cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Audit Firm Reputation and Client Stock Price Reactions: Evidence from the Enron Experience

The financial scandal surrounding the collapse of Enron Corporation caused an erosion in the reputation of its auditor, Andersen. We study the effect of this reputational loss on the stock price of its clients by examining the abnormal returns for a portfolio of 662 Andersen's clients over three windows. For two windows, both following damaging disclosures about Andersen we find, consistent with Chaney and Philipich (2002), that Andersen's clients suffered significant value losses. Further, we find the magnitude of these returns are associated with variables proxying for firms' demand for assurance, insurance and specialized services offered by the auditor. A third window follows the day that Enron suffered its greatest percentage loss in market value, but we find Andersen clients did not suffer value losses during this window. Combined, the results suggest the losses suffered by Andersen's other clients were linked specifically to disclosures relating to Andersen rather than to negative information surrounding Enron. We also investigate spillover effects by examining the abnormal returns of clients of the other Big 5 auditors. We find that, with the exception of Deloitte & Touche, clients of the other Big 5 auditors experienced share price declines during one or both windows following negative disclosures about Andersen. However, the magnitude of these returns seem less related to assurance and insurance factors than those of Andersen clients. Finally, we examine whether some of the losses suffered by Andersen clients were subsequently recovered when the clients changed auditors, by comparing the market reaction to announcements of auditor change by Andersen clients and non Andersen clients over a four month period. If investors view the switch by the Andersen clients as restoring the assurance and insurance value of the audit, we would expect a positive market reaction to these announcements. Our results are consistent with this hypothesis: firms switching away from Andersen experienced positive cumulative abnormal returns during a three-day window following the date of announcement of auditor change. In contrast the abnormal return over the same three-day window for non Andersen switchers was insignificant. In addition, the magnitude of the response is positively associated with the extent of losses suffered by these clients previously during windows of negative disclosures about Andersen.
Logical Depth And Other Algorithmically Defined Properties Of Finite Objects

The input/output relation of a universal computer, which by Church’s thesis provides a microcosm of all deductive logic and all physical processes that might be described by such logic, can be used to define intrinsic properties of digitally represented physical objects. An object’s intrinsic information content or arbitrariness may identified with its algorithimic entropy, the negative logarithm of the object’s probability of being produced as the output of a computation with random input. An object’s intrinsic causal nontriviality or logical depth may be identified with number of steps in a typical one of the computation p aths leading to the object. A lthough not effectively computable or efficiently approximable in practice, these properties are asymptotically roughly machine independent (and thus intrinsic), owing to the ability of any two eficiently universal computers to simulate one another at the cost of an additive increase in program size and a polynomial expansion of execution time.
Mechanistic details of energy transfer and soft landing in ala2-H+ collisions with a F-SAM surface

Previous chemical dynamics simulations (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2014, 16, 23769–23778) were analyzed to delineate atomistic details for collision of N-protonated dialanine (ala2-H+) with a C8 perfluorinated self-assembled monolayer (F-SAM) surface. Initial collision energies Ei of 5–70 eV and incident angles θi of 0° and 45°, with the surface normal, were considered. Four trajectory types were identified: (1) direct scattering; (2) temporary sticking/physisorption on top of the surface; (3) temporary penetration of the surface with additional physisorption on the surface; and (4) trapping on/in the surface, by physisorption or surface penetration, when the trajectory is terminated. Direct scattering increases from 12 to 100% as Ei is increased from 5 to 70 eV. For the direct scattering at 70 eV, at least one ala2-H+ heavy atom penetrated the surface for all of the trajectories. For ∼33% of the trajectories all eleven of the ala2-H+ heavy atoms penetrated the F-SAM at the time of deepest penetration. The importance of trapping decreased with increase in Ei, decreasing from 84 to 0% with Ei increase from 5 to 70 eV at θi = 0°. Somewhat surprisingly, the collisional energy transfers to the F-SAM surface and ala2-H+ are overall insensitive to the trajectory type. The energy transfer to ala2-H+ is primarily to vibration, with the transfer to rotation ∼10% or less. Adsorption and then trapping of ala2-H+ is primarily a multi-step process, and the following five trapping mechanisms were identified: (i) physisorption–penetration–physisorption (phys–pen–phys); (ii) penetration–physisorption–penetration (pen–phys–pen); (iii) penetration–physisorption (pen–phys); (iv) physisorption–penetration (phys–pen); and (v) only physisorption (phys). For Ei = 5 eV, the pen–phys–pen, pen–phys, phys–pen, and phys trapping mechanisms have similar probabilities. For 13.5 eV, the phys–pen mechanism, important at 5 eV, is unimportant. The radius of gyration of ala2-H+ was calculated once it is trapped on/in the F-SAM surface and trapping decreases the ion's compactness, in part by breaking hydrogen bonds. The ala2-H+ + F-SAM simulations are compared with the penetration and trapping dynamics found in previous simulations of projectile + organic surface collisions.
Parental and Mating Effort: Is There Necessarily a Trade‐Off?

