cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trust and security in dynamic systems

As pervasive systems become more prevalent, the need to protect these systems increases. In staying with the ideals of pervasive computing, we want to provide protection for these systems while remaining as unobtrusive to the user. It is seldom possible to guarantee the trustworthiness of users and resources. As a result, we devise systems designed to elicit the trustworthiness of users and resources and adapt access patterns based on this information. We present our mechanisms for determining trustworthiness and illustrates their suitability in pervasive systems through simulation results.
Thermal-grating contributions to degenerate four-wave mixing in nitric oxide

We report investigations of degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) line intensities in the A2∑+ ← X2Π electronic transitions of nitric oxide. Contributions from population gratings (spatially varying perturbations in the level populations of absorbing species) and thermal gratings (spatially varying perturbations in the overall density) were distinguished and compared by several experimental and analytical techniques. For small quantities of nitric oxide in a strongly quenching buffer gas (carbon dioxide), we found that thermal-grating contributions dominated at room temperature for gas pressures of ≈0.5 atm and higher. In a nearly nonquenching buffer (nitrogen) the population-grating mechanism dominated at pressures of ≈1.0 atm and lower. At higher temperatures in an atmospheric-pressure methane/air flame, population gratings of nitric oxide also dominated. We propose a simple model for the ratio of thermal- to population-grating scattering intensities that varies as P4T−4.4. Preliminary investigations of the temperature dependence and detailed studies of the pressure dependence are in agreement with this model. Measurements of the temporal evolution and the peak intensity of isolated thermal-grating signals are in detailed agreement with calculations based on a linearized hydrodynamic model [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. B12, 384 ( 1995)].
Design of two-dimensional linear-phase nonrecursive filters using a least-squares criterion

Abstract A method is described which can be used to design two-dimensional nonrecursive linear-phase filters. The approach is based on formulating the mean-square error between the amplitude responses of the practical and ideal digital filters as a quadratic function. The coefficients of the filters are obtained by solving a set of linear equations. This method leads to a lower mean-square error and is computationally more efficient than the eigenfilter method.
Conditions and Mechanisms for Peace in Precontact Polynesia

An examination of interpersonal and intergroup violence in a selection of precontact Polynesian islands suggests that violence was lowest when two conditions were met. First, most peaceful islands had populations under about 1,000 people. Second, within this group, the most peaceful societies were those located more than 100 km from their nearest neighbor. The mechanisms by which peace was maintained in small societies included some measure of egalitarianism and direct representation in decision making, a rigorous program of individual sanctions of antisocial behavior, a network of gift‐generated mutual obligation, and a strong kinship network. Interpersonal violence and warfare were correlated in Polynesia, but rather than interpersonal violence creating a foundation for war, it would appear that warfare socialized violence within the society. Given the wide range of violence in Polynesian societies, all of which shared a common heritage, conflict appears to have been a cultural response to the geographi...
Mitochondrial cytochrome b mRNA editing in dinoflagellates : Possible ecological and evolutionary associations?

To verify the hypothesis that mt mRNA editing is widespread in dinoflagellates, we analyzed cytochrome b (cob) mRNA editing for six species representing distinct ecotypes and taxonomic classes of Dinophyceae. Editing is detected in all, which is similar to the three other species studied previously in that edited sites appear to aggregate in four clusters and occur predominantly at first and second positions of codons (93%), overwhelmingly involving A --> G, U --> C, or C --> U substitutions with a smaller number of G --> C, G --> A changes. Comparative analyses on editing characteristics reveal interesting trends related to phylogenetic relatedness and ecological features. Editing density (percentage of nucleotide that is affected by editing) increases from early to derived lineages. Higher editing densities also map to red tide-forming lineages. Furthermore, similarity of location of edited codons (LOE) and the type of nucleotide changes (TOE) in different lineages mirror the taxonomic affinity of the lineages. Phylogenetic trees constructed from LOE and TOE resemble those inferred from cob sequences. The results bolster our earlier hypothesis that cob editing is widespread in dinoflagellates and suggest that density, location, and type of editing may bear yet-to-be-defined evolutionary and ecological significance.
Cytogenomic profiling of breast cancer brain metastases reveals potential for repurposing targeted therapeutics

