cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimum cell duplication or replication for multicast applications

Many multicast ATM switch architectures have been proposed which differ greatly in the method in which replication of cells is handled. Depending on the switch architecture, the processing overhead incurred due to the cell copy function may be non-negligible. We develop a queuing model for a multicast switching node which accounts for this overhead. In the model, the source sends some number of duplicate cells, each of which is replicated at the switch to yield the total number of required copies. We use constrained optimization to determine the optimal amount of source duplication which minimizes the mean response time of the system. It is found that higher resource duplication is favored when the copy function overhead is comparable to the service time of a single cell. The model is then enhanced to account for errors and retransmission for reliable multicast.
Evolution of the urinary proteome during human renal development and maturation: variations with gestational and postnatal age

Evolution of the urinary proteome during human renal development and maturation: variations with gestational and postnatal age
Equilibrium-limited periodic separating reactors

A new unit operation is presented that utilizes a rapid feed pressure swing cycle in a bed packed with catalyst and adsorbent to effect both reaction and separation. This hybrid device combines features of a cyclic-steady-state pressure swing adsorber with those of a flowforced catalytic reactor. Feed sequences for the periodic separating reactor (PSR) are those of rapid, single-bed pressure swing adsorbers (PSA). Only the case of extremely fast reactions is considered here. A perturbed reaction-sorption equilibrium model is formulated and solved for isothermal operation for different equilibrium constants and reaction stoichiometries. The capacity and separation performance for an equilibrium-limited PSR (EPSR) can be of the same order of magnitude as PSA alone. For reactions involving a single reactant or single product, the principal component in a particular exit stream depends upon both the reaction stoichiometry and feed fraction of the process cycle. The pressure dependency of the reaction equilibrium expression is the cause of separation reversals as parameters are varied.
Fatigue crack growth in hybrid boron/glass/aluminium fibre metal laminates

The crack growth behaviour of hybrid boron/glass/aluminium fibre metal laminates (FMLs) under constant-amplitude fatigue loading was investigated. The hybrid FMLs consist of Al 2024-T3 alloy as the metal layers and a mixture of boron fibres and glass fibres as the fibre layers. Two types of boron/glass/aluminium laminates were fabricated and tested. In the first type, the glass fibre/prepreg and the boron fibre/prepreg were used separately in the fibre layers, and in the second type, the boron fibres and the glass fibres were uniformly mingled together to form a hybrid boron fibre/glass fibre prepreg. An analytical model was also proposed to predict the fatigue crack growth behaviour of hybrid boron/glass/aluminium FMLs. The effective stress intensity factor at a crack tip was formulated as a function of the remote stress intensity factor, crack opening stress intensity factor, and the bridging stress intensity factor. The bridging stress acting on the delamination boundary along the crack length was also calculated based on the crack opening relations. Then, the empirical Paris-type fatigue crack growth law was used for predicting the crack growth rates. A good correlation between the predicted and experimental crack growth rates has been obtained.
Ruppia maritima L. seed bank viability at the Everglades-Florida Bay ecotone

Abstract Ruppia maritima L. is a cosmopolitan habitat-forming seagrass species that historically dominated at the Everglades-Florida Bay ecotone in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Currently, however, this species exhibits a patchy and ephemeral distribution which results in a degraded habitat. Thus, an important goal in Everglades’ habitat restoration is to increase R. maritima abundance in the southern Everglades estuaries. We tested the hypothesis that a lack of seed bank viability may be limiting R. maritima recruitment potential. We surveyed the seed bank along the ecotone across western, central and eastern Florida Bay transects (28 sites); a large reproductive event was also captured at a western site. Seed densities were quantified and seeds characterized into intact (viable and nonviable), germinated and decomposing. Sediment nutrients were also determined from cores at each site. Transect data indicated low seed densities (150–1783 m−2) and few viable seeds (0–160 m−2) with higher total densities at western and central (643–1783 m−2) compared to eastern sites (150–327 m−2). In contrast, a meadow undergoing sexual reproduction had high total (25,398 m−2) and viable seeds (3556 m−2). Total and germinated seeds were also positively predicted by sediment P. While the Everglades ecotone is generally depauperate with respect to R. maritima seeds, an “opportunistic” recruitment strategy sustains it within the community. To restore this species as a highly productive habitat, restoration should focus on R. maritima life history development to seed set, and promoting the development of large reproductive meadows characterized by high seeds densities and a high proportion of viable embryos.
The Effect of Job Performance Aids on Quality Assurance

Job performance aids (JPAs) have been studied for many decades in a variety of disciplines and for many different types of tasks, yet this is the first known research experiment using JPAs in a quality assurance (QA) context. The objective of this thesis was to assess whether a JPA has an effect on the performance of a QA observer performing the concurrent dual verification technique for a basic assembly task. The JPA used in this study was a simple checklist, and the design borrows heavily from prior research on task analysis and other human factors principles. The assembly task and QA construct of concurrent dual verification are consistent with those of a high consequence manufacturing environment. Results showed that the JPA had only a limited effect on QA performance in the context of this experiment. However, there were three important and unexpected findings that may draw interest from a variety of practitioners. First, a novel testing methodology sensitive enough to measure the effects of a JPA on performance was created. Second, the discovery that there are different probabilities of detection for different types of error in a QA context may be the most far-reaching results. Third, these results highlight the more » limitations of concurrent dual verification as a control against defects. It is hoped that both the methodology and results of this study are an effective baseline from which to launch future research activities. « less
The Role of Relational Self-construal in Reactions to Charity Advertisements

Three studies examined the effect of relational self-construal on attitudes and behaviors toward charity advertisements after controlling for sex. In Study 1, 110 undergraduates completed a measure of relational self-construal and a questionnaire assessing liking toward charity advertisements. Study 2 (n = 121) utilized the same procedure as Study 1, but measured perceived effectiveness of the advertisements. Study 3 (n = 90) used a behavioral measure of helping. The results demonstrated that those with a highly relational self-construal had more favorable attitudes toward the advertisements and were more likely to help. This indicates that charities may consider targeting individuals who have a highly relational self-construal to receive more donations.
Ocular Surface Extracellular DNA and Nuclease Activity Imbalance: A New Paradigm for Inflammation in Dry Eye Disease

PURPOSE. We determined whether nucleases are deficient in the tear fluid of dry eye disease (DED) patients, and whether this causes extracellular DNA (eDNA) and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) accumulation in the precorneal tear film, thus causing ocular surface inflammation. METHODS. Exfoliated cells adhered to Schirmer test strips were collected on glass slides, and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy was used to evaluate neutrophils, eDNA, NETs, and their molecular components. Similar experiments were performed with mucoid films collected from the inferior conjunctival fornix or bulbar conjunctiva. We used quantitative PCR to evaluate eDNA signaling pathways and inflammatory cytokine expression. We also determined the amount of ocular surface eDNA and evaluated tear fluid nuclease activity. RESULTS. eDNA, NETs, and neutrophils were present on the ocular surface in DED patients and abundant in mucoid films. NETs consisted of eDNA, histones, cathelicidin, and neutrophil elastase. Tear fluid nuclease activity was decreased significantly in DED patients, whereas the amount of eDNA on the ocular surface was increased significantly. Expression of genes downstream of eDNA signaling, such as TLR9, MyD88, and type I interferon, as well as the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-a, was significantly increased in DED patients. CONCLUSIONS. Extracellular DNA production and clearance mechanisms are dysregulated in DED. Nuclease deficiency in tear fluid allows eDNA and NETs to accumulate in precorneal tear film, and results in ocular surface inflammation. These findings point to novel therapeutic interventions in severe DED based on clearance of eDNA, NETs, and other molecular components from the ocular surface. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53:8253‐8263) DOI:10.1167/iovs.12-10430
Preparation, structures and conductivities of Li2SiS3 phases

Abstract The Li2SiS3 composition was investigated as possible lithium-conducting solid electrolytes. Depending on cooling conditions from the melt, the composition Li2SiS3 formed three different phases: equilibrium, metastable crystalline, and glassy phases. The samples were prepared by using pyrolitic graphite-coated silica ampoules and analyzed by powder x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and AC impedance spectroscopy. The metastable crystalline Li2SiS3 is a new phase found in this study, and it has a stretched one-dimensional chain structure compared to the equilibrium Li2SiS3. The analysis of the structutures and conduction behaviors of the three phases suggests that the enhanced ionic conductivity of the glassy Li2SiS3 is dominated by the higher carrier mobility rather than by the higher carrier concentration.
Sodium and potassium relations of Spergularia marina following N and P deprivation: results of short‐term growth studies

In this, we consider the coordination of plant growth and ion acquisition, reporting the short-term adjustments of growth and K+ and Na+ relations which follow when plants are subject to a sudden deprivation of N and P. The plant used for the experiments, Spergularia marina (L.) Grieseb., is a small coastal halophyte, and the growth medium was 0.2 × modified seawater. By considering nutrients whose availability has not been changed, we report on an aspect of organismal integration which has received little attention either experimentally or in mathematical models. The studies are limited to the first 60 h after N and P deprivation in order to consider changes that, if they are not primary responses, are not temporally remote, passive adjustments. For growth analyses, plants were used approximately 30 days after germination and 16 days after transfer to solution culture. Random harvests were made at hourly invervals, and after 12 h, one-half of the plants were transferred to cultures without N or P. Tissue analyses were used to calculate relative growth rates, relative accumulation rates and net uptake rates. For comparison, isotope uptake studies using 42K+ and 22Na+ were conducted at 12, 36 and 60 h after deprivation. The effects on growth and biomass allocation were very rapid, detectable within 13 h. K+ transport also responded quickly, and from the beginning of the study, there was essentially no net translocation of K+ to the shoot. Isotope studies confirmed the responsiveness, with translocation reduced 33 and 90% after 12 and 36 h, respectively. Though Na+ adjustments were slower, they were coordinated with growth such that tissue concentrations in the N and P-deprived plants were comparable to those in the controls. We conclude that N and C are insufficient elements on which to build mathematical models useful to environmental physiologists. At a minimum, the incorporation of K+ relations in growth models would both allow the development of the osmotic potential needed to drive cell expansion, and provide a means to probe –experimentally as well as mathematically – the coordinating mechanisms of plant growth and resource management.
Quantum Organic Chemistry and the Unitary Group

