cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An island-wide predator manipulation reveals immediate and long-lasting matching of risk by prey

Anti-predator behaviour affects prey population dynamics, mediates cascading effects in food webs and influences the likelihood of rapid extinctions. Predator manipulations in natural settings provide a rare opportunity to understand how prey anti-predator behaviour is affected by large-scale changes in predators. Here, we couple a long-term, island-wide manipulation of an important rodent predator, the island fox (Urocyon littoralis), with nearly 6 years of measurements on foraging by deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) to provide unequivocal evidence that prey closely match their foraging behaviour to the number of fox predators present on the island. Peromyscus maniculatus foraging among exposed and sheltered microhabitats (a measure of aversion to predation risk) closely tracked fox density, but the nature of this effect depended upon nightly environmental conditions known to affect rodent susceptibility to predators. These effects could not be explained by changes in density of deer mice over time. Our work reveals that prey in natural settings are cognizant of the dynamic nature of their predators over timescales that span many years, and that predator removals spanning many generations of prey do not result in a loss of anti-predator behaviour.
Entropy-based moment closures for kinetic equations

Abstract A systematic nonperturbaiive derivation is presented of a whole hierarchy of closed systems of moment equations corresponding to any classical kinetic theory that describes a gas of identical particles under the influence of an external potential. The closure has two steps. The first ensures that every member of the hierarchy is hyperbolic, has an entropy, and formally recovers the Euler limit The second modifies the collision operator so that members of the hierarchy beyond the second also recover the correct Navier-Stokes behavior. This is achieved through a generalization of the BGK collision operator.
Quantum theory: A Hilbert space formalism for probability theory

It is shown that the Hilbert space formalism of quantum mechanics can be derived as a corrected form of probability theory. These constructions yield the Schrodinger equation for a particle in an electromagnetic field and exhibit a relationship of this equation to Markov processes. The operator formalism for expectation values is shown to be related to anL2 representation of marginal distributions and a relationship of the commutation rules for canonically conjugate observables to a topological relationship of two manifolds is indicated.
The genetics of a soluble acidic protein in skeletal muscle.

Ein Hauptbestandteil von wasserigem Skelettmuskelextrakt ist ein dimeres, saures Protein mit einem Molekulargewicht von 120 000. In der WachtelCoturnix coturnix japonica und in der KroteBufo americanus wird dieses Protein von einem einzelnen autosomalen Locus kontrolliert.
An extension to the p -median group technology algorithm

Abstract As suggested by Mulvey and Crowder (1979) and tested by Klastorin (1985), the p -median algorithm is useful for clustering applications. This approach was adopted by Kusiak (1985) and applied to group technology. This paper presents a modification to the p -median clustering algorithm. The new algorithm introduces p , the number of groups, into the objective function; thus, eliminating the iterative nature of the algorithm, and overcoming the difficulty of conjecturing an initial p value.
The production data-based similarity coefficient versus Jaccard's similarity coefficient

Abstract This paper compares the performance of Jaccard's similarity coefficient with the production data-based similarity coefficient. A number of machine-component charts taken from the literature or randomly generated are used to form machine-component groups. Then, the sum of intercellular and intracellular material handling costs for each machine-component group is calculated and used as a basis for performance evaluation of the two similarity coefficients.
Changes in respiration and the form of the heart-rate CR in dogs

The form of the heart-rate CR and respiratory activity in unanesthetized dogs were studied. The form of the CR was principally monophasic-acceleration with amplitude of respiratory correlating with the amount of heart-rate acceleration.
Common electrophoretic properties of the fat body, haemolymph, and oöcytes of adult Tenebrio molitor

Abstract Electropherograms of the haemolymph indicated the presence, at a pH of 9·8, of eighteen negatively charged proteins of which at least five (bands Nos. 4, 13, 14, 15 and 16 from the origin) were common to the fat body and oocytes. The distribution of the per cent composition of the five bands varied between unmated and mated females in the three tissues over the 4 days studied (days 3, 7, 8, and 10 after emergence). Circumstantial evidence suggested a three-step process of fat body protein synthesis followed by protein release into the haemolymph and its subsequent uptake by the oocytes. Band No. 13 had the highest average per cent composition for both mated and unmated females in all three tissues reaching a maximum, on day 7 after emergence, of 56 (unmated females) or 58 (mated females) per cent of the total protein concentration in the oocytes. Band No. 4, however, held the highest per cent composition of the five measured haemolymph protein bands on day 3 after emergence for both mated and unmated females, and on days 8 and 10 after emergence for unmated females when in the fat body it was also tied with band No. 13 for highest per cent composition. On day 3 after emergence fat body band No. 16, in mated females, represented the highest per cent composition of total protein and was four times higher than in unmated females of the same age, and similarly in the oocytes, on day 3, band No. 16 was 34 per cent higher for mated than unmated females. Spectrophotometric analyses of fluctuations in the haemolymph protein concentration indicated a similar pattern for unmated and mated females from emergence to day 10 after emergence, the haemolymph protein concentration being significantly greater ( P P >0·025). The mean value on day 9 was approximately 60 per cent higher for mated than unmated females. A possible relationship between the cyclic pattern of haemolymph protein concentration and the patterns of fat body protein and RNA synthesis is discussed.
Iron-regulated outer membrane proteins in the periodontopathic bacterium, Bacteroides gingivalis.

