cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collaborative Relationships in Teacher Education: A Personal Narrative of Conflicting Roles.

AbstractThe author raises issues about collaborative work throughout her eight years in teacher education in two different higher education institutions. Her experiences as a graduate student, faculty member, and administrator give her insights about teacher education and the struggle for change within institutional systems. Her preference for working with schools has been to work from a collaborative model, one that values consensus building and an approach that is less hierarchical and topdown rather than the model that implies that the university should define the scope and breadth of the relationship between schools and universities. While discussing her insider/outsider position in collaborative relationships, she describes crossinstitutional roles that are problematic in practice. Using the context, roles, and problems she has encountered working collaboratively, she reflects about the notion of equality and parity in school-university partnerships. Her difficulties in working with schools and unive...
Effect of Circuit Design on System Reliability

It is shown that circuit drift failures may be eliminated by worst-case design procedures but that a considerable price is paid for this immunity in the form of increased system complexity, increased component stresses and increased power demand. Consideration of the entire problem leads to the conclusion that decreasing the probability of circuit drift failures (by increasing the tolerance margin of the circuit) tends to increase the probability of component catastrophic failures and that consequently an optimum component tolerance design point exists for maximum system reliability. The optimum tolerance margin depends upon the specific system and generally varies inversely with the number of components comprising the system. Thus, to maintain a specified system reliability in the face of increasing system complexity, it is necessary to assume a decreasing component parameter spread (tighter tolerances) and a decreasing component catastrophic failure rate. Both of these requirements may be relaxed if some form of redundancy is introduced to overcome the inevitable occurrence of catastrophic failures.
Activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis during rapid eye movement sleep in man.

Electrophysiological study of pituitary-adrenal axis activation during rapid eye movement /REMS/ IN human urology patients
Analysis and characterization of transponder antennae for radio frequency identification (RFID) systems

An investigation into the use of various radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna designs was performed. Passive RFID tag antennae with a resonant frequency range of 902–928 MHz were tested for robustness and efficiency in the Packaging Science RFID Laboratory at the University of Florida. Commercially available single- and dual-dipole tags were examined for read performance. Electromagnetic modelling software was used to model the impedance matching and detuning effects of nearby conducting surfaces. s-Parameters, current densities and polar plots of various dipole designs were estimated. Strategies used to shorten antenna length, such as capacitive loading, were evaluated. A simple half-wave dipole antenna was modelled in order to determine the effect of length on resonant frequency and performance. Parameter sweeps showed that a length of 14.4 cm was required for resonance at 915 MHz and 50 Ω termination. Capacitive loads shortened the dipole to 8.4 cm while adding 4.2 cm to height. It was verified that a conducting surface, such as metal packaging, had strong detuning effects on RFID tag antennae. Different methods, such as tuning stubs, alleviated the detuning effects by allowing bandwidths twice as large as with a simple dipole. Finally, the rationale for commercially available RFID antenna designs was discussed. It was found that analysis of actual antenna tag structures in the laboratory and exploring different methods to improve efficiency can lead to improvements in RFID performance. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Daily rhythmic changes in the content of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the cerebral cortex of mice.

Abstract In three separate experiments adult male BALB/C or AJAX mice were housed for 3 weeks in a room equipped with a regulated 12:12 LD lighting regime. These animals were provided with food and water ad libitum . At the end of 3 weeks these animals were sacrificed in groups of 6 at 4 hour intervals over a 24 hour period, and the levels of serotonin and 5-HIAA were quantitated in the cerebral cortex of each animal. Significant daily changes in the content of both serotonin and 5-HIAA were demonstrated. In confirmation of earlier investigations, serotonin content was elevated late in the dark phase or in the early hours of the light phase. The pattern of changes in the level of 5-HIAA did not correlate well with that observed for serotonin. 5-HIAA content was usually elevated just before the onset of the dark phase or during the early hours of the dark phase. These data suggest that serotonergic neurons in the cerebral cortex may be more active in the early hours of the dark phase.
Becoming Red Thread Women: Alternative Visions of Gendered Politics in Post-independence Guyana

This essay argues that the rise of Guyana's Red Thread Women's Development Organisation in the mid-1980s was precipitated by the establishment of a hegemonic political culture through the regime of President Forbes Burnham. Utilizing both Aldon Morris's (1992, 2001) notion of 'opppositional consciousness' and Raka Ray's (1999) typology of 'political fields' the author finds that the founding members of Red Thread were engaged in a struggle to redefine the political culture in Guyana. Through its mobilization of women across the divides of race/ethnicity, class, religion, and geography, Red Thread was a key site for rethinking the nature of the political structure for women's politics and women's empowerment. The essay places the emergence of Red Thread within a critical review of Guyanese women's mobilization and organization in trade union movements and women's auxiliaries to established political parties through the Colonial and post-Colonial eras.
An initial- and boundary-value problem for a model equation for propagation of long waves

