cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Alternative Funding of Agricultural Economics Research: The Experience of the Past Decade and Challenge to the Profession

Christensen and Robinson carefully document the relative decline in federal funding support for economics research in the state agricultural experiment stations (SAES). Within the category of federal funding, they note the sharp erosion of support from CSRS sources relative to that provided by USDA cooperative grants and agreements and by allocations from other federal (non-USDA) agencies. The obvious implication is that alternative (nonfederal) sources have become of increasing importance to the funding of economics research programs in SAES institutions. The central question is whether the relative shifts in funding sources might have an impact on the research contributions of individuals and departments; and, if so, might the impact be for the better or for the worse? It is unlikely that there is a generalizable, valid response to the query. Yet, it may justly deserve our serious consideration, for it is not difficult to accept the general notion that shifting sources of research support are likely to have exerted incremental changes in research agendas and in the kind of research that is now "supportable" in departments of agricultural economics in the mid-1980s. And should the trends continue, the forces in motion might seriously influence how we go about meeting the substantive research challenges of the 1990s. This paper seeks to establish some, albeit a quite limited, basis for further discussion by examining selected aspects of recent changes in support for economics research and by providing initial comments on alternative funding opportunities and on challenges for agricultural economists and for programs of agricultural economics research. Changes in Economics Research Funding, 1971-73 to 1981-83
Detection of H3+ in the diffuse interstellar medium toward Cygnus OB2 No. 12.

The molecular ion H3+ is considered the cornerstone of interstellar chemistry because it initiates the reactions responsible for the production of many larger molecules. Recently discovered in dense molecular clouds, H3+ has now been observed in the diffuse interstellar medium toward Cygnus OB2 No. 12. Analysis of H3+ chemistry suggests that the high H3+ column density (3.8 × 1014 per square centimeter) is due not to a high H3+ concentration but to a long absorption path. This and other work demonstrate the ubiquity of H3+ and its potential as a probe of the physical and chemical conditions in the interstellar medium.
β-Exodomain Role in Na/K-ATPase α-β Subunit Interactions

We disrupted the three conserved disulfide bonds in Xenopus β3 (C127−C144, C154-C170, C191-C248), one at a time, using Cys to Ala/Ser mutations and coexpression with relatively ouabain-resistant (C113Y) Xenopus α1 in oocytes. We assessed function with two-microelectrode voltage clamp in 1µM ouabain to silence endogenous Na/K pumps. Single C127S/A or C154S, or double C127S+C154S β3 mutants yielded steady Na/K pump currents (saturating [Ko]) and transient Na charge movements (without Ko) like those of C113Y α1 coexpressed with wild-type β3, suggesting that neither assembly, trafficking, nor Na/K pump function require intact first and/or second disulfide bonds. In contrast, steady and transient pump currents were both ≥10 fold smaller in Na/K pumps with disrupted third disulfide bond after C113Y α1 coexpression with C191A/S β3. Similarly, in outside-out excised patches, palytoxin-induced pump-channel currents were ≥10 fold smaller for C113Y α1 Na/K pumps coexpressed with β3 C191S than with wild-type β3. Because in uninjected oocytes or oocytes expressing C113Y α1 alone, neither steady nor transient pump current could be detected, and palytoxin elicited no measurable current in outside-out patches, the third disulfide bond appears necessary for efficient Na/K-ATPase assembly and trafficking to the cell membrane but is not essential for assembled pump function. We disrupted salt bridges linking the αTM7-TM8 loop and β-exodomain in Na/K-ATPase structures (α1 E901-β3 K219, α1 E911-β3 R262), by coexpressing E901R(C113Y) or E911R(C113Y) α1 with wild-type β3. In both mutants, steady Na/K pump currents (at saturating [Ko]) and transient Na charge movements were like wild type; but the E901R α1 mutation selectively enhanced apparent Ko affinity ∼2 fold. These results suggest that some β-exodomain structural alterations can be tolerated; but α-β subunit interface interactions closely regulate Ko binding/occlusion steps, though not the slow step that occludes/deoccludes the third Na ion. [HL36783]
mRNA Localization in Neurons: A Multipurpose Mechanism?

In mature neurons in vivo, certain mRNAs are targeted for delivery into dendrites. At least some of these mRNAs are presumably destined for the translational machinery that is selectively localized beneath synapses. Many of the mRNAs that are localized in dendrites of mature neurons encode proteins that play a role in synaptic signaling. In immature neurons in culture, mRNAs are present in axons and dendrites and are concentrated in growth cones. Some of the mRNAs in growth cones encode proteins that play a role in neurite growth and guidance. These findings suggest that neurons may use the general mechanism of RNA targeting for different purposes. In this regard, the story regarding mRNA localization in neurons continues to parallel the story regarding mRNA localization in oocytes and developing embryos, where it also appears that localized mRNAs serve multiple purposes (seeSt. Johnson 1995xSt. Johnson, D. Cell. 1995; 81: 161–170Abstract | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (479)See all ReferencesSt. Johnson 1995). But studies in oocytes and developing embryos also indicate the need for caution; some examples of mRNA localization may not be biologically significant, and there appear to be examples of “gratuitous” mRNA localization. To explore this question further, it will be important to establish the purpose of RNA localization in the different situations. It is likely that the same approaches that have been used in developing systems will be useful, including disrupting the localization of particular transcripts by taking advantage of the signals that target mRNAs to particular domains. These approaches may at last help to answer the question of why neurons sort mRNAs to different subcellular domains in the first place–a question for which there is currently only speculation.
Demonstration of a separations-based fiberoptic sensor for bioanalysis