Abstract Hemin has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the oral pathogen, Bacteroides gingivalis . In order to elucidate the role of hemin (iron) in the growth and expression of outer membrane proteins, B. gingivalis strain W50 was grown with and without hemin to induce iron-limitation. Cells grew slower under iron stress and growth was completely inhibited in the absence of added hemin. The outer membrane protein profiles of B. gingivalis grown under iron-replete and iron-restricted conditions were studied by extrinsic radiolabelling with [ 125 I] and polyacrylamide gel-electrophoresis. The induction of 10 surface proteins, with apparent molecular weights of 26, 29, 50, 56, 58, 60, 62, 71, 77, and 80 Kd, was observed in B. gingivalis grown under iron-restricted conditions. These proteins were repressed under iron-replete conditions. We postulate the involvement of the iron-regulated proteins in hemin uptake and virulence in B.gingivalis .
Cyberbullying and Self-Esteem.

BACKGROUND: This article examines the relationship between middle school students' experience with cyberbullying and their level of self-esteem. Previous research on traditional bullying among adolescents has found a relatively consistent link between victimization and lower self-esteem, while finding an inconsistent relationship between offending and lower self-esteem. It is therefore important to extend this body of research by determining how bullying augmented through the use of technology (such as computers and cell phones) is linked to differing levels of self-esteem. METHODS: During March and April 2007, a random sample of 1963 middle school students (mean age 12.6) from 30 schools in one of the largest school districts in the United States completed a self-report survey of Internet use and cyberbullying experiences. RESULTS: This work found that students who experienced cyberbullying, both as a victim and an offender, had significantly lower self-esteem than those who had little or no experience with cyberbullying. CONCLUSIONS: A moderate and statistically significant relationship exists between low self-esteem and experiences with cyberbullying. As such, bullying prevention programs incorporated in school curricula should also include substantive instruction on cyberbullying. Moreover, educators need to intervene in cyberbullying incidents, as failure to do so may impact the ability of students to be successful at school. Language: en
An Exceptional Path: An Ethnographic Narrative Reflecting on Autistic Parenthood from Evolutionary, Cultural, and Spiritual Perspectives

Abstract As the recognition of Autism Spectrum Disorder has increased, professionals and academics have theorized its epidemiology and pathology. As valuable as those perspectives are, rarely is the voice of the autistic person heard as a source of understanding. In this ethnographic article, I share my story as a person on the spectrum. I hope to illuminate not the disability of autism, but the reward of the struggle and the gifts that are part of a different way of being. As I reflect on the transformations that have occurred in my life, it becomes clear that my most important role is that of a mother to a son who would himself be diagnosed as autistic in a different context. This narrative offers thoughts about the complex challenges of living with autism—not only from a professional and academic standpoint but also from a deeply human one as well. [autism spectrum disorder, belonging, motherhood, experience]
Analysis on Probabilistic View Coverage for Image Sensing - A Geometric Approach

In this paper we study the probabilistic view coverage problem for image sensing in wireless sensor networks. The view coverage of an image sensor network determines the quality of the surveillance services that an image sensor network can provide. In this paper, we present an indepth analysis on probabilistic view coverage in an image sensor network, where omnidirectional image sensors are randomly dropped to a given field and the locations of the image sensors may not be immediately known. We intend to answer the following question: if we randomly drop a given number of image sensors into a targeted field, what is the probability that a given area of interest can be effectively imaged and view-covered. The key to our analytical approach is to cast the probabilistic view coverage problem in wireless image sensor networks as a geometric one and then use the geometric techniques to find the solution. The analysis in this paper provides probabilistic assurance of the view coverage that one can expect for random dropping of omnidirectional image sensors into a given field.
Pharmacological Control of the Cerebral Circulation

This review is about control of a physiological variable; what that variable's function is and how it is regulated must be discussed first to establish a rational basis for its controL The reader is referred to some excellent recent reviews on regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF)1 (1-3). We emphasize here some functions of CBF that are not so obvious and have been largely overlooked. Cerebral blood vessels evolved as the volume of neural structures made diffusion an inefficient process to supply oxygen and nutrients to nerve cells. This being the primary drive, a close correlation can be found between intercapillary distance or capillary surface area and the level of energy exchange of the various brain regions (4-6). This structurally determined
Why Negative Campaigning Is Rational: The Rhetoric of the Ratification Campaign of 1787–1788

