cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross Sections for Λ 0 Production by π - Interactions in Nuclei

The total cross sections for ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ production by $925\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}$ ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ mesons in Be, C, Al, Cu, and W have been measured. The data suggest a simple production model with cross sections for medium-to-heavy nuclei varying as $(\frac{Z}{A}){A}^{\frac{1}{3}}$. For Be, the energy dependence of the ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ yield has been obtained in the region 750-1100 MeV.
Chapter 8 – Applying Relative, Asset-Oriented, and Real-Option Valuation Methods to Mergers and Acquisitions

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses application of relative-valuation methods, asset-oriented methods, real-options analysis, and replacement cost method for M&A valuation. Relative-valuation methods include comparable company, comparable transactions, comparable industry techniques, and value-driver-based valuation. Asset-oriented methods include tangible book value and liquidation- or breakup-valuation techniques. Relative-valuation and asset-oriented techniques offer a variety of alternatives to the use of discounted-cash-flow estimates. The comparable companies approach entails the multiplication of certain value indicators for the target, such as earnings, by the appropriate valuation multiple for comparable companies. This chapter discusses in detail how to look at M&A valuation in the context of real options. This involves identifying preclosing and postclosing strategic and tactical alternatives and associated risks available to M&A participants. Real-options valuation is illustrated both in the context of a decision tree framework and as call and put options, when the assets underlying the option exhibit the characteristics of financial options. A weighted-average valuation approach, which attempts to incorporate the analyst's relative confidence in the various valuation methods, is discussed. The chapter concludes with a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of alternative valuation methods and when it is appropriate to apply each methodology.
Female Beauty, Bodies, Binding, and the Bioarchaeology of Structural Violence in the Industrial Era Through the Lens of Critical White Feminism

The female body is a site of social and political engagement. Examination of direct forms of control in the bioarchaeological record has been limited to physical violence identified as traumatic bodily injury and seen on the skeleton as healed defensive fracturing, cut marks, blunt force trauma, and in some cases burial position. But there are indirect modes of control that present as skeletal deformation, that occur over long periods of time, and that are not often included in the suite of bioarchaeological indicators of violence. This “chronic violence” manifests as both physiological and psychological control and when read properly can reveal structural inequalities that are often disguised as either expected social performance as dictated by the elite or ruling class or as social control over those on the margins. Until recently these markers of control over women have not been interrogated and contextualized. This chapter both argues and critiques that the legacy of the subordination of women in the Victorian era and the archaeological record are directly correlated, tied to race science, and reflect Victorian social expectations of the civilized, white, yet weak female. Offered here is a new way to consider how we can interpret chronic violence in bioarchaeology by weaving together skeletal markers of deformation, ethnology, and historic contexts. This approach reveals how the structural violence inherent in the performance of beauty can been seen in the use of corsets to “bind females” and shape their bodies to fit social standards. To more fully comprehend the impact of these structures then requires an engagement of a critical white feminist lens to understand how the female body has been (and continues to be) shackled by a colonial white praxis that values white middle-upper-class female bodies while devaluing all others. The results require us to recognize the complexity of indirect cultural violence which asserts control over female bodies, was forged in the Industrial era, and continues to have influence over how females have been, and continue to be, assessed.
Schema and Metadata Guide the Collective Generation of Relevant and Diverse Work

While most crowd work seeks consistent answers, creative domains often seek more diverse input. The typical crowd mechanisms for controlling quality may stifle creativity, yet removing them altogether could just produce noise. Schemas and metadata provide two mechanisms for embedding existing knowledge into task environments. Schemas are expert-derived patterns designed to structure how people think through a problem. Metadata, on the other hand, illustrate a range of creative input that fits within the structure of a schema. To understand the relative effects of schemas and metadata, we conducted a study where crowd workers are asked to generate creative interpretations for a set of placemaking examples. Crowd workers were guided either by schema plus metadata, schema alone, or neither. We found that showing schema along with crowd-produced metadata helped workers contribute interpretations that are both more on-topic and diverse, compared to using the schema alone or no schema. We discuss the implications on how crowds can creatively build on insights shared by others.
Utility of Hypertonic Saline and Diazepam in COVID-19-Related Hydroxychloroquine Toxicity.

