bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paleomagntism of Archean rocks from northwestern Ontario: II. Shelley Lake granite, Quetico Subprovince
Authors: Dunlop David J.
Published: November 2010

The 2580 ± 20 Ma Shelley Lake granite of the Quetico gneiss belt in northwestern Ontario preserves two distinct natural remanent magnetizations (NRM's) of different ages. Type 1 NRM of either normal (1N) or reverse (1R) polarity was isolated in 43 samples, using three methods: stable end-point directions, orthogonal vector plots, and converging remagnetization circles. The mean direction based on both 1N and 1R results is D = 5.9 °I = +56.4 °(k = 95.4, α95 = 4.4°, N = 12 sites), which is significantly different from both the present Earth's field (PEF) and axial dipole field directions at the site. Type 2 NRM, either normal (2N) or reverse (2R), was successfully separated from 1N/1R in 13 samples. Its mean direction, combining both polarities, is D = 70.3 °I = −27.8 °(k = 20.1, α95 = 9.4°, N = 13 samples).The paleopole SL1 corresponding to 1N/1R falls at 65.8°E, 77.6°N, near track 6 of the Laurentian apparent polar wander path (APWP) around 2600 Ma. This remanence is carried principally by primary multidomain magnetite with blocking temperatures up to 580 °C. If it is a primary thermoremanence, as is argued here, SL1 provides a well dated tie point for the APWP at 2580 ± 20 Ma.Paleopole SL2 corresponding to 2N/2R falls at 157.1°W, 1.3°S, around 1250 Ma on the APWP. The remanence is probably a chemical or thermochemical overprint acquired during a mild heating event (T < 300 °C, t > 1100 Ma) that reset 40Ar/39Ar feldspar ages. An earlier tentative assignment of SL2 to track 6 around 2800 Ma is incorrect.
Paleomagnetism of Archean rocks from northwestern Ontario: III. Rock magnetism of the Shelley Lake granite, Quetico Subprovince
Authors: Dunlop David J. , Schutts Larry D. , Hale Christopher J.
Published: November 2010

The Shelley Lake granite of northwestern Ontario contains five magnetic phases: deuteric and post-crystallization hematites, which are relatively abundant but carry only 1–4% of the natural remanent magnetization (NRM); primary magnetite in coarse (50–500 μm) grains, both optically homogeneous and subdivided by hematite lamellae; micrometre-size secondary magnetite in chloritized biotites; and submicrometre-size magnetite, whose presence is inferred from low blocking temperatures in thermal decay curves of the NRM. The NRM is a composite of type 1 and type 2 remanences, which differ in direction by about 90° (see companion paleomagnetic paper). Both NRM components occur in normal (N) and reverse (R) polarities. Type 1 remanences (1N/1R) have the hallmarks of multidomain (MD) behaviour: high blocking temperatures but low coercivities, exponential alternating field (AF) decay curves, generally MD results of the Lowrie–Fuller test, and MD to transitional values (0.3–10) of the Koenigsberger Qn ratio. Furthermore, intensities of 0.6 Oe (0.06 mT) laboratory thermoremanent magnetizations (TRM's) match those of 1R and some 1N NRM's. We argue on this evidence that 1R and at least part of 1N NRM's are TRM's residing in coarse MD-size primary magnetite. This primary TRM dates from initial cooling of the Shelley Lake pluton around 2580 Ma. Thermal decay spectra of single-component type 2 NRM's (2N/2R) resemble those of 1R. However, the considerable overlap of 2N/2R and 1R blocking temperatures in multivectorial NRM's demonstrates that type 2 remanence must be a chemical or thermochemical rather than a thermal overprint.
Miogeoclines and suspect terranes of the Caledonian–Appalachian Orogen: tectonic patterns in the North Atlantic region
Authors: Williams Harold
Published: November 2010

The Caledonian–Appalachian Orogen was formed by the closing of a Paleozoic Iapetus Ocean. The continental margins of Iapetus are identified in the deformed early Paleozoic miogeoclines of the Caledonian–Appalachian Orogen. Ophiolitic vestiges of Iapetus, its oceanic plateaus, microcontinents, and volcanic arcs are Caledonian–Appalachian suspect terranes. These were assembled in interior parts of the orogen and locally they were emplaced structurally upon the adjacent miogeoclines.The modern North Atlantic Ocean opened along an axis that traversed the Paleozoic orogen longitudinally. Its opening dispersed the elements of the Paleozoic orogen and led to the present arrangement of disjunct Paleozoic miogeoclines and suspect terranes throughout the North Atlantic borderlands.The western or North American margin of Iapetus is represented by the miogeoclines along the west flank of the North American Appalachians and Caledonides of east Greenland. A small North American miogeoclinal segment occurs in the British Isles, and suspect terranes with North American faunal affinities occur in Scandinavia. The eastern margin of Iapetus is represented by the miogeoclines of the Scandinavian Caledonides and the Mauritanides of northwest Africa. Ophiolitic vestiges of Iapetus and suspect terranes occur in the Appalachians, the Caledonides of Scandinavia and the British Isles, and the Variscan foldbelt of Morocco, Iberian Peninsula, and western France.In the scenario of a closing Iapetus and opening North Atlantic, the Paleozoic margin of eastern North America expanded by the acquisition of Appalachian suspect terranes, the Paleozoic margins of Greenland and Scandinavia remained essentially unchanged, and Africa lost parts of its Paleozoic margin.Modern continental margins and the geometry of the North Atlantic mimic Paleozoic miogeoclines and the geometry of Iapetus. The Paleozoic miogeoclines, in turn, follow Grenvillian deformed zones of the Precambrian North Atlantic craton. Thus, patterns for the opening of the North Atlantic may have been set by the geometry of the Grenvillian deformed zones.
Shallow and deep crustal structure of the western Sverdrup Basin, arctic Canada
Authors: Sobczak L. W. , Overton A.
Published: November 2010

An analysis of gravity data along two detailed profiles over the western Sverdrup Basin in the Canadian Arctic supports a seismic refraction model. Drill holes as deep as 5.4 km near the profiles provide excellent density control. Mean densities in the thickest part of the basin exceed those in the thinner parts by an average of 0.13 Mg/m3.Bouguer anomalies corrected for the effect of water, sedimentary, and crystalline layers indicate significant anomalies that vary in width from 20 to 275 km and in amplitude from 3 to 46 mGal (30 to 460 μm s−2). These can all be explained by density structures within the sedimentary column. Sedimentary thickness along the profiles varies from 9 to 17.4 km, crystalline thickness varies from 18 to 33 km, and the total crustal thickness varies from 34 to 42 km. The analysis also shows: (1) negative gravity effects of about 60 to 120 mGal (600 to 1200 μm s−2) due to the mass deficiency of the water and sediments are offset by positive gravity effects of similar magnitude due to crustal thinning; (2) isostatic compensation of water and sediments by a mantle antiroot is evident from a regional free-air anomaly near zero and the apparent inverse variation of sedimentary thickness with the thickness of the crystalline crust; (3) in the thickest part of the basin, undulations at the sedimentary–crystalline boundary are in phase with and smaller in amplitude than undulations at the crust–mantle boundary; conversely, in the thinnest part of the basin, these undulations are out of phase and larger in amplitude.These effects may be explained by stretching of a crystalline crust and a general decrease in crustal rigidity with depth during sediment accumulation and subsequent orogenic events.
Paleomagnetism of Archean rocks from northwestern Ontario: IV. Burchell Lake granite, Wawa–Shebandowan Subprovince
Authors: Dunlop David J.
Published: November 2010

The late Archean Burchell Lake granite of the Shebandowan greenstone belt in northwestern Ontario has a characteristic natural remanent magnetization (NRM) resembling the type 1 NRM of the nearby Shelley Lake granite of the Quetico gneiss belt. Of 36 stably magnetized samples, 21 had predominantly normal polarity (1N) NRM and 15 had reverse polarity (1R). The mean direction based on stable end-point and vector subtracted directions is D = 2.3 °I = 48.9 °(k = 23.9, α95 = 10.0°, N = 10 sites). Intersecting remagnetization circles gave a similar direction. The corresponding paleopole BL1 lies at 83.2°E, 71.1°N, near track 6 of the Laurentian apparent polar wander path around 2600 Ma. Although the Burchell Lake pluton is not dated radiometrically, neighbouring granites give K/Ar biotite ages of 2550–2600 Ma, and it is reasonable to suppose that the NRM dates from the time of intrusion or shortly thereafter. A type 2 NRM like that of the Shelley Lake granite was isolated in 12 samples. Its mean direction is D = 80.9 °I = −11.1°, but the precision is unacceptably low (k = 7.7).
A primitive, "obtuse-angled" symmetrodont (Mammalia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada
Authors: Fox Richard C.
Published: November 2010

An upper molar of an "obtuse-angled" symmetrodont resembling the Jurassic Tinodontidae is described from the Upper Cretaceous Milk River Formation of Alberta, Canada, the first post-Jurassic record of tinodontid-like symmetrodonts. However, in its reduced stylocone and cusp "c," the specimen shows modifications that might have characterized the origin of the aberrant Amphidontidae from more primitive "obtuse-angled" species. The phyletic implications of this new symmetrodont are discussed.
Tectonic stacking of metamorphic zones in Cheticamp River area, Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia
Authors: Craw D.
Published: November 2010

Metabasic and quartzo-feldspathic schists and gneisses of the Cheticamp River area can be subdivided into three north–south-trending metamorphic belts. The westernmost belt, the low-grade belt, has been metamorphosed to transitional greenschist–amphibolite facies with development of one penetrative foliation. The central medium-grade belt has been metamorphosed to amphibolite facies with development of two penetrative foliations. The eastern high-grade belt has been metamorphosed to amphibolite facies accompanied by development of strong gneissic segregation and nonanatectic migmatite leucosomes during formation of two penetrative foliations.Deformation has been inhomogeneous in each of these belts. Most rocks in each belt show evidence of post-tectonic porphyroblast growth. However, deformation continued after the metamorphic peak in localized zones. Very high strain occurred in many of these zones during and after the metamorphic peak, so that early formed fold axes were rotated towards the stretching direction. Locally, dynamically recrystallized mylonite has formed. The three belts were juxtaposed under waning metamorphic conditions by relative movement on these high-strain zones. The schist and gneiss complex thus consists of stacked metamorphic zones with the lowest grade rocks lying at the bottom of the stack. Stacking occurred by east to west thrusting of tight macroscopic ductile folds whose lower limbs have been sheared off.There are many lithologic similarities between the three metamorphic belts. The rocks may have been derived from the same protolith and have since been variably deformed and metamorphosed before later juxtaposition. There is no evidence for involvement of an older "basement complex" in the stacking tectonics in the studied area.The schist and gneiss complex has been intruded by post-tectonic plutonic rocks, and locally affected by post-metamorphic brittle deformation.
Lithostratigraphy of the Cambrian? – Lower Ordovician Bell Island and Wabana groups of Bell, Little Bell, and Kellys islands, Conception Bay, eastern Newfoundland
Authors: Ranger M. J. , Pickerill R. K. , Flllion D.
Published: November 2010

