cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Web Auction Sales and Long-Arm Jurisdiction

In MacNeil v. Trambert, 401 Ill.App.3d 1077 (Ill. App. 2d 2010), an Illinois appeals court found that an Illinois eBay buyer could not use long-arm jurisdiction to hale a California seller into an Illinois state court. The opinion demonstrates the continuing challenges courts face in determining the reach of long-arm jurisdiction in website contract cases involving non-forum sellers and forum buyers. After the decision, the roles of the “transaction of any business” and “tortious act” provisions of the Illinois long-arm statute remain unclear. The parameters of a “one-time deal” remain elusive. Distinctions between forms of “interactive”, as opposed to “passive,” websites, as well as between forms of website owners, remain fuzzy.The article reviews MacNeil, discussing when forum buyers might be able to sue non-forum sellers based on troubled Internet purchases.
Natural image segmentation with adaptive texture and boundary encoding

We present a novel algorithm for unsupervised segmentation of natural images that harnesses the principle of minimum description length (MDL). Our method is based on observations that a homogeneously textured region of a natural image can be well modeled by a Gaussian distribution and the region boundary can be effectively coded by an adaptive chain code. The optimal segmentation of an image is the one that gives the shortest coding length for encoding all textures and boundaries in the image, and is obtained via an agglomerative clustering process applied to a hierarchy of decreasing window sizes. The optimal segmentation also provides an accurate estimate of the overall coding length and hence the true entropy of the image. Our algorithm achieves state-of-the-art results on the Berkeley Segmentation Dataset compared to other popular methods.
Efficient scan-path and BIST latches for static CMOS ASIC circuits

The authors present a scan-path and BIST (built-in self test) implementation scheme evolved to reduce the cost of incorporating testability in a CMOS ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) environment. Minimal penalty on circuit performance, low area overhead and ease of design are the main goals, achieved by taking into account CMOS semicustom design specific conditions. Scan-path and BIST latches are designed to have minimal impact on normal latch performance. Design independence is achieved by using an independent clock for testing, while area overhead is reduced by careful use of MOS gates and dynamic latching stages to incorporate testability in an otherwise fully static and complementary CMOS environment. >
The complex logic of stringent response regulation in Caulobacter crescentus: starvation signalling in an oligotrophic environment

Bacteria rapidly adapt to nutritional changes via the stringent response, which entails starvation-induced synthesis of the small molecule, ppGpp, by RelA/SpoT homologue (Rsh) enzymes. Binding of ppGpp to RNA polymerase modulates the transcription of hundreds of genes and remodels the physiology of the cell. Studies of the stringent response have primarily focused on copiotrophic bacteria such as Escherichia coli; little is known about how stringent signalling is regulated in species that live in consistently nutrient-limited (i.e. oligotrophic) environments. Here we define the input logic and transcriptional output of the stringent response in the oligotroph, Caulobacter crescentus. The sole Rsh protein, SpoT(CC), binds to and is regulated by the ribosome, and exhibits AND-type control logic in which amino acid starvation is a necessary but insufficient signal for activation of ppGpp synthesis. While both glucose and ammonium starvation upregulate the synthesis of ppGpp, SpoT(CC) detects these starvation signals by two independent mechanisms. Although the logic of stringent response control in C. crescentus differs from E. coli, the global transcriptional effects of elevated ppGpp are similar, with the exception of 16S rRNA transcription, which is controlled independently of spoT(CC). This study highlights how the regulatory logic controlling the stringent response may be adapted to the nutritional niche of a bacterial species.
A Response to Kurt W. Jensen's Article: Sex of the Administrator as a Variable Affecting Drawing a Person:

Five methodological, conceptual, and statistical problems in a report by K. W. Jensen are listed.
Exploration of waveguide fabrication from thermally evaporated Ge–Sb–S glass films

Abstract Waveguides from thermally evaporated Ge 23 Sb 7 S 70 films have been fabricated using both plasma etching and lift-off techniques. The two methods have been compared in their ability to provide high quality, low-loss waveguides for microphotonics applications. We have demonstrated in this paper that low-loss 3 μm and 4 μm wide channel waveguides can be fabricated using CHF 3 and SF 6 plasma etching, and lift-off, respectively. Additionally, lift-off does not change the structure of the waveguide during the fabrication whereas the structure of the plasma etched waveguide differs slightly from that of the films. Finally, channel waveguides fabricated using lift-off leads to a low RMS roughness of 10 ± 2 nm, compared to those fabricated by a plasma etching process which lead to a higher RMS roughness of 17–20 nm. As-fabricated waveguides have been found to exhibit optical propagation losses of 3–5 dB/cm at 1550 nm. These high losses are attributed to scattering by sidewall roughness and defects arising from the fabrication process.
Water content of a granite magma deduced from the sequence of crystallization determined experimentally with water-undersaturated conditions

