cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A ligand-mediated dimerization mode for vancomycin

Abstract Background: Vancomycin and related glycopeptide antibiotics exert their antimicrobial effect by binding to carboxy-terminal peptide targets in the bacterial cell wall and preventing the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan. Bacteria can resist the action of these agents by replacing the peptide targets with depsipeptides. Rational efforts to design new agents effective against resistant bacteria require a thorough understanding of the structural determinants of peptide recognition by vancomycin. Results: The crystal structure of vancomycin in complex with N -acetyl-d-alanin has been determined at atomic resolution. Two different oligomeric interactions are seen in the structure: back-to-back dimers, as previously described for the vancomycin-acetate complex, and novel face-to-face dimers, mediated largely by the bound ligands. Models of longer, naturally occurring peptide ligands may be built by extension of N-acetyl-D-alanine. These larger ligands can form an extensive array of polar and nonpolar interactions with two vancomycin monomers in the face-to-face configuration. Conclusions: A new dimeric form of vancomycin has been found in which two monomers are related in a face-to-face configuration, and bound ligands comprise a large portion of the dimer interface. The relative importance of face-to-face and back-to-back dimers to the antimicrobial activity of vancomycin remains to be established, but face-to-face interactions appear to explain how increased antimicrobial activity may arise in covalent vancomycin dimers.
Localization of two high-threshold potassium channel subunits in the rat central auditory system.

The firing pattern of auditory neurons is determined in part by the type of voltage-sensitive potassium channels expressed. The expression patterns for two high-threshold potassium channels, Kv3.1 and Kv3.3, that differ in inactivation properties were examined in the rat auditory system. The positive activation voltage and rapid deactivation kinetics of these channels provide rapid repolarization of action potentials with little effect on action potential threshold. In situ hybridization experiments showed that Kv3.3 mRNA was highly expressed in most auditory neurons in the rat brainstem, whereas Kv3.1 was expressed in a more limited population of auditory neurons. Notably, Kv3.1 mRNA was not expressed in neurons of the medial and lateral superior olive and a subpopulation of neurons in the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. These results suggest that Kv3.3 channels may be the dominant Kv3 subfamily member expressed in brainstem auditory neurons and that, in some auditory neurons, Kv3.1 and Kv3.3 may coassemble to form functional channels. The localization of Kv3.1 protein was examined immunohistochemically. The distribution of stained somata and neuropil varied across auditory nuclei and correlated with the distribution of Kv3.1 mRNA-expressing neurons and their terminal arborizations, respectively. The intensity of Kv3.1 immunoreactivity varied across the tonotopic map in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body with neurons responding best to high-frequency tones most intensely labeled. Thus, auditory neurons may vary the types and amount of K+ channel expression in response to synaptic input to subtly tune their firing properties. J. Comp. Neurol. 437:196–218, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 1 Modulates Distinctive NF-κB Pathways through C-Terminus-Activating Region 1 To Regulate Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is required for EBV B-lymphocyte transformation, transforms rodent fibroblasts, and can induce lymphoma and epithelial hyperplasia in transgenic mice. Two domains have been identified within the intracellular carboxy terminus that can activate NF-kappaB, C-terminus-activating region 1 (CTAR1) and CTAR2, through interactions with tumor necrosis receptor-associated factors (TRAFs). CTAR1 can activate both the canonical and noncanonical NF-kappaB pathways and has unique effects on cellular gene expression. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is highly induced by LMP1-CTAR1 in epithelial cells through activation of a novel NF-kappaB form containing p50 homodimers and Bcl-3. To further understand the regulation of NF-kappaB in CTAR1-induced EGFR expression, we evaluated the ability of CTAR1 to induce EGFR in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) defective for different NF-kappaB effectors. CTAR1-mediated EGFR induction required the NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) but not the IkappaB kinase (IKK) complex components that regulate canonical or noncanonical NF-kappaB pathways. CTAR1-mediated induction of nuclear p50 occurred in IKKbeta-, IKKgamma-, and NIK-defective MEFs, indicating that this induction is not dependent on the canonical or noncanonical NF-kappaB pathways. EGFR and nuclear p50 were expressed at high levels in TRAF2(-/-) fibroblasts and were not induced by CTAR1. In TRAF3(-/-) MEFs, CTAR1 induced nuclear p50 but did not affect basal levels of STAT3 serine phosphorylation or induce EGFR expression. EGFR was induced by LMP1 in TRAF6(-/-) MEFs. These findings suggest that this novel NF-kappaB pathway is differentially regulated by TRAF2 and TRAF3, and that distinct interactions of LMP1 and its effectors regulate LMP1-mediated gene expression.
Bacterial Attraction and Quorum Sensing Inhibition in Caenorhabditis elegans Exudates

