bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation in Life History Patterns among New Zealand Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Populations
Authors: Quinn Thomas P. , Unwin Martin J.
Published: February 2009

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were introduced to New Zealand, apparently from a single California population, and have been self-sustaining since about 1905. Salmon from the Waimakariri, Rakaia, Rangitata, and Waitaki rivers differed in various life history traits. The proportion of stream-type adults ranged from 29.1 to 75.6% in Rakaia and Waimakariri tributaries, respectively. Average age at maturity not only differed among the major rivers but also between two tributaries within the Rakaia River catchment. Length at age varied among rivers, the differences being most pronounced in older fish. Age structure and size at age combined to produce 91-, and 73-mm differences in mean length of males and females, respectively, among populations. Waitaki River salmon were not only long at age but also heavier for their length than other populations. The timing of entry into freshwater varied by over 1 mo between the Rakaia and Waitaki rivers, and median date of arrival on spawning grounds varied by 16 d between Rakaia and Waimakariri river tributaries. These life history traits are influenced, to varying degrees, by genetic and environmental factors. However, the suite of differences indicates that considerable adaptation to local conditions has occurred in about 20 generations.
Multiple Trophic Level Structuring in Salvelinus–Coregonus Assemblages in Boreal Forest Lakes
Authors: Trippel Edward A. , Beamish F. William H.
Published: February 2009

Hypolimnetic trophic interactions were examined among lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), cisco (Coregonus artedi), zooplankton, and macroinvertebrates in six northwestern Ontario lakes varying sevenfold in conductivity. Faster growth and larger body size of lake trout in high-conductivity lakes were associated with larger meal sizes, earlier entry of cisco into their diet, and consumption of relatively few, large-bodied prey. Cisco preyed on zooplankton and macroinvertebrates. Cisco were abundant, large bodied, and fast growing in high-conductivity lakes. In one low-conductivity lake (Greenwich Lake), lake trout were 12 times as abundant as cisco whereas in all other lakes, lake trout to cisco ratios were ~ 1:1 or less regardless of conductivity. In Greenwich Lake, lake trout consumed large quantities of age-0 cisco and Mysis relicta, which was associated with "top-down" trophic structuring. Food web analyses strongly suggest that in Greenwich Lake the high abundance of piscivores resulted directly in a low abundance of planktivores and indirectly in a large-bodied zooplankton community and planktivores with rapid growth rates.
A Horizontally Resolving Physical–Biological Model of Nitrate Concentration and Primary Productivity in the Strait of Georgia
Authors: St. John M. A. , Marinone S. G. , Stronach J. , Harrison P. J. , Fyfe J. , Beamish R. J.
Published: February 2009

Model simulations revealed that wind mixing was the dominant physical mechanism that added nitrate to the surface layer and subsequently enhanced primary productivity in the Strait of Georgia. Simulations of high Fraser River runoff showed that the enhanced stability of the water column in the vicinity of the riverine plume made wind mixing of nutrients into the surface layer more difficult. We propose that this increase in stability results in an earlier onset of the spring bloom in regions influenced by Fraser River runoff. During the summer, an increase in the buoyancy of surface water due to the freshwater plume reduces nitrate concentration in the surface layer and thereby limits primary production in the plume area. The reduced impact of wind events on nitrate fluxes is the result of a greater energy requirement to break down the more buoyant surface layer. Results indicate that during the fall, when light is again limiting and surface nitrate concentrations increase due to wind mixing by fall storms, the freshwater runoff from the Fraser River results in a more stable water column (similar to the spring situation) in the southern Strait, resulting in the potential for a fall bloom.
Toxicity of Amphibian Breeding Ponds in the Sudbury Region
Authors: Freda Joseph , McDonald D. Gordon
Published: February 2009

We measured the survival of transplanted embryos and tadpoles of the wood frog (Rana sylvatica), the American toad (Bufo americanus), and the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) in 16 ponds located approximately 60 km south of Sudbury, Ontario. Mortality of embryos of all species and mortality of B. americanus tadpoles were correlated only with water pH. In two low-pH ponds, high concentrations of dissolved organic compounds might have been a toxic component. Aluminum and pH were correlated with mortality for only R. sylvatica tadpoles. Overall, Al did not appear to be very toxic in both laboratory and field exposures possibly due to complexation by dissolved organic compounds.
Morphometry and Maturity of Paired Tanner Crabs, Chionoecetes bairdi, from Shallow- and Deepwater Environments
Authors: Stevens Bradley G. , Donaldson William E. , Haaga Jan. A. , Munk J. Eric
Published: February 2009

