cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paper standard gamble: a paper-based measure of standard gamble utility for current health.

Objectives To develop and validate a paper-based instrument that is simple to administer and produces a reliable estimate of patient standard gamble (SG) utilities for current health status. Methods A 1-page paper questionnaire instrument, paper standard gamble (PSG), was designed to estimate SG utilities. We performed two studies to assess the validity of PSG. First we compared PSG and SG utilities for current health in patients with prostate cancer. They randomly received either PSG followed by SG or vice versa, always with an intervening SF-12. In the second validity study, we assessed the test-retest reliability of PSG by administering it to prostate cancer patients twice, at least 2 weeks apart. Results In the first study, utilities were assessed in 64 men (32 per SG/PSG order group). A paired-comparison t test suggested no difference between SG and PSG (mean difference = -0.007; 95% confidence interval (Cl), -0.022 to 0.008). The concordance correlation coefficient was 0.92 (95% Cl, 0.79 to 0.99). In the second study, test and retest PSGs were available for 184 patients. The concordance correlation coefficient was 0.88 (95% Cl, 0.73 to 0.94). Conclusions These data suggest that PSG may serve as a reliable substitute for SG when current health utility is of interest. PSG may have particular advantages for acquisition of health-related quality-of-life data in longitudinal studies.
An Introduction to Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis

Environmentally-extended input-output (EEIO) analysis provides a simple and robust method for evaluating the linkages between economic consumption activities and environmental impacts, including the harvest and degradation of natural resources. EEIO is now widely used to evaluate the upstream, consumption-based drivers of downstream environmental impacts and to evaluate the environmental impacts embodied in goods and services that are traded between nations. While the mathematics of input-output analysis are not complex, straightforward explanations of this approach for those without mathematical backgrounds remain difficult to find. This manuscript provides a conceptual and intuitive introduction to the goals of EEIO, the principles and mathematics behind EEIO analysis and the strengths and limitations of the EEIO approach. The wider adoption of EEIO approaches will help researchers and policy makers to better measure, and potentially decrease, the ultimate drivers of environmental degradation.
Controlling growth of carbon microtrees

A rapid high temperature chemical vapor deposition method was employed to grow micro-sized tree-like carbon structures on graphite electrodes. Temperature dependence of the nucleation density of carbon micro trees and the influence of methane partial pressure (carbon source) on the growth rate of carbon trees were systematically investigated. Substrate surface effects such as mechanical polishing and introduction of a growth promoter such as ferrocene were also investigated. It was found that all three factors, temperature, methane partial pressure and surface morphology of substrate influence the growth of carbon microtrees.
Selective Oxidation of sp^3 C-H Bonds in Water Catalyzed by a Glycinate-Platinum(II) Complex

In aqueous solution, [Pt^(II)(glycinato)Cl_2]^− catalyzes oxidation by [Pt^(IV)Cl_6]^(2−) of the methyl group of p-toluenesulfonate to the corresponding alcohol and aldehyde, with no further oxidation to the carboxylic acid. Both rate and selectivity are improved in comparison to the original Shilov system that employs [Pt^(II)Cl_n(H_2O)_(4−n)]^(2−n) as the catalyst.
Reactions to a Postal Rate Increase: Justification or Inequity Distress?1

Three hundred and thirty-four adults were surveyed regarding their satisfaction with the postal service either 2 weeks before a 2c increase in first-class postage, 2 days after, or 4 weeks after. Two days after the increase, relatively low users reported more dissatisfaction, while high use customers reported increased satisfaction. The personal cost associated with inequitable conditions (higher price for same services) appears to moderate the use of justificatory responses. Four weeks after the increase, satisfaction returned to pre-increase levels, suggesting that feelings of inequity created by the price increase were temporary.
A comparison between UWB and TDOA systems for smart space localization

A comparison between two different systems for smart space localization is presented. A smart space implemented at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was designed for automated and intelligent assistance for elderly and disabled people, and also for astronauts in space. Localization is a critical component of the smart space since it provides the system with the movement patterns and location of its inhabitants. Two systems have been deployed and evaluated for the purpose of localizing people in the smart space: the Ubisense ultra-wide band (UWB) system and the Cricket indoor localization system. Both systems support three-dimensional localization within the smart space. The two systems are evaluated, compared, and analyzed in the perspective of smart space development.
Coplanar PCBs in fish and mussels from marine and estuarine waters of New York State

Thirty samples of striped bass from marine and estuarine waters of New York State, six samples of mussels from Long Island Sound, and one composite sample of freshwater mussels from Troy were analyzed by a recently developed method which combines sulfuric acid cleanup, carbon chromatography, and high-resolution gas chromatography for the determination of non-ortho- and mono-ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are biologically active congeners of PCBs and approximate isostereomers of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-P-dioxin of (2,3,7,8-TCDD). Non-ortho coplanar PCBs ranged from 0.2 to 37.1 ppb in fish. The highest concentrations of 37.1 ng/g of 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (77) and 7.5 ng/g of 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (126) were detected in a fish caught near Troy/Albany, New York. Mono-ortho-substituted PCBs ranged from 0.4 to 790 ppb in fish, with the major components identified as 2,3',4,4',5-penta-(118) and 2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyls (105). When concentrations were converted to 2,3,7,8-TCDD picogram equivalents, 99% of the equivalents were derived from three congeners (77, 105, and 126), 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (126) accounting for approximately 80% of the activity. At Troy pg/g TCDD equivalents derived from PCB were approximately 3000, whereas the actual 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentration was only 20 pg/g; hence, accurate coplanar PCB measurement is important.
Monoplatinum Doping of Gold Nanoclusters and Catalytic Application

