cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Boards of directors and corporate social responsibility performance

Abstract Do boards of directors influence corporate social responsibility performance (CSRP)? If so, how? These two questions have been the focus of attention in a growing, but fragmented, body of the literature that is replete with contradictory findings. The present article proposes a preliminary model that focuses on board composition, characteristics and decision-making process as potential predictors of CSRP. Data from a field study corroborate the model's central arguments. The results urge executives and scholars to go beyond composition variables to explain boards' effect on CSRP. The results show that an appropriate mix of directors' characteristics and the development of a sound board decision-making process are also crucial determinants of CSRP.
Portable lab modules on cloud computing

Cloud computing is a highly scalable model for delivering information technology resources and applications, on demand, as a service, to end users through the network. In recent years, cloud computing has been adopted rapidly and extensively in industry. Notable public cloud services include Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Google App Engine, among others. There is a fast growing demand for professionals with cloud computing skills. However, the demand is not being fulfilled, partially due to the inability of educational institutions to keep up with technological advancements, as well as a lack of hands-on educational material. We have been developing portable virtual lab modules which can be used to teach basic cloud computing concepts and skills early and often. The labs run on virtual machines and can be ported between different courses and between different platforms. The virtual labs can be deployed in centralized or decentralized ways. To meet the learning outcomes, the students are expected to: (1) comprehend the fundamental concepts of cloud computing; (2) identify the building blocks of cloud computing systems; (3) understand the basic operation of open source cloud infrastructures; and (4) recognize commonly used, commercial cloud computing services and applications.
A 68-Year-Old Man With COPD Contemplating Colon Cancer Surgery

Mr A is a 68-year-old man with a history of melena who was found to have a mass in his colon that was suspicious for possible malignancy. His 75-pack-year smoking history has resulted in a chronic daily cough and the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. On physical examination, he has wheezes, decreased breath sounds, and a prolonged expiratory phase; his forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) is 1.34 L (47% predicted). Mr A needs surgery for potentially curative treatment for presumed colon cancer, but he is understandably worried about the effect of his lung disease on his surgical risk. In particular, he is worried that he may not be able to be weaned off the ventilator after surgery. This discussion reviews the important patient- and procedure-related risk factors for pulmonary complications after surgery, the role of preoperative testing, and the evidence supporting strategies to reduce the risk of pulmonary complications as they apply to Mr A.
Finite-Field Wavelet Transforms

Cyclic wavelet transforms, analogous to cyclic Fourier transforms, are described. Among other things, this construction allows for the development of wavelet transforms over finite fields. Potential applications of this construct in algebraic coding are discussed.
Clinical MR imaging of degenerative spinal disease: pulse sequences, gradient-echo techniques, and contrast agents.

DEGENERATION OF THE INTERVERTEBRAL disk is a ubiquitous process, seen at autopsy in 97% of adults by age 49 years (1). Low back pain is the most expensive health care problem in patients 20–50 years old, with $14 billion spent yearly on treatment and compensation (2). The greatest costs connected with low back pain occur in patients who have pain longer than 3 months and in those with recurrent pain episodes (3). Approximately 5.2 million people are disabled by back pain (3–5). These statistics indicate that the accurate diagnosis of back pain disease is obviously of great importance. In the diagnosis of disk degeneration and its sequelae, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become a key ingredient. The utility of conventional two-dimensional spin-echo MR imaging of the spine has been firmly established for extradural disease (6–8). Gradient-echo techniques have more recently been used to enhance the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-extradural interface in the evaluation of degenerative disease (9–13). Some of the new imaging findings and concepts regarding the use of contrast material and three-dimensional techniques in the evaluation of degenerative disease of the spine are reviewed.
Providing a welcome environment to make mistakes [computer science education]

The process of learning new material can be frustrating for many students particularly if they think they are making more mistakes than positive steps forward. Students need to be shown that mistakes are indicators of how well they have mastered the material and how alert they are when working on the material. They need to view mistakes as an opportunity to improve rather than in the more negative light as an "ego deflater". In order to help data structure students in the Computer Systems Engineering Department at the University of Arkansas to become more motivated and to give themselves a chance to complete the program assignments, several techniques were used to help students complete the program assignments adequately. At the beginning of the course, the students were given small assignments which were graded, but not recorded, in order to give them an idea of how grading would proceed in the course. Most of the students would complete these assignments. Furthermore, labs were given and reviewed in class to reinforce the concepts in the material just covered in lectures. The results of this method and tracking of student progress are discussed.
Etiology of Eating Disorders in Women

Eating disorders have been studied extensively over the past several decades, yet research of their etiology has lagged behind treatment outcome research. This article reviews the challenges inherent in this research. It illustrates the epidemiologic designs that have been used to test risk factor hypotheses and describes the major studies designed to answer the question of what causes eating disorders. It points to significant gaps in knowledge, chief among them the absence of representative data on prevalence and correlates of eating disorders, and the lack of data regarding eating disorders in ethnic minority populations.
An integrable 60-Hz notch filter

