Bacteremia in a Hemodialysis Patient With a Central Venous Catheter.

Pseudomonas mendocina is an uncommon pathogen in humans and there are no documented cases of infection associated with central venous catheters. Here we describe a 72-year-old man on hemodialysis who presented with a fever and was found to have P. mendocina bacteremia. The only obvious source of infection was the hemodialysis catheter. The isolate was susceptible to all antibiotics tested and he was successfully treated with ciprofloxacin and central venous catheter removal. Patients with chronic medical conditions and vascular devices are at risk for invasive infections with rare Pseudomonas species. As laboratory pathogen detection advances arise, it is possible that additional cases of Pseudomonas mendocina infections in humans will be identified. Our case provides one example of the successful treatment of Pseudomonas mendocina bacteremia in a 72-year-old man with a line-associated infection.
Times up to demonstrate a difference is current DES platforms.

Current generation durable polymer DES have sustained efficacy and safety out to 5 years. The Orsiro DES has both a bioresorbable polymer and ultra thin struts and has the potential to improve the safety of DES. In this all comers trial, 3 year outcomes with Orsiro DES were similar to the durable polymer zotarolimus eluting stent.
Conformational constraints of cyclopentane peptide nucleic acids facilitate tunable binding to DNA

We report a series of synthetic, nucleic acid mimics with highly customizable thermodynamic binding to DNA. Incorporation of helix-promoting cyclopentanes into peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) increases the melting temperatures (Tm) of PNA+DNA duplexes by approximately +5°C per cyclopentane. Sequential addition of cyclopentanes allows the Tm of PNA + DNA duplexes to be systematically fine-tuned from +5 to +50°C compared with the unmodified PNA. Containing only nine nucleobases and an equal number of cyclopentanes, cpPNA-9 binds to complementary DNA with a Tm around 90°C. Additional experiments reveal that the cpPNA-9 sequence specifically binds to DNA duplexes containing its complementary sequence and functions as a PCR clamp. An X-ray crystal structure of the cpPNA-9-DNA duplex revealed that cyclopentanes likely induce a right-handed helix in the PNA with conformations that promote DNA binding.
Heterogeneous Charged Complexes of Random Copolymers for the Segregation of Organic Molecules

Nature harnesses the disorder of intrinsically disordered proteins to organize enzymes and biopolymers into membraneless organelles. The heterogeneous nature of synthetic random copolymers with charged, polar, and hydrophobic groups has been exploited to mimic intrinsically disordered proteins, forming complexes with enzymatically active proteins and delivering them into nonbiological environments. Here, the properties of polyelectrolyte complexes composed of two random copolymer polyelectrolytes are studied experimentally and via simulation with the aim of exploiting such complexes for segregating organic molecules from water. The anionic polyelectrolyte contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic side chains and forms self-assembled hydrophobic domains. The cationic polymer is a high-molecular-weight copolymer of hydrophilic and charged side groups and acts as a flocculant. We find that the polyelectrolyte complexes obtained with this anionic and cationic random copolymer system are capable of absorbing small cationic, anionic, and hydrophobic organic molecules, including perfluorooctanoic acid, a compound of great environmental and toxicologic concern. Importantly, these macroscopic complexes can be easily removed from water, thereby providing a simple approach for organic contaminant removal in aqueous media. MARTINI and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations explore how the microscale heterogeneity of these random copolymer complexes relates to their segregation functionality.
The Influence of Budgets on Consumer Spending

Foundational research in behavioral economics and consumer psychology has revealed a great deal about the psychology of budgeting. However, very little is known about the extent to which budgets do (or do not) influence spending in the wild. The present research addresses this gap in the literature using naturally occurring budgeting and spending data provided by a popular financial aggregation app (study 1), and a financial diary study that experimentally manipulates budget forecasts and tracks subsequent spending (study 2). Budget compliance varies according to the nature of spending in the category: the more (less) positively skewed spending is, the weaker (stronger) budget compliance is. However, budgets positively influence spending even when budget compliance is weak. Moreover, this effect is surprisingly persistent: post-budget spending is lower than pre-budget spending even six months after a budget is set. Taken together, our findings show that the influence of budgets on consumer spending is economically meaningful, and that beliefs about the nature of consumer budgeting and planning requiring updating.
Overcrowding and exposure to secondhand smoke increase risk for COVID-19 infection among Latinx families in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

