cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theorizing TQM: An Austrian and Evolutionary Economics Interpretation

Born out of management practice, the principles of TQM (total quality management) have had a profound and unparalleled impact on modern business history. However, as a body of practical knowledge, TQM has been largely atheoretical. As a consequence, this important management philosophy has remained amorphous and shrouded in considerable conceptual haziness and ambiguity. Recent theorizing, primarily emphasizing the application of organizational behaviour theories to TQM, has begun to provide greater clarity, but much work remains to be done. This paper attempts to contribute to this nascent theory-building literature by employing theory from market process economics (MPE), namely, Austrian and evolutionary economics, which explains how processes of dynamic change, adaptation, and learning are driven by entrepreneurial creativity. We contend that the patterns in this body of theory match, to a remarkable degree, the patterns of practical knowledge contained in the TQM literature. We demonstrate this ‘pattern-matching’ by showing that MPE effectively provides the theoretical underpinnings of TQM’s three main principles — customer focus, continuous improvement and teamwork — as well as the respective TQM topics of customer perceptions, adaptation in dynamic environments, and knowledge creation. Having established MPE as a credible theoretical lens for interpreting TQM, it can be used to clarify fuzzy areas that have remained in the TQM literature with the potential to take us beyond what we know now. We illustrate this with three examples that show how we can resolve debates in TQM over incentive systems, recognize that TQM embraces methodological pluralism in the collection and analysis of data, and highlight hidden dangers that attend benchmarking. While MPE has no monopoly on theoretical interpretations of TQM, it is unique in its ability to comprehensively cover the incredible breadth of this practical body of knowledge, and in its interpretation of TQM as a dynamic economic endeavour.
Stepping toward Physical Activity Requirements: Integrating Pedometers into Early Childhood Settings

Physical activity is an essential component for lifelong wellness and the quality of life. Over the past years, childhood obesity has dramatically increased. Data supports that young children are adopting sedentary behaviors within and outside of school hours that may contribute to obesity and other health-related diseases. This paper provides early childhood practitioners with an overview of physical activity recommendations for young children between the ages of three to five and cost-effective means to assess physical activity through step count pedometers. Finally, some pedometer activities are provided along with a description of the children’s reactions and behaviors to the integration of pedometers. Both the activities and pedometer appear to be easily incorporated into any classroom or recess settings to get your children moving and active.
On the lifetime of a metastable state at low noise

Abstract The mean lifetime of a metastable state of a dynamical system driven by small noise is calculated. The vector field of the dynamical system which need not be deriveble from a potential, is assumed to have a vanishing normal component on the boundary of the domain of attraction of the metastable state.
Drug Absorption I: An In Situ Rat Gut Technique Yielding Realistic Absorption Rates

A method is reported for studying gastrointestinal drug absorption from isolated gut segments of the anesthetized rat in situ. The experimental technique is simple and utilizes readily available laboratory equipment. The results are closely reproducible and yield absorption rates which are realistic in terms of the known absorption behavior of drugs in humans and intact animals. Disappearance of the drugs from the lumen of the small intestine followed apparent first-order kinetics; and the following half-lives were determined at pH 6: aminopyrine, 32 min.; barbital, 19 min.; haloperidol, 24 min.; prochlorperazine, 23 min.; salicylic acid, 8 min,; and sulfaethidole, 32 min. These absorption rates are much faster than those normally observed in in situ intestinal preparations. Absorption rates from rat stomach in situ, and preliminary data showing a relationship between fasting time and intestinal absorption rates in the rat are also presented.
Inhibition of Pollen Respiration by Oligomycin

EARLIER experiments showed that respiration of germinating pollen was characterized by an initial high rate prior to pollen tube initiation, a subsequent lower rate during which tube growth began, and a second high rate associated with extensive tube growth1. DNP (2,4-dinitrophenol) stimulated oxygen uptake during each of these three phases of respiration. It was postulated that respiration was dependent on oxidative phosphorylation and that the observed respiratory pattern reflected various rates of utilization and resynthesis of energy-rich phosphate compounds1.
Biological Screening of a Large Combinatorial Library

Encoding technology has allowed for the creation of libraries of 50,000 or more low-molecular-weight compounds for biological testing. The current challenge is to properly and efficiently screen among these compounds for useful biological activities. In this example, actives against two related G-protein coupled receptors were sought from a combinatorial library of 56,000 members. The library was synthesized on solid phase using the split synthesis method and photochemically released for testing. At a screening concentration of 0.5-1 /LM, 86 unique structures were identified as active against one receptor and 24 were active against the other. Due to the random nature of compound sampling, five library equivalents or 280,000 beads were screened to ensure greater than 99% representation of library members. As a result, many actives appeared multiple times in the screen, verifying the encoding process. Further confirmation was obtained by resynthesis and testing of predicted active structures. A clear bias f...
PUNITIVE ATTITUDES ON CRIME: ECONOMIC INSECURITY, RACIAL PREJUDICE, OR BOTH?*

Abstract In an era when many social attitudes have liberalized, attitudes toward crime appear staunchly conservative and quite punitive. Several accounts of the current level of punitiveness exist. Three hypotheses are tested using the General Social Survey: an economic anxiety model, which links personal economic insecurity to Whites' punitive attitudes; a prejudice model, which holds that Jim Crow and laissez-faire racism are correlated with Whites' punitive attitudes; and an economic insecurity-prejudice interaction model. The results indicate that Whites' punitive attitudes are not associated with personal economic insecurity or with the interaction of economic insecurity and prejudice. Both Jim Crow and laissez-faire racism are substantially correlated with Whites' punitive attitudes.
The emerging role of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in ovarian cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors are a new biologically targeted therapy, which may offer new hope in the treatment of patients with advanced or recurrent ovarian cancers. In this review, we summarize and discuss the results of research to date on EGFR inhibitors with particular emphasis on ovarian cancer. We reviewed data identified by searches of MEDLINE, PubMed, and abstracts from the proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology meetings from 1998 to 2006, with the search terms “Ovarian Cancer,” “EGFR,” “gefitinib, ZD1839, Iressa,” “erlotinib, OSI-774, Tarceva,” “CI-1033,” “ GW 572016, lapatinib,” “PKI-166,” “EKB 569,” “anti-EGFR antibodies,” “trastuzumab, Herceptin,” “cetuximab, Erbitux, IMC-C225,” “matuzumab, EMD 72000,” “panitumamab, ABX-EGF,” “pertuzumab,” and “vandetanib, rINN, Zactima, ZD6474.” Phase II trials of both small molecule inhibitors of EGFR- and antibody-based inhibitors are currently ongoing in ovarian cancer and emerging data suggest that their activity in unselected women with advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer is modest, when utilized as a single agent. It is possible that these agents will be highly effective in smaller subsets of patients whose tumors are dependent on EGFR signaling, perhaps through activating mutations in EGFR or its downstream pathway. Targeted therapy with EGFR inhibitors is an untapped potential resource in the treatment of advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer. Ongoing trials will elucidate the most effective strategies to use these agents individually or in combination with traditional chemotherapeutic agents.
Risks associated with an elevated maternal serum a-fetoprotein level

Among 58,187 women tested, 1002 had a maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein measuring greater than or equal to 2.5 multiples of the median after correction for race, weight, and insulin-dependent diabetes. They were stratified into three groups: group 1, 2.5 to 2.9; group 2, 3.0 to 5.0; group 3, greater than or equal to 5.0 multiples of the median. The initial risk of a serious abnormality detected by ultrasonography or amniocentesis was 17% (5%, 12% and 65% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). After correction for twins and dates, this risk became 23% (7%, 18%, and 71% in groups, 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Among the women with high maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels, 556 (77%) had normal ultrasonographic and amniocentesis studies, and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome ws 27% (19%, 29%, and 70% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). There was a statistically significant increase in late fetal and perinatal death, prematurity and growth retardation, oligohydramnios, abruptio placentae, preeclampsia, and congenital abnormalities. The overall risk for abnormality or adverse outcome was 24% in group 1, 41% in group 2, and 91% in group 3.
Nucleation of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Mediated by Mms6 Protein in Situ

Biomineralization proteins are widely used as templating agents in biomimetic synthesis of a variety of organic-inorganic nanostructures. However, the role of the protein in controlling the nucleation and growth of biomimetic particles is not well understood, because the mechanism of the bioinspired reaction is often deduced from ex situ analysis of the resultant nanoscale mineral phase. Here we report the direct visualization of biomimetic iron oxide nanoparticle nucleation mediated by an acidic bacterial recombinant protein, Mms6, during an in situ reaction induced by the controlled addition of sodium hydroxide to solution-phase Mms6 protein micelles incubated with ferric chloride. Using in situ liquid cell scanning transmission electron microscopy we observe the liquid iron prenucleation phase and nascent amorphous nanoparticles forming preferentially on the surface of protein micelles. Our results provide insight into the early steps of protein-mediated biomimetic nucleation of iron oxide and point to the importance of an extended protein surface during nanoparticle formation.
A kinesthesiometer for assessing digital passive movement sensitivity in man

An electromechanical system for the delivery of kinesthetic stimulation to human digits is described. The system provides highly precise control over angular velocity (in degrees per second), angular displacement (in degrees), and stimulus duration (in seconds) and uses an electromagnetic brake to terminate the stimuli. It also permits three measures of passive movement sensitivity to be made: correct detections, response time, and angular displacement.
The quality of democracy: Mass‐elite linkages in the Czech republic

