cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An assay method for antidiuretic hormone based on a more specific response index.

INTRODUCTION Numerous methods have been proposed over the past 25 years for the assay of posterior pituitary antidiuretic hormone (A.D.H.). Many of these have recently been reviewed by Stein (1952). Most of the methods can be classified in two categories according to the type of index of response used. One category includes the methods in which increment in urinary excretion of an individual solute, usually chloride, has been related to the A.D.H. content of the administered material (Anselmino, 1932; Ham, 1942, 1943; Ralli, 1950). The second category consists of methods where the index of response is change in rate of urine flow (Gibbs, 1930; Burn, 1931; Theobald, 1934; Oilman, 1937; Walker, 1939; Robinson, 1940; Jeffers, 1942; Birnie, 1950; Ames, 1950; Stein, 1952; Ginsburg, 1953; Dicker, 1953). Neither of these response indices can be considered specific. Increments in urinary solute excretion, particularly chloride and sodium, are only indirectly related to A.D.H. action (Leaf, 1953).
Ethnic self-awareness as a function of ethnic group status, group composition, and ethnic identity orientation.

This study found that ethnic self-awareness (i.e., the extent to which people are consciously aware of their ethnicity at any given moment) has different meanings for European Americans and Asian Americans and for Asian Americans with different ethnic identity orientations. The authors found main effects of ethnic group status and ethnic composition on ethnic self-awareness when comparing Asian Americans and European Americans. There was also an interaction effect between ethnic composition and ethnic identity orientation for Asian Americans when examining ethnic self-awareness. Findings are discussed in relation to theories that predict salience of ethnicity and to educators and practitioners who deal with ethnic minority group members.
4 Towards a “Fairer” Conception of Process Fairness: Why, When and How More may not Always be Better than Less

Abstract Process fairness refers to people’s perceptions of how fairly they are treated in the course of interacting with another party. Conceptually distinct from outcome fairness, it subsumes procedural fairness, interpersonal fairness, and the like. As recipients of decisions, we generally want to be treated with more rather than with less process fairness. As agents of decisions, we often would rather plan and implement them with more rather than with less process fairness. Whereas the organizational justice literature generally extols the virtues of high process fairness, recent theory and research suggest that when it comes to process fairness, more is not always better than less. We discuss why, when, and how people’s general tendency to desire higher process fairness over lower process fairness may be attenuated, eliminated, or even reversed. Our analysis is organized by the notion that under some conditions, receiving or acting with high process fairness prevents people from satisfying some of th...
Principles of quantitative absorbance measurements in anisotropic crystals

The accurate measurement of absorbance (A=-log T; T=I/I_0) in anisotropic materials like crystals is highly important for the determination of the concentration and orientation of the oscillator (absorber) under investigation. The absorbance in isotropic material is linearly dependent on the concentration of the absorber and on the thickness of the sample (A=ɛ·c·t). Measurement of absorbance in anisotropic media is more complicated, but it can be obtained from polarized spectra (i) on three random, but orthogonal sections of a crystal, or (ii) preferably on two orthogonal sections oriented parallel to each of two axes of the indicatrix ellipsoid. To compare among different crystal classes (including cubic symmetry) it is useful to convert measured absorbance values to one common basis (the total absorbance A_tot), wherein all absorbers are corrected as if they were aligned parallel to the E-vector of the incident light. The total absorption coefficient (a_tot=A_tot/t) is calculated by (i)a_tot = ∑^(3)_(i=1)(a_(max,i)+a_(min,i))/2, or by (ii) a_tot = a_x + a_y + a_z. Only in special circumstances will unpolarized measurements of absorbance provide data useful for quantitative studies of anisotropic material. The orientation of the absorber with respect to the axes of the indicatrix ellipsoid is calculated according to A_x/A_tot=cos^2 (x < absorber), and analogously for A_y and A_z. In this way, correct angles are obtained for all cases of symmetry. The extinction ratio of the polarizer (Pe=I_crossed/I_parallel) has considerable influence on the measured amplitude of absorption bands, especially in cases of strong anisotropic absorbance. However, if Pe is known, the true absorbance values can be calculated even with polarizers of low extinction ratio, according to A max=−log[(T_(max,obs)−0.5·Pe·T_(min,obs))/(1−0.5·Pe)], and similar for A_min. The theoretical approach is confirmed by measurements on calcite and topaz.
Semicoherent interface formation and structure in InAs/GaAs(111)A heteroepitaxy

Abstract A theoretical analysis based on atomistic simulations is presented of both the semicoherent interface structure, which is formed to relax the strain due to lattice mismatch during InAs/GaAs(111)A heteroepitaxy, and the energetics of interface formation. The semicoherent interface consists of a network of intersecting misfit dislocations, which includes both perfect 90° dislocations along 〈112〉 directions and Shockley partials along 〈110〉 directions that bound faulted interfacial regions. This interface structure becomes stable for film thicknesses greater than four monolayers. Our simulation predictions of the interface structure and the critical film thickness for full strain relief are in excellent agreement with recent experimental data.
A new high-energy electron–ion collider: High precision QCD structure and beyond

