cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protective role of protein kinase C epsilon activation in ischemia–reperfusion arrhythmia

Abstract Purpose Ischemic heart disease carries an increased risk of malignant ventricular tachycardia (VT), fibrillation (VF), and sudden cardiac death. Protein kinase C (PKC) epsilon activation has been shown to improve the hemodynamics in hearts subjected to ischemia/reperfusion. However, very little is known about the role of epsilon PKC in reperfusion arrhythmias. Here we show that epsilon PKC activation is anti-arrhythmic and its inhibition is pro-arrhythmic. Method Langendorff-perfused isolated hearts from ePKC agonist (ePKC activation), antagonist (ePKC inhibition) transgenic (TG), and wild-type control mice were subjected to 30 min stabilization period, 10 min global ischemia, and 30 min reperfusion. Action potentials (APs) and calcium transients (Ca i T) were recorded simultaneously at 37 °C using optical mapping techniques. The incidence of VT and VF was assessed during reperfusion. Results No VT/VF was seen in any group during the stabilization period in which hearts were perfused with Tyrode’s solution. Upon reperfusion, 3 out of the 16 (19%) wild-type mice developed VT but no VF. In ePKC antagonist group, in which ePKC activity was downregulated, 10 out of 13 (76.9%) TG mice developed VT, of which six (46.2%) degenerated into sustained VF upon reperfusion. Interestingly, in ePKC agonist mice, in which the activity of ePKC was upregulated, no VF was observed and only 1 out of 12 mice showed only transient VT during reperfusion. During ischemia and reperfusion, Ca i T decay was exceedingly slower in the antagonist mice compared to the other two groups. Conclusion Moderate in vivo activation of ePKC exerts beneficial antiarrhythmic effect vis-a-vis the lethal reperfusion arrhythmias. Abnormal Ca i T decay may, in part, contribute to the high incidence of reperfusion arrhythmias in the antagonist mice. These findings have important implications for the development of PKC isozyme targeted therapeutics and subsequently for the treatment of ischemic heart diseases.
Charge transfer interaction and electrical conductivity of poly(vinyl acetals) containing dispersed TCNQ radical anion salts

Charge transfer (CT) interaction is described in semiconducting dispersions of TCNQ complex salt with and without added TCNQ°, in poly(vinyl acetal) matrices in which the electron-donor moiety is varied. The extent of CT interaction was determined in films and in solution (DMF, acetonitrile, or methylene chloride) through the absorbances at 398 nm ( and TCNQ°) and 857 nm . Resistivity of the conductive films was related to the stoichiometry of TCNQ species in the films and found to have a minimum at . Lower resistivities were attained with films having a uniform, densely packed dispersion of microcrystallites which were obtained at a relatively slow solvent removal rate. With this particular complex salt, strong electron-donor polymers are found to be better matrices for semiconductivity.
Materials aspects of solar energy use in buildings

Advances in materials for solar energy utilization have the potential to produce large performance improvements (both present and future concepts) in use of solar energy or conservation. Because approximately one-third of the total national energy budget is consumed by buildings, solar and conservation improvements can have a large effect on our overall energy consumption. There have been a large number of materials research programs funded through the Department of Energy (DOE) in an attempt to expand the use of solar energy. These materials programs have covered the areas of sealants and gaskets, insulations, glazings, glazing- surface treatments, polymers, selective absorber surfaces, phase-change storage, and heat mirrors. In addition to developing the materials, a large effort has been directed toward determining the reliability and durability of solar materials. The present state-of-the-art and status of these solar materials will be discussed. Although much progress has been made in recent years, many improvements are still needed. For many of the more routine materials, simple cost reductions or durability improvements would suffice. For the more advanced concepts of controlling energy flow into or out of buildings, basic materials research remains a necessity. There are a large number of potentially viable concepts that appear promising, but which have not yet been developed into usable materials.
Numerical Simulations of the Genesis of Typhoon Nuri (2008): Sensitivity to Initial Conditions and Implications for the Roles of Intense Convection and Moisture Conditions

AbstractThe sensitivity of numerical simulations of the genesis of Typhoon Nuri (2008) to initial conditions is examined using the Advanced Research core of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. The initial and boundary conditions are derived from two different global analyses at different lead times. One simulation successfully captures the processes of Nuri’s genesis and early intensification, whereas other simulations fail to predict the genesis of Nuri. Discrepancies between simulations with and without Nuri’s development are diagnosed. Significant differences are found in the development and organization of the intense convection during Nuri’s pregenesis phase. In the developing case, convection evolves and organizes into a “pouch” center of a westward-propagating wavelike disturbance. In the nondeveloping case, the convection fails to develop and organize. Favorable conditions for the development of deep convection include strong closed circulation patterns with high humidity, especially...
A modified sucrose fractionation procedure for the isolation of frankiae from actinorhizal root nodules and soil samples

The isolation and pure culture of the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing frankiae has always been difficult. In the past the isolation of these actinomycetes directly from soil samples has proven impossible and isolations from root nodules of many genera has been only poorly successful. We report here a modified sucrose fractionation procedure which increased the success of isolations from root nodules and which permitted the isolation of Frankia directly from soil samples. Crushed nodule suspensions or soil suspensions were incubated briefly in 0.7% phenol (carbolic acid) just before application to a sucrose density gradient. This phenol incubation decreased the number of contaminating eubacteria and fungi but more importantly increased the number of Frankia developing on the isolation plates. If the phenol incubation was used solely without sucrose fractionation no Frankia were isolated, suggesting the death of the organisms due to phenol toxicity. The use of selective nitrogen-deficient media proved important for the isolation of frankiae from soils.
Gender Differences in the salience of psychosocial mediators of the impact of acculturation on substance abuse among Hispanic youth in Florida.

Objectives A number of psychosocial factors have been identified as mediators of the impact that acculturation exerts on adolescent drug use. We sought to evaluate gender differences in mediators of the impact of acculturation on substance abuse. Methods We used t-test and logistic regression to analyze data collected from 8,200 adolescent students who self-identified as Hispanic during the 2004 Florida Youth Substance Abuse. The dependent variable was past 30 day use of marijuana and the key independent variable was language spoken at home. The covariates were 32 risk and protective (R/P) factors for drug use as defined by the Social Development Strategy framework. Results For boys, the ORs associated with language changed significantly with the addition of any of the R/P factors to their basic model, while for girls only the addition of the Individual domain factors significantly changed the ORs. Discussion and conclusion These findings suggest that among boys the interventions that target any or all of the R/P factors may be able to positively alter the drug using behaviors among boys. In contrast, only the interventions that reinforce girls’ innate strengths may succeed in dissuading them from initiating and perpetuating drug use. This information can be used to develop policies and interventions geared toward preventing drug problems among the growing group of adolescent of immigrant descent.
A rapid immunological assay of endonuclease activity.

Abstract Denatured T4 DNA mixed with specific antibody forms a complex which is retained by a glass fiber filter. The retention of this complex is dependent on the size of the DNA: single-stranded fragments with a molecular weight greater than 106 are retained, whereas fragments with a molecular weight of less than 2 · 104 are not retained. The effects of pH, temperature, NaCl concentration, antiserum concentration, and DNA concentration on the formation and retention of antibody-DNA complexes have been studied. This technique can be used as an endonuclease assay and will detect 1 ng pancreatic deoxyribonuclease. It is 100 times more sensitive than an acid-solubility assay. This endonuclease assay was used to monitor the purification of Mustelis canis liver endonuclease.
Unified Interactive Multiple Objective Programming: An Open Architecture For Accommodating New Procedures

It has previously been shown that nine of the most prominent procedures of interactive multiple objective programming can be considered as special cases of a common procedure called the unified algorithm. In this paper, we show how four additional procedures can be similarly included in the unified approach. Also, the paper presents a procedure-switching matrix that depicts the possibilities for switching from one procedure to another, one iteration to the next, in the unified algorithm if so directed by a user.
Evidence for peroxisomal hydroxylase activity in rat liver

Abstract This study presents evidence for the first time that rat liver peroxisomes contain a hydroxylase capable of converting 3α, 7α, 12α,- trihydroxy-5β-cholestane to a cholestanetetrol. Furthermore, this hydroxylase differs from both the mitochondrial and microsomal enzymes in its response to various co-factors. Highly purified peroxisomal, mitochondrial, and microsomal fractions from cholestryamine-treated rats were incubated with [22(23)-3H]3α, 7α, 12α, -trihydroxy-5β-cholestane under a variety of conditions. The products were acidified, extracted, and subjected to thin-layer chromatography to determine the amount of cholestanetetrol produced. The identification of the 25- and 26-hydroxylated products from the incubations with the microsomes was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Peroxisomal fractions incubated with a NADPH-generating system, Mg2+, and ATP showed a rate of 40 pmol/min/mg conversion of 3α, 7α,12α, -trihydroxy-5β-cholestane to a cholestanetetrol. Co-factor studies indicated that both the peroxisomal and mitochondrial hydroxylase activities were dependent on NADPH, Mg2+, and ATP (with different concentration requirements) whereas the microsomal hydroxylase(s) required only NADPH. An abstract of this work has been published (1).
Many-Valued Logic and Event-Related Potentials☆☆☆

Abstract In previous experiments on event-related potentials (ERPs) during linguistic judgments, the subjects' decisions have been categorical (e.g., true vs false). In this experiment, more realistic variations in truth value and subject certainty were used. Thirty-eight naive undergraduates read a story about a fictional murder. ERPs were recorded as the subjects rated the strength of their beliefs about statements relating to suspects in the crime. Because no subject was sure which of the suspects was guilty of committing the crime, binary (true–false) category judgments were inappropriate. Three components of the ERP waveforms were affected by the experimental manipulations. An early positive component was largest to sentences concerning the suspect considered most likely to have committed the crime. A subsequent broad posterior positivity (LPC) also showed significant sentence-type differences, but it was larger to sentences considered probable—whether they were true or false—than to more ambiguous sentences. A third ERP component (N400) was negative at midline electrode sites and peaked at approximately 420 ms. Subjects' truth-value judgments had no effect on the N400. N400 was, however, affected by the subject's task. It was more negative when subjects made graded judgments about truth value than when they made binary true–false judgments. Overall, naturalistic judgments of sentence validity produced a variety of brain responses that reflected different aspects of linguistic decision making.
Clusters’ last stand

Contre le rejet des theories traditionnelles de la signification contextuelle, l'A. examine les conditions de possibilite d'une reformulation de la theorie des groupes, sur les nouvelles bases de la rationalite, de l'objectivite et du progres de la science
Early growth response 1 loops the CYP2B6 promoter for synergistic activation by the distal and proximal nuclear receptors CAR and HNF4α

Nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR activates transcription of the CYP2B6 gene by directly binding to the distal enhancer PB responsive enhancer module (PBREM). This CAR-mediated activation is synergized by transcription factors early growth response 1 (EGR1) and hepatocyte-enriched nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4alpha) that bind to the proximal element OA response element KI (OARE(KI)) [Inoue, K., & Negishi, M. (2008). Nuclear receptor CAR requires early growth response 1 to activate the human cytochrome P450 2B6 gene. J. Biol. Chem. 283, 10425-10432]. Two additional EGR1 binding sites have now been found just downstream from PBREM. Internal deletion of EGR1 sites within the context of the -1.8 kb CYP2B6 promoter, which contains both PBREM and OARE(KI), revealed that the distal and proximal EGR1 sites are essential for EGR1 to synergize CAR-mediated transcription. Chromatin conformation capture 3C assays demonstrated that ERG1 may loop the distal PBREM towards the proximal OARE(KI) so that together, CAR and HNF4alpha synergistically activate the CYP2B6 promoter.
Buffon's needle and the estimation of migration distances.

A procedure is suggested for estimating migration distances from data on the proportion of migrants crossing regional boundaries. The method makes use of Buffon's needle, a problem in geometrical p...
Pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy : the missing link ?

Abstract Release of angiogenic factors in response to the ischaemic retina is currently the most favoured hypothesis for the pathogenesis of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Reducing the stimulus for angiogenesis by destroying the ischaemic retina also forms the basis of the most effective treatment of diabetic retinopathy by photocoagulation. Though ischaemia is undoubtedly important for neovascularization, there is recent evidence which cast doubts on ischemia being the sole mechanism for diabetic retinopathy. Many clinical observations viz. the protective effects of glaucoma, myopia, unilateral carotid stenosis on diabetic retinopathy; and its worsening after cataract extraction are not adequately explained by the present hypothesis. Moreover, the recent in vitro culture studies on retinal pigment epithelial cells have suggested an alternative explanation for the effectiveness of photocoagulation in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Furthermore, hyperglycemia has been strongly correlated with the incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy, but has only been indirectly indicted in its pathogenesis. These facts can be integrated into a more plausible hypothesis for the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. It is hypothesized that a relative reduction in intra-ocular pressure caused by presistent or intermittent hyperglycemia may be the missing link that induces certain morphological changes in the retinal pigment epithelium. These changes, in addition to the ischaemic retina, may be important for the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. Such a hypothesis also explains most of the hitherto unexplained features of diabetic retinopathy.
Evaluation of Parenteral Nutrition Management in a Hospital Without a Formal Nutrition Support Team

Purpose: A preliminary review of several adult inpatients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) revealed opportunities for improvement. In response, a drug usage evaluation (DUE) was conducted to: 1) determine specific areas of adult PN management needing improvement; 2) evaluate the current PN order forms; 3) identify reasons for PN wastage; 4) establish pharmacist involvement in prescribing/monitoring of PN in a community hospital without a formal nutrition support team.Methods: A prospective DUE was performed on various adults receiving PN from January through February 2005. The following data were collected and evaluated: 1) PN indication; 2) whether ordered PN formula met patients’ estimated needs; 3) adequate adjustments of electrolyte or glucose imbalances; 4) appropriate ramping/tapering of PN; 5) appropriate laboratory data ordered. Additionally, a record was kept of PN solutions wasted from January through April 2005.Results: Twenty-two adult patients receiving PN were prospectively reviewed. Prot...
Quantifying individual- and community-level effects of competition using experimentally-determined null species pools

The effects of competition on individual fitness and species diversity were investigated in a first-year old field by comparing the natural community to an experimentally-deter- mined null community. The species pool for the null commu- nity was estimated from low-density plots, and hypothetical sample plots in the null community were constructed by random sampling from the species pool. Individual plants were larger in low-density plots than control plots, indicating that competition reduced individual fitness. Competition ap- peared to reduce diversity in half the plots (i.e. species rich- ness and diversity were lower than in hypothetical null com- munity plots with the same number of individuals), but did not affect diversity in the other plots. However, the reduction in diversity could be explained as an artifact caused by spatial aggregation in control plots. The magnitude of the effects of competition on diversity did not change with plot density, and no species consistently increased or decreased in relative abundance as plot density increased. We conclude that compe- tition had no effect on diversity in this community, despite the strong effect on individual growth.
InfoMonitor: unobtrusively archiving a World Wide Web server

It is important to provide long-term preservation of digital data even when those data are stored in an unreliable system such as a filesystem, a legacy database, or even the World Wide Web. In this paper we focus on the problem of archiving the contents of a Web site without disrupting users who maintain the site. We propose an archival storage system, the InfoMonitor, in which a reliable archive is integrated with an unmodified existing store. Implementing such a system presents various challenges related to the mismatch of features between the components such as differences in naming and data manipulation operations. We examine each of these issues as well as solutions for the conflicts that arise. We also discuss our experience using the InfoMonitor to archive the Stanford Database Group's Web site.
Information Systems Development Methodolgies in Developing Higher Education

Studies concerned with the status of Information Systems Development Methodologies usage in many developing countries including the factors that influence and motivate their use, current trends, difficulties, and barriers to adoption are lacking, especially within the higher education sector. This paper examines these identified gaps in a developing country, namely the United Arab Emirates. The initial findings reveal that there is limited knowledge and understanding of the concept of ISDM in federal higher education institutions in the UAE. This is reflected in the quality of the software products being developed and released. However, the analysed data also reveals a trend whereby federal higher education institutions in the UAE are gradually moving towards increased ISDM adoption and deployment.
Cerebrospinal fluid human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA levels are elevated in neurocognitively impaired individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

To determine whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) viral burden measurements can assist in the evaluation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorders, we quantified HIV type 1 (HIV-1) RNA in CSF. Because previous findings suggested that disease stage, lymphocytic pleocytosis, and HIV-1 RNA levels in plasma may influence CSF viral burden, these variables were examined as potential modifying factors. HIV-1 RNA levels were quantified by using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay. Performance on a comprehensive neuropsychological (NP) battery was noted in 97 prospectively enrolled, HIV-infected subjects. Among subjects with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (<200 CD4 + lymphocytes), NP impairment was associated with significantly higher CSF RNA levels (3.1 vs 1.8 log 10 copies/ml; p = 0.02); most impaired subjects met criteria for HIV-associated dementia or minor cognitive-motor disorder. In subjects without AIDS, CSF RNA and NP impairment were unrelated. Before AIDS, CSF RNA was strongly correlated to plasma RNA and to pleocytosis, but in AIDS, CSF and plasma RNA were independent. In conclusion, we found elevated CSF HIV-1 RNA levels in NP impaired subjects with AIDS. Before AIDS, systemic viral replication, possibly through CD4 + mononuclear cell trafficking, may govern virus levels in CSF, whereas in AIDS, CD4 cell depletion may unmask a correlation between increased productive central nervous system HIV infection and clinical neurocognitive disorders.
Restrictive hemodynamic patterns after cardiac transplantation: Relationship to histologic signs of rejection

Abstract Hemodynamic and echocardiographic data from 33 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac transplantation were correlated with endomyocardial biopsy results to determine whether reversible restrictive hemodynamics accompany histologic evidence of transplant rejection. During the study period 251 biopsy specimens were obtained during periods of no histologic evidence of transplant rejection and 52 episodes of mild, 20 episodes of moderate, and one episode of severe rejection. Right atrial mean pressure increased significantly during episodes of moderate transplant rejection (9.9 ± 6.2 mm Hg, p p p
Invertebrate immune diversity.

Abstract The arms race between hosts and pathogens (and other non-self) drives the molecular diversification of immune response genes in the host. Over long periods of evolutionary time, many different defense strategies have been employed by a wide variety of invertebrates. We review here penaeidins and crustins in crustaceans, the allorecognition system encoded by fuhc , fester and Uncle fester in a colonial tunicate, Dscam and PGRPs in arthropods, FREPs in snails, VCBPs in protochordates, and the Sp185/333 system in the purple sea urchin. Comparisons among immune systems, including those reviewed here have not identified an immune specific regulatory “genetic toolkit”, however, repeatedly identified sequences (or “building materials” on which the tools act) are present in a broad range of immune systems. These include a Toll/TLR system, a primitive complement system, an LPS binding protein, and a RAG core/Transib element. Repeatedly identified domains and motifs that function in immune proteins include NACHT, LRR, Ig, death, TIR, lectin domains, and a thioester motif. In addition, there are repeatedly identified mechanisms (or “construction methods”) that generate sequence diversity in genes with immune function. These include genomic instability, duplications and/or deletions of sequences and the generation of clusters of similar genes or exons that appear as families, gene recombination, gene conversion, retrotransposition, alternative splicing, multiple alleles for single copy genes, and RNA editing. These commonly employed “materials and methods” for building and maintaining an effective immune system that might have been part of that ancestral system appear now as a fragmented and likely incomplete set, likely due to the rapid evolutionary change (or loss) of host genes that are under pressure to keep pace with pathogen diversity.
Endometrial adenocarcinoma in teenagers

Abstract Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium is an extremely rare finding in the teenage population. Two case reports of 17-year-old teenagers with endometrial carcinoma are presented. Both patients have a history of prolonged periods of anovulation which supports the association between unopposed prolonged estrogen effect and the development of endometrial carcinoma.
Integrated vision-based system for efficient, semi-automated control of a robotic manipulator

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated, computer vision-based system to operate a commercial wheelchair-mounted robotic manipulator (WMRM). In addition, a gesture recognition interface system was developed specially for individuals with upper-level spinal cord injuries including object tracking and face recognition to function as an efficient, hands-free WMRM controller. Design/methodology/approach – Two Kinect® cameras were used synergistically to perform a variety of simple object retrieval tasks. One camera was used to interpret the hand gestures and locate the operator's face for object positioning, and then send those as commands to control the WMRM. The other sensor was used to automatically recognize different daily living objects selected by the subjects. An object recognition module employing the Speeded Up Robust Features algorithm was implemented and recognition results were sent as a commands for “coarse positioning” of the robotic arm near the selected object. Automat...
K+-induced reversal of astrocyte glutamate uptake is limited by compensatory changes in intracellular Na+

Glutamate uptake is coupled to counter-transport of K+, and high external K+ concentrations can induce reversal of glutamate uptake in whole-cell patch-clamp and isolated membrane preparations. However, high external K+ causes little or no reversal of glutamate uptake in intact astrocytes, suggesting a regulatory mechanism not evident in membrane preparations. One mechanism by which intact cells could limit the effects of altered extracellular ion concentrations on glutamate transport is by compensatory changes in intracellular Na+ concentrations. This possibility was examined using astrocyte cultures treated in two ways to reduce the driving force for glutamate uptake: incubation in high K+ (with reciprocal reduction in Na+), and incubation with metabolic inhibitors to induce ATP depletion. ATP depletion produced a rise in intracellular Na+, a collapse of the membrane sodium gradient and a massive reversal of glutamate uptake. By contrast, incubation in high K+/low Na+ medium did not significantly alter the sodium gradient and did not induce glutamate uptake reversal. The sodium gradient was shown to be maintained under these conditions by compensatory reductions in intracellular Na+ that approximately matched the reductions in extracellular Na+. These findings suggest a mechanism by which astrocytes may limit reversal of glutamate uptake under high K+/low Na+ conditions, and further suggest a general mechanism by which Na(+)-dependent transport processes could be shielded from fluctuating extracellular ion concentrations.
Application of the method of laplace to the measurement of homogeneous nucleation rates

Abstract The application of the method of Laplace to the evaluation of the nucleation integral leads to the formulation of an explicit relationship for the nucleation pulse duration applicable in a Wilson cloud chamber. The nucleation pulse duration is primarily a function of absolute temperature and certain of its derivatives evaluated at the instant of the peak nucleation rate. The mathematical technique demonstrates the sudden appearance of condensation in the cloud chamber or wind tunnel type of condensation experiment. Preliminary time-resolved temperature measurements have been conducted in a Wilson cloud chamber using hot-wire anemometry to avoid condensation on the temperature sensor. Time-resolved measurements of mean particle size and concentration have been made by spectral transmission tests at two wavelengths of light. A sample data reduction is given for the asymmetric temperature history. The technique possesses the potential of providing definitive measurements of nucleation pulse duration, nucleation rate and an experimental value of the highly disputed pre-exponential factor provided the exponent is known.
Trafficking in pain: genealogies of witnessing slavery in Francesco Bartolozzi and concluding with Lalla Essaydi

Abstract This paper examines the ways that slave bodies have been rendered visible in visual representation. I argue that African diasporic slave bodies are firmly located in a history of viewing imbued with a sentimental erotics of pain. Through a careful examination of the engravings by Francesco Bartolozi that accompany John Stedman's Narrative of a Five Years Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, I argue that even abolitionist images of slaves traffic in pain, exploiting the wounded captive body through a sexualized identification that reinscribes black subjugation. I suggest that contemporary African diasporic artists such as Lalla Essaydi can navigate this genealogy of viewing by strategically moving through hurtful images in order to resituate and recite them. Such a re-citation as Essaydi accomplishes in her painting Duty Free allows for an ethical viewership that does not simply ignore or repress a painful legacy of visual representation but that rethinks it in the name of redress.
Sex Differences in Earnings: The Influence of Industrial Sector, Authority Hierarchy, and Human Capital Variables.

Industrial sectors and authority hierarchies are examined as an explanation for women's lower earnings compared with men's. Sectoral location and authority position are found to have independent additive effects on earnings; these effects, however, differ by sex. Women are more likely to achieve higher authority positions within the peripheral sector, and men occupy similar authority positions across sectors. Men receive slightly higher benefits from being in the core sector, and although industrial sector and authority position do not interact for either women or men, men receive greater benefits from high authority positions than do women. The additional control for human capital variables did not reduce substantially the female-male earnings gap, but we did find that the human capital variables operate differently for women and men over industrial sectors. Whereas core and periphery men seem to be similarly advantaged and disadvantaged by various human capital variables, these variables are substantial...
Copyright and social norms in communities of content creation

The Internet is a rich medium for creative activity, for which the raw material is a combination of original ideas and existing content. Many content creators engage with copyright law regularly, especially when deciding what is permissive in remix and appropriation. However, this area of the law is historically confusing. Where legal knowledge is imperfect, ethical intuitions and community norms fill in the gaps in online environments of creative sharing. My dissertation takes up the task of understanding how norms, knowledge, and attitudes differ in different online communities and what lessons can be derived for online community management and design.
Visualizing Materials Chemistry at Atomic Resolution

Analytical electron microscopy—empowered by advances in electron optics and detectors—is poised to radically transform our understanding of the complex phenomena arising from atomic and electronic structure in materials chemistry. (To listen to a podcast about this article, please go to the Analytical Chemistry multimedia page at pubs.acs.org/page/ancham/audio/index.html.)
Catching the prey: Sampling juvenile fish and invertebrate prey fields of juvenile coho and Chinook salmon during their early marine residence

Abstract Marine diets of juvenile coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the northern California Current are made up primarily of micronekton prey including juvenile fish, adult euphausiids, and large crab megalopae. However, these animals are seldom caught in the conventional plankton gears used to define juvenile salmon prey fields in ocean salmon programs. Four types of sampling gears with various mouth openings and configurations were examined for the ability to catch known juvenile salmon prey. Samples were examined for differences in species composition, relative biomass, length distribution, and taxonomic overlap with prey in the diets of salmon sampled concurrently. The herring, Marinovich, and Methot trawl nets generally caught juvenile prey fish such as hexagrammids, rockfish, cottids, and osmerids. These prey were in the 15–95 mm fork-length range, consistent with the type and size eaten by juvenile salmon. The bongo net sampled smaller invertebrate prey, which are rarely eaten by juvenile salmon, but instead are common prey of the juvenile fish that salmon consume. Overlap between prey fields and salmon diets was moderate for samples from the larger gear types but low for those from bongo nets towed in the same area. The fact that no gear matched exactly with coho and Chinook salmon diets was related to differences in catchability of the prey in different gears but may also in part be probably due to the high mobility of juvenile salmon, which enables these fish to consume food in locations distant from where they are sampled, and also to selectively feed in areas of high prey concentration. Based on our analysis, we recommend the use of micronekton gears with larger mouth openings and mesh sizes for better filtration rather than standard plankton gears (i.e., bongo nets) for direct estimates of available prey resources for juvenile coho or Chinook salmon. Sampling the abundance, size, and distribution of prey fields for juvenile salmon during their first summer in the ocean, a period of high natural mortality, may help us to better understand the mechanisms of bottom-up forcing on interannual changes in salmon mortality.
EFFECTS OF CITY FAMILIARITY ON SIZE ESTIMATION

This study is a demonstration of a common perceptual distortion caused by the logical fallacy of affirming the consequences. When the proposition "If A, then B" is true, an error is commonly made in inferring that "If B, then A." This error produces a distorted judgment. For example, we tend to be more familiar with larger cities. We, therefore judge more familiar cities to be larger. The results below corroborate these propositions and illustrate the common error of overestimating the size of familiar cities.
Measuring the benefits derived from a transportation investment

Abstract This paper reviews the problems associated with application of the concept of consumers' surplus to the measurement of benefits derived from a transportation investment. This review is warranted since such measurement is very complicated when alternative modes or different paths are available to the users and benefit measures have been proposed which, on the surface, appear not to agree. In particular, as Mohring (1976), Williams (1976) and Agnello (1977), among others, have discussed, demand curves for interdependent modes will shift in response to a modal specific improvement, i.e. a unimodal investment, thereby complicating the measurement of consumers' surplus. The perspective taken in this paper resolves seeming inconsistencies in the literature regarding the directions of demand shifts and the correct measure to be used in calculating changes in consumer's surplus following an investment. This is accomplished by introducing an aggregate, origin-destination demand curve which is independent of the alternative modes actually available and from which traditional modal demands can be derived. An approach for deriving the modal demands from the aggregate demand and the behavioral assumptions behind the aggregate supply is described; the aggregate demand is used to unequivocably determine the directions of shifts in the modal demand curves due to specific modal investments. The resulting consistency of modal and aggregate demand is shown to lead to an unambiguous measure of total consumers' surplus variation. Extensions to include producers' surplus are also given.
Exposure to Recurrent Sleep Restriction in the Setting of High Caloric Intake and Physical Inactivity Results in Increased Insulin Resistance and Reduced Glucose Tolerance

Context: Epidemiological data indicate that reduced sleep duration is associated with increased incidence of type-2 diabetes. Objective: The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that, when part of a Western-like lifestyle, recurrent bedtime restriction may result in decreased glucose tolerance and reduced insulin secretion and action. Design and Setting: We conducted a randomized crossover study at a university clinical research center and sleep research laboratory. Participants: Eleven healthy volunteers (five females and six males) with a mean (±sd) age of 39 ± 5 yr and body mass index of 26.5 ± 1.5 kg/m2 participated in the study. Intervention: The study included two 14-d periods of controlled exposure to sedentary living with ad libitum food intake and 5.5- or 8.5-h bedtimes. Main Outcome Measures: Oral and iv glucose challenges were used to obtain measures of glucose tolerance, glucose effectiveness, insulin secretion, and insulin sensitivity at the end of each intervention. Secondary measures...
Job Satisfaction as a Function of Personality-Job Congruence: A Study with Jungian Psychological Types:

The study tested the hypothesis that congruence between personality and occupational environment has a favorable influence on job satisfaction. Personality and job satisfaction were measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Brayfield and Rothe's Index of Job Satisfaction, respectively (N = 586). The occupations were classified as technical, intellectual, and social. The results did not provide support for the hypothesis. But personality characteristics, such as extravert-introvert and judging-perceiving, did influence job satisfaction irrespective of occupations.
Optical controller for 3D manipulation

This paper describes the development of an optical three-dimensional controller. A typical 3D controller consists of a two dimensional controller with a superfluous secondary controller for its third dimension. These 3D controllers have a severely limited operating range and do not allow the user to move simultaneously in three dimensions. In the past, controllers commonly used potentiometers to detect movement; this component limits the operating range as the sensors must be fixed to a point. The proposed optical controller incorporates all three dimensions into a single controller allowing for further utility while decreasing complexity for its user. The use of an optical controller would be advantageous in terms of its size and weight as many mechanical and electrical components in traditional controllers would be eliminated. The optical controller could be used for precision controlling in many circumstances because of its direct mapping to 3D systems.
Accuracy of the Vitek system for antimicrobial susceptibility testing Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infection isolates: use of “direct” inoculation from Bactec 9240 blood culture bottles

A recent investigation indicates that rapid antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) can affect patient therapy leading to reductions in health-care costs for some patient populations. However, there is little information relative to the often performed direct inoculation of positive blood culture bottles into rapid AST systems. AST results of direct inoculated Vitek (bioMerieux Vitek, Hazelwood, MO, USA) GNS cards were compared to those inoculated per package insert recommendations and a reference broth microdilution test using 50 consecutive Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infection isolates. Escherichia coli (44% of isolates), Klebsiella ssp. (30%), and six other members of this family were tested against 15 antimicrobial agents. The direct inoculation method produced only two false-susceptible (0.3%), seven false-resistant (0.9%; six different drugs), and 48 minor errors (6.4%). The GNS cards inoculated in the usual, recommended manner had no very major error, and 7.5% combined major and minor errors. If the results of the urinary infection-specific drugs (nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole; not appropriate for bacteremia therapy) and ampicillin/sulbactam were deleted, both Vitek inoculation methods yielded results well within acceptable limits (< or = 4.5% overall error). These results indicate that the direct inoculation method of Vitek GNS cards from Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infections (detected by Bactec 9240, Becton-Dickinson, Cockeysville, MD, USA) performed as well as the NCCLS broth microdilution test. Thus, a procedural modification of this type could further accelerate rapid access to accurate AST data.
Calcium and contraction of glycerinated muscle fibers. I. Removal of calcium with "granules" or a metal-binding resin.

Abstract Attempts to discover if there is a concentration of calcium ion critical for tension generation in glycerinated fibers have been completely unsuccessful. The rate at which maximal tension generation was reached and the magnitude of the tension were unaffected by reducing calcium ion to concentrations calculated to be as low as 6.9·10 −10 M . The hypothesis that the small granule fraction of Marsh factor inhibits tension generation by simple withdrawal of calcium has been made improbable by the observation that the divalent metal-chelating resin Chelex-100, though 10 times more effective than granules in decreasing calcium ion, had only slight effects on tension generation when compared to the effects of the granules. These data indicate the necessity of postulating that the inhibition of tension generation produced by granules must be the result of an inhibitor formed and/or released by the granules.
A novel system for fused deposition of advanced multiple ceramics

In this article we present the system that we have developed at Rutgers University for the solid freeform fabrication of multiple ceramic actuators and sensors. With solid free form fabrication, a part is built layer by layer, with each layer composed of roads of material forming the boundary and the interior of the layer. With our system, up to four different types of materials can be deposited in a given layer with any geometry. This system is intended for fabrication of functional parts; therefore the accuracy and precision of the fabrication process are of extreme importance.
Thermomechanical behavior of 55Ni45Ti nitinol

Extensive and full range mechanical testing of 55Ni45Ti nitinol alloy wire up to failure over a wide range of testing temperatures is reported. Thermomechanical properties are obtained including: initial modulus, secondary modulus, critical martensitic start and finish stresses, plastic flow stress, recovery strain limit, failure stress and plastic modulus. The data is correlated with the Brinson constitutive model modified to account for full range loading. The ratio of austenite to martensite moduli was found to be 5.8 and the secondary modulus (stress-induced martensite) was found to be smaller by a factor of two when compared to the modulus of (stress-free) thermally induced martensite. The influence of the initial temperature treatment of the nitinol was shown to be pronounced within the transformation range. Reasonably accurate correlation is obtained with the modified Brinson constitutive model although there is some discrepancy in critical stress predictions which is partially attributed to experimental scatter.
Transparent silica glasses containing single-walled carbon nanotubes

Organic - Inorganic matrix nano composites have been created using an acid catalyzed, tetraethyl orthosilicate-based sol- gel technique with SWNTs. By utilizing nanotubes functionalized with the dendron methyl 3,5- di(methyltrigycoloxy)benzylic alcohol, ultrasonication blending in the sol phase prior to gelation yields excellent dispersion characteristics of the nanotube phase. Further, glasses could easily be dried by heating to 600 degrees C yielding 80 percent of theoretical density wit little change in the nanotube content. These materials exhibited intrinsic Rayleigh scattering, suggesting near ideal dispersion. Nonlinear optical transmissivity was observed for 1064 and 532 nm light suggesting that the matrix has a strong broad band coupling to the optical field. Such composites allow for a host of applications based on the novel confinement properties of carbon nanotubes in a robust host.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
ASH CONSTITUENTS OF PASTURE GRASSES, THEIR STANDARD ELECTRODE POTENTIALS AND ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Since there is a wide variation in the ash constituents of a species of plant grown under various conditions, it was decided to determine the ash constituents of several pasture grasses grown on soils differing widely in productivity. An examination of some available data on ash analyses of pasture plants suggested that the only way to secure definite information on this important topic was to attempt to determine, by correlating the existing data, the order of absorption and the condition necessary for optimum assimilation of the various nutrient ions. The lack of a close correlation between the H-ion concentration of the soil and plant growth suggested a consideration of the potential relations which might result from the presence in the soil complexes of electropositive elements above and below hydrogen in the electromotive series. Such a consideration soon made it evident that the electromotive series could be used very effectively in correlating much of the data in the field of nutrition. It wTas observed that there is a direct relation between the order of removal of ions from soil colloids by electrodialysis, and the order of atomic ions in the electromotive series (19, 20). It was also observed that many organisms selectively absorb atomic nutrient ions in the same order as they appear in the electromotive series. Observations on the selective absorption of the strong ions led to a consideration of the radiant energy necessary for the optimum assimilation of the various nutrient compounds. A consideration of thermo-dynamical data clearly showed that the physiological effects of radiant energy are definitely related to the decompositional voltages, or processes in which a change of valence takes place, of nutrient materials. Since so much of the data on physiological problems can be correlated with the electromotive series it is very probable that this series
Minimum variance unbiased invariant estimation of variance components under normality

In a variance components model for normally distributed data, for a specified vector of linear combinations of the variance components, necessary and sufficient conditions are given under which the vector has a uniformly minimum variance unbiased translation-invariant estimator. The competing class of estimators is not restricted to those that are quadratic. For classification models, the conditions are translated into easy-to-check partial balance requirements on the incidence array.