Previous configurations of continuous-time 60-Hz notch filters were difficult to integrate on a silicon chip because of the large component values required. A new method based on first-order all-pass networks has been introduced that lends itself more to integration. These networks use time constant multiplication circuitry to achieve large time constants using resistors and capacitors that can be integrated. With this new configuration, a 60-Hz notch filter with notch attenuation exceeding -60 dB can be implemented on a silicon chip.
Effects of the Good Behavior Game on Challenging Behaviors in School Settings

Challenging behavior at school remains a concern for teachers and administrators. Thus classroom management practices to prevent challenging behavior are sorely needed. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) has been found to be useful to positively change student behavior. However, previous reviews of the GBG have not quantified effects, have not focused solely on school and classroom behaviors, and have not examined study features that facilitate greater outcomes. Twenty-two peer-reviewed journal articles were reviewed. Study data were analyzed using effect sizes, percent of nonoverlapping data, percent of all nonoverlapping data, and hierarchical linear modeling to determine intervention effectiveness as well as study features that facilitated greater outcomes. Findings suggested that (a) moderate to large effects were found on challenging behaviors and these effects were immediate; (b) the GBG was most commonly used for disruptive behavior, off-task behavior, aggression, talking out, and out-of-seat behaviors; ...
Identification of T6SS-dependent effector and immunity proteins by Tn-seq in Vibrio cholerae

Type VI protein secretion system (T6SS) is important for bacterial competition through contact-dependent killing of competitors. T6SS delivers effectors to neighboring cells and corresponding antagonistic proteins confer immunity against effectors that are delivered by sister cells. Although T6SS has been found in more than 100 gram-negative bacteria including many important human pathogens, few T6SS-dependent effector and immunity proteins have been experimentally determined. Here we report a high-throughput approach using transposon mutagenesis and deep sequencing (Tn-seq) to identify T6SS immunity proteins in Vibrio cholerae. Saturating transposon mutagenesis was performed in wild type and a T6SS null mutant. Genes encoding immunity proteins were predicted to be essential in the wild type but dispensable in the T6SS mutant. By comparing the relative abundance of each transposon mutant in the mutant library using deep sequencing, we identified three immunity proteins that render protection against killing by T6SS predatory cells. We also identified their three cognate T6SS-secreted effectors and show these are important for not only antibacterial and antieukaryotic activities but also assembly of T6SS apparatus. The lipase and muramidase T6SS effectors identified in this study underscore the diversity of T6SS-secreted substrates and the distinctly different mechanisms that target these for secretion by the dynamic T6SS organelle.
Using Touchpoints to promote parental self-competence in low-income, minority, pregnant, and parenting teen mothers.

This pilot study was designed to test an intervention developed to increase parenting self-confidence in teen mothers. Group discussions of personal experience and parenting were substituted for a traditional child development course. Using a Touchpoints approach, teachers focused on strengths of the adolescents and their children. Information about child development was presented as it naturally occurred. A total of 20 students took part in the study. There was a significant increase in parenting self-confidence after the intervention. Although the sample size was small, the results were encouraging with this group of teens. A larger study is planned to continue development of the intervention.
Reference and extended command governors for control of turbocharged gasoline engines based on linear models

In this paper, reference and extended command governors are developed for enforcing constraints in the air path of turbo-charged gasoline engines. These governors are add-on control schemes which protect the engine from violating pointwise-in-time state and control constraints, including compressor surge and actuator limits. Several design choices based on linear engine models at different operating points are compared in terms of response speed, sets of recoverable initial conditions, tolerance of disturbances, and computational complexity. The final design is implemented on the nonlinear engine model. Further, an approach to handle intake manifold pressure overshoot constraints, and a novel form of the extended command governor based on Laguerre's sequences are presented.
Major role of planktonic phosphate reduction in the marine phosphorus redox cycle

Phosphorus in the +5 oxidation state (i.e., phosphate) is the most abundant form of phosphorus in the global ocean. An enigmatic pool of dissolved phosphonate molecules, with phosphorus in the +3 oxidation state, is also ubiquitous; however, cycling of phosphorus between oxidation states has remained poorly constrained. Using simple incubation and chromatography approaches, we measured the rate of the chemical reduction of phosphate to P(III) compounds in the western tropical North Atlantic Ocean. Colonial nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria in surface waters played a critical role in phosphate reduction, but other classes of plankton, including potentially deep-water archaea, were also involved. These data are consistent with marine geochemical evidence and microbial genomic information, which together suggest the existence of a vast oceanic phosphorus redox cycle.
Optimal single resistors damping of input filters

A general procedure is outlined for optimizing the damping of an input filter using a single resistor. This procedure is employed to derive the equations governing optimal damping of several basic filter circuits. Design tradeoffs are discussed. Additional criteria are derived that allow employment of these results in design of multiple-section cascaded filters with damping.
Idiopathic hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis: Report of three cases

Hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis is a rare, idiopathic form of granulomatous pachymeningitis. This report describes three cases of hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis and discusses the clinical, radiographic, and pathological findings in these and other reported cases. These lesions typically cause progressive cranial nerve palsies, headaches, and cerebellar dysfunction. They occur in patients of all age groups; the peak incidence is in the sixth decade. Hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis is best identified by magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnosis is established by excluding all other granulomatous and infectious diseases. A dural biopsy is essential to confirm the diagnosis. Hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis is initially responsive to steroid therapy, but in most cases it recurs or progresses despite treatment. Surgical excision of granulomas is occasionally necessary to alleviate a mass effect. The long-term outcome remains uncertain for most patients, but progressive disease is usually fatal owing to cranial neuropathies.
NEDD9 depletion leads to MMP14 inactivation by TIMP2 and prevents invasion and metastasis.

The scaffolding protein NEDD9 is an established prometastatic marker in several cancers. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms of NEDD9-driven metastasis in cancers remain ill-defined. Here, using a comprehensive breast cancer tissue microarray, it was shown that increased levels of NEDD9 protein significantly correlated with the transition from carcinoma in situ to invasive carcinoma. Similarly, it was shown that NEDD9 overexpression is a hallmark of highly invasive breast cancer cells. Moreover, NEDD9 expression is crucial for the protease-dependent mesenchymal invasion of cancer cells at the primary site but not at the metastatic site. Depletion of NEDD9 is sufficient to suppress invasion of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased circulating tumor cells and lung metastases in xenograft models. Mechanistically, NEDD9 localized to invasive pseudopods and was required for local matrix degradation. Depletion of NEDD9 impaired invasion of cancer cells through inactivation of membrane-bound matrix metalloproteinase MMP14 by excess TIMP2 on the cell surface. Inactivation of MMP14 is accompanied by reduced collagenolytic activity of soluble metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9. Reexpression of NEDD9 is sufficient to restore the activity of MMP14 and the invasive properties of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these findings uncover critical steps in NEDD9-dependent invasion of breast cancer cells. Implications: This study provides a mechanistic basis for potential therapeutic interventions to prevent metastasis. Mol Cancer Res; 12(1); 69–81. ©2013 AACR.
Concurrent fault detection in random combinational logic

We discuss a non-intrusive methodology for concurrent fault detection in random combinational logic. The proposed method is similar to duplication, wherein a replica of the circuit acts as a predictor that immediately detects potential faults by comparison to the original circuit. However, instead of duplicating the circuit, the proposed method selects a small number of prediction logic functions which only partially replicate it. Selection is guided by the objective of minimizing the incurred hardware overhead at the cost of introducing fault detection latency. To achieve this, the proposed method replicates only a reduced width output function for every input combination, yet without compromising the ability to detect all faults. In contrast to concurrent error detection schemes which presume the ability to re-synthesize the circuit, the proposed method does not interfere with the implementation of the original design. As compared to previous approaches, the proposed method achieves significant hardware overhead reduction, while detecting all faults with very low average fault detection latency.
Strengthening of Direction Selectivity by Broadly Tuned and Spatiotemporally Slightly Offset Inhibition in Mouse Visual Cortex

Direction selectivity (DS) of neuronal responses is fundamental for motion detection. How the integration of synaptic excitation and inhibition contributes to DS however remains not well-understood. Here, in vivo whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings in mouse primary visual cortex (V1) revealed that layer 4 simple cells received direction-tuned excitatory inputs but barely tuned inhibitory inputs under drifting-bar stimulation. Excitation and inhibition exhibited differential temporal offsets under movements of opposite directions: excitation peaked earlier than inhibition at the preferred direction, and vice versa at the null direction. This could be attributed to a small spatial mismatch between overlapping excitatory and inhibitory receptive fields: the distribution of excitatory input strengths was skewed and the skewness was strongly correlated with the DS of excitatory input, whereas that of inhibitory input strengths was spatially symmetric. Neural modeling revealed that the relatively stronger inhibition under null directional movements, as well as the specific spatial-temporal offsets between excitation and inhibition, allowed inhibition to enhance the DS of output responses by suppressing the null response more effectively than the preferred response. Our data demonstrate that while tuned excitatory input provides the basis for DS in mouse V1, the largely untuned and spatiotemporally offset inhibition contributes importantly to sharpening of DS.
Novel Group I Intron in the tRNALeu(UAA) Gene of a γ-Proteobacterium Isolated from a Deep Subsurface Environment

