bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the effective information preservation method for binary image reduction
Authors: Wakabayashi Kaoru
Published: August 2002

One effective technique for searching through a huge volume of stored binary documents and graphics is to use high‐quality, high‐compression reduction so that a large quantity of pictures can be presented at one time for browsing. In this connection, the author has previously reported on the usefulness of the Extended Thin Line Preservation (ETP) methods in binary image reduction. This paper proposes an enhancement of ETP called the Effective Information Preservation (EIP) method that achieves even higher compression and quality by preserving effective information existing in the original image. The paper begins by describing the principle behind preservation of effective information in the EIP method and showing that a converted picture without missing information can be generated. It then describes subjective evaluation experiments that were performed to determine the effectiveness of the EIP conversion method in terms of picture quality, using the Binary to Gray‐Scale (BGS) method for converting to halftone pictures as a quality index. Results of the experiments revealed that the EIP method produces better pictures than the BGS method in hardcopy evaluation, and that quality was favorable for conversion ratios under 1/5 in softcopy evaluation. Furthermore, in comparing the two methods for the same amount of data, the EIP method was found to exhibit extremely high data efficiency. These findings indicate that EIP can produce high‐quality pictures with a small amount of data for high‐compression reduction at a ratio of 1/10, and that it is useful in creating a superlarge multi‐image display for high‐speed browsing. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Syst Comp Jpn, 32(7): 1–11, 2001
Development of an online handwritten character recognition module on WWW client and its implementation in a WWW‐based intelligent tutoring system
Authors: Ito Joe , Egashira Hiroyuki , Okazaki Yasuhisa , Watanabe Kenzi , Kondo Hiroki
Published: August 2002

Interfaces for handwritten inputs are expected to be useful as means by which a student can use natural handwritten inputs in an intelligent tutoring system. Intelligent tutoring systems operating on the WWW have been developed with the input interfaces of the mouse and keyboard. The authors have developed HandChaRM‐WWW, which is a module performing handwritten character recognition on the WWW. The module is written in Java and installed on a WWW client such that no communication delay occurs during character recognition. The characters recognized are limited to numbers, operators, the equal sign, and the like, and handwritten character recognition is realized by extracting characters with high speed and high accuracy. WWW FRONTIER has been developed by implementing HandChaRM‐WWW on an intelligent CAI system which guides fractional calculations. WWW FRONTIER is a drill‐type intelligent tutoring system which responds to a student by giving a fractional adding or subtracting problem. A student can input a fractional equation on the WWW in handwritten form. A handwritten character recognition rate of 93% has been obtained in evaluation experiments, which constitutes a practical level. The architecture of HandChaRM‐WWW is considered to be effective in intelligent tutoring systems for other domains which have characters as targets of recognition. © 2002 Scripta Technica, Syst Comp Jpn, 33(2): 12–21, 2002
Development and evaluation of a spoken dialogue system for academic document retrieval with a focus on reply generation
Authors: Kiriyama Shinya , Hirose Keikichi
Published: August 2002

A spoken dialogue system for retrieving academic documents was constructed and evaluated. In order to realize speech reply with its prosodic features properly controlled to express dialogue focus, a concept‐to‐speech conversion scheme was developed where the reply sentence concept was finally converted step‐by‐step to phone and prosodic symbol strings to be fed to a speech synthesizer, instead of simply using a text‐to‐speech conversion scheme as done in other conventional spoken dialogue systems. The main research focuses were on the following three points: (1) generating a reply sentence easily understood by users and unambiguous to users by controlling the amount of information included in it: deleting redundant information and adding necessary information; (2) realizing functions necessary for increasing system usability; (3) generating a speech reply with natural‐sounding prosody, with the dialogue focuses correctly conveyed. Evaluations of the original system, formerly developed, gave us guidelines to realize points (1) and (2). Based on them, a revised system was constructed and evaluated, showing the validity of its new functions. It was also shown that speech replies with prosodic features representing dialogue focuses could bring about clearer information transmission. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 33(4): 25–39, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.1117
Discrimination of similar characters with quadratic compound Mahalanobis function
Authors: Suzuki Masato , Kato Nei , Nemoto Yoshiaki , Ichimura Hiroshi
Published: August 2002

CMF is an efficient function in distinguishing a character from similar ones. This distinction is performed by correcting the Mahalanobis distance using feature vectors projected onto a certain subspace. However, this approach may have some limitations for the projective space, because the decision boundary surface of two similar characters is generally very complicated. There is also a method to estimate the decision boundary surface of two similar characters using nonlinear conversion, but the degree of variance—covariance matrix used in this estimation is very large. In this paper, we propose a CMF applied quadratic nonlinear conversion. We refer to our proposed method as the Quadratic Compound Mahalanobis Function (QCMF). It is shown that the QCMF can discriminate similar characters with a smaller amount of computation than discrimination with quadratic nonlinear conversion, and that in recognition experiments with similar characters, the accuracy of a recognition system with QCMF is better than that with CMF. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 33(5): 11–20, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.1123
Analysis of muscle fatigue process using superimposed M wave at several contraction levels
Authors: Ichinoseki Noriko , Kiryu Tohru , Saitoh Yoshiaki
Published: August 2002