This article argues for the importance of more focused scholarly attention on the development of mass‐elite linkages ‐ and in particular those linkages that transcend the electoral connection ‐ for understanding democratic consolidation, drawing on the post‐communist experience of the Czech Republic as a case study. Starting with the government's loss of its majority in the 1996 Czech elections amidst favourable economic conditions, we argue that this electoral result goes beyond the response to policy priorities to point to larger deficits in the development of channels of access and communication in the policy‐making process. Such deficits, characteristic of the post‐communist experience regionally, are not merely legacies of the stunted civil societies of the communist period, but also reflect a post‐communist style of governance that may itself discourage regularized citizen and associational input. As the episodic electoral connection alone cannot bear the weight of democratic consolidation, the risk...
Docosahexaenoic acid status in females of reproductive age with maple syrup urine disease

Individuals with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) have impaired metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) valine, isoleucine, and leucine. Life-long dietary therapy is recommended to restrict BCAA intake and thus prevent poor neurological outcomes and death. To maintain adequate nutritional status, the majority of protein and nutrients are derived from synthetic BCAA-free medical foods with variable fatty acid content. Given the restrictive diet and the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in neurological development, this study evaluated the dietary and fatty acid status of females of reproductive age with MSUD attending a metabolic camp. Healthy controls of similar age and sex were selected from existing normal laboratory data. Total lipid fatty acid concentration in plasma and erythrocytes was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Participants with MSUD had normal to increased concentrations of plasma and erythrocyte alpha linolenic acid (ALA) but significantly lower concentrations of plasma and erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as percent of total lipid fatty acids compared with controls (plasma DHA: MSUD 1.03 +/- 0.35, controls 2.87 +/- 1.08; P = 0.001; erythrocyte DHA: MSUD 2.58 +/- 0.58, controls 3.66 +/- 0.80; P = 0.011). Dietary records reflected negligible or no DHA intake over the 3-day period prior to the blood draw (range 0-2 mg). These results suggest females of reproductive age with MSUD have lower blood DHA concentrations than age-matched controls. In addition, the presence of ALA in medical foods and the background diet may not counter the lack of preformed DHA in the diet. The implications of these results warrant further investigation.
Difluoroboron Dibenzoylmethane PCL-PLA Block Copolymers : Matrix Effects on Room Temperature Phosphorescence

Luminescent materials result when boron dyes are combined with polyester biomaterials. Previously, it was reported that difluoroboron dibenzoylmethane polylactide, BF2dbmPLA, exhibits intense fluorescence as well as unusual room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in the solid state. To gain a better understanding of polymer effects on photophysical properties, a poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) analogue, BF2dbmPCL, was synthesized by tin catalyzed ring-opening polymerization and employed as a macroinitiator in combination with d,l- and l-lactide for the preparation of BF2dbmPCL-PLA and BF2dbmPCL-PLLA block copolymers, respectively. Reasonably well-defined materials with low polydispersity indices (PDIs) were obtained in good yield. 1H NMR and UV−vis spectroscopy and thermal analysis are reported. Luminescence spectra and lifetimes were measured for polymer solutions and films. All materials are intensely fluorescent with high quantum yields. Although no RTP is noted for BF2dbmPCL films, curiously, this property ...
The Spectrum of Ethical Issues Associated with the Military Support of Science and Technology

Philosophical and ethical issues associated with the relations between science, technology, and the military have been largely ignored by the contemporary professional philosophical community. This is not so true with regard to philosophers in the past, particularly political philosophers, or with nonprofessional philosophers in the present. For example, physical and biological scientists who have been involved in military or military-funded projects, as well as social scientists (especially psychologists, economists, and historians), have initiated a number of relevant discussions. The discipline of philosophy can, however, contribute to existing discussions by 1) offering conceptual clarifications of some empirical questions; 2) providing a framework for general interdisciplinary reflection; 3) promoting the synthesis of relevant information and arguments; and 4) offering criticism of some theoretical presuppositions entertained and positions advanced. To initiate such contributions, this introduction will indicate something of the general historicophilosophical background, then turn to a quick review of more immediate post-World War II discussions. Along the way it will indicate some philosophical, often ethical, questions that deserve to be addressed. A conclusion will consider the role of ethics in its various dimensions.
Proximate Composition and Sodium and Potassium Contents of Four Species of Commercial Bottom Fish

SUMMARY The proximate composition and sodium and potassium contents of four species of bottom fish from Pacific Coast waters were investigated. Pacific Ocean perch, Pacific cod, and lingcod were quite uniform in composition regardless of species, size, season and area of capture, and method of preservation on board the fishing vessel. The averages were 79-81% moisture, 18-19% protein, 0.5-1.5% oil, 1.1-1.3% ash, 60-70 mg% sodium, and 390-440 mg% potassium. Sablefish varied greatly in oil content, with a range of 3-23% and an average of 15%. Variations in the other constituents were rather large; averages were 71% moisture, 13% protein, 1% ash, 56 mg% sodium, and 348 mg% potassium.
Megaloblastic Anemia in China

