cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Knowledge circulation in a telecommunications company: a preliminary survey

How does knowledge circulate in complex, interdisciplinary organizations? How can we support that circulation of knowledge through documentation, information systems, and information design? Technical communicators have become interested in these questions lately, particularly with the recent turn to social, cultural, and interpretive theoretical frameworks. In particular, we have become interested in how workers create and share knowledge, how they impart expertise, how they surmount area differences, and how they use communication technologies (from computer databases to messaging systems to handwritten notes) to facilitate their work communication. But studies of knowledge circulation in technical communication have typically focused on individuals or small groups rather than entire organizations. Few major workplace studies have been done with an emphasis on knowledge circulation, especially as it occurs across many functional areas, such as might be found in a medium-sized company.In this paper, I overview the complex circulation of knowledge at a midsized (300+ worker) regional telecommunications company. Through interviews with 84 workers across the company (part of a larger study that also involves observational and archival research), I explore how workers produce and record new knowledge; how they draw on resources and strategies to examine knowledge coming in from other parts of the company; how they learn and draw on specialized social languages in the course of this knowledge work; and how they encounter difficulties due to various organizational factors.I conclude by discussing implications for how we design and document information systems that support knowledge circulation and point to how the results of this analysis will be triangulated and integrated with other data.
The mountain view controlled landfill project field experiment

Abstract The Mountain View controlled landfill project was undertaken in response to the need to optimize energy recovery from landfills, accelerate stabilization, and control gas migration and explosion hazards in the vicinity of landfills. The major objectives of the project were (1) to test the hypothesis that both yield and rate of landfill methanogenesis can be increased by controlling specific conditions within a landfill bioreactor, and (2) to quantify landfill gas production in a field-scale experiment with complete gas recovery so that a measure of landfill gas recovery efficiency can be established. Of particular importance for the design of the field experiment were the synergistic effects of moisture content, seed, and buffer additions on methanogenesis in landfilled municipal solid wastes. The experiment included six landfill cells considered as representative of actual landfills. The effect of moisture content, seed, and buffer was studied in terms of the water content of the refuse additions mixture on a total weight basis, the ratio of organic sludge dry solids to refuse dry solid (seed/nutrient), and the ratio of buffer solids to water present in the refuse/additions mixture.
Regulation of human papillomavirus type 31 late promoter activation and genome amplification by protein kinase C

The life cycle of papillomaviruses is tightly linked to differentiation of host keratinocytes, but the mechanisms and cues by which life cycle events are tied to differentiation remain obscure. We have begun a systematic study of the differentiation-dependent life cycle of HPV31. A variety of signaling pathways have been implicated in controlling keratinocyte differentiation, especially the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. We have used pharmacological inhibitors to determine that genome amplification and late transcription depend on specific PKC isoforms, and that transcription and replication are independently controlled. We found that tyrosine kinases are necessary for viral amplification but not viral transcription. These studies indicate that the PKC pathway is an important regulator of differentiation-dependent HPV31 replication and transcription.
The prentif contraceptive cervical cap: Acceptability aspects and their implications for future cap design☆

Patients in a private gynecological practice were offered the Prentif contraceptive cervical cap. The first 413 acceptors were sent a questionnaire covering in detail many of the aspects of their experience. The 371 responses contained a wealth of information concerned with safety, effectiveness and acceptability. Safety and effectiveness are dealt with in the companion article preceding, while the less serious risk factors that reduce the acceptability of the Prentif cap are presented and discussed herein. In order of descending frequency, these factors include: odor; difficulty removing; discomfort to partner; difficulty inserting; dislike of spermicide; discomfort to self; urinary discomforts; vaginal infections; vaginal discharge; and vaginal itching. The most attractive features of the cap, as compared with the diaphragm, were: increased convenience; greater safety; less interference with spontaneity; increased frequency of intercourse; and increased libido. Despite multiple problems with Prentif caps, 67.4% of the cap recipients were still using their caps after one year. However, this was among a select group of highly motivated women of above-average intelligence. The causes of cap acceptability problems are discussed along with probable future improvements in cap design that may solve them.
Carlyle circles and the Lemoine simplicity of polygon constructions

DUANE W. DETEMPLE: I received my Ph.D. from Stanford University in .;:^;? p"'. 1970, where I wrote my dissertation on bounded univalent functions under the supervision of M. M. Schiffer. I have been at Washington State l University since thep, with the exception of the 1981-82 year when I was a visiting associate professor at Claremont Graduate School. My current m research areas include combinatorial geometry and graph theory.
New Protonated Thioborate Glasses in the xH2S + (1 − x)B2S3 Series

A new series of anhydrous protonated chalcogenide glasses, xH2S + (1 − x)B2S3, analogous to alkali-modified glasses, have been prepared. The preparation of these glasses was carried out in multiple...
Seriators' and nonseriators' comprehension of comparative adjective forms.