Abstract An initial- and boundary-value problem for a model equation for small-amplitude long waves is shown to be well-posed. The model has the form ut + ux + uux − vuxx − α2uxxt = 0, where x ϵ [0, 1] and t ⩾ 0. The solution u = u(x, t) is specified at t = 0 and on the two boundaries x = 0 and x = 1. Unique classical solutions are shown to exist, which depend continuously on variations of the specified data within appropriate function classes.
Solvent Deposition of Titanium Dioxide on Acrylic for Photocatalytic Application

Nanoscale TiO2 was dispersed in a solution of dichloromethane and methanol for deposition on the surface of acrylic sheets. After evaporation of the solvent, the TiO2 was adhered firmly to the acrylic surface. This deposition method yielded uniform, high surface area coatings as evidenced by scanning electron micrographs. The TiO2 films deposited on acrylic in this manner have superior durability when compared to TiO2 deposited on glass supports. The TiO2 fused on the acrylic surface manifests a comparable photocatalytic activity to TiO2 deposited directly on glass and a markedly higher activity than TiO2 deposited on glass with a poly(vinyl alcohol) binder. A photocatalytic reactor was constructed from the TiO2−acrylic composite materials, and the applicability of this deposition technique was demonstrated by the 97% degradation of methyl orange in 2.0 L of a 13 ppm solution after 500 min of photoexposure.
Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding the ADP-ribosylation factor in Candida albicans.

Abstract We have cloned and sequenced the gene ( ARF ) encoding the ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) of Candida albicans . The gene contains an open reading frame of 537 nucleotides (nt) that codes for a protein with an M r of 20259. The C. albicans ARF gene is 67–70% identical at the nt level to other ARF sequences including those of humans; the deduced amino acid sequence of C. albicans ARF shows a 78–83% identity and 89–92% similarity to the other ARFs. Southern analysis of C. albicans genomic DNA suggested the presence of a second ARF gene. The presence of multiple ARF genes is a consistent finding among the other organisms previously shown to have ARFs.
Modeling Quality-Adjusted Life Expectancy Loss Resulting from Tobacco use in the United States

Purpose To describe the development of a model for estimating the effects of tobacco use upon Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and to estimate the impact of tobacco use on health outcomes for the United States (US) population using the model.
Multiscale Finite Element Modeling of Silicon Nitride Ceramics Undergoing Laser-Assisted Machining

A multiscale finite element model is developed to simulate the chip formation in laser-assisted machining of silicon nitride ceramics. To consider the workpiece heterogeneous microstructure and crack evolution in silicon nitride machining, the workpiece material is modeled with continuum elements imbedded in thin interfacial cohesive elements. The continuum elements simulate the deformation of the bulk workpiece while the interfacial cohesive elements account for the initiation and propagation of intergranular cracks. The model reveals that discontinuous chips form by the propagation of cracks in the shear zone while the machined surface is generated by plastic deformation of the workpiece material under confined high pressure. The simulated cutting forces, chip morphology and subsurface integrity are compared with corresponding experimental observations and the validity of the present model is shown by the good agreements in the comparisons.
Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense: membrane glycoproteins localized primarily in endosomes and lysosomes of bloodstream forms.

Bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense take up macromolecules in endocytic vesicles that form in a large coated pit called the flagellar pocket. Glycoproteins that bind to ricin are concentrated in the flagellar pocket and in intracellular vesicles. We purified Triton X-100-soluble ricin-binding glycoproteins by lectin affinity chromatography and immunized mice to generate hybridomas. Monoclonal antibody produced by the CB1 hybridoma recognized heterodisperse trypanosome components migrating with M(r) 84-140 kDa in immunoblots. CB1 binding was specifically inhibited by lactose. The CB1-reactive material was purified by sequential affinity chromatography on ricin- and CB1-Sepharose. N-Glycosidase F, but not endoglycosidase H, digestion destroyed CB1-reactivity of purified material. This suggests that N-linked oligosaccharides contribute to the CB1 epitope. Glycosidase digestion of biosynthetically radiomethionine-labeled, affinity purified, CB1-reactive material yielded two radiolabeled polypeptides, p57 and p42. Thirteen methionyl peptides were resolved in one-dimensional peptide maps of V8 protease digests of p57; p42 had 10 methionyl peptides with mobilities indistinguishable from those of peptides of p57. This suggests that p57 and p42 are closely related. In cryoimmunoelectron microscopy studies CB1 specifically labeled the interior surface of tubular and vesicular membranes located between the nucleus and the flagellar pocket. These membranes were morphologically identical to structures that have been previously identified as trans Golgi, lysosomal, and endosomal elements. In double-labeling studies endocytosed serum albumen-gold complexes were found in the lumen of vesicles that had CB1-reactive material in their membranes. This provides direct evidence that vesicles containing high levels of CB1-reactive material are part of the lysosome/endosomal system. Some CB1-reactive material was also detected in the flagellar pocket by cryoimmunoelectron microscopy. Corrolated flow cytofluorimetry and immunofluorescence analysis showed that 85-96% of the total CB1-reactive material was intracellular and inaccessible to antibody in living cells. The 4-15% of the total CB1-reactive material accessible to antibody in living cells was localized in the flagellar pocket. Bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, and T.b. rhodesiense all expressed the CB1 epitope. However, expression of this epitope is developmentally regulated during the parasite life cycle, for no CB1-reactive material was detected in procyclic forms. The trypanosome proteins detected by CB1 show some similarities to vertebrate lysosomal and endosomal membrane proteins.
Surfactant Design for the 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane−Water Interface: ab initio Calculations and in situ High-Pressure Tensiometry

