cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strategic planning in government-dependent businesses

Abstract As the role of government has expanded in various countries, standard distinctions between the public and private sectors have become blurred. This paper explores the special context within which strategic planning must take place in organizations with a very high dependence on government. Four types of government dependency are considered: ownership dependency (public enterprises); regulation dependency (private, regulated firms); input-dependency (e.g. non-profits dependent on state funding); and output-dependency (e.g. defence contractors who sell a considerable portion of their output to governments). Despite their seeming differences, all four types of government-dependent organizations (GDOs) experience five distinctive problems that seriously limit the relevance of traditional planning models (or what are often referred to as ‘rational, comprehensive models’). They are: fragmented strategic decision-making authority; heightened goal ambiguity; politicization of strategic decision-making; short-term orientation and internal bureaucratization. The concepts of strategy and strategic planning are as relevant to Government dependent organizations (GDOs) as they are to other kinds of firms, although the planning system has to be designed somewhat differently. Six tentative guidelines for designing the planning system in GDOs are presented in the paper: (1) plans must be ‘negotiated’ rather than ‘formulated’ in GDOs; (2) outsiders must be involved in the planning process; (3) socio-political issues must be integrated with technoeconomic tissues; (4) top management must play an active role in running the system, especially in managing interfaces with government; (5) the planning system should emphasize flexibility over discipline or rigor and (6) plans must be written up with the expectation that much of their contents could become public knowledge. The paper concludes with the view the GDOs may have a lot to learn from one another despite superficial differences in institutional status (public vs private) and nature of goals (for- profit vs not-for-profits).
Microstructural characterization of precipitates formed during high temperature testing and processing of iron-aluminide alloys

Abstract Iron-aluminide alloys were examined using analytical electron microscopy after creep-rupture testing at 600–650°C or after thermomechanical processing at 650–1250°C. Various precipitates were found in several different alloys after testing or heat treatments and most were identified as carbide phases. Small Mo 2 C grain boundary precipitates and occasional coarse FeAlMo Laves phase particles were found after creep testing at 650°C in ternary Fe 3 Al+2Mo alloy, but only after 0.3 h at 275 MPa and not after 90 h at 69 MPa. Large and small niobium- and zirconium-rich MC unintentional impurities) creep tested for 1932 h at 650°C and 69 MPa, whereas no such precipitates were observed when creep-rupture occured after only 0.5 h at 275 MPa. Two different precipitate phases were found in a complex Fe 3 Al+Cr, Mo,Ti,Nb,V,C alloy after high temperature processing or mechanical testing, a titanium-rich MC phase and a CrMoFe phase (Fe 2 MoC?). Coarse matrix particles of both phases were found after hot rolling at 650°C. The precipitates partially dissolved and only MC remained after solution annealing (SA) at 1100–1200°C, but finer grain boundary MC was found after a SA treatment at 1250°C. The CrMoFe phase was not found after the SA treatments, but was found to form around matrix MC particles during creep at 600°C (207 MPa for 244 h) and during aging for 9 h at 750°C.
Viable embryogenesis of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus from - 1.8° to 15°C

Pseudopleuronectes americanus spawns in late winter near New York, and its eggs may be found in shallow water under ice at temperatures below the usual freezing point of vertebrate tissues. Survival and duration of development at a variety of constant temperatures were recorded for artificially fertilized eggs in the laboratory. Many eggs hatched into normal larvae after 2 months at the lowest temperature tried,-1.8°C. The upper lethal temperature was about 15°C. There was a linear relation between log time and temperature in the minimum mortality range (0° to 10°C), with a Q10 of about 4.8.
netEmbed: a service for embedding distributed applications

An increased number of applications, such as computational grids, testbeds, peer-to-peer networks, and sensor networks (among many others) rely on finding a set of resources that meet certain criteria for their operation. In particular, in many of these cases their requirements may be described as a labeled graph where nodes represent computational resources and links represent connectivity/communication requirements. Similarly, the infrastructure where the service will be deployed is also described by a labeled graph, where the attributes of nodes and links represent their capabilities. The problem of finding a feasible set of links and nodes on which to deploy the service is what we call the embedding problem.
Liquid-Crystalline Heterocyclic Phthalocyanine Analogues Based on Thiophene

The syntheses and mesomorphism of novel octaalkoxymethyl-substituted tetra-2,3-thiophenophorphyrazines, heterocyclic phthalocyanine analogues in which the benzene rings are replaced by thiophene rings, are reported. NMR analysis indicates that these materials exist as isomeric mixtures due to the asymmetry induced by the thiophene ring. Among the attractive features of liquid-crystalline 2,3-thiophenophorphyrazines over phthalocyanines are their lower mesomorphic and isotropic temperatures. These features have resulted in liquid crystallinity at room temperature. Similar to liquid-crystalline phthalocyanine derivatives, metalation with copper raises the transition temperatures.
A New Method of Blunt Cartilage Impact for a Model of Osteoarthritis