Excerpt To the editor: The article, "Hematology in the People's Republic of China" (1), states that "megaloblastic anemias, and, in particular, pernicious anemia are said to be virtually unknown ex...
Impairment of Deep Lung Clearance by Influenza Virus Infection

This paper reports experimentally observed effects of influenza virus infection on pulmonary clearance of chromic oxide dust tagged with chromium 51 (51Cr2O3). The usual course of this viral infection produces a stage of acute pneumonitis at 10 to 14 days after exposure, with subsequent, and often permanent, fibrotic scarring of the lung tissue. When 51Cr2O3 was administered simultaneously with, or at 1, 3, 5, 9, or 56 weeks after, virus inoculation, a marked deficiency in pulmonary clearance of the dust was noted. The distribution of retained chromium in the lungs of infected animals was found to depend on the relation between time of infection and time of 51Cr2O3 administration, a relationship which suggests that individuals with respiratory infections are at increased risk from exposure to toxic and radioactive particles.
Study on the Surface Modification of Nanometer Calcium Carbonate

Titanate coupling agents KR-TTS is used to modify nanometer calcium carbonate and the modified powder is characterized. The modification mechanisms of nanometer calcium carbonate is also investigated in this paper. Experiment results show that the optimum conditions of dry modification method as follows: the dosage of KR-TTS titanate coupling agents is 2%, mass ratio of KR-TTS titanate coupling agents to liquid organic solvent is 1:1, modification temperature is 70°C, modification time is 20 minutes, stirring rate is 650rpm. Under the optimum conditions, activity index of modified nanometer calcium carbonate is 100%. The activity index Measurement indicates that modified nanometer calcium carbonate become hydrophobic instead of hydrophilic. IR analysis shows that chemical bonds are formed between titanate coupling agents and nanometer calcium carbonate particles.
A nonlinear backstepping control design for ball and beam system

In this paper, a technique for designing a Ball and Beam System controller based on a nonlinear backstepping design is presented. A control law is developed, and asymptotic stability based on a Lyapunov stability criterion is satisfied. The goal is to design a controller for the ball position with the least overall energy consumption and minimum overshoot. In order to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed control strategy, the simulations are demonstrated and compared with [1]. The results show that the nonlinear backstepping design gives a smoother performance and needs less input magnitude compared to the LQR design. Moreover, the robustness of the proposed design with respect to parameter variations and different reference inputs is examined, and the simulations validated the control scheme.
Thromboprophylaxis in a Pediatric Hospital: A Patient-Safety and Quality-Improvement Initiative

OBJECTIVES: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis for patients at risk is often overlooked in pediatric health care institutions, which provides an opportunity to improve patient care. The objectives of this study were to review our current hospital practice, identify a population at high risk, and formulate institutional guidelines for thromboprophylaxis. METHODS: This was a prospective patient-safety and quality-improvement project performed at a large pediatric tertiary care hospital. We developed criteria for assessing risk and selecting prophylactic intervention through analysis of the age distribution and underlying medical conditions of patients with VTE at our center, literature review of adult recommendations for thromboprophylaxis, and consensus opinion of multiple specialists at our institution. A patient-care policy was developed to assess VTE risk and prescribe the appropriate thromboprophylaxis regimen. The primary outcome measure was compliance with thromboprophylaxis guidelines in patients at risk for VTE. RESULTS: Over the 4-year study period, the observed rate of VTE prophylaxis in patients at risk increased from a baseline of 22% to an average rate of 82%, and there were intermittent improvements up to 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Although some of the details may vary from center to center, many of the discussed principles and practices involved in instituting a VTE-prevention program are applicable to other pediatric institutions. Despite the fact that the risk of VTE in hospitalized children is much lower than that in adults, there are patients in pediatric hospitals who deserve systematic screening and thoughtful application of preventative measures.
Process evaluation of community coalitions for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention: A case study comparison of researcher‐ and community‐initiated models