Abstract We present a newly-developed separations-based fiberoptic sensor (SBFOS) for biomedical applications. The sensor features a linear 10 cm effective length section of capillary coupled with a single optical fiber for laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection of fluorescently-labeled analytes separated by capillary electrophoresis (CE). The single optical fiber, arranged perpendicular to and touching the capillary, transmits both laser excitation to the sensor and analytical signal from the sensor to a PMT-based detection system. The resulting compact, robust design may prove to be an attractive alternative to conventional CE laboratory systems due to the portability and potential for automation and multiplexing. The sensor has been evaluated with size selective separations of φX-174 Hae III digest DNA samples. Baseline resolution for fragments differing by 10 base pairs was routinely observed in separations requiring approximately 10 min. This short analysis time, combined with rapid sensor regeneration capability, enabled the temporal analysis of a digestion of φX-174 phage DNA by Hae III restriction enzyme. The use of viscous matrices permits sensor operation in any orientation without introducing complications associated with gravity-driven hydrostatic flow. Relative standard deviations in migration rates of the φX-174 DNA fragments have generally been less than 5%. Furthermore, efficiencies of up to 2.5 million plates/m have been observed, giving the compact sensor a separation quality which is competitive with larger conventional CE systems.
Supply-side economics finds the thymus

In this issue of Blood , Zlotoff and colleagues demonstrate that despite relaxed entry requirements after irradiation and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), insufficient supply of bone marrow (BM) T-cell progenitors acts as a limiting factor to thymic reconstitution, 1 contributing toward delayed T-cell recovery.
Magnetic investigations of order-disorder transitions in copper-platinum (12.5–27.5 at. %) alloys

Using magnetic susceptibility (χ) as a diagnostic technique, the order-disorder transformation in eight Cu-Pt alloys (12.5–27.5 at.%) has been investigated. The alloys Cu-Pt (12.5–17.5 at.%) exhibited sharp transitions at temperatures which are in accord with literature values, and no hysteresis was noted throughout the heating-cooling cycle. These results, together with the forms of the χ(T) curves, are indicative of uncomplicated, rather rapid, first-order transitions between ordered and disordered states. On the other hand, the alloys Cu-Pt (20–27.5 at.%) exhibited marked hysteresis during thermal cycling, behavior which is in accord with the existence of a second ordered phase (previously detected) retainable on down-quenching. Judging from the position and lack of sharpness of the order-disorder transformation temperature, the alloy Cu-Pt (27.5 at.%) seems to mark the high-concentration limit of the field of Cu3Pt-type order-disorder.
The Relationship Between Type of Mental Health Provider and Met and Unmet Mental Health Needs in a Nationally Representative Sample of HIV-positive Patients

This study examined mental health service utilization among a nationally representative sample of adults with HIV and psychiatric disorders or perceived need for mental health services. Data are from the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS) mental health survey (n = 1489) conducted in 1997–1998. Most (70%) needed mental healthcare. Of these, 30% received no mental health services in the previous 6 months, 16% received services from general medical providers (GMPs) only, and 54% used mental health specialists. Clients with perceived need for care were more likely to receive any mental health services and services from mental health specialists (versus GMPs) than clients having mental disorders without perceived need. More patients using specialists versus GMPs received psychotherapeutic medications and psychiatric hospitalizations, controlling for psychiatric symptom severity. The findings underscore that the differential mental health service provision between specialists and GMPs existing in the general population also is present among persons with HIV.
The Ranking of Economists.

Using the number of citations as the criterion of quality, the author ranks economists and economics departments.
Fair rate allocation for broadcast channel with confidential messages

We consider a degraded block-fading broadcast channel, in which we treat each user as an “internal eavesdropper” for the information transmitted to another user. We addressed the problem of maximizing cumulative network utility, which is a function instantaneous rate of confidential data served for all users. Then, we propose a low complexity, provably optimal algorithm that jointly selects the amount of information to be transmitted to all users from the region of achievable open and secrecy rates in each block. In the described setup, there exists only one user with positive instantaneous secrecy rate, i.e., full equivocation from other users in a given block. Unlike existing scheduling approaches that serve only the user with the positive secrecy rate in each block, we propose a system that uses part of the secrecy rate for key generation, to be utilized at later times in the form of a one-time pad. To be able to serve a larger region of open-secrecy rates so that multiple users can simultaneously transmit data with full equivocation, we use superposition encoding and binning. Our system leads to a smoother service process, which increases the achieved long term utility, compared to the opportunistic scheduling approach.
Functional coefficient autoregressive models for vector time series