// Aliccia Bollig-Fischer 1, 5 , Sharon K. Michelhaugh 2, 5 , Priyanga Wijesinghe 1, 5 , Greg Dyson 1, 5 , Adele Kruger 3 , Nallasivam Palanisamy 6 , Lydia Choi 1, 5 , Baraa Alosh 4 , Rouba Ali-Fehmi 4, 5 , Sandeep Mittal 1, 2, 5 1 Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA 2 Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA 3 Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA 4 Department of Pathology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA 5 Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA 6 Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA Correspondence to: Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, e-mail: bollig@karmanos.org Keywords: breast cancer, brain metastases, copy number variation, oncogenes, targeted therapy Received: March 12, 2015 Accepted: April 11, 2015 Published: April 24, 2015 ABSTRACT Breast cancer brain metastases remain a significant clinical problem. Chemotherapy is ineffective and a lack of treatment options result in poor patient outcomes. Targeted therapeutics have proven to be highly effective in primary breast cancer, but lack of molecular genomic characterization of metastatic brain tumors is hindering the development of new treatment regimens. Here we contribute to fill this void by reporting on gene copy number variation (CNV) in 10 breast cancer metastatic brain tumors, assayed by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). Results were compared to a list of cancer genes verified by others to influence cancer. Cancer gene aberrations were identified in all specimens and pathway-level analysis was applied to aggregate data, which identified stem cell pluripotency pathway enrichment and highlighted recurring, significant amplification of SOX2 , PIK3CA , NTRK1 , GNAS , CTNNB1 , and FGFR1 . For a subset of the metastatic brain tumor samples ( n = 4) we compared patient-matched primary breast cancer specimens. The results of our CGH analysis and validation by alternative methods indicate that oncogenic signals driving growth of metastatic tumors exist in the original cancer. This report contributes support for more rapid development of new treatments of metastatic brain tumors, the use of genomic-based diagnostic tools and repurposed drug treatments.
Investigations of the chemical form of chromium in lucerne.

Chromium in lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) exists as one or more anionic complexes of approximate molecular weight 2900. They migrate as a single band on paper electrophoresis and during anion exchange chromatography. The properties of the chromium complex(es) from lucerne are different from those reported for the “glucose tolerance factor” and for other trace elements in plants.
Performance analysis of the 3G network with complementary WLANs

An analytical modeling method is developed for the evaluation of integrated 3G/WLAN networks. To adapt the feature of the emerging wireless networks efficiently and to cover many possible situations in reality, the cell residence times are modeled generally. The channel occupancy times, the horizontal and vertical handoff rates as well as some interesting performance measures are derived and calculated. Both analysis and numerical results show that the performance of the 3G network is significantly increased when the integrated 3G/WLAN network is employed, and that the performance of integrated 3G/WLAN network is improved greatly when the WLANs are in the hot-spot areas. The method developed here is expected to be useful for modeling and performance evaluation of other type of networks, such as the 3G network with the infrastructureless-mode WLANs or ad-hoc networks
Function of the Caenorhabditis elegans ABC Transporter PGP-2 in the Biogenesis of a Lysosome-related Fat Storage Organelle

Caenorhabditis elegans gut granules are intestine specific lysosome-related organelles with birefringent and autofluorescent contents. We identified pgp-2, which encodes an ABC transporter, in screens for genes required for the proper formation of gut granules. pgp-2(-) embryos mislocalize birefringent material into the intestinal lumen and are lacking in acidified intestinal V-ATPase-containing compartments. Adults without pgp-2(+) function similarly lack organelles with gut granule characteristics. These cellular phenotypes indicate that pgp-2(-) animals are defective in gut granule biogenesis. Double mutant analysis suggests that pgp-2(+) functions in parallel with the AP-3 adaptor complex during gut granule formation. We find that pgp-2 is expressed in the intestine where it functions in gut granule biogenesis and that PGP-2 localizes to the gut granule membrane. These results support a direct role of an ABC transporter in regulating lysosome biogenesis. Previously, pgp-2(+) activity has been shown to be necessary for the accumulation of Nile Red-stained fat in C. elegans. We show that gut granules are sites of fat storage in C. elegans embryos and adults. Notably, levels of triacylglycerides are relatively normal in animals defective in the formation of gut granules. Our results provide an explanation for the loss of Nile Red-stained fat in pgp-2(-) animals as well as insight into the specialized function of this lysosome-related organelle.
The relationship between tree growth patterns and likelihood of mortality: a study of two tree species in the Sierra Nevada

We examined mortality of Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. (white fir) and Pinus lambertiana Dougl. (sugar pine) by developing logistic models using three growth indices obtained from tree rin...
Optimal Sequential Design in a Controlled Non-parametric Regression

. In a non-parametric regression, the heteroscedasticity (dependence of the variance of the regression error on the predictor) can be a serious complication in estimation or visualization of an underlying regression function. If a controlled sampling is permitted, then the statistician can choose the design of predictors which attenuates the effect of heteroscedasticity. It is proposed to use a design which minimizes the mean integrated squared error of the regression function estimation. Then the corresponding optimal design density is proportional to the standard deviation of the regression error (the so-called scale function). Because in general the statistician does not know an underlying scale function, the natural question is as follows: is it possible to suggest a sequential design which performs as well as an oracle that knows the underlying scale function? The answer is ‘yes’, and a corresponding sequential procedure is developed. It is proved, for the first time in the literature, that a data-driven sequential design, together with an adaptive regression estimator, can mimic the oracle and be sharp minimax. Further, it is shown that the suggested method is feasible for small samples.
Finding the Voices of Nineteenth Century Urban Mexico