Caenorhabditis elegans, a bacterivorous nematode, lives in complex rotting fruit, soil, and compost environments, and chemical interactions are required for mating, monitoring population density, recognition of food, avoidance of pathogenic microbes, and other essential ecological functions. Despite being one of the best-studied model organisms in biology, relatively little is known about the signals that C. elegans uses to interact chemically with its environment or as defense. C. elegans exudates were analyzed by using several analytical methods and found to contain 36 common metabolites that include organic acids, amino acids, and sugars, all in relatively high abundance. Furthermore, the concentrations of amino acids in the exudates were dependent on developmental stage. The C. elegans exudates were tested for bacterial chemotaxis using Pseudomonas putida (KT2440), a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1), a soil bacterium pathogenic to C. elegans, and Escherichia coli (OP50), a non-motile bacterium tested as a control. The C. elegans exudates attracted the two Pseudomonas species, but had no detectable antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa. To our surprise, the exudates of young adult and adult life stages of C. elegans exudates inhibited quorum sensing in the reporter system based on the LuxR bacterial quorum sensing (QS) system, which regulates bacterial virulence and other factors in Vibrio fischeri. We were able to fractionate the QS inhibition and bacterial chemotaxis activities, thus demonstrating that these activities are chemically distinct. Our results demonstrate that C. elegans can attract its bacterial food and has the potential of partially regulating the virulence of bacterial pathogens by inhibiting specific QS systems.
Heteropolymeric potassium channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes from cloned subunits.

Abstract Voltage-dependent potassium currents were measured in Xenopus oocytes previously injected with RNAs generated in vitro from each of three cloned cDNAs (RBK1, RBK2, and RGK5). The currents differed in their sensitivities to blockade by tetraethylammonium (TEA; respective K D S 0.3, >100, and 10 mM) and in their inactivation during a depolarizing pulse. Injections of RNA combinations (RBK1/RBK2 and RBK1/RGK5) caused currents that had TEA sensitivities different from those expected from the sum, in any proportion, of the two native channels. It is concluded that novel potassium channels are formed by the oocytes injected with two RNAs, presumably by heteropolymerization of subunits; such heteropolymerization would contribute functional diversity to voltage-dependent potassium channels in addition to that provided by a large gene family.
Use of algae to assess the trophic state of a stream in Middle Tennessee

Knowledge of the effects of nutrient concentration on the composition and structure of photoautotrophic periphyton is essential to understand the impact of eutrophication on shallow lotic systems. Reaches of Sulphur Fork Creek upstream and downstream of effluent from Springfield Wastewater Treatment Plant in Middle Tennessee were sampled to assess the effects of trophic state on characteristics of photoautotrophic periphyton, including composition of diatom and soft-algae assemblages. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) for log10-transformed concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus (log10 [SRP]) to percent composition was significant for 4 of 63 soft-algae taxa sampled from cobbles. Five algae trophic indices (ATIs) to assess the effects of trophic state on soft-algae assemblages were developed using different taxon-trophic indicators which included: (1) r values for log10 [SRP] to percent composition (ATIr), (2) abundance-weighted averages of [SRP] (ATIA-WA [SRP]), (3) abundance-weighted averages ...
Adrenergic-dependent Effect of Adenosine-induced Ventricular Fibrillation in the Isolated Rabbit Heart

Background: The present study examined the contributory role of endogenous cate cholamines in adenosine-induced ventricular fibrillation in isolated rabbit hearts.Methods and Results: Cardiac catecholamine depletion was induced in eleven rabbits by the administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (2 x 30 mg/kg, every 12 hours intramuscularly). Hearts were removed 24 hours later, and subjected to 12 minutes of hypoxic perfusion fol lowed by 40 minutes of reoxygenation while heart rate was maintained with atrial pacing. One of six, and one of five hearts from 6-hydroxydopamine treated rabbits developed ventric ular fibrillation during hypoxia-reoxygenation when exposed to 3,7-dimethyl-1-propar gylzanthine (DMPX) (10 μM) + adenosine (ADO) (1 μM) and DMPX (10 μM) + ADO (10 μM), respectively. In hearts from a control group, not exposed to 6-hydroxydopamine, ven tricular fibrillation developed in each of five (100% incidence) hearts when perfused in the presence of DMPX (10 μM) + ADO (10 μM) (P < .05). Nadolol (1 μM), a...
Knowledge of the Environment and Spatial Cognition: JRS as a Technique for Improving Comparisons between Social Groups

In this paper we compare the sketch-map technique with a spatial modelling task based on a set of eight separate items. The aim of the comparison is to verify, thanks to a special spatial reconstruction set, Jeu de reconstruction spatiale (JRS), whether the difficulties often encountered by unskilled persons when asked to draw a sketch map can be avoided. If so, the JRS could help to improve comparisons between different social groups. Thirty university students majoring in geography and twenty-one unskilled staff members were asked to represent the centre of Strasbourg both by drawing a sketch and with the JRS. The results show that, on one hand, the difference between the two groups regarding the number of items mentioned is smaller with the JRS than with the sketch map. On the other hand, in both groups, the same proportion of respondents increased the number of urban elements produced in the second trial with the JRS. This was not the case with the sketch map. Also, the JRS is more stable than the ske...
Gender and estradiol as major factors in the expression and dimerization of nNOSα in rats with experimental diabetic gastroparesis.

