cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lawmaking, Administration, and Traces of Civic Republicanism: Thought on Jean Porter’s Ministers of the Law

This paper highlights some of the most salient and perhaps controversial implications of a natural law basis of human lawmaking. First, it requires the rejection of a libertarian presumption in favor of less government and lawmaking. Second, it grounds legal authority in political authority, which in turn is the body politic's responsibility and right to determine the contingent ways by which its members will do what the natural law allows or requires. Third, it entails that promulgated legislative intent, not text, is the locus of law. Textualism is ruled out because it is (in a technical sense) mindless: it mistakenly maintains that law can exist other than in minds. Fourth, such recognition requires ample opportunity and adequate mechanisms for law to be made by those who are in position to discern the concrete requirements of the good in particular circumstances. Administration is therefore central to law, not peripheral to or inconsistent with law. This paper was written as a response to Jean Porter's new book Ministers of the Law: A Natural Law Theory of Legal Authority.
Assessing the Brand Meaning of an Interdisciplinary Engineering Programme through a Branding Method

This paper presents the brand status of the Interdisciplinary Engineering (IDE) degree programme at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T), formerly the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR). The IDE degree was founded in 2005 at UMR to meet the emerging need to provide considerable flexibility to students allowing them to construct programmes of study in areas of interest while maintaining a foundation in mechanics, thermal science, electrical networks and linear systems. This paper presents the brand status of the IDE BS degree among prospective and current students, academic faculty, and industry, and weighs it against the original implementation plan proposed in 2005 and provides the current perception of the degree programme at Missouri S&T.
The association of host and phage DNA with the membrane of Escherichia coli.

Abstract The attachment of DNA to membrane in T4-infected cells was investigated by means of the Mg2+-sarkosyl crystals technique. Both parental and progeny phage DNA are associated with cell membrane throughout the eclipse period and are subsequently detached during the synthesis of mature phage. The initial attachment process does not require protein synthesis. Detachment appears to be due to a “late function” since it does not occur following infection with a DO mutant (amN82) or after treatment with chloramphenicol or tetracycline added 9 min after infection. Host DNA remains attached to membrane during the initial stages of infection and neither superinfection nor the addition of chloramphenicol alters this association.
Can a Contract Solve Hold-Up When Investments Have Externalities? A Comment on De Fraja (1999)

Abstract This comment finds an error in De Fraja (1999), the correction of which overturns its main result. In contrast to his claim, under a mild condition, the suggested contract is not only unable to solve the hold-up problem but it can provide almost no incentive for specific investments, when they exhibit sufficiently large direct externalities. His result holds primarily when the investments have no externalities. We remark on a related result in the literature and propose an alternative contract that achieves efficiency. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C70, J41, K12, L22.
Still Penalized? Parity, Age at First Birth and Women's Income in Later Life

Despite policies aimed at decreasing old-age income inequality, such as Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, research consistently finds that later-life poverty is highly concentrated among women. While the early-life economic disadvantages of motherhood are well established, little work has examined whether these disadvantages persist into later life. Life course research consistently demonstrates the relationship between early-life choices and later-life inequality, but few studies have examined whether the reproductive phase of a woman's life is associated with her later-life income. Using data from the 2003 wave of the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women cohort, this research examines whether women's age at first birth and parity are associated with her later-life income within the context of marriage. From a set of multivariate analyses, I find that despite a marginal statistically significant effect, substantively for the women in this cohort the effects of childbearing are not...
Current practices in the oral management of the patient undergoing chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation

Abstract The oral complications associated with cancer chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation may be prevented or ameliorated by aggressive dental and oral hygiene interventions. Pretherapy dental evaluation and medically necessary oral care can eliminate potential sites of infection and trauma. A multidisciplinary approach, systematic oral assessment and consistent oral hygiene measures are critical and may be the most important factors in the prevention of significant complications.
Work in progress — Live programming learning objects repository

The technique of learning objects has been identified in the past decade as an effective methodology to modularize concepts and skills in a subject area. In this preliminary research we focus on “live” learning objects using Java programming languages to support students' customized and personalized learning experiences.
Migrant Imaginaries. Figures in Italian Migration Literature

Jennifer Burns' Migrant Imaginaries. Figures in Italian Migration Literature includes an introduction, five separate chapters, an afterword, and a bibliography of primary and secondary texts which ...
Fiber degeneration following lesions in the anterior ventral cochlear nucleus of the cat

Abstract Lesions were made in the anterior ventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) of the cat. Degeneration in the projections of the nucleus was studied with the Nauta and protargol methods. Degenerated fibers were found projecting to the lateral superior olivary nucleus and the lateral nucleus of the trapezoid body on the side of the lesion, and to the medial superior olivary nucleus, ventral and dorsal nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, and central nucleus of the inferior colliculus on both sides. Degeneration in the trapezoid body appears to have two fiber components: a dorsal portion that enters the contralateral medial superior olivary nucleus, and a ventral portion that does not. The AVCN has few, if any, projections to the posterior parts of the ipsilateral lateral nucleus of the trapezoid body, ipsilateral ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body, or to the contralateral medial nucleus of the trapezoid body. The orderly arrangement of the cochlear projection to the AVCN appears to be preserved in the projection of the AVCN to the superior olivary nuclei. The results suggest that two projections, differing in their course and connections, originate in a single subdivision of the AVCN.
Karyotypic abnormalities create discordance of germline genotype and cancer cell phenotypes.

