The influence of information load on ethanol and water intake of altered magnetic background was studied in initially ethanol-aversive Wistar rats. A paradigm of free choice between 10% of ethanol solution and water was applied. Daily exposure to weak disturbances of ambient magnetic field (MF, up to 210 mT) caused by various ferromagnetic objects under conditions of free behavior (zero level o...

Consider a public boolean function f : (X, Y ) → {0, 1} where X and Y are private inputs polynomial size. Let Mf be the matrix truth table of f . A protocol for securely computing f is a protocol between two parties Alice and Bob where Alice chooses x ∈ X and Bob chooses y ∈ Y , such that at the end each party knows f(x, y) but gains no more information about the other’s input. Such protocols h...

In keeping with the proliferation of free software development initiatives and the increased interest in the business process management domain, many open source workflow and business process management systems have appeared during the last few years and are now under active development. This upsurge gives rise to two important questions: what are the capabilities of these systems? and how do t...

The structure-function relationship of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of southern sea otter has largely not been described. This study aims to describe the histological, biochemical, and biomechanical features of the TMJ disk in the southern sea otter. The TMJ disks from fresh cadaver heads of southern sea otter adult males (n = 8) and females (n = 8) acquired from strandings were examined. ...

The Gram positive bacterial coccus Streptococcus infantarius subspecies coli is increasingly linked with development of fatal vegetative infective endocarditis and septicemia in humans, sea otters (Enhydra lutris) and other animals. However, the pathogenesis of these infections is poorly understood. Using S. infantarius subsp. coli strains isolated from sea otters with infective endocarditis, t...

The North American fossil otter Enhydritherium terraenovae is thought to be partially convergent in ecological niche with the living sea otter Enhydra lutris, both having low-crowned crushing teeth and a close association with marine environments. Fossil records of Enhydritherium are found in mostly marginal marine deposits in California and Florida; despite presence of very rich records of fos...

Nineteen occurrences of interspecific sexual behavior between male southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) and juvenile Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) were reported in Monterey Bay, California, between 2000 and 2002. At least three different male sea otters were observed harassing, dragging, guarding, and copulating with harbor seals for up to 7 d postmortem. Carcasses of 1...