The relationship between comprehension of relational adjective forms and seriation ability was assessed for 60 children aged 4–6. Three groups, operational seriators, intuitive seriators, and nonseriators, were given a test measuring comprehension of affirmative and negative comparative and equative forms. Results indicated that operationals understood more forms than intuitives and that intuitives comprehended more than nonseriators. When age differences between groups were minimized, the latter but not the former difference was preserved. This suggests that significant growth in linguistic com[rehension accompanies the emergence of the ability to order objects by size. Analysis of errors indicated that nonseriators interpreted statements dichotomously and ignored the standard more than seriators. Findings help to clarify the relationship between linguistic and cognitive development for parallel underlying structures.
Loneliness mediates the relationship between emotion dysregulation and bulimia nervosa/binge eating disorder psychopathology in a clinical sample.

Emotion dysregulation has been linked to binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN) although the mechanisms by which it affects BN/BED psychopathology are unclear. This study tested loneliness as a mediator between emotion dysregulation and BN/BED psychopathology. A treatment-seeking sample of 107 women with BN or BED was assessed for loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), emotion dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale), and BN/BED psychopathology (Eating Disorder Examination) before treatment. Hierarchical linear regressions and bootstrapping mediation models were run. Greater overall emotion dysregulation was associated with greater BN/BED psychopathology, mediated by loneliness (95 % CI 0.03, 0.09). Emotion dysregulation, however, did not mediate between loneliness and BN/BED psychopathology (95 % CI −0.01, 0.01). Targeting loneliness may effectively treat emotional aspects of BN/BED in women.
A new model of the solar cycle

A new model of the solar magnetic activity cycle is proposed. The model is based on the symmetries of a rotating star, and describes the interaction between dipole and quadrupole fields in the weakly non-linear regime. The model describes not only pure dipole and quadrupole dynamos, but also the transitions with increasing dynamo number to mixed polarity states, and in appropriate regimes to aperiodic states which are highly suggestive of prolonged activity minima such as the Maunder minimum.
High levels of resistance in Agropyron species to barley yellow dwarf and wheat streak mosaic viruses

Several Agropyron species were tested for new sources of resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus (Bydv) and wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV). With BYDV strain PAV, 11 of the 17 Agropyron species showed no virus transmission when plants were given access feed by viruliferous Rhopalosiphum padi. Similar trials with BYDV strain RMV (vectored by R. maidis) indicated that all plants, except susceptible control plants, remained virus free. Virus status was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. When plants were mechanically inoculated with WSMV, 11 Agropyron species failed to express symptoms, while five other species showed a segregating response or had some accessions segregating and some resistant. Test results suggest that resistance to BYDV and WSMV in Agropyron species does not appear to be correlated with any specific genome of Agropyron species although most of the Agropyron species containing S genome were resistant to BYDV and WSMV.
Analysis and implementation of in-plane stationkeeping of continuously perturbed Walker constellations

The stationkeeping of symmetric Walker constellations is analyzed in this chapter by considering the perturbations arising from a high order and degree Earth gravity field, and the solar radiation pressure. These perturbations act differently on each group of spacecraft flying in a given orbital plane, causing a differential drift effect that would disrupt the initial symmetry of the constellation. The analysis is based on the consideration of a fictitious set of rotating reference frames that move with the spacecraft in the mean sense, but drift at a rate equal to the average drift rate experienced by all the vehicles over an extended period. The frames are also allowed to experience the J2-precession, such that each vehicle is allowed to drift in 3D relative to its frame. A two-impulse rendezvous maneuver is then constructed to bring each vehicle to the center of its frame as soon as a given tolerance deadband is about to be violated. This chapter illustrates the computations associated with the stationkeeping of a generic Walker constellation, by maneuvering each leading spacecraft within an orbit plane, and calculating the associated velocity changes required for controlling the in-plane motions in an exacting sense, at least for the first series of maneuvers. The analysis can be easily extended to lower flying constellations, which experience additional perturbations due to drag.
Oxygen permeability of the shell and membranes of chicken eggs during development.

Abstract Oxygen permeability (KO2) was measured through the shell and shell membranes of chicken eggs throughout incubation. Shell KO2 was constant at 1.90 × 10−6 cm3 O2 STP · sec−1 · cm−2 · Torr−1. Outer shell membrane KO2 was constant at 1.78 × 10−6 cm3 O2 STP · sec−1 · cm−2 · Torr−1. Inner membrane KO2 increased from 0.11 × 10−6 cm3 O2 STP · sec−1 · cm−2 · Torr−1 to 1.56 × 10−6 cm3 O2 STP · sec−1 · cm−2 · Torr−1. Calculations of KO2 from oxygen uptake rates and air cell PO2's were in close agreement with direct measurement of KO2. Resistance to oxygen flux was partitioned at each level. The outer membrane added 6% to the resistance of the shell. The inner membrane initially accounted for 88% of the shell/membrane complex resistance, but fell to 12% of the resistance by the end of incubation. The hypothesis is discussed that the increased permeability of the inner membrane is related to the evaporation of water from the membrane surface. The possibility is rejected that the shell membranes may be potential sites for respiratory adaptation to incubation at altitude.
Imaging of liquid crystals using a tunnelling microscope

