Diet Composition and Body Condition of Northern Continental Divide Grizzly Bears, Montana

From 2009–2013, we documented apparent population health by investigating food use and physiological condition of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE), Montana.  We used stable isotope analysis upon hair and blood tissue to obtain information on percent terrestrial meat and plant matter in the diets of NCDE bears.  We also assessed body fat content of grizzly bears via bioelectrical impedance analysis.  Adult females used less meat compared to subadults and adult males (P < 0.0001).  Bears within regions on the southwestern, southern, and eastern periphery of the ecosystem consumed a significantly higher proportion of meat than those in the interior or northwestern periphery (P < 0.0001).  Diets of bears in the Whitefish Mountains and North and South Fork of the Flathead River were, on average, composed of 70% less meat than those on the East Front.  Adult males had significantly higher den entrance body fat contents than adult females and subadults (P < 0.0001).  Average body fat of adult females varied significantly between those in areas of high consumption of meat and those otherwise.  However, we find adult females across all regions enter dens at mean fat levels above those thought to be critical for cub production (i.e., > 20%).  We conclude that, within each region, the quantity and quality of foods appear adequate to meet the needs of reproductively-active adult females.  As truly opportunistic omnivores, grizzly bears in each region of the NCDE exploit diverse combinations of food items to arrive at productive body conditions

Termination of Solar Cycles and Correlated Tropospheric Variability

The Sun provides the energy required to sustain life on Earth and drive our planet's atmospheric circulation. However, establishing a solid physical connection between solar and tropospheric variability has posed a considerable challenge. The canon of solar variability is derived from the 400 years of observations that demonstrates the waxing and waning number of sunspots over an 11(-ish) year period. Recent research has demonstrated the significance of the underlying 22 years magnetic polarity cycle in establishing the shorter sunspot cycle. Integral to the manifestation of the latter is the spatiotemporal overlapping and migration of oppositely polarized magnetic bands. We demonstrate the impact of “terminators”—the end of Hale magnetic cycles—on the Sun's radiative output and particulate shielding of our atmosphere through the rapid global reconfiguration of solar magnetism. Using direct observation and proxies of solar activity going back some six decades we can, with high statistical significance, demonstrate a correlation between the occurrence of terminators and the largest swings of Earth's oceanic indices: the transition from El Niño to La Niña states of the central Pacific. This empirical relationship is a potential source of increased predictive skill for the understanding of El Niño climate variations, a high-stakes societal imperative given that El Niño impacts lives, property, and economic activity around the globe. A forecast of the Sun's global behavior places the next solar cycle termination in mid-2020; should a major oceanic swing follow, then the challenge becomes: when does correlation become causation and how does the process work

Access pricing and investment: a real options approach

Real options, Option to delay, Regulation and investment, Access pricing, L51,

Experiences that matter in bipolar disorder: a qualitative study using the capability, comfort and calm framework

Abstract Background When assessing the value of an intervention in bipolar disorder, researchers and clinicians often focus on metrics that quantify improvements to core diagnostic symptoms (e.g., mania). Providers often overlook or misunderstand the impact of treatment on life quality and function. We wanted to better characterize the shared experiences and obstacles of bipolar disorder within the United States from the patient’s perspective. Methods We recruited 24 individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder and six caretakers supporting someone with the condition. Participants were involved in treatment or support services for bipolar disorder in central Texas. As part of this qualitative study, participants discussed their everyday successes and obstacles related to living with bipolar disorder during personalized, open-ended interviews. Audio files were transcribed, and Nvivo software processed an initial thematic analysis. We then categorized themes into bipolar disorder-related obstacles that limit the patient’s capability (i.e., function), comfort (i.e., relief from suffering) and calm (i.e., life disruption) (Liu et al., FebClin Orthop 475:315–317, 2017; Teisberg et al., MayAcad Med 95:682–685, 2020). We then discuss themes and suggest practical strategies that might improve the value of care for patients and their families. Results Issues regarding capability included the struggle to maintain identity, disruptions to meaningful employment, relationship loss and the unpredictable nature of bipolar disorder. Comfort related themes included the personal perception of diagnosis, social stigma and medication issues. Calm themes included managing dismissive doctors, finding the right psychotherapist and navigating financial burdens. Conclusions Qualitative data from patients with bipolar disorder helps identify gaps in care or practical limitations to treatment. When we listen to these individuals, it is clear that treatments must also address the unmet psychosocial impacts of the condition to improve patient care, capability and calm

A newly digitized ice-penetrating radar data set acquired over the Greenland ice sheet in 1971–1979

We present an ice-penetrating radar data set acquired over the Greenland ice sheet by aircraft during the years 1971, 1972, 1974, 1978, and 1979. The data set comprises over 177 000 km of flight lines and contains a wealth of information on the state of the Greenland ice sheet, including information on ice thickness and englacial properties. During data collection in the 1970s, the data were recorded on optical film rolls, and in this paper, we document the digitization of these film rolls and their associated geographical information. Our data digitization enables interaction with and analysis of the data and facilitates comparison with modern-day radar observations. The complete data set in full resolution is available in the Stanford Digital Repository (https://doi.org/10.25740/wm135gp2721; Karlsson et al., 2023), with the associated technical reports. Part of the data set is available as low-resolution JPG files at the Technical University of Denmark's data repository (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.7235299.v1; Karlsson et al., 2024), with associated technical reports and digitized geographical information . The Stanford Digital Repository serves as long-term storage, providing archival historic preservation in perpetuity, and is not intended as a primary data access point. The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) data repository serves as a primary entry point for data access, with files organized according to acquisition year and flight line in a simple folder structure. Here, we release the full data sets to enable the larger community to access and interact with the data (Karlsson et al., 2023).</p

Toward a Dynamic, Systemic, and Holistic Theory for Strategic Value Creation in ICT-Based Services

Our economies are rapidly evolving toward being primarily service-driven, with information and communication as fundamental drivers for the service deployment. Strategic choices are increasingly driven by other parameters than the traditional goods-driven industrial type of economies. In this paper, the major drivers for making strategic choices in a competitive service economy are examined. It is shown how the competition in services based on information and communication technology (ICT) is competence-based. Competition aims at bringing additional value through services, but may also deploy specific techniques to stop value from leaking in particular business processes. Value creation and prevention of value leaks cannot just rely on the traditional material-based techniques, which are grounded in the strong tangible nature of the traditional economies. Today ICT-based services involve creative combinations of technologies, resources, and assets to answer as well as anticipate the growing demand for flexible solutions that create sustained added value. In this paper, the particular role of imperfections in service systems is explored, extending the well-known theories of information imperfections. Imperfections are not always solved but are sometimes even maintained in favor of sustained competitive advantage. Various ways to realize service rent are discussed with extensive examples. The concluding part of the paper points to some crucial service configuration issues, including the need for a sufficient degree of corporate-wide standardized service components and interfaces to address the growing demand for agility in competence-driven markets