The last two decades have seen a dramatic increase in research that focuses on the transition from colony to nation-state for that part of the Americas that would become Mexico during the first half of the nineteenth century. Central to this enterprise has been the challenge to understand endemic political instability from the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1810 to the rise of the Porfirio Diaz regime in the eighteen-seventies. Factions with competing ideologies (federalists and centralists, republicans and monarchists) intermittently gained a shaky hold over national authority, sometimes through peaceful means, most often by force. This upheaval has affected the way researchers approach the era conceptually and methodologically. Much of the traditional historiography dismissed this ‘age of caudillos’ either as a series of personal confrontations among military chieftains or as pure anarchy roaring through the crumbling floodgates of colonial structures. The major sources for this interpretation of Mexico's nineteenth century were the narrative accounts of contemporary participants and observers, both domestic and foreign. A primary obstacle to revision of this orthodoxy is a result of the very instability that needs explanation, since many of the traditional tools of the historian, even the most basic public records, have disappeared, been damaged beyond repair, or were never generated in the first place. The recent proliferation of excellent publications on the era is a tribute to researchers’ diligence in tracking down material and their creativity in working with what is available. Neglected sources from municipal and regional archives - for example, judicial, electoral, and ecclesiastical records - have been used to great effect. In addition, the application of sophisticated quantitative analysis on the one hand and a turn towards cultural history on the other, have altered our understanding of this era and fomented healthy discussions within the field over the nature of the historical inquiry. The endnotes and bibliography for this essay contain only a brief sample of this scholarship.
Price Stickiness in SS Models: New Interpretations of Old Results

What is the relation between infrequent price adjustment and the dynamic response of the aggregate price level to monetary shocks? The answer to this question ranges from a one-to-one link (Calvo, 1983) to no connection whatsoever (Caplin and Spulber, 1987). The purpose of this paper is to provide a unified framework to understand the mechanisms behind this wide range of results. In doing so, we propose new interpretations of key results in this area, which in turn suggest the kind of Ss model that is likely to generate substantial price rigidity. The first result we revisit is Caplin and Spulber's monetary neutrality model. We show that when price stickiness is measured in terms of the impulse response function, this result is not a consequence of aggregation, but is due instead to the absence of price-stickiness at the microeconomic level. We also show that the "selection effect," according to which units that adjust their prices are those that benefit most, is neither necessary nor sufficient to account for the higher aggregate flexibility of Ss-type models compared to Calvo models. Instead, the key concept is the contribution of the extensive margin of adjustment to the aggregate price response. The aggregate price level is more flexible than suggested by the microeconomic frequency of adjustment if and only if this term is positive.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of a tree-killing beetle and its predator

Resolving linkages between local-scale processes and regional-scale patterns in abundance of interacting species is important for understanding long-term population stability across spatial scales. Landscape patterning in consumer population dynamics may be largely the result of interactions between consumers and their predators, or driven by spatial variation in basal resources. Empirical testing of these alternatives has been limited by the lack of suitable data. In this study, we analyzed an extensive network of spatially replicated time series to characterize the local and regional processes affecting spatio-temporal dynamics of a tree-killing bark beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis or SPB) and its key predator (Thanasimus dubius) across the southeastern United States. We first used a mechanistic model to evaluate factors affecting the stability of 95 predator–prey time series and then conducted spatial analyses to evaluate scale dependence in the factors affecting the geographical patterning of this system. Across the region, population fluctuations of both species were correlated in space beyond 400 km but there was notable spatial variation in the deterministic and stochastic processes influencing forest-scale (local) fluctuations. Time series analyses indicated that local dynamics of SPB and T. dubius are not cyclical. Instead, the abundance of T. dubius responded almost instantaneously to changes in SPB abundance. Spatial variation in long-term forest-scale abundance of both species was linked most strongly to the abundance of pine habitat indicating a stronger role for resource availability in SPB population dynamics than top-down effects. Our results are consistent with other studies indicating that animal populations tend to be synchronized in space via spatially correlated processes such as weather; yet local dynamics tend to be linked to smaller-scale host patterns. Our study provides a rare empirical assessment of how local processes scale up to produce landscape patterns that influence forest ecology and forest management.
Single-electron transistors featuring silicon nitride tunnel barriers prepared by atomic layer deposition