We report single-atom doping of gold nanoclusters (NCs), and its drastic effects on the optical, electronic, and catalytic properties, using the 25-atom system as a model. In our synthetic approach, a mixture of Pt1Au24(SC2H4Ph)18 and Au25(SC2H4Ph)18 was produced via a size-focusing process, and then Pt1Au24(SC2H4Ph)18 NCs were obtained by selective decomposition of Au25(SC2H4Ph)18 in the mixture with concentrated H2O2 followed by purification via size-exclusion chromatography. Experimental and theoretical analyses confirmed that Pt1Au24(SC2H4Ph)18 possesses a Pt-centered icosahedral core capped by six Au2(SC2H4Ph)3 staples. The Pt1Au24(SC2H4Ph)18 cluster exhibits greatly enhanced stability and catalytic activity relative to Au25(SC2H4Ph)18 but a smaller energy gap (Eg ≈ 0.8 eV vs 1.3 eV for the homogold cluster).
Citizens United and the Corporate Form

In Citizens United vs. FEC, the Supreme Court struck down a Federal statute banning direct corporate expenditures on political campaigns. The decision has been widely criticized and praised as a matter of First Amendment law. But it is also interesting as another step in the evolution of our legal views of the corporation. This article argues that by viewing Citizens United through the prism of theories about the corporate form, it is possible to see that the majority and the dissent departed from previous Supreme Court jurisprudence on the First Amendment rights of corporations. It is also possible to then predict what arguments can be expected next.
Phosphophoryn regulates the gene expression and differentiation of NIH3T3, MC3T3-E1, and human mesenchymal stem cells via the integrin/MAPK signaling pathway.

Abstract Extracellular matrix proteins (ECMs) serve as both a structural support for cells and a dynamic biochemical network that directs cellular activities. ECM proteins such as those of the SIBLING family (small integrin-binding ligand glycoprotein) could possess inherent growth factor activity. In this study, we demonstrate that exon 5 of dentin matrix protein 3 (phosphophoryn (PP)), a non-collagenous dentin ECM protein and SIBLING protein family member, up-regulates osteoblast marker genes in primary human adult mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), a mouse osteoblastic cell line (MC3T3-E1), and a mouse fibroblastic cell line (NIH3T3). Quantitative real-time PCR technology was used to quantify gene expression levels of bone markers such as Runx2, Osx (Osterix), bone/liver/kidney Alp (alkaline phosphatase), Ocn (osteocalcin), and Bsp (bone sialoprotein) in response to recombinant PP and stably transfected PP. PP up-regulated Runx2, Osx, and Ocn gene expression. PP increased OCN protein production in hMSCs and MC3T3-E1. ALP activity and calcium deposition was increased by PP in hMSC. Furthermore, an αvβ3 integrin-blocking antibody significantly inhibited recombinant PP-induced expression of Runx2 in hMSCs, suggesting that signaling by PP is mediated through the integrin pathway. PP was also shown to activate p38, ERK1/2, and JNK, three components of the MAPK pathway. These data demonstrate a novel signaling function for PP in cell differentiation beyond the hypothesized role of PP in biomineralization.
Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) temperature-dependent growth and feeding rates.

Colorado potato beetles were reared under controlled conditions on potato foliage at 12, 15, 20, 24, 28, 30, and 33°C to determine temperature-dependent development and feeding rates. Optimum development occurred at 28°C; it took 20.7 days to go from egg to adult. Maximum daily consumption occurred at 28°C.
Precision Velocity Fields in Spiral Galaxies. II. Rotation Curves

Imaging Fabry-Perot data has been acquired for a sample of seven late-type spiral galaxies from which two-dimensional velocity fields have been constructed on a subkiloparsec resolution scale. The kinematic disk (i.e., tilted ring) modeling procedure is used to fit the velocity field and recover its rotational structure. From this fit, different schemes are used to extract the major-axis rotation curve, as well as velocity profiles along the minor axis. Rotation curves found from deprojection of the velocity field using mean geometric parameters invariably produce small-scale "bumps and wiggles," which are a reflection of the inclusion of noncircular motions. In the best-rotation curve method, the rotation curve is derived from the best fit to the entire velocity field. This method is shown to minimize the effects of noncircular motions. The kinematic center of the velocity field is allowed to vary, and those results are directly compared with cases where the kinematic center is held fixed. In virtually all cases, we find that the variable center model produces the smoothest and most symmetric rotation curves and minor-axis velocity profiles. Our results indicate that the kinematic center of mass is moving around in these disk systems with an amplitude of plus or minus ~300 pc. Finally, we investigate the effects of small, systematic errors in centering and find that small minor-axis displacements can artificially produce spurious slopes in the rotation curve at large radius, including producing rotation curves that are apparently falling.
Adsorption and modification of calcium salt crystal growth by anionic peptides and spermine