The sequence of crystallization in a biotite-granite from the Bohus batholith of Norway and Sweden, deduced from its texture, was magnetite, plagioclase, microcline, quartz, and finally biotite. Several sequences of crystallization were determined experimentally at 2 kb in the presence of varying only for H_2O contents below 1.2% by weight. The rock was fused to a homogeneous glass, and each experiment included samples of finely crushed rock and glass. The samples were reacted in Ag-Pd capsules with measured H_2O content in coldseal pressure vessels with NNO buffer. With excess H_2O (more than 6.5%) the crystallization interval extends from 865° C to 705° C. In the H_2O-deficient region, the solidus temperature remains unchanged as long as a trace of vapor is present, but the liquidus temperature increases as H_2O content decreases; with 0.8 % H_2O the liquidus temperature is 1125° C, the crystallization interval is 420° C, and a separate aqueous vapor phase is evolved only a few degrees above the solidus at 705° C. The biotite phase boundary increases slightly from 845° C with excess H_2O to 875° C with 1% H_2O, and it intersects the steep phase boundaries for quartz and feldspars; the sequence of crystallization changes at each intersection point. Similar diagrams at various pressures for related rock compositions involving muscovite, biotite and amphibole will provide grids useful in defining limits for the water content of granitic and dioritic magmas. Applications are considered for the Bohus batholith, other granitic rocks, and rhyolites. The Bohus magma could have been formed by crustal anatexis as a mobile assemblage of H_2O-undersaturated liquid and residual crystals with initial total H_2O content less than 1.2%, or it could have been derived by fractionation of a more basic parent with low H_2O content from mantle or subduction zone, but it could not have been derived from a primary andesite generated from mantle peridotite. We consider it unlikely that the H_2O content of large granitic magma bodies exceeds about 1.5% H_2O; these magmas are H_2O-undersaturated through most of their histories. Uprise and progressive crystallization of magma bodies produces H_2O-saturation around margins and in the upper regions of magma chambers. H_2O-saturated rhyolitic and dacitic magmas with phenocrysts can be tapped from the upper parts of the magma chambers.
An alternative surgical technique for caval preservation in liver transplantation.

Introduction The results of orthotopic liver transplantation in patients with end-stage liver disease continue to improve. Refinements in surgical techniques represent an important part of this improvement.
Standardization preferences: a function of national culture, work interdependence and local embeddedness

Both theoretical and empirical studies of professional service employee standardization preferences are relatively scarce. Using responses from 398 employees of an international public relations firm, this study finds that employees from high power distance, high uncertainty avoidance and high-context cultures prefer greater standardization, whereas employees from high individualism cultures prefer less standardization. Additionally, work interdependence is positively associated with standardization preferences, whereas local embeddedness is negatively associated with standardization preferences.
3C-SiC Buffer Layers Converted from Si at a Low Temperature

We have obtained single-crystal 3C-SiC films via conversion of the surface region of Si (111) and (100) wafers at 970 °C by reaction with C2H4 in an MBE reactor. The major defects in the films were clusters, voids, and misfit dislocations. Investigation by high resolution TEM images showed low lattice strains in the epitaxial layer due to the formation of 1 misfit dislocation for every 4 to 5 regular SiC planes that are bonded to Si at the interface. The clusters and voids often occurred in pairs. A model for forming the void-cluster pairs is suggested.
Kinetics of CH(X2Π) radical reactions with propane, isobutane and neopentane

Abstract Rate constants over the temperature range 298–689 K are reported for the reaction of CH(X 2 Π) radicals with C 3 H 8 , i -C 4 H 10 and neo-C 5 H 12 . The CH radical was generated by multiphoton laser photolysis of CHBr 3 and its disappearance monitored by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) at 429.8 nm. Absolute rate constants were determined as a function of temperature and total pressure. The following Arrhenius parameters were derived: k = (1.85 ± 0.13) × 10 −10 exp[(240±30)/ T ] cm 3 /s for CH+propane; k = (2.03±0.19)×10 −10 exp[(240±40)/ T ] cm 3 /s for CH+isobutane; k = (1.61±0.10)×10 −10 exp[(340±30)/ T ] cm 3 /s for CH+neopentane, all independent of total pressure. The negative temperature dependences along with the energetics and lack of pressure effects lead to the conclusion that the reactions proceed by CH insertion into the alkane. The activated adduct thus formed rapidly decomposes via many energetically accessible channels. An analysis of CH reactions with C 1 to C 5 alkanes shows an increase in the room temperature rate constants in going from C 1 to C 4 irrespective of the nature of CH bonds. The rate constant then begins to level off near ≈ 5 × 10 −10 cm/s for C 4 and C 5 alkanes.
InterNote: extending a hypermedia framework to support annotative collaboration

Based on three years of user feedback, a design team at IRIS embarked on a project to enhance Intermedia to better support small groups of collaborators, particularly those involved with document review and revision. Towards this end, we defined user-level requirements for the new functionality. The result of this process was the design and implementation of InterNote. One aspect of InterNote involves a fundamental extension to Intermedia's navigational linking paradigm. Instead of simply being able to traverse links, users are now also able to transfer data across the links using a technique we call warm linking. In this paper we describe extensions to our hypermedia framework to support annotative collaboration, including the user interface of the new linking functionality and the InterNote extension. Finally, we discuss our plans for future work.
The effect of low-concentration SO2 on the adsorption of NO from gas over activated carbon