The nature of mendelian inheritance assumes that all tissues in which a phenotype of interest is expressed have a uniform diploid karyotype, which is often not the case in cancer cells. Owing to nonrandom gains of chromosomes, trisomies are present in many cases of leukemia and other malignances. We used polymorphisms in the genes encoding thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT), γ-glutamyl hydrolase (GGH) and the reduced folate carrier (SLC19A1) to assess the nature of chromosomal acquisition and its influence on genotype-phenotype concordance in cancer cells. TPMT and GGH activities in somatic cells were concordant with germline genotypes, whereas activities in leukemia cells were determined by chromosomal number and whether the acquired chromosomes contained a wild-type or variant allele. Leukemia cells that had acquired an additional chromosome containing a wild-type TPMT or GGH allele had significantly lower accumulation of thioguanine nucleotides or methotrexate polyglutamates, respectively. Among these genes, there was a comparable number of acquired chromosomes with wild-type and variant alleles. Therefore, chromosomal gain can alter the concordance of germline genotype and cancer cell phenotypes, indicating that allele-specific quantitative genotyping may be required to define cancer pharmacogenomics unequivocally.
Parallel female preferences for call duration in a diploid ancestor of an allotetraploid treefrog

The grey treefrog species complex ( Hyla chrysoscelis and H. versicolor ) comprises a single allotetraploid species ( H. versicolor ) that arose multiple times from hybrid matings between an extant diploid species ( H. chrysoscelis ) and at least two other extinct diploid treefrogs. While previous studies have investigated female preferences for call duration in the tetraploid, we know little about these preferences in its putative diploid ancestors. Here, I report results from two-choice phonotaxis experiments investigating call duration preferences in H. chrysoscelis. Females preferred an average-length call over shorter-than-average calls (0.5–2.0 standard deviations below average), and they preferred longer-than-average calls over average or shorter-than-average calls when the difference in pulse number was at least 2.0 SD. When the amplitude of the longer alternative was attenuated by 6 dB, females still preferred an average-length call over a shorter-than-average call, but there was no preference for longer-than-average calls over an average call. In the presence of chorus noise, female preferences for both average and longer-than-average calls over shorter alternatives were weakened or reversed. Together, the results from this study reveal patterns of female preferences for call duration that are strikingly similar among two members of a species complex with a novel evolutionary history. In both species, female preferences are directional, nonlinear, and limited by environmental noise. Furthermore, these results also highlight the need for caution in studies of sexual selection when extrapolating from patterns of female preference obtained under ideal laboratory conditions to conclusions about how those preferences are expressed in the real world.
Profit-sharing between an open-source firm and application developers — Maximizing profits from applications and in-application advertisements

Abstract More and more for-profit organizations are promoting their products using open-source strategies. In Google's Android open-source project, the open-source firm and application developers share profits from the sales of paid applications and advertisements in free applications. Recently, the open-source strategy has received considerable attention in the literature. However, the profit-sharing model and in-application advertisements have not been well studied in the context of an open-source business. These are critical gaps in the literature, since the open-source firm may utilize a profit-sharing scheme to exercise non-coercive power and to grow the user network and advertising business. We propose a model to understand how the profit-share percentage and the percentage of paid applications, in relation to the size of the user network, affect the open-source firm's profits from applications and in-application advertisements. Our study shows that growing the user network does not necessarily increase the open-source firm's profit. Further, the study suggests that the optimal profit-share percentage maximizing the open-source firm's profit from advertisements is lower than that maximizing the profit from applications. Additionally, our study illustrates a potential threat of application developers' opportunistic behavior against the open-source firm.
Automatic text structuring and summarization

Abstract In recent years, information retrieval techniques have been used for automatic generation of semantic hypertext links. This study applies the ideas from the automatic link generation research to attack another important problem in text processing—automatic text summarization. An automatic “general purpose” text summarization tool would be of immense utility in this age of information overload. Using the techniques used (by most automatic hypertext link generation algorithms) for inter-document link generation, we generate intra-document links between passages of a document. Based on the intra-document linkage pattern of a text, we characterize the structure of the text. We apply the knowledge of text structure to do automatic text summarization by passage extraction. We evaluate a set of fifty summaries generated using our techniques by comparing them to paragraph extracts constructed by humans. The automatic summarization methods perform well, especially in view of the fact that the summaries generated by two humans for the same article are surprisingly dissimilar.
Cryoprotectants improve physical and chemical properties of frozen blue crab meat (Callinectes sapidus)