The unitary group formulation of many-electron theory provides an accurate and vivid picture of many-electron states called the Gel'fand label which exhibits both the electron configuration and the spin and which permits a facile correlation of molecular orbital and valence bond states. In addition it provides a convenient method of computation of matrix elements which is competitive with more conventional means.
Opponent-color receptive-field profiles determined from large-area psychophysical measurements.

By compensating for retinal inhomogeneity and using the opponent-color characteristics of retinal receptive fields, some of the problems associated with previous methods of inferring local spatial-processing properties from sine-wave contrast-sensitivity measurements can be eliminated. Forced-choice contrast detection thresholds were obtained for circular frequency-modulated patterns, over a wide range of spatial and temporal frequencies, with three subjects. Eye-movement artifacts were minimized by image stabilization. The luminance contrast sensitivity (L) for a given isochromatic stimulus and the chromatic contrast sensitivity (C) for the corresponding isoluminance stimulus were measured in rapid succession, under identical conditions, using red and green components with accurately known spectral distributions. Receptive-field center (E) and surround (I) frequency functions were then calculated from the L and C data by solving two linear equations in two unknowns, with coefficients given by the spectral characteristics of the stimuli and the long-wave and middle-wave cone pigments. The results depend on the small differences of large numbers inherent in opponent-color responses, so they are somewhat noisy, but the forms of these (E − I) spatial profiles are similar to those obtained by other methods.
Putting people back into organizational learning

There is an overemphasis on an outside‐in, macro‐organizational view of learning and an under‐emphasis on the inside‐out view which recognizes that people are the main agents of learning and change. Attempts at building a learning organization should start with an understanding of how adults learn and develop rather than elaborate ideas about competitive strategy, market research and information dissemination. Adult learning theory tells us that people learn primarily by being encouraged to tackle challenges, experiment, fail and correct failures and reflect on their experiences. The challenge in building learning organizations is fighting the bureaucratization that often replaces experimentation with control and routine. This paper examines the literature on market orientation, organizational learning and adult learning theory to identify how individual level learning can be maximized as a mechanism for enhancing organizational learning. Recommendations are made to integrate these streams of research and offer suggestions for further research.
Understanding the Information Propagation Speed in Multihop Cognitive Radio Networks

Information propagation speed (IPS) in a multihop cognitive radio network (CRN) is an important factor that affects the network's delay performance and needs to be considered in network planning and routing protocol design. The impact of primary user (PU) activities on IPS makes the problem of analyzing IPS in multihop CRNs very challenging and, hence, unsolved in existing literature. In this paper, we fill this technical void. We establish models of IPS in multihop CRNs and compute how to maximize IPS in two cases. The first case, named the maximum network IPS, maximizes IPS across a network topology over an infinite plane. The second case, named the maximum flow IPS, maximizes the IPS between a given pair of source and destination nodes separated by a fixed distance. We reveal that both maximum IPSs are determined by the PU activity level and the placement of secondary user (SU) relay nodes. We design optimal relay placement strategies in CRNs to maximize these two IPSs under different PU activity levels. The correctness of our analytical results is validated by simulations and numerical experiments.
Favorable outcomes in patients with high donor-derived T cell count after in vivo T cell-depleted reduced-intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Patients with hematologic malignancies were conditioned using a rabbit antithymocyte globulin–based reduced-intensity conditioning regimen for allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Donor-derived CD3+ cell count (ddCD3), a product of CD3+ cell chimerism and absolute CD3+ cell count, when
Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride protects rats from Mipafox-induced delayed neuropathy