The effect of low-concentration SO2 on the adsorption of NO over activated carbon was studied using adsorption-desorption profiles obtained during thermal analysis-mass spectrometry. Using three different gas mixtures and adsorption temperatures between 293 and 413 K with NO and SO2 as the reactants, it was determined that NO2 and SO2 were the primary adsorbed species. The uptake of NO2 decreased with increasing temperature, whereas the uptake of SO2 was independent of temperature. Except at the highest adsorption temperatures, the amount of NO2 adsorbed was greater than that of SO2 adsorbed. The presence of SO2 inhibited adsorption of NO2, but the co-adsorption of NO2 promoted the adsorption of SO2. These data point to the possibility that the SO2 binding sites on the carbon are associated with the reaction NO + 12 O2 → NO2, and to the different adsorption mechanisms which control NO2 and SO2 uptake.
Evaluation of micrometric and microdensitometric methods for measuring the width of retinal vessel images on fundus photographs

The width of retinal vessel images on fundus photographs was determined by projection micrometry and microdensitometry. These methods were evaluated on 12 retinal vessels using the negatives of 570-nm monochromatic fundus photographs. For projection micrometry, the intraobserver reproducibility of vessel width measurements was 1.6%–2.9%, depending upon the experience of the observer. Significant interobserver differences in the measured widths were demonstrated. For microdensitometry, three distinct measurement criteria were used. Significant differences in width as measured by the three criteria were found, but there were no interoperator differences for each criterion. The intraoperator reproducibility of vessel width measurements by microdensitometry was 2.1%–2.5%. Significant differences were found in the vessel widths determined by the micrometry and densitometry methods, and results obtained by micrometry are discussed in terms of edge-detection phenomena.
Mutagenicity studies with 6-mercaptopurine: I. Cytogenetic activity in vivo

Abstract Cytogenetic studies have been performed to determine the effect of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) on mammalian chromosomes in vivo . An elevated level of chromosome breakage is present in mouse bone marrow cells within 12 h after oral or parenteral dosing with 200 mg/kg. Damage is most severe at 24 h after oral dosing and at 72 h following intraperitoneal injection. A dose-response curve was constructed using oral doses of 10 to 200 mg/kg. The no-effect dose level lies within the 10–25 mg/kg range when administered as a single dose. In subacute studies, positive results have been obtained with as little as 2.5 mg/kg/day administered orally for 5 days.
On the perimeter base leakage of double-poly self-aligned p-n-p transistors

It is shown that in the shallow junction formation for high-performance p-n-p devices, the perimeter E-B junction may be positioned inside the polysilicon due to insufficient boron dopants, causing excessive low-level base leakage current and current gain degradation. The I-V characteristic has an exp(qV/2kT) dependence consistent with carrier recombination at grain boundaries. Although the problem can be cured by using a deep emitter drive-in, the resulting AC performance will be traded off due to increased emitter charge storage. The nonuniform lateral profile limits the minimum achievable emitter junction depth for useful p-n-p devices, which in turn makes thin-base formation more difficult. >
Application Tables for MIL-STD-461B

The complexity in application of ML-STD- is re-reduced by use of tables which summarize requirements of the standard. A separate table is provided for a group of limits applicable to each type of test procedure.
PRESERVATION OF CARROTS BY LACTIC ACID FERMENTATION

Whole, sliced and shredded Chantenay carrots were subjected to lactic acid fermentation in brines comprised of 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0% sodium chloride concentrations. One series was fermented by the naturally occurring microflora of the raw carrot and a second series was fermented by a mixed culture of homofermentative and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria. Although the latter inocula significantly reduced the lag phase of early acid formation, all samples following 21 days incubation attained total acid values in excess of l%, expressed as lactic acid. The volatile-to-nonvolatile acid ratios showed that the lactic acid fermentation of carrots arose as the result of a dominant homofermentative flora. Mild heat treatment of the high-acid product at 71°C produced no adverse changes in color or texture. The resulting flavor of the fermented carrots was judged to be a pleasant composite of carrot, salt and acidic characteristics and most of the crisp texture of the raw carrot was retained.
Influence of alterations in meal frequency on lipogenesis and body fat content in the rat.