The molecular mechanisms of cellular changes responsible for diabetic gastroparesis, primarily seen in middle-aged women, still remain incompletely defined. We hypothesized that a decrease in the expression, dimerization, and post-translational modification of neuronal nitric oxide synthase alpha (nNOSα) is estrogen mediated and responsible for the gender-specific prevalence of this malady. We induced diabetes by injecting male and female rats with streptozotocin. Male diabetic rats without gastroparesis were then injected with estrogen for 3 weeks and evaluated for gastroparesis development. Gastric tissues were analyzed for the elucidation of biochemical events associated with diabetes and gastroparetic dysfunction. Although male diabetic, gastroparetic (either streptozotocin- or estrogen-induced) rats exhibited similarity in disease pathology to that of females, the molecular mechanisms of development were different. Our results indicate that slow gastric emptying in both male diabetic, gastroparetic rat groups was not associated with the level of expression of nNOSα in gastric tissues. However, nNOSα dimerization, which reflects nNOSα activation, did decline slightly in the antrum of diabetic males with estrogen-induced gastroparesis, suggesting a possible estrogen role. Females with diabetic gastroparesis, in contrast, demonstrated significantly impaired levels and dimerization of nNOSα in the antrum and pylorus. Although the precise mechanism remains unknown, nNOSα dimerization impairment in female antrum is apparently associated with reduced phosphorylation of Ser1416 in the activation loop of nNOSα. Taken together, these results demonstrate that gender and estrogens may be leading factors, through molecular changes involved in nitric oxide synthesis down-regulation, within the antrum and pylorus of female diabetic, gastroparetic rats.
Managing polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescent patients.

This article addresses the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescent girls for clinicians. It recommends that with the many approaches for girls with PCOS treatment should be tailored to each girls symptoms concerns lifestyle and preferences. It also states that long-term follow-up is critical to ensure medication adherence monitor symptoms and co-morbidities and address quality of life issues.
Cytotoxic lignans from the stem bark of Magnolia officinalis.

Three new lignans, 4′-methoxymagndialdehyde (1), 4′-methoxymagnaldehyde B (2), and 4′-methoxymagnaldehyde E (3), were isolated from hexane- and EtOAc-soluble fractions of the stem bark of Magnolia officinalis, together with eight known compounds (4–11). The structures of compounds 1–3 were determined on the basis of spectroscopic and physicochemical data analysis. Compounds 1–11 were tested in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against the K562, HeLa, and A549 cancer cell lines. Among the compounds tested, compound 1 showed the most potent cytotoxic activity against these cancer cell lines, with IC50 values of 3.9, 1.5, and 3.7 µg/mL, respectively.
Novel therapies for inflammatory bowel disease.

Innovations in drug delivery have provided additional benefit from time-tested agents such as corticosteroids and 5-aminosalicylic acid in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Newly developed agents have included not only new compounds and modes of delivery, but also entirely novel therapeutic modalities. Biologic therapies, in particular, have begun to assume a prominent role. These include chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, recombinant cytokines, recombinant immunoadhesins, oligopeptide receptor agonists and antagonists, and antisense oligonucleotides. 163 The facility with which these agents may be developed, their specificity of action, and their rapid adoption in clinical trials have greatly accelerated the pace of discovery and proof of principle. In the foreseeable future, cell-based and gene-based therapies will be tested as better vectors for DNA transfer to the gastrointestinal tract are developed and critical targets are pinpointed.
Identifying new therapeutics for Huntington's disease

Abstract Huntington's disease (HD) devastates patients and their families. Although there are treatments that alleviate some of the symptoms, nothing can be done to slow the progression of disease to its inevitable conclusion. The advent of transgenic mouse models for HD, and other polyglutamine disorders, has provided investigators with unprecedented opportunities to test hypotheses and search for new therapeutic approaches. Here we review some of the aspects of the mouse models and some of the promising new therapeutics that have been tested in these animals.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with efalizumab use in psoriasis patients.

Background Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare, potentially fatal demyelinating disease, affects primarily immunocompromised individuals. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of PML associated with efalizumab (Raptiva), a biologic agent approved for psoriasis. In July 2009, efalizumab was voluntarily withdrawn from the US market because of the risk of PML. Objective To describe 3 cases of PML in psoriasis patients treated with efalizumab. Methods The FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database was searched for post-marketing reports of PML associated with biologic agents that are FDA approved for psoriasis (adalimumab, alefacept, efalizumab, etanercept, infliximab) from market approval to January 30, 2009. Results Twelve cases suggestive of PML were identified: adalimumab (1), efalizumab (4), etanercept (3), and infliximab (4). Efalizumab was the only drug with cases reporting PML in the setting of psoriasis. All cases of PML in efalizumab-treated patients presented 3 years or more after treatment initiation and resulted in death. Cases of PML in patients treated with adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab occurred in patients treated for conditions other than psoriasis and were confounded by the use of other immunosuppressive therapies or were not confirmed PML cases. Limitations AERS data are limited because of an underreporting of spontaneous post-marketing adverse events and variable quality and quantity of information provided. Conclusions These cases suggest that prolonged efalizumab therapy is a risk factor for PML. Although the cases reported treatment for longer than 3 years, a specific treatment duration that does not place patients at risk for PML has not been defined.
Human Synovial Mast Cell Involvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis. Relationship to Disease Type, Clinical Activity, and Antirheumatic Therapy