Since its conception1, the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) has been used principally to explore surfaces of well ordered inorganic solids and graphite2,3. We now report the first use of the STM to unambiguously image well defined organic adsorbates on surfaces. We have imaged individual organic molecules in a liquid crystal array on a graphite surface with the STM with nearly atomic resolution. Liquid crystals have previously been analysed by X-ray diffraction, neutron scattering, dilatometry and other means to determine molecular order. Here we identify a two-dimensional order in 4-n-octyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl, a smectic in the bulk, confirming and embellishing literature models. We have also imaged 4-(trans-4n-pentylcyclohexyl)benzonitrile, a nematic liquid crystal in the bulk at room temperature. We observe an increase in order in both liquid crystals with respect to their bulk phases. The bulk smectic appears crystalline on the graphite surface, as the smectic planes are perfectly registered with one another. The structure of the bulk nematic at the interface with the surface shows a strong conformity to the graphite substrate. In both cases the molecular axes lie parallel to the substrate, and the STM images a cross-section along the direction of the molecular axes of the classical bulk phases (Fig. 1).
A search for residual behavioral effects of trichloroethylene (TCE) in rats exposed as young adults.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an organic solvent with robust acute effects on the nervous system, but poorly documented long-term effects. This study employed a signal detection task (SDT) to assess the persistence of effects of repeated daily inhalation of TCE on sustained attention in rats. Adult male Long–Evans rats inhaled TCE at 0, 1600, or 2400 ppm, 6 h/day for 20 days (n=8/group) and began learning the SDT 3 weeks later. Rats earned food by pressing one retractable response lever in a signal trial and a second lever in a blank (no signal) trial. TCE did not affect acquisition of the response rule or performance of the SDT after the intertrial interval (ITI) was changed from a constant value to a variable one. Increasing the trial presentation rate reduced accuracy equivalently in all groups. Injections of ethanol (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g/kg ip) and d-amphetamine (0, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 mg/kg sc) systematically impaired performance as functions of drug dose. d-Amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) reduced P(hit) more in the 2400-ppm TCE group than in the other groups. All rats required remedial training to learn a reversal of the response contingencies, which TCE did not interfere with. Thus, a history of exposure to TCE did not significantly alter learning or sustained attention in the absence of drugs. Although ethanol did not differentially affect the TCE groups, the effect of d-amphetamine is consistent with solvent-induced changes in dopaminergic functions in the CNS. Calculations indicated power values of 0.5 to 0.8 to detect main effects of TCE for the three primary endpoints.
A High-Order Implicit-Explicit Fluid-Structure Interaction Method for Flapping Flight

We present a high-order accurate scheme for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations of flapping flight. The compressible Navier-Stokes equations are discretized using a discontinuous Galerkin arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (DG-ALE) method on an unstructured tetrahedral mesh, and a wing-like structure, represented as a neo-Hookean material, is discretized using standard continuous Galerkin tetrahedral elements. The time integration is performed using a partitioned approach based on an implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta method, with the fluid and structure equations each integrated using the implicit coefficients, and the fluid-to-structure coupling predicted using a combination of the implicit and explicit coefficients. This partitioned approach allows the reuse of existing domain specific efficient parallel solvers. We demonstrate up to fifth order accuracy in time on a non-trivial test problem, showing that subiterations are not required to achieve design accuracy. In addition we show several examples of wing-like structures in both two and three dimensions.
Influence of hydroxybenzoic acid isomers on the melting temperatures of gelatin and oxypolygelatin

Abstract A method is described for the determination of melting temperatures of various gelatin solutions. A comparison of the gel inhibiting effects of o-, m- , and p -hydroxybenzoic acids indicates that the ortho isomer has the greatest effect. This is explained by the configurational peculiarity of the o -hydroxybenzoic acid molecule. Comparisons of the inhibiting power of higher concentrations of o -hydroxybenzoate and acetyltryptophan show that the acetyltryptophan has a slightly greater effect in the range studied.
Does histopathology predict parathyroid hypersecretion and influence correctly the extent of parathyroidectomy in patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism

Background Parathyroid histopathology has been used to predict single or multiglandular disease (MGD). “Hyperplasia” implies MGD, whereas “adenoma” suggests single gland involvement. Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) monitoring (IPM) guides parathyroidectomy based on function. We sought to evaluate the accuracy of histopathology in the diagnosis of single or MGD and in predicting operative success. Methods We reexamined the parathyroid glands from 402 patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism (SPHPT) who underwent initial IPM-guided parathyroidectomies. Operative findings and outcome were correlated with histopathology of excised glands. Operative success was eucalcemia for ≥6 months and recurrence of hypercalcemia/high PTH after successful parathyroidectomy. Results Of 402 patients, 384 had 1 gland excised resulting in operative success; hyperplasia was diagnosed in 244 of the 384 (64%), with only 2 developing recurrence. Of the 384 patients, 140 (37%) had adenomas with 1 late recurrence. There were 18 patients with MGD (14 hyperplasias, 4 adenomas). There were 5 failures with hyperplasia predicting MGD. Histopathology was incorrect in predicting the number of glands involved in 249 of 402 (62%) patients, and IPM was incorrect in only 13 (3%). Conclusion Histopathology of excised abnormal parathyroid glands does not predict the secretory function of the remaining parathyroid glands left in situ. IPM guided parathyroidectomy accurately based on function alone; however, histopathology was inaccurate in predicting MGD and should not be used to guide parathyroidectomy in patients with SPHPT.
INHIBITORY EFFECT OF ADENOSINE AND ADENINE NUCLEOTIDES ON POTASSIUM‐EVOKED EFFLUX OF [3H]‐NORADRENALINE FROM THE RAT ISOLATED HEART: LACK OF RELATIONSHIP TO PROSTAGLANDINS

1 In the isolated heart of the rat prelabelled with [3H]-noradrenaline (NA) and perfused with Krebs solution, administration of potassium (K+ 60 mumol) increased the efflux of total radioactivity and of [3H]-NA in the perfusate. 2 Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine, but not inosine, dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (db cyclic AMP) or db cyclic GMP reduced the K+/-evoked overflow of total radioactivity and of intact [3H]-NA, in concentrations too low to cause release of prostaglandins. ATP, ADP and adenosine did not affect tyramine-evoked overflow of tritium. 3 Blockade of prostaglandin synthesis with indomethacin did not alter the inhibitory effect of either ATP, ADP or adenosine on K+/-induced overflow of tritium, thereby indicating that these nucleotides inhibit adrenergic transmission by a mechanism unrelated to stimulation of prostaglandin synthesis. 4 Theophylline which increases entry of calcium (Ca2+) across the cell membrane and reduces its binding in the cell, enhanced K+/-evoked overflow of tritium and diminished the inhibitory effect of ATP, ADP and adenosine on K+/-evoked overflow of tritium from the heart, presumably by interfering with transneuronal Ca2+ metabolism.
A Quality Comparison of Devil's Food and Yellow Cakes Baked in a Microwave/Convection Versus a Conventional Oven

A quality comparison was made of devil's food and yellow cakes baked in microwave/convection (MW/C) and conventional (CON) ovens as either single or double layers. Single MW/C layers were rated slightly lower than CON layers for crust color, moistness and total sensory score. However, double layers were rated equal or near-equal to CON layers. Although slight differences were found, all MW/C cakes were acceptable. These results indicated that high quality cakes can be baked 15–25% faster in a MW/C than in a CON oven.
Application of phosphoramidate pronucleotide technology to abacavir leads to a significant enhancement of antiviral potency.

We report the first application of pronucleotide (ProTide) technology to the antiviral agent abacavir (Ziagen), used for the treatment of HIV infection. The phenylmethoxyalaninyl phosphoramidate of abacavir was prepared in good yield in one step. Also prepared was the corresponding phosphoramidate of the guanine nucleoside analogue “carbovir”. The antiviral profile of each of the parent nucleosides was compared to that of the phosphoramidate ProTides. A significant (28- to 60-fold) increase in anti-HIV potency was noted for the ProTide of abacavir but not for that of carbovir. These findings were in agreement with the markedly higher (ca. 37-fold) levels of carbovir triphosphate that are formed in CEM cells upon response to the abacavir ProTide compared with the parent abacavir compound. In contrast the anti-HBV potency of both abacavir and carbovir were improved (10- and 20-fold, respectively) by ProTide formation. As in CEM cells, the abacavir ProTide provided significantly enhanced carbovir triphosphat...
Service providers to the homeless mentally Ill: Their thoughts, perceptions, and recommendations for the homeless

A qualitative research study was conducted to obtain an understanding of the people who provide services to persons who are homeless and mentally ill. Service providers were asked about the kinds of services they provide, what they consider beneficial to this population, the kinds of services they would like to provide, and what is needed to alleviate the homeless problem. Services found in the study included, those that meet basic needs, psychiatric/medical services, social services, and activities. Service providers indicated the major service priority is housing and the necessity of: (a) a safe environment, (b) additional psychiatric/social services, (c) day programs, and (d) health care. It is recommended that service providers advocate for the necessary improvements in services including, collaborative workshops and training sessions to the public and to each other.
On the Robust Control of Two Manipulators Holding a Rigid Object.

