Applying Knowledge of Species-Typical Scavenging Behavior to the Search and Recovery of Mammalian Skeletal Remains.

Forensic investigations involving animal scavenging of human remains require a physical search of the scene and surrounding areas. However, there is currently no standard procedure in the U.K. for physical searches of scavenged human remains. The Winthrop and grid search methods used by police specialist searchers for scavenged remains were examined through the use of mock red fox (Vulpes vulpes) scatter scenes. Forty-two police specialist searchers from two different regions within the U.K. were divided between those briefed and not briefed with fox-typical scavenging information. Briefing searchers with scavenging information significantly affected the recovery of scattered bones (χ(2) = 11.45, df = 1, p = 0.001). Searchers briefed with scavenging information were 2.05 times more likely to recover bones. Adaptions to search methods used by searchers were evident on a regional level, such that searchers more accustom to a peri-urban to rural region recovered a higher percentage of scattered bones (58.33%, n = 84)

Calcitonin inhibits phospholipase A2 and collagenase activity of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes

SummaryCalcitonin (CT) is a known potent inhibitor of bone resorption but its effect on cartilage enzymatic degradation has been incompletely studied. Salmon CT, at a concentration of 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 2.5 and 50 ng/ml, was added at 24 or 72 h to the culture medium of chondrocytes from human osteoarthritic hips and knees. The spontaneous collagenolytic activity, measured using a radiolabeled type II collagen, was inhibited by CT in a dose-dependent manner. However, CT had no effect on the total collagenolytic activity assayed after APMA activation. Stromelysin and plasmin activity, measured by degradation of casein and a synthetic substrate, were also unaffected by CT. Chondrocyte phospholipase A2 activity, assayed using a labeled specific substrate, was decreased by CT. Chondrocyte pre-incubation with CT significantly decreased the cell binding of labeled TNFα, but did not affect IL-1β cell binding. Attachment of chondrocytes on fibronectin was markedly stimulated by CT, while attachment to type II collagen was not. Significant effects were obtained using at least 2 or 5 ng/ml of CT. CT appears to decrease collagenolytic activity by decreasing its activation and/or increasing its inhibition by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP). CT might act on osteoarthritic chondrocyte activation via mechanisms such as phospholipase A2 activity, human necrosis factor-α or fibronectin receptor expression

A simple test for GARCH against a stochastic volatility

The GARCH model and the Stochastic Volatility [SV] model are competing but non-nested models to describe unobserved volatility in asset returns. We propose a GARCH model with an additional error term, which can capture SV model properties, and which can be used to test GARCH against SV. We discuss model representation, parameter estimation and a simple test for model selection. Furthermore, we derive the theoretical moments and the autocorrelation function of our new model. We illustrate its merits for 9 daily stock return series

Forecasting Value-at-Risk Using Nonlinear Regression Quantiles and the Intraday Range

Value-at-Risk (VaR) is commonly used for financial risk measurement. It has recently become even more important, especially during the 2008-09 global financial crisis. We propose some novel nonlinear threshold conditional autoregressive VaR (CAViar) models that incorporate intra-day price ranges. Model estimation and inference are performed using the Bayesian approach via the link with the Skewed-Laplace distribution. We examine how a range of risk models perform during the 2008-09 financial crisis, and evaluate how the crisis affects the performance of risk models via forecasting VaR. Empirical analysis is conducted on five Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation stock market indices and two exchange rates????. We examine violation rates, back-testing criteria, market risk charges and quantile loss function to measure the forecasting performance of a variety of risk models. The proposed threshold CAViaR model, incorporating range information, is shown to forecast VaR more efficiently than other models, which should be useful for financial practitioners

An Investigation of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) Scavenging, Scattering, and Removal of Deer Remains: Forensic Implications and Applications

Within northwest Europe, especially the United Kingdom, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) are the largest wild scavengers capable of modifying a set of remains through scavenging. Knowledge of region-specific and species-typical scavenging behaviors of scavengers within the crime scene area and surroundings can aid in more efficient and accurate interpretations. The scavenging behaviors of captive and wild foxes and badgers were recorded and compared through actualistic methods and direct observation. The scavenging by wild foxes and badgers of surface-deposited baits and whole deer (Cervus nippon; Capreolus capreolus) in a woodland was observed and analyzed. Wild foxes were found to scavenge deer more frequently than badgers. The scavenging of deer remains by foxes was also compared with forensic cases. The scavenging pattern and recovery distances of deer and human remains scavenged by foxes were similar but were potentially affected by the condition and deposition of a body, and the presence of clothing