We extend the functional coefficient autoregressive (FCAR) model to the multivariate nonlinear time series framework. We show how to estimate parameters of the model using kernel regression techniques, discuss properties of the estimators, and provide a bootstrap test for determining the presence of nonlinearity in a vector time series. The power of the test is examined through extensive simulations. For illustration, we apply the methods to a series of annual temperatures and tree ring widths. Computational issues are also briefly discussed.
Improving Students’ Understanding of the Impact of Engineering Solutions in a Global and Societal Context

ABET 2000 imposes the requirement that engineering programs demonstrate that graduates “have the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context”. (Criterion 3h) The implication is that providing the “exposure” to the impact of engineering should be sufficient. However, demonstrating learning takes the process another step. Over the past few years, we have added material to several existing, traditional mechanical engineering courses and added one entirely new course in response to the requirements of ABET 2000 in general and Criterion 3h in particular. We have also introduced additional surveys, assignments and testing into these courses to assess specific aspects of student learning. This paper describes the changes in the sophomore design class, the second course in thermodynamics, the heat transfer course, and the capstone course as well as the new College course in technical communications related to the impact of engineering solutions. The assessment processes are also described.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Decision theory in cancer therapy.

Decision theory, which has been greatly developed in the last two decades and which is today widely applied to economic, political and military problems, appears useful for decision making in cancer management. As an example, the application of its principles and practice to the so-called “prophylactic neck dissection” is presented. This question, whether or not to carry out a radical neck dissection in a patient with oral cancer without palpable neck metastasis, has been the subject of controversy for more than 50 years, with nearly as many surgeons favoring it as rejecting it. Application of the decision theory, which requires only simple arithmetic, greatly clarifies the problem and shows that, if certain hypotheses are accepted, in most cases the best results can be expected after prophylactic neck dissection only in patients with primary cancers over 2 cm diameter. For clinical use, a “decision table” was developed, which without calculation permits the cancer therapist to find the optimal decision immediately.
Cytomegalovirus infection: detection by direct fluorescent-antibody technique.

Abstract A technique for detection of cytomegalovirus (C.M.V.) in tissue-culture by direct fluorescent-antibody staining is described. Of 150 urine specimens inoculated, 42 were positive by the fluorescent-antibody technique. By detection of cytopathic effect in routinely inoculated tissue culture, 36 of these were positive initially. 3 initially negative were subsequently positive by repeated passage. This fluorescent-antibody technique may be applicable in rapid screening of urines for detection of C.M.V. whether low or high titres of virus are excreted.
Research on Compressive Behavior and Deformation Heating of 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy during Hot Compression

The flow stress behavior of the 7075-T6 aluminum alloy was studied through single-pass compression experiment by using MMS-300 simulator within temperature range of 300-450°C and strain rate range of 0.01-40s-1. Then a simulation of compression was carried out and the influence of deformation velocity on load and deformation heating was investigated according to the relationship between stress and strain. The results show that dynamic recrystallization occurs in hot compression of 7075-T6 alloy and the stress-strain curves are presented as wave. Furthermore, the flow stress curves have the same wave period and the fluctuation range increases with an increase of strain rate and a decrease of strain. Increasing of deformation velocity results in higher critical strain but the value decreases when the deformation velocity is much higher. The temperature rise increases with the increase of deformation velocity and decrease of deformation temperature. The maximum of temperature rise is more than about 30°C, so that the deformation heating is significant.
Eddy current power dissipation at sharp corners: transmission lines and local partition of the internal impedance of conductors

A general formula is derived, within the framework of the low frequency transmission line formulation, for the internal impedance per unit length of good conductors in terms of the surface electric field. This is used to partition the internal impedance per unit length into a part resulting from the perfectly conducting surface current distribution and corrections resulting from local surface features such as sharp corners. The two electrical properties, skin depth and surface impedance divided by the product of frequency times external magnetic permeability, must be small compared to other distances in the problem (for example the distance between local features such as corners) for this partitioning to be useful. The concept of how the sizes of these two electrical parameters and the ratio of internal-to-external magnetic permeabilities influence the use of approximations, such as the surface impedance approximation, is discussed and illustrated on the problem of a current filament above a conducting ha...
Validation of a speed-based classification system using quantitative measures of walking performance poststroke.

Background. For clinical trials in stroke rehabilitation, self-selected walking speed has been used to stratify persons to predict functional walking status and to define clinical meaningfulness of...
Factor Substitution in Colombian Agriculture

A declining labor share in agriculture is consistent with an elasticity of substitution between labor and other factors greater than unity. Using cross-section data drawn from a small sample of Colombian crop farms, this study develops a three-factor model and estimates the Allen-Uzawa partial substitution elasticities between the factor-pairs land, labor, and farm machinery. Both Ordinary and Generalized Least Squares estimation procedures provide elasticity estimates that agree with each other and with the results of recent and related research: a substitution elasticity between labor and machinery (capital) of about one and a half is strongly indicated.
Legitimacy vacuum, structural imprinting, and the first mover disadvantage

Unfavorable conditions at founding may result in consistently lower survival chances for new firms. We focus on the effect of market entry in the early years of an industry, when clarity about the ...
Widowhood and Well-Being: An Examination of Sex Differences Within a Causal Model.