SummaryRats were allowed to eat only 2 hr per day (meal-fed) or were fed ad libitum (nibbler) for 12 wk; another group of animals was meal-fed for 3 wk and then fed ad libitum (converted I) while the fourth group of rats (converted II) was meal-fed for 3 wk, allowed to nibble for the next 3 wk, meal-fed from the 6th to 9th wk and then returned to ad libitum feeding for the last 3 wk. Body fat gain and food efficiency was increased in converted I rats. The lipogenic capacity of adipose tissue from meal-fed rats was greater than observed in nibbling rats. Changes in adipose tissue lipogenic activity decreased slowly when meal-fed rats were reverted to ad libitum feeding whereas lipogenic activity increased rapidly when ad libitum fed rats were switched to meal-feeding.
Endoplasmic reticulum whorls as a source of membranes for early cytaster formation in parthenogenetically stimulated sea urchin eggs

Sea urchin eggs exposed to a continuous hypertonic treatment rapidly form many concentric whorls of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during the pre-activation period of the parthenogenetic development. These whorls, however, are only a temporary configurational alteration of ER which begin to break up just prior to egg activation. The conversion back to normal vesicles and lamellae occurs not only concurrently with the appearance of early cytastral areas, but also frequently in close association with the formation of these membranous areas. It is revealed here that membrane elements from disrupting whorls may become incorporated into adjacent, developing clear areas, early cytastral areas, and that this ER constitutes an initial major source of membranes for these early astral areas. Having previously suggested that the actual formation of ER whorls occurs in direct response to released intracellular calcium in hypertonic stressed eggs, the new findings, along with other related data and correlations, further suggest that whorl disruption and the formation of associated astral areas can be correlated with a corresponding decrease in the concentration of this released calcium in the cytoplasm.
Health system reform. Will controlling costs require rationing services

To the Editor. —I write in response to the comments by Dr Eddy. 1 Dr Eddy includes in his category of "uncertain waste" of medical resources "screening for prostate cancer with prostate specific-antigen [PSA] in men older than 50 years... and surgery for early-stage prostate cancer." In men with a life expectancy greater than 10. years, there are many reasons to believe that early detection with PSA and definitive treatment of early-stage cancers may provide remarkable benefit. The use of PSA for early detection of prostate cancer has been clearly demonstrated to cause a marked shift of the stage of the tumor at the time of diagnosis. In the era before PSA, 70% of cancers had spread beyond the prostate at the time of detection; in early detection programs using PSA along with digital rectal examination, 70% of the cancers are detected while still confined to the prostate. The results
Interpersonal correlates of Fromm's Character Types

Fromm proposed a personality theory based on the productive and non-productive use of four character types. The interpersonal correlates of the productive facet of these four life-style orientations were studied using LIFO, a survey of life orientations, and FIRO-B, a measure of interpersonal relations orientations. Four relationships suggested by Fromm's theory have been supported.
Coupled-Sturmian treatment of electron transfer and ionization in proton-carbon collisions

Total cross sections are reported for electron transfer and ionization from the [ital K] shell of carbon atoms by proton impact at energies from 75 to 600 keV. The coupled-Sturmian-pseudostate approach applied previously by Winter [in Phys. Rev. A 35, 3799 (1987)] to collisions between protons and hydrogenic ions has been generalized to quasi-one-electron systems using an analytic Hartree-Fock potential. The calculated cross sections for ionization agree closely with the experimental values of Rodbro [ital et] [ital al]. [Phys. Rev. A 19, 1936 (1979)]. For electron transfer, there is still a small discrepancy of 15% at 200 and 300 keV after a binding-energy correction is made to the potential.
Adult testicular enlargement induced by neonatal hypothyroidism is accompanied by increased Sertoli and germ cell numbers

Our previous studies have shown that transient neonatal hypothyroidism, induced by treatment with the reversible goitrogen 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU), increases testicular size and daily sperm production in the adult rat by up to 82% and 136%, respectively. The objective of the present study was to examine morphological and functional changes in adult seminiferous tubules associated with PTU-induced increases in testicular size and sperm production. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with PTU from birth to day 25 or left untreated; for morphometry, all testes were fixed by vascular perfusion at 90 days of age. Although testicular weight was increased 62% in treated rats, gross pathological changes were not evident in these organs, and spermatogenesis appeared morphologically normal. The percent area of testis occupied by seminiferous tubules was equal in control and treated testes, but mean seminiferous tubule diameter and length were increased in the PTU-treated testis. The adult number of Sertoli cells in treated testes was increased by 157%, and the numbers of leptotene spermatocytes and round spermatids were increased 84% and 93%, respectively. These results demonstrate that increases in Sertoli cell numbers result in increased sperm production and support the idea that Sertoli cells are the major regulators of the magnitude of sperm production. Although the round spermatid to Sertoli cell ratio was reduced by nearly 30%, the number of round spermatids per g testis was increased by 14%. This increased efficiency of sperm production was accomplished by an increased density of Sertoli cells along the basement membrane and an increased height of the seminiferous epithelium. Despite the large increase in Sertoli cell numbers in treated rats, Northern blot analysis using Sertoli cell-specific cDNA probes for transferrin and androgen-binding protein indicated that relative steady state levels of mRNAs per Sertoli cell for these two secretory proteins were similar in control and treated rats at 90 days of age.
Rheological transitions and the progress of melting of crustal rocks