Paired male and female Tanner crabs, Chionoecetes bairdi, in a premating embrace were collected from shallow-(< 13 m) and deepwater (> 150 m) benthic environments by scuba and submersible, respectively. Pubescent females were restricted to shallow water; males grasping them were significantly smaller than those grasping oldshell multiparous females with eyed embryos in a large, deepwater mating aggregation. Males appeared to select for large sizes among pubescent females, but not among multiparous females, which were limited in size range. Grasping males were 82.6–166.2 mm carapace width (CW) [Formula: see text] and represented at least three different width frequency modes; all were larger than their female partners. Paired females represented two modes with mean CW ≈ 77 mm for pubescent and 99 mm for multiparous individuals. Only one to three of 176 male graspers were small-clawed (morphometrically immature), a statistically nonsignificant proportion; several others had partially regenerated claws but were otherwise morphometrically mature, as evidenced by the second right merus. These data support the hypothesis that the attainment of morphometric maturity, evidenced by a relatively large chela to body size ratio, is a prerequisite for functional maturity, the ability to mate competitively in wild populations.
Changes in the Emergence of Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) over 50 Years from Algonquin Park Streams: Is Acidification the Cause?
Authors: Chmielewski C. M. , Hall R. J.
Published: February 2009

Studies on emergence of insect communities conducted in Mud Creek and Costello Creek in Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada, over a period of 50 yr were analyzed to assess the changes that have occurred in blackfly populations in streams receiving long-term anthropogenic acidification. The headwaters of Mud Creek are currently experiencing pH depressions to 5.1–4.9 during snowmelt whereas pH depressions downstream in Mud Creek and throughout Costello Creek are less severe (to pH 5.6–5.8) compared with summer and autumn values of about 6.4. Since the time of the earliest collections, the total number of blackflies emerging has increased at the most severely acidified sites at the headwaters of Mud Creek, while emergence remains unchanged at all the less acidified sites. Large fluctuations from year to year in the emergence densities of many individual species were observed at all sites, making it difficult to determine which species may increase or decrease concurrent with elevated acidity.
A New Multilocus Probe for DNA Fingerprinting in Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and Comparisons with a Single-Locus Probe
Authors: Stevens T. A. , Withler R. E. , Goh S. H. , Beacham T. D.
Published: February 2009

A multilocus DNA probe, B2-2, isolated from chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and a single-locus Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) probe, 3.15.34, were examined for discriminatory ability among seven parents and 33–37 juveniles from five families of chinook salmon. DNA fingerprint patterns were observed in Hae III-digested chinook salmon DNA probed with B2-2. Between 8 and 20 fragments, from 2.20 kilobase pairs (kbp) to 19.0 kbp, were detected in each individual. The level of band sharing among unrelated parents was 0.18. Probe 3.15.34 hybridized with a total of nine DNA fragments, from 3.35 to 6.00 kbp, in the chinook salmon parents and progeny. One or two fragments were detected in each individual. Pedigree analysis confirmed that 3.15.34 detected both alleles of a single polymorphic locus whereas B2-2 detected autosomal, unlinked, predominantly heterozygous DNA fragments that were inherited in a Mendelian fashion at a minimum of 10 polymorphic loci. Among juvenile chinook salmon, levels of band sharing detected with probe B2-2 increased with increasing relatedness, and clustering based on differences in banding patterns distinguished unrelated progeny, half sibs, and full sibs even in the absence of parental genotypic data.
Study of the structure of a sensitive Champlain clay and of its evolution during consolidation
Authors: Delage Pierre , Lefebvre Guy
Published: February 2009

Scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry are used in parallel to identify the structure of a medium sensitivity Champlain clay. The clay structure is observed firstly on intact, remolded, and oven-dried soils and secondly on soils consolidated at various levels in one-dimensional compression. Both methods of investigation reveal for the intact soil the existence of an aggregated structure characterized by an interaggregate and an intra-aggregate porosity. Remolding affects interaggregate links but does not destroy aggregates.The observation of clay structure at various levels of one-dimensional compression shows that the collapse of the structure is progressive, the largest interaggregate pores being the first affected. As the consolidation proceeds, smaller and smaller pores are affected. For a given pressure increment, only the largest existing pores are affected. A structure anisotropy has been seen to develop with increasing compression.The scanning electron microscope and the mercury intrusion porosimeter used in conjunction with each other appear as a powerful approach for clay structure observation. Keywords: natural clay, microstructure, freeze-drying, porosimetry, microscopy, consolidation, aggregate.
Impact of groundwater on mining and underground space development in the Niagara Escarpment area
Authors: Nadon R. L. , Gale J. E.
Published: February 2009

A field, laboratory, and numerical modelling study was undertaken to determine the impact of groundwater on mining activities and underground space development in the Paleozoic rock units of the Niagara Escarpment near Milton, Ontario. Five holes were drilled at a site next to the Dufferin quarry, penetrating the Amabel dolostone, the Reynales dolostone, the Cabot Head shale, the Manitoulin limestone, the Whirlpool sandstone, and the top part of the Queenston shale. Results of hydrogeological field and laboratory tests indicate the presence of an unconfined aquifer with an average hydraulic conductivity of 2 × 10−5 m/s, and a confined sandstone aquifer with a conductivity of 5 × 10−7 m/s separated by a shale and limestone aquitard having a conductivity of less than 10−9 m/s.Numerical model simulations of the groundwater flow system indicate that, for a 2 km2 underground mine located in the dolostone cap rock, the inflow rates range from 8 L/s to over 30 L/s with significant dewatering of the unconfined aquifer occurring within a distance of 1500 m of the mine boundaries. Calculations for a hypothetical mine located in the Whirlpool and Manitoulin Formations gave inflow rates of less than 3 L/s. It is concluded that groundwater conditions will not interfere with mining operations in either the dolostone unit or in the limestone–sandstone unit but could adversely affect subsequent space development in the dolostone unit. Keywords: hydrogeology, groundwater, underground space, aggregate, mining, sedimentary rocks, Niagara Escarpment.
Temporal changes of groundwater pressure in a natural slope of nonfissured clay
Authors: Kenney T. C. , Lau K. C.
Published: February 2009