INTRODUCTION: Environmental risk factors, including community level pollution burden and exposure to smoking and secondhand smoke, have not been evaluated in relation to risk for infection with COVID-19 in high risk, urban Latinx families. METHODS: We evaluated risk factors for COVID-19 infection in three, preexisting, longitudinal, Latinx family cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area from May through September 2020 (N=383 households, 1875 people). All households were previously recruited before the pandemic. For the COVID-19 sub-study, participants responded to a telephone interview where we assessed food consumption patterns, housing and employment status, and history of COVID-19 infection. Secondhand smoke exposure was based on previously collected selfreported data, and environmental pollution exposure was determined from census tract residence. Non-parametric tests and multiple logistic regression were used to assess independent predictors of COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: Larger household size increased risk for infection (OR=1.58; 95% CI: 1.12-2.23, p<0.01) as did increasing number of children in household (OR=3.79; 95% CI: 1.51-9.56). Any exposure to secondhand smoke was also associated with increased risk for COVID infection (OR 4.69; 95% CI: 1.01-21.85) and having a greater number of family members eating at home was protective against infection (OR=0.10; 95% CI: 0.02-0.52, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Crowding, as indicated by larger household size, increases risk for COVID-19 infection in Latinx families, as does exposure to secondhand smoke. Public policy and health interventions need to ensure that multiunit residential complexes do not allow exposure to secondhand smoke between units, that individuals eat in the home environment, and that large households can safely separate individuals exposed to COVID-19.
Escaping the Comparison Trap: Evaluating Online Learning on Its Own Terms.

Online learning has entered the mainstream of American higher education. Millions of students are taking online courses, and enrollments are projected to triple over the next several years (Symonds 2001). The majority of American college students are now using the Internet for their course work (Jones 2002), and more than one-third of all college courses use online course management tools (Green 2003). Although its rapid growth and increasing acceptance has somewhat muted the once-loud voices of its critics, online learning still struggles with lingering perceptions that it is somehow inferior, unproven, and limited in application relative to traditional classroom instruction. For this reason, online learning programs and courses receive closer scrutiny than their traditional counterparts. For instance, accrediting agencies often demand more extensive documentation for online degree programs or notifications of substantive change, and online learning programs usually require more detailed financial and assessment plans than traditionally delivered programs. As a result, significant energy has been put into establishing the "equivalent" quality of online courses and programs relative to traditional ones, as evidenced by the compilation of hundreds of distance education studies that document the well-known "no significant difference" phenomenon. Other compilations suggest that online learning is often better than classroom instruction (Hiltz, Zhang, and Turoff 2001).
Self-assembled micro-scanner fabricated by surface-micromachining technology

Summary form only given. Optical scanners are used in a wide variety of applications. Scanning micromirrors fabricated using the micromachining technology is very attractive because of smaller size, lighter mass, and lower power consumption. In this paper, we report on the performance of an out-of-plane tilt torsion mirror that can be self-assembled by the integrated scratch drive actuator (SDA). This device is compact, lightweight, and can be mass-produced at potentially very low cost.
A Cost Model for Evaluating Alternative Manpower Input Strategies

The question of how to obtain a specified quantity of satisfactory manpower inputs for a given time period is a problem which confronts almost any personnel decisionmaker. The staffing model proposed in this paper defines selection, training, and any selection/training combination as being alternative staffing strategies which are available for coping with an organization's manpower requirement problems. Very few personnel decisionmakers, however, approach such problems with any appreciable knowledge of the relative costs associated with different alternative input strategies and of the costs of different misclassification errors which can result.The staffing model described here incorporates cost and utility considerations and suggests that the relative costs of alternative staffing strategies are amenable to systematic analysis. The model specifies the probability estimates for success and failure in both selection and training, the direct costs for each, and the potential costs which result from errors...
In Defense of Monopoly

