cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Appropriate and inappropriate electrical therapies delivered by an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator: effect on intracardiac electrogram.

Intracardiac EGM After ICD Therapies. Introduction: Local injury current (LIC) seen after induced ventricular fibrillation rescue implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shock predicts heart failure progression. We sought to determine the frequency of LIC after spontaneous events in patients receiving ICD therapies. Methods and Results: Near-field (NF) right ventricular (RV) EGM during 10 seconds after delivered ICD therapy was compared with baseline EGM in 420 events that occurred in 134 patients (mean age 60.8 ± 14.8, 106 [79%] male). The magnitude of elevated or depressed potential immediately after the major fast EGM deflection was defined as LIC, and its ratio to the peak-to-peak EGM amplitude was defined as relative LIC. LIC of at least 1 mV or relative LIC of at least 15% was considered significant. LIC was observed in 121 events (28.8%) and was detected more frequently after appropriate (43 [60.6%] events) and inappropriate (56 [64.4%] events) ICD shocks, as compared with appropriate (8 [9.2%] events) and inappropriate (3 [4.7%] events) antitachycardia pacing (ATP) or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (11 [9.9%] events) [ANOVA P < 0.0001]. Type of ICD therapy (ICD shock vs ATP) was the most significant predictor of LIC (ATP β coefficient −0.81; 95%CI–1.19 to 0.44); P < 0.0001), along with cycle length of tachycardia (β coefficient –0.0117; 95%CI –0.0167 to –0.0068, P < 0.00001) and shock energy (β coefficient 0.024; 95%CI 0.003–0.045, P = 0.025). Conclusion: Appropriate and inappropriate ICD shocks are frequently characterized by the development of LIC in patients with structural heart disease. Type of electrical ICD therapy, shock energy and cycle length of ventricular arrhythmia are important determinants of LIC. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 22, pp. 554-560 May 2011)
A "beer" made from a bland alcohol base.

Based on earlier findings that there may be substantial cost, energy, and other savings to be gained from novel approaches to making beer, an ersatz product was made from a vodka base by the additi...
A Comparison of Phenolic Constituents of Pinus monticola Resistant and Susceptible to Cronartium ribicola

Polyphenols and simple phenols in Pinus monticola Dougl. foliage and hark were studied in relation to host resistance to Cronartium ribicola J. C. Fisch. ex Rabenh. More than 50 phenolic substances were detected but no qualitative differences were found between resistant and susceptible trees. Some evidence is given for a quantitative relationship between one polyphenol in white pine foliage and resistance to blister rust. This compound may be a guaiacyl derivative. Differences in phenolics due to tree-to-tree variation, needle age, tissue (foliage versus bark), and season of year are also reported.
Phenomenology in middle age

(1) What phenomenological reasons might there be to take the relation? ship between figure and ground in the field of experience to be dialectical? (2) Do we have to posit an isomorphism between the inner articulation of the phenomenal field and the inner structure of the subject of experiences? (3) To what extent can a normative typology of subjective structures be determined on formal grounds alone?
Carbon nanofiber switches and sensors

In this paper, we describe the implementation of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) for nano-electro-mechanical-systems (NEMS), which have potential applications in switches and resonant sensors. The CNFs, synthesized using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), are vertically oriented which can enable the formation of 3D NEMS structures for enhanced integration densities compared to 2D planar NEMS. We describe the material and device characterization results of these vertically oriented CNFs. Mechanical testing on individual CNFs shows that these structures are extremely elastic and well-adhered to the substrate, making them very attractive for enabling robust 3D NEMS architectures.
Body composition in athletes and sports nutrition: an examination of the bioimpedance analysis technique

The purpose of the current review was to evaluate how body composition can be utilised in athletes, paying particular attention to the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technique. Various body composition methods are discussed, as well as the unique characteristics of athletes that can lead to large errors when predicting fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM). Basic principles of BIA are discussed, and past uses of the BIA technique in athletes are explored. Single-prediction validation studies and studies tracking changes in FM and FFM are discussed with applications for athletes. Although extensive research in the area of BIA and athletes has been conducted, there remains a large gap in the literature pertaining to a single generalised athlete equation developed using a multiple-compartment model that includes total body water (TBW). Until a generalised athlete-specific BIA equation developed from a multiple-compartment is published, it is recommended that generalised equations such as those published by Lukaski and Bolonchuk and Lohman be used in athletes. However, BIA equations developed for specific athletes may also produce acceptable values and are still acceptable for use until more research is conducted. The use of a valid BIA equation/device should produce values similar to those of hydrostatic weighing and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. However, researchers and practitioners need to understand the individual variability associated with BIA estimations for both single assessments and repeated measurements. Although the BIA method shows promise for estimating body composition in athletes, future research should focus on the development of general athlete-specific equations using a TBW-based three- or four-compartment model.
Extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of C60, C70, and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester in synthetic and natural waters.