National survey data (NCOA/Harris and Associates, 1974) are analyzed in a causal model to discern differences in the effects of widowhood on the well-being of older men and women. Based on previous research on mental illness, mortality differentials, and the quality of life, it is hypothesized that widowhood has an adverse impact on well-being, and that this relation is stronger for men than women. While the data support an overall decline in well-being of persons who are widowed, a direct effect of widowhood is substantial only for the negative dimension of the well-being of women. Widowed persons experience lower levels of well-being largely because they tend to be older, in poorer health, and less active in social life than their married counterparts. In the case of widowed women, low economic resources is also a key factor. A consistent pattern of greater reductions in levels of social participation in widowhood for men was not evident.
Energy transfer mechanisms as a compensatory strategy in below knee amputee runners

Below knee amputee runners exhibit abnormalities in the mechanical work characteristics of the lower extremity musculature during stance phase. The most significant abnormality is a marked reduction in the mechanical work done in the stance prosthetic limb. Energy transfer across the hip joint to the trunk during deceleration of the swing phase leg may be an important energy distribution mechanism to compensate for the reduced work done during prosthetic stance phase. Five unilateral below knee amputee runners wearing the SACH prosthetic foot and 5 normal subjects were studied. All subjects ran at a controlled velocity of 2.8 m s−1 while kinematic and ground reaction force data were collected. Using a four segment linked segment model and an inverse dynamics approach joint moments, muscle power outputs, mechanical work values and energy transfers across the hip were calculated. The total amount of energy transferred during swing phase and the energy transferred out of the swing phase leg into the trunk were both significantly greater than normal. Energy transfer mechanisms are important in influencing the lower extremity energetics during swing phase. In addition, the 74% increase in energy transfer out of the intact swing phase limb combined with the temporal characteristics of this energy flow suggests that energy transfer may be an adaptive mechanism that allows energy redistribution to the trunk which may partially compensate for the reduced power output of the stance phase prosthetic limb.
The formation of carbonium ions from arylmethanes on silica-alumina

Abstract The chemisorption of triphenylmethane, diphenylmethane, and 4,4′-dimethoxy-diphenylmethane on silica-alumina cracking catalysts was studied in vacuo and in the dark. The substrate reacted on the surface forming stable carbonium ions, e.g., the triphenylcarbonium ion from triphenylmethane. The fate of the H − ion which is stoichiometrically lost concomitant with ion formation was ascertained by extracting and analyzing the products of the surface reaction. With triphenylmethane the results were found to conform to the following Friedel-Craft's chemistry: Surface densities of triphenylcarbonium ions, determined by recovery as triphenyl-carbinol, agreed with those determined spectrophotometrically (~5 × 10 11 /cm 2 ). With diphenylmethane the primary reaction involved alkylation, i.e., The reaction of 4,4′-dimethoxydiphenylmethane followed both reaction paths, but the alkylation products were too complicated to characterize. It was concluded that the formation of the triphenylcarbonium ion on these catalysts does not demonstrate that hydride ions are abstracted from paraffinic carbon atoms by the silica-alumina surface as previously supposed.
Unified equivalent circuit model of V 2 control

V2 control and its variety named ripple-based control, are popular control schemes in point-of-load Buck converters and Voltage Regulators for microprocessor. This control scheme is elegant when output capacitors with sufficient ESR are employed, such as OSCON capacitors. However, in most cases with small-ESR capacitors, such as ceramic capacitors, instability problem will occur. Up to now, no equivalent circuit model is proposed which is able to predict instability issue. This paper proposes a unified equivalent circuit model which is suitable to all kinds of capacitors by considering the effect of both inductor current ripple and capacitor voltage ripple. The equivalent circuit model is a simple yet accurate, complete model and can be used to investigate all transfer functions. The proposed equivalent circuit model is applicable to both variable frequency modulation and constant frequency modulation. Furthermore, the model can be extended to enhanced V2 control and muti-phase V2 converters. The equivalent circuit model is verified with Simplis simulation and experimental results.
POTENTIAL UPPER BOUNDS OF CARBON STORES IN FORESTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Placing an upper bound to carbon (C) storage in forest ecosystems helps to constrain predictions on the amount of C that forest management strategies could sequester and the degree to which natural and anthropogenic disturbances change C storage. The potential, upper bound to C storage is difficult to approximate in the field because it requires studying old-growth forests, of which few remain. In this paper, we put an upper bound (or limit) on C storage in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States using field data from old-growth forests, which are near steady-state conditions. Specifically, the goals of this study were: (1) to approximate the upper bounds of C storage in the PNW by estimating total ecosystem carbon (TEC) stores of 43 old-growth forest stands in five distinct biogeoclimatic provinces and (2) to compare these TEC storage estimates with those from other biomes, globally. Finally, we suggest that the upper bounds of C storage in forests of the PNW are higher than current estimates of C stores, presumably due to a combination of natural and anthropogenic disturbances, which indicates a potentially substantial and economically significant role of C sequestration in the region. Results showed that coastal Oregon stands stored, on average, 1127 Mg C/ha, which was the highest for the study area, while stands in eastern Oregon stored the least, 195 Mg C/ha. In general, coastal Oregon stands stored 307 Mg C/ha more than coastal Washington stands. Similarly, the Oregon Cascades stands stored 75 Mg C/ha more, on average, than the Washington Cascades stands. A simple, area-weighted average TEC storage to 1 m soil depth (TEC 100 ) for the PNW was 671 Mg C/ha. When soil was included only to 50 cm (TEC50), the area-weighted average was 640 Mg C/ha. Subtracting estimates of current forest C storage from the potential, upper bound of C storage in this study, a maximum of 338 Mg C/ha (TEC100) could be stored in PNW forests in addition to current stores.
Treatment of Intraabdominal Infection with Moxalactam

Forty-eight case report forms for patients with cultures positive for intraabdominal infection treated with moxalactam were reviewed. The infections included abscess or peritonitis due to appendicitis (26); intraabdominal abscess of other causes (7); peritonitis due to bowel perforation (6), bowel infarction (5), or salpingitis (3); and gangrenous cholecystitis (1). Cultures of peritoneal fluid or abscess contents were performed for all patients. Seventy-eight aerobes and 118 anaerobes were isolated from the 48 patients. Thirty-eight patients (79.2%) were cured, therapy failed in nine (18.8%), and one (2%) developed fatal superinfection with Candida. The nine patients for whom treatment failed had a higher frequency of resistant anaerobes in their initial cultures (59%) than did the patients who were cured (29%; P = 0.036). An enterococcal isolate appeared to play a role in at least one treatment failure. There were no serious adverse reactions; eosinophilia (greater than 500 eosinophils/mm3) occurred in 17.4% of the patients, and phlebitis at the intravenous administration site occurred in one patient. Thus moxalactam shows promise as a single agent for the treatment of intraabdominal infections.
The NIH "Points to Consider" and the limits of human gene therapy.

ABSTRACT In this essay, I examine the sources and reach of the NIH “Points to Consider.” These guidelines are based on normative considerations inherited from two sets of science policy deliberations that took place in the United States during the 1970s: the discussion of research with human subjects and the recombinant DNA debate. The combined lessons of those deliberations provide six criteria by which to evaluate human gene therapy proposals. While these criteria could be used to reject proposals to attempt germ-line gene therapy or enhancement engineering today, they provide no principled basis for publicly proscribing the development of these forms of genetic intervention. Instead, they will ultimately lead us to approach the moral limits of gene therapy as a professional policy question about the goals of medicine, rather than as a social policy question about the public good.
NN elastic scattering experiments with polarized beams

We report updated analysis results on an np elastic experiment at LAMPF and a pp experiment at the ZGS. We have measured two np spin asymmetry parameters, C/sub LL/ and C/sub SL/, at beam energies 500, 650, and 800 MeV. The cm scattering angles of neutrons measured ranged from 80/sup 0/ through 180/sup 0/. We observed very large C/sub LL/ at backward angles for the first time. The pp experiment at the ZGS was a measurement of the difference between the pp total cross sections for parallel and antiparallel longitudinal spin states at beam momenta 2.75, 2.92, 3.25, 3.75, and 4.00 GeV/c. These results reveal possible new structures in this momentum range. Masses for these structures are about 2700 and 2900 MeV.
Dose―response models: how might we think about linearity and nonlinearity?

We add to the issues raised by Dr David Ropeik’s article Risk Communication and Non-Linearity (forthcoming, BELLE Newsletter, 2008) regarding the thinking about the acceptance of linear and nonline...
A reduced-complexity box-plus decoder for LDPC codes

The primary contribution of this paper is the full description of a new decoder for LDPC codes - the reduced-complexity box-plus (RCBP) decoder. This new decoder is based on the combination of two known decoding algorithms, the box-plus decoder and the a-min* decoder. What is new, however, is the check-node processor design which is based on a highly compressed look-up table. This compression exploits the symmetry and redundancy of the full table in order to losslessly reduce the 1024-element table to merely two easily implementable logic equations. Simulations of the RCBP decoder are compared to a low-complexity decoder patented by Flarion/Qualcomm. The RCBP decoder was found to be essentially equal in terms of bit error rate and frame error rate performance. Our analysis of the RCBP decoderpsilas speed and complexity indicate that it is superior to the Flarion/Qualcomm decoder in these aspects.
Rethinking Qualitative Research: Research Participants as Central Researchers and Enacting Ethical Practices as Habitus