Impact injury to cartilage, a common consequence of joint trauma, is commonly thought to lead to degenerative osteoarthritis. Many pharmacologic agents have been developed to prevent or forestall this process. Development of a reliable model for the early stages of cartilage injury and osteoarthritis would enable the testing of novel treatments that could delay or even reverse the progression of this debilitating disease.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A NEW APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM OF TURBULENT MIXING

Abstract The principle of dynamic entrainment is applied to the turbulent-mixing problem. With use of the velocity fluctuations characteristic of turbulent flow and the equation of continuity, an expression is derived for the mass exchange between an accelerated fluid and its environment, under steady-state conditions. A two-stage diffusion mechanism is postulated, in which it is held that the dilution and spreading of aerosols occur in consequence of the inflow and outflow required by continuity in regions of accelerated motion. It is assumed that the inflow and outflow are orderly, that the atmosphere is incompressible, that changes in density are negligible, and that the entrained air is uniformly mixed with the aerosol. Several elementary models are described, and the results obtained by numerical integration in selected cases are discussed. It is indicated that the turbulent-mixing process depends upon the scale of the velocity fluctuations, and upon the ratio of the amplitude of these fluctuations t...
3-D Measurement of Deformation Microstructure in Al(0.2%)Mg Using Submicron Resolution White x-ray Microbeams

We have used submicron-resolution white x-ray microbeams on the MHATT-CAT beamline 7-ID at the Advanced Photon Source to develop techniques for three-dimensional investigation of the deformation microstructure in a 20% plane strain compressed Al(0.2%)Mg tri-crystal. Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors were used to focus white radiation from an undulator to a 0.7 x 0.7 {micro}m{sup 2} beam that was scanned over bi- and tri-crystal regions near the triple-junction of the tri-crystal. Depth resolution along the x-ray microbeam of less than 5 microns was achieved by triangulation to the diffractibn source point using images taken at a series of CCD distances from the microbeam. Computer indexing of the deformation cell structure in the bi-crystal region provided orientations of individual subgrains to {approximately}0.01 degrees, making possible detailed measurements of the rotation axes between individual cells.
Electrocardiographic Textbooks Based on Template Hearts Warped Using Ultrasonic Images

Advances in technology make the application of sophisticated approaches to assessing electrical condition of the heart practical. Estimates of cardiac electrical features inferred from body-surface electrocardiographic (ECG) maps are now routinely found in a clinical setting, but errors in those inverse solutions are especially sensitive to the accuracy of heart model geometry and placement within the torso. The use of a template heart model allows for accurate generation of individualized heart models and also permits effective comparison of inferred electrical features among multiple subjects. A collection of features mapped onto a common template forms a textbook of anatomically specific ECG variability. Our template warping process to individualize heart models based on a template heart uses ultrasonic images of the heart from a conventional, phased-array system. We chose ultrasound because it is nonionizing, less expensive, and more convenient than MR or CT imaging. To find the orientation and position in the torso model of each image, we calibrated the ultrasound probe by imaging a custom phantom consisting of multiple N-fiducials and computing a transformation between ultrasound coordinates and measurements of the torso surface. The template heart was warped using a mapping of corresponding landmarks identified on both the template and the ultrasonic images. Accuracy of the method is limited by patient movement, tracking error, and image analysis. We tested our approach on one normal control and one obese diabetic patient using the mixed-boundary-value inverse method and compared results from both on the template heart. We believe that our novel textbook approach using anatomically specific heart and torso models will facilitate the identification of electrophysiological biomarkers of cardiac dysfunction. Because the necessary data can be acquired and analyzed within about 30 min, this framework has the potential for becoming a routine clinical procedure.
Quasi-static Crushing Behavior of Aluminum Honeycomb Materials:

The quasi-static crushing behavior of aluminum honeycomb materials is thoroughly evaluated using a combined experimental, analytical, and numerical approach. Based on experimental characterization, the constitutive properties of the honeycomb cores under flat-wise compression are approximated by an elastic perfectly plastic material with inclusion of hardening after densification. Two different cell size materials are tested and compared, and the effect of strain rate on the crushing stress is studied. The experimental results show that the crushing platen stress is directly related to the relative density of core materials, and it can be associated with the strain rate, even though the effect of strain rates is not so dominant based on the conducted quasi-static tests. A simple physical model for predicting the crushing wave length and stress is proposed and compared with the experimental data and available formulas in the literature. It is observed that the crushing wave length is close to the cell size...
Catalytic Generation of Hydrogen with Titanium Citrate and a Macrocyclic Cobalt Complex