Single electron transistors (SET) featuring metal (Ni) electrodes and silicon nitride dielectric barriers prepared by atomic layer deposition are fabricated and tested. Electrical characterization of the devices reveals electrostatic energy parameters consistent with the parameters of the designed tunnel junctions. In addition, an analysis of temperature dependence of conductance confirms the formation of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) junctions with negligible in-series contribution of any surface native metal oxide. However, the fabricated devices exhibit a very high level of electrical noise, far exceeding the commonly observed shot noise. Experimental investigation reveals the random telegraph signal (RTS) nature of the observed excess noise. The RTS noise in electronic devices is commonly associated with charging of external traps that are electrostatically coupled to the SET island. In the devices under study, however, the defects that result in the observed RTS noise are demonstrated to reside within the tunnel junctions. Our results also indicate the critical importance of interface states and surface preparation for achieving good performance of the SETs fabricated using ALD to form the tunnel barrier.
An evaluation of the United System based on comparison with clinical laboratory methods.

The precision and accuracy of the Unitest System and of our current clinical laboratory methods for measuring cholesterol, glucose, hemoglobin, urea nitrogen, and uric acid were compared. The quantitation of hemoglobin and glucose by the Unitest System and by our clinical laboratory procedures were comparable. For cholesterol, urea nitrogen, and uric acid determinations, the clinical laboratory methods were much more precise and accurate than the Unitest System. In these cases, the lack of precision of the Unitest System was largely attributed to lot-to-lot reagent variability.
Reorientation of Management Education

Discusses how schools of management should address problems with management education and curriculum. Comments on the objectives of schools of management; Approaches to managerial problem.;
High Dimensional Multivariate Regression and Precision Matrix Estimation via Nonconvex Optimization

We propose a nonconvex estimator for joint multivariate regression and precision matrix estimation in the high dimensional regime, under sparsity constraints. A gradient descent algorithm with hard thresholding is developed to solve the nonconvex estimator, and it attains a linear rate of convergence to the true regression coefficients and precision matrix simultaneously, up to the statistical error. Compared with existing methods along this line of research, which have little theoretical guarantee, the proposed algorithm not only is computationally much more efficient with provable convergence guarantee, but also attains the optimal finite sample statistical rate up to a logarithmic factor. Thorough experiments on both synthetic and real datasets back up our theory.
Multiple endocrine neoplasia. Type IIb: A description of several patients and review of the literature

Our experience exemplifies the varied clinical presentations of patients with MEN IIb. This syndrome may be familial or sporadic, and clinical stigmata may be identifiable in infancy, particularly the characteristic facies and the appearance of ganglioneuromas. First-degree relatives of affected propositi and individuals with other stigmata of the syndrome should be screened carefully and repeatedly for both medullary thyroid carcinoma and pheochromocytoma. The availability of sensitive screening tests may permit detection of C-cell hyperplasia of the thyroid and adrenal medullary hyperplasia before the development of malignancy or hemodynamic consequences of pheochromocytoma. Early detection of these thyroid and adrenal disorders will permit early surgical intervention.
Estimation of atmospheric refractive index gradient variations and Cn2 from time-lapse imagery

A time-lapse imaging experiment was conducted to monitor the effects of the atmosphere over a period of time. From the position shifts between the images, temporal variations in path-averaged refractive index gradient and Cn2 are estimated.
Congenital Heart Disease Epidemiology in the United States: Blindly Feeling for the Charging Elephant.

Article, see p 101 Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common of all congenital defects, affecting nearly 1% of live births. Creative operative and catheter-based interventions have facilitated survival to adulthood with nearly all defects, setting the stage for a rapidly growing population of adolescents and adults with CHD. Although the field of adult CHD (ACHD) remains in its infancy, it is important to acknowledge the tremendous achievements in the United States and abroad over the last decades. ACHD publications have increased almost exponentially (Figure). The first American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association joint guidelines on the diagnosis and management of ACHD were published in 20081 with a revision anticipated soon; subspecialty status in cardiology was granted by the American Board of Medical Specialties in 2012 with the first qualifying examination offered in the fall of 2015, and the first class of American Council for Graduate Medical Education–approved fellowship training begins July 2016. Multicenter and multinational research collaborations have formed, including the Alliance for Adult Research in Congenital Cardiology, as have patient/provider collaborative organizations such as the Adult Congenital Heart Association and the International Society of Adult Congenital Heart Disease. Funding for research has also improved, led by the US Department of Defense, the American Heart Association, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Figure. Trends in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). PubMed cited articles directly relating to adults with CHD over 4-year intervals since 1980 ( blue ) and the estimated number of ACHD patients (from program survey by the Adult Congenital Heart Association and the International Society of Adult Congenital Heart Disease) seen at programs in the United States that self-report as providing specialized care to adults with congenital disease ( red ) during 4 different years since 2005. Despite tremendous progress, obstacles to the appropriate and sustained growth of …
On the control and stability of variable-order mechanical systems