Dieser Artikel weist darauf hin, dass durch die Gruppendynamik qualitativer Forschungsgruppen die Fahigkeiten universitarer Forscher/innen gefordert werden, ethisches Vorgehen in fachgerechter Weise umzusetzen. Wenn Forschungsteilnehmer/innen selbst zu Forschern werden, haben – so behaupte ich – sowohl die Teilnehmer/innen der Forschungsgruppe, die von der Universitat kommen, als auch die, die dem Forschungsfeld angehoren, Gelegenheit, die Lebenswelt des/der jeweils anderen intensiv zu erfahren. Dadurch, dass man als Forschende gemeinsam Zeit miteinander verbringt, kann sich ethische Expertise entwickeln, die flexibel und implizit angemessen fur das Feld ist, in dem die Forschung stattfindet. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0503367
Efficient luminescence in highly tensile-strained germanium

Up to 2.3% biaxial tensile-strained Ge layers have been grown on InGaAs/GaAs buffer layers. A dramatic increase in low temperature photoluminescence intensity for >2% strained Ge confirms the existence of a direct band gap Ge.
Generation of Prostaglandin and Thromboxane-Like Substances by Large Airways and Lung Parenchyma

Anggard and Samuelsson (1965) were the first researchers to study the biosynthesis of prostaglandins in lungs. They found that the low speed supernatant (900 × g) of a homogenate of guinea pig lungs incubated with arachidonic acid converted 10% of the substrate to more polar products than arachidonic acid. These products were identified as PGF2α, PGE2 and their metabolites. Guinea pig lung homogenates were used by Vane (1971) in his work that lead to the discovery of the anti-prosta-glandin synthetase activity of aspirin like drugs. In rat lung homogenates dihomo-γ-linolenic acid is mainly converted to PGD1, similarily as prostaglandin endoper-oxides PGH1 and PGH2 are chiefly metabolized to PGD1 and PGD2, respectively (Nugteren and Hazelhof, 1973). Further studies on metabolism of radioactive arachidonic acid by whole homogenates of guinea pig lungs brought to unexpected results (Hamberg and Samuelsson, 1974). The formation of PGF2 and PGE2, both in 2–3% yield was confirmed.
Functional and computational studies of the ligand‐associated metal binding site of β3 integrins

A combination of experimental and computational approaches was used to provide a structural context for the role of the β3 integrin subunit ligand-associated metal binding site (LIMBS) in the binding of physiological ligands to β3 integrins. Specifically, we have carried out (1) adhesion assays on cells expressing normal αIIbβ3, normal αVβ3, or the corresponding β3 D217A LIMBS mutants; and (2) equilibrium and nonequilibrium (steered) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of eptifibatide in complex with either a fully hydrated normal αIIbβ3 integrin fragment (αIIb β-propeller and the β3 βA (I-like), hybrid, and PSI domains) or the equivalent β3 D217A mutant. Normal αIIbβ3 expressing cells adhered to immobilized fibrinogen and echistatin, whereas cells expressing the αIIbβ3 D217A LIMBS mutant failed to adhere to either ligand. Similarly, the equivalent αVβ3 mutant was unable to support adhesion to vitronectin or fibrinogen. The αIIbβ3 D217A mutation increased the binding of mAb AP5, which recognizes a ligand-induced binding site (LIBS) in the β3 PSI domain, indicating that this mutation induced allosteric changes in the protein. Steered MD simulating the unbinding of eptifibatide from either normal αIIbβ3 or the equivalent β3 D217A mutant suggested that the reduction in ligand binding caused by the LIMBS mutant required the loss of both the LIMBS and the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) metal ions. Our computational results indicate that the LIMBS plays a crucial role in ligand binding to αIIbβ3 by virtue of its effects on the coordination of the MIDAS.
Downregulation of the PI3k/Akt pathway leads to decreased invasion of the human colon cancer cells

Abstract Introduction: The breakdown of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by proteinases is an essential step in cancer invasion and metastasis. Of the four known membrane type matrix metalloproteinases, MT1-MMP is most often overexpressed in cancers and is frequently detected in association with the activated form of MMP-2. We have shown that activation of the phosphotidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) pathway, acting through Akt/PKB, stimulates invasion of KM20 colon cancer cells. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine whether small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated PI3K inhibition decreased KM20 cell invasiveness through MT1-MMP expression Methods: siRNAs directed to the p85alpha (PI3K subunit), Akt1, Akt2 or scrambled sequences (control) were synthesized and transfected into KM20 cells. The gelatinolytic activity of MMP-2 was analyzed by gelatin zymography. Tumor cell invasion was measured using reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel). RNA was extracted and analyzed by RNase protection assays using a multi-probe (hMMP-2; Pharmingen) to detect changes in gene expression. Results: siRNA-mediated PI3K/Akt inhibition blocked MT1-MMP induction and significantly decreased (∼90%) KM20 tumor invasion through Matrigel in response to IGF-I. Conversely, treatment with the MEK/ERK inhibitor, PD98059, had no effect on MT1-MMP induction or tumor invasion. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that PI3K/Akt activation contributes to tumor cell invasion through induction of MTI-MMP; the selective targeting of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway significally blocks the invasive potential of the aggressive KM20 cell line.
Friends, Acquaintances, or Strangers? Partner Selection in R&D Alliances