Hydrogen evolution from acidic aqueous solutions of TiIIIcitrate is strongly catalyzed by Co(dmgBF{sub 2}){sub 2}. The reaction generates an intermediate with maximum absorbance at 770 nm. The slow disappearance of this intermediate takes place simultaneously with the generation of H{sub 2} in a process that was most efficient at pH 1.6 (turnover number 53). The loss of the catalytic activity is caused by the loss of the macrocyclic ligand and formation of Co{sub aq}{sup 2+}. Control experiments implicate Co{sup III} as the most likely oxidation state responsible for catalyst destruction, and thus provide indirect evidence for the involvement of Co{sup III} in the catalytic cycle. Taken together, the data suggest that hydrogen generation takes place at least in part by the H{sup +}/HCo{sup III}(dmgBF{sub 2}){sub 2} route. Incitrate-containing solutions at 7 {le} pH {le} 8, the protonation of Co{sup I}(dmgBF{sub 2}){sub 2}{sup -} to yield HCo{sup III}(dmgBF{sub 2}){sub 2} has a rate constant k{sub H} = 1.4 x 10{sup 6} M{sup -1} s{sup -1}. This reaction is about ten times slower in the absence of citrate.
A new approach to porphobilinogen and its analogs

Abstract The van Leusen pyrrole synthesis was used to assemble three potential precursors of porphobilinogen, one of which was converted to the natural product using a new method for the direct alkylation of β-hydroxymethylpyrroles.
Experimental Evaluation of the Smart Spring Impedance Control Approach for Adaptive Vibration Suppression

Most active vibration suppression approaches have attempted to suppress structural vibration by incorporating active material actuators, such as piezoceramic, within the structure to act directly against vibratory loads. These approaches require the piezoceramic actuators to generate significant force to effectively counteract the vibratory forces. Unfortunately, successful implementation of these approaches has been hindered by the limited displacement capabilities of piezoceramic actuators. The Smart Spring concept is a unique approach to actively control combinations of dynamic impedance characteristics of a structure, such as the stiffness and damping, to suppress vibration in an indirect manner. The piezoceramic actuators employed in the Smart Spring concept are not used to directly counteract excitation loads but rather adaptively vary the effective impedance properties of the structure. This study demonstrates the ability of the Smart Spring concept to control dynamic impedance characteristics of a...
The plastic anisotropy of an Al-Li-Cu-Zr alloy extrusion in unidirectional deformation

The plastic anisotropy resulting from the initial deformation microstructure and various aging treatments applied to several regions of an AA2090 near-net-shape extrusion has been investigated. Yield behavior was measured by uniaxial compression in multiple orientations of each region. Two models of the plastic anisotropy were generated: the Taylor/Bishop-Hill model, based on crystallographic texture, and the plastic inclusion model, developed by Hosford and Zeisloft,[5] which incorporates anisotropic-precipitate effects. In overaged conditions, the Taylor/Bishop-Hill model adequately describes the observed plastic anisotropy. As the strengthening increment due to second-phase particles increases, there is a concurrent increase in the magnitude of the precipitate contribution to anisotropy. This anisotropy can not be accurately predicted solely by crystallographic texture. By incorporation of terms describing the precipitate anisotropy, the plastic inclusion model correctly predicts the yield strength variation in all regions tested. Examination of the fundamental interaction between matrix and precipitation strengthening reveals that there is a stronger basis for taking the critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) of the precipitates as a constant, rather than their effective yield strength. This consideration provides a more consistent and accurate form of the plastic inclusion model.
NORMATIVE EXPECTATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS CONCERNING MEDIA GRATIFICATION CHOICES

Results from this study, in which subjects evaluated gratifications for various media channels based on their beliefs concerning how “most people” would respond, indicate that each medium has a clear, socially defined image. This suggests a two-stage model of media channel utilization, of normative expectations followed by individual decisions.
Evidence for autism spectrum disorder in Jacobsen syndrome: identification of a candidate gene in distal 11q.

Evidence for autism spectrum disorder in Jacobsen syndrome: identification of a candidate gene in distal 11q
Resolution of four pectate lyase structural genes of Erwinia chrysanthemi (EC16) and characterization of the enzymes produced in Escherichia coli

Erwinia chrysanthemi (EC16) produces four extracellular pectate lyases (Pels) that are resolved by their isoelectric pH (pI): Pel A, pI 4.2; Pel B, pI 8.8; Pel C, pI 9.0; and Pel E, pI 10.0. To investigate the organization of the pel genes and to compare the properties of the enzymes, the cognate structural genes were isolated from an EC16 cosmid library. Physical analysis of the Pel+ plasmids revealed that pelA and pelE were present on a 8.2 kb DNA segment, while pelB and pelC were present on a 5.9 kb DNA segment. These four pel genes were resolved by subcloning or Tn5 mutagenesis. The properties of each Pel, obtained from the Escherichia coli periplasm, were determined. The pIs of the enzymes were identical to those of the EC16 extracellular enzymes. While each Pel was of the endo-type, differences among them were noted in the quantities of the various reaction products. Pel E was found to be most effective in causing maceration and inducing electrolyte loss and cell death in potato tuber tissue, followed by Pel B and Pel C. In contrast to these basic Pels, the acidic enzyme, Pel A, did not macerate plant tissue or induce electrolyte loss and cell death. These findings are discussed in the context of the plant pathogenicity of E. chrysanthemi.
American Economic History: Economics? Or History?