This work investigates the control and stability of nonlinear mechanics described by a system of variable-order (VO) differential equations. The VO behavior results from damping with order varying continuously on the bounded domain. A model-predictive method is presented for the development of a time-varying nominal control signal generating a desirable nominal state trajectory in the finite temporal horizon. A complimentary method is also presented for development of the time-varying control of deviations from the nominal trajectory. The latter method is extended into the time-invariant infinite temporal horizon. Simulation error dynamics of a reference configuration are compared over a range of damping coefficient values. Using a normal mode analysis, a fractional-order eigenvalue relation—valid in the infinite horizon—is derived for the dependence of the system stability on the damping coefficient. Simulations confirm the resulting analytical expression for perturbations of order much less than unity. It is shown that when deviations are larger, the fundamental stability characteristics of the controlled VO system carry dependence on the initial perturbation and that this feature is absent from a corresponding constant (integer or fractional) order system. It is then empirically demonstrated that the analytically obtained critical damping value accurately defines—for simulations over the entire temporal horizon—a boundary between rapidly stabilizing solutions and those which persistently oscillate for longtimes.
Learning About Real Animals From Anthropomorphic Media

While a large body of empirical research has investigated preschool-aged children’s knowledge of the natural world, comparatively little attention has been paid to the relevant cultural and social ...
The Imitation of Art in ‘The Author of Beltraffio’

Published in the summer of 1884, ‘The Author of Beltraffio’ is pearticularly interesting as James’s first fiction about th writer-artist. The donnee of the story is clearly described in James’s Notebooks in an anecdote about the career of John Addington Symonds. However, the work also dramatises themes that James treated in ‘The Art of Fiction’, published just two months later. Moreover, it prefigures forms and themes that James would use throughout his fictions about the literary life. For example, it introduces two characterisations that he would rely upon repeatedly to dramatise the experience of the writer-artist, the aspiring young novelist-critic who is an admirer of an older established writer-artist, and the writer-hero, who is usually the character around whom the plot turns. Often, as in ‘The Author of Beltraffio’, the younger man, the critic, is the narrator of the story and the more interesting character. This strategy provides a sensitive, knowledgeable voice for the fiction. It also keeps the experience of the writer-hero at a distance from the reader that enables James to control the characteristic pathos of his experience. Frequently, as in this instance, James portrays the narrator satirically to generate the irony he considered appropriate to his dramatisation of the writer-artist’s experience.
Dipstick Diagnosis of Neonatal Seizure Disorder

A dipstick test strip (Sulfistix) showing elevated urinary sulfite concentrations (400 mg/l) was used in diagnosis of molybdenum cofactor deficiency (MCD), an inborn errror of metabolism, in a male infant presenting with convulsions and cerebral dysgenesis at birth and followed for 3 years at the Klinik fur Kinder und Jugendmedizin, St Marlenhospital, Vechta, Germany.
Adaptive shared control for an intelligent power wheelchair

The NavChair Assistive Navigation System is being developed to increase the mobility of severely handicapped individuals by providing navigation assistance for a power wheelchair. While designing the NavChair it became clear that obtaining the full range of desired functionality required several different {open_quotes}operating modes,{close_quotes} each of which was appropriate in different contexts. This also necessarily created a need for a method of choosing between these modes. One solution is for the user to manage the task of mode determination, which may place unacceptable performance burdens on NavChair users with severe disabilities. Instead, a means for the NavChair to automatically choose the proper operating mode is being sought.
Autocratic Institutions and Democratic Lessons: Evidence from Egypt

How does political experience with institutions under dictatorship influence the preferences political parties and politicians form towards those institutions in democracy? Does such experience influence political elites to create weak institutions amenable to their manipulation or strengthen their resolve to build strong democratic institutions? In a post-cold war context where dictatorships increasingly hold direct, multi-party legislative elections, this question is important for understanding their prospects for democratization and consolidation. I address these questions by studying political support for judicial independence in Egypt using unique elite-level data from an original survey of almost 200 candidates in Egypt’s first democratic parliamentary elections in 2011-2012. Egypt provides a theoretically appropriate case since it has held such direct, multi-party elections since 1976. I find autocratic institutional experience makes parties highly supportive of an independent judiciary but individual politicians less supportive. Despite this, experienced parties are able to successfully influence the institutional preferences of their most experienced and ambitious members towards democratic attitudes. Surprisingly, new parties do not support judicial independence and do not curb their member’s undemocratic inclinations towards courts. Thus, direct autocratic experience with institutions motivated Egyptian political parties to create stronger not weaker democratic institutions.
Time-varying spectra through optical diffraction scanning