Abstract Studies have shown that C 60 fullerene can form stable colloidal suspensions in water that result in C 60 aqueous concentrations many orders of magnitude above C 60 's aqueous solubility; however, quantitative methods for the analysis of C 60 and other fullerenes in environmental media are scarce. Using a 80/20 v/v toluene–acetonitrile mobile phase and a 4.6 mm × 150 mm Cosmosil 5 μ PYE column, C 60 , C 70 , and PCBM ([6,6]-phenyl C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester) were fully resolved. Selectivity factors ( α ) for C 60 relative to PCBM and C 70 relative to C 60 were 3.18 and 2.19, respectively. The best analytical wavelengths for the fullerenes were determined to be 330, 333, and 333 nm with log molar absorption coefficients (log ɛ ) of 4.63, 4.82, and 4.60 for PCBM, C 60 , C 70 , respectively. Extraction and quantitation of all three fullerenes in aqueous suspensions over a range of pH (4–10) and ionic strengths were very good. Whole-method quantification limits for ground and surface suspensions were 2.87, 2.48, and 6.54 μg/L for PCBM, C 60 , and C 70 , respectively.
Reaction kinetics: Catalysis without a catalyst.

Can two identical reactors with the same concentrations, under identical physical conditions, have reaction rates that differ by a factor of a thousand? A study now shows that, although not true in uncrowded environments, a reactant's starting point makes a large difference to reaction kinetics in identically crowded systems, such as cellular nuclei.
Subliminal Seduction: An Essay on the Rhetoric of the Unconscious.

That anyone should want to use critical reading in the analysis of advertising should not be surprising if one accepts a broad conception of letters as including anything in print that is worth studying. My idea of English studies supports the point of view that our concern in English departments ought to be with the critical reading and writing of all kinds of texts, not just imaginative literature. In other words, we ought to be concerned as much with rhetorical inquiries as with aesthetic inquiries. In its own right, advertising provides a kind of distinctive knowledge about society. To some critics, advertising fills a genuine need by creating markets for new and valuable products and by expanding and strengthening the economy. Advertising also reveals how the techniques of science can contribute to better living. In addition, it informs people about available goods and services and invites them to secure the good things of life-material comforts, entertainment, travel, and so forth. To some critics, however, advertising creates false values. These critics contend that since some products are basically alike, all too often advertisers appeal to people's baser instincts and emotions to sell their products. To stimulate the demand for a product, they attach psychological values such as acquisitiveness, power, sexual pleasure, attractiveness, social approval, and competitive success, none of which are in the product. To attain these values, all the consumer needs to do is to buy the appropriate product. In brief, advertising is an exercise in a special kind of persuasion. As if these criticisms were not enough, advertisers have been accused of manipulating people without their consent at some deeper level of consciousness, of "selling to the id," as one critic put it (Seldin 442-43). A number of critics have commented on the use of subliminal techniques in advertising. Vance Packard calls them "hidden persuaders"(3). Marshall McLuhan refers to them as "subliminal pills for the subconscious in order to exercise an hypnotic spell" (228). They are "not meant for conscious consumption. Their mere existence," asserts McLuhan, "is a testimony to the somnambulistic state of a tired metropolis" (229). There is evidence to suggest that some of these criticisms are justified. As early as 1934, James Rorty, in his book Our Master's Voice:Advertising, noted that "the advertising man is, in fact, a journeyman psychologist" (241). He
Simplex Optimization of Experimental Factors in Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Atomic absorption (AA) methods of analysis are subject to the influence of many experimental factors such as fuel and oxidant flow rates, burner height, and lamp current. The optimization of these factors and the corresponding improvement of response are integral parts of the development of AA methods. The importance of the systematic improvement of response was recognized by Cellier and Stace, who used sequential factorial designs to increase analytical sensitivity. Parsons and Winefordner considered the theoretical significance of various experimental factors and also employed factorial designs to achieve improved response. Other researchers have used similar statistical approaches in the development of AA methods.
Reproducibility of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram.

