cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rate and selectivity modification in fischer—tropsch synthesis over charcoal supported molybdenum by forced concentration cycling

Forced concentration cycling of the feed between pure CO and pure H2 was used to successfully change both the selectivities and reactivities of promoted and unpromoted charcoal supported molybdenum catalysts in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. It was found that with the unpromoted catalyst the rate enhancement increases with temperature and selectivity shifts towards methane. At the lower temperatures concentration cycling increases selectivity to ethane and higher hydrocarbons to levels only achievable with promoted catalysts. Periodic operation with the potassium promoted catalyst results in small rate enhancements but the olefin to paraffin ratio is dramatically changed without changing the carbon number distribution. Le cyclage force de la concentration de l'alimentation entre le CO et l'H2 purs a permis de modifier avec succes la selectivite et la reactivite des catalyseurs au molybdene deposes sur du charbon active et non-active dans la synthese Fischer—Tropsch. On s'est apercu que dans le cas du catalyseur non-active, l'accroissement de la vitesse augmente avec la temperature tandis que la selectivite est deplacee vers le methane. Aux plus basses temperatures, le cyclage de la concentration augmente la selectivite en ethane et en hydrocarbures plus lords jusqu'a des niveaux qui ne sont accessibles qu'avec des catalyseurs comportant un promoteur. Un fonctionnement periodique avec le catalyseur comportant du potassium comme promoteur n'entraine que de faibles augmentations de la vitesse; en revanche, le rapport olefine-paraffine varie considerablement sans que la repartition du nombre des carbones en soit modifiee.
Improved Multi Angled Parallelism for separation of text from intersecting linear features in scanned topographic maps

Separation of the text and graphics layers in maps with dense and overlapping sets of features (e.g. topographic maps) is a challenging problem. Multi Angled Parallelism (MAP) provides an efficient tool to detect miscellaneous linear features using directional morphological operations and higher order feature representation. However, in its original formulation sides of characters, short lines, and parts of lines that pass through characters are often misclassified. This paper presents an improvement over MAP to automatically extract complete line networks with arbitrary orientation and curvature even when they pass through characters with minimal impact on the text content. The resulting text only image can then be processed for text grouping, reorientation, and recognition. The proposed algorithm does not rely on heuristics and can be easily adapted to work with maps of various scales and sources and other line drawing images by adjusting only a small number of parameters.
A search for weak H-alpha emission line pre-main-sequence stars

A spectroscopic survey of 177 stars brighter than about 12.5 in R near four dark clouds in an effort to find pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars with weak H-alpha emission is reported. A number of such stars have been found previously in X-ray images of star formation clouds. Six new candidate PMS stars with EW (H-alpha) between 0.4 and 4.2 A, in addition to four X-ray discovered stars, are found in the L1551 and L1529 clouds in the Taurus-Auriga complex. The total number of pre-main-sequence stars in these clouds appears to be about two times the number of strong emission line T Tauri stars.
Reporting for provider performance: should we punish the bad, or try to make them all good?

Typically, the term quality in medicine has been used with a qualifying adjective that has in part reflected the degree to which stakeholders understood quality and its root causes in care delivery. Thus, bquality assuranceQ and bquality measurement Q assumed a level of quality of care that was dispelled with the 1999 IOM report bTo err is human.Q This led to developments in bquality improvement Q and then bcontinuous quality improvement,Q where important successes in improving quality in medicine have in fact been achieved over the past decade. However, much work remains to be done. The definition for quality in health care has evolved as well, to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) b. . .doing the right thing, in the right patient, at the right time in the patient’s disease process, with the best possible outcome, and which strikes the right balance of services.Q This operational definition sets the current quality standard against which delivered care should be evaluated medically and financially going forward. The newest terminology step in this quality evolution is bquality reporting,Q recently reembraced with enthusiasm by a variety of stakeholders in both the public and private sectors. The most recent and visible example is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiative to begin in January, 2006 titled bPhysician Voluntary Reporting ProgramQ (PVRP). This initiative is built upon the success of the Medicare Hospital Quality initiative, where a modest set of hospital-based quality metrics for certain disease conditions were identified, and hospitals had the option of reporting the results of these metrics to CMS; only 2% of hospitals failed to participate because they understand that reporting of these metrics will become the basis for modifications to reimbursement at the hospital level going forward. In the PVRP Program, beginning in 2006, the reporting of a
Biomarker validation and testing