What is this thing called “economic history”? Is it the history of an economy? Or is it the economics of a history? They are not the same, and the respects in which they differ have been consequent...
MELD score for prediction of survival after emergent TIPS for acute variceal hemorrhage: derivation and validation in a 101-patient cohort.

Background and rationale for the study. The Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score has not been derived and validated for the emergent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) population. We sought to identify predictive factors for survival among emergent TIPS patients, and to substantiate MELD for outcomes prognostication in this population. Results. 101 patients with acute life threatening variceal hemorrhage underwent emergent TIPS (defined by failed endoscopic therapy for active bleeding, acute hemoglobin drop, ≥ 2-unit transfusion requirement, and/or vasopressor need) at between 1998-2013. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and procedure parameters were analyzed for correlation with mortality using Cox proportional hazards regression to derive the prognostic value of MELD constituents. Area under receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curves was used to assess the capability of MELD prediction of mortality. TIPS were created 119 ± 167 h after initial bleeding events. Hemodynamic success was achieved in 90%. Median final portosystemic pressure gradient was 8 mmHg. Variceal rebleeding incidence was 21%. The four original MELD components showed significant correlation with mortality on multivariate Cox regression: baseline bilirubin (regression coefficient 0.366), creatinine (0.621), international normalized ratio (1.111), and liver disease etiology (0.808), validating the MELD system for emergent cases. No other significant predictive parameters were identified. MELD was an excellent predictor of 90-day mortality in the emergent TIPS population (AUROC = 0.842, 95% CI 0.755-0.928). Conclusions. Based on independent derivation of prognostic constituents and confirmation of predictive accuracy, MELD is a valid and reliable metric for risk stratification and survival projection after emergent TIPS.
A Model for Programmatic Evaluation by Student Assessment

The goal of the Department of Biological Sciences faculty was to evaluate how effectively our undergraduate biology program supports the goals and intended outcomes of our department and institution. Student responses in written assessment tests have provided the foundation of this evaluation. Each semester questions were selected by a departmental faculty committee to address student outcomes. The questions were administered in the first examination/quiz of the semester in several introductory through upper level courses. Student grades were analyzed by class rank (freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior) and course level (100, 200, 300, and 400) for biology, non-science, and other science majors. This protocol provided a useful way to (1) assess student knowledge and understanding of biology and (2) evaluate the biology program. The protocol, sample questions, answers, grading protocol, cumulative results with discussion (fall 2000 semester−fall 2010 semester), initiatives instituted in response to assessment results, and dissemination of results are presented for illustrative purposes. We offer this approach as a model for student assessment and program evaluation for other departments to consider.
Social validity of the critical incident stress management model for school-based crisis intervention

The Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) model for crisis intervention was developed for use with emergency service personnel. Research regarding the use of the CISM model has been conducted among civilians and high-risk occupation groups with mixed results. The purpose of this study is to examine the social validity of the CISM model for school-based crisis intervention as perceived by school psychologists and school social workers trained in the model. The results suggest that the CISM Model had a positive effect on service delivery, but the training itself did not adequately address the developmental appropriateness or the cross-cultural appropriateness for school-based application. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 765–777, 2007.
Brief report: using individualized orienting cues to facilitate first-word acquisition in non-responders with autism.

Though considerable progress has been made in developing techniques for improving the acquisition of expressive verbal communication in children with autism, research has documented that 10–25% still fail to develop speech. One possible technique that could be significant in facilitating responding for this nonverbal subgroup of children is the use of orienting cues. Using a multiple baseline design, this study examined whether individualized orienting cues could be identified, and whether their presentation would result in verbal expressive words. The results suggest that using individualized orienting cues can increase correct responding to verbal models as well as subsequent word use. Theoretical and applied implications of orienting cues as they relate to individualized programming for children with autism are discussed.
Family History as an Indicator of Risk for Reading Disability

Self-reported reading ability of the parents of 174 reading-disabled children and of 182 controls was used to estimate the posterior probability that a child will become reading disabled given that a parent is affected. Using Bayesian inverse probability analysis, it was found that the risk for reading disability is increased substantially (by a factor of from about 4 to over 13) if either parent has had difficulty in learning to read. The absolute risk appears to be sufficiently high to warrant clinical application of family history information as one component of a multifactorial risk assessment battery.
A member of the Phosphate transporter 1 (Pht1) family from the arsenic-hyperaccumulating fern Pteris vittata is a high-affinity arsenate transporter