In this paper, a control architecture is developed for the closed chain motion of two six-joint manipulators holding a rigid object in a three-dimensional workspace. Dynamic and kinematic constraints are combined with the equations of motion of the manipulators to obtain a dynamical model of the entire system in the joint space. Reduced-order dynamic equations are then developed with regard to the position and force control variables. Robust control laws are then determined such that the force and position control design is decoupled. The control laws that will be discussed are: a robust position tracking controller that yields an exponentially stable position tracking error result, and a robust force tracking controller that yields adjustable bounds on the force tracking error.
Specific interpretations of learning by doing

Learning by doing will here be interpreted in the narrower sense, as cost-saving achieved in circumstances in which the productive facilities and the product remain unchanged (except that initial deficiencies become eliminated). The alternative possibility would be to broaden the concept so as to include the bulk or all of innovating activity [3], but I shall not try to do so. Even the narrower concept is of considerable significance for the understanding of technological progress. In the first place, most successful innovations would have been disimprovements if the new methods had been operated permanently at the efficiency level of an initial brief period of their application. Secondly, the slowing pace of learning by doing when facilities are given belongs among the factors that should be taken into account in any satisfactory theory of replacement periods.
Effects of clinical experience on rating DSM III symptoms of schizophrenia.

Abstract T HE CURRENT DRAFT of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III (DSM III) employs operationally defined cirteria for diagnosis. One consequence of this is that medical studients and residents with limited clinical experience are provided with a clear and comprehensive system of diagnosis. Several studies suggest that operational criteria lead to increased interrater reliability. 1 The present study examines whether the reliability of operational criteria is influenced by the amount of general clinical experience possessed by the rater. The DSM III symptoms of schizophrenia 2 were used to explore this issue.
Fine structure and formation of eggshells in marine Gastrotricha

The fine structure of the gastrotrich eggshell in the hermaphroditic species Turbanella ocellata (Hummon 1974) and the parthenogenetic species Aspidiophorus sp. is described using transmission electron microscopy. The presented evidence strongly suggests that the shell is produced by the egg itself prior to oviposition in both species. The layed egg in Aspidiophorus sp. is provided with a special attachment stalk that is also preformed in the mother animal. Freshly layed eggs of T. ocellata are adhesive all around their surface and lack any specialized structures for attachment. Formation of the spiny eggshell of Aspidiophorus sp. appears to begin with a sudden release of special vesicles containing the preformed spines of the outer eggshell covering. Additional material appears to be secreted by the egg in a more gradual process after the initial vesicle release. The formation of the two fibrous layers in the eggshell of T. ocellata is less well understood and deposition of eggshell material could be seen either as a continuous process or as two separate steps, similar to the events observed for Aspidiophorus sp. For T. ocellata, Tetranchyroderma sp. and Aspidiophorus sp. it is demonstrated that formation of the cuticle occurs as an independent process from that of eggshell formation. This is significantly different from the basic mode of cuticle formation in the annelid line of evolution. The paper argues further that the data support earlier claims of a pronounced difference between the Gastrotricha-Macrodasyida and the Gastrotricha-Paucitubulatina and agree well with the postulated ties of the Gastrotricha and Nematoda. The phylogenetic importance of the eggshell fine-structure is discussed in the framework of present theories on aschelminth phylogeny.
Amphotericin B Therapy in an Anephric Patient

Serum levels of amphotericin B were serially determined during and after a course of therapy in an anephric patient who developed systemic candidiasis after an unsuccessful renal transplantation. There was no progressive accumulation of drug in serum, and the pattern of disappearance of drug from serum was similar to that published for patients with normal renal function. The dialyzability of amphotericin B was studied in vivo during a 6-h period of hemodialysis, by an in vitro dialysis of amphotericin B in water by using similar equipment, and a Pellicon membrane filter which retains molecular species of 100,000 molecular weight and higher. These studies revealed that the drug is not dialyzable with conventional hemodialysis membranes, regardless of protein binding in plasma, and is excluded from passing through the Pellicon membrane filter.
Long-term follow-up after thoracic outlet decompression: An analysis of factors determining outcome