Mast cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion of synovium obtained from 48 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 42 patients with osteoarthritis (OA). A significantly lower percentage of stainable synovial mast cells was obtained by tissue digestion from patients with clinically active RA compared with those with less active disease. The 54 patients treated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs had a significantly lower percentage of stainable synovial mast cells in cell suspension than did the other 36 patients. When anti-IgE antibody was used as a secretagogue in vitro, significantly greater histamine release was observed from synovial mast cells of RA patients compared with OA patients. Greater histamine release in response to anti-IgE was observed in the RA patients with more clinically active disease and those who were treated with prednisone, compared with RA patients without these features. Synovial mast cells of RA patients treated with a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug had a significantly lower mean histamine content than did cells from patients not receiving such treatment. Our data suggest that there are differences between synovial mast cells from tissues of patients with RA and OA and suggest that synovial mast cells may be activated in clinically active RA. In addition, the data indicate an effect of systemic antirheumatic therapy on mast cells isolated from synovium of patients with arthritis.
Five Facts about Prices: A Reevaluation of Menu Cost Models

are price decreases. (3) The frequency of price increases covaries strongly with inflation, whereas the frequency of price decreases and the size of price increases and price decreases do not. (4) The frequency of price change is highly seasonal: it is highest in the first quarter and then declines. (5) We find no evidence of upwardsloping hazard functions of price changes for individual products. We show that the first, second, and third facts are consistent with a benchmark menu-cost model, whereas the fourth and fifth facts are not.
Gender and the Division of Filial Responsibility between Lone Sisters and Their Brothers

Descriptions of and rationales for the division of responsibility for elderly parents by 50 sister-brother dyads in sibling groups that included only one sister were analyzed qualitatively to explore why provision of services is a gendered activity or at the very least appears to be. Three interrelated factors were identified: (a) Family members adopted cultural assumptions about what constituted gender-appropriate behavior; (b) the lone sister typically was "in charge" of service provision; (c) brothers' actual contributions tended to be considered unimportant by both sisters and brothers. The gender composition of the sibling group is suggested to be an important context within which the meanings of gender and parent care are negotiated.
Safety and efficacy of long-term tocolysis with indomethacin

Indomethacin was utilized in 24 pregnancies (31 exposed fetuses) in preterm labor who labored despite intravenous tocolysis. The mean gestational age at the start of indomethacin therapy was 25.1 weeks (+/- 4.4), mean duration of indomethacin therapy was 43.9 days (+/- 31.4), mean gestational age at delivery 33.1 weeks (+/- 3.7). Neonatal follow-up revealed the same incidence of complications in these indomethacin-exposed infants, when they were compared with all other infants born in the same time period and exposed to intravenous tocolytics only when matched for gestational age at delivery.
Mathematical model for abrasive content estimation in a pulse-electroplated abrasive microtool

Abstract A mathematical model was developed to estimate the weight percent of diamond abrasive particles incorporated in nickel binder matrix during abrasive microtool fabrication by pulse-plating process. The proposed model is based on the hypothesis that, embedment of an inert micro abrasive diamond particle on the substrate will only occur when a few nickel ions from the adsorbed ionic cloud are chemically reduced at the cathode by hydrogen ions present in the diffusion layer. Experimental verification of the model developed was performed by pulse electroplating of diamond abrasive particles on tungsten micro tool shank using an in-house built experimental setup. The predictive model developed was found to estimate diamond abrasive content in nickel binder matrix within 1–7 wt% of experimental results for different pulse-plating conditions.
County-Level Association of Sexual Minority Density with Breast Cancer Incidence: Results from an Ecological Study

To test the hypothesis that breast cancer incidence rates are higher in areas where more lesbian women reside. In this secondary analysis, we are linking Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) breast cancer data from 1996 to 2004 with Census 2000 data. From the Census 2000 data on female same-sex partnered households, we derive a measure of sexual minority women density (SMWD) for each of the 215 counties covered by SEER 12. We test the association of SMWD with breast cancer incidence using multivariable Poisson regression models that control for age, race, and socioeconomic status. We find a significant positive association between SMWD and breast cancer incidence. The incidence rate ratio indicates that a one-unit increase in SMWD is associated with a 13% increase in breast cancers. Our findings suggest that lesbian women may be overrepresented among women with breast cancer. Future studies are needed, relating breast cancer incidence to individual sexual orientation, to confirm our findings.
The Mediating Role of Perceived Parental Warmth and Parental Punishment in the Psychological Well-Being of Children in Rural China

