bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Altered gene expression in mice with lupus treated with edratide, a peptide that ameliorates the disease manifestations
Authors: Elmann Anat , Sharabi Amir , Dayan Molly , Zinger Heidy , Ophir Ron , Mozes Edna
Published: June 2007

Objective

To identify genes that are differently expressed in (NZB × NZW)F1 mice with established lupus compared with healthy controls, and to determine how gene expression is affected by treatment with hCDR1 (Edratide), a peptide synthesized on the basis of the sequence of the first complementarity‐determining region (CDR1) of an autoantibody.

Methods

RNA was extracted from spleen cells of young, disease‐free mice and of older mice with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that were treated with hCDR1 or with vehicle alone. Gene expression was assessed using the DNA microarray technique and verified by real‐time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR).

Results

In mice with SLE, numerous genes showed increased or decreased expression relative to that in the disease‐free controls. Treatment with hCDR1 restored the expression of many of these genes to control levels. Real‐time RT‐PCR verified that in diseased mice RNA transcripts of Tnfsf4, Il5ra, Zbtb20, and Nid1 were up‐regulated, while transcripts of Tfpi and S100a8 were down‐regulated, and confirmed the effects of hCDR1 on the expression of those genes. Kidney immunostaining demonstrated that the up‐regulated expression of OX40 ligand, which is a protein product of the gene tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily member 4, in diseased mice was reduced by hCDR1.

Conclusion

Expression of numerous genes in mice with SLE differs from that in young, disease‐free control mice. Treatment with hCDR1 restores the expression of 22% of these genes to levels similar to those in controls. Thus, one of the mechanisms by which hCDR1 exerts its beneficial effects on the clinical symptoms of SLE is through regulation of gene expression.
Human chorionic gonadotropin prevents Sjögren's syndrome–like exocrinopathy in mice
Authors: Li Na , Shigihara Toshikatsu , Tzioufas Athanasios G. , Notkins Abner L. , Yoon Ji‐Won , Jun Hee‐Sook
Published: June 2007

Objective

Results of recent studies suggest that human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a placental glycoprotein hormone required for the maintenance of pregnancy, may have immunomodulatory properties. Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), a chronic autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology, affects multiple exocrine glands including the salivary and lacrimal glands. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether HCG could prevent the development of salivary gland exocrinopathy in NOD mice, an experimental model of Sjögren's‐like syndrome.

Methods

Female NOD mice were treated with HCG from 6 weeks of age to 12 weeks of age. At 14 weeks, tissue samples were evaluated for inflammatory lesions and cytokine messenger RNA by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. At 18 weeks, the salivary flow rate was measured.

Results

Treatment with HCG resulted in a significant decrease in lymphocyte infiltration and parenchymal cell damage in the submandibular salivary glands. Messenger RNA levels of interferon‐γ, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin‐1β, and interleukin‐10, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase and matrix metalloproteinase 9, were significantly decreased. Function studies revealed a marked increase in the salivary flow rate in HCG‐treated mice compared with that in phosphate buffered saline–treated mice.

Conclusion

In NOD mice, HCG acts as an immune modulator and prevents the development of salivary gland exocrinopathy. These findings suggest that HCG, a naturally occurring reproductive hormone, may be useful in the treatment of Sjögren's syndrome and other human autoimmune diseases.
Arginine mutation alters binding of a human monoclonal antibody to antigens linked to systemic lupus erythematosus and the antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Lambrianides Anastasia , Giles Ian , Ioannou Yiannis , Mason Lesley , Latchman David S. , Manson Jessica J. , Isenberg David A. , Rahman Anisur
Published: June 2007

Objective

Previous studies have shown the importance of somatic mutations and arginine residues in the complementarity‐determining regions (CDRs) of pathogenic anti–double‐stranded DNA (anti‐dsDNA) antibodies in human and murine lupus, and in studies of murine antibodies, a role of mutations at position 53 in VH CDR2 has been demonstrated. We previously demonstrated in vitro expression and mutagenesis of the human IgG1 monoclonal antibody B3. The present study was undertaken to investigate, using this expression system, the importance of the arginine residue at position 53 (R53) in B3 VH.

Methods

R53 was altered, by site‐directed mutagenesis, to serine, asparagine, or lysine, to create 3 expressed variants of VH. In addition, the germline sequence of the VH3–23 gene (from which B3 VH is derived) was expressed either with or without arginine at position 53. These 5 new heavy chains, as well as wild‐type B3 VH, were expressed with 4 different light chains, and the resulting antibodies were assessed for their ability to bind to nucleosomes, α‐actinin, cardiolipin, ovalbumin, β2‐glycoprotein I (β2GPI), and the N‐terminal domain of β2GPI (domain I), using direct binding assays.

