cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental analysis of the social value of flocking by starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in relation to predation and foraging

Abstract In groups of ten, indidual starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, spent significantly less time in surveillance than did individuals in smaller groups and responded more quickly than single birds to a flying model hawk. Captive starlings in flocks reduce their individual surveillance efforts, but their combined efforts still enable them to be more effective than single birds in the detection of predators. Foraging behaviour of flocks was observed by placing single starlings with groups of tricoloured blackbirds, Agelaius tricolor; the starlings reduced the time they devoted to surveillance at the same rate as if they were with other starlings.
Adsorptive Removal of Parts per Million Level Selenate Using Iron-Coated GAC Adsorbents

Selenate removal by adsorption using iron-coated granular activated carbons (Fe-GACs) is reported in this study. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium experiments with initial selenium concentration of 1 mg/L were conducted under three different ionic strengths to study selenate adsorption behavior. Selenate adsorption reached equilibrium within 48 h with more than 85% of the equilibrium capacities being obtained within the first 6 h. High removal efficiency (i.e., >75% ) was achieved for pH range of 2–5. Acid-base titration experiments showed point of zero charge ( pHpzc ) at pH 7.5 for the tested Fe-GAC. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model characterized selenate adsorption kinetics well ( R2 =0.999 ) and the rate constant decreased with ionic strength. Adsorption capacity decreased significantly with increasing ionic strength, which was not observed in selenite adsorption with the same adsorbent. Competitive adsorption with other four oxyanions ( SiO 3 2− , SO 4 2− , PO 4 3− , and CO 3 2− ) showed that sele...
Political Party Identification and Attitudes Toward Foreign Policy

The influence of group membership on inwhich a mechanism of political party identidividual attitudes and group behavior is a fication operates to influence the opinions of matter of interest to students in many areas voters. of social science. Groups as intimate as the George Belknap is Study Director and family and as diffuse as the nation have been Angus Campbell is Director of the Survey studied. This study suggests the manner in Research Center at the University of Michigan.
Modeling nuclear volume isotope effects in crystals

Mass-independent isotope fractionations driven by differences in volumes and shapes of nuclei (the field shift effect) are known in several elements and are likely to be found in more. All-electron relativistic electronic structure calculations can predict this effect but at present are computationally intensive and limited to modeling small gas phase molecules and clusters. Density functional theory, using the projector augmented wave method (DFT-PAW), has advantages in greater speed and compatibility with a three-dimensional periodic boundary condition while preserving information about the effects of chemistry on electron densities within nuclei. These electron density variations determine the volume component of the field shift effect. In this study, DFT-PAW calculations are calibrated against all-electron, relativistic Dirac–Hartree–Fock, and coupled-cluster with single, double (triple) excitation methods for estimating nuclear volume isotope effects. DFT-PAW calculations accurately reproduce changes in electron densities within nuclei in typical molecules, when PAW datasets constructed with finite nuclei are used. Nuclear volume contributions to vapor–crystal isotope fractionation are calculated for elemental cadmium and mercury, showing good agreement with experiments. The nuclear-volume component of mercury and cadmium isotope fractionations between atomic vapor and montroydite (HgO), cinnabar (HgS), calomel (Hg2Cl2), monteponite (CdO), and the CdS polymorphs hawleyite and greenockite are calculated, indicating preferential incorporation of neutron-rich isotopes in more oxidized, ionically bonded phases. Finally, field shift energies are related to Mossbauer isomer shifts, and equilibrium mass-independent fractionations for several tin-bearing crystals are calculated from 119Sn spectra. Isomer shift data should simplify calculations of mass-independent isotope fractionations in other elements with Mossbauer isotopes, such as platinum and uranium.
Effects of a Mechanical Preload on the Dynamic Force Response of Gas Foil Bearings: Measurements and Model Predictions

Gas foil bearings (GFBs) enable efficient, reliable, and maintenance-free operation of high-power-density microturbomachinery ( 30 krpm. Rotors supported on bump-type GFBs, however, often show large amplitude subsynchronous whirl motions, albeit reaching limit cycles. Presently, commercial GFBs are modified to add a mechanical preload, which induces a hydrodynamic wedge to generate more pressure supporting larger loads. Three metal shims inserted under the bump-strip layers and in contact with the bearing housing create a multiple lobe clearance profile at a very low cost. Shaft motion measurements of a test rotor supported on the GFBs, original and shimmed, are conducted while the rotor accelerates/decelerates to/from 50 krpm and for increasing magnitudes of feed pressure into the air bearings. The shimmed GFBs produce an increase in the rotor–bearing system natural frequency, as expected, and also act to delay the onset speed of large amplitude subsynchronous...
Sulfated polysaccharides and resistance to Russell's viper venom.