With renewed dedication, antitrust enforcers on both sides of the Atlantic appear intent on saving the world from the evils of monopoly. Microsoft has been the poster firm for targeted antitrust enforcement in the United States since the early 1990s. The Justice Department in the Clinton Administration took the software giant to court in 1998 for using its market dominance, protected by the so-called “applications barrier to entry,” to “bolt” its Web browser, Internet Explorer, to the Microsoft Windows operating system and thus to destroy the alternative browser, Netscape, and undercut competition and consumer welfare—supposedly.1 After a rough ride through the federal district court (in which the presiding judge discredited himself by revealing a private animus toward Microsoft in a secret media interview while the trial was underway), an appeals court agreed that Microsoft was a “monopoly,” but found no anticompetitive fault with Microsoft’s enhancing Windows with its browser Internet Explorer (besides, by the time of Microsoft’s trial all other available operating system developers had done the same thing, understandably, given the Internet’s then rapid growth in importance to computing).
From Business Architecture to SOA Realization Using MDD

One of the major challenges in today's complex business environment is the delivery of a complete solution from business architecture design downstream to SOA IT realization. The IBM Service Oriented Modeling and Architecture (SOMA) methodology attempts to address this objective. Our project captures information from business architecture design and presents this information in a graphical user interface for its later utilization by the solution development team, compliant to the SOMA methodology. Our model-driven development (MDD) cycle consists of modeling with XML Schema Definition (XSD), generating code with Eclipse Model Framework (EMF) and Eclipse Graphical Model Framework (GMF), customizing the code, and testing the solution. The tool was tested on a supply chain management scenario. The results demonstrated the feasibility of capturing business design and using the artifacts for IT realization with MDD. Our overall MDD experience is discussed.
Posterior Circulation—Large Artery Occlusive Disease and Embolism

This chapter focuses on the posterior circulation of blood in case of large artery occlusive disease and embolism. In many respects, strokes involving the posterior circulation parallel those of the anterior circulation. However, the vessels of the posterior circulation are more difficult to study by noninvasive means. Vessels comprising the posterior circulation include the vertebral arteriers arising from the subclavian arteries, three paired cerebellar arteries, the basilar artery, and the posterior cerebral arteries. The structures supplied by these vessels include the brainstem, cerebellum, thalamus, medial temporal lobes, and occipital lobes. Two types of vessels supply blood to the brainstem and cerebellum: long circumferential arteries such as the cerebellar arteries run superficially and supply blood to the lateral brainstem and the cerebellar hemispheres and smaller penetrating arteries that arise from the dorsal surface of the basilar artery and supply blood to the basis pontis and medial portions of the brainstem. These smaller arteries do not form collaterals and occlusions of these vessels result in brainstem lacunes. Posterior circulation ischemia may cause slurred speech, motor weakness, sensory change, and visual loss, similar to that found with anterior circulation stroke.
Evidences of Long Swings in the Growth of Swedish Population and Related Economic Variables, 1860–1965

This paper presents evidence of long swings in the growth of Swedish population and investigates the question of the possible sources or causes of these demographic movements. I do not have a completely identified model of long swings to offer for empirical testing at this time. It is first necessary to determine the extent to which the long swings are diffused in Sweden and to provide a reliable reference chronology. With this information, the task of seeking the cause and effect relationships can proceed. Nevertheless, an analysis is attempted of the cause and effect relationship underlying Swedish emigration and the interaction of the major economic and demographic variables. In the light of these results, suggestions for further research are offered.
Glacial Flow Goes Seismic

Long-period seismic signals detected by [ EkstrA¶m et al .][1] seem to indicate large shifts of ice in outlet glaciers in Greenland and several other locations. In his Perspective, [Fahnestock][2] explains that the motions during these events would differ in duration and speed from previously recognized changes in ice flow. Hence, the behavior of outlet glaciers may be more complex on short time scales than was anticipated. Rapid ice discharge is governed by a number of factors, but rapid changes in flow usually reflect the effects of water at the base of the ice or interactions with other forcings such as ocean tides. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/302/5645/622 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/302/5645/578
Constructing Flexible Dual Contingency Plans for Optimal Linear Designs with Multiple Criteria