Results

The presence of R53 was essential but not sufficient for binding to dsDNA and nucleosomes. Conversely, the presence of R53 reduced binding to α‐actinin, ovalbumin, β2GPI, and domain I of β2GPI. The combination B3 (R53S) VH/B3 VL bound human, but not bovine, β2GPI.

Conclusion

The fact that the R53S substitution significantly alters binding of B3 to different clinically relevant antigens, but that the alteration is in opposite directions depending on the antigen, implies that this arginine residue plays a critical role in the affinity maturation of antibody B3.
Student paper award 1974. Systematic searching of abstracts and indexes in interdisciplinary areas
Authors: Smith Linda C.
Published: June 2007

Two trends, the growth of interdisciplinary research and the proliferation of machine‐readable data bases, require that new techniques and tools be applied to facilitate use of scientific and medical literature in support of research. In order to permit systematic searching of multiple data bases to satisfy requests in interdisciplinary areas, a mapping of a portion of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to three other controlled vocabularies has been constructed. A description of the development of the mapping is followed by details of a preliminary test of its effectiveness based on searches in the subject areas of applications of physics and engineering in medicine. The test shows: (1) Index Medicus provides an average of 81% of the citations retrieved in searches using more than one source; (2) in some subject areas use of the mapping does allow an increase in the number of items retrieved, but with a loss in precision. Limitations of the mapping revealed by the test suggest possible alternative applications of the mapping in controlled vocabulary development and in on‐line searching.
Opinion paper. On theory development in information science
Authors: Williams James G. , Kim Chai
Published: June 2007

This paper attempts to evaluate two articles; one recently read to the ASIS Special Interest Group on Foundations of Information Science (SIG/FIS) by Heilprin, and the other published in the Journal of the American Society for Information Science by Artandi, which deal with the theoretical problems of defining “information” and/or “information science.” To that end, definitions, types, functions, forms of presentation and validation criteria of a theory are discussed with relation to science in general and to information science in particular. Arguments are made that: 1. information science is at present a practice‐oriented discipline, thus, good practice should be based on sound theory; 2. in the field of information more emphasis should be given to theory development; and 3. more precise and formal methods should be employed for presenting a theory so that it may be properly understood by practitioners and theoreticians.
A decision theoretic foundation for indexing
Authors: Bookstein Abraham , Swanson Don R.
Published: June 2007

The indexing of a document is among the most crucial steps in preparing that document for retrieval. The adequacy of the indexing determines the ability of the system to respond to patron requests. This paper discusses this process, and document retrieval in general, on the basis of formal decision theory. The basic theoretical approach taken is illustrated by means of a model of word occurrences in documents in the context of a model information system; both models are fully defined in this paper. Though the main purpose of this paper is to provide insights into a very complex process, formulae are developed that may prove to be of value for an automated operating system. The paper concludes with an interpretation of recall and precision curves as seen from the point of view of decision theory.
The formal analysis of document retrieval systems
Authors: Ludwig B. M. , Glockmann H. P.
Published: June 2007

The output structure of text retrieval systems resembles formally a description of state that is well known in other fields. Such a (statistical) description allows the derivation of a unique and measurable performance criterion that, in turn, may be used in discussing various parameters of systems performance.

The standard quantities “recall” and “precision” appear to be incomplete and dependent measures of system output. The method is illustrated by application to a small test data base and query sample.
Some soviet concepts of information for information science
Authors: Belkin Nicholas J.
Published: June 2007

There is increasing realization of the importance of information concepts in the development of information science. Although some research in this field has been carried out in English‐speaking countries, a much larger body of work has developed in the USSR, most of which is unknown to information scientists in the non‐socialist countries. The present paper discusses some basic aspects of this research, reviews some significant new approaches to determination of information concepts, and appends a selected bibliography to serve as a guide to the Soviet literature of information for information science.
Abstract readability as a factor in information systems
Authors: Dronberger Gladys B. , Kowitz Gerald T.
Published: June 2007