SummaryResults of this study indicate that heparin can inhibit the lethal effects of Russell's Viper venom in a dose-response manner. This protective activity was also demonstrated with other sulfated mucopolysaccharides of the connective tissue and with sulfated polysaccharides of exogenous origin. Heparin, however, proved to be the most potent substance tested.The possibility that the secretion of heparin from mast cells is an important factor in natural resistance to this venom has been discussed.
Estradiol-chlordecone (Kepone) interactions: Additive effect of combinations for uterotropic and embryo implantation functions

Abstract Chlordecone (Kepone) is a polychlorinated hydrocarbon that has a low affinity for the estrogen receptor. Although the compound has been shown to be an estrogen antagonist for some responses within the central nervous system, and in hypophyseal gonadotrophic cells, such an action for other responses has not been reported. In the present study ovariectomized immature rats were used to determine the uterotropic effects of chlordecone in the presence or absence of estradiol. Administration of 30 mg/kg chlordecone per day for 3 days increased the response to 0.01, 0.1 and 1 μg/kg per day of estradiol benzoate (EB). No additive or inhibitory effect was found with chlordecone plus 10 μg/kg EB. Likewise, the uterine response to 15 or 30, but not 45, mg/kg chlordecone was enhanced by the co-administration of 0.1 μg/kg EB. A second response, initiation of embryo implantation in hypophysectomized, progesterone-primed, delayed implanting pregnant rats was tested. Subliminal doses of estradiol or chlordecone were additive for initiating normal implantation in more than 80% of the animals. The results indicate that chlordecone is not an estrogen antagonist for functions that require the action of the estrogen receptor in the uterus. The mechanism(s) involved in the additive action have not been determined but emphasize the need to consider xenoestrogen-natural estrogen interactions when assessing risks for reproductive toxi.
Genital tract tuberculosis with peritoneal involvement: MR appearance

The MR appearance of a case of genital tract tuberculosis is reported. The finding of a large amount of loculated fluid containing septations and debris on ultrasound along with bilateral hydropic fallopian tubes and a thickened omentum on MRI permitted the diagnosis to be suggested preoperatively. With increasing prevalence, such unusual manifestations of tuberculosis will be seen more frequently.
A Comment on “Is Jeffreys a ‘Necessarist’?”

Abstract When L.J. Savage used three categories to classify theories of probability he put Jeffreys in the category labeled “necessarist.” In Jeffreys's refinement of his earlier position, reasonable degree of belief is a primitive concept and initial probabilities are ultimately a matter of convention rather than a correct description of ignorance. Because personal judgment is not fundamental in Jeffreys's scheme, I disagree with Zellner (1982) when he describes Jeffreys's philosophy as “individualistic.”
Heterogeneous mesoporous oxides grown in porous anodic alumina

Abstract Heterogeneous mesoporous oxide structures consisting of adjacent domains of mesoporous titania and silica (TiO 2 /SiO 2 ) were synthesized by sequential deposition into the pores of a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) support. Each anodic alumina macropore contained distinct mesoporous structural domains corresponding to the two oxide structures. Transmission electron microscopy imaging showed that the titania and silica regions contained organized pores with diameters of ∼8–10 nm and ∼13–16 nm, respectively. Nitrogen adsorption measurements showed a typical Type IV behavior characteristic of mesoporous materials. The surface area for the heterogeneous composites ranged between ∼75 and ∼100 m 2 /g. Gas permeability measurements of the samples indicated complete filling of the AAO support by the mesoporous TiO 2 /SiO 2 regions. Preliminary results regarding the possibility of extending this method to mesoporous ZrO 2 /SiO 2 compositions are also presented.
111 LUNG EDEMA DECREASES THE RESPONSIVENESS TO EXOGENOUS SURFACTANT

There is a large variability in the effect of exogenous surfactant in RDS. We have tested the hypothesis that hydrostatic lung edema decreases the responsiveness to surfactant. Respiratory failure was induced to rabbits, wt. 1-1.3 kg, by alveolar lavage (BAL, 10 ml/kg × 4). Thereafter, natural surfactant (NS, 100 mg/kg in 4 ml saline, n=10), saline carrier (n=8), or air (n=8) was administered. The animals ware paralyzed and ventilated at constant tidal volume. They received either 1 (low) or 20 ml/kg/h (high) saline i.v. during 155 min. The lung function was measured and BALs were analyzed for phosphatidylcholine (PC), concentration of PC in epithelial lining fluid (PCelf), protein, and surface activity. Saline carrier to airways decreased the gas exchange and compliance (p<0.01). In animals on low i.v. fluids, NS improved the respiratory function as compared to air-treated controls. However, in animals on high i.v. fluids, NS neither improved the gas exchange nor the compliance, despite the increase in PC (p < 0.05) and the decrease in soluble protein (p < 0.05) in BAL. The lack of surfactant responsiveness was due to low PCelf and to surfactant inhibitors. Thus, variability in surfactant responsiveness may be caused by factors affecting lung liquid.
High pressure liquid chromatographic separation of molecular species of phosphatidic acid dimethyl esters derived from phosphatidylcholine