This paper presents results from a field investigation in which groundwater pressures were measured in a natural slope of soft clay over a 10 year period. Measurements of piezometric levels are reported together with calculated annual changes of safety factor of the slope.Using consolidation theory, predictions were made of changes of piezometric levels for the condition of zero infiltration based on the postulate that these changes were the direct result of changes of hydraulic conditions at the ground surface. The predictions were in agreement with the field measurements.A method is suggested for estimating the most severe groundwater pressures that a clay slope can be expected to experience. Using this method, estimates were made of the minimum expected value of safety factor of the slope at the test site. Keywords: natural slope, clay, pore pressures, field measurements, stability, long-term.
Predicted and measured stresses and displacements around the Darlington Intake Tunnel
Authors: Lo K. Y. , Lukajic B.
Published: February 2009

The C.W. Intake Tunnel of the Darlington Nuclear Station is D-shaped in section with a span of 8 m and a length of 925 m beneath Lake Ontario. The tunnel is located in a horizontally bedded limestone with variable shaly interbeds.The geotechnical investigation including in-situ rock stress measurements, and laboratory determination of strength and deformation properties as well as time-dependent behaviour are reported. Design of the tunnel, in particular provisions for "rock squeeze," is described in detail.To verify the design approach adopted and the provisions made, field instrumentation was performed during excavation of the tunnel. The results of field measurements of stresses and displacements were compared with premonitoring analysis. Postmonitoring analyses were also performed using the as-constructed condition. It is shown that the performance of the tunnel is in general agreement with the predicted behaviour in both short and long term conditions. Keywords: stress, displacement, time-dependent deformation, stressmeter, tunnel, rock mechanics, rock squeeze.
Laboratory test results on self-hardening grouts for flexible cutoffs
Authors: Chapuis Robert P. , Paré J.-Jacques , Loiselle André A.
Published: February 2009

The addition of cement to a bentonite slurry gives a complex material called self-hardening grout which slowly sets to become a clay-like solid. The properties of these mixes are highly dependent on the bentonite and the cement used. Most information available up to now comes from European countries where the technique has been developed. As very little information was available about such mixes in North America, an experimental program was initiated to study their applicability for cutoff walls of certain dams of the James Bay hydroelectric project. The present paper describes the characteristics of different mixes tested in their fluid and solid states. Keywords: bentonite, cement, slurry, cutoff wall.
Electroacupuncture Improves Imbalance of Autonomic Function under Restraint Stress in Conscious Rats
Authors: Imai Kenji , Ariga Hajime , Takahashi Toku
Published: February 2009

Acupuncture may modulate the imbalance of the autonomic nervous system. It is well known that restraint stress delays gastric emptying via inhibiting parasympathetic activity and/or stimulating sympathetic activity in rats. We have previously shown that electroacupuncture (EA) improves delayed gastric emptying induced by restraint stress in rats. To investigate whether the beneficial effect of EA on delayed gastric emptying is associated with its modulatory effects on autonomic nervous activity, we utilized spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). In rats, the power in the low frequency (LF; 0.04–1.0 Hz) and high frequency (HF; 1.0–3 Hz) band of HRV represent sympathetic and parasympathetic activities, respectively. Electrocardiography (ECG)-electrodes were implanted on the subcutaneous tissues of the back. One week after the surgery, ECG was recorded before, during and after the restraint stress loading in a conscious state. EA (10 Hz) was applied at bilateral acupuncture points [ST-36 (lower leg) or BL-21 (back)] during restraint stress loading. In response to restraint stress, heart rate and LF component were increased, suggesting the increased activity of sympathetic tone. EA at ST-36 significantly reduced the elevated heart rate and LF, compared to that of control group. EA at ST-36 also significantly increased HF component after finishing the stress loading. In contrast, EA at BL-21 had no significant effect on the heart rate, LF and HF. It is suggested that EA at ST-36 stimulates parasympathetic activity and inhibits sympathetic activity under the restraint stress in rats.
Hepatoprotective Effects of Marine and Kuhuang in Liver Transplant Recipients
Authors: Xu Xiao , Ling Qi , Gao Feng , He Zeng-Lei , Xie Hai-Yang , Zheng Shu-Sen
Published: February 2009