Documents may be accessed by increasingly efficient retrieval of abstracts, but information will not be transferred unless the abstracts are read. It is suggested that the measurement of the readability of abstracts can provide an assessment of one phase of an information system: the system/user interface. Controlled reading levels for abstracts could result in more rapid processing of abstracts and a wider use of the information system. It was hypothesized that the use of readability principles in guidelines for abstracting would result in abstracts of lower reading levels than the source documents upon which they were based. Abstracts and their source documents were selected randomly from the information system supported by the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC); readability scores were calculated using the Flesch Reading Ease formula. Comparisons among reading levels were made using analysis of variance for correlated data and Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test for post hoc comparisons. Results indicated that the reading level of abstracts was significantly higher than the reading level of source documents, but not higher than the reading ability of the intended audience. It was concluded that readability measurement provides one useful techinque for hte evaluation of abstracts.
An analysis of effectiveness factors in published articles on management information systems
Authors: Etnyre Vance , Kretlow William J.
Published: June 2007

MIS articles published during the past 15 years have differed widely in effectiveness of presenting MIS principles. The authors have discussed trends in the literature and have attempted to identify characteristics which can be used to predict classroom effectiveness. Ten hypotheses were formulated to determine the relationships between effectiveness and descriptive characteristics. These hypotheses attempted to identify factors related to effectiveness in explaining fundamental MIS concepts and principles of MIS design, implementation, management and use. The authors analyzed 42 articles using 19 descriptive characteristics and five measures of effectiveness.

Statistical tests were performed to determine if the correlations among various factors are significant in explaining the effectiveness of MIS articles. The authors found that specificity in defining MIS was significant in explaining the effectiveness of MIS articles. The importance of organizational aspects and the importance of managerial requirements were verified empirically.
Computer Simulation of the Circulation Subsystem of a Library
Authors: Shaw W. M.
Published: June 2007

An existing model of the circulation subsystem of a library has been modified to explicitly include renewals and to describe a semester loan policy. An extensive amount of experimental data have been obtained by recording the history of all books which circulated from Sears Library at Case Western Reserve University during the fall semester, 1973. These data, which characterize various aspects of user behavior, in combination with a numerical statement of the loan policy of the library serve as input parameters for the model which simulates the events that occur in the circulation subsystem. The results of the simulation provide information about the availability of books and the delay associated with recalls.

These results have been compared to experimental observation. The agreement between the predicted values and the experimental observation is good. Thus the validity of the model is demonstrated, and the model is used to simulate various alternative loan policies. The effect of these alternatives on book availability is also given.
Canadian scientific journals: Part II, interaction
Authors: Inhaber H.
Published: June 2007

Interdisciplinarity in Canadian science is considered from the point of view of the interaction of significant Canadian journals. Most of these journals cite themselves primarily, and journals in other or related sciences receive few citations. As a result, it can be concluded that the degree of interdisciplinarity, as determined by this measure, is very low in Canadian science.
The use of abbreviations and acronyms in the physics literature
Authors: Bailey Martha J.
Published: June 2007

In a random sample of 40 abbreviations and acronyms gathered from the physics literature 1973‐74, about half could be found only in the papers in which they were published. Due to the lack of uniform style guides for journals, the reader often cannot find definitions quickly for abbreviations in papers.
The library as an information utility in the university context: Evolution and measurement of service
Authors: Kantor P. B.
Published: June 2007

We examine the problem of measuring library performance objectively, with particular attention to the service rendered to the users of the library. We also consider that the context in which the library operates may modify the performance goals, both properly and improperly. We selected an aggregate measure of performance, the Total Contact Time per Potential User. This is mathematically decomposed into eight parameters which are independently meaningful, measurable and manipulatable. They provide a multi‐dimensional picture of the corresponding aspects of library performance. We present a detailed algorithm for the determination of four of these from a frustration study and sketch the significance and possible measurement techniques for the others. Some values of the four performance parameters related to frustration or availability are reported and their significance for a user oriented cost‐benefit analysis is discussed briefly.
The internal processing format for bibliographic data at the royal library of Belgium
Authors: Goossens Paula C. , Bourgois‐Derison Jaklien M. , Hubert Andre B.
Published: June 2007

To cope with the information explosion, libraries and documentation centers have implemented computerassisted bibliographic systems. Many institutions create bibliographic data in machine‐readable form, with virtually as many data formats in existence as particular systems.

To build our own integrated library system, we have developed an internal processing format having a high degree of flexibility to better accommodate bibliographic descriptions originating in other institutions. This format is largely based on MARC II and is optimized for internal processing, bibliographic data communication on a national or international basis, and search and retrieval. This format provides the core of a system able to accommodate generalized software, varying hardware and expansion without modification of the general design philosophy.
Kiviat‐graphs as a means for displaying performance data for on‐line retrieval systems
Authors: Elliott Roger W.
Published: June 2007

In order to monitor the performance of an information system, one must keep track of a large number of interrelated parameters.