The Upper Cambrian? – Arenigian succession of Bell, Little Bell, and Kellys islands, Conception Bay, eastern Newfoundland, consists of at least 1500 m of interbedded micaceous sandstones, siltstones, shales, and ironstones. The succession has previously been formally subdivided into only two groups, namely, a lowermost Bell Island Group and an overlying Wabana Group. The existing lithostratigraphic nomenclature below group level has, to date, only been informally proposed and is therefore herein formally revised. The lowermost Bell Island Group comprises from base to top the Kellys Island, Little Bell Island, Beach, Redmans, Ochre Cove, and Dominion formations. Of these, the Ochre Cove and Dominion formations are newly proposed and the Beach Formation is considerably revised from its historical usage. The Beach Formation contains two newly proposed members, the McGraw and Eastern Head members, both of which in previous nomenclature were informally referred to as "beds." The disconformably overlying Wabana Group comprises from base to top the Powers Steps, Scotia, Grebes Nest Point, Gull Island, and Gravel Head formations. Of these, the Gravel Head Formation is revised from its historical usage and the remainder are newly proposed. The Powers Steps Formation contains a newly proposed member, the Youngsters Gulch Member, previously in part referred to informally as the "pyrite bed."
P-wave travel-time residuals in the Newfoundland Appalachians
Authors: Stewart Ian C. F.
Published: November 2010

Teleseisms and quarry blasts were recorded at 24 temporary seismograph sites along a line across the northern Dunnage Zone of Newfoundland. Azimuthally dependent functions were also determined for teleseismic P-wave travel-time residuals at the permanent St. John's (STJ) and Corner Brook (CBK) seismographs. In order to minimize the effects of reading errors and structure far from the receivers, absolute residuals at the field sites were then obtained by correlating the records with those from STJ and CBK and using the residual functions for these two stations. The P-wave residuals in north-central Newfoundland tend to be up to half a second later than at STJ and CBK, with the more positive values towards the east of the region. The direction of fastest approach for rays varies from southeast at STJ to southwest towards the western side of the Dunnage Zone. The travel-time residuals are generally similar to variations observed elsewhere in the Appalachians.The residuals and gravity data indicate that the crust is about 40 km thick over most of the Dunnage Zone, possibly increasing by several kilometres under the Gander Zone and western Avalon Platform, which could be consistent with a former subduction zone in the region. The low crustal velocity of 6.2 km s−1 may support an allochthonous model for central Newfoundland, with average crustal thickening of about 10 km compared with adjacent platform areas.
New evidence for the chronology of the Eurekan Orogeny from south-central Ellesmere Island
Authors: Riediger Cynthia L. , Bustin R. M. , Rouse G. E.
Published: November 2010

Discovery of a post-orogenic coarse-grained sandstone and pebble- to cobble-conglomerate unit on south-central Ellesmere Island provides important new evidence for the chronology of the Eurekan Orogeny in the eastern Arctic Archipelago. Palynological studies indicate an Early Miocene age for these deposits, which rest with marked angular unconformity on mid-Paleocene strata. In adjacent areas, strata of the Eureka Sound Formation as young as Middle Eocene are folded, thereby bracketing the major orogenic phase of the Eurekan Orogeny on southern Ellesmere Island as post-Middle Eocene to pre-Early Miocene. Furthermore, the occurrence of the coarse-grained sandstone and conglomerate deposits indicates an Early Miocene phase of epeirogenic relative uplift of southeastern Ellesmere Island and possible coeval tectonism along the margin of Baffin Bay.The discovery and dating of these post-orogenic deposits provide additional chronological evidence for tectonism that constrains paleogeographic and paleo-plate reconstructions of the eastern Arctic during the Tertiary.
Melaniella timosa n. gen. and sp., an unusual mammal from the Paleocene of Alberta, Canada
Authors: Fox Richard C.
Published: November 2010

A new genus and species of eutherian mammal having uncertain affinities is described from an incomplete lower jaw found in the late Paleocene Paskapoo Formation of central Alberta, Canada. The new mammal is characterized by a shallow dentary, no lower incisors, an enlarged lower canine, and a relatively long diastema between the canine and the first lower premolar, which is premolariform and two rooted. Closest resemblance of this new mammal is to epoicotheriid palaeanodonts (?Pholidota), although it differs in several, perhaps important, features from known epoicotheriids. If the Paskapoo mammal is a palaeanodont, it is the oldest known, constituting the most northerly record for the suborder, and the first from Canada.
Latest Precambrian to Early Cambrian basin evolution, Fortune Bay, Newfoundland: fault-bounded basin to platform
Authors: Smith Simon A. , Hiscott Richard N.
Published: November 2010