A tumor biomarker is a molecular or process-based change that reflects the status of an underlying malignancy. A tumor biomarker may be identified and measured by one or more assays, or tests, for the biomarker. Increasingly, tumor biomarker tests are being used to drive patient management, either by identifying patients who do not require any, or any further, treatment, or by identifying patients whose tumors are so unlikely to respond to a given type of treatment that it will cause more harm than good. A tumor biomarker assay should only be used to guide management if it has analytical validity, meaning that it is accurate, reproducible, and reliable, and if it has been shown to have clinical utility. The latter implies that high levels of evidence are available that demonstrate that application of the tumor biomarker test for a given use context results in better outcomes, or similar outcomes with less cost, than if the assay were not applied. Use contexts include risk categorization, screening, differential diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of therapeutic activity or monitoring disease course. Very few tumor biomarker tests have passed these high bars for routine clinical application. However, if tumor biomarker tests are going to be used to drive patient care, than an understanding, and careful assessment, of these concepts are essential, since “A Bad Tumor Biomarker Test Is as Bad as a Bad Drug.”
Stimulation of Bone Resorption by Parathyroid Hormone in Tissue Culture

GAILLARD1 has demonstrated resorption in cultures of embryonic bone when parathyroid hormone, is added to the medium. We have used this response to assay parathyroid activity by measuring the release of calcium from bone during cultivation.
The novel phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor THPP-1 has antipsychotic-like effects in rat and improves cognition in rat and rhesus monkey.

Abstract Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) is a novel target for the treatment of schizophrenia that may address multiple symptomatic domains associated with this disorder. PDE10A is highly expressed in the brain and functions to metabolically inactivate the important second messengers cAMP and cGMP. Here we describe effects of a potent and orally bioavailable PDE10A inhibitor [2-(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)-4-(2-methoxyethoxy)-7,8-dihydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-6(5H)-yl](imidazo[1,5-a]pyridin-1-yl)methanone] (THPP-1) on striatal signaling pathways, in behavioral tests that predict antipsychotic potential, and assays that measure episodic-like memory in rat and executive function in rhesus monkey. THPP-1 exhibits nanomolar potency on the PDE10A enzyme, demonstrates excellent pharmacokinetic properties in multiple preclinical animal species, and is selective for PDE10A over other PDE families of enzymes. THPP-1 significantly increased phosphorylation of proteins in the striatum involved in synaptic plasticity, including the a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid receptor (AMPA) GluR1 subunit, extracellular receptor kinase (ERK), and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB). THPP-1 produced dose-dependent effects in preclinical assays predictive of antipsychotic activity including attenuation of MK-801-induced psychomotor activation and condition avoidance responding in rats. At similar plasma exposures, THPP-1 significantly increased object recognition memory in rat and attenuated a ketamine-induced deficit in the object retrieval detour task in rhesus monkey. These findings suggest that PDE10A inhibitors have the potential to impact multiple symptomatic domains of schizophrenia including positive symptoms and cognitive impairment. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Cognitive Enhancers’.
p52-independent nuclear translocation of RelB promotes LPS-induced attachment

The NF-κB signaling pathways have a critical role in the development and progression of various cancers. In this study, we demonstrated that the small cell lung cancer cell line (SCLC) H69 expressed a unique NF-κB profile as compared to other cancer cell lines. The p105/p50, p100/p52, c-Rel, and RelB protein and mRNA transcripts were absent in H69 cells but these cells expressed RelA/p65. The activation of H69 cells by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in the induction of RelB and p100 expression. The treatment also induced the nuclear translocation of RelB without the processing of p100 to p52. Furthermore, LPS induced β1 integrin expression and cellular attachment through an NF-κB-dependent mechanism. Blocking RelB expression prevented the increase in the expression of β1 integrin and the attachment of H69. Taken together, the results suggest that RelB was responsible for the LPS-mediated attachment and may play an important role in the progression of some cancers.
Pseudo-Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea Resulting from Aberrant Cross-Innervation of Trigeminal and Facial Nerves following Skull Base Surgery

Objectives Pseudo-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea is a rare phenomenon, presumed to result from aberrant autonomic reinnervation of the paranasal mucosa following injury to the greater superficial petrosal nerve or periarterial plexus. In this report, we discuss the case of a postoperative patient with pseudo-CSF rhinorrhea exacerbated by chewing and propose a novel mechanism of pseudo-CSF rhinorrhea. Case Report A 46-year-old man was found to have mastication-induced unilateral clear rhinorrhea following transtemporal resection of a cerebellopontine angle tumor. Computed tomography cisternogram and β-2 transferrin analysis proved negative for any evidence of CSF leak. Conclusions Pseudo-CSF rhinorrhea exacerbated by mastication has not been previously reported in the literature. We propose aberrant cross-innervation of the trigeminal and facial nerves as the mechanism underlying the patient's condition. Pseudo-CSF rhinorrhea is an important entity to identify following skull base surgery because it may spare patients from the unnecessary invasive procedures and morbidity associated with the management of a presumed CSF leak.
Using GIS to Identify Functionally Significant Wetlands in the Northeastern United States

/ Of the several automated wetland assessment methods currently available, none are comprehensive in considering all of the primary functions a wetland can perform. We developed a methodology particularly suited to the Northeastern United States that enumerates spatial predictors of wetland function for three primary wetland functions: flood flow alteration, surface water quality improvement, andwildlife habitat. Predictors were derived from several wetland assessment techniques and directly from the literature on wetland structure and function. The methodology was then automated using a Geographic Information System (GIS). The resulting Automated Assessment Method for Northeastern Wetlands (AMNEW) consists of a suite of eight Arc Macro Language (AML) programs that run in the ARC/INFO GRID module. Using remotely sensed land use information and digital elevation models (DEMs), AMNEW produces three separate grids of wetlands that perform each function. The method was tested on four watersheds in Vermont's Lake Champlain Basin. Results and preliminary verification indicate that the method can successfully identify those wetlands in the Northeastern region that have the potential to be functionally important.
Prevalence of cleft uvula among school children in kindergarten through grade five.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of bifid uvula among elementary school children in grades K through 5. Three examiners performed independent intraoral examinations of 709 children enrolled in a Jacksonville, Florida metropolitan public school. The structure of the uvula was evaluated as normal or bifid. If bifid, the cleft was classified as: (a) notched, (b) extending up to 1/4 the length of the uvula, (c) extending from 1/4 to 3/4 of the length of the uvula, or (d) extending the full length of the uvula. Prevalence of some form of uvular cleft was observed among 16 (2.26%) of the children while full length uvular cleft was found in only two (0.3%) of the children. These findings are congruent with percentages reported in other studies. It is recommended that speech-language pathologists identify children with bifid uvulas and provide appropriate counseling and follow-up study.
Genetic recombination of poliovirus in vitro and in vivo: temperature-dependent alteration of crossover sites.

Genetic recombination that occurs with high frequency during poliovirus genome replication is a process whose molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Studies of genetic recombination in a cell-free system in vitro and in infected tissue culture cells in vivo have led to the unexpected observation that temperature strongly influences the loci at which cross-over between the two recombining RNA strands occurs. Specifically, cross-over between two genetically marked RNA strands in vitro and in vivo at 34 degrees C occurred over a wide range of the genome. In contrast, recombination in vivo at 37 and 40 degrees C yielded cross-over patterns that had shifted dramatically to a region encoding nonstructural proteins. Preferential selection of recombinants at 37 and 40 degrees C was ruled out by analyses of the growth kinetics of the recombinants. During the studies of recombination in the cell-free system we found that there is a direct correlation between the ability of a poliovirus RNA molecule to replicate in the cell-free system and its capacity to complement de novo virus synthesis programmed by another viral RNA.
Transportation and Migrant Adjustment in Georgia

Access to transportation is critical for functioning in modern American society, and minorities disproportionately lack access to transportation. Latinos in Georgia—most of whom are newcomers to this country—are considerably less likely than non-Latino whites to drive alone to and from work because they do not live in households with a car available for personal use. We propose that this factor, along with limited access to alternative modes of transportation, impedes the ability of Georgia’s newest Latino residents to adjust to their new environment. In this study, we examine the impact of limited transportation options on the adjustment experience of recent Latino migrants to Georgia. We document how lack of personal transportation lends itself to a number of social problems including inability to obtain different work or to take advantage of opportunities for advancement. For Latinos who are both recent migrants to Georgia and recent immigrants to the United States, lack of transportation creates an adjustment “bottleneck,” whereby various paths to adaptation are simultaneously impeded. We argue that improving access to driver’s licenses, pedestrian infrastructure, and, in some places, public transportation should be a policy priority for states adjusting to recent influxes of Latino migrants.
The Inlet Length for Oscillatory Flow and its Effects on the Determination of the Rate of Flow in Arteries

A summary of the hydrodynamics determining inlet length as applied to oscillatory flow is given. A numerical example is carried out and the results are represented on graphs. From these results it is observed that the pressure gradient near the entrance is strongly influenced by the entrance effects. An approximate method is developed for the calculation of the rate of flow from pressure gradient readings made in the entrance region.
Experience of parental loss and later suicide: data from published biographies

A study of 30 individuals who committed suicide whose biographies or autobiographies have been published revealed that 16 had experienced loss in childhood. There was an excess of loss caused by death and of fathers rather than mothers. Fourteen of the 16 losses occurred when the child was aged 6 to 14 (latency age). Language: en
PSP toxin levels and plankton community composition and abundance in size-fractionated vertical profiles during spring/summer blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense in the Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank, 2007, 2008, and 2010: 1. Toxin levels.