A Kiviat‐graph is a graphical device for plotting a number of parameters on the same axes. An application of this technique to information system performance data is shown.
Knowledge and information spaces: Implications for retrieval systems
Authors: McGill Michael J.
Published: June 2007

Vector representations of information items and requests will be used as a basis for a discussion of knowledge and information spaces. The representations will allow such questions as the meaning of relationships between vectors within the spaces. It will be shown that there are a number of possibilities for establishing these relationships, even if one is restricted to a basic cosine correlation measure. Using geometric representations, it will be shown that one is able to accept a predefined space or redefine the space. This redefinition may be accomplished through projections and two types of projections will be examined. It will be shown that using these concepts will impact an individual's perception of information items within the space. Thus, consideration of these factors is critical to the design of retrieval and SDI systems.
Computer‐aided selection in a library network
Authors: Spaulding F. H. , Stanton R. O.
Published: June 2007

A new selection policy has recently been implemented by the Bell Laboratories Library Network. It is based on selection profiles for each of the member libraries. These profiles, which detail the subjects in which books and other materials will be collected, are prepared with the advice of users and supported by several existing computer‐aided systems. Interests are represented both by Dewey Decimal Classification numbers and subject descriptors. The profiles provide a formal means by which management can bring available resources directly to bear on user needs.
Application of a collection‐control model for scientific libraries
Authors: Sinha Bani K. , Clelland Richard C.
Published: June 2007

This collection‐control model is based jointly on book age and collection proportion in each of several classes of a subject matter classification system. Application of the model to the physics bookholdings of the Mathematics‐Physics Library of the University of Pennsylvania indicates that the same number of home uses as actually occurred in 1968 could have been generated by a physics collection 60.2 percent the size of the actual collection. It also provides estimates of the number of books to be acquired and weeded during the succeeding year. Opinions of subject‐matter experts should be incorporated into the decision to determine titles to be removed from the active collection.
Computerized russian translation at ORNL
Authors: Jordan Sara R. , Brown Antony F. R. , Hutton Fred C.
Published: June 2007

Since 1964, as an adjunct to its automated technical information processing services to ERDA and other federal agencies, a generalized language translation system has been used by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to translate Russian scientific text to English. The translation system, first implemented at Georgetown University around 1960, has been rewritten and improved through the years as computer models changed. Although the translations lack high literary quality, the system, by means of its context sensitive dictionary, nevertheless provides inexpensive, fast and highly useful translations of scientific literature.

The method used involves a linguistically‐oriented programming language called Simulated Linguistic Computer (SLC), with which a language‐specific dictionary can be written for use by the translation system. The dictionary entry for any word can be augmented by procedures which permit its meaning to be modified by its context; more general linguistic procedures operate on the sentence as a whole.

In an evaluation of user reaction, over ninety percent of the respondents rated the machine translation (MT) service “good” or “acceptable” on translations of their subject specialty. Development, implementation, and documentation of the system are continuing, as we meet increasing requests for service and attempt new applications of the MT system.
The informative act and its aftermath: Toward a predictive science of information
Authors: Levine Marilyn M.
Published: June 2007

The paradigm statement for a predictive science of semantic information is presented in the form of an informative act, a one‐sentence concatenation of a performative preamble with one bit of perceived “hard” information. Such sentences produce stress in the receiver which can be measured subjectively using the Holmes‐Rahe stress scale. A unit called the whomp is introduced which describes the net effect of receiving a message with both hard information and human stress points. Such messages can be said to “produce” records.

In an extension of the concept of the informative act to a major personage, such as a Head of State, we examine the public records in the form of books produced. Although the prediction is not as refined as we would like, we project somewhere between 16 and 32 titles to be listed in Cumulative Book Index under the subject heading “Nixon, Richard M.” during the twenty‐year period 1974‐1994, all other things being equal.
The relationship between author names and author entries in a large on‐line union catalog as retrieved using truncated keys
Authors: Smith Joseph D. , Rush James E.
Published: June 2007

A study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of certain truncated‐key structures in retrieving sets of bibliographic records that represent works authored by a single individual. The results show that a key of the form 4,3,1 retrieved one personal author name 98% of the time. A key of the same form retrieved one corporate author name 82% of the time. A stop‐list is necessary to eliminate certain troublesome words in corporate names.
Input‐output relationships in on‐line bibliographic searching
Authors: Cooper Michael D.
Published: June 2007