A majority of the individual molecular species of phosphatidic acid dimethyl esters derived from multispecies egg yolk and soybean phosphatidylcholines have been separated by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography. Two Partisil-10 ODS columns connected in tandem and the eluents acetonitrile or methanol/water (95∶5) were used for molecular species resolution, based on total fatty acyl carbon number and degree of unsaturation.
A selective review of direct, semi-inverse and inverse eigenvalue problems for structures described by differential equations with variable coefficients

This selective review (with emphasis on the word “selective”) gives only a taste of extensive research that has been conducted since 1759 when Leonhard Euler posed, apparently for the first time, a boundary value problem. Since then numerous studies have been conducted for rods, Bernoulli-Euler beams, Bresse-Timoshenko beams, Kirchhoff-Love and Mindlin-Reissner plates and shells and structures analyzed via finer, higher-order theories. This selective review classifies the solutions as belonging to either of three main classes: (1) direct problems, (2) semi-inverse problems, (3) inverse problems. In addition, some new closed-form solutions are reported, that have been obtained via posing an inverse vibration problem. Due to the huge body of literature, author limits himself with discussing classic theories of structures.
Evaluation of integrin molecules involved in substrate adhesion.

Integrins were cross-linked to their extracellular matrix ligands using non-penetrating chemical cross-linkers. This procedure did not disturb the distribution of integrin in the adhesion structure and adhesion plaque integrin staining remained even when the cultures were extracted with ionic detergents. 80-90% of the pi integrin in the cross-linked culture was extracted with RIPA buffer and the remaining 10-20% was recovered following reversal of the cross-linking. This separated two distinct integrin pools, one which can be cross-linked to substrate bound extracellular matrix and one which is not. The specificity of this procedure for cross-linking of integrins involved in substrate adhesion was demonstrated using NIH 3T3 cells which express both α5β1 and α5β1 integrins. α6 was cross-linked only in cells plated on laminin whereas α5 was cross-linked when fibronectin was present. Using antisera directed to the cytoplasmic domains of either α5 or β1 integrin, it was demonstrated that these domains can be ...
Evolutionary origins of the mammary gland

Because the mammary gland has no known homologue among the extant reptiles, attempts to reconstruct its evolution must focus on evidence from living mammals. Of the numerous structures that have been hypothesized to have given rise to the mammary gland, only three remain as plausible progenitors: sebaceous glands, eccrine glands and apocrine glands. Ancestral mammary glands are usually assumed to have produced a copious watery secretion like that of human eccrine sweat glands. However, in terms of anatomy, physiology, development and topographical distribution, mammary glands are more similar to apocrine and sebaceous glands than to typical eccrine glands. Nevertheless, each of the three populations of cutaneous glands exhibit specializations unlikely to be primitive for the mammary gland. The mammary gland either predated full differentiation of mammalian cutaneous glands or, more probably, evolved as a neomorphic mosaic that combined the properties of apocrine and sebaceous glands. Consequently, ancestral, prototypic lacteal glands may have had the capacity to synthesize and secrete small amounts of organic substances, as do sebaceous and apocrine glands of living mammals.
Seasonal variability in air‐sea fluxes of CO2 in a river‐influenced coastal margin

[1] Recent studies in the northern Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere have demonstrated that enhanced biological production in large river plumes may contribute to a net surface influx of atmospheric CO2. However, large rivers also deliver significant amounts of terrestrial carbon into continental margin waters; hence, the potential for large and variable signals in carbon flux exist in these regions. Here, we used a combination of satellite and ship-based observations to examine variability in surface pCO2 and air-sea flux of carbon dioxide in relation to variations in river discharge and seasonal environmental conditions. Underway surface pCO2 showed large seasonal differences based on observations acquired during cruises in August 2004, October 2005, and April 2006. Strong cross-shelf gradients in pCO2 were observed during August 2004 and April 2006, influenced by river outflow. Uniformly high values observed during October 2005 likely reflected the disturbed nature of the system after two major storm events (hurricanes Katrina and Rita). Satellite-derived assessments of pCO2 were used in conjunction with estimates of wind fields to produce regional maps of surface water pCO2 and air-sea fluxes. The region was a net sink for atmospheric CO2 in August 2004 (−0.96 to −1.2 mmol C m−2 d−1) and net source during October 2005 and April 2006 (1.0 to 5.4 mmol C m−2 d−1). Uncertainties in flux estimates, particularly for low salinity waters in April 2006, highlighted the need for more extensive in situ observations. Our results illustrate the utility of satellite approaches for providing regional assessments of coastal carbon budgets.
Vasoconstrictor effects of leukotrienes C4 and D4 in the feline mesenteric vascular bed.

