cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recording of brainstem evoked potentials and their association with gentamicin in neonates

Abstract Brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) recording was used to screen presymptomatically the hearing of 200 neonates treated with ampicillin (100 mg/kg daily) and gentamicin sulfate (5 mg/kg daily). The study included 130 male and 70 female neonates; post-conceptional age ranged from 34 to 57 weeks (mean 42.36 weeks). We divided neonates into 2 groups according to duration of antibiotic treatment; group 1 consisted of 179 patients who were treated with antibiotic agents for ⩽7 days. Although 15 (8.4%) in this group initially manifested abnormal BAEP recordings, only 8 of these brain-damaged neonates (4.5%) (6 with peripheral and 2 with central dysfunction) later manifested abnormal recordings. Group 2 consisted of 21 neonates who were treated for 10 to 30 days; BAEP recordings were abnormal in 7 patients (33.3%) (4 with peripheral and 3 with central dysfunction). We conclude that BAEP is indicated only for neonates treated with gentamicin sulfate for >10 days. In this group, infants so treated usually have underlying disease or severe infection, including birth asphyxia, hypoxia, sepsis, and meningoencephalitis, all of which are clinically significant indicators of high risk for auditory pathway dysfunction.
The role of low levels of juvenile hormone esterase in the metamorphosis of Manduca sexta.

The activity of juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) in feeding fifth instar larvae of Manduca sexta increases gradually with larval weight and rises to a peak after larvae pass the critical weight when juvenile hormone secretion ceases. Starvation of larvae of Manduca sexta (L.) that had exceeded the critical weight inhibited peak levels of JHE, but did not delay entry into the wandering stage when larvae leave the plant in search of a pupation site. This suggests that peak levels of JHE may not be essential for the normal timing of metamorphosis. Starved larvae pupated normally, indicating the peak of JHE was not necessary for a morphologically normal pupation. Treatments of larvae with the selective JHE inhibitor O-ethyl-S-phenyl phosphoramidothiolate (EPPAT) that began immediately after larvae achieved the critical weight (6.0 to 6.5 grams for our strain of Manduca) delayed entry into the wandering stage. By contrast, EPPAT treatment of larvae at weights above 8.0g had no effect on the subsequent timing of the onset of wandering. Therefore, although the normal timing of the onset of wandering does not require peak levels of JHE, it requires low to moderate levels of JHE to be present until larvae reach a weight of about 8.0g.
Variance in reef spatial structure masks density dependence in coral-reef fish populations on natural versus artificial reefs

Understanding the role of density dependence in the regulation of marine fish pop- ulations is particularly crucial as species face increased risk of extinction. Yet, spatial and temporal heterogeneity can easily mask density dependence. By experimentally manipulating group sizes of the yellowhead wrasse Halichoeres garnoti on both natural and artificial reefs, I determined that the relationship between density and mortality varied with reef spatial structure. On natural reefs, mortality rates were highly variable among reefs. However, losses also resulted from emigration to neighboring patches, and thus persistence of fish remaining on natural reefs was approximately density-dependent. On artificial reefs, mortality was density-dependent on reefs that were spatially isolated, and high and density-independent on reefs that were aggregated. Emigration was virtually zero among these reefs. Overall predator visitation rates were significantly higher to artificial than natural reefs, but a greater diversity and size range of predators were present on natural reefs. Based on observations that yellowhead wrasse formed tighter aggregations in the presence of predators (rather than seeking shelter in the reef), differences between artificial and natural reefs were likely not related to differences in reef complexity. Instead, on artificial reefs, standardizing reef spacing resulted in density-dependent versus density-independent mortality according to reef isolation. In contrast, heterogeneity in reef spacing among natural reefs likely caused variation in predation risk that in turn caused high variability in mortality rates. Small-scale spatial variation in predation may play an important role in the population dynamics of species that occur within patchy environments.
Analysis of the wedge-shaped damage zone in edge-notched polypropylene

The irreversible deformation behaviour of polypropylene during sharp single-edge-notched tension testing has been studied as a function of temperature. Specimens were tested at room temperature, −20, −40, and −60 °C with photographs taken of the notch tip area during testing. BelowTg, a narrow wedge-shaped damage zone grew from the notch tip with increased stress. The damage zone length correlated with the ratio of applied stress to yield stress in agreement with the Dugdale model. The crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) was found to follow the predicted Dugdale CTOD when modified by using the secant modulus to account for viscoelasticity. The shape of the damage zone did not agree with the Dugdale model near the notch tip, but instead was found to follow a path of the minor principal stress trajectory. AboutTg, the damage zone had a lower length-to-width ratio which no longer resembled the Dugdale model.
Particle motion in unsteady two-dimensional peristaltic flow with application to the ureter.