Abstract As part of the NOAA ECOHAB funded Gulf of Maine Toxicity (GOMTOX) 1 project, we determined Alexandrium fundyense abundance, paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin composition, and concentration in quantitatively-sampled size-fractionated (20–64, 64–100, 100–200, 200–500, and >500 μm) particulate water samples, and the community composition of potential grazers of A. fundyense in these size fractions, at multiple depths (typically 1, 10, 20 m, and near-bottom) during 10 large-scale sampling cruises during the A. fundyense bloom season (May–August) in the coastal Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank in 2007, 2008, and 2010. Our findings were as follows: (1) when all sampling stations and all depths were summed by year, the majority (94%±4%) of total PSP toxicity was contained in the 20–64 μm size fraction; (2) when further analyzed by depth, the 20–64 μm size fraction was the primary source of toxin for 97% of the stations and depths samples over three years; (3) overall PSP toxin profiles were fairly consistent during the three seasons of sampling with gonyautoxins (1, 2, 3, and 4) dominating (90.7%±5.5%), followed by the carbamate toxins saxitoxin (STX) and neosaxitoxin (NEO) (7.7%±4.5%), followed by n-sulfocarbamoyl toxins (C1 and 2, GTX5) (1.3%±0.6%), followed by all decarbamoyl toxins (dcSTX, dcNEO, dcGTX2&3) (
Neuroblastoma Neuro2A cells stably expressing a cloned μ-opioid receptor: a specific cellular model to study acute and chronic effects of morphine

Several cellular systems display desensitization and downregulation of opioid receptors upon chronic treatment, suggesting that they could be used as a model system to understand opioid tolerance/dependence. However, a model system containing a homogeneous population of mu-opioid receptors, the receptors at which morphine and related opioids act, has been lacking. To approach this problem, the mu-opioid receptor (MOR-1) was stably expressed in murine neuroblastoma Neuro2A cells after transfection. The expressed receptor was negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase through Gi/Go proteins, displayed high affinity ligand binding, and was expressed in high number (2.06 pmol/mg of [3H]diprenorphine binding sites). In addition, loss of ability of mu-opioids to acutely inhibit forskolin-stimulated cAMP formation was observed after 4-24 h of chronic exposure to these agonists with concentrations as low as 300-500 nM. The effects of chronic morphine or [D-Ala2,N-MePhe4,Gly-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) administration were found to be time- and concentration-dependent. Cross 'tolerance' was also observed. Thus the IC50 value of DAMGO to inhibit adenylyl cyclase was increased by 27-fold from 4.3 nM in control cells to 117 nM in cells pretreated with 300 nM morphine; there was no effect on the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase mediated by muscarinic receptors. Further, receptor downregulation accompanied the desensitization process. However, different time-dependence for these two processes suggests, in line with other studies, that these are entirely different cellular adaptation processes. In addition, the opioid antagonist naloxone induced an acute increase in intracellular cAMP level (2-3 times above the control level) following chronic agonist exposure. This process was also concentration-dependent. Overall, these results suggest that the cell line utilized in this study has a homogeneous population of mu-opioid receptors, providing an ideal cellular model to study the molecular mechanisms underlying chronic morphine treatment.
Influence of nitrogen source and concentration on nitrogen isotopic discrimination in two barley genotypes (Hordeum vulgare L.)

The occurrence of nitrogen isotope discrimination with absorption and assimilation of nitrate (NO3–) and ammonium (NH4+) was investigated using two genotypes of barley, Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Steptoe and Az12 : Az70, the latter of which lacks the characterized nitrate reductase isozymes. Plants were grown under two situations: a closed system with limited nitrogen or an open system with unlimited nitrogen, to elucidate the conditions and processes that influence discrimination. There was no discrimination observed for Az12 : Az70 when supplied with limited nitrogen. Discrimination was observed for Steptoe seedlings at high external NO3– concentrations, but not with low NO3– when assimilation is probably rapid and complete. The same pattern was observed for Steptoe when NH4+ was supplied; indicating that for both nitrogen forms discrimination is dependent upon the presence of the assimilatory enzyme and the external concentration. The implications of this study are that both internal (assimilatory enzyme distribution) and external (source concentration) factors may have a larger impact on tissue δ 15N than the form of nitrogen utilized. This suggests that tissue δ 15N may not always be a reliable indicator of a plant's integrated nitrogen nutrition.
Twice-told tales: Collaborative narration of familiar stories

Consideration of twice-told tales, of narrative events built around stories already familiar to the participants, offers a special perspective on conversational storytelling, because it emphasizes aspects of narration which lie beyond information exchange, problem-solving etc. This article seeks to show that the retelling of familiar stories has at least three functions: (a) fostering group rapport, (b) ratifying group membership, and (c) conveying group values. It is shown that familiar stories exhibit characteristic structures, conditions on tellability, and participation rights. Such stories are prefaced so as to justify their retelling on the basis of the opportunity they offer for co-narration, and this in turn allows participants to modulate rapport and demonstrate group membership. (Discourse analysis, conversation, storytelling, narrative, co-narration)
A Batch-Fabricated Single-Layer Elastomeric Actuator With Corrugated Surface

In this paper, we report on the first lasermicromachined batch-fabricated single-layer elastomeric actuator with a corrugated surface profile. The structural material of the cantilever actuator is a single [polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)] layer, and electrodes are soft lithographically patterned conductive carbon grease. The asymmetric corrugated surface provides a bending moment in a single PDMS layer without the need for a second inactive layer. An actuator which is 5 mm long, 1 mm wide, and 80 μm thick can generate up to 2-mm out-of-plane displacement with zero applied force and 15 μN at zero deflection while consuming 20 μW of static power when actuated with 500 V.
Hermeneutics and Tradition in the Samdhinirmocana-sutra

This book deals with the complex interrelationship between theories of scriptural interpretation and Buddhist notions of tradition and authority, with respect to the Samdhinirmocana, the main scriptural source of the Yogacara chool of Indian Buddhism.
Spectral shifts and switches in random fields upon interaction with negative-phase materials

Spectral shifts in stochastic beam-like fields on interaction with layers of positive- and negative-phase materials are examined on the basis of the ABCD-matrix approach and generalized Huygens-Fresnel principle. It is found that boundaries between such materials may cause spectral switches. Effect of absorption of negative-phase materials on the beam spectrum is discussed. Our results may find applications in connection with spectrum-selection optical interconnects, spectrally encoded information transfer, image formation in systems involving negative-phase materials, and geometrically tunable metamaterials.
Plant-scale pattern among herbs and shrubs of a fire-dominated coastal plain forest

Herb and shrub layer vegetation was surveyed in the oak-pine upland forest of the Pine Barrens region of New Jersey (USA). To describe spatial distributions of individual species, 15 4 m2 quadrats were censused in each of 34 stands. At the scale of whole stands, stem densities were significantly related to several forms of historical disturbance including canopy defoliation and fire. At the scales of 1 m2 and 4 m2 quadrats, distributions of the 19 most abundant species were all aggregated to some degree, with clonal species more strongly clustered than non-clonal. Shrub stems tended to be strongly clustered, and to be distributed independently of leaf litter. By contrast, tree seedlings were only marginally clustered, and were significantly more common in quadrats with a lower litter cover. Clonal herbs exceeded shrubs in degree of aggregation, but were also sensitive to the local accumulation of leaf litter. Distributions of non-clonal herbs were sensitive to leaf litter, but were only marginally clustered, and appeared to depend upon gaps in the tree canopy. Rather than supporting a single life history, a combination of disturbance types has allowed a variety of species with different ecological requirements and growth forms to coexist in the same site. Overall species diversity can be maintained in this ecosystem without invoking community-level interactions.
Gm(1) factor in human inner ear fluid

The authors carried out investigations on the possibility of determining the Gm(1) factor in endolymph taken from human cadavers, as compared with tests of the blood. No difficulties or anomalies were found in the determination of Gm(1) factor either in the endolymph or the blood taken from cadavers.
Localization and electron-interaction contributions to the magnetoresistance in three-dimensional metallic granular aluminum

Magnetoresistance measurements have been made on three-dimensional granular aluminum specimens with room-temperature resistivities rho/sub RT/ between 300 and 6000 ..mu cap omega.. cm. Four contributions, from localization and electron-interaction effects, including superconducting fluctuations, have been separated. This leads to values of the inelastic and spin-orbit scattering times tau/sub in/(T) and tau/sub so/. The dependences of tau/sub in/ on T and rho/sub RT/ are in qualitative agreement with the theory of Schmid based on electron-electron interactions, but there are discrepancies in the quantitative details. The values of tau/sub in/ and tau/sub so/ are of the same order of magnitude as those obtained from measurements on two-dimensional specimens.
Late pre-Columbian agroforestry in the tropical lowlands of western Ecuador

Archaeobiological data are used to explore the agricultural basis of the Jama-Coaque II archaeological culture that inhabited the western coastal lowlands of Ecuador between approximately AD 400 and AD 1430. Analyses of archaeobotanical and archaeofaunal assemblages recovered from 14 archaeological sites throughout the valley implicate an extensive native agroforestry system. The quantitative and qualitative composition of assemblage diversity suggest the accumulation and deposition of restricted categories of plants and animals whose ecologies reveal the possibility of a landscape managed through a form of pre-Columbian agroforestry that combined domesticated annuals, perennial tree crops, and useful forest taxa.
Y chromosome haplotype analysis in purebred dogs

In order to evaluate the genetic structure of purebred dogs, six Y chromosome microsatellite markers were used to analyze DNA samples from 824 unrelated dogs from 50 recognized breeds. A relatively small number of haplotypes (67) were identified in this large sample set due to extensive sharing of haplotypes between breeds and low haplotype diversity within breeds. Fifteen breeds were characterized by a single Y chromosome haplotype. Breed-specific haplotypes were identified for 26 of the 50 breeds, and haplotype sharing between some breeds indicated a common history. A molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) demonstrated significant genetic variation across breeds (63.7%) and with geographic origin of the breeds (11.5%). A network analysis of the haplotypes revealed further relationships between the breeds as well as deep rooting of many of the breed-specific haplotypes, particularly among breeds of African origin.
Accounting for information technology in corporate acquisitions