The storage stability of cryogenically frozen crab meat treated with cryoprotectants was compared with pasteurised and water-treated frozen samples to determine changes in physical and chemical properties. Commercially processed, hand-picked blue crab meat was treated with solutions of polydextrose, sucrose + sorbitol/sodium tripolyphosphate or water, vacuum packaged, and cryogenically frozen prior to storage at −29°C. All treatments were compared with an untreated reference control stored at −65°C and a pasteurised sample stored at 1.1°C. Samples were evaluated for physical and chemical changes at 4-week intervals over 32 weeks of storage. Cryoprotectants improved oxidative stability, drip loss, expressible moisture, texture, and colour compared to untreated reference and pasteurised samples.
The future of human/computer interfaces

What will the interface between people and computers look like in five years? In ten years? In twenty five years? Will we still have screens? Keyboards? Will we all be seeing Princess Leia in a beam of light? Based on current trends and inspired guesswork, we will go together on a tour of the future.
Enhancement of electron velocity in modulation-doped (Al,Ga)As/GaAs FETs at cryogenic temperatures

High-performance normally-off modulation-doped (Al,Ga)As/GaAs field-effect transistors with a 1 μm gate length were fabricated and characterised. The transconductance obtained was 225 mS/mm at 300 K and 400 mS/mm at 77 K, leading to intrinsic transconductances (zero source resistance) of 305 and 565 mS/mm at 300 and 77 K, respectively. Since the device performance in short-gate transistors is limited by the electron saturation velocity, the increasing transconductance observed as the device is cooled is due to an increase in the electron velocity from about 2×107 cm/s to 3×107 cm/s. These velocities are inferred from a model developed for modulation-doped transistors and are predicted by pulse measurements in similar structures.
What Psychology Can Do for Anthropology, or Why Anthropology Took Postmodernism on the Chin.

L'A. compare les effets de la critique postmoderne dans deux champs disciplinaires differents, la psychologie et l'anthropologie culturelle. Il suggere qu'en raison de la methodologie specifique de la psychologie, celle-ci a pu faire face de facon plus constructive et positive a la critique postmoderne et qu'elle peut ainsi inspirer l'anthropologie pour mieux resister cette critique. Il tente de montrer que dans la critique postmoderne, les bebes de l'empirisme et de la generalisation scientifique ont ete jete avec les eaux du bain : l'objectivite, l'homogeneite et l'unite culturelle, les faits et la verite scientifiques, l'Alterite, et la science comme activite apolitique. Selon l'A., reconnaitre la pertinence de la critique postmoderne envers ces six hypotheses, d'une part, ne remet pas forcement en cause la methodologie empirique et, d'autre part, n'entraine pas necessairement la redefinition de l'anthropologie comme litterature.
High-performance liquid chromatographic methods for the analysis of haloperidol and chlorpromazine metabolism in vitro by purified cytochrome P450 isoforms

Sensitive HPLC methods for the resolution and quantitation of metabolites of both haloperidol and chlorpromazine metabolism have been developed for use in in vitro reconstitution assays with purified P450 isoforms. Separation of haloperidol metabolites was accomplished using a Hypersil CPS column with a mobile phase of 67% acetonitrile and 10 mM ammonium acetate, pH 5.4. Separation of chlorpromazine metabolites was achieved using an Ultrasphere cyano column with a mobile phase of 87.5% acetonitrile, 5% methanol, 3% 0.12 M sodium acetate, 3% 0.12 M ammonium acetate, 0.01% diethylamine and 0.01% triethylamine, pH 9.5. Sharp resolution was observed for haloperidol and three of its major metabolites and for chlorpromazine and five of its major metabolites. Varying levels and combinations of these metabolites are formed during in vitro incubations of parent compound with purified P450 isoforms 1A1 and 2B1 in a reconstituted system.
Investigation of the Immobilization Capability of Open Masks for Head and Neck Patient Setup and Treatment

Volunteer was first setup on the treatment couch. A faked iso center was placed in the head area, and the mask was been marked accordingly. The AlignRT, a 3D skin tracking system was used to acquire a reference surface for each volunteer. An Region-Of-Interest (ROI) consisting of the eyes, nose, mouth, and part of cheek was selected, as shown in the Figure 2. We also conducted a second test. The volunteers was instructed to remain still in the mask for 10 minutes to simulate the duration of a typical treatment. The real time deltas and the maximum deltas were recorded and analyzed.
Modulation of glucocorticoid induction of tyrosine aminotransferase gene expression by variations in cell density.