Synthetic polyanions, including peptide analogs of naturally occurring proteins, have been shown to inhibit the nucleation and growth of calcium salt crystals. The binding characteristics of polyaspartate and aspartate-serine copolymers to calcium carbonate (calcite) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) are presented here. The binding is related to dose-dependent inhibition of crystal growth measured by constant composition assay. Peptide phosphorylation had little effect on binding affinity or crystal growth inhibition with either calcium salt. Spermine was able to reduce hydroxyapatite crystal growth but with lower efficacy than the polyanionic peptides. Spermine reversed some of the HAP growth inhibition produced by an anionic peptide. Binding of a labeled polyanion was reduced by a similar anionic peptide at all concentrations of the label, however, spermine reduced binding only at higher concentrations of the labeled polyanion. The data support the presence of multiple binding site classes on HAP surfaces, some inaccessible to polycations and some at which both polyanions and polycations can bind.
Testing a meta-analysis model for benefit transfer in international outdoor recreation

Abstract The economic values of outdoor recreation are estimated using a benefit transfer approach in which one applies existing consumer surplus measures to value the resources at a new site. In this article, a benefit transfer study was conducted based on meta-analysis of existing research in outdoor recreation use values of the United States from 1967 to 1998. The meta-analysis method was used to estimate a meta-regression model, resulting in a benefit transfer function that could be applied to estimate a wide range of recreation activity values in other countries. The estimated meta-model was tested using original out-of-sample studies from countries around the world for international benefit transfer purposes. The tests reveal that there is mixed evidence in using meta-analysis of existing studies in outdoor recreation in the United States to value the recreational resources in other countries that are used by tourists. In the best case, 18 correlation coefficients between meta-predicted and out-of-sample values were positive and significant at the 5% level or greater, but nine of the 18 t-tests indicated a significant difference between the two sets of values at the 10% level. However, the absolute average percentage error of the meta-predictions was 28%, which may be acceptable for many benefit transfer applications.
Complex permittivity of composite systems: a comprehensive interphase approach

The present paper reports the development of a unique model to provide physical insights to the complex permittivity of composite systems. The model takes into account interactions between the components of the composite system in the form of interphase regions. The resultant model, termed the interphase power-law (IPL) model, relies on the permittivities of the filler component, the matrix component and the interphase region as well as the volume fractions of each. The model is applicable to any uniform composite system of discrete particles dispersed within a matrix. Trends in the composite material's effective permittivity as a function of filler volume fraction, interphase permittivity, filler surface area and filler particle shapes are explored.
Rethinking Traditional Weight Management Programs: A 3-Year Follow-Up Evaluation of a New Approach

Abstract We evaluated the effectiveness of a nondiet approach designed to reduce restrained eating behaviors and improve self-acceptance and self-esteem. This approach also encourages participants to address eating and exercise behavior separately. Subjects were Conoco employees who participated in the Wellness Department's Eat For L.I.F.E. (Long-term change; Image of self; Fun; Enjoyment of eating) program and completed pre-participation and 3-year follow-up questionnaires (N = 79). Pre- and postsurvey data were used to assess participants eating behavior, dieting behavior, self-acceptance, self-esteem, level of physical activity, and demographic information. Mastery of the internally directed eating style was assessed during the program at 3 months, at the conclusion of the 6-month program, and at the 3-year follow-up. Analysis of variance indicated that Eat For L.I.F.E. participants were able to significantly decrease their restrained eating behavior and increase self-acceptance, self-esteem, and level...
Initial Response of Fishes to Marsh Restoration at a Former Salt Hay Farm Bordering Delaware Bay

The success of salt marsh restoration, especially as it relates to the structural and functional role of fish populations, is poorly defined. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the restoration of a former salt hay farm toward a functional marsh, we monitored the fish response to the restoration (resumed tidal flow, creation of creeks) from September 1996 to November 1997 and compared that to the prerestoration condition. During the post-restoration period we compared fish species richness, abundance, composition and size during the spring, summer and fall between the restored site and an adjacent reference marsh with similar physical characteristics (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, depth, distance from the bay). Fish populations, primarily young-of-the-year, were characterized at both sites by monthly sampling with replicate (4 tows per site, 2 sites in each of two creeks) daytime otter trawls (4.9 m, 6 mm cod end mesh, n=375 two-minute tows) in large marsh creeks and with weirs (2.0 m×1.5 m×1.5 m, with 5.0 m×1.5 m wings, 6.0 mm mesh, n=48) in smaller intertidal marsh creeks (2 sites in the restored marsh, 4 sites in reference marshes). Based on these observations, fish abundance was greater in the restored creeks while species richness, species composition, and average size of fishes were similar to the reference site. An analysis of fish assemblages at the same sites indicated that the reference and restored marshes were similar for large and small marsh creeks. Where differences occurred it was often the result of greater abundances of selected species at the restored marsh. Also, during this period the standing stock at the restored marsh may have exceeded that for the reference marsh. Thus, it appears that the fish responded quickly to the restoration.
High-Grade Astrocytoma Variants