Abstract Given a linear design problem with multiple objectives and multiple resource availability levels, we first use the multi-criteria and multi-constraint level (MC 2 ) simplex method to identify a set of potentially good designs and to construct their corresponding contingency plans for coping with changes of resource availability levels and the unit contribution of selected products (opportunities). Then we use known techniques of decisionmaking under uncertainty to select the optimal design(s) from these potentially good designs and their contingency plans as the final decision. For some change of the unit contribution of selected products in a potentially good design, the potentially good design may not satisfy the optimality condition under consideration. To overcome the non-optimal situation, we must construct dual contingency plans to convert non-optimal solutions into optimal ones for the potentially good design. This paper discusses how to construct flexible dual contingency plans for potentially good designs in which the number of selected products made, the contribution of the products, and units of slack resources are flexibly adjusted to meet the optimality. Based on theoretical results, we propose a method of effectively and systematically identifying all potentially good designs and the corresponding flexible dual contingency plans under various decision situations.
Decimation vs. quantization for data compression in TDOA systems

The location of an electromagnetic emitter is commonly estimated by intercepting its signal and then sharing the data among several platforms. Doing this in a timely fashion requires effective data compression. Previous data compression efforts have focused on minimizing the man- square error (MSE) due to compression. However, this criterion is likely to fall short because it fails to exploit how the signal's structure impacts the parameter estimates. Because TDOA accuracy depends on the signal's RMS bandwidth, compression techniques that can significantly reduce the amount of data while negligibly impacting the RMS bandwidth have great potential. We show that it is possible to exploit this idea by balancing the impacts of simple filtering/decimation and quantization and derive a criterion that determines an optimal balance between the amount of decimation and the level of quantization. This criterion is then used to show that by using a combination of decimation and quantization it is possible to meet requirements on data transfer time that can't be met through quantization alone. Furthermore, when quantization-alone approaches can meet the data transfer time requirement, we demonstrate that the decimation/quantization approach can lead to better TDOA accuracies. Rate-distortion curves are plotted to show the effectiveness of the approach.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Microwave spectrum and molecular structure of vinyl isocyanide: experimental and theoretical evaluation of conjugation

Abstract Microwave spectra have been observed and analyzed for four monosubstituted isotopic forms of vinyl isocyanide. From the resulting rotational constants the heavy-atom structure is determined as follows: C1C2=1.338(4) A, C2N=1.379(6) A, NC3=1.174(6) A, ∠ C1C2N=122.5(7)°, ∠ C2NC3=178.2(12)°. The structural parameters are compared to the experimental values of several related molecules and to ab initio results at the HF/6-31G* and MP2/6-31G* levels. The experimental and theoretical results permit an evaluation of the relative conjugating ability of vinyl versus cyclopropyl and cyano versus isocyano.
Dimethyldithiocarbamate inhibits in vitro activation of primary human CD4+ T lymphocytes

Dithiocarbamates (DTC), a diverse group of industrial and therapeutic chemicals, have been reported to inhibit, enhance or have no effect on the immune system. These apparent inconsistencies reflect the complexity of the DTCs biological activities and are probably due in part to differences in dose, route of exposure, animal species used and/or specific compound tested. The studies described herein were undertaken to investigate the immunotoxicity of one member of this family, dimethyldithiocarbamate (DMDTC). We demonstrate that 0.1-0.5 microM DMDTC inhibits TNF-alpha-induced activation of NF-kappaB in primary human CD4+ T cells. This inhibition is not accompanied by a loss in viability, and DMDTC-treated T cells retain other active signaling pathways throughout the exposure duration. The inhibition of NF-kappaB is apparently permanent as DMDTC-treated T cells did not regain normal TNF-alpha activation, even after 72 h in culture. DMDTC does not appear to alter NF-kappaB directly as pre-incubation of nuclear extracts with DMDTC does not diminish binding activity of this protein. We further demonstrate that 0.1-0.5 microM DMDTC inhibits intracellular IL-2 production and decreases surface expression of CD25 (the alpha subunit of the IL-2 receptor) in T cells stimulated with phorbol ester. These data demonstrate that DMDTC is a potent immunosuppressive compound in vitro.
Crop coefficients of open-canopy pecan orchards