Glucocorticoids induce tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) in hepatoma cells. We have previously shown that both the concentration of the agonist dexamethasone (Dex) required for half-maximal induction (EC50) and the amount of agonist activity produced by the antagonist dexamethasone 21-mesylate (Dex-Mes), expressed as a percentage of maximum induction achieved by Dex, are different in Fu5-5 and HTC cells. Furthermore, both activities vary over several weeks in each cell line in an apparently random manner, but, nevertheless, are correlated by a linear semilog plot. We now find that this long term and previously unpredictable variation in both the Dex EC50 and the amount of Dex-Mes agonist activity for the induction of TAT enzyme activity can be made to occur reproducibly in 40 h or less by changing the cell density and/or amount of medium in the tissue culture plates. Thus, a higher cell density and/or a lower volume of medium produced both higher amounts of Dex-Mes agonist activity and lower EC50 values for...
Synthesis and electrophilic reactions of a conformationally rigid cyclopropylcarbinyl cation. An unusual synthesis of substituted benz[a]azulenes.

Abstract A tropylium-substituted cyclopropane has been prepared which is rigidly held in the “bisected” conformation. Its electrophilic reactions are also investigated.
The epidemiology, evaluation and treatment of stroke in adults with sickle cell disease

Stroke is a frequent and severe complication in adults with sickle cell disease. Ischemic stroke often causes physical and cognitive disability, while hemorrhagic stroke has a high mortality rate. As more children survive, the number of strokes in adults is increasing, yet stroke remains poorly understood. We review the epidemiology of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in adults with sickle cell disease and outline a practical approach to the evaluation of stroke including both sickle cell disease specific and general risk factors. We discuss the acute treatment and secondary prevention of stroke in this population based on the evidence in children with sickle cell disease and the general population, in addition to the limited studies in adults with sickle cell disease.
Model Organisms and Mathematical and Synthetic Models to Explore Gene Regulation Mechanisms

Gene regulatory networks are intensively studied in biology. One of the main aims of these studies is to gain an understanding of how the structure of genetic networks relates to specific functions such as chemotaxis and the circadian clock. Scientists have examined this question by using model organisms such as Drosophila and mathematical models. In the last years, synthetic models—engineered genetic networks—have become more and more important in the exploration of gene regulation. What is the potential of this new approach in the investigation of gene network structures? How do synthetic models relate to model organisms and mathematical models?
Observation of m=1, n=1 oscillations following the injection of a fuel pellet into the Alcator C tokamak

Immediately after the injection of a fuel pellet into the Alcator C plasma, strong m=l, n=l oscillations of the soft X-ray signals are observed. Measurements of the electron temperature during this period indicate that the X-ray fluctuations cannot be accounted for by temperature variations. This implies that the densities must vary. Experimental data and computer calculations show that a low level coherent fluctuation of the electron/proton density and a light impurity can account for the observations.
Photochemistry of flunitrazepam: a product and model study

Abstract Irradiation of 5-(2'-tluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-7-nitro-(2H)-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one (flunitrazepam) in methanol with 300 nm light gave the 7-amino reduction product with a photochemical efficiency of 0.002 M/Einstein. A model study was performed with N-methyl- p -nitroacetanilide. It was shown that the nitroaniline photochemistry paralleled that of flunitrazepam and demonstrated that these reactions proceed through the series p -nitroso, p -hydroxylamino, and finally p -aminoaniline products with an overall quantum efficiency of 0.01 M/Einstein. The partial reduction product may serve as the electrophilic affinity-labeling intermediate.
An Experimental Study of Electrohydrodynamic Induction Pumping of a Stratified Liquid/Vapor Medium

Electrohydrodynamic induction pumping is based on charges induced in the fluid and delayed at a gradient or discontinuity of the electric conductivity. A traveling electric wave then attracts or repels these induced charges, leading to fluid motion. Electrohydrodynamic pumps are generally lightweight, produce no vibrations, require little to no maintenance, are easily controllable by adjusting the applied voltage, and have low power consumption. They are also useful for the enhancement of heat transfer, as an increase in mass transport often translates to an augmentation of the heat transfer. Electrohydrodynamic induction pumping of a stratified liquid/vapor medium is quantitatively assessed utilizing Laser Doppler Anemometry. Data are presented suggesting that pumping is due to both interfacial and bulk effects. Values of turbulence intensity associated with this type of flow are briefly discussed for the various cases studied.
Epidermoid cancers of the anal canal

Abstract Squamous cell cancer of the anal canal continues to be a rare cancer. Recently, the incidence has been slowly rising in part due to longer-term HIV survivors and in part due to high prevalence of HPV. Early detection and treatment in these high-risk groups is imperative to increasing the survival of the disease. Chemoradiation remains the standard of care for primary therapy, reserving surgical resection for salvage.
Web.La.Radia: Social, Economic, and Political Aspects of Music and Digital Media