We aimed to assess the effects of traditional Chinese medicine; marine (MT) and kuhuang (KH), either alone or in combination, on the early graft function of the recipients and overall patient survival rate after liver transplantation (LT) by using diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG) as a positive control. A total of 151 subjects undergoing LT were included in this prospective study. According to the different regimens given in the first two post-transplant weeks, they were divided into DG group (n = 49), DG + KH group (n = 36), MT group (n = 42) and MT + KH group (n = 24). The graft function in the early post-transplant period and patient survival rate were examined. During the first two post-transplant weeks, there was no significant difference in total bilirubin, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, serum creatinine, and prothrombin time between MT group and DG group. Patient survivals in these two groups were also similar. Compared to DG group, DG + KH group showed a significantly lower total bilirubin value on post-transplant day 5 (3.2 ± 2.1 mg/dL vs. 5.7 ± 5.6 mg/dL, p < 0.01) and day 7 (2.8 ± 1.8 mg/dL vs. 5.8 ± 6.1 mg/dL, p < 0.01), and higher patient survival. There was no significant difference between DG + KH group and MT + KH group. In conclusion, MT provides an alternative to DG after LT. The combination of MT and KH is highly effective in decreasing the total blirubin in the early post-transplant period and improving patient survival.
Protective Effects of Baicalin against Bromocriptine Induced Abortion in Mice
Authors: Ma Ai-Tuan , Zhong Xiu-Hui , Liu Zhan-Min , Shi Wan-Yu , Du Jian , Zhai Xiang-He , Zhang Tie , Meng Li-Gen
Published: February 2009

The Chinese herbal medicine Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) had been used for restless fetus for hundreds of years in China, however, little attention had been given to the components of the herb, specifically its ability to exert abortion-preventing effects at the maternal fatal interface. The present study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of baicalin and the possible mechanisms on pregnancies. Baicalin (at 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg BW respectively) was gavaged to bromocriptine-treated mice from gestation day (GD) 1 through GD 7. Abortion rates were calculated and the changes of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and progesterone were assayed on different gestation days. Results showed that the embryonic death rates were significantly decreased in groups supplemented with 20 or 50 mg/kg BW of baicalin, accompanied with reduced IFN-γ and enhanced progesterone contents. Moreover, the highest levels of IFN-γ appeared on GD 5 both in the control and in baicalin treated groups. It is concluded that baicalin can exert an anti-abortive effect by cutting down the production of IFN-γ and elevating the levels of progesterone in a dose dependent manner and IFN-γ is involved in an inflammatory reaction which is beneficial for a successful implantation.
Modulation of Antigen-Induced Anaphylaxis in Mice by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula, Guo Min Kang
Authors: Li Xiu-Min , Wang Qian-Fei , Schofield Brian , Lin Jie , Huang Shau-Ku , Wang Qi
Published: February 2009

A traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula, Guo Min Kang (GMK), has been used in clinics in China for allergic diseases, including type I immediate hypersensitivity, a potentially fatal disease, but its modulatory mechanism remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the modulatory mechanisms of GMK in a mouse model of Ag-induced anaphylaxis. Ag (conalbumin) sensitized mice were treated with either PBS (sham) or GMK before (schedule A) or during (schedule B) sensitization, and various anaphylactic parameters were measured following Ag challenge, including symptom score, cutaneous hypersensitivity response, mast cell degranulation, plasma histamine levels and the levels of specific IgE and T-cell responses. Systemic anaphylaxis was investigated in mice immediately following Ag challenge, and the results showed that GMK-treated mice from both treatment schedules A and B showed significantly reduced symptom scores when compared with the sham-treated group. The reduction in symptom score was associated with a significant reduction in the level of Ag-induced cutaneous immediate hypersensitivity. Also, GMK was able to suppress Ag-induced IgE production and T-cell responses, while it spares mitogen (Con A)-induced T-cell response. Further, treatment of mice with GMK abrogated the levels of Ag-induced histamine release and significantly reduced the number of degranulated mast cells. No effect of GMK was observed on the levels of total IgE and plasma histamine in naive mice. These results provide a basis for the modulation effect of GMK and suggest a potential utility of GMK as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent.
Combination of Zizyphus jujuba and Green Tea Extracts Exerts Excellent Cytotoxic Activity in HepG2 Cells via Reducing the Expression of APRIL
Authors: Huang Xuedan , Kojima-Yuasa Akiko , Xu Shenghui , Kennedy David Opare , Hasuma Tadayoshi , Matsui-Yuasa Isao
Published: February 2009

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a type of tumor highly resistant to available chemotherapeutic agents. The treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma remains a challenge that needs new approaches in the future. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the chloroform fraction (CHCl3-F) from Z. jujuba has anticancer activity in human liver cancer cells (HepG2), and that combining CHCl3-F with green tea extracts (GTE) results in enhanced effects of anticancer activity in the cells. To further understand the mechanism of the anticancer activity of combining CHCl3-F and GTE in HepG2 cells, we investigated whether the addition of a mixture of CHCl3-F and GTE would affect the expression of APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand), which was expressed in HepG2 cells from 4 hours of incubation in vitro. We have shown that CHCl3-F and GTE enhanced anti-cancer activity by reducing the expression of APRIL. We speculate that the CHCl3-F and GTE mixture might provide a lead to a new drug design to treat hepatocellular carcinoma in the future.
FOUNDER CENTRALITY, MANAGEMENT TEAM CONGRUENCE AND PERFORMANCE IN FAMILY FIRMS: A KENYAN CONTEXT
Authors: KELLY LOUISE , LEWA PETER M. , KAMARIA KINYUA
Published: February 2009