Abstract The effects of leukotriene C 4 (LTC 4 ) and leukotriene D 4 (LTD 4 ) in the feline mesenteric vascular bed were investigated under conditions of controlled blood flow so that changes in perfusion pressure directly reflect changes in vascular resistance. Intra-arterial injections of LTC 4 and LTD 4 (0.3–3.0 μg) increased perfusion pressure in a dose-related fashion. Vasoconstrictor responses to LTC 4 and LTD 4 were similar to norepinephrine (NE) whereas mesenteric vasoconstrictor response to the thromboxane analog, U46619, was markedly greater than were responses to LTC 4 and LTD 4 . Meclofenamate in a dose that greatly attenuated the systemic depressor response to arachidonic acid was without effect on vasoconstrictor responses to LTC 4 and LTD 4 , NE and U46619 in the mesenteric vascular bed. The present data show that LTC 4 and LTD 4 possess significant vasoconstrictor activity in the feline mesenteric vascular bed. In addition, the present data suggest that products of the cyclooxygenase pathway do not mediate vasoconstrictor responses to LTC 4 and LTD 4 in the intestinal circulation of the cat.
Languages for Specific Purposes Business Curriculum Creation and Implementation in the United States.

After the United States emerged as the major world economic leader following World War II, language curricula for specific purposes in international business were put into practice at the college and university levels. This article documents the work of the major players in the development of coursework and materials for business languages for specific purposes (LSP) designed for instruction of the more commonly taught languages (CTLs) in the United States. The article also describes the more recent implementation of LSP curricula in the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs), such as Japanese and Chinese, and the various federal grants that aided in the development of instruction in these languages. The impact of the Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs) and the positive effects of the Proficiency Guidelines (1986) and the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (2006), both developed and supported by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), provide a deeper explanation for the increased number of LCTLs currently being taught. Also described are the obstacles to continued implementation of these efforts and the need both for expansion of these efforts to precollege levels and for more theoretically-based research in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Size dependence and orientation dependence of elastic properties of ZnO nanofilms

The elastic properties of ZnO nanofilms with different film thickness, surface orientations and loading directions are investigated by using molecular mechanics (MM) method. The size dependence of elastic properties is relevant to both the film surface crystallographic orientation and loading direction. Both atomic structure analysis and energy calculation are employed to identify the mechanisms of the size-dependent elastic properties, under different loading directions and surface orientations. Upon small axial deformation, the relationship between intralayer and interlayer bond length variation and film elastic stiffness is established; it is found that the atomic layers with larger bond length variation have higher elastic stiffness. The strain energies of atomic layers of ZnO nanofilm and bulk are decoupled, from which the stiffness of film surface, intralayers, and interlayers are derived and compared with their bulk counterparts. The surface stiffness is found to be much lower than that of the interior layers and bulk counterpart, and with the decrease of film thickness, the residual tension-stiffened interior atomic layers are the main contributions of the increased elastic modulus of ZnO nanofilms.
Hyperacute Stroke Therapy With Tissue Plasminogen Activator

The past year has seen tremendous progress in developing new therapies aimed at reversing the effects of acute stroke. Thrombolytic therapy with various agents has been extensively studied in stroke patients for the past 7 years. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) received formal US Food and Drug Administration approval in June 1996 for use in patients within 3 hours of onset of an ischemic stroke. Treatment with t-PA improves neurologic outcome and functional disability to such a degree that, for every 100 stroke patients treated with t-PA, an additional 11-13 will be normal or nearly normal 3 months after their stroke. The downside of t-PA therapy is a 6% rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and a 3% rate of fatal ICH. Studies are under way to determine whether t-PA can be administered with an acceptable margin of safety within 5 hours of stroke, to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of intraarterial pro-urokinase, and to assess the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from thrombolysis. Combination thrombolytic-neuroprotectant therapy is also being studied. In theory, patients could be given an initial dose of a neuroprotectant by paramedics and receive thrombolytic therapy in the hospital. We are now entering an era of proactive, not reactive, stroke therapies. These treatments may reverse some or all acute stroke symptoms and improve functional outcomes.
The martensite transformation in Ti-Cr binary alloys

Abstract The details of the martensite reaction have been investigated by thin foil electron microscopy techniques in high purity Ti-Cr binary alloys containing 2.4–5.9 at. % Cr. The morphology and the sub-structure of this martensite has been compared with the massive martensite structure that is typical of the quenched condition in pure titanium. The experimental observations for both the acicular and the massive martensite are in qualitative agreement with the crystallographic theory of the martensite transformation. It is pointed out that the crystallographic theory must be generalized to account for more than one mode of lattice invariant deformation such as the twinning on more than one {1011} twin plane that has been observed within a single martensite plate.
Secalonic acid D mycotoxin affects ontogeny of brain catecholamines and swimming in mice

