Mass-spectrometric study of the rhenium-oxygen system

Rhenium, having the second highest melting point among the metals, is used for refractory containers. Thermodynamic values for rhenium oxide is determined by mass spectrometry and X ray diffraction

FINANCIAL RISK IN COTTON PRODUCTION

Risk analysis continues to emphasize price and yield variability as the principal components of the decision-maker's risk environment. This research demonstrates the relative importance of financial risk for a representative cotton farm in Arizona. For highly leveraged operations, financial risk may account for 70 percent of the total risk faced by the producer. Implications for future risk analysis are discussed in light of these findings.Crop Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty,

Identification of Functional Amino Acids in the G Protein Alpha-Subunit

Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) are vital to a wide variety of physiological processes such as vision, hormone response, olfaction, and development. G protein-mediated signal transduction involves a complex network of receptors and second messenger pathways, and proper regulation of the network is essential for proper response of the system. A detailed analysis of the functional domains of the G protein alpha-subunit has been initiated by screening a library of random mutations in the subunit, G alpha2, of the slime mold, Dictyostelium. The function of G alpha2 function is essential for the developmental life cycle of this organism. It regulates three major response pathways in the developing cells: cyclic AMP signaling, chemotaxis, and differentiation. The library of the random G alpha2 mutants has been screened for defects in the initiation of development using a Dictyostelium cell line, MYC2, that otherwise is unable to enter the developmental stage because it lacks its own wild-type G alpha2 gene. Several G alpha2 mutations that are unable to rescue the developmental phase when transformed into MYC2 have been isolated using a series of simple phenotypic screens. The G alpha2-containing plasmids from developmental mutants were recovered and sequenced to identify the G alpha2 mutations which result in defective function. Those mutations that have not been previously identified will be examined to determine the biochemical defect. Mutants will be assayed for defects in the regulation of adenylyl cyclase, guanylyl cyclase and phospholipase C, the three major effectors activated by G alpha2. Alpha-subunit interactions with its receptor and the beta-gamma complex, as well as GTP binding and hydrolysis will also be examined. Placement of the mutations within the context of a three-dimensional model based on the alpha-subunit crystal structure of transducin will be used to assign functional roles to the mutated amino acid residues. The G alpha2 sequences that contain multiple mutations (roughly half), will be modified through site-directed mutagenesis to isolate the causative mutation

Project for the analysis of technology transfer Quarterly report, 1 Oct. - 31 Dec. 1969

Analysis of Tech Brief-Technical Support Package progra

A CONSIDERATION OF THE DEVOLUTION OF FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL POLICY

Diverse needs and preferences across the United States provide justification for the devolution, or decentralization, of many Federal Government programs to the State or local level. The move toward devolution, however, has not been evidenced in U.S. agricultural policy, despite significant differences across States in such areas as commodity production, production costs, income distribution, and opportunities for off-farm work. The existing structure of USDA funding and program delivery already reflects an appreciation of the gains from devolution, with some programs accommodating differences in State and regional preferences. This report considers the implications of devolving $22 billion in 2003 budget outlays, mostly for domestic commodity and natural resource programs and rural development and housing programs. The local knowledge of needs and references is valuable and can provide the basis for increased program efficiency.Public policy, devolution, agricultural policy, program delivery, Agricultural and Food Policy,

The Lymantria dispar IPLB-Ld652Y Cell Line Transcriptome Comprises Diverse Virus-Associated Transcripts

The enhanced viral susceptibility of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)-derived IPLB-Ld652Y cell line has made it a popular in vitro system for studying virus-related phenomena in the Lepidoptera. Using both single-pass EST sequencing and 454-based pyrosequencing, a transcriptomic library of 14,368 putatively unique transcripts (PUTs) was produced comprising 8,476,050 high-quality, informative bases. The gene content of the IPLB-Ld652Y transcriptome was broadly assessed via comparison with the NCBI non-redundant protein database, and more detailed functional annotation was inferred by comparison to the Swiss-Prot subset of UniProtKB. In addition to L. dispar cellular transcripts, a diverse array of both RNA and DNA virus-associated transcripts was identified within the dataset, suggestive of a high level of viral expression and activity in IPLB-Ld652Y cells. These sequence resources will provide a sound basis for developing testable experimental hypotheses by insect virologists, and suggest a number of avenues for potential research

Analyzing E.M.B.A. Student Feedback

The results of an executive Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program assessment are analyzed and interpreted against the backdrop of increasing competition between universities to attract and retain qualified students. The public education environment is currently in a turbulent state. This turbulence is in part caused by such factors as: reductions in public funding for higher education due to constrained state budgets, student expectations, requirements imposed by accrediting bodies, and other outside constituencies requesting more accountability. The pressure to hold education institutions accountable is increasing at a rapid rate. To provide a measure of accountability and quantify program quality, education institutions have placed a great deal of emphasis on program assessment. Informational results from program assessments influence a myriad of decisions made by many that ultimately impact student enrollment, program support and program funding. Despite questionable psychometric properties and potentially conflicting outcomes, student evaluations of teaching faculty continue to be a primary source of information used in program assessments. This burdens educators and administrators with the task of interpreting and utilizing incomplete and perhaps inaccurate information. Results indicate that student response rates decline with increased numbers of evaluations and influences on teaching quality assessments may be unrelated to content and presentation

Small Business Transformation: The MEDS Approach

In today\u27s rapidly changing business environment, small businesses must gain a deeper understanding of the future to develop strategies that will provide them with sustainable competitive advantage. The traditional approaches to strategy formulation are inadequate in an environment that is complex and dynamic. This paper investigates a new approach that helps small businesses see the future. It discusses an application of the multi­ equilibrium dissipative structures (MEDS) approach to strategy formulation within the context of a small business involved in medical management software development. The dissipative systems approach can be used to evaluate the critical discontinuities that a small business faces in dealing with its changing environment. The approach also provides an opportunity for researchers to further develop theory in strategy formulation in small businesses, especially those directly involved in the rapidly changing areas of global operations and technology innovations

Expectations of Executive MBAs

Currently there are over 200 EMBA programs worldwide. These programs have grown in popularity and have increased by over a third in the last three years. Overall, schools are aggressively marketing their EMBA programs, and, as a consequence, prospective EMBA participants have numerous options for EMBA program enrollment. To successfully compete in the current environment, EMBA programs must understand and market to the expectations of prospective EMBAs. This paper explores the suitability of using the Teaching Goals Inventory (TGI) developed by Angelo and Cross (1993) as an instrument to analyze the expectations of EMBA candidates in the United States and describes the results of a survey of 262 EMBA participants using the TGI

Photophysiological and light absorption properties of phytoplankton communities in the river-dominated margin of the northern Gulf of Mexico

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