cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Service Ace? Which Academic Services and Resources Truly Benefit Student Athletes

As all students are guaranteed equal opportunity in education by the Fourteenth Amendment of the constitution and interpretations from the 1954 Supreme Court Decision, Brown versus the Board of Education, disadvantaged students need support to have the capacity to take advantage of the equal opportunity. In this study, student athletes are considered a disadvantaged population due to the constant conflicts between athletic and academic commitments. Consequently, collegiate institutions have a responsibility to provide educational equal opportunity for their student-athletes. The major objective of the study is to determine the relationship between student-athlete graduation rates and a set of variables (services, administrative support, staff, budget, and space) which exist at NCAA Division-I programs, which are members of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletes (N4A). After a multiple regression test was run on the variables, with the student-athlete graduation rate as the dependent va...
Influence of upper airway pressure changes on respiratory frequency

Influences of pressure changes within the upper airway on respiratory frequency were studied in anesthetized rabbits. These reflex effects were investigated in two ways: (1) by applying sustained negative or positive pressures to isolated upper airway in vagally intact animals during tracheostomy breathing, and (2) by briefly occluding the nasal airways of vagotomized animals at end expiration. Negative pressure applied to isolated upper airway decreased the respiratory frequency (P less than 0.01). Decrease in respiratory frequency correlated with magnitude of pressure change. In contrast, positive pressures produced an increase in respiratory frequency (P less than 0.05). But, the increase in frequency correlated poorly with magnitude of positive pressure change. A post-stimulus effect lasting several breaths was seen following the release of both negative and positive pressures (P less than 0.01). Nasal occlusion in vagotomized animals was associated with an increase in Ti and Ttot of the first nasally occluded breath (P less than 0.05). Increase in Ti was not associated with an increase in peak diaphragmatic activity. This would result in decreased inspiratory load on the upper airway patency maintaining muscles by reducing the mean inspiratory pressure. Hence, these reflex responses to airway pressure could play a functional role in the maintenance of upper airway patency.
The Role of the Speech-Language Pathologist in Whole Language

Many schools are implementing whole language methodology in the teaching of reading and writing. Whole language programs assume that children have a certain degree of oral language proficiency. For...
SQUID tomographic neuromagnetic imaging

The human brain emits a measurable magnetic field in response to stimulation. The aim of neuromagnetic imaging is to produce maps of the underlying neuronal activity from measurements of the emitted magnetic field. Modeling neuronal activity by dipolar current sources, we have previously reported simulation studies to reconstruct planar source distributions using the algebraic reconstruction technique, with the constraint that the sources could only have two orientations. We now present a general solution for two-dimensionally distributed sources, which is based on measuring both the normal and tangential components of the magnetic field. Also, using a single-channel SQUID neuromagnetometer, we present results of a tomographic imaging experiment conducted with wires carrying currents to demonstrate the potential of neuromagnetic imaging in reconstructing extended cortical sources.
A capacitive probe for quantitative nondestructive evaluation of wiring insulation

Abstract A capacitive probe has been developed for quantitative evaluation of wiring insulation permittivity. The probe consists of two patch electrodes that conform to the curvature of the wire under test. A numerical model is utilized for inverse determination of insulation complex permittivity from measured probe response. Experimental studies on thermally and hydrolytically degraded wire samples show that the resulting permittivity change of the insulation is successfully detected using the described capacitive probe, for the wire type MIL-W-81381/12, which is predominantly Kapton ® coated. Changes in the permittivity of the wiring insulation, detected by the capacitive probe, are shown to be in accordance with the results of research conducted previously on Kapton ® film samples degraded by thermal and hydrolytic exposure. Thus, the feasibility of assessing wiring insulation degradation status by quantitative capacitive techniques is demonstrated, which is of particular interest to the aerospace industry.
Feature Extraction From Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) Imagery

Many image processing tasks require the ability to extract useful features from digital images. The selection of a set of appropriate attributes to be extracted from an image constitutes a major problem. This paper examines a number of region features for their utility in target detection and object recognition. A simple hierarchical detection scheme is constructed which can be easily extended to perform classification. Experimental results are presented for FLIR images of tactical targets.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Genetic and environmental influence on morningness–eveningness

Abstract Little is known about the causes of the wide variability in circadian rhythms in humans. We present the first report of genetic influence on a circadian phenotype, the morningness-eveningness disposition. Two hundred and five pairs of adult monozygotic reared-together twins, and 55 pairs of adult monozygotic and 50 pairs of adult dizygotic reared-apart twins completed a morningness-eveningness questionnaire. Biometrical model-fitting showed that genetic variability accounted for about 54% of the total variance in morningness-eveningness; age contributed to 3% of the variance; and the remaining variance was explained by nonshared environmental influences and measurement error. Shared rearing environmental effects were not significant. The husband-wife correlation for morningness-eveningness was 0.25. This correlation appears to be due largely to assortative mating (the tendency of like to marry like) at the time of marriage rather than a consequence of cohabitation during marriage.
Molecular Phylogeny of a Cosmopolitan Group of Woodpeckers (Genus Picoides) Based on COI and cyt b Mitochondrial Gene Sequences