We reviewed our 12-year experience with transaxillary first rib resection in 136 patients screened by neurologists and thought to have neurologic thoracic outlet syndrome to determine what factors affected outcome. These patients represented 85% of the operative experience in a referral area of 1.2 million people. Patients were recalled every 2 years for surveillance. The mean follow-up was 60 +/- 7 months. There were no brachial plexus or vascular injuries. Secondary operations in the neck were required in 20 patients. The quality of the operative result was determined by whether the patient was able to return to preillness activities and whether the patient would undergo operation again if the same result would be obtained. The most important determinant of result was a history of trauma precipitating the neurologic symptoms, particularly in women. Only 25 of the 53 patients (47%) with a history of trauma returned to preillness activities compared to 65 of the 83 patients (78%) without such a history. Overall patient satisfaction was not affected by trauma. Thirty-eight of the 53 patients with trauma (72%) and 69 of the 83 patients (83%) without trauma were satisfied. When the men and women were analyzed separately men were found to have better results after trauma than did women. Other factors with a negative impact on operative results were the need to return to an activity that required repetitive arm movements, coverage under a worker's compensation insurance policy, and fixed joint abnormalities or neurologic findings in the upper extremity. The presence of an anatomic abnormality had no effect on operative results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Efficient optimistic concurrency control using loosely synchronized clocks

This paper describes an efficient optimistic concurrency control scheme for use in distributed database systems in which objects are cached and manipulated at client machines while persistent storage and transactional support are provided by servers. The scheme provides both serializability and external consistency for committed transactions; it uses loosely synchronized clocks to achieve global serialization. It stores only a single version of each object, and avoids maintaining any concurrency control information on a per-object basis; instead, it tracks recent invalidations on a per-client basis, an approach that has low in-memory space overhead and no per-object disk overhead. In addition to its low space overheads, the scheme also performs well. The paper presents a simulation study that compares the scheme to adaptive callback locking, the best concurrency control scheme for client-server object-oriented database systems studied to date. The study shows that our scheme outperforms adaptive callback locking for low to moderate contention workloads, and scales better with the number of clients. For high contention workloads, optimism can result in a high abort rate; the scheme presented here is a first step toward a hybrid scheme that we expect to perform well across the full range of workloads.
Continuing commentary: Revitalizing Shame: Some Reflections on `Changing Idioms of Shame: Expressions of Disgrace and Dishonour in the Narratives of Turkish Women Living in Denmark'

Throughout many studies, shame is approached not solely as a personal or individual sentiment or emotion, but also as a collective social and cultural preoccupation. Many studies also have asserted...
The Dirty Subject of the First World War

In 1915, soon after Egypt's entry into World War I, the British War Office sent a medical mission to Egypt to investigate the state of bilharzia infection in the country. Bilharzia, also known as schistosomiasis, ran rife among agricultural cultivators in Egypt during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The entry of British-occupied Egypt into the war, and its emergence as a battle theater, heightened fears within the British government that its soldiers would fall prey to the same ailments that plagued Egypt's population.
Testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin and free androgen index among adult women: chronological and ovarian aging

background: In this study, levels and rates of change in total testosterone (T), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and free androgen index (FAI) were related to chronological age and to the final menstrual period (FMP) as an indicator of ovarian aging. methods: Data were annually acquired over a 15-year period in 629 women of the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study cohort. Data were censored for hormone therapy use. Endogenous androgen patterns over time were described with stochastic processes and bootstrapping. results: With ovarian aging, T levels rose from a mean of 18 ng/dl commencing 10 years prior to the FMP to 27 ng/dl at the FMP. Over the 20-year period encompassing the FMP, modeled mean SHBG levels changed from 58 to 34 nM and the FAI ratio increased from 1.6 to 2.9 in a non-linear manner. With chronological aging, total T levels increased (P , 0.0001) from 43 to 50 years, but not thereafter. SHBG declined steadily with age with a modestly greater rate of change between 49 and 54 years. The FAI increased from 1.3 to 2.5 from 34 to 58 years. conclusions: T increased from approximately age 40 until the FMP whereas SHBG had rate of change patterns reflecting both chronological and ovarian aging components. These data provide new insight into the endogenous androgen patterns at mid-life.
Efficiency Comparison of Bus Operators in Delhi

There is an apparent inefficiency in the workings of the primary bus operators in New Delhi. The paper focuses on labor inefficiency and compares the compensation schemes offered to the conductors of the two major bus operators in Delhi- Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS). Such a study which compares the labour efficiency, and incentive schemes offered by these two primary bus services has not been done before. The results from the interview of bus conductors of DTC and DIMTS are used to establish the presence of moral hazard. The wide literature on the principal-agent problem is then examined, to find a wage scheme for DTC employees, which provides adequate incentives to them to perform efficiently. Hart and Holmstrom’s (1987) non-linear wage model is suggested in this case study to eliminate the problem of moral hazard. It is also found that the wage scheme offered by DIMTS is more efficient than that of DTC.
An algorithm for waveband routing and wavelength assignment in hierarchical WDM mesh networks

Aggregation of wavelengths into wavebands is an attractive, cost-efficient way to facilitate switching and routing in optical networks. We study the waveband routing and wavelength assignment (WRWA) tasks in hierarchical WDM mesh networks with optical crossconnects that can route multiple granularity (wavelengths and wavebands) at the same time. We solve the waveband routing and wavelength assignment subproblems as a single problem, rather than separating them into two separate problems. We propose a waveband routing and wavelength assignment algorithm, which is designed to minimize the number of wavelength conversions. The algorithm is solved by using dynamic programming, sequentially on one lightpath request at a time. We comment on the WRWA performance under various traffic scenarios. Our results demonstrate a significant cost reduction compared to WDM mesh networks with a single granularity, i.e., without using wavebands.
Adaptation in the motility response to camp in dictyostelium discoideum