Uppermost Precambrian and lowest Cambrian sediments of the Rencontre, Chapel Island, and Random formations in the Fortune Bay area, western Avalon Zone, consist of conglomerates, sandstones, and shales deposited in fluvial, marginal-marine, and open-marine settings. Deposition began in a small fault-bounded basin. Alternation between nonmarine and marine deposition resulted from pulses in fault activity (= uplift and coarse terrestrial clastics), separated by quiescent periods of basinwide thermal subsidence (= transgressive, fine-grained marine units overstepping earlier basin margins). The tectonic regime may have been extensional (rift) or transtensional (strike-slip pull-apart); a strike-slip origin is easiest to defend and is consistent with current tectonic models for the Avalon Zone involving prolonged extension or transtension, but little spreading.The Fortune Bay basin persisted until the beginning of the Cambrian Period, at which time eustatic sea-level rise led to widespread transgression and deposition of platformal sands, shales, and minor carbonates on the Avalon Zone. This event appears to coincide with cessation of important faulting in the western Avalon Zone.
Apparent thermoluminescence ages of St-Pierre Sediments at Pierreville, Quebec, and the problem of anomalous fading
Authors: Lamothe M.
Published: November 2010

This work reports a case study in thermoluminescence (TL) dating in which a delayed measurements procedure has been used in order to circumvent the problem of anomalous fading in sediments. The procedure yielded an apparent TL age of 61.1 ± 9.2 ka for the polymineralic fraction of St-Pierre lacustrine sediments that corresponds to the apparent TL age of its quartz component and to the radiocarbon age of the unit. It is suggested that delayed measurements may overcome the problem of anomalous fading in the TL dating of sediments
Strain-insensitive foliations in polymineralic rocks
Authors: Hanmer Simon
Published: November 2010

Means recently introduced the concept of strain-insensitive foliation. For strain-insensitive foliation to form in mono-mineralic aggregates, foliation-forming processes must be balanced by foliation-destroying processes, e.g., grain rotation and dynamic recrystallization. In polyphase aggregates a further process is required to disperse monomineralic polycrystalline aggregates of the rock-forming phases in order to eliminate the strain sensitivity of the resultant foliation.Dispersal of silicate phases in amphibolite and granulite facies mylonitic bands suggests that destruction of monomineralic polycrystalline aggregates may be a diffusion process, driven by a reduction of grain boundary energy of the aggregate where diffusion coefficients are high and kinetic barriers to diffusion are low. Such conditions may pertain in high-temperature shear zones and can result in steady-state foliations.
Skeletal reconstruction and life restoration of Sauropelta (Ankylosauria: Nodosauridae) from the Cretaceous of North America
Authors: Carpenter Kenneth
Published: November 2010

A skeletal reconstruction and life restoration are presented for the Early Cretaceous nodosaurid ankylosaur Sauropelta edwardsi. This composite is based on several partial skeletons having armor preserved in situ from the Lower Cretaceous Cloverly Formation of Wyoming and Montana. Comparison of foot morphology with that of the ichnofossil Tetrapodosaurus borealis, from the Lower Cretaceous Gething Formation of British Columbia, suggests that the footprint is that of Sauropelta. A hypothesis is presented suggesting that most ankylosaurs are found on their backs because of bloating.
Lysine 63-linked ubiquitination is important for arachidonic acid-induced cellular adhesion and migration
Authors: Ray Denise M. , Rogers Brian A. , Sunman Jeffrey A. , Akiyama Steven K. , Olden Kenneth , Roberts John D.
Published: November 2010

Arachidonic acid, a dietary cis-polyunsaturated fatty acid, stimulates adhesion and migration of human cancer cells on the extracellular matrix by activation of intracellular signaling pathways. Polyubiquitin chains bearing linkages through different lysine residues convey distinct structural and functional information that is important for signal transduction. We investigated whether ubiquitination was required for arachidonic acid-induced cellular adhesion and migration of MDA-MB-435 cells on collagen type IV. An E1 (ubiquitin-activating enzyme) inhibitor, PYR-431, completely abrogated arachidonic acid-stimulated adhesion. Additionally, expression of a lysine null mutant ubiquitin prevented activation of cellular adhesion. Cells expressing ubiquitin in which lysine 63 (K63) was mutated to arginine (K63R) were unable to adhere to collagen upon exposure to arachidonic acid. When K63 was the only lysine present, the cells retained the ability to adhere, indicating that K63-linked ubiquitin is both necessary and sufficient. Moreover, K63-linked ubiquitin was required for the induction of cell migration by arachidonic acid. The ubiquitin mutants and PYR-431 did not prevent arachidonic acid-induced phosphorylation of TGF-β activated kinase-1 (TAK1) and p38 MAPK, suggesting K63-linked ubiquitination occurs downstream of MAPK. These novel findings are the first to demonstrate a role for K63-linked ubiquitination in promoting cell adhesion and migration.
A UNIFORM ENHANCEMENT APPROACH FOR OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHMS: SMOOTHING FUNCTION METHOD
Authors: WANG YUPING
Published: November 2010

In this paper, we propose a uniform enhancement approach called smoothing function method, which can cooperate any optimization algorithm and improve its performance. The method has two phases. In the first phase, a smoothing function is constructed by using a properly truncated Fourier series. It can preserve the overall shape of the original objective function but eliminate many of its local optimal points, thus it can well approach the objective function. Then, the optimal solution of the smoothing function is searched by an optimization algorithm (e.g. traditional algorithm or evolutionary algorithm) so that the search becomes much easier. In the second phase, we switch to optimize the original function for some iterations by using the best solution(s) obtained in phase 1 as an initial point (population). Thereafter, the smoothing function is updated in order to approximate the original function more accurately.