Abstract A new high-energy electron–ion collider is discussed which will allow unprecedented study of the quark and gluon structure of the proton as well as nuclei. Using polarized beams one will be able to explore the polarized quark and gluon distributions of the nucleon at the few percent level, especially the strange and light quark sea components. Collider kinematics and excellent detection capabilities will enable careful study of the process by which a fast colored quark materializes into a group of energetic hadrons without color. Collisions with heavy nuclei, never before achieved at high center-of-mass energies, will allow the study of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) at extremes of gluon density. In addition to the physics program, the existing accelerator options under consideration are presented, as well as the current design of the interaction region spectrometer.
Regulatory T cells and treatment of cancer

CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are elevated in cancers and can thwart protective antitumor immunity. Recent human cancer trials suggest that depleting Tregs can be clinically beneficial. Additional types of deleterious regulatory cells are also increased in cancer. Tregs also play unanticipated roles in cancer therapy in that some drugs unexpectedly increase (e.g. cancer vaccines or IL-2 treatment) or decrease (e.g. antineoangiogenesis agents or receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors) their numbers or function. Managing deleterious effects of regulatory cells represents a novel and potentially effective way to give immunotherapy for cancer. New insights into molecular mechanisms governing trafficking, differentiation, and function of these cells suggest novel approaches to manipulating them as treatment strategies.
The regulation of IgA class switching

IgA class switching is the process whereby B cells acquire the expression of IgA, the most abundant antibody isotype in mucosal secretions. IgA class switching occurs via both T-cell-dependent and T-cell-independent pathways, and the antibody targets both pathogenic and commensal microorganisms. This Review describes recent advances indicating that innate immune recognition of microbial signatures at the epithelial-cell barrier is central to the selective induction of mucosal IgA class switching. In addition, the mechanisms of IgA class switching at follicular and extrafollicular sites within the mucosal environment are summarized. A better understanding of these mechanisms may help in the development of more effective mucosal vaccines.
The active fiber in a volume conductor

This paper considers the quantitative description of intracellular and extracellular fields of a single circular cylindrical fiber resulting from the propagation of an action potential (AP). Several formulations are noted, but one, which permits identification of free-space source-sink relationships, is examined in some detail; the physical models which it gives rise to are described and developed. Desirable approximations are considered and the conditions of their validity are discussed. A convolution integral formulation to field patterns (from their sources) is presented. Axially symmetric anisotropic media are also considered.
The spectrum of bicyclic antiautomorphisms of directed triple systems

Abstract A transitive triple, (a,b,c), is defined to be the set {(a,b),(b,c),(a,c)} of ordered pairs. A directed triple system of order v, DTS(v), is a pair (D,β), where D is a set of v points and β is a collection of transitive triples of pairwise distinct points of D such that any ordered pair of distinct points of D is contained in precisely one transitive triple of β. An antiautomorphism of a directed triple system, (D,β), is a permutation of D which maps β to β−1, where β−1={(c,b,a)|(a,b,c)∈β}. In this paper we complete the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a directed triple system of order v admitting an antiautomorphism consisting of two cycles.
Multiple solutions in energy balance climate models

Abstract A review of multiple solutions in energy balance climate models is presented. The paper begins with the zero dimensional models with ice cap albedo feedback and shows that three solutions exist by elementary algebra. A proof of the slope stability theorem is presented for this case. Next, the one dimensional models are covered with special attention to the multiple branch structure. The appropriate form of the slope stability theorem is recounted for this case. Finally, an account of some recent studies of multiple solutions in seasonal climate models is presented. These studies indicate that some rather exotic behavior occurs when land masses are near the poles. In particular, cases with snow-free versus snow covered areas over the summer can occur as different solution branches for the same external conditions.
Planning environmental monitoring programs within the environmental impact assessment process

Monitoring of impacts resulting from proposed projects has been included as a component within the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process of numerous countries and entities since the mid‐1980s. Many studies have delineated both purposes and benefits of such monitoring. However, lesser attention has been given to technical guidance for planning and implementing monitoring programs as part of the EIA process. This paper summarizes several technical elements that should be included in monitoring programs; the elements were identified via published literature and the systematic review of described programs in nine environmental impact statements (EISs) prepared in the 1993–94 time frame. The EISs ranged from timber sales to developments in recreational areas to resource management planning. Based upon this review, 12 elements are recommended for inclusion, as appropriate, in planning and implementing monitoring programs.
How ABN AMRO and other international banks are succeeding in Romania

The dynamic financial environment of Central and Eastern Europe allows for a clear determination of “best practices” in the banking industry through analysis of common patterns in banking and finance. We explain the specific practices that have led to successful adaptation on the part of international banks like ABN AMRO in Romania and to Romanian financial markets. In general, we have found, through a series of case studies designed to assess best practices, that the best performing strategies are those which are based upon “distributed decision making,” allowing for decisive action and rapid organizational learning at the local level. In order for rapid organizational learning to take place, efficient business relationships are critical to the firm's functioning. In addition, the firm must develop a substantial diversity in both its internal and external networks. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of selected surfactants on the growth characteristics of Gymnodinium breve

Growth studies of Gymnodinium breve in nutrient enriched and unenriched medium showed that anionic surfactants have the most deleterious effects on initial response, growth rate, and maximum cell numbers as compared with cationic and non-ionics. Degradation rates were determined, and the surfactant with the most favorable rate (C12 alkyl-benzene sulfonate) was further tested. The growth constant, K e , and maximum cell number, N max , decreased with increasing amount of surfactant added to G. breve cultures (enriched sea-water media); a minimum was observed at 12.5 ppb. Above this concentration the values of K e and N max increased to approach control values. This profile was ascribed to the formation of surfactant micelles that are ineffective. The surfactant produced mortality of G. breve (90% mortality versus 12% in untreated samples) in natural red-tide samples, but other algae and zooplankton were undisturbed.
Winter cold influences the spatial and age distributions of the North American treehole mosquito Anopheles barberi

We conducted experiments to assess the importance of winter cold and photoperiod as factors affecting the spatial and age distributions of overwintering larvae of the treehole mosquito Anopheles barberi. Larval dormancy in A. barberi was induced by photoperiods with 14.75 h of light or less per 24 h cycle. About 75% of the larvae entering dormancy were in the second instar regardless of photoperiod. Dormant second instar larvae survived freezing at-15° C for 24 h better than dormant third instar larvae. Larvae were more likely to survive freezing at-15° C in water from treeholes in which they were commonly found in nature than in water from treeholes in which they were unlikely to occur. Female oviposition was significantly higher into water from treeholes in which larvae were likely to be found than in either water from treeholes in which larvae were not commonly found or distilled water. These findings suggest that, in the northern part of its range, the distribution of A. barberi and the age structure of overwintering cohorts are influenced by extreme winter cold. The mechanisms responsible for the distribution of larvae and the overwintering age structure are, respectively, female oviposition behavior and larval photoperiodism.
Iris Neovascularizadon in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to report on the prevalence, incidence, and associated risk factors of iris neovascularization in nondiabetic patients undergoing vitrectomy for retinal detachment complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective review of 141 consecutive nondiabetic patients undergoing vitrectomy for recurrent retinal detachment resulting from PVR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on all patients to determine which preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were associated with the development of postoperative iris neovascularization. Results: Twenty-seven of the 141 (19%) patients were noted with preoperative and/or postoperative iris neovascularization. Four of eight patients presenting with preoperative iris neovascularization had complete regression after successful reattachment of the retina. Results of analysis of the remaining 133 patients without iris neovascularization preoperatively showed residual retinal detachment as the most significant risk factor for postoperative iris neovascularization. In the absence of panretinal photocoagulation, none of the 27 patients developed neovascular glaucoma. Conclusions: The development of iris neovascularization preoperatively or postoperatively is not necessarily a predictor of a poor anatomic and/or visual result. Iris neovascularization in PVR rarely if ever progresses to neovascular glaucoma. Panretinal photocoagulation is not indicated in these patients. Retinal reattachment is the most important factor in the prevention and/or resolution of postoperative iris neovascularization. The development of iris neovascularization in PVR appears to be a multifactorial process requiring multiple variables acting in concert.
Lean Premixed Combustion of Carbon-Monoxide-Hydrogen-Methane Fuel Mixtures Using Porous Inert Media

Lean premixed combustion of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2 ), and methane (CH4 ) fuel mixtures with air was investigated experimentally. Combustion at atmospheric pressure was stabilized within porous inert medium made of silicon-carbide coated carbon foam with 4 pores per centimeter. CH4 in the fuel was varied from 100% to 0% (by volume), with the remaining fuel containing equal amounts of CO and H2 . Experiments at a fixed air flow rate were conducted by varying the adiabatic flame temperature and fuel composition. Profile of CO and NOx emissions in the axial and transverse directions were taken to identify the post-combustion zone and uniformity of combustion. At a given flame temperature, fuels with CO/H2 produced lower CO and NOx emissions compared to those for CH4 . The temperature at the lean blow off limit was significantly lower (compared to CH4 ) if the fuel contained CO and H2 , each greater than 35% by volume.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Cerebral Oximetry Monitoring Provides Early Warning of Hypercyanotic Spells in an Infant with Tetralogy of Fallot