Most forms of glioblastoma multiforme, despite their high grade nature, show some areas of obvious glial differentiation. Often the glial nature of the tumor is more evident at the peripheral, infiltrative edge of the tumor. This glial appearance allows for the recognition of glioblastoma multiforme as an astrocytic lesion. There are, however, a number of histologic phenotypes one might encounter in the spectrum of glioblastoma multiforme. Occasionally, the glioblastoma multiforme may be comprised mostly of small round cells with scant cytoplasm, morphologically similar to a small cell carcinoma (Fig. 5-1). Frequently, this pattern is intermixed with more recognizable astrocytic cells and is, therefore, not usually difficult to recognize. However, on a small biopsy, a differential diagnosis with metastatic small cell carcinoma may be entertained. In such cases, a combination of immunostains including glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), cytokeratins, or neuroendocrine markers may resolve the issue. In most cases, at least focal GFAP positive staining will be observed in the small cell areas of glioblastoma multiforme. Keratin and neuroendocrine markers may variably stain small cell carcinomas. Certain keratin markers will also stain malignant astrocytomas. Low molecular weight keratin markers such as CAM5.2 seem to be less likely to stain astrocytomas. Often this differential depends on whether or not the patient has a known primary tumor, usually in the lung.
In situ Synchrotron X-ray Studies of Dense Thin-Film Strontium-Doped Lanthanum Manganite Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes

Using a model cathode-electrolyte system composed of epitaxial thin-films of La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3-{delta}} (LSM) on single crystal yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), we investigated changes in the cation concentration profile in the LSM during heating and under applied potential using grazing incidence x-rays. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) was used to grow epitaxial LSM(011) on YSZ(111). At room temperature, we find that Sr segregates to form Sr enriched nanoparticles and upon heating the sample to 700 C, Sr is slowly reincorporated into the film. We also find different amounts of Sr segregation as the X-ray beam is moved across the sample. The variation in the amount of Sr segregation is greater on the sample that has been subject to 72 hours of applied potential, suggesting that the electrochemistry plays a role in the Sr segregation.
Steady viscoelastic diffusion

A viscoelastic constitutive equation is derived for the diffusion flux of an infinitely dilute solute diffusing in a polymeric fluid under steady flow conditions. It is shown that the mass transfer rate of gas into an ideal polymer jet increases with increasing elasticity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 3256–3263, 2003
Airway Receptors and Their Reflex Function : Invited Article

Sensory information in the lung is generated by airway receptors located throughout the respiratory tract. This information is mainly carried by the vagus nerves and yields multiple reflex responses in disease states (cough, bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion). Airway receptors are also essential for breathing control and lung defense. A single sensory unit contains homogeneous or heterogeneous types of receptors, providing varied and mixed behavior. Thus, the sensory units are not only transducers, but also processors that integrate information in different modes.
Feasibility of Immunodiagnostic Devices for the Detection of Ricin, Amanitin, and T-2 Toxin in Food

Qualitative and quantitative comparisons were conducted of commercially available immunodiagnostic devices for the detection of three select agents with oral LD50 values > or = 0.1 mg/kg of body weight. Ricin (oral LD50 > 1 mg/kg), amanitin (oral LD50 approximately 0.1 mg/kg), and T-2 toxin (oral LD50 > 1 mg/kg) were spiked into beverages, produce, dairy, and baked goods and assayed using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and lateral flow devices. In all cases, the commercial diagnostic kits successfully detected all three select agents at concentrations below what might be a health concern. The considerable difference between the limit of detection of the immunodiagnostic devices employed (typically < or = 0.020 microg/g) and the amount of the select agent necessary to pose a health threat in a single serving of food facilitated the design of protocols for the high throughput screening of food samples. These protocols entailed simple extraction methods followed by sample dilution. Lateral flow devices and sandwich ELISAs for the detection of ricin had no significant background problems due to the food matrices. Competitive ELISAs, which typically have unacceptably high background reactions with food samples, successfully detected amanitin and T-2 toxin.
Action potentials of isolated single muscle fibers recorded by potential-sensitive dyes

Light transmission changes upon massive stimulation of single muscle fibers of Xenopus were studied with the potential-sensitive nonpermeant dyes, merocyanine rhodanine (WW375) and merocyanine oxazolone (NK2367). Upon stimulation an absorption change (wave a) occurred, which probably represents the sum of action potentials in the transverse tubules and surface membrane. In WW375-stained fibers wave a is a decrease in transmission over the range of 630 to 730 nm (with NK2367, over the range of 590 to 700 nm) but becomes an increase outside this range, thus showing a triphasic spectral pattern. This spectrum differs from that of the squid axon, in which depolarization produces only an increase in transmission over the whole range of wavelengths (Ross et al. 1977. J. Membr. Biol. 33:141-183). When wave a was measured at the edge of the fiber to obtain more signal from the surface membrane, the spectrum did not seem to differ markedly from that obtained from the entire width of the fiber. Thus, the difference in the spectrum between the squid axon and the vertebrate muscle cannot be attributed to the presence of the tubular system.
Prevention of Escherichia coli Respiratory Infection in Broiler Chickens with Bacteriophage (SPR02)