Picoides is the largest genus of woodpeckers and member species are found on most major land masses. Current systematic arrangement of this group, based on morphological, behavioral, and plumage characters, suggests that New World species evolved from a single invasion by a Eurasian common ancestor and that all New World species form a monophyletic group. No clear link has ever been established between the relationships of Old World and New World species other than to infer that the most primitive species is Eurasian. This study employs DNA sequences for two protein-coding mitochondrial genes, cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome b, to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among all New World species and several Eurasian representatives of the genus Picoides. A well-resolved mitochondrial gene tree is in direct conflict with proposed species relationships based on nongenetic characters; monophyly among New World species is rejected, the evolution of New World species likely resulted from as many as three independent Eurasian invasions, and Picoides is paraphyletic with two other woodpecker genera, Veniliornis and Dendropicos. These results strongly suggest that this large, cosmopolitan genus is in need of systematic revision in order to reflect evolutionary history.
Predicting the Long Term Distribution of Extreme Loads From Limited Duration Data: Comparing Full Integration and Approximate Methods

In this paper we present a methodology for proceeding from the short-term observations of extreme loads to the long-run load distribution of these extreme events, for both flap and edge loading in both operating and parked wind turbine conditions. First a general approach utilizing full integration, where numerical routines are used to directly integrate the conditional short-term load distribution over the annual occurrence of wind speeds and turbulence intensities, is presented. Then starting from this general approach, a qualitative analysis is undertaken to explore the extent of the contribution of each of the three variables, in the governing equation, to the variability in the long-term extreme load distribution. From this analysis, lower order models are considered, where instead of using the entire distribution of the variables, a constant fractile of the short-term extreme load distribution, turbulence intensity distribution, or both are used. Finally recommendations are given to guide the analyst to decide when simpler, yet robust, methods which account for sufficient variability in extreme load event may be employed with confidence.© 2002 ASME
Involvement of singlet oxygen in the fungal degradation of lignin.

Abstract The possible involvement of singlet oxygen (1O2) in the degradation of lignin by Phanerochaete chrysosporium was examined. Ligninolytic cultures and photochemically generated 1O2 gave the same oxidation products from the lignin substructure model compound 1,2-bis(3-methoxy-4-alkoxyphenyl)propan-1,3-diol. Fluorescence and near UV absorbance of the specific 1O2 trapping agent anthracene-9,10-bisethanesulfonic acid (AES) disappeared in ligninolytic cultures, indicating that 1O2 was produced. AES strongly inhibited oxidation of 14C-lignin, but not 14C-glucose, to 14CO2 in cultures, and also strongly suppressed oxidation of the model compound. These results indicate the 1O2 plays an integral role in lignin biodegradation.
Detection of a random alteration on a multivariate observation when knowing probable direction

Abstract An observation from a multivariate distribution may be subject to perturbation in a known subset of the variables. A likelihood radio statistic is developed to test whether or not there has been an addition of a random quantity in a prespecified direction to an observation from a multivariate normal distribution. When the variance of this addition is unknown, a secondarily Bayes approach is used to eliminate this variance which acts as a nuisance parameter. The testing procedure is based on a distribution-free tolerance interval.
Successful Treatment of Osseous Blastomycosis without Pulmonary or Disseminated Disease and Review of the Literature

Blastomycosis commonly occurs following inhalation of Blastomyces dermatitidis conidia causing a pulmonary infection and can disseminate to extrapulmonary sites. Osseous involvement primarily results from hematogenous spread, but in rare cases, direct inoculation can occur. We describe a case of osseous blastomycosis without pulmonary or disseminated disease successfully treated with posaconazole.
Interactions of stopped π− and of fast π− and π+ near the Δ(1232) resonance with calcium

Abstract Prompt γ-rays from the interactions of stopped π − and of fast π − and π + near the Δ(1232) resonance with nat Ca were detected with a Ge(Li) detector in coincidence with incident pions. Yields and cross sections for excitation of residual states as well as recoil momenta were determined and were corrected for γ-feeding. The results of the three experiments show the same general pattern but differ in some specific features.
What Governs the Policies of Immigration