Research has documented that parenting practices, such as parental warmth and parental punishment, play a mediating role in linking individual (e.g., age, gender) and familial characteristics (e.g., economic status, marital quality) to the psychological well-being of children. However, few studies have validated these connections with respect to the Chinese population, especially those in rural areas of China plagued with unfavorable conditions such as poverty and lack of education. In this study, we investigated whether child (age, gender, and sibship size), and familial characteristics (family wealth, parental education, and marital quality) indirectly contribute to the children’s psychological well-being (as indicated by their self-reported internalizing and externalizing problems) through their perceived parental warmth and parental punishment. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed data collected from 2,000 children (ages 9–13) and their parents in rural China. The results reveal significant, indirect relationships from family wealth and marital quality to these children’s externalizing problems through parental warmth and parental punishment. There are age and gender differences in the children’s experiencing internalizing and externalizing problems. Gender differences are also found in their perceived parental warmth and parental punishment. Directions for future research are discussed.
General Nutrition Management in Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Nutritional management is integral to the care of all patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV infection results in complicated nutritional issues for patients, and there is growing evidence that nutritional interventions influence health outcomes in HIV-infected patients. We define levels of nutritional care, and we discuss when patients should be referred to providers (i.e., registered dietitians) with nutritional and HIV expertise.
Effects of a large convective storm on Saturn's equatorial jet

Hubble Space Telescope observations revealed that Saturn’s equatorial jet at the cloud level blows at ∼275 m s −1 today, approximately half the ∼470 m s −1 wind during the Voyager flybys in 1980–1981. Radiative transfer calculations estimate the clouds to be significantly higher today than in 1980. The higher clouds make it difficult to observationally isolate any true slowdown from the vertical wind shear because Voyager and Cassini observations show that the winds become slower with altitude. Here, we test the hypothesis that the large equatorial storm in 1990 called the Great White Spot (GWS) decelerated the equatorial jet. We first use order of magnitude estimates to show: (1) if the GWS triggers vertical momentum redistribution, a minor speed change in the troposphere can lead to a substantial stratospheric wind speed change; (2) stormtriggered turbulent mixing slows a prograde equatorial jet; and (3) a prograde equatorial jet inhibits turbulent mixing in latitude. To test whether a GWS-like large storm decelerates the equatorial jet, we perform numerical experiments using the Explicit Planetary Isentropic Coordinate (EPIC) atmosphere model. Our simulation results are consistent with our order of magnitude predictions. We show that the storm excites waves, and the waves transport westward momentum from the troposphere to the stratosphere and decelerate the equatorial jet by as much as ∼40 m s −1 at the 10-mbar level. However, our results show that the storm’s effect is too weak at the cloud levels to halve the jet’s speed from ∼470 m s −1 .O ur results suggest that a combination of higher clouds and a true slowdown is necessary to explain the apparent equatorial jet slowdown. We also analyze the effect of waves on the apparent cloud motions, and show that waves can influence cloud-tracking wind speed measurements.
Mems-based mechanically tunable flexible photonic crystal

We report design, fabrication and characterization of a MEMS-based tunable flexible photonic crystal, which is comprised of a periodic array of 290 nm diameter high-index (3.46) silicon rod embedded in a low-index (1.56) SU-8. A couple of chevron electro-thermal actuators are attached to the flexible photonic crystal and tunability is achieved by mechanical force generated by the actuators. The mechanical stress induces changes in the periodicity of the photonic crystal and consequently modifies the photonic band structure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ever experimental demonstration of mechanically tunable photonic crystal based on MEMS electro-thermal actuators.
A REGIONAL COMPARISON OF THE MOTIVATION AND PROBLEMS OF VIETNAMESE ENTREPRENEURS

This study assesses the motivations, perceived success factors and business problems experienced by entrepreneurs in Vietnam. It also compares the results between the northern and southern regions of the country. Using data from a survey of 378 Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, results show that Vietnamese entrepreneurs are motivated by the ability to provide jobs for themselves and family members, to gain public recognition, and to prove they can successfully run a business of their own. Important perceived entrepreneurial success factors include friendliness toward customers and a good product at a good price while significant business problems include too much competition, unreliable employees and the inability to obtain both short-term and long-term capital. Results also show a number of city/regional differences in motivation, success factors and perceived success. Implications for policymakers in Vietnam and other emerging economies are also presented.
Climate Variability in East-Central California during the Past 1000 Years Reflected by High-Resolution Geochemical and Isotopic Records from Owens Lake Sediments

