cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Antibiotic Resistance Among Veterinary Bacterial Pathogens

Since the introduction of antimicrobials into veterinary medicine some 45 years ago, animal health and productivity has improved significantly.1,4,10,12 Despite considerable use, and some misuse, many antimicrobials continue to remain effective today. However, loss of efficacy through emergence of bacterial antibiotic resistance is always an ever present risk.1,2,3,6,14,15 Antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens in animals not only pose a problem with respect to animal health but are a growing concern regarding possible transmission to humans as foodborne pathogens.7,9,15,18 The dilemma of antibiotic resistance is worsened by the growing number of bacterial pathogens resistant to multiple, structurally unrelated drugs, and to the fact that few veterinary antimicrobials are likely to be available before the end of the decade.4,8,12 Accordingly, more attention is now being paid to the ease at which resistance can develop to both single and multiple antimicrobials among bacterial pathogens. If current trends continue, we may encounter bacterial pathogens which are resistant to all known antimicrobials. This situation is being addressed by both FDA and USDA which are currently implementing strategies to head off this potential threat.
1 – Signal Types, Properties, and Processes

This chapter discusses the different types of signals and derives its energy and power. A signal is a function that carries some information. Mathematically, a signal can be classified as deterministic or random. For a deterministic signal, there is no uncertainty with respect to its value at any time. Deterministic signals are modeled by explicit mathematical expressions. For a random signal, there is some degree of uncertainty before the signal occurs. A probabilistic model is used to characterize a random signal. A random process can be viewed as a function of two variables: sample space and time. A random process is an ensemble of time functions together with a probability rule that assigns a probability to any meaningful event associated with an observation of one sample function of the random process. The autocorrelation function is a measure of the degree to which two time samples of the same random process are related. A random process is said to be stationary in the strict sense if none of its statistics is affected by a shift in time origin. A random process is said to be wide-sense stationary if two of its statistics do not vary with shift in time origin. Further, power spectral density (psd) is described with its properties. In addition relation between the psd of input versus the psd of output is highlighted.
Identification of Protein Complexes in mAKAP Signalosome by Mass Spectrometry

A-Kinase Anchoring Proteins (AKAPs) are scaffolding proteins that bind protein kinase A (PKA). AKAPs can also bind other kinases, phosphatases, membrane receptors, ion channels and/or substrate proteins to mediate complex signaling pathways. Understanding of such AKAP signalosomes would be crucial to study crosstalk among different intracellular signaling pathways in the heart. Our lab works with two AKAPs, muscle-specific AKAP, mAKAP (AKAP6, AKAP100) and Gravin (AKAP12, AKAP250). mAKAP is present on the nuclear envelope of cardiomyocytes and regulates multitude of cardiac hypertrophic pathways. Our lab has previously published that polymorphisms in human mAKAP significantly alter its binding with PKA and phosphodiestrase4D3 (PDE4D3) that might contribute to increased risk of heart failure. Therefore our aim is to identify all protein complexes in wild-type (WT) and polymorphic mAKAP signalosomes. To study this, we performed immunoprecipitation (IP) experiments by expressing flag-tagged WT and polymorphic...
Heavy fragment radioactivity of 238Pu: Si and Mg emission.

In addition to its two known hadronic decay modes\char22{}alpha decay (half-life 88 yr) and spontaneous fission (5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{10}$ yr)\char22{}we have found that $^{238}\mathrm{Pu}$ also decays by emission of a Mg nucleus (\ensuremath{\sim}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{18}$ yr) and by emission of a Si nucleus (\ensuremath{\sim}6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{17}$ yr). This extends to four (the other two being $^{14}\mathrm{C}$ emission and Ne emission) the number of known modes of decay by emission of a fragment of mass between that of an alpha particle and that resulting from fission. The branching ratios relative to alpha decay are the lowest yet observed: \ensuremath{\sim}6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}17}$ for Mg emission and 1.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}16}$ for Si emission.
Chapter 6 Posture and locomotion

Publisher Summary Studies on the control of posture and locomotion over the past century have taken a variety of experimental perspectives, including neurophysiological, biomechanical, and, more recently, a dynamical systems perspective. This chapter reviews the theoretical underpinnings of each perspective and their evolution over time. It summarizes the research from each of these areas that has contributed to the understanding of the control of posture and locomotion. Research grounded in the neurophysiological perspective has supplied the information of increasing detail regarding the specific elements of the neuromotor system that participate in synergistic ways in pattern formation and perturbation responses. Yet the increasing detail about which elements are involved in each behavior does not answer questions about the way these elements are coordinated. Past theories based primarily on models of neuronal central pattern generators whose output is modulated by relevant sensory information are being altered by dynamical models in which systems are softly assembled and self-organizing. This paradigmatic shift is not a denunciation of the past, but rather an acknowledgement that the present knowledge base requires a broader theoretical perspective.
Anaerobic Bacteria as Cause of the Blind Loop Syndrome: A case report with observations on response to antibacterial agents

Summary A patient with malabsorption due to the blind loop syndrome was studied with quantitative aerobic and anaerobic cultures of afferent loop material and feces while he was exposed to a variety of antibacterial agents. Abnormalities in absorption of vitamin B 12 and fat chiefly paralleled the presence of large numbers of anaerobes, especially Bacteroides, in the afferent loop. We suggest that anaerobic bacteria, particularly Gram-negative anaerobic bacilli, may be important in the pathogenesis of the blind loop syndrome, at least in some patients. We feel that bacteriological studies of patients with this syndrome should be done quantitatively and that techniques appropriate for recovery of fastidious anaerobes should be included.
Denotational semantics of CSP

Abstract In this paper we propose a new denotational semantics for CSP. The domains used in the semantics are very simple, compared to those used in other approaches to the semantics of CSP. Moreover, our denotations are more abstract than those of the other approaches.
Social Relationships among Males in Multimale Siamang Groups

I quantified social and spatial interactions among adults in 4 multimale siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) groups to evaluate the importance of aggression and avoidance in mediating male-male relationships. Actual genetic relationships among adults are unknown, but available mitochondrial data suggest that in 3 of 4 groups, neither male was the offspring or maternal sibling of the female, whereas in the fourth group, a matrilineal relationship between the female and 1 adult male was not excluded. Rates of aggression involving male-male dyads were very low. One male-female dyad maintained closer spatial cohesion than those of other adult dyads in 3 of 4 groups. Nonetheless, all adult males spent substantial percentages of their time ≤20 m from other adults in their groups. The percentages of time that male-male dyads spent in social grooming interactions did not differ from those of male-female dyads. In 3 groups, both males copulated with the group female. While previous studies have reported high rates of aggression between adult males and subadult male group members in siamangs, my results suggest that male-male relationships in multimale groups at Way Canguk were relatively harmonious. Acceptance of multimale grouping (and in some cases sexual polyandry) suggests that the benefits outweigh the costs under some circumstances. If there was a genetic relationship between males, then tolerance of delayed dispersal and copulation with the adult female may function as a form of parental investment. Males may also benefit from multimale grouping via enhanced territorial defense or reduced costs of mate defense.
The effect of an electric field on the chemical vapour deposition of (100) diamond

The scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) has been used to modify surfaces with atomic resolution and has consequently been proposed as a tool for nanotechnology. Here we examine a process for deposition of (100) diamond under a localized electric field. We use ab initio quantum-chemistry techniques to investigate the effect of an electric field on the chemical vapour deposition of (100) diamond. The field approximates the field of an STM by using a point charge placed 15 A above the surface to create a 0.64 V A-1 field at the dimer. Our study explores the effect of this electric field on CH3 adsorption, and the dimer-opening and ring-closing steps of the Brenner-Garrison diamond CVD mechanism. CH3 adsorption is exothermic by 84 kcal mol-1 and is not affected by the electric field. The dimer-opening and ring-closing steps are sensitive to the applied field: the dimer-opening barrier is reduced from 9.6 to 6.0 kcal mol-1, while the barrier of the ring-closing step is reduced from 13.6 to 11.0 kcal mol-1. Our results indicate that the rate of CVD diamond growth can be enhanced by the application of an electric field, in agreement with experiment.
Clinical validity of the speech-sounds perception test and the seashore rhythm test

The interpretive significance of the Speech-Sounds Perception Test (SSPT) and the Seashore Rhythm Test (SRT) was evaluated through literature review and empirical investigations. Subjects were 43 pseudoneurologic controls and 81 brain-damaged persons, divided into subgroups of subjects with left-hemisphere damage (n = 20), diffuse brain damage (n = 31), and right-hemisphere damage (n = 30). Our data indicate that the SSPT and SRT failed to discriminate left- and right-hemisphere damage. Furthermore, discriminant analyses demonstrated that these tests make no unique diagnostic contribution within the context of a neuropsychological battery. We question whether these tests should be routinely used.
Antibacterial activity of conjugated polyelectrolytes with variable chain lengths.

Cationic poly(phenylene ethynylene)- (PPE-) based conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) with six different chain lengths ranging in degree of polymerization from ∼7 to ∼49 were synthesized from organic-soluble precursor polymers. The molecular weight of the precursor polymers was controlled by the amount of a monofunctional “end-capping” agent added to the polymerization reaction. Cationic CPEs were prepared by quaternization of amine groups to tetraalkylammonium groups. Their structure–property relationships were investigated by observing their photophysical properties and antibacterial activity. The polymers were found to exhibit a chain-length dependence in their photophysical properties. It has also been observed that the polymers exhibit effective antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria under UV irradiation, whereas they show little antibacterial activity in the dark. An effect of chain length on the light-activated antibacterial activity was also found: The shortest...
Improvement of the design and operation of desalination plants by computer modelling and simulation

Abstract This paper describes the challenge and benefits of improving the design and operations of desalination and co-generation plants. Both the design and the control aspects of these processes are considered. It explains how steady state and dynamic simulation can lead to better design and improved control. The paper highlights the economic benefits which can be achieved by using computer modelling and process simulation. It presents some industrial applications of ASPEN PLUS™ and SPEEDUP™ for design, optimization, and control system studies of desalination and co-generation plants.
Endocannabinoids modulate encoding of sequential memory in the rat hippocampus.

Rationale This report investigated the role of endocannabinoids in the encoding of task-relevant information by ensembles of hippocampal neurons under conditions in which the CB1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant, was administered during performance of a short-term memory delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) task in rats.
Dispersal of the eucalyptus longhorned borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in urban landscapes.

Environ Entomol. 27(6): 1418-1424 (1998) We conducted 2 mark-recapture experiments in urban landscapes to examine the dispersal behavior of the eucalyptus longhorned borer, Phoracantha semipunctata (F.), a crepuscular beetle whose larvae bore into woody tissues of stressed or weakened eucalypts and fallen branches. Temporal changes in attractiveness of trees to beetles resulted in a correlation between beetle abundance and sample date. A mark-recapture study revealed that rates of beetle recapture declined with increasing air temperature, suggesting that beetles were less likely to disperse long distances on cool evenings. Dispersal behavior was not influenced by body size of either sex; however, larger males were more likely to gain mates than were smaller males. Estimated population size averaged 328 beetles per night. In another mark-recapture experiment, P semipunctata were captured on 6 piles of eucalypt logs, 3 positioned inside a eucalypt grove and 3 outside. Males captured on the outside log piles were larger than those captured inside, suggesting that larger males were more likely to disperse longer distances than smaller males. Low 24-h recapture rates (<35%) of adult P semipunctata in both experiments suggested that P semipunctata dispersed actively in urban landscapes. These beetles may show little site fidelity because they must alternately search for vigorous eucalypts in flower on which they feed and for stressed larval hosts that are unpredictably distributed in time and space.
Thermo-mechanical stresses for a triple junction of dissimilar materials: Global-local finite element analysis

Finite element analysis with conventional elements fails to provide convergent stresses in regions where a free edge with a bimaterial interface or a junction of dissimilar materials exists. However, these regions are characteristic of electronic devices, and they are the most critical locations for failure. A finite element analysis with global (special) and local (conventional) elements has been developed to provide an accurate description of the stress field at these locations. The global elements capture the singular nature of the stresses arising from geometric and material discontinuities. With this method, the designer can accurately evaluate the thermo-mechanical integrity of various electronic devices.
Problems in Ratio Correlation: The Case of Deterrence Research

Potential problems in ratio correlation cannot be resolved outside a particular substantive context. Within the context of deterrence research, several approaches are examined: the "conceptual-meaning" resolution, the Pearsonian approximation formula and null comparison, simulation techniques, decomposition into component covariances, part correlation, and the use of residual scores. A simulation experiment shows that when the terms used in the measures of certainty of imprisonment and crime rate are randomly scrambled, the resulting ratios correlate in a manner comparable to what occurs with the data in their original form. These scrambled-data correlations, however, are due purely to artifactual effects of the common term. The most useful test for the existence of this common-term artifact appears to be the technique of part correlation. With empirical imprisonment data, the part correlations are lower than the zero-order correlations, supporting the possibility that the original correlations may have been at least partially artifactual. Much sociological research consists of relating complex indexes to each other. These indexes are formed by combining separate but related indicators in some fashion, by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing them in various ways. Such indexes are indispensable to many kinds of social scientific research, and it is therefore important to consider carefully the ways in which the construction of our indexes can affect the validity and interpretation of our research. This paper will consider in detail one such type of index construction: the formation of ratios, with specific attention to problems that may arise when attempting to correlate two ratios in which the numerator of one is the same as the denominator of the other. In one rapidly expanding body of research, the deterrent or preventive effects of legal sanctions on crime, the strongest findings of most of the major
X-ray Diffraction Investigation of the Formation of Nanostructured Metastable Phases During Short-Duration Mechanical Alloying of Cu–Al Powder Mixtures

Mechanical alloying is a powder processing technique used to process materials farther from equilibrium state. This technique is mainly used to process difficult to alloy materials in which the solid solubility is limited, and to process materials where non-equilibrium phases cannot be produced at room temperature through conventional processing techniques. In the present work, mechanical alloying/milling of selected compositions in the Al–Cu binary alloy system was carried out at a ball-to-powder weight ratio (BPR) of 2 : 1, to investigate alloying and subsequent heat treatment on microstructural changes as a result of short milling times. Copper-aluminum powder mixtures containing 5, 20, and 40 wt% Al (11, 37, and 61 at% Al, respectively) were subjected to mechanical alloying, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), after mechanical alloying and subsequent heat treatment. Nanometer-sized grains were observed in the as...
Local susceptibility calculation for intermediate-valence solids

A calculation of the local susceptibility of an intermediate-valence solid is presented. The mode which resembles some thulium salts, consists of an ionic doublet (with n electrons) or an ionilc triplet (with (n + 1) electrons) and a variable number of electrons in a “conduction” band. Hybridization is fully taken into account locally. The calculation is performed in the micro-grand-canonical ensemble. Both a Curie- and a Van-Vleck-type susceptibilities are found. The contributions from doublet, triplet, and itinerant electrons and their interferences are analyzed. Under some conditions it is found that the hybridized intermediate-valence compound has a lower effective magnetic moment than both the doublet and the triplet. Es wird die lokale Suszeptibilitat einer zwischenvalenten Verbindung berechnet. Das Modell, das einigen Thuliumsalzen entspricht, besteht aus einem ionischen Dublett (mit n Elektronen) oder einem ionischen Triplett (mit (n + 1) Elektronen) und einer variablen Anzahl von Elektronen im „Leitungsband”. Die Hybridisierung wird lokal voll berucksichtigt. Die Berechnung erfolgt in der mikro-groskanonischen Gesamtheit. Es treten sowohl Curie- als auch Van-Vleck-Beitrage zur Suszeptibilitat auf. Die Beitrage des Dubletts, des Tripletts und der Leitungselektronen sowie deren Interferenzen werden diskutiert. Unter gewissen Bedingungen wird fur die hybridisierte Zwischenvalenzverbindung ein kleineres effektives magnetisches Moment als das des Dubletts und des Tripletts erhalten.
WIC participation and breastfeeding among White and Black mothers: data from Mississippi.

Participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has been associated with lower rates of breastfeeding; studies have suggested this relationship may be modified by race. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between WIC participation and breastfeeding behaviors among white and black women in Mississippi. Using data from the 2004–2008 Mississippi Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, we calculated multivariable prevalence and hazard ratios to assess the relationships among WIC participation during pregnancy and breastfeeding initiation and duration through 10 weeks postpartum. Stratified analyses were performed for white and black women. 52.2 % of white and 82.1 % of black women participated in WIC. 60.4 % of white and 39.7 % of black women initiated breastfeeding, and 26.5 % and 21.9 %, respectively, were breastfeeding at 10 weeks postpartum. WIC participation was negatively associated with breastfeeding initiation among whites (APR: 0.87; 95 % CI 0.77–0.99), but not blacks (APR: 0.99; 95 % CI 0.28–1.21). WIC participation was not associated with breastfeeding duration for women of either race (white: AHR: 1.05, 95 % CI 0.80–1.38; black: AHR: 0.91, 95 % CI 0.65–1.26). The results among white women suggest that Mississippi WIC might benefit from an in depth evaluation of the program’s breastfeeding promotional activities to determine if aspects of the program are undermining breastfeeding initiation. High rates of participation in the WIC program among black women, and the overall low rates of breastfeeding in this population point to the potential the program has to increase breastfeeding rates among blacks.
Glycoprotein components of avian and murine RNA tumor viruses.

Abstract Two glycoprotein components containing glucosamine, galactose, and fucose were isolated from different strains of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and from Rauscher mouse leukemia virus (MLV). The molecular weight of the major glycoprotein of RSV was estimated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to be between 90,000 and 105,000 daltons, depending on the strain of RSV. The minor glycoprotein had an approximate molecular weight of 37,000. Both glycoproteins have higher molecular weights than the proteins of the group-specific antigen of avian tumor viruses. The glycoproteins represent between 10% and 20% of the radioactive protein of purified virus. Disruption of RSV with SDS yields glycoprotein components with sedimentation coefficients between 4 S and 2 S. The glycoprotein derived from Tween 20 disrupted virus was obtained in a 4-2 S form and in an 8 S form. The 8 S component consists predominantly of a multimeric aggregate of the two viral glycoprotein components, and some group-specific antigen. Because both the 8 S and the 4-2 S glycoprotein derived from Tween 20 disrupted RSV specifically inhibited virus neutralizing antibody and because the glycoproteins of different strains of RSV had different electrophoretic mobilities, it was concluded that the glycoproteins of avian tumor viruses are part of or identical with the viral type- or subgroup-specific antigen.
Fluorescence of nucleic acid — Terbium(III) complexes

Abstract Terbium(III) binds to nucleic acids and acts as an acceptor of electronic excitation energy. The transfer appears to be primarily from guanosine residues. Fluorescence from Tb 3+ bound to 5′-GMP is very much larger than fluorescence from either free 5′-GMP or free Tb 3+ When bound to 5′-AMP, Tb 3+ shows an intense excitation band at 414 nm, where free Tb 3+ has no excitation band. Fluorescence from bound Tb 3+ appears to be potentially useful in nucleic acid studies.
The Breadth-based Adjective Rating Task as an indirect measure of consumer attitudes

Consumer researchers have sought the development of indirect measures of consumer attitudes in order to illuminate aspects of consumer behavior that otherwise might be difficult to study (Haire, 1950). However, relatively limited attention has been paid to these aspects of consumer behavior that operate outside of conscious awareness due to the lack of reliable and valid measures in the consumer domain. Indirect measures are not a novel concept in consumer research, but methodological weaknesses have limited their usage.
Occurrence of fleshy fungi from agricultural fields

Thirteen species of fleshy fungi were identified from two agricultural fields during the 1989 and 1990 growing seasons at the Rural Development Center (RDC) and Horticulture Farm, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia. The three most common fungi wereCoprinus plicatilis, Cyathus olla, andPanaeolina foenisecii. At the former site, residue management practices were established for evaluating crop production and at the Horticulture Farm different crops were grown with conservation tillage employing a Low Input Sustainable Vegetable Production system. Tillage treatments at the RDC were no-till, row-till, ridge-plant, and moldboard-plowing. Residue management of triticale included burning or cutting the stubble at a height of 20 or 60 cm at harvest. At the Horticulture Farm, seven winter cover crops were compared to a fallow control. No significant differences were shown between observations of fungal species and individual treatments at the Horticulture Farm during 1989 and 1990. However, there were treatment differences for observed fungi at the RDC farm on specific dates for both years. Furthermore, no individual treatment(s) during the investigation increased observation rates of specific fungal species. Non-burned debris treatments showed consistently higher populations and diversity of fungi than burn debris plots.
Characterization and modulation of human mesenchymal stem cell stress pathway response following hypothermic storage

Abstract Human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) research has grown exponentially in the last decade. The ability to process and preserve these cells is vital to their use in stem cell therapy. As such, understanding the complex, molecular-based stress responses associated with biopreservation is necessary to improve outcomes and maintain the unique stem cell properties specific to hMSC. In this study hMSC were exposed to cold storage (4 °C) for varying intervals in three different media. The addition of resveratrol or salubrinal was studied to determine if either could improve cell tolerance to cold. A rapid elevation in apoptosis at 1 h post-storage as well as increased levels of necrosis through the 24 h of recovery was noted in samples. The addition of resveratrol resulted in significant improvements to hMSC survival while the addition of salubrinal revealed a differential response based on the media utilized. Decreases in both apoptosis and necrosis together with decreased cell stress/death signaling protein levels were observed following modulation. Further, ER stress and subsequent unfolded protein response (UPR) stress pathway activation was implicated in response to hMSC hypothermic storage. This study is an important first step in understanding hMSC stress responses to cold exposure and demonstrates the impact of targeted molecular modulation of specific stress pathways on cold tolerance thereby yielding improved outcomes. Continued research is necessary to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in hypothermic-induced hMSC cell death. This study has demonstrated the potential for improving hMSC processing and storage through targeting select cell stress pathways.
Planning optimal economic strategies for agroforestry systems

Design of agroforestry systems requires a land management planning process that clearly specifies wants, needs and objectives along with the land's suitability for potential agroforestry practices. Within this planning process economic analysis can be used to analyze agroforestry alternatives to help determine the proper system to apply. Specifically, production economics coupled with capital theory and valuation techniques can provide measures of economic performance in terms of present net values, benefit-cost ratios and internal rates of return. These economic performance measures can be used to determine the best joint production level for a particular agroforestry practice. Once these best combinations have been defined, linear programming can be applied using these ‘best’ joint production combinations as decision variables along with considering a wide range of additional constraints and requirements. A hypothetical example is used to illustrate the planning process and how these economic tools can be combined as a package to help determine optimal agroforestry strategies.
Domestic violence and mental health: Correlates and conundrums within and across cultures

Gender-based violence, only recently emerging as a pervasive global issue, contributes significantly to preventable morbidity and mortality for women across diverse cultures. Existing documentation suggests that profound physical and psychological sequelae are endemic following intimate partner violence. The presentation of domestic violence is often culture specific. A new lexicon, prompted by the expansion of human rights analysis, describes particular threats to local women including dowry deaths, honor murder, sati, and disproportional exposure to HIV/AIDS as well as globally generic perils including abuse, battering, marital rape, and murder. While still fragmentary, accruing data reveal strengthening associations between domestic violence and mental health. Depression, stress-related syndromes, chemical dependency and substance (ab)use, and suicide are consequences observed in the context of violence in women's lives. Emerging social, legal, medical, and educational strategies, often culture specific, offer novel local models to promote social change beginning with raising the status of women. The ubiquity, gravity, and variability of domestic violence across cultures compel additional research to promote the recognition, intervention, and prevention of domestic violence that are both locally specific and internationally instructuve.
Why it is so hard to evaluate training in the workplace

Purpose – This paper aims to explore these reasons regarding why it is difficult or perhaps impossible to properly evaluate the impact and effectiveness of workplace training.Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken is to describe the barriers to effectively measure training in the workplace.Findings – The paper finds that, essentially, training sometimes lacks planning, sponsorship, budget, or because training is done for the wrong reasons. Evaluation of training is also difficult because operating unit managers are looking for increased performance and not necessarily the increased learning on which trainers usually judge the success of their training. Additionally, in almost all cases, the lack of performance is only partially due to the need for training. Even when training is needed, a deficit of skills and knowledge is often a small part – 15 percent‐20 percent perhaps – of the overall lack of performance. Training's effectiveness in helping to increase performance is reduced even further si...
On Trust in the Internet: Belief Cues from Domain Suffixes and Seals of Approval

Beliefs about the validity and reliability of Internet web-site information is important to both the user and to the success of a site. The present study examined aspects of reported trust of the Internet. A total of 247 participants (171 undergraduate students & 76 non-students) were asked a series of questions. In general, participants reported trusting only 55% of the information they found on the Internet. Students and non-students differed in their trust of .gov and .edu domain suffixes as well as several seals of approval (e.g., Verisign, Trust-e). In addition, the ratings of several fictitious seals were judged as trustworthy at levels as high or higher than actual seals. Participants who use the Internet for more hours per week showed significantly more trust for some domain suffixes and seals of approval than those who use the Internet for fewer hours. A similar pattern was seen for both students and non-students. Implications for erroneous beliefs and use of information on the Internet are discu...
Chest computed tomography findings in HIV-infected individuals in the era of antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Chest radiographic abnormalities were common in HIV-infected individuals in the pre-combination antiretroviral therapy era, but findings may differ now due to a changing spectrum of pulmonary complications. Methods: Cross-sectional study of radiographic abnormalities in an HIV-infected outpatient population during the antiretroviral therapy era. Demographics, chest computed tomography, and pulmonary function tests were obtained in HIVinfected volunteers without acute respiratory illness from the University of Pittsburgh HIV/AIDS clinic. Overall prevalence of radiographic abnormalities and potential risk factors for having any abnormality, nodules, or emphysema were evaluated using univariate and multivariable analyses. Results: A majority of the 121 participants (55.4%) had a radiographic abnormality with the most common being emphysema (26.4%), nodules (17.4%), and bronchiectasis (10.7%). In multivariate models, age (odds ratio [OR] per year =1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–1.14, p,0.001), pneumonia history (OR =3.60, 95% CI =1.27–10.20, p=0.016), and having ever smoked (OR =3.66, p=0.013, 95% CI =1.31–10.12) were significant predictors of having any radiographic abnormality. Use of antiretroviral therapy, CD4 cell count, and HIV viral load were not associated with presence of abnormalities. Individuals with radiographic emphysema were more likely to have airway obstruction on pulmonary function tests. Only 85.8% participants with nodules had follow-up imaging resulting in 52.4% having stable nodules, 23.8% resolution of their nodules, 4.8% development of a new nodule, and 4.8% primary lung cancer. Conclusions: Radiographic abnormalities remain common in HIV-infected individuals with emphysema, nodules, and bronchiectasis being the most common. Age, smoking, and pneumonia were associated with radiographic abnormalities, but HIV-associated factors did not seem to predict risk.
On Arnol'd diffusion in a perturbed magnetic dipole field

For certain initial conditions, the motion of charged particles in a magnetic dipole field is well described by the hierarchy of adiabatic invariants: the magnetic moment μ, the longitudinal invariant J, and the magnetic flux ψ. Electrostatic waves that break the axisymmetry of the dipole field and resonate with the drift motion can generate large-scale or so-called thick-layer chaos in ψ. This chaos will drive Arnol'd diffusion in μ and J, making the motion asymptotically unstable. Previous studies involving mappings [Tennyson et al., 1980; Kook and Meiss, 1989] have found the thick-layer Arnol'd diffusion rate to be proportional to the square of the perturbtion amplitude, consistent with quasilinear theory. Here we present numerical evidence that for many cases of physical interest, such as particle motion in a perturbed dipole field, the thick-layer diffusion rate is greatly attenuated from the quasilinear result.
Xylem-Specific and Tension Stress—Responsive Expression of Cellulose Synthase Genes from Aspen Trees

Genetic improvement of cellulose biosynthesis in woody trees is one of the major goals of tree biotechnology research. Yet, progress in this field has been slow owing to (1) unavailability of key genes from tree genomes, (2) the inability to isolate active and intact cellulose synthase complexes and, (3) the limited understanding of the mechanistic processes involved in the wood cellulose development. Here I report on the recent advances in molecular genetics of cellulose synthases (CesA) from aspen trees. Two different types of cellulose synthases appear to be involved in cellulose deposition in primary and secondary walls in aspen xylem. The three distinct secondary CesAs from aspen—PtrCesA1, PtrCesA2, and PtrCesA3—appear to be aspen homologs of Arabidopsis secondary CesAs AtCesA8, AtCesA7, and AtCesA4, respectively, based on their high identity/similarity (>80%). These aspen CesA proteins share the transmembrane domain (TMD) structure that is typical of all known “true” CesA proteins: two TMDs toward the N-terminal and six TMDs toward the C-terminal. The putative catalytic domain is present between TMDs 2 and 3. All signature motifs of processive glycosyltransferases are also present in this catalytic domain. In a phylogenetic tree based on various predicted CesA proteins from Arabidopsis and aspen, aspen CesAs fall into families similar to those seen with Arabidopsis CesAs, suggesting their functional similarity. The coordinate expression of three aspen secondary CesAs in xylem and phloem fibers, along with their simultaneous tension stress-responsive upregulation, suggests that these three CesAs may play a pivotal role in biosynthesis of better-quality cellulose in secondary cell walls of plants. These results are likely to have a direct impact on genetic manipulation of trees in the future.
Unusual association of V, J and C regions in a mouse immunoglobulin lambda chain.

The light chains of mouse immunoglobulins have been classified into two main groups, κ and λ. The majority (>90%) are κ1–3 and share a single constant (C) region; however, they differ extensively in their variable (V) regions (for example, ref. 4). The lambda group consists of three subtypes, λ1, λ2 and λ3 (refs 5–7), which are classified according to the amino acid sequence of the C region. Each C region (for example, Cλ1) is encoded by a distinct gene8–11, which carries on its 5′ side a J gene segment9–13 (for example, Jλ1). A fourth gene pair (Jλ4Cλ4) is probably not expressed12,13. Jλ3Cλ3 is closely linked to Jλ1Cλ1 in one cluster10,11 and Jλ2Cλ2 to Jλ4Cλ4 in a second cluster10, on chromosome 16 (ref. 14). Only two genes (Vλ1 and Vλ2) encode the λ V regions8,9,15. To date, Vλ1 has been found only in association with Jλ1Cλ1 (in λ 1 chains)5,16 or Jλ3Cλ3 (in λ 3 chains)19 and Vλ2 only with Jλ2Cλ2 (in λ 2 chains)6,17,18. It has been argued that Vλ1 is probably located 5′ to the Jλ3Cλ3Jλ1Cλ1 cluster and Vλ1 5′ to the Jλ2Cλ2Jλ4Cλ4 cluster10. The exclusive recombination of each Vλ with the nearest JλCλ cluster on its 3′ side would provide a genetic basis for restriction in V–C association. However, such restriction does not appear to be an invariant feature of λ chain structure, for here we describe an unusual chain in which Vλ2 is associated with Jλ3Cλ3.
Development of social, personal and cognitive skills of preschool children in Montessori and traditional preschool programs

The relationship between time in Montessori and Traditional Preschool programs and the preschool child's develoment of [1] personal skills, [2] relationship with teachers, [3] peer relations, [4] b...
Cyclization in Hyperbranched Polymer Syntheses: Characterization by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry allowed direct determination of the extent of macrocycle formation that occurred during the polymerization and copolymerization of A2B and A4B monomers. Cyclization in hyperbranched pentafluorophenyl-terminated poly(benzyl ether)s was indicated by the presence of ions 20 Da less than the masses of acyclic species, owing to the loss of the HF chain ends during polymerization. This loss occurs by intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution of the benzyl oxide focal point functionality upon a pentafluorophenyl chain end. Homopolymerizations and copolymerization of A2B and A4B monomers gave cyclic products in all cases, and the extent of cyclization depended on counterion, reaction time, and reaction temperature. In the copolymerization, product distributions revealed that larger proportions of A2B repeat units in the product led to increased amounts of cyclic products.
The Concert system - Compiler and runtime technology for efficient concurrent object-oriented programming

Concurrent object-oriented languages, particularly fine-grained approaches, reduce the difficulty of large scale concurrent programming by providing modularity through encapsulation while exposing large degrees of concurrency. Despite these programmability advantages, such languages have historically suffered from poor efficiency. This paper describes the Concert project whose goal is to develop portable, efficient implementations of fine-grained concurrent object-oriented languages. Our approach incorporates aggressive program analysis and program transformation with careful information management at every stage from the compiler to the runtime system. The paper discusses the basic elements of the Concert approach along with a description of the potential payoffs. Initial performance results and specific plans for system development are also detailed.
Law, values and economic thought: Notes for a research agenda

This essay suggests that law, economic thought and moral/religious values may be related in ways that condition how each functions. It sketches the potential value of investigating this triad by looking at two patterns of interaction and locating each in a specific narrative context taken from the development of competition law in Europe. In one, law functions as a transforming bridge between religious/moral values and economic thought, while in the other the three domains of thought and discourse combine to create structural synergies that dialectically influence each in return.
Maternal “Imprinting” in Goats: fostering of alien young

Zusammenfassung Vertauscht man ein Ziegenkitz unmittelbar nach der Geburt, so wird ein 1 bis 28 Tage altes fremdes nach 5-minutigem Kontakt mit der Geis von dieser angenommen. Mutterliches Verhalten wird also nicht nur von speziellen Geruchsreizen des eigenen oder neugeborenen Jungen ausgelost, obwohl solche eine Rolle spielen und das Junge anziehender machen. Moglich ware, das die gesteigerte Oxytocin-Ausschuttung wahrend der Erweiterung des Gebarmutterhalses im Hypothalamus oder anderswo gelegene, furs Mutterverhalten wichtige Stellen aktiviert.
Hierarchical approach for simulation of binary adsorption in silicalite

A hierarchical molecular modeling approach presented predicts adsorption thermodynamics of single components and binary mixtures in zeolites. Atomistic simulations that capture details at the molecular level are performed to calculate the free energies of molecules at discrete adsorption sites. Then a more coarse-grained lattice model is used to calculate the equilibrium loading of adsorbates based on these free energies, and thermodynamic properties can be predicted. Sorbate–sorbate free energies beyond nearest-neighbor interactions are introduced and their impact on the lattice model is investigated. By adding these free energies, the model is better able to accurately describe single-component and binary adsorption of sulfur hexafluoride and neopentane in silicalite. The results from the lattice model agree well with full atomistic grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations performed for the same systems, but the hierarchical approach saves an order of magnitude of computational effort.
Minimax and maximin distance designs

Abstract Beginning with an arbitrary set and a distance defined on it, we develop the notions of minimax and maximin distance sets (designs). These are intended for use in the selection-of-sites problem when the underlying surface is modeled by a prior distribution and observations are made without error. It is shown that such designs have quite general asymptotically optimum (and dual) characteristics under what are termed the G- and D-criteria. There are many examples given, dealing espeacially with the unit square and with k factors at two levels.
Realization of those elastic behaviors that have compliant axes in compact elastic mechanisms

In this article, we address the synthesis and realization of a subset of spatial elastic behaviors, those with compliant axes, in compact parallel mechanisms. Using the procedures developed, a geometric description of the layout of a compact mechanism of springs connected in parallel is obtained. In each of these mechanisms, each spring axis is restricted to intersect a single point in space. The variation in the orientation of the intersecting spring axes is also restricted. The degree of restriction in axis orientation is determined by the number of “compliant axes” associated with the specified elastic behavior. Also, as part of this work, a physical appreciation of the different classes of stiffnesses that have compliant axes is identified and interpreted in different types of concurrent parallel mechanisms. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reversible interaction of human lymphocytes with the mitogen concanavalin A.

Abstract Concanavalin A binds to human leucocytes and can be dissociated by methyl alpha- d -mannoside. It stimulates incorporation by the cells of uridine and thymidine in the presence or absence of plasma. Incorporation of thymidine is proportional to the concentration of concanavalin A up to approx. 10 μg/1.5 million cells. Maximal incorporation of thymidine occurs at about 72 h. The reaction is inhibited by sugars in the order methyl alpha- d -mannoside > methyl alpha- d -glucoside > mannose, consistent with their known affinities for concanavalin A. Inhibition by methyl alpha- d -mannoside is proportional to its concentration. Stimulation by concanavalin A of DNA synthesis is suppressed by addition of methyl alpha- d -mannoside to the culture medium even after 20 h.
Formulation and characterization of radio-opaque conjugated in situ gelling materials†

X-ray visibility is an integral design component of in situ gelling embolization systems for neurovascular treatment. The goals of this project included the synthesis and characterization of a unique intrinsically radio-opaque in situ gelling material for neurovascular embolization. The gels formed using Michael-Type Addition between pentaerythritol tetrakis 3-mercaptopropionate (QT) thiols and poly(propylene glycol) diacrylate (PPODA) with the addition of the new material Iodobenzoyl poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate (IPEGA), a radio-opaque agent, synthesized successfully as confirmed with (1)H NMR. The PPODA and IPEGA were mixed using a syringe coupler with QT and buffer at pH 11 for 90 seconds. Gel mixes were weighed to provide equal molar thiols and acrylate groups, changing the present acrylate-bearing compounds wt % ratios from 100 PPODA: 0 IPEGA, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, and 0:100. Formulations with 10% and above of IPEGA were X-ray visible. Rheology showed that increasing the amount of IPEGA decreased the storage. Kinetic FT-IR studies indicate that the amphiphilic nature of the PEG backbone increased the reaction rate of the phase segregated reactants. Second order reaction constant modeling showed a change in initial reaction rate from 0.0029 to 0.0187 (M sec)(-1) from the 10% to 50% IPEGA formulations respectively.
Histologic appearance of the bilaminar zone in internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint

Light microscopy was used to examine twenty-six specimens of bilaminar zone tissue excised during surgery for correction of internal derangement of the temporamandibular joint. Each of the specimens was examined for the presence of inflammation, amount of vascularity, arterial wall thickness, presence of fat, appearance of collagen, and amount of elastin present. Wide variation in the histologic appearance was noted among the specimens, although no significant inflammation was observed in any of them. Some indications that this tissue is undergoing adaptive changes include the presence of thickened arterial walls suggesting a decreased blood flow and the tendency for decreased amounts of elastin to be associated with denser-appearing collagen. There is also a tendency for patients with complete dislocation to exhibit less elastin than those with partial dislocation of the meniscus.