In situ high-pressure tensiometry and ab initio calculations were used to rationally design surfactants for the 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane−water (HFA134a|W) interface. Nonbonded pair interaction (binding) energies (Eb) of the complexes between HFA134a and candidate surfactant tails were used to quantify the HFA-philicity of selected moieties. The interaction between HFA134a and an ether-based tail was shown to be predominantly electrostatic in nature and much more favorable than that between HFA134a and a methyl-based fragment. The interfacial activity of (i) amphiphiles typically found in FDA-approved pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) formulations, (ii) a series of nonionic surfactants with methylene-based tails, and (iii) a series of nonionic surfactants with ether-based tails was investigated at the HFA134a|W interface using in situ tensiometry. This is the first time that the tension of the surfactant-modified HFA134a|W interface has been reported in the literature. The ether-based surfactants we...
GROUND STATE OF THE HELIUM ATOM

The energy level of the ground state of atomic helium is restudied in detail. The nonrelativistic part is treated by the conventional Ritz variation technique. However, the trial functions used are more general than the ordinary Hylleraas-type functions since they contain negative power terms in addition to the positive power terms. Linear combinations of up to 39 terms are employed in the numerical computation. The best approximation for the ground state energy of the nonrelativistic Schr\"odinger equation obtained so far is -2.9037225 atomic units. The precision of the variation result is estimated by the evaluation of lower bounds to the ground state energy. Our final result is about twelve times more accurate than the best published value. On the basis of these calculations, it is conjectured that the actual nonrelativistic energy will be lower than our best value by not more than 0.0000012 atomic unit. The accuracy of various approximate eigenfunctions is also estimated. It is thus found that the total contribution to our 39-parameter function from all the excited states will be of the order of 0.1%. Mass polarization and relativistic corrections are evaluated with various trial functions including our best ones. They seem to converge to certain limits with reasonable speed. We therefore believe that the mass polarization and relativistic corrections to the ionization potential of the He ground state will be very close to -${4.78}_{6}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and -${0.57}_{0}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, respectively. With these corrections, and also the Lamb-shift correction for the ground state of the He atom (-1.23 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$), the theoretical ionization potential becomes 198310.38 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ which is in a very good agreement with the best observed value 198310.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches to the analysis of video data on classroom teaching

Abstract Video data provide a means of integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches to the study of classroom teaching. This chapter begins by discussing the usefulness of integrating quantitative and qualitative analyses, and then describes how large-scale video surveys can enable a cyclical process of generating and validating discoveries. The importance of sampling and technology as they bear on efforts to implement the process is noted. The advantages video data offer to researchers are described. Finally, the TIMSS Video Study, a large-scale international video survey of mathematics lessons, is used to illustrate how this cyclical process can be applied to the analysis of lesson content.
Diesel Exhaust Particle-Exposed Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Induce Dendritic Cell Maturation and Polarization via Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin

Human exposure to air pollutants, including ambient particulate matter, has been proposed as a mechanism for the rise in allergic disorders. Diesel exhaust particles, a major component of ambient particulate matter, induce sensitization to neoallergens, but the mechanisms by which sensitization occur remain unclear. We show that diesel exhaust particles upregulate thymic stromal lymphopoietin in human bronchial epithelial cells in an oxidant-dependent manner. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin induced by diesel exhaust particles was associated with maturation of myeloid dendritic cells, which was blocked by anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin antibodies or silencing epithelial cell-derived thymic stromal lymphopoietin. Dendritic cells exposed to diesel exhaust particle-treated human bronchial epithelial cells induced Th2 polarization in a thymic stromal lymphopoietin-dependent manner. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms by which diesel exhaust particles modify human lung mucosal immunity.
Concise vector expression for the magnetic field from a general straight-line current element

A vector expression is derived for the magnetostatic field from a straight-line current element of finite length and infinitesimal cross-sectional area. This expression is useful in calculating the field from a current element of general direction because it is independent of coordinate system and easily evaluated from the geometry of a problem.
Finite-size effects in the low-temperature resistivity of CuCr films.