A 3.6-kg, 3-month-old infant with a history of tetralogy of Fallot and increasing hypercyanotic spells was brought to the operating room for operative repair. Before the initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass, it was noted that an abrupt decrease in the cerebral oximetry value occurred before pulse oximetry measured the decrease in oxygen saturation. This happened 4 times, and during all 4 of the hypercyanotic spells, the decrease of the cerebral oximeter value occurred 15 to 30 seconds before a change registered in the pulse oximetry value. For the first time, this case illustrates that cerebral oximetry monitoring may be able to identify the onset of hypercyanotic spells and desaturation before standard pulse oximetry. Cerebral oximetry may provide a quicker identification of acute changes in the clinical status of infants and children by identifying hypoxemia before pulse oximetry.
The Paradox of Citizen Service Evaluations and Tax/Fee Preferences: the Case of Two Small Cities

This study of two small cities in Florida helps us understand the paradox of local government citizens holding inconsistent views of service evaluations and tax/fee preferences. The analysis suggests that this inconsistency results from citizen attitudes being predicated on different considerations. Whereas service evaluations appear to be based on general attitudes toward city government and the community, tax/fee preferences are influenced more by self-interest factors. Moreover, self-interest indicators seem to be better predictors of tax/fee views for services that are associated with specific groups of city residents (e.g., parks and recreation).
Up-regulation of pancreatitis-associated protein in a rat model of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Introduction: Pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) is a Reg gene family protein normally expressed in small intestine with minimal expression in the colon. PAP gene expression has been found to be highly elevated in colonic mucosa in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To further dissect the role of PAP in colonic inflammation in vivo, differential gene expression of PAP in inflamed colon was studied using a rat model of chronic IBD. Method: IBD was induced by intraluminal installation of trinitrobenzensulfonic acid (TNBS). Four groups of animals were sacrificed at day 1, day 7, and day 14 after induction of inflammation. Control group had no TNBS administered (n = 3 for all groups). Tissue from colon, as well as serum was harvested. mRNA expression of PAP was measured by real time quantitative RT-PCR. Serum levels of C-reactive protein and histopathology of colon tissue were evaluated. Results: Expression of PAP is minimal in normal colon. PAP I expression in colon was dramatically upregulated by 22.0 ± 1.2-fold at seven days after induction of inflammation when compared to untreated control group. Our time course results show that PAP I mRNA levels initially decreased at day one (by 4.2 fold), peaked at day seven (22.0 fold), and declined to baseline by day fourteen when compared to untreated control (p Conclusion: Transcriptional profiling of PAP gene expression identified that it is highly upregulated in a rat model of chronic IBD. Significant changes in PAP expression, that parallel changes of CRP levels, indicate physiological relevance of PAP to inflammatory processes in the colon.
Indian Removal and Land Allotment: The Civilized Tribes and Jacksonian Justice*

BY the year 1830, the vanguard of the southern frontier had crossed the Mississippi and was pressing through Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. But the line of settlement was by no means as solid as frontier lines were classically supposed to be. East of the Mississippi, white occupancy was limited by Indian tenure of northeastern Georgia, enclaves in western North Carolina and southern Tennessee, eastern Alabama, and the northern two thirds of Mississippi. In this twenty-five-million-acre domain lived nearly 6o,ooo Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, and Chickasaws.' The Jackson administration sought to correct this anomaly by removing the tribes beyond the reach of white settlements, west of the Mississippi. As the President demanded of Congress in December, i830: "What good man would prefer a country covered with forests and ranged by a few thousand savages to our extensive Republic, studded with cities, towns, and prosperous farms, embellished with all the improvements which art can devise or industry execute, occupied by more than 12,000,000 happy people, and filled with all the blessings of liberty, civilization, and religion?"2 The President's justification of Indian removal was the one usually applied to the displacement of the Indians by newer Americans-the superiority of a farming to a hunting culture, and of Anglo-American "liberty, civilization, and religion" to the strange and barbarous way of the red man. The superior capacity of the farmer to exploit the gifts of nature and of nature's God was one of the principal warranties of the triumph of westward-moving "civilization."3 Such a rationalization had one serious weakness as an instrument of policy. The farmer's right of eminent domain over the lands of the savage
Yada: Straightforward parallel programming

