cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selling and Sales Management Abstracts

Abstracts Editorial Staff Raj AgnihotriKatherine HartmanJay MulkiOhio UniversityOhio UniversityNortheastern UniversityElten BriggsC. Shane HuntChristopher R. PlouffeUniversity of Texas ArlingtonAr...
The Artist in/and Me Crónica

This cronica is an homage to a former love, Juan Munoz Torregrosa, whom I knew in Madrid, when I was in high school. It is a very personal piece, written shortly after I’d begun to access memories of my time with him, with the help of my sister Sarita. As I recount in the cronica, through my sister’s cyber-sleuthing, we found out that Juan had become an internationally-renowned artist. Sadly, we also learnt of his untimely death in 2001. Thus, the only reconnection possible is the one I bring to life in these words, nourished by memory, eros, and imagination.
Effects of vesnarinone, a novel orally active inotropic agent with an immunosuppressive action, on experimental cardiac transplantation in rats.

BACKGROUND Vesnarinone (VES) has been used for treatment of patients with congestive heart failure. In addition to inotropic effects, it seems to have immunosuppressive action. We tested the hypothesis that VES suppresses graft rejection, inotropic dysfunction caused by early rejection, and chronic coronary obstruction in a heterotopic rat cardiac transplantation model. METHODS (1) To study acute rejection, hearts from Lewis-Brown Norway (LBN) rats were transplanted into Lewis rats, which were treated with or without VES (50 or 100 mg/kg/day orally). (2) In a functional study, LBN hearts with or without VES (100 mg/kg/ day) were isolated and perfused on day 3 after transplantation to assess inotropic response to isoproterenol (3 x 10(-8) M). (3) To study chronic rejection, Lewis hearts were transplanted into Fisher 344 rats, which were treated with or without VES (50 mg/kg/day) for 90 days. Coronary obstructive disease was assessed by morphometric analysis. There were five to six animals in each group. RESULTS (1) VES (100 mg/kg/day) prolonged LBN heart survival (11.7 +/- 0.7 vs. 9.6 +/- 0.7 days in control; P < 0.05). (2) Left ventricular developed pressure was depressed in transplanted hearts regardless of VES treatment (84 +/- 12, 90 +/- 8 vs. 144 +/- 16 mmHg in untransplanted hearts; P < 0.01). The developed pressure after administration of isoproterenol in VES-treated hearts (184 +/- 20 mmHg) was higher than transplanted hearts without VES (118 +/- 16 mmHg; P < 0.05), and similar to untransplanted hearts (203 +/- 27 mmHg; P = NS). (3) Transplanted hearts treated with or without VES showed similar grades of rejection (2.0 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.6 +/- 0.2; P = NS), intimal area (6,996 +/- 3,186 vs. 13,441 +/- 5,165 microns2; NS), and coronary luminal obstruction (45 +/- 16% vs. 67 +/- 14%; NS). CONCLUSIONS VES produces mild prolongation in survival of rat heart grafts, but has no significant effect on chronic graft atherosclerosis. VES preserves the positive inotropic effects of isoproterenol that are otherwise deteriorated by early acute rejection.
“What are we doing today?” high school basic writers collaborating in a computer lab☆

Abstract This article presents findings from an ethnographic study of four high school basic writers collaborating on an assignment in their school's computer lab. These students were largely unsuccessful as writers and as collaborators. Three of the students became, for the most part, nonwriters. The findings call into question claims that computer-assisted classrooms, by their nature, will influence positive writing behaviors. In fact, a computer-assisted writing environment may result in increased alienation for students already determined to be “at risk.”
Relationship between fasting and day-long plasma glucose concentrations in diet-treated patients with type 2 diabetes.

To define the relationship between fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia, plasma glucose concentrations were determined before and after breakfast and lunch in 42 diet-treated patients with type 2 diabetes. Breakfast was consumed at 8:00 AM and lunch at 12:00 PM, with blood drawn hourly from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM for measurement of plasma glucose concentration. The results demonstrated highly significant correlation coefficients (r) between fasting plasma glucose concentration and any individual hourly value (r values varying between 0.86 and 0.91). Furthermore, fasting plasma glucose concentrations and the total integrated glucose response areas, post-breakfast (8:00 AM to 12:00 PM), post-lunch (12:00 PM to 4:00 PM), and day-long (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM) were also highly correlated, with r values of 0.95, 0.91, and 0.94, respectively. These results demonstrate that fasting and postprandial glucose concentrations are almost perfectly correlated in diet-treated patients with type 2 diabetes, and that determination of fasting plasma glucose concentrations in these individuals provides an excellent estimate of degree of glycemic control.
Chemical composition of marine stratocumulus clouds over the eastern Pacific Ocean

[1] Samples of marine cloud water collected over the eastern Pacific Ocean have been analyzed for pH, major ions (Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+), hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde, S(IV), Fe, Mn, and total organic carbon. The samples were obtained during the Dynamics and Chemistry of Marine Stratocumulus, Phase II (DYCOMS-II) field project in July 2001. These measurements represent a unique in situ description of cloud water composition for stratocumulus clouds residing in the remote marine boundary layer, a regime for which there are few published cloud water composition data. A wide range of concentrations was observed for each species of interest, including sodium (36–2784 μN), sulfate (15–905 μN), nitrate (3–205 μN), hydrogen peroxide (37.8–283.2 μM), formaldehyde (2.2–8.7 μM) and Fe (<MDL–85.9 μg L−1). Chloride and potassium were present in expected seawater ratios while sulfate, magnesium, and calcium were enriched to varying degrees. Trends in cloud water concentrations with cloud liquid water content (LWC) and volume mean drop diameter show that dilution played a role in cloud drop solute concentration variations during individual flights and that solute concentrations are related to cloud drop size and ultimately to below-cloud aerosol number concentration. Air equivalent concentrations (the amount of a solute in cloud water per unit volume of air) were derived in order to eliminate concentration dependence on LWC and to allow comparison with previous aerosol, trace gas, and cloud water studies. The analysis indicates that background marine conditions were not always encountered during the DYCOMS-II mission as a result of anthropogenic or biogenic sources impacting the study region.
Regional regulation of microtubule dynamics in polarized, motile cells

Microtubules are known to be required for locomotion of mammalian cells, and recent experiments demonstrate that suppression of microtubule dynamic turnover reduces the rate of cell motility and induces wandering of growth cones [Liao et al., 1995: J Cell Sci. 108:3473-3483; Tanaka et al., 1995: J Cell Biol. 128:139-155]. To determine how microtubule dynamic instability behavior contributes to directed cell locomotion, the behavior of individual microtubules has been directly observed and quantified at leading and lateral edges of hepatocyte growth factor-treated motile cells. Microtubules extended into newly formed protrusions at the leading edge; these "pioneer" microtubules [Waterman-Storer and Salmon, 1997: J Cell Biol. 139:417-434] showed persistent growth when compared with microtubules in non-leading, lateral edges. The percentage of total observation time spent in the growth phase was 68.2% at the leading edge compared with 32.0% in non-leading edges, and net microtubule elongation was observed in lamellipodia at the leading edge. The frequency of catastrophe transitions was threefold greater and the average number of transitions/microtubule/min was twofold greater in non-leading edges, as compared with the leading edge. These observations demonstrate that pioneer microtubules that enter newly formed lamellipodia at the leading edge of motile cells are characterized by persistent growth excursions, and directly demonstrate that the frequency of catastrophe transitions can be regionally regulated in polarized motile cells. The data indicate that region specific differences in the organization and dynamics of actin filaments may regulate microtubule dynamic instability behavior in vivo.
Shedding Light on Cell Signaling: Interpretation of FRET Biosensors

This Perspective compares recently developed approaches for studying live-cell signaling dynamics. It is now possible not only to study the changing localizations of proteins within living cells but to correlate these dynamics with quantitation of protein activities, including ligand interactions and phosphorylation. Initial applications of an increasingly varied toolchest of techniques have revealed strengths and weaknesses in each approach, clarifying which tool is best for which job.
Use of ion-exchange resins to classify plant nitrogenous compounds in beet molasses.

Abstract The method presented for separating nitrogenous compounds into several classes depends on the reactivity of the compounds to ion-exchange resins and various eluants. The method may be used to determine nitrogen distribution and to remove undesirable substances prior to other chromatographic procedures or to isolate specific compounds. It has been used to determine quantitative variations of different classes of nitrogenous compounds in sugar beet molasses and should prove valuable in survey studies of the composition of other plant materials. Aqueous carbon dioxide is a satisfactory eluant for a number of compounds and has the advantage of leaving no residue on concentration.
Collaborating for Change: Leveraging Campus Partnerships to Create a User-Centered Library Website

This article details a series of website usability studies conducted by librarians at Fresno State in collaboration with faculty and students from the university's anthropology department. Building on an ethnographic study of the library, we sought to understand how students used the site. Collaboration with individuals outside the library allowed us to use their expertise in behavioral research, accomplish a larger series of studies, and redesign the website from a less library-centric perspective. In this article, we detail the study's genesis, methodology, results, and offer our experiences using a large-scale usability test to drive changes to an academic library website.
Combined forced and free laminar convection in the entrance region of an inclined isothermal tube

An analysis is made of the combined forced and free convection for laminar flow in the entrance region of isothermal, inclined tubes. This involves the numerical calculation of the developing flow with significant buoyancy effects. Three independent parameters are introduced: the Prandtl number Pr, a modified Rayleigh number Ra*, and {Omega}, a parameter that measures the relative importance of free and forced convection. The inclination angle does not appear explicitly in the formulation. Numerical results are obtained for Pr = 0.7, 5, and 10, and representative values of Ra* and {Omega}. The axial development of the velocity profiles, temperature field, local pressure gradient, and the Nusselt number are presented. These results reveal that the buoyancy effects have a considerable influence on the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of the development flow. A comparison of the numerical results with the available experimental data is also presented.
Vector-Efficiency of Xiphinema Index in the Transmission of Grapevine Fanleaf Virus 1)

Xiphinema index Thorne & Allen acquired and transmitted grapevine fanleaf virus (GFV) within access times of 15 minutes. The virus was retained for at least 12 weeks when the nematodes were maintained on fig but not in fallow soil. Effects of soil temperature and axenization of nematodes on the transmission of GFV also have been demonstrated.
Mechanistic study of NO reduction with methane over Co2+ modified ZSM-5 catalysts

Abstract NO reduction with methane over Co-ZSM-5 has been studied in an oxidizing atmosphere. Although the activity was reduced due to the poisoning of oxygen, NO decomposed over Co-ZSM-5 to nitrogen and oxygen in two different temperature ranges, 100–300°C and > 400°C. This suggests the presence of two types of Co2+ cations in ZSM-5. The adsorption of NO, NO2 and CH4, as well as the reduction of NO with methane in O2 were studied with in-situ diffuse reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT). NO and methane molecules were only weakly adsorbed on Co-ZSM-5, and would desorb completely at the reaction temperature. The presence of oxygen was found to enhance the NO interaction with Co-ZSM-5, leading to the formation of adsorbed NO2 intermediates. The adsorbed NO2 would activate methane molecules and yield hydrogen and methyl radicals, which could in turn react with NO2 to generate nitromethane intermediates. A tentative reaction mechanism has been proposed to elucidate the production of N2, N2O, H2O, formaldehyde and CO2.
Tables to facilitate fitting SU frequency curves

0.9995, 0 999, 0 9975, 0 995, 0-99, 0 975, 0 95, 0 90, 0 75, 0 50, 0-25, 0-10, 0 05, 0-025, 0-01, 0 005, 0-0025, 0 0001 and 0 0005 points of the S u distribution. The tables are in the same form as a corresponding set of tables for Pearson frequency curves in Johnson, Nixon, Amos & Pearson (1963). It is a simple matter to construct such a table from the present tables by using the relation
Technology and the Labor Market

Economic developments of the past 3 decades posed new questions to economists: What are the causes of fluctuations in rates of return to human capital? What is the relation between the changing skill-wage structure and changing overall wage inequality? Does the widening of the wage structure produce an equilibrating supply response? What are the causes, dimensions and implications of the “technological cycle” for wages, unemployment, and its “natural rate”? Why is the long term trend of human capital formation relentlessly upward?
Thermochemistry of A2M3O12 negative thermal expansion materials

The enthalpies of the monoclinic to orthorhombic transition for a series of A2M3O12 (A = Al, Cr, Fe, In, and Sc; M = Mo or W) compounds were measured by differential scanning calorimetry, and entropies of transition were estimated. The enthalpies of formation from the binary oxides at 25 °C for several A2M3O12 samples were obtained from drop solution calorimetry in molten 3Na2O·4MoO3 at 702 °C. The monoclinic and orthorhombic phases of Sc2Mo3O12 and Sc2W3O12 are the only phases that are enthalpically stable under ambient conditions. The enthalpies of formation from the oxides (ΔHf,ox) for orthorhombic Sc2Mo3O12 and Sc2W3O12 are −47.2 ± 2.1 kJ/mol and −8.5 ± 2.7 kJ/mol, respectively. For Fe2Mo3O12, In2Mo3O12, and In2W3O12, ΔHf,ox values are 51.5 ± 4.5, 7.4 ± 2.9, and 44.5 ± 2.3 kJ/mol, respectively. These phases are entropically stabilized and/or metastable. Enthalpies of formation for phases that could not be measured by calorimetry have been estimated from the enthalpies of transition or trends in the enthalpies of formation. In general, the monoclinic phase is slightly enthalpically stabilized over the orthorhombic phase, while transition to the orthorhombic phase is entropically favored. This confirms that the orthorhombic phase is stable at high temperatures, the monoclinic is stable at low temperatures, and the monoclinic to orthorhombic transition is reversible.
Educational Accountability: A Qualitatively Driven Mixed-Methods Approach

This article discusses the importance of mixed-methods research, in particular the value of qualitatively driven mixed-methods research for quantitatively driven domains like educational accountability. The article demonstrates the merits of qualitative thinking by describing a mixed-methods study that focuses on a middle school’s system of internal accountability and its perceived collective capacity in relation to external accountability mandates. The study also demonstrates the value of using an overarching instrumental case study framework to extend understandings of theoretical frameworks from previous accountability studies and to illuminate contextual complexities and nuances on multiple levels.
HIF-1α inhibition ameliorates neonatal brain injury in a rat pup hypoxic-ischemic model

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) has been considered as a regulator of both prosurvival and prodeath pathways in the nervous system. The present study was designed to elucidate the role of HIF-1alpha in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury. Rice-Vannucci model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury was used in seven-day-old rats, by subjecting unilateral carotid artery ligation followed by 2 h of hypoxia (8% O2 at 37 degrees C). HIF-1alpha activity was inhibited by 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) and enhanced by dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG). Results showed that 2ME2 exhibited dose-dependent neuroprotection by decreasing infarct volume and reducing brain edema at 48 h post HI. The neuroprotection was lost when 2ME2 was administered 3 h post HI. HIF-1alpha upregulation by DMOG increased the permeability of the BBB and brain edema compared with HI group. 2ME2 attenuated the increase in HIF-1alpha and VEGF 24 h after HI. 2ME2 also had a long-term effect of protecting against the loss of brain tissue. The study showed that the early inhibition of HIF-1alpha acutely after injury provided neuroprotection after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia which was associated with preservation of BBB integrity, attenuation of brain edema, and neuronal death.
The 57Fe Mössbauer spectrum of iodopentakis(p-tolylisocyanide)iron(II) tri-iodide

Abstract A cationic coordination complex has been synthesized and isolated as its tri-iodide salt. This salt has been characterized and the 57Fe Mossbauer spectrum has been successfully recorded in spite of the attenuation of the γ-ray beam by the iodine atoms resulting in a reduction of the intensity of the resonant absorption.
Chronic Exposure to Excess Nutrients Left-shifts the Concentration Dependence of Glucose-stimulated Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic β-Cells

Hyperinsulinemia (HI) is elevated plasma insulin at basal glucose. Impaired glucose tolerance is associated with HI, although the exact cause and effect relationship remains poorly defined. We tested the hypothesis that HI can result from an intrinsic response of the β-cell to chronic exposure to excess nutrients, involving a shift in the concentration dependence of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. INS-1 (832/13) cells were cultured in either a physiological (4 mm) or high (11 mm) glucose concentration with or without concomitant exposure to oleate. Isolated rat islets were also cultured with or without oleate. A clear hypersensitivity to submaximal glucose concentrations was evident in INS-1 cells cultured in excess nutrients such that the 25% of maximal (S0.25) glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was significantly reduced in cells cultured in 11 mm glucose (S0.25 = 3.5 mm) and 4 mm glucose with oleate (S0.25 = 4.5 mm) compared with 4 mm glucose alone (S0.25 = 5.7 mm). The magnitude of the left shift was linearly correlated with intracellular lipid stores in INS-1 cells (r2 = 0.97). We observed no significant differences in the dose responses for glucose stimulation of respiration, NAD(P)H autofluorescence, or Ca2+ responses between left- and right-shifted β-cells. However, a left shift in the sensitivity of exocytosis to Ca2+ was documented in permeabilized INS-1 cells cultured in 11 versus 4 mm glucose (S0.25 = 1.1 and 1.7 μm, respectively). Our results suggest that the sensitivity of exocytosis to triggering is modulated by a lipid component, the levels of which are influenced by the culture nutrient environment.
The Racially Fragmented City? Neighborhood Racial Segregation and Diversity Jointly Considered

This article reflects on the racial configuration of urban space. Previous research tends to posit racial segregation and diversity as either endpoints on a continuum of racial dominance or mirror images of one another. We argue that segregation and diversity must be jointly understood; they are necessarily related, although not inevitably as binary opposites. Our view is that the neighborhood geographies of U.S. metropolitan areas are simultaneously and increasingly marked by both racial segregation and racial diversity. We offer an approach that classifies neighborhoods based jointly on their compositional diversity and their racial dominance, illustrated by an examination of the neighborhood racial structure of several large metropolitan areas for 1990 and 2000. Compositional diversity increased in all metropolitan areas in ways rendered visible by our approach, including a sharp reduction in the number of highly segregated white neighborhoods, transitioning mostly into moderately diverse yet still whi...
A Respirometric Technique to Evaluate Velopharyngeal Function in Speakers with Cleft Palate, with and without Prostheses

There is a paucity of respirometric quotient (RQ) data on individuals with velopharyngeal inadequacy. Paesani (1964) reported data using a technique that involved separate productions of the same task to obtain the RQ. The RQ values obtained were greater than unity, which is theoretically impossible. In the present study, respirometric quotients, the ratio of oral air volume expended to total volume expended, were obtained using separate but simultaneous productions of oral and nasal airflow. RQ values were calculated for 10 speakers with cleft palate, with and without their prosthetic appliances, and 10 normal speakers. As a group, those with cleft palate and without their appliances exhibited RQ values that were significantly lower than values obtained from the normal speakers and from speakers with the appliances in place. These findings indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in RQ values when comparing sentence repetition and counting tasks. These values were lower than those obtained for the nonnasal syllable repetition tasks, with the /mv/ syllable repetition task generally being associated with the lowest RQ value of any of the speech tasks. The correlation between RQ values and perceptual judgments was -.60, indicating that there was modest agreement between the two measures. As RQ values decreased, perceptual judgments of nasality increased.
Supporting rural entrepreneurship: a review of conceptual developments from research to practice

Entrepreneurship development is increasingly seen as a promising alternative to traditional economic development, as it unlocks the potential of local citizens to create jobs and serve local tastes and markets. However, while much of the literature in entrepreneurship is dedicated to high-growth, high-tech development and its job-generating qualities, is this necessarily a good route for rural areas seeking to create jobs? Or, is rural entrepreneurship distinct from entrepreneurship as a discipline, presenting its own opportunities and challenges? This article presents a review of the literature on rural entrepreneurship, and argues that rural entrepreneurship is a distinct area of entrepreneurship research and practice, with alternative opportunities for local development that do not necessarily follow the mainstream literature.
Interaction of desialated guinea pig erythrocytes with the classical and alternative pathways of guinea pig complement in vivo and in vitro.

A B S T R A C T We examined the fate of desialated autologous erythrocytes injected intravenously into guinea pigs (GP). Desialated GP erythrocytes (E) were lysed directly or cleared by the reticuloendothelial system in normal GP (NIH-GP) and cleared by the reticuloendothelial system in GP genetically deficient in the classical complement pathway component C4 (C4DGP), which activate complement only via the alternative pathway. Desialated E were also cleared in cobra venom factor-treated GP (CVF-GP), which had <1% of normal C3 levels, but were not cleared at all in C4D-CVF-GP. Preinjection of asialoorosomucoid (ASOR) and ovalbumin (OVA) had no effect on the rate of E clearance. These in vivo studies indicated that complement activation is essential for clearance of desialated E and that clearance is unaffected by blockade of galactose or mannose receptors. Inhibition of complement-mediated clearance required blockade of both classical and alternative complement pathways. In vitro studies showed that lysis of desialated E could occur in NIH-GP serum (GPS) but not in C4D-GPS. Surprisingly, CVF-GPS also caused lysis of desialated E. Lysis was dependent on both natural antibody to desialated E and classical pathway activation; natural antibody was of both the IgG and IgM classes. C3 uptake studies demonstrated that almost 10 times as many C3 molecules/E were deposited by NIH-GPS as by C4D-GPS or CVF-GPS onto desialated E. Approximately equal numbers of C3 molecules were deposited by CVF-GPS, which did lyse desialated E, and by C4DGPS, which did not. We suggest that the molecular mechanism of in vivo clearance and in vitro lysis of desialated E by CVF-GP is via classical pathway de
Response probabilities of nonlinear random systems: a compartmental approach

Abstract In this paper, a compartmental approach is applied to the study of response behaviour of nonlinear systems subject to random external excitations and random parametric variations. A distinct advantage is that, while the underlying system is nonlinear, the compartmental equations governing the response probabilities are linear and homogeneous. The dimension of this system of equations, however, is large in general but its solution is facilitated by the fact that its coefficient matrix is sparse. Computational aspects and stability of the compartmental probabilities are studied in detail.
Restructuring residency training in obstetrics and gynecology

This essay presents a brief review of the history advocating a restructuring of residency training to increase the flexibility of the experience. The advantages for both the general obstetrician-gynecologist and the subspecialist are reviewed.
Flow-induced prostacyclin production is mediated by a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein.

Fluid flow and several other agonists induce prostacyclin (PGI2) production in endothelial cells, G proteins mediate the response of a large number of hormones such as histamine, but the transduction pathway of the flow signal is unclear. We found that GDPβS and pertussis toxin inhibited flow-induced prostacyclin production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In addition, flow potentiated the histamine-induced production of PGI2. This suggests that flow stimulates prostacyclin production via a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein and modulates the stimulus-response coupling of other agonists.
Newborn Hearing Screening Update For Midwifery Practice

Neonatal identification of congenital hearing impairment allows interventions during the first 3 years, the critical period for language and speech development. Two recently developed biophysical testing methods offer simple, accurate, and relatively inexpensive means to identify the one to three in 1,000 healthy newborns with hearing loss. Universal screening for auditory system integrity is advocated, because almost half of all newborns with hearing impairment have no risk factors associated with this impairment. Critics of universal screening cite the high rate of false positive tests (up to 7%), which increases program costs from follow-up and re-testing large numbers of infants to ensure identifying the few affected infants. As of early 2000, 24 states had introduced some type of auditory screening program, and the U.S. Congress had passed legislation with appropriations mandating state-based auditory screening for all newborns. Midwives practicing in states already mandating biophysical screening need to comply with their local requirements; those in other states may voluntarily incorporate new auditory test methods into practice.
Cell cycle control of microtubule-based membrane transport and tubule formation in vitro

When higher eukaryotic cells enter mitosis, membrane organization changes dramatically and traffic between membrane compartments is inhibited. Since membrane transport along microtubules is involved in secretion, endocytosis, and the positioning of organelles during interphase, we have explored whether the mitotic reorganization of membrane could involve a change in microtubule-based membrane transport. This question was examined by reconstituting organelle transport along microtubules in Xenopus egg extracts, which can be converted between interphase and metaphase states in vitro in the absence of protein synthesis. Interphase extracts support the microtubule-dependent formation of abundant polygonal networks of membrane tubules and the transport of small vesicles. In metaphase extracts, however, the plus end- and minus end-directed movements of vesicles along microtubules as well as the formation of tubular membrane networks are all reduced substantially. By fractionating the extracts into soluble and membrane components, we have shown that the cell cycle state of the supernatant determines the extent of microtubule-based membrane movement. Interphase but not metaphase Xenopus soluble factors also stimulate movement of membranes from a rat liver Golgi fraction. In contrast to above findings with organelle transport, the minus end-directed movements of microtubules on glass surfaces and of latex beads along microtubules are similar in interphase and metaphase extracts, suggesting that cytoplasmic dynein, the predominant soluble motor in frog extracts, retains its force-generating activity throughout the cell cycle. A change in the association of motors with membranes may therefore explain the differing levels of organelle transport activity in interphase and mitotic extracts. We propose that the regulation of organelle transport may contribute significantly to the changes in membrane structure and function observed during mitosis in living cells.
System level analysis of noise and interference analysis for a MIMO system

The abstract provides the framework for a detailed system level noise and interference model which can be used for analysis of any MIMO or ad-hoc network. The system level analysis helps in understanding the major sources of noise and interference and helps in optimizing interference and noise mitigation algorithms based on the major noise and interference sources.
Learning Styles and Asynchronous Learning: Comparing the LASSI Model to Class Performance

study investigated the relationship between students' individual study and learning styles with their performances in an online Research Methods class. At the beginning of t he semester the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) measured each student's study and learning styles on ten scales. The students' LASSI scores were later correlated to their total class points, and grades on exams, projects, and assignments. Five of the LASSI scales had significant correlations with at least one aspect of the course assessment. The strongest correlation was found between time management skills and the final grade. The ability to effectively use study aids was significant in the students' performance on the final grade, the final exam and all activities outside exams (journal reports and chapter assignments).
Can transcriptome size be estimated from SAGE catalogs

Motivation: We sought to determine whether SAGE (Serial Analysis of Gene Expression) can be used to estimate the number of unique transcripts in a transcriptome. A simple estimator that corrects for sequencing and sampling errors was applied to a SAGE library (137 832 tags) obtained from mouse embryonic stem cells, and also to Monte Carlo simulated libraries generated using assumed distributions of ‘true’ expression levels consistent with the data. Results: When the corrected data themselves were taken as the underlying model of ‘ground truth’, the estimator converged to the ‘true’ value (53 535) only after counting 300 000 simulated tags, more than twice the number in the experiment. The SAGE data could also be well fit b yaM onte Carlo model based on a truncated inversesquare distribution of expression levels, with 130 000 ‘true’ transcripts and > 10 6 samples needed for convergence. We conclude that the size of a transcriptome is illdetermined from SAGE libraries of even moderately large size. In order to obtain a valid estimate, one must sample a number of tags inversely proportional to the lowest abundance level, which is not known ap riori .T his constrains the design of SAGE experiments intended to determine biological complexity. Availability: The ‘homemade’ software used for this analysis was not designed for general or ‘production’ use, but the authors will be happy to share Fortran sourcecode with interested parties.
Eine neue Phenylentopologie: Totalsynthesen der zickzackförmigen [4]‐ und [5]Phenylene

In Ubereinstimmung mit der Theorie weisen die Titelverbindungen 1 und 2 – durch CpCo-katalysierte Cycloisomerisierung geeigneter Oligoalkinylbenzole hergestellt – bezuglich ihrer physikalischen Eigenschaften grose Ahnlichkeiten mit den jeweiligen gewinkelten Topomeren auf. Sie unterscheiden sich dagegen stark von den entsprechenden linearen Isomeren.
Experimental Stiffness and Seismic Response of Pallet-Type Steel Storage Rack Connectors

The down-aisle lateral load-resisting systems of pallet-type steel storage racks are typically moment frames utilizing special beam-to-column moment-resisting connections. Both the stability and seismic response of racks are strongly influenced by the rotational stiffness developed by the beam-to-column connectors. The behavior of these connectors is poorly known, and consequently there is significant uncertainty as to proper values of connector stiffness and strength to use in design. This paper presents the results of down-aisle shake table tests performed on steel pallet-type storage racks fabricated from hot-rolled sections and incorporating four different bolted beam-to-column connectors. The main objectives of the tests were to determine appropriate static load connector rotational stiffness values from measured dynamic characteristics of storage racks under low amplitude vibrations, and to evaluate their response under quasi-static conditions as well as under strong earthquake ground motions. The e...
Qualitatively troubleshooting electronic circuits using fuzzy cognitive maps

Fuzzy cognitive maps are used as a qualitative modeling technique for troubleshooting electronic circuits. Because they compare states to states, a trade off exists in their use. Qualitative evaluation is substituted for complexity. The map qualitatively evaluates how changes in underlying concepts represented by its nodes cause changes in other concepts represented by other nodes. Evaluation of a set of possible causes in a map can be done in two ways. In the first, nodal changes are applied to a set of nodes and the causality propagated through to output nodes of interest. In the second a reachability matrix can be construct red to identify which nodes can in fact affect the output node. Other nodes are then eliminated from further evaluation. Fuzzy cognitive maps have several potential advantages. The system map can be constructed by piecing together submaps individually constructed. Because changes in state are compared to changes in state inferring output nodal values, a common numeric metric is not necessary when incorporating different concepts.
Modeling the measured em induction response of targets as a sum of dipole terms each with a discrete relaxation frequency

Broadband electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors have been shown to be able to reduce false alarm rates and increase the probability of detecting landmines. To aid in the development of these sensors and associated detection algorithms, a testing facility and inversion technique have been developed to characterize the response of typical targets and clutter objects as a function of orientation and frequency.
Neural and orofacial defects in Folbp1 knockout mice

BACKGROUND Folic acid is essential for the development of the nervous system and other associated structures. Mice deficient in the folic acid-binding protein one (Folbp1) gene display multiple developmental abnormalities, including neural and craniofacial defects. To better understand potential interactions between Folbp1 gene and selected genes involved in neural and craniofacial morphogenesis, we evaluated the expression patterns of a panel of crucial differentiation markers (Pax-3, En-2, Hox-a1, Shh, Bmp-4, Wnt-1, and Pax-1). METHODS Folbp1 mice were supplemented with low dosages of folinic acid to rescue nullizygotes from dying in utero before gestational day 10. The gene marker analyses were carried out by in situ hybridization. RESULTS In nullizygote embryos with open cranial neural tube defects, the downregulation of Pax-3 and En-2 in the impaired midbrain, along with an observed upregulation of the ventralizing marker Shh in the expanded floor plate, suggested an important regulatory interaction among these three genes. Moreover, the nullizygotes also exhibit craniofacial abnormalities, such as cleft lip and palate. Pax-3 signals in the impaired medial nasal primordia were significantly increased, whereas Pax-1 showed no expression in the undeveloped lateral nasal processes. Although Shh was downregulated, Bmp-4 was strongly expressed in the medial and lateral nasal processes, highlighting the antagonistic activities of these molecules. CONCLUSIONS Impairment of Folbp1 gene function adversely impacts the expression of several critical signaling molecules. Mis-expression of these molecules, perhaps mediated by Shh, may potentially contribute to the observed failure of neural tube closure and the development of craniofacial defects in the mutant mice. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 67:209–218, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Environ indicator sensitivity to flux uncertainty in a phosphorus model of Lake Sidney Lanier, USA

Efiective environmental impact assessment and management requires improved understanding of the organization and transformation of ecosystems in which independent agents are linked through an intricate network of energy, matter, and informational interactions. While advances have been made, we still lack a complete understanding of the processes that create, constrain, and sustain ecosystems. Network Environ Analysis (NEA) provides one approach for building novel ecosystem insights, but it is model dependent. As ecological modeling is an imprecise art, often complicated by inadequate empirical data, the utility of NEA may be limited by model uncertainty. Here, we investigate the sensitivity of NEA indicators of ecosystem growth and development to ∞ow and storage uncertainty in a phosphorus model of Lake Sidney Lanier, USA. The indicators are total system through∞ow (TST), total system storage (TSS), total boundary input (Boundary), Finn cycling index (FCI), ratio of indirect-to-direct ∞ows (Indirect=Direct), indirect ∞ow index (IFI), network aggradation (AGG), network homogenization (HMG), and network ampliflcation (AMP). Our results make two primary contributions. First, they demonstrate that flve of the indicators|FCI, Indirect=Direct, IFI, AGG and HMG|are relatively robust to the ∞ow and storage uncertainty in the Lake Lanier model. This stability lets us draw robust conclusions about the Lake Lanier ecosystem organization (e.g., phosphorus ∞ux in the lake is dominated by internal processes) in spite of uncertainties in the model. Second, we show that the majority of the indicators co-vary and that most of their common variation could be mapped onto two latent factors, which we interpret as (1) system integration and (2) boundary in∞uences.
STRATEGIC THERAPY WITH DEPRESSED MARRIED PERSONS: INITIAL AGENDA, THEMES AND INTERVENTIONS*

A strategic approach to depression is outlined. Reasons are given for initially working with each spouse separately. For the purpose of discussion, three interrelated aspects of depressive marital situations are distinguished: the unsatisfying marriage, the distress of the depressed person and the spouse's response. Interventions focus on dampening the marital conflict rather than solving the problems that are presented; reframing depression as an active, dignified practice; and blocking the spouse's tendency to become over-involved in well-meant but unhelpful efforts to assist the depressed person. A case example is provided.
Performance of the Forward Drift Chambers for the DO detector

The Forward Drift Chambers (FDCs) provide tracking in the forward region for the D0L experiment at Fermilab. The chambers must perform precision track position measurement in a high multiplicity environment. These chambers were extensively tested in the Fermilab NWA test beam area, in beams of 10-150 GeV pions and electrons. Measurements included the position resolution, hit finding efficiency, two track resolution, and ionization measurement resolution. The results of these tests are presented. These tests demonstrate that the chambers are able to perform the tasks for which they were designed. The chambers have now been installed in the D0L experiment and are participating in the current Tevatron collider run. >
A comparison of methods for estimating raccoon abundance: Implications for disease vaccination programs

Accurate estimates of demographic parameters are critical to the management of wildlife populations, including management programs focused on controlling the spread of zoonotic diseases. Rabies managers in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have applied a simple raccoon (Procyon lotor) abundance index (RAI) based on cumulative catch of unique raccoons per unit area to determine vaccine-bait distribution densities. This approach was designed to allow for both the collection of biological samples and to index raccoon abundance to determine bait densities for oral rabies programs. However, post- baiting surveillance data indicate that, on average, only 30% of raccoons sampled have vaccine induced rabies antibody titers, suggesting that bait densities may not be well calibrated to raccoon densities. We trapped raccoons using both capture-mark-recapture (CMR) and the standard RAI to evaluate the accuracy of the current index-based methodology for estimating raccoon density. We then developed a resource selection function from spatial data collected from radio-collared raccoons to standardize trap placement within the existing RAI protocol, and evaluated the performance of this modified RAI approach relative to CMR for estimating raccoon population size. Both abundance and density estimates derived using the RAI consistently underestimated raccoon population sizes compared with CMR methods. Similarly, although the use of resource selection models to inform trap placement appeared to improve the accuracy of the RAI, the effectiveness of this method was inconsistent because of an inability to account for variance in detection probabilities. Despite the logistical advantages of using indices to estimate population parameters to determine vaccine bait distribution densities, our results suggest that adjustments may be necessary to more accurately quantify raccoon abundance, which should improve the effectiveness of rabies management in the United States. In particular, estimates of detection probabilities are needed to more precisely quantify abundance estimates and ensure appropriate vaccine coverage rates. 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Frequency domain design for prespecified state and control constraints under persistent bounded disturbances

A frequency domain procedure for synthesizing controllers for single-input, single-output systems satisfying state and control constraints in the presence of persistent bounded input disturbances is presented. The input disturbance is modeled as an unknown but bounded process. The state and control constraints are treated explicitly. The primary objective is to construct a controller that: (1) uses only minimal allowable control effort, (2) does not violate the prespecified state constraints, and (3) maximizes the input disturbance bound. Constraints usually expressed in the time domain are mapped to the frequency domain, and this is followed by a transparent loop shaping procedure in the Nichols chart to complete the design. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by designing a controller for a third-order boiler-turbine set. >
Emerging adults' recollections of peer victimization experiences during middle school

This study examined memories of peer victimization by eliciting narratives from university students (N = 210) about one previous experience of peer maltreatment during middle school, and investigating how these recollections related to current levels of adjustment. The majority of participants described an experience of social victimization (70.0%) or physical victimization (16.7%), and analyses examining form of victimization were limited to these participants (n = 182). Previous experiences of peer maltreatment during middle school were associated with negative indices of adjustment in early adulthood. The implications of our findings for school intervention programs are discussed.
Self-Organizing Fuzzy Haptic Teleoperation of Mobile Robot Using Sparse Sonar Data

Mobile robot teleoperation has been used in many areas of industrial automation, such as explosives disposal, nuclear waste manipulation, freight handling, or transportation. Here, the commonly provided audio-visual feedback often resulted in an inadequate perception of the remote environment. Haptic augmentation was shown to improve and positively enhance the control of the mobile robot. This paper presents novel self-organizing fuzzy adaptive mapping algorithm (SOFAMap) for a haptic teleoperation of mobile robots. The SOFAMap algorithm was specifically developed for a mobile robot with a rotational sonar sensory system, constituting an alternative to a traditionally used multisonar array. The main contributions of this paper are the following: 1) development of a specific self-organizing environment mapping structure inspired by the growing neural gas algorithm; 2) incorporating a fuzzy controller into the algorithm to adapt to robot's motion; and 3) resolving typical issues such as sensor noise, communication time delay, and low sampling rate. The experimental testing was performed in both virtual environment and on a real robotic platform, consisting of a Lego NXT mobile robot and a Novint Falcon 3-DOF haptic interface. The results showed that a high-fidelity haptic feedback can be successfully generated using a simpler and more affordable rotational sonar sensory system, as opposed to the typical multisonar array. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the SOFAMap algorithm improves the operator's awareness of unstructured environments, making it applicable to wide range of mobile robot teleoperation systems.
Resolving an 80-yr-old controversy: the beginning of the modern era of renal physiology

Marcello Malpighi discovered the glomerulus that bears his name in the 17th century, but it was not until the middle of the 19th century, in 1842, that William Bowman in London published his studie...
Ant-Based Cyber Security

We describe a swarming-agent-based, mixed initiative approach to infrastructure defense where teams of humans and software agents defend cooperating organizations in tandem by sharing insights and solutions without violating proprietary boundaries. The system places human administrators at the appropriate level: where they provide system guidance while lower-level agents carry out tasks humans are unable to perform quickly enough to mitigatetoday's security threats. Cooperative Infrastructure Defense, or CID, uses our ant-based approach to enable dialogue between humans and agents to foster a collaborative problem solving environment, to increase human situational awareness and to influence using visualization and shared control. We discuss theoretical implementation characteristics along with results from recent proof-of-concept implementations.