The effect of finite sample size on the Kondo resistance anomaly has been explored in the CuCr system. The resistivity of thin CuCr films was studied as a function of width from 0.5 to 20 K. The magnitude of the Kondo anomaly is significantly depressed as the film width is reduced below 10 \ensuremath{\mu}m. This length scale is consistent with the radius of the electron-spin correlation cloud, suggesting a crossover from two- to one-dimensional behavior. A concurrent decrease in the temperature of the resistivity maximum suggests a diminished interimpurity interaction strength.
Pituitary and hypothalamic concentration of met-enkephalin in young and old rats.

Abstract Anterior pituitary and hypothalamic concentration of met-enkephalin was measured by a specific radioimmunoassay in old (22–24 months) and young (4–6 months) rats. The old rats were reproductively abnormal and based on their vaginal cytology, they were further classified under pseudopregnant, irregular cycle and constant estrus groups. All old rats had significantly higher concentration of met-enkephalin in the anterior pituitary gland when compared with young rats in estrus. Pseudopregnant rats had the highest concentration of met-enkephalin (7.38 ± 1.72 ng met-enkephalin/mg protein, mean ± SEM) followed by rats with irregular cycles (3.07 ± 1.54) and old rats exhibiting constant estrus (2.22 ± 0.47). Young rats in estrus had a mean concentration of 0.13 ± 0.08 ng met-enkephalin/mg protein in the anterior pituitary gland. However, there was no significant difference in the hypothalamic concentration of met-enkephalin of old animals when compared with young animals.
Feeding ecology of age-0 walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) and Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) in the southeastern Bering Sea

Abstract Walleye pollock ( Gadus chalcogrammus ) and Pacific cod ( Gadus macrocephalus ) are of particular economic and ecological importance in the southeastern Bering Sea. The spatial and temporal overlap of early life stages of both species may explain their strongly correlated recruitment trends. Pelagic larvae and juveniles were collected during four research cruises in May, July and September of 2008, an exceptionally cold year, and their stomach contents were examined. Feeding success and diet composition of walleye pollock and Pacific cod were consistently different in spring, summer, and fall. Pacific cod larvae and juveniles always consumed larger and progressively fewer prey items per stomach than walleye pollock; this difference was particularly pronounced in the fall. Our data suggest that co-occurring early life stages of walleye pollock and Pacific cod were dividing prey resources rather than competing for them, at least during the exceptionally cold conditions in 2008 in the southeastern Bering Sea.
Computer-aided rhinometry: Analysis of inspiratory and expiratory nasal pressure-flow curves in subjects with rhinitis

Airflow through the nose was measured by posterior rhinometry with the aid of a microcomputer to study reproducibility of pressure-flow curves, the ease of detection of nasal congestion and decongestion, and mathematical modelling of P-V curves. In twelve subjects with rhinitis, the median coefficient of variation of nasal airway resistance was between 4.9% and 14.4% and was not significantly affected by inspiration and expiration, congestion and decongestion, or the flow rate at which it was measured. Fitting of 630 P-V curves to a quadratic equation was usually excellent, particularly during expiration.
Working with Cohabitation in Relationship Education and Therapy

Cohabitation is increasingly common in the United States, with the majority of couples now living together before marriage. This paper briefly reviews research on cohabitation, its association with marital distress and divorce for those who marry (the cohabitation effect), gender differences, and theories underlying this association. Suggestions are made for future areas of exploration in this field, and the implications of the existing research for relationship education efforts and clinical intervention with couples are discussed. In relationship education, it seems important to help individuals explore their own expectations about cohabitation as well as how cohabitation may or may not change their relationships and influence future relationship goals. With regard to cohabiting couples presenting for therapy, clinicians may need to help them consider how cohabitation may have affected their commitment levels, plans for the future, and power dynamics. For married couples in therapy, it may be useful for some to look at the process by which they married and to recommit or clarify commitments made together. Across all of these forms of clinical practice, we recommend a focus on building communication skills so that individuals and couples have the skills necessary to talk about issues, particularly issues related to commitment.
A comparison of estimators of functionals of the distribution of a maximum

Abstract D independent observations of M are available, where M is the maximum of n independent observations from an unknown distribution F in the Gumbel extreme domain of attraction. Various parametric and non-parametric estimates of functions of M 's distribution are compared.
Direct coronal CT scanning of the neonatal chest.