Applying social network theory to family business, founder centrality has been generally shown to positively affect top-management-team congruence and, as a consequence, firm performance. This study applies social network and strategic leadership theory to an examination of founder centrality in family businesses. It focuses on family businesses in Kenya, and examines the impact of the founder's influence on management team congruence in the three strategic areas of culture, vision, and goals. The discussion considers the research findings in Kenya of a negative influence of founder centrality on management team congruence and firm performance. The study concludes with a presentation of some possible reasons for this dynamic in developing countries like Kenya, where family business is prevalent, and in which the founder plays a central role.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE LEGACIES OF A DEVELOPMENTAL STATE: SINGAPORE ENTERPRISES VENTURING ACROSS NATIONAL BORDERS
Authors: DAHLES HEIDI
Published: February 2009

This article aims at contributing to a more profound understanding of the relationship between the developmental state and private entrepreneurial activity, in particular the internationalization of business ventures. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Singapore, this article attempts to identify the role of the Singapore developmental state in orchestrating the strategies of domestic firms establishing themselves in foreign markets. From the 1960s, the Singapore government has neglected small domestic firms — its legacy of the colonial past — for diverse economic and political reasons. Initially offsetting the influence of Western culture through the establishment of foreign companies, the government changed its tune, harnessing 'Asian' values and institutional norms to facilitate ventures into China. Altering between different legacies created ambivalence and shifting coalitions with foreign economies. Striking divergence from government directives has been found in the ways in which Singaporean firms go about when venturing across borders and, in particular, when drawing on the city state's legacies to give their ventures legitimacy and meaning. This divergence raises questions about the role of the Singapore state as the paragon of institutional legacy for its domestic businesses.
Querying complex requirements
Authors: Diev Sergey
Published: February 2009

For large and complex projects the structure of requirements becomes a factor of utmost importance. This paper suggests a small set of primitive constructs that allow requirements to be expressed and structured in various views. Among ways to increase the quality of requirements this paper considers (i) the
network metaphor
and (ii)
conceptual modeling
, which includes
requirements crystallization
activity. Then query types that follow the suggested meta-model are introduced and discussed. These queries operate at several levels: text, element, diagram, and model. This paper has a methodological flavor at two levels: First, it suggests a specific way of developing requirements; second, it aims to demonstrate the relationship between the meta-model we choose and the set of query types we build for it. A visual editor VR (Visual Requirements) has been developed to support the approach and queries described here. Among other applications, VR has been used in the maintenance context to estimate, on the base of use cases models, the size of more than a hundred of software initiatives, including multi-million-dollar projects.
Test code differencing for test-driven refactoring automation
Authors: Jiau Hewijin Christine , Chen Jinghong Cox
Published: February 2009

Test-driven refactoring (TDR) requires the developer to finish test adaptation before applying refactoring. However, the current approaches of TDR usually compromise the principle of Test-First and make the refactoring intent implicit. The failed delivery of refactoring intent hinders the opportunity of test-driven refactoring automation (TDRA). In this paper, a test code differencing algorithm TestDiff is provided to extract refactoring intents from test adaptation. A tool, Refiner, is demonstrated and evaluated by real cases.
Managing software design complexity
Authors: Pandey R. K.
Published: February 2009

Good software design practice calls for minimizing coupling and maximizing cohesiveness. The use of roles in CBSE has been shown to help in achieving the abovementioned design goal. The idea of role-based component design is that the public interface is split into smaller interfaces that model the different roles a component can take in a system. In addition, we have the design pattern facade which is just opposite to what role-based design philosophy advocates. Yet both design approaches claim to reduce the overall complexity of the system. In this paper we make an investigation into these two design approaches in order to understand how these two contradictory design principles can help the designer in managing complexity.
ANN model for predicting software function point metric
Authors: Singh Yogesh , Bhatia Pradeep Kumar , Sangwan Omprakash
Published: February 2009

Software Engineering measurement and analysis specially, size estimation initiatives have been in the center of attention for many firms. Function Point (FP) metric is among the most commonly used techniques to estimate the size of software system projects or software systems for measuring the functionality delivered by a system. In this paper we explore an alternative, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach for predicting function Point. We proposed an ANN model to explore neural network as tool for function point metric. A multilayer feed forward network is trained using backpropogation algorithm and demonstrated to be suitable. The training and validation data is randomly selected from the data repository of 365 projects [7]. The experimental results of two validation sets each of 55 projects indicate that the Mean Absolute Relative Error (MARE) was 0.198 and 0.145 of ANN model and shows that ANN model is a competitive model as Function Point Metric.
Creativity and rationale in software design
Authors: Daughtry John , Burge Janet , Carroll John M. , Potts Colin
Published: February 2009