Suckling mice exposed to secalonic acid D (SAD) mycotoxin postnatally (by gavaging dams with 0, 15 or 25 mg/kg on postgestational days 1 to 10) or prenatally (by gavaging with 25 mg/kg on gestational day 13 to produce a positive behavioral teratogenic control group) manifested subtle preweaning neurobehavioral, neurochemical and growth deficits. Gestational length, maternal weight gain, neonatal sex ratio and physical appearance of pups at birth were unaffected by treatment. Prenatal SAD (25 mg/kg) delayed (p less than 0.05) ontogeny of swimming on postnatal days (PND) 11 and 13 and reduced norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) levels in prosencephalon on PND 7 and in cerebellum-pons on PND 7-16. In the postnatal treatment groups, pup body weight gains were decreased from PND 9-22. Swimming was delayed in the 15 mg/kg postnatal exposure group on PND 11 and 13, while 25 mg/kg delayed swimming on PND 11-15. Postnatal exposure to 25 mg/kg also reduced NE and DA levels in prosencephalon and cerebellum-pons on PND 7-16. SAD thus caused concomitant ontogenetic delays in growth, swimming behavior and brain catecholamine levels following either prenatal (transplacental) or early postnatal (transmammary) exposure. These data indicate that both in utero and lactational exposures must be considered when assessing potential risks posed to developing mammals by environmental neurotoxicants.
Enforcing and enhancing consensus of spatially distributed filters utilizing mobile sensor networks

This paper considers the learning abilities of spatial filters utilizing mobile sensing devices. The spatial filters monitor and estimate the state of a spatially distributed process. Going beyond the use of mobile versus static sensing devices to enhance the learning properties of these filters, an agreement of the different spatial filters is imposed. This takes the form of an additive penalty term in each of the dynamic equations of the filters and whose goal is to minimize the agreement between them. The proposed consensus penalty term results in all the spatial filters agreeing with their static average and an enhanced convergence of each of the associated state estimation errors to zero. Numerical simulations for a 1D PDE are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of a such a consensus mobile sensor network in improving the system's learning performance.
A functional circuit underlying male sexual behaviour in the female mouse brain

In mice, pheromone detection is mediated by the vomeronasal organ and the main olfactory epithelium. Male mice that are deficient for Trpc2, an ion channel specifically expressed in VNO neurons and essential for VNO sensory transduction, are impaired in sex discrimination and male–male aggression. We report here that Trpc2-/- female mice show a reduction in female-specific behaviour, including maternal aggression and lactating behaviour. Strikingly, mutant females display unique characteristics of male sexual and courtship behaviours such as mounting, pelvic thrust, solicitation, anogenital olfactory investigation, and emission of complex ultrasonic vocalizations towards male and female conspecific mice. The same behavioural phenotype is observed after VNO surgical removal in adult animals, and is not accompanied by disruption of the oestrous cycle and sex hormone levels. These findings suggest that VNO-mediated pheromone inputs act in wild-type females to repress male behaviour and activate female behaviours. Moreover, they imply that functional neuronal circuits underlying male-specific behaviours exist in the normal female mouse brain. The dominant theory about how the dramatic differences between male and female behaviour arise in mammals has been that gonadal hormones induce neural circuits early in the development of the brain, inducing or suppressing either male or female characteristics. But new work suggests that the preference to mate as a male or female is not pre-set during development. Pheromone perception has been found to change sexual behaviour in adult female mice. Key to the phenomenon is the vomeronasal organ, an auxiliary olfactory sense organ of unknown function found in the vomer bone, between the nose and mouth. Females with a defective vomeronasal organ display masculine sexual behaviour, suggesting that the effector circuits of both male and female behaviours exist in the brain of each sex, and are switched on or off by gender-specific sensory modulators, at least in females. It is thought that adult humans do not possess functional vomeronasal organs, but this discovery may nonetheless open new avenues for research into sex-specific human behaviour. Female mice with genetic or physical lesions of the vomeronasal organ (VNO) display strikingly masculine sexual behavior, suggesting that the masculine circuitry is actually intact even in females but is normally suppressed by VNO function.
A Fast Shear-Like Divergent-Beam Backprojection Algorithm

We introduce a fast algorithm for backprojecting images from 2D fan-beam tomographic projections. It aggregates the projections in a hierarchical structure and reduces the computational cost from O(N3) to O(N2 log N), when backprojecting an NtimesN pixel image from O(N) projections. Unlike our previous O(N2 log N) rotation-based algorithm, this new algorithm is based on a separable image transformation called a warped shear that is implementable by fractional shifts. The key innovation of this algorithm is its implementation in a hybrid space-frequency domain. The warped shearing interpretation of fan-beam backprojection allows for intermediate images throughout all levels of the algorithm to be maintained in one space index and one frequency index. This allows for several optimizations including the implementation of high-quality shears at no extra computational cost, the O(N) parallelization of the algorithm, and efficient memory access. The algorithm can be extended to 3D geometries including helical cone-beam.
Franchise Expansion into International Markets: The Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Knowledge Resources

Globalization and emerging markets worldwide create tremendous international expansion opportunities for erstwhile domestic franchisors. Surveys among franchisors reveal that a vast proportion of franchise systems already are expanding or hoping to expand internationally. Food service firms from the United States, such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Subway, Starbucks, and KFC, have been prominent in taking advantage of international opportunities and vastly expanding their scale of operations in multiple markets. Academic franchising research has also issued calls for further understanding of franchise internationalization. Despite these developments, there is still a need for comprehensive frameworks to guide research and practice. We review and integrate literature from international business, entrepreneurship, and franchising to develop a framework of franchise internationalization. The proposed framework links entrepreneurial orientation and the market knowledge resources of both the franchisor and franchisee to franchise internationalization and performance.
Studies on the Pathogenesis of Hypertensive Vascular Disease Effect of High-Pressure Intra-Arterial Injections in Rats