A methodology is proposed to aid in system design and evaluation of on‐line bibliographic search systems. It uses multiple linear regression analysis to ascertain if there is a relationship between measures of search out‐put (such as cost‐effectiveness and cost) and input (such as the characteristics of the search‐number of descriptors used, number of Boolean operators, charateristics of the requestor, and characteristics of the searcher). Four measures of cost‐effectiveness and cost alone are pre‐sented and their values are calculated using empirical data from the DIALOG system for a sample of searches. From the sample data it is concluded that the cost‐effectiveness measures are not sensitive to input‐variable changes. In contrast, there is a good statistical relation between the cost of an on‐line search and the value of the input variables.
A very early warning system for the rapid identification and transfer of new technology
Authors: Julius Marc , Berkoff Charles E. , Strack Alvin E. , Krasovec Frank , Bender A. Douglas
Published: June 2007

The article describes the structure and mechanism of a Very Early Warning System (VEWS) which was devel‐oped as a tool for the early recognition and transfer of new technology, affecting both present and future R&D activities in the pharmaceutical sector. The VEWS de‐scribed is concerned with the collection, interpretation, analysis, and exploitation of new data from the world‐wide scientific and patent literature, scientific meetings, government reports, and personal communications. Sys‐tems activities are grouped into four phases: data acquisition, data expansion, critical analysis, and data exploitation. Iterative processing of an expanding com‐puterized data base is a key feature of the system.
The roles of reviews in information transfer
Authors: Woodward Anthony M.
Published: June 2007

Following a general discussion of reviews and of the problems of identification and definition, the literature on user studies, both of reviews and scientific literature in general, is briefly and selectively surveyed. Given the apparent usefulness of reviews and their high cost of production, there has been surprisingly little research into the uses made of reviews. A theoretical framework for future research in this area is proposed. Reviews appear to fulfill two interlocking roles: that of forming an integral part of the development of science (historical functions) and that of supplying individual workers with information about the current development of science and its literature (contemporary functions).
Networks for on‐line data base access
Authors: Williams Martha E.
Published: June 2007

This tutorial paper discusses network sharing of resources‐hardware, software, communication, and data bases‐and reasons for using networks for on‐line data base searching. Uses of on‐line systems include retrospective searching, quick questions, current awareness, search strategy development, training, and bibliometric studies. The requirements for on‐line searching in terms of equipment, personnel, and development of search strategy are discussed as are the costs and advantages associated with such services.
A measure of class concentration in bibliometrics
Authors: Pratt Allan D.
Published: June 2007

An index of concentration for rank‐frequency distributions is proposed which permits comparison of subject and journal concentration in various fields. A mathematical model of random dispersion (the Whit‐worth distribution) of articles is suggested. Applications of the measure to several different aspects of bibliometrics are suggested. The measure holds some promise of providing a common measure by which to compare the large number of specific usage and citation studies already completed, and providing a point of departure for new ones.
Journal evaluation in a large research library
Authors: Wenger Charles B. , Childress Judith
Published: June 2007

A six‐month journal evaluation study was conducted at the two NOAA libraries in Boulder, Colorado, from 28 October 1975 to 28 April 1976 to assist in subscription renewal activities, enhancement of collection relevance, and determination of efficient methodology.

Data were collected from a use study, circulation and interlibrary loan statistics, a core list, local availability, questionnaire returns, subscription costs, and librarian and patron input.

Results showed that (1) monitoring use for three months pulled 84% of the low‐use titles obtained in the six‐month study indicating that a three‐month study is sufficient; (2) considering the lower 31% of the collection in terms of six‐month useage, the same titles were pulled 92% of the time when using raw use versus use density data, indicating that use density data need not be obtained for determination of low value titles; (3) when two or more scientists (about 0.8% of scientists responding to a questionnaire) recommended a title, it appeared as a low‐use (two or fewer uses) title 5.5% of the time (13.7% of the time for one or more scientists) thus indicating the significance of scientists' recommendations; (4) a balance index for determination of collection balance was derived.
An economic rationale for page and submission charges by academic journals
Authors: Braunstein Yale M.
Published: June 2007

Journal publishing is generally characterized by economies of scale. This results in the impossibility of marginal cost pricing to enable to publisher to recover costs or make a profit. If one views the publishing process as the production of multiple outputs and assigns prices to each, it is possible to increase social welfare.
Growth dynamics of information search services
Authors: Lindquist Mats G.
Published: June 2007

Computer‐based information search services (ISSs) of the type that provide on‐line literature searches are analyzed from a system's viewpoint using a continuous simulation model. The analysis reveals that the observed growth and stagnation of a typical ISS can be explained as a natural consequence of market responses to the service together with a business orientation on part of the funder. The study also gives an analysis of managerial decision making for an ISS.
Publication ratings versus peer ratings of universities
Authors: Anderson Richard C. , Narin Francis , McAllister Paul
Published: June 2007