Bacteriophages are viruses that can infect and kill bacteria. Three studies were conducted to determine the efficacy of bacteriophage to prevent an Escherichia coli respiratory infection in broiler chickens. In the first study 3-d-old-birds were challenged with an air sac inoculation of 10(3) cfu of E. coli per mL mixed with either 10(3) or 10(6) pfu of bacteriophage, or 10(4) cfu E. coli mixed with 10(4) or 10(8) pfu of bacteriophage. In the second study, drinking water of birds to 1 wk of age was treated with 10(3) or 10(4) pfu of bacteriophage per mL and birds were air sac challenged with 10(3) cfu of E. coli, or water was treated with 10(4) or 10(6) pfu of bacteriophage per milliliter and birds were challenged with 10(4) cfu of E. coli. In the third study, birds were air sac challenged at 1 wk of age with 10(4) cfu of E. coli and given 10(5) or 10(6) pfu of bacteriophage per mL of water from 1 d of age to 2 wk of age. In Studies 1 and 2, there were two replicate pens per treatment with 10 birds per pen, and in Study 3, there were four replicate pens per treatment with 10 birds per pen. The studies were all concluded when the birds were 3 wk of age. In Study 1, BW was decreased at 1 and 2 wk of age in the birds that were challenged with 10(3) or 10(4) cfu of E. coli and was decreased at 2 wk of age in the birds challenged with 10(4) cfu of E. coli mixed with 10(4) pfu of the bacteriophage. Mortality was decreased from 80% in the birds challenged with 10(3) cfu of E. coli to 25 and 5% when mixed with 10(3) or 10(6) pfu of the bacteriophage, respectively. Mortality was decreased from 85% in birds challenged with 10(4) cfu of E. coli to 35% when mixed with 10(4) pfu of the bacteriophage, and no mortality occurred when mixed with 10(8) pfu of bacteriophage. There was essentially no protection observed in Studies 2 and 3 when the birds were challenged with 10(3) or 10(4) cfu of E. coli with bacteriophage present in their drinking water at any level. These data suggest that bacteriophage can protect birds from a respiratory challenge with E. coli, but that adding the bacteriophage to the drinking water offered no protection to the birds. The complete protection of the birds observed in Study 1 suggests that bacteriophage may possibly be developed as an alternative to antibiotic use in poultry.
Strategic Human Resources Management: Where Do We Go From Here?

The authors identify the key challenges facing strategic human resource management (SHRM) going forward and discuss several new directions in both the scholarship and practice of SHRM. They focus on a clearer articulation of the “black box” between HR and firm performance, emphasizing the integration of strategy implementation as the central mediating variable in this relationship. There are direct implications for the nature of fit and contingencies in SHRM. They also highlight the significance of a differentiated HR architecture not just across firms but also within firms.
Recent Distribution of Coyotes Across an Urban Landscape in Southeastern Michigan

Human–wildlife interactions in urban areas are widely reported by ecologists to be the result of human encroachment on wildlife habitat. Highly mobile species, however, have been documented by both wildlife biologists and casual observers to occupy areas heavily populated by humans. Range expansion and population growth of coyotes (Canis latrans )h as led to their increased presence in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, where poor economic conditions over the last several decades have resulted in the reversion of numerous recreational areas and abandoned parcels to more wooded or vegetated conditions that have provided potential wildlife habitat. We performed an extensive survey for coyote evidence (i.e., carcasses, den sites, scats, sightings, or tracks) across metropolitan Detroit to examine distribution across both the general region and specific land cover types. We found 58% of all coyote evidence on unpaved trails, paths, and unimproved roads within edge habitats (e.g., grassland adjacent to urban non-vegetative land cover), with den sites and tracks the only types of evidence found strictly in interior habitats. Land cover around evidence points included more wooded land cover than expected in suburban areas, suggesting the importance of tree cover for coyote occupancy, and more open space and wooded land cover than expected in urban areas, highlighting the coyotes’ avoidance of heavily populated areas. We speculate that habitat characterized by tree cover has likely never been limiting within metropolitan Detroit, and that reoccupation of southeastern Michigan by coyotes is more likely a consequence of expanding coyote populations outside of suburban and urban areas rather than newly available habitat resulting from land cover change.
Analysis of the Role of Variation of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Expression on Nonobese Diabetic (NOD) Peripheral T Cell Response