A method of estimating muscle fatigue simply and quantitatively is desirable in rehabilitation and exercise training. This paper discusses a method that estimates the muscle fatigue quantitatively by using the evoked EMG. More precisely, the method is as follows. The superimposed M wave which is evoked by an electrical stimulation during the specified voluntary sustained contraction is measured at several muscle contraction levels. The relation between the instantaneous frequency (IF) at the feature point of the M wave and the mean power frequency (MPF), which is derived from the background muscle activity, is examined by using the MPF‐IF scatter diagram. The following results are obtained. When the muscle contraction level is low, there is no significant positive correlation or the correlation coefficient is negative between the MPF and IF. But when the muscle contraction level is high, there are cases in which a high positive correlation is observed, and cases in which no significant correlation is observed. It is suggested that muscle fatigue can be estimated quantitatively from the MPF‐IF scatter diagram and the coefficient of correlation between the MPF and IF. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 33(6): 53–61, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.1132
On a method to decide kernel patterns of morphological associative memory
Authors: Ida Toshihiro , Ueda Syuji , Kashima Masayuki , Fuchida Takayasu , Murashima Sadayuki
Published: August 2002

Associative memory devices using computational morphology as proposed by Ritter are garnering a lot of attention. Ritter proposed two types of memory arrays, M and W, which have considerable levels of erosional noise and dilational noise, respectively. In addition, he has proposed an association method which combines the two memory arrays comprised of kernels when recalling a memory pattern. In this paper the authors investigate the recall rate by implementing the two‐stage recall method proposed by Ritter. However, this method cannot readily create kernel patterns when one memory pattern is included in other memory patterns or when a characteristic region for a memory pattern does not exist, and so the kernel pattern must be created by trial and error. Therefore, as the number of memory patterns increases, deciding the kernel pattern becomes more difficult. The authors demonstrate a method for creating kernels automatically for any memory pattern as a way to overcome this problem. It was found that in comparison to the associative memory device proposed by Ritter, the authors' resulting associative memory device could readily create kernel patterns for any memory pattern without relying on trial and error. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 33(7): 85–94, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.1144
Determination of inelastic mean free paths for AuPd alloys by elastic peak electron spectroscopy (EPES)
Authors: Krawczyk M. , Jablonski A. , Zommer L. , Tóth J. , Varga D. , Kövér L. , Gergely G. , Menyhard M. , Sulyok A. , Bendek Zs. , Gruzza B. , Robert C.
Published: August 2002

The inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) of three AuPd alloys were determined by means of elastic peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) in a round‐robin study in four laboratories using different types of electron spectrometers in the energy range 0.5–2 keV. The scatter of the IMFP values was in the range of 25%. Within this accuracy the inverse IMFP of these alloys can be calculated by the weighted sum of the inverse IMFPs of the alloying elements. Reflected electron energy loss spectra also were measured and the Kλ curves, calculated by the method of Tougaard, were used for estimating the inelastic processes in the alloys. The source of the scatter in the IMFPs obtained in the present work is discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measurement of quartz particles by means of an atomic force microscope for planetary exploration
Authors: Gautsch S. , Akiyama T. , Imer R. , de Rooij N. F. , Staufer U. , Niedermann Ph. , Howald L. , Brändlin D. , Tonin A. , Hidber H.‐R. , Pike W. T.
Published: August 2002

Within the last 2 years our consortium has developed, built and tested an atomic force microscope for planetary science applications, in particular for the study of Martian dust and soil. An array of eight cantilevers and tips provides redundancy in case of tip or cantilever failure. Images can be recorded in both static and dynamic operation modes. As we plan to investigate Martian dust, our interest focuses on the behaviour of the instrument when measuring loose particles in the above‐mentioned modes. During scanning, tip contamination with a particle occurs quite frequently, altering the quality of the images. Before changing the cantilever, reverse‐imaging the contaminated tip on a tip calibration sample will be performed in order to increase the scientific throughput. We present the results of our test measurements on respirable α‐quartz. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermochemical surface treatment of iron–silicon and iron–manganese alloys
Authors: Vanden Eynde X. , Servais J.‐P. , Lamberigts M.
Published: August 2002

Two binary alloys (Fe–0.5 wt.% Si and Fe–1.5 wt.% Mn) and a high silicon steel were used to investigate the thermochemical phenomena occurring at the sample free surface during simulation annealing cycles aimed to achieve a hot‐dip galvanizing‐compatible surface condition.