During the past decade, coalitions have been assumed to be central to the structure and functioning of community health promotion and disease prevention projects. However, there has been little empirical evaluation of community coalitions. The present paper presents case studies of two different coalition models, one a coalition developed to support a community-based drug abuse prevention trial, and the other, a CSAP Community Partnership Demonstration Program site. Comparison of the two coalitions on key characteristics indicated that they were similar except for their impetus for initiation (researcher versus community-initiated) and primary purpose (to support experimental program components versus to coordinate prevention programming and develop new prevention services). Members of the two coalitions (n = 51 in the researcher-initiated, and n = 49 in the community-initiated coalition) responded to a written survey that assessed immediate coalition process and activity outcomes, including perceptions of coalition efficiency, outcome efficacy, interagency coordination, and benefits of involvement. After controlling for demographic differences, the two groups of coalition members were similar, overall, on the measures of immediate outcomes. Univariate analyses indicated only one difference: members of the researcher-initiated coalition had higher ratings of perceived action committee effectiveness than did members of the community-initiated coalition. The results suggest that the impetus for initiation and primary purpose of a coalition may not be as important as other factors in influencing immediate process and activity outcomes. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Regression of microalbuminuria in type 1 diabetes is associated with lower levels of urinary tubular injury biomarkers, kidney injury molecule-1, and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase

Elevated urinary albumin excretion in patients with type 1 diabetes reverts to normoalbuminuria in a majority of patients but advances toward proteinuria in some. In order to gain valuable insights into the early pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy we evaluated the association of kidney tubular injury biomarkers with changes in albuminuria in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Urine levels of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and some inflammatory markers were determined in 38 healthy individuals and 659 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus having varying degrees of albuminuria. Urinary interleukin-6, CXCL10/IP-10, NAG, and KIM-1 levels were very low in healthy individuals, increased in type 1 patients with normoalbuminuria, and were highest in diabetic patients that had microalbuminuria. Low baseline concentrations of urinary KIM-1 and NAG both individually and collectively were significantly associated with the regression of microalbuminuria over the subsequent 2 years; an effect independent of clinical characteristics. Progression and regression of microalbuminuria were unrelated to urinary levels of interleukins 6 and 8, CXCL10/IP-10, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Thus our results show that lower urinary KIM-1 and NAG levels were associated with the regression of microalbuminuria in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Hence, tubular dysfunction is a critical component of the early course of diabetic nephropathy.
Nitrobacter winogradskyi transcriptomic response to low and high ammonium concentrations.

Nitrobacter winogradskyi Nb-255 is a nitrite-oxidizing bacterium that can grow solely on nitrite (NO2−) as a source of energy and nitrogen. In most natural situations, NO2− oxidation is coupled closely to ammonium (NH4+) oxidation by bacteria and archaea and, conceptually, N. winogradskyi can save energy using NH4+ to meet its N -biosynthetic requirements. Interestingly, NH4+ delayed the growth of N. winogradskyi when at concentrations higher than 35 mM, but grew well at concentrations below 25 mM NH4+ while adjusting the expression of 24% of its genes. Notable genes that changed in expression included those with roles in nitrogen and carbon assimilation. Contrary to expectations, higher expression of glutamate synthase (GOGAT), instead of glutamate dehydrogenase, was detected at higher NH4+ concentration. Genes in assimilatory NO2− metabolism and the degradation of glycogen and biofilm/motility were downregulated when N. winogradskyi was grown in the presence of NH4+. Nitrobacter winogradsky i grown in medium with 25 mM NH4+ upregulated genes in post-translational modification, protein turnover, biogenesis and chaperons. The data suggest that N. winogradskyi physiology is modified in the presence of NH4+ and is likely to be modified during coupled nitrification with NH3 oxidizers.
Plagiarism—how serious is it?

I am currently serving on a university committee to investigate an allegation of plagiarism by one of our faculty members. It has some interesting nuances to it. A senior faculty member asks a junior faculty member to co-author a chapter for a book. The junior faculty member is very busy with NIH
Orthotopic liver transplantation for bone-marrow transplant-associated veno-occlusive disease and graft-versus-host disease of the liver

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a highly successful and curative therapy for many primary hematologic malignancies. However, hepatic dysfunction and failure are important causes of morbidity and mortality in this patient group after BMT. Hepatic failure can occur as a result of involvement by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or as a result of veno-occlusive disease (VOD). Therapies for these complications are often ineffective, especially for VOD, as approximately one fourth of patients develop irreversible liver disease and die of multiorgan failure. Accordingly, we have reviewed our center's experience with orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) to manage the hepatic complications of BMT. We describe two patients who were treated with OLT after developing hepatic failure post-BMT. One patient had VOD with mild cutaneous and gastrointestinal GVHD; in the other patient, the pathophysiologic process affecting the liver was severe GVHD. Based on our center's experience and review of the literature, we believe OLT should be considered in patients with severe hepatic dysfunction post-BMT.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Increases Nuclear Vitamin D3 Receptors by Blocking Ubiquitin/Proteasome-Mediated Degradation in Human Skin