Abstract High-grade igneous and metamorphic systems which possess a variable percentage of melt, may undergo a transition between crystal-supported and fully fluid behavior. The melt-fraction interval over which this transition occurs is not well constrained. We have conducted six series of numerical simulations of crustal melting using melt-fraction intervals between 0.05 to 0.15 for this mechanical transition. The results of these simulations demonstrate the dependence of convection and progress of melting on the rheological transition between solid and melt. Convective heat flux varied by a factor of 8 over the duration of the simulations (160 yr) and the mass of melt produced varied by nearly a factor of 4. The onset of convection in simulations with the most gradual rheological transition was suppressed. Convective heat flux and progress of melting were more sensitive to the melt-fraction interval for the rheological transition than to the composition of a range of crustal protoliths. The rheological transition between solid and melt may be one of the dominant factors controlling the thermal evolution of high-grade crustal rocks.
Convex curvatures of alkaline elution profiles of DNA from human cells irradiated with 405 nm UVA: evidence for induction of slowly developing alkali-labile sites.

— The alkaline (pH 12.1) elution profiles of DNA from human P3 cells exposed to monochromatic 405 nm UVA radiation deviate from exponential: on a logarithmic plot of eluted fraction of DNA vs time of elution, the rate of elution accelerates for the first 6 h. Following this period, the profiles become exponential. In contrast, the elution profiles of DNA after 520 nm green light or ionizing radiation exposures (x- and gamma rays, and fission spectrum neutrons) are always strictly exponential, evidence that the convex profiles were not due to an artifact caused by elution technique. Holding the DNA at pH 12.1 for 6 h after 405-nm exposures before initiating elution resulted in profiles that were close to exponential, with slopes similar to the final slopes observed following the 6-h elution period in the original experiments. This is evidence that some DNA breaks develop slowly during the first 6 h of elution, as a result of exposure to alkali. Therefore, the DNA lesions induced by 405-nm light as measured by the alkaline elution technique are apparently heterogeneous and include a major class of alkali-labile sites that develop slowly during incubation at pH 12.1. Convex profiles also occur following exposure of the cells td visible light at 434 and 512 nm.
Discovery of optimal factors in binary data via a novel method of matrix decomposition

We present a novel method of decomposition of an nxm binary matrix I into a Boolean product A@?B of an nxk binary matrix A and a kxm binary matrix B with k as small as possible. Attempts to solve this problem are known from Boolean factor analysis where I is interpreted as an object-attribute matrix, A and B are interpreted as object-factor and factor-attribute matrices, and the aim is to find a decomposition with a small number k of factors. The method presented here is based on a theorem proved in this paper. It says that optimal decompositions, i.e. those with the least number of factors possible, are those where factors are formal concepts in the sense of formal concept analysis. Finding an optimal decomposition is an NP-hard problem. However, we present an approximation algorithm for finding optimal decompositions which is based on the insight provided by the theorem. The algorithm avoids the need to compute all formal concepts and significantly outperforms a greedy approximation algorithm for a set covering problem to which the problem of matrix decomposition is easily shown to be reducible. We present results of several experiments with various data sets including those from CIA World Factbook and UCI Machine Learning Repository. In addition, we present further geometric insight including description of transformations between the space of attributes and the space of factors.
Phosphorus Phase Feeding and Uterine and Isthmus Mucosal Enzymes and Minerals in Relation to Soft-Shelled and Shell-Less Egg Production

The relationships among phosphorus phase feeding, egg shell quality, and the activities and concentrations of several enzymes and minerals in the uterine and isthmus mucosae of hens at the time of oviposition were investigated. During the first 8 months of production (Phase 1), layer diets contained .3, .5, or .7% available phosphorus. Between 9 and 12 months of production (Phase 2), dietary available phosphorus was either increased or decreased by .2% phosphorus, or was left unchanged. No significant differences due to Phase 1 diets were demonstrated for hard-shelled (HS), soft-shelled (SS), or shell-less (SL) egg production, livability, egg weight, or specific gravity. Phase 2 diets had no significant effect on SS or SL egg production, livability, or egg specific gravity; however, decreasing dietary phosphorus reduced egg weight. Levels as high as .9% had no effect on specific gravity or HS egg production, while .1% dietary phosphorus was detrimental to HS egg production and feed consumption. No significant differences due to dietary available phosphorus or egg type (SS vs. HS) were demonstrated for uterine or isthmus mucosal enzyme activities or mineral contents, with one exception. Higher inorganic phosphorus concentrations were found in the uterus of HS egg layers when compared to levels in the uterus of SS egg layers and the isthmus of HS and SS egg layers. Acid phosphatase and carbonic anhydrase activities, and total calcium levels were significantly higher in the isthmus than the uterus, while alkaline phosphatase and pyrophosphatase activities, and inorganic phosphorus levels were significantly higher in the uterus than the isthmus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Jak-STAT signaling induced by the v-abl oncogene