Core OL-97A, retrieved from the depocenter of Owens Lake, represents a depositional history spanning the past 1000 yr. Among the 17 elements analyzed in the acid-leachable fractions of 315 salt-free samples (at ∼3 yr/sample), Mg and Li, which come chiefly from authigenic Mg-hydroxy-silicates, were found to have concentration variations reflecting lake salinity and climatic changes during the past. A total of 231 isotopic measurements on carbonates from the same samples in the upper 181 cm show that δ18O and δ13C values range from −5.66 to 0.12‰ (PDB) and 1.38 to 4.28‰ (PDB), respectively. The rate of change with time in δ18O records the rate of change in lake's volume due to climate fluctuations, whereas variations in δ13C reflect mainly variations in biological productivity, nutrient supply, and dissolved carbonate in the lake. Results indicate an effectively dry climate between A.D. 950 and 1220, corresponding to the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (a warm period in northern Europe), during which Owens Lake approached playa conditions. Wet climates prevailed during A.D. 1220–1480, producing relatively large and deep lakes. Beginning about A.D. 1550, the regional climate turned colder but had frequently oscillating precipitation. Six wet/dry cycles with ∼50-yr duration occurred between A.D. 1480 and 1760, during the later half of which Owens Lake became a playa. Since ∼A.D. 1880, the lake level has steadily dropped from its historic high stand under strong impact of human activity.
A Proposed Current-Noise Index for Composition Resistors

A study of fluctuation voltage generated by dc current flowing in composition resistors has led to a convenient factor for expressing the noisiness of a resistor. This factor, or index, is named "conversion gain" and indicates the efficiency with which a resistor converts applied dc power to noise power, expressed in decibel units. The method of measurement is described, and results are given for various commercial resistors including some film types. The use of conversion gain for quality control testing is discussed. Also, examples are given of the use of conversion gain in computing interference in actual circuits.
COUNTRY HOUSE OR CASTLE IN THE AIR

The Building of Castle Howard by Charles Saumarez Smith, London: Faber and Faber, 1990, 239 pp., 55 b. & w. illus., 5 figs., £17.99
Women in higher education in agriculture with reference to selected countries in East and Southern Africa

Abstract In Africa, the continued under-representation of women in education is particularly severe, especially in tertiary level programs relevant to agricultural development. The underlying premises of this paper are, firstly, that African agricultural development would be better served by an increase in the number of well-trained women leaders in agricultural research, extension, training and policy. Secondly, that there are currently very few women in positions of leadership in agriculture development agencies in countries visited in this study. And thirdly, that although there is a relatively low rate of participation of trained women agriculturalists in field positions, higher education in agriculture provides a passage through which women could gain greater access to leadership positions in agriculture. This paper examines the current status of women's participation in higher education in agriculture in selected East and Southern African countries, identifies existing obstacles to their greater par...
Preparation of Recycled Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Composites

The front cover of Motorola cellular phone housings were ground to the same size as original particles prior to use by a knife mill. The mixtures contained 15.2 wt% metals, 1.9 wt% foams, 1.4 wt% rubbers and 81.4 wt% thermoplastics where the major component was a polycarbonate (PC)/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) blend. The separation of the thermoplastic scraps was performed using the sink-float process in water and salt solution. The impact modification of all housing containing six thermoplastic parts was carried out by the addition of a polyolefin elastomer called as the functionalized polyethylene (PE). Unprinted glass fiber reinforced epoxy circuit boards were size reduced and pulverized using the knife mill and hammer mill. The ground epoxy circuit boards were then classified with a set of testing sieves using Gyro sifter, and their mean diameters were calculated by means of particle size distribution analysis. Izod impact strengths at two temperatures, tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on the fracture surfaces, and dynamic mechanical spectroscopy were performed to characterize the alloys and mixtures compounded by a batch mixer and a twin screw extruder.
A comprehensive heat transfer model for rotary desorbers

A model that describes the heat transfer processes within a rotary desorber is presented. This model has several advantages over previous models. The method for calculating the wall-to-bed heat transfer rate includes the effects of moisture in the feed solids and allows for evaporation from the bed before the bulk bed temperature reaches the saturation temperature of the moisture. The method for calculating radiative heat transfer in the desorber accounts for the real nature of the participating gas and the amounts of CO2 and H2O in the gas phase from both combustion and evaporation. Results from experiments performed using a pilot-scale desorber are discussed, and the model is validated by comparing the predicted bed temperature profiles and evaporation rates to those found experimentally. A preliminary attempt to account for the effects of a non-uniform bed on the evaporation rate from the bed is also presented along with several parametric studies. On presente un modele decrivant les procedes de transfert de chaleur dans un dispositif de desorbtion rotatif. Ce modele presente plusieurs avantages sur les modeles precedents. La methode de calcul du taux de transfert de chaleur entre la paroi et le lit tient compte des effets de l'humidite dans les solides d'alimentation et permet l'evaporation a partir du lit avant que la temperature en masse du lit n'atteigne la temperature de saturation de l'humidite. La methode pour calculer le transfert de chaleur radiatif dans le desorbeur tient compte de la nature reelle du gaz participant et des quantites de CO2 et H2O dans la phase gazeuse issue de la combustion et de l'evaporation. On analyse les resultats des experiences menees a l'aide d'un dispositif de desorbtion a l'echelle pilote, et on valide resultats en comparant la prediction des profils de temperature du lit et des taux d'evaporation et a des donnees experimentales. On presente egalement un travail preliminaire pour tenir compte des effets d'un lit non uniforme sur la vitesse d'evaporation a partir du lit ainsi que plusieurs etudes parametriques.
Communication and control for transportation