These two phases are repeated until the best solutions obtained in several successively second phases cannot be improved obviously. In this manner, any optimization algorithm will become much easier in searching optimal solution. Finally, we use the proposed approach to enhance two typical optimization algorithms: Powell direct algorithm and a simple genetic algorithm. The simulation results on ten challenging benchmarks indicate the proposed approach can effectively improve the performance of these two algorithms.
MAXIMUM VARIANCE DIFFERENCE BASED EMBEDDING APPROACH FOR FACIAL FEATURE EXTRACTION
Authors: CHEN XI , ZHANG JIASHU
Published: November 2010

This paper, presents a novel unsupervised dimensionality reduction approach called variance difference embedding (VDE) for facial feature extraction. The proposed VDE method is derived from maximizing the difference between global variance and local variance, so it can draw the close samples closer and simultaneously making the mutually distant samples even more distant from each other. VDE utilizes the maximum variance difference criterion rather than the generalized Rayleigh quotient as a class separability measure, thereby avoiding the singularity problem when addressing the sample size problem. The results of the experiments conducted on ORL database, Yale database and a subset of PIE database indicate the effectiveness of the proposed VDE method on facial feature extraction and classification.
DYNAMIC SHAPE STYLE ANALYSIS: BILINEAR AND MULTILINEAR HUMAN IDENTIFICATION WITH TEMPORAL NORMALIZATION
Authors: LEE CHAN-SU , ELGAMMAL AHMED
Published: November 2010

Modeling and analyzing the dynamic shape of human motion is a challenging task owing to temporal variations in the shape and multiple sources of observed shape variations such as viewpoint, motion speed, clothing, etc. We present a new framework for dynamic shape analysis based on temporal normalization and factorized shape style analysis. Using a nonlinear generative model with motion manifold embedding in a low-dimensional space, we detect cycles of periodic motion like gait in different views and synthesize temporally-aligned shape sequences from the same type of motion at different speeds. The bilinear analysis of temporally-aligned shape sequences decomposes dynamic motion into time-invariant shape style factors and time-dependent motion factors. We extend the bilinear model into a tensor shape model, a multilinear decomposition of dynamic shape sequences for view-invariant shape style representations. The shape style is a view-invariant, time-invariant, and speed-invariant shape signature and is used as a feature vector for human identification. The shape style can be adapted to new environmental conditions by iterative estimation of style and content factors to reflect new observation conditions. We present the experimental results of gait recognition using the CMU Mobo gait database and the USF gait challenging database.
GLOBAL EXISTENCE RESULTS FOR THE ANISOTROPIC BOUSSINESQ SYSTEM IN DIMENSION TWO
Authors: DANCHIN RAPHAËL , PAICU MARIUS
Published: November 2010

Models with a vanishing anisotropic viscosity in the vertical direction are of relevance for the study of turbulent flows in geophysics. This motivates us to study the two-dimensional Boussinesq system with horizontal viscosity in only one equation. In this paper, we focus on the global existence issue for possibly large initial data. We first examine the case where the Navier–Stokes equation with no vertical viscosity is coupled with a transport equation. Second, we consider a coupling between the classical two-dimensional incompressible Euler equation and a transport–diffusion equation with diffusion in the horizontal direction only. For both systems, we construct global weak solutions à la Leray and strong unique solutions for more regular data. Our results rest on the fact that the diffusion acts perpendicularly to the buoyancy force.
THE IMPACT OF MARKET ORIENTATION ON CUSTOMER KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT AND NPD SUCCESS
Authors: CHANG TSUN-JIN , CHEN WEN-CHIANG , LIN LING ZHONG , CHIU JAMES SHAN-KOU
Published: November 2010

The ability to develop and understand customer new product preferences in response to changing market trends is shown to be as a key to new product success. Given the significance of developing customer preferences and the increasing use of cross-functional new product teams in the NPD process, the authors examine how customer knowledge development is affected by characteristics of cross-functional new product teams in a market-oriented organizational context. On the basis of a study of 228 new product project managers in the R&D or marketing area, the authors find that customer knowledge development is positively influenced by customer orientation, competitor orientation, and cross-functional integration. Interestingly, lead users' involvement has a positive quadratic effect on customer knowledge development in terms of marketing respondents. However, cross-functional integration weakens the positive effects of both customer orientation and competitor orientation on customer knowledge development. Our results also reveal a clear R&D–marketing split on the main effect of the proposed antecedents.
INNOVATIONS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: MOINUDDIN QAZI MUHAMMAD , RASHDI PIR IRFANULLAH SHAH , BHUTTO ARABELLA
Published: November 2010

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the innovation activities of nanotechnology organizations. Regression analysis is used to test the hypothesis in a sample of 270 UK nanotechnology organizations. The findings suggest that the innovativeness of the nanotechnology organizations is affected by organizational support, e-business and knowledge management. The organizations pursuing these strategic factors of R&D and commercialization are more innovative than conventional ones.
AN EVALUATION OF INVENTORY MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE IN INDIAN MACHINE TOOL SMEs: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
Authors: NARAYANAPILLAI RAJEEV
Published: November 2010

Inventory management (IM) plays a decisive role in the enhancement of efficiency and competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises. Therefore, major manufacturing enterprises are following IM practices as a strategy to improve their efficiency and achieve competitiveness. However, the spread of IM culture among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is limited due to lack of initiative and expertise as well as financial limitations in developed countries, let alone developing countries. Against this backdrop, this paper makes an attempt to ascertain the role and importance of IM practices and performance of SMEs in the machine tool industry in the city of Bangalore, India. The relationship between IM practices and inventory cost is probed based on primary data gathered from 91 SMEs. The paper brings out the fact that formal IM practices have a positive impact on the inventory cost and therefore, the IM performance of SMEs.
Effects of carbon monoxide on ion transport across rat distal colon
Authors: Steidle Julia , Diener Martin
Published: November 2010

