cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maize grain yield responses to plant height variability resulting from crop rotation and tillage system in a long-term experiment

Abstract Research emphasizing slower plant growth and delayed maturity in continuous maize ( Zea mays L.), no-till (MM–NT) systems has often led to the conclusion that lower grain yields in this environment are associated with reduced plant heights. Yet prior research has shown that early-season and mature plants are not always shorter in MM–NT systems, suggesting that overall plant height may not be an accurate morphometric indicator of decreased yield in MM–NT environments. Given that plant-to-plant morpho-physiological uniformity is strongly associated with higher yield in maize, we hypothesized that greater plant height variability would provide a better agronomic explanation for yield loss in MM–NT environments than overall plant height reductions. This 14-year study primarily examined the effects of crop rotation {maize–soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and continuous maize} and tillage system (no-till and moldboard plow) on the yield, 4-week plant population, and 4- and 8-week plant height and plant height variability of a single maize cultivar. Due to sizeable year-to-year variation, actual crop response means for the MM–NT; maize–soybean, no-till (MB–NT); and continuous maize, moldboard plow (MM–PL) treatment combinations were expressed relative to the accompanying means for the maize–soybean, moldboard plow (MB–PL) treatment. In numerous years, the MM–NT system exhibited reduced actual and relative yields and lower 4- and 8-week plant heights compared to the other treatment combinations. Both actual and relative 4- and 8-week plant height variability were rarely greatest for the MM–NT treatment, and in only a few years were actual and/or relative plant density lowest for this system. However, single-factor regression analyses between relative yield and the aforementioned relative agronomic measures revealed that a decline in relative MM–NT yield was most strongly associated with an increase in relative 4-week plant height variability. Multi-factor regression analyses between relative yield, relative 4-week plant height variability, and various weather parameters suggested that this strong inverse relationship was potentially a manifestation of (i) non-uniform germination, emergence, and early seedling growth and (ii) later-season intra-specific competition. Regression analyses between relative 4-week plant height variability and various weather parameters suggested that phenomenon (i) was potentially promoted by cool and moist or warm and dry pre-plant weather conditions while phenomenon (ii) was possibly encouraged by low precipitation and/or high temperatures during rapid stem elongation. While MM–NT systems should be managed to limit plant density reductions and minimize growth and developmental delays, increased focus should be placed on minimizing the occurrence of plant-to-plant variability in these environments.
THE POLITICS OF MAASTRICHT

The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) treaty signed at Maastricht does not guarantee the recreation of German-style economic policies and outcomes at the European Community (EC) level. Membership was not limited to countries that mimic the German commitment to price stability. National representatives may outvote inflation-averse EC central bankers in monetary policy decisions. The Council of Ministers has the power to set exchange rate policy vis-a-vis third currencies. The treaty does not provide binding constraints against fiscal profligacy in member states. The German government agreed to this suboptimal outcome because in the wake of the demise of the Soviet Union and German unification it had broader political interests in maintaining the pace of European integration at Maastricht. The Bundesbank's policy of high interest rates in 1992, however, has effectively guaranteed a two-speed monetary union, in which the first group of members will be limited to a narrow deutschemark zone. Given the waning enthusiasm for integration across the EC, the German government has no incentive to alter this outcome.
Ventricular tachycardia following the administration of quinidine.

Abstract Six in a group of sixty-five patients with auricular fibrillation treated with quinidine developed ventricular tachycardia, suggesting that this toxic arrhythmia may be a more common result of quinidine administration than generally believed. The occurrence of this arrhythmia was not necessarily associated with excessive doses of the drug. Its frequency emphasizes the need for close clinical and electrocardiographic observation during the use of quinidine. Intravenous procaine hydrochloride proved useful in terminating prolonged episodes of ventricular tachycardia in two patients.
Spatial prediction of blood lead levels in children in Toledo, OH using fuzzy sets and the site-specific IEUBK model

Abstract Lead poisoning in young children remains a concern in many urban areas, even 30 years after the banning of Pb-based paint and leaded gasoline. In 2010, 16.6% of 6550 children tested in Toledo, OH had blood lead levels (BLLs) above the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lead poisoning reference level of 5 μg/dL. The aim of this study was to spatially quantify the risk of lead poisoning to children in Toledo, OH and to reduce lead poisoning risk through educational outreach and citizen science. The educational outreach component of the study was implemented through the sampling strategy. Students in Toledo area schools were instructed on proper USEPA soil sampling guidelines and were asked to collect soil samples from their residential yards. A subsample of 81 soils was analyzed for total lead and bioavailable lead. Site-specific total lead and bioavailability data were used in the USEPA Integrated Exposure Uptake and Biokinetic (IEUBK) model to predict BLLs. Predicted BLLs were then used to extract expert knowledge for development of an index model using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted linear combination (WLC). Expert knowledge was used to standardize predictor datasets and to produce continuous BLL risk for each predictor variable. Fuzzy sets were implemented in the model to account for uncertainties in the sampling method. It was found that 8.6% of sampled sites had total soil lead concentrations above the USEPA action level of 400 mg/kg, but 28.4% of soil samples yielded predicted elevated BLLs, suggesting the action level is set too high. The spatial variables influencing risk of lead poisoning from most important to least important were age of housing, road density, percent impervious surfaces, home value, household income and soil type. The highest risk for lead poisoning was in the city center and decreased moving towards the rural areas surrounding the city. The index model paired with the unique outreach driven sampling approach proved successful both at providing quality soil samples and educating the community about the ongoing risks of lead in soil.
Postchemoradiotherapy positron emission tomography predicts pathologic response and survival in patients with esophageal cancer.

Purpose To correlate the prechemoradiotherapy (CRT) and post-CRT metabolic tumor volume (MTV) on positron emission tomography (PET) scanning with the pathologic response and survival in patients receiving preoperative CRT for esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods The medical records of 37 patients with histologically confirmed Stage I–IVA esophageal cancer treated with CRT with or without surgical resection were reviewed. Of the 37 patients, 21 received preoperative CRT (57%) and 16 received definitive CRT (43%). All patients had a pre-CRT and 32 had a post-CRT PET scan. The MTV was measured on the pre-CRT PET and post-CRT PET scan, respectively, using a minimum standardized uptake value (SUV) threshold x, where x=2, 2.5, 3, or the SUV maximum × 50%. The total glycolytic activity (TGA x ) was defined as the mean SUV × MTV x . The MTV ratio was defined as the pre-CRT PET MTV/post-CRT MTV. The SUV ratio was defined similarly. A single pathologist scored the pathologic response using a tumor regression grade (TRG) scale. Results The median follow-up was 1.5 years (range, 0.4–4.9). No significant correlation was found between any parameters on the pre-CRT PET scan and the TRG or overall survival (OS). Multiple post-CRT MTV values and post-TGA values correlated with the TRG and OS; however, the MTV 2.5Post and TGA 2.5Post had the greatest correlation. The MTV 2 ratio correlated with OS. The maximum SUV on either the pre-CRT and post-CRT PET scans or the maximum SUV ratio did not correlate with the TRG or OS. Patients treated preoperatively had survival similar compared with those treated definitively with a good PET response ( p = 0.97) and significantly better than that of patients treated definitively with a poor PET response ( p Conclusion The maximum SUV was not a predictive or prognostic parameter. The MTV 2.5 and TGA 2.5 were useful markers for predicting the response and survival on the post-CRT PET scan. The MTV 2 ratio also correlated with survival. Post-CRT PET can potentially guide therapy after CRT.
Damping Analysis of Composite Plates with Zig-Zag Triangular Element

A three-node flat triangular element incorporating layerwise zig-zag theory is developed that is suitable for analyzing damped laminated composite structures. By the use of an interdependent kinematic relation, the higher-order shear rotations are replaced by in-plane displacements, a transverse displacement, and section rotations, which result in three translations and two rotations. Natural frequencies and modal loss factors of cantilevered laminated plates with embedded damping layers are calculated with the zig-zag triangular element and compared to the experimental results and MSC/NASTRAN results using a layered combination of plate and solid elements. Frequencies and corresponding loss factors of symmetric and antisymmetric damped laminated cantilever plates as a function of fiber angle are also calculated.
Optical isotope shifts of stable hafnium atoms in a resonance cell on-line with a heavy-ion accelerator.

Optical isotope shifts were measured on the 618-nm, ground-state transition of Hf i for the isotopes $^{174\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}180}\mathrm{Hf}$. For the isotope pair 178-180, a specific mass shift of approximately -8 times the normal mass shift was deduced for this transition. The large size of this shift is consistent with other specific mass shifts that result from a broken d-shell electron pair. A transtion electronic factor of ${\mathit{E}}_{618}$=0.158\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.012 was extracted from the data. Excited-state hyperfine coefficients for the odd isotopes $^{179}\mathrm{Hf}$ and $^{177}\mathrm{Hf}$ were also deduced. The values of mean-square-charge radii obtained for the isotopic chain agree well with previously published results.
C1 Local parametrized morse theory

Abstract We prove that any k-parameter family of smooth functions on a compact smooth n-manifold can be C1 approximated by a family of smooth functions having only singularities of “total codimension”⩽max(1,k−n+1).
Cache-conscious performance optimization for similarity search

All-pairs similarity search can be implemented in two stages. The first stage is to partition the data and group potentially similar vectors. The second stage is to run a set of tasks where each task compares a partition of vectors with other candidate partitions. Because of data sparsity, accessing feature vectors in memory for runtime comparison in the second stage, incurs significant overhead due to the presence of memory hierarchy. This paper proposes a cache-conscious data layout and traversal optimization to reduce the execution time through size-controlled data splitting and vector coalescing. It also provides an analysis to guide the optimal choice for the parameter setting. Our evaluation with several application datasets verifies the performance gains obtained by the optimization and shows that the proposed scheme is upto 2.74x as fast as the cache-oblivious baseline.
Analysis of the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin, Canada: burial, thermal and hydrocarbon histories

Abstract The burial, thermal and hydrocarbon histories of Jurassic-Tertiary sedimentary successions were investigated for three structural zones of the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin using a one-dimensional comprehensive burial history model. The reconstructed geohistories of seven wells indicate two stages of tectonics in the study area: (1) rifting from the Jurassic to Early Cretaceous in structural Zone I and subsequent extension in structural Zone II; and (2) uplift and erosion after rifting, as well as thermal subsidence. The maximum burial of Jurassic-Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments corresponds to the rifting episode. The Late Eocene to Late Miocene uplift caused at least 1000 – 2000 m of sediment to be removed in the study area. The Late Miocene to Pleistocene thermal subsidence resulted in an accumulation of thick fluvial delta sediments (the Iperk sequence) from the Mackenzie Delta to offshore of the Beaufort Sea. Heating episodes from around 150 to 20 Ma in the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula province and from around 60 to 10 Ma in the central and western part of the basin are indicated by the inversion of vitrinite reflectance data from seven wells. Comparison of the thermal maturation pattern with oil and gas occurrences in seven of the wells indicates that hydrocarbons in Cretaceous reservoirs may have migrated vertically from the Husky Formation, whereas the hydrocarbons in the Tertiary reservoirs may have undergone extensive lateral migration from offshore, where the Richards sequence source rock has a deeper burial history than onshore.
Acetoacetate reduces growth and ATP concentration in cancer cell lines which over-express uncoupling protein 2

Background Recent evidence suggests that several human cancers are capable of uncoupling of mitochondrial ATP generation in the presence of intact tricarboxylic acid (TCA) enzymes. The goal of the current study was to test the hypothesis that ketone bodies can inhibit cell growth in aggressive cancers and that expression of uncoupling protein 2 is a contributing factor. The proposed mechanism involves inhibition of glycolytic ATP production via a Randle-like cycle while increased uncoupling renders cancers unable to produce compensatory ATP from respiration.
Conductive and optically non-linear polymeric langmuir-blodgett films of poly(3-dodecylthiophene)

Abstract Monolayer film formation at the air/water interface was investigated for both electrochemically and chemically prepared poly(3-dodecylthiophene) using surface pressure-molecular area isotherms. Only the electrochemically prepared polymer formed a stable monolayer, which was successfully transferred using the horizontal lifting method. The transferred Langmuir-Blodgett films were characterized by u.v.-visible spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance measurements, electrical conductivity measurements and femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing studies of the third-order optical non-linearity. The third-order optical susceptibility of undoped poly(3-dodecylthiophene) was found to be χ (3) ∼ 10 −9 , esu, large enough to allow the first reported observation of a degenerate four-wave mixing signal from ultrathin Langmuir-Blodgett films. In situ iodine-doping studies of u.v.-visible absorption, electrical conductivity and third-order non-linear optical susceptibility were carried out. Upon doping, the conductivity increased by more than eight orders of magnitude and the χ (3) value decreased to within ten percent of the original value.
Geology of the Miami Terrace and its paleo-oceanographic implications

Abstract The Miami Terrace is a drowned early to middle Tertiary carbonate platform, the outer margin of which has been deeply incised by submarine erosion subsequent to deposition of the limestone terrace. This interpretation is based on the study of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles, rock dredge samples, observations from deep-diving submersibles, and correlation with drill-hole data. The karstic upper terrace (200–375 m) yields limestones and dolostones of early middle Miocene age that have shallow-shelf affinities. Truncated beds of an eastward-dipping deeper-water slope facies are exposed on the upper surface of the erosional lower terrace at 600–700 m. The upper and lower terraces are separated by a discontinuous ridge, probably a drowned Miocene, or post-Miocene bank margin complex. Both terraces and the ridge are capped by dense conglomeratic phosphorites and phosphatic limestones. Phosphorite nodules are more common on the lower terrace whereas the upper terrace yields large phosphorite slabs as well as shark's teeth and bones of marine mammals. Petrographic study of dredged and submersible-sampled rocks shows that two or more episodes of phosphatization took place intermittent with erosion, grain rounding, reworking and redeposition. Early stages of phosphatization appear to be selective, replacing the more unstable carbonate minerals first, while later stages are nonselective. The origin of most of the phosphorites is the diagenetic replacement of calcium carbonate by francolite. The karst surface of the upper terrace appears to have been produced by subaerial exposure in the middle to late Miocene as evidenced by shallow-water components in the rocks of the upper terrace plus considerations of local subsidence and eustatic sea-level curves. The erosional lower terrace, 200–300 m deeper than the upper terrace, would have been too deep to have been produced by subaerial or wave erosion. An erosional hiatus of middle Miocene age in JOIDES drill holes on the Blake Plateau indicates that bottom-current velocities in this area increased over this interval. The formation of the lower erosional terrace is related to increased flow of the Gulf Stream system (Florida Current) and bioerosion concurrent with the tectonic uplift and oceanographic closure of the western Caribbean in mid-Miocene time. The bathymetry, petrology, structure and paleontology of the Miami Terrace, along with correlative data from adjacent areas, argue that a more active Gulf Stream system began as early as the middle Miocene (10.5–16 m.y.B.P.) rather than the early to middle Pliocene (3.5–4.0 m.y.B.P.) as previously suggested.
Behavioral/emotional profiles of preschool language-impaired children

Previous research has suggested that language-impaired (LI) children have a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, and conversely, that children being treated for psychiatric disorders have a high incidence of language impairment. To investigate the relationship between developmental language and psychiatric disorders further, the behavioral and emotional status of a large, well-defined group of preschool-age LI and matched control children were evaluated using the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Based on parent report, data were analyzed for broad- as well as narrow-band syndromes. For the broad-band syndromes, results demonstrated significant between-group differences for boys, but not girls. However, for the narrow-band syndromes, unexpectedly few significant between-group differences were found for boys or girls. Only the Immaturity scale for boys and Social Withdrawal scale for girls proved significantly different between groups. Inspection of the items that comprised these two scales revealed a high prevalence of items which relate to attention, perception, and motor functions. As previous research with LI children has demonstrated that highly significant perceptual/motor disorders characterize this population, additional analyses were performed to determine the extent to which attention, perception, and motor items on the CBCL contributed to the significant group differences found. When items classified as assessing attention, perception, or motor functioning were excluded, few significant between-group differences remained. Subsequent analyses demonstrated a high correlation between the CBCL items classified as assessing attention, perception, or motor functions and the performance of LI and normal children on a battery of non-verbal attention, perception, and motor tasks. These results suggest that psychiatric disorders previously identified in LI children may be related primarily to specific neurodevelopmental delay in perceptual/motor functioning.
Evaluation of the gallbladder and cystic duct patency with gadoxetate disodium enhanced MR cholangiography: prospective comparison of patients with normal gallbladder function and acute cholecystitis

BackgroundUsing hepatocyte-specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents such as gadoxetate disodium, MRI can provide functional information regarding the patency of the cystic duct sim...
Halogenated beta,gamma-methylene- and ethylidene-dGTP-DNA ternary complexes with DNA polymerase beta: structural evidence for stereospecific binding of the fluoromethylene analogues.

β,γ-Fluoromethylene analogues of nucleotides are considered to be useful mimics of the natural substrates, but direct structural evidence defining their active site interactions has not been available, including the influence of the new chiral center introduced at the CHF carbon, as in β,γ-fluoromethylene-dGTP, which forms an active site complex with DNA polymerase β, a repair enzyme that plays an important role in base excision repair (BER) and oncogenesis. We report X-ray crystallographic results for a series of β,γ-CXY dGTP analogues, where X,Y = H, F, Cl, Br, and/or CH3. For all three R/S monofluorinated analogues examined (CHF, 3/4; CCH3F, 13/14; CClF 15/16), a single CXF-diastereomer (3, 13, 16) is observed in the active site complex, with the CXF fluorine atom at a ∼3 A (bonding) distance to a guanidinium N of Arg183. In contrast, for the CHCl, CHBr, and CHCH3 analogues, both diasteromers (6/7, 8/9, 10/11) populate the dGTP site in the enzyme complex about equally. The structures of the bound dichl...
Cigarette smoking and parkinson disease : the illusion of a neuroprotective effect

Repeated studies have demonstrated a negative association between cigarette smoking and Parkinson disease. This negative association has led many investigators to suggest that some facet of cigarette smoking exerts a neuroprotective influence with respect to developing Parkinson disease. Longitudinal Gompertzian analysis demonstrates that no neuroprotective influence is necessary to account for the negative association between Parkinson disease and cigarette smoking. Indeed, the only assumption that needs to be made is that smokers experience earlier mortality than nonsmokers. The example of cigarette smoking and Parkinson disease illustrates a limitation with current risk factor analysis, i.e., disease patterns are typically interpreted using only two dimensions: genetics and the environment. However, longitudinal Gompertzian analysis demonstrates that disease mortality patterns and trends are actually three-dimensional phenomenon, with competition being the third dimension.
Fibroblast growth factor signaling potentiates VE-cadherin stability at adherens junctions by regulating SHP2.