The samples were annealed for 60 s at 800–810°C in atmospheres composed of nitrogen and hydrogen (either 0 or 5 vol.% H2), the dew points of which were varied from −60 to 0°C, corresponding to water vapour contents ranging from 10 to 6000 ppm. The surface chemical conditions were characterized by in situ x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Annealing in a nitrogen–hydrogen atmosphere was shown to lead silicon and manganese to diffuse to the surface and become oxidized, the amount of external selective oxidation decreasing with increasing atmosphere vapour content. After annealing in pure and dry nitrogen, the thin native iron oxide films are reduced to metallic iron, while free surface silicon or manganese oxides are definitely less abundant than after annealing in N2–H2 gas mixtures. Although iron oxide is thermodynamically stable in water‐vapour‐containing nitrogen atmospheres, our results suggest that, provided the dew point is low enough, the oxygen present in the thin native iron oxide film is transferred to more stable oxide forms (silicon or manganese oxides). The transition from iron oxide reduction to iron oxidation takes place at some critical water vapour content threshold that is dependent on the steel composition. The phenomena observed in this study are explained in terms of the balance between the oxygen inward flow and the solute alloying element outward flow. In this context, several possible gas–metal and exchange reactions are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microcharacterization of heavy‐duty diesel engine piston deposits
Authors: Smith G. C. , Hopwood A. B. , Titchener K. J.
Published: August 2002

The composition and structure of heavy‐duty diesel engine piston deposits generated in a Caterpillar 1Y540 single‐cylinder bench test engine according to the Caterpillar 1N test procedure have been investigated using infrared spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction (XRD), x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), XPS depth profiling and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The test engine piston was modified to allow deposits to be examined without removal from their original surface, allowing the structure of the deposit/substrate interface to be studied for the first time. Detailed microcharacterization of specimens generated under typical conditions has shown that deposit formation is initiated by adsorption of a thin lubricant layer on the piston surface during start‐up. Oil‐soluble additive degradation products within this thin lubricant layer react with surface oxides to form a phosphate‐rich layer. With increasing engine run time, degraded lubricant additive species react with fuel combustion acids to form inorganic sulphates and phosphates that become embedded in a gum‐like matrix of non‐volatile hydrocarbon residues and partial oxidation products. Extended running times result in the build‐up of a concentration of crystalline species near the deposit/substrate interface as a result of agglomeration and annealing. The layer structure is completed by deposition of further lubricant additive material during over‐run on completion of the engine test. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface physicochemistry of corona‐discharge‐treated polypropylene film
Authors: O'Hare Lesley‐Ann , Leadley Stuart , Parbhoo Bhukan
Published: August 2002

Corona discharge treatment (CDT) is a surface modification technique commonly used to treat plastic films prior to adhesive bonding, printing with inks, lamination to other films and other coating applications. In this study, the treatment conditions are, in energy terms, representative of those used in industrial and laboratory coating applications.

The physicochemistry of the surface of untreated and corona‐discharge‐treated biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film was investigated using a number of complementary surface analytical techniques: contact angle analysis; x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); atomic force microscopy (AFM). This report describes the surface energetics, chemical functionality and morphology of polypropylene film before and after CDT. Both AFM and XPS were utilized, along with washing experiments, to investigate the presence of a weak boundary layer.

The surface energy was found, as expected, to increase with increasing energy of the corona. The functional groups incorporated onto the surface have been identified as hydroxyl [C–OH], peroxy [C–O–O], carbonyl [CO], ester [C–O–CO], carboxylic acid [HOCO] and carbonate [OC(O)O]. These groups are present in varying relative concentrations, depending on the energy of the corona utilized.

The morphology of the film changed after CDT. Initially, a fibrillar crystalline structure was observed, whereas after CDT a globular morphology became apparent. These globular features were attributed to low‐molecular‐weight oxidized material (LMWOM) created by CDT. The roughness of the film was not found to increase under the corona conditions employed.

Formation of LMWOM was found to be independent of treatment energy. However, two mechanisms have been suggested for its formation, dependent on the energy of treatment: below a threshold energy of ∼4 kJ m−2, oxidation and scission of the inherent low‐molecular‐weight boundary layer present on polyolefin films is the dominant means for the formation of LMWOM; above 4 kJ m−2, oxidation and scission of the polymer backbone is the main process.

This work provides a comprehensive reference around CDT of polypropylene film for industrial applications, while also informing how the optimal level of treatment can be determined. In the case of adhesion of silicones, it would be expected that optimal adhesion would be obtained where the maximum amount of oxygen incorporated was in a water‐insoluble form. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Systematic x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of La1−xSrx‐based perovskite‐type oxides
Authors: van der Heide P. A. W.
Published: August 2002