A group I intron has been found to interrupt the anticodon loop of the tRNALeu(UAA) gene in a bacterium belonging to the γ-subdivision of Proteobacteria and isolated from a deep subsurface environment. The subsurface isolate SMCC D0715 was identified as belonging to the genus Pseudomonas. The group I intron from this isolate is the first to be reported for γ-proteobacteria, and the first instance of a tRNALeu(UAA) group I intron to be found in a group of bacteria other than cyanobacteria. The 231-nucleotide (nt) intron's sequence has group I conserved elements and folds into a bona fide group I secondary structure with canonical base-paired segments P1 to P9 and a paired region, P10. The D0715 intron possesses the 11-nt motif CCUACG … UAUGG in its P8 region, a feature not common in bacterial introns. To date, phylogenetic analysis has shown that bacterial introns form two distinct families, and their complex distribution suggests that both lateral transfer and common ancestry have taken part in the evolutionary history of these elements.
Controversy: PPARγ as a target for treatment of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, ligands for the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) ...
Association of Frailty based on self-reported physical function with directly measured kidney function and mortality

Use of serum creatinine to estimate GFR may lead to underestimation of the association between self-reported frailty and kidney function. Our objectives were to evaluate the association of measured GFR (mGFR) with self-reported frailty among patients with CKD and to determine whether self-reported frailty was associated with death after adjusting for mGFR. Participants in the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study (1989–1993) had GFR measured using iothalamate clearance (mGFR), and GFR was estimated based on the CKD-EPI creatinine (eGFRcr) and cystatin C (eGFRcys) equations. We defined self-reported frailty as three or more of: exhaustion, poor physical function, low physical activity, and low body weight. Death was ascertained through 2007 using the National Death Index and the United States Renal Data System. Eight hundred twelve MDRD participants (97 %) had complete data on self-reported frailty (16 % prevalence, N = 130) and mGFR (mean (SD) 33.1 ± 11.7 ml/min/1.73 m2). Higher GFR was associated with lower odds of self-reported frailty based on mGFR, (OR 0.71, 95 % CI 0.60–0.86 per 10 ml/min/1.73 m2), eGFRcr (OR 0.80, 95 % CI 0.67–0.94 per 10 ml/min/1.73 m2), and eGFRcys (OR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.62–0.90 per 10 ml/min/1.73 m2). Median follow-up was 17 (IQR 11–18) years, with 371 deaths. Self-reported frailty was associated with a higher risk of death (HR 1.71, 95 % CI 1.26–2.30), which was attenuated to a similar degree when mGFR (HR 1.48, 95 % CI 1.08–2.00), eGFRcr (HR 1.57, 95 % CI 1.15–2.10), or eGFRcys (HR 1.51, 95 % CI 1.10–2.10) was included as an indicator of kidney function. We found an inverse association between kidney function and self-reported frailty that was similar for mGFR, eGFR and eGFRcys. In this relatively healthy cohort of clinical trial participants with CKD, using serum creatinine to estimate GFR did not substantially alter the association of GFR with self-reported frailty or of self-reported frailty with death.
The experience with measles in the United States

Prior to measles vaccine licensure, virtually every child in the United States suffered from measles. While the reported number of cases averaged approximately 525,000 annually, an incidence rate of 315 per 100,000 total population, the actual yearly number of cases approached 4 million [1–4]. Measles vaccine offered the opportunity to prevent this substantial health burden. This report will describe the results achieved using a single dose measles vaccine schedule, recent recommendations for a two-dose schedule, and the efforts to control a resurgence of measles in the United States.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by recurrent hypomanic/manic and/or depressive mood episodes. Although mood-stabilizing medication is the first line of treatment for bipolar disorder, the beneficial effects of psychosocial treatments, in particular cognitive behavioral therapy, have been recognized. In this chapter we review the clinical presentation and diagnosis of bipolar disorder, as well as its assessment. We describe cognitive behavioral strategies, how their combination can be used to treat the different phases of the illness and review the empirical support for cognitive behavioral therapy for bipolar disorder.
Observations on Sampling Control Sera: Distributions of Chemistry Quality Control Values

Abstract Data, obtained in quality control programs in automated clinical chemistry systems are often not normally distributed. Falsely assuming that the data is Gaussian produces errors in classifying patients, and in statistical inferences drawn from parametric tests.
Properties of GaAsSb QW Heterostructures Having Various Barrier Materials Grown by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Pseudomorphic GaAs1-xSbx quantum-well (QW) structures grown on GaAs substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have been studied with various barrier materials to investigate the energy band lineup. To determine the band lineup of these structures, we have performed low-temperature current-dependent cathodoluminescence (LT-CL) measurements at 10K. For the structure with GaAs barriers, the data show strong evidence of Type-II staggered band lineup, which means that holes are confined in the valence band heavy-hole level of the GaAs1-xSbx quantum well and electrons are confined in the conduction band of the GaAs barrier. For the InGaP barriers, however, we observed only one peak that is related to transitions of a Type-I band lineup. From the LT-CL results, we find that the valence-band discontinuity ratio (Qv) between the GaAs0.73Sb0.27 double quantum wells (DQWs) and the GaAs barriers is ∼1.20. Furthermore, to improve the carrier confinement, we propose that InGaP barriers provide a Type-I band lineup with the GaAsSb QW.
Practice and experience on comprehensive intervention of injury in rural preschool children

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of comprehensive intervention and application for rural preschool children injury. Methods: Comprehensive intervention of childhood injury was conduct among 3 834 preschool children and 2 946 children caretakers in intervention county of Jiangxi province from September 2007 to October 2010,then it was conduced and applied in some rural areas from 2011 to 2013. Results: After intervention,the KAP scores of preschool children caretakers were improved significantly,safety loopholes of family and living surroundings were improved effectively,the protection of the water source nearby the young children resident was enhanced,the incidence rates of childhood injury were decreased. The achievement has been spread and applied in some rural areas. Mass people paid more attention to such events,and good society effects were acquired. Conclusion: The comprehensive intervention based on community surveillance and health education is an important and effective measure for preschool children injury.
Stockability: A major factor in productivity differences between Pinus taeda plantations in Hawaii and the Southeastern United States.

Les caracteristiques de peuplements de Pinus tarda et les differences de productivite associees ont ete etudiees dans des plantations d'Hawai et du sud-est des Etats-Unis. Les relations entre la taille moyenne maximum des arbres et la densite ont ete etudiees. Les implications des resultats sont discutees
A Marrano in Montezuma’s Court

In The Indian Emperour Dryden openly engages his audience in dialogue with texts drawn from authorities of high current reputation, and refracted through the action and characters of his play. Matters were not so simple in contemporary Spain, the colonial power responsible for the conquest and administration of Mexico. For, according to Catherine Swietlicki, seventeenth-century Spain may be compared in some respects to ‘the Stalinist Russia of Bakhtin’s time’. ‘There are’, she observes, ‘certain similarities between the two powers’ preoccupations with establishing unified ideologies and eradicating forces opposed to the dominant culture and its philosophy’. Not least of these similarities, she suggests, is the role played by the Spanish Inquisition and the Russian secret police in ‘enforcing … monolithic dogma’.
The Challenge to Implement Systems of Care for ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Article, see p 365 Robust evidence has established a mortality benefit of early reperfusion for patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as the preferred modality if it can be performed on a timely basis.1 This evidence, coupled with concern that the majority of STEMI patients do not receive primary PCI within the guideline-recommended time from first medical contact (FMC) to device, provides support for the development of systems of care for STEMI.2 Moreover, despite its benefits, the realities of reperfusion therapy include the lack of widespread availability of primary PCI (only approximately one-third of acute care hospitals have PCI capability), the (decreasing) percentage of STEMI patients who do not receive reperfusion even in the absence of contraindications, and the concern that enthusiasm for the performance of primary PCI has the unintended consequence of delaying reperfusion for patients presenting to hospitals without PCI capability and needing transfer. System barriers to timely reperfusion include the lack of widespread use and transmission of prehospital electrocardiograms, 40-50% of STEMI patients who do not activate emergency medical services (EMS), emergency department crowding and diversion policies, and financial disincentives to transfer high-acuity patients. Prompted by these issues, in 2007, the American Heart Association (AHA) introduced Mission: Lifeline, a national initiative to improve healthcare system readiness and response to STEMI patients and to improve STEMI quality of care and outcomes.3 Importantly, Mission: Lifeline addressed the continuum of care for STEMI, from symptom onset and FMC, to arrival at hospitals without PCI capability (STEMI referring) and PCI capable (STEMI receiving) hospitals and EMS transport to and between them, and guideline-directed medical therapy at discharge. At the outset, the concept seemed intuitive: at a minimum, assemble 1 EMS agency with 1 STEMI referring and 1 STEMI …
The role and identity of physician nutrition specialists in medical school-affiliated hospitals

This document was prepared by the Committee on Clinical Practice Issues in Health and Disease of The American Society for Clinical Nutrition (ASCN). The committee recommends that each major medical center has at least one physician nutrition specialist (PNS) who will be a regional resource for complex nutrition cases and will have a leadership role in the provision of coordinated nutrition services. The PNS will be responsible for nutrition education programs in associated schools of medicine and will be a role model for aspiring physicians. Typically, these individuals will have thorough training in human nutrition research. The PNS should be supported by a unique combination of resources including clinical earnings, teaching hospital and school of medicine salaries, state and federal funds, as well as private sector support. The ASCN should take a leadership role in developing the national identity of the PNS and in achieving recognition of board certification in nutrition
Assessing Digital Information Literacy in Higher Education: A Review of Existing Frameworks and Assessments With Recommendations for Next‐Generation Assessment