Like governance structure and alliance scope, partner selection may serve to safeguard firms' intellectual assets in R&D alliances. We categorize potential alliance partners into friends, acquainta...
Three Uses of the Herbrand-Gentzen Theorem in Relating Model Theory and Proof Theory

One task of metamathematics is to relate suggestive but nonelementary modeltheoretic concepts to more elementary proof-theoretic concepts, thereby opening up modeltheoretic problems to proof-theoretic methods of attack. Herbrand's Theorem (see [8] or also [9], vol. 2) or Gentzen's Extended Hauptsatz (see [5] or also [10]) was first used along these lines by Beth [1]. Using a modified version he showed that for all first-order systems a certain modeltheoretic notion of definability coincides with a certain proof theoretic notion. In the present paper the Herbrand-Gentzen Theorem will be applied to generalize Beth's results from primitive predicate symbols to arbitrary formulas and terms.This may be interpreted as showing that (apart from some relatively minor exceptions which will be made apparent below) the expressive power of each first-order system is rounded out, or the system is functionally complete, in the following sense: Any functional relationship which obtains between concepts that are expressible in the system is itself expressible and provable in the system.A second application is concerned with the hierarchy of second-order formulas. A certain relationship is shown to hold between first-order formulas and those second-order formulas which are of the form (∃T1)…(∃Tk)A or (T1)…(Tk)A with A being a first-order formula. Modeltheoretically this can be regarded as a relationship between the class AC and the class PC⊿ of sets of models, investigated by Tarski in [12] and [13].
Glutamatergic Enteric Neurons

We tested the hypothesis that glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter of the CNS, is also an excitatory neurotransmitter in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Glutamate immunoreactivity was found in cholinergic enteric neurons, many of which were identified as sensory by their co-storage of substance P and/or calbindin. Glutamate immunoreactivity was concentrated in terminal varicosities with a majority of small clear synaptic vesicles. The immunoreactivities of both AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits were also detected on neurons in both submucosal and myenteric plexuses. The immunoreactivity of the EAAC1 neuronal glutamate transporter was widespread in both plexuses. Glutamate evoked depolarizing responses in myenteric neurons that had fast and slow components. The fast component was mimicked by AMPA, and the slow component was mimicked by NMDA. The fast component and the response to AMPA mimicked fast EPSPs evoked in 2/AH neurons; moreover, fast EPSPs as well as fast glutamate and AMPA responses were blocked by selective AMPA antagonists and potentiated by the glutamate uptake inhibitor l-(−)- threo -3-hydroxyaspartic acid. These observations demonstrate, for the first time, the presence of glutamatergic neurons and glutamate-mediated neurotransmission in the ENS.
Particle acceleration at a termination shock 1. Application to the solar wind and the anomalous component

The results of a numerical study of the diffusive acceleration of charged particles at the termination shock of the solar wind are reported. In the model a realistic magnetic field structure is employed which is similar to that observed in the solar wind. In addition to causing spatial variation of the diffusion tensor, a major effect of the magnetic field is to cause guiding-center drifts of the accelerated particles, both in the solar wind and at the shock. It is demonstrated that the inclusion of the drifts has a large effect on the acceleration. It is concluded, furthermore, that acceleration at the termination shock, in conjunction with drifts, can explain several observed features of the anomalous component.
The Renaissance Kidney—Nephrology in and about the Sixteenth Century

The endeavor to understand the workings of the human body is as old as civilization; but it is in the intellectual movement of the Renaissance that its actual scientific study began in earnest and has not ceased growing since then. It was in the 16th century that the study of organs was launched and with it that of the kidney, which was then conceived as an accessory organ to clear the excess water ingested with food. The study of the structural basis of kidney function was launched by Bartolomeo Eustachio (1514–1574); the elements of its physiology and pathology were promulgated by Jean Fernel (1497–1558), and that of the chemical study of urine and of the principal cause of kidney disease then, calculi, instigated by Joan Baptista Van Helmont (1577–1644). The methodological approaches of these and their contemporary investigators, which were crystallized and formulated by Francis Bacon (1561–1626), opened the gates of the Scientific Revolution that followed in the 17th century, beginning with that of describing the circulation in 1628 by William Harvey (1564–1657) that would finally free the kidney from the shackles imposed on it as a mere accessory organ to the liver in Galen’s physiology.
Anomalous Volume Properties of Vicinal Water and Some Recent Thermodynamic (DSC) Measurements Relevant to Cell-Physiology