Abstract Variation in measurements made from signal-averaged electrocardiograms was examined. Averaging 200 beats in 18 normal subjects, pairs of high-frequency QRS and low-amplitude signal durations correlated at immediate, short-term, and long-term intervals. The percent high-frequency (60 Hz to 120 Hz) voltages in the late potential region had modest correlations. However, 95% confidence intervals of differences in paired measurements were as much as 7% for high-frequency QRS, 20% for a low-amplitude signal, and 53% for percent high-frequency, similar at all time intervals. With electrocardiograms averaged to 0.3 μV noise, high-frequency QRS and low-amplitude signals prolonged, but variation was similar to that of 200 beat pairs. In contrast, low noise reduced percent high-frequency and lessened variation to 29%. Therefore variation in signal-averaged electrocardiographic measurements was considerable (high-frequency voltage > durations). Noise did not appreciably influence variation in durations but was critical to consistent voltage measurements in the frequency domain.
Intratympanic Steroid Perfusion for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Hypothesis: While the traditional treatment for idiopathic, sudden, sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is oral steroid therapy (and some argue that no other treatment is needed), intratympanic (IT) steroid therapy also has a role in treating this condition. A MEDLINE literature search was performed for the years 1980 to 2004. The search strategy included the terms idiopathic hearing loss, sudden hearing loss, sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and steroids. Appropriate articles were selected and reviewed. Only articles published in English were included. Those articles addressingprimarily idiopathic suddenSNHL and oral or IT steroid therapy as the preferred means of treatment were included in this analysis.
Recognizing and managing residents' problems and problem residents

There are a variety of reasons why bright and talented young professionals at times have personal and professional difficulties during residency. First, residency is a time of professional and personal transitions. Professionally, the resident has to move from the student role to one of primary caregiver. The resident is literally taking on life and death responsibilities, often on his or her own or in lonely situations. Some medical students who have been excellent book learners and test takers have trouble performing clinically as residents. Residents are often also at personal crossroads. Many have moved geographically to undertake their training, giving up important relationships with their families and friends to enter jobs that provide little time to make new relationships outside of the hospital. Residency training also coincides with the period in life when most young adults are making committed relationships and beginning their childbearing and child-rearing years. Second, the environmental stresses on residents are enormous. There is escalating pressure on residents to move patients in and out of the hospital rapidly, to "produce," and to be right at all times. With so much to learn, most residents face an information overload, which often is combined with an excessive workload, inadequate clerical and administrative backup, and sleep deprivation from
Managing user relationships in hierarchies for information system security

Hierarchies are an important concept in information protection systems. The uses of hierarchies in the security domain of computer information systems include access hierarchies, levels of abstraction in security kernels, multi-level security, and user hierarchies, among others. Using user hierarchies as an example, this paper proposes a new protection mechanism to achieve the key-to-key (KTK) security policy wherein each user in the hierarchy is assigned a key pair and the relationship between any two users can be revealed through an operation on their corresponding keys. In addition to the security provided by the policy, the new mechanism manifests several advantages over the previous methods in the literature. Among its merits are (1) simple and quick operations performed to determine user relationships, (2) less storage requirements, and (3) a high degree of dynamism that allows easy addition and deletion of user keys without affecting most of the existing keys in the user hierarchy. The relevance of the new KTK scheme to organizations and its implications for potential business applications are also discussed.
Histamine content of hypothalamic nuclei of the rat.

Abstract Histamine was measured in individual hypothalamic nuclei and in the median eminence of the rat. The highest concentration of this biogenic amine was found in the median eminence. The basal and caudal hypothalamic nuclei were more richly endowed with histamine than the dorsal and rostral ones. The possibility that histamine may have a role in neuroendocrine regulation is discussed.
Personal intelligence expressed: A theoretical analysis.

An individual's cumulative life decisions help determine that person's well-being. To make good decisions requires knowing something about who one is and who one wants to be. It seems plausible tha...
Similarities and differences in the pathogenesis of alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Subpopulations of individuals with alcohol-induced fatty livers and nonalcoholic steatosis develop steatohepatitis. Steatohepatitis is defined histologically: increased numbers of injured and dying hepatocytes distinguish this condition from simple steatosis. The increased hepatocyte death is generally accompanied by hepatic accumulation of inflammatory cells and sometimes increases in myofibroblastic cells, leading to hepatic fibrosis and eventually, cirrhosis. The purpose of this review is to summarize similarities and differences in the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis in alcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Consent-based Workflow Control in EMRs☆

Abstract Receiving medical treatment, choosing an alternative treatment, and terminating treatment require the patient's explicit or derived informed-consent. Although Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) have been widely adopted by the U.S. healthcare industry, consents are still primarily in the form of paper or scanned electronic documents. Integrating a consent management system into an EMR system involves various implementation challenges. We address these challenges by using a Workflow-based EMR system that directly enforces predefined and prebuilt medical procedures. We then add consent management to such an EMR system. We show how consents can be electronically obtained and enforced using a combined system. Finally, we describe how to build a Consent-Based Workflow Control EMR system using open-source software.
Constrained co-clustering with non-negative matrix factorisation

Co-clustering refers to the problem of deriving sub-matrices of the data matrix by simultaneously clustering the rows (data instances) and columns (features) of the matrix. While very effective in discovering useful knowledge, many of the co-clustering algorithms adopt a completely unsupervised approach. Integration of domain knowledge can guide the co-clustering process and greatly enhance the overall performance. We propose a semi-supervised Non-negative Matrix-factorisation (SS-NMF) based framework to integrate domain knowledge in the form of must-link and cannot-link constraints. Specifically, we augment the data matrix by integrating the constraints using metric learning and then perform NMF to obtain co-clustering. Under the proposed framework, we present two approaches to integrate domain knowledge, viz. a distance metric learning approach and an information theoretic metric learning approach. Through experiments performed on real-world web service data and publicly available text datasets, we demonstrate the performance of the proposed SS-NMF based approach for data co-clustering.
Oversight and Delegation in Corporate Governance: deciding what the board should decide

American boards of directors increasingly treat their delegation of authority to management as a careful and self-conscious decision. Numerically dominated by non-executives, boards recognize that they cannot run the company, and many are now seeking to provide stronger oversight of the company without crossing the line into management. Based on interviews with informants at 31 major companies, we find that annual calendars and written protocols are often used to allocate decision rights between the board and management. Written protocols vary widely, ranging from detailed and comprehensive to skeletal and limited in scope. While useful, such calendars and protocols do not negate the need for executives to make frequent judgement calls on what issues should go to the board and what should remain within management. Executives still set much of the board’s decision-making agenda, and despite increasingly asserting their sovereignty in recent years, directors remain substantially dependent upon the executives’ judgement on what should come to the board. At the same time, a norm is emerging among directors and executives that the latter must be mindful of what directors want to hear and believe they should decide.
Multiple vessel coronary angioplasty: Classification, results, and patterns of restenosis in 494 consecutive patients

We report the immediate results and 6 month follow-up data of 494 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angioplasty in two or more major epicardial arteries. Clinical success was achieved in 95% of the 494 patients. The technical success rate of the 1,117 vessels dilated was 89%, defined as at least a 35% reduction (mean = 53%) of the initial percent diameter stenosis and a decrease in the transstenotic gradient to less than or equal to 15 mmHg (mean = 9 mmHg). Complications of the procedure included emergency bypass surgery (2.8%), myocardial infarction (3.0%), and hospital death (0.4%) inclusive. At least one of these complications (major cardiac event) occurred in 3.8% of patients. Prior to angioplasty, 46% of patients were in Canadian Cardiovascular Society Class II, 42% in Class III, and 12% in Class IV. Follow-up clinical evaluation (mean follow-up period of 16.9 months) showed 83% of patients in Class I, 14% in Class II, and 3% in Class III. Of the 286 successful patients who have reached 6 month follow-up plateau (mean follow-up period of 20.5 months), 164 (57%) have so far had repeat coronary angiography and exhibited three different patterns: all lesions patent (N = 54), some lesions restenosed (N = 60), and all lesions restenosed (N = 32). There were 18 patients with new vessel lesions (not previously dilated). Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that clinical factors including diabetes (P less than .05), hypercholesterolemia, (P less than .01), new onset angina (P less than .05), current smoking (P less than .01), and morphologic and technical factors such as preangioplasty diameter stenosis greater than 95% (P less than .05) and higher balloon inflation pressure (P less than .05) were predictive of increased risk of recurrence. Patients were classified into two groups based on the anatomy of the target lesions. In Group A (N = 217), patients had a single lesion in each of the vessels to be dilated; Group B (N = 277) patients had a complex lesion in at least one of the vessels dilated. Group B patients were more likely to develop recurrence (P less than .05). Of the original 494 patients, 488 (99%) are alive. Coronary angioplasty (either initially or with repeat PTCA) has been the definitive treatment in 453 of the 494 patients for an overall success of 92%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Get the gist? The effects of processing depth on false recognition in short-term and long-term memory

Gist-based processing has been proposed to account for robust false memories in the converging-associates task. The deep-encoding processes known to enhance verbatim memory also strengthen gist memory and increase distortions of long-term memory (LTM). Recent research has demonstrated that compelling false memory illusions are relatively delay-invariant, also occurring under canonical short-term memory (STM) conditions. To investigate the contributions of gist to false memory at short and long delays, processing depth was manipulated as participants encoded lists of four semantically related words and were probed immediately, following a filled 3- to 4-s retention interval, or approximately 20 min later, in a surprise recognition test. In two experiments, the encoding manipulation dissociated STM and LTM on the frequency, but not the phenomenology, of false memory. Deep encoding at STM increases false recognition rates at LTM, but confidence ratings and remember/know judgments are similar across delays and do not differ as a function of processing depth. These results suggest that some shared and some unique processes underlie false memory illusions at short and long delays.
Adhesion and Friction of Polystyrene Surfaces around Tg