Electoral campaigns are a distinguishing feature, worldwide, of modern representative democracies. For most citizens in most polities, campaigns provide a compelling incentive to think about government. So campaigns thus are a, perhaps the, main point of contact between officials and the populace over matters of public policy. If, as democratic theorists postulate, rulers are responsible to the ruled, the nexus of responsibility, the time and place that we impose it, is during campaigns and the elections in which they culminate.
Oocyte polarity requires a Bucky ball-dependent feedback amplification loop

In vertebrates, the first asymmetries are established along the animal-vegetal axis during oogenesis, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Bucky ball (Buc) was identified in zebrafish as a novel vertebrate-specific regulator of oocyte polarity, acting through unknown molecular interactions. Here we show that endogenous Buc protein localizes to the Balbiani body, a conserved, asymmetric structure in oocytes that requires Buc for its formation. Asymmetric distribution of Buc in oocytes precedes Balbiani body formation, defining Buc as the earliest marker of oocyte polarity in zebrafish. Through a transgenic strategy, we determined that excess Buc disrupts polarity and results in supernumerary Balbiani bodies in a 3′UTR-dependent manner, and we identified roles for the buc introns in regulating Buc activity. Analyses of mosaic ovaries indicate that oocyte pattern determines the number of animal pole-specific micropylar cells that are associated with an egg via a close-range signal or direct cell contact. We demonstrate interactions between Buc protein and buc mRNA with two conserved RNA-binding proteins (RNAbps) that are localized to the Balbiani body: RNA binding protein with multiple splice isoforms 2 (Rbpms2) and Deleted in azoospermia-like (Dazl). Buc protein and buc mRNA interact with Rbpms2; buc and dazl mRNAs interact with Dazl protein. Cumulatively, these studies indicate that oocyte polarization depends on tight regulation of buc: Buc establishes oocyte polarity through interactions with RNAbps, initiating a feedback amplification mechanism in which Buc protein recruits RNAbps that in turn recruit buc and other RNAs to the Balbiani body.
Metastable Defects in a-Si:H from Bond-Length Disorder

A model of metastable defect formation via H-rebonding in hydrogenated amorphous silicon is developed where the defect density and defect formation energy are controlled by the bond-length disorder of the material. Dangling bond defects are created by H motion from SiH bonds to weak Si-Si bonds. The model predicts formation energies for thermal and light-induced defects in good agreement with experiment. The relaxation of thermal equilibrium defects is stretched exponential, with stretch parameters varying approximately linearly with temperature and relaxation times that are thermally activated -- in good agreement with experiment. The annealing of light-induced defect densities also shows relaxation behavior. The model accounts for barriers of {approx} 1.5 eV for H diffusion. The energetics of the H{sub 2}* complex will also be discussed. The rms bond-length deviation is a new parameter that controls the quality of the material.
General connection between random electrodynamics and quantum electrodynamics for free electromagnetic fields and for dipole oscillator systems

A general comparison is presented between random electrodynamics and quantum electrodynamics for the two systems which can be solved exactly in both theories, free electromagnetic fields and point dipole oscillators. The $N$-point correlation functions of the fields are computed in both theories and are found to differ in general because of the dependence upon the order of the quantum operators within products of operators. However, if all products of quantum operators are symmetrized by taking all permutations of the operator order, then the two theories give identical results for the correlation functions. Analogous results hold to all orders in the fine-structure constant for dipole oscllators in quantum and random electrodynamics. The theories agree only if the quantum operator products are symmetrized. In the limit that the oscillator couplings to the radiation fields vanish, th oscllators can be regarded as mechanical oscillators in quantum mechanics and in random mechanics. The theory of random mechanics is defined in terms of this limit which uncouples a mechanical oscillator from the radiation field. The average values of oscillator variables in random mechanics agree with those of symmetrized products in quantum mechanics. The question is then raised as to the physical significance of the many quantum operators which differ only in the order of their factors. It is pointed out that some operator products which are regarded as physically important, such as the square of the angular momentum, indeed involve unsymmetrized products of operators. On this account the average values of the angular momentum squared in the ground state of an isotropic three-dimensional harmonic oscillator differ between the random-mechanical and quantum-mechanical descriptions. However, there seems to be no case in which experiments have shown that the (unsymmetrized) quantum operator value is to be preferred to that provided by random mechanics. The presence of thermal radiation is next treated for free electromagnetic fields and for dipole-oscillator systems. Despite extraordinary differences in the points of view toward thermal radiation taken by the two theories, the conclusion is the same as that found for zero temperature; the two theories agree in their average values if all products of quantum operators are symmetrized. Finally, as a further example of the power of random electrodynamics to give an account of phenomena where Lorentz's classical electron theory failed, we investigate the diamagnetism of a charged three-dimensional isotropic oscillator. The mathematical descriptions at finite temperature are developed in full random electrodynamics and quantum electrodynamics and in second-order perturbation theory in quantum mechanics.
Memories as Useful Outcomes of Residential Outdoor Environmental Education