Digital information literacy (DIL)—generally defined as the ability to obtain, understand, evaluate, and use information in a variety of digital technology contexts—is a critically important skill deemed necessary for success in higher education as well as in the global networked economy. To determine whether college graduates possess the requisite knowledge and skills in DIL, higher education institutions must be able to administer and use results from valid assessments of DIL. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of existing definitions of this construct in major frameworks from higher education and the workforce and propose an operational definition of DIL. Next, we provide a review of existing assessments of information literacy and related constructs, including features of the assessments, construct alignment, and psychometric properties (i.e., reliability and validity evidence). Finally, we discuss challenges and considerations surrounding the design, implementation, and use of next-generation assessments of DIL. We offer this review as a resource for higher education institutions in selecting among existing assessments or in designing their own measures.
Psychometrics of the Psychological Wellbeing and Distress Screener: A Brief Measure of Youth’s Bidimensional Mental Health

The present study reports on the psychometric defensibility of the Psychological Wellbeing and Distress Screener (PWDS), which is a 10-item self-report behavior rating scale for measuring youth’s b...
Warming up to Credit Freeze Laws: The Case of Utah

The high-profile personal information data breaches of 2005 drew considerable public attention to the growing crime of identity theft. In order to equip consumers with tools for ID theft prevention, several states enacted credit freeze laws. Originating in California in 2001, these types of laws allow consumers to have more control over who can access their credit reports by placing a â€œfreezeâ€ on their records. There has been substantial debate regarding the merits of credit freezes. The credit reporting industry sees this process as unnecessary and â€œoverkill,â€ touting their own fraud alerts services as sufficient to protect consumers. Consumer advocates, however, view these laws as one of the strongest protections consumers can have against abuse of their personal credit information. This study advances understanding of credit freeze laws by exploring the main arguments for and against them and detailing the history of Utahâ€™s unique credit freeze law. This study identifies the key factors that aided the lawâ€™s passage in 2006 despite having failed in 2005. This is accomplished through interviews of individuals directly involved with the passage of the law in 2006 and relevant literature in periodicals and government reports. The discussion of Utahâ€™s law emphasizes the differences between it and credit freeze laws passed in other states as well as proposed national legislation. Finally, this study speculates on the future of credit freeze laws in Utah and nationally. The passage of Utahâ€™s law with its unique 15-minute freeze feature has created an intriguing situation for other states and the credit industry. It has in essence drawn a line in the sand â€” for other states, the credit bureaus, and the federal government â€” to cross over or retreat from in determining national policy regarding the future of credit freeze laws
Changing Attitudes and Knowledge Toward SNAP Application

Purpose:To examine effectiveness of an educational intervention on attitude and knowledge related to accessing and qualifying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).Design:Cross-sectional survey.Setting:Community sites (38) in North Carolina.Participants:Low-income adult participants who provided data (n = 558).Intervention:Participants completed pre- and postsurveys for the 45-minute program.Measures:Theoretically based surveys measured knowledge requisite to the decision to apply for SNAP benefits.Analysis:Paired sample t tests tested the hypothesis of “no difference” in postintervention knowledge.Results:Knowledge gains were statistically significant on all questions (P < .01) including the amount of food a minimum benefit could purchase, how to apply for SNAP, how the electronic benefit transfer card and benefits work, eligibility restrictions, and how to receive application assistance. Subsequent percentage change analyses revealed the strongest intervention effects to be how to app...
Language Brokering among Latino Immigrant Families: Moderating Variables and Youth Outcomes

The children of immigrants often serve as language brokers, or cultural and linguistic intermediaries, between their families and the host culture. Although language brokering is common practice among immigrant communities, it is a growing body of research in need of theoretical grounding and further study. The present study empirically tested a theoretical model of the effects of language brokering with moderating variables, informed by the segmented assimilation literature, among 362 (48% female) Latino adolescents ranging in age from 11 to 18 years (M = 13.62, SD = 1.47) utilizing structural equation modeling. Model-testing results indicated that translating in High-Stakes situations negatively affected academic achievement and increased perceived stress, while Everyday translating situations positively affected academic achievement and did not affect stress. Youth who reported higher levels of family obligations also reported higher academic achievement. Implications for theory development and culturally relevant interventions are discussed.
Mortality is predicted by Comorbidity Polypharmacy score but not Charlson Comorbidity Index in geriatric trauma patients.