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether carbon monoxide (CO) induces changes in ion transport across the distal colon of rats and to study the mechanisms involved. In Ussing chamber experiments, tricarbonyldichlororuthenium(II) dimer (CORM-2), a CO donor, evoked a concentration-dependent increase in short-circuit current ( Isc). A maximal response was achieved at a concentration of 2.5·10−4mol/l. Repeated application of CORM-2 resulted in a pronounced desensitization of the tissue. Anion substitution experiments suggest that a secretion of Cl−and HCO3−underlie the CORM-2-induced current. Glibenclamide, a blocker of the apical cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator channel, inhibited the Iscinduced by the CO donor. Similarly, bumetanide, a blocker of the basolateral Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter, combined with 4-acetamido-4′-isothiocyanato-stilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid sodium salt, an inhibitor of the basolateral Cl−/HCO3−exchanger, inhibited the CORM-2-induced Isc. Membrane permeabilization experiments indicated an activation of basolateral K+and apical Cl−channels by CORM-2. A partial inhibition by the neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, suggests the involvement of secretomotor neurons in this response. In imaging experiments at fura-2-loaded colonic crypts, CORM-2 induced an increase of the cytosolic Ca2+concentration. This increase depended on the influx of extracellular Ca2+, but not on the release of Ca2+from intracellular stores. Both enzymes for CO production, heme oxygenase I and II, are expressed in the colon as observed immunohistochemically and by RT-PCR. Consequently, endogenous CO might be a physiological modulator of colonic ion transport.
High dietary salt intake increases carotid blood pressure and wave reflection in normotensive healthy young men
Authors: Starmans-Kool Mirian J. , Stanton Alice V. , Xu Yun Y. , McG Thom Simon A. , Parker Kim H. , Hughes Alun D.
Published: November 2010

Dietary salt intake is associated with high brachial blood pressure (BP) and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether changes in dietary salt intake are associated with changes in central BP and wave reflection in healthy volunteers. Ten healthy normotensive male volunteers (22–40 yr) participated in a 6-wk double-blind randomized crossover study to compare a low-dietary salt intake (60–80 mmol sodium/day) with a high-salt intake (low salt intake supplemented with 128 mmol sodium/day) on central BP and wave reflection. Brachial and carotid BP, carotid blood flow velocity, forward (Pf) and backward (Pb) pressure, wave intensity, body weight, and urinary electrolyte excretion were measured at the end of each crossover period. High salt intake significantly increased carotid systolic BP [98 (SD 11) vs. 91 mmHg (SD 13), P < 0.01] and increased wave reflection [ratio of backward to forward pressure (Pb/Pf) 0.13 (SD 0.02) vs. 0.11 (SD 0.03), P = 0.04] despite only small effects on brachial BP [114 (SD 9) vs. 112 mmHg (SD 6), P = 0.1]. Urinary sodium excretion and body weight were also increased following high salt intake. High salt intake disproportionately increases central BP compared with brachial BP as a result of enhanced wave reflection. These effects may contribute to the adverse effect of high dietary salt intake on the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Increased brachial artery retrograde shear rate at exercise onset is abolished during prolonged cycling: role of thermoregulatory vasodilation
Authors: Simmons Grant H. , Padilla Jaume , Young Colin N. , Wong Brett J. , Lang James A. , Davis Michael J. , Laughlin M. Harold , Fadel Paul J.
Published: November 2010

Acute leg exercise increases brachial artery retrograde shear rate (SR), while chronic exercise improves vasomotor function. These combined observations are perplexing given the proatherogenic impacts of retrograde shear stress on the vascular endothelium and may be the result of brief protocols used to study acute exercise responses. Therefore, we hypothesized that brachial artery retrograde SR increases initially but subsequently decreases in magnitude during prolonged leg cycling. Additionally, we tested the role of cutaneous vasodilation in the elimination of increased retrograde SR during prolonged exercise. Brachial artery diameter and velocity profiles and forearm skin blood flow and temperature were measured at rest and during 50 min of steady-state, semirecumbent leg cycling (120 W) in 14 males. Exercise decreased forearm vascular conductance (FVC) and increased retrograde SR at 5 min (both P < 0.05), but subsequently forearm and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) rose while retrograde SR returned toward baseline values. The elimination of increased retrograde SR was related to the increase in FVC ( r2= 0.58; P < 0.05) and CVC ( r2= 0.32; P < 0.05). Moreover, when the forearm was cooled via a water-perfused suit between minutes 30 and 40 to blunt cutaneous vasodilation attending exercise, FVC was reduced and the magnitude of retrograde SR was increased from −49.7 ± 13.6 to −78.4 ± 16.5 s−1( P < 0.05). Importantly, these responses resolved with removal of cooling during the final 10 min of exercise (retrograde SR: −46.9 ± 12.5 s−1). We conclude that increased brachial artery retrograde SR at the onset of leg cycling subsequently returns toward baseline values due in part to thermoregulatory cutaneous vasodilation during prolonged exercise.
Absence of cross-limb transfer of performance gains following ballistic motor practice in older adults
Authors: Hinder Mark R. , Schmidt Matthew W. , Garry Michael I. , Carroll Timothy J. , Summers Jeffery J.
Published: November 2010