When developing amebae of Dictyostelium discoideum are treated with constant concentrations of cAMP above 10(-8)M, the average rate of motility is depressed, with maximum inhibition at roughly 10(-6)M. It is demonstrated that shifting the concentration of cAMP from 0 M to concentrations ranging from 10(-8) to 10(-6)M in a perfusion chamber results in the immediate inhibition of motility. After shifting from 0 M to 10(-8) or 10(-7)M, the rate of cell motility remains low, then rebounds to a higher level, exhibiting a standard adaptation response. No adaptation is exhibited after a shift from 0 M to 10(-6)M, a concentration resulting in maximum inhibition. It is demonstrated that the level of inhibition and the extent of the adaptation period are dependent upon the concentration of cAMP after the shift, and that submaximal inhibition is additive. The characteristics of adaptation in this motility response are very similar to the characteristics of adaptation for the relay system and phosphorylation of the putative cAMP receptor.
Cigarette use, drinking and voiding in schizophrenic patients with polydipsia and hyponatremia

Pre-smoking versus post-smoking amounts of drinking and voiding were compared in ten state hospital patients with schizophrenia and polydipsia. Cigarette use was significantly correlated with total amount drunk but was not associated with increased drinking or decreased voiding immediately following smoking. These findings revealed no nicotine effects upon thirst drive or urinary output, but suggest that drinking and smoking represent associated repetitive behaviors.
Propofol and other intravenous anesthetics have sites of action on the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor distinct from that for isoflurane

Both volatile and intravenous general anesthetics allosterically enhance gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-evoked chloride currents at the GABA type A (GABAA) receptor. Recent work has revealed that two specific amino acid residues within transmembrane domain (TM)2 and TM3 are necessary for positive modulation of GABAA and glycine receptors by the volatile anesthetic enflurane. We now report that mutation of these residues within either GABAA alpha2 (S270 or A291) or beta1 (S265 or M286) subunits resulted in receptors that retain normal or near-normal gating by GABA but are insensitive to clinically relevant concentrations of another inhaled anesthetic, isoflurane. To determine whether receptor modulation by intravenous general anesthetics also was affected by these point mutations, we examined the effects of propofol, etomidate, the barbiturate methohexital, and the steroid alphaxalone on wild-type and mutant GABAA receptors expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. In most cases, these mutations had little or no effect on the actions of these intravenous anesthetics. However, a point mutation in the beta1 subunit (M286W) abolished potentiation of GABA by propofol but did not alter direct activation of the receptor by high concentrations of propofol. These data indicate that the receptor structural requirements for positive modulation by volatile and intravenous general anesthetics may be quite distinct.
Minimal information for the unique representation of a pattern of points

A pattern of points reconstructed from information on the interpoint distances alone,. using multidimensional scaling, is discussed. Graph algorithms are utilized to determine a minimal set of this information adequate to allow a unique reconstruction of the pattern. The minimal information required to correctly construct a map locating eight cities is considered. >
Diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni without the Stool: Comparison of Three Diagnostic Tests to Detect Schiostosoma mansoni Infection from Filtered Urine in Zambia

Diagnosis for intestinal Schistosoma mansoni lacks sensitivity and is arduous to conduct. The standard diagnostic tests, Kato-Katz (KK) and circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) both lack sensitivity and with KK, require obtaining, transporting, and examining fresh stool. We compared diagnostic efficacy of KK, CCA, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect S. mansoni infection (species-specific DNA) from 89 filtered urine samples collected in Zambia. The PCR was the strongest indicator of positive cases with sensitivity and specificity of 100% in comparison to CCA (67% and 60%) and KK (50% and 100%). High positive and negative predictive values (100%) were also indicative of robustness of PCR. The same pattern was observed when stratified for sex and age group-specific analysis. Diagnosis of S. mansoni from filtered urine samples by PCR is an effective means to detect low intensity infection and would enhance the effectiveness of surveillance and control programs of schistosomiasis.
Hormesis, hotspots and emissions trading.