Residential outdoor environmental education (ROEE) programs for youth have been shown to yield lasting autobiographical episodic memories. This article explores how past program participants have used such memories, and draws on the memory psychology literature to offer a new perspective on the long-term impacts of environmental education. Qualitative interviews with 54 teens at two research sites 5 years after a ROEE experience revealed a variety of directive and social uses for their memories, including participating in outdoor recreation activities, being more knowledgeable about and appreciative of the local ecology, engaging in environmentally responsible behaviors, and reminiscing with friends about the experience.
A micropuncture investigation of the whole tissue mechanism of electrolyte secretion by the in vitro rabbit pancreas.

Micropuncture techniques have been used to examine electrolyte secretion by the in vitro rabbit pancreas. The concentration profiles of the major secreted ions and digestive protein and the electrical potential profile within the pancreatic ductal system have been determined during spontaneous and secretin-stimulated secretion. The active transport of both Na and HCO3 are the rate-controlling steps in primary secretion. Spontaneous secretion is produced primarily within the intralobular ducts. The anion composition of this primary secretion depends on the secretion rate with HCO3 ranging from about 70 meq/liter at low rates to about 110 meq/liter at high rates. With secretin stimulation the smaller extralobular ducts also secrete and this extralobular secretion has a higher HCO2 content than that of the intralobular secretion. In the main collecting duct the anion composition of the juice is modified further by Cl-HCO3 exchange which appears to be a passive process depending on the average residence time of the juice in the main duct.
Congenital Spindle Cell Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Urinary Bladder

Spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma is a recently described variant of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma that carries a relatively favorable prognosis when compared with other types of rhabdomyosarcoma. We report the first case of a congenital spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma in the urinary bladder of a newborn. The patient was diagnosed with obstructive uropathy and cystic kidneys in the antenatal period. The tumor was composed primarily of mature strap-shaped rhabdomyoblasts with cross-striations; it involved focally the full thickness of the bladder wall. No extension into adjacent organs or distant metastases were identified. The patient died of complications of urinary tract obstruction shortly after birth.
Antimicrobial efflux pumps and Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug tolerance: Evolutionary Considerations

The need for lengthy treatment to cure tuberculosis stems from phenotypic drug resistance, also known as drug tolerance, which has been previously attributed to slowed bacterial growth in vivo. We discuss recent findings that challenge this model and instead implicate macrophage-induced mycobacterial efflux pumps in antimicrobial tolerance. Although mycobacterial efflux pumps may have originally served to protect against environmental toxins, in the pathogenic mycobacteria, they appear to have been repurposed for intracellular growth. In this light, we discuss the potential of efflux pump inhibitors such as verapamil to shorten tuberculosis treatment by their dual inhibition of tolerance and growth.
Schelling′s model revisited: Residential sorting with competitive bidding for land

Abstract In the Schelling model of residential sorting, preferences for neighborhood mix are expressed in terms of tolerance of unlike neighbors, and an agent moves when its tolerance threshold is exceeded. In this paper, agents′ preferences for neighborhood mix are represented by bid-rent functions, and lots are allocated to the highest bidders. The agent-based simulation model shows that segregation occurs even if households prefer integrated neighborhoods, and the inefficiency of segregation is shown by a lower aggregate willingness to pay for land. The degree of segregation (measured by the dissimilarity index and the entropy index) varies with the share of agents who are indifferent about neighborhood mix. Several public policies–random assignment of agents to lots, minority subsidies, and side payment from neighborhood associations–promote integration and increase the aggregate willingness to pay for land. To explore the dynamics of segregation under different policy regimes, run the agent-based model online: http://www.lclark.edu/~arthuro/SortModelNew.html .
Replication of the Factor Structure of a Questionnaire about Dreams and its Relation to Creativity

Replication of Livingston and Levin's [1] factor analysis of Domino's [2] Questionnaire About Dreams was attempted utilizing a population of 106 graduate students screened for adequate dream recall. Results indicated that the questionnaire produced two dominant factors roughly corresponding to educated and mystical beliefs regarding dream origin. Although the items which comprised these factors were exactly those previously reported by Livingston and Levin, the percentage of variance accounted for was considerably smaller than that found in the earlier study. Furthermore, neither factor correlated significantly with creativity measures derived from a modified Wallach-Kogan [3] battery, nor with Rotter's [4] locus of control inventory. Consistent with previous research, item analysis of the QAD again failed to discriminate creative from non-creative individuals. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that the QAD may not be a valid research instrument.
Momentum advection on a staggered mesh