Background. The purpose of this study was to attempt to improve upon conventional coronal computed tomographic (CT) images of neonatal chest which to date have been made by reformatting thinly spaced axial images. Materials and methods. Nine neonates were studied by direct coronal CT scans with the patients' long axis 90 degrees to the scanning table. They were studied to further define their thoracic abnormalities detected on plain film. Spiral CT and cine scan (Imatron) were utilized. Results. Congenital lung lesions such as congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation could not be diagnosed but their anatomical location could be accurately depicted, enabling easier surgical planning. The arterial supply to bronchopulmonary sequestrations was also identifiable. Tracheobronchial abnormalities such as tracheobronchus and bronchial atresia were also identifiable. Causing of air trapping, both intrinsic such as an atretic bronchus and extrinsic such as vascular compression were readily demonstrated. Conclusion. With neither special devices nor paraphernalia, the described method of direct coronal CT scans were both feasible and provided significant information. This technique allows for improved assessment of the tracheobronchial tree and more accurate detection, localization, and characteristics of lesions adjacent to the diaphragm.
The Objectivity of Mathematics

The purpose of this paper is to apply Crispin Wright’s criteria and various axes of objectivity to mathematics. I test the criteria and the objectivity of mathematics against each other. Along the way, various issues concerning general logic and epistemology are encountered.
Parental and Peer Ethnotheory Demands, Temperament, and Early Adolescent Adjustment

Parents or peers may differ in their preferences and aversions for particular temperamental characteristics and, as such, in their attitudes about whether a given temperament attribute creates difficulty in social interactions. This set of attitudes is termed an "ethnotheory" of temperamental difficulty. This study sought to determine: (a) whether adolescents' temperaments better match, or fit, the ethnotheories of parents or peers; and (b) whether adolescents whose temperaments reflect a good fit with parental and/or peer ethnotheories are better adjusted than those adolescents whose behavior reflects a poor fit. Using data from the Pennsylvania Early Adolescent Transitions Study, these issues were addressed by assessing parents' and peers' ethnotheories for early adolescent temperament over the course of the sixth grade. Results indicated that although parents and peers had different ethnotheories, adolescents' temperaments were at levels which would not cause actual difficulty for either parents or pee...
Ground vibration near explosions.

Records are shown of the three components of ground vibration taken at distances out to 3284 meters following small explosions of dynamite about ten meters underground. The apparatus used to record this motion is described, and its limitations discussed. The refracted compressional waves recorded are used to calculate roughly the thickness of the near surface layers. Three principal dispersed waves are recognized and described. It is shown that two of these do not behave like any well known type of wave motion. It is pointed out that this is not surprising since the near surface material is probably neither homogeneous nor elastic and these conditions are required by the classical theories. The third dispersed wave is shown to closely resemble a modified Rayleigh wave. Three published theories of such modified motion are reviewed and compared with the observations. The recorded data are also compared with other similar records copies of which have been published.
Benign idiopathic versus mycosis fungoides-associated follicular mucinosis.

: A study was undertaken in an attempt to identify useful histologic criteria that may allow differentiation between benign idiopathic and mycosisfungoides-associated follicular mucinosis. We chose young patients because no person under 20 years of age with coexisting follicular mucinosis and mycosis fungoides disease has ever been reported. Our three most important observations in benign juvenile idiopathic follicular mucinosis were as follows: 1 The lymphocytic infiltrate was generally confined to follicular, perifollicular, or perivascular zones with no extension of either normal or atypical mononuclear cells into the epidermis or into papillary/reticular dermis. 2 Within follicular epithelium there were dense collections of lymphocytes with occasionally atypical-appearing nuclei in three of the eight patients, but never as Pautrier microabscesses. 3 There was absence of a significant associated plasma cell or eosinophil-containing inflammatory dermal infiltrate. These findings are in contrast to those of older patients with follicular mucinosis and mycosis fungoides.
Transmission Electron Microscopic Study of the Saccule in the Embryonic, Larval, and Adult Toadfish Opsanus tau

The development of the sensory epithelium of the saccular macula of Opsanus tau was studied with transmission electron microscopy. In the 10-12 somite embryo all cells of the newly formed otocyst are morphologically undefined, having an apically placed cilium with an underlying basal body and parabasal body. Junctional complexes are characterized primarily by tight junctions and a few desmosomes. In the 17-somite embryo the sensory cells begin to differentiate and are definable by the development of microvilli, which lack a cuticular plate. When the embryo has approximately 25-30 somites, ganglion cells differentiate and send their nerve processes toward the thin, disrupted basal lamina and the developing rhombencephalon. Desmosomes are more definable in the sensory regions at this age. As the myotomes begin forming (approximately 5-8 days before hatching), the nerves invade the sensory epithelium, and the developing sensory cells contain dense bodies surrounded by clear, membrane-bound vesicles. Clear synapticlike vesicles are also found throughout the infranuclear region of the sensory cells. However, afferent fibers lack a postsynaptic density. Three to 6 days prior to hatching a cuticular plate begins forming under the ciliary bundles and support and peripheral cells begin to morphologically differentiate. Two to 4 days before hatching the cuticular plate is well formed, desmosomes are numerous, afferent synapses are complete, and the sensory cells are in the upper two-thirds of the epithelium. Seven to 10 days after hatching, sensory cells have efferent synapses and ganglion cells and nerves show a myelin coat. These results suggest that sensory cells begin their development prior to VIIIth nerve innervation, although the orientation and pattern development of these cells may be related to the formation of the cuticular plate, desmosomes, afferent innervation, and basal lamina formation.
Competencies of Undergraduate Business Students