Now that multicore chips are common, providing an approach to parallel programming that is usable by regular programmers has become even more important. This cloud has one silver lining: providing useful speedup on a program is useful in and of itself, even if the resulting performance is lower than the best possible parallel performance on the same program. To help achieve this goal, Yada is an explicitly parallel programming language with sequential semantics. Explicitly parallel, because we believe that programmers need to identify how and where to exploit potential parallelism, but sequential semantics so that programmers can understand and debug their parallel programs in the way that they already know, i.e. as if they were sequential. The key new idea in Yada is the provision of a set of types that support parallel operations while still preserving sequential semantics. Beyond the natural read-sharing found in most previous sequential-like languages, Yada supports three other kinds of sharing. Writeonce locations support a single write and multiple reads, and two kinds of sharing for locations updated with an associative operator generalise the reduction and parallel-prefix operations found in many data-parallel languages. We expect to support other kinds of sharing in the future. We have evaluated our Yada prototype on eight algorithms and four applications, and found that programs require only a few changes to get useful speedups ranging from 2.2 to 6.3 on an 8-core machine. Yada performance is mostly comparable to parallel implementations of the same programs using OpenMP or explicit threads.
Fundamentals of Adaptive Filtering [Book Review]

Review of Fundamentals of Adaptive Filtering by Ali H. Sayed, Wiley, 2003, ISBN:0-471-46126-1
Flavor and Oxidative Stability of Roasted High Oleic Acid Peanuts

A new peanut line has been developed at the University of Florida with about 80% oleic and 3% linoleic acid. Volatiles and sensory characteristics of roasted normal and high oleic acid peanuts stored at 25°C were compared. Volatiles were analyzed using adsorbent trapping and GCMS, a 20-member trained panel was used for sensory evaluation, and a GC sniffer port was used to evaluate odor characteristics of volatile isolates. Peroxide values were lower for high oleic (HO) peanuts than normal peanuts during storage at 25°C and 40°C. The hexanal content of the peanuts was higher for normal than HO. Peanutty flavor was more stable for HO than normal after 6 wk storage. Painty and cardboard flavors were higher in normal peanuts than HO during storage. Differences for both painty and cardboard flavors were significant after 6 wk storage. Pyrazines were more stable in HO peanuts. Shelf life was estimated from sensory data to be two times longer in HO peanuts.
The correlation in birth timing between singleton and twin gestations in the same mother.

Objective. To test the hypothesis that the timing of twin births is correlated to that of their singleton siblings.Methods. Using the Missouri Department of Health's birth certificate database we performed a retrospective population-based cohort study of 2222 women who had at least one singleton and one twin birth (1989–1997). Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship in gestational age between singleton and twin births occuring in the same mother.Results. Among 2222 mothers who had both a singleton and twin pregnancy during the study period, the mean difference in birth timing between singleton and twin siblings was 3.05 weeks (±2.9 weeks). The correlation between singleton and twin birth timing was statistically significant (r = 0.28, p < 0.001), and remained significant even after controlling for potential confounders (β = 0.459, p < 0.001).Conclusions. We identified a significant correlation in the timing of birth between singleton and twin pregnancies in the same mother, ...
A game design methodology to incorporate social activist themes

Can a set of articulated and tested methodologies be created whose endpoint is the reliable capacity for taking activist social themes into account? In this paper we explore a variety of educational and activist game approaches, and look specifically at the themes emerging from recent projects involving game design for young women. We articulate here design practices in a methodology, Values at Play (VAP), that could be used in the creation of games as well as the teaching of game design.
A simple technique for the measurement of unidirectional calcium influx at the mucosal surface of organ-cultured embryonic chick duodenum

Unidirectional calcium influx can be measured by application of a filter paper blotter saturated with a 45Ca-labeled buffer solution to the mucosal surfaces of slit-open embryonic chick duodena which had been cultured mucosal side up on stainless-steel grids. The results obtained with this simple technique support the contention of a direct involvement of a vitamin D-induced calcium-binding protein in the transport of calcium across the mucosal surface. Permeability and inulin space measurements validate the method for measurement of calcium influx at initial velocity and obviate concern for "unstirred layer" effects. Kinetic analyses indicate a two step influx process, one saturable at about 5 mM calcium and the other essentially unsaturable.
On the suppression of strangeness changing weak currents

Abstract It is shown that the SU(3) R ×SU(3) L algebra, independently of the quark representation, does not seem consistent with the idea that small SU(3) violations lead to large changes in the vector and axial vector form factors for leptonic decays.
Wind‐induced ice floe rotation and icequakes north of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea Coast

Linear sea ice canopy fractures (leads) and ice floe rotation appear to be interrelated. This study focused on a highly persistent storm wind event. As the wind stress increased over the ice pack, a separate rotation threshold for four floe-attached buoys was observed. The northwestern-most buoy recorded the start of clockwise ice-floe rotation just as hydrophones recorded increased oceanic ambient noise. Several days later, when the surface wind speeds and computed stress at all four buoys dropped to ∼60% and e -1 of their respective peak storm values, a counterclockwise rotation began at each buoy with a concomitant impulsive ambient noise peak. The rotationally-induced noise bursts are called icequakes in an analogy with earthquakes.
TOWARD A “NEW ARCHITECTURE” FOR POM