Abstract Eulerian and ALE (arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian) hydrodynamics programs usually split a timestep into two parts. The first part is a Lagrangian step, which calculates the incremental motion of the material. The second part is referred to as the Eulerian step, the advection step, or the remap step, and it accounts for the transport of material between cells. In most finite difference and finite element formulations, all the solution variables except the velocities are cell-centered while the velocities are edge- or vertex-centered. As a result, the advection algorithm for the momentum is, by necessity, different than the algorithm used for the other variables. This paper reviews three momentum advection methods and proposes a new one. One method, pioneered in YAQUI, creates a new staggered mesh, while the other two, used in SALE and SHALE, are cell-centered. The new method is cell-centered and its relationship to the other methods is discussed. Both pure advection and strong shock calculations are presented to substantiate the mathematical analysis. From the standpoint of numerical accuracy, both the staggered mesh and the cell-centered algorithms can give good results, while the computational costs are highly dependent on the overall architecture of a code.
Geometrical and Statistical Properties of Systems of Linear Inequalities with Applications in Pattern Recognition

This paper develops the separating capacities of families of nonlinear decision surfaces by a direct application of a theorem in classical combinatorial geometry. It is shown that a family of surfaces having d degrees of freedom has a natural separating capacity of 2d pattern vectors, thus extending and unifying results of Winder and others on the pattern-separating capacity of hyperplanes. Applying these ideas to the vertices of a binary n-cube yields bounds on the number of spherically, quadratically, and, in general, nonlinearly separable Boolean functions of n variables. It is shown that the set of all surfaces which separate a dichotomy of an infinite, random, separable set of pattern vectors can be characterized, on the average, by a subset of only 2d extreme pattern vectors. In addition, the problem of generalizing the classifications on a labeled set of pattern points to the classification of a new point is defined, and it is found that the probability of ambiguous generalization is large unless the number of training patterns exceeds the capacity of the set of separating surfaces.
COMPLOC: A Competitive Store Location Game:

In COMPLOC, an interactive computer game, students apply their knowledge of store location models to a realistic scenario. The competitive framework instills student interest and appreciation for long-term planning in a competitive environment. The article discusses the structure of the game, its learning objectives and our experience with its use.
Na+ pump α2-subunit expression modulates Ca2+ signaling

The role of the Na+ pump α2-subunit in Ca2+ signaling was examined in primary cultured astrocytes from wild-type (α2 +/+ = WT) mouse fetuses and those with a null mutation in one [α2 +/− = heterozy...
Biology of a Willow Leafblotch Miner, Micrurapteryx salicifoliella, (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Alaska

Abstract During 1991–1993 and 1998–1999, a leafblotch miner, Micrurapteryx salicifoliella (Chambers), infested willows (Salix spp.) throughout a vast area in drainages of the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, AK. The insect’s biology had not been studied and it was unknown from Alaska. Eggs were laid singly, cemented to the epidermis of undersides of leaves. Hatched larvae mined directly into leaves beneath the chorion. Five instars occurred. Mining by the first three instars created little external evidence of their presence. Fourth and fifth instars, however, created conspicuous necrotic, reddish, blotches that often covered the upper leaf surface of susceptible host willows. Mature larvae exited through slits made on the undersides of leaves and spun cocoons on either leaf surface before pupating from mid-July into August. Adults emerged in late July and August and overwintered in that stage. Ten species of willows were infested, severity of which differed somewhat between localities and species. Feltleaf wi...
Limits-to-Arbitrage in US Penny Stocks: An Overlooked Segment of US Equity Markets

This paper investigates a largely overlooked segment of U.S. equity markets, listed penny stocks. We find that: (i) the average percentage of short interest ratio of listed penny stocks is 14% which is not significantly different from that of NYSE- and NASDAQ-listed stocks ranging from 10% to 20%; and (ii) 29% of the listed pennies are held by institutional investors on average, contradicting the general perception that institutional investors avoid listed penny stocks. These two surprising facts combined with observed extreme illiquidity and high idiosyncratic volatility, all significantly affect abnormal returns from investment in listed penny stocks. We focus on these four factors as an indication of limits-to-arbitrage in explaining unusual valuation of listed penny stocks.
Transfusion-transmitted anaplasmosis from a leukoreduced platelet pool.