ABSTRACT An optical scanning method has been developed to present frequency content as it occurs and changes throughout a variable-density seismogram. Energy distributions are shown in both frequency and time. A two-dimensional pattern is presented which can be visually evaluated, and is suitable for numerical measurement. Seismic wave dispersions can be revealed and measured through a similar scanning method.
Orbitals, Occupation Numbers, and Band Structure of Short One-Dimensional Cadmium Telluride Polymers

Recent work found that soldering CdTe quantum dots together with a molecular CdTe polymer yielded field-effect transistors with much greater electron mobility than quantum dots alone. We present a computational study of the CdTe polymer using the active-space variational two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) method. While analogous complete active-space self-consistent field (CASSCF) methods scale exponentially with the number of active orbitals, the active-space variational 2-RDM method exhibits polynomial scaling. A CASSCF calculation using the (48o,64e) active space studied in this paper requires 1024 determinants and is therefore intractable, while the variational 2-RDM method in the same active space requires only 2.1 × 107 variables. Natural orbitals, natural-orbital occupations, charge gaps, and Mulliken charges are reported as a function of polymer length. The polymer, we find, is strongly correlated, despite possessing a simple sp3-hybridized bonding scheme. Calculations reveal the formatio...
Predator recognition and nest defence by Carolina Wrens Thryothorus ludovicianus in urban and rural environments: does experience matter?

ABSTRACTCapsule: Carolina Wrens Thryothorus ludovicianus in urban and rural environments responded most intensely to predators common to their environments.Aims: To determine the role of experience in predator recognition and response among Carolina Wrens. We predicted that wrens in the urban environment, where domestic cats are common, would respond more intensely to mounts of cats than snakes (a less common nest predator) placed near their nests. In the rural (forested) environment, we predicted a greater response to snakes than cats, because snakes are the more common predator in that environment.Methods: We placed mounted specimens of a snake and a cat near wren nests at the late nestling stage and quantified responses. We used a Rock Dove Columba livia mount as the control because it is a non-threatening species to the nestlings, and should be familiar to the wrens.Results: Carolina Wrens in the urban area responded most intensively to the cat mounts, whereas those in the rural environment responded ...
Booth's Army: The Salvation Army in Nineteenth Century Britain

The religious landscape of nineteenth-century Great Britain was one that reflected the social and economic diversity and changes occurring. As the Church of England dominated the lives of most of Britain's populous at the opening of the century, its influence would be challenged by numerous missionary and evangelical groups in the latter half of the century. In 1851, the British Government conducted a religious census for the first (and last) time which examined church attendance. The Census of Religious Worship recorded where public worship occurred, how often they met, and the number of people involved in the parish. The attendance figures for England and Wales were: Church of England, 5,292,551; main Nonconformist Churches, 4,536,264; Roman Catholics, 383,000. The total population of England and Wales was 17,927,609. Over 34,000 places of worship were registered and millions of religious pamphlets were distributed and yet over five million people stayed away from the church census when it was given on March 30, 1851. 1 One of the many conclusions that these statistics reveal, or fail to reveal, was the changing social structure of British society. The social make-up of society became more subtle as a new industrial working class and a new commercial and industrial bourgeoisie emerged. With the creation of entirely new industrial communities, new religious sects formed and new tactics were employed to attempt to reach out to the urban poor. The Church of England continued its focus on the upper and middle class parishioners, neglecting the growing urban populace. In a meager attempt to address the lower classes the Church set out to create a Christian social climate which would by 'osmosis' influence the lives of the workers. This trickle-down religious philosophy of the Church never took root with the working classes of Britain, though.
Marketing nutrition in restaurants: a survey of current practices and attitudes.

This study sought to determine attitudes toward nutrition, nutrition marketing practices, the relationship between attitudes toward nutrition and nutrition marketing practices, and nutrition training practices in restaurants. A written questionnaire was mailed to 200 research and development (R & D) directors in restaurant companies included in Restaurants & Institutions’ list of top 400 foodservice organizations ranked by sales. Seventy (35%) responded. Most R & D directors did not think they were responsible for improving the health of their consumers. A positive relationship existed between attitudes toward nutrition and nutrition marketing practices (P= .013). Forty-four reported that they marketed nutrition and planned to add nutritious menu items in the future. Forty-six reported that nutritious meal options represented 0 to 10% of total sales. Nutrition information was provided to consumers by 27 restaurant companies but such information often had to be requested. The American Heart Association was a popular source of nutrition and menu-planning information. Twelve companies employed a registered dietitian, and 14 used registered dietitians as consultants. Nutrition-related training for restaurant employees was limited. These findings indicate that dietitians have opportunities to market their skills in developing nutritious menu items and providing staff training. Also, dietitians should encourage consumers (especially those with special dietary needs) to let restaurant managers know their menu and nutrition information needs.
Chapter 57 – Osteoporosis Associated with Rheumatologic Disorders