Pteris vittata exhibits enhanced arsenic uptake, but the corresponding mechanisms are not well known. The prevalent form of arsenic in most soils is arsenate, which is a phosphate analog and a substrate for Phosphate transporter 1 (Pht1) transporters. Herein we identify and characterize three P. vittata Pht1 transporters. Pteris vittata Pht1 cDNAs were isolated and characterized via heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) and Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Expression of the PvPht1 loci in P. vittata gametophytes was also examined in response to phosphate deficiency and arsenate exposure. Expression of each of the PvPht1 cDNAs complemented the phosphate uptake defect of a yeast mutant. Compared with yeast cells expressing Arabidopsis thaliana Pht1;5, cells expressing PvPht1;3 were more sensitive to arsenate, and accumulated more arsenic. Uptake assays with yeast cells and radiolabeled (32)P revealed that PvPht1;3 and AtPht1;5 have similar affinities for phosphate, but the affinity of PvPht1;3 for arsenate is much greater. In P. vittata gametophytes, PvPht1;3 transcript levels increased in response to phosphate (Pi) deficiency and arsenate exposure. PvPht1;3 is induced by Pi deficiency and arsenate, and encodes a phosphate transporter that has a high affinity for arsenate. PvPht1;3 probably contributes to the enhanced arsenate uptake capacity and affinity exhibited by P. vittata.
Provisional versus routine stenting: routine stenting is here to stay.

The introduction of coronary artery stents into widespread clinical use in the mid-1990s was a significant advance that almost rivals the introduction of balloon angioplasty itself 15 years earlier. It is noteworthy that the success of stents required several paradigm shifts. For example, higher-pressure balloon inflations and slight oversizing were needed to achieve full stent expansion (anathema in balloon angioplasty), and antiplatelet therapies were required rather than anticoagulation, including a reduction and now almost elimination of heparin. Yet, these changes were quickly accomplished. Technical advances in equipment also occurred, and now stenting, quite literally, has become the standard in clinical practice when it can be performed (which is most of the time). One curious and intriguing question that arises with any new device, and stents are no exception, is whether they are needed in all situations where they are being used. Is it possible that balloon angioplasty alone might be sufficient for excellent immediate and long-term benefit, provided the final procedural result is good enough? If one could determine this to be true, then such a strategy would avoid the additional cost of a stent and the problem (or pseudo-problem) of in-stent restenosis. However, a provisional stent strategy raises the further and not inconsiderable question of how to decide when balloon angioplasty results are “good enough.” The limitations of standard angiography notwithstanding, is there anything better than the eyes and minds of experienced angiographers? Additional “objective” measures to assess procedural results have long been sought. A number of investigators have championed intracoronary ultrasound as one approach, whereas others suggest alternative methods. In this issue of Circulation , 2 separate groups report their findings using combined anatomic and functional coronary measures to assess balloon angioplasty results for the purpose of provisional stenting.1 2 These measures are on-line quantitative coronary arteriography …
Analyzing language samples of spanish-english bilingual children for the automated prediction of language dominance

In this work we study how features typically used in natural language processing tasks, together with measures from syntactic complexity, can be adapted to the problem of developing language profiles of bilingual children. Our experiments show that these features can provide high discriminative value for predicting language dominance from story retells in a Spanish-English bilingual population of children. Moreover, some of our proposed features are even more powerful than measures commonly used by clinical researchers and practitioners for analyzing spontaneous language samples of children. This study shows that the field of natural language processing has the potential to make significant contributions to communication disorders and related areas.
Brain Metastases from Bladder Carcinoma: Presentation, Treatment and Survival

Purpose: We report the presentation of brain metastases from bladder carcinoma. We investigated the role of whole brain radiation therapy for treating this disease.Materials and Methods: Between January 1982 and November 1999, 16 patients with brain metastases from bladder carcinoma were treated at our institution. We reviewed patient and tumor characteristics at the time of the primary diagnosis and the brain metastasis diagnosis. We analyzed treatment results in regard to survival and local metastasis control.Results: Brain metastases from bladder carcinoma were commonly accompanied by uncontrolled systemic metastases. Multiple brain lesions developed in 14 of the 16 patients. Of the 16 patients 14 received radiation therapy with or without surgery, 1 was treated surgically and 1 did not receive any treatment. The 11 patients treated with whole brain radiation therapy had a median survival of only 2 months (range 0.5 to 11). A patient who received stereotactic radiosurgery survived 12 months after the b...
Attack-based indices, not movement patterns, reveal intraspecific variation in foraging behavior