An NSF sponsored workshop on Creativity and Rationale in Software Design was held at University Park, PA in June, 2008. The participants represented the spectrum of software design, which was reflected in the discussions. This report summarizes the workshop with respect to the discipline of software engineering.
Evaluating the effect of motion and body shape on the perceived sex of virtual characters
Authors: McDonnell Rachel , Jörg Sophie , Hodgins Jessica K. , Newell Fiona , O'sullivan Carol
Published: February 2009

In this paper, our aim is to determine factors that influence the perceived sex of virtual characters. In Experiment 1, four different model types were used: highly realistic male and female models, an androgynous character, and a point light walker. Three different types of motion were applied to all models: motion captured male and female walks, and neutral synthetic walks. We found that both form and motion influence sex perception for these characters: for neutral synthetic motions, form determines perceived sex, whereas natural motion affects the perceived sex of both androgynous and realistic forms. These results indicate that the use of neutral walks is better than creating ambiguity by assigning an incongruent motion. In Experiment 2 we investigated further the influence of body shape and motion on realistic male and female models and found that adding stereotypical indicators of sex to the body shapes influenced sex perception. Also, that exaggerated female body shapes influences sex judgements more than exaggerated male shapes. These results have implications for variety and realism when simulating large crowds of virtual characters.
Hybrid image/model-based gaze-contingent rendering
Authors: Murphy Hunter A. , Duchowski Andrew T. , Tyrrell Richard A.
Published: February 2009

A nonisotropic hybrid image/model-based gaze-contingent rendering technique utilizing ray casting on a GPU is discussed. Empirical evidence derived from human subject experiments indicates an inverse relationship between a peripherally degraded scene's high-resolution inset size and mean search time, a trend consistent with existing image-based and model-based techniques. In addition, the data suggest that maintaining a target's silhouette edges decreases search times when compared to targets with degraded edges. However, analysis suggests a point of diminishing returns with an inset larger than 15° when target discrimination is a component of visual search. Benefits of the hybrid technique include simplicity of design and parallelizability, both conducive to GPU implementation.
Answering Part of the Significant Question
Authors: Tenenberg Josh , McCartney Robert
Published: February 2009

Most scientific articles address particular questions which are part of larger questions. The part-whole relationship varies.
Reduction in CS
Authors: Armoni Michal
Published: February 2009

Reduction is a problem-solving strategy, relevant to various areas of computer science, and strongly connected to abstraction: a reductive solution necessitates establishing a connection among problems that may seem totally disconnected at first sight, and abstracts the solution to the reduced-to problem by encapsulating it as a black box. The study described in this article continues a previous, qualitative study that examined the ways undergraduate computer science students perceive, experience, and use reduction as a problem-solving strategy. The current study examines the same issue, but in the context of a larger population, using also quantitative analysis, and focusing on algorithmic problems. The findings indicate difficulties students have with the abstract characteristics of reduction and with acknowledging reduction as a general problem-solving strategy.
The Problem of Labels in E-Assessment of Diagrams
Authors: Jayal Ambikesh , Shepperd Martin
Published: February 2009

In this article we explore a problematic aspect of automated assessment of diagrams. Diagrams have partial and sometimes inconsistent semantics. Typically much of the meaning of a diagram resides in the labels; however, the choice of labeling is largely unrestricted. This means a correct solution may utilize differing yet semantically equivalent labels to the specimen solution. With human marking this problem can be easily overcome. Unfortunately with e-assessment this is challenging. We empirically explore the scale of the problem of synonyms by analyzing 160 student solutions to a UML task. From this we find that cumulative growth of synonyms only shows a limited tendency to reduce at the margin despite using a range of text processing algorithms such as stemming and auto-correction of spelling errors. This finding has significant implications for the ease in which we may develop future e-assessment systems of diagrams, in that the need for better algorithms for assessing label semantic similarity becomes inescapable.
Towards achieving reliable and high-performance nanocomputing via dynamic redundancy allocation
Authors: Wang Shuo , Wang Lei , Jain Faquir
Published: February 2009

Nanoelectronic devices are considered to be the computational fabrics for the emerging nanocomputing systems due to their ultra-high speed and integration density. However, the imperfect bottom-up self-assembly fabrication leads to excessive defects that have become a barrier for achieving reliable computing. In addition, transient errors continue to be a problem. The massive parallelism rendered by nanoscale integration opens up new opportunities but also poses challenges on how to manage such massive resources for reliable and high-performance computing. In this paper, we propose a nanoarchitecture solution to address these emerging challenges. By using dynamic redundancy allocation, the massive parallelism is exploited to jointly achieve fault (defect/error) tolerance and high performance. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique under a range of fault rates and operating conditions.
Amino acid-sensing mTOR signaling is involved in modulation of lipolysis by chronic insulin treatment in adipocytes
Authors: Zhang Chongben , Yoon Mee-Sup , Chen Jie
Published: February 2009