BACKGROUND Human granulocytic anaplasmosis is an emerging tick-borne illness. Anaplasma phagocytophilum resides intracellularly, can cause asymptomatic infection, and can survive blood component refrigeration conditions for at least 18 days. To date, eight cases of transfusion-transmitted anaplasmosis (TTA) have been reported: seven attributed to red blood cell (RBC) units, five of which were prestorage leukoreduced using RBC leukoreduction filters, and one involving a process leukoreduced apheresis platelet (PLT) unit. Here, we report a case of TTA from a whole blood–derived PLT pool. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Donation segments from the 7 units of RBCs and two PLT pools transfused were examined. Fast protocol multiplex real-time A. phagocytophilum polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serologic testing for immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG antibodies to A. phagocytophilum by enzyme immunoassay were performed. RESULTS Transmission was confirmed by positive A. phagocytophilum PCR and serology in one of 16 donors and by positive PCR and seroconversion in the recipient. CONCLUSION This is the first confirmed case of TTA from a whole blood–derived PLT pool prepared from PLT concentrates leukoreduced by in-line filtration of PLT-rich plasma.
A Review of the Clinical Side Effects of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is currently the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved osteoinductive growth factor used as a bone graft substitute. However, with increasing clinical use of BMP-2, a growing and well-documented side effect profile has emerged. This includes postoperative inflammation and associated adverse effects, ectopic bone formation, osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, and inappropriate adipogenesis. Several large-scale studies have confirmed the relative frequency of adverse events associated with the clinical use of BMP-2, including life-threatening cervical spine swelling. In fact, the FDA has issued a warning of the potential life-threatening complications of BMP-2. This review summarizes the known adverse effects of BMP-2, including controversial areas such as tumorigenesis. Next, select animal models that replicate BMP-2's adverse clinical effects are discussed. Finally, potential molecules to mitigate the adverse effects of BMP-2 are reviewed. In summary, BMP-2 is a potent osteoinductive cytokine that has indeed revolutionized the bone graft substitute market; however, it simultaneously has accrued a worrisome side effect profile. Better understanding of these adverse effects among both translational scientists and clinicians will help determine the most appropriate and safe use of BMP-2 in the clinical setting.
Covariances for Gamma Spectrometer Efficiency Calibrations

An essential part of the efficiency calibration of gamma spectrometers is the determination of uncertainties on the results. Although this is routinely done, it often does not include the correlations between efficiencies at different energies. These can be important in the subsequent use of the detectors to obtain activities for a set of dosimetry reactions. If those values are not mutually independent, then obviously that fact could impact the validity of adjustments or of other conclusions resulting from the analysis. Examples are given of detector calibrations in which the correlations are calculated and propagated through an analysis of measured activities.
Technical, Organizational and Cross-cultural issues associated with the deployment of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in Transnational and Global Multicultural Organizations

In the past few years the way in which, organizations, companies and corporations structure themselves has given a 180 degrees turnaround, switching from a structure based in products to a structure based in customers. The first big change was the introduction and use of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) like SAP and Oracle. Those ERP systems changed the way in which the information was managed in large corporations including now a central database and visualizing the structures and functions of the corporation by business processes and not by business areas. Also lately with the advent of the WEB 2.0, the boom of the social media and the big data analytics areas, business, marketing and the relation with the customer has totally changed. One of the most important drivers for this turnaround is the adoption of Customer Relationship Management (CRM). CRM is supporting software designed to improve the relation with the current customers (loyalty) using modern social media and massive marketing technologies.
Conflicts of Interest on Corporate Boards: The Effect of Creditor-Directors on Acquisitions

This paper investigates the effects on acquisitions of creditor-director presence on corporate boards. Using a hand-collected dataset for boards of large U.S. corporations, we find that companies with creditor-directors are more likely to engage in acquisitions with attributes that are unfavorable to shareholders and favorable to creditors (more diversifying and fewer cash-financed acquisitions). Consistent with these patterns, acquisition announcements are associated with lower shareholder value, higher creditor value, and lower overall firm value when a creditor is present. These results support the hypothesis that conflicts of interest between shareholders and creditors result in value-destroying acquisitions. In addition, commercial bankers with no lending relationship are not affected by conflicts of interest. Where appropriate, our estimation strategy takes into account that there may be self selection of bankers onto corporate boards.
Anticancer Drugs Based on Analogues of Platinol Derived from Histidine

The reaction products of tetrachloroplatinate (II) and histidine are studied as a function of pH employing elemental analysis, NMR, MS and IR in preparation of the use of site-specific proteins as carriers for the cis-dichloroplatinum II moiety. Unlike the analogous products derived from simple diamines, the products are a mixture of units with the structures dependent on the pH of the reaction system.
Lightweight custom composite prosthetic components using an additive manufacturing-based molding technique

Additive manufacturing techniques are becoming more prominent and cost-effective as 3D printing becomes higher quality and more inexpensive. The idea of 3D printed prosthetics components promises affordable, customizable devices, but these systems currently have major shortcomings in durability and function. In this paper, we propose a fabrication method for custom composite prostheses utilizing additive manufacturing, allowing for customizability, as well the durability of professional prosthetics. The manufacturing process is completed using 3D printed molds in a multi-stage molding system, which creates a custom finger or palm with a lightweight epoxy foam core, a durable composite outer shell, and soft urethane gripping surfaces. The composite material was compared to 3D printed and aluminum materials using a three-point bending test to compare stiffness, as well as gravimetric measurements to compare weight. The composite finger demonstrates the largest stiffness with the lowest weight compared to other tested fingers, as well as having customizability and lower cost, proving to potentially be a substantial benefit to the development of upper-limb prostheses.
Import Security: Assessing the Risks of Imported Food.