Abstract Corporate acquisitions have become key elements in strategic planning for many companies. Historically, analysts of corporate acquisitions have emphasized strategic and organizational factors in evaluating candidates for friendly takeovers. Since company data and information technology (IT) are as much a management resource as are the financial and human resources for the combined firm, the authors propose that IT fit should be explicitly considered in analysis of corporate acquisitions. An assessment of IT fit will refer to the IT environments of the two joining firms, the IT contribution each firm can bring to the combined firm, and the role that IT should play both in negotiating the acquisition price and in integrating the joining firms.
Consistency of Practical and Formal Epistemologies of Science Held by Participants of a Research Apprenticeship

The purpose of this research was to examine the consistency between students’ practical and formal understandings of scientific epistemologies (also known as nature of science (NOS) understandings) in the context of a research apprenticeship program. Six high school student participants of a residential summer research apprenticeship program at a major university in the southeastern USA were interviewed twice during their experience to elicit their perspectives regarding their practical epistemologies. A phenomenological approach was used to analyze these interviews. The students held practical epistemological understandings of scientific knowledge that were described as being developmental, valuable, formulaic, and authoritative. A survey administered at the end of the program was used to reveal students’ formal epistemologies of science. These practical and formal epistemologies were described in terms of Sandoval’s (Science Education 89:634–656, 2005) epistemological themes and then compared for all participants. Findings revealed that, for most students, at least some level of consistency was present between their formal and practical epistemological understandings of each theme. In fact, for only one student with one theme, no consistency was evident. These results hold implications for the teaching, learning, and assessment of NOS understandings in these contexts as well as for the design of apprenticeship learning experiences in science.
The composition of Amazonian forests: patterns at local and regional scales

An analysis was conducted of floristic patterns contained in 48 1-ha tree plots distributed at 29 sites in seven neotropical countries, with a primary emphasis on the Amazonian region. Analyses were made with family level data, using detrended correspondence analysis and multidimensional scaling to generate two-dimensional ordinations. Dissimilarity values for all pairs of plots were then used to compare forest composition at both local (flooded vs unflooded forests) and regional scales (e.g., western vs central vs eastern Amazonia). The predomin- ate family of trees in a large majority of Amazonian and Guianan forests (by number of stems) is either Palmae or Leguminosae (sensu latu), followed by Mora- ceae and Euphorbiaceae. The forests of western Amazonia are particularly rich in palms, Moraceae, and Myristicaceae, whereas those of eastern Amazonia and the Guianas are rich in Lecythidaceae and Chrysobalanaceae. Dissimilarity between sites increases with distance for both flooded and unflooded forests. The tree com- munities of flooded and unflooded forests within a region tended to resemble one another more closely than forests of either type resembled the homologous forests of the adjoining regions. Within Amazonia the edaphic properties of each region and its geological history are tightly interrelated. it is therefore difficult to distin- guish between evolutionary and ecological interpretations of the results.
Asymptotic analysis of a simple model of an assembly line

A model of an assembly line, consisting of a buffer storage and an assembly workstation, is introduced. It is assumed that the input flow of parts has a random character and the capacity of the buffers is sufficiently large. An asymptotic formula is obtained that evaluates the steady state production rate and the buffer occupancy, given the capacity of the storage. Conversely, this formula may be used for the buffer storage design so that the production rate is maximized.
Role of vitamin A in cancer

Abstract Although vitamin A has been known since 1913, at present the only physiological function of the vitamin that has been clearly defined on a molecular basis is its role in vision. Its possible role in chemoprevention and chemotherapy of cancer is an issue that is widely discussed. This article will review several possibilities for the mechanism of interaction between vitamin A and cancer.
GABA-mediated control of transient signals in the inner retina.

Abstract The effects of chemicals on visual activity were investigated by recording the proximal negative response (PNR) in the perfused eyecup of frogs. Various amino acids reversibly decrease or abolish the PNR over an equivalent concentration range but differ in this depressive action in the presence of convulsant alkaloids. Depression produced by GABA was antagonized by picrotoxin or bicuculine; while glycine-produced depression was selectively antagonized by strychnine. In addition to selective antagonism of amino acids, the convulsants produced differential enhancement of sustained and transient phases of the PNR. In this respect, the effects of picrotoxin and bicuculline are similar to those of semicarbazide and chloride-free solutions which may also inactive GABA pathways. The effects of these chemicals on the time course and input-output relation of the PNR suggest that processes involving GABA may regulate the transformation from sustained to transient signals which occurs in the inner retina.
NONTHERMAL CONTINUUM TOWARD SAGITTARIUS B2(N-LMH)

An analysis of continuum antenna temperatures observed in the GBT spectrometer bandpasses is presented for observations toward Sgr B2(N-LMH). Since 2004, we have identified four new prebiotic molecules toward this source by means of rotational transitions between low-energy levels; concurrently, we have observed significant continuum in GBT spectrometer bandpasses centered at 85 different frequencies in the range 1-48 GHz. The continuum heavily influences the molecular spectral features since we have observed far more absorption lines than emission lines for each of these new molecular species. Hence, it is important to understand the nature, distribution, and intensity of the underlying continuum in the GBT bandpasses for the purposes of radiative transfer, i.e., the means by which reliable molecular abundances are estimated. We find that the GBT spectrometer bandpass continuum is consistent with optically thin, nonthermal (synchrotron) emission with a flux density spectral index of -0.7 and a Gaussian source size of ~143'' at 1 GHz that decreases with increasing frequency as ν-0.52. Some support for this model is provided by high-frequency VLA observations of Sgr B2.
Progress in protein–protein docking: Atomic resolution predictions in the CAPRI experiment using RosettaDock with an improved treatment of side‐chain flexibility

RosettaDock uses real-space Monte Carlo minimization (MCM) on both rigid-body and side-chain degrees of freedom to identify the lowest free energy docked arrangement of 2 protein structures. An improved version of the method that uses gradient-based minimization for off-rotamer side-chain optimization and includes information from unbound structures was used to create predictions for Rounds 4 and 5 of CAPRI. First, large numbers of independent MCM trajectories were carried out and the lowest free energy docked configurations identified. Second, new trajectories were started from these lowest energy structures to thoroughly sample the surrounding conformation space, and the lowest energy configurations were submitted as predictions. For all cases in which there were no significant backbone conformational changes, a small number of very low-energy configurations were identified in the first, global search and subsequently found to be close to the center of the basin of attraction in the free energy landscape in the second, local search. Following the release of the experimental coordinates, it was found that the centers of these free energy minima were remarkably close to the native structures in not only the rigid-body orientation but also the detailed conformations of the side-chains. Out of 8 targets, the lowest energy models had interface root-mean-square deviations (RMSDs) less than 1.1 A from the correct structures for 6 targets, and interface RMSDs less than 0.4 A for 3 targets. The predictions were top submissions to CAPRI for Targets 11, 12, 14, 15, and 19. The close correspondence of the lowest free energy structures found in our searches to the experimental structures suggests that our free energy function is a reasonable representation of the physical chemistry, and that the real space search with full side-chain flexibility to some extent solves the protein-protein docking problem in the absence of significant backbone conformational changes. On the other hand, the approach fails when there are significant backbone conformational changes as the steric complementarity of the 2 proteins cannot be modeled without incorporating backbone flexibility, and this is the major goal of our current work.
Pore-fluid effects on seismic waves in vertically fractured earth with orthotropic symmetry

For elastically noninteracting vertical-fracture sets at arbitrary orientation angles to each other, a detailed model is presented in which the resulting anisotropic fractured medium generally has orthorhombic symmetry overall. Some of the analysis methods and ideas of Schoenberg are emphasized, together with their connections to other similarly motivated and conceptually related methods by Sayers and Kachanov, among others. Examples show how parallel vertical-fracture sets having HTI (horizontal transversely isotropic) symmetry transform into orthotropic fractured media if some subsets of the vertical fractures are misaligned with the others, and then the fractured system can have VTI (vertical transversely isotropic) symmetry if all of the fractures are aligned randomly or half parallel and half perpendicular to a given vertical plane. An orthotropic example having vertical fractures in an otherwise VTI earth system (studied previously by Schoenberg and Helbig) is compared with the other examples treate...
The Evolution of Lung-Gill Bimodal Breathing and the Homology of Vertebrate Respiratory Pumps

Synopsis. A comparative analysis of actinopterygian and sarcopterygian aerial buccal pumps indicates that the primitive pattern of air transfer differs fundamentally between these two clades. Actinopterygian fishes ventilate their lungs with a four-stroke buccal pump: the buccal cavity expands and fills with expired air, compresses to expel expired air, expands again to take in fresh air, and then compresses again to pump fresh air into the lungs. Lungfishes, caudates, and anurans expand and compress the buccal cavity only once per expiratory-inspiratory cycle, and thus use a two-stroke pump. Both of these bidirectional, aerial buccal pumps evolved from unidirectional, aquatic buccal pumps. The two-stroke aerial pump and the primitive aquatic pump used for gill irrigation share slow move? ments and may both be triggered by the same central rhythm generator. These similarities suggest that the two-stroke buccal pump evolved from the gill irrigation pump. Similarly, the four-stroke pump shares rapid movement and afferent triggering with aquatic suction feeding and coughing, suggesting that the four-stroke pump may have evolved from a com? bination of two suction feeding or coughing movements. Thus the dif? ferences between the actinopterygian and sarcopterygian aerial buccal pumps may be due to their independent evolution from different aquatic buccal pumps, rather than due to divergence from a single aerial buccal pump.
Nitric Oxide Protects Mouse Thymocytes from Apoptosis Induced by γ-Irradiation

INTRODUCTION. Nitric Oxide (NO) and its reactive products can either promote or prevent apoptosis depending upon the cell systems and conditions involved (1). We have previously reported that NO-induced mouse thymocyte apoptosis in vitro involves p53 upregulation and caspase-1 activation (2, 3). To further dissect the relationship between NO and thymocyte apoptosis, we investigated the effect of NO on Balb/c thymocytes exposed to γ-irradiation. We found that NO partially protects γ-irradiated thymocytes from apoptosis by preserving mitochondrial integrity and inhibiting caspase activity.
Salicylic acid and disease resistance in plants

Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to defend themselves against pathogens, and thus a great deal of attention has been directed towards elucidating the molecular nature of resistance. Salicylic acid has been shown to be a signaling molecule involved in both local defense reactions at infection sites and the induction of systemic resistance. Although it is still unclear whether this compound can serve as a long-distance messenger signaling the presence of a pathogen, its synthesis and accumulation are important requirements for defense responses. Recent advances have further established the key role of the signal transduction pathways dependent on salicylic acid.
Simultaneous integrated boost for breast cancer using imrt: a radiobiological and treatment planning study

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this work is to explore the possibility of using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to deliver the boost dose to the tumor bed simultaneously with the whole-breast IMRT to reduce the radiation treatment time by 1–2 weeks. Methods and materials The biologically effective dose (BED) for different treatments was calculated using the linear-quadratic (LQ) model with parameters previously derived for breast cancer from clinical data (α/β = 10Gy, α = 0.3Gy −1 ). A potential doubling time of 15 days (from in vitro measurements) for breast cancer and a generic α/β ratio of 3 Gy for normal tissues were used. A series of regimens that use IMRT as initial treatment and an IMRT simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) were derived using biologic equivalence to conventional schedules. Possible treatment plans with IMRT SIB to the tumor bed were generated for 2 selected breast patients, 1 with a shallow tumor and 1 with a deep-seated tumor. Plans with a simultaneous integrated electron boost were also generated for comparison. Dosimetric merits of these plans were evaluated based on dose volume histograms. Results A commonly used conventional treatment of 45 Gy (1.8 Gy × 25) to the whole breast and then a boost of 20 Gy (2 Gy × 10) is biologically equivalent to an alternative plan of 1.8 Gy × 25 to the whole breast with a 2.4 Gy × 25 SIB to the tumor bed. The new regime reduces treatment time from 7 to 5 weeks. For the patient with a deep-seated tumor, the IMRT plans reduce the volume of the breast that receives high doses (compared with the conventional photon boost plan) and provides good coverage of the target volumes. Conclusion It is biologically and dosimetrically feasible to reduce the overall treatment time for breast radiotherapy by using an IMRT simultaneous integrated boost. For selected patient groups, IMRT plans with a new regimen can be equal to or better than conventional plans.
A control theory approach to throughput optimization in multi-channel collection sensor networks

Most currently deployed sensor networks use the same channel to communicate information among nodes. This is a source of great inefficiency as it poorly utilizes the available wireless spectrum. This paper takes advantage of radio capabilities of MicaZ motes that can communicate on multiple frequencies as specified in the 802.15.4 standard. We consider the case of a data collection sensor network where multiple base-stations are responsible for draining data from sensor nodes. A key question becomes how to assign nodes to wireless channels such that network throughput is maximized. The problem is reduced to one of load balancing. A control theoretical approach is used to design a self-regulating load-balancing algorithm that maximizes total network throughput. It is evaluated both in simulation and on an experimental testbed. The results demonstrate a significant performance improvement. It is shown that a control theory approach is indeed needed to guarantee stability in data collection networks and prevent undue oscillation of nodes among different wireless channels upon dynamic changes in load conditions.
Preparation of T-lymphocyte lines and clones with specificities to preselected protein sites by in vitro passage with free synthetic peptides: demonstration with myoglobin sites.

Abstract Recently, this laboratory has demonstrated that antibodies to preselected regions of a protein can be obtained by immunization with free small synthetic peptides (6–7 residues) without conjugation to a carrier. In the present work, we report the use of free synthetic peptides representing myoglobin (Mb) antigenic sites to prepare T-cell lines and clones of preselected specificities. Lymph node cells from mice primed in vivo with sperm-whale Mb were periodically passaged in vitro with synthetic peptide. After several passages, the peptide-driven long term T-cell cultures responded to the intact protein and exclusively to the peptide that was used to drive the cells. From these cultures, T-cell clones were prepared that responded only to the driving peptide and to the whole protein. The ability to prepare T-cell lines and T-cell clones with preselected submolecular specificities to a protein by driving cultures with desired synthetic peptides affords an important and simple tool for basic immunological investigations and for clinical applications.