Negotiating Identities: States and Immigrants in France and Germany [La France, l'Allemagne & leurs immigres: negocier l'identite]. By Riva Kastoryano. Translated by Barbara Harshav. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2002. 248 pp., $55.00 cloth (ISBN: 0-691-01014-5), $24.95 paper (ISBN: 0-691-01015-3). Paired comparisons of France and Germany are a staple of comparative politics, particularly for the study of nationalism, citizenship, and the integration of migrants. There are good reasons for this. The two cases not only display quite similar immigration patterns and attendant social tensions, they also share the regulatory framework of the European Union, which allows for the effective control of a host of relevant variables. Yet, the two cases also contrast sharply with regard to concepts of nationality and citizenship—or so we are told (see Kohn 1944 for the classic formulation of this distinction). Indeed, the contrast between “ethnic” and “civic” nations has become one of the fundamental distinctions in nationalism research. In general, whether a nation becomes defined in civic or ethnic terms is thought to depend on different trajectories of nation-state formation. Specifically, when fully formed territorial states precede nationalism, as in France, civic nationalism is assumed to result. When nationalism precedes state formation, as in Germany and Italy, ethnic nationalism is assumed to result. (For variations on this causal argument, see Brubaker 1992; Greenfeld 1992; Habermas 1995; and Smith 1998.) The combination of similarity and difference between France and Germany provides almost ideal conditions for evaluating the degree to which the concepts of nationality and citizenship determine the ways in which nation-states approach the social, political, and cultural integration of immigrant populations. In Negotiating Identities , Riva Kastoryano conducts precisely such an evaluation, adding the United States as a background template to throw the two main cases into sharper relief. Using the US case in this way is not unprecedented, given the depth to which US discourses on assimilation, integration, and, most recently, multiculturalism have penetrated European thought on these issues—either as a model to be emulated or a mistake to be …
Pressure Studies on the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Solid Hydrogen between 1.2° and 14°K

The nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of solid hydrogen (75% ortho) has been studied as a function of temperature from 1.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to 14\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and of pressures from one to three hundred atmospheres. At 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K the absorption signal broadens from less than one gauss to 5.3 gauss between slope extrema as the temperature is lowered and self-diffusion ceases. When pressure is applied, this broadening is shifted to higher temperatures by a sizable amount. With 230 atmospheres, a shift of 3.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K was observed. Correlation times and activation energies of self-diffusion have been computed for each of the transitions at various pressures. The activation energies are linearly dependent upon the transition temperatures. The lower transition at 1.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in which some rotational degeneracy is removed was also investigated with various pressures. Pressures up to 216 atmospheres did not shift the transition temperature to any observable extent. Pressures up to 337 atmospheres had no effect on line shape below 1.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K.
Transformation of 4-nonylphenol isomers during biosolids composting.

Abstract 4-Nonylphenol, a degradation intermediate of commercial surfactant and known endocrine disruptor, has been frequently detected at levels up to several thousand μg l −1 in surface waters and up to several hundred mg kg −1 (dry weight) in soil and sediment samples. Large quantities of 4-NP can be quickly sorbed by the organic rich solid phase during wastewater treatment and are concentrated in biosolids, a possible major source for 4-NP in the environment. Microbial transformation in culture studies followed different mechanisms for different 4-NP isomers, which have different estrogenic activity. Composting is a process of solid matrix transformation where biological activity is enhanced by process control. This approach has been used successfully in remediation of contaminated soils and sludges. In this study, the transformation kinetics of 4-NP and its isomers were characterized during biosolids composting. Five distinctive 4-NP isomer groups with structures relative to α- and β-carbons of the alkyl chain were identified in biosolids. Composting biosolids mixed with wood shaving at a dry weight percentage ratio of 43:57 (C:N ratio of 65:1) removed 80% of the total 4-NP within two weeks. At this biosolids/wood shaving ratio (B:WS), the transformation of total 4-NP and its isomers followed second-order kinetic. Higher B:WS ratios yielded significantly slower 4-NP transformation which followed first-order kinetic. Isomers with α-methyl-α-propyl structure transformed significantly slower than those with less branched tertiary α-carbon and those with secondary α-carbon, suggesting isomer-specific degradation of 4-NP during biosolids composting.
Ictal MEG onset source localization compared to intracranial EEG and outcome: improved epilepsy presurgical evaluation in pediatrics.

Summary Purpose Magnetoencephalography (MEG) has been shown a useful diagnostic tool for presurgical evaluation of pediatric medically intractable partial epilepsy as MEG source localization has been shown to improve the likelihood of seizure onset zone (SOZ) sampling during subsequent evaluation with intracranial EEG (ICEEG). We investigated whether ictal MEG onset source localization further improves results of interictal MEG in defining the SOZ. Methods We identified 20 pediatric patients with one habitual seizure during MEG recordings between October 2007 and April 2011. MEG was recorded with sampling rates of 600Hz and 4000Hz for 10 and 2min respectively. Continuous head localization (CHL) was applied. Source localization analyses were applied using multiple algorithms, both at the beginning of ictal onset and for interictal MEG discharges. Ictal MEG onsets were identified by visual inspection and power spectrum using short-time Fourier transform (STFT). Source localizations were compared with ICEEG, surgical procedure and outcome. Key findings Eight patients met all inclusion criteria. Five of the 8 patients (63%) had concordant ictal MEG onset source localization and interictal MEG discharge source localizations in the same lobe, but the source of ictal MEG onset was closer to the SOZ defined by ICEEG. Significance Although the capture of seizures during MEG recording is challenging, the source localization for ictal MEG onset proved to be a useful tool for presurgical evaluation in our pediatric population with medically intractable epilepsy.
Bibliographic citation management software as a tool for building knowledge.