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to analyse systematically a group of La1−xSrx‐based mixed‐metal perovskite‐type oxides of interest in the development of oxygen separation membranes. Angle‐ and temperature‐resolved studies reveal compositional variations that correlate with the segregation of various elements during annealing. The complex O 1s, Sr 3d5/2 and La 3d5/2 spectra could be curve‐fitted systematically with two La 3d5/2, three Sr 3d5/2 and five O 1s contributions, respectively, using fixed binding energies and full widths at half‐maximum. The trends are discussed and assignments are made on the basis of peak intensity and composition variations noted during the angle‐ and temperature‐resolved studies, literature data and nearest‐neighbor electronegativities. In all cases, elements present at the outermost surface revealed higher binding energies than their bulk‐bound counterparts. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of sub‐2‐nm SiO2 interlayer thickness using secondary ion mass spectrometry
Authors: Jones Clive M. , Zhao Jin
Published: August 2002

The development of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) methodology for the determination of sub‐2‐nm SiO2 interlayer thickness is reported here. The SiO2 interlayer to be evaluated is within the structure of polycrystalline Si SiO2 Si substrate. The polycrystalline Si layer can be up to a few hundred nanometers thick. The sample is analyzed by SIMS and a concentration–depth profile of oxygen is acquired. High‐energy Cs+ primary ion bombardment is used, so that the thin SiO2 layer is diluted by ion beam mixing. A 14.5 keV net impact energy provides sufficient mixing to change the composition of the interface from that of stoichiometric SiO2 to Si with a high dose of oxygen. The areal density of the interfacial oxygen peak is calibrated against a SIMS oxygen ion implant standard with a precision of better than 3%. The SiO2 thickness then is calculated with equal precision using the formula derived. In the present work, the differentiation among interfacial oxide thicknesses of 5–10 Å with a step width of 1 Å is demonstrated by this SIMS method with good precision and accuracy. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of a non‐organofunctional silane film deposited on Al, Zn and Al–43.4Zn–1.6Si alloy‐coated steel
Authors: Bexell Ulf , Olsson Mikael
Published: August 2002

Time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) has been used to analyse the interface between a non‐organofunctional silane and three different metal substrates (aluminium, zinc and an aluminium–zinc alloy). Ion etching using Ga+ ions was used to expose the interfacial region. Ion fragments from the samples were examined carefully where supposed metal–oxygen–silicon ion fragments should appear in the mass spectra. From high mass resolution spectra it was concluded that there exists an AlOSi+ ion fragment at nominal mass m/z = 71 amu on the aluminium and aluminium–zinc alloy substrates and a ZnOSi+ ion fragment at nominal mass m/z = 108 amu on the zinc and aluminium–zinc alloy substrates. These results are further enhanced by the fact that the characteristic ion pattern of ZnOSi+‐type ion fragments, composed of different naturally stable zinc and silicon isotopes, in the mass range m/z = 108–112 amu showed the expected relative peak height relations.

The presence of these metal–oxygen–silicon ion fragments is a strong indication that chemical interaction between the silane and the metal substrates exists and that the nature of this interaction is due to the formation of a covalent bond between the silane and the metal substrate. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kim H‐J, Fay MP, Feuer EJ, Midthune DN, ‘ Permutation tests for joinpoint regression with applications to cancer rates’. Statistics in Medicine 2000 19:335–351
Authors: Kim Hyune‐Ju
Published: August 2002

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Statistics in Medicine 2000; 19:335–351.
Mirror star‐tracing performance in HIV‐1 infection: an assessment of visuoconstructive skills?
Authors: Waldrop Drenna , Kumar Mahendra , Kumar Adarsh M. , Wilkie Francis L. , Eisdorfer Carl
Published: August 2002

This study examines the visuoconstructive skills of HIV‐1+ individuals using an alpha‐adrenergic challenge, mirror star‐tracing. Participants were HIV‐1+ and HIV‐1− non‐drug injecting men and women involved in a study examining endocrine functioning in relation to HIV infection under challenge conditions. Performance on the star‐tracing task was based on the amount of errors committed when outlining a double‐lined star with a pencil while looking only at its reflection in a mirror. Chi‐square analysis indicated that significantly more HIV‐1+ participants were in the high error group on the mirror star‐tracing task than HIV‐1− participants. This finding provides a potential novel approach for examining visuoconstructive skills in HIV‐1+ individuals and warrants further research to better understand the meaning of such findings. Preliminary data from mirror star‐tracing performances of HIV‐1− injecting drug users (IDUs) a trend toward significantly more HIV‐1− IDUs in the high error group. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Entry barriers and new venture performance: a comparison of universal and contingency approaches
Authors: Robinson Kenneth C. , Phillips McDougall Patricia
Published: August 2002

This study utilized universal and contingency approaches to empirically investigate the effects of entry barriers on new venture performance. Consistent with prior research utilizing the universal approach, this study found only limited support for the direct independent effects of entry barriers on performance. Conversely, this study provides strong support for utilizing the contingency approach to examine the complex effects of entry barriers on divergent performance measures. Overall, contingency models incorporating the theoretically justified moderating effects of industry life cycle stage and venture strategy explained 31, 61, and 45 percent of the variance in profitability, shareholder wealth creation, and sales growth respectively. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Absolute and relative resources as determinants of international acquisitions
Authors: Anand Jaideep , Delios Andrew
Published: August 2002