Repeated high-pressure injection of saline into the arterial system via carotid cannula in normal, ether-anesthetized rats has been previously shown to produce acute necrotizing lesions in the renal vasculature. In this study administration of the vasodilator aminophylline prior to high-pressure injections led to similar lesions, produced in dilated, hyperdistended vessels, at far lower pressures than in control animals, demonstrating that neither vasoconstriction nor the absolute height of blood pressure is a critical determinant in production of lesions. In the second part of the study previous treatment with desoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-saline for 12 to 18 days rendered the renal vasculature abnormally prone to lesions after high-pressure injections, compared with normal rats so injected or those receiving a DOCA-saline regimen only. Glomerular lesions were more severe than can be explained on the basis of simple addition of the lesions resulting from high-pressure injections to those arising from DOCA administration. This increased susceptibility of the vasculature to elevated pressure is probably a function of focal alteration of vascular smooth muscle. These observations support the proposal that hypertensive vascular lesions occur in dilated, hyperdistended vessels and the glomeruli distal to them, the dilatation probably resulting from focal smooth muscle alteration with partial or complete loss of contractility.
Communities of Practice: Using Blogs to Increase Collaboration

A community of practice provides a forum for professionals to exchange ideas and discuss concerns related to the profession. Within this forum, technology can eliminate many of the constraints face-to-face communities of practice encounter by providing a convenient and highly interactive environment. A description of how to set up an online community of practice using blogs is described. Blogging can support professional learning by giving teachers a platform for interacting and collaborating with other professionals. The steps for creating a blog are given.
Cone‐shaped epiphyses in Japanese children

Cone-shaped epiphyses (CSE) are reported in left-hand radiographs of a sample of 1,399 otherwise normal Japanese children aged 5-11 years. CSE occurred in only three centers: distal thumb, mid-index finger, and mid-fifth finger. The overall frequency of 23% shows a female bias (32% to 16%), which disappears when mid-5 cones are excluded. Chi-squared analyses show significant gender bias for mid-5 cones alone or in combination with the other phalanges, and show significant center associations: CSE in distal-1 and/or mid-2 are more common in association with mid-5 cones than they are without mid-5 cones. The CSE female bias in mid-5 is essentially unchanged across age-cohorts when bone-age is controlled for precocity, and no significant trends in CSE frequency with age are noted for either gender.
Changes in Marital and Partner Relationships in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina An Analysis With Low-Income Women

Little is known about the impact of natural disasters on marital and partner relationships. In this study, the authors aimed to fill this gap by investigating the changes in such relationships in a sample of 40 low-income, mostly African American women who survived Hurricane Katrina. Through in-depth interviews, participants described how the hurricane affected their intimate relationships. The authors found that, although many participants reported negative changes in their relationships, others reported that their relationships grew stronger, often despite initial strain. As a framework for understanding the processes underlying participants' negative and positive outcomes, the authors drew on the family stress model. Consistent with the model, participants reported that the hurricane led to external stressors, including unemployment and prolonged separations, and that these stressors, in turn, undermined both individual functioning and relational processes (e.g., communication and support). Conversely, participants reporting positive changes experienced new employment opportunities, a greater sense of perspective, and high levels of effective communication and support in their relationships. Based on the findings, policies that reduce the economic strain of low-income families in the aftermath of disasters and empirically supported, culturally sensitive, clinical interventions for individuals and couples are recommended. Language: en
Temporal and spatial changes in collateral formation and function during chronic myocardial ischemia.

Background We investigated time dependence and spatial progression of cardiac function and angiogenesis signaling in a porcine model of chronic myocardial ischemia. Study Design Yorkshire mini-swine (n = 7/group) were subjected to chronic myocardial ischemia by placing an ameroid constrictor on the left circumflex coronary artery under general anesthesia. Swine were sacrificed after either 4 or 7 weeks of ischemia. Myocardial function, angiographic evidence of angiogenesis, microvessel function, molecular signaling, and levels of apoptosis and oxidative stress were assessed. Results Flow reserve was significantly increased at 7 versus 4 weeks. Myocardial function (+dP/dt) improved 1.5-fold by 7 weeks. In the ischemic territory, microvessels at 4 weeks displayed abnormal contraction responses to serotonin, which diminished at 7 weeks. Delta-like ligand 4 protein expression decreased at 7 weeks; expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and phospho-endothelial nitric acid synthase (eNOS) increased. The number of apoptotic cells was decreased at 7 weeks, and antiapoptotic markers heat shock protein (HSP) 27 and HSP 90 were upregulated at 7 weeks. There was an increase in proliferating endothelial cells at 7 weeks as compared with 4 weeks. In the adjacent normal ventricle, microvessels demonstrated smaller contraction responses to endothelin-1 and serotonin at 7 weeks. There was an increase in protein peroxidation in the ischemic territory at 7 weeks. Conclusions Over time, myocardial perfusion, function, and angiogenic signaling improved in the ischemic myocardium and adjacent normal territory compared with what is observed shortly after coronary occlusion.
Funding Supported Employment Are There Better Ways