Conducting literature reviews is an essential tool for knowledge building in nursing and health science. There are many reasons to conduct literature reviews, including preparation of an article for a peer-reviewed journal or research grant proposals, completion of requirements for academic degrees,
Viscosity and Speed of Sound of Gaseous Nitrous Oxide and Nitrogen Trifluoride Measured with a Greenspan Viscometer

The viscosity and speed of sound of gaseous nitrous oxide and nitrogen trifluoride were measured using a Greenspan acoustic viscometer. The data span the temperature range 225–375 K and extend up to 3.4 MPa. The average relative uncertainty of the viscosity is 0.68% for N2O and 1.02% for NF3. The largest relative uncertainties were 3.09 and 1.08%, respectively. These occurred at the highest densities (1702 mol · m-3 for N2O and 2770 mol · m-3 for NF3). The major contributor to these uncertainties was the uncertainty of the thermal conductivity. The speeds of sound measured up to 3.4 MPa are fitted by a virial equation of state that predicts gas densities within the uncertainties of the equations of states available in the literature. Accurate measurements of the speed of sound in both N2O and NF3 have been previously reported up to 1.5 MPa. The current measurements agree with these values with maximum relative standard deviations of 0.025% for N2O and 0.04% for NF3.
Comparison of protein concentrations in serum versus plasma from Alzheimer's patients

Background: There is great interest in developing blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, there is no consensus as to what blood fraction is most appropriate for analyzing particular markers. The current study provides empirical evidence regarding how bloodbased proteins vary depending on whether they are assayed in serum or plasma. Methods: We analyzed concentrations of 100 proteins in matched samples of serum and plasma from 39 Caucasian AD participants from the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium by multiplex immunoassay. Results: Concentrations of 40 proteins were highly correlated (r 2 ≥ 0.75)
Quantum information: to compute or not to compute?

Quantum physics aims another blow at common sense: a simple quantum computer gives the right answer, even when it is not run. (Traditionalists be comforted: the computer must be turned on.)
Relationship Between Lumbar Disc Injury and Manual Lifting: A Finite Element Model Study

Back pain has been described as one of the most common and significant musculoskeletal problems in the United States leading to substantial amounts of morbidity, disability and economic loss. Among people under 45 years of age, low back disorders (LBDs) are the leading cause of activity limitation and affects up to 47% of workers with physically demanding jobs. Low back disorders are associated with occupational lifting. Retrospective studies of industrial injuries have identified manual material handling (MMH) as the most common cause of LBD. Disc degeneration has also been associated with physical work. Thus, loading due to lifting and manual material handling is believed to be a significant factor in the development of occupationally related LBDs.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Estrogen effects on 5-HT1A receptors in hippocampal membranes from ovariectomized rats: functional and binding studies

Chronic treatment (4 days) of ovariectomized rats with estrogen produced a two-fold shift to the left (with no change in the maximal percent inhibition) in the concentration response curve for the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity by 5-HT, but did not alter curves for R-PIA (adenosine A1 agonist) or Gpp(NH)p (to activate Gi). Furthermore, estrogen treatment had no effect on the number or affinity of 5-HT1A binding sites labeled with [3H]8-OH-DPAT. These data, when considered with the results of previous studies, suggest that estrogen treatment may selectively enhance 5-HT1A-mediated responses in rat hippocampus.
Localization of calcium in vas deferens using 45Ca EM autoradiography: relationship to species and the effect of 45Ca removal.

The distribution of calcium was determined in the vas deferens of the guinea pig using /sup 45/Ca electron microscopic autoradiography of rapidly frozen, freeze-dried, and embedded tissue. A selective accumulation of calcium at the plasma membrane and SR was observed in vas deferens that had been incubated in /sup 45/Ca for 65-85 min prior to rapid freezing. Rinsing the tissue in nonradioactive calcium for 6 min prior to rapid freezing significantly altered the distribution of calcium among the plasma membrane, mitochondria, and cytoplasmic matrix. The influence of species on the observed distribution of calcium was also examined. The distribution of calcium in the guinea pig vas deferens was not significantly different from that in the rabbit vas deferens when the tissues were prepared under identical conditions.
A three-dimensional, higher-order, elasticity-based micromechanics model