Abstract Initiation of organophosphorus-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN) is thought to consist of two molecular events involving the phosphorylation of the target enzyme, neurotoxic esterase, or neuropathy target enzyme (NTE), and a subsequent “aging” reaction which transforms the inhibited NTE into a charged moiety critical to the neuropathic process. Compounds that inhibit NTE but cannot age because of their chemical structure abort this two-stage initiation process, and when administered before a neurotoxic organophosphorus compound (OP), protect against the neuropathy by blocking NTE's active site (Johnson, 1970). In support of this, we report that prior exposure to a nonaging NTE inhibitor, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), protects rats from neurological damage after subsequent exposure to a neurotoxic OP, Mipafox. Adult, male, Long Evans rats were exposed to either PMSF (250 mg/kg, sc) or to Mipafox (15 mg/kg, ip) and a time course of brain NTE inhibition and recovery was defined. A separate group of PMSF-treated rats was exposed to Mipafox when brain NTE inhibition was 87.7 ± 2.3%. Conversely, another group of rats, pretreated with Mipafox, was dosed with PMSF when NTE inhibition was 90.2 ± 0.8%. A third group of animals, treated with PMSF, was exposed to Mipafox 14 days later, when NTE activity had recovered to within 10 ± 4.2% of control amounts. Histopathological survey (14 to 21 days post-exposure) indicated severe cervical cord damage (damage score ≥3) in the follwing frequencies: PMSF, 0%; Mipafox, 85%; PMSF-4 hr-Mipafox, 0%; Mipafox-4 hr-PMSF, 100%; PMSF-14 days-Mipafox, 75%; controls, 0%. These data indicate that PMSF pretreatment protects rats against Mipafox-induced neurological damage and that the timing of administration and order of presentation are critical to this protection. These results support the hypothesis that the initiation of OPIDN is a multistage event involving inhibition and aging, and that these stages are experimentally separable.
Integration of the Standard Template Library and the Microsoft Foundation Class

A short example of a Windows® application is modified to use the generic containers, iterators, and function adapters of the C++ Standard Template Library. Comparison is made with the containers and iteration mechanism provided by the Microsoft Foundation Classes.
Boolean-linear spaces

We introduce an abstract theory that provides a unified treatment of various structures and spaces occurring in both logic and analysis. The theory, called Boolean-linear spaces, is formulated in terms of partially ordered sets. Examples of Boolean-linear spaces include various function spaces, vector lattices, and lattice ordered groups, as well as linear orderings, Boolean algebras, and certain Boolean-valued models. Every Boolean-linear space has a unique completion and is endowed with a concept of convergence. These concepts subsume various standard examples of completion and convergence. Finally, we study the complete Boolean-linear spaces that possess a spectrum; in many examples, the spectrum is the set of all (positive) real numbers. For these spaces we prove the Spectral Theorem and introduce the Function Calculus. As an application, we show that the vector structure of function spaces is determined by their partial order.
A new version of the size-advantage hypothesis for sex change: incorporating sperm competition and size-fecundity skew.

Traditional sex-change theory cannot explain the existence of protogynous species in which the largest females do not change sex when provided an opportunity. We present an expected reproductive success threshold model that incorporates previously unconsidered factors (size-fecundity skew and sperm competition) that can strongly affect reproductive expectations. The model predicts a variety of circumstances when the largest females remaining in a social group should not change sex in the absence of the dominant male, yet it also predicts that these same conditions should promote sex change in smaller females. If a large female's fecundity is markedly higher than the aggregate of the other members of her social group (i.e., there exists a skew in the size-fecundity distribution that raises a large female's expected reproductive success threshold), she should defer from sex change. Sperm competition can strongly lower the expectation of paternity obtained as a sex-changed male, and this also raises the threshold. The model suggests that deferral of sex change should be more common in species in which intense sperm competition is prevalent (such as fishes living in seagrass beds). This prediction appears consistent with patterns seen in nature.
Local properties of an isothermal charged fluid: Initial–boundary value problem

Abstract The Cauchy problem for the one-dimensional isothermal Euler–Poisson system was investigated by Poupaud, Rascle, and Vila in [F. Poupaud, M. Rascle, J.-P. Vila, Global solutions to the isothermal Euler–Poisson system with arbitrarily large data, J. Differential Equations 123 (1995) 93–121]. Glimm’s scheme was employed to obtain a global entropic solution. It appears that the initial–boundary value problem has not been investigated previously for this system, except in the isentropic case, via an approach based on compensated compactness. While the isothermal case, employing the ideal gas law for the pressure, suggests artificial diffusion/viscosity, the underlying infrastructure (the analog of Glimm’s scheme) has not yet been established to analyze the initial–boundary value problem. We begin a program here, utilizing diffusion and viscosity. By employing Kato’s theory of evolution operators, we provide a local smooth existence/uniqueness theory. A theorem of Smoller, as generalized by Fang and Ito [W. Fang, K. Ito, Weak solutions to a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model of two carrier types for semiconductors, Nonlinear Anal. 28 (1997) 947–963], is used to obtain invariant region bounds for the evolution. Because the theory is local, shocks do not appear, either in the parabolic system, or in its vanishing viscosity limit.
A resource management design for cognitive radio ad hoc networks