The field of POM is steadily expanding its scope. This allows us to pursue interesting new fields of inquiry and makes us ever more relevant to the needs of practitioners. But it also increases the risk that over time our efforts will become fragmented and unfocused, causing us to slowly lose our sense of community and break up into separate camps. In this paper I ask, “What kind of new organizing framework, or ‘architecture,’ will allow us to maintain our sense of community as our interests diverge?” I describe the experience of one academic organization that faced a similar problem several years ago and how the situation was resolved. This experience leads us to propose a possible solution to Pom's emerging problem: engage with real operations managers and focus our efforts on helping them deal with the actual problems they are facing in today's complex and fast-changing world.
Gaining comparative advantage through discretionary expenditures: the returns to R&D and advertising

We explore the extent to which R&D and advertising expenditures generate a comparative advantage that allows firms to earn supranormal profits. After controlling for unobserved firm-specific factors and the feedback between discretionary expenditures and profitability, our results suggest substantially lower accounting and stock market returns to R&D and advertising than indicated in previous research. Isolating mechanisms, which prevent imitation, do not appear sufficient for either R&D or advertising expenditures to generate, on the average, a long-run comparative advantage.
Firms’ earnings smoothing, corporate social responsibility, and valuation

Earnings smoothing via accounting discretion could improve or garble actual earnings information. Although managers prefer a less volatile earnings path and perceive lower risk for earnings smoothness, prior studies show that there is no discernible relation between smoothness and firm valuation. Recent literature documents that socially responsible firms behave differently from other firms in their earnings management and financial reporting. We conjecture that the reported earnings of smoothers that are socially responsible deviate less from their permanent earnings, thus their reported earnings are more value relevant. Our empirical tests show income-smoothing firms with higher corporate social responsibility (CSR) experience higher contemporaneous earnings-return relationship, greater Tobin’s Q, and stronger current return-future earnings relationship. The results show that CSR is proved desirable as it adds a unique “quality dimension” to earnings attributes and is useful for firm valuation.
Litigation environment and auditors’ decisions to accept clients’ aggressive reporting

Abstract This study contributes to accounting and auditing literature by addressing two empirical questions: (1) whether litigation environment affects auditors’ decisions to accept clients’ aggressive reporting and (2) whether litigation environment, client business risk, and client retention pressure interact and jointly affect auditors’ decisions to go along with clients’ preferred accounting choices. Fifty-nine (59) US and sixty-one (61) Hong Kong auditors employed by the Big-4 accounting firms participated in this study. The result shows that litigation environment has a significant effect on auditors’ decisions. Auditors who practice in more litigious environments tend to be less willing to go along with clients’ aggressive reporting than those who practice in less litigious environments. This study also confirms that there is a significant interactive effect between litigation environment, client business risk, and client retention pressure on auditors’ decisions to accept clients’ aggressive reporting choices. Implications of the empirical findings for policymakers, standard-setting organizations, and international accounting firms, as well as directions for future studies, are discussed.
Optimal dynamic rules for assigning customers to servers in a heterogeneous queuing system

We consider a queuing system in which both customers and servers may be of several types. The distribution of a customer's service time is assumed to depend on both the customer's type and the type of server to which he is assigned. For a model with two servers and two customer types, conditions are presented which ensure that the discounted number of service completions is maximized by assigning customers with longer service times to faster servers. Generalizations to more complex models are discussed.
Counterfactuals and revisionism in historical explanation

This article addresses the role of counterfactuals in historical and ethnohistorical explanation. Drawing primarily on examples from the Conquest of Mexico, it argues (1) for a useful role for counterfactual analysis, not in writing fiction, but in assessing pivotal causation and proofing causal arguments; (2) for a clearer understanding of causation in historical records, especially of ethnohistorical subjects; and (3) for a way in which this perspective can be employed to argue for solidly grounded revisionist interpretations of events.
The Russo-Japanese Agreement of 1907: Its Causes and the Progress of Negotiations

Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05 changed the balance of power in the Far East, and there was a shift from opposition between Japan and Russia to one between Japan and the United States. One result of the new tension between the United States and Japan was the conclusion of a Russo-Japanese Agreement on 30 July 1907. Financial and political difficulties within Russia and Japan also helped to bring about this Agreement.
Entangled and correlated two-photon absorption effects of an organic material

Entanglement is one of the most fundamental and significant features in quantum mechanics. The spatial parameters of the correlated photon pairs were investigated in order to improve the entanglement property within the correlated photon flux. The focus of the work is to utilize the properties of entanglement and novel materials to produce new sensitive detection schemes. Through this focus, we demonstrated one of the most important applications of quantum effects, namely entangled two-photon absorption spectroscopy.
Evolution of USDA Forest Service organizational culture and adaptation issues in embracing an ecosystem management paradigm

Abstract This paper examines how the USDA Forest Service (USFS) adapted to the changing needs of American society in its industrial (about 1900–1969) and post-industrial (1970 up to present) stages of socio–economic development. Several marker events in Forest Service adaptation to a post-industrial American society are examined (e.g., Bitterroot clearcutting controversy). These events illustrate American cultural changes that have moved the agency toward its current `ecosystem management' era of organizational evolution. Shifts and trends in agency values, policies, structures and operation to embrace and implement ecosystem management are examined.
Prediction of the adsorption isotherm by the principle of corresponding states

Abstract The principle of corresponding states is used to predict the adsorption isotherms of gases possessing small, nearly spherical molecules. Adsorption data for argon on graphitized carbon black are used to predict adsorption isotherms for nitrogen, neopentane and carbon tetrachloride on the same adsorbent; the predictions are in excellent agreement with experimental results. The parameters required for the prediction are Henry's constants, or initial slopes of the adsorption isotherms, and the critical properties of the gas. The results are restricted to the case of monolayer physical adsorption on a homogeneous surface.
Rise and Condensation of Large Cooling Tower Plumes

Abstract Formulas for the variation with height of the buoyancy, volume, and water vapor fluxes from large wet cooling towers are derived. The simple formulas developed by Briggs are suggested for estimating plume rise, if the possibility of the release of latent heat is accounted for in the definition of the initial buoyancy flux. The probability of whether condensation will occur is sensitive to small variations in moisture content and temperature of the environment. Verification of the theory is hampered by the scarcity of adequate measurements of cooling tower plumes.
Origin and early evolution of lahar channel at Mabinit, Mayon Volcano, Philippines

Mabinit Channel, 5 km long, 15 to 70 m wide, and 2 to 22 m deep, was formed by lahars on the southeastern slope of Mayon Volcano during its 1984 eruption. In 1985, the channel was drastically modified by a lahar triggered by a typhoon. Sediment-budget calculations from surveys conducted in 1985 and 1986 corroborate inferences from other volcanoes that lahars can grow significantly in volume by eroding their channels. The 1984 eruption produced a deep summit ravine and, at its base, a fan of avalanche and pyroclastic-flow deposits 2 km2 in area and 40 x 106 m3 in volume. Lahars initiated in the ravine by heavy rains from eruption updrafts carved out 5-km-long Mabinit Channel along the west margin of the pyroclastic-avalanche field, a position that could not have been predicted from pre-eruption topography. By eroding the channel, the lahars generated more than half of their own solid contents. Below 240 m, where the volcano slope decreases from 5° to 3°, the first eruption debris flows were unconfined and spread out over a 512,000-m2 area, depositing a layer locally more than 4 m thick with a volume of 1.25 x 106 m3. The thin margins of these unconfined flows were non-erosional; however, as they stopped, their thick central portions continued flowing, extending the new channel downslope through the depositional field. Subsequent eruption lahars modified the channel and overflowed at its bends. A moderately intense typhoon in October 1985 triggered a single 9-hr lahar event that widened the channel by an average of 25 m and caused as much as 66 m of lateral bank erosion. Debris flows overtopping the channel at four sites coalesced to cover a 2-km-long, 200,000-m2 area with bouldery sediment. In wider channel stretches, debris-flow margins left prominent paired levees, while their central portions continued moving down-channel as rigid plugs. The lahar plugged the lower 0.5-km stretch of the channel and replaced it by eroding a new channel of comparable size. This demonstrated how easily lahars can change the courses of channels on the upwardly convex debris apron of a stratovolcano, with serious consequences for farmland and communities.
Water at interfaces: Molecular structure and dynamics

Abstract Recent advances in molecular mechanics and dynamics of water on inorganic surfaces are reviewed. The structures of hydroxylated surfaces and water-hydroxyl adducts, determined by LEED-Auger studies and infrared spectroscopy, are described to a detail only recently resolved. New mechanistic concepts of nucleation and freezing have ensued from the analysis of time-correlation functions, showing that low-frequency angular perturbations dominate the different behavior of water in bulk phases and at surfaces. While the rotational motion of water molecules in the liquid phase can be interpreted as rotation modulated by making and breaking hydrogen bonds with the neighbors, water adsorbed on nucleating catalysis undergoes an irreversible and complete reorientation in a fraction of the rotational period.
The Real Exchange Rate and Employment in China

We examine the impact of real exchange rate fluctuations on sectoral and regional employment in China from 1980 to 2008. In contrast to theoretical predictions, employment in both the tradable and non-tradable sectors contracts following a real appreciation. Our results are robust across different sub-samples, levels of sectoral disaggregation, and are more pronounced for regions with higher export exposure. We attribute our findings to the importance of services as intermediate input in exportable production. We test this channel of exchange rate transmission using regional input-output tables linked with employment data at the region-sector level. The results of this paper have important implications for China’s labor market adjustment should the Chinese RMB strengthen in the future. To mitigate the costs of short-run labor market adjustment, appropriate demand management and structural reforms in the non-traded sectors should play an important role.
Seashore Rhythm test: comparison of Signal Detection Theory and standard scoring procedures.