This article addresses the sociological, economical, and political relationships between electronic media art and its modes of production and dissemination. The core of the text is based on a series of quotes from recent literature on the subject of digital media art and music making on the World Wide Web. I begin with some basic definitions of technology and the media in the 20th century, and then go on to apply simple sociological principles to an analysis of the infrastructure and the use of digital tools in the arts. The next section investigates the political economy of the new media, applying these same principles to the Web as a platform for creating and delivering music. Finally, I refer back to La Radia, the 1930s Italian futurist dream of radio as a free and decentralized “people’s” medium, as described in the Futurist Manifesto (Marinetti and Masnata 1933), as a point of comparison with the current state of the Web. While I take a critical stance toward many uses of the Web, I do not wish to be considered a “WebLuddite”; I use the Web daily, and it is a major component of my research in computer music. I am concerned, however, by several trends that I see in the Web culture and by the expectations of its future, and I feel that it is necessary to draw attention to them.
A steadily moving load on an elastic strip resting on a rigid foundation

Abstract An infinite elastic strip resting on a flat rigid foundation is loaded by a downward directed concentrated force, which moves at constant speed. The resulting non-symmetric mixed boundary value problem is reduced on the basis of the plane strain theory of elasticity to singular integral equations over the regions of non-contact. With force magnitude and speed as parameters, the location of the non-contact regions, the lower boundary displacements, and foundation contact pressure are computed and illustrated graphically.
Learning within Knowledge Transfer Dyads – A Mixed Methods Study Using an Information Perspective

We study how overload and equivocality affect knowledge transfer in high stakes policy making contexts, how interaction mechanisms between a knowledge provider and decision maker are used, and how ...
Beobot 2.0: Autonomous mobile robot localization and navigation in outdoor pedestrian environment

We present Beobot 2.0 [1], an autonomous mobile robot designed to operate in unconstrained urban environments. The goal of the project is to create service robots that can be deployed for various tasks that require long range travel. Over the past two years, Beobot has successfully traversed various paths across the USC campus, demonstrating its robustness in recognizing and following different types of roads, avoiding obstacles such as pedestrians and service vehicles, and finding its way to the goal.
Aortic root spontaneous echocardiographic contrast due to haemodynamic support with a percutaneous left ventricular assist device (TandemHeart)

Intra-procedural transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is useful in guiding device placement and monitoring for procedural complications in the interventional lab. We report a case of spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) formation in the aortic root immediately following initiation of haemodynamic support with a percutaneous left ventricular (LV) assist device for cardiogenic shock. With TEE guidance, assist device flow rates were adjusted, resulting in resolution of SEC. This case illustrates another potential use for intra-procedural TEE during LV assist device placement.
Hair Follicle Pluripotent Stem (hfPS) Cells

Our laboratory has discovered that nestin, a protein marker for neural stem cells is also expressed in hair follicle stem cells and their immediate, differentiated progeny. The fluorescent protein, GFP, whose expression is driven by the nestin regulatory element in transgenic mice (ND-GFP mice), served to mark hair follicle stem cells and enabled us to make this observation. The ND-GFP hair-follicle stem cells are positive for the stem cell marker CD34 but negative for keratinocyte marker keratin 15, suggesting their relatively undifferentiated state. We have shown that these hair follicle stem cells can differentiate into neurons, glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells and melanocytes in vitro. In vivo studies show the hair follicle stem cells can differentiate into blood vessels and neural tissue after transplantation to the subcutis of nude mice. Hair follicle stem cells implanted into the gap region of severed sciatic or tibial nerves greatly enhance the rate of nerve regeneration and the restoration of nerve function. When transplanted to severed nerves in mice, the follicle cells transdifferentiate largely into Schwann cells, which are known to support neuron regrowth. The transplanted mice regain the ability to walk normally. We have also shown that hair follicle stem cells can affect the functional joining of the severed spinal cord. When the hair follicle stem cells are injected into the severed spinal cord, they differentiate into Schwann cells enabling the cord to rejoin and the mouse to regain function of its rear legs. Thus, hair follicle pluripotent stem (hfPS) cells can provide an effective, accessible, autologous source of stem cells for treatment of peripheral nerve injury and appear to be a paradigm for adult stem cells.
Perioperative asymptomatic venous thrombosis: Role of duplex scanning versus venography

We compared combined B-mode/Doppler (duplex ultrasonic scanning and venography in routine preoperative and postoperative screening for major proximal deep vein thrombosis in 78 patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty. Of 309 extremity examinations, duplex scanning had an overall sensitivity of 85.7% (12/14) and a specificity of 97.3% (287/295). The preoperative prevalence and postoperative incidence of major deep vein thrombosis were 2.5% and 14.1% of patients, respectively, despite intensive mechanical and pharmacologic prophylaxis. In addition, venography documented a preoperative prevalence and postoperative incidence of isolated calf deep vein thrombosis in 2.5% and 16.7% of patients, respectively. Whereas such disease extended proximally even in the absence of anticoagulation in only 18% of patients studied by serial duplex scans, calf deep vein thrombosis accounted for the only two instances of pulmonary embolism in this study. There were no deaths related to pulmonary embolism. This study suggests that duplex scanning is useful in screening for perioperative deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty, which carries a significant risk of venous thromboembolism despite routine prophylaxis.
Aqueous solution near charged Ag(111) surfaces: Comparison between a computer simulation and experiment