We use data on food import violations from the FDA Operational and Administrative System for Import Support (OASIS) to address rising concerns associated with imported food, quantify import risks by product and by country of origin, and explore the usefulness of OASIS data for risk assessment. In particular, we assess whether there are significant trends in violations, whether import violations can be used to quantify risks by country and by product, and how import risks depend on economic factors of the country of origin. The results show that normalizing import violations by volume of imports provides a meaningful indicator of risk. We then use regression analysis to characterize import risks. Using this model, we analyze import risks by product type, violation type, and economic factors of the country of origin. We find that OASIS data are useful in quantifying food import risks, and that the rate of refusals provides a useful decision tool for risk management. Furthermore, we find that some economic factors are significant indicators of food import risk by country.
Hydrocarbon Reactions in Carbon Nanotubes: Pyrolysis

Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to study the pyrolysis of eicosane (C2042 both in the gas phase and when confined to the interior of a (7,7) carbon nanotube. A reactive bond-order potential was used to model the thermal decomposition of covalent bonds. The unimolecular dissociation is first-order in both cases. The decomposition kinetics demonstrate Arrhenius temperature dependence, with similar activation barriers in both geometries. The decomposition rate is slower by approximately 30% in the confined system. This rate decrease is observed to be a result of recombination reactions due to collisions with the nanotube wall.
Heating Curves During Roasting of Turkeys

Abstract Thirty-eight turkeys representing weight groups of 5.4, 6.8, 8.2, 9.5, and 10.9 kg (12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 Ib) were roasted at 163 C (325 F) to determine the effect of initial meat temperature, weight of bird, and presence or absence of stuffing on heating rate and time required for doneness. Approximately 40 to 60 min additional roasting time was required when the initial temperature of the turkey breast was −2 C compared to 3 C. The total time required for roasting completely thawed birds to doneness was 20 to 60 min longer than the times suggested in some of the existing roasting guidelines. The presence of warm stuffing caused a faster rate of heating at the beginning of the roasting process but later slowed heating and required additional time to attain doneness when compared to rates and times of unstuffed birds. Heat-up rate occurred more rapidly in the thigh than in the breast. Heating curves of temperatures measured in the breast are presented, which will allow temperature monitoring and oven adjustments by consumers during the turkey roasting process to assure doneness at the expected time.
Supportive care of the cancer patient.

Part of the battle against cancer is attention to complications. Infection, hemorrhage, anemia and malnutrition are the most perplexing. Granulocytopenia predisposes to infection, and thrombocytopenia is a major cause of hemorrhage. Anemia is due to blood loss, hemolysis, myelophthisis, and inadequate erythropoiesis. Malnutrition is especially difficult to manage due to abnormal basal metabolic rates, electrolyte imbalance, and sometimes abnormal intestinal function.
Expression Levels of Interleukin-12 and Interleukin-12 mRNA in Gastritis Related Infection with Helicobacter Pylori in Children

Objective To determine the changes of interleukin-12(IL-12) and IL-12 mRNA in gastric mucosa of children with helicobacer pylori (Hp) infection,and to study the effects of Hp infection on the expression levels of IL-12 and IL-12 mRNA,and to evaluate its possible roles in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal inflammation in Hp related gastroduodenal diseases.Methods Biopsy specimens were taken from the antral mucosa on endoscopy in patients with or without Hp infection, which were diagnosed by urease test and Giemsa staining. The expression levels of IL-12 and IL-12 mRNA in gastric mucosa were determined by ELISA and RT-PCR.Results Inflammation of gastric antral mucosa was more severe in Hp-positive mucosa .The expression levels of IL-12 and IL-12 mRNA in Hp-positive mucosa were (66.42±15.15) ng/g and (59.21±15.03)%,which were more than those in (Hp-negative )(22.22±8.79) ng/g and (17.94±7.39)%(P0.01).Conclusions The expression levels of IL-12 and IL-12 mRNA are higher in Hp-positive gastritis. IL-12 may play a pivotal role in the Hp associated gastric disease.
Rugged spinel optics for space based imaging systems