One of the common assumptions in the study of the evolution of parental care is that trade-offs exist between parental investment and other fitness-related traits. In general, this body of work follows the traditional definition that parental investment (in the current offspring) decreases that individual’s ability to invest in future reproduction (Trivers 1972). However, examination of the empirical evidence shows that assuming a trade-off between parental and mating effort is not always appropriate. This overemphasis on a trade-off between mating and parental effort has arisen in part because of an oversimplification of female reproductive strategies, a failure to consider interactions between the sexes, and a tendency to consider behaviours as unifunctional, thereby ignoring the more complex relationship between mating and parental effort in many species. Here, we first examine the empirical evidence for trade-offs between mating and parental effort in males and females to ask when trade-offs occur and what pattern they take. By highlighting a number of exemplar species, we then explore how the presence or absence of trade-offs relates to mate choice and sexual selection in both sexes. Finally, we highlight the importance of considering individual variation, which has been particularly overlooked in examinations of female investment, and how preferences in one sex may influence the existence and our interpretation of apparent trade-offs in the other sex.
Islam and Islamic Extremism: An Existential Analysis:

Islam, like all religions, offers solutions to existential anxieties. This article provides a timely analysis of Islamic mainstream and extremist doctrinal and ritualistic structures through an existential lens to gain an understanding of the psychological underpinnings of Islamic extremism. It is shown that Islam offers an interlocking tradeoff among the ultimate concerns of meaning, freedom, and death in addition to individual solutions for each. It is argued that this container for holding existential anxiety is under assault by modernization and that the resultant psychic pressure is at the core of the psychology of Islamic extremist organizations. The work of Tillich, Yalom, May, and others provides the existential lens through which Islamic doctrines and practices, both mainstream and extremist, are examined.
Two-state dynamics of single biomolecules in solution

Abstract Recent fluorescence decay experiments on an ensemble of chromophores, each tethered to a large DNA molecule, show a biexponential relaxation in time. Experiments on individual molecules also show biexponential relaxation, but with a wide distribution of the relative weights of the two components. This indicates that on the time scale of the single-molecule experiments, the molecules are jumping between two possible states. We show that a stochastic two-state jump model can provide a quantitative description of these experiments. Recent similar experiments on single tRNA molecules are also analyzed with the model.
General counting formulae for factorized time correlation diagram analysis

Abstract In an effort to contribute to the goal of generalizing the mathematical technique of factorized time correlation (FTC) diagram analysis, counting formulae are derived under very general conditions. Counting formulae for the total number and number of unique FTC diagrams are obtained. Then formulae for several special cases are presented.
EXPRESSION PROFILES OF ANDROGEN INDEPENDENT BONE METASTATIC PROSTATE CANCER CELLS INDICATE UP-REGULATION OF THE PUTATIVE SERINE-THREONINE KINASE GS3955

ABSTRACT Purpose: We established gene expression profiles by gene array analysis in the LNCaP model of human prostate cancer progression and evaluated genes differentially expressed in the androgen independent and bone metastatic C4-2 cell line compared to the androgen dependent and nonmetastatic parental LNCaP cell line. Materials and Methods: Gene expression profiles were generated using Atlas cDNA arrays (Clontech, Palo Alto, California), comprising 1,176 genes. Intrinsic expression of the novel serine/threonine kinase GS3955 in LNCaP, C4-2 and PC-3 prostate cancer cells, and expression when stimulated with growth factors, was monitored by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, expression in human tumor specimens was evaluated. Cellular localization of GS3955 protein was analyzed by expressing it as a fusion with green fluorescent protein. Results: Comparable numbers of genes were up-regulated and down-regulated in C4-2 compared to LNCaP. The novel serine/threonine kinase GS3955 was markedly up-regulated (greater than 40-fold) in C4-2, differentially regulated in LNCaP and C4-2 by insulin-like growth factor-1, and variably expressed in human prostate tumor specimens. Moreover, GS3955 was shown to localize in the cell cytoplasm and nucleus. Conclusions: Differential expression and mitogenic regulation of the serine/threonine kinase GS3955 in LNCaP and C4-2 suggest its functional involvement in the development of androgen independence and/or metastatic potential. GS3955 is also expressed in human prostate cancer specimens and further analysis may provide insights into the biology of prostate cancer progression.
A rose by any other name: The vitality of group communication research

Small group communication research has been criticized repeatedly for its narrow focus on decision making, over‐reliance on experimental research designs, and failure to examine real‐life groups. It is our contention that these criticisms are the result of confusion as to what constitutes group communication inquiry. Research that examines the dynamics of small groups label the groups alternatively as “networks, “ “teams, “ “committees, “ “quality circles, “ “families, “ “collectives, “ “juries, “ and so forth. To assess the vitality of the field, scholars must look at the wide spectrum of research being conducted on group communication processes, regardless of the umbrella under which it is conducted and published. An expeditious review of the literature under some of the alternative labels demonstrates the richness, breadth, theoretical diversity, and methodological pluralism of the study of groups in various social contexts.
Benign metastases from thyroid malignancies.