Abstract Molecular dynamics computer simulations have been carried out to study the structural properties of aqueous solution near charged Ag(111) surfaces. The effect of ionic screening is accounted for by an exponetially decaying electric field. A 2-dimensional Ewald summation technique has been used for the accurate treatment of long-range forces. To see the effect of charged wall on the structure of aqueous solution more clearly, water enclosed between one charged and one uncharged Ag(111) surfaces has been considered. Distance-dependent density profiles are calculated and have been compared with experimental profiles.
A low-noise clockless simultaneous 32-channel wireless neural recording system with adjustable resolution

We present a 32-channel wireless implantable neural recording (WINeR-5) system-on-a-chip (SoC) that operates based on time division multiplexing (TDM) of pulse width modulated (PWM) samples, similar to a single-slope analog to digital converter (ADC) that is made wireless. By transmitting a TDM---PWM signal, we have relaxed the need for wide bandwidth and accurate timing between transmitter and receiver units, which is necessary in wideband digital wireless links. The WINeR-5 system uses FSK modulation scheme with RF carrier at 898/926 MHz. The baseband TDM---PWM signal bandwidth is 18 MHz, which is also the bandwidth of the receiver baseband low-pass filter. Further, by moving the digitization circuitry outside the body, we have reduced the size, complexity, and power consumption of the implantable unit. A clockless asynchronous design has been utilized to manage TDM switching times such that no switching occurs during sensitive PWM onsets. Control over sampling rate, dynamic range, and resolution provides the user with tradeoffs that can optimize the system performance for the intended application. The SoC has been implemented in a 0.5-μm standard CMOS process, measuring 3.3 × 3 mm2 and consuming 5.6 mW at ±1.5 V when all channels are active. Measured input referred noise for the entire system, including the receiver at 1 m distance, is 4.9 μVrms in 1 Hz---8.8 kHz range. Functionality of the WINeR-5 system has also been demonstrated in acute in vivo experiments.
Independent Origins of Allotriploidy in the Fish Genus Poeciliopsis

We examined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences and allozymes to assess possible modes of origin, clonal diversity, and evolutionary age in a triploid all-female fish of the genus Poeciliopsis from the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. Analysis of multilocus allozymes revealed that the Rio Mocorito biotype (Poeciliopsis monacha-lucida-viriosa) is trihybrid, carrying haploid genomes from three sexually reproducing species, Poeciliopsis monacha, Poeciliopsis lucida, and Poeciliopsis viriosa. Composite allozyme and mtDNA genotypes identified four clones, all bearing closely related mitochondrial haplotypes originally derived from P. monacha. Apparently these trihybrids arose endemically by addition of a haploid genome from P. viriosa, a local sexual species, to an allodiploid biotype, P. monacha-lucida, also found in the Rio Mocorito. The present analysis clearly revealed that P. monacha-lucida-viriosa arose independently of the two allotriploid biotypes that live in a river to the north (Rio Fuerte). Although the origins of allotriploidy in Poeciliopsis are less constrained phylogenetically and geographically than previously thought, known triploid biotypes all had relatively recent origins, which supports the notion that most asexual lineages are evolutionarily short-lived.
Oxygen Precipitation in Silicon - Its Effects on Minority Carrier Recombination and Generation Lifetime

The effects of oxygen precipitation on the minority carrier recombination lifetime (TR) and the carrier generation lifetime (TG) have been characterized for a ‘typical’ silicon crystal grown with the Czochralski method. Infrared (IR) absorption measurements were obtained on polished wafers, before and after 2 step thermal anneals at 800°C and 1050°C to characterize the axial distribution of interstitial and precipitated oxygen in the ingot. Computerized measurements on NMOS diode and capacitor arrays were used to characterize the axial and radial distributions of carrier lifetime. The results indicate that oxygen precipitation is the dominant mechanism contributing to the degradation of both minority carrier recombination andgeneration lifetime.
Local R&D Strategies and Multilocation Firms: The Role of Internal Linkages