Although it is established that firms sometimes expand abroad to augment their capabilities, previous studies have generally focused on technological determinants of foreign expansion. We analyze capability‐seeking aspects of foreign direct investment by examining the relationship between upstream (technological) and downstream (marketing) capabilities and the choice between acquisition and greenfield modes of international entry. In analyzing 2175 entries by British, German, and Japanese investors into the United States, we find that for downstream capabilities, which tend not to be geographically fungible, the absolute level of capabilities in the entered industry explains the mode choice. However, for upstream capabilities, which tend to be geographically fungible, the acquisition motive stems from a relative capability differential between host and home country firms. These results have implications for the concept of fungibility in the resource‐based view of the firm as well as for the literature on sourcing of resident assets by foreign firms, which has thus far ignored issues of entry mode and downstream assets. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acquisitions versus greenfield investments: international strategy and management of entry modes
Authors: Harzing Anne‐Wil
Published: August 2002

This paper adds an important explanatory variable to the well‐established list of factors shown to influence the choice between foreign acquisitions and greenfield investments: the international strategy followed by the multinational company (MNC) in question. The MNC's international strategy is subsequently linked to the management of the two different entry modes by showing that differences in strategy are reflected in different headquarters—subsidiary relationships for acquisitions and greenfields. Some aspects of this relationship are also shown to change over time, a process that is mediated by the MNC's strategy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Firm capabilities and technology ladders: sequential foreign direct investments of Japanese electronics firms in East Asia
Authors: Song Jaeyong
Published: August 2002

This paper investigates how investments in capabilities offer platforms for the upgrading or downgrading of overseas subsidiaries' activities along a ‘technology ladder’ in response to macroeconomic changes. By analyzing panel data on Japanese electronic firms in East Asia from 1988 to 1994, the empirical results confirm the importance of capabilities at host country, parent company, and local subsidiary levels in sequential foreign investment decisions. The results show that subsidiary capabilities offset macroeconomic factors influencing location decisions of multinational corporations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MANTOOL: a tool for supporting the software maintenance process
Authors: Usaola Macario Polo , Velthuis Mario Piattini , González Francisco Ruiz
Published: August 2002

In this paper we present MANTOOL, an automatic tool for managing the software maintenance process according to MANTEMA, a rigorous methodology for maintenance. After explaining briefly the MANTEMA structure, the article explains how MANTOOL allows users to manage modification requests following the different stages of the methodology, showing it with some examples. The data saved in MANTOOL can be used to extract different kinds of reports and to do estimations of future maintenance interventions. The paper also includes some experience reports about the construction and application of MANTEMA and MANTOOL, and some reflections on the benefits of its use. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Java based replicated server objects and their remote method invocations in a distributed environment
Authors: Viswanathan Iyer K. , Harinath M.
Published: August 2002

A distributed system is said to be fault‐tolerant if it is able to provide important services despite partial failures of the computers or software objects in the system. These systems are needed to support applications such as remote access and control, virtual mobile offices and wide area collaborative systems where there are chances of failures in the network and software objects. Fault‐tolerance is usually achieved by replicating the objects in the system. Traditional distributed applications constructed using Java RMI (remote method invocation) are not fault‐tolerant because of the lack of support of object replication. The objective of the present work is to design a remote method invocation that supports server object replication. To provide a fault‐tolerant service to the remote client objects, server objects are actively replicated. The problems associated with the method invocation in the context of active server object replication are presented and solutions are discussed and implemented. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Moving the business logic tier to the client. Cost‐effective distributed computing for the WWW
Authors: Anido Luis , Santos Juan , Caeiro Manuel , Rodríguez Judith , Fernández Manuel J. , Llamas Martín
Published: August 2002

The Internet and the WWW have encouraged the adoption of a three‐tiered architectural style as the general framework for distributed computing. The thin client concept associated with this model is the most suitable for the WWW, because it can be easily mapped to the browser concept. Additionally, the separation of business logic (middle tier) and back‐end services enable further flexibility for the design of this kind of service. Nevertheless, the advent of platform‐independent software models like Java and the availability of common off‐the‐shelf services, like FTP or HTTP, offer new opportunities to more classical distributed computing models. In this paper we revisit the two‐tiered model for Internet environments, and show that the fat client (user interface plus business logic) may still be valid, at least in some environments. We propose two solutions to provide full FTP access from a Java applet. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Practitioner roles in software process improvement: an analysis using grid technique
Authors: Baddoo Nathan , Hall Tracy
Published: August 2002