A computational literature review of the technology acceptance model

A literature review is a central part of any research project, allowing the existing research to be mapped and new research questions to be posited. However, due to the limitations of human data processing, the literature review can suffer from an inability to handle large volumes of research articles. The computational literature review (CLR) is proposed here as a complementary part of a wider literature review process. The CLR automates some of the analysis of research articles with analyses of impact (citations), structure (co-authorship networks) and content (topic modeling of abstracts). A contribution of the paper is to demonstrate how the content of abstracts can be analyzed automatically to provide a set of research topics within a literature corpus. The CLR software can be used to support three use cases: (1) analysis of the literature for a research area, (2) analysis and ranking of journals, and (3) analysis and ranking of individual scholars and research teams. The working of the CLR software is illustrated through application to the technology acceptance model (TAM) using a set of 3,386 articles. The CLR is an open source offering, developed in the statistical programming language R, and made freely available to researchers to use and develop further

High coercivity, anisotropic, heavy rare earth-free Nd-Fe-B by Flash Spark Plasma Sintering

The authors wish to extend their gratitude to neo Magnequench for providing the materials used in this study. The research was supported by EU-FP7 MAG-DRIVE project (No. 605348) [http://www.mag-drive-fp7.eu/]. MJR and SG would like to acknowledge the EPSRC Programme Grant XMAT [EP/K008749/2]

A systematic review of the intrapersonal correlates of motivational climate perceptions in sport and physical activity

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to systematically review and appraise the achievement goal literature (1990-2014) with a view to identifying the intra-individual correlates of motivational climate perceptions, and to identify research gaps and avenues in need for further development. Design: Systematic review. Method: Four databases were searched, leading to 104 published studies being sampled (121 independent samples) that met inclusion criteria. Correlates were grouped into 17 categories and qualitative analysis focussed on identifying the associations predicted by achievement goal theory. Effect sizes were calculated using the Hunter-Schmidt method for correcting sampling error. Results: A total population size of 34,156 (χ=316.3, σ=268.1) was sampled in the analysis, with the published mean ages ranging from 10.0 to 38.2 years (χ=16.5 years, σ=4.7). Perceptions of a task or mastery climate were consistently associated with a range of adaptive motivational outcomes including perceived competence, self-esteem, objective performance, intrinsic forms of motivational regulation, affective states, practice and competitive strategies and moral attitudes, and the experience of flow. Perceptions of an ego or performance climate were positively associated with extrinsic regulation and amotivation, negative affect, maladaptive strategy use, antisocial moral attitudes and perfectionism, but negatively associated to positive affect and feelings of autonomy and relatedness. Conclusions: After reviewing the sum total of research in this topic area, the authors appraise the options for future research to make meaningful progress in developing understanding of the social determination of motivation in sport and physical activity settings

A critical role for cystathionine-β-synthase in hydrogen sulfide-mediated hypoxic relaxation of the coronary artery

Hypoxia-induced coronary artery vasodilatation protects the heart by increasing blood flow under ischemic conditions, however its mechanism is not fully elucidated. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is reported to be an oxygen sensor/transducer in the vasculature. The present study aimed to identify and characterise the role of H2S in the hypoxic response of the coronary artery, and to define the H2S synthetic enzymes involved. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry showed expression of all three H2S-producing enzymes, cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST), in porcine coronary artery. Artery segments were mounted for isometric tension recording; hypoxia caused a transient endothelium-dependent contraction followed by prolonged endothelium-independent relaxation. The CBS inhibitor amino-oxyacetate (AOAA) reduced both phases of the hypoxic response. The CSE inhibitor dl-propargylglycine (PPG) and aspartate (limits MPST) had no effect alone, but when applied together with AOAA the hypoxic relaxation response was further reduced. Exogenous H2S (Na2S and NaHS) produced concentration-dependent contraction followed by prolonged relaxation. Responses to both hypoxia and exogenous H2S were dependent on the endothelium, NO, cGMP, K+ channels and Cl−/HCO3 − exchange. H2S production in coronary arteries was blocked by CBS inhibition (AOAA), but not by CSE inhibition (PPG). These data show that H2S is an endogenous mediator of the hypoxic response in coronary arteries. Of the three H2S-producing enzymes, CBS, expressed in the vascular smooth muscle, appears to be the most important for H2S generated during hypoxic relaxation of the coronary artery. A contribution from other H2S-producing enzymes only becomes apparent when CBS activity is inhibited