In lizards, much of the research on foraging patterns has regarded foraging behavior as static within species and has quantified foraging based on movement patterns alone. Sole use of movement patterns has been recognized as problematic because movements are often related to activities other than foraging (e.g., reproduction). Consequently, intraspecific variation in foraging behavior and its ecological consequences (e.g., diet variation) have been dramatically under studied. In this study, we examined the foraging behavior and diet of the Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi). Our objectives were 1) to quantify the variation in foraging behavior through the activity season to document how movement and foraging varies between sexes across the breeding and post-breeding seasons, 2) to quantify the efficacy of movement patterns versus attack-based metrics in detecting variation, and 3) to quantify the dietary consequences of variation in foraging. We found no differences in movement patterns between seasons or sexes, but we did find sexual variation in attack behavior and corresponding seasonal and sexual variation in diet. Indeed, a new attack-based index, attacks while stationary (AWS), was able to show precisely how foraging patterns varied. Combining attack-based indices and lag sequential analysis provided a complete description of how prey was acquired compared with using movement patterns alone. Our results provide a cautionary note for future researchers; focusing solely on movement patterns and/or ignoring seasonal and sexual variation in foraging behavior misses ecologically relevant variation that is highly informative about the causes and consequences of changes in foraging behavior. Key words: attacks while stationary, foraging behavior, lag sequential analysis, lizard, Sceloporus woodiry, stomach flushing. [Behav Ecol]
The MgtE Mg2+ Transporter

The MgtE class of Mg2+ ion transporter is widespread in the bacteria, with over 50% of current genomic sequences and most marine metagenome sequences exhibiting a homolog. MgtE is the primary provider of cytosolic Mg2+ in those organisms that carry it. MgtE homologs are widespread in the metazoa and fungi (SLC41 family) but apparently absent in the plants. In bacteria, MgtE functions as a Mg2+ influx system, while in eukaryotes specific MgtE proteins may function as either influx or efflux systems. Despite their ubiquity, virtually nothing is known about the physiological role of MgtE. Bacterial MgtE proteins are homodimers, with the entire soluble domain at the N terminus and the entire membrane domain at the C terminus. A recent crystal structure of Thermus thermophilus MgtE putatively in the closed form shows that the membrane domain consists of 5 transmembrane helices, each at a substantial angle to the plane of the membrane, giving 10 transmembrane helices in the dimer. The pore is formed primarily by transmembrane segments 2 and 5. Each membrane domain is connected to the soluble domain by a single α-helix orthogonal to the membrane. Attached to this ‘connecting helix’ is a soluble domain containing a superhelical bundle of 10 α-helices (‘N domain’) followed by duplicated tandem cystathionine β-synthase-like motifs, which end in the ‘connecting helix.’ The N domain has structural homology to the FliG protein of the flagellar motor. It is not clear how Mg2+ is recognized and selected. The crystal structure also contains several sites for bound Mg2+ ions, one within the pore. Two Mg2+ sites per monomer connect the ‘connecting helice’ and CBS domain to the membrane domain, while two additional sites per monomer connect the CBS- and N domains. The structure of the soluble domain with and without Mg2+ has also been solved. The absence of Mg2+ does not alter the structure of the N domain significantly, but the structure of the tandem cystathionine β-synthase domains within each monomer does change to some extent. The largest change due to the absence of Mg2+ is that the entire cystathionine β-synthase domain rotates and slightly twists 120° from the N domain. It is not clear if this rotation is part of the mechanism by which the pore opens and closes. Presumably, the bound Mg2+ ions in the soluble domain play a role in sensing Mg2+, and their dissociation could allow domain movement and lead to opening of the pore. 3D Structure Keywords: magnesium; MgtE; transport; homodimer; bacteria; SLC41
Evolving design model synchronization for system health management using Laplace approximation

Lifecycle health management plays an increasingly important role in realizing resilience of aging complex engineered systems since it detects, diagnoses, and predicts system-wide effects of adverse events, therefore enables a proactive approach to deal with system failures. To address an increasing demand to develop high-reliability low-cost systems, this paper presents a new platform for operational stage system health management, referred to as Evolving Design Model Synchronization (EDMS), which enables health management of aging engineered systems by efficiently synchronizing system design models with degrading health conditions of actual physical system in operation. A Laplace approximation approach is employed for the design model updating, which can incorporate heterogeneous operating stage information from multiple sources to update the system design model based on the information theory, thereby increases the updating accuracy compared with traditionally used Bayesian updating methodology. The design models synchronized over time using sensory data acquired from the system in operation can thus reflect system health degradation with evolvingly updated design model parameters, which enables the application of failure prognosis for system health management. One case study is used to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach for system health management.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Women: Reproductive Factors and Exogenous Hormone Use