The idea that one's competencies are as important as one's qualifications has gained acceptance in both business and academia. Business organizations have developed sophisticated management systems around employee competence. There are education assessment tools that help ascertain students' competencies. In this study, the authors investigated one such tool entitled Making the Match: Base Competencies and Skill Sets. The authors conducted the study to develop an understanding of the sources of student competence exclusive of the college curriculum. The authors found significant correlations between student personal characteristics, student background characteristics, and their work-related competencies.
Intrarenal localization of the plasma membrane ATP channel pannexin1

In the renal tubules, ATP released from epithelial cells stimulates purinergic receptors, regulating salt and water reabsorption. However, the mechanisms by which ATP is released into the tubular lumen are multifaceted. Pannexin1 (Panx1) is a newly identified. ubiquitously expressed protein that forms connexin-like channels in the plasma membrane, which have been demonstrated to function as a mechanosensitive ATP conduit. Here, we report on the localization of Panx1 in the mouse kidney. Using immunofluorescence, strong Panx1 expression was observed in renal tubules, including proximal tubules, thin descending limbs, and collecting ducts, along their apical cell membranes. In the renal vasculature, Panx1 expression was localized to vascular smooth muscle cells in renal arteries, including the afferent and efferent arterioles. Additionally, we tested whether Panx1 channels expressed in renal epithelial cells facilitate luminal ATP release by measuring the ATP content of urine samples freshly collected from wild-type and Panx1−/− mice. Urinary ATP levels were reduced by 30% in Panx1−/− compared with wild-type mice. These results suggest that Panx1 channels in the kidney may regulate ATP release and via purinergic signaling may participate in the control of renal epithelial fluid and electrolyte transport and vascular functions.
Action Research: Some Perspectives for Learning Organizations.

The nature and origins of "action research " are described. In its current form, action research is a technique for conducting applied research with the collaboration of a client organization for the purpose of intervention. Implica tions for organizations which pursue learning and development are explored.
Delay Discounting of Different Commodities Varies as a Function of Political Party Affiliation in a College Sample

Delay discounting has been used as a measure of both self control and of value for a particular commodity. The present study employed 265 college psychology students who self identified as being either a Democrat or a Republican to complete a delay-discounting task involving five different commodities (two monetary values, retirement income, Federal legislation, and medical treatment). Analyzing the area under the discounting curve, results showed that Democrats discounted all commodities to a greater extent than did Republicans. These results may suggest that Democrats are more apt than Republicans to prefer immediate results or that they value these commodities to a lesser degree than Republicans. Members of both parties, however, displayed similar changes in discounting across commodities, indicating a similarity in relative values.
Motion estimation of snake robots in straight pipes

We present a method of estimating a snake robot's motion inside and outside of straight pipes using only knowledge of the robot's joint angles. We accomplish this by introducing a novel method to constructing a body frame for the robot that is aligned with the centerline of the pipe. In addition to greatly simplifying the motion model this method allows us to accurately estimate the diameter of the pipe. We present experimental results using a 16-DOF snake robot traversing the inside and outside of straight pipes.
Coronary vasomotor reactivity to endothelin-1 in the prediabetic metabolic syndrome

Objective:The purpose of the present investigation was to test the hypothesis that coronary vasoconstrictor responses to endothelin-1 are augmented in the prediabetic metabolic syndrome.Methods:ELISA was used to measure plasma endothelin-1 and intracoronary endothelin-1 dose-response experiments were conducted in vivo on normal control and high-fat-fed prediabetic dogs. Additionally, isolated left circumflex (LCX) coronary arteries and arterioles (< 160 μ m) were used for in vitro functional studies and molecular analyses (quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting).Results:Plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were not different between control and prediabetic dogs. Coronary vasoconstriction to endothelin-1 was similar in control and prediabetic dogs, both in vivo and in isolated arterioles. Nonetheless, real-time PCR analysis revealed significant decreases in ETA receptor transcript levels in LCX coronary arteries and arterioles. Also, Western blotting revealed a significant decrease in ETA receptor p...
The electrostatic field about a slender dielectric body

The problem of determining the electrostatic potential field around and inside a slender dielectric body of revolution is studied. The part of the potential outside the body that is due to the presence of the body is represented as the superposition of potentials due to point singularities distributed along a portion of the axis of the body and lying entirely inside the body. The potential inside the body is represented as a Taylor series in the radial distance from the axis of the body, with unknown coefficients. The boundary conditions on the body surface lead to a pair of coupled integral equations for the singularity density and the Taylor series coefficients. The leading terms in the uniform asymptotic expansion of the solution to these equations is obtained in terms of the slenderness ratio $\varepsilon $ of the body. For the case of an axially symmetric external field, the solution is found to depend in a nonuniform manner on the ratio $\delta $ of the dielectric constants and three separate cases ...
Independent and interactive effects of preload and afterload on the pump function of the isolated lymphangion.