Chronically high insulin levels and increased circulating free fatty acids released from adipose tissue through lipolysis are two features associated with insulin resistance. The relationship between chronic insulin exposure and adipocyte lipolysis has been unclear. In the present study we found that chronic insulin exposure in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, as well as in mouse primary adipocytes, increased basal lipolysis rates. This effect of insulin on lipolysis was only observed when the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was inhibited by rapamycin in the adipocytes. In addition, amino acid deprivation in adipocytes phenocopied the effect of rapamycin in permitting the stimulation of lipolysis by chronic insulin exposure. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway does not appear to be involved in this insulin effect. Furthermore, we found that triacylglycerol hydrolase (TGH) activity was required for the stimulation of lipolysis by combined exposure to insulin and rapamycin. Therefore, we propose that nutrient sufficiency, mediated by an mTOR pathway, suppresses TGH-dependent lipolysis stimulated by chronic insulin exposure in adipocytes.
Retinol-binding protein 4 is associated with impaired glucose tolerance but not with whole body or hepatic insulin resistance in Mexican Americans
Authors: Chavez Alberto O. , Coletta Dawn K. , Kamath Subhash , Cromack Douglas T. , Monroy Adriana , Folli Franco , DeFronzo Ralph A. , Tripathy Devjit
Published: February 2009

Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4), a novel protein secreted mainly by adipose tissue, has been associated with insulin resistance in obese subjects and in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We examined the relationship between plasma RBP4 levels, expression of RBP4 in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, and insulin sensitivity in Mexican Americans with varying degrees of obesity and glucose tolerance. Seventy-two subjects [16 lean normal-glucose-tolerant (NGT), 17 obese NGT, and 39 subjects with impaired fasting glucose/impaired glucose tolerance/T2DM] received an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. Insulin secretion was measured as insulinogenic index during OGTT. In a subset of subjects, hepatic glucose production was measured by 3-[3H]glucose infusion, biopsies of the vastus lateralis muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue were obtained under basal conditions, and quantitative RT-PCR was performed to measure the RBP4 mRNA gene expression. Plasma RBP4 was significantly elevated in impaired glucose tolerance/T2DM compared with NGT lean or obese subjects. Plasma RBP4 levels correlated with 2-h glucose, triglycerides, and hemoglobin A1c. There was no association between RBP4 levels and whole body insulin sensitivity measured with either the euglycemic insulin clamp or OGTT, basal hepatic glucose production rates, and the hepatic insulin resistance index. There was no correlation between plasma RBP4 levels and indexes of insulin secretion. RBP4 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle was similar in lean NGT subjects, obese NGT subjects, and T2DM subjects. There was no difference in RBP4 mRNA expression in adipose tissue between lean and obese NGT subjects or between NGT and T2DM individuals. Plasma RBP4 levels are elevated in T2DM and associated with impaired glucose tolerance, but not associated with obesity or insulin resistance or impaired insulin secretion in Mexican Americans.
Evidence for reverse flux through pyruvate kinase in skeletal muscle
Authors: Jin Eunsook S. , Sherry A. Dean , Malloy Craig R.
Published: February 2009

Conversion of lactate to glucose was examined in myotubes, minced muscle tissue, and rats exposed to2H2O or13C-enriched substrates. Myotubes or minced skeletal muscle incubated with [U-13C3]lactate released small amounts of [1,2,3-13C3]- or [4,5,6-13C3]glucose. This labeling pattern is consistent with direct transfer from lactate to glucose without randomization in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. After exposure of incubated muscle to2H2O, [U-13C3]lactate, glucose, and glutamine, there was minimal release of synthesized glucose to the medium based on a low level of2H enrichment in medium glucose but 50- to 100-fold greater2H enrichment in glucosyl units from glycogen. The13C enrichment pattern in glycogen from incubated skeletal muscle was consistent only with direct transfer of lactate to glucose without exchange in TCA cycle intermediates.13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of glutamate from the same tissue showed flux from lactate through pyruvate dehydrogenase but not flux through pyruvate carboxylase into the TCA cycle. Carbon from an alternative substrate for glucose production that requires metabolism through the TCA cycle, propionate, did not enter glycogen, suggesting that TCA cycle intermediates do not exchange with phospho enolpyruvate. In vivo, the13C labeling patterns in hepatic glycogen and plasma glucose after administration of [U-13C3]lactate did not differ significantly. However, skeletal muscle glycogen was substantially enriched in [1,2,3-13C3]- and [4,5,6-13C3]glucose units that could only occur through skeletal muscle glyconeogenesis rather than glycogenesis. Lactate serves as a substrate for glyconeogenesis in vivo without exchange into symmetric intermediates of the TCA cycle.
A myosin II ATPase inhibitor reduces force production, glucose transport, and phosphorylation of AMPK and TBC1D1 in electrically stimulated rat skeletal muscle
Authors: Blair David R. , Funai Katsuhiko , Schweitzer George G. , Cartee Gregory D.
Published: February 2009