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (D3) exerts its effects by binding to and activating nuclear vitamin D3 receptors (VDRs) that regulate transcription of target genes. We have investigated regulation of VDR levels in human skin in vivo and in cultured human keratinocytes. Quantitative ligand-binding analysis revealed that human skin expressed approximately 220 VDRs per cell, which bound D3 with high affinity [(dissociation constant (Kd) = 0.22 nM]. In human skin nuclear extracts, VDR exclusively bound to DNA containing vitamin D3 response elements as heterodimers with retinoid X receptors. Topical application of D3 to human skin elevated VDR protein levels 2-fold, as measured by both ligand-binding and DNA-binding assays. In contrast, the D3 analog calcipotriene had no effect on VDR levels. Topical D3 had no effect on VDR mRNA, indicating that D3 either stimulated synthesis and/or inhibited degradation of VDRs. To investigate this latter possibility, recombinant VDRs were incubated with skin lysates in the presence or absence of D3. The presence of D3 substantially protected VDRs against degradation by human skin lysates. VDR degradation was inhibited by proteasome inhibitors, but not lysosome or serine protease inhibitors. In cultured keratinocytes, D3 or proteasome inhibitors increased VDR protein without affecting VDR mRNA levels. In cells, VDR was ubiquitinated and this ubiquitination was inhibited by D3. Proteasome inhibitors in combination with D3 enhanced VDR-mediated gene expression, as measured by induction of vitamin D3 24-hydroxylase mRNA in cultured keratinocytes. Taken together, our findings indicate that low VDR levels are maintained, in part, through ubiquitin/proteasome-mediated degradation and that low VDR levels limit D3 signaling. D3 exerts dual positive influences on its nuclear receptor, simultaneously stimulating VDR transactivation activity and retarding VDR degradation.
An experimental study of the learnability of congestion control

When designing a distributed network protocol, typically it is infeasible to fully define the target network where the protocol is intended to be used. It is therefore natural to ask: How faithfully do protocol designers really need to understand the networks they design for? What are the important signals that endpoints should listen to? How can researchers gain confidence that systems that work well on well-characterized test networks during development will also perform adequately on real networks that are inevitably more complex, or future networks yet to be developed? Is there a tradeoff between the performance of a protocol and the breadth of its intended operating range of networks? What is the cost of playing fairly with cross-traffic that is governed by another protocol? We examine these questions quantitatively in the context of congestion control, by using an automated protocol-design tool to approximate the best possible congestion-control scheme given imperfect prior knowledge about the network. We found only weak evidence of a tradeoff between operating range in link speeds and performance, even when the operating range was extended to cover a thousand-fold range of link speeds. We found that it may be acceptable to simplify some characteristics of the network---such as its topology---when modeling for design purposes. Some other features, such as the degree of multiplexing and the aggressiveness of contending endpoints, are important to capture in a model.
Energy drink and energy shot use in the military.

Use of energy drinks and energy shots among military personnel is controversial. High amounts of caffeine (the primary active ingredient in these products) may impact performance of military duties. The impact of caffeine overconsumption and potential subsequent side effects that might be experienced by service members with unique roles and responsibilities is a concern. Reported here are the prevalence of use, reasons for use, and side effects associated with consumption of energy drinks and energy shots among several populations of active duty personnel in the US military. A snowball survey was sent to over 10,000 active duty personnel. A total of 586 (∼6% response rate) individuals completed a 30-item electronic survey. Over half of respondents (53%) reported consuming an energy drink at least once in the past 30 days. One in five (19%) reported energy shot consumption in the prior 30 days. One in five (19%) also reported consuming an energy drink in combination with an alcoholic beverage. Age and gender were significantly associated with energy drink consumption. Young male respondents (18–29 years) reported the highest use of both energy drinks and energy shots. Among those reporting energy drink and energy shot use, the most common reasons for consumption were to improve mental alertness (61%) and to improve mental (29%) and physical (20%) endurance. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of users self-reported at least one side effect. The most commonly reported side effects included increased pulse rate/palpitations, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping. Use of energy products among military personnel is common and has the potential to impact warrior health and military readiness.
Developing an alternative epistemology of practice: Teachers’ action research as critical pedagogy:

My struggle to promote critical consciousness, dialogue, creative and critical thinking and collaboration in my class led me to turn the classroom into a lab where I would experiment with action research as pedagogy. I began my course by asking students what they wanted, what would they contribute and how we will implement their recommendations. More importantly I invited them to be my co-inquirers in what they perceived to be a radical approach to instruction. This article is an account of what took place specifically the way we all experienced the process.
Activated Peroxide for Enzymatic Control of Wool Shrinkage Part II: Wool and Other Fiber-type Fabrics:

In Part I we investigated the mechanism for bleaching wool with activated peroxide in the pretreatment step of the chemoenzymatic ARS process for whitening, biopolishing, and shrinkage prevention of wool. Here in Part II we report on applying the process to wool woven and knit fabrics of various constructions and fabric weights and to woven fabrics of other fiber compositions. The contribution of relaxation shrinkage to overall shrinkage that includes felting shrinkage is pronounced in wool fabrics, especially knits. The ARS process is specific for controlling felting shrinkage to provide dimensional stability in machine washing and drying. When applied to acetate, cotton, nylon, polyester, viscose, 62% wool/38% cotton, and a wool/Nomex blend the process was most effective for controlling the shrinkage of acetate, cotton, nylon, viscose, and wool/cotton blend. We treated wool, cotton, and viscose at pH 11.5, 30°C for 30 minutes with individual components used in ARS pretreatment: dicyandiamide (DD), gluco...
Direction finding of narrowband autoregressive sources by antenna arrays

Unique localization of multiple sources by antenna arrays requires that the number of sensors be greater than the number of sources. When additional information is given this is no longer true. The authors assumed a signal structure of the autoregressive (AR) type. A localization procedure is presented which consists of two stages; in the first stage the coefficients of the AR signals are estimated, while in the second stage the directions of arrival are estimated. Simulation results demonstrate the performance of the algorithm under different scenarios. >
Neurocognitive and endothelial dysfunction in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with neurocognitive and endothelial dysfunction. However, it is unclear whether these 2 frequent morbidities of OSAS in children represent similar or different underlying pathophysiological processes, because they have never been concurrently assessed in children. METHODS: Consecutive children (ages 5–8 years) with polysomnographically based OSAS underwent cognitive battery evaluation (Differential Ability Scales and the NeuroPsychological Assessment Battery) and cuff-occlusion hyperemic tests for assessment of endothelial function. The presence of neurocognitive deficits (NC+) was defined on the basis of the presence of ≥2 abnormal cognitive test results. Endothelial dysfunction (ED+) was defined as a time to maximal postocclusive hyperemic response of ≥45 seconds (Tmax). RESULTS: Twenty-one control children and 87 children with OSAS completed both cognitive and endothelial tests. Of these children, 48 were NC+ and 50 had a Tmax of ≥45 seconds, and at least 80% of these children were in both groups. Conversely, among children in whom there was no presence of neurocognitive deficits (NC−), only 25.6% were ED+, whereas among those without endothelial dysfunction (ED−) only 21.6% were NC+. Furthermore, approximately one-third of the children with OSAS was NC− and ED−. Thus, findings on hyperemic vascular responses were highly predictive of neurocognitive status. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelial dysfunction and neurocognitive deficits are more likely to coexist than otherwise predicted from the frequency of each of these morbidities alone in pediatric OSAS. Thus, both of these morbid consequences may share similar pathogenetic mechanisms. Furthermore, a simple test such as the postocclusive hyperemic vascular response may help detect at-risk patients for neuropsychological deficits.
A Novel Approach to Estimating Heterozygosity from Low-Coverage Genome Sequence

High-throughput shotgun sequence data make it possible in principle to accurately estimate population genetic parameters without confounding by SNP ascertainment bias. One such statistic of interest is the proportion of heterozygous sites within an individual’s genome, which is informative about inbreeding and effective population size. However, in many cases, the available sequence data of an individual are limited to low coverage, preventing the confident calling of genotypes necessary to directly count the proportion of heterozygous sites. Here, we present a method for estimating an individual’s genome-wide rate of heterozygosity from low-coverage sequence data, without an intermediate step that calls genotypes. Our method jointly learns the shared allele distribution between the individual and a panel of other individuals, together with the sequencing error distributions and the reference bias. We show our method works well, first, by its performance on simulated sequence data and, second, on real sequence data where we obtain estimates using low-coverage data consistent with those from higher coverage. We apply our method to obtain estimates of the rate of heterozygosity for 11 humans from diverse worldwide populations and through this analysis reveal the complex dependency of local sequencing coverage on the true underlying heterozygosity, which complicates the estimation of heterozygosity from sequence data. We show how we can use filters to correct for the confounding arising from sequencing depth. We find in practice that ratios of heterozygosity are more interpretable than absolute estimates and show that we obtain excellent conformity of ratios of heterozygosity with previous estimates from higher-coverage data.
Additional Components of the Still‐Face Effect: Commentary on Adamson and Frick

Adamson and Frick (2003/this issue) provide an informative and often fascinating history of the still-face paradigm and its applications in infancy research. With benefit of their review, one can identify several potentially important components of the still-face paradigm that have been neglected in past research. These are the influence of the still face on parent and infant behavior during the reunion episode and expanded measurement of the still-face effect to include theoretically important components of facial expression and the temporal organization of parent and infant behavior and physiology. In particular, by expanding what is meant by the still-face effect to encompass aspects of the reunion episode, we may discover robust probes into the parent-infant relationship and individual differences in infant attachment and emotion regulation extending across infancy and childhood.
Conserving the Constitution