The phenomenon of cross-limb transfer, in which unilateral strength training can result in bilateral strength gains, has recently been tested for ballistic movements. Performance gains associated with repetitive motor practice, and the associated transfer, occur within a few minutes. In this study, young and older adults were trained to perform ballistic abductions of their dominant (right) index finger as quickly as possible. Performance was assessed bilaterally before, during, and after this training. Both groups exhibited large performance gains in the right hand as a result of training ( P < 0.001; young 84% improvement, older 70% improvement), which were not significantly different between groups ( P = 0.40). Transcranial magnetic stimulation revealed that the performance improvements were accompanied by increases in excitability, together with decreases in intracortical inhibition, of the projections to both the trained muscle and the homologous muscle in the contralateral limb ( P < 0.05). The young group also exhibited performance improvements as a result of cross-limb transfer in the left (untrained) hand ( P < 0.005), equivalent to 75% of the performance increase in the trained hand. In contrast, there were no significant performance gains in the left hand for the older group ( P = 0.23). This was surprising given that the older group exhibited a significantly greater degree of mirror activity than the young group ( P < 0.01) in the left first dorsal interosseus muscle (FDI) during right hand movements. Our findings suggest that older adults exhibit a reduced capacity for cross-limb transfer, which may have implications for motor rehabilitation programs after stroke.
Effect of acute high-intensity interval exercise on postexercise biventricular function in mild heart failure
Authors: Tomczak Corey R. , Thompson Richard B. , Paterson Ian , Schulte Felix , Cheng-Baron June , Haennel Robert G. , Haykowsky Mark J.
Published: November 2010

We studied the acute effect of high-intensity interval exercise on biventricular function using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in nine patients [age: 49 ± 16 yr; left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF): 35.8 ± 7.2%] with nonischemic mild heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that a significant impairment in the immediate postexercise end-systolic volume (ESV) and end-diastolic volume (EDV) would contribute to a reduction in EF. We found that immediately following acute high-intensity interval exercise, LV ESV decreased by 6% and LV systolic annular velocity increased by 21% (both P < 0.05). Thirty minutes following exercise (+30 min), there was an absolute increase in LV EF of 2.4% ( P < 0.05). Measures of preload, left atrial volume and LV EDV, were reduced immediately following exercise. Similar responses were observed for right ventricular volumes. Early filling velocity, filling rate, and diastolic annular velocity remained unchanged, while LV untwisting rate increased 24% immediately following exercise ( P < 0.05) and remained 18% above baseline at +30 min ( P < 0.05). The major novel findings of this investigation are 1) that acute high-intensity interval exercise decreases the immediate postexercise LV ESV and increases LV EF at +30 min in patients with mild HF, and this is associated with a reduction in LV afterload and maintenance of contractility, and 2) that despite a reduction in left atrial volume and LV EDV immediately postexercise, diastolic function is preserved and may be modulated by enhanced LV peak untwisting rate. Acute high-intensity interval exercise does not impair postexercise biventricular function in patients with nonischemic mild HF.
Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsies for Gene Expression Ratio-Based Diagnostic and Prognostic Tests in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Authors: De Rienzo Assunta , Dong Lingsheng , Yeap Beow Y. , Jensen Roderick V. , Richards William G. , Gordon Gavin J. , Sugarbaker David J. , Bueno Raphael
Published: November 2010

Purpose: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease associated with median survival between 9 and 12 months. The correct diagnosis of MPM is sometimes challenging and usually requires solid tissue biopsies rather than fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNA). We postulated that the accuracy of FNA-based diagnosis might be improved by the addition of molecular tests using a gene expression ratio-based algorithm and that prognostic tests could be similarly performed.

Experimental Design: Two MPM and 2 lung cancer cell lines were used to establish the minimal quantity of RNA required to perform the gene ratio test. On the basis of these results, 276 ex vivo FNA biopsies from 63 MPM patients and 250 ex vivo FNA samples from 92 lung cancer patients were analyzed using previously described diagnostic and prognostic tests based on gene expression ratios.

Results: We found that the sensitivity of the diagnostic test for MPM was 100% [95% confidence interval (CI): 95%–100%] and the specificity in primary lung adenocarcinoma was 90% (95% CI: 81%–95%). The FNA-based prognostic classification was concordant among 76% (95% CI: 65%–87%) of patients with the risk assignment in a subset of the matched surgical specimens previously analyzed by the prognostic test.

Conclusions: Sufficient RNA can be extracted from most FNA biopsies to perform gene expression molecular tests. In particular, we show that the gene expression ratio algorithms performed well when applied to diagnosis and prognosis in MPM. This study provides support for the development of additional RNA molecular tests that may enhance the utility of FNA in the management of other solid cancers. Clin Cancer Res; 17(2); 310–16. ©2010 AACR.
Role of ATP-Binding Cassette and Solute Carrier Transporters in Erlotinib CNS Penetration and Intracellular Accumulation
Authors: Elmeliegy Mohamed A. , Carcaboso Angel M. , Tagen Michael , Bai Feng , Stewart Clinton F.
Published: November 2010

Purpose: To study the role of drug transporters in central nervous system (CNS) penetration and cellular accumulation of erlotinib and its metabolite, OSI-420.