To fully utilize radio resources by intelligently filling in as much radio spectrum gaps as possible, the concept of cognitive radio network has been well accepted. A challenge inherent in this technology is how to build a mechanism that can allocate resource by learning and adapting to a specific radio transmission environment. In this paper, we propose a cognitive resource management scheme that is specifically designed for allocating radio resource in a cognitive radio ad hoc network (CRAHN) environment. The proposal applies cognitive processes in a cross-layer design, which acquires knowledge from the physical layer, the medium access control (MAC) layer, and application layer. It intelligently allocates resources according to traffic demands, traffic priorities, link capabilities, and link qualities.
Accelerating the flow: A transition effect in programming theory?

Examination of 240 transitions between prime‐time programs on the four broadcast networks demonstrated the existence of a modest transition effect and revealed differences in transitions over time, suggesting that a transition effect associates with the new fall network schedules but not with familiar spring schedules. It showed that program endings had a significant impact on duplicated viewers in subsequent programs but that standardization of approaches to program starts had taken place in the early 1990s. As the locus of control shifts between the industry and the viewers, transitional strategies have joined lead‐in ratings and competitive factors as significant impacts in models of inherited viewership and audience choice.
PaeExo IX: a unique deoxyribonuclease from Pseudomonas aeruginosa active in the presence of EDTA

A new deoxyribonuclease, PaeExo IX, has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from extracts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO. This enzyme, which is active in the presence of EDTA, is equally efficient in hydrolyzing native and heart-denatured DNA to acid-s-luble products. The enzyme is partially or totally inhibited by the presence of several divalent cations. The active protein has a molecular weight of 1.6 +/- 0.1 x 10(5) and is composed of two nonidentical polypeptides with molecular weights of 78,000 and 69,000.
A Review of Some Results of Selection for Juvenile Body Weight in Chickens

The development of the commercial broiler industry during the last half of the 20th century has seen dramatic changes in growth, feed efficiency, and yield. In this paper we extracted results from three independent two-way (high-low) selection experiments to interface with what has occurred in commercial broiler breeding. Although the experiments differed in duration, specific traits, and focus, when viewed as a whole there was consistency with changes that have occurred in commercial broilers during the past half century. Other than to point-out consistencies among what is seen with commercial stocks, correlated responses of reproductive traits are discussed peripherally.
One effect of using relativistic kinematics in the analysis of heavy-ion elastic scattering☆

Abstract The ion-ion potential deduced from an optical model analysis of heavy-ion elastic scattering may be sensitive to whether the transformation from laboratory to centre-of-mass system used is relativistic or not. For illustration, a semi-classical description is used to give a simple estimate of this effect and its dependence on energy and the masses of the nuclei. For example, the change in potential strength is larger than 20% for 40 Ar scattering from 208 Pb at an energy as low as 44 MeV per nucleon.
Vital rate sensitivity analysis as a tool for assessing management actions for the desert tortoise

Sensitivity analyses of population growth in desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) have shown no consensus on the limiting vital rate. More importantly, the most sensitive vital rate might not be the most readily manipulated by management, so it begs the question of what actions would be most effective. We compared 13 management alternatives using a vital rate sensitivity analysis that is valid regardless of age structure, and is sensitive to initial population size and time frame, to determine the efforts required for equivalent population growth. We evaluated three time frames, each with five initial population sizes and three initial age distributions. To achieve equivalent population growth, mortality of older females needed to be reduced less than did mortality of other age classes. Similarly, fewer adults needed to be introduced to a population to have the same effect as releasing juveniles, but differences among adult age classes were trivial. A single release (headstarting) required fewer total individuals than did annual releases to achieve the same population growth. Also, the same population growth was more easily achieved when the initial age structure was deficient of young animals. Interestingly, because small tortoises are difficult to survey, some management alternatives could result in increased population size but decreased numbers of countable individuals over short to intermediate (25 years) time frames. Our paper demonstrates an approach to determine what constitutes equivalent management actions for population growth, thus allowing managers to more directly compare expected gains toward population recovery achieved by their resource-allocation decisions.
The Multiscale Nature of Process Dynamics and Model-Predictive Control

Time-scale domain is a more natural setting for the analysis and design of state estimation and control systems, given the multi-scale character of physicochemical processes. In this paper we present a multi-scale approach in modeling processes and employ these models in deriving a model-predictive controller design framework with significant advantages over traditional time-domain or frequency-domain design methods.
A GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIES

THERE has been a remarkable growth in the literature on multinational corporations (MNCs) in recent years. Much of this literature has been concerned with what John Dunning (1977) calls the OLI framework, where OLI stands for ownership, location and internalization. First the firm should enjoy an ownership advantage, such as a patent, managerial know-how, special marketing technique and so on. Second, tariffs and taxes should be such that it is profitable for the firm to locate production facilities in different countries rather than in one country. Finally, the firm chooses to internalize international transactions rather than use arm's length contracts. The third aspect, internalization, is now being recognized as the essence of multinational activity across countries. This is what mainly distinguishes direct foreign investment from other types of foreign investment. Buckley and Casson (1976), Casson (1979), McCulloch (1984) and Ethier (1984), among others, have emphasized inernalization as the main characteristic of the MNC phenomenon. However, internalization itself derives from two other aspects. One is the international economics of information. That is to say whether or not a particular international transaction should be internalized depends on the outcome of the exchange of asymmetric information between two agents. The second aspect of internalization, emphasized by Pomery (1984), is the socalled "Principal-Agent Problem." That is, if the other agent is likely to abuse or manipulate the exchange of information, then the firm, possessing some specific knowledge, will have to use its own production facilities rather than enter into an arms-length contract with a foreign licensee. Much of the literature cast in the OLI framework has been partial equilibrium in nature. The notable exceptions have been the work of Markusen (1984), Helpman (1984) and Batra and Ramachandran (1980) and Ethier (1984). In this paper we utilize the ownership aspect of the OLI framework and develop a general equilibrium model of the MNCs operating in LDCs. This emphasis on LDCs is noteworthy because, as is well known, there are significant differences between the behavior of global firms in developed and developing countries.
Decreasing avoidable hospital admissions with the implementation of an emergency department case management program

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, increased emphasis has been placed on optimizing quality and reducing expenditures. The use of an emergency department case manager (EDCM) is reemerging as an important initiative in the quest to provide high-quality care and decrease unnecessary hospital admissions. A pilot study of the use of EDCMs was conducted in one of the authors' EDs during a 6-month trial period. By using evidence-based criteria, the EDCM helped in real time to verify admission criteria, assisted with inpatient versus outpatient designation, found community alternatives to hospital admission, and initiated discharge planning for patients who required admission and were at high risk for readmission. EDCMs also worked with pharmacists to assist with medication management for patients who required assistance with obtaining prescriptions. Because of the pilot study's success, the authors' health care system will be implementing EDCMs throughout the organization.
Family planning and population control.

The majority of recipients of Planned Parenthood services are not intending family sizes in keeping with what the future requires. Only the young unmarried or nulliparous women are planning in accordance with population implications in mind. Small family size preferences should be fostered in all American women if voluntary family planning alone is to end population growth. The extension of voluntary family planning services to all American women would be a magnificent social achievement. Nonetheless there is no current evidence that the attainment of such a goal would alter the desires and intentions of American couples to bear more children than the already uncertain future might allow. (authors)
Chameleon: adaptive fault tolerance using reliable, mobile agents

In networked computing systems, a broad range of commercial and scientific applications that need varying degrees of availability must coexist. It is not cost-effective to develop a reliable platform in each case. It is more efficient to build an infrastructure that provides the required level of dependability for each application's needs. It is also essential that the proposed alternatives should leverage off-the-shelf components. There have been exhaustive studies on fault tolerance strategies capable of providing efficient mechanisms to deal with system operational failures. Most of this work has focused on specific application needs and thus provided only piecemeal solutions. Little work has been done in addressing how to build a reliable networked computing system out of unreliable computation nodes. As a result, there is no comprehensive solution for providing a wide range of fault-tolerant services in a single networked environment. The most feasible way of understanding how such a software environment would fit on top of existing layers (the operating system, the network interfaces, etc.) is to implement an infrastructure for providing a range of reliable services. Fundamental components of the envisioned infrastructure (Chameleon) have been designed so that none of them is a single point of failure. Each of the components is active for a certain period, e.g. during the setting up the system configuration. If a component fails during its active phase, there is a provision for recovery, either by switching to a backup or by regenerating the component.
Gender Differences in Metropolitan Travel Behaviour

GORDON P., KUMAR A. and RICHARDSON H. W. (1989) Gender differences in metropolitan travel behaviour, Reg. Studies 23, 499–510. This research, based upon a US large national sample, finds that women consistently have shorter worktrips than men, regardless of income, occupation, marital and family status, mode of travel or location and that women undertake more non-worktrips than men. The results give no support to the arguments that women cannot afford to take longer worktrips because they suffer from lower wages, restricted accessibility, heavy representation in poorly paid but spatially dispersed occupations, and the need to allocate more time to their families. Their worktrips remain shorter after standardizing the data for all these factors. GORDON P., KUMAR A. et RICHARDSON H. W. (1989) La variation du comportement par sexe pour les trajets metropolitains, Reg. Studies 23, 499–510. A partir d'un grand echantillon national de la population aux Etats-Unis cette recherche demontre que par rapport aux hom...
Elements regulating the transcription of human interstitial retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) gene in cultured retinoblastoma cells.

