cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paper: Toward a better parallel performance metric

The traditional definition of 'speedup' as the ratio of sequential execution time to parallel execution time has been widely accepted. One drawback to this metric is that it tends to reward slower processors and inefficient compilation with higher speedup. It seems unfair that the goals of high speed and high speedup are at odds with each other. In this paper, the 'fairness' of parallel performance metrics is studied. Theoretical and experimental results show that the most commonly used performance metric, parallel speedup, is 'unfair', in that it favors slow processors and poorly coded programs. Two new performance metrics are introduced. The first one, sizeup, provides a 'fair' performance measurement. The second one is a generalization of speedup - the generalized speedup, which recognizes that speedup is the ratio of speeds, not times. The relation between sizeup, speedup, and generalized speedup are studied. The various metrics have been tested using a real application that runs on an nCUBE 2 multicomputer. The experimental results closely match the analytical results.
Fermat’s Theorem, II

Fermat’s theorem says that if p is a prime number and a is any integer relatively prime to p, then ap−1 ≡1 (modp). In Chapter I-11 we gave a proof based on the fact that the set of invertible elements of ℤ p forms an abelian group of order p ™1. In this chapter we give another proof based on the binomial theorem. We begin by making a definition which relates to the fact that in ℤ p , [p] = 0.
A New Class of Translation Planes

We define a nest of reguli to be a collection P of reguli in a regular spread S of PG(3, q) such that every line of S is contained in exactly 0 or 2 reguli of P. Let U denote the lines of S contained in the reguli of some nest. If V is a partial spread of PG[3,q) covering the same points as U but having no lines in common with U , then V will be called a replacement set for U. Clearly, (S—U) U V is a spread of PG(3, q) , yielding a (potentially new) translation plane of order q 2 which is 2–dimensional over its kernel. Nests of size (q+3)/2 were first studied (under another name) by Bruen and later by many others. Whether such (q+3)/2- nests exist for q 13 and whether such nests are necessarily reversible are still open questions. In this paper we consider nests of size q. We exhibit an infinite family of ?-nests, one for each odd prime q , and show that each nest is reversible. The translation planes so obtained appear to be new, at least for q ≥ 11.
A 10 GHz Digital Phase Noise Filter with 14 dB Noise Suppression and −127 dBc/Hz Noise Sensitivity at 1 MHz Offset

In this paper, we present a digital phase noise filter with a time-amplifier based TDC (TA-TDC) enabled frequency discriminator. The TA-TDC boosts the system sensitivity and suppresses the limit cycle jitters that constrains quantized systems. At 1 MHz offset, it demonstrates 14 dB phase noise suppression with −127 dBc/Hz sensitivity for a 10 GHz clock. The integrated jitter over the bandwidth from 10 kHz to 100 MHz is 81 fs. Its phase noise suppression frequency offset range is from 40 kHz to 8 MHz. The digital phase noise filter (DPNF) is fabricated in a 65 nm CMOS process and dissipates 53 mW.
Coal power: Class, fetishism, memory, and disjuncture in Romania’s Jiu Valley and Appalachian West Virginia

This essay compares the social disjuncture of coal’s decline in Romania's Jiu Valley and southern West Virginia/Appalachia. In both regions coal is fetishized, concentrating belief and creating a paradigm of meaning. But when fetishes lose power, social dislocation results. Coal's decline is often thought to produce common conditions in former coal regions. However, we suggest four factors shape regional variation: 1) political economy of class and industrial control; 2) state power over mining; 3) extent and diversity of non-governmental organizations related to the industrial control system; and 4) gender activism, emerging from political economy. We examine social conditions, coal memory, and nostalgia related to the above. In the Jiu Valley, there is a weakening of organization, coal nostalgia, as well as decline in coal-related disjuncture with existing conflict now largely a province of regional elites. In West Virginia, however, a weak state, active organizational environment, and women's activism produce conflict between coal supporters and detractors. These circumstances also influence the regions’ futures. Jiu Valley people are protected by state intervention, but this weakens class identity and the intensity of change efforts. In Appalachia the tensioned organizational environment perpetuates conflict but creates an intensity toward the future.
Landscapes that work for biodiversity and people

How can we manage farmlands, forests, and rangelands to respond to the triple challenge of the Anthropocene-biodiversity loss, climate change, and unsustainable land use? When managed by using biodiversity-based techniques such as agroforestry, silvopasture, diversified farming, and ecosystem-based forest management, these socioeconomic systems can help maintain biodiversity and provide habitat connectivity, thereby complementing protected areas and providing greater resilience to climate change. Simultaneously, the use of these management techniques can improve yields and profitability more sustainably, enhancing livelihoods and food security. This approach to "working lands conservation" can create landscapes that work for nature and people. However, many socioeconomic challenges impede the uptake of biodiversity-based land management practices. Although improving voluntary incentives, market instruments, environmental regulations, and governance is essential to support working lands conservation, it is community action, social movements, and broad coalitions among citizens, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies that have the power to transform how we manage land and protect the environment.
Holographic Relative Entropy in Infinite-dimensional Hilbert Spaces

We reformulate entanglement wedge reconstruction in the language of operator-algebra quantum error correction with infinite-dimensional physical and code Hilbert spaces. Von Neumann algebras are used to characterize observables in a boundary subregion and its entanglement wedge. Assuming that the infinite-dimensional von Neumann algebras associated with an entanglement wedge and its complement may both be reconstructed in their corresponding boundary subregions, we prove that the relative entropies measured with respect to the bulk and boundary observables are equal. We also prove the converse: when the relative entropies measured in an entanglement wedge and its complement equal the relative entropies measured in their respective boundary subregions, entanglement wedge reconstruction is possible. Along the way, we show that the bulk and boundary modular operators act on the code subspace in the same way. For holographic theories with a well-defined entanglement wedge, this result provides a well-defined notion of holographic relative entropy.
Sex and Racial/Ethnic Diversity of US Medical Students and Their Exposure to Dermatology Programs.

This study characterizes sex and racial/ethnic discrepancies in exposure to dermatology among US medical students.
Using Ink and Interactive Fiction to Teach Interactive Design

Fundamentals of Interactive Design is a large, mixed-mode, entry level course in the Games and Interactive Media program at the University of Central Florida. In the course we use Inky, an interactive fiction scripting engine created by Inkle Studios, to teach interactive design by having students create a choice-based interactive fiction story as a major course project. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of our approach to teaching the course that others can build upon. We discuss the class itself, previous research related to teaching interactive fiction, and some of the assignments we created. We argue that interactive fiction is an effective framework for teaching interactive design and suggest that Inky facilitates teaching those concepts through code in an entry-level course very well.
Developing anti-biofouling and energy-efficient cation-exchange membranes using conductive polymers and nanomaterials

Abstract Membrane fouling, in particular biofouling is a major problem in membrane applications for water and wastewater treatment. In this study, cation-exchange membranes were modified with conductive polymer polyethyleneimine and nanomaterials such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) and graphene oxide (GO) to improve membrane anti-microbial properties and energy efficiency during electrodialysis. The anti-fouling potential was evaluated by quantitative measurement of biomass and biofilm accumulation on membrane surface with Escherichia coli (E. coli) as model microbes. Experimental results showed polyethyleneimine and nanomaterials coating changed membrane surface hydrophilicity and significantly improved anti-biofouling properties with an optimal nanomaterial dosage of 37.5 μg/mL of coating solution. Polyethyleneimine had limited effect on preventing microbial cell attachment, but demonstrated remarkable anti-biofilm growth by its cytotoxicity. Overall desalination performance of polyethyleneimine coated membrane was similar to unmodified membrane. GO coating significantly improved desalination efficiency because of its high conductivity and negative charge, while TiO2 coated membrane showed decreased overall desalination performance due to its reduced electrical conductivity.
Tick-Borne Diseases in the United States.

Background Tick-borne diseases are an important cause of human morbidity and mortality in the United States. The past several decades have witnessed an increase in both the number of recognized tick-borne pathogens and the number of tick-borne disease cases, whereas tick surveys have revealed substantial geographic expansions of tick populations throughout the country. Multiple laboratory testing options exist for diagnosis of tick-borne diseases, including serology, microscopy, and molecular-based methods. The preferred approach varies by the specific disease, locally available test options, and the stage of illness at patient presentation. Accurate and timely detection of tick-borne illness is of utmost importance, as prompt treatment is strongly linked to better outcomes. Content This review covers the clinical manifestations and preferred diagnostic approaches for important bacterial, viral, and parasitic tick-borne diseases in the United States, including Lyme disease, tick-borne relapsing fever, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, spotted fever rickettsioses, and babesiosis. Infection with emerging pathogens such as Borrelia miyamotoi, Powassan virus, Heartland virus, Colorado tick fever virus, and Bourbon virus are also covered. Summary Our understanding of tick-borne diseases in the United States continues to improve with the detection of novel pathogens and development of new diagnostic modalities. While conventional diagnostic methods, including serology and microscopy, will play an ongoing role in the diagnosis of tick-borne diseases, implementation of advanced molecular diagnostics will further broaden our understanding of these diseases by facilitating detection of emerging pathogens and providing more accurate and timely diagnosis.
Acquisition of coronal alignment according to the degree of varus deformity in total knee arthroplasty using computer-assisted navigation.

Purpose:We have analyzed the surgical outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using computer-assisted navigation that were performed by a single surgeon in terms of postoperative coronal ...
Infinite-Dimensional Vector Bundles in Algebraic Geometry

The goal of this work is to show that there is a reasonable algebro-geometric notion of vector bundle with infinite-dimensional locally linearly compact fibers and that these objects appear “in nature.” Our approach is based on some results and ideas discovered in algebra during the period 1958–1972 by H. Bass, L. Gruson, I. Kaplansky, M. Karoubi, and M. Raynaud.
An Experimental Test of Advice and Social Learning

Social learning is the process of individuals learning by observing the actions of others. One odd aspect of the literature on social learning though is that, ironically, learning is not very social because in the real world, although people learn by observing the actions of others, they also learn from advice. This paper introduces the giving of advice into a standard social-learning problem. The experiment is designed so that both pieces of information - action and advice - are equally informative (in fact, identical) in equilibrium. In the laboratory, in contrast, subjects are more willing to follow the advice given to them by their predecessors than to copy their actions, and subjects' behavior is more consistent with the prediction of the theory. Consequently, advice is both more informative and welfare improving than action.
The surprising attractiveness of tearing mode locking in tokamaks

Tearing modes in tokamaks typically rotate while small and then lock at a fixed location when larger. Research on present-day devices has focused almost exclusively on stabilisation of rotating modes, as it has been considered imperative to avoid locked modes. However, in larger devices, such as those contemplated for tokamak reactors, the locking occurs at a smaller island size, and the island can be safely stabilised after locking. The stabilisation of small locked modes can be performed at lower wave power and broader deposition compared to rotating islands. On large devices, it thus becomes surprisingly advantageous to allow the mode to grow and lock naturally before stabilising it. Calculations indicate that the ITER international megaproject would be best stabilised through this approach.
The Selena Neutrino Experiment

Imaging sensors made from an ionization target layer of amorphous selenium (aSe) coupled to a silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel array for charge readout are a promising technology for neutrino physics. The high spatial resolution in a solid-state target provides unparalleled rejection of backgrounds from natural radioactivity in the search for neutrinoless $\beta\beta$ decay and for solar neutrino spectroscopy with $^{82}$Se. We present results on the ionization response of aSe measured from the photoabsorption of 122 keV $\gamma$ rays in a single-pixel device. We report on the progress in the fabrication and testing of the first prototype imaging sensors based on the Topmetal-II$^{\rm -}$ pixelated CMOS charge readout chip. We explore the scientific reach of a large neutrino detector with the proposed technology based on our experimental understanding of the sensor performance.
The Cytokines and Depression Hypothesis: An Evaluation

Abstract Recently, there has been great interest in the possibility that cytokines are involved in the genesis of depressive illness. The primary stimulus for this concept derived from similarities between the symptoms of depression and the behavioral responses known as sickness behavior observed in animals following the administration of interleukin-1 (IL-1) or endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]. This concept was bolstered by the observation that certain cytokine therapies can induce depression, and that abnormalities in immune function have long been believed to be more common in humans suffering from psychiatric illness than in the general population. This chapter will review the evidence for the cytokine hypothesis of depression and evaluate it critically. It is concluded that although cytokines can indeed induce some symptoms of depression and may be responsible for some depressive symptoms in some individuals, it is unlikely that cytokines are the essential or the normal mediators of depression.
Nucleotide sequences and mutational analysis of the structural genes for nitrogenase 2 of Azotobacter vinelandii.

Abstract The nucleotide sequence (6,559 base pairs) of the genomic region containing the structural genes for nitrogenase 2 (V nitrogenase) from Azotobacter vinelandii was determined. The open reading frames present in this region are organized into two transcriptional units. One contains vnfH (encoding dinitrogenase reductase 2) and a ferredoxinlike open reading frame (Fd). The second one includes vnfD (encoding the alpha subunit of dinitrogenase 2), vnfG (encoding a product similar to the delta subunit of dinitrogenase 2 from A. chroococcum), and vnfK (encoding the beta subunit of dinitrogenase 2). The 5'-flanking regions of vnfH and vnfD contain sequences similar to ntrA-dependent promoters. This gene arrangement allows independent expression of vnfH-Fd and vnfDGK. Mutant strains (CA80 and CA11.80) carrying an insertion in vnfH are still able to synthesize the alpha and beta subunits of dinitrogenase 2 when grown in N-free, Mo-deficient, V-containing medium. A strain (RP1.11) carrying a deletion-plus-insertion mutation in the vnfDGK region produced only dinitrogenase reductase 2.
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Adolescent Girls: II. Screening Methods

Of 500 asymptomatic adolescent girls who were screened for bacteriuria by three methods-dipslide (Uricult), dipstrip (Microstix-3 reagent strips), and home nitrite test (Microstix-Nitrite reagent strips)-eight cases (1.6%) were detected: 6/8 by dipslide and dipstrip; 5/8 by nitrite testing. The false-positive-rate (greater than 10(4) colonies/ml) of the dipslide test was 6.4%, and the dipstrip test, 2.8%. A history of vaginal discharge was not associated with "contaminated" specimens. False-positive nitrite tests were reported by 0.6% of the patients who returned the postcards. Overall, 70.4% of the patients returned the postcards for the home nitrite test. The patients were divided by method of payment (Medicaid vs non-Medicaid) in order to provide an approximation of socioeconomic status; non-Medicaid patients were significantly more likely to return postcards than Medicaid patients (75.8% vs 63.7%). Of the group reporting previous urinary tract infection, 79% of both Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients returned postcards, suggesting that a prior experience with the diagnosis increased compliance with a home test.
Sediment Quality of Estuaries in the Southeastern U.S.

A study was conducted to assess the condition of estuaries in the EMAP Carolinian Province (Cape Henry, VA - St. Lucie Inlet, FL). Synoptic measures of sediment contamination, toxicity, and macroinfaunal condition were made at 82 and 86 stations in 1994 and 1995, respectively, in accordance with a probabilistic sampling design. These data wem used to estimate percentages of degraded vs. undegraded estuarine area from the perspective of sediment quality. Each year a sizable portion of the province (36% in 1994, 51% in 1995) showed some evidence of either degraded benthic assemblages, contaminated sediments in excess of bioeffect guidelines, or significant sediment toxicity (based on Ampelisca abdita and Microtox® assays). However, cooccurrences of a degraded benthos and adverse exposure conditions (sediment contamination and/or toxicity) were much less extensive — 17% of the province in 1994 and 25% in 1995. Each year only four sites, representing 5% of the province in 1994 and 8% in 1995, had degraded infauna accompanied by both sediment contamination and toxicity, suggesting that strong contaminant-induced effects on the benthos (based on such combined weightof-evidence) were limited to a fairly small percentage of estuarine area province-wide. PCBs and pesticides (lindane, dieldrin, DDT and derivatives) were the most dominant contaminants over the two-year period. The broad-scale sampling design of EMAP was not intended to support detailed characterizations of potential pollutant impacts within individual estuaries. Thus, some estuaries classified as undegraded may include additional degraded portions outside the immediate vicinity of randomly sampled sites. Such localized impacts (not accounted for in the above estimates) were detected in this study at additional nonrandom supplemental sites near potential contaminant sources.
Looking Beyond the Valley: A Five-Year Case Study of Course Innovation.

Longitudinal changes in student course evaluations throughout the process of implementing information technology-enhanced delivery of a veterinary immunology course were examined. Student ratings of almost all aspects of the course and instruction declined significantly during the five-year period of technology implementation and then recovered to and exceeded their previous levels after the technology was fully implemented. This finding is discussed within the context of the educational change and innovation literature. Understanding how course innovations affect student evaluations over time is essential to avoid penalizing innovators for predictable, temporary declines in student ratings of course quality during the implementation of innovations.
The Anonymous Accused: Protecting Defendants' Rights in High-Profile Criminal Cases

The public's interest in high-profile crimes and the media's coverage of high-profile trials have significantly increased over the past. fifty years, raising significant concerns about a high-profile defendant's right to a fair trial. This Note examines how pretrial publicity can affect the fairness of a high-profile criminal case and how courts have attempted to protect a high-profile defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial while still assuring the media's First Amendment right to freedom of the press. Specifically, the Note discusses and analyzes court made remedies as well as new remedies scholars have proposed to protect a high-profile criminal defendant's right to a fair trial. Finding such remedies ineffective, the Note considers whether defendant anonymity, which courts can apply in civil trials, could be an effective protection of a high-profile defendant's right to a fair trial.
Regulation of the adhE gene, which encodes ethanol dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli.

The respiratory control of adhE, which encodes ethanol (alcohol) dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli, was examined at the transcriptional level by using various phi (adhE9-lacZ) adhE+ merodiploid strains. Expression of the adhE9-lacZ operon fusion was increased about eightfold by anaerobic growth. Under anaerobic growth conditions, provision of nitrate lowered the level of expression. Nitrate repression was more severe than aerobic repression. From analyses of various mutants with mutations related to nitrate reduction, nitrate repression appears to result from two effects. (i) When nitrate was present, NarL, the positive regulator of the nar operon, exerted a direct repression on adhE expression, which was demonstrable even aerobically. (ii) The chemical reduction of nitrate exerted an indirect effect by altering the cellular redox potential.
Vitamin D and Intestinal Calcium Transport: Facts, Speculations and Hypotheses

The intestinal absorption of Ca2+ occurs by both a saturable, transcellular process and a nonsaturable, paracellular path. The transcellular path is a multistep process, comprised of the transfer of luminal Ca2+ into the enterocyte, the translocation of Ca2+ from point of entry (the microvillus border or membrane) to the basolateral membrane, and the active extrusion from the cell into the circulatory system. Each step in the transcellular movement of Ca2+ has a vitamin D-dependent component. The paracellular path also appears to be affected by vitamin D status. This review emphasizes some aspects of the Ca2+ absorptive process that require resolution and/or further experimental support. The following are discussed: evidence for participation in the active transport of Ca2+ by all segments of the small intestine; a hypothetical model for the feedback control of entry of luminal Ca2+; the current views on vitamin D-dependent movement of Ca2+ through the cytosolic compartment of the enterocyte; the stimulated synthesis of the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump and its gene expression by vitamin D; and the vitamin D-dependency of the paracellular transfer of Ca2+ with a comment on the physiological significance of the rapid response of the Ca2+ absorptive system in vitamin D-replete animals to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.
Influence of ovine growth hormone on water and NaCl absorption by the rat proximal jejunum and distal ileum.

Abstract 1. 1. Ovine growth hormone appears to stimulate equally the absorption of water and NaCl in both the proximal jejunum and in the distal ileum. 2. 2. Although the largest dose used of 0.8 mg/rat for 2 days produced greater increases in absorption rates than the lowest dose of 0.1 mg, a clear dose-related response was not obtained. 3. 3. It is suggested that growth hormone may contribute significantly in the regulation of hydromineral metabolism in mammals at times other than during pregnancy and lactation.
Synthesis and Conformational Characterization of Tethered, Self-Complexing 1,5-Dialkoxynaphthalene/1,4,5,8-Naphthalenetetracarboxylic Diimide Systems

Chemists are beginning to explore the abiotic folding of synthetic chains, and the term “foldamers” has been used to characterize oligomers with a strong inclination to adopt specific, compact conformations. The characterization of folded structure in solution is one of the difficult challenges facing the foldamer field. Aedamers were the first foldamers to make use of aromatic−aromatic interactions in water to direct folding and were designed to have several spectroscopic handles with which to probe folding conformations in solution. Herein is reported the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of eleven aedamer dimers, with linkers chosen to provide a spectrum of lengths and flexibilities. The dimers, composed of one electron rich (1,5-dialkoxynaphthalene) and one electron deficient (1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide) aromatic group tethered by a linker, are the smallest aedamer folding unit. The powerful spectroscopic handles associated with the stacked aedamer groups were exploited in a...
Serendipitous Juxtaposition? The Revised Common Lectionary and Political Cue-Giving in Sermons Prior to the 2008 Presidential Election

The 2008 U.S. Presidential election provides the context for an examination of the information behavior of Christian clergy members engaged in the regular task of preparing and delivering a religious message. The research project sought to explore the nature of political cue giving by clergy members within the message of the weekly sermon and to do so at a greater depth of analysis than previously accomplished. The paper reports on an occurrence of serendipitous juxtaposition, the coincidental connection between particular data sets and current events, which provides a helpful interpretative framework for an extended research agenda focused on the information behavior of religious leaders. The paper contributes to the literature on the information behavior of religious leaders; particularly in the use of the information resource knows as the Revised Common Lectionary. The paper also contributes to the literature on the nature of political cue giving by religious leaders.
Plasma generation using a large V-groove cathode discharge

The results of an investigation of the plasma parameters generated by a large V-groove cathode discharge are presented. The cathode consists of a twelve inch aluminum plate into which V-grooves of 1/8th inch spacing and 60 deg angle are milled. With this cathode, a negative glow discharge is produced which yields a stable, steady-state plasma. Electron densities up to 2×1012 cm−3 have been obtained in the 12 inch diameter chamber. The electron temperature is about 1200 K and is independent of discharge current and gas pressure over the range, 0.3 to 0.9 Torr.
Potential for effective marker-assisted selection of three quantitative trait loci conferring adult plant resistance to powdery mildew in elite wheat breeding populations

Three quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with adult plant resistance (APR) to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) in wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivar 'Massey' were mapped in a previous study. The three QTL were located on chromosomes 2A, 2B and 1B, and explained 50% of the total phenotypic variation. A 293 recombinant inbred line (RIL) breeding population (UJ) derived from the cross of 'USG 3209', a derivative of 'Massey', and 'Jaypee' was used to evaluate the potential effectiveness of marker-assisted selection (MAS) for APR. Powdery mildew severities of the 293 UJ RILs were evaluated in 2002 (F 5: 6 ) and 2003 (F 6: 7 ) under natural disease pressure in the field. The 293 RILs were also evaluated for disease severity in a 2004 (F 7:8 ) greenhouse experiment using a composite of five different isolates of B. graminis. Selection of RILs possessing the QTL on chromosome 2A, and to a lesser extent, the one on chromosome 1B was effective in identifying powdery mildew resistance in both greenhouse and field experiments. Overall, selecting RILs with QTL on chromosomes 2A and 2B was most successful in identifying highly resistant RILs, which had mean mildew severities of 4.4% and 3.2% in 2002 and 2003 field experiments, respectively. Breeders implementing MAS programs for APR to powdery mildew via selection of RILs containing the two QTL on chromosomes 2A and 2B likely will obtain RILs having high levels of resistance in the field, however combining all three QTL may ensure greater durability.
Simultaneous Hydrogenation of Multiring Aromatic Compounds over NiMo Catalyst

Hydrogenation of six model feeds containing three-, two-, and one-ring aromatic compounds was investigated to gain insights into the aromatic hydrogenation reaction chemistry over a commercial NiMo...
Are performance appraisals a bureaucratic exercise or can they be used to enhance sales-force satisfaction and commitment?

In some sales organizations the performance appraisal is treated as a bureaucratic exercise. As such, sales managers may essentially conduct appraisals in an arbitrary and perfunctory manner. This behavior could be based on the belief that conducting performance appraisals requires considerable amounts of time and effort, generates few rewards, and adds considerably to the manager's level of conflict and stress. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships existing between performance appraisals, salesperson organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. If various characteristics of performance appraisals that build commitment and satisfaction could be identified, then managers may be more capable of using performance appraisals that yield positive results. A survey of 185 retail salespeople and 58 retail sales managers provided the data required to evaluate the relationship between satisfaction, commitment, and various aspects of performance appraisals. The results of the study indicate that managerially mediated factors may be used to enhance salesperson job satisfaction and organizational commitment. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Furin Processing of Semaphorin 3F Determines Its Anti-Angiogenic Activity by Regulating Direct Binding and Competition for Neuropilin

Neuropilin is an essential cell surface receptor that functions in both semaphorin-dependent axon guidance and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-dependent angiogenesis. The interplay between these two seemingly distinct pathways is a source of considerable interest. Indeed, several semaphorin family members have been shown to have potent anti-angiogenic activity in vivo. However, reports about whether semaphorin and VEGF competitively bind to neuropilin conflict. Previous work has demonstrated that all known ligands and inhibitors of neuropilin interact with the b1 domain of neuropilin via a C-terminal arginine. No semaphorin family member possesses a C-terminal arginine, leading to uncertainty with regard to the physical mechanism of interaction between the C-terminal domain of semaphorin and the b1 domain of neuropilin. Semaphorin 3F (Sema3F) possesses an RXRR furin recognition site in its C-terminus, and we demonstrate that it is proteolytically processed. This processing is found to be essential for the interaction of the C-terminus of Sema3F with the b1 domain of neuropilin. We further demonstrate that furin activation of the C-terminus of Sema3F produces a species that potently inhibits the binding of VEGF to neuropilin. These studies provide a mechanistic basis for understanding the anti-angiogenic activity of semaphorin as well as the physical interaction and competition between neuropilin ligands.
Analysis of gene control signals by DNA fusion and cloning in Escherichia coli

Abstract Plasmid cloning vectors that enable insertion of DNA fragments between the inducible ara (arabinose) promoter and the lac (lactose) structural genes have been constructed and used for the detection and analysis of signals that control gene transcription. Expression of the lac genes in the absence of the inducer arabinose indicates that transcription originates within the inserted fragment; non-expression of lac with arabinose present indicates that transcription is terminated by the fragment. Using different cloning vectors, DNA fragments generated by a wide variety of restriction endonucleases can be inserted between ara and lac. This procedure has been used to identify and isolate endonuclease-generated DNA fragments from theEscherichia coli chromosome, various R plasmids, bacteriophage T5 and Drosophila melanogaster that contain nucleotide sequences capable of functioning as promoters in E.coli. A characteristic level of lac expression is determined by the amount of transcription that proceeds to the lac genes from a promoter located within each fragment. The effects of genetic regulatory mechanisms acting on a promoter can be assayed by alterations in the level of lac expression. These cloning vectors were also used to bring structural genes located within an inserted DNA fragment under the control of the ara promoter. Insertion of HindIII endonuclease-generated fragments carrying the tetracycline-resistance determinant of pSC101 or the sulfonamide-resistance determinant of the R6-5 plasmid into such vectors resulted in arabinose-induced resistance to tetracycline or sulfonamide.
Kitchenspace: Gendered territory in central Mexico

Drawing on extensive ethnographic field research with multiple women and kitchens in two central Mexico communities, this article argues for kitchenspace—indoor and outdoor spaces where food preparation takes place—as gendered territory. Using a feminist political ecology approach, it explores private and semi-public space in the everyday, household kitchen and the fiesta or ‘smoke’ kitchen at the center of community celebrations. Marked as gendered territory by distinct social boundaries and gendered, discursive strategies, kitchenspace is vital to the maintenance of traditional forms of organization and generational transmission of cultural and embodied knowledge. This article questions assumptions about ‘the kitchen’ as a site of social isolation and women's oppression that often characterize feminist approaches. It considers embeddedness in local social and spatial contexts and the importance of everyday life in private and public spaces.
SERV∗OR: A managerial measure of organizational service-orientation

Abstract An organizational service orientation scale (SERV ∗ OR) is developed and validated in this study. Service orientation is defined as an organization-wide embracement of a basic set of relatively enduring organizational policies, practices and procedures intended to support and reward service-giving behaviors that create and deliver “service excellence.” The SERV ∗ OR managerial measure captures the extent to which an organization is perceived bu its employees as having adopted and embraced specific policies, practices and procedures that represent an organizational service orientation. A comprehensive and rigorous program to develop the valid and reliable measure was undertaken. Key features of the methodology included executive focus group interviews, multiple rounds of pre-testing, multi-sample assessment, and multi-industry replication. The results strongly indicate that organizational service orientation may be represented by a structure comprised of ten factors. The factors are carefully described and theoretically based. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.
Comparison of task performance with different entertainment elements

This paper quantitatively compares the effectiveness of entertainment elements which enhance the workers' motivation and work performance. The authors select three entertainment elements which were used in previous studies; 1)Contest, 2)Improvement, and 3)Collection. Three systems which implements the entertainment elements were used in student experiment to measure the task performance. The result of the experiment showed that the all entertainment elements increase the task efficiency and motivation compared with non-entertainment support. Among the three elements, Contest increased the work efficiency the most, and Collection increased the work motivation the most.
Applications of geometry and topology for quadrilateral meshprocessing and verifiable visualization

Computational geometry, computer graphics, and visualization are closely related ares that have had great synergy over the years. Point-based graphics~\cite{Gross:2007:PBG}, for example, grew out of contributions from all of these different areas. In this talk, we present results that show non-trivial applications of geometric and topological techniques to graphics and visualization. We also discuss how some of our recent work on graphics and visualization can foster further developments in computational geometry. In particular, we advocate the need for work in quad mesh processing, and a greater emphasis on the verification of geometric algorithms and implementations.
Lignocellulose pretreatment: A comparison of wet and dry ball attrition

A comparison of wet and dry ball attrition of various lignocellulosic substrates indicates that terminal crystallinity index following enzymatic hydrolysis usually decreases after wet attrition and increases after dry attrition. Particle size was reduced to a greater extent in dry attrition in accordance with increased friability. Conversions favored neither wet nor dry pretreatment, indicating substrate specific requirements.
Why We Disagree about Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity

Mike Hulme, Why We Disagree about Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009), xxxix + 392 pp. $80.00 (cloth), $29.99 (paper). S...
Continuous quality improvement through post‐occupancy evaluation feedback

Over the past 30 years, both the governmental and private sectors have made use of a feedback mechanism, which helps improve the quality of environments: post‐occupancy evaluation (POE) or similar systematic processes, which gauge the satisfaction with, and importance of, the designed and built environment. How does this process work, what kind of input does it require? What value, if any, does it add to the core business of an organisation? When should it be carried out, and how should the resulting data be used in enhancing the quality of existing and future buildings? Who should commission POEs and who should be in charge of developing databases, which can be used for benchmarking and the development of building performance criteria for future projects? What is the cost of these POEs in relationship to the benefits to be derived? All of these questions will be addressed in this paper.
The state and the economy in late imperial China

Non-development of a modern economy, the failure to begin modern economic growth, I am prepared to argue but that would require another article- is “over-determined.” It's not a particularly interesting theoretical question any more. Proponents of economic, political, cultural, social structural, demographic and other explanations have each adduced overwhelming arguments and evidence for their favored explanations. In fact, any one - or two - is a sufficiently mortal debility for the premodern economies and societies that they have studied. More is merely overkill. What we really don't know for sure yet is how modern economic growth begins - even in the case of Western Europe whose economic history has been minutely examined for more than a century. The common fate of most of mankind before the very recent past - slow and uncertain premodern growth of population and output where it occurred, stagnation or decline otherwise - has not (by historians at least) received attention comparable to the more fashionable problem of modern development, whether that be phrased as the Marxist “transition” from “feudalism” to “capitalism,” the neo-classical growth model, or the perhaps now somewhat faded study of “modernization.”
A framework for including multiple geometry descriptions and approximation spaces in MoM

We present a general framework based on the Generalized Method of Moments that enables inclusion of multiple local geometry descriptions and orders and multiple basis function types and orders in the solution of Moment Method systems. The resulting method allows arbitrary mixing of these parameters in different regions of the scatterer so that both geometric and surface current approximations may be closely, and automatically, tailored to the local geometry and physics, often resulting in a significant reduction in the MoM system size compared to traditional methods.
Application of minimum energy formalism in a multiple slip band model for fatigue — I. Calculation of slip band spacings

Abstract A theory of slip band spacing in fatigued materials has been developed based on a criterion of minimum strain energy accumulation within slip bands. A two-dimensional, quasi-monotonic, dipole pile-up model is employed for this purpose. Multiple parallel, equally spaced, mutally interacting slip bands are considered. Each slip band is modeled as an accumulation of dipoles. Partially irreversible slip processes with stochastic fluctuations are allowed in the model. It is shown that for a given imposed plastic work, there exists a unique configuration (number and spacing) of the bands that has the minimum internal energy stored within all bands. An expression for the optimum slip band spacing in polycrystalline materials has been derived based on all experimentally determinable parameters. The effects of plastic strain amplitude, temperature and environment on this optimum slip band spacing are assessed. There is reasonably good agreement between theory and experiment.
Disruption of reproductive rhythms and patterns of melatonin and prolactin secretion following bilateral lesions of the suprachiasmatic nuclei in the ewe.

To determine whether the photoperiodic responses of reproductive and prolactin (PRL) rhythms in the ewe requires an intact suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) driving the pineal rhythm of melatonin secretion, four groups of ovary-intact ewes over a 6-year period were subjected to bilateral (n = 40) or sham lesions (n = 15) of the SCN. Animals were exposed to an alternating 90–120 day photoregimen of 9L:15D and 16L: 8D photoperiods. Blood samples taken twice weekly were assayed for prolactin and for progesterone to monitor oestrous cycles. On several occasions blood samples also were taken at hourly intervals for 24 h and analyzed for melatonin. Melatonin concentrations in sham lesioned ewes were basal during the lights-on period and rose robustly during darkness. Those sheep bearing unilateral lesions of the SCN (n = 13) or where the lesion spared the SCN entirely (n = 8) had patterns of melatonin secretion similar to sham ewes. The remaining ewes, having complete (n = 9) or incomplete bilateral (n = 8) destruction of the SCN, with one exception, had disrupted patterns of melatonin secretion. The nature of this disruption varied from complete suppression to continuously elevated levels. In lesioned ewes where melatonin secretion was not affected the onset and cessation of ovarian cycles were similar to sham ewes; stimulation of oestrous cycles under 9L:15D and cessation of oestrous cycles under 16L:8D. In contrast, 13 of 17 ewes with disrupted melatonin secretion also exhibited disrupted patterns of ovarian activity. In these animals oestrous cycles were no longer entrained by photoperiod but still occurred in distinct clusters, that is, groups of cycles began and ended spontaneously. Sheep with normal melatonin patterns showed low levels of PRL secretion during short days and elevated PRL levels during long days. However, 8 of 13 ewes with disrupted melatonin showed patterns of PRL secretion that were no longer entrained by photoperiod. A minority of ewes with disrupted melatonin patterns still showed reproductive (n = 4) and PRL (n = 5) responses similar to those of sham-lesioned ewes. These results show that bilateral destruction of the SCN in the ewe disrupts the circadian pattern of melatonin secretion and that this disruption usually, but not always, is associated with altered photoperiodic responses. These results strongly suggest that the SCN are important neural elements within the photoperiod time–keeping system in this species. A role for the SCN in the generation of endogenous transitions in reproductive activity (refractoriness) and prolactin secretion is not supported.
The current theoretical situation in high-Tc superconductivity

Abstract Proposals for the mechanism of high temperature superconductivity in layered oxides are discussed. Within the context of the pairing theory these include spin, charge and lattice vibration degrees of freedom. The question of whether a localized versus an itinerant description is more appropriate is discussed including the possible separation of the charge and spin of excitations.
Emerging targets in lipid-based therapy

The use of prostaglandins and NSAIDS in the clinic has proven that lipid mediators and their associated pathways make attractive therapeutic targets. When contemplating therapies involving lipid pathways, several basic agents come to mind. There are the enzymes and accessory proteins that lead to the metabolism of lipid substrates, provided through diet or through actions of lipases, the subsequent lipid products, and finally the lipid sensors or receptors. There is abundant evidence that molecules along this lipid continuum can serve as prognostic and diagnostic indicators and are in fact viable therapeutic targets. Furthermore, lipids themselves can be used as therapeutics. Despite this, the vernacular dialog pertaining to “biomarkers” does not routinely include mention of lipids, though this is rapidly changing. Collectively these agents are becoming more appreciated for their respective roles in diverse disease processes from cancer to preterm labor and are receiving their due appreciation after decades of ground work in the lipid field. By relating examples of disease processes that result from dysfunction along the lipid continuum, as well as examples of lipid therapies and emerging technologies, this review is meant to inspire further reading and discovery.
The glucose-alanine cycle.

Abstract Alanine is quantitatively the primary amino acid released by muscle and extracted by the splanchnic bed in postabsorptive as well as prolonged fasted man. The hepatic capacity for conversion of alanine to glucose exceeds that of all other amino acids. Insulin inhibits gluconeogenesis by reducing hepatic alanine uptake. In contrast, in diabetes, an increase in hepatic alanine extraction is observed in the face of diminished circulating substrate. In prolonged fasting, diminished alanine release is the mechanism whereby gluconeogenesis is reduced. In circumstances in which alanine is deficient, such as pregnancy and ketotic hypoglycemia of infancy, fasting hypoglycemia is accentuated. Augmented glucose utilization in exercise and hyperpyruvicemia consequent to inborn enzymatic defects are accompanied by increased circulating levels of alanine. These data thus suggest the existence of a glucose-alanine cycle in which alanine is formed peripherally by transamination of glucose-derived pyruvate and transported to the liver where its carbon skeleton is reconverted to glucose. The rate of recycling of glucose carbon skeletons in this pathway appears to occur at approximately 50% of that observed for the Cori (lactate) cycle.