Abstract Pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangehn.) K. Koch] production is an essential component of irrigated agriculture in arid southwestern USA. Pecan consumptive water use is high compared to other crops. For irrigation purposes, consumptive water use (ETc) or evapotranspiration is estimated from ETc = Kc ETr where Kc is the crop coefficient used to adjust the known reference crop evapotranspiration (ETr). The Kc of pecans, the ratio of ETc and ETr, varies according to tree age, tree spacing, growth stage within a season, and local weather conditions. The equation for Kc that is applicable to closed-canopy pecan orchards (i.e., for Kcmax) is available from the literature. However, there is a lack of a method to calculate open-canopy pecan Kc according to tree size and spacing (varying effective canopy cover, ECC). The objective of this study was to derive a regression relationship in the form Kc = Kcmax × f(ECC) or Kc/Kcmax = f(ECC) for open-canopy pecan orchards assuming that Kc/Kmax is affected mainly by ECC. ECC was measured for orchards with different canopy covers using image analysis. Images were taken from a balloon and by satellite. Corresponding ETc values from the various pecan orchards were measured or estimated using four methods: (1) one propeller eddy covariance (OPEC) technique, (2) eddy covariance (EC) system, (3) remote sensing technique, and (4) simulations from a climate-based physiological tree model. Kc/Kcmax was calculated for different ECC values as ETc/ETcmax, where ETcmax is the closed-canopy ETc. A regression equation for open-canopy pecan orchards was obtained using data from OPEC, EC, and remote sensing techniques (Kc/Kcmax = 1.33ECC, i.e., Kc = Kcmax × 1.33ECC) and was found to be statistically significant (R2 = 0.96, F = 2487, P
Childhood Cerebellar Ataxia

Childhood presentations of ataxia, an impairment of balance and coordination caused by damage to or dysfunction of the cerebellum, can often be challenging to diagnose. Presentations tend to be clinically heterogeneous, but key considerations may vary based on the child's age at onset, the course of illness, and subtle differences in phenotype. Systematic investigation is recommended for efficient diagnosis. In this review, we outline common etiologies and describe a comprehensive approach to the evaluation of both acquired and genetic cerebellar ataxia in children.
Thermotransport and diffusion of carbon in vanadium and vanadium-titanium alloys

Abstract Studies concerning the thermotransport and diffusion of carbon in vanadium and V-Ti alloys were made using a radioactive tracer technique. Thermotransport of carbon is towards the hotter region for all compositions, which corresponds to a negative heat of transport. Its magnitude decreases monotonically with increasing titanium content from −42.3 kJ mol −1 in vanadium to −14.0 kJ mol −1 in V-20.5at.%Ti, and approaches that in β titanium. The activation energy for diffusion of carbon, however, increases almost linearly from 116.3 kJ mol −1 in vanadium to 188.5 kJ mol −1 in V-20.5at.%Ti, and then decreases to 94.6 kJ mol −1 in β titanium. The phenomenological and atomistic aspects of thermotransport of interstitial solutes in metals, and the effects of substitutional additions on the thermotransport and diffusion phenomena are discussed.
Abstract 1248: Enhanced glutamine metabolism contributes to docetaxel resistance in DU145 prostate cancer cells