Particle motion in an unsteady peristaltic fluid flow is analyzed. The fluid is incompressible and Newtonian in a two-dimensional planar geometry. A perturbation method based on a small ratio of wave height to wavelength is used to obtain a closed-form solution for the fluid velocity field. This analytical solution is used in conjunction with an equation of motion for a small rigid sphere in nonuniform flow taking Stokes drag, virtual mass, Fax\'en, Basset, and gravity forces into account. Fluid streamlines and velocity profiles are calculated. Theoretical values for pumping rates are compared with available experimental data. An application to ureteral peristaltic flow is considered since fluid flow in the ureter is sometimes accompanied by particles such as stones or bacteriuria. Particle trajectories for parameters that correspond to calcium oxalates for calculosis and Escherichia coli type for bacteria are analyzed. The findings show that retrograde or reflux motion of the particles is possible and bacterial transport can occur in the upper urinary tract when there is a partial occlusion of the wave. Dilute particle mixing is also investigated, and it is found that some of the particles participate in the formation of a recirculating bolus, and some of them are delayed in transit and eventually reach the walls. This can explain the failure of clearing residuals from the upper urinary tract calculi after successful extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. The results may also be relevant to the transport of other physiological fluids and industrial applications in which peristaltic pumping is used.
Effects of the estrogen mimic genistein as a dietary component on sex differentiation and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).

A number of aquaculture species, including channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, are fed high proportions of soybean meal in their diet. We have investigated the potential for the most common phytoestrogen in soybean meal to alter phenotypic sex during sexual differentiation in channel catfish. Channel catfish were fed four dietary concentrations of the phytoestrogen genistein (0, 2, 4, and 8 mg g−1) to determine its effect on gonadal sex differentiation. The four treatment diets were fed to sexually undifferentiated channel catfish between 5 and 140 days post hatch (dph) and between 60 and 150 dph. Phenotypic sex was determined by histological examination of the gonads. Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity was not significantly different among the treatment and control groups. Phenotypic sex was significantly dependant on dietary phytoestrogen concentration (P = 0.01). Additionally, logistic regression showed a significant relation between genistein concentration in the diet and gonadal sex (P = 0.02). Intersex individuals were present at all treatment concentrations, with increasing proportions of intersex fish as the genistein concentration increased for individuals fed treated diets between 5 and 140 dph. Increased proportions of phenotypically male individuals resulted from chronic dietary exposure to the estrogen mimic genistein. There were no significant differences in the proportions of males and females between feed treatment durations. These findings establish that dietary concentrations of genistein can alter sex ratios in cultured channel catfish populations and demonstrates the need to further understand the actions of this and other prominent phytoestrogens in aquaculture species.
Clonal Structure of Invasive Cattail (Typhaceae) Stands in the Upper Midwest Region of the US

There is mounting evidence that the clonal dynamics of foundational plant species, including exotic invaders such as hybrid Typha x glauca, have a profound effect on wetland function. Here, we report on the clonal structure of five intensively sampled Typha stands from the Upper Midwest region where invasions have been especially disruptive. Each of these stands consisted of a large proportion of F1 hybrids between T. latifolia and T. angustifolia, although backcrosses to both parents were also observed, and provided a means of determining relative age of invasion. We found clonal richness, measured as the proportion of ramets representing distinct genets, to vary positively with age of invasion over a range from 0.20 to 0.45, whereas Simpson’s Evenness was relatively consistent among sites due to a pattern of dominance by a few large clones accompanied by many smaller clones. Ramets were significantly clumped within genets over a range of approximately 20 m, although many clones included ramets separated by as much as 60 to 90 m, suggesting some degree of clone fragmentation over time. Related genets were significantly clumped over approximately 10 m, suggesting that seedling cohorts may frequently recruit in close proximity to one another.
Recent Publications in Natural History

LIBRARY AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: Recent Publications in Natural History is a regular feature of Curator. It lists recent publications under various headings, Mary E. Genett–Editor
Perifusion of Isolated Rat Islets in Vitro: Participation of the Microtubular System in the Biphasic Release of Insulin

A simple perifusion system for in vitro studies on the rate of insulin secretion of isolated rat islets is described. A biphasic pattern of insulin secretion was produced by glucose whereas tolbutamide stimulated only the first phase of insulin secretion. The perifusion system was used to determine the effect of anti-mitotic agents on the biphasic pattern of insulin secretion. Yinblastine and colchicine destroy microtubules whereas deuterium oxide (D2O) produces stabilization and interference with the function of microtubules. Vinblastine (10-4 M) and D2O (100 per cent) inhibited completely the first and second phase of glucose-induced insulin secretion. The inhibitory effect of D2O was reversible and a biphasic pattern of secretion occurred following the replacement of D2O with water. Colchicine (10-3 M) produced significant inhibition of only the second phase of glucose-induced insulin secretion. The first phase of tolbutamide-induced insulin secretion was inhibited by vinblastine and D2O and the inhibitory effect of D2O was reversible. Colchicine did not inhibit the first phase of tolbutamide-induced insulin release. These findings indicate that the microtubular system is involved in both phases of insulin secretion. The first phase of secretion may be due to the release of beta granules already associated with the microtubular system and the second phase could be the result of stored and newlysynthesized granules becoming associated with the system.
Negative Hydrogen Ion Injection into the Zero Gradient Synchrotron