Communication and control represent a small but important part of the overall transportation problem. Although communication and control differ depending on whether land, sea, or air transportation is involved, there are broad areas of similarities between many of the principles being used for these applications despite the differences in the equipment and detailed practice employed. Control is used to refer to such varied meanings as the control of the translation and rotation of a single vehicle and its associated stability, the control of the propulsion plant, the control of the necessary auxiliaries of voltage, temperature, pressure, etc., and the control of multiple vehicles by either local or centralized methods. Attention is given briefly in this paper to each of these aspects of control. Many of the principles involved are illustrated in more detail elsewhere in this issue where specific transportation control systems are described. Communication is used to refer to the means for tying together the different parts of the transportation system located at different places but sharing a common set of facilities at similar or different periods of time. Communication is required to provide adequate sensor information about such conditions as the position, velocity, and acceleration of the various vehicles involved in the system. Communication also may be required to establish guideways for the plane, ship, train, or car to move by. For multiple vehicles, commmaication is needed to exchange information between the control center and each of the vehicles concerned. Communication and control can have a vital role on such overall characteristics of a transportation system as safety, capacity, reliability, speed, and economy. It is in the fields of control and Communication for multiple vehicles that the greatest effort will be required in the immediate future.
An online portal for collaborative learning and teaching for power engineering education

This paper describes a web-based portal of peer-ranked sites on power engineering for educational purposes. It is a free and open resource consortium for faculty and students in power engineering. As the Internet is developing into a main educational tool, this multimedia-based application offers the educator and the student access to numerous power engineering resources. While it is possible to obtain information using one of the many popular Internet search engines, the results may not be relevant to the desired search topic. The portal described in this paper has individual hyperlinks to various web sites on power engineering that have previously been reviewed and ranked by both established faculty and students according to the versatility of each site. Peer-ranking influences the users' choice for extracting relevant information. Qualitative and quantitative statistical indexes are utilized to rank the web sites. Educators may use the resources available on the portal for educational purposes in a classroom setting. An analysis of the effectiveness of this portal on power engineering education is also offered in the paper.
A simulation-based correlation of cross-sectional area of the thin film produced by Laser Chemical Vapor Deposition with a moving laser beam

A parametric study on shape and cross-sectional area of the thin film produced by Laser Chemical Vapor Deposition (LCVD) with a moving laser beam is presented. The problem is formulated in the coordinate system that moves with the laser beam, and, therefore, the problem is a quasi-steady state. The effects of laser scanning velocity, laser power, and radius of the laser beam on the shapes of the deposited film are investigated. A simulation-based correlation of the cross-sectional area is proposed based on the simulation results. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1813478#
A three-dimensional morphometrical study of the distal human femur.

The objective of this paper is to present a method to describe the three-dimensional variations of the geometry of the three portions forming the distal part of the human femur: the medial and lateral femoral condyles and the intercondylar fossa. The contours of equally spaced sagittal slices were digitized on the distal femur to determine its surface topography. Data collection was performed using a digitizer system which utilizes low-frequency, magnetic field technology to determine the position and orientation of a magnetic field sensor in relation to a specified reference frame. The generalized reduced gradient optimization method was used to reconstruct the profile of each slice utilizing two primitives: straight-line segments and circular arcs.The profile of each slice within the medial femoral condyle was reconstructed using two circular arcs: posterior and distal. The profile of each slice within the lateral femoral condyle was reconstructed using three circular arcs: posterior, distal and anterio...
Total internal partition sums to support planetary remote sensing

Abstract Total internal partition sums are determined from 65 to 3010 K for 13 C 18 O 2 , 13 C 18 O 17 O, 12 CH 3 D, 13 CH 3 D, H 12 C 12 CD, 13 C 12 CH 6 , 12 CH 3 79 Br, 12 CH 3 81 Br, 12 CF 4 , H 12 C 12 C 12 C 12 CH, H 12 C 12 C 12 C 14 N, H 12 C 12 C 13 C 14 N, H 12 C 13 C 12 C 14 N, H 13 C 12 C 12 C 14 N, H 12 C 12 C 12 C 15 N, D 12 C 12 C 12 C 14 N, 14 N 12 C 12 C 14 N, 15 N 12 C 12 C 15 N, 12 C 32 S, 12 C 33 S, 12 C 34 S, 13 C 32 S, H 2 , HD, 32 S 16 O, 32 S 18 O, 34 S 16 O, 12 C 3 H 4 , 12 CH 3 , 12 C 32 S 2 , 32 S 12 C 34 S, 13 C 32 S 2 , and 32 S 12 C 33 S. These calculations complete the partition sum data needed for additional isotopologues in HITRAN2008 and also extend the partition sums to molecules of astrophysical interest. These data, at 25 K steps, are incorporated into a FORTRAN code (TIPS_2011.for) that can be used to rapidly generate the data at any temperature in the range 70–3000 K.
Methods of Classical Mechanics Applied to Turbulence Stresses in a Tip Leakage Vortex