Space environment is very harsh for optical systems. Currently available optical materials for space applications are susceptible to surface and bulk damage due to high-speed impacts from dust and debris found in the space environment. Impacts lead to surface pitting and fracturing that may compromise structural integrity and degrade the optical performance of imaging systems. We are developing polycrystalline spinel as a rugged optics material. With its 3x hardness and 5x strength, as compared to BK7 glass, spinel is a very promising optical material for space imaging applications. Spinel’s broad transmission from 160 nm to 5000 nm will also enable multispectral imaging from ultraviolet to midwave infrared.
Hydrothermal microseismicity at the megaplume site on the southern Juan de Fuca Ridge

Abstract Several thousand microearthquakes were recorded by ocean-bottom seismometers during 11 days of deployment on the Cleft segment of the southern Juan de Fuca Ridge. These microearthquakes primarily occurred in swarms lasting up to 1 hr, and are characterized by complex time series with typical single-event durations of just over 1 sec. The events were too small to be detected by more than one instrument at minimum instrument spacings of about 4 km. Clear P - and S -wave arrivals were not observed for most events, and the majority of the spectra are peaked at discrete frequencies that are not simply related (i.e., not integer multiples). These peaked spectra are quite similar to those observed from geysers and long-period events in volcanoes. Calibration tests performed during the deployment indicate that the event spectral peaks are not explained by instrument resonance or seafloor coupling. Based on these observations, the vigorous hydrothermal activity in the area, and thermodynamic considerations, we postulate that the majority of the microseismicity observed is generated within the seafloor hydrothermal system by pressure transients and hydraulic fracturing.
The Hallucinogens and the Inhalants

The hallucinogenic drugs represent a recurrent outbreak pattern with each generation or two seeming to rediscover their ego-dissolving effects. The inhalants produce a short-lived intoxication with certain volatile solvents affecting specific organ systems.
Beyond backpacks and bus tokens: next steps for a district homeless student initiative

How policies get translated and enacted by school districts frame how students experience reforms associated with federal law. This qualitative case study of a Northern California school district explores the importance of integrating homeless student initiatives within all aspects of the district functioning. Drawing from the equity framework of Skrla, McKenzie, Scheurich, and Dickerson (2011), the authors investigate the roles of the administrative, political, and professional systems as a school district enacts McKinney-Vento mandates. Findings suggest the following: (1) the complexity of HHM student experiences require more than counting students; (2) districts should consider how HHM students and associated programming fit within the district mission; and, (3) the educational needs of HHM students exceed access to school sites. Based upon these findings, states and districts should track HHM student performance in order to more fully understand the needs of this marginalized population as well as to ...
Managed Care: Ethical Issues-Reply

In Reply. —We agree with Dr Rosner that today's managed care environment poses a number of challenges to the ethics of the physician-patient relationship. We disagree with his diagnosis that the problem lies with the very concept of managed care, rather than how it is implemented. The letter captures a sense of "traditional" medical ethics with the statement, "The ethics of medical care should be totally divorced from the costs of rendering that care," a goal the author acknowledges as impractical. We argue that the flaw with that seductive but ultimately untenable view of medical ethics is as much theoretical as practical—it assumes ethical medical care is that provided in a world in which all resources are infinite; and that means in turn that each physician has infinite time and infinite energy for each patient. "Traditional" medicine was never like that; physicians always spent more time and energy (if not
Overview of noise and vibration in automotive engines

Engine noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) is a key contributor to vehicle quietness. It is among the top contributors to the overall customer satisfaction and an important attribute considered during the design process of IC engines. This manuscript provides an insight to the NVH mechanisms generated in the engine by the valve train, cam drive, crank train, accessory drive, combustion system, fuel system, and boost system. Furthermore, this manuscript discusses how these mechanisms propagate inside the vehicle and how they are perceived by the customers. In this regard, the engine NVH mechanisms are described as airborne or structure borne, depending on their propagation path, and as usual or unusual depending if they are undesirable and cause customer dissatisfaction or not. This paper also provides references to the literature relevant to the field of engine NVH.
Effect of geographical location and stochastic weather variation on life cycle assessment of biodiesel production from camelina in the northwestern USA

Purpose The effect of regional factors on life cycle assessment (LCA) of camelina seed production and camelina methyl ester production was assessed in this study. While general conclusions from LCA studies point to lower environmental impacts of biofuels, it has been shown in many studies that the environmental impacts are dependent on location, production practices, and even local weather variations.
Enlisting Help in the Analysis of Practice

Most people find it threatening to have their work reviewed. For professionals, the threat may be real, since society often judges their shortcomings harshly and may devise regulatory, even punitive, solutions. A few physicians may, indeed, require regulatory sanctions, and all can benefit from reminders of their errors of omission and commission. Careful, constructive analysis of events in practice can motivate physicians to continue their education, whereas draconian penalties may drive some underground. The data on their practices then become unreliable, and their opportunity to profit from experience is lost. We distinguish clearly between formal external quality-assurance mechanisms and the improvement in medical practice that ensues from a well-motivated physician’s voluntary analysis of his practice.