Abstract Background Increased life expectancy has resulted in more older patients at trauma centers. Traditional assessments of injuries alone may not be sufficient; age, comorbidities, and medications should be considered. Methods 446 older trauma patients were analyzed in two groups, 45–65 years and Results CCI and CPS were associated with HLOS in patients Conclusion Increased CCI and CPS were associated with increased HLOS. In patients over 65, increased CPS was associated with decreased mortality. This could be due to return toward physiologic normalcy in treated patients not seen in their peers with undiagnosed or untreated comorbidities.
IT as a Platform for Competitive Agility

Agility is a fundamental capability for firms to compete in contemporary business environments and underlies the continual launch of innovative competitive moves through speed, surprise, and disruption. Winners in today’s economy succeed because of agility in innovative products, markets, channels, and customer segments. Advances in information technologies and the emergence of information management as a superior locus of customer loyalty and value creation have spurred interest in leveraging IT as a platform for competitive agility. Investments in information technology could provde firms with strategic digital options that they can apply to sense opportunities for competitive action and respond with speed and innovation. Therefore, there is a growing interest in understanding how information technologies can be managed as a platform for competitive agility.
A Systematic Framework for Process Control Design and Risk Analysis in Continuous Pharmaceutical Solid-Dosage Manufacturing

The paradigm shift in the pharmaceutical industry to continuous manufacturing, which has recently progressed from conceptual demonstration to pilot production, has stimulated the development and application of process systems engineering (PSE) tools for implementing efficient and robust control strategies. In this study, a systematic framework for process control design and risk analysis for continuous pharmaceutical solid-dosage manufacturing is proposed, consisting of system identification with state-space models; control design and analysis metrics; hierarchical three-layer control structures; risk mapping, assessment and planning (Risk MAP) strategies; and control performance indicators. The framework is applied to a feeding-blending system, wherein the major source of variance in the product quality arises. It can be demonstrated that the variance in the feeding-blending system can be mitigated and managed through the proposed systematic framework for control design and risk analysis. The process analytical technology (PAT) tool for mass fraction measurement of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and its relative standard deviation (RSD) were indispensable to achieve an efficient control design at the advanced layers. Specifically, the improvements in control performance by implementing advanced model-based control strategy are found to be limited by model-plant mismatch and the sampling time of the PAT tools.
Overcoming double-step CO2 adsorption and minimizing water co-adsorption in bulky diamine-appended variants of Mg2(dobpdc)

Alkyldiamine-functionalized variants of the metal–organic framework Mg2(dobpdc) (dobpdc4− = 4,4′-dioxidobiphenyl-3,3′-dicarboxylate) are promising for CO2 capture applications owing to their unique step-shaped CO2 adsorption profiles resulting from the cooperative formation of ammonium carbamate chains. Primary,secondary (1°,2°) alkylethylenediamine-appended variants are of particular interest because of their low CO2 step pressures (≤1 mbar at 40 °C), minimal adsorption/desorption hysteresis, and high thermal stability. Herein, we demonstrate that further increasing the size of the alkyl group on the secondary amine affords enhanced stability against diamine volatilization, but also leads to surprising two-step CO2 adsorption/desorption profiles. This two-step behavior likely results from steric interactions between ammonium carbamate chains induced by the asymmetrical hexagonal pores of Mg2(dobpdc) and leads to decreased CO2 working capacities and increased water co-adsorption under humid conditions. To minimize these unfavorable steric interactions, we targeted diamine-appended variants of the isoreticularly expanded framework Mg2(dotpdc) (dotpdc4− = 4,4′′-dioxido-[1,1′:4′,1′′-terphenyl]-3,3′′-dicarboxylate), reported here for the first time, and the previously reported isomeric framework Mg-IRMOF-74-II or Mg2(pc-dobpdc) (pc-dobpdc4− = 3,3′-dioxidobiphenyl-4,4′-dicarboxylate, pc = para-carboxylate), which, in contrast to Mg2(dobpdc), possesses uniformally hexagonal pores. By minimizing the steric interactions between ammonium carbamate chains, these frameworks enable a single CO2 adsorption/desorption step in all cases, as well as decreased water co-adsorption and increased stability to diamine loss. Functionalization of Mg2(pc-dobpdc) with large diamines such as N-(n-heptyl)ethylenediamine results in optimal adsorption behavior, highlighting the advantage of tuning both the pore shape and the diamine size for the development of new adsorbents for carbon capture applications.
Outliers in system identification

This paper is dedicated to Dr. Roberto Temple. The topic, outliers in system identification, was initially started with a discussion with Roberto in the early 2000. The first part of the paper summaries the approach, optimization with few violated constrains for linear bounded error parameter estimation, that was appeared in IEEE Trans. on Automatic Control. The topic was revisited by a new approach, system identification in the presence of outliers and radome noise by compressed sensing, is summarized in the second part of the paper which was appeared in Automatica.
Exploration strategies for learned probabilities in smart terrain