Using a surface forces apparatus (SFA), we have studied the adhesion and friction of polystyrene (PS) films on mica having various molecular weights from 580 Da (Tg = −45 °C) to 1300 Da (Tg = +39 °C) at temperatures T from 23 to 65 °C, i.e., below and above Tg. The purpose of these studies was to establish how different static and dynamic properties and surface deformations, i.e., the contact and adhesion mechanics, of detaching and shearing polymer films change as one passes through the glass transition temperature, i.e., from solidlike or glassy to liquidlike behavior. At T > Tg the polymers behave like liquids, and at low detachment and shearing rates their adhesion and friction forces are accounted by their surface energy and bulk viscosity, although fingering instabilities and cavitation accompany the detachment. For the higher MW polymers (T close to Tg), the adhesion and friction forces increasingly depend on the density of chain ends at the surfaces. The adhesion hysteresis peaked close to the bul...
Calamity, kastom, and modernity: local interpretations of vulnerability in the western Pacific

On 2 April 2007 a large tsunami struck the small island of Simbo in the western Solomon Islands. It obliterated two villages, killed 10 people, and provoked communities on the northern half of the island to permanently relocate their settlements. In this article I examine how the Simbo people experienced and perceived this catastrophic event. Local discourses about the tsunami, its aftermath, and its selective lethality reveal how Simboans do not employ spiritual or naturalistic rationales to conceptualize vulnerability. Rather it is described in terms of the anxieties and novel opportunities associated with encroaching modernity and other exogenous large-scale social and economic processes. The case exemplifies the tensions and contradictions that arise when communities actively negotiate and trade-off one set of vulnerabilities for others as social and ecological contexts transform. I argue that an improved understanding of local interpretations of vulnerability is critical if our interest is to better ...
Brain cancer and sexual health: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer patients often encounter sexual concerns during the diagnosing, treatment, and recovery phase of their illness. However, the sexual concerns of these patients are often overlooked. Brain cancer patients are no exception to this oversight. METHODS: A case report of a 39-year-old patient with a history of high-grade anaplastic astrocytoma presented to the Sexual Health Program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center complaining of vaginal discharge and several months of amenorrhea. Although the patient was administered extensive aggressive antineoplastic treatments, her disease rapidly progressed. RESULTS: Despite the patient's terminal illness she continued to have normal sexual thoughts, feelings, and desires; however, she had difficulty discussing these issues with her partner and caregiver, who was her mother. An examination by the sexual medicine gynecologist noted no clinical signs of genital infections; however, there was minimal vaginal atrophy. Her sexual health laboratory evaluation was extensively abnormal. Her treatment consisted of intravaginal non-hormonal moisturizers and vaginal lubricants, counseling, and sexual education. The patient successfully engaged in sexual contact with her partner by the third counseling session. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Almost all oncology patients have sexual concerns during or following cancer treatment. These patients should be referred to comprehensive sexual health programs for treatment, if available.
Buckling of eccentrically stiffened elastic-plastic panels on two simple supports or multiply supported

Abstract Buckling due to axial compression is investigated for elastic-plastic, stiffened wide panels either continuous in the longitudinal direction over several transverse supports or finite and supported along the two edges. An analytical treatment is given of the bifurcation behaviour and of the initial post-bifurcation behaviour of perfect panels compressed into the plastic range. The behaviour of initially imperfect panels is computed numerically using an incremental method. In each increment a linear problem is solved by a combined Rayleigh Ritz-finite element method. Computed examples show a considerable imperfection-sensitivity, both for panels that bifurcate in the plastic range, and for panels with a yield stress a little above the elastic bifurcation stress.
Can communications development benefit the Third World

Abstract Awareness of the potential of communications technologies in the less developed countries has led to considerable interest and activity in communications development in the Third World. The author puts the subject in perspective, balancing the arguments in favour of extensive development against the arguments of the critics. He concludes that the major problem lies in the fact that Third World countries lack market mechanisms whereby user preferences and needs can be expressed. He points out essential factors that should be taken into account before the selection of a particular technological solution or course of development.
Effectiveness of wheat genes for Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) resistance in Texas

Biotypes of Hessian flies, Mayetiola destructor (Say), collected from wheat, Triticum aestivum (L.), in four North Central Texas locations were determined in 1986 and 1987. During 1986 the Great Plains A and C biotypes were found to be most prevalent in Hessian fly populations, whereas in 1987 the A, C, and F biotypes were most common. Results from biotype experiments and infestation ratings of wheat lines from the Uniform Hessian Fly Nursery in 1986-1988 indicated that while all genes for Hessian fly resistance provided protection from infestation, the H6, H7H8, and H12 genes were the least effective for use in Texas.
Amide-to-E-olefin versus amide-to-ester backbone H-bond perturbations: Evaluating the O-O repulsion for extracting H-bond energies.