Abstract Two patients harbouring cervical lymphnode metastases from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid have remained free of symptoms after treatment with suppressive doses of thyroid hormone for 25 and 34 years, respectively. There is evidence that these local metastases are relatively innocuous and may even exert a protective effect in the course of this low-grade malignancy. It is suggested that curently accepted modes of treatment may be unnecessarily invasive and should be reassessed.
A Newton's method scheme for solving free-surface flow problems

A Newton's method scheme is described for solving the system of non-linear algebraic equations arising when finite difference approximations are applied to the Navier–Stokes equations and their associated boundary conditions. The problem studied here is the steady, buoyancy-driven motion of a deformable bubble, assumed to consist of an inviscid, incompressible gas. The linear Newton system is solved using both direct and iterative equation solvers. The numerical results are in excellent agreement with previous work, and the method achieves quadratic convergence.
Therapeutic Approach to Candida Sepsis.

Serious infections due to Candid species are an emerging nosocomial problem. Therapy for culture-proven candidemia in nonneutropenic patients has been studied extensively, and these studies suggest that fluconazole and conventional amphotericin B are equivalent treatments under most circumstances. Empiric antifungal therapy for the seriously ill, febrile, nonneutropenic intensive care unit patient has been less well studied, but an understanding of the important risk factors for invasive candidiasis can help guide rational therapeutic choices. The important role of empiric antifungal therapy in the persistently febrile neutropenic host has been well established. The role of the lipid formulations of amphotericin B in the treatment of candidiasis remains unclear, but these compounds should be considered in any patient requiring amphotericin B with significant renal dysfunction. The trend towards nonalbicans Candida species as a cause of invasive candidiasis, together with an improved understanding of antifungal susceptibility data, should help clinicians and investigators devise new and better approaches to the treatment of this important nosocomial infection.
Psychiatric diagnoses in inner city outpatients with moderate to severe asthma.

Objective:Psychiatric symptoms may be associated with increased asthma morbidity and mortality. However, no investigations have identified syndromal psychiatric diagnoses in asthma patients using current diagnostic criteria or examined treatment received for mental illness.Method:We conducted structured clinical interviews on 32 patients with moderate to severe asthma to identify current and past psychiatric illness.Results:Twenty-five percent of subjects had current major depressive disorder, but only 25 percent of these received antidepressants. Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder (16 percent), and social (13 percent) and specific phobias (28 percent) were also common. All subjects with panic disorder were receiving appropriate therapy.Conclusions:Asthma patients with moderate to severe asthma treated at community health facilities may have high rates of often untreated mood and anxiety disorders. Interventions aimed at identifying and treating psychiatric disorders in this population are needed.
N-halamine copolymers for biocidal coatings

Abstract A vinyl N-halamine acrylamide monomer was copolymerized with silane-, epoxide-, and hydroxyl group-containing monomers. The resultant copolymers were coated onto cotton fabric through hydrolysis of alkoxy groups with formation of silyl ether bonding, opening of the epoxide ring and subsequent reaction with hydroxyl groups on cellulose, and by crosslinking between the hydroxyl groups on the copolymer and on cellulose, respectively. The coatings were rendered biocidal upon exposure to dilute household bleach solution. All of the coatings provided complete inactivation of about six log of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli O157:H7 within minutes of contact time. The effects of the aforementioned tethering groups on wash fastness and ultraviolet light exposure were also studied.
Preliminary investigation of the tribological characteristics of composite coatings sliding against ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

Abstract The performance of several composite coatings sliding against ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene was evaluated in 3 h screening tests. The most promising coatings were then selected to run in 48 h wear tests, both dry and in the presence of distilled water. Composite coatings containing particles of Al 2 O 3 and Cu and of 18-8 stainless steel and Al 2 O 3 in epoxy matrices exhibited thermal, frictional and surface wear characteristics similar to those seen when 316 stainless steel was run against ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.
Dynamics of the re-entrant spinglass crossover in NiMn films probed via resistance fluctuations and ac magnetoresistance

Abstract The crossover between the ferromagnetic regime and the re-entrant ferro-spinglass regime in Ni Mn is investigated by electrical noise and ac magnetoresistance in small, thin-film samples. The dependences of the noise and magnetoresistance on magnetic field indicate that the entities whose dynamics freeze out in this crossover are not individual spins but instead small clusters, at least in the thin-film material with partial short-range atomic order. These spin clusters have a significant component of magnetization transverse to the moments of the domains in which they reside. The substantial frequency dependence of the crossover temperature indicates that the crossover is a kinetic blocking, not a highly cooperative process.
Early-treated phenylketonuria: Neuropsychologicconsequences