In this paper we present empirical findings from our study of software practitioners. We used the repertory grid technique to collect data from nearly 200 developers, project managers and senior managers in 13 companies. The aim of this study is to investigate the perceptions that different staff groups have regarding their role in SPI. Our results allow improved understanding of the SPI concerns and needs that different staff groups have. We suggest that this improved understanding will enable SPI managers to develop multi‐strand SPI implementation strategies which deliver benefit to all staff groups. Delivering SPI benefit to all staff groups increases buy‐in at all levels and means that SPI can be more successful in the long term. Our main findings are that all staff groups are in close agreement about their roles in SPI. However software developers often have a limited view of SPI and are unable to perceive themselves in some of the roles that successful case studies on SPI recommend. For example, developers do not see themselves assuming ownership of processes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Certain similarities between the evolution of cooperation and phase transitions in physics
Authors: Theodorakis Stavros
Published: August 2002

The theory of evolution of cooperation presents a number of striking similarities to the theory of phase transitions in physics. A system that is in a higher energy phase P+ will make a transition to a lower energy phase P−, given enough time, as long as the intervening energy barrier is not too high. The phase transition is realized through the nucleation of a sufficiently large bubble of the energetically preferred phase P− within the higher energy phase P+. Similarly, if we think of the strategies of Defection and of Tit for Tat as the phases P+ and P− respectively, a population using the ‘energetically unfavourable’ Defection strategy will switch over to the ‘energetically favourable’ Tit for Tat strategy, provided the players interact continuously and substantially. The presence of a large enough Tit for Tat concentration is necessary for the onset of this change. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
‘Effective governance’ through complexity thinking and management science
Authors: White Leroy
Published: August 2002

Recently, many claims have been made that new models of organization are emerging in the public and voluntary sector. These are partnerships, alliances, fora and consortia, to mention but a few, and they encompass both active participation of their members and/or users and the governance of their activities. The patterns of governance emerging, in my view, offer a different set of problems for the management sciences. Policy, strategy and accountability are now being developed within a complex network of different organizations drawn from the public and voluntary sector, aiming to govern or regulate the public sphere. This paper will explore how management scientists can address these patterns of governance.

It will be argued that, if governance has supplanted management as an issue for the management sciences in this context, a new or different language is needed to ‘re‐present’ the problems. In particular, it will be shown that management science can be employed to find a clear balance between good governance and effective management. This paper will also propose a framework that may be used to help the new organizational arrangements achieve effective governance. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The tetrahedron of knowledge acquisition: a meta‐model of the relations among observation, conceptualization, evaluation and action in the research on socio‐ecological systems
Authors: Nijland Geert O.
Published: August 2002

This paper presents a meta‐model which integrates different approaches in the research on socio‐ecological systems. The relations between hypothetical‐deductive, empirical‐inductive and interpretive‐phenomenological holistic research approaches are visualized schematically together with their interrelations with the ‘real system’. All the relations shown are described. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cybernetics and the social sciences
Authors: Scott Bernard
Published: August 2002

Cybernetics was formulated by its founders as a metadiscipline with the aim not only of fostering collaboration between disciplines (interdisciplinarity), but also of sharing knowledge across disciplines (transdisciplinarity). In this paper the relationship between cybernetics and the social sciences is reviewed. The distinction between first and second (in general, higher) order forms of cybernetics is introduced to characterize three approaches to the study of social systems. The three approaches are described as ideal types; it is acknowledged that in practice investigators may draw on more than one of the approaches and that there are contexts in which the distinctions between them become fuzzy. The three approaches are:

studies of social systems and social behaviour that adopt classical scientific modes of investigation;

studies that investigate the interactions of social actors;

approaches that attempt to characterise social systems as distinct forms of autonomous whole.

Pask's conversation theory, with its concept of the ‘psychological individual’, is introduced as a theory that is explicitly designed to build a bridge between the second and third approaches. Copyright © 2001 International Society for the Systems Sciences.
Java Grande
Authors: Fox Geoffrey
Published: August 2002

Concurrency and Computation: Practice and Experience explores the use of the Java programming language for scientific and engineering computing and high‐performance network computing ‐ a range of applications that has been denoted with the epithet ‘Grande’. GEOFFREY FOX explains. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Major coexpression of κ‐opioid receptors and the dopamine transporter in nucleus accumbens axonal profiles
Authors: Svingos Adena L. , Chavkin Charles , Colago Eric E.O. , Pickel Virginia M.
Published: August 2002