Instrument choice - thecomparison oftechnology standards, performance standards, taxesandtradable permits-hasbeenamajortopic inenvironmental lawand environmental economics. Mostanalyses assumethat emissions andhealth effects arepositively andlinearly related. Iftheyarenot,thiscomplicates theinstrument choice analysis. Thisarticle analyses theeffects ofa nonlinear dose-response function oninstrument choice. Inparticular, itexamines theeffects ofhormesis (highdoseharmbutlow-dose benefit) onthechoice between fixedperformance standards andtradable emissions permits. First, thearticle distinguishes theeffects of hormesis fromtheeffects oflocal emissions. Hormesis isan attribute ofthedose-response orexposure-responserelationship. Hotspots arean attribute ofthe emissions-exposure relationship. Somepollutants may behormetic andcauselocal emissions-exposure effects; others maybehormetic without causing local emissionsexposure effects. Itisonlythelocal exposure effects of emissions thatposea problem foremissions trading. Secondly, thearticle showsthattheconditions under whichemissions trading wouldperform less welloreven perversely underhormesis, depend onhowstringent a Instrument choice hasbeenamajortopic ofenvironmentallawandenvironmental economics. Butto datewe havenotaddressed whether instrument choice should besensitive totheparticular toxicologyofeachpollution problem. How doesthedoseresponse relationship fora pollutant affect the optimal choiceofpolicy instrument toregulate that pollutant? JamesHammitt's insightful article12 analyses manyofthepolicy implications ofa hormetic orJ-shaped dose-response function (in whicha substance isharmful athighdosesbut beneficial atlowdoses).23 Examples ofhormesis mayinclude vitamins, essential minerals, sunshine, redwine,oxygen, saltandperhaps manyother substances, possibly evenradiation andsomepollutants. MostofHammitt's article deals withthe implications ofhormesis forstandard setting: how muchprotection against exposure thegovernment should require. Inthelastsection ofthearticle,
Assembly of Viral Hydrogels for Three-Dimensional Conducting Nanocomposites

M13 bacteriophages act as versatile scaffolds capable of organizing single-walled carbon nanotubes and fabricating three-dimensional conducting nanocomposites. The morphological, electrical, and electrochemical properties of the nanocomposites are presented, as well as its ability to disperse and utilize single-walled carbon nanotubes effectively.
Accelerated haptic rendering of polygonal models through local descent

In a prior paper, we described a haptic rendering algorithm for arbitrary polygonal models using a six degree-of-freedom haptic interface. In that paper, global search for local minimum distances provided repulsive forces between models. This paper augments that system with a local tracking algorithm that quickly updates and maintains globally computed minima. The global search continuously adds and deletes local minimum distance pairs being updated by the local search. This new system supports higher haptic interaction rates on more complex scenes than the previous approach.
A Utopian Prison Contradiction in Terms

Given the often disquieting history of correctional institutions, we question the notion of a utopian prison and, instead, make suggestions for simply improving existing institutions. First, prisons should adopt a clear commitment to the principles of restorative justice and rehabilitation. Second, the recruitment, training, and retention of staff should be reformed so that staff members are more likely to have a high commitment to such principles. Third, the physical, social, psychological, and moral/ ethical safety of the prison must be improved so that individuals can concentrate on change rather than mere survival. Fourth, the evidence supporting rehabilitative programming should be consulted, but, in addition, a more nuanced measure of success should also be considered. Finally, it is necessary to understand the barriers to improving prisons, including the vested interests that profit from the "prison- industrial complex," public opinion, and budgetary restraints. In conclusion, we argue that prisons will never be utopian, but they can be more just, more humane, and more effective as a place to change lives. Evidence suggests this is what the public wants.
The dependence of direct overwrite characteristics on the magnetic properties of DC magnetron sputtered films

The magnetization of rare-earth transition metal films was varied by changing the compensation and the Curie temperatures independently. The coercivity was varied by depositing films with different thicknesses and with an underlayer of silicon nitride. The direct overwrite characteristics investigated include the minimum pulsewidth for erasing and writing a certain size domain, the pulsewidth margins for erase, and the erasable size of domain. The minimum pulsewidth for erasing domains increases when the film thickness increases or an underlayer of silicon nitride is deposited between the magnetic layer and its glass substrate. The poorer erasure performance is due presumably to the higher coercivity at high temperatures in the thinner films. A decrease in the compensation temperature leads to an increase in the magnetization of high temperatures and causes the minimum erasure pulsewidth to increase and the largest erasable domain size to decrease. >
Inside the “Black Box”: How Organizational Culture and Subcultures Inform Interpretations and Actions on Environmental Issues

Companies do not respond identically when faced with similar environmental issues, confounding research that looks only at external influences on corporate environmental practice. In this article, the author explores the role of internal factors, specifically an organization's culture and subcultures, in shaping a company's interpretations and actions on environmental issues. Organizational culture influences how an organization's members define, or “set,” problems and the strategies they draw on to solve such problems. Drawing from a 9-month ethnographic study of a high-tech manufacturer, the author finds that the existence of multiple subcultures gives rise to divergent interpretations and strategies for action for environmental issues and that the relative power of the subcultures influences which interpretations and strategies for action are ultimately adopted. Differences between subcultures and the nature of the relationships between them can explain some of the variation in attention and action obs...