This article describes different methods used by state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies to fund time-limited supported employment services. Findings are reported from a survey of 385 vendored supported employment provider qencies regarding types of reimbursement method used, the influence of different types of methods on key consumer outcomes, aid recommendations for improviiig funding systems. The findings consistently pointed to significantly more positive response of vendors to funding methods that incorporate negotiated rates at the individual provider level as compared to statewide fixed rates for all vendors. Statewide fixed hourly rates were found to discourage both conversion to community integrated employment opportunities and the reopening of supported employment cases after job loss. The same response pattern held true for respondents' perceptions of reimbursements covering the costs of services. Statewide rates for specified outcomes or for daily, weekly, or monthly service units were f...
Accumulation of the Antibiotic Phenazine-1-Carboxylic Acid in the Rhizosphere of Dryland Cereals

Natural antibiotics are thought to function in the defense, fitness, competitiveness, biocontrol activity, communication, and gene regulation of microorganisms. However, the scale and quantitative aspects of antibiotic production in natural settings are poorly understood. We addressed these fundamental questions by assessing the geographic distribution of indigenous phenazine-producing (Phz(+)) Pseudomonas spp. and the accumulation of the broad-spectrum antibiotic phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) in the rhizosphere of wheat grown in the low-precipitation zone (<350 mm) of the Columbia Plateau and in adjacent, higher-precipitation areas. Plants were collected from 61 commercial wheat fields located within an area of about 22,000 km(2). Phz(+) Pseudomonas spp. were detected in all sampled fields, with mean population sizes ranging from log 3.2 to log 7.1 g(-1) (fresh weight) of roots. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between annual precipitation and the proportion of plants colonized by Phz(+) Pseudomonas spp. (r(2) = 0.36, P = 0.0001). PCA was detected at up to nanomolar concentrations in the rhizosphere of plants from 26 of 29 fields that were selected for antibiotic quantitation. There was a direct relationship between the amount of PCA extracted from the rhizosphere and the population density of Phz(+) pseudomonads (r(2) = 0.46, P = 0.0006). This is the first demonstration of accumulation of significant quantities of a natural antibiotic across a terrestrial ecosystem. Our results strongly suggest that natural antibiotics can transiently accumulate in the plant rhizosphere in amounts sufficient not only for inter- and intraspecies signaling but also for the direct inhibition of sensitive organisms.
Frontonasal dysplasia and its orodental aspects.

Abstract The case is reported of a 4 1/2-year-old black female with macrocephaly and frontonasal dysplasia, characterized by ocular hypertelorism, a broad nasal bridge, a partially bifid nose, and some asymmetry of the facial bones. Orally, she showed a definite tendency toward mandibular retrognathism with a developing malocclusion. Although only 4 1/2 years old she had an advanced dental age of at least 6 years with the early eruption of the left maxillary incisor and two lower permanent incisors. Her early dental development was symmetrical and evident in all four quadrants.
Scorecard for NCDs.

GLOBAL HEART © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of World Heart Federation (Geneva). VOL. 8, NO. 2, 2013 Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have risen to be a top public health priority in high-, middle-, and lowincome countries alike. Most of the risk factors and highrisk behaviors upstream of NCDs have no symptoms, and often people do not associate today’s behavior choices with subsequent disease. As the proportion of the population unaware of NCD risk factors in population-based surveys attests, presence of NCD risk factors is often unknown to the affected individuals and to the health system. In the campaign to control NCDs, the high-income nations have several advantages: a well developed health-delivery and risk-factor surveillance infrastructure, adequate numbers of qualified health professionals, and, increasingly, electronic medical records used by health care practitioners for the purposes of individual diagnosis and monitoring and system-wide surveillance. Disparities among nations in these resources might lead to the conclusion that lowincome nations need to be brought up to speed by adopting the NCD control tools of the high-income world. However, innovations leading to better health need not always flow from highto low-income countries. An example is the community health worker movement, which originated in different forms in China, Sub-Saharan Africa, Indonesia, and Latin America, only later becoming a model for chronic disease management in high-income nations [1]. In terms of delivering health care and health promotion by digital technology, lowand middle-income nations have advantages: mobile cellular technology and smart phones are becoming ubiquitous in these countries, and their younger populations are willing to adopt new technologies. Indeed, if citizens of lowand middle-income nations are using mobile devices to do banking and request government services, then mobile health care, health education, and health promotion will be adopted soon. Already, mobile applications are being used in lowand middle-income countries to allow patients to pay for clinic visits, provide remote video conferencing with doctors, monitor pregnant women, and remind HIV patients to take their antiretroviral medication [2]. In this context, the Digital Health Scorecard introduced by Ratzan et al. in this issue of Global Heart represents a new mobile software application for NCD education and prevention [3]. Seven major NCD risk factors were chosen: overweight/obesity, low physical inactivity, tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, elevated cholesterol, blood pressure, and hyperglycemia. Risk factor levels and overall NCD risk are presented to the user in simple color codes and a numeric scale. The relative importance of risk
Photonic band gap fiber accelerator