Moore et al. measured the six Reynolds stresses in a tip leakage vortex in a linear turbine cascade. Stress tensor analysis, as used in classical mechanics, has been applied to the measured turbulence stress tensors. Principal directions and principal normal stresses are found. A solid surface model, or three-dimensional glyph, for the Reynolds stress tensor is proposed and used to view the stresses throughout the tip leakage vortex. Modeled Reynolds stresses using the Boussinesq approximation are obtained from the measured mean velocity strain rate tensor. The comparison of the principal directions and the three-dimensional graphic representations of the strain and Reynolds stress tensors aids in the understanding of the turbulence and what is required to model it.
Miniaturization of ESPAR antenna using folded monopoles and conical central element

Miniaturized Electronically Steerable Array Radiator (ESPAR) antenna with folded parasitic monopoles and conical central element is proposed. ESPAR antenna is able to cover a bandwidth from 2.35GHz to 2.55GHz. Folded monopole structure with conical central element is employed to reduce the size of antenna. Height of antenna monopoles is reduced to 1/12 wavelength and its radius is reduced to 1/4 wavelength, making it three times smaller than conventional ESPAR antenna. Central element is made conical to improve bandwidth and return loss. In spite of its compactness antenna achieves gain of 7dBi and return loss of −25dB at designed frequency of 2.45GHz. Antenna main beam can be steered in the horizontal plane across a range from 0–360 degrees by opening shorting parasitic elements. The proposed ESPAR antenna has compact size, beam steering ability and in spite of its compactness antenna achieves almost the same gain as that of standard ESPAR antenna.
How to Speak a Language without Knowing It

We develop a system that lets people overcome language barriers by letting them speak a language they do not know. Our system accepts text entered by a user, translates the text, then converts the translation into a phonetic spelling in the user’s own orthography. We trained the system on phonetic spellings in travel phrasebooks.
Changing Staffing Patterns in Private and Public Research Universities

Staffing ratios are an integral part of private sector productivity analysis; but, an underutilized tool in higher education. This paper contains a detailed staffing analysis of Carnegie I and II research universities over the period from 1987 to 2008. The analysis reveals that university administrations took steps to economize on faculty resources by employing more contract teaching faculty and more part time teaching faculty while further economizing on the use of full time nonprofessional staff. In contrast, university administrators significantly increased the number of executive/managerial and professional administrative staff per 100 students over the same period. As a consequence, 60 percent of the real increase in total cost per student among public research universities and 47 percent of the real increase in total cost per student among private research universities from 1987 to 2008 can be explained by rising overhead costs.
Sensitive detection of malachite green and crystal violet by nonlinear laser wave mixing and capillary electrophoresis

An ultrasensitive label-free antibody-free detection method for malachite green and crystal violet is presented using nonlinear laser wave-mixing spectroscopy and capillary zone electrophoresis. Wave-mixing spectroscopy provides a sensitive absorption-based detection method for trace analytes. This is accomplished by forming dynamic gratings within a sample cell, which diffracts light to create a coherent laser-like signal beam with high optical efficiency and high signal-to-noise ratio. A cubic dependence on laser power and square dependence on analyte concentration make wave mixing sensitive enough to detect molecules in their native form without the use of fluorescent labels for signal enhancement. A 532 nm laser and a 635 nm laser were used for malachite green and crystal violet sample excitation. The use of two lasers of different wavelengths allows the method to simultaneously detect both analytes. Selectivity is obtained through the capillary zone electrophoresis separation, which results in characteristic migration times. Measurement in capillary zone electrophoresis resulted in a limit of detection of 6.9 × 10(-10)M (2.5 × 10(-19) mol) for crystal violet and 8.3 × 10(-11)M (3.0 × 10(-20) mol) for malachite green at S/N of 2.
Indistinguishability Obfuscation with Non-trivial Efficiency

It is well known that inefficient indistinguishability obfuscators $$\mathbf{iO } $$ with running time $${{\mathrm{poly}}}|C|,\lambda \cdot 2^n$$ , where C is the circuit to be obfuscated, $$\lambda $$ is the security parameter, and n is the input length of C, exists unconditionally: simply output the function table of C i.e., the output of C on all possible inputs. Such inefficient obfuscators, however, are not useful for applications. We here consider $$\mathbf{iO } $$ with a slightly "non-trivial" notion of efficiency: the running-time of the obfuscator may still be "trivial" namely, $${{\mathrm{poly}}}|C|,\lambda \cdot 2^{n}$$ , but we now require that the obfuscated code is just slightly smaller than the truth table of C namely $${{\mathrm{poly}}}|C|,\lambda \cdot 2^{n1-\epsilon }$$ , where $$\epsilon >0$$ ; we refer to this notion as iOwith exponential efficiency, or simply exponentially-efficientiOXio. We show that, perhaps surprisingly, under the subexponential LWE assumption, subexponentially-secure XiO for polynomial-size circuits implies polynomial-time computable iO for all polynomial-size circuits.