The behavioral effects of psychostimulants, which are produced at least in part through inhibition of the dopamine transporter (DAT), are modulated by κ‐opioid receptors (KOR) in the nucleus accumbens (Acb). Using electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, we reveal that in the Acb KOR labeling is mainly, and DAT immunoreactivity is exclusively, presynaptic. From 400 KOR‐labeled presynaptic structures, including axon terminals, intervaricosities, and small axons, 51% expressed DAT and 29% contacted another population of terminals exclusively labeled for DAT. Within axonal profiles that contained both antigens, DAT and KOR were prominently localized to plasma membrane segments that showed overlapping distributions of the respective immunogold‐silver and immunoperoxidase markers. KOR labeling was also localized to membranes of small synaptic vesicles in terminals with or without DAT immunoreactivity. In addition, from 24 KOR‐immunoreactive dendritic spines 42% received convergent input from DAT‐containing varicosities and unlabeled terminals forming asymmetric, excitatory‐type synapses. Our results provide the first ultrastructural evidence that in the Acb, KOR is localized to strategic sites for involvement in the direct presynaptic release and/or reuptake of dopamine. These data also suggest a role for KOR in the presynaptic modulation of other neurotransmitters and in the postsynaptic excitatory responses of single spiny neurons in the Acb. Dual actions on dopamine terminals and their targets in the Acb may account for KOR‐mediated attenuation of drug reinforcement and sensitization. Synapse 42:185–192, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Decreased haloperidol‐induced potentiation of zif268 mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens shell and the dorsal lateral striatum of rats lacking cholecystokinin‐A receptors
Authors: Shilling P.D. , Feifel D.
Published: August 2002

Evidence suggests that endogenous cholecystokinin (CCK), a neuropeptide that modulates brain dopamine function, may contribute to the therapeutic and motor effects of antipsychotic drugs via activation of CCK‐A receptors in the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways, respectively. To determine if CCK modulates the effects of antipsychotic drugs through CCK‐A receptors, we measured the haloperidol‐induced zif268 mRNA response in the nucleus accumbens (NA) shell, NA core, and dorsal lateral striatum (DLS) in Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats that lack CCK‐A receptors due to a spontaneous mutation. OLETF rats and normal Long Evans rats were treated with subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of saline or haloperidol (2 mg/kg). In situ hybridization was performed and zif268 mRNA expression was quantified. The haloperidol‐induced expression of zif268 mRNA was significantly decreased in the DLS (P < 0.01) and the NA shell (P < 0.05), but not in the NA core, in OLETF rats compared to LETO rats. These data suggest that CCK‐A receptor mechanisms may contribute to the therapeutic and the extrapyramidal motor effects associated with antipsychotic drug treatment. Synapse 43:134–138, 2002. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Time window of autoreceptor‐mediated inhibition of limbic and striatal dopamine release
Authors: Phillips Paul E.M. , Hancock Pamela J. , Stamford Jonathan A.
Published: August 2002

Forebrain dopamine release is under the local control of D2 family (D2 and D3) autoreceptors. In this study, autoreceptor‐mediated modulation of forebrain dopamine release was investigated using amperometry in brain slices following local electrical stimulation. 350 μm‐thick slices of nucleus accumbens or dorsolateral neostriatum were prepared from male Wistar rats (150–200 g) and superfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid at 32°C. Dopamine release was evoked by electrical pulses (0.1 ms, 10 mA) across bipolar tungsten stimulating electrodes and measured at carbon fibre microelectrodes using fixed potential amperometry (+300 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). Peak dopamine release on stimulation (single pulse) was 0.75 μM (neostriatum) and 1.37 μM (nucleus accumbens). Metoclopramide (1 μM) had no significant effect on DA efflux from a single pulse in either region. Using paired pulse stimuli, dopamine release on the second pulse varied according to the interval between the two pulses. At very long intervals (>20 sec), dopamine release was similar to that for the first pulse. At shorter intervals, dopamine efflux was attenuated. Metoclopramide had no effect on second pulse dopamine release when the pulse was applied at short (<0.1 sec) or long (>5.0 sec) intervals after the first. At intermediate intervals, metoclopramide significantly increased second pulse dopamine release. The peak dopamine autoreceptor effect occurred at ∼550 ms in neostriatum and ∼700 ms in nucleus accumbens. The onset time is due both to diffusion of dopamine from the release sites to the autoreceptors and receptor‐effector mechanisms. These findings may have implications for the local control of forebrain dopamine function in physiological and pathological states. Synapse 44:15–22, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Measurement of dopamine transporter occupancy for multiple injections of cocaine using a single injection of [F‐18]FECNT
Authors: Votaw John R. , Howell Leonard L. , Martarello Laurent , Hoffman John M. , Kilts Clinton D. , Lindsey Kimberly P. , Goodman Mark M.
Published: August 2002

The fraction of transporters occupied following injection of specific inhibitors is an important parameter for defining and comparing the molecular mechanisms of different drugs. This work generalizes the reference tissue method to estimate dopamine transporter occupancy for two levels of cocaine administration using only a single injection of [18F]FECNT. The results are validated by comparison with literature values. Five rhesus monkeys were studied. On each animal, a baseline scan was collected following [18F]FECNT injection (phase a). At 120 min postinjection, 0.1 mg/kg cocaine was injected and the animal was scanned for 50 additional min (phase b). Then 1.0 mg/kg cocaine was injected and another 50‐min scan sequence was collected (phase c). Time–activity curves (encompassing all three phases) were generated for each animal from regions drawn over the putamen and cerebellum. The putamen curve was modeled using the cerebellum as the input function. Percent DAT occupancy following the cocaine injections was determined by comparing k3/k4 = Bmax/kD for the three phases. The 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg cocaine doses occupied 53% ± 5% and 87% ± 5% of the transporters, respectively. The measured occupancies are consistent with literature values that maintain self‐administration in animals and produce a “high” in human subjects. This work demonstrates that a single injection of [18F]FECNT can be used to measure the effects of multiple cocaine challenges. Two advantages of this technique are: reduced variability in dose–response curves because the subject is his/her own control, and the 18F label allows evaluation of longer‐acting drugs. Synapse 44:203–210, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Distribution of members of the PSD‐95 family of MAGUK proteins at the synaptic region of inner and outer hair cells of the guinea pig cochlea
Authors: Davies Caroline , Tingley Debora , Kachar Bechara , Wenthold Robert J. , Petralia Ronald S.
Published: August 2002