Twenty-seven children with phenylketonuria who had undergone dietary restriction of phenylalaninesince infancy were administered a battery of neuropsychologic tests in childhood. Children without PKU were also assessed. Discriminant function analysis of the neuropsychologic measures resulted in correct diagnostic classification for 94% of the total sample. Measured intelligence, school achievement, concept formation, and tactile-motor problem solving were the most powerful discriminators. In general, motor speed and coordination were not significantly different in patients compared with nonpatients. Serum phenylalanine concentration on the day of neuropsychologic testing was negatively correlated with performance. Correlation coefficients between infant serum phenylalanine concentrations and later neuropsychologic performance did not reach statistical significance. We suggest that concurrent serum phenylalanine concentrations affect neuropsychologic performance and that therefore the practice of terminating dietary restriction requires further scrutiny.
A kinetic model for the oxidative coupling of methane over Li+/MgO catalysts

Abstract A purely homogeneous reaction model has been developed which is in agreement with the conversions observed during the partial oxidation of methane. This model has been extended to the oxidative coupling of methane which includes both heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions over a Li+/MgO catalyst at 700°C. The model adequately describes the kinetic effects with respect to methane and oxygen partial pressures. Except for the coupling of methyl radicals, which occurs in the gas phase, surface reactions are responsible for most of the methane conversion. Gas phase reactions enhance the formation of CO 2 , thereby limiting the C 2 yield. A limitation of ca. 20% in C 2 yield at 700°C is largely a result of the homogeneous oxidation of C 2 H 4 and C 2 H 6 .
An attempt at production of autoimmunity to tissue of the gastrointestinal tract.

Summary and ConclusionsImmunization of rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and mice with antigen in Freund's adjuvant prepared from homologous stomach, small intestine and colon was not found to be pathogenic to the animals as to production of gastrointestinal disease.Supported in part by Grant No. CY-4009 (Med.) of the United States Public Health Service.
Antibody Imaging in Breast Cancer

Radiolabeled antibodies have been studied by several investigators for their ability to detect and stage breast cancers. Studies with Technetium- 99m labeled anti-CEA monoclonal antibodies, lodine-123, Indium-111 labeled anti-mucin antibodies such as HFMG, B72.3, anti-TF and lodine-125 labeled B72-3 have demonstrated the ability of radioimmunoscintigraphy in detecting over 80% of breast cancer lesions, but lower sensitivity and specificity for accurate staging of the axillae. Non-specific localization of radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies in tumor negative nodes even following lymphoscintigraphy appear to be the major factor limiting the widespread clinical application of radioim-munoscintigraphy in staging newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Preliminary studies with Tc- 99m labeled CEA-Scan appear to indicate a useful role of this agent in distinguishing between benign and malignant breast lesions in patients with indeterminate mammographic findings.
Influence of Long-Term Loads on Concrete Column Strength

Two long-term loads concrete stress/strain models are introduced. One model, the typical long-term model, uses modified parabolic and linear equations to include creep and shrinkage effects. The other, a realistic long-term model, incorporates a realistic load path for concrete in compression as well as creep and shrinkage phenomena. The proposed models were used to study the influence of their constituents on the ultimate strength of reinforced concrete-column cross sections under long-term loading. An analytic procedure was used to generate the strength-interaction relationships of the column cross sections. A series of calculations was performed for 2 selected column cross sections, and the short- and long-term results are compared. The short-term model strengths computed using the same procedure compare well to the strengths computed according to ACI 318. Small differences are discernible between the strengths obtained using the typical long-term model and the short-term model at low reinforcement ratios. The differences increase at large reinforcement ratios. A noticeable reduction in strength can be observed above the balance point when using the realistic long-term model.
Expression patterns of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor subunit mRNAs in primary cultures of granule neurons and astrocytes from neonatal rat cerebella.

Abstract Using a competitive polymerase chain reaction assay, we have quantitated the absolute amounts of mRNA encoding 14 distinct subunits of the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons and cerebellar astrocytes. We found that the total amount of GABAA receptor subunit mRNA in astrocytes was 2 orders of magnitude lower than in neuronal cells. Furthermore, granule cell cultures expressed all 14 different GABAA subunit mRNAs, while the astroglial cultures contained detectable amounts of all the subunits expressed by granule cells except the alpha 6 and the gamma 2L subunits. Of the alpha subunit family members, the alpha 1, alpha 5, and alpha 6 mRNAs were prominent in granule cells, while the alpha 1 and alpha 2 mRNAs were abundant in astrocytes. Of the beta receptor subunit mRNAs, the beta 1 and beta 3 mRNAs were abundantly expressed in both cultures. The gamma 2S and gamma 2L mRNAs constituted the great majority of gamma subunit mRNAs in neurons, while the gamma 1 subunit mRNA was the most abundant gamma subunit mRNA in astrocytes. When various allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors were tested electrophysiologically, methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline- 3-carboxylate (DMCM) was the only one to modulate chloride currents elicited by GABA in a significantly different manner in granule cells (negative modulation) compared with astrocytes (positive modulation). The latter effect was previously observed in transiently expressed recombinant GABAA receptors containing a gamma 1 instead of a gamma 2 subunit. Our quantitative mRNA results suggest that an important molecular determinant responsible for the DMCM-positive modulatory effect on astroglial native GABAA receptors is the presence of the gamma 1 subunit in the receptor assembly.
The mechanism of arrhythmias during insulin-induced hypoglycemia.