Purpose. To identify cis -acting elements and trans -acting factors involved in the expression of human IRBP gene. Methods. Transient transfection of WERI-Rb1 and HeLa cells, DNase 1 footprinting, gel mobility-shift assay and yeast one-hybrid system were used to study the regulatory elements that are involved in the expression of human IRBP gene. Results. A region between –1620 and –1411 was shown to have enhancer properties. Using nuclear extracts from WERI-Rb1 and HeLa cells, four footprints were identified in the proximal promoter region (–206 to +68). The core promoter element IP1 binds to OTX2 in the yeast one-hybrid system. By cotransfecting HeLa cells, OTX2 could trans-activate the irbp promoter. The functions of IP2 (from –119 to –86) and IP3 (from –183 to –147) remain to be determined. The region containing the HeLa cell-specific footprint IP4 (from –202 to –180) could silence the OTX2 trans-activation of the irbp promoter. Conclusion. The 5'-flanking region of irbp contains an enhancer sequence....
MR IMAGING OF ADULT PATIENTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

Although the incidence of congenital heart disease remains constant among newborns, improved medical and surgical techniques have dramatically prolonged life expectancy and produced a new, growing group of patients harboring these lesions: adults with congenital heart disease. Conventional imaging techniques in these patients may be limited because of patient size, chest configuration, or poor ventricular function. MR imaging provides a noninvasive means of directly demonstrating their developmental abnormalities and the sequelae of pathophysiologic changes caused by these lesions. Combined use of spin echo and gradient reversal echo acquisition techniques allows complete evaluation of cardiac morphology and function in these patients. An new medical and surgical therapies prolong the lives of these patients, the role of MR imaging for physiologic assessment and surgical planning will expand further.
Estrogen and antiestrogen binding to different forms of the molybdate-stabilized estrogen receptor.

We report that the calf uterine estrogen receptor, prepared in a Tris-raolybdate buffer, bound by 10 nM [3H]estradiol and eluted by a KCl gradient from DEAE-cellulose columns, yielded only one very sharp receptor peak. Estrogen receptor prepared in phosphate buffer with molybdate and eluted with KCl also yielded only one sharp peak on DEAE-cellulose. However, if DEAE-Sephadex (with phosphate buffer plus molybdate) was used, the [3H]estradiol-receptor complex eluted with two sharp peaks at approximately 0.21 and 0.25 M KCl (Peaks I and II, respectively). But the high-affinity antiestrogen, [3H]H1285, bound to estrogen receptor, eluted only as Peak I and not as Peak II. Both the [3H]estradiol and [3H]H1285 binding peaks were saturable since they could be eliminated with 200-fold excess estradiol. Therefore, ion exchangechromatography using different resins and/or buffers may be useful for determining physicochemicai differences in estrogen versus antiestrogen receptor complexes.
Topological Conformal Field Theories and the Flat Coordinates

We discuss the relation between topological conformal field theories and singularity theory. We argue that the problem of the explicit solution of these theories is equivalent to that of finding the flat-coordinate basis in the space of couplings. The latter problem is the well-known problem of singularity theory. It has especially simple solutions in the case of minimal models.
Parametric test development for RF circuits targeting physical fault locations and using specification-based fault definitions

The test cost of RF systems is an increasing percentage of the overall system cost. This trend is mainly due to the traditional RF testing schemes based on the full measurement of specifications over a wide range of input conditions. In this paper, we present a test development methodology for RF circuits based on a novel parametric fault definition. We target deviations in physical circuit parameters, such as a resistance or the width of a transistor. However, we consider a circuit faulty only if it violates a specification. Our test development method aims at reducing not only the number of measurements, but also the overall test hardware cost by incorporating the relative set-up cost of each measurement into our selection criteria. Experimental results on a low-noise amplifier (LNA) circuit show that our test development technique reduces the overall test time (49%-67%) as well as the number of required measurement set-ups (17%-33%) considerably. By defining the target faults based on specification violations, our technique also provides high confidence in the test quality.
A Rare Case of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder in Patient with Sjogren's Syndrome.