PDZ‐domain containing proteins of the MAGUK (membrane‐associated guanylate kinase) family target, anchor, and cluster receptors and channels to subcellular sites. Among the MAGUK proteins, the members of the PSD‐95 family (MAGUKs: PSD‐95, PSD‐93, SAP‐97, and SAP‐102) target and anchor glutamate receptors to the synaptic terminals. Associations of glutamate receptors with MAGUKs have been described in the brain but not in the cochlea. In this study, RT‐PCR, immunofluorescence microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy were used to investigate the presence and distribution of MAGUK proteins in the organ of Corti. The presence of the mRNA for PSD‐95, PSD‐93, SAP‐97, and SAP‐102 in the organ of Corti was confirmed by RT‐PCR. Immunocytochemistry using a “pan‐MAGUK” antibody, which recognizes all four MAGUK proteins, and selective antibodies against these proteins revealed that all four MAGUKs are present within the base of inner hair cells while all except SAP‐97 are found within the base of the outer hair cells. In addition, PSD‐93 and PSD‐95 are found in postsynaptic afferent terminals on inner hair cells, while postsynaptic afferent terminals on outer hair cells have PSD‐93. Synapse 40:258–268, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Changes in hippocampal adenosine efflux, ATP levels, and synaptic transmission induced by increased temperature
Authors: Masino Susan A. , Latini Serena , Bordoni Francesca , Pedata Felicita , Dunwiddie Thomas V.
Published: August 2002

Previous studies have demonstrated that when the temperature of hippocampal brain slices is increased, there is a corresponding depression of synaptic potentials mediated by an increased activation of presynaptic adenosine A1 receptors. The present experiments demonstrate that when the temperature of hippocampal slices is raised from 32.5°C to either 38.5°C or 40.0°C there is a marked, temperature‐dependent increase in the efflux of endogenous adenosine and a corresponding decrease in excitatory synaptic responses. The increase in efflux is rapidly reversible on lowering the slice temperature and the temperature‐induced efflux is repeatable. Control experiments suggest that this increased efflux of adenosine is not the result of hypoxia or ischemia secondary to a temperature‐induced increase in the metabolic rate of the slice. The increase in adenosine efflux was not accompanied by any significant change in the ATP levels in the brain slice, whereas a hypoxic stimulus sufficient to produce a comparable depression of excitatory transmission produced an ∼75% decrease in ATP levels. These experiments indicate that changes in brain slice temperature can alter purine metabolism in such a way as to increase the adenosine concentration in the extracellular space, as well as adenosine efflux from hippocampal slices, in the absence of significant changes in ATP levels. Synapse 41:58–64, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of bilateral olfactory bulbectomy on N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor function: Autoradiographic and behavioral studies in the rat
Authors: Robichaud Malika , Beauchemin Valérie , Lavoie Normand , Dennis Trevor , Debonnel Guy
Published: August 2002

Rat bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) serves as a useful model in the study of depression and the mechanisms of action of antidepressant treatments. Considering the evidence of NMDA receptors involvement in depression, the present study was undertaken in order to investigate the time‐course effects of OBX on the NMDA receptor function. Following bilateral olfactory bulbectomy, rats display an increase in locomotor activity and changes in other types of behavior in a novel environment. Autoradiographic experiments using the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist [125I]‐iodo‐MK‐801 as the labeling agent showed that this increase in behavioral activities corresponds to a decrease in [125I]‐iodo‐MK‐801 binding in a number of brain regions. In most regions, this reduction reached significance by the third week following OBX. However, in some cortical areas—a nucleus of the thalamus (AV) and one of the amygdala (LA)—this reduction was already significant in the first or second week following OBX and lasted throughout the 4 weeks of the study. We also compared the behavioral modifications induced by a challenge injection of MK‐801 (0.2 mg/kg i.p.) in OBX and sham‐operated rats. This challenge is known to induce hyperlocomotion and a number of stereotypies in naive rats. These effects were drastically reduced in OBX as compared to sham‐operated rats. These data are consistent with the above‐mentioned decrease in cerebral binding of MK‐801 to NMDA receptors. Synapse 42:95–103, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.