Abstract A standard insulin tolerance test was carried out on a fully treated hypothyroid patient. About 30 minutes after the injection of insulin the patient developed multiple ventricular extrasystoles, which were controlled within 4 minutes of an intravenous injection of glucose. Blood sugar, serum potassium, and the urinary excretion of catecholamines were measured during the control period and for 2 hours after the injection of insulin. From this evidence, it is suggested that the commonly occurring arrhythmias of insulin-induced hypoglycemia may be caused by the action of epinephrine on a heart which is abnormally sensitive as a result of the hypokalemia which normally accompanies hypoglycemia. The intravenous injection of glucose may correct the arrhythmia by causing an abrupt fall in the adrenal secretion of epinephrine.
Profiles of Educational Quality in First Grade

Abstract In the present study, we present analyzed profiles of observed classroom experiences in terms of emotional and instructional dimensions of quality. Over 800 first-grade classrooms across the United States were included, selected by virtue of having a student participating in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development enrolled in the classroom. Our aim was to present a typology of first grades. We examined correlates of classroom profiles in terms of teacher (years of experience, education, and beliefs), child (gender, ethnicity, family socioeconomic status, maternal education, and preschool achievement), and school (public vs. private, class size, presence of teachers' assistants) characteristics. Data were collected via teacher and parent questionnaires, classroom observations conducted by trained data collectors using the Classroom Observation System for First Grade, and individually administered child assessments (Woodcock Joh...
Characterization of a 3 cm Kaufman ion source with nitrogen feed gas

Abstract A commercial high current dual grid optics 3 cm ion source (normally used in argon etching systems) was purchased for use in a nitrogen ion beam assisted, electron beam evaporation (IAD) system. Control of the concentration of the reactive ions in the growing film required characterization of the source for nitrogen. The inter-relationships of beam current, beam spatial profile measurements, chamber pressure, accelerator voltage, beam voltage (500, 1000 and 1500 V), discharge voltage, and filament current are reported. The ratio of atomic to molecular ion content ( N + N + 2 ) was also investigated under some of these conditions.
Microstructure, crystallography, and shape memory effect in equiatomic NbRu

Abstract The microstructure and crystallography of equiatomic NbRu were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction. This alloy exhibits a highly twinned microstructure identical to that in the similar TaRu system. Electron diffraction demonstrates that, like TaRu, the room-temperature crystal structure of NbRu is not orthorhombic as had been previously reported, but is instead monoclinic. The transformation which forms this monoclinic structure produces a high concentration of antiphase domain boundaries and some δ -domain boundaries within the twinned microstructure. The shape memory effect in NbRu was demonstrated by reheating bent samples to above the high-temperature tetragonal-to-cubic transformation temperature and observing the decrease in bend angle. Initial tests demonstrate a strain recovery of 4% at the tensile surface.
Effects of various treatments on microtubules and axial units of lung-fluke spermatozoa.

Sperm of the frog lung-fluke, Haematoloechus medioplexus, were treated in various ways and their microtubules and axial units were subsequently studied in sectioned and negatively-stained material. Microtubules and axial units were generally unaffected by exposure to colchicine, cold, and KCl, although with KCl certain lateral projections from doublet tubule A appeared more prominent in negatively-stained preparations. Both mercaptoethanol and urea have a dissociative effect on doublet tubules and microtubules, with doublet tubules being the more sensitive. Pepsin-HCl initially digests the dense region associated with the A tubule of a doublet pair and the core of the axial unit. Microtubules and B tubules of doublet units are later digested; in microtubules, there appears to be a proteinaceous material in the lucent central region which is digested before disappearance of the wall of the microtubule. Further evidence is presented indicating that the characteristically helical wall of the microtubules is made up of spherical subunits about 50 A in diameter, with about 8 subunits in one turn of the helix. Under certain conditions, the helical structure may be altered to form a wall comprised of longitudinal filaments. It is emphasized that not all microtubules are structurally and chemically equivalent, and it follows that all microtubules do not share a common function.
Structure and biological effects of lipid modifications on proteins

Both the prevalence of lipid modifications of proteins and their importance for protein function and cellular localization have been widely observed. The advances made during the past year in defining the enzymology of lipid addition and in understanding the biological consequences of these modifications on protein function are discussed.
Why Johnny Can't Evaluate Security Risk

S&P editor in chief George Cybenko proposes solutions to make evaluating security and privacy risks an easier task.
Exploring differences in social disclosures internationally: A stakeholder perspective

Abstract Country of origin is considered to be an important determinant of the level and type of corporate social disclosure. In this paper, we use stakeholder theory to explain differences in social disclosure among countries. We argue that the manner in which the role of a corporation and its stakeholders is defined in a society will affect the extent and quality of corporate social disclosure (CSD) in annual reports. Our findings based on a content analysis of 1998 and 1999 annual reports for 32 Norwegian/Danish companies and 26 US companies in the electric power generation industry, lend support to the stakeholder explanation for observed international differences in CSD.
Preclinical assessment of 90Y-labeled monoclonal antibody CO17-1A, a potential agent for radioimmunotherapy of colorectal carcinoma.