Few studies of reproductive hormone exposures and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have examined NHL subtypes. Associations between reproductive hormonal factors and risk of all NHL and of two predominant subtypes, diffuse large-cell lymphoma (DLCL) (n = 233) and follicular lymphoma (n = 173), were investigated among women (n = 581) in a large, population-based, case-control study (1,591 cases, 2,515 controls). Controls (n = 836) identified by random digit dialing were frequency matched by age and county to incident NHL cases ascertained in the San Francisco Bay Area of California in 1988-1993. Adjusted unconditional logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios. More than four pregnancies indicated a possible lower risk of all NHL (odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55, 1.2; p-trend = 0.06) and of DLCL (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.31, 0.90; p-trend = 0.01). Exclusive use of menopausal hormone therapy for > or =5 years was associated with a reduced risk of all NHL (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.98) and of DLCL (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.85). Oral contraceptive use indicated a lower risk of all NHL (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.94), and perhaps DLCL (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.51, 1.2), and of follicular lymphoma (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.46, 1.2). Results suggest that endogenous and exogenous reproductive hormones confer different risks by NHL subtype and are associated with a reduced risk of DLCL in women.
The median frequency of the ECG during ventricular fibrillation: its use in an algorithm for estimating the duration of cardiac arrest

The dynamics of the frequency distribution in the power spectrum of the ECG recorded form 11 swine during ventricular fibrillation (VF) are characterized to determine whether enough information exists in this domain to estimate downtime (DT). The median frequency (FM) of the power spectrum is used to track the frequency distribution. The FM follows a dynamic repeatable course during the first 10 min of VF. Intersubject variability is small. The FM data of the 11 subjects are modeled with a set of first-order polynomial equations, and the algorithm is tested with data from an additional ten subjects. The algorithm predicts VF duration with an average error of -0.86 min; 71.5% of the predictions fell within the 95% confidence limits of the model. A signal processing tool is identified which may be useful in the prehospital treatment of VF. >
Neural Network Modeling in Model-Based Control of a Data Center

This paper presents the development of a neural network model of the server temperature to be used in model-based control of a data center. Data centers provide the optimal environments for operation of servers and storage devices. Conventionally, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used to model the dynamic and complex environment of the data center. However, the drawback of this approach is its computational inefficiency. The effects of changing a single input may take an entire day to compute. Thus the CFD model is not well suited for model-based control. Instead, we propose to use an artificial Neural Network (NN) model which predicts server temperatures in significantly less time. In addition, this NN model has the capability of learning the environment in the data center by adapting its parameters in real time based on sensor data continuously taken from the data center. This work discusses the current development of the neural network, work being done at the University of Texas at Arlington, to include modeling of transient conditions, or time related changes, using data generated in a test bed Data Center at SUNY Binghamton.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Spinal cord, hypothalamic, and air temperature: interaction with arousal states in the marmot

Yellow-bellied marmots, Marmota flaviventris, prepared with U-shaped thermodes in the epidural space of the thoracic vertebral canal, a thermode in the preoptic hypothalamus, and cortical surface and hippocampal electrodes, were used to investigate the interaction of arousal states with temperature regulation. It was found that arousal state of the animal influences the thermoregulatory responses initiated in either the spinal cord or hypothalamus. Further, changes in ambient temperature affected both the gain and the threshold of these responses. The interaction of the hypothalamus and spinal cord was not an additive function, however the threshold for shivering of each could be altered by temperature manipulation of the other. Future studies in modeling of temperature regulation should consider the contributions of temperature receptors of the spinal cord and the arousal state of the animal during the stimulation period.
Closing the Oval Door.

As is widely appreciated by all medical and surgical specialties, atrial fibrillation is the most common significant cardiac arrhythmia seen in practice; approximately 5 to 7 million patients in the United States have atrial fibrillation, with the numbers expected to increase to approximately 16
Radiation Therapy in Gynecologic Cancer

This book chapter presents a broad overview of the biology of radiation therapy and the modalities of radiation delivery including intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), brachytherapy, interstitial therapy, and external beam radiation therapy.
Zirconia/Graphene Oxide Hybrid Micromotors for Selective Capture of Nerve Agents

Self-propelled zirconia-graphene/Pt hybrid tubular micromotors, prepared by electrochemical template synthesis, are used for both high-affinity capture and isolation of nerve agents. The simultaneous electrochemical deposition of zirconia and reduced graphene oxide leads to high surface area with a needle-like zirconia microstructure. The attractive surface properties of graphene sheets are used as growth directing template for the electrochemical synthesis of high surface area of zirconia nanostructures for effective and selective binding of organophosphate compounds. Such selective binding is dramatically enhanced by the rapid movement of the motors and the corresponding bubble-induced solution mixing. The greatly increased fluid transport leads to a 15-fold faster remediation compared to the use of the static counterpart structures. The unique material properties allow the convenient alkaline regeneration of the micromotor surface, improving the cost effectiveness of this methodology. The new strategy ...
Exercise and resistance to infection

The influence of exercise on resistance to infection has been debated for decades. Part of this controversy is due to the complex interactions between pathogens and host defense mechanisms as well as to the mutable nature of exercise. Psychological influences and normal temporal variations in immune mechanisms have also complicated the issue. An understanding of how each of these factors affects host defense should help in the design of new experimental approaches to the problem as well as in the interpretation of previously published results.
Perfluoroalkyl substances and beta cell deficient diabetes