Abstract The three-dimensional (3D) version of a new homogenization theory [A Two-Dimensional, Higher-Order, Elasticity-Based Micromechanics Model, in print] is presented. The 3D theory utilizes a higher-order, elasticity-based cell model (ECM) analysis for a periodic array of 3D unit cells. The unit cell is discretized into eight subregions or subcells. The displacement field within each subcell is approximated by a (truncated) eigenfunction expansion of up to fifth order. The governing equations are developed by satisfying the pointwise governing equations of geometrically linear continuum mechanics exactly up through the given order of the subcell displacement fields. The specified governing equations are valid for any type of constitutive model used to describe the behavior of the material in a subcell. The specialization of the theory to lower orders and to two-dimeinsions (2D) and to the exact one-dimensional (1D) theory is discussed. Since the proposed 3D homogenization theory correctly reduces to both 2D and 1D the validation process applied to the 2D theory [A Two-Dimensional, Higher-Order, Elasticity-Based Micromechanics Model, in print] directly applies to the current formulation. Additional comparisons of the predicted responses obtained from the 3D ECM theory with existing published results are conducted. The good agreement obtained shows that the current theory represents a viable 3D homogenization tool. The improved agreement between the current theory results and published results as compared to the comparison of the MOC results and the published results is due to the correct incorporation of the coupling effects between the local fields. Additional results showing the convergence behavior of the average fields as a function of the order of the analysis is presented. These results show that the 1st order theory may not accurately predict the local averages but that consistent and converged behavior is obtained using the higher order ECM theories. The proposed theory represents the necessary theoretical foundations for the development of exact homogenization solutions of generalized, three-dimensional microstructures.
A Parametric Study of a Porous Self-Circulating Hydrodynamic Bearing

Abstract This paper is presenting a 3D, isothermal numerical analysis of a cylindrical porous journal bearing characterized by a self-circulating lubricating system that eliminates the necessity of an external circulating pump. The system includes a stationary porous bushing whose inner diameter faces the bearing clearance while the outer diameter faces a wrapped-around reservoir. The loaded, eccentric shaft is generating a high pressure zone in the convergent region followed by a low pressure zone in the divergent region causing the fluid to circulate naturally between the bearing clearance and the reservoir, as it passes through the porous bushing. The fundamental physics of the circulating mechanism are described, and its operation is numerically simulated. The study uses the complete 3D Navier–Stokes Equations (NSE) for the fluid motion in the bearing clearance and the adjacent reservoir. The flow inside the porous matrix is modeled using the Brinkman formulation with added pressure ‘penalties’ brought by the addition of the Darcy and Forchheimer terms. The bearing operates in the fully hydrodynamic lubricating regime disregarding surface roughness effects. A cavitation model proposed by Singhal et al. (2002 [1] ) is utilized in the numerical simulation to account for flow and pressure characteristics in the divergent region. The parameters used during the simulations are angular velocity, permeability, porosity, reservoir depth and shaft eccentricity. The results which include the flow patterns, pressure maps and attitude angles, are presented on a parametric basis, and confirm the functionality of the proposed self-circulating system. It was found that the load capacity decreases and the attitude angle increase as permeability increases, and depending on permeability ranges, the increase in the reservoir depth may result in a reduction of the load capacity. Further, certain combinations of geometric parameters and permeability values render the pressure build-up independent of the reservoir depth. Because an optimal configuration requires both a large fluid mass flows through the porous bed (for cooling purposes) and a large load carrying capability, two variables at odds with each other in the present model, an interactive parametric analysis is essential in order to optimize the load carrying capacity versus geometric and operational parameters.
Nitrogen budget and soil N dynamics after multiple applications of unlabeled or 15nitrogen-enriched dairy manure

Repeated N applications to field crops, either as inorganic fertilizers or animal manures, can lead to N buildup in soils with potential long-term environmental hazards. The objective of this 3-yr field study was to monitor total- and mineral-N levels in soil after repeated fertilizer or single or repeated dairy manure applications, and to compute an N balance for the soil-crop system. Unlabeled and 15 N-enriched dairy manure were used. The experiment was conducted on a Piano corn silt loam continuously cropped to corn (Zea mays L.) Manure increased total- and NO 3 -N levels in soil, especially in the 0- to 30-em depth and in plots receiving frequent and recent manure applications. Manure increased NO 3 -N in the 0- to 30-cm soil layer more than fertilizer N, whereas the opposite was true in the 30- to 60- and 60-to 90-cm layers. There was a clear NO,-N buildup with repeated manure treatments. Unlabeled N measurements were not accurate enough to track trends in soil total N levels, hampering the calculation of an N balance. 15 Nitrogen-labeled manure allowed for direct measurement and provided more accurate estimates of N recovery in soils and crops. During the 3-yr study period, an average of 18% of applied manure 15 N was recovered in corn silage and 46% remained in the soil. Unaccounted-for 15 N (36%) was assumed to be lost mainly by NH, volatilization and denitrification. Most (82%) of the 15 N remaining in soil was present in the top 30 cm, irrespective of frequency of manure application. Although costly and time-consuming, the use of 15 N-labeled manure provided a much better approach to study the fate of manure N within the soil-crop system, compared with unlabeled manure.
The Effects of Past Performance on Top Management Team Conflict in Strategic Decision Making