The effect of the v-abl oncogene of the Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV) on the Jak-STAT pathway of cytokine signal transduction was investigated. In murine pre-B lymphocytes transformed with A-MuLV, the Janus kinases (Jaks) Jak1 and Jak3 exhibited constitutive tyrosine kinase activity, and the STAT proteins (signal transducers and activators of transcription) normally activated by interleukin-4 and interleukin-7 were tyrosine-phosphorylated in the absence of these cytokines. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that in these cells v-Abl was physically associated with Jak1 and Jak3. Inactivation of v-Abl tyrosine kinase in a pre-B cell line transformed with a temperature-sensitive mutant of v-abl resulted in abrogation of constitutive Jak-STAT signaling. A direct link may exist between transformation by v-abl and cytokine signal transduction.
Stereotypic wall climbing in mice during ethanol withdrawal: A new measure of physical dependence☆

Abstract A new potentially useful measure for assessing physical dependence in mice chronically exposed to ethanol is described. C3H/He mice continuously exposed to ethanol vapor for four (Experiment 1) or three (Experiment 2) days spent more time engaged in stereotypic climbing behavior than controls. This stereotypic climbing behavior correlated well, both temporally as well as in intensity, with other previously described signs of ethanol withdrawal. All measures of withdrawal behavior (including climbing) peaked at eight hours after withdrawal and returned to control levels by 30–33 hours. The utility of this behavioral assay for assessing physical dependence on ethanol is further discussed with reference to possible underlying neurochemical events.
A tunable bench top light source for photoelectron spectroscopy: first results for alpha and delta Pu

Abstract We report the first ever utilization of a laser plasma light source for photoelectron spectroscopy. Using a continuous mercury stream as the target, the light source is essentially debris free with intensities rivaling some second generation syncrotrons. Its primary use is likely to be in connection with hazardous materials which are undesirable at synchrotrons, such as Pu. Toward this end we report the first photoemission data on α- and δ-Pu. Both phases display a 5f-related feature at E F , which is much sharper in δ-Pu than in α-Pu, suggestive of heavy fermion behavior. In both phases, however, the hν-dependence of the intensity of this feature can only be understood if there exists substantial 6d-admixture.
Relative motions of hotspots in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans since late Cretaceous time

Combinations of global plate reconstructions reveal average velocities for the last 50 to 65 million years of 10 to 20 mm yr^(−1) between the Hawaiian hotspot and those beneath Iceland, Tristan da Cunha, Reunion, St. Paul's Island, and Kerguelen. Therefore hotspots do not define a fixed reference frame. Uncertainties in these reconstructions are less than the errors incurred by assuming fixed hotspots and less than the differences among various proposed frames of reference of fixed hotspots.
Dynamics of composition operators with holomorphic symbol

We unify and extend several results on the dynamic behaviour of composition operators on the space of holomorphic functions on a simply connected plane domain and endowed with the compact open topology. In particular, we show that a composition operator is weakly supercyclic if and only if the algebra it generates consists entirely, except for the null one, of operators that are topologically mixing, Devaney-chaotic, and have a frequently hypercyclic subspace. We also show that all non-zero scalar multiples of powers of a given hypercyclic composition operator share a dense set of common hypercyclic vectors.
Advanced methods for silicon device modeling

The sustained development of digital electronics has driven for many years the advances of silicon device simulation. However, fundamental simulation issues that must be addressed in modern digital devices are also quite relevant for high frequency applications. Quantum effects must be considered in the simulation of aggressively scaled structures, while thermal effects are particular relevant for power applications. Conventional simulation approaches based on the standard semiconductor equations, although computationally efficient, do not always provide a sufficiently predictive model. More advanced physical approaches rely on an extended Boltzmann equation model that can include explicitly the detailed band structure, nonlinear transport effects, quantum corrections and a self-consistent treatment for self-heating and phonon transport. Such complicated physical models are more easily implemented in particle Monte Carlo simulation.
Plant roles and decision autonomy in multinational plant networks

The paper examines whether plants in a multinational manufacturing firm with different roles have different degrees of autonomy concerning planning, production and control decisions. Building on Ferdows’ framework for classifying international plants in a network, we empirically examine the proposition that the degree of managerial autonomy varies according to strategic role of the plant. We ask whether different plant roles require different management systems and different levels of responsibility for decisions and find evidence of differentiated fit. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Effects of Grass Carp and Carp on Populations of Bluegill and Largemouth Bass in Ponds

Abstract A 19-month study of effects of high density populations of grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella, and carp, Cyprinus carpio, on the reproduction and growth of bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus, and largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, was conducted in nine weed-free (0.1-hectare) ponds. Bluegill and largemouth bass were stocked at rates of 375 and 25 per pond, respectively. Three of the ponds were used as a control, three were stocked with 10 grass carp, and three were stocked with 10 carp. Benthic organisms and water quality were monitored. After two growing seasons, bluegill standing crop was significantly lower (P < 0.1) in both the grass carp and carp ponds. Bluegill standing crop was reduced by 52% in combination with grass carp and 67% in combination with carp. There were no significant differences in the standing crop of largemouth bass.
Dominant factors influencing the nanoindentation response of piezoelectric materials: a case study in relaxor ferroelectrics