The current paradigm of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and disease association suggests that efficient binding of autoantigens by disease-associated MHC molecules leads to a T cell–mediated immune response and resultant autoimmune sequelae. The data presented below offer a different model for this association of MHC with autoimmune diabetes. We used several mouse lines expressing different levels of I-Ag7 and I-Ak on the nonobese diabetic (NOD) background to evaluate the role of MHC class II in the previously described NOD T cell autoproliferation. The ratio of I-Ag7 to I-Ak expression correlated with the peripheral T cell autoproliferative phenotype in the mice studied. T cells from the NOD, [NOD × NOD.I-Anull]F1, and NOD I-Ak transgenic mice demonstrated autoproliferative responses (after priming with self-peptides), whereas the NOD.H2h4 (containing I-Ak) congenic and [NOD × NOD.H2h4 congenic]F1 mice did not. Analysis of CD4+ NOD I-Ak transgenic primed lymph node cells showed that autoreactive CD4+ T cells in the NOD I-Ak transgenic mice were restricted exclusively by I-Ag7. Considered in the context of the avidity theory of T cell activation and selection, the reported poor peptide binding capacity of NOD I-Ag7 suggested a new hypothesis to explain the effects of MHC class II expression on the peripheral autoimmune repertoire in NOD mice. This new explanation suggests that the association of MHC with diabetes results from “altered” thymic selection in which high affinity self-reactive (potentially autoreactive) T cells escape negative selection. This model offers an explanation for the requirement of homozygous MHC class II expression in NOD mice (and in humans) in susceptibility to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
Aerospace applications of Weibull and Monte Carlo simulation with importance sampling

Recent developments in reliability modeling and computer technology have made it practical to use the Weibull time-to-failure distribution to model the system reliability of complex fault-tolerant computer-based systems. These system models are becoming increasingly popular in space system applications as a result of mounting data that support the decreasing Weibull failure distribution and the expectation of increased system reliability. This presentation introduces the new reliability modeling developments and demonstrates their application to a novel space system application. The application is a proposed guidance, navigation and control system for use in a long duration manned spacecraft for a possible Mars mission. Comparisons to the constant failure rate model are presented and the ramifications of doing so are discussed.
Believe and destroy: the intellectuals in the SS war machine

Since the mid-1990s previously popular depictions of Nazi perpetrators as either pathological sadists or naive bureaucrats have been widely replaced by nuanced studies that inquire into social and ...
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the Work Site

National medical care expenditures reached $949 billion in 1994, resulting in unprecedented employee medical benefits costs [Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), 1996]. With annual expenses increasing 12–20% per year, employer costs for medical benefits are limiting company profits and necessitating major cost control initiatives. Total national medical expenditures have risen at more than twice the rate of inflation to $111 billion in just the 3 years from 1991 to 1994 (HCFA, 1996; National Center for Health Statistics, 1996). With employers paying 55–80% of national medical expenditures, controlling the rising costs of medical benefits represents a key challenge for employers in both the public and private sectors (Kizer, Pelletier, & Fielding, 1995).
Effect of Leaching Fraction on River Salinity

The effects of 0.10 and 0.40 irrigation leaching fraction management on amounts of salt precipitated in the soil and river channel and compositions of drainage and river water have been calculated for each of the three river types routed through nine successive hypothetical irrigated valleys. These calculations assume dissolution of CaCO 3 (in the soil) and return of irrigation drainage waters. Rivers undersaturated with CaCO 3 were slightly less saline under low versus high leaching. Rivers saturated with CaCO 3 were unaffected by irrigation management. Rivers saturated with CaCO 3 and approaching saturation with gypsum experienced substantial reductions in salinity under low leaching compared to high leaching. For CaCO 3 -saturated rivers, a change from high to low leaching results in a rootzone soil porosity reduction of 0.008% more per year. For rivers that result in the precipitation of gypsum, soil porosity was reduced about 0.08% more per year for low as compared to high leaching.
Galanin is localized in sympathetic neurons of the dog liver

Stimulation of canine hepatic nerves releases the neuropeptide galanin from the liver; therefore, galanin may be a sympathetic neurotransmitter in the dog liver. To test this hypothesis, we used immunocytochemistry to determine if galanin is localized in hepatic sympathetic nerves and we used hepatic sympathetic denervation to verify such localization. Liver sections from dogs were immunostained for both galanin and the sympathetic enzyme marker tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Galanin-like immunoreactivity (GALIR) was colocalized with TH in many axons of nerve trunks as well as individual nerve fibers located both in the stroma of hepatic blood vessels and in the liver parenchyma. Neither galanin- nor TH-positive cell bodies were observed. Intraportal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infusion, a treatment that selectively destroys hepatic adrenergic nerve terminals, abolished the GALIR staining in parenchymal neurons but only moderately diminished the GALIR staining in the nerve fibers around blood vessels. To confirm that 6-OHDA pretreatment proportionally depleted galanin and norepinephrine in the liver, we measured both the liver content and the hepatic nerve-stimulated spillover of galanin and norepinephrine from the liver. Pretreatment with 6-OHDA reduced the content and spillover of both galanin and norepinephrine by >90%. Together, these results indicate that galanin in dog liver is primarily colocalized with norepinephrine in sympathetic nerves and may therefore function as a hepatic sympathetic neurotransmitter.
Educando a los hijos de los pobres. Un Movimiento Mundial Paradójico