Background The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) system plays a critical role in the maintenance of vascular integrity via enhancing the stability of VE-cadherin at adherens junctions. However, the precise molecular mechanism is not well understood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the detailed mechanism of FGF regulation of VE-cadherin function that leads to endothelial junction stabilization.
Diagnosis-Dependent Relationships between Cytokine Levels and Survival in Patients Admitted for Surgical Critical Care

Background Death after trauma, infection, or other critical illness has been attributed to unbalanced inflammation, in which dysregulation of cytokines leads to multiple organ dysfunction and death. We hypothesized that admission cytokine profiles associated with death would differ based on admitting diagnosis. Study Design This 5-year study included patients admitted for trauma or surgical intensive care for more than 48 hours at 2 academic, tertiary care hospitals between October 2001 and May 2006. Cytokine analysis for interleukin (IL)-1, -2, -4, -6, -8, -10, -12, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was performed using ELISA on specimens drawn within 72 hours of admission. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare median admission cytokine levels between alive and deceased patients. Relative risks and odds of death associated with admission cytokines were generated using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression models, respectively. Results There were 1,655 patients who had complete cytokine data: 290 infected, nontrauma; 343 noninfected, nontrauma; and 1,022 trauma. Among infected patients, nonsurvivors had higher median admission levels of IL-2, -8, -10, and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor; noninfected, nontrauma patients had higher IL-6, -8, and IL-10; and nonsurviving trauma patients had higher IL-4, -6, -8, and TNF-α. IL-4 was the most significant predictor of death and carried the highest relative risk of dying in trauma patients, and IL-8 in nontrauma, noninfected patients. In infected patients, no cytokine independently predicted death. Conclusions Cytokine profiles of certain disease states may identify persons at risk of dying and allow for selective targeting of multiple cytokines to prevent organ dysfunction and death.
On a partition problem of Frobenius

Abstract We consider the following problem, which was raised by Frobenius: Given n relatively prime positive integers, what is the largest integer M ( a 1 , a 2 , …, a n ) omitted by the linear form Σ i =1 n a i x i , where the x i are variable nonnegative integers. We give the solution for certain special cases when n = 3.
Robust and automatic segmentation of a class of fuzzy edge images

This paper concerns the segmentation of a class of images which consist of a background region, a fuzzy/blurry edge region, and an object region. In this class of images, the greyness gradually changes from the background region to the object region. To appropriately segment this class of images, the authors propose to model the fuzzy edge region using double-thresholds. In addition, a probability is assigned to each pixel in the fuzzy edge region for its membership to the object based on the differences between its greyness to the thresholds. To be robust, a statistical method, namely the maximum slope difference principle, is used to obtain optimal estimates of the thresholds automatically. Metal transfer images acquired from gas metal arc welding are used to demonstrate the algorithm and its effectiveness.
Fibrin-mediated delivery of KGF in 2D and 3D models of wound regeneration

We developed 2D and 3D models of wound regeneration to assess the efficacy of fibrin and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF or FGF-7) to accelerate skin reepithelialization. A modified scratch wounding assay in culture was used to study the fibrillar. structure of fibrin and its effect on keratinocyte migration. A skin equivalent model of wound healing was utilized to examine the same conditions in 3D. Fibrin accelerated the healing of wounds in 2D and 3D when used at physiologic concentrations (2 - 4 mg/ml). Interestingly, higher fibrinogen concentrations had a deleterious effect in 2D but did not alter the rate of healing in the 3D model. We also evaluated the effects of heparin and fibrillar structure of fibrin gels on the kinetics of KGF release. Fibrin gels were then used to deliver KGF to wounds created in skin equivalents grafted to athymic mice. We found that fibrin-mediated delivery of KGF accelerated reepithelialization and increased vascularization of wounds in vivo. Our results suggest that the structure of fibrin may differentially affect growth factor delivery and keratinocyte migration in 2D vs. 3D models.
Driving less for better air: Impacts of a public information campaign

In the wake of the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act, localities across the United States initiated public information campaigns both to raise awareness of threats to air quality and to change behavior related to air pollution by recommending specific behavioral changes in the campaign messages. These campaigns are designed to reduce the health hazards associated with poor air quality and to avoid federal sanctions resulting from the failure to meet air quality standards. As in many other communities across the country, a coalition of government agencies and businesses initiated a public information campaign in the Atlanta metropolitan region to reduce certain targeted behaviors, mainly driving. A two-stage model used to analyze data from a rolling sample survey shows that the centerpiece of the information campaign—air quality alerts—was effective in raising awareness and reducing driving in a segment of the population. When the overall information campaign was moderated by employers' participation in programs to improve air quality, drivers significantly reduced the number of miles they drove and the number of trips they took by car on days when air quality alerts were sounded. Public information campaigns can be successful in increasing awareness, but changing well-established behaviors, such as driving, is likely to require institutional mediation to provide social contexts that support the behavioral change, as well. © 2003 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Endocardial Mapping of Electrophysiologically Abnormal Substrates and Cardiac Arrhythmias Using a Noncontact Nonexpandable Catheter