Abstract Monoclonal antibody CO17-1A was radiolabeled with 90 Y using the cyclic DTPA anhydride technique and administered intravenously to athymic nude mice bearing SW 948 human colorectal carcinomas. The tumor specificity of 90 Y-CO17-1A was improved by coadministration of 100 μg of the unlabeled antibody per animal and by purification using HPLC instead of column gel filtration chromatography. Absorbed radiation dose estimates for 90 Y-CO17-1A were calculated. The radiation dose to the bone marrow will limit the amount of 90 Y-CO17-1A that can be administered for cancer therapy.
Attenuation of the effects of cocaine on milk consumption in rats by dopamine antagonists

Recent research suggest the both D1 and D2 dopamine (DA) receptors play an important role in the behavioral effects of psychomotor stimulants. The present study utilized selective DA antagonists to examine the role of DA receptors in the effects of cocaine on milk intake in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given access to a milk solution (2:1 tap water:Bordens sweetened condensed milk) for 15 min each day. When milk intake was stable, dose-response functions were determined for cocaine (4.0-32 mg/kg, IP, 10 min presession) administered alone or in combination with the D1 antagonist SCH 23390 (0.12-0.5 mg/kg, IP, 30 min presession) or the D2 antagonist raclopride (0.25-1.0 mg/kg, IP, 30 min presession). As a control for the serotonin (5-HT2) antagonist effects of SCH 23390, the 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin (4.0-16 mg/kg) was evaluated as well. To control for nonspecific drug effects on fluid consumption, the effects of cocaine alone on water intake were determined in a separate group of rats. All drugs decreased milk intake when given alone. Both SCH 23390 and raclopride attenuated the effects of at least one dose of cocaine. Ketanserin did not alter the effects of cocaine. These results suggest that stimulation of both D1 and D2, but not 5-HT2, receptors is involved in the effects of cocaine on milk intake in rats.
General aspects of barrier layers for very-large-scale integration applications I: Concepts

Abstract Barrier layers are frequently used for improving the reliability of integrated circuits by reducing the material reaction in a multilayered device structure. To meet the size-scaling requirement in very-large-scale integration (VLSI), effective barrier layers become increasingly important. In this paper the general requirements of barrier layers are first described in view of the future device miniaturization. Then the function of the barrier layer in reducing the mass transport is discussed by considering separately the nature of the diffusivity and the driving force. This leads to two possibilities of establishing barrier layers: a reduction in the diffusivity or a reduction in the driving force. On this basis, three types of barrier layers can be conceived, namely the diffusion barrier, the reaction barrier and the driving force barrier. The function and method for establishing these barriers are described and illustrated by some known applications, several of which are pertinent to VLSI technology. Finally, the effectiveness and limitation of these methods are assessed.
Heritability of Rates of Milk Flow and Time Required to Milk

Abstract Data on rate of milk flow were collected in the Illinois Crossbreeding experiment on 337 first and second lactations. Estimates of the heritability of maximum rate of flow, initial rate of flow, and two measures of Milking Time 1 and 2 were obtained for each month of lactation and for the average of the first six months by doubling the intra-sire, intra-breed group regressions of daughter on dam. These estimates were obtained on the unadjusted data and on the data after adjusting for the total yield at each milking. Estimates of heritability of .54±.12 and .50±.12 were obtained for maximum rate of flow and initial rate of flow, respectively, from the adjusted data for the average of the first six months of lactation. The estimates of heritability of milking time ranged from .22±.13 to .27±.14. One would make substantial gains in improving maximum rate of flow by selecting for milk yield on a basis of milk yield alone or on a basis of an index constructed from milk yield and maximum rate of flow.
Brand loyalty and user skills

Abstract The paper develops the idea that brand loyalty is a rational thing for a consumer to have. The reason is that a consumer's experience with a brand creates user skills which make that brand more useful to the consumer than other brands, even though these, given the same experience, would be equally useful. In a brand switching model this implies that the consumer will switch brands only if there is an adequately large price differential and that the required price differential increases with user skills. The theory is related to standard search theory and it is shown that user skills and search costs have similar effects in the sense that either can support price dispersion in a market.
Development and composition of the epixylic biofilm in a blackwater river