Se examina la relacion entre la educacion y la pobreza a nivel mundial, con el fin de explorar la naturaleza de la relacion entre las escuelas y la sociedad y, en particular, la cuestion de si las escuelas pueden alterar la organizacion y estructura social o pueden simplemente reproducirla. Para abordar esta cuestion teorica, se examina la relacion entre oportunidades educativas y pobreza en todo el mundo en las ultimas decadas y se discute la influencia de las politicas educativas en esa relacion
When to think like an epistemicist

Epistemicism is the view that seemingly vague predicates are not in fact vague. Consequently, there must be a sharp boundary between a man who is bald and one who is not bald. Although such a view is often met with incredulity, my aim is to provide a defense of epistemicism in this essay. My defense, however, is backhanded: I argue that the formal commitments of epistemicism are the result of good practical reasoning, not metaphysical necessity. To get to that conclusion, I spend most of the essay arguing that using a formal system like classical logic to manage seemingly vague situations requires practical principles to mediate between the formalism and what it aims to represent.
Hemostatic Agents in Spine Surgery: A Critical Analysis Review.

Blood loss during spine surgery is one of the most difficult challenges facing the surgeon, with effects ranging from decreased visualization of the operative field to life-threatening hemorrhage. Specific considerations for intraoperative bleeding include the potential for development of acute stroke from vertebral artery transection to spinal cord ischemia. Additionally, the need for perioperative transfusion of blood products has been associated with longer hospital stays and increased cost1. Management of blood loss begins in the preoperative period with discontinuation of medications known to increase the risk of bleeding, including aspirin, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and anticoagulants. The reasons for taking these medications and their discontinuation should be discussed with both the patient and the patient’s primary care physician or cardiologist. At the time of the operation, a collaborative effort between the anesthesiologist and the surgeon is undertaken to manage appropriate hemostasis. This …
Low K mesoporous silica films through template-based processing

Low dielectric-constant mesoporous silica films were prepared by condensation of a silicate network around surfactant micellar structures. Adherent, porous films 0.5–1.0 μm in thickness, and containing an ordered assemblage of ≈2 nm diameter pores were synthesized by spin-coating water/ethanol-based solutions containing a silica precursor and surfactant template. In this paper, film deposition conditions are described, and film thickness, porosity, refractive index and dielectric constant measured by ellipsometry are presented. Using a coating solution containing tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and a cationic cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) surfactant template, the film porosity and dielectric properties were controlled over a wide range by adjusting the CTAC/TEOS molar ratio. With the CTAC/TEOS ratio between 0.1 and 0.15, the pores were highly ordered in hexagonal arrays after heat treatment at 550 °C. With a CTAC/TEOS ratio of 0.21, films with a pore volume of ≈64% (≈36 vol% silica) could be synthesized. The measured index of refraction for these highly porous films at 500 nm wavelength was 1.16, indicating that these films are potentially useful as low K interlayer dielectrics.
The Level of Consciousness: A Dynamic Approach to the Recall Technique

➤ The “level of consciousness,” a technique using a form of position of brand recall, is offered as a more sensitive measure of brand strength than is total brand recall, so often used for this pur...
A rat model of concurrent combined injuries (polytrauma).

Polytrauma, a combination of injuries to more than one body part or organ system, is common in modern warfare and in automobile and industrial accidents. The combination of injuries can include burn injury, fracture, hemorrhage, trauma to the extremities, and trauma to specific organ systems. To investigate the effects of combined injuries, we have developed a new and highly reproducible model of polytrauma. This model combines burn injury with soft tissue and gastrointestinal (GI) tract trauma. Male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to a 15-20% total body surface area scald burn, or a single puncture of the cecum with a G30 needle, or the combination of both injuries (polytrauma). Unlike many ‘double hit’ models, the injuries in our model were performed simultaneously. We asked whether multiple minor injuries, when combined, would result in a distinct phenotype, different from single minor injuries or a more severe single injury. There were differences between the single injuries and polytrauma in the maintenance of blood glucose, body temperature, body weight, hepatic mRNA and circulating levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and hepatic ER-stress. It has been suggested that models utilizing combinatorial injuries may be needed to more accurately model the human condition. We believe our model is ideal for studying the complex sequelae of polytrauma, which differs from single injuries. Insights gained from this model may suggest better treatment options to improve patient outcomes.
Sobresalir: The Undocumented Experience

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how undocumented Hispanic immigrants interpret and manage living in the United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants in New York City. Key findings include that they experience significant culture shock, exacerbated by their immigrant status, and paradoxically, they exhibit a resiliency emanating from their sense of purpose and meaning to their suffering. This study provides social service providers with an insight about the trauma and strengths prevalent among the undocumented and how this knowledge can be used to better serve this community.
[Studies on HIV-1 strains in Henan province].

