cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anger in Organizations: Review and Integration

Organizations are rife with situations likely to cause employee anger, including complex relationships, chronic pressure, high stakes, and factors beyond individual control. The importance of this discrete emotion has led to a range of studies exploring the implications of anger for critical organizational phenomena, including emotion norms, leadership, gender issues, status and power, and cross-cultural differences. Despite the dramatic increase in scholarly attention over the past decade to understanding anger experience and expression in organizations, there exist few current reviews and little integration of this diverse literature. By combining a psychological perspective of anger as an episodic process with an organizational perspective emphasizing contextual effects and norms, this review will summarize current research in this vital area, provide a model for understanding and integrating this work, and propose themes for future research.
Cell-cell contact modulation of myosin organization in the early mouse embryo.

Abstract Preimplantation mouse embryos are characterized by a polarized distribution of cortical myosin ( J. S. Sobel (1983). Dev. Biol. 95, 227–231. ). Myosin was present in the peripheral regions of the blastomers and was not detectable in regions of cell contact. Disaggregation of the embryos yielded blastomeres which had a continuous layer of cortical myosin. Development of new contact relations in aggregates, between daughter cells of divided blastomeres, and in chimaeras resulted in renewed polarization of cortical myosin. The results indicate that continuous cell contact interaction modulates the distribution of myosin throughout the preimplantation stages of development. The loss of detectable myosin from regions of cell contact was correlated with development of cell contacts that remained stable after Triton X-100 extraction.
Scope for bottom-up planning in Kolkata: rhetoric vs reality

This paper describes the process of metropolitan planning and decision making in Kolkata, India. Despite widespread belief that West Bengal has been a pioneer in democratic decentralization in India, this paper argues that the dominance of one political party and its hierarchical structure has thwarted the scope for effective bottom-up metropolitan planning in Kolkata. It questions the unchallenged dominance of partisan political actors in public decision making at the local level, and suggests a greater role for non-partisan and locally based civil society organizations. The case also demonstrates that these processes call for expertise in communicative people-centred practices and for shrewd strategic actors who understand the power dynamics of the wider political context. It high- lights the need for policy makers to focus on the design of institutional mechan- isms that allow for a more bottom-up approach to metropolitan planning through which to address common problems and define shared objectives.
Collaborative Workshops and Student Academic Performance in Introductory College Mathematics Courses: A Study of a Treisman Model Math Excel Program

High failure rates in introductory college mathematics courses, particularly among underrepresented groups of students, have been of concern for many years. One approach to the problem experiencing some success has been Treisman's Emerging Scholars workshop model. The model involves supplemental workshops in which students solve problems in collaborative learning groups. This study reports on the effectiveness of Math Excel, an implementation of the Treisman model for introductory mathematics courses (college algebra, precalculus, differential calculus, and integral calculus) at Oregon State University over five academic terms. Regression analyses revealed a significant effect on achievement (.671 grade points on a 4-point scale) favoring Math Excel students. Even after adjusting for prior mathematics achievement using linear regression with SAT-M as predictor, Math Excel groups' grade averages were over half a grade point better than predicted (significant at the .001 level). This study provides supporting evidence that programs like Math Excel can help students in making a successful transition to college mathematics study.
XLR: A Free Excel Add-In for Introductory Business Statistics

XLR is an Excel add-in that unifies the user friendly, widely popular interface of Excel with the powerful and robust computational capability of the GNU statistical and graphical language R. The add-in attempts to address the American Statistical Association’s comment that “Generic packages such as Excel are not sufficient even for the teaching of statistics, let alone for research and consulting.” R is the program of choice for researchers in statistical methodology that is freely available under the Free Software Foundation’s GNU General Public License (GPL) Agreement. By wedding the interactive mode of Excel with the power of statistical computing of R, XLR provides a solution to the problem of numerical inaccuracy of using Excel and its various internal statistical functions and procedures by harnessing the computational power of R. XLR will be distributed under the GNU GPL Agreement. The GPL puts students, instructors and researchers in control of their usage of the software by providing them with the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software, thus, freeing them from the bondage of proprietary software. The creation of XLR will not only have a significant impact on the teaching of an Introductory Business Statistics course by providing a free alternative to the commercial proprietary software but also provide researchers in all disciplines who require sophisticated and cutting edge statistical and graphical procedures with a user-friendly interactive data analysis tool when the current set of available commands is expanded to include more advance procedures.
Towards energy efficient and robust routing with delay guarantees in adhoc and sensor networks