There are three requirements in making a traveling wave accelerator: longitudinal electric field, synchronization, and confinement. We present and analyze a conceptually new kind of charged particle accelerator, making use of a photonic band gap lattice for field confinement near the beam axis, and employing dielectric material to produce a speed of light synchronous longitudinal electric field. An example structure design is presented. We also discuss nonlinear effect and other configurations without higher order dipole modes. Parallel scheme and fabrication are presented.
Evaluation of immune parameters in propanil-exposed farm families.

The rice herbicide propanil induces alterations in the mouse immune system, causing significant decreases in T cell–dependent and T cell–independent antibody responses. This postemergent herbicide is used extensively in rice production in the Mississippi River delta region of the southern United States. The aerial application and airborne drift of propanil may pose health concerns to exposed farm families living adjacent to sprayed rice fields. To determine if aerial spraying of propanil increases risks of altered immune responses in families bordering rice fields, immune parameters were assessed during a 2-year study. Families living within 100 yards of rice fields were compared in a case control study to farm families whose homes exceeded 1 mile from any rice field. Blood was analyzed in adults (n = 56) and children (n = 52) at three time intervals: (1) preseason, prior to propanil application; (2) 5–7 days after aerial application of propanil to rice fields; and (3) postseason, following harvest. Exposed adults and children were compared with controls for a number of immune parameters. Total cell count and the percentage of various lymphocytes (T cells, B cells, CD4+ helper cells, and CD8+ suppressor cells) and natural killer (NK) cells, mitogen-induced cell proliferation, cytokine (IL-2+) production, and NK cell function were assessed. A comparison of immune function between exposed and nonexposed farm families showed no significant differences, possibly related to propanil exposure. However, some immune test parameters changed as a function of season rather than propanil exposure. The data indicate that individuals living next to rice fields are not at increased risk of altered immune function due to propanil exposure.
Protecting intellectual property in digital multimedia networks

Digital content providers can choose from a range of new technologies to reproduce, store, and distribute their intellectual property. Protecting their IP from piracy, however, remains a major Issue.
Sex, Drugs, and Deception: Deviance in the Hair Salon Industry

ABSTRACTThe unique organizational structure of the hair salon industry fosters an environment in which multiple factors, including varying levels of status, opportunity, and motivation, can create or constrain possibilities for deviant behavior. Using data from participant observation, personal interviews, and systematic introspection, four categories of deviance emerge: theft, hyper-sexualized interactions, drug/alcohol use, and questionable/illegal business practices. This study uses a classification of workplace crime, occupational deviance, and occupational crime to illustrate how the typology applies to salon deviance and how the structural location within the industry predicts the types of deviance that occur in each salon organizational structure.
Intracellular Changes of H+ and Ca2+ in Balanus Photoreceptors

Both H+ and Ca2+ have been under consideration as the intracellular mediator of the receptor potential or light adaptation in both vertebrate and invertebrate photoreceptors. Closer experimental scrutiny has qualified neither of them for an exclusive role in this regard. However, it remains that changes in these ions might represent important sequelae to certain events, such as biochemical changes, that are involved in important functional processes. Intracellular pH changes have been shown to occur with pH electrodes in an invertebrate photoreceptor (Brown and Meech, 1976; 1979). In vertebrate preparations, a suspension of rod disk membranes have been shown to acidify with illumination. This acidification has been shown to be caused by hydrolysis of cyclic GMP (Libman and Pugh, 1981).
Automated Underway Eddy Covariance System for Air–Sea Momentum, Heat, and CO2 Fluxes in the Southern Ocean

AbstractA ruggedized closed-path eddy covariance (EC) system was designed for unattended direct measurements of air–sea momentum, heat, and CO2 flux, and was deployed on the Research Vessel Icebreaker (RV/IB) Nathaniel B. Palmer (NBP), an Antarctic research and supply vessel. The system operated for nine cruises during 18 months from January 2013 to June 2014 in the Southern Ocean and coastal Antarctica, sampling a wide variety of wind, wave, biological productivity, and ice conditions. The methods are described and the results are shown for two cruises chosen for their latitudinal range, inclusion of both open water and sea ice cover, and relatively large air–water CO2 concentration differences (ΔpCO2). Ship flow distortion was addressed by comparing mean winds, fluxes, and cospectra from an array of 3D anemometers at the NBP bow, comparing measured fluxes with bulk formulas, and implementing and evaluating several recently published data processing techniques. Quality-controlled momentum, heat, and CO2 ...