We report a 48-year-old female with the history of Sjogren’s syndrome who presented with 3-week history of tingling, numbness, and shooting back, waist, and bilateral leg pain and numbness in the pelvic region with urinary and bowel incontinence. Physical examination was remarkable for reduced motor power in both lower extremities with spasticity. Sensory deficit was noted at the T6 level. Laboratory investigation revealed elevated ESR and CRP and positive serum antiaquaporin-4 IgG. Thoracic and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging revealed abnormal patchy areas, leptomeningeal enhancement through the thoracic cord extending from T3 through T6 levels, without evidence of cord compression. Impression of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder was made and patient was treated with methylprednisolone intravenously followed by tapering oral prednisone. Neurological symptoms gradually improved with resolution of bowel and urinary incontinence. In a patient with Sjogren’s syndrome who presents with neurological complaints, the possibility of neuromyelitis optica or neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder should be considered. Awareness of the possibility of CNS disease is important due to the serious nature of CNS complications, some of which are treatable with immunosuppressants. Our patient with Sjogren’s syndrome who presented with myelopathy benefited from early recognition and institution of appropriate therapy.
Comparison of descriptive variables for symptomatic volunteers and clinical patients with anxiety disorders

Worry about the generalizability of findings derived from clinical trials is a nagging problem. Because most clinical trials use individuals recruited by advertisements rather than patients solicited from clinical practice, bias in subject recruitment is a major concern. This paper compares and contrasts the demographic characteristics, symptomatologies, functional disabilities, health beliefs, and health expectations of clinical outpatients to those of subjects recruited from the media (symptomatic volunteers) for pharmacologic trials. Clinical patients were slightly younger, better educated, wealthier, and were more likely to be married. They had more recent exposure to benzodiazepines and antidepressants and were more likely to view their current condition as amenable to psychotherapy. They were more likely to feel that their symptoms would get worse without some type of treatment and to believe that treatment would cure them. The symptomatic volunteers had more presenting symptoms than the clinical patients. The two groups had similar Sheehan Disability Scale scores. These results suggest that further study is warranted of the characteristics of clinical patients and symptomatic volunteers.
Minimizing churn in distributed systems

A pervasive requirement of distributed systems is to deal with churn-change in the set of participating nodes due to joins, graceful leaves, and failures. A high churn rate can increase costs or decrease service quality. This paper studies how to reduce churn by selecting which subset of a set of available nodes to use.First, we provide a comparison of the performance of a range of different node selection strategies in five real-world traces. Among our findings is that the simple strategy of picking a uniform-random replacement whenever a node fails performs surprisingly well. We explain its performance through analysis in a stochastic model.Second, we show that a class of strategies, which we call "Preference List" strategies, arise commonly as a result of optimizing for a metric other than churn, and produce high churn relative to more randomized strategies under realistic node failure patterns. Using this insight, we demonstrate and explain differences in performance for designs that incorporate varying degrees of randomization. We give examples from a variety of protocols, including anycast, over-lay multicast, and distributed hash tables. In many cases, simply adding some randomization can go a long way towards reducing churn.
CEsophagite caustique de l’enfant

La prise en charge des enfants souffrant d’œsophagite caustique reste un sujet de discussion en raison du manque d’etudes prospectives. L’approche diagnostique et therapeutique est fondee sur l’experience clinique individuelle. L’analyse retrospective de 73 dossiers d’enfants avec commemoratif d’ingestion de caustique a permis l’analyse des resultats de l’endoscopie du tractus digestif superieur. Les lesions de degre IV s’observent uniquement apres ingestion de silicates, de bases, d’acides organiques et d’acides. Les mesures therapeutiques relatives aux stenoses œsophagiennes concernent uniquement les enfants qui ont absorbe des bases et des acides forts. L’ensemble de ces donnees impose de facon formelle l’endoscopie diagnostique chez un enfant presentant des symptomes cliniques et/ou une anamnese d’ingestion de bases ou d’acides forts. Une endoscopie de controle est souhaitable apres trois a quatre semaines. Les stenoses simples peuvent etre traitees par dilatations; en revanche, les stenoses etendues ou multiples doivent beneficier d’une œsophagectomie. Le role des steroides au cours de la phase initiale n’est pas clairement etabli; toutefois, l’antibiotherapie demeure essentielle.
Molecular and biomolecular interfaces to metal oxide semiconductors

Previous work has shown that organic alkenes will graft to covalent semiconductors such as diamond and silicon. Here, we demonstrate that organic alkenes can be grafted to the surfaces of metal oxide semiconductors, including TiO2 in nanocrystalline thin films and as single-crystal anatase(001) epitaxial films grown on SrTiO3(001) substrates. The resulting layers can be used as a starting point for linking biomolecules such as DNA to metal oxide surfaces. Initial results are presented showing that this chemistry can also be applied to graft molecular layers to zirconium oxide thin films. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
An integrated methodology for accurate extraction of S/D series resistance components in nanoscale MOSFETs

A new integrated methodology for the accurate extraction of source/drain (S/D) series resistance components with emphasis on the spreading and contact resistance elements is presented. For the first time, detailed extractions of lateral extension doping abruptness and silicide specific contact resistance are made directly from 90nm-node SOI MOSFET characterization. The spreading resistance due to the lateral doping gradient is found to be a key component contributing to total parasitics, and the doping gradient engineering and scaling of specific contact resistance must be employed to overcome this parasitic limitation in future nanoscale CMOS performance roadmap