Experimental Design: After oral erlotinib administration to wild-type and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter-knockout mice (Mdr1a/b−/−, Abcg2−/−, Mdr1a/b−/−Abcg2−/−, and Abcc4−/−), plasma was collected and brain extracellular fluid (ECF) was sampled using intracerebral microdialysis. A pharmacokinetic model was fit to erlotinib and OSI-420 concentration–time data, and brain penetration (PBrain) was estimated by the ratio of ECF-to-unbound plasma area under concentration–time curves. Intracellular accumulation of erlotinib was assessed in cells overexpressing human ABC transporters or SLC22A solute carriers.

Results: P Brain in wild-type mice was 0.27 ± 0.11 and 0.07 ± 0.02 (mean ± SD) for erlotinib and OSI-420, respectively. Erlotinib and OSI-420 PBrain in Abcg2−/− and Mdr1a/b−/−Abcg2−/− mice were significantly higher than in wild-type mice. Mdr1a/b−/− mice showed similar brain ECF penetration as wild-type mice (0.49 ± 0.37 and 0.04 ± 0.02 for erlotinib and OSI-420, respectively). In vitro, erlotinib and OSI-420 accumulation was significantly lower in cells overexpressing breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) than in control cells. Only OSI-420, not erlotinib, showed lower accumulation in cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp) than in control cells. The P-gp/BCRP inhibitor elacridar increased erlotinib and OSI-420 accumulation in BCRP-overexpressing cells. Erlotinib uptake was higher in OAT3- and OCT2-transfected cells than in empty vector control cells.

Conclusion: Abcg2 is the main efflux transporter preventing erlotinib and OSI-420 penetration in mouse brain. Erlotinib and OSI-420 are substrates for SLC22A family members OAT3 and OCT2. Our findings provide a mechanistic basis for erlotinib CNS penetration, cellular uptake, and efflux mechanisms. Clin Cancer Res; 17(1); 89–99. ©2010 AACR.
MEK-Independent Survival of B-RAFV600E Melanoma Cells Selected for Resistance to Apoptosis Induced by the RAF Inhibitor PLX4720
Authors: Jiang Chen Chen , Lai Fritz , Thorne Rick F. , Yang Fan , Liu Hao , Hersey Peter , Zhang Xu Dong
Published: November 2010

Purpose: To examine mechanisms that determine long-term responses of B-RAFV600E melanoma cells to B-RAF inhibitors.

Experimental Design: B-RAFV600E melanoma cells were exposed to the B-RAF inhibitor PLX4720 for prolonged periods to select for cells resistant to apoptosis induced by the inhibitor. The resultant cells were analyzed for activation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), MAP/ERK kinase (MEK), and Akt, and related signals. Their roles in survival of the cells were also examined.

Results: B-RAFV600E melanoma cells selected for resistant to PLX4720-induced apoptosis retained the V600E mutation in B-RAF, and proliferated steadily in the presence of the inhibitor, albeit with slow growth rate. These cells displayed high levels of ERK activation, that is, at least in part, independent of the conventional RAF/MEK/ERK pathway, as MEK activation was low and inhibition of MEK did not significantly block activation of ERK. In contrast, extracellular signals appeared involved. This was associated with elevated activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3k)/Akt pathway and could be inhibited by serum starvation and inhibition of PI3k/Akt. Inhibition of MEK did not impact on survival of these cells, whereas serum starvation, inhibition of PI3K/Akt, and inhibition of ERK1/2 reduced their viability.

Conclusions: These results indicate that sensitivity to induction of apoptosis may be a major determinant of long-term responses of B-RAFV600E melanomas to specific inhibitors and suggest that rebound melanoma growth after initial treatment with the inhibitors may not be responsive to MEK inhibitors, but may be susceptible to inhibition of the PI3k/Akt pathway. Clin Cancer Res; 17(4); 1–10. ©2010 AACR.
Flavopiridol Protects Against Inflammation by Attenuating Leukocyte-Endothelial Interaction via Inhibition of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 9
Authors: Schmerwitz Ulrike K. , Sass Gabriele , Khandoga Alexander G. , Joore Jos , Mayer Bettina A. , Berberich Nina , Totzke Frank , Krombach Fritz , Tiegs Gisa , Zahler Stefan , Vollmar Angelika M. , Fürst Robert
Published: November 2010

Objective—

The cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor flavopiridol is currently being tested in clinical trials as anticancer drug. Beyond its cell death–inducing action, we hypothesized that flavopiridol affects inflammatory processes. Therefore, we elucidated the action of flavopiridol on leukocyte–endothelial cell interaction and endothelial activation in vivo and in vitro and studied the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods and Results—

Flavopiridol suppressed concanavalin A–induced hepatitis and neutrophil infiltration into liver tissue. Flavopiridol also inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α–induced leukocyte–endothelial cell interaction in the mouse cremaster muscle. Endothelial cells were found to be the major target of flavopiridol, which blocked the expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and E-selectin), as well as NF-κB-dependent transcription. Flavopiridol did not affect inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase, the degradation and phosphorylation of IκBα, nuclear translocation of p65, or nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) DNA-binding activity. By performing a cellular kinome array and a kinase activity panel, we found LIM domain kinase-1 (LIMK1), casein kinase 2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), protein kinase Cθ (PKCθ), CDK4, CDK6, CDK8, and CDK9 to be influenced by flavopiridol. Using specific inhibitors, as well as RNA interference (RNAi), we revealed that only CDK9 is responsible for the action of flavopiridol.

Conclusion—

Our study highlights flavopiridol as a promising antiinflammatory compound and inhibition of CDK9 as a novel approach for the treatment of inflammation-associated diseases.