The systemic and focal joint inflammation that characterizes many of the rheumatologic disorders is frequently accompanied by adverse effects on the skeleton. Much of the attention has focused on the focal bone resorption in articular and periarticular bone associated with disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the prototypical inflammatory joint disease. However, it is clear that many of the inflammatory rheumatic disorders have a marked effect on systemic bone remodeling and numerous studies have documented that osteoporosis and increased risk of fracture account for a substantial component of the morbidity associated with these conditions. In part, these adverse skeletal effects may be related to the therapies used to treat these diseases, as well as poor nutritional intake and other factors such as reduced physical activity that frequently occur in this population. This review will focus on the inflammatory rheumatologic disorders that target the articular and periarticular tissues. These entities include RA, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (previously classified as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), the seronegative spondyloarthropathies, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is important to note, however, that many of the related immune-mediated rheumatic conditions such as systemic vasculitis may also be accompanied by adverse effects on skeletal remodeling and increased risk for osteoporosis, in part, related to the use of high-dose glucocorticoids and other therapies that adversely affect the skeleton.
The wavelet transform in medical imaging

This chapter presents the theory of 2D discrete wavelet transforms and of biorthogonal wavelets. It shows several applications of the wavelet transform in medical imaging. The most remarkable applications are: ability of the WT to make visible simple objects in a noisy background that were previously considered to be invisible to a human viewer, demonstrated superiority of the WT over existing techniques for unsharp mask enhancement and median filtering, and enhancing the visibility of clinically important features. The transient properties of signals and images are best described by points of sharp variations, which are mostly located at the boundaries of relevant image structures. To detect contours of small structures as well as boundaries of larger objects, a new wavelet-based concept, the so-called multiscale edge detection, was introduced. The scale describes the size of the neighborhood where the signal variations are determined. The WT provides a better insight in these algorithms, because it is closely related to multi-scale edge detection. The chapter describes how multiscale edge detection algorithms are related to the WT.
Does reduced psychological distance increase climate engagement? On the limits of localizing climate change

Abstract It is commonly suggested that reducing the psychological distance of climate change will increase public engagement. However, extant studies are limited by their correlational design, or by depicting impacts that vary in distance but also in kind or severity. We conducted two experiments designed to vary distance only, holding impacts constant. U.S. participants completed a visual-spatial task that portrayed the Maldives—a remote island nation facing severe climate impacts—as relatively proximal or distal, before judging the nation's geographic distance (Studies 1 and 2) and summarizing a video depicting its climate vulnerabilities (Study 2). Suggesting an effect on psychological distance, participants in the proximal condition judged the Maldives as geographically closer and described its climate impacts using more concrete (vs. abstract) language. However, this reduced psychological distance did not translate into increased policy support. Complementing other work, results suggest that localizing climate change, by itself, is unlikely to increase engagement.
The influence of visual and vestibular orientation cues in a clock reading task

We investigated how performance in the real-life perceptual task of analog clock reading is influenced by the clock's orientation with respect to egocentric, gravitational, and visual-environmental reference frames. In Experiment 1, we designed a simple clock-reading task and found that observers' reaction time to correctly tell the time depends systematically on the clock's orientation. In Experiment 2, we dissociated egocentric from environmental reference frames by having participants sit upright or lie sideways while performing the task. We found that both reference frames substantially contribute to response times in this task. In Experiment 3, we placed upright or rotated participants in an upright or rotated immersive virtual environment, which allowed us to further dissociate vestibular from visual cues to the environmental reference frame. We found evidence of environmental reference frame effects only when visual and vestibular cues were aligned. We discuss the implications for the design of remote and head-mounted displays.
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Potential of Corn Ethanol: Accounting for Corn Acreage Expansion

Combustion of corn-based ethanol substantially offsets net Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by the recycling of carbon dioxide (CO2) stored as biomass. However, the GHG mitigation effect may be partially countered by the growth of CO2 emissions from the increased corn production resulting from the increased demand for corn and higher corn prices. This study assesses the effect for a major U.S. crop production region, the Boone River watershed in Iowa. We use economic models on GIS-based land use and soils data for some 8,275 fields in the watershed to estimate the effect of an increase in corn prices on crop rotations and tillage intensity. The associated changes in soil carbon are estimated using the field-scale Environmental Policy Impact Climate simulation model by comparing soil organic carbon content under the baseline with that under the simulated cropping patterns. A corn price increase from $2 to $4 per bushel ($78.74 to $157.47 per t) is predicted to lead to the switch from the corn-soybean rotation to continuous corn and from the mulch to conventional tillage on the most of the watershed. The associated CO2 emissions are estimated at 63,711 tons (57,799 t) per year higher than under the baseline.
Capitalization vs Expensing of R&D and Earnings Management