The properties of water and aqueous solutions adjacent to interfaces (particularly solid surfaces) differ from the corresponding properties of the bulk systems. The differences are ascribed to structural effects of the interface on the aqueous phase — the resulting interfacial water being referred to as vicinal water. Extensive reviews of the nature of vicinal water have been published (1, 2, 3, 4) over about a decade and will not be reviewed here; suffice it to mention that vicinal water appears to exist over notable distances from the interface namely of the order of 30 to 150 molecular diameters or in other words 0.01 to 0.05 microns (pm). Furthermore, vicinal water appears to differ energetically only slightly from bulk water (3, 5). Vicinal water undergoes abrupt changes in properties — and, hence, no doubt, in structure — near a number of discrete temperatures, namely near 15, 30, 45 and 60°C, referred to respectively as T1, T2, T3, and T4, or in general TK. (An additional anomaly appears to occur near 74°C) (6). Previous measurements (7) of the thermal properties of vicinal water have suggested that the specific heat is approximately 25 percent larger than that of bulk water. It is of interest to note that in recent studies Angell and co-workers (8, 9) have observed notable increases in the specific heat of (bulk) water at very low temperatures (below say − 20°C) and at temperatures approaching the critical temperature.
Information Technology‐Related Activities of Internal Auditors

Advances in information technology (IT) present important new organizational risks, and the assessment and management of these risks may involve a variety of groups, including internal auditors, external auditors, in‐house IT experts, and outside consultants. To begin to understand how organizations are addressing their IT risks, this exploratory study examines the IT‐related activities of one group—internal auditors. Information gathered from over 100 internal audit directors indicates that internal auditors focus primarily on traditional IT risks and controls, such as IT asset safeguarding, application processing, and data integrity, privacy, and security. Much less work is done on system development and acquisition issues. Several factors are associated with internal auditors' performance of IT evaluations, including the nature of the audit objective, the prevalence of computer audit specialists on the internal audit staff, and the existence of new computerized systems. To supplement these results, we ...
Explosions in the sky: Should we worry about asteroids?

It is often said that our atmosphere protects us from most asteroids. Very few are big enough to reach the ground without burning up. Crater-forming impacts are rare because there aren't many space rocks sufficiently massive to pass through the atmosphere. The record of impacts on Earth consists mainly of holes in the ground in various stages of erosion. But what about the ones that “burn up”? Do they really disappear harmlessly, without a trace—or have we been missing the geological evidence?
An Alternative Paradigm To State Rationality in Foreign Policy: the Iran-Iraq War:

A NUMBER of students of international politics, as well as most strategists and defense specialists, have assumed that states, or their elites, are rational. In practice, being "rational" has in fact been synonymous with being equally rational. The assumption of equal elite rationality is fairly explicit among the "rational choice" and most game theorists (e.g., Riker and Ordeshook 1973; Bueno de Mesquita 1981; Zagare 1984; Ordeshook 1986; for an exception among game theorists, see Axelrod 1986).1 Bueno de Mesquita, for example, states that "by assuming that leaders of nations are strong, rational calculators of expected utility, I showed that nations initiate war only if there is the expectation of a net increase in utility from was as compared to the utility derived from maintaining the status quo .. ." (1983: 34). This position is somewhat different from that of Schelling who employs rationality as an assumption mainly because "the premise of 'rational behavior' is a potent one for the production of theory. Whether the resulting theory provides good orpoor insight into actual behavior is... a matterfor subsequent judgment" (1960: 4) [emphasis added]. The assumption of equal rationality of states has also gained impetus from the emergence of Neo-realism (e.g., Waltz 1979; Gilpin 1981; Keohane 1984), a reworking of the older Realist tradition (e.g., Morgenthau 1960; Carr 1946) and characterized by a conception of the reified state as the only meaningful actor in international politics. It is consequently unconcerned with either domestic politics or the elite's role in foreign policy, despite the substantial relevant literature of the 1960s and 1970s (see Tetreault 1987). It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate that, in spite of some utility, there are fundamental conceptual and methodological difficulties involved with the assumption of equal state and/or elite rationality and to offer an alternative paradigm which may have more explanatory value and interpretive capacity for the actual behavior of states. The presentation will proceed through two major steps. The first will explicate the
Error-free and mutagenic processing of topoisomerase 1-provoked damage at genomic ribonucleotides

Abstract Genomic ribonucleotides incorporated during DNA replication are commonly repaired by RNase H2‐dependent ribonucleotide excision repair (RER). When RNase H2 is compromised, such as in Aicardi‐Goutieres patients, genomic ribonucleotides either persist or are processed by DNA topoisomerase 1 (Top1) by either error‐free or mutagenic repair. Here, we present a biochemical analysis of these pathways. Top1 cleavage at genomic ribonucleotides can produce ribonucleoside‐2′,3′‐cyclic phosphate‐terminated nicks. Remarkably, this nick is rapidly reverted by Top1, thereby providing another opportunity for repair by RER. However, the 2′,3′‐cyclic phosphate‐terminated nick is also processed by Top1 incision, generally 2 nucleotides upstream of the nick, which produces a covalent Top1–DNA complex with a 2‐nucleotide gap. We show that these covalent complexes can be processed by proteolysis, followed by removal of the phospho‐peptide by Tdp1 and the 3′‐phosphate by Tpp1 to mediate error‐free repair. However, when the 2‐nucleotide gap is associated with a dinucleotide repeat sequence, sequence slippage re‐alignment followed by Top1‐mediated religation can occur which results in 2‐nucleotide deletion. The efficiency of deletion formation shows strong sequence‐context dependence.