This study looks at the role of internal linkages in highly competitive clusters. We argue that, in addition to serving as a mechanism for sourcing knowledge, strong internal linkages help firms increase internalization and create higher levels of technological interdependence across firm locations. Firms with strong networks of internal linkages are able to maintain tighter control over local innovation and reduce the risk that knowledge outflows will advantage competitors in clusters. Our empirical analysis of the global semiconductor industry shows that industry leaders intensify internal linkages across locations when they collocate with direct market competitors, but not when they collocate with innovators in the same technological field. We also find that internal linkages are associated with more knowledge flow within firms and less knowledge expropriation by collocated competitors. Our results suggest that future research in cluster innovation should consider the critical role of multilocation firms, their internal organization across clusters, and their responses to technological and market competition in clusters. This paper was accepted by Bruno Cassiman, business strategy.
Normal and Cystic Fibrosis Airway Surface Liquid Homeostasis THE EFFECTS OF PHASIC SHEAR STRESS AND VIRAL INFECTIONS

Mammalian airways normally regulate the volume of a thin liquid layer, the periciliary liquid (PCL), to facilitate the mucus clearance component of lung defense. Studies under standard (static) culture conditions revealed that normal airway epithelia possess an adenosine-regulated pathway that blends Na+ absorption and Cl- secretion to optimize PCL volume. In cystic fibrosis (CF), the absence of CF transmembrane conductance regulator results in a failure of adenosine regulation of PCL volume, which is predicted to initiate mucus stasis and infection. However, under conditions that mimic the phasic motion of the lung in vivo, ATP release into PCL was increased, CF ion transport was rebalanced, and PCL volume was restored to levels adequate for lung defense. This ATP signaling system was vulnerable, however, to insults that trigger CF bacterial infections, such as viral (respiratory syncitial virus) infections, which up-regulated extracellular ATPase activity and abolished motion-dependent ATP regulation of CF PCL height. These studies demonstrate (i) how the normal coordination of opposing ion transport pathways to maintain PCL volume is disrupted in CF, (ii) the hitherto unknown role of phasic motion in regulating key aspects of normal and CF innate airways defense, and (iii) that maneuvers directed at increasing motion-induced nucleotide release may be therapeutic in CF patients.
MITOSIS IN THE OCTAFLAGELLATE PRASINOPHYTE, PYRAMIMONAS AMYLIFERA (CHLOROPHYTA)1

Cell division is described in the octaflagellate prasinophyte Pyramimonas amylifera Conrad and is compared in related genera. Basal bodies replicate at preprophase and move toward the poles. Cells remain motile throughout division. The nuclear envelope disperses and chromosomes begin to condense at prophase. Pairs of multilayered kinetochores are evident on the chromosomes of the metaphase plate. Spindle microtubules extending from the region of the basal bodies and rhizoplasts attach to the kinetochores or extend from pole to pole. Numerous vesicles and ribosomes have entered the nuclear region and the incipient cleavage furrow invaginates. The chromosomes move toward the poles at anaphase leaving a broad interzonal spindle between the two chromosomal plates. The nuclear envelope reforms first around the chromatin on the side adjacent to the spindle poles and later on the interzonal side. The cleavage furrow progresses into the interzonal spindle at telophase. By late telophase the nucleoli have reformed and the chromosomes have decondensed. The interzonal spindle has not been observed late in telophase. As the cleavage furrow nears completion the cells begin to twist and contort, ultimately separating the two cells.
A distributed control system for flexible materials handling

In this research, we are developing a materials handling system where many small, simple actuators cooperate to convey large objects with three degrees of freedom in a plane. The actuators, or cells, are arranged in a regular array which is fixed to a planar surface, and objects are passed over the array. Such an array provides very flexible materials handling in which many objects can be conveyed simultaneously in different directions. The array is coordinated in a distributed manner, rather than by a central controller. Each manipulator has its own controller, and each controller communicates with its neighbours. In this article, modeling and control methods, and a real-time communication network and language are developed. Simple tests on hardware and in simulation are presented.
Consumer credit, household financial management, and sustainable consumption

Over the past decade, sustainable consumption has emerged as an issue of growing international prominence. Policy initiatives to facilitate more environmentally and socially preferable household provisioning have typically emphasized materials and energy efficiency. While this approach holds the prospect for some notable short-term gains, experience suggests that longer-term improvements are likely to fall short of expectations and trigger unanticipated rebound effects. Effective policy programs need to acknowledge the social and financial dimensions of consumer decision making and become more attentive to the role of households as catalysts of production. From this perspective, consumer payment systems take on special significance. In particular, the prevalence of credit cards and the accumulation of consumer debt in the USA and other advanced countries have been important drivers of economic growth in recent years. This paper highlights the linkages between consumer credit and sustainable consumption and discusses the structural changes in lending practices that account for the popularity of this payment system. While unsatisfactory conceptual models and inadequate data make it difficult to advance any definitive assessment of this relationship, it is possible to outline the basic elements of a research agenda in this area.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer.