In October 1976 the Zero Gradient Synchrotron (ZGS) became the first high energy proton synchrotron to use charge exchange injection in routine operations. Conversion to H- injection has been very successful, yielding record high beam intensities within the first month of use and normal (> 90%) operating efficiencies within the second month. This report discusses briefly the history of H- at the ZGS, the hardware uniquely associated with charge exchange injection and our operational experience during the first two months of H- injection.
Effects of changes in the major carbon source on the fatty acids ofEuglena gracilis

Euglena gracilis was cultured under both heterotrophic and phototrophic growth conditions using ethanol, glucose or CO2 as the major carbon source. Total fatty acid analyses indicated that ethanol produced more highly unsaturated acids than did glucose under both growth conditions. Growth in the light on CO2 yielded a very high content of 18∶3, 16∶3 and 16∶4 (33%), compared to ethanol (11%) or glucose (10%). These two preformed carbon sources enhanced the content of the C20 and C22 polyenes compared to CO2, and growth in the dark on to CO2, and growth in the dark on ethanol caused a further increase in these polyenes. Growth in the dark on glucose caused only a slight increase of the C20 and C22 polyenes compared to growth in the light on this carbon source. When the fatty acid patterns of the two dark-grown heterotrophs were compared, two observations were quite evident. First, there was a two-fold increase in the saturated acids in the cells grown on glucose. This was largely due to myristic acid. Second, the C20 and C22 polyenes were almost twice as concentrated in the cells grown on ethanol.
Game theory and climate diplomacy

Abstract Starting with the “New Periodic Table” (NPT) of 2 × 2 order games introduced by Robinson and Goforth (2005), we provide an exhaustive treatment of the possible game-theoretic characterizations of climate negotiations between two players (e.g., Great Powers or coalitions of states). Of the 144 distinct 2 × 2 games in which the players have strict ordinally ranked utilities, 25 are potentially relevant to climate problem. The negotiations may be characterized as a No-Conflict Game, Prisoner's Dilemma, Coordination Game, Chicken, Type Game, or Cycle, depending on the payoff matrix. Which game corresponds to the actual state of the world depends both on the severity of risks associated with climate change and the perceptions of the governments engaged in the negotiations. Nash equilibrium or Maxi-min equilibrium (or neither) may be the outcome. Achieving universal abatement of greenhouse gas emissions may require side payments or enforcement mechanisms outside the game framework, but we show how the negotiations themselves may offer opportunities to select between Nash equilibria or alter the payoff rankings and strategic choices of the players. In particular, scientific information pointing to the severity of the risks of climate change suggests characterization of the negotiations as a Coordination Game rather than a Prisoner's Dilemma.
The rationality of expectations: the blomqvist experiment reconsidered

Abstract This paper raises some methodological and empirical criticisms of a recent experimental study of the Rational Expectations Hypothesis (REH) by Blomqvist (1989, published in this journal). With respect to experimental methodology, the reward structure employed leaves open the question of subject motivation. With regard to the empirical findings we conclude the following: (1) Tests of unbiasedness may yield biased estimators due to the distribution of the forecasting objective. (2) Using aggregated data is potentially confounding in that individual rationality may be obscured. (3) Contrary to Blomqvist's conclusions, we find strong support for the REH based upon the estimates of a rational learning model.
Insights into the Genetic Structure of Congenital Heart Disease from Human and Murine Studies on Monogenic Disorders

Study of monogenic congenital heart disease (CHD) has provided entry points to gain new understanding of heart development and the molecular pathogenesis of CHD. In this review, we discuss monogenic CHD caused by mutations of the cardiac transcription factor genes NKX2-5 and GATA4. Detailed investigation of these genes in mice and humans has expanded our understanding of heart development, shedding light on the complex genetic and environmental factors that influence expression and penetrance of CHD gene mutations.
Tissue distribution, purification and characterization of rat phosphatidylinositol transfer protein.

Abstract Phosphatidylinositol transfer activity is measured in cytosol fractions prepared from 13 rat tissues; specific activity is highest in brain and lowest in adipose and skeletal muscle. Based upon electrophoretic analysis phosphatidylinositol transfer protein is purified to homogeneity from whole rat brain. The protein has a molecular weight of 36 000 and exists as a mixture of species having isoelectric points of 4.9 and 5.3. In a vesicle-vesicle assay system, the intermembrane transfer rate is greatest for phosphatidylinositol and less by a factor of 2 for phosphatidylcholine; transfer of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine or sphingomyelin is not observed. Using a polyclonal rabbit antibody against bovine phosphatidylinositol transfer protein, immunologic cross-reactivity is noted between the rat protein and other mammalian phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins. A strong correlation is established between a tissue's capacity for phosphatidylinositol transfer and the amount of immunoreactive transfer protein seen in that tissue. Purified phosphatidylinositol transfer protein is capable of transporting newly synthesized phosphatidylinositol molecules from rat brain microsomes to small unilamellar phospholipid vesicles. The results are discussed within the context of cellular phosphoinositide metabolism and the maintenance of the metabolically responsive pool of phosphatidylinositol in the plasma membrane.
Synthesis of zirconium, hafnium, and tantalum complexes with sterically demanding hydrazide ligands.

The bulky hydrazine t-BuN(H)NMe 2 was synthesized via hydrazone and t-BuN(H)N(H)Me intermediates as the major component in a 90:5:5 mixture consisting of t-BuN(H)NMe 2 , t-BuN(Me)N(H)Me, and t-BuN(Me)NMe 2 . Reacting the mixture with n-BuLi followed by distillation and fractional crystallization led to the isolation of the ligand precursor LiN(t-Bu)NMe 2 . Lithium hydrazides, LiN(R)NMe 2 , were reacted with metal chlorides to afford the hydrazide complexes M(N(Et)Nme 2 ) 4 (M = Zr or Hf), MCI(N(R)NMe 2 ) 3 (M = Zr, R = i-Pr or t-Bu; M = Hf, R = t-Bu), and TaCl 3 (N(i-Pr)NMe 2 ) 2 . The X-ray crystal structures of [LiN(i-Pr)NMe 2 ] 4 , [LiN(t-Bu)NMe 2 -THF]2, ZrCl(N(R)NMe 2 ) 3 (R = i-Pr or f-Bu), and TaCl 3 (N(i-Pr)NMe 2 ) 2 were determined. The structural analyses revealed that the hydrazide ligands in ZrCl(N(R)NMe 2 ) 3 (R = i-Pr or t-Bu) and TaCl 3 (N(I-Pr)Nme 2 ) 2 are η 2 coordinated.
Photoperiod and sexual maturation of the female lamb: early exposure to short days perturbs estradiol feedback inhibition of luteinizing hormone secretion and produces abnormal ovarian cycles.

First ovulation normally occurs in the springborn lamb at about 30 weeks of age during the autumn, when daylength is decreasing. This study determined if early exposure to short days can advance the onset of reproductive cycles. Beginning at 4 weeks of age, spring-born lambs were transferred from natural environment to artificial long days (15 h light, 9 h dark), where they remained for variable periods. One group (control) was returned to natural conditions on the summer solstice at 15 weeks of age; first ovulation, inferred from patterns of circulating progesterone, occurred at the normal age (30 ± 0.3 weeks, n = 10). The other two groups were transferred from long days to short days (9 h light, 15 h dark) at 15 or 10 weeks of age. Females (n = 6) exposed to short days from 15 weeks of age began cycles 3 weeks earlier (27 ± 1 weeks) than those in natural environment. Exposure to short days from 10 weeks of age produced mixed results; cycles began early in 3 of 10 lambs (∼25 weeks), the remaining 7 being...
Comments on "Pulsed electron beam emission in space" by Neubert et al. (1988).

Using the potentials measured by the Spacelab's Charge and Current Probe during beam ejections and the signature of the harmonic emissions generated by pulsed electron beams, Neubert et al. (1988) presented evidence that overdense electron beams (with electron density above 150,000/cu cm) can escape the near vicinity of the Shuttle. This paper supplements these results by presenting a further indication of the beam escape and propagation out to at least 200 m, using the whistler-mode wave signature obtained during the SL-12 electron beam ejection which occurred on DOY 213 of 1985 from 03:30 to 03:37 UT. The combined results support the hypothesis that overdense electron beams can and will escape from a spacecraft, contrary to predictions based upon idealized simulations of the injection process.
Exploring the twin peaks using probabilistic verification techniques

System requirements and system architecture/design co-evolve as the understanding of both the problem at hand as well as the solution to be deployed evolve---the Twin Peaks concept. Modeling of requirements and solution is a promising approach for exploring the Twin Peaks. Commonly, such models are deterministic because of the choice of modeling notation and available analysis tools. Unfortunately, most systems operate in an uncertain environment and contain physical components whose behaviors are stochastic. Although much can be learned from modeling and analysis with commonly used tools, e.g., Simulink/Stateflow and the Simulink Design Verifier, the SCADE toolset, etc., the results from the exploration of the Twin Peaks will---by necessity---be inaccurate and can be misleading; inclusion of the probabilistic behavior of the physical world provides crucial additional insight into the system's required behavior, its operational environment, and the solution proposed for its software. Here, we share our initial experiences with model-based deterministic and probabilistic verification approaches while exploring the Twin Peaks. The intent of this paper is to demonstrate how probabilistic reasoning helps illuminate weaknesses in system requirements, environmental assumptions, and the intended software solution, that could not be identified when using deterministic techniques. We illustrate our experience through a medical device subsystem, modeled and analyzed using the Simulink/Stateflow (deterministic) and PRISM (probabilistic) tools.
Kapitza Resistance between Helium and Metals in the Normal and Superconducting States

The contribution of the conduction electrons of a metal to the heat flow across a helium-metal interface has been calculated. It is found that the "totally" reflected phonons from the fluid play an important role in the transfer mechanism as had been predicted previously. The dominant term in the heat flow is proportional to ${T}^{3}\ensuremath{\Delta}T$, in agreement with the experimentally observed value on lead. However, the numerical agreement is poor. The reasons for this are discussed. In the superconducting state it is shown why this heat transfer becomes inoperative. Several interesting consequences of this calculation are given. In particular, it is predicted that a phonon-drag effect may be observed between the conduction electrons in the metal and the phonons in the fluid and vice versa. Also, it is shown that the variation of the Kapitza resistance with applied magnetic field can help to distinguish between the various contributions to the heat flow.
In vitro excystation of metacercariae of Microphallus turgidus under different physicochemical conditions.

This study examined the excystation of metacercarial cysts of Microphallus turgidus under varying conditions of temperature, NaCl concentration, and pH. Metacercarial cysts were dissected from abdominal muscle tissue of grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio, and immediately incubated for 24 h under one of the following abiotic conditions: temperature (22, 26, 30, 34, 38, and 42°C), NaCl concentrations (0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9%), pH (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8), and percent excystation was recorded. The optimum in vitro excystation of metacercarial cysts occurred in 0.7% saline at 38°C at pH 7; 92% of the cysts excysted under these conditions. Our results indicate that such a combination of extrinsic factors is provided by the definitive host for successful excystation of M. turgidus.
2,9-Dibromopentacene: Synthesis and the role of substituent and symmetry on solid-state order

Abstract We have developed an effective synthetic route for 2,9-dibromopentacene, opening up new possibilities for future derivatization of pentacene. We also present the fundamental properties. Thin-film and single-crystal field-effect transistor results demonstrate a decrease in apparent charge transport efficiency with decreasing symmetry. The trend in symmetry was further correlated to single-crystal structural analysis, which implied that reduction in symmetry also reduced solid-state order. It is likely that this reduction in order is responsible for the diminished performance in the solid-state films and crystal, despite a reduction in overall tilt angle of the molecules relative to one another. Combined with previous studies, this work provides a more complete perspective on the interplay of symmetry, energetic, and intermolecular interactions in the macroscopic properties of solid-state organic electronic materials.
The formation of galactic haloes in the neutrino-adiabatic theory

Recent evidence of a finite rest mass for the neutrino has led to a revival of the idea that these particles may provide the unseen but dynamically indicated matter on cosmological scales of galactic halo and larger size. In the early Universe, the free streaming of collisionless neutrinos is seen to damp out perturbations less than of the order of tens of Mpc long1–5. A numerical simulation of the clustering of collisionless particles in a universe with this type of perturbation spectrum6 has led to the formulation of a cell structure with large voids. Many observations7,8 support the existence of such a structure on scales of tens of Mpc. However, collapse of perturbations of this size leads to velocities of the order of 1,000 km s−1, and as the neutrinos presumably cannot cool, this seems to be too large for their inclusion in galactic haloes, which have much smaller velocity dispersions. Thus it has been suggested that neutrinos cannot cluster in galactic haloes without some means to ‘save’ smaller-scale perturbations3,4,9. Furthermore, if neutrinos of mass ∼30 eV form galactic haloes, the phase space density must be very close to the primordial one10—and phase mixing is often associated with collapse. Although the average value of the velocity dispersion may be reduced if the perturbations are anisotropic11, a disparity still remains. I now present a numerical simulation which shows that if the initial perturbations are sufficiently anisotropic, the collapse of very large perturbations of collisionless particles leads to a condensation of particles with low velocity dispersion and high phase-space density, which may easily fragment.
Natural Product-like Combinatorial Libraries Based on Privileged Structures. 2. Construction of a 10 000-Membered Benzopyran Library by Directed Split-and-Pool Chemistry Using NanoKans and Optical Encoding

Having developed a reliable and versatile solid-phase strategy for the split-and-pool synthesis of naturally occurring and designed derivatives of the benzopyran template (see preceding paper), we now report the construction of a 10 000-membered natural product-like compound library for chemical biology studies. Concomitantly, we report an early application of the IRORI NanoKan optical encoding system for the high throughput nonchemical tagging and sorting of library members during split-and-pool synthesis. The overall synthetic strategy for library construction is discussed and the individual reaction pathways are examined in the context of specific library members, illustrating reaction conditions as well as yields and purities. The issues of building block selection and quality control of library members are also addressed and, finally, potential applications of the library to chemical biology are discussed.
Predictors of survival in neonates with critical aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND Failure of infants with critical aortic stenosis to survive after adequate valvotomy despite a left ventricular size that appears to be adequate indicates that additional preoperative anatomic features may contribute to mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS Discriminant analysis was used to determine which of several echocardiographically measured left heart structures were independent predictors of survival after valvotomy for neonatal critical aortic stenosis. It was possible to predict outcome after classic valvotomy (two-ventricle-type repair) with 95% accuracy based on mitral valve area, long-axis dimension of the left ventricle relative to the long-axis dimension of the heart, diameter of the aortic root, and body surface area. Left ventricular volume was not a major determinant in this study, in part because patients who had initial valvotomy had been preselected in favor of an adequately sized left ventricle. Patients with multiple small left ventricular structures were found to have significantly improved survival after initial Norwood operation. In contrast, balloon valvotomy with subsequent Norwood procedure was usually unsuccessful. CONCLUSIONS The adverse effects of small inflow, outflow, and/or cavity size of the left ventricle are cumulative. The accuracy of prediction of outcome based only on preoperative anatomy indicates that adequacy of valvotomy is not generally a limiting factor for survival in this group of patients. It is possible to identify subjects whose chance of survival is better after a Norwood procedure rather than valvotomy, even if left ventricular volume is not critically small.
Translocation of CrkL to Focal Adhesions Mediates Integrin-Induced Migration Downstream of Src Family Kinases

The adapter protein Crk-Like (CrkL) can associate with the Src substrate p130(Cas) (Cas). The biological role of CrkL downstream of Cas, however, has been largely obscure. Consistent with the ability of CrkL to biochemically associate with Cas, we found that Src triggers translocation of CrkL to focal adhesions (FAs) in a manner dependent on Cas. Forced localization of CRKL to FAs (FA-CRKL) by itself was sufficient to induce activation of Rac1 and Cdc42 and rescued haptotaxis defects of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) lacking Src, Yes, and Fyn, three broadly expressed Src family members required for integrin-induced migration. Consistent with Rac1 activation, FA-CRKL induced cotranslocation of a Rac1 activator, Dock1, to focal adhesions. These results therefore indicate a role for CrkL in mediating Src signaling by activating small G proteins at focal adhesions. Furthermore, MEFs lacking CrkL show impaired integrin-induced migration despite expression of a closely related protein, Crk-II, in these cells. These results therefore provide formal evidence that CrkL plays a specific role in integrin-induced migration as a downstream mediator of Src.
Learning from mistakes: a comprehensive study on real world concurrency bug characteristics

The reality of multi-core hardware has made concurrent programs pervasive. Unfortunately, writing correct concurrent programs is difficult. Addressing this challenge requires advances in multiple directions, including concurrency bug detection, concurrent program testing, concurrent programming model design, etc. Designing effective techniques in all these directions will significantly benefit from a deep understanding of real world concurrency bug characteristics.This paper provides the first (to the best of our knowledge) comprehensive real world concurrency bug characteristic study. Specifically, we have carefully examined concurrency bug patterns, manifestation, and fix strategies of 105 randomly selected real world concurrency bugs from 4 representative server and client open-source applications (MySQL, Apache, Mozilla and OpenOffice). Our study reveals several interesting findings and provides useful guidance for concurrency bug detection, testing, and concurrent programming language design.Some of our findings are as follows: (1) Around one third of the examined non-deadlock concurrency bugs are caused by violation to programmers' order intentions, which may not be easily expressed via synchronization primitives like locks and transactional memories; (2) Around 34% of the examined non-deadlock concurrency bugs involve multiple variables, which are not well addressed by existing bug detection tools; (3) About 92% of the examined concurrency bugs canbe reliably triggered by enforcing certain orders among no more than 4 memory accesses. This indicates that testing concurrent programs can target at exploring possible orders among every small groups of memory accesses, instead of among all memory accesses; (4) About 73% of the examinednon-deadlock concurrency bugs were not fixed by simply adding or changing locks, and many of the fixes were not correct at the first try, indicating the difficulty of reasoning concurrent execution by programmers.
Space-based observations of fire NO x emission coefficients: a global biome-scale comparison

Abstract. Biomass burning represents both a significant and highly variable source of NOx to the atmosphere. This variability stems from both the episodic nature of fires, and from fire conditions such as the modified combustion efficiency of the fire, the nitrogen content of the fuel and possibly other factors that have not been identified or evaluated by comparison with observations. Satellite instruments offer an opportunity to observe emissions from wildfires, providing a large suite of measurements which allow us to study mean behavior and variability on the regional scale in a statistically rigorous manner. Here we use space-based measurements of fire radiative power from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer in combination with NO2 tropospheric column densities from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument to measure mean emission coefficients (ECs in g NO MJ−1) from fires for global biomes, and across a wide range of smaller-scale ecoregions, defined as spatially-distinct clusters of fires with similar fuel type. Mean ECs for all biomes fall between 0.250–0.362 g NO MJ−1, a range that is smaller than found in previous studies of biome-scale emission factors. The majority of ecoregion ECs fall within or near this range, implying that under most conditions, mean fire emissions of NOx per unit energy are similar between different regions regardless of fuel type or spatial variability. In contrast to these similarities, we find that about 24% of individual ecoregion ECs deviate significantly (with 95% confidence) from the mean EC for the associated biome, and a similar number of ecoregion ECs falls outside the range of all mean biome ECs, implying that there are some regions where fuel type-specific global emission parameterizations fail to capture local fire NOx emissions.
Peak-To-Average Power Reduction of Ofdm Signals Using Adaptive Digital Filter

The high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of the transmitted signal is a major drawback in an OFDM system. In this paper, we propose a novel method to reduce the PAPR of the OFDM signals. The presented method adaptively filters the modulated data (M-PSK and QAM) to obtain OFDM symbols with a minimized PAPR. With optimally selected digital filter coefficients, the PAPR of the OFDM symbols can be minimized. The PAPR reduction of OFDM signals varies with the order of the digital filter. In a receiver, the modulated data may be recovered by a reversed procedure. Simulation study demonstrates that our method is more superior than the PCR method for the PAPR reduction.
Macronutrient Supplementation and Food Prices in HIV Treatment

Infection caused by HIV and malnutrition have a complex interaction and often coexist geographically. Malnutrition has synergistic immune effects and HIV affects nutritional status. HIV care and treatment programs are compelled to confront this dual burden to optimize HIV outcomes. In this article, we review the published literature concerning intervention studies in adults and children and the effect of food prices on HIV treatment programs. While the evidence base is relatively incomplete for specific macronutrient interventions in the context of HIV treatment, it is clear that a new standard of care is needed, guided by experience, rationale, and existing data, in which malnourished patients may easily access nutritional therapies within HIV treatment. From this clinical foundation, we may both treat patients and evaluate novel therapies. Some HIV care and treatment programs provide food-based supplements; however, rising food costs and economic instability may jeopardize the success of these programs. HIV treatment programs may struggle to meet the needs of patients with potential increased rates of malnutrition and food insecurity in the setting of high food prices.
Expert system tools for describing and predicting the coastal ocean environment

The complex and variable nature of the littoral environment poses a challenge to individuals interested in describing and predicting the coastal ocean environment for commercial, civil, or military applications. Inadequate oceanographic insight and data in many littoral regions provides further complication. Focusing on the intended use of the coastal scene description, however, reveals that not all aspects of the coastal scene are relevant (and need to be described) for every application. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory is investigating the suitability of expert system technologies for developing and refining a process-oriented description of the coastal environmental scene to support decisions relating to naval tactics and operations in the littoral. Emulating the reasoning of human analysts, the authors strive to capture the physical cause-and-effect relationships of the dominant coastal processes. Two formalisms which are being investigated for reasoning about coastal processes based on sparse data, Dempster-Shafer theory and Bayesian belief networks, are introduced. >
Modeling the 802.11e Enhanced Distributed Channel Access Function

The Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) function of IEEE 802.11e standard defines multiple Access Categories (AC) with AC-specific Contention Window (CW) sizes, Arbitration Interframe Space (AIFS) values, and Transmit Opportunity (TXOP) limits to support MAC-level Quality-of- Service (QoS). In this paper, we propose an analytical model for the EDCA function which incorporates an accurate CW, AIFS, and TXOP differentiation at any traffic load. The proposed model is also shown to capture the effect of MAC layer buffer size on the performance. Analytical and simulation results are compared to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed approach for varying traffic loads, EDCA parameters, and MAC layer buffer space.
Cache Optimization for Embedded Systems Running H.264/AVC Video Decoder

The computing power of microprocessors has exponentially increased in the past few decades and so is the support to computation intensive multimedia applications. With such improved computing power, memory subsystem deficiency becomes the major barrier to support video messaging and video telephony/conferencing on mobile handsets. Studies show that for multimedia applications there are sufficient reuses of values for caching and there is an opportunity for customizing the cache subsystem for improved performance. In our previous work, we optimized cache to enhance MPEG-4 (Part 2) decoding performance running on a mobile device. H.264/AVC (or MPEG-4 Part 10) outperforms both MPEG-4 (Part 2) and H.263 by providing better video quality at a lower bit-rate and a lower latency. As a result, H.264/AVC becomes the next generation video codec for embedded systems. In this paper, our focus is to enhance decoding performance of H.264/AVC through cache optimization for an embedded and mobile device. The simulated architecture includes a processor to run the decoding algorithm and a twolevel cache system. Level-1 cache is split into Instruction and Data caches and level-2 cache is a unified cache. We use Cachegrind to characterize H.264/AVC decoding workload and VisualSim to model the system-level architecture and run the simulation for H.264/AVC decoding workload. Simulation results show that H.264/AVC decoding performance can be enhanced through cache optimization.
Measurements of Global Cell-Mediated Immunity in Renal Transplant Recipients With BK Virus Reactivation

The Cylex ImmuKnow Test (Cylex, Columbia, MD) measures immune cell function (ICF) and is based on the amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) released when T cells are stimulated by phytohemagglutinin. This preliminary study sought to determine if ICF measurements can be used to stratify kidney transplant recipients according to the risk for developing BK virus infection. ICF measurements were done in 15 samples from 8 patients with BK viremia, 38 samples from 25 patients with BK viruria, and 243 samples from 148 patients with no BK viruria or viremia. The mean+/-SD amounts of ATP released in these 3 groups were 102.9+/-58.6, 227.2+/-146.4, and 231.8+/-150.8 ng/mL, respectively (P= .002, viremia vs all other samples). Within the viruria group, lower ICF values were associated with higher urinary viral load (P= .037). These results show that a decreased ICF test result correlates with active viral replication in kidney transplant recipients.
A low cost, triple-voltage bus DC-DC converter for automotive applications

Before the automotive industry completes moving the 14 V vehicle loads to the 42 V net, HEVs and fuel cell vehicles will likely employ a triple voltage-14 V/42 V/high-voltage (200~500 V) bus system. This paper presents a low-cost, soft-switched, bidirectional DC/DC converter for connecting the three voltage nets. The converter consists of two half-brides and a high-frequency transformer, which provides voltage level matching and galvanic isolation between the two half-bridges for safety requirements. The use of dual half-bridges minimizes the number of switching devices and their associated gate drive components. Moreover, snubber capacitors and the transformer leakage inductance are utilized to achieve soft-switching. Therefore, no extra active switches or passive resonant components are required for softswitching, further reducing component count. Control of power flow among the three voltage buses is achieved by adjusting the duty ratio and phase angle between the half-bridge output voltages. Simulation and experimental data on a 2 kW lab unit are included to verify the power flow control scheme
An Alternative Source of Information on A Popular Topic: A Course on Drinking.

Description and evaluation of a course that intelligently and personally delves into a pervasive form of student behavior.
St. Francis and the Sultan

This paper offers a structuralist reading of the various traditions of the meeting of St. Francis of Assisi with Sultan Malik al-Kamil during the Fifth Crusade in 1219. Although there exist various accounts of the "Francis legend," the author argues that their cumulative purpose was to show that the unique character of Francis evoked a positive response from the sultan that made Muslims potential objects of peaceful conversion rather than hopeless infidels to be violently eradicated. While Francis can never be called the "patron saint of religious pluralism," the story of his encounter with the sultan can certainly be an example of how twenty-first century Christians can respond to Muslims as neighbors in our culturally diverse world. "Although Francis probably believed with his contemporaries that Muslims were cunning and fierce ... , his experiences at Damietta direct Christians to consider the log in their own eyes before poking at the speck in another's.
Intrinsic dosimetry of glass containers: a potential interrogation tool for nuclear forensics and waste management

Intrinsic dosimetry is the method of measuring total absorbed dose received by the walls of a container holding radioactive material. By considering the total absorbed dose received by a container in tandem with the physical characteristics of the radioactive material housed within that container, this method has the potential to provide enhanced pathway information regarding the history of the container and its radioactive contents. We report the latest in a series of experiments designed to validate and demonstrate this newly developed tool. Thermoluminescence (TL) dosimetry was used to measure dose effects on raw stock borosilicate container glass up to 70 days after gamma ray, X-ray, beta particle or ultraviolet irradiations at doses from 0.15 to 20 Gy. Two main peaks were identified in the TL glow curve when irradiated with 60Co, a relatively unstable peak around 120 °C and a more stable peak around 225 °C. Signal strength of both peaks decayed with time. The minimum measurable dose using this technique is 0.15 Gy, which is roughly equivalent to a 24 h irradiation at 1 cm from a 50 ng 60Co source. As a result of fading, this dose would be detectable for approximately 1 year post-irradiation. In a more detailed analysis, the TL glow curves were separated into five peaks centered near 120, 160, 225, 300, and 340 °C. Differences in TL glow curve shape and intensity were observed for the glasses from different geographical origins. These differences can be explained by changes in the intensities of the five peaks. This suggests that mechanisms controlling radiation induced defect formation from gamma, beta, X-ray, and UV sources may be similar.
Dissecting components of reward: 'liking', 'wanting', and learning.

In recent years significant progress has been made delineating the psychological components of reward and their underlying neural mechanisms. Here we briefly highlight findings on three dissociable psychological components of reward: ‘liking’ (hedonic impact), ‘wanting’ (incentive salience), and learning (predictive associations and cognitions). A better understanding of the components of reward, and their neurobiological substrates, may help in devising improved treatments for disorders of mood and motivation, ranging from depression to eating disorders, drug addiction, and related compulsive pursuits of rewards.
The Influence of Visualization on Intuitive and Analytical Information Processing

To test the assumption in cognitive-experiential self-theory (CEST) that visualized experience is similar to real experience in people's intuitive-experiential system but not in their analytical-ra...