Research into the antecedents of TMT conflict has become increasingly popular in light of the effects that conflict can have on strategic decision making and organizational performance. Of course, such performance becomes a part of the contextual backdrop against which future decisions are made. Thus, organizational performance is itself an important antecedent of TMT conflict. Using data drawn from the TMTs of 44 mid‐sized public firms, we demonstrate that cognitive and affective conflict relate differently to past performance. The implications of this research for efforts to effectively manage conflict during strategic decision making are discussed.
Reliability, discriminability and stochastic synchronization of olfactory neurons

Combining computer simulations and electrophysiological experiments we have studied the effect of noise on the responses of olfactory neurons. In particular, we first investigated the reliability of mitral cell responses and found, as previously observed in other neural systems, that, in the presence of background noise, mitral cells reliably respond to fast fluctuating inputs but not to constant stimuli. We then investigated a related property, input discriminability and a closely related phenomenon, stochastic synchronization that may account for the synchronous firing of mitral cells leading to network oscillations in the beta/gamma frequency range. We argue that these phenomena: reliability, discriminability and stochastic synchronization are not exclusive to neurons but are rather common to all devices with a resetting threshold. Therefore we suggest that an artificial nose with a hardware implementation of such devices may optimally operate with low signal-to-noise ratios.
Delayed Activation of Cardiac Swelling‐Induced Chloride Current After Step Changes in Cell Size

Cardiac ICl,swelling Activation Time Course.Introduction: A lag phase has been reported for the activation of cardiac swelling-induced chloride currents. Prior demonstrations of this lag used methods that produce gradual changes in cell size, making interpretation and quantification of the time course problematic. Methods and Results: Isolated dog atrial cells were studied using the whole cell, patch clamp technique. Step changes in cell size were produced by application of transient pulses of positive pressure, and the time course for activation of the swelling-induced chloride current was observed. There was a distinct temporal dissociation between size changes and current activation that was temperature sensitive. Activation half-times were 98 ± 31 seconds and 586 ± 112 seconds at 36°C and room temperature, respectively. Swelling-induced chloride currents were evoked in a higher percentage of cells at 36° (83%) compared with room temperature (50%). Conclusion: Cardiac swelling-induced chloride current activates with a distinct lag after step changes in cell size. The activation time course is temperature sensitive. These observations are consistent with the notion that signal transduction events, and not simply membrane stretch, are required for the activation of cardiac swelling-induced chloride current.
An Information Theoretic Analysis of Support Assisted Optical Superresolution in One and Two Dimensions

A Fisher-information-theoretic analysis is presented of the fidelity of optical superresolution of low-resolution image sequences in one and two dimensions based on object support. Both rectangular and circular support geometries are treated.
ESX induces transformation and functional epithelial to mesenchymal transition in MCF-12A mammary epithelial cells

ESX is an epithelial-restricted member of a large family of transcription factors known as the Ets family. ESX expression has been shown to be correlated with Her2/neu proto-oncogene amplification in highly aggressive breast cancers and induced by Her2/neu in breast cell lines, but its role in tumorigenesis is unknown. Previously, we have shown that ESX enhances breast cell survival in colony-formation assays. In order to determine whether ESX can act as a transforming gene, we stably transfected MCF-12A human mammary epithelial cells with the ESX expression vector, pCGN2-HA-ESX. The MCF-12A cell line is immortalized, but nontransformed, and importantly, these cells fail to express endogenous ESX protein. We used pCGN2-HA-Ets-2 and pSVRas expression vectors as positive controls for transformation. Like HA-Ets-2 and V12-Ras, stable expression of ESX induced EGF-independent proliferation, serum-independent MAPK phosphorylation and growth in soft agar. Additionally, stable ESX expression conferred increased cell adhesion, motility and invasion in two-dimensional and transwell filter assays, and an epithelial to mesenchymal morphological transition. In three-dimensional cultures, parental and vector control (pCGN2) cells formed highly organized duct-like structures with evidence of cell polarity, ECM adhesion-dependent proliferation and cell survival, and lack of cellular invasion into surrounding matrix. Remarkably, the ESX stable cells formed solid, disorganized structures, with lack of cell polarity, loss of adhesion junctions and cytokeratin staining and loss of dependence on ECM adhesion for cell proliferation and survival. In addition, ESX cells invaded the surrounding matrix, indicative of a transformed and metastatic phenotype. Taken together, these data show that ESX expression alone confers a transformed and in vitro metastatic phenotype to otherwise normal MCF-12A cells.
Variability of wildland fire emissions across the contiguous United States