Abstract Aims Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic hydrocarbons shown to preserve pancreatic islet cell viability and reduce islet cell hypoxia and apoptosis. We investigated the relationship of serum PFAS with diabetes, and whether this varied by diabetes type. Methods 6,460 individuals with and 60,439 without diabetes from the C8 Health Project, were categorized into three groups: type 1 ( n =820), type 2 ( n =4,291), or uncategorized diabetes ( n =1,349, missing data on diabetes type or diabetes based on blood sugar at study entry). Four PFAS were investigated: perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorononaoic acid (PFNA). Results PFAS levels were significantly lower in those with diabetes, and lowest in those with type 1 diabetes. In age and sex adjusted analyses, ORs (CI) for type 1, type 2, and uncategorized diabetes compared to no diabetes were 0.59 (0.54–0.64), 0.74 (0.71–0.77), 0.84 (0.78–0.90), respectively for PFHxS; 0.69 (0.65–0.74), 0.87 (0.89–0.91), 0.92 (0.88–0.97), respectively for PFOA; 0.65 (0.61–0.70), 0.86 (0.82–0.90), 0.93 (0.86–1.03), respectively for PFOS; and 0.65 (0.57–0.74), 0.94 (0.88–1.00), 0.95 (0.85–1.06), respectively for PFNA. Further adjustment for eGFR and other covariates did not eliminate these inverse associations. Conclusions PFAS levels were negatively associated with diabetes. This inverse relationship was strongest for type 1 diabetes, suggesting the relationship with serum PFAS may vary with the severity of islet cell deficiency.
Application of Mult-well Rsistivity Imaging Data to Paleocurent Drection Analyses and Case Study

Optimized is the single well paleocurrent direction analysis workflow and proposed is a new approach for analyzing multiple well paleocurrent direction with borehole imaging data.To improve the accuracy of the single well paleocurrent direction analysis,many optimum methods are used due to many inquence facters on the analysis.First,structural axis is computed by combining multiple well structural dips;second,the paleocurrent direction analysis workflow is improved with structural axis and an integrated workflow is summarized which is suitable for various structure types.Moreover,the paleocurrent direction can be displayed in 2D 3D vector map to help us understand the horizontal and vertical changes.From case study,it is proved that this approach may improve the accuracy of paleocurrent direction analysis and benefit sand body prediction.
The emerging genetics of cancer

The rapid progress in molecular biology has allowed investigators to define some of the basic mechanisms of carcinogenesis. At the molecular level, cellular transformation results from the occurrence of two or three distinct genetic events that uncouple the cell from its normal regulatory mechanisms. One family of genes, the oncogenes, may be particularly important in the process. The aberrant expression of oncogenes, either by mutation or simply by increased transcription, may result in cellular transformation. The genes usually code for growth factors, growth factor receptors or for proteins involved in the transduction of growth signals into the nucleus. Genetic activation causes the cell to continuously sense a message to undergo mitosis, and the cell no longer responds to its normal regulatory signals. The concepts are rapidly moving into the clinical realm as the genetic mechanisms of particular neoplasms have been investigated. The neuroblastoma is the first tumor system in which the biologic characteristics of the tumor were found to be related to a known oncogene; the amplification of the myc gene is an independent marker of the aggressiveness of the tumor. In addition, much progress has been made in defining the specific genetic lesions responsible for retinoblastomas, Wilms' tumors and carcinomas of the colon that arise in patients with familial polyposis coli. As more knowledge accumulates regarding the exact mechanisms through which the proteins encoded by oncogenes affect these carcinomas and others, it may become possible to design pharmacologic agents rationally to hinder their growth selectively.
Efficiency of growth in mice with a major gene for rapid postweaning gain.

Previous research in this laboratory demonstrated the existence of a major gene (hg), inherited as a homozygous recessive, which increases postweaning growth by 40 to 50% in C57Bl/6 mice (Ch) compared to the same genetic stock without the major gene (CH). Although its effect has not been previously evaluated, this single recessive allele is also in a line of mice selected for rapid postweaning gain for over 70 generations. Gh represents that line of mice with the major gene for growth (hg) in the growth-selected background and GH the growth-selected background without the major gene. Total body weight, daily weight gain, feed consumption and gain/feed, measured daily from 21 to 42 d of age, were all significantly greater (p less than .01) in the two lines with the hg/hg genotype (Ch and Gh) compared with their respective control lines (CH and GH). Differences in body composition at 42 d of age between CH compared with Ch and GH compared with Gh were accounted for by difference in body weight. Gross and net energetic efficiency, calculated assuming a similar maintenance energy requirement, were improved (P less than .01) in Ch and Gh compared to CH and GH, respectively. The results demonstrated that hg influences growth in growth-neutral and growth-selected backgrounds. The gene also alters energy metabolism by increasing energetic efficiency of growth and(or) decreasing maintenance energy requirement.