Noncontact Mapping of Arrhythmogenic Substrates.Introduction: In previous studies, we established methodology for reconstructing endocardial potential maps, electrograms, and isochrones from a noncontact intracavitary catheter during a single beat. Recently, we evaluated this approach using a 9-French (3-mm) spiral catheter in a normal heart preparation. Here we extend the approach to hearts with structural disease and examine its ability to detect and characterize abnormal electrophysiologic (EP) substrates and to map ventricular arrhythmias on a beat-by-beat basis. Methods and Results: Reconstruction of endocardial potentials from cavity potentials measured with 82 electrodes mounted on a 9-French spiral catheter was performed in an isolated canine left ventricle (LV). Endocardial potentials were recorded with 91 intramural needles, providing a gold standard for evaluating the noncontact reconstruction. Studies were performed in a normal LV (control) and the same LV 3 hours after left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and ethanol injection to create an infarct. Abnormal EP characteristics over the infarct were faithfully reconstructed, including (1) low potentials and electrogram derivatives; (2) fractionated electrograms; (3) small deflections on electrograms reflecting local activation; and (4) slow discontinuous conduction transverse to fibers. During arrhythmia, beat-to-beat dynamic shifts of initiation site and activation pattern were captured by the reconstruction. Conclusion: Noncontact, nonexpendable catheter mapping can locate and characterize abnormal EP substrates and can capture the endocardial sequence of an arrhythmia during a single beat.
Novel regulation of yolk utilization by thyroid hormone in embryos of the direct developing frog Eleutherodactylus coqui

SUMMARY Thyroid hormone (TH) is required for metamorphosis of the long, coiled tadpole gut into the short frog gut. Eleutherodactylus coqui, a direct developing frog, lacks a tadpole. Its embryonic gut is a miniature adult form with a mass of yolky cells, called nutritional endoderm, attached to the small intestine. We tested the TH requirement for gut development in E. coqui. Inhibition of TH synthesis with methimazole arrested gut development in its embryonic form. Embryos treated with methimazole failed to utilize the yolk in their nutritional endoderm, and survived for weeks without further development. Conversely, methimazole and 3,3′,5-tri-iodo-l-thyronine, the active form of TH, stimulated gut development and utilization and disappearance of the nutritional endoderm. In Xenopus laevis, the receptor for TH, TRβ, is upregulated in response to TH. Similarly, EcTRβ, the E. coqui ortholog, was upregulated by TH in the gut. EcTRβ expression was high in the nutritional endoderm, suggesting a direct role for TH in yolk utilization by these cells. An initial step in the breakdown of yolk in X. laevis is acidification of the yolk platelet. E. coqui embryos in methimazole failed to acidify their yolk platelets, but acidification was stimulated by TH indicating its role in an early step of yolk utilization. In addition to a conserved TH role in gut development, a novel regulatory role for TH in yolk utilization has evolved in these direct developers.
Self-hypnosis: the result of heterohypnosis or vice versa?

Abstract This study developed quantitative measures of self-hypnosis and used them to investigate how effective self-hypnosis is, both without initial training and following heterohypnosis. A total of 88 undergraduates first received group adaptations of HGSHS:A and SHss:C; the “conventional” group received the usual standsrdized inductions, the “first-person” group received rephrased inductions, and the “selfinstructed” group supplied their own inductions. All Ss then received a self-instructed SHSS:C and a conventional HGSHS:A. The selfinstructed scales yielded entirely satisfactory measurements, both objective and subjective. Untrained self-hypnosis was as effective as heterohypnosis. Conventional heterohypnosis inhibited later selfhypnosis, but first-person versions did not. Initial self-hypnosis facilitated later heterohypnosis. These findings contradict a stereotype of hypnosis baed on heterohypnosis of a passive S by an active hypnotist, with self-hypnosis a derivative of this. They suggest instead...
Developmental anomalies of the brain in mental retardation

Intuitively it is understood that persons with mental retardation must have 'something' different about the structure and organization of the central nervous system. In the past, defining what that something might be was usually a high cost, low yield endeavour. Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques have greatly enhanced our ability to identify structural changes in CNS development that correlate closely with the patient's neurodevelopmental abnormalities.In this article we review the most common identifiable developmental CNS anomalies seen in patients with mental retardation.We describe both overt (gross) malformations and the more recently appreciated'subtle markers of cerebral dysgenesis'.For selected conditions we also discuss recent insights into the etiologic and pathogenetic basis of the condition from many of the exciting new developments in molecular biology.
Visualization of the battlespace: a cornerstone of modeling for anticipatory behavior

In order to achieve Predictive Battlespace Awareness, representations of the battlespace must be accurate and timely. They must also provide predictive and actionable information to the user. Planners must be able to predict the impact of friendly operations on the enemy in order to stay inside his decision cycle. Further, they must be able to dynamically adapt an effects-based plan based on assessment of operations and the campaign. This paper outlines an operator-centered program for developing the models needed to provide the information and a systems engineering approach to designing visualizations which convey the information output to decision makers. Fundamental to the process is warfighter involvement at all phases.
Photon dynamics in tissue imaging