We tested the responses of single, isolated lymphangions to selective changes in preload and the effects of changing preload on the response to an imposed afterload. The methods used were similar t...
Hearing in American leaf-nosed bats. I: Phyllostomus hastatus

We determined the audiogram of Phyllostomus hastatus (the greater spear-nosed bat), a large, omnivorous American leaf-nosed bat native to Central and South America. A conditioned suppression/avoidance procedure with a fruit juice reward was used for testing. At an intensity of 60 dB sound pressure level (SPL re 20 WN/m 2 ), the hearing range of P. hastatus extends from 1.8 to 105 kHz, with a best sensitivity of 1 dB SPL at 20 kHz. Both its high-frequency and low-frequency hearing are not unusual for a small mammal. Despite its use of low-intensity echolocation calls there was no evidence for unusual sensitivity to either the frequencies used for echolocation or to the main frequencies of its communication calls, suggesting no selective ‘tuning’ of the audiogram. Its behavioral pure-tone thresholds are lower than the multi-unit thresholds in the inferior colliculus. = 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Juncus trilocularis (Juncaceae), A New Rush Species from Western North America

Abstract Juncus brachyphyllus is a plant of floodplains, prairie remnants, and glades in the Midwest, from Tennessee to Texas, north to Illinois and Nebraska. Disjunct plants called J. brachyphyllus from Idaho to California are described here as a new species, J. trilocularis. They are distinguished by smoother stems and longer styles, and frequently have longer anthers. Rare putative hybrids between J. confusus and J. trilocularis are discussed from Lassen County, California and Kittitas County, Washington. Another putative hybrid, between J. occidentalis and J. trilocularis, is reported from Butte County, California. The new species is assigned to Juncus section Steirochloa Griseb., and a sectional key is provided for western North America.
Picosecond time interval measurements

Efficient measurement techniques have been developed to adequately characterize the performance of a new generation of programmable equivalent time sequential sampling oscilloscopes. These instruments provide time interval measurements with increased repeatability and accuracy. The same characterizations are applicable to more general time interval measurement, and subpicosecond repeatability for rise time measurement of fast step generators ( >
Divergence of Ca2+ selectivity and equilibrium Ca2+ blockade in a Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel

Prevailing models postulate that high Ca2+ selectivity of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels arises from tight Ca2+ binding to a high affinity site within the pore, thereby blocking monovalent ion flux. Here, we examined the contribution of high affinity Ca2+ binding for Ca2+ selectivity in recombinant Orai3 channels, which function as highly Ca2+-selective channels when gated by the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ sensor STIM1 or as poorly Ca2+-selective channels when activated by the small molecule 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB). Extracellular Ca2+ blocked Na+ currents in both gating modes with a similar inhibition constant (Ki; ∼25 µM). Thus, equilibrium binding as set by the Ki of Ca2+ blockade cannot explain the differing Ca2+ selectivity of the two gating modes. Unlike STIM1-gated channels, Ca2+ blockade in 2-APB–gated channels depended on the extracellular Na+ concentration and exhibited an anomalously steep voltage dependence, consistent with enhanced Na+ pore occupancy. Moreover, the second-order rate constants of Ca2+ blockade were eightfold faster in 2-APB–gated channels than in STIM1-gated channels. A four-barrier, three–binding site Eyring model indicated that lowering the entry and exit energy barriers for Ca2+ and Na+ to simulate the faster rate constants of 2-APB–gated channels qualitatively reproduces their low Ca2+ selectivity, suggesting that ion entry and exit rates strongly affect Ca2+ selectivity. Noise analysis indicated that the unitary Na+ conductance of 2-APB–gated channels is fourfold larger than that of STIM1-gated channels, but both modes of gating show a high open probability (Po; ∼0.7). The increase in current noise during channel activation was consistent with stepwise recruitment of closed channels to a high Po state in both cases, suggesting that the underlying gating mechanisms are operationally similar in the two gating modes. These results suggest that both high affinity Ca2+ binding and kinetic factors contribute to high Ca2+ selectivity in CRAC channels.
Thermodynamically consistent quasi‐Newton formulae