The nanoindentation response of a piezoelectric material is, in general, influenced in a complex manner by its elastic, dielectric and piezoelectric properties. The present study is focused on obta...
Studies on the dental lamina as related to its role in the etiology of cysts and tumors

The natural history of the dental lamina involved in the formation of the permanent molars of macaque monkeys is described. Its relation to the oral mucosa and surrounding structures shows that the remnants of this lamina are unlikely to be the principal origin of keratocysts and ameloblastomas.
Mapping the world's degraded lands

Degraded lands have often been suggested as a solution to issues of land scarcity and as an ideal way to meet mounting global demands for agricultural goods, but their locations and conditions are not well known. Four approaches have been used to assess degraded lands at the global scale: expert opinion, satellite observation, biophysical models, and taking inventory of abandoned agricultural lands. We review prominent databases and methodologies used to estimate the area of degraded land, translate these data into a common framework for comparison, and highlight reasons for discrepancies between the numbers. Global estimates of total degraded area vary from less than 1 billion ha to over 6 billion ha, with equally wide disagreement in their spatial distribution. The risk of overestimating the availability and productive potential of these areas is severe, as it may divert attention from efforts to reduce food and agricultural waste or the demand for land-intensive commodities.
Effect of β-endorphin on sociosexual proclivity in a choice paradigm

Abstract Intraventricularly-administered β-endorphin (β-END) suppresses receptive and proceptive behaviors of the ovariectomized, estrogen-progesterone-primed rat. This rat model was used in a four-way choice paradigm to investigate the behavioral specificity and motivational aspects of sexual suppression by β-END. The experimental females showed a preference to associate with a sexually active ‘stud’ male over the other incentive animals as shown by significantly more approaches to and nose pokes into the stud male compartment. β-END did not alter that choice preference. Rather, there was a decrease in overall social interaction after β-END treatment, as shown by decreased total nose pokes. This overall decrease in social motivation, which was blocked by subcutaneous naloxone injection, was not specific to the stud male. It was not a result of akinesia, since total movement among the inner alleys was significantly higher after β-END treatment, an effect also reversed by naloxone. These data suggest that intraventricular β-END may act to suppress sociosexual motivation as a whole rather than sexual activity specifically.
Understanding Religion: The Challenge of E. O. Wilson

E. O. Wilson's fundamental challenge is to bring knowledge and sensibility into an effective working relationship. Both ambivalence and opaqueness characterize his analysis of religion. Ambivalence refers to his conviction on the one hand that religion is essential for societal well-being and genetically resourced and his prediction, on the other hand, that religion will be superseded by scientific reason; the opaqueness refers to his strange insistence that religion be subjected to tests of literal facticity, whereas, in contrast, the arts are exempted from this test, because they constitute a delivery system that impacts the sensibilities directly, with no particular concern for literalness. Wilson's analysis of religion should be brought into consonance with his view of the arts, thereby recognizing the importance of myth, symbol, metaphor, and analogy in religious formulations and their status as direct delivery systems to the sensibilities. Wilson's distinction between empiricist/materialist and transcendentaliist worldviews is reshaped by distinguishing between metaphysical and methodological transcendentalism. This reshaping enables us to recognize how the action required by human existence depends both on scientific knowledge and symbolic formulations that extend to human action, even though certain knowledge is lacking.
Fluid analysis of arrival routing

In Hajek's arrival routing problem (1984), customers are routed to one of n queues to minimize average holding cost. Interarrival and service times are exponentially distributed. We solve the associated fluid model. The optimal fluid policy tells us the asymptotic slopes of the switching surfaces in the original problem when the queues are large. If these slopes are nonzero, then numerical tests indicate that the fluid policy performs well in the original stochastic network. The fluid policy also indicates the approximate path that will be taken to recover from large queues: Routing only switches to queues with larger holding cost and once a large queue empties it will remain approximately empty.
The contribution of personal radios to the noise exposure of employees at one industrial facility.

An investigation of the contribution made to an employee's noise dose from the output of personal radios was performed at a North Carolina textile manufacturing facility where the daily time-weighted average sound level (TWA) was approximately 87 dB, A-weighted sound pressure level [dB(A)]. The measured mean equivalent diffuse field output level of the personal radios was determined to be 83 dB(A) with a range from 70 to 98 dB(A). The daily TWA of a typical employee who did not use a personal radio was determined to be 86.6 dB(A), whereas the exposure of personal radio users was 88.5 dB(A)—an increase of 1.9 dB(A). This increase in exposure was estimated to result in 4 dB of additional permanent noise-induced hearing loss at 4 kHz for the 5th percentile (most sensitive portion) of the population after 20 years of exposure beginning at age 20. The study concluded that the additional contribution of the personal radios to the employee's daily TWA did not pose a significant additional threat to their hearing...
The high voltage paper electrophoresis of kinin peptides K9, K10, and K11.