This paper presents a quantitative comparison of peer versus bibliometric procedures for rating the quality of U.S. universities. The peer ratings used are the Roose‐Andersen rating of the quality of graduate faculty in 10 scientific fields. The bibliometric ratings used are (1) the number of university papers in each field; (2) the average “quality” of the papers based on their citation rates, expressed as influence per paper in each field; and (3) total influence, the product of number of papers and influence per paper. The bibliometric ratings are based on 127,000 university papers, from 450 journals in 10 fields for 1965 to 1973. Roose‐Andersen ranks and scores are found to correlate most highly with the total influence of the university's papers, followed closely by correlations with the total number of papers, and much less closely with the average influence per paper. A partial correlation and regression analysis indicate that the Roose‐Andersen scores have two additive components: bibliometric size and bibliometric quality. Further analysis explores the extent to which a university's prestige in one department correlates with the assessment of other departments within that university, and the extent to which the university's overall bibliometric size correlates with the assessment of departments within that university. It is shown that the ratings of departments within a university are not independent, and that these dependencies are associated with the bibliometric size of the university. University ranks and scores in different fields are shown to be much more highly correlated when based on peer assessment than when based on bibliometric measures.
Using the collection‐control model
Authors: Sinha Bani K. , Clelland Richard C.
Published: June 2007

In replying to A. Sandison's comments [1] we must note that any model is to some degree a simplification of the real world. Through modeling, alternative approaches and solutions to problems can be studied without jeopardizing the operation of the real system. Time frames can be shortened, unimportant variables can be dropped, and boundary conditions can be determined.
When is a changed state not a changed state? When a theory of mechanics persists in the face of a theory of relativity
Authors: Baratz Stephen S.
Published: June 2007

A theoretical inconsistency in Whitehead's discussion of the effects of misinformation on knowledge is discussed. A suggestion for resolving this inconsistency is offered by means of reference to ethnomethodological concepts developed in work done to reconcile differences between Black and Standard English linguistic systems.
Relation of title length to number of authors in journal articles
Authors: Kuch T. D. C.
Published: June 2007

The number of authors of papers in four scientific journals is positively correlated with the number of significant words in the titles of the same papers. A fifth journal showed no correlation. Implications for information retrieval are explored and tentative explanations are offered.
Highly cited old papers and the reasons why they continue to be cited
Authors: Oppenheim Charles , Renn Susan P.
Published: June 2007

This article describes a study to ascertain the reasons why certain old papers are still highly cited many years after their publication. Twenty‐three old papers in the subject fields of physics and physical chemistry which are still highly cited were selected, and 978 of the papers that cited them in the period 1974–1975 were studied. A new typology of reasons for citing the papers was devised, and using this typology, it was found that about 40% of the citations were for historical reasons, but that in the remaining 60% of the cases, the old paper is still begin actively used. We discuss some discrepancies between our citation figures and citation figures quoted by Garfield. We also discuss a number of errors which were found, both in citing articles and in Science Citation Index. Finally, calculations indicate that there is a rule that each cited paper is referred to, on average, 1.05‐1.15 times in every paper that cites it, and that this rule has general validity.
Evidence of OCLC's potential for special libraries and technical information centers
Authors: Davis Charles H. , Dingle‐Cliff Susan
Published: June 2007

Searches of the OCLC data base revealed that 65% of a Canadian special library's recent acquisitions had already been cataloged. This “find rate” compares favorably with statistics available from similar libraries in the United States, and suggests that technical information centers and special libraries throughout North America could benefit considerably from OCLC participation.
Building better SDI profiles for users of large, multidisciplinary data bases
Authors: Sprague Robert J. , Freudenreich L. Ben
Published: June 2007

An investigation was conducted for the purpose of improving the performance of SDI profiles in a large and complex data base that contains over a million references to the scientific and technical literature and one that uses full‐text indexing for retrieval purposes. Extensive use was made of the on‐line retrospective retrieval system to investigate how the retrieval logic and a certain number of the explicitly indexed terms could be used to make retrieval more effective. The items examined included COSATI subject codes; Universal Decimal Classification codes; patent classification codes; journal titles; synonyms; homographs; abbreviations; compound words; spelling variations, including British spellings, commonly misspelled words, and legitimate spelling variants; British terminology; foreign language words; and truncation. The number of relevant documents recalled by using this technique often can be greatly increased.
Assessing the benefits and promise of an international information program (AGRIS)
Authors: Lancaster F. W. , Martyn John
Published: June 2007