Consider a mobile agent (such as a robot) surrounded by objects that may or may not meet its needs. An important goal of such an agent is to learn probabilities that different types of objects meet needs, based on objects it has previously explored. This requires a rational strategy for determining which objects to explore next based on distances to objects, prevalence of similar objects, and amount of information the agent expects to gain. We define information gain in terms of how additional examples increase the certainty of the probabilities (represented as beta distributions), based on how that certainty reduces future travel time by preventing the agent from moving to objects which do not actually meet needs. This is used to create a smart terrain-based influence map in which objects send signals proportional to their information gain (with inverse falloff over distance) to enable simple agent navigation to those objects.
Numerical investigation of turbulent flow in an annular sector channel with staggered semi-circular ribs using large eddy simulation

Abstract Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are conducted to explore flow inside a channel with staggered semi-circular ribs attached to both the inner and outer annular walls. Large eddy simulation (LES) with the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity (WALE) sub-grid scale (SGS) model is used to simulate turbulent flow in the computational domain. The flow channel is modeled on the test section of a simplified helical coil steam generator (HCSG) design. Owing to their compactness and higher heat transfer coefficient in comparison to straight tube steam generators, HCSGs are employed in recent designs of advanced light water reactors in the nuclear industry. A Reynolds number of 13,900 is considered based on the mean inlet velocity, channel height, and water properties. Results from LES are compared with both an unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulation and experimental data acquired from the particle image velocimetry (PIV) method. Flow features observed inside the channel are presented by visualizing contours of velocities, vorticity, and Reynolds stresses on a monitoring plane. Time-averaged profiles of velocities and Reynolds stresses at five monitoring lines are also presented to validate the flow field resolved by LES with PIV. Additionally, vortical structures of the flow are captured using the Q-criterion. This study aims at providing flow characteristics of a specifically designed flow channel and acquiring the scalability of the numerical experiment.
Real-time messaging and time-shifted communication wireless systems

This paper relates to a device pairing algorithm and information exchange, which enable establishment of communications between plural entities and facilitate the exchange of messages between customers (e.g., customers) and service providers (e.g., servers). This communication system also defines a set of messages captured and stored on database servers for later reference and analytics. Such communication services enable mobile devices to pair and communicate in either real-time or time-shifted mode where pairing requests and messages are retrieved and progressively rendered from data storage. Device pairing and message dispatching are routed progressively as they are transmitted to a recipient device or data servers that store pairing requests and messages. The uniqueness of the model is the communication system driving the messaging platform where the client communication devices are programmable devices, such as mobile and desktop computers, capable of running the communication application.
Cholesterol metabolism by ovarian tissue.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the aspects of ovarian cholesterol metabolism that appear to be subject to control, directly or indirectly, by gonadotropins. These include lipoprotein uptake, de novo sterol synthesis, intracellular cholesterol transport, mitochondrial cholesterol side chain cleavage, and the synthesis and hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters. The chapter focuses on the corpus luteum as this is the best studied component of the ovary with respect to sterol metabolism. Luteal cells have a unique life cycle; their steroidogenic activity and, therefore, their cholesterol requirements change dramatically as they differentiate from granulosa cells and undergo a period of secretory activity followed by a phase of waning function and structural demise.
Violence prevention: myth or reality?

Newspapers and television daily attest to the fact that violence is a pervasive element in our society, especially among our youth. We have come to a point in this nation where we see violence everywhere. It is on the streets, in the workplace, and especially in the schools. How did this happen to our society? Is this unrivaled period of juvenile violent crime a new phenomenon? Our society demands that children have a safe environment in which to learn and grow, yet continued reports of youth violence indicates that our efforts have not been successful. Is violence prevention a myth or reality? Since children are our future, how can we provide them with the skills that will afford them the opportunity to become productive members of society? Language: en
Regulation of Somatomedin Production, Release, and Mechanism of Action

Early studies revealed that a pituitary factor, growth hormone (GH), was in-volved in long bone growth and nitrogen retention and, without conclusive evidence, accepted theories suggested that GH interacted directly with target tissues to induce such adaptations in metabolism. The elegant studies by Salmon and Daughaday (1957) described a factor in normal serum that, when added to cartilage expiants, stimulated the incorporation of 35S04 into proteoglycans. Serum from hypophysectomized rats failed to stimulate sulfate incorporation; however, when such rats were treated with GH, serum stimulation of sulfate uptake was observed within 24 hr. In contrast, direct addition of GH to the expiant media, either in the -presence or absence of hypophysectomized rat serum, failed to stimulate sulfate incorporation. Based on the bioassay response, the serum component was named sulfation factor.