Both amide-to-ester and amide-to-E-olefin backbone amide mutation methods were employed to perturb the same H-bond (formed by the NH of F23 and the CO of R14) in the Pin WW domain. Comparison of the thermodynamic folding energies of the ester mutant and the E-olefin mutant, accounting for the transfer free energy differences measured on relevant model compounds, yielded an estimated value of 0.3 kcal/mol for the O−O repulsion term (ΔGO-Orep) in a β-sheet context. The value of ΔGO-Orep enabled us to calculate the intrinsic F23−R14 H-bond free energy to be 1.3 kcal/mol.
A global approach to the search problem in surface crystallography by low-energy electron diffraction

Abstract Recent advances in LEED theory have enabled the implementation of directed search methods for LEED structure analysis. These methods are highly efficient when compared to conventional trial-and-error methods. However, a disadvantage of such approaches is the inability of any descent method to distinguish between false and true surface structures corresponding to local minima and the global R-factor minimum. In this paper we explore the potential offered by global optimization methods applied to the LEED structure search. We discuss the implementation of the simulated annealing algorithm and demonstrate its performance by application to a simple structure search. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach are illustrated. We propose a hybrid search algorithm which employs annealing techniques for a coarse structural survey and conventional descent methods for structure refinement.
HTTP attack detection using n-gram analysis

Previous research has shown that byte-level analysis of network traffic can be useful for network intrusion detection and traffic analysis. Such an approach does not require any knowledge of applications running on web servers or any pre-processing of incoming data. In this paper, we apply three n-gram techniques to the problem of HTTP attack detection. The goal is to provide a first line of defense by filtering the vast majority of benign HTTP traffic, leaving only a relatively small amount of suspect traffic for more costly processing. We analyze these n-gram techniques in terms of accuracy and performance. Our results show that we can attain equal or better detection rates at considerably less cost, in comparison to a previously developed HMM-based technique. We also apply these techniques to a highly realistic dataset consisting of four recent attacks and show that we obtain equally strong results in this case. Overall, these results indicate that this type of byte-level analysis is highly effective and practical.
Correlations between cell fate and the distribution of proteins that are synthesized before the midblastula transition in Xenopus

The proteins synthesized before the 512-cell stage by Xenopus blastomeres with different fates were compared by one dimensional PAGE. Blastomeres that contributed more progeny to antero-dorsal axial structures produced proportionately more of two proteins of 225000 and 245000 daltons. Additionally, these proteins were reversibly increased in ventralized embryos and were decreased in dorsalized embryos. These observations indicate that some proteins that are synthesized during cleavage stages are expressed to different degrees in different regions of the embryo, that their expression can be correlated to cell fate in the normal embryo, and that their expression is altered quantitatively in dorsalized and ventralized embryos. The inverse relationship between the production of these proteins and the potential to produce dorsal structures in the normal and in dorsalized/ventralized embryos is consistent with a model in which cell fate is influenced by a gradient of particular proteins.
Redundancy in the population code of the retina.

Summary We have explored the manner in which the population of retinal ganglion cells collectively represent the visual world. Ganglion cells in the salamander were recorded simultaneously with a multielectrode array during stimulation with both artificial and natural visual stimuli, and the mutual information that single cells and pairs of cells conveyed about the stimulus was estimated. We found significant redundancy between cells spaced as far as 500 μm apart. When we used standard methods for defining functional types, only ON-type and OFF-type cells emerged as truly independent information channels. Although the average redundancy between nearby cell pairs was moderate, each ganglion cell shared information with many neighbors, so that visual information was represented ∼10-fold within the ganglion cell population. This high degree of retinal redundancy suggests that design principles beyond coding efficiency may be important at the population level.
The Rhetoric Revival in Political Theory

The recent wave of interest in the rhetorical tradition among political theorists can be attributed partly to the rise of theories of deliberative democracy, which focused attention on communication and discourse. Some scholars see in rhetoric a way to challenge the assumptions of Habermasian deliberative theory, while others aim to integrate rhetoric into a broader theory of deliberation. Insights taken from studies of Aristotle have been especially influential in producing a new set of questions for scholars interested in deliberation and in democratic communications more generally, in spite of the vast differences between ancient city-states and modern liberal democracies.
Signal processing in a nonperiodically time-varying magnetoelastic medium

Wave propagation in a nonperiodically time-varying medium provides a means for realizing in simple physical structures a variety of signal-processing operations, such as frequency translation and coding, variable delay recall, gating, time-scale stretching or shrinking, and time reversal. The use of low-velocity modes, such as acoustic, spin, or magnetoelastic waves in solids, reduces the length of the propagation structure required to less than an inch. A general review is given of the principles of wave propagation in a spatially uniform medium with nonperiodic time variation. Both abrupt and gradual time variations are discussed. Illustrations are given for the cases of spin-wave and magnetoelastic-wave propagation and signal processing operations in these media are explained. Consideration is given to the problem of spin-wave propagation in a time-and space-varying magnetic field of the form encountered in experiments; and it is shown that a simple separated variable solution exists. For the more difficult problem of magnetoelastic propagation with both space and time variations, an approximate space-time ray theory is described. Experimental results for pulsed-field processing of spin and magnetoelastic waves are given and related to the theory.
A modular and extensible simulator for performance evaluation of adaptive applications in heterogeneous computing environments

We propose a modular and extensible simulator that can be used to evaluate the performance of applications in a dynamic heterogeneous environment. Our simulator has built-in support for evaluating the performance of adaptive applications in dynamic heterogeneous environments. The simulator provides the user with flexibility in configuring the applications and resources and evaluating various adaptation algorithms. We illustrate the features of the simulator by simulating algorithms for distributed matrix multiplication and LU decomposition in various computing environments.
A Climate for Feminist Intervention: Feminist Science Studies and Climate Change

For many years, climate change discourse was dominated by a technical-scientific framing based on modernist notions of objective knowledge, control, and efficiency. In recent years, a robust alternative discourse of climate justice has emerged, challenging mainstream adaptation and mitigation policies as reinforcing capitalist, colonialist, and patriarchal power structures and further marginalizing already vulnerable peoples and communities. But while the climate justice movement has provided a sorely needed corrective to climate change discourse, it has been hampered by addressing only policy issues without critically examining the scientific knowledge on which climate change discourse is based. Drawing on critiques of science and technology from ecofeminism and feminist science studies, we argue that scientific knowledge is always already structured by social power relations before it ever enters into policy discussions. In place of the (illusory) God-trick of absolute knowledge and control of the global climate system, we use Haraway’s ideas of feminist objectivity, partial perspective, relations between species, and cyborg standpoints to situate and pluralize knowledge about climate change. This intervention opens up discursive space for multiple, partial knowledge about the climate system, all of which can be held accountable to their ethical and political implications. This pluralization of knowledge allows feminists to recognize and support many forms and venues of climate change-related activism, moving beyond the impasses of international and national political negotiations. Thus, far from dismissing climate change, a feminist critique of climate science makes possible a range of interventions that can more effectively promote social justice and ecological health.
Models for dioxygen activation by the CuB site of dopamine β-monooxygenase and peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase

On the basis of spectroscopic and crystallographic data for dopamine β-monooxygenase and peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM), a variety of ligand sets have been used to model the oxygen-binding Cu site in these enzymes. Calculations which employed a combination of density functional and multireference second-order perturbation theory methods provided insights into the optimal ligand set for supporting η1 superoxo coordination as seen in a crystal structure of a precatalytic Cu/O2 complex for PHM (Prigge et al. in Science 304:864–867, 2004). Anionic ligand sets stabilized η2 dioxygen coordination and were found to lead to more peroxo-like Cu–O2 complexes with relatively exergonic binding free energies, suggesting that these adducts may be unreactive towards substrates. Neutral ligand sets (including a set of two imidazoles and a thioether), on the other hand, energetically favored η1 dioxygen coordination and exhibited limited dioxygen reduction. Binding free energies for the 1:1 adducts with Cu supported by the neutral ligand sets were also higher than with their anionic counterparts. Deviations between the geometry and energetics of the most analogous models and the PHM crystal structures suggest that the protein environment influences the coordination geometry at the CuB site and increases the lability of water bound to the preoxygenated reduced form. Another implication is that a neutral ligand set will be critical in biomimetic models in order to stabilize η1 dioxygen coordination.
Redistribution of Bax Is an Early Step in an Apoptotic Pathway Leading to Germ Cell Death in Rats, Triggered by Mild Testicular Hyperthermia

Programmed cell death occurs spontaneously during spermatogenesis and can be induced in a cell- and stage-specific manner by mild testicular hyperthermia. Studies using transgenic mice suggest the involvement of Bcl-2 proteins in regulating germ cell apoptosis. To delineate further the pathways involved, we examined the temporal changes in proapoptotic Bax and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 in rat testes after transient exposure to heat (438C for 15 min). Germ cell apoptosis, involving exclusively early (I‐IV) and late (XII‐XIV) stages, was activated within 6 h. Initiation of apoptosis was preceded by a redistribution of Bax from a cytoplasmic to perinuclear localization within 0.5 h of heating as assessed by immunocytochemical methods. In contrast, Bcl-2 is distributed both in the cytoplasm and nucleus in those cell types susceptible to heat-induced apoptosis. Despite the striking redistribution, Bax levels remained unchanged as determined by Western analysis; Bcl-2 levels increased significantly by 6 h after heat exposure. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated no change in either Bax or Bcl-2 mRNA levels in response to heat, suggesting the involvement of post-transcriptional rather than transcriptional mechanisms mediating their activity. The marked subcellular redistribution of Bax prior to activation of apoptosis and the increase in Bcl-2 suggest an involvement of Bcl-2 family members in heat-induced apoptotic death of germ cells. apoptosis, spermatogenesis, stress
Where Does Combination Therapy With an SGLT2 Inhibitor Plus a DPP-4 Inhibitor Fit in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes?

Hyperglycemia is the critical risk factor for diabetic microvascular complications. Several landmark studies, e.g., UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), have demonstrated that lowering the HbA1c by 1% decreases microvascular complications by approximately 35% (1,2). Despite the unequivocal evidence for the importance of achieving good glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), approximately half of individuals with T2DM fail to achieve the American Diabetes Association (ADA) goal of glycemic control (HbA1c <7.0%) (3). Thus, novel therapeutic agents and strategies are required to improve glycemic control in T2DM patients. Two novel classes of antihyperglycemic drugs have been developed during the last decade for the treatment of T2DM: dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) (4) and sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (SGLT2i) (5). DPP-4i have been in clinical use for the treatment of T2DM for more than a decade. DPP-4i inhibit the enzyme that degrades the incretin hormones, GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and result in elevated plasma GLP-1 and GIP concentrations. The increase in plasma GLP-1 and GIP concentrations stimulates insulin secretion from the β-cell and inhibits glucagon secretion from the α-cell, leading to inhibition of endogenous glucose production (EGP) and reduction in plasma glucose concentration (6). SGLT2i are a novel class of antidiabetes drugs that recently have been approved for the treatment of T2DM. Members of this class reduce the plasma glucose concentration by inhibiting renal glucose reabsorption and producing glucosuria. Urinary glucose loss results in negative energy balance and because SGLT2i also block sodium absorption in the proximal tubule, they cause weight loss (∼2–3 kg) and decrease in blood pressure (4–6/1–2 mmHg systolic/diastolic) (5). Because the pathogenesis of T2DM is complex and involves multiple metabolic defects (7), the …
Refractory hypoxemia caused by hepatopulmonary syndrome: a case report

Hepatopulmonary syndrome is a clinical syndrome that can affect patients of all ages with liver disease and is more common in children with biliary atresia. Contrast echocardiography is the test of choice to diagnose the presence of intrapulmonary vascular dilatation. The established treatment for hepatopulmonary syndrome is liver transplantation. We present the case of an 8-month-old Caucasian baby boy with a history of biliary atresia, polysplenia, and interrupted inferior vena cava who presented with hypoxemia and cyanosis that progressed rapidly. A chest computed tomography angiogram revealed significant dilatation of the pulmonary vasculature, prompting further evaluation and diagnosis of hepatopulmonary syndrome with contrast echocardiography. He was maintained on a milrinone infusion while awaiting liver transplantation. His hypoxemia improved slowly following liver transplantation, requiring tracheostomy and prolonged ventilator dependence. Hepatopulmonary syndrome should be included in the differential for progressive hypoxemia in children with liver disease, particularly those with biliary atresia. Imaging with chest computed tomography angiogram and contrast echocardiography should be considered in cases of unexplained refractory hypoxemia.
Future directions in silicon ICs for RF personal communications

This paper presents an overview of technical challenges in achieving higher integration levels, lower power dissipation, smaller form factor, and lower cost in portable battery-powered RF transceivers for personal communications applications. Specific emphasis is placed on silicon integrated circuits for transceivers in the 800 MHz-2.5 GHz range of frequencies.
Methods for exploring the semantics of the relationships between co-occurring UMLS concepts.

Objective: To characterize the relationships among UMLS concepts that co-occur as MeSH descriptors in MEDLINE citations (1990-1999). Design: 18,485 UMLS concepts involved in 7,928,608 directed pairs of co-occurring concepts were studied. For each directed pair of concepts C1-C2: (i) the “family” of C1 was built, using the UMLS Metathesaurus, and we tested whether or not C2 belonged to C1’s family; (ii) we used the semantic categorization of Metathesaurus concepts through the UMLS Semantic Network and Semantic Groups to represent the semantics of the relationships between C1 and C2. Results: In 6.5% of the directed pairs, the co-occurring concept C2 was found within the “family” of C1. Detailed results are given. The most frequent co-occurrences involved “Chemicals & Drugs” and “Chemicals & Drugs”, as well as “Disorders” and “Chemicals & Drugs”. Discussion: This work takes advantage of both symbolic and statistical information represented in the UMLS, and analyzes their overlap. Further research is suggested.