An international study team was appointed by UNESCO to undertake an assessment of the impact of the AGRIS program on the worldwide dissemination and availability of agricultural information. The methods used in the assessment are described and the findings and recommendations of the study team are presented.
A comparison of the readability of synopses and original articles for engineering synopses
Authors: Mayes Paul B.
Published: June 2007

Twenty synopses from Engineering Synopses and their corresponding original articles were compared for ease of reading using one of Coleman's readability formulas. The synopses were found to be significantly more difficult to read at the 2% level.
Similarity of Pratt's measure of class concentration to the Gini index
Authors: Carpenter Mark P.
Published: June 2007

Pratt's measure of concentration is shown to be nearly identical to an already established measure of concentration, the Gini index. Pratt's measure is shown to be an improvement over the Gini index.
On‐line serials collection analysis
Authors: Koenig Michael E. D.
Published: June 2007

A design for an on‐line serials decision‐making and collection analysis system is proposed. It is composed of four basic components: citation data, conventional serial records data, utility/cost ratio compilation and journal ranking techniques, and user interface software. The system would have the ability to respond specifically to user interest profiles and to integrate locally generated data. It is postulated that such a system is capable of satisfactorily resolving the major criticisms of the use of citation data for selection purposes: that libraries are diverse in their interests and that no aggregate list can be more than generally relevant; that the inclusion of cost data is essential and that citation ranking without regard to cost can be misleading; and that other relevant data should be considered as well.
Tutorial: Mathematical modeling of library systems
Authors: Rouse William B.
Published: June 2007

The purpose of mathematical models is discussed and the phases of the modeling process are reviewed. These phases include: defining performance, representing the problem, predicting performance, estimating parameters, defining an optimization criterion, determining the optimal solution, and implementing the results. A selected review of models applied to library problems is presented. Models for book use, resource allocation, and library networks are considered.
The role of a linking agent in an information center network
Authors: Long Susan , Rawnsley David
Published: June 2007

The San Mateo Educational Resources Center (SMERC) is an educational information service which processes 24,000 search requests per year, combing in‐depth literature reviews and direct document orders. SMERC is unique in that it not only provides bibliographic information but also includes key documents in its search package enabling its clientele to obtain information, not just references, in a single step. SMERC is a division of the San Mateo County Office of Education. It is supported entirely by the County Schools Office and income from contracts with other educational agencies. At present, SMERC has contracts to provide search services for 25 counties in California, 8 State Departments of Education, and several special contracts with colleges and professional organizations. In order to serve effectively this widespread clientele, SMERC has established a system of linking agents. These linking agents have responsibility for receiving, negotiating, and transmitting search statements to SMERC and for marketing the service. Each contracting agency appoints a linking agent from its staff, SMERC provides the training. Because the contracting agency rather than SMERC assigns its personnel to the linking agent position, those serving in this position have disparate backgrounds, experiences, and organizational settings, as described in this article. The findings of this study indicate that knowledge of the content field of the information service and familarity with the clientele may be more important for linking agents than a specialized background in library science or an advanced degree.
Towards everyday language information retrieval systems via minicomputers
Authors: Bell Colin , Jones Kevin P.
Published: June 2007

Minicomputer‐operated information retrieval (IR) systems are capable of employing relatively advanced methods, some of which are comparable with those employed in main‐frame systems. Many of these systems operate on dedicated machines and can therefore provide very rapid access to information, while remaining under the direct control of an information department. One system has now given over three years of satisfactory operation: this is MORPHS‐Minicomputer Operated Retrieval (Partially Heuristic) System. This system incorporates a number of linguistic features including the ability to find roots of words through affix stripping. Synonyms and compound words can also be handled and several search strategies (including SDI) are available. The latter have been developed considerably since the inception of the system. Consideration is given to the automation of the indexing process which is currently restricted to material for SDI.
The ICSU AB International classification system for physics: Its history and future
Authors: Berthelot A. , Clague Peter , Schiminovich Samuel , Zwirner Wolfgang
Published: June 2007

An account is given of the process by which the International Classification System for Physics was developed and finally adopted by four major services that abstract and index the world's physics literature. Details are given of the relevant historical background and of the collaborative procedures followed in achieving consensus in this international project, unique in its scale. This effort was pursued under the aegis of the International Council of Scientific Unions and involved four services and other physics organizations. Some technical points are discussed that bear on the problems of constructing classification systems that fulfill a variety of needs and express a compromise between similar preexisting structures. Aspects of the experience of collaboration, which may be of use to similar enterprises, and some implications for the future of processing of scientific information on an international scale, are briefly reviewed.
Using boolean queries with a clustered file organization
Authors: Croft W. Bruce
Published: June 2007

Various ways of using Boolean queries with a clustered file organization are described. An experiment indicates that such retrieval methods can be effective.
The logics and boundary concepts of information acquisition
Authors: Ozog Stanley
Published: June 2007

Based on the concept of a set of mutually exclusive alternatives, the process of acquisition of knowledge is explained as a change from logical sum to logical product proposition. It is shown further that the definitions of the concept of information and ignorance can be derived from the basic concept of the mutually exclusive set and the definition of information acquisition. It is then demonstrated that other concepts essential in information theory can be defined and explained on the basis of the theory of information acquisition as presented in this article in a consistent way. It is further demonstrated that any nonmutually exclusive set can be converted to a mutually exclusive one, therefore a set of mutually exclusive alternatives represents a boundary concept that can form a foundation for information theory. The concept of a priori knowledge can be explained as a concept of a one‐alternative set and by that it forms another boundary where acquisition of information is no longer necessary. This way there are two boundary concepts in information theory and other concepts are then defined from them. They include the definition of the concept of problem and the concept of so‐called general statements, the role and function of prior knowledge and deductive reasoning in design of mutually exclusive sets, the function of our senses, their substitutes, and the concept of so‐called sixth sense as their boundary concept. Finally the concepts of the amount of information and ignorance and their measures are presented.
Information system design methodology
Authors: Wasserman Anthony I.
Published: June 2007

There is a great need for a systematic approach to the specification, design, and development of information systems. This article describes the motivating reasons for such an approach and surveys some of the techniques that have been developed to assist the software specification and design activity. A methodology is seen as a combination of tools and techniques employed within an organizational and managerial framework that can be consistently applied to successive information system development projects. The ways that information system development organizations can create and use such methodologies are emphasized.
Education and training for computer‐based reference services: Review of training efforts to date
Authors: Bourne Charles P. , Robinson Jo
Published: June 2007

This article raises several questions regarding training for computer‐based reference services, including who is to be trained and who is responsible for training. It discusses these issues and then provides a summary of the training provided to date by search service suppliers, database suppliers, library schools and extension programs, library cooperatives, and professional organizations. The available training materials are also discussed. Some projections are made of likely future activities.
The half‐life of the chemical literature
Authors: Brown Pauline
Published: June 2007

The average citation per article in chemistry by age of citation is related to the Poisson frequency distribution. This provides a formula for calculation of a half‐life for chemistry which depends on the structure of the research front exhibited in the literature.
Retrieval behavior of derived truncated search keys for a large on‐line bibliographic file
Authors: Rastogi Kunj B.
Published: June 2007

Two models of retrieval behavior of name/title‐derived search keys in a large on‐line library network system were studied. The results predicted by the two models were compared with results obtained from actual retrieval behavior of keys entered by users of the system. The findings of the study form the basis of recommendations to improve overall efficiency of the on‐line system for its users.
On‐line systems of disciplines and specialty areas in science and technology
Authors: Regazzi John J. , Bennion Bruce , Roberts Susan
Published: June 2007

Over 130 on‐line bibliographic data bases in science and technology, available through common vendors as of December 1979, are identified and reviewed. These have been classified as (1) discipline‐wide, transdisciplinary, or multidisciplinary and (2) specialty or problem‐oriented. Selected data bases of both types are discussed, including areas covered and functions served.
On‐line systems in the communication process: Projections
Authors: Lancaster F. W. , Smith Linda C.
Published: June 2007

The current place of on‐line systems within the communication process in science and technology is defined. On‐line systems can be termed “value‐added information sources,” as illustrated by examples of available bibliographic data bases, numeric data banks, and referral data bases. Limitations of existing patterns of data base production and distribution are described, and the management considerations in operating on‐line search services in libraries are outlined, including financing, facilities, staffing, service promotion, document delivery, and evaluation. The role of library schools in preparing searchers of on‐line systems is also reviewed. A number of future developments in on‐line systems are predicted based on available technological forecasts. The ways in which professionals can be expected to use future on‐line systems are described, highlighting important differences from the present information‐seeking environment. The article concludes with an assessment of the roles of libraries and of information specialists in the world of electronic publication, suggesting that while the library as an institution may decline in importance, the information specialist of the future is likely to provide information support services much richer and more varied than those offered by the librarian of today.