Chionactis occipitalis

Number of Pages: 12Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Chionactis palarostris

Number of Pages: 5Integrative BiologyGeological Science

On a generalized quantum SWAP gate

The SWAP gate plays a central role in network designs for qubit quantum computation. However, there has been a view to generalize qubit quantum computing to higher dimensional quantum systems. In this paper we construct a generalized SWAP gate using only instances of the generalized controlled-NOT gate to cyclically permute the states of d qudits for d prime

Marketing And The Rise Of Web 2.0: Expanding Opportunity, Increasing Challenge

As the Internet has become an increasingly central element of daily life, marketers have scrambled to adapt their methods to this new medium. While early online marketing efforts consisted primarily of repackaged print materials, the rise of Web 2.0 sites with their increasingly interactive experiences has forced marketers to broaden their offerings in order to remain relevant. This analysis considers the broad dimensions of the new online marketing landscape. It assesses the major Web 2.0 sites and evaluates their current scope and reach, concluding that firms utilizing Web 2.0 tools for marketing purposes must insure consistency across their various sites, invest adequate resources to provide prompt service, and recognize that customer expectations for such service will continue to rise for the foreseeable future

The Impact of the Big Five Personality Traits on the Acceptance of Social Networking Website

Social networking websites are a relatively new and wildly popular form of technology. While millions of users have adopted this technology, it is not currently known whether these users have any commonalities or whether these users represent a certain personality type. This study investigates the impact of the Big Five personality variables on the acceptance of social networking technology. Because the Technology Acceptance Model and the Unified Theory of the Acceptance and Use of Technology assume the technology in question is used for productivity gains, a new model framework will be used, specifically created for the acceptance of hedonic information systems

Welfare Programs That Target Workforce Participation May Negatively Affect Mortality

During the 1990s reforms to the US welfare system introduced new time limits on people’s eligibility to receive public assistance. These limits were developed to encourage welfare recipients to seek employment. Little is known about how such social policy programs may have affected participants’ health. We explored whether the Florida Family Transition Program randomized trial, a welfare reform experiment, led to long-term changes in mortality among participants. The Florida program included a 24–36-month time limit for welfare participation, intensive job training, and placement assistance. We linked 3,224 participants from the experiment to 17–18 years of prospective mortality follow-up data and found that participants in the program experienced a 16 percent higher mortality rate than recipients of traditional welfare. If our results are generalizable to national welfare reform efforts, they raise questions about whether the cost savings associated with welfare reform justify the additional loss of life

Effect of Personal Innovativeness on Technology Acceptance and Use

The definition and empirical use of the concept of innovativeness has been a source of disagreement in both the Management Information Systems (MIS) and Marketing literature. Specifically, the MIS field has used a construct called Personal Innovativeness in the Domain of Information Technology (PIIT) in only a few studies, exploring its impact on technology acceptance. This study extends the previous literature by studying the different possible ways that the construct can influence acceptance. Additionally, the present study will serve to validate the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, a new composite model of information technology acceptance. To accomplish this, use of class specific software was monitored and constructs measured in an undergraduate Production and Operations Management course for an entire semester.Department of Managemen

Impact of Welfare Reform on Mortality: An Evaluation of the Connecticut Jobs First Program, A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives. We examined whether Jobs First, a multicenter randomized trial of a welfare reform program conducted in Connecticut, demonstrated increases in employment, income, and health insurance relative to traditional welfare (Aid to Families with Dependent Children). We also investigated if higher earnings and employment improved mortality of the participants. Methods. We revisited the Jobs First randomized trial, successfully linking 4612 participant identifiers to 15 years of prospective mortality follow-up data through 2010, producing 240 deaths. The analysis was powered to detect a 20% change in mortality hazards. Results. Significant employment and income benefits were realized among Jobs First recipients relative to traditional welfare recipients, particularly for the most disadvantaged groups. However, although none of these reached statistical significance, all participants in Jobs First (overall, across centers, and all subgroups) experienced higher mortality hazards than traditional welfare recipients. Conclusions. Increases in income and employment produced by Jobs First relative to traditional welfare improved socioeconomic status but did not improve survival

Bendamustine combined with rituximab for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are treated with salvage regimens and may be considered for high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation if disease is chemosensitive. Bendamustine is active in indolent B cell lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia but has not been extensively studied in aggressive lymphomas. This trial examines the combination of bendamustine and rituximab in patients with relapsed and refractory DLBCL. Patients received bendamustine at 90 mg/m2 (n = 2) or 120 mg/m2 (n = 57) on days 1 and 2 and rituximab at 375 mg/m2 on day 1 every 28 days for up to 6 cycles. The study evaluated objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and treatment safety. Fifty-nine patients were treated, and 48 were evaluable for response. Median age was 74; 89 % had stage III or IV disease, and 63 % had high revised International Prognostic Index scores; the median number of prior therapies was 1. Based on analysis using the intent-to-treat population, the ORR was 45.8 % (complete response, 15.3 %; partial response, 30.5 %). The median DOR was 17.3 months, and the median PFS was 3.6 months. Grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicities included neutropenia (36 %), leukopenia (29 %), thrombocytopenia (22 %), and anemia (12 %). The combination of bendamustine and rituximab showed modest activity in patients with relapsed and refractory DLBCL and has an acceptable toxicity profile

Cost Effectiveness of the Earned IncomeTax Credit as a Health Policy Investment

Introduction: Lower-income Americans are suffering from declines in income, health, and longevity over time. Income and employment policies have been proposed as a potential nonmedical solution to this problem. Methods: An interrupted time series analysis of state-level incremental supplements to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program was performed using data from 1993 to 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys and state-level life expectancy. The cost effectiveness of state EITC supplements was estimated using a microsimulation model, which was run in 2015. Results: Supplemental EITC programs increased health-related quality of life and longevity among the poor. The program costs about $7,786/quality-adjusted life-year gained (95$4,100, $13,400) for the average recipient. This ratio increases with larger family sizes, costing roughly$14,261 (95% CI¼$8,735,$19,716) for a family of three. Conclusions: State supplements to EITC appear to be highly cost effective, but randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings