cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Talking to the Conversation Machine: An Empirical Study

This paper describes an empirical study of a prototype conversational speech system, the Conversation Machine. The system allowed users to carry out a number of common banking transactions using a conversational-style interface over the telephone. The study reports detailed findings on how users interacted with the Conversation Machine, categories of error. measures of accuracy and goal success. subjective reaction to the Conversation Machine, and correlations between objective measures and important measures of user satisfaction. Among the findings of interest are that users preferred the speech system over a telephone keypad system and that goal success was more highly correlated with measures of user satisfaction than was recognition accuracy. Implications for the design of conversational user interfaces based on an analysis of errors are also discussed.
Computational Complexity of Planning Based on Partial Information about the System's Present and Past States

Planning is a very important AI problem, and it is also a very time-consuming AI problem. To get an idea of how complex different planning problems are, it is useful to describe the computational complexity of different general planning problems. This complexity has been described for problems in which planning is based on the (complete or partial) information about the current state of the system. In real-life planning problems, we can often complement the incompleteness of our explicit knowledge about the current state by using the implicit knowledge about this state which is contained in the description of the system's past behavior. For example, the information about the system's past failures is very important in planning diagnostic and repair. To describe planning which can use the information about the past, a special language L was developed in 1997 by C. Baral, M. Gelfond and A. Provetti. In this paper, we expand the known results about computational complexity of planning (including our own previous results) to this more general class of planning problems.
Principles of artificial neural networks

The book should serve as a text for a university graduate course or for an advanced undergraduate course on neural networks in engineering and computer science departments. It should also serve as a self-study course for engineers and computer scientists in the industry. Covering major neural network approaches and architectures with the theories, this text presents detailed case studies for each of the approaches, accompanied with complete computer codes and the corresponding computed results. The case studies are designed to allow easy comparison of network performance to illustrate strengths and weaknesses of the different networks.
A computational finite element analysis for predicting the effects of environmental degradation on life in metal matrix composites

Abstract Continuum thermomechanics is utilized herein to determine the effects of environmental degradation on a SCS-6/Ti-β 21S four ply unidirectional continuous fiber metal matrix composite subjected to cyclic fatigue loading at elevated temperature. Due to multiple nonlinearities including damage growth and matrix thermoviscoplasticity, the analyses are performed computationally using the finite element method. Matrix inelasticity is modelled with the Bodner anisotropic hardening viscoplasticity model. Environmental degradation is accounted for by including an outer surface layer that is embrittled due to oxidation. Experimental evidence indicates that oxidation-related surface layer embrittlement can reduce the life of these composites by a factor of five or greater. Analyses reported herein indicate that matrix inelasticity loads to an early load redistribution in low cycle isothermal fatigue.
Self-managing technology in database management systems

This chapter introduces self-managing technology in database management systems. All major providers of information technology have acknowledged the importance of the total cost of ownership (TCO) problem and have attempted to rectify it in one way or another by making their systems more self-managing or “autonomic.” While the idea of self-managing is easy to articulate, it is extremely challenging to design and build a completely self-managing information system. This chapter introduces the core concepts in self-managing technology. It focuses on providing self-manageability for relational database management systems, and how recent releases of IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle have embedded tools and techniques to enhance self-manageability. The core concepts and examples of self-managing database technology are useful for researchers who are interested in contributing to the area of reducing total cost of ownership for databases.
CNVs in neurodevelopmental disorders

Copy number variations (CNVs) consist of duplications or deletions of chromosomal regions ranging from a few hundred to more than a million bases in size, and are likely to play a role in phenotypic diversity and evolution. Recent advances in the identification and mapping of CNVs among normal individuals and in model systems, using bioinformatics and hybridization-based methods, are beginning to shed light on the functional importance of CNVs.
The small, icy satellites of Saturn

At least nine small satellites exist in the inner regions of the Saturn system. From their high geometric albedos and by inference from the larger satellites, at least the surfaces of the small satellites are dominated by water ice. The bulk of our limited information on these bodies comes from analysis of images from the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft.
Improved measurement of CP-violation in $B \to (c{\bar c})K^{(\ast)0}$ decays

We present results on time-dependent CP asymmetries in neutral B decays. The amplitude of the CP asymmetry, sin2β in the Standard Model, is derived from decay-time distributions from events in which one neutral B meson is fully reconstructed in a final state containing a charmonium meson and the other B meson is determined to be either a B0 or from its decay products. Using data collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at SLAC, we measure sin2β = 0.722 ± 0.040(stat) ± 0.023(syst) and , determining the sign of cos2β to be positive at 86% CL.
MONTE CARLO STUDY OF SHOWER PRODUCTION

Electron- and photon-initiated showers in lead have been calculated in a simple Monte Carlo manner for energies from 20 to 500 Mev. The results, exhibited in a series of transition curves, show considerable differences from the results of conventional cascade theory in that the number of electrons at the maximum are fewer and the shower is more penetrating.The effects of multiple Coulomb scattering of the electrons have been included and depend markedly on the measurement considered. Thus, ionization currents are only slightly changed (the transition curves are foreshortened by about one-half radiation length) while the number of electrons counted behind lead plates in a cloud chamber can be reduced by as much as 50 percent by effects of multiple scattering. This result is nearly independent of the incident energy.The final curves obtained are compared with the ionization measurement of Blocker, Kenney, and Panofsky and the cloud-chamber measurements of A. M. Shapiro. The agreement is satisfactory.A simple quasi-analytic cascade theory is developed in which known low energy solutions are used to obtain successively higher energy solutions.
What Happened to Balthasar Bekker in England? A Mystery in the History of Publishing

This article looks at the fate of Balthasar Bekker's De Betoverde Weereld in England. The famous work opposing the earthly activity of evil spirits, rejecting the reality of witchcraft, and debunking spirit stories by suggesting natural causes for the supposed supernatural events, was published in Amsterdam (following a rowe with the original Leeuwarden publisher) by Anthony van Dale in 1692–1693 and caused an intense controversy. Bekker was a strict monotheist unwilling to hand over any of God's power to evil spirits or the Devil, an advocate of the accomodationist school of Scriptural interpretation that had landed Galileo in jail in 1633, a serious student of spirit “superstition” with works such as those of Reginald Scot, Abraham Paling, and Anthony van Dale in his library. And he was a Cartesian: he owned Clauberg, Heereboord, Sylvain-Regis, etc. His opponents said that if one did not believe in evil spirits one could not believe in God. Bekker's book went through several Dutch printings, was right away translated into French and German, stirring reaction in those countries (the new book by Nooijen, Unserm Grosen Bekker ein Denkmahl? looks at the German reaction). In England plans were afoot to translate the Betoverde Weereld by 1694, and Book I was translated and published. But that was all that got done. The highly controversial Book II and the final two books remained untranslated and unpublished. Why? Not for a lack of interest in evil spirits in England: witness the works of Glanvill, Henry More, George Sinclair, John Webster, and many others. Ghost stories were not lacking—just see the “Devil of Tedworth” and “Beckington Witch” stories. I argue the failure was a result of the vicissitudes of the London publishing industry, especially the relatively new periodical publishing, and of the eccentric, intellectual, but unfocussed general publisher John Dunton, who ruined himself and the Bekker project with his poor business sense (his wife ran the shop for him and when she died he was lost) which led him to travel to Dublin and Boston in search of publishable manuscripts (even on spirits!) instead of allowing him to concentrate his resources on Bekker. As a result, Bekker's work remained little known in the English-speaking world and its significance was almost totally overshadowed by the work of Locke. Would Daniel van Dalen, Jan ten Hoorn, or Willem Blaeu have made the same mistake? Also, Dunton put a goodly amount of his resources into the risky new periodical market and lost money that could have financed publication of the last three books of De Betoverde Weereld. Just because of the controversial nature of what he said, Bekker deserved better in England.
Metrics of Odorant Dissimilarity: Labeled Magnitude Scale vs Magnitude Estimationa

: Magnitude estimation (ME) has long been the standard rating tool for stimulus intensity because of the simplicity and generalizability of the resultant power function relationships. However, the choice of a scaling procedure for rating complex stimuli (odorant) dissimilarity must be based on a different set of criteria due to an inability to evaluate relationships against a physical continuum. Recently, chemosensory labeled magnitude scales (LMS) have been developed, which produce ratings with many of the same properties as ME. The current study sought compare LMS to ME as metrics for describing the magnitude of perceived odorant dissimilarity. Forty subjects rated pair-wise odorant dissimilarity with either a LMS or ME. Each subject evaluated two sets of odorants with differing ranges of dissimilarity (high contrast and low contrast) in order to compare the sensitivity of the two measures to possible contrast convergence. The ME ratings were normalized such that the two metrics produced equal means. The scales produced similar ratings of odorant dissimilarity (r= 0.92) and showed small but similar effects of contrast convergence. However, the coefficient of variation of dissimilarities rated with ME was 2.8 times that of dissimilarities rated with the LMS. Subjects accepted the LMS without the usual anxiety that accompanies first time users of ME. LMS provide stable ratings of odorant dissimilarity while preserving the inferred ratio scale properties of ME.
Surprising Repair Activities of Nonpolar Analogs of 8-oxoG Expose Features of Recognition and Catalysis by Base Excision Repair Glycosylases

Repair glycosylases locate and excise damaged bases from DNA, playing central roles in preservation of the genome and prevention of disease. Two key glycosylases, Fpg and hOGG1, function to remove the mutagenic oxidized base 8-oxoG (OG) from DNA. To investigate the relative contributions of conformational preferences, leaving group ability, enzyme-base hydrogen bonding, and nucleobase shape on damage recognition by these glycosylases, a series of four substituted indole nucleosides, based on the parent OG nonpolar isostere 2Cl-4F-indole, were tested as possible direct substrates of these enzymes in the context of 30 base pair duplexes paired with C. Surprisingly, single-turnover experiments revealed that Fpg-catalyzed base removal activity of two of the nonpolar analogs was superior to the native OG substrate. The hOGG1 glycosylase was also found to catalyze removal of three of the nonpolar analogs, albeit considerably less efficiently than removal of OG. Of note, the analog that was completely resistant ...
Morphology of ricin and abrin exposed endothelial cells is consistent with apoptotic cell death.

Cultures of bovine pulmonary endothelial (BPE) cells were exposed to LC70 doses of ricin or abrin (15.5 and 4.5 pM respectively) over a period of up to 40 h. The viability of the cultures (as determined by the neutral red (NR) dye retention assay) declined after 6 h exposure to the toxins. From 15 h onwards, cellular material in toxin exposed cultures became detached from the substra tum of the culture vessels. Hoffman modulation contrast photomicrography showed that this process was due to ricin and abrin exposed cells collapsing into membrane bound vesicles which retained the NR dye, became detached and floated into the medium. These apoptotic-like structural changes were further investi gated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA from control and exposed cultures. Many of the characteristic changes associated with apoptotic cell death were seen using TEM, including heterochromatin condensation at the nuclear periphery, crenulation of the nuclear mem brane a...
Cervical and thoracic components of multiorgan lymphangiomatosis managed surgically

We report a patient who presented for management of suspected metastatic carcinoma of unknown origin. The lesions proved to be lymphangiomatosis involving multiple organ systems. Surgical management of the thoracic and cervical components of this rare condition is described.
The local error of a low-order boundary element method at the trailing edge of a hydrofoil and its effect on the global solution

Abstract The performance of a low-order (piecewise constant dipole and source distributions) potential based boundary element method (BEM) is tested when applied for the analysis of the steady flow around two-dimensional hydrofoil geometries. The convergence rate of the results (e.g. the circulation around the foil) with an increasing number of panels N is found to be very slow. The slow convergence is attributed to the O(1/N) local error of the low-order BEM in the vicinity of a sharp trailing edge. To reduce that error an at least linear dipole distribution is shown that must be utilized on each panel. The effect of the difference of the linear from the constant dipole, the so-called “saw-tooth” effect, is accounted for within the low-order BEM in an iterative manner. The inclusion of the “saw-tooth” effect is shown to improve the performance of the low-order BEM substantially.
Abstract A122: Trichomonosis and subsequent risk of prostate cancer in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial

Abstracts: Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research 2008 A122 We previously observed a positive association between a history of trichomonosis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by the protozoan, Trichomonas vaginalis , and prostate cancer risk in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. To determine the reproducibility of this finding, we conducted a second, prospective investigation of trichomonosis and prostate cancer in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial. Participants were men ≥55 years of age with no evidence of prostate cancer at enrollment (n=18,882). Men were screened annually for prostate cancer, and if not diagnosed during the trial, were offered an end-of-study prostate biopsy. Cases were a sample of men diagnosed with prostate cancer on any biopsy after visit 2 or on their end-of-study biopsy (n=616). Controls were men not diagnosed with prostate cancer during the trial or on their end-of-study biopsy (n=616). Controls were frequency-matched to cases by age, treatment arm, and family history of prostate cancer. Serum from visit 2 was tested for anti- T. vaginalis IgG antibodies. No association was observed between anti- T. vaginalis antibody serostatus and prostate cancer. 21.5% of cases and 24.8% of controls had low antibody seropositivity, and 15.2% and 15.0% had high seropositivity. Compared to seronegative men, the odds ratio of prostate cancer for men with low seropositivity was 0.83 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63-1.09), and that for men with high seropositivity was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.70-1.34). Given the original strong biologic rationale and potential for prevention, additional studies are warranted to help resolve discrepancies between study findings, and further investigate this hypothesis from a variety of different approaches. Funding: NCI/NIH P01 [CA108964][1] (Biology of the PCPT). The content of this work is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):A122. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=GEN&access_num=CA108964&atom=%2Fcanprevres%2F1%2F7_Supplement%2FA122.atom
STRAYER PROCEDURE (GASTROCNEMIUS RECESSION)

Abstract The Strayer procedure is a treatment option for clinically relevant gastrocnemius equinus contracture. A posteromedial surgical approach is described. Identifying and protecting the sural nerve is an important component of the procedure. Accurately localizing the starting point and performing a meticulous closure will improve cosmesis.
Oscillation Theory and Renormalized Oscillation Theory for Jacobi Operators

We provide a comprehensive treatment of oscillation theory for Jacobi operators with separated boundary conditions. Our main results are as follows: Ifusolves the Jacobi equation (Hu)(n)=a(n)u(n+1)+a(n−1)u(n−1)−b(n)u(n)=λu(n),λ∈R (in the weak sense) on an arbitrary interval and satisfies the boundary condition on the left or right, then the dimension of the spectral projectionP(−∞, λ)(H) ofHequals the number of nodes (i.e., sign flips ifa(n)<0) ofu. Moreover, we present a reformulation of oscillation theory in terms of Wronskians of solutions, thereby extending the range of applicability for this theory; ifλ1, 2∈R and ifu1, 2solve the Jacobi equationHuj=λjuj,j=1, 2 and respectively satisfy the boundary condition on the left/right, then the dimension of the spectral projectionP(λ1, λ2)(H) equals the number of nodes of the Wronskian ofu1andu2. Furthermore, these results are applied to establish the finiteness of the number of eigenvalues in essential spectral gaps of perturbed periodic Jacobi operators.
Cardiovascular problems and functional evaluation in rehabilitation of hemiplegic patients.

Abstract Arteriosclerotic or hypertensive heart disease was found in 56 per cent and rheumatic heart disease in 10 per cent of 195 non-traumatic hemiplegic patients admitted to a chronic disease hospital for rehabilitation. Significant heart disease with functional classifications of grades II and III was found in 30 per cent. Atrial fibrillation was present in 12 per cent. In arteriosclerotic-hypertensive patients recent myocardial infarction was an occasional etiological factor but atrial fibrillation was not. In rheumatic patients embolie complications occurred with all grades and types of valvular disease but most frequently with mitral stenosis. Metabolic responses determined in 50 hemiplegic patients during exercise revealed significantly greater increases in arterial blood lactate and lactate-pyruvate ratios in hemiplegic cardiac patients compared to non-cardiac patients. These observations were interpreted to indicate increased anaerobic metabolism in hemiplegic cardiac patients which might lead to congestive failure. The lack of correlation between the metabolic responses to exercise and the functional capacity estimated from history stressed the importance of an objective method of functional evaluation.
Phonology, semantics, and the role of the left inferior prefrontal cortex

Herbster et al. (1997) contribute to the growing literature on the functional neuroanatomy of word reading by evaluating stimulus-specific activation differences. The stimuli—regular words, irregular words, and nonwords—were specifically chosen to help tease apart contributions of orthography, phonology, and semantics to word pronunciation. The results, along with those from related studies [Fiez et al., 1993; Rumsey et al., 1997] have direct relevance for competing models of the transformation between orthography (how words look) and phonology (how words sound). Herbster et al. [1997] conclude that their results are consistent with connectionist models of word reading, and more specifically hypothesize that the left inferior frontal gyrus may be part of a phonological pathwaywhich supportsword reading, whereas the fusiform gyrus may be part of a semantic pathway. Zatorre et al. [1996] and Demonet et al. [1996] recently reviewed a series of neuroimaging studies that suggest the left inferior frontal gyrus is involved in phonological processing. For instance, greater activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus was found when subjects performed a phonological versus a pitch decision about pairs of auditory presented syllables [Zatorre et al., 1992], and when subjects performed a phonological versus an orthographic discrimination task on visually and auditorily presented words [Fiez et al., 1995]. Verbal working memory studies have also implicated this area in articulatory/phonological processes [e.g., see Awh et al., 1996; Paulesu et al., 1993]. However, evidence reviewed below also indicates that the left inferior frontal gyrus contributes to semantic processing. With respect to the conclusions reached by Herbster et al. [1997], this fact raises two questions: 1) How do the contributions of frontal and posterior regions (e.g., the fusiform gyrus) to semantic processing differ, and 2) are phonological versus semantic interpretations of left inferior prefrontal activation competing or complementary interpretations of the neuroimaging data?
Color Coding of Digitized Echocardiograms: Description of a New Technique and Application in Detecting and Correcting for Cardiac Translation

Color coding is a new software application for digitized echocardiograms that displays a reference image of end diastole throughout the cardiac cycle. With color-coded digitized echocardiograms, we determined the frequency of, and corrected for cardiac translation in 21 bicycle stress echocardiograms in patients who were known to be without significant coronary artery disease or wall motion abnormalities. Translation was present in 4%, 40%, and 74% of rest, postexercise, and peak exercise images, respectively, and was noted most frequently in the apical views, 59% of four-chamber views and 40% of two-chamber views. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement for detection of translation was 81% and 86%, respectively. Translation was corrected by shifting digitized images to eliminate transverse displacement of the mitral valve anulus and restore normal basal-to-apical shortening. Ventricular contraction was assessed as normal in 92% of the images in which correction for translation was performed. In the remaining images, poor image quality (3%) and apparent wall motion abnormalities (5%) prevented the studies from being graded as normal. We conclude that color coding of digitized echocardiograms is a useful new technique that can be applied to detect and correct for cardiac translation.
Pulmonary Hypertension and Risk of Death in Cardiomyopathy Patients With Myocarditis Are at Higher Risk

Background— Pulmonary hypertension is a clinically useful predictor of death in patients with heart failure. Whether pulmonary hypertension has the same prognostic value among specific underlying causes of cardiomyopathy is unknown. Using a diverse cohort of cardiomyopathy patients, we tested the hypotheses that (1) elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure is the most important hemodynamic predictor of death and (2) the prognostic value of mean pulmonary pressure varies among different cardiomyopathies. Methods and Results— Patients (n=1134) with new cardiomyopathy were prospectively assigned a specific diagnosis on the basis of clinical evaluation and endomyocardial biopsy. All patients underwent right heart catheterization at baseline and were followed for an average of 4.4 years. In multivariate Cox models that allowed for nonlinear relations between hemodynamics and death, mean systemic pressure (mSP) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPA) emerged as the most important hemodynamic predictors of d...
The gene encoding early growth response 2, a target of the transcription factor NFAT, is required for the development and maturation of natural killer T cells

The influence of signals transmitted by the phosphatase calcineurin and the transcription factor NFAT on the development and function of natural killer T (NKT) cells is unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that the transcription factor early growth response 2 (Egr2), a target gene of NFAT, was specifically required for the ontogeny of NKT cells but not that of conventional CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells. NKT cells developed normally in the absence of Egr1 or Egr3, which suggests that Egr2 is a specific regulator of NKT cell differentiation. We found that Egr2 was important in the selection, survival and maturation of NKT cells. Our findings emphasize the importance of the calcineurin-NFAT-Egr2 pathway in the development of the NKT lymphocyte lineage.
A particulate DNA polymerase activity in adult rat brain

Abstract A particulate fraction of adult rat brain (sucrose buoyant density 1.24 gm/ml) catalyzed the incorporation of [ 3 H]dTTP into an acid-insoluble product in an endogenously templated reaction sensitive to ribonuclease pretreatment. Upon fractionation, this activity was identified in the cerebellum, pons, frontal lobes and base. The DNA polymerase present in these brain fractions exhibited a strong preference for the synthetic template dT 12–18 ·poly rA rather than dT 12–18 ·poly dA; dT 10 was completely inactive. Purification and equilibrium Cs 2 SO 4 gradient centrifugation of the [ 3 H]DNA product-endogenous template complex suggested that RNA was serving as primer for endogenous DNA synthesis.
Status and prospects of photovoltaics in Korea

Abstract The Korean National Photovoltaic (PV) Project was initiated in October 1989 to develop technologies for the generation of economically competitive electric power by PV systems. It consists of three stages which will continue until the year 2001. The technical goals and costs targets are directed at solar cell, balance of systems and system application. The objectives are: the development of PV technology through research activities, transfer of developed technology to the industries and diffusion of PV through demonstration projects to the end users. This paper reviews the long-term plan and recent trends in the R&D technology, and shows examples of PV diffusion, demonstration projects and market outlook in Korea. Some activities designed to promote collaboration with foreign countries are also discussed.
Efficacy and toxicity of concomitant cisplatin with external beam pelvic radiotherapy and two high-dose-rate brachytherapy insertions for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer.

Abstract Objective. There is no standard high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy dose for locally advanced cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy, toxicity and clinicopathologic predictive markers affecting survival using cisplatin (CDDP) concomitant with external beam pelvic radiotherapy (EBRT) and two 9-Gy HDR insertions for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. Methods. 77 consecutive patients with Stage IB2–IV cervical cancer treated with CDDP, EBRT and two 9-Gy HDR insertions were included. Kaplan–Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models were applied for survival statistics. Results. Median age was 53. 90% had squamous cell carcinoma. Median follow-up time was 3.5 years (range 0.5–12 years). Overall 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 75%. Local control rate and 5-year PFS were 88% and 83%, respectively, for Stages IB2/II, and 68% and 61%, respectively, for Stages III/IV. Grade 3/4 GI symptoms were the most common acute side effects (47%). Grade 3/4 late toxicities occurred in five (6%) patients. Conclusions. HDR brachytherapy regimens consisting of two 9-Gy HDR insertions have similar efficacy and side effect profiles as other brachytherapy regimens for the treatment of cervical cancer with improved safety and patient convenience.
Hydrogen production and nitrogen fixation by Oscillatoria thiebautii during in situ incubations1,2

We have examined net hydrogen production, acetylene reduction, and 15N2 fixation by the marine nitrogen fixer, Oscillatoria thiebautii, using both “standard” conditions and ultraclean and in situ techniques. Rates of hydrogen production and acetylene reduction appeared to be independent of incubation technique. This finding contrasts with previous reports that marine nitrogen fixers might be very sensitive to handling or trace metal contamination. Hydrogen production was highest at the surface and decreased sharply with depth, and no production (or acetylene reduction) was observed during dark incubations. Hydrogen production rates were two to three orders of magnitude lower than nitrogen fixation rates. In addition, the ratio of acetylene reduction to nitrogen fixation determined on one date, 4.1(±1.6): 1, is consistent with the hypothesis that hydrogen is not released from O. thiebautii in significant amounts.
Apparent retrograde metamorphism: Another example of the influence of structural deformation on metamorphic differentiation

A model relating apparent retrograde metamorphism to folding is proposed. According to the model, pressure gradients brought on by folding in the course of regional metamorphism cause the migration of water to low pressure fold crests. The greater concentration of water renders the mineral assemblage unstable relative to a more hydrous, “lower grade” assemblage. The result is that several mineral assemblages, each of which is characteristic of what classically has been called a different metamorphic facies, can be formed during the same metamorphic event, under the same pressure-temperature conditions. As an example, the paragenetic relationships between three mineral assemblages in a metamorphosed basalt flow are explained in terms of chemical changes accompanying structural deformation. During regional metamorphism the basalt was recrystallized to hornblende-, oligoclase-, and biotite-bearing assemblages. Folding late in the course of the regional metamorphism brought about the destruction of pre-existing assemblages in the fold crests and formation there of a more hydrous chlorite and albite assemblage.
Spectral Irradiance Calibration in the Infrared. III. The Influence of CO and SiO

Efforts are described to establish a network of calibrated infrared spectra of 'standard stars' suitable for calibration of at least low-resolution infrared spectrometers using ground-based, airborne, and satellite-borne broadband sensors. Emphasis is given to the crucial 5-8 micron region in K and M giants, where the fundamental bands of CO and SiO cause substantial departures from featureless pseudocontinua. The invalidity of the blackbody assumption in the thermal infrared regime is pointed out by demonstrating the importance of these molecular features in cold giants stars in the airborne infrared regime and illustrating their influence on spectra calibrated using blackbody assumptions.
The effect of coordinatively unsaturated surface Cr3+ on the adsorption of gases on chromia

Abstract Clean chromias of smaller and larger degrees of dehydroxylation, i.e., smaller and larger surface concentrations in Cr3+(cus), were prepared by activation in flowing helium to 315°C (microporous, amorphous) and to 520°C mesoporous, microcrystalline). These chromias were then exposed to argon, hydrogen, methane, or nitrogen at −160 to −78°C, flushed with helium, and the residual amount of adsorbate was determined after various times. From these data and from displacement experiments in which pulses of one gas were passed over chromia on which another gas was adsorbed, the relative strengths of adsorption at Cr3+(cus) are Ne ⪡ Ar ⪡ H2 ⪡ CH4
The Nile valley system and the Red Sea Slave Trade 1820–1880

(1988). The Nile valley system and the Red Sea Slave Trade 1820–1880. Slavery & Abolition: Vol. 9, The Economics of the Indian Ocean Slave Trade in the Nineteenth Century, pp. 71-92.
The obligatory-branching parameter in metrical theory

In the preceding sections, I have argued that metrical theory should be revised to incorporate revised obligatory-branching feet. This argument was based on the descriptive necessity of bounded ROB feet for Lenakel and unbounded ROB feet for Klamath. Neither of these languages are describable as simply using unrevised OB feet.
Shifting paradigms in geomorphology: the fate of research ideas in an educational context

The acceptance of new ideas into the mainstream of geomorphological education is illustrated from the development of theories dealing with Earth history, glaciation, uniform flow, mass movement, continental mobility, cyclic erosion, and drainage networks. The lag between the conception of new ideas and their incorporation into mainstream texts has varied from negligible to more than 200 years. On one hand, despite its then untestable assumptions, the Davisian cycle of erosion gained rapid favor as the dominant paradigm of the early 20th century before it was found wanting. In contrast, concepts of uniform flow and slope stability, confirmed in the 18th century, waited almost 200 years for incorporation into geomorphology texts sensu stricto, although they had long been available in books on hydraulics and soil mechanics. Continental mobilism had a wild ride, culminating in the eventual acceptance of the plate-tectonics paradigm in the later 20th century. Explanations for the fate of these and other ideas are varied. New ideas are often opposed by establishment conservatism, language barriers, the perceived surrealism of new concepts, and simple ignorance. In contrast, new ideas may be accepted, sooner or later, by virtue of simplicity, forceful and well-connected leadership, or the death of opponents. Although mitigated by the information revolution of recent decades, these forces still persist and influence the extension of new ideas into a larger arena.
Progressive Regression of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Two Years after Bariatric Surgery

Abstract Background Obesity is a systemic disorder associated with an increase in left ventricular mass and premature death and disability from cardiovascular disease. Although bariatric surgery reverses many of the hormonal and hemodynamic derangements, the long-term collective effects on body composition and left ventricular mass have not been considered before. We hypothesized that the decrease in fat mass and lean mass after weight loss surgery is associated with a decrease in left ventricular mass. Methods Fifteen severely obese women (mean body mass index [BMI]: 46.7±1.7 kg/m 2 ) with medically controlled hypertension underwent bariatric surgery. Left ventricular mass and plasma markers of systemic metabolism, together with body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, body composition (fat mass and lean mass), and resting energy expenditure were measured at 0, 3, 9, 12, and 24 months. Results Left ventricular mass continued to decrease linearly over the entire period of observation, while rates of weight loss, loss of lean mass, loss of fat mass, and resting energy expenditure all plateaued at 3 months ( P Conclusions Even though parameters of obesity, including BMI and body composition, plateau, the benefits of bariatric surgery on systemic metabolism and left ventricular mass are sustained. We propose that the progressive decrease of left ventricular mass after weight loss surgery is regulated by neurohumoral factors, and may contribute to improved long-term survival.
Neurophysiological abnormalities in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons from the trisomy-16 mouse fetus, a model for Down syndrome

The trisomy-16 mouse is considered to be a model of human trisomy-21 (Down syndrome). We have examined the electrical membrane properties of cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from normal and trisomy-16 fetuses. Trisomy-16 neurons had significantly accelerated rates of action potential depolarization and repolarization compared to diploid neurons, resulting in decreased spike duration. These changes match those reported in human trisomy-21 DRG neurons. Such abnormalities may contribute to the mental retardation characteristic of Down syndrome.
Parallelizing power system contingency analysis using D programming language

To ensure security, analyzing a large number of contingencies is important, which requires use of parallel computing resources. In this paper, we present an approach for parallelization and load balancing of contingency analysis (CA) in power systems using D programming language. We parallelize CA using a multicore processor and and propose and employ work-stealing based efficient scheduling to achieve load-balancing. We evaluate the features of D which are important for parallelization of CA and obtaining large performance gains. Our approach promotes legacy code reuse and hence is suitable for modern control centers which cannot afford porting their legacy code to other high-performance computing (HPC) platforms. We have conducted time domain simulation using a large 13029-bus test system with hundreds of contingencies and parallelized CA over 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 cores. The results have confirmed that our approach outperforms a conventional scheduling technique and also offers large computational savings over serial execution.
Multimarket contact among diversified oligopolists

Multimarket contact appears to be necessary for effective oligopolistic consensus in a concentrated industry when the industry's firms are diversified. Evidently, without multimarket contact, coordination breaks down because the diversified sellers have different costs and demands, and hence would not independently choose the same price, and because price cuts are less easily detected and matched. The evidence suggests that Bain's seminal observation of the nexus among profits, concentration, and barriers resulted because of the multimarket contact of the firms in his sample.
Solubility of sodium chloride and sulfate in sub- and supercritical water vapor from 450–550°C and 100–250 bar

Abstract Armellini, F.J. and Tester,J.W., 1993. Solubility of sodium chloride and sulfate in sub- and supercritical water vapor from 450–550°C and 100–250 bar. Fluid Phase Equlibria, 84: 123-142. The solubility of sodium chloride in water vapor has been determined at supercritical temperatures ranging from 450–550°C and sub- and supercritical pressures varying from 100–250 bar. Measured sodium chloride concentrations ranged from 0.9–101 ppm (by weight). In the experiments, water vapor was saturated by continuously flowing it through a tube packed with solid salt. The results for sodium chloride agreed well with other studies which used continuous flow methods. Hydrolysis of the solid salt was found as a possible explanation for some of the reported discrepancies in the literature. Experiments with sodium sulfate at 500°C and 250 bar were also performed. Measured sodium sulfate concentrations were around 0.9 ppm, and exhibited unsteady behavior. Though only an estimate of Na2SO4 solubility could be obtained, this value was over two orders of magnitude lower than that for sodium chloride at identical conditions.
A clinical comparison of xeroradiography and film radiography for the detection of proximal caries

Xeroradiographs and conventional film radiographs (D- and E-speed) were compared in a clinical study with the use of 1 complete-mouth radiographs for (1) the presence of interproximal caries and (2) the determination of the depth of interproximal caries with the use of 200 tooth surfaces. In addition, an analysis of correct classification rates making a comparison of the same techniques was conducted. The results with the use of ROC analysis indicated that when a comparison was made of xeroradiography and D- and E-speed film, all techniques were equally useful. A broad range of observer ROC area values was found, indicating that diagnostic performance varies greatly with observer. The results of the diagnostic decisions made on carious surfaces versus noncarious surfaces indicated that all techniques tested were similar: 90% correct for noncarious surfaces and 77% correct for carious surfaces.
Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Three Pyrazine-2-carboxylate Containing Isostructural Complexes: M(2-pyrazine-carboxylate) 3 (M = Co +3 , Cr +3 , and Rh +3 )

Three new isostructural coordination complexes, M(pca)3, where M = Co (1), Cr (2), or Rh (3) and 2-pyrazine-carboxylate (pca), have been synthesized solvothermally and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction. In structures 1-3, the pca ligand chelates to the metal centers in a tris-chelating arrangement through proximal nitrogen and oxygen donor atoms. Structures 1-3 are monoclinic and crystallize in the space group C2/C. In structure 1, a = 28.066(13) A, b = 8.036(4) A, c = 13.577(6) A, and β = 90.2(10)°. In structure 2 a = 28.318(3) A, b = 8.089(4) A, c = 13.792(12) A, and β = 90.256(2)°. In structure 3, a = 28.679(4) A, b = 8.051(13) A, c=13.847(2) A, and β = 90.585(2)°. Three new isostructural coordination complexes, M(pca)3, where M = Co, Cr, or Rh and 2-pyrazine-carboxylate (pca), have been synthesized solvothermally and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction.
Effects of a "step-up" ractopamine feeding program, sex, and social rank on growth performance, hoof lesions, and Enterobacteriaceae shedding in finishing pigs.

Increasing concern for animal well-being and food safety has stimulated the investigation of feed additives such as ractopamine (RAC), a beta-agonist widely used to improve production performance of finishing pigs. The objective of this study was to determine effects of RAC feeding, delivered as a "step-up" program (5 mg/kg for 2 wk followed by 10 mg/kg for 2 wk), on growth performance, Enterobacteriaceae shedding, including Salmonella, and hoof lesions, also taking into account sex and social rank of pigs. A total of 64 barrows and gilts (balanced by treatment and sex) were assigned to pens of 4 (by sex) as either control (CTL) or RAC treatment. Social ranks (dominant, intermediate, and subordinate) of pigs in each pen were determined by behavioral observation during 48 h post-mixing. Fecal samples were collected once per week for 5 wk. At slaughter, the 32 dominant and subordinate barrows and gilts (16/sex) were examined for hoof lesions, and luminal contents from ileum, cecum, and rectum were collected. Pigs fed RAC had increased growth performance (P 0.10). No significant effect of RAC feeding was found on backfat or loin eye area (P > 0.10). At slaughter, RAC-fed pigs had greater BW (P < 0.05). Despite the positive effects of RAC feeding on growth performance, pigs fed the compound had a greater frequency of front and rear hoof lesions as did barrows and dominant individuals (P < 0.05). Detectable concentrations of Salmonella shedding were not identified at any time during the experiment. Enterobacteriaceae shedding concentrations from RAC-fed pigs peaked at the first week of feeding and progressively decreased until slaughter. At slaughter, rectal and cecal Enterobacteriaceae concentrations were less in RAC-fed pigs than in CTL pigs (P < 0.05). Social rank tended to affect gut Enterobacteriaceae populations of barrows more than in gilts (P < 0.10). The effects of RAC feeding on hoof soundness and Enterobacteriaceae populations in the gastrointestinal tract of finishing pigs warrant further investigation. It is also proposed that the integration of the social rank status of the individual into future studies should be considered, because it may affect treatment responses.
Rare type of congenital aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva protruding superiorly into the pericardial space

We report a rare type of aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva. The orifice of the aneurysm was in the right sinus of Valsalva and protruded superiorly, which is a direction not typical of right sinus of Valsalva aneurysms. Intraoperatively, it became clear that the aneurysm was located in the right sinus of Valsalva with extracardiac protrusion. Inspection through the aortotomy revealed that the orifice of the aneurysm opened between the orifice of the right coronary artery and the commissure between the right and left coronary cusps. The aneurysm was obliterated with a pledgeted suture from outside the orifice of the aneurysm. Early prophylactic surgical treatment of the aneurysm makes the operation simple and prevents subsequent development of complications, such as compression of the coronary artery, thrombosis, and/or spontaneous rupture.
The electrical resistivity of UPt

Abstract The electrical resistivity of the ferromagnet UPt shows T 2 behavior at low temperatures and a large spin-disorder resistivity above the ordering temperature.
Somatic mutagenesis studies of NF-κB signaling in human T cells: Evidence for an essential role of IKKγ, in NP-κB activation by T-cell costimulatory signals and HTLV-I Tax protein

NF-kappa B plays a pivotal role in normal T-cell activation and may also mediate human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)-induced T-cell transformation. Activation of NF-kappa B by both T-cell costimulatory signals and the HTLV Tax protein involves stimulation of I kappa B kinase (IKK). As a genetic approach to dissect the intermediate steps involved in NF-kappa B activation in human T cells, we performed somatic cell mutagenesis to isolate signaling-defective mutant Jurkat T-cell lines. One of the mutant cell lines was shown to have a specific blockade in the IKK signaling pathway but remained competent in the c-Jun N-terminal kinase and MAP kinase pathways. Interestingly, this mutant cell line lacks expression of IKK gamma, a non-catalytic component of the IKK complex. Expression of exogenous IKK gamma in the mutant cells restored NF-kappa B activation by both the T-cell costimulation agents and Tax. These findings provide genetic evidence for the requirement of IKK gamma in NF-kappa B signaling triggered by both T-cell costimulatory signals and HTLV-I Tax protein.