Chemotherapeutic resistance is one of the major factors contributing to cancer mortality. Although evidence supports a mechanistic link between metabolic enzyme polymorphisms and drug sensitivity, little is known about the metabolic changes tumor cells undergo when treated with a chemotherapeutic agent. Moreover, the metabolic consequences of exposure to these agents may provide essential adaptive functions contributing to chemotherapeutic resistance. Here we used metabolic flux analysis to identify metabolic changes accompanying and potentially accounting for docetaxel resistance in DU145 prostate cancer cells. We focused on the utilization of glucose and glutamine, the two most abundant extracellular nutrients, which together account for the bulk of carbon and nitrogen metabolism in tumor cells. Docetaxel resistant (DOCETR) cells consumed glutamine more avidly and secreted glutamate and ammonia at a greater rate than sensitive parental cells. Surprisingly, contribution of glutamine carbon into the TCA cycle was unchanged in DOCETR cells despite the higher glutamine utilization. Transfer of glutamine carbon into both the intracellular and extracellular glutamate pools, on the other hand, was higher in DOCETR cells, indicating that the DOCETR cells had an increased ability to convert glutamine to glutamate and then to secrete the glutamate. Accordingly, these cells also had increased expression and activity of glutaminase, the major enzyme responsible for glutamine deamidation. Because glutaminase activity does not yield energy unless the resulting glutamate is further oxidized, we hypothesized that this metabolic transition served a non-bioenergetic role, possibly supporting enhanced rates of glutathione synthesis for modification and secretion of docetaxel. Consistent with this idea, DOCETR cells displayed an increase in de novo synthesis of glycine, which is required for the production of glutathione. Importantly, a glutaminase inhibitor re-sensitized DOCETR cells to docetaxel, strongly suggesting that their enhanced glutamine metabolism was involved in resistance to the drug. We speculate that alterations in glutamine metabolism provide a general and targetable mechanism for xenobiotic resistance in cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1248. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1248
The role of inflammatory cytokines in cognition and other non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Background Parkinson's disease (PD) affects patients' lives with more than just physical impairment. Many of the non-motor aspects of PD, such as cognitive impairment, depression, and sleep disturbances, are common and are associated with a variety of poor outcomes. However, at present, the pathophysiology and clinical management of these symptoms are poorly understood. Objective The authors sought to determine the associations between various illness-associated cytokines, cortisol, and the non-motor symptoms of PD. Method The authors examined a panel of cytokines (IL-1 β , IL-6, IL-10, TNF- α ) and cortisol in a cohort of 52 PD patients with depression. Results There were a number of significant correlations between the non-motor symptoms and TNF- α . Specifically, the authors found that TNF- α (but not IL-1 β , IL-6, IL-10, or cortisol) was significantly correlated with measures of cognition, depression, and disability. In regression analyses accounting for all variables, TNF- α was consistently significant in explaining variance in cognition, depression, sleep, and disability. Conclusion These data are consistent with a growing body of literature that implicates inflammatory cytokines in neural and behavioral processes and further suggests that TNF- α may be involved in the production and/or maintenance of non-motor symptoms in PD.
Synthesized passive feedback control of sensor-rich smart structures

The so-called smart structures frequently have more sensors than actuators, due to the lower cost and simpler instrumentation. The passivity based controller, which is frequently used in structural control due to its inherent robustness properties, requires sensor/actuator collocation; therefore, it can at best utilize only a subset of the sensors. This paper considers the design of a `squaring down' matrix which would render a system passive subject to some additional performance considerations. This problem is cast as a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) which can be efficiently solved due to the recent advance in interior point methods in convex programming. We applied this procedure with the assumption that the sensors provide displacement as well as velocity information which is generally not true. We show that the proposed scheme can be implemented without the use of such velocity information. Simulation results involving a single flexible beam with torque input and hub position and strain gauge output are presented.
The isolation and some properties of dipeptidyl peptidases II and III from porcine spleen.

Abstract 1. 1. Dipeptidyl peptidases (DPP) II and III from porcine spleen have been purified to homogeneity as assessed by disc gel electrophoresis, HPLC and chromatofocusing. 2. 2. The enzyme are both inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate suggesting that the active site contains an essential serine residue, but they are also inhibited by a variety of other reagents. 3. 3. The pI of DPP II is 4.8, that of DPP III, 4.0. 4. 4. The former enzyme has a molecular weight of 97,000, the latter 66,000 and both are glycoproteins. 5. 5. The enzymes are compared with those from other sources.
The Melon Aphid: Screening Citrullus Varieties and Introductions for Resistance

Citrullus sp., PI 296335 and C. lanatus (Mansf.) Thunb. PI 299563 were resistant to Aphis gossypii Glover, both in the labomtory and in 1972 field tests at Gainesville Florida. Statistical analysis detected a possible renter of genetic variability for melon aphid resistance in Africa.