The emerging need for a fast, safe economical approach to global and localized measures of desaturation of hemoglobin with oxygen (HbO2) in the human brain motivates further research on time-resolved spectroscopy in four areas of study. (1) To afford quantization of hemoglobin saturation through time-resolved spectroscopy in the time domain (TD) and in the frequency domain (FD). Evaluation of dual-wavelength TD and FD spectrometers for determining quantitatively hemoglobin desaturation and blood-volume changes by calculations that are insensitive to mutual interference is proposed. The diffusion equation, as it applies especially to TD studies, and the absorption ((mu) a) and scattering ((mu) s) coefficients provide their independent determination from the late and early respective portions of the kinetics of the emergent photons in response to a short input pulse (50-100 psec). (2) The identification of the photon-pathlength change due to the arterial pulse in the brain tissue by FD methods with Fourier transformation affords an opportunity to employ principles of pulse oximetry to vessels localized deep within the brain tissue. (3) Localization of desaturation of hemoglobin in portions of the brain can be achieved through dual-wavelength scanning of the input/output optical fibers across the head for an X-Y coordinate and varying the distance between input and output ((rho) ) or the time delay in data acquisition to afford an in-depth Z scan. Localizations of shed blood, which have an effective concentration of over 10 times that of capillary-bed blood, are identified by X, Y, Z scans using only a single wavelength. (4) Independent measurements of absorption ((mu) a) and scattering ((mu) s) coefficients, particularly by TD techniques, affords structural mapping of the brain, which can be used to diagnose brain tumor and neuronal degeneration. Two experimental systems are used to critically evaluate these studies; the first, a hemoglobin/lipid/yeast model in which intermittent oxygenation gives saturation/desaturation effects and addition of hemoglobin simulates increased blood volume. These models can be global or may contain localized ''black'' absorbers simulating brain bleeds or model-stroke volumes in which oxygenation/deoxygenation simulates normoxia/hypoxia. Secondly, animal brains are used to model the following changes in vivo: global or localized hypoxia, brain bleeding, and hematomas by epidural blood injection, and physiological changes by epilepsy. Neuronal degeneration causing scattering effects is modeled by injection, epidurally or into the animal model brain, highly scattering material such as polystyrene spheres. The proposal envisages a basic science study of photon migration in the brain with important applications to stroke, epilepsy, brain trauma, and neuronal degenerative disease.
Immutability, Necessity and Triunity: Towards a Resolution of the Trinity and Election Controversy

The controversy sparked by Bruce McCormack's 2000 essay, entitled ‘Grace and Being: The Role of God's Gracious Election in Karl Barth's Theological Ontology’, shows little sign of waning; it seems, in fact, only to be heating up. In this article, I hope to make a modest contribution to this debate, one which will hopefully move it towards a resolution. My proposal is twofold: on the one hand, I will argue that we can do justice to McCormack's motivating concerns, without rendering ourselves liable to criticisms commonly raised against his view, if we accept two propositions: first, that God does not change in electing to be God-with-us, and second, that election is volitionally, but not ‘absolutely’, necessary to God. (By ‘absolutely necessary’ I mean something like ‘true in all possible eternities’, as will become clear.) I will try to demonstrate that this is Karl Barth's own position on the matter, which demonstration, if successful, would mean that the controversy should no longer be centred on the proper interpretation of Barth. This brings me to the second, shorter, part of my proposal, in which I argue that McCormack's position is innocent of some charges frequently brought against it. My hope is that these arguments, taken together, will advance the current discussion and contribute to its resolution.
Diagnostics of hydrometeorological anomalies in the Zaire (Congo) basin

Interannual variations in the large-scale circulation over the tropical Atlantic are studied in relation to hydrometeorological anomalies in the Zairee (Congo) basin. Composite departure patterns of atmospheric and oceanic fields in the Atlantic are constructed for extremely dry and for extremely wet years in the Zaire river catchment. These maps are complemented by isocorrelate charts between river level and selected elements in 5° blocks of the Atlantic. Water levels of the Zaire river in the first and second halves of the year are positively related to sea surface temperature off Angola, and to humidity and to actual and convective instability at Luanda, approximately upwind from the Zaire catchment. However, lapse rates at the Angola coast are strongly controlled by upper air conditions: cold air aloft may enhance instability and thus rainfall. Unlike during the first semester, sea surface temperature anomalies during the second half of the year do not seem to be forced by prior behaviour of wind stress in the equatorial Atlantic, nor by local wind speed and cloudiness. Equatorial south-westerlies flowing across the Angola—Gabon coast toward the Zaire catchment are strong/weak during second semesters of high/low water level. Rainfall over the Zaire basin appears to be modulated by a zonal circulation along the Atlantic equator.
Investigation of junction properties of CdS/CdTe solar cells and their correlation to device properties