This study analyzes spatial and temporal variability of emissions from wildland fires across the contiguous US. The emissions are estimates based on a recently constructed dataset of historical fire records collected by multiple US governmental agencies. Both wildfire and prescribed fires have the highest emissions over the Pacific coastal states. Prescribed fire emissions are also found to be high over the southeastern coastal area. Temporal variations of wildfire emissions in various regions are characterized by a number of strong emissions over the past two decades, which are closely related to precipitation anomalies. Prescribed fire emissions, on the other hand, show an increasing tendency in recent years. An analysis of the emissions specifically for the three National Emissions Inventory (NEI) base years of 1996, 1999, and 2002 suggests that the average of these years would represent fairly typical wildfire emissions for all regions except the Southwest and Pacific Southwest. Prescribed fire emissions during the NEI base years, on the other hand, were much higher than the historical average for all regions except the Southeast.
Factors affecting the establishment and maintenance of 'Titan' red raspberry root organ cultures

Root organ cultures of red raspberry (Rubus ideaus cv. Titan) were established from two cm long terminal segments of adventitious roots induced in vitro on micropropagated shoot cultures. Growth of root organ cultures was almost entirely by initiation and elongation of lateral roots rather than by terminal elongation from the apical meristem of the original root explants. Indolebutyric acid (IBA) was required for lateral root initiation and elongation. The optimal IBA concentration for lateral root initiation decreased from 0.5 to 0.1 mg/L from the first to the fifth passage in culture. Two cm root explants initiated more lateral roots per unit length than four cm explants. Liquid Anderson's medium was superior to other basal nutrient and vitamin formulations tested. Root growth in liquid culture was stimulated by aeration. Root organ cultures also grew on media solidified with gelrite or agar. A rapid transfer technique was developed for subculturing these which involved cutting and transferring 1 cm discs of roots and underlying medium. Adventitious bud formation occurred spontaneously, but sporadically in liquid cultures, and was not influenced by cytokinin, auxin (spat) light, or chilling.
Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis

A case of thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is reported in a Hispanic man with an unusual recurrence six weeks after radioactive iodine treatment. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis has now been well characterized in the literature: it occurs primarily in Orientals with an overwhelming male preponderance and a higher association of specific HLA antigens. Clinical manifestations include onset after high carbohydrate ingestion or heavy exertion, with progressive symmetric weakness leading to flaccid paralysis of the extremities and other muscle groups, lasting several hours. If hypokalemia is present, potassium administration may help abort the attack. Although propranolol can be efficacious in preventing further episodes, the only definitive treatment is establishing a euthyroid state. The pathophysiology is still controversial, but reflects altered potassium and calcium dynamics as well as certain morphologic characteristics within the muscle unit itself.
Changes in the tension in dsDNA alter the conformation of RecA bound to dsDNA–RecA filaments

The RecA protein is an ATPase that mediates recombination via strand exchange. In strand exchange a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) bound to RecA binding site I in a RecA/ssDNA filament pairs with one strand of a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and forms heteroduplex dsDNA in site I if homology is encountered. Long sequences are exchanged in a dynamic process in which initially unbound dsDNA binds to the leading end of a RecA/ssDNA filament, while heteroduplex dsDNA unbinds from the lagging end via ATP hydrolysis. ATP hydrolysis is required to convert the active RecA conformation, which cannot unbind, to the inactive conformation, which can unbind. If dsDNA extension due to RecA binding increases the dsDNA tension, then RecA unbinding must decrease tension. We show that in the presence of ATP hydrolysis decreases in tension induce decreases in length whereas in the absence of hydrolysis, changes in tension have no systematic effect. These results suggest that decreases in force enhance dissociation by promoting transitions from the active to the inactive RecA conformation. In contrast, increases in tension reduce dissociation. Thus, the changes in tension inherent to strand exchange may couple with ATP hydrolysis to increase the directionality and stringency of strand exchange.
OOPSLA'06 workshop outline: 1st workshop on model-based testing and object-oriented systems (M-TOOS)

Model-based testing of systems has long been a goal of the testing research community, and many paradigms have been proposed and developed. However, while model-based testing approaches are successfully used in industry, they have yet to be adopted as mainstream practices. This workshop explored the impact of object-orientation on model-based testing, as it affects both the creation of test generation tools, and the application of tools to object-oriented systems. Our primary purpose was to identify the key challenges to widespread use of model-based testing approaches for testing object oriented software, and to determine possible ways that object-orientation (and related approaches) may be helpful in overcoming these challenges.
Electrical resistivity of pb and pb-10 wt pct sn during solidification