Newton and quasi-Newton methods have been used in chemical process design and optimization calculations for quite some time. They continue to be used today, both in the traditional sense and as part of the more recent hybrid method. While Newton-based fixed-point methods have been used to solve many different kinds of chemical process design and optimization problems, perhaps the point of single largest application has been that of multicomponent separation problems, especially equilibrium stage distillation. Quite aside from this, classical thermodynamics provides us with certain fundamental mathematical and physical relationships governing the behavior of nonideal solutions, those being the homogeneity of partial molar excess properties and their derivatives and the Cibbs-Duhem equation. In this work, we draw a connection between the class of Newton-based fixedwith the exception of Newton’s method, none of the conventional Newton-like methods gives matrix approximations that are thermodynamically consistent. In other words, all existing nonsymmetric and symmetric quasi-Newton formulae generate matrix approximations that do not satisfy, for example, either the zerodegree homogeneity or Gibbs-Duhem equations. In light of this, a new class of quasi-Newton formulae is presented for use in chemical process problems whose models include chemical and/or phase equilibrium. In particular, several new quasi-Newton formulae are presented that give Jacobian or Hessian approximations that satisfy the zero-degree homogeneity and/or Gibbs-Duhem equations, in addition to the usual secant and perhaps symmetry and sparsity conditions. This new class of formulae is called thermodynamically consistent quasi-Newton formulae. Some numerical results are presented that show that these thermodynamically consistent quasi-Newton formulae can provide improvements in reliability and computational efficiency when compared to existing Newton-like methods.
Identification of symptom and functional domains that fibromyalgia patients would like to see improved: a cluster analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine whether some of the clinical features of fibromyalgia (FM) that patients would like to see improved aggregate into definable clusters. Seven hundred and eighty-eight patients with clinically confirmed FM and baseline pain ≥40 mm on a 100 mm visual analogue scale ranked 5 FM clinical features that the subjects would most like to see improved after treatment (one for each priority quintile) from a list of 20 developed during focus groups. For each subject, clinical features were transformed into vectors with rankings assigned values 1-5 (lowest to highest ranking). Logistic analysis was used to create a distance matrix and hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to identify cluster structure. The frequency of cluster selection was determined, and cluster importance was ranked using cluster scores derived from rankings of the clinical features. Multidimensional scaling was used to visualize and conceptualize cluster relationships. Six clinical features clusters were identified and named based on their key characteristics. In order of selection frequency, the clusters were Pain (90%; 4 clinical features), Fatigue (89%; 4 clinical features), Domestic (42%; 4 clinical features), Impairment (29%; 3 functions), Affective (21%; 3 clinical features), and Social (9%; 2 functional). The "Pain Cluster" was ranked of greatest importance by 54% of subjects, followed by Fatigue, which was given the highest ranking by 28% of subjects. Multidimensional scaling mapped these clusters to two dimensions: Status (bounded by Physical and Emotional domains), and Setting (bounded by Individual and Group interactions). Common clinical features of FM could be grouped into 6 clusters (Pain, Fatigue, Domestic, Impairment, Affective, and Social) based on patient perception of relevance to treatment. Furthermore, these 6 clusters could be charted in the 2 dimensions of Status and Setting, thus providing a unique perspective for interpretation of FM symptomatology.
Single-channel prototype terahertz endoscopic system

We demonstrate the design and development of an innovative single-channel terahertz (THz) prototype endoscopic imaging system based on flexible metal-coated THz waveguides and a polarization specific detection technique. The continuous-wave (CW) THz imaging system utilizes a single channel to transmit and collect the reflected intrinsic THz signal from the sample. Since the prototype system relies on a flexible waveguide assembly that is small enough in diameter, it can be readily integrated with a conventional optical endoscope. This study aims to show the feasibility of waveguide enabled THz imaging. We image various objects in transmission and reflection modes. We also image normal and cancerous colonic tissues in reflectance mode using a polarization specific imaging technique. The resulting cross-polarized THz reflectance images showed contrast between normal and cancerous colonic tissues at 584 GHz. The level of contrast observed using endoscopic imaging correlates well with contrast levels observed in ex vivo THz reflectance studies of colon cancer. This indicates that the single-channel flexible waveguide-based THz endoscope presented here represents a significant step forward in clinical endoscopic application of THz technology to aid in in vivo cancer screening.
Effect of liquid physical properties and flow rates on the surface area of sprays from a pressure atomizer

The effects of the physical properties and volume flow rate of liquids on the surface area of sprays produced by a pressure type of atomizing nozzle were determined experimentally. the specific surface area of the sprays is correlated by an equation of two dimensionless groups in terms of the variables surface tension to the −1.0 power, kinematic viscosity to the −0.4 power, and volume flow rate to the 2.4 power. The volume flow rate is correlated by an equation of two dimensionless groups containing the variables viscosity to the 0.17 power, density to the −0.58 power, and spray pressure to the 0.42 power. The conversion of compression energy to surface-area energy appears to be constant at approximately 0.1%.