Objective To study the epidemic status of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtypes and sequence variation in Henan thus to explore the characteristics and sources of transmission. Methods HIV-1 env and gag gent were amplified by nested PCR from uncultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 1287 HIV-1 carriers confirmed in Henan from 2006 to 2007. 1287 env and gag genes were obtained from the patients. Results Among 1287 samples, there were 4 HIV-1 strains including subtype B', C and recombinant subtype BC and AE, accounting for 95.882%( 1234/ 1287), 0.466% (6/1287), 2.875% (37/1287), 0.777% (10/1287) respectively. In comparison with the sequence of the international strains of RLA2, C.95in21068, 07-BC.CN.97.C54A, 01AE.TH.90.CM240, the genetic divergence was 9.327%±0.245%, 5.214%±0.183%, 6.278%±0.194% and 5.332%±0.158%, respectively. Conclusion There were 4 HIV-1 strains including subtype B' , C and recombinant subtype BC and AE in Henan with main dominant subtype as subtype B' which was closely related to HIV-1 strains of Thailand B'. The major transmit route in subtype B' was through blood donation in the past years while with BC, it was through sexual transmission. The major transmit routes in subtype AE were sexual transmission and blood donation. The major route of transmission in subtype C was through sexual contact. Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 ; Subtype; Nested PCR; Sequence analysis
Relationship between cardiac function and substrate oxidation in hearts of diabetic rats.

The effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on myocardial substrate oxidation and contractile function were investigated using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. To determine the...
Runtime Integrity Checking for Exploit Mitigation on Lightweight Embedded Devices

Entering the age of the Internet of things, embedded devices are everywhere. They are built using common hardware such as RISC-based ARM and MIPS platforms, and lightweight open software components. Because of their limited resources, such systems often lack the protection mechanisms that have been introduced to the desktop and server world. In this paper, we present BINtegrity, a novel approach for exploit mitigation that is specifically tailored towards embedded systems that are based on the common RISC architecture. BINtegrity leverages architectural features of RISC CPUs to extract a combination of static and dynamic properties relevant to OS service requests from executables, and enforces them during runtime. Our technique borrows ideas from several areas including system call monitoring, static analysis, and code emulation, and combines them in a low-overhead fashion directly in the operating system kernel. We implemented BINtegrity for the Linux operating system. BINtegrity is practical, and restricts the ability of attackers to exploit generic memory corruption vulnerabilities in COTS binaries. In contrast to other approaches, BINtegrity does not require access to source code, binary modification, or application specific configuration such as policies. Our evaluation demonstrates that BINtegrity incurs a very low overhead – only 2 % on whole system performance, – and shows that our approach mitigates both code injection and code reuse attacks.
When is occipitocervical fusion necessary for upper cervical injuries

Abstract Craniocervical traumatic injuries affect the skull base, atlas and/or axis, and account for a minority of cervical injuries. The craniocervical junction is biomechanically responsible for the majority of axial rotation at the atlantoaxial complex and the greatest range of flexion/extension at the occipital-C1 joint. Therefore, identifying appropriate surgical indications is essential. The goals of occipitocervical fusion are neurological improvement, biomechanical stability, and correction of imbalance. Significant advances in surgical technique, hardware, and technology have occurred. Currently, the plate–screw–rod arthrodesis technique is the most effective technique. In the future, biomechanical studies and intraoperative navigation may reduce potential intraoperative and postoperative complications.
Biomaterials: Sharks shift their spine into high gear

It emerges that a dogfish shark's spine becomes stiffer as the fish swims faster, enabling the animal to swim efficiently at different speeds. The finding could also provide inspiration for the design of robotic biomaterials.
Eight-minute self-regulation intervention raises educational attainment at scale in individualist but not collectivist cultures

Academic credentials open up a wealth of opportunities. However, many people drop out of educational programs, such as community college and online courses. Prior research found that a brief self-regulation strategy can improve self-discipline and academic outcomes. Could this strategy support learners at large scale? Mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) involves writing about positive outcomes associated with a goal, the obstacles to achieving it, and concrete if–then plans to overcome them. The strategy was developed in Western countries (United States, Germany) and appeals to individualist tendencies, which may reduce its efficacy in collectivist cultures such as India or China. We tested this hypothesis in two randomized controlled experiments in online courses (n = 17,963). Learners in individualist cultures were 32% (first experiment) and 15% (second experiment) more likely to complete the course following the MCII intervention than a control activity. In contrast, learners in collectivist cultures were unaffected by MCII. Natural language processing of written responses revealed that MCII was effective when a learner’s primary obstacle was predictable and surmountable, such as everyday work or family obligations but not a practical constraint (e.g., Internet access) or a lack of time. By revealing heterogeneity in MCII’s effectiveness, this research advances theory on self-regulation and illuminates how even highly efficacious interventions may be culturally bounded in their effects.
Evaluation of Tobacco Control Policies in San Francisco Homeless Housing Programs.

Background. The 2014 Surgeon General’s Report noted that high smoking rates in vulnerable populations such as the homeless have been a persistent public health problem; smoking prevalence among ind...