The electrical resistivities of Pb and Pb-10 wt pct Sn alloy were measured during cooling and solidification. Three regimes corresponding to events when the metals were all liquid, liquid plus solid, and all solid were eminent. In particular, the nucleation and growth of the solid were captured by measuring the electrical resistivity. The resistivities of the liquid at the nucleation temperature of lead and of Pb-10 wt pct Sn are 94.7 and 85.7 μΩ. cm, respectively, and nucleation in these systems occurred at 326.9 °C and 301 °C, respectively. In lead, it was found that the ratio of resistivity of the liquid at the melting temperature to the resistivity of the solid was 1.92. The resistivity data were used to estimate the mass fraction of solid as a function of temperature during solidification. The method of measuring resistivity and temperature or the models for predicting electrical resistivity of two-phase mixtures should be improved before this method can be made quantitative.
Comments on "Eigenstructure assignment in linear multivariable systems - A parametric solution

The approaches to eigenstructure assignment in [1]-[3] and the above paper are shown to be equivalent.
Crystallization of Sputtered NiTi Films

Sputtered, crystalline thin films of nickel-titanium (NiTi) can display both superelastic properties and the shape memory effect, either of which may be used in films for MEMS sensors and actuators. However, direct deposition of crystalline NiTi films requires high deposition temperature and cooldown can lead to catastrophic delamination from extrinsic residual stress. To avoid delamination, especially for thick films (>5 micrometers) the amorphous form of NiTi can be sputter deposited at a low temperature, patterned and etched, released, and then crystallized to develop the proper microstructure. Here we report some results from a study of the crystallization process using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The minimum temperature for complete crystallization in a reasonable length of time was found to be about 400°C. Crystalline grains always nucleated first at the surface, rapidly grew laterally until impingement, and then continued to grow inward to form columnar grains as the parent amorphous phase was consumed. Surface roughness delayed the onset of surface nucleation. For very smooth surfaces, crystallization nucleated quickly, but after lateral impingement, growth inward was apparently more sluggish. Multiple DSC exotherms observed in some cases suggest that additional nucleation events may have occurred in the interior of the films.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
A suitable method for identifying cell aggregates in laser scanning cytometry listmode data for analyzing disaggregated cell suspensions obtained from human cancers.

Background The presence of cell aggregates in cell suspensions obtained from human solid tumors can interfere with the measurement of cell DNA content of cell singlets, and can confound multiparameter analysis of other measurements on the same cells. Flow cytometric corrections for cell aggregates based on signal pulse shape have not proven to be reliable. Mathematical models have been developed to correct for cell aggregates in binned DNA histogram data, but they are not suitable for the correction of correlated non-DNA measurements obtained on the same cells. Methods A total of 21 samples representing a variety of normal and malignant human cell types, including normal lymphocytes, normal sputum, human breast cancer cell lines, and mechanically disaggregated cell suspensions from primary breast cancers and nonsmall cell lung cancers, were studied by laser scanning cytometry (LSC) using the CompuCyte laser scanning cytometer (Cambridge, MA). Nuclear area, nuclear perimeter, and an LSC-based cell texture parameter were measured on ≈400 cells in each sample, using an air-cooled, violet laser emitting at a wavelength of 405 nm for DAPI excitation, and each cell was classified as a singlet or aggregate by its appearance under direct observation. A “saddle function” provided by CompuCyte was used, together with an algorithm based on the measurements of nuclear area, perimeter, and cell texture (the APT algorithm), to identify cell aggregates and exclude them from the listmode data file. Results Proportions of cell aggregates in the uncorrected samples ranging from 6 to 56% (mean, 20%) were reduced to proportions ranging from 0 to 7% (mean, 2.4%) after correction. The discriminant function was “tuned” to maintain both average cell singlet purity and average cell singlet yield at >70% over a broad range of cell DNA contents. Conclusions A combined approach to cell aggregate detection, which utilizes both the saddle function and the APT algorithm, produces list mode data files that exclude >80% of cell aggregates from samples of disaggregated cell suspensions of human tumors and other sources of clinical material. Such data files are suitable for multiparameter analysis. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Transcribed Dinucleotide Microsatellites and Their Associated Genes from Channel CatfishIctalurus punctatus

Abstract The presence of trinucleotide microsatellites within genes is a well-known cause for a number of genetic diseases. However, the precise distribution of dinucleotide microsatellites within genes is less well documented. Here we report 15 unique cDNAs containing dinucleotide repeats from the channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Gene identities of nine of the 15 cDNAs were determined, of which three encode structural genes, and six encode regulatory proteins. Five cDNAs harbored dinucleotide repeats in the 5′ untranslated region (5′-NTR), nine in the 3′-NTR, and one in the coding region. The presence of these transcribed dinucleotide repeats and their potential expansion in size within coding regions could lead to disruption of the original protein and/or formation of new genes by frame shift. The low number of dinucleotide repeats within coding regions suggests that they were strongly selected against. All the transcribed microsatellite loci examined were polymorphic making them useful for gene mapping in catfish.