Secondary-ion mass spectrometry analysis of the CdS/CdTe interface shows that S diffusion in CdTe increases with substrate temperature and CdCl 2 heat treatment. There is also an accumulation of Cl at the interface for CdCl 2 -treated samples. Modulated photo-reflectance studies shows that devices with CdCl 2 heat treatment and open-circuit voltage (V oc ) of 835 mV have a distinct high electric-field region in the layer with bandgap of 1.45 eV. Electron-beam induced current measurements reveal a one-sided junction for high V oc devices. The nature of the junction changes with processing. For heterojunction devices, the depletion region includes the highly defective CdS/CdTe interface, which would increase the recombination current and consequently the dark current, leading to lower V oc . In the case of CdCl 2 -treated cells, the n+-p junction and its high electric-field results in the junction between structurally compatible CdTe and the Te-rich CdSTe alloy, and thus, in higher V oc .
Multi-agent reinforcement learning and chimpanzee hunting

The use of multi-agent reinforcement learning is growing because of it's ability to scale in complexity and its lack of need for knowledge of the state and other agents. Chimpanzee hunting behavior is a suitable complex and interesting model for which multi-agent reinforcement learning is appropriate. Chimpanzee hunting strategies vary in both use and complexity and ultimately depend on the environment for which they are applied. Learning to use the varying strategies and learning when they are most effective is what this paper addresses and provides initial results and framework to build upon.
Automated Digital Controller Design for Switching Converters

This paper presents an approach to automated digital controller design for switching power converters. Starting from an experimentally identified frequency response, parameters of the converter transfer function are estimated using a least logarithmic squares method. A direct digital design method then yields a compensator that results in the desired closed loop response. Application of the method is illustrated on an experimental digitally controlled 90 W DC-DC forward converter
A 20W/channel Class-D amplifier with significantly reduced common-mode radiated emissions

Due to their rail-to-rail switching nature, Class-D audio amplifiers are prone to generating electromagnetic interference (EMI) that is in excess of what is acceptable in many systems. Such systems typically require devices to limit their EMI to an accepted standard, such as the FCC Class-B standard. In Class-D audio amplifiers that employ Class-BD modulation [1] using a single supply, the common-mode output signal, VCM, has a significant EMI component because this signal also swings rail-to-rail at the amplifier switching frequency, typically in the hundreds of kHz. This phenomenon is illustrated in the upper signals of Fig. 26.4.1.
The Use of Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering for the Detection of Dipicolinic Acid on Silver Nanoparticles

We report on the use of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for the detection of dipicolinic acid (DPA) adsorbed on a silver (Ag) nanoparticle substrate. We have examined the interaction of DPA with Ag nanoparticles in a slightly basic, aqueous solution and determined that the molecule adsorbs as a dipicolinate anion on the metal surface. For micro molar or lower DPA concentrations in the colloid solution, no SERS activity from the adsorbed molecule was observed until nanoparticle aggregation was induced by reducing the pH with the addition of nitric acid. Following aggregation, the SERS response exhibited vibrational bands associated with both the pyridine ring and the carboxylate moieties in the adsorbed dipicolinate species. With proper control of the colloidal solution chemistry, the dipicolinate vibrational features could be observed in the SERS spectra at concentrations as low as 20 nano molar, a limit determined by the presence of solution-based contaminants on the Ag surface. In addition to the controlled DPA analyte studies, SERS was also able to detect the release of this molecule from Bacillus globigii spores, a non-toxic simulant for Bacillus anthracis, which demonstrated the potential of this optical spectroscopy for the detection of biological and chemical agents.
The YaaA Protein of the Escherichia coli OxyR Regulon Lessens Hydrogen Peroxide Toxicity by Diminishing the Amount of Intracellular Unincorporated Iron

ABSTRACT Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is commonly formed in microbial habitats by either chemical oxidation processes or host defense responses. H2O2 can penetrate membranes and damage key intracellular biomolecules, including DNA and iron-dependent enzymes. Bacteria defend themselves against this H2O2 by inducing a regulon that engages multiple defensive strategies. A previous microarray study suggested that yaaA, an uncharacterized gene found in many bacteria, was induced by H2O2 in Escherichia coli as part of its OxyR regulon. Here we confirm that yaaA is a key element of the stress response to H2O2. In a catalase/peroxidase-deficient (Hpx−) background, yaaA deletion mutants grew poorly, filamented extensively, and lost substantial viability when they were cultured in aerobic LB medium. The results from a thyA forward mutagenesis assay and the growth defect of the yaaA deletion in a recombination-deficient (recA56) background indicated that yaaA mutants accumulated high levels of DNA damage. The growth defect of yaaA mutants could be suppressed by either the addition of iron chelators or mutations that slowed iron import, indicating that the DNA damage was caused by the Fenton reaction. Spin-trapping experiments confirmed that Hpx−yaaA cells had a higher hydroxyl radical (HO•) level. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis showed that the proximate cause was an unusually high level of intracellular unincorporated iron. These results demonstrate that during periods of H2O2 stress the induction of YaaA is a critical device to suppress intracellular iron levels; it thereby attenuates the Fenton reaction and the DNA damage that would otherwise result. The molecular mechanism of YaaA action remains unknown.