Contraction-stimulated glucose transport by skeletal muscle appears to be caused by the cumulative effects of multiple inputs [potentially including AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Ca2+flux, and force production], making it challenging to isolate the roles of these putative regulatory factors. To distinguish the effects of force production from the direct consequences of Ca2+flux, the predominantly type II rat epitrochlearis muscle was incubated without (vehicle) or with N-benzyl- p-toluenesulfonamide (BTS), a highly specific myosin II ATPase inhibitor that prevents force production by electrically stimulated (ES) type II fibers without altering cytosolic Ca2+. In ES muscles, BTS vs. vehicle had an 84% reduction in force production and a 57% decrement in contraction-stimulated 3- O-methylglucose transport (3MGT). BTS did not alter the ES increase in phosphorylation of CaMKII (indicative of cytosolic Ca2+) or the amount of glycogen depletion. ES caused significant reductions in ATP (48%) and phosphocreatine (67%) concentrations for vehicle-treated muscles. For BTS-treated muscles, ES did not reduce ATP and caused only a 42% decrease in phosphocreatine. There was an ES increase in phosphorylation of AMPK, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (an AMPK substrate), and TBC1D1 for vehicle-treated muscles but not for BTS-treated muscles. These results point toward an essential role for tension-related events, including AMPK activation, in the 57% contraction-stimulated increase in 3MGT that was inhibited by BTS and further suggest a possible role for TBC1D1 phosphorylation. Non-tension-related events (e.g., increased cytosolic Ca2+rather than increased AMPK and TBC1D1 phosphorylation) are implicated in the contraction-stimulated increase in 3MGT that persisted in the presence of BTS.
Attentional Modulation of Visual Responses by Flexible Input Gain
Authors: Ghose Geoffrey M.
Published: February 2009

Although it is clear that sensory responses in the cortex can be strongly modulated by stimuli outside of classical receptive fields as well as by extraretinal signals such as attention and anticipation, the exact rules governing the neuronal integration of sensory and behavioral signals remain unclear. For example, most experiments studying sensory interactions have not explored attention, while most studies of attention have relied on the responses to relatively limited sets of stimuli. However, a recent study of V4 responses, in which location, orientation, and spatial attention were systematically varied, suggests that attention can both facilitate and suppress specific sensory inputs to a neuron according to behavioral relevance. To explore the implications of such input gain, we modeled the effects of a center-surround organization of attentional modulation using existing receptive field models of sensory integration. The model is consistent with behavioral measurements of a suppressive effect that surrounds the facilitatory locus of spatial attention. When this center-surround modulation is incorporated into realistic models of sensory integration, it is able to explain seemingly disparate observations of attentional effects in the neurophysiological literature, including spatial shifts in receptive field position and the preferential modulation of low contrast stimuli. The model is also consistent with recent formulations of attention to features in which gain is variably applied among cells with different receptive field properties. Consistent with functional imaging results, the model predicts that spatial attention effects will vary between different visual areas and suggests that attention may act through a common mechanism of selective and flexible gain throughout the visual system.
Two Distinct Mechanisms Shape the Reliability of Neural Responses
Authors: Schreiber Susanne , Samengo Inés , Herz Andreas V.M.
Published: February 2009

Despite intrinsic noise sources, neurons can generate action potentials with remarkable reliability. This reliability is influenced by the characteristics of sensory or synaptic inputs, such as stimulus frequency. Here we use conductance-based models to study the frequency dependence of reliability in terms of the underlying single-cell properties. We are led to distinguish a mean-driven firing regime, where the stimulus mean is sufficient to elicit continuous firing, and a fluctuation-driven firing regime, where spikes are generated by transient stimulus fluctuations. In the mean-driven regime, the stimulus frequency that induces maximum reliability coincides with the firing rate of the cell, whereas in the fluctuation-driven regime, it is determined by the resonance properties of the subthreshold membrane potential. When the stimulus frequency does not match the optimal frequency, the two firing regimes exhibit different “symptoms” of decreased reliability: reduced spike-time precision and reduced spike probability, respectively. As a signature of stochastic resonance, reliable spike generation in the fluctuation-driven regime can benefit from intermediate amounts of noise that boost spike probability without significantly impairing spike-time precision. Our analysis supports the view that neurons are endowed with selection mechanisms that allow only certain stimulus frequencies to induce reliable spiking. By modulating the intrinsic cell properties, the nervous system can thus tune individual neurons to pick out specific input frequency bands with enhanced spike precision or spike probability.
Maternal Uterine Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy
Authors: Osol George , Mandala Maurizio
Published: February 2009

Sufficient uteroplacental blood flow is essential for normal pregnancy outcome and is accomplished by the coordinated growth and remodeling of the entire uterine circulation, as well as the creation of a new fetal vascular organ: the placenta. The process of remodeling involves a number of cellular processes, including hyperplasia and hypertrophy, rearrangement of existing elements, and changes in extracellular matrix. In this review, we provide information on uterine blood flow increases during pregnancy, the influence of placentation type on the distribution of uterine vascular resistance, consideration of the patterns, nature, and extent of maternal uterine vascular remodeling during pregnancy, and what is known about the underlying cellular mechanisms.