In times of political and jurisprudential change, fatigue of mind may slip strange bedfellows under the same linguistic covers, providing, if little else, a fertile source of confusion. Certainly this is true of what now fits under the term conservatism. In politics, conservatism now may point to evangelists or yuppies, moralists or libertarians. In philosophy, conservatism refers to the economic theory of Milton Friedman and to the political philosophy of Leo Strauss, thinkers who share little but the University of Chicago. And in jurisprudence, the term is attached to two important recent books, Christopher Wolfe's The Rise of Modern Judicial Review and Richard Epstein's Takings, though if the former advocates a modest role for the courts, what the latter urges can only be called brazen. Conservatives of practically every stripe agree that something has gone wrong in the constitutional decisions of the federal courts in the last several decades, but beneath this consensus lies a fundamental split. For many, the fault is the thwarting of the political will when that will rests on a reasonable interpretation of the Constitution. These are the critics of the "judicial activism" of the Warren and Burger Courts. But for others, a smaller, but now vocal group, the fault is the courts' failure to thwart the democratic will-when it threatens property rights.'
Can the Truth Hurt? How Honest and Persuasive Advertising Can Unintentionally Lead to Increased Consumer Skepticism

In some situations, unsought, honest, but persuasive advertising claims may be difficult for many consumers to believe. To resist the hidden tactics and persuasive efforts of advertisers, defensively motivated consumers may challenge claims even if they have no rational reason for doing so. That is, consumer skepticism may evolve as a defensive coping and reactance response to pervasive advertising attempts.
Impact of the 2001 World Trade Center attack on critical interdependent infrastructures

This work investigates the impact of the 2001 World Trade Center attack on critical infrastructure systems in the New York City metropolitan area. Of particular interest are the physical or logical connections - also known as interdependencies - among these systems, and the results of disruptions associated with the attack on them. Prior research on infrastructure interdependence has concentrated on modeling the consequences of interdependencies among impacted infrastructure systems. This work catalogues and analyzes reports of impacts to interdependent infrastructure systems associated with the 2001 World Trade Center attack. The results suggest that there were impacts to various types of interdependencies among nearly all critical infrastructure systems. Moreover, impacts continued to be reported throughout the one hundred day period following the attack. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible strategies for improving understanding of infrastructure interdependencies and for managing them during an emergency response.
What explains landscape patterns of tree mortality caused by bark beetle outbreaks in Greater Yellowstone

Aim Bark beetle outbreaks have recently affected extensive areas of western North American forests, and factors explaining landscape patterns of tree mortality are poorly understood.The objective of this study was to determine the relative importance of stand structure, topography, soil characteristics, landscape context (the characteristics of the landscape surrounding the focal stand) and beetle pressure (the abundance of local beetle population eruptions around the focal stand a few years before the outbreak) to explain landscape patterns of tree mortality during outbreaks of three species: the mountain pine beetle, which attacks lodgepole pine and whitebark pine; the spruce beetle, which feeds on Engelmann spruce; and the Douglas-fir beetle, which attacks Douglas-fir. A second objective was to identify common variables that explain tree mortality among beetle‐tree host pairings during outbreaks. Location Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, Wyoming, USA. Methods We used field surveys to quantify stand structure, soil characteristics and topography at the plot level in susceptible stands of each forest type showing different severities of infestation (0‐98% mortality; n = 129 plots). We then used forest cover and beetle infestation maps derived from remote sensing to develop landscape context and beetle pressure metrics at different spatial scales. Plot-level and landscape-level variables were used to explain outbreak severity. Results Engelmann spruce and Douglas-fir mortality were best predicted using landscape-level variables alone. Lodgepole pine mortality was best predicted by both landscape-level and plot-level variables. Whitebark pine mortality was best ‐ although poorly ‐ predicted by plot-level variables. Models including landscape context and beetle pressure were much better at predicting outbreak severity than models that only included plot-level measures, except for whitebark pine. Main conclusions Landscape-level variables, particularly beetle pressure, were the most consistent predictors of subsequent outbreak severity within susceptible stands of all four host species. These results may help forest managers identify vulnerable locations during ongoing outbreaks.
Unintended Consequences of State-led Development

The mass mobilizations against neoliberal reforms are rooted in the weakening of the state-led development model and the erosion of social citizenship rights. At the same time, infrastructures created by the developmental state provide the organizational capacity to resist market-driven globalization. The study develops a conceptual framework for understanding the major arenas of state-led development in the twentieth century in relation to the infrastructures and organizations that mobilize social movement campaigns against neoliberalism in the twenty-first century. Special attention is given to public education, health care, public utilities, state subsidies, and transportation networks as laying the foundation for civil society's ability to collectively defend social protections granted in the preglobalization era in the global South.