Abstract The relative electrophoretic velocities of three kinin peptides were studied as a function of pH. The separation of the three peptides by simple electrophoresis in aqueous media was not possible. The significance of this finding is discussed in light of a previously published report that K 9 and K 11 can be separated from K 10 by this technique. The isoelectric points of these peptides were approximated. The utility of the “Electrophoretic spectrum” is commented upon.
Unilobed Rotational Flap for Plantar Hallux Interphalangeal Joint Ulceration Complicated by Osteomyelitis

Diabetes-related neuropathic ulcers located at the plantar aspect of the hallux interphalangeal joint are often chronic or recurrent and frequently become complicated by osteomyelitis. Once infected, treatment will typically involve hallux amputation. Although intended as a definitive procedure, amputation of the first toe is not desirable from a cosmetic or functional standpoint and often leads to transfer ulcers at adjacent locations of the foot. Reconstructive wound surgery, combined with limited bone resection, is possible if the infection is caught early before the local tissue and bone have become necrotic. In addition to neuropathy, biomechanical issues, including ankle equinus, hallux limitus, hallux extensus, and hallux valgus, predispose patients with diabetes mellitus to developing plantar hallux ulcers. We commonly employ a proximal based unilobed plantar rotational flap combined with hallux interphalangeal joint arthroplasty as an alternative to hallux amputation. We present a typical case with long-term follow-up to highlight our flap protocol, including patient selection criteria, flap design, surgical technique, bone resection and biopsy pearls, staging timeline, and a typical postoperative course. Periodic follow-up during the next 72 months for unrelated conditions allowed long-term monitoring with no recurrence of osteomyelitis or subsequent amputation. The foot remained ulcer free 6 years later. The benefits of this surgical approach include complete excision of the ulcer, adequate exposure for bone resection, early bone biopsy before the spread of infection or necrosis of local tissue, flap coverage with viable soft tissue, and partial offloading of mechanical pressure at the plantar interphalangeal joint.
Modeling heat and moisture transport in firefighter protective clothing during flash fire exposure

In this paper, a model of heat and moisture transport in firefighter protective clothing during a flash fire exposure is presented. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of coupled heat and moisture transport on the protective performance of the garment. Computational results show the distribution of temperature and moisture content in the fabric during the exposure to the flash fire as well as during the cool-down period. Moreover, the duration of the exposure during which the garment protects the firefighter from getting second and third degree burns from the flash fire exposure is numerically predicted. A complete model for the fire-fabric-air gap-skin system is presented.
Bridging Positivist and Interpretivist Approaches to Qualitative Methods

The usual juxtaposition of qualitative research against quantitative research makes it easy to miss the fact that qualitative research itself encompasses at least two traditions: positivist and interpretivist. Positivist work seeks to identify qualitative data with propositions that can then be tested or identified in other cases, while interpretive work seeks to combine those data into systems of belief whose manifestations are specific to a case. In this paper, I argue that discovering causal relationships is the province of positivist research, while discovering causal mechanisms is the province of interpretivists. I explain why absolutist claims for one or the other approach are mistaken, and argue that the combination of both makes more sense. Finally, I offer suggestions for combinations of positivist and interpretive work, both at the level of thought experiment and in actual data collection and analysis. Throughout, I draw my examples from recent studies of poverty, a field in which a small but distinguished tradition of qualitative studies of the poor has been joined by a growing body of both positivist and interpretive work.
Can system dynamics be theoretically improved, and if so, does it matter practically?

System dynamics can be considered to be one of the great inventions in the study of societal systems. System dynamics represents a major break with the customary and still dominant approach to such study. Nevertheless, there are a number of important realworld behaviors of complex living systems that classical system dynamics cannot completely explain. System dynamics should be integrated with dissipative-structure theory, synergetics, catastrophe theory, field theory, and chaos theory in order better to explain and to predict evolution, the different kinds of stability and instability, structural change and structural constancy, the different kinds of equilibrium situations, bifurcation, the emergence of collective behavior, and the qualitative meaning of information. Approaches toward the integration of theory are discussed. Model purpose is considered to be the primary factor in determining the required degree of theoretical precision in applied situations.
Electrochemical enhancement of high-performance liquid chromatography-UV detection for determination of phenylpropanolamine

Abstract A common difficulty for many high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analyses is the inadequate detectability of analytes in the chromatographic eluent. One of the most common detection modes for HPLC, UV absorption, is also amont the most problematic in this regard. A fast, simple and inexpensive solution to this problem is accomplished through an application of spectroelectrochemistry. A post-column electrochemical reactor placed before the UV detector was used to oxidize phenylpropanolamine (PPA), a common drug with a very low UV absorptivity, to species the UV absorptivities of which were significantly higher. The net effect of the oxidation was a significant enhancement of detector sensitivity for PPA. Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical data, reactor design chanracteristics and application of the system to the analysis of PPA in dosage forms are presented.