ABSTRACT In a health care system in which decreasing costs, increasing quality, and minimizing morbidity are emphasized, new, less invasive surgical techniques are gaining popularity. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is one such procedure used to treat many types of breast cancer. By performing a biopsy of this node, which receives lymphatic drainage from the tumor, the surgeon can predict the status of all nodes in the axillary region and accurately diagnose stages of cancer, thus eliminating axillary dissection for 55% to 70% of patients. Successful outcomes result from a concerted effort among the nuclear medicine physician, radiologist, surgeon, and surgical team members. AORN J 74 (Aug 2001) 197–201.
Adult Degenerative Scoliosis

Adult degenerative scoliosis is an increasingly common problem with our aging population. Historically, this condition was thought of as a lateral deviation of the spine in the coronal plane. Recent evaluation of the pathologic process, biomechanics, and spinal anatomy has demonstrated that rotation in the axial plane and the loss of lordosis in the sagittal plane are important components of the deformity. Therefore, evaluation and treatment must address all three planes of deformity.
Infliximab for the treatment of psoriasis: clinical experience at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Background Infliximab has shown promising results for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of all 52 patients treated with intravenous infliximab for severe psoriasis at a single practice site. These patients had recalcitrant plaque psoriasis (>33% body surface area), which was unresponsive to multiple conventional systemic therapies. Intravenous infliximab was administered at a dose of 5 mg/kg at 0, 2, 6, and 14 weeks and every 8 weeks thereafter. Patients were monitored for infections, infusion reactions, side effects, and response to therapy. Results Fifty-two patients (men=32, women=20) with a mean age of 47 (range, 22-76 years old) were included in this study. They were followed for a minimum of 4 months and a maximum of 33 months (median, 22 months). Patients received a mean total number of 12 infusions (range, 3-22). Forty-six of 52 patients (88%) had a clear or almost clear improvement based on the Physician's Global Assessment done by a single physician. Twelve patients (23%) required infliximab dose escalation to maintain control of their disease. Nine patients experienced infusion reactions. Thirteen patients experienced nonopportunistic infections; however, only one infection required temporary cessation of infliximab. Limitations This was a retrospective study at a single practice site. Conclusion Infliximab was extremely effective and well tolerated in this group of patients with severe, recalcitrant psoriasis. Thirty-nine of 52 patients have continued receiving treatment for a median duration of 25 months with excellent disease control. Infliximab can provide control of extensive psoriasis with continued intermittent infusions.
The maximum likelihood probability of skewed patterns

A pattern is skewed if, as in 11123, one of its symbols repeats and the others appear once. We show that the pattern-maximum-likelihood distribution of essentially all skewed patterns consists of one discrete element whose probability is the fraction of times the repeated symbol appears in the pattern.
Identification of bacterial glycosidases in rat cecal contents

Cecal contents of conventional and germfree rats were examined for glycosidases which may have a role in degrading glycoprotein oligosaccharides. Utilizing p-nitrophenylglycosides as substrates, we identified glycosidases in bacteria-free supernatants from cecal contents which act on ~-linkages. These cecal glycosidases appear to be of bacterial origin since: (1) direct comparisons of the enzymes in similar contents from germfree rats showed negligible activities; (2) most of the glycosidase levels in bacterial extracts were at least as high as those of soluble supernatants; and (3) disk gel electrophoresis of contents and bacterial extracts revealed in both preparations a ~-N-acetylglucosaminidase band with similar Rfs. Also, the blood group B antigenicity of germfree cecal glycoproteins was greatly decreased by conventional cecal contents. These findings indicate that ~galactosidase and ~-N-acetylgalactosaminidase in cecal contents are bacterial in origin, and they may have a role in the bacterial catabolism of intestinal glycoproteins.
Regulatory cascades involving calmodulin-dependent protein kinases.

Elucidation of the components that comprise signaling cascades in cells is a primary theme in molecular endocrinology. These signal transduction pathways are frequently initiated at the plasma membrane by the interaction of a ligand with a cell surface receptor. This interaction can result in activation of a number of pathways that are initiated by stimulation of signaling proteins such as JAK/STAT, small G proteins (such as Ras), or adenylyl cyclase (to generate cAMP). However, when the receptor is coupled to heterotrimeric G proteins such as Gq, phospholipase C is stimulated leading to activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and the generation of inositol tris-phosphate (IP3) which, in turn, releases Ca from intracellular stores (Fig. 1)(1). Alternatively, excitable cells can respond to membrane depolarizing stimuli by altering the gating of voltage-dependent Ca channels. In either case, as depicted in Fig. 1, the increase in intracellular Ca initiates signaling cascades that lead to essential biological processes such as secretion, cell proliferation, differentiation, and movement. Calcium concentrations are only transiently increased, and various signals can result in changes in either the amplitude and/or frequency of such fluxes. The diffusion of calcium in the cell is severely restricted due to the large number of proteins and organelles that can bind to or otherwise sequester calcium. Thus, global intracellular Ca signals result from the coordination and summation of elementary release events that have been called “Ca puffs” and influence the concentration of free Ca in both cytoplasm and nucleus (2). THE INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM RECEPTOR, CALMODULIN (CaM)