We examine how a firm's decision to capitalize vs expense R&D costs affects how the firm manages earnings with R&D. We find that expensers engage in real earnings management, cutting R&D expenditures to meet earnings benchmarks. Capitalizers, however, cut R&D expense to meet benchmarks, without cutting R&D expenditures. Thus, they engage in accrual earnings management. This is the first empirical evidence we are aware of on how accounting choices affect subsequent earnings management decisions. Our findings are consistent with recent models showing that managers substitute to real earnings management when tighter accounting standards restrict accrual management, and suggest that restricting R&D capitalization results in (potentially more costly) real management.
Abstract 10: Endothelial FGF Protects Against Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a debilitating disease where 1 in 4 patients will die within five years of diagnosis. Pathologic changes of endothelial cell function, together with smooth muscle and adventitial hyperplasia increase pulmonary vascular resistance. Consequent elevation in right ventricular pressure ultimately causes right heart failure. Expression of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFRs), FGFR1 and FGFR2, are elevated in lung samples from PH patients; however, the impact of these receptors on endothelial cell function, and endothelial to smooth muscle interaction is poorly understood. We hypothesize that activation of endothelial FGFR1 and FGFR2 promotes endothelial cell survival, elaborating signals that protect against pulmonary hypertension via inhibition of smooth muscle cell recruitment. We used the Tie2-Cre transgene to conditionally inactivate Fgfr1 and Fgfr2 in endothelial cells. Experimental mice with genotype Tie2-Cre; Fgfr1 f/f ; Fgfr2 f/f (DCKO) and control Fgfr1 f/f ; Fgfr2 f/f (DFF) were challenged with 10% hypoxia for 2 weeks. At the end, right ventricular pressure (RVp) was measured by cardiac catheterization. Compared to mice in normoxia, control littermates in hypoxia demonstrated significant increases in RVp, and RV to left ventricle + septum (LV+S) weight ratio, consistent with development of PH. DCKO mice demonstrate further elevation in RVp and an increase in the RV to LV+S weight ratio, demonstrating worsening PH. We also observed formation of plexiform lesions in DCKO mice, suggestive of a severe pathology. We found a previously unreported involvement of FGF10 in pulmonary hypertension. FGF10 expression was decreased in hypoxia-challenged DCKO mice as compared to both DCKO littermates on room air, and to hypoxia challenged DFF control mice. Our data suggests that endothelial FGFR1 and FGFR2 activation may protect against pulmonary hypertension. Further studies are underway to elucidate the role of FGF10 and its mechanism in the pathology. We will also further identify associated FGF ligands, associated signaling mechanisms, and endothelial to smooth muscle interactions.
Tip of the trichome: evolution of acylsugar metabolic diversity in Solanaceae.

Acylsugars are insecticidal plant specialized metabolites produced in the Solanaceae (nightshade family). Despite having simple constituents, these compounds are unusually structurally diverse. Their structural variations in phylogenetically closely related species enable comparative biochemical approaches to understand acylsugar biosynthesis and pathway diversification. Thus far, varied enzyme classes contributing to their synthesis were characterized in cultivated and wild tomatoes, including from core metabolism – isopropylmalate synthase (Leu) and invertase (carbon) – and a group of evolutionarily related BAHD acyltransferases known as acylsucrose acyltransferases. Gene duplication and neofunctionalization of these enzymes drove acylsugar diversification both within and beyond tomato. The broad set of evolutionary mechanisms underlying acylsugar diversity in Solanaceae make this metabolic network an exemplar for detailed understanding of the evolution of metabolic form and function.
Impacts of noise on staff cognitive performance in a hospital emergency department

The soundscape of a typical modern hospital emergency department is undoubtedly noisy. Noise-related stress can contribute to human error, adverse medication events, and physician burnout and may negatively affect physicians’ mental health and limit clinicians’ ability to provide high-quality patient care. Previous studies have revealed average sound pressure levels for hospitals worldwide to be in significant excess of the World Health Organization firm guidelines. However, neither sound pressure level measurements nor loudness evaluations provide enough insight into the problem or potential solutions. Noise sources in hospitals include monitor alarms, overhead paging, echogenic surfaces, trash bins, ring binders, and patient crying out, among others. These sounds can be abrupt, yet not sustained. In order to evaluate the impact of hospital staff distraction and propensity for human error due to noise, the authors have conducted research at a busy, urban emergency department. The effects of various sonic occurrences on the cognitive load and working memory of physicians operating in the emergency department were assessed using binaural augmented acoustic environments as the backdrop for cognitive executive function evaluations. This paper discusses the methods for the binaural augmentation, cognitive testing, and initial results and offers interpretation and potential solutions to address these results.