SUMMARY 1. Comparisons of chlorophyll a, bacterial density, frequencies of dividing cells, ash-free dry mass (AFDM) and extracellular polysaccharide content were made for biofilm developing on wood (Salix) submerged in replicated stream-side flumes exposed to either ambient light (light treatment) or covered to exclude light (dark treatment). Biofilm was sampled on days 3, 6, 9 and 14 during experimental periods occurring irrMay, September, November and December. 2. There were no significant differences in bacterial cell densities, frequencies of dividing cells, AFDM or extracellular poiysaccharide content between light and dark treatments. Ash content and bacterial biomass was similar to seston, suggesting the importance of seston as a source of material accumulating in the biofilm. 3. Of total epixylic organic carbon 7.2% was estimated to be extracellular polysaccharide, and 0.8% was bacterial carbon. At least nine times more carbon was contained in extracellular polysaccharide than in bacterial biomass. 4. In the epixylon of the Ogeechee River, bacterial dynamics appear to be controlled by factors other than the availability of algal substrates.
Proteasome Inhibitors Induce p53-Independent Apoptosis in Human Cancer Cells

Proteasome inhibitors are used against human cancer, but their mechanisms of action are not entirely understood. For example, the role of the tumor suppressor p53 is controversial. We reevaluated the role of p53 in proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis by using isogenic human cancer cell lines with different p53 status. We found that well-known proteasome inhibitors such as MG132 and bortezomib, as well as the recently discovered proteasome inhibitor thiostrepton, induced p53-independent apoptosis in human cancer cell lines that correlated with p53-independent induction of proapoptotic Noxa but not Puma protein. In addition, these drugs inhibited growth of several cancer cell lines independently of p53 status. Notably, thiostrepton induced more potent apoptosis in HepG2 cells with p53 knockdown than in parental cells with wild-type p53. Our data confirm that proteasome inhibitors generally induce p53-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells.
Effect of Dietary Energy on Hepatic Glycogen Metabolism in the Turkey Hen

Abstract An experiment was conducted with turkey hens to investigate the effect of substituting 30% of the carbohydrate calories with corn oil, 1,3-butanediol, or glycerol. Birds fed additional corn oil had the lowest liver glycogen concentration. Corn oil increased phosphorylase a, total phosphorylase, and glycogen synthetase I in comparison to the controls. Also, additional corn oil resulted in the highest specific activity of glucose-6-phosphatase. Dietary glycerol caused the highest concentration of liver glycogen. Glycerol increased glycogen synthetase I, but had little effect upon total activity in comparison to butanediol in the diet. Both butanediol and glycerol gave similar phosphorylase a activity, but butanediol increased total activity. The fat-fed and control-fed hens regulated hepatic glycogen concentration through phosphorylase, while glycerol and butanediol-fed hens regulated glycogen through glycogen synthetase. In vitro activation of glycogen synthetase I was deficient in hens fed additional corn oil, indicating a lack of glycogen synthetase phosphatase activity. The order of activation (glycerol > butanediol > control > corn oil) corresponds to the rank of glycogen concentrations.
Comparative toxicity of trivalent and hexavalent chromium to fungi.

Studies were conducted to determine whether the differential toxicities of the two valence states of Cr (+3 and +6) occur with fungi as they do with bacteria as noted in previous studies. It was found that mycelial growth rates were inhibited more by Cr/sup 6 +/ than by Cr/sup 3 +/. Hexavalent Cr was also more toxic than equivalent trivalent Cr to spore formation and spore germination of the fungi tested. The greater toxicity of hexavalent Cr than of trivalent Cr to fungi is in agreement with the results observed with the bacterial studies. (JMT)
An Effective Approach to Rehabilitate Damaged Barrier System Against Piping and Contaminant Flow

The monitoring operation of an older impoundment (such as dams and waste barrier materials) during the service life of the structure cannot be overemphasized. Since older infrastructures seem to be more susceptible to piping and seepage failure, their construction design should be analyzed and monitored at places where a potential problem could occur. Once an impoundment is constructed without adequate filters layers and foundation treatments, then the prevention of piping or seepage may require an effective approach to constructing a cut-off wall to prevent eventual failure. In order to identify and understand theses failure modes, it is important to identify the physical parameters of the impoundment system, such as the zones of various soil gradations, the compaction of these zones, the hydraulic conductivity, the compatibility of the soil formations within and beneath the core or liner, as well as the cohesive and dispersive properties of soils at various location within the structure. Once these parameters are known and quantified, an adequate assessment of the structure’s susceptibility to piping or contaminant transport can be established. This type of an analysis will enable the proper design of a cut-off wall and predetermine the effectiveness of its long-term performance. The Vermont Waterbury Dam (built in 1938) is example of seepage related problem that implemented a cut-off wall design to prevent piping paths from undermining the structure. In this case, some forensic sampling had to be performed and the parameters of the soils as just mentioned were key factors in determining the wall design. In this paper, the Waterbury dam rehabilitation is investigated as case studies, in order to better understand how older designs and poor construction of impoundments can lead to piping condition in dams as well as failures in waste barrier systems. The Secant Cut-off wall (constructed at Waterbury Dam) is mentioned as a corrective measure taken for this dam and there is a brief discussion as to how this construction rehabilitation technique can be applied to waste barrier impoundments.
Cortical Development and Glutamatergic Dysregulation in Schizophrenia