Abstract Background Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) poisoning is a life-threatening but treatable toxic ingestion. The scale of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19) and the controversial suggestion that HCQ is a treatment option have led to a significant increase in HCQ use. HCQ poisoning should be at the top-of-mind for emergency providers in cases of toxic ingestion. Treatment for HCQ poisoning includes sodium bicarbonate, epinephrine, and aggressive electrolyte repletion. We highlight the use of hypertonic saline and diazepam. Case Report We describe the case of a 37-year-old man who presented to the emergency department after the ingestion of approximately 16 g of HCQ tablets (initial serum concentration 4270 ng/mL). He was treated with an epinephrine infusion, hypertonic sodium chloride, high-dose diazepam, sodium bicarbonate, and aggressive potassium repletion. Persistent altered mental status necessitated intubation, and he was managed in the medical intensive care unit until his QRS widening and QTc prolongation resolved. After his mental status improved and it was confirmed that his ingestion was not with the intent to self-harm, he was discharged home with outpatient follow-up. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? For patients presenting with HCQ overdose and an unknown initial serum potassium level, high-dose diazepam and hypertonic sodium chloride should be started immediately for the patient with widened QRS. The choice of hypertonic sodium chloride instead of sodium bicarbonate is to avoid exacerbating underlying hypokalemia which may in turn potentiate unstable dysrhythmia. In addition, early intubation should be a priority in vomiting patients because both HCQ toxicity and high-dose diazepam cause profound sedation.
Development of coffee kombucha containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus casei: Gastrointestinal simulations and DNA microbial analysis

Abstract Kombucha is produced with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Sugared coffee has potential as a fermentation substrate for kombucha production. Objectives of this study were to: (1) produce coffee kombucha (CK) with Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LG) and Lactobacillus casei (LC) and characterize its microbial diversity, (2) evaluate the physicochemical properties and determine viability of CK inoculums under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions during refrigerated storage. Coffee was fermented for 8 days at 23 °C. LG and LC were inoculated into CK (5% v/v) and stored for 15 days at 4 °C. Acetobacteraceae were predominant for the control and Lactobacillaceae for both treatments after 15 days. CK with LG or LC stored for 15 days had 7.44 and 8.77 log CFU/mL, respectively, after exposure to simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. The DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the addition of LG and LC to the CK shifted the proportion of microbial families from Acetobacteraceae to Lactobacillaceae. This study suggests that added Lactobacilli can subsist in CK for 15 days and survived simulated gastrointestinal transit.
E-Pedigrees: a large-scale automatic family pedigree prediction application.

MOTIVATION The use and functionality of Electronic Health Records (EHR) have increased rapidly in the past few decades. EHRs are becoming an important depository of patient health information and can capture family data. Pedigree analysis is a longstanding and powerful approach that can gain insight into the underlying genetic and environmental factors in human health, but traditional approaches to identifying and recruiting families are low-throughput and labor-intensive. Therefore, high-throughput methods to automatically construct family pedigrees are needed. RESULTS We developed a stand-alone application: Electronic Pedigrees, or E-Pedigrees, which combines two validated family prediction algorithms into a single software package for high throughput pedigrees construction. The convenient platform considers patients' basic demographic information and/or emergency contact data to infer high-accuracy parent-child relationship. Importantly, E-Pedigrees allows users to layer in additional pedigree data when available and provides options for applying different logical rules to improve accuracy of inferred family relationships. This software is fast and easy to use, is compatible with different EHR data sources, and its output is a standard PED file appropriate for multiple downstream analyses. AVAILABILITY The Python 3.3+ version E-Pedigrees application is freely available on: https://github.com/xiayuan-huang/E-pedigrees. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
COVID-19 and Trade Credit Speed of Adjustment

Abstract This paper examines the extent to which COVID-19 affects corporate trade credit policy. We find that COVID-19 significantly accelerates US firms’ convergency speed toward the target trade credit. In addition, we find that firms subject to higher ex-ante operational risk tend to adjust trade credit toward the target faster than those with fewer risk exposures. Overall, our evidence is consistent with the risk avoidance explanation for trade credit policy changes in the presence of adverse shocks.
5-membered cyclic acyl phosphates : A new class of extremely reactive phosphorylating agents

Abstract The reaction of phosgene with the oxyphosphorane made from biacetyl and trimethyl phosphite gives an α-(dimethylphosphato)-β-ketoacid chloride, which undergoes an intramolecular loss of methyl chloride under catalysis; by CuSO4, and yields the first reported 5-membered cyclic acyl phosphate. The acyl phosphate is attacked exclusively at phosphorus by water, alcohols and phenols, at an extraordinarily rapid rate. In contