cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perception of Vocal Tremor During Sustained Phonation Compared With Sentence Context

Summary Objectives/Hypothesis Vocal tremor is an acoustical phenomenon characterized by relatively periodic modulations in fundamental frequency and intensity. Although vocal tremor is considered easier to perceive during sustained phonation than during connected speech, systematic comparison between these speech contexts has not been investigated. This investigation compared vocal tremor perception during sustained phonation and connected speech contexts. Study Design This is a prospective, controlled study with randomized conditions. Methods Audio recordings from five speakers diagnosed with essential vocal tremor were used for this study. Twenty-four naive adult listeners rated the overall severity (ie, aberrance) of the voice and the degree of shakiness (ie, tremor) during sustained phonation of /i/. A different group of 21 naive adult listeners rated sentence stimuli consisting of two different sentences, one loaded with voiced and the other with voiceless speech sounds. Results All speakers were rated by listeners to have similar levels of shakiness and overall severity during sustained phonation. However, significantly higher levels of shakiness and overall severity were perceived during sustained phonation than during sentence context. A nonsignificant trend was shown for higher average ratings for shakiness and overall severity on voice-loaded compared with voiceless-loaded sentences. Conclusions This study demonstrated that vocal tremor is perceived as significantly more severe during sustained phonation than during connected speech. More importantly, individual speakers differed in their ability to reduce vocal tremor perception during connected speech. Thus, sustained phonation does not necessarily offer a valid estimation of the impact of a vocal tremor on an individual’s connected speech.
The Meaning of Observed Violence: Real vs. Fictional Violence and Consequent Effects on Aggression and Emotional Arousal.

Abstract Sixty male subjects were either attacked or treated neutrally by a confederate, after which each saw a videotape of two men fighting. Subjects were informed that fight was either real or fictitious or were given no explanation of it. Subjects who had previously been attacked and had observed the fight under a set to perceive it as real were subsequently more punitive in their treatment of the confederate than subjects in all other conditions. The combination of prior attack and observation of real violence also sustained blood pressure (BP) at near the level produced by the attack, whereas BP of attacked subjects in the other conditions declined during the time the fight was observed. Palmar sweat measures revealed that observation of real violence was more arousing than observation of fictitious fighting. The results are discussed in terms of the effects that the reality of observed violence has on emotional arousal.
Incremental feature weight learning and its application to a shape-based query system

Similarity between Shapes is often measured by computing the distance between two feature vectors. Unfortunately, the feature space cannot always capture the notion of similarity in human perception. So, most current image retrieval systems use weights measuring the importance of each feature. However, the similarity does not vary with equal strength or in the same proportion in all directions in the feature space. In this paper, we present feature weights based on both clustered objects in the database and on relevance feedback. We show that using variance information from shape clusters to guide cluster information for an initial database search gives better results than using the standard Euclidean distance. To automatically incorporate a user's need, the proposed shape-based query system uses an incremental feature weight learning method that refines prototypes. In contrast to existing image database systems, the system can learn from user feedback. Indexing and retrieval results are presented that demonstrate the efficacy of our technique using the well-known Columbia database.
Feasibility of a stem cell therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration.

Abstract: Editor's preface Background context Different strategies to supplement/replenish the disc cell population have been proposed. Recently, adult stem cells have shown promise as a cell source for a variety of tissue engineering and cell therapy applications. A stem cell can renew itself through cell division and can be induced to develop into many different specialized cell types. Moreover, stem cells have shown ability to migrate and engraft within various tissues, as well as to exert stimulatory effects on other cell types through various mechanisms (eg, paracrine effects, cell-cell interactions). These characteristics make stem cells worthy of investigation as a source of cells for intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue engineering and cell therapy. Purpose To determine feasibility of a stem cell therapy of IVD degeneration. Study design In vitro studies of adult human cells to examine interactions between nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at different ratios in 3-D pellet culture. In vivo studies of healthy adult rabbit discs injected with allogenic adult rabbit MSCs to examine stem cell survival and engraftment in living disc tissue. Methods In vitro study: Human NPCs were cocultured with human MSCs in different ratios (75:25, 50:50, 25:75) for 2 weeks in pellet culture, for comparison with pure NPC (100:0) and pure MSC (0:100) pellet cultures. Proteoglycan synthesis rate and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content were measured by radioactive sulfate incorporation and dimethylmethylene blue assay, respectively. In vivo study: MSCs were isolated from the bone marrow of a New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit, retrovirally transduced with the lacZ marker gene, and injected into the nucleus pulposi of the L2–3, L3–4, and L4–5 lumbar discs of 12 other NZW rabbits. Three rabbits each were sacrificed at 3, 6, 12, or 24 weeks after cell implantation, and X-Gal staining was done to assess survival and localization of MSCs in the disc tissues. Results In vitro study: the 75:25 and 50:50 NPC:MSC cocultures yielded the greatest increases in extracellular matrix (ECM) production. In vivo study: MSCs were detected in histological sections of rabbit discs up to 24 weeks after allogenic stem cell implantation, without evidence of systemic illness in the recipient rabbits. The 24-week results in particular suggested the possibility of stem cell migration and engraftment into the inner annulus fibrosus. Conclusions These encouraging results support feasibility of a stem cell therapy approach toward supplementation/replenishment of IVD cells and synthesis/maintenance of a more functional ECM in a degenerated disc. Moreover, the in vivo results demonstrate that transplanted MSCs survive and successfully engraft into the IVD tissue, and are effective vehicles for exogenous gene delivery to the IVD—thus there appear to be multiple mechanisms whereby stem cells might able to confer therapeutic effects in a stem cell therapy of IVD degeneration.
Oliver Heaviside (185O-1925)

90 years ago, in 1873, Maxwell (1831-1879) published his "Treatise On Electricity and Magnetism." The aim of this paper is to review the life and the scientific contributions of one of the first and the most ardent and loyal of his disciples, one of the most brilliant applied mathematicians and scientists of all time, the first modem electrical and electronics engineer, a self-taught man who, more than any other single man, was instrumental in developing the electromagnetic field theory and its classical applications into the form in which it is taught today in our colleges and universities-Oliver Heaviside.
Endothelial Argininosuccinate Synthase mRNA 5′-Untranslated Region Diversity INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TISSUE-SPECIFIC EXPRESSION

Based on the integral role that argininosuccinate synthase (AS) plays in the production of nitric oxide in vascular endothelial cells and urea in liver, an analysis was carried out to determine whether signals reside in the AS mRNA to account for tissue differences in AS function and location. Reverse transcriptase-PCR and sequence analysis showed that the AS mRNA coding region was the same for both endothelial cells and liver; however, 5'-RACE analysis (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) identified AS mRNA species in endothelial cells in addition to a major 43-nucleotide (nt) 5'-untranslated region (UTR) AS mRNA with overlapping extended 5'-UTRs of 66 and 92 nt. Comparison to the genomic sequence immediately upstream of the reported transcription start site for the human and mouse AS gene suggested that expression of all three species of bovine endothelial AS mRNA are driven by a common promoter and that 5'-UTR diversity in endothelial cells results from three transcriptional initiation sites within exon 1. RNase protection analysis and real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR verified and quantitated the differential expression of the extended 5'-UTR species relative to the major 43-nt 5'-UTR AS mRNA. In vitro translation studies showed a less pronounced but similar discordant expression. Sequential deletions starting from the 5' terminus of the 92-nt 5'-UTR construct resulted in a corresponding increase in translational efficiency, but the most pronounced effect resulted from mutation of an upstream open reading frame, which restored translational efficiency of the 92-nt 5'-UTR AS mRNA. When the different AS mRNA 5'-UTRs, cloned in front of a luciferase reporter gene, were transfected into endothelial cells, the pattern of luciferase expression was nearly identical to that observed for the different 5'-UTR AS mRNAs in endothelial cells. Given the different roles ascribed for argininosuccinate synthase, urea versus NO production, these results suggest that sequence in the AS gene represented by position -92 to -43 nt from the translation start site in the extended AS mRNA 5'-UTRs plays an important role in differential and tissue-specific expression.
Differential signaling circuits in regulation of ultraviolet C light-induced early- and late-phase activation of NF-κB.

Ultraviolet C light (UVC) induces nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation via a complex network. In the early phase (4–12 h) of irradiation, NF-κB activation is accompanied with IκBα reduction via a translation inhibition pathway. In the late phase of UVC-induced NF-κB activation (16–24 h), the IκBα depletion is a combined result of regulation at both transcriptional and translational levels. However, the NF-κB activation appears to be independent of the level of IκBα. In this review, we will discuss the multiple signaling circuits that regulate NF-κB activation during the early and late phases of UVC irradiation.
Perlin noise pixel shaders

While working on a method for supporting real-time procedural solid texturing, we developed a general purpose multipass pixel shader to generate the Perlin noise function. We implemented this algorithm on SGI workstations using accelerated OpenGL PixelMap and PixelTransfer operations, achieving a rate of 2.5 Hz for a 256x256 image. We also implemented the noise algorithm on the NVidia GeForce2 using register combiners. Our register combiner implementation required 375 passes, but ran at 1.3 Hz. This exercise illustrated a variety of abilities and shortcomings of current graphics hardware. The paper concludes with an exploration of directions for expanding pixel shading hardware to further support iterative multipass pixel-shader applications.
VIBRATIONS OF INFINITELY LONG CYLINDRICAL SHELLS UNDER INITIAL STRESS

Abstract : The bending theory of shells under the influence of initial stress is applied in this investigation to study the effect of initial uniform circumferential stress, uniform bending moment and uniform radial shear on the dynamic response of an infinitely long (motion is independent of the axial coordinate) elastic circular cylindrical shell. (Author)
The Ripe Moment for Civil Society

This article explores whether and how civil society engagement in a peace process can 'ripen' the conditions and facilitate the success of a peace process. The activities and methods of the Inter-religious Council of Sierra Leone are examined for their impact on each stage of the peace process with a view to shedding light on how civil society can help create the ripe conditions for formal peace negotiations, be an effective participant in negotiations, as well as improve the sustainability of a peace agreement.
The International Year of Biodiversity–From Talk to Action

Conservation almost always takes a backseat to human economic concerns even though the human economy relies on nature. The economic turmoil of the last year has reinforced this prejudice, yet the downturn in the economy offers some lessons for conservation professionals. For example, the political leaders who were supposed to provide oversight of economic institutions ignored repeated warnings about weaknesses in the financial system, and when the crisis came they acted shocked and surprised. Their response has been to pump hundreds of billions of dollars of public money into mismanaged businesses to keep the global economy from collapsing while genuine economic reform languishes. If leaders ignore warnings about the economy, their highest priority, then how can conservation professionals make their warnings heard about the dire consequences of losses of biological diversity? Linking biological diversity to economic concerns will not suddenly attract attention, and not all aspects of biological diversity have obvious economic value. Nor will leaders likely heed warnings about how continued degradation of the natural world will cause much greater human suffering than economic depression. Reminders that it took millions of years following past mass extinctions to recover high levels of biotic complexity and diversity, that a biological depression cannot be short-circuited like a depressed economy, and that humans cannot pump new species into the system like they can inject cash or credit into an economy are too distant or abstract. Also rather abstract for decision makers and contrary to their hubris is the argument that the complexity of biological systems dwarfs that of human economic systems and makes them much more difficult to repair and therefore worthy of protection. What might encourage political leaders to heed warnings about declines in biological diversity? More than a few voices are necessary. They must be many and pow-
Oxygen plasma effects on several liquid droplet radiator fluids

The Liquid Droplet Radiator is one of several radiator systems currently under investigation by NASA Lewis Research Center. It involves the direct exposure of the radiatior working fluid to the space environment. An area of concern is the potential harmful effects of the low-Earth-orbit atomic oxygen environment on the radiator working fluid. To address this issue, seven candidate fluids were exposed to an oxygen plasma environment in a laboratory plasma asher. The seven fluids studied included three siloxanes and four perfluoropolyethers, and were chosen on the basis of chemical family, physical properties, and likelihood of resistance to oxidation, The fluids were characterized by noting changes in visual appearance, physical state, mass, and infrared spectra. Of the fluids tested, the perfluoropolyethers were the least affected by the oxygen plasma. The only effect noted was a change in mass, which was most likely due to an oxygen-catalyzed depolymerization of the fluid molecule.
Multiplane Transesophageal and Intracardiac Echocardiography in Large Swine: Imaging Technique, Normal Values, and Research Applications

Transthoracic echocardiographic imaging has been difficult to attain in the swine model. This study: (1) compares multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with single plane TEE and intracardiac catheter echocardiography (ICE) for imaging of the swine cardiovascular system; and (2) defines normal values using these techniques in a closed chest large swine model (n = 24, body weight 50-114 kg). Multiplane TEE increased success rate over the single plane (the variable plane array only at 0 degrees ) TEE (P < 0.01) for imaging the left ventricular (LV) long-axis view (100% vs 50%), LV outflow tract (100% vs 33%), right atrium and its appendage (79% vs 33%), ascending aorta (100% vs 58%), and aortic arch (100% vs 17%). TEE-derived normal values at end-diastole (ED) and end-systole (ES) were: LV internal diameter (ID) = 49 +/- 3 mm (ED) and 33 +/- 4 mm (ES); LV wall thickness = 7 +/- 1 mm (ED); right ventricular (RV) ID = 24 +/- 4 mm (ED); RV wall thickness = 4 +/- 2 mm (ED); left atrial ID = 48 +/- 6 mm (ES); aortic root ID = 26 +/- 3 mm (ES); LV volume = 157 +/- 49 ml (ED) and 57 +/- 22 ml (ES). Baseline LV ejection fraction (64% +/- 6%), Doppler-derived stroke volume (86 +/- 14 ml), and cardiac index (107 ml/min per kg) were determined. Basal normal values, except for an elevated cardiac index in swine, are comparable to those reported for human adults. Multiplane TEE provided better overall cardiac imaging than did single plane TEE. ICE provided higher resolution imaging of individual cardiac chambers and structures when the ultrasound catheter was introduced into the right or left heart, but whole heart imaging was limited by ultrasound penetration at 12.5 MHz. Normal indices of chamber size and function provide a reference for the physiological significance of induced pathological states in this relevant animal model.
Leaders as facilitators of individual and organizational learning

Purpose – The organizational learning and learning organization literatures lack empirical support in delineating the role leaders play in fostering or hindering learning. This study aims to build upon previous research on facilitative leadership in learning organizations to consider how leaders contribute to and detract from learning at the individual and organizational levels in the corporate context.Design/methodology/approach – Preliminary survey research confirmed that the Fortune 500 company being considered for the study was perceived as a learning organization by its employees. The study then proceeded with critical incident interviews with managers and their direct reports, resulting in a cross‐case content analysis of four categories: triggers, beliefs, behaviors, and outcomes, which prompted the development of a preliminary model of the learning process depicted by participants.Findings – The findings revealed that learning leaders have several distinct characteristics and skills, but the parti...
W pleasure, W fun [3D graphics]

The whole point of doing 3D graphics is the third dimension. Since the screen is only two-dimensional, the third dimension appears only indirectly in terms of perspective and occlusion. Correct occlusion testing is, however, fairly sensitive to precision problems in the depth calculation. I review the traditional way to represent depth and describe a new technique that appears in the new generation of 3D graphics boards. This technique has become practical as a side effect of perspective-correct texture mapping hardware. Both ways have their good and bad points, so I establish some rules of thumb on which method to choose in a given situation.
Accumulation of Selenium and Trace Metals on Plant Litter in a Tidal Marsh

Research in a San Francisco Bay intertidal marsh has shown the accumulation of Se and trace metals (Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb, Cd, Fe) on bagged litter of five common estuarine marsh plant species, over periods of months to a year. Metal concentrations increased as much as 150-fold relative to plant tissue initially placed in mesh litter bags. Concentrations of metals increased with the amount of time litter was submerged, though mass accumulation was moderated by the concomitant decay of the litter. The association of very fine particulate matter with the litter, as determined based on Si concentrations, was the main mechanism for enrichment. Further accumulation occurs during winter months via the sorption onto or precipitation with Fe-rich phases, particularly in lower marsh plants. The resultant annual fluxes of Se and most metals to sediments via litter were estimated to be equivalent to between 1 and 16% of the primary flux on suspended particulate matter and may be an important mechanism for scavenging dissolved and colloid-associated metals. Previous studies, which ignored the particulate contribution, may have incorrectly assumed the predominance of sorption and co-precipitation mechanisms. The degree to which litter bags enhance fine sediment trapping over natural conditions needs to be evaluated.
The effects of chemotherapeutic agents on the RNA metabolism of 90Sr-induced rat chloroleukemia.

SummaryThe metabolism of nuclear and cytoplasmic ribonucleic acid (RNA) of a 90Sr-induced rat chloroleukemia was characterized and the effects of chemotherapeutic agents on this RNA metabolism studied.The in vitro3H-uridine incorporation into nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA of this tumor is inhibited by certain chemotherapeutic agents. The following chemotherapeutic agents were studied: vinblastine sulfate; polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid; L-asparaginase; cytosine arabinoside; Daunomycin; hydrocortisone; 6-methylmercaptopurine ribonucleoside; DL-threonine (utilized as a serine antagonist). In general, the chemotherapeutic agents tested appeared to interfere with 3H-uridine incorporation into cytoplasmic and nuclear RNA. Preliminary evidence suggests poor correlation between in vivo destruction of tumor and in vitro3H-uridine incorporation into nuclear or cytoplasmic RNA with vinblastine sulfate, L-asparaginase, and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid.
Biases in prediction by regression for certain incompletely specified models

The technique of regression analysis has been in general use for many years. Its wide acceptance has led people in many fields to adjust the technique in various ways to answer questions which are outside its field of applicability. Thus, an engineer might feel that the tensile strength of cement depends on the ratio of cement to aggregate, amount of water used, temperature and humidity of surrounding air during hardening, pressure applied, coarseness of the aggregate used, etc. To estimate the relationship of strength to the other variables mentioned he might very well assume a linear regression model, perform an experiment or series of experiments, and use the usual least squares technique to estimate the unknown coefficients in the model. At some point in this procedure he may decide that all the independent variables or predictors he has included in his model are not really necessary to predict tensile strength 'accurately'. To decide the point objectively he tests the hypothesis (or hypotheses) that the coefficients of the doubtful predictors are equal to zero. If he accepts the hypothesis, he simply deletes the corresponding predictors from his model and, if he rejects the hypothesis, he retains the doubtful variables in his model. Similarly, a chemist might use the same type of procedure in deciding which of a group of predictors is necessary to predict accurately the purity of a chemical resulting from a given reaction. A psychologist might use the same procedure to decide which of a battery of test scores are necessary to predict an individual's 'success' in a given job. Many examples could be quoted of possible applications of the above-mentioned adjustment of the usual regression technique. Similarly, many different types of adjustments (that is, adapting regression techniques to answer different types of questions) could also be mentioned. (See, for example, Fireman & Wadleigh, 1951; Hollingsworth, 1959; Peperzak, 1956; Summerfield & Lubin, 1951.) Since this paper is concerned only with the particular technique already mentioned, no reference will be made to other possible adaptations. Bancroft (1944) was one of the first to consider the impact of preliminary tests of significance on subsequent estimation. His work was concerned with the bias introduced into an estimate of a regression coefficient, if a second coefficient is tested to be zero. Mosteller (1948) investigated the problem of pooling two means in estimating a population mean, using a preliminary test of significance to make the decision. Kitagawa (1951) obtained the distribution function and moments of the estimator studied by Bancroft and of a pooled estimator of a mean. He later (1959) studied the effect of certain preliminary tests of significance, to decide how many predictors should be included in a predictand, on the
Comparisons of time series from two global models with tide‐gauge data

To understand climate change and to predict changes in climate, both atmospheric and ocean models need to be able to reproduce the responses of the system they are estimating. An evaluation of two related global ocean models, using a nine year time series of model sea surface heights and measurements of sea level from a global tide gauge set, shows that the ocean models satisfactorily reproduce the instantaneous local change in sea level. Sea level can be used as a tool to understand a model's ability to simulate sea surface temperature and thus influence atmospheric flows. The implication for climate modeling is that these ocean models can be used to simulate seasonal to decadal variations in global ocean circulation when coupled to high quality atmospheric models.
Relationship of Myopia to Performance on a Test of Leveling-Sharpening:

Twenty-nine members of an undergraduate psychology class (15 men and 14 women) were administered the Schematizing Test, a test of leveling-sharpening. Of this group, 12 were myopic while 17 had normal (emmetropic) vision. The emmetropes made significantly larger errors in judging the mean increment of each Schematizing Test series than did the myopes. Point biserial correlations indicated a highly significant relationship between myopia and sharpening, especially for the females. Implications for the relationship of myopia and personality were discussed.
EFFECT OF THYROIDECTOMY ON THE CONVERSION OF CAROTENE TO VITAMIN A1

THERE is some indirect evidence in the literature indicating that the conversion of carotene to vitamin A may be impaired during experimental hypothyroidism (Drill, 1943). In 1926 Kunde noted the appearance of xerophthalmia in rabbits 8 to 12 months after thyroidectomy, even though the diet was adequate for normal (unoperated) animals. Other studies on carotene and vitamin A excretion in the milk of thyroidectomized animals also lead to the conclusion that the thyroid gland was necessary for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A (Fellenberger and Greuter, 1932; Fasold and Heidemann, 1933). These papers suggest strongly that the conversion of carotene to vitamin A is not normal in the thyroidectomized animal.
Bioavailability and Lack of Toxicity of S-Adenosyl-l-Methionine (SAMe) in Humans

Study Objective. To determine if S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe), a widely used dietary supplement with antidepressant properties, is significantly bioavailable, and whether toxic methylated compounds are produced with oral SAMe administration in humans. Serum homocysteine levels were also measured since alterations in these levels have been theorized in association with SAMe. Design. Unblinded pharmacokinetic trial. Subjects. Fifteen healthy volunteers. Setting. Clinical research unit in a psychiatric hospital. Intervention. Subjects received oral SAMe for 4 weeks; the dosage was titrated over 5 days to 1600 mg/day. Serum levels of SAMe, toxic methylated compounds (methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid), and homocysteine were measured at baseline and at weeks 2 and 4. At baseline, a structured clinical interview for axis I disorders (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) was completed to assess for any undiagnosed psychiatric disorders. Mood was rated at baseline and at weeks 2 and 4 using the Zung Depression Rating Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression Scale, and the Global Assessment of Function Scale. Measurements and Main Results. After oral administration, SAMe levels were significantly elevated. Slight, likely insignificant, elevations in serum formaldehyde levels were detected in three subjects. No subject exhibited elevated homocysteine levels during SAMe treatment. One subject developed a transient mixed manic state with suicidal ideation within 2 weeks of starting SAMe; she recovered fully within 3 days of discontinuing the compound. Conclusion. Oral dosages of 1600 mg/day of SAMe appear to be significantly bioavailable and nontoxic, at least regarding toxic methylated metabolites and homocysteine. However, the risk of mania in vulnerable individuals remains a serious concern.
A Jet Condenser for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

A novel idea to use a jet condenser for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plants is presented. The jet condenser offers the advantage of a relatively simple device. It consists of a mixing section where partially evaporated warm water and cold water mix and condensation takes place. After the complete condensation, the water stream is employed to drive a water turbine. The basic thermodynamic principles are evaluated. Introducing realistic efficiencies for the jet condenser, about 20 to 25 percent of the available energy can possibly be expected to be converted into mechanical energy.
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Causes Pancreatic Duodenal Homeobox-1 Protein Translocation from the Cytoplasm to the Nucleus of Pancreatic β-Cells by a Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate/Protein Kinase A-Dependent Mechanism

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) enhances insulin secretion and synthesis. It also regulates the insulin, glucokinase, and GLUT2 genes. It mediates increases in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by activating adenylyl cyclase and elevating free cytosolic calcium levels in the beta-cell. In addition, GLP-1 has been shown, both in vitro and in vivo, to be involved in regulation of the transcription factor, pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 protein (PDX-1), by increasing its total protein levels, its translocation to the nucleus and its binding and resultant increase in activity of the insulin gene promoter in beta-cells of the pancreas. Here we have investigated the role of protein kinase A (PKA) in these processes in RIN 1046-38 cells. Three separate inhibitors of PKA, and a cAMP antagonist, inhibited the effects of GLP-1 on PDX-1. Furthermore, forskolin, (which stimulates adenylyl cyclase and insulin secretion), and 8-Bromo-cAMP, (an analog of cAMP which also stimulates insulin secretion), mimicked the effects of GLP-1 on PDX-1. These effects were also prevented by PKA inhibitors. Glucose-mediated increases in nuclear translocation of PDX-1 were not prevented by PKA inhibitors. Our results suggest that regulation of PDX-1 by GLP-1 occurs through activation of adenylyl cyclase and the resultant increase in intracellular cAMP, in turn, activates PKA, which ultimately leads to increases in PDX-1 protein levels and translocation of the protein to the nuclei of beta-cells.
Computer generation of the symmetry elements of nonrigid molecules

Algorithms and computer programs are developed for generating the symmetry elements of nonrigid molecules. These programs are based on the wreath product formalism for the symmetry groups of nonrigid molecules developed by the present author. Several examples are given to illustrate the procedures. Applications to weakly bound van der Waal complexes synthesized by supersonic beam expansion are also presented. 29 references, 4 tables, 1 figure.
Improved Fatigue Resistance in Gsα-Deficient and Aging Mouse Skeletal Muscles Due to Adaptive Increases in Slow Fibers

Genetically modified mice with deficiency of the G protein α-subunit (Gsα) in skeletal muscle showed metabolic abnormality with reduced glucose tolerance, low muscle mass, and low contractile force...
Suppletive negation in Korean and Distributed Morphology

Abstract A limited number of predicates show a suppletive form instead of the so-called short-form negation construction in Korean (al- ‘know’ → molu- ‘not know’, *an(i)/mos al-; iss- ‘exist’ → eps- ‘not exist’, *an(i)/mos iss-). Distribution of the negator, licensing of negative polarity items, and scope interactions with respect to quantifiers show that short-form negation is syntactic. The suppletive negations behave just like short-form negation cases, without the responsible negator. This paper is concerned with these suppletive negation cases and provides a Distributed Morphology analysis, identifying shortcomings of lexicalist approaches. The particular analysis for the suppletive negation in Korean is morphological fusion of the negator and the predicates under consideration in the postsyntactic morphological component. This treatment explains the same syntactic and semantic behaviors for suppletive negation and short-form negation. Also, this account allows syntactic structure and operations (overt and covert) to be uniform regardless of the predicate chosen in a negative clause for the syntactic representation and derivation. One theoretical consequence is that morphology does not derive syntax, but interprets it. Toward the end of the paper, some special behaviors and properties of the verb ‘know’ are provided from Korean and several other languages, suggesting a functional feature related to ‘know’.
Creating a fractal-based quality management infrastructure

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how a fractal-based quality management infrastructure could benefit quality improvement (QI) and patient safety efforts in health care. Design/methodology/approach – The premise for this infrastructure comes from the QI work with health care professionals and organizations. The authors used the fractal structure system in a health system initiative, a statewide collaborative, and several countrywide efforts to improve quality of care. It is responsive to coordination theory and this infrastructure is responsive to coordination theory and repeats specific characteristics at every level of an organization, with vertical and horizontal connections among these levels to establish system-wide interdependence. Findings – The fractal system infrastructure helped a health system achieve 96 percent compliance on national core measures, and helped intensive care units across the USA, Spain, and England to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections. Pract...
Conserving manatees: Knowledge, attitudes, and intentions of boaters in Tampa Bay, Florida

Abstract: Boat collisions with manatees ( Trichechus manatus latirostris ) account for about one-quarter of manatee deaths annually in Florida. This emphasizes the need to influence boaters' behavior through an understanding of their knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions toward manatees and their conservation. We conducted a telephone survey of a random sample of boat users whose boats were observed in Tampa Bay, Florida. Five hundred and four boaters completed the survey, a cooperation rate of 55%. Respondents had a mean score of 6.2 on a 10-question knowledge scale, and supported manatee conservation efforts with a mean score of 3.84 on a 5-point support scale based on seven statements. Boaters indicated more support for increased public education than for stringent regulations such as speed and wake limits in sea grass areas, no-entry areas, or increased patrols. Greater knowledge about manatees was positively correlated with support for manatee conservation. To understand boating behaviors, we used the sociopsychological theory of reasoned action to analyze boaters' disregard for speed zones. Results indicate a strong normative influence on boaters' behavioral intention to follow speed zones, with respondents highly motivated to comply with law enforcement. The survey results provide a basis for recommendations about public communication interventions.
Classical Conditioning and Retention of the Infant's Eyelid Response: Effects of Age and Interstimulus Interval.

Abstract Independent groups of 10-, 20-, and 30-day-old infants were subjected to a classical eyelid conditioning procedure involving either a 500- or a 1500-msec interstimulus interval (ISI). Ten days later, all received a second conditioning session. A reliable increase in conditioned responding was observed at all ages but only by infants receiving the 1500-msec ISI. Although age was not a significant factor in any conditioning measure except final performance level, which was greater for the oldest than for the youngest group, it did influence long-term retention. A reliable memory component was observed in the Session 2 performance of infants initially trained at 20 and 30 days but not at 10 days. These data demonstrate the importance of temporal parameters in the formation of conditioned associations very early in infancy and provide evidence for the long-term behavioral consequences of those associations.
Crystallinity in the polypropylene/cellulose system. II. Crystallization kinetics

Nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry data for neat polypropylene and polypropylene with variously treated cellulose fillers has been used to solve for the Avrami exponent, n. Results show neat polypropylene to have an Avrami exponent value very close to the theoretically excepted value of 4.0. The addition of untreated cellulose fibers to polypropylene, which has been shown to produce a transcrystalline region, results in an exponent value of 2.7–2.9 for the initiation stage, followed by a value of 3.9 for the bulk stage. Treatment of the cellulose with alkyl ketene dimer, alkenyl succinic anhydride, or stearic acid results in intermediate exponent values from 2.7 to 3.9. These results verify the effectiveness of surface treatments in reducing the natural nucleating ability of cellulose. Sample mixing and filler content were also shown to play a role in the crystallization process. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Oxygen transfer mechanisms in the gluconic acid fermentation by Pseudomonas ovalis

Summary The oxygen uptake rate to suspended cells of Pseudomonas ovalis was measured in two ways using the same cell suspension. Initially the rate was found by measuring the rate of production of gluconic acid by cells suspended in a nitrogenfree, aerated medium. Then, an oxygen electrode was used to measure the rate of transfer of dissolved oxygen to cells suspended in a liquid that was being agitated but not sparged. It was found that agitation affected the oxygen transfer rates in aerated solutions at dissolved oxygen concentrations well above the critical level, but had no affect on the oxygen uptake rates by cells suspended in an unsparged but agitated medium. The data suggested that an additional path existed for oxygen transfer. This alternate route, parallel to the conventional pathway of oxygen transfer, becomes operative when the liquid films surrounding the cells and bubbles merge. The resulting shorter path presents a mechanism for direct transfer of oxygen which increases in importance as the gas-liquid interfacial area increases. These rates were markedly different.
Improvements and recent advances in nanocomposite capacitors using a colloidal technique

In this work, a colloidal technique is used to improve the dielectric properties of nanocomposite materials and to achieve thin film deposition (<5 /spl mu/m) on large area substrates using meniscus coating. Using this technique, improved particle dispersion is achieved, which in turn allows for higher volume loading (increased dielectric constant), small variation of dielectric constant across the substrate, and thin-film deposition with lower particle-induced defects. Appropriate dispersants and fillers particularly applicable to meniscus coating of these composite materials were found which allowed the coated and cured composite material to attain high relative dielectric constant (typical 40). Non-meniscus-coated samples with dielectric constants as high as 74 were achieved by varying the particle size distribution.
Interhemispheric transfer in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

Background Prenatal alcohol exposure has long been associated with alterations in brain structure and behavioral changes. The corpus callosum can be affected by heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, and agenesis (absence) of this structure occurs more often in children with fetal alcohol syndrome than in the general population or in other developmentally delayed populations. Although the majority of children with fetal alcohol syndrome do not have agenesis of the corpus callosum, callosal area is reduced in this population, particularly in the anterior and posterior regions. However, the functional implication of these size reductions has not been examined. Methods The current study used a finger localization task to measure the transfer of information across the corpus callosum in children and adolescents with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and age- and sex-matched controls. In a subset of children, correlational analysis was also conducted between behavioral data and cross-sectional area of the corpus callosum. Results When compared with nonexposed controls, alcohol-exposed children made more errors on trials for which information had to cross the corpus callosum (“crossed” trials) than on trials for which it did not (“uncrossed” trials), and they also made more errors as the task increased in complexity. Additionally, correlations with magnetic resonance imaging data in a subset of children revealed that impairment in interhemispheric transfer was related to reductions in the size of the corpus callosum. These correlations were independent of effects expected from the relationship between corpus callosum size and general intellectual functioning alone. Conclusions These findings suggest that children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure display subtle deficits in the interhemispheric transfer of information in the somatosensory domain. Such deficits in interhemispheric transfer are likely to be related to the myriad of other behavioral and cognitive impairments observed in these children.
On the horizon: Institutional self‐studies of the intercollegiate athletics function

Scrutiny of intercollegiate athletics programs continues to increase. The next means for evaluating the athletics department appears to be the self-study.
The relationship of QRS morphology and mechanical dyssynchrony to long-term outcome following cardiac resynchronization therapy

Aims Because benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) appear to be less favourable in non-left bundle branch block (LBBB) patients, this prospective longitudinal study tested the hypothesis that QRS morphology and echocardiographic mechanical dyssynchrony were associated with long-term outcome after CRT. Methods and results Two-hundred and seventy-eight consecutive New York Heart Association class III and IV CRT patients with QRS ≥120 ms and ejection fraction ≤35% were studied. The pre-specified primary endpoint was death, heart transplant, or left ventricular assist device over 4 years. Dyssynchrony assessed before CRT included interventricular mechanical delay (IVMD) and speckle-tracking radial strain using pre-specified cut-offs for each. Of 254 with baseline quantitative echocardiographic data available, 128 had LBBB, 81 had intraventricular conduction delay (IVCD), and 45 had right bundle branch block (RBBB). Radial dyssynchrony was observed in 85% of the patients with LBBB, 59% with IVCD*, and 40% with RBBB* (* P < 0.01 vs. LBBB). Of 248 (98%) with follow-up, LBBB patients had a significantly more favourable long-term survival than non-LBBB patients. However, non-LBBB patients with dyssynchrony had a more favourable event-free survival than those without dyssynchrony: radial dyssynchrony hazard ratio 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47–4.53 ( P = 0.0008) and IVMD hazard ratio 4.9, 95% CI 2.60–9.16 ( P = 0.0007). Right bundle branch block patients who lacked dyssynchrony had the least favourable outcome. Conclusion Non-LBBB patients with dyssynchrony had a more favourable long-term survival than non-LBBB patients who lacked dyssynchrony. Mechanical dyssynchrony and QRS morphology are associated with outcome following CRT.
Cultural, Regional, and Global Changes

As has been reiterated thus far, entrepreneurs, with the spirit they embody and with the risky-but-bold ventures in which they get involved, are totally indispensable for economic progress. It is maintained throughout this book that a dynamic entrepreneurial environment is totally essential for economic growth. Since developing countries are not quite enjoying the benefits of top-down globalization, they need entrepreneurs in order to cultivate bottom-up globalization. Some scholars maintain that economic development policies over the last two decades have noticeably shifted away from trying to attract large manufacturing firms to encouraging internal markets entrepreneurship (Kreft and Sobel 2005). Our discussion thus far has been about how entrepreneurships generate and support bottom-up globalization.
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE OPERATION OF PUBLICLY OWNED RAILROADS

Railroads are now owned by state or local governments in most of the American states. Public ownership does not necessarily bring public operations; indeed, most of the publicly owned lines are privately operated. Public operation is more likely to be found in states with noncompetitive political parties, relatively low population density, higher levels of political corruption and a higher proportion of public lines that serve port or terminal facilities.
Clay Mineral Formation in an Alpine Environment

Vermiculite, mixed-layer vermiculite-phlogopite, and smectite are presently forming from igneous and metamorphic bedrock in the alpine zone of the northern Cascades, Washington. In addi- tion, south-facing exposures of quartz-diorites and metadiorites above snow line are weathering to ferruginous bauxite. Calculations indicate that vermiculite is presently forming from phlogopite schists in this environment at a unit area rate that is approximately six times the average estimated rate of clay erosion for North America. The mineralogical data indicate that chemical weathering in this region is a quantitatively significant process, and suggest that in the development of current geomorphic concepts researchers may have generally underestimated the importance of chemical weathering in alpine environments.
Aquila's Bible Translation in Late Antiquity: Jewish and Christian Perspectives

In the early or mid-second century c.e., a Jewish proselyte named Aquila1 translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek.2 The translation survives today only in fragments, but both Jewish and Christian sources from Late Antiquity offer perspectives on and information about Aquila as well as citations of his translation. To fully understand the role his legacy played in Jewish and Christian communities requires careful analysis of each of the sources. I believe that prior scholarship, especially regarding ancient perspectives on Aquila and his translation, as well as the popularity of his translation in various communities, has drawn conclusions based on overall impressions of texts that may appear quite differently when examined closely and in context. My goal in the following pages is to develop a more nuanced understanding of the history of Aquila's Bible translation in Late Antiquity.