Saving energy while providing end-to-end delay guarantees and robust operation have long been regarded as of paramount importance in real-time adhoc and sensor networks. In this paper we explore how rate-adaptation can save energy in ad-hoc and sensor networks that have real-time requirements, and how robustness requirements, achieved by multipath routing, affect the achievable energy savings. We formulate the problem of finding the most energy efficient data rate for each link, propose an adaptive data rate selection algorithm, and demonstrate that our scheme can save up to 15% energy, when compared with state of art, while still meeting the end-to-end delay guarantees.
Attribution Theory and Strategic Decision Making: An Application to Coalition Formation

Attribution theory was used to predict how members and nonmembers of dominant coalitions would explain the reasons for membership. As predicted, members made stronger attributions to ability and de...
A linear-complexity distortion optimal scheme for the transmission of packetized progressive bitstreams

We propose a novel distortion minimization technique for the transmission of a packetized progressive bitstream. The optimality of our proposed algorithm is analytically proved for a class of sources satisfying a stated condition. It is shown that Gauss-Markov sources belong to the latter class for which the algorithm is optimal. We show that our proposed optimization technique is robust and has a linear complexity in the transmission rate. Simulation results show the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.
Severe maternal morbidity associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in the United States.

Objectives: This study was to report the incidence of severe maternal morbidity associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the United States. Study Design: We used data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey, a nationally representative sample of discharge records, from 1988 to 1997. The database consisted of approximately 300,000 deliveries, which represented 39 million births during the 10‐year period. Results: The overall incidence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy was 5.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 5.2 to 6.5%]. Eclampsia was reported at 1.0 per 1000 deliveries (95% CI: 0.8 to 1.2). The incidence of eclampsia, severe preeclampsia, and superimposed preeclampsia remained unchanged during the 10‐year period. Women with preeclampsia and eclampsia had a 3‐ to 25‐fold increased risk of severe complications, such as abruptio placentae, thrombocytopenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, pulmonary edema, and aspiration pneumonia. More than half of women with preeclampsia and e...
The feasibility of reservoir monitoring using time-lapse marine CSEM

Monitoring changes in hydrocarbon reservoir geometry and pore-fluid properties that occur during production is a critical part of estimating extraction efficiency and quantifying remaining reserves. We examine the applicability of the marine controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) method to the reservoir-monitoring problem by analyzing representative 2D models. These studies show that CSEM responses exhibit small but measureable changes that are characteristic of reservoir-depletion geometry, with lateral flooding producing a concave-up depletion-anomaly curve and bottom flooding producing a concave-down depletion-anomaly curve. Lateral flooding is also revealed by the spatial-temporal variation of the CSEM anomaly, where the edge of the response anomaly closely tracks the retreating edge of the flooding reservoir. Measureable changes in CSEM responses are observed when 10% of the resistive reservoir is replaced by conductive pore fluids. However, to avoid corrupting the relatively small signal changes associated with depletion, the acquisition geometry must be maintained to a fraction of a percent accuracy. Additional factors, such as unknown nearby seafloor inhomogeneities and variable seawater conductivity, can mask depletion anomalies if not accounted for during repeat monitoring measurements. Although addressing these factors may be challenging using current exploration CSEM practices, straightforward solutions such as permanent monuments for seafloor receivers and transmitters are available and suggest the method could be utilized with present-day technology.
Minimum Energy Transmission Over a Wireless Channel With Deadline and Power Constraints

We consider optimal rate-control for energy-efficient transmission of data, over a time-varying channel, with packet-deadline constraints. Specifically, the problem scenario consists of a wireless transmitter with B units of data that must be transmitted by deadline T over a fading channel. The transmitter can control the transmission rate over time and the required instantaneous power depends on the chosen rate and the present channel condition, with limits on short-term average power consumption. The objective is to obtain the optimal rate-control policy that minimizes the total energy expenditure while ensuring that the deadline constraint is met. Using a continuous-time stochastic control formulation and a Lagrangian duality approach, we explicitly obtain the optimal policy and show that it possesses a very simple and intuitive form. Finally, we present an illustrative simulation example comparing the energy costs of the optimal policy with the full power policy.
Are ecological and evolutionary rules being dismissed prematurely

. Recently, it has been suggested that the group of patterns known as the ecological and evolutionary rules are invalid and only of interest historically. Here, I briefly review evidence for the four most prominent patterns: Bergmann’s rule, Cope’s rule, Rapoport’s rule, and the latitudinal gradient in species richness. Although more comprehensive reviews exist for these patterns, the purpose of this paper is to highlight recent work illustrating the validity of each pattern, to question the conclusion that these patterns are only of historical interest, and to briefly explore possible connections between each of these patterns. I also recommend that meta-analytical techniques, a group of statistical methods rarely used in ecology and evolution, need to be incorporated in future tests of general trends.
Efficient estimation of semiparametric copula models for bivariate survival data

A semiparametric copula model for bivariate survival data is characterized by a parametric copula model of dependence and nonparametric models of two marginal survival functions. Efficient estimation for the semiparametric copula model has been recently studied for the complete data case. When the survival data are censored, semiparametric efficient estimation has only been considered for some specific copula models such as the Gaussian copulas. In this paper, we obtain the semiparametric efficiency bound and efficient estimation for general semiparametric copula models for possibly censored data. We construct an approximate maximum likelihood estimator by approximating the log baseline hazard functions with spline functions. We show that our estimates of the copula dependence parameter and the survival functions are asymptotically normal and efficient. Simple consistent covariance estimators are also provided. Numerical results are used to illustrate the finite sample performance of the proposed estimators.
Cyclooxygenase 2 Pathway Mediates IL-1β Regulation of IL-1α, -1β, and IL-6 mRNA Levels in Leydig Cell Progenitors

Prostanoids are arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites derived from the cyclooxygenase (COX1 and COX2 isozymes) pathway and are involved in signal transduction pathways activated by distinct ILs. Although COX1 is the constitutive isoform of COX, IL-1β is a potent inducer of COX2 expression in distinct cell types. This study was designed to determine whether cyclooxygenases could mediate endogenous cytokine regulation in rat progenitor Leydig cells. COX and IL (IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-6) mRNAs were measured by PCR and real-time PCR analyses, respectively. COX function was assessed using COX activity inhibitors: indomethacin (INDO; COX1 and COX2 inhibitor) and NS-398 (COX2 selective inhibitor). Our data indicate that endogenous progenitor COX1 mRNA levels are low and are not regulated by IL-1β. In contrast, COX2 mRNA is induced by IL-1β at 6, 9, and 24 h. IL-1β induction of IL mRNAs was in part significantly impaired in the presence of INDO or NS-398. Among the prostanoids tested, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), PGF2α, an...
Evaluation of Reagent-Impregnated Coagulase-Mannitol Test Strip for Speciation of Staphylococci

A new coagulase-mannitol reagent-impregnated strip test has been evaluated with 322 Micrococcaceae. Mannitol fermentation was determined accurately by this test; however, the coagulase reaction was difficult to interpret and was subject to significant error.
Intrinsic dynamics of the regional community

Patterns of diversity within large regional biotas express the outcomes of processes, operating on both regional and local scales, that influence evolutionary diversification as well as the distribution and abundance of species. Regional analyses of species distributions suggest that neither ecological sorting of species based on their adaptations to the physical environment, nor interactions between competing species, adequately explain patterns of species richness. Potentially competing species appear to utilise broadly overlapping resources with similar proficiency. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses reveal that species abundances and distributions within regions vary independently of evolutionary relationship. This implies the existence of dynamic, species-specific controls on population growth, as could be applied by specialised pathogens or other antagonists. Here, I argue that the changing balance of coevolved interactions between hosts and their antagonists shapes the distribution and abundance of individual host populations as well as patterns of local species richness. Geographical expansion creates allopatric populations and thereby could promote diversification; contraction ultimately leads to extinction. This taxon-cycle dynamic links regional diversity and distribution to intrinsic biological interactions independently of extrinsic ecological conditions. These hypotheses emphasise the central importance of investigating the impacts of pathogens on species abundance and distribution, and the potential consequences of coevolutionary changes in pathogen-host relationships for species formation and extinction.
Trapping a translocating protein within the anthrax toxin channel: implications for the secondary structure of permeating proteins.

Anthrax toxin consists of three proteins: lethal factor (LF), edema factor (EF), and protective antigen (PA). This last forms a heptameric channel, (PA63)7, in the host cell’s endosomal membrane, allowing the former two (which are enzymes) to be translocated into the cytosol. (PA63)7 incorporated into planar bilayer membranes forms a channel that translocates LF and EF, with the N terminus leading the way. The channel is mushroom-shaped with a cap containing the binding sites for EF and LF, and an ∼100 A–long, 15 A–wide stem. For proteins to pass through the stem they clearly must unfold, but is secondary structure preserved? To answer this question, we developed a method of trapping the polypeptide chain of a translocating protein within the channel and determined the minimum number of residues that could traverse it. We attached a biotin to the N terminus of LFN (the 263-residue N-terminal portion of LF) and a molecular stopper elsewhere. If the distance from the N terminus to the stopper was long enough to traverse the channel, streptavidin added to the trans side bound the N-terminal biotin, trapping the protein within the channel; if this distance was not long enough, streptavidin did not bind the N-terminal biotin and the protein was not trapped. The trapping rate was dependent on the driving force (voltage), the length of time it was applied, and the number of residues between the N terminus and the stopper. By varying the position of the stopper, we determined the minimum number of residues required to span the channel. We conclude that LFN adopts an extended-chain configuration as it translocates; i.e., the channel unfolds the secondary structure of the protein. We also show that the channel not only can translocate LFN in the normal direction but also can, at least partially, translocate LFN in the opposite direction.
Low intraoperative heart rate volatility is associated with early postoperative mortality in general surgical patients: a retrospective case-control study.

Heart rate volatility (HRVO) is hypothesized to be a physiological measure of sympathetic activity and is defined by the standard deviation (SD) of the heart rate (HR) in beats per minutes (BPM) over fixed time intervals. To investigate the relationship between low HRVO (SD < 0.5 BPM) during surgical procedures and mortality within 48 h post-procedure. We retrospectively reviewed all adult general surgical procedures performed at our center from January 1, 2003 through July 1, 2013 to identify patients who died within 48 h post-procedure. Demographic, heart rate, and mortality data were extracted from the electronic anesthesia record. Propensity score analysis was used to find matching controls based on age, gender, ASA score, anesthesia type, Charlson index, procedure type, emergency status, year, use of preoperative beta blocker, hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and heart failure. HRVO was calculated for each 5 min interval as the SD of all HR’s within that interval. Negative binomial regression was then used to model the count of intervals with HRVO < 0.5 BPM for the duration of the surgery. During the 10 year study period, 283 patients died within 48 h of procedure finish. These patients were matched to 566 patients who did not die within 48 h after procedure. Patients who died had a 39 % increase in frequency of low HRVO episodes compared to patients who survived (RR 1.39, 95 % CI 1.13–1.72; p = 0.003). Low HRVO during surgical procedure is associated with increased mortality risk within 48 h after procedure. Strategies to identify HRVO early and modify it may lead to improvement in outcomes.
Use of neural networks in an undergraduate robotics course

Within the Systems Engineering major at the US Naval Academy, the two-course robotics sequence introduces students to basic robotics terminology, geometry, components, and kinematics, as well as to machine vision and simple pattern recognition. The use of artificial neural networks in this course is discussed. The teachers stress the fundamentals of neural network theory and practice and try to give students some insight into problems that may arise. Particular attention is given to feedforward neural networks as functional mappings, neural network pruning, and neural network software for the laboratory. >
Pressure sensor design and simulation using the CAEMENS-D

A workstation-based simulation module for micromachined silicon diaphragm structures and its application to capacitive pressure transducers are reported. The module offers a menu-driven user interface, access to a growing database of material parameters and performance data, and an interface to commercial finite-element software. It provides the user with three-dimensional stress, deflection, resistance, and capacitance information and allows three-dimensional visualization of complex diaphragm structures. Finite-element simulations of boron-diffused, thin-diaphragm capacitive pressure transducers, produced using the dissolved-wafer process, allow effects such as diaphragm stress, dielectric-based stress compensation, corrugations and bosses to be explored. Detailed comparisons between the simulations and experimental data generally agree to within a few percent. >
Adaptive connection management for scalable MPI over InfiniBand

Supporting scalable and efficient parallel programs is a major challenge in parallel computing with the widespread adoption of large-scale computer clusters and supercomputers. One of the pronounced scalability challenges is the management of connections between parallel processes, especially over connection-oriented interconnects such as VIA and InfiniBand. In this paper, we take on the challenge of designing efficient connection management for parallel programs over InfiniBand clusters. We propose adaptive connection management (ACM) to dynamically control the establishment of InfiniBand reliable connections (RC) based on the communication frequency between MPI processes. We have investigated two different ACM algorithms: an on-demand algorithm that starts with no InfiniBand RC connections; and a partial static algorithm with only 2 * logN number of InfiniBand RC connections initially. We have designed and implemented both ACM algorithms in MVAPICH to study their benefits. Two mechanisms have been exploited for the establishment of new RC connections: one using InfiniBand unreliable datagram and the other using InfiniBand connection management. For both mechanisms, MPI communication issues, such as progress rules, reliability and race conditions are handled to ensure efficient and lightweight connection management. Our experimental results indicate that ACM algorithms can benefit parallel programs in terms of the process initiation time, the number of active connections, and the resource usage. For parallel programs on a 16-node cluster, they can reduce the process initiation time by 15% and the initial memory usage by 18%.
Why most "dry" rocks should cool "wet"

A new consideration of oxygen isotope resetting among metamorphic minerals is made accounting for (1) the possibility of fH2O-buffering by typical mineral assemblages during cooling and (2) experimental data that show that high fH2O correlates with high diffusion rates. Isotope closure temperatures in buffered rocks are intermediate between simpler predictions based on “wet” (1 kbar hydrothermal) and “dry” ( P ≤ 1 atm, H2O-absent) diffusion experiments, but are typically within ~50 °C of closure temperature estimates that use “wet” diffusion rates, yet 200‐300 °C different from “dry.” Even though many rocks may be “dry” in that they lack a hydrous fluid that is physically present during cooling, buffering of fH2O results in quasi-“wet” diffusion rates. Re-evaluation of published data shows that most rocks indeed exhibit substantial isotope resetting that is best matched by predictions of fH2O-buffering models. Wet- and dry-diffusion models somewhat overestimate and greatly underestimate resetting respectively. Previous interpretations invoking “dry” diffusion rates may derive from erroneous fractionation factors or faster cooling rates than assumed. The rare preservation of isotope closure temperatures that are higher than predicted may reflect faster than expected cooling rates or extraordinarily low fH2O in conjunction with anhydrous assemblages.
Ground plane edge serrations for improved performance of microstrip active reflectarray elements

The paper investigates the effects of ground plane edge serrations on microstrip patch antennas for use in active-element reflectarray applications. Improvements in isolation between the ports of the antenna by this ground plane edge treatment are studied once the microstrip patch geometry has been modified to incorporate the active device. This treatment not only improves the general characteristics of the radiating element, but can also act to stabilize the output and reduce uncontrolled oscillations and other undesired behaviors.
The Effect of the Sequence of Infection of the Causal Agents of Sweet Potato Virus Disease on Symptom Severity and Individual Virus Titres in Sweet Potato cv. Beauregard

Sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) is caused by dual infection of plants with Sweet Potato Feathery Mottle Virus (SPFMV) and Sweet Potato Chlorotic Stunt Virus (SPCSV). Because SPFMV and SPCSV are transmitted by aphids and whiteflies, respectively, infection in nature occurs independently rather than simultaneously. To investigate the effect of consecutive infection on symptom development and individual virus titres, plants infected with a single virus were later inoculated with the second virus. Symptoms were significantly more severe in plants infected with SPCSV followed by SPFMV compared to plants infected with SPFMV followed by SPCSV. Virus titres were not significantly different for SPCSV, but SPFMV titres, in plants infected with SPCSV followed by SPFMV, were significantly higher than all other treatments. The results indicate that the sequence of infection of sweetpotato plants with the causal agents of SPVD influence the severity of symptoms and SPFMV titres in SPVD affected plants.
An occupational therapy refresher course: a 5-year follow-up report.

OBJECTIVES The shortage of occupational therapists prompted the faculty of the program in occupational therapy at the University of Minnesota to develop a reentry (refresher) course. METHOD A questionnaire sent to all enrolled in the 2-week refresher course during a 5-year period revealed that three intended groups of therapists have benefited: those reentering practice, those considering a change to another area of specialty, and those updating their educational background. RESULTS Respondents indicated that the course increased self-confidence, theoretical knowledge base, and ability to apply theory to practice. CONCLUSION Both reentering therapists and those changing specialty areas of practice reported positive employment outcomes.
Integrin Molecular Tension within Motile Focal Adhesions.

Forces transmitted by integrins regulate many important cellular functions. Previously, we developed tension gauge tether (TGT) as a molecular force sensor and determined the threshold tension across a single integrin-ligand bond, termed integrin tension, required for initial cell adhesion. Here, we used fluorescently labeled TGTs to study the magnitude and spatial distribution of integrin tension on the cell-substratum interface. We observed two distinct levels of integrin tension. A >54 pN molecular tension is transmitted by clustered integrins in motile focal adhesions (FAs) and such force is generated by actomyosin, whereas the previously reported ∼40 pN integrin tension is transmitted by integrins before FA formation and is independent of actomyosin. We then studied FA motility using a TGT-coated surface as a fluorescent canvas, which records the history of integrin force activity. Our data suggest that the region of the strongest integrin force overlaps with the center of a motile FA within 0.2 μm resolution. We also found that FAs move in pairs and that the asymmetry in the motility of an FA pair is dependent on the initial FA locations on the cell-substratum interface.
Root cause analysis of oxide scale forming and shedding in high temperature reheater of a 200MW super high pressure boiler

In order to solve the problem of over temperature tube-burst caused by oxide scale shedding and blocking tubes of high temperature reheater of a 200MW super high pressure power plant boiler, this paper expounds the mechanism of scale forming and shedding, and analyzes the probable causes of the tube-burst failure. The results show that the root cause of scale forming is that greater steam extraction flow after reforming of the second extraction leads to less steam flow into reheater, which causes over temperature to some of the heated tubes; and the root cause of scale shedding is that long term operation in AGC-R mode brings about great fluctuations of unit load, steam temperature and pressure, accelerating scale shedding. In conclusion, preventive measures are drawn up considering the operation mode of the unit.
Terms and Predicate Abstraction

Most presentations of first-order classical logic allow constant and function symbols to appear in formulas. This is the appropriate point for us to introduce them into our treatment of first-order modal logic. But doing so brings some unexpected complications with it. On the other hand, the rewards are great. The material that follows is, perhaps, the central part of this book.
The Global Sight Network Initiative

How to replicate a 'one of' social entrepreneurship effort: To cure blindness, Seva took the Aravind Eye Hospital & scaled it up to 100 hospitals globally.Learning Objective:This case explains how they did it. How do you replicate successful, "one of" nonprofit social entrepreneurship efforts? This case is meant as companion reading for the "Hospital for Special Surgery (A)" case, HBS No. 305-076, which poses that very issue.
‘Drawing up a balance sheet’: accounting for history in Australia

This essay undertakes a historiographical analysis of Australia’s ‘History Wars’. It relates these polemical debates over the politics of Australian history to concurrent disputes amongst historians concerning the motives behind Britain’s settlement of the Australian mainland. In debating whether settlement was prompted by Britain’s proliferating convict population or by a desire for imperial expansion, historians on both ends of the political spectrum rely on a model of historical accountability which is itself the product of innovations in economic thought made during the British Enlightenment. Without sufficient acknowledgement of or attention to the epistemological context of Australia’s ‘founding moment’, Australian historical discourse is reproduced via conceptual models which mask its derivation from the very ‘history’ in question.
SP0066 Satellite Cells in Adult Muscle Repair, Adaptation and Disease.

Satellite cells are clearly necessary for postnatal muscle growth and muscle regeneration in the adult. Satellite cells are normally quiescent and in response to damage become activated, proliferate and differentiate into myocytes that fuse with each other to replace lost myofibers, or fuse with existing myofibers for repair. Following injury, and in neuromuscular degenerative diseases, central nucleation is the hallmark of regenerating myofibers. The role of satellite cells in inflammatory myopathies is less clear, although infiltrating immune cells influence satellite cell activity. The necessity of satellite cells in adult muscle adaptability is equivocal. Although satellite cells are known to participate in adult myofiber hypertrophy, several different mouse models of muscle growth show that they are dispensable; the myonuclear domain is flexible, enlarging to accommodate growth in the absence of satellite cell fusion. Satellite cells are not involved in muscle re-growth following disuse atrophy, as no change in myonuclear number occurs during those processes; myonuclear domain size is reduced with unloading due to decreased cytoplasmic volume and is restored following reloading, independent of satellite cells. Currently, there is also no direct evidence that satellite cells are involved in normal muscle maintenance. Our recent work demonstrates that lifelong satellite cell depletion does not exacerbate sarcopenia; neither the loss of muscle mass nor the attenuated hypertrophic response to overload, both apparent in aged mice, is affected by satellite cells. Thus, whereas satellite cell or stem cell-based therapies for muscle degenerative diseases holds promise, therapies for atrophy focused on increasing satellite cell number or activity are unfounded. The extent to which results from studies of mouse satellite cell properties will be translatable to human muscle remains to be determined. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
A Shear-Flexible Beam Element for Linear Analysis of Unsymmetrically Laminated Beams

A twenty-two degree-of-freedom beam element, based on the first order shear deformation beam theory, is derived to study the response of fiber-reinforced laminated composite structures. The element can be used for solving both static and dynamic problems. The element consists of four equally spaced nodes and a node at the middle. The nodal displacements measured at each node are: (i) at exterior nodes 1 & 2 ‐ axial displacement u, lateral deflection v, transverse deflection w, rotation of the transverse normals , in-plane rotation , and twist angle ; (ii) at two interior nodes 3 & 4 ‐ the torsion , and the derivatives of u, v, w with respect to x; (iii) at the interior middle node 5 ‐ rotations and . The beam element was derived for orthotropic materials subjected to a state of plane stress and is based under the assumption that lateral bending moment and resultant force are zero (Nyy = Myy = 0). The element linear stiness and mass matrices are obtained through analytical integration. The results for the case of free vibrations are in very good agreement with those available in the literature.
Osmotic forces driving water reabsorption in the proximal tubule of the rat kidney.

Simultaneous microperfusion of proximal tubules and peritubular capillaries in kidneys of rats anesthetized with Inactin was used to measure reabsorption of fluid in response to an imposed osmotic gradient. The tubular fluid was isotonic and the peritubular capillaries were made hypertonic with NaCl or NaHCO3. Mean gradients and ionic fluxes were measured. When no gradient was imposed tubular fluid became hypotonic and rate of fluid reabsorption was 0.700 nl.mm-1.min-1. Imposition of a 25 mM NaCl gradient increased fluid flux to 3.887 nl.mm-1.min-1, whereas 25 mM NaHCO3 stimulated 5.226 ml/mm fluid reabsorption. This gave a relative reflection coefficient of NaCl:NaHCO3 of 0.73. Apparent water permeability varied with highest values for the smallest gradients. This suggests the possibility of a compartment in the epithelium that is hypertonic to the peritubular capillaries. The hypertonicity required to account for fluid movement was 6-16 mosmol/kg.
Proper Control of Caulobacter crescentus Cell Surface Adhesion Requires the General Protein Chaperone DnaK

ABSTRACT Growth in a surface-attached bacterial community, or biofilm, confers a number of advantages. However, as a biofilm matures, high-density growth imposes stresses on individual cells, and it can become less advantageous for progeny to remain in the community. Thus, bacteria employ a variety of mechanisms to control attachment to and dispersal from surfaces in response to the state of the environment. The freshwater oligotroph Caulobacter crescentus can elaborate a polysaccharide-rich polar organelle, known as the holdfast, which enables permanent surface attachment. Holdfast development is strongly inhibited by the small protein HfiA; mechanisms that control HfiA levels in the cell are not well understood. We have discovered a connection between the essential general protein chaperone, DnaK, and control of C. crescentus holdfast development. C. crescentus mutants partially or completely lacking the C-terminal substrate binding “lid” domain of DnaK exhibit enhanced bulk surface attachment. Partial or complete truncation of the DnaK lid domain increases the probability that any single cell will develop a holdfast by 3- to 10-fold. These results are consistent with the observation that steady-state levels of an HfiA fusion protein are significantly diminished in strains that lack the entire lid domain of DnaK. While dispensable for growth, the lid domain of C. crescentus DnaK is required for proper chaperone function, as evidenced by observed dysregulation of HfiA and holdfast development in strains expressing lidless DnaK mutants. We conclude that DnaK is an important molecular determinant of HfiA stability and surface adhesion control. IMPORTANCE Regulatory control of cell adhesion ensures that bacterial cells can transition between free-living and surface-attached states. We define a role for the essential protein chaperone, DnaK, in the control of Caulobacter crescentus cell adhesion. C. crescentus surface adhesion is mediated by an envelope-attached organelle known as the holdfast. Holdfast development is tightly controlled by HfiA, a small protein inhibitor that directly interacts with a WecG/TagA-family glycosyltransferase required for holdfast biosynthesis. We demonstrate that the C-terminal lid domain of DnaK is not essential for growth but is necessary for proper control of HfiA levels in the cell and for control of holdfast adhesin development.
Evaluation of Quality of Mortality Surveillance Data in Chengdu in 2006

Objective To evaluate the quality of mortality surveillance data in Chengdu in 2006,so as to improve the surveillance system.Method All death cases were classified by ICD-10,the integrality,immediacy and accuracy of data were analyzed.Results The rates of accordance between reported cases from surveillance system and statistics data from the police were 120.38%,131.29%,and 78.97% separately for city area,city-rural area and rural area.The median of report time for those death cases happened in hospitals were 37 days.38 days and 17 days separately for city area,city-rural area and rural area,while for those death cases happened out of hospitals were 58 days,56 days and 69 days,respectively.The total 190 death cases were investigated and the results showed that the rate of accordance between the data reported by medical death certification and the truth was 87.37%,while 75.41% between the data reported by the internet and the truth.Conclusion The quality of mortality surveillance data in Chengdu should be improved.
MNS blood group system: a review

The MNS blood group system is second only to the Rh blood group system in its complexity. Many alloantibodies to antigens in the MNS system are not generally clinically significant although antibodies to low-prevalence and high-prevalence MNS antigens have caused hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. The MNS antigens are carried on glycophorin A (GPA), glycophorin B (GPB), or hybrids thereof, which arise from single-nucleotide substitution, unequal crossing over, or gene conversion between the glycophorin genes. Antigens in the MNS system are fully developed at birth. This review summarizes aspects of the MNS system, including the molecular basis of some antigens in the MNS blood group system. Readers are referred to existing excellent reviews for background information. Throughout this document, information given without references can be found in the reviews listed previously, and the reader is referred to these reviews for references to original reports.
Wilf's Conjecture

In a Note in this MONTHLY, Klazar raised the question of whether the alternating sum of the Stirling numbers of the second kind is ever zero for n ≠ 2. In this article, we present the history of th...
Circadian Effects on Simple Components of Complex Task Performance

The goal of this study was to advance understanding and prediction of the impact of circadian rhythm on aspects of complex task performance during unexpected automation failures, and subsequent fault management. Participants trained on two tasks: a process control simulation, featuring automated support; and a multi-tasking platform. Participants then completed one task in a very early morning (circadian night) session, and the other during a late afternoon (circadian day) session. Small effects of time of day were seen on simple components of task performance, but impacts on more demanding components, such as those that occur following an automation failure, were muted relative to previous studies where circadian rhythm was compounded with sleep deprivation and fatigue. Circadian low participants engaged in compensatory strategies, rather than passively monitoring the automation. The findings and implications are discussed in the context of a model that includes the effects of sleep and fatigue factors.
Joseph L Doop

Joseph Leo Doob, a pioneer in the study of the mathemetical foundations of probability theory and its remarkable interplay with other areas of mathematics, died in June in Urbana, Illinois, where he had lived since 1935, arriving as a new faculty member of the University of Illinois. He was 94.
NEW CHALLENGES IN COMPUTER AIDED SOLID MODEL DESIGN FOR RAPID PROTOTYPING OF VEHICLE COMPONENTS

Rapid Prototyping or Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) is an emerging fabrication process for production of physical objects directly from CAD models. It has been increasingly used in automotive industries for rapid fabrication of prototypes to verify new or modified designs. Computer modelling and interfaces have not become issues until recent years when research on the SFF of multiple material components and high precision functional prototypes has been initiated. This paper will summarize a number of these issues and the research directions on these issues will be also discussed.
The Effects of Evaluative Reviews on Market Success in the Video Game Industry

Prior research and anecdotal evidence suggest that the market success of experience goods (i.e. motion pictures) can be empirically connected to professional and peer reviews of those experience goods. In this paper, this argument is tested by examining the way in which reviews determine the success of video games. A number of analysis strategies are used to show that professional critics’ reviews of games can influence sales of games. The amount of advertising is also an influential factor.
Differential Regulation of Expression of the Anti-Leukemogenic Orphan Nuclear Receptor Nur77 (nr4a1) In HSCs, CLPs, and CMPs

Abstract Abstract 4782 The molecular basis for the balance between self-renewal and differentiation that regulates hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) development is poorly understood. Recent studies suggest that levels of expression of the orphan nuclear hormone receptor Nur77 (nr4a1), previously implicated in thymic selection, may play a pivotal role in HSC fate decisions. Previously published quantitative PCR data suggest that murine HSCs express relatively high levels of Nur77 mRNA. Genetic deletion of Nur77 and its close family member Nor-1 (nr4a3) in mice resulted in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (Mullican et al. Nat Med, 13:730;2007), consistent with Nur77's role as an anti-leukemogenic transcription factor, but also suggestive of a role in HSC homeostasis. To more closely investigate the role of Nur77 in normal hematopoiesis, we constructed a transgenic reporter mouse in which GFP is driven by the Nur77 promoter (eGFPNur77). Unexpectedly, we found that fewer than 3% of freshly isolated bone marrow HSCs (Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+, IL-7R-) and common lymphoid progenitors (CLP = Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+, IL-7R+), and no common myeloid progenitors (CMP) expressed Nur77 in our novel reporter system. Interestingly, culture of Lin- bone marrow cells with serum-containing medium resulted in a marked increase in Nur77 (GFP) expression among the majority of HSC's and CLP's, but not CMP's. Further studies indicate that a heat-insensitive component of serum, also present in plasma, is responsible for this induction. Taken together with published data, our studies suggest that induction and modulation of Nur77 may play a previously unappreciated role in self-renewal and lymphoid versus myeloid lineage commitment decisions of HSCs. We are currently working to understand the developmental difference in HSC/CLP/CMP responsiveness and to identify the serum component(s) responsible for upregulating Nur77. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A compositional data perspective on studying the associations between macronutrient balances and diseases

A compositional data perspective on studying the associations between macronutrient balances and diseases
A mixed biomass-based energy supply chain for enhancing economic and environmental sustainability benefits: A multi-criteria decision making framework

Abstract Bioenergy sources have been introduced as a means to address challenges of conventional energy sources. The uncertainties of supply-side (upstream) externalities (e.g., collection and logistics) represent the key challenges in bioenergy supply chains and lead to reduce cross-cutting sustainability benefits. We propose a mixed biomass-based energy supply chain (consisting of mixed-mode bio-refineries and mixed-pathway transportation) and a multi-criteria decision making framework to address the upstream challenges. Our developed framework supports decisions influencing the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Economic analysis employs a support vector machine technique, to predict the pattern of uncertainty parameters, and a stochastic optimization model, to incorporate uncertainties into the model. The stochastic model minimizes the total annual cost of the proposed mixed supply chain network by using a genetic algorithm. Environmental impact analysis employs life cycle assessment to evaluate the global warming potential of the cost-effective supply chain network. Our presented approach is capable of enhancing sustainability benefits of bioenergy industry infrastructure. A case study for the Pacific Northwest is used to demonstrate the application of the methodology and to verify the models. The results indicate that mixed supply chains can improve sustainability performance over traditional supply infrastructures by reducing costs (up to 24%) and environmental impacts (up to 5%).