Abstract The effects of age and instructional set on Seashore Rhythm test performance were examined with standard scoring and Signal Detection Theory (SDT) procedures. Neurologically intact young (17–28 years) and old (65–92 years) subjects were given standard test instructions with sentences added which stated that specific proportions of the test stimuli would be identical or different. Age differences in d' scores were highly correlated with standard Rhythm scores. While standard scores were unaffected by instructional set, all three SDT measures of response criteria detected effects of instructional set, or an age by instructional set interaction. SDT scoring of the Rhythm test yields a measure of auditory sensitivity comparable to standard methods and detects response bias on the lest that standard procedures cannot.
Discussion of adoption of Just-in-Time and Electronic Data Interchange systems and perceptions of Cost Management Systems effectiveness

Abstract Cost Management Systems (CMS) are often prescribed to assist in cost planning and control in manufacturing organizations. This study draws connections between the efficacy of these systems and the technologies and environmental factors affecting their use. A survey of 107 manufacturing firms demonstrates the importance of Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing, and to a lesser extent, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) technologies. This critique examines the research in detail, and focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of the study. Strengths of the paper are the elaborate and well-supported study design and development, the innovative and thorough sampling technique, the creative analytical approach, and the lengthy discussion. Weaknesses focus on presentation length, construct operationalization, and the interpretation of results.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE VELOCITY FIELDS OF SUCCESSIVE THERMALS

Abstract Solitary thermals and continuous plume thermals both occur in nature, and the intermediate case of interacting successive thermals in a series may also be an important part of atmospheric convection. This analysis shows that residual updraft and vorticity concentration in the wake of a preceding thermal can have important effects on its successor. A fluid mechanics model of buoyant clouds rising through a rotating medium is constructed for the purpose of predicting some of the sequential thermal effects that can be measured quantitatively for thermals simulated in the laboratory. The agreement with theory is satisfactory for the parameters that are subject to measurement, but some relevant constants can only be determined experimentally. For a situation in which a first thermal reacts strongly with the rotation field, it is shown that a succeeding thermal may receive a sizable enhancement of its vertical momentum even though its predecessor was suppressed by the interaction. These findings may be...
An evolutionary model for maximum likelihood alignment of DNA sequences

Most algorithms for the alignment of biological sequences are not derived from an evolutionary model. Consequently, these alignment algorithms lack a strong statistical basis. A maximum likelihood method for the alignment of two DNA sequences is presented. This method is based upon a statistical model of DNA sequence evolution for which we have obtained explicit transition probabilities. The evolutionary model can also be used as the basis of procedures that estimate the evolutionary parameters relevant to a pair of unaligned DNA sequences. A parameter-estimation approach which takes into account all possible alignments between two sequences is introduced; the danger of estimating evolutionary parameters from a single alignment is discussed.
Multi-institutional randomized phase II trial of the epothilone B analog ixabepilone (BMS-247550) with or without estramustine phosphate in patients with progressive castrate metastatic prostate cancer

Purpose To evaluate the antitumor activity and safety of the epothilone B analog, ixabepilone, with or without estramustine phosphate (EMP), in chemotherapy-naive patients with progressive castrate metastatic prostate cancer. Patients and Methods Patients were randomly assigned to receive ixabepilone (35 mg/m2) by intravenous infusion every 3 weeks with or without EMP 280 mg orally three times daily on days 1 to 5. Results Between December 2001 and October 2003, 92 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to treatment with ixabepilone alone (45 patients) or in combination with EMP (47 patients). Grades 3 and 4 toxicities experienced by more than 5% of patients included neutropenia (22%), fatigue (9%), and neuropathy (13%) on the ixabepilone arm, and neutropenia (29%), febrile neutropenia (9%), fatigue (9%), neuropathy (7%), and thrombosis (6%) on the ixabepilone + EMP arm. Post-treatment declines in prostate-specific antigen of ≥50% were achieved in 21 of 44 patients (48%; 95% CI, 33% to 64%) on the ixabepilone arm, and 31 of 45 patients (69%; 95% CI, 55% to 82%) on the ixabepilone + EMP arm. In patients with measurable disease, partial responses were observed in eight of 25 patients (32%; 95% CI, 14% to 50%) on the ixabepilone arm, and 11 of 23 (48%; 95% CI, 27% to 68%) on the ixabepilone + EMP arm. Time to prostate-specific antigen progression was 4.4 months (95% CI, 3.1 to 6.9 months) on the ixabepilone-alone arm and 5.2 months (95% CI, 4.5 to 6.8 months) on the combination arm. Conclusion Ixabepilone, with or without estramustine phosphate, is well tolerated and has antitumor activity in patients with castrate metastatic prostate cancer.