Brains of patients with schizophrenia (SZ) show both anatomical and functional deficits that suggest aberrant glutamate neurotransmission. Historically, many studies have addressed neurochemical changes in glutamate and its metabolites in various brain regions and cerebrospinal fluid in patients with SZ and compared them with to those in normal controls. Alteration in molecular disposition associated with glutamate signaling has also been addressed by receptor binding assays. Although all such results are not perfectly in complete accord, an approach with 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) indicates more consistently that the levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), a marker associated with glutamate synapses and signaling, are decreased in SZ brains, especially in the frontal cortex, temporal cortex, and thalamus (1). More recent genetic studies and molecular expression profiling have supported the notion of disturbed neurotransmission and synaptic connectivity (2). Genetic susceptibility factors for SZ identified through association study and cytogenetic approaches are enriched in the dendritic spine, the key postsynaptic structure, including Neuregulin-1, ErbB4, and regulator of G-protein signaling 4. Microarray analysis, an unbiased method for gene expression profiling, also provides evidence that expression of synaptic molecules is decreased in SZ. Consistent with these findings, decrease in dendritic spines is reported in SZ (2, 3).
Quercetin and patuletin 33′-disulphates from flaveria chloraefolia

Abstract Quercetin 3,4′-disulphate and an equimolar mixture of two novel flavonol sulphates, quercetin 3,3′-disulphate and patuletin 3,3′-disulphate, were isolated from the butanolic extract of the leaves of Flaveria chloraefolia. Purification of these components was carried out by gel filtration, and their structures elucidated by UV, IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, as well as FAB-MS. The effect of 3′- and 4′-sulphation on the 13C NMR spectra of flavonols is discussed.
Smooth Bi-3 spline surfaces with fewest knots

Converting a quadrilateral input mesh into a C^1 surface with one bi-3 tensor-product spline patch per facet is a classical challenge. We give explicit local averaging formulas for the spline control points. Where the quadrilateral mesh is not regular, the patches have two internal double knots, the least number and multiplicity to always allow for an unbiased G^1 construction.
Operation of anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells on propane–air fuel mixtures

Abstract Operation of anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) on propane–air fuel mixtures was studied. A thermodynamic calculation was used to show that propane is partially oxidized without coking for oxygen-to-propane ratios >1.75 and T>733 °C. Differentially-pumped mass spectrometer measurements verified partial oxidation at the anode under these conditions with H2 as the primary product. In single-cell tests, stable output power density of 0.7 W/cm2 was obtained without coking at 790 °C with an oxygen-to-propane ratio of 1.75. Limiting current behavior was observed due to the diluted hydrogen produced by the partial oxidation.
Visualizing Peak and Tails to Introduce Kurtosis

This article proposes a simple method to visualize peak and tails in continuous distributions with finite variance. The excess peak and tails areas in unimodal symmetric and nonsymmetric distributions, and the missing area in U-shaped distributions, are identified by comparing the distribution under consideration with the uniform distribution with equal center and variability. Agreement with kurtosis orderings based on the CDFs, and a strong correlation between the total peak and tails area with quantile kurtosis, were found for the distributions examined. The visualization of tails and peak could be used to introduce the notion of kurtosis in undergraduate statistics courses.
A study of the power handling ability of gallium arsenide and silicon, single and double drift IMPATT diodes

Abstract The concept of a critical current density effect on the operation of silicon and gallium arsenide IMPATT diodes is examined using large signal analysis. This critical current density effect does not appear to exist in the form that is generally thought of to-date. However, other physical processes develop at high current densities which gradually degrade diode efficiencies. These processes are worse in silicon diodes than in gallium arsenide diodes because at a given frequency of operation silicon diodes need a lower doping density than gallium arsenide diodes due to the lower saturated drift velocities of carriers in gallium arsenide. Reasons are suggested which explain why these other processes develop before a true critical current density limit is seen. New scaling data for limits on power handling ability vs frequency of gallium arsenide IMPATT diodes are presented. In addition the advantages of double drift structures over single drift structures are re-examined in the light of the suggestion that silicon and gallium arsenide IMPATT diodes are thermally and impedance limited rather than current density limited at high frequencies. The problem of tunnelling is also examined and is shown to be unimportant at all frequencies up to 120 GHz.
Detection of the reelin breakpoint in reeler mice

Disruption of the reelin gene by partial deletion causes the neurological phenotype known as reeler. Here we report the cloning and sequencing of the reelin breakpoint region from the Jackson reeler strain (rl). Based on this sequence, we developed a polymerase chain reaction screen that allows the identification of mutant mice prior to the appearance of the phenotype. The assay also permits discrimination of heterozygous from wild-type mice. These findings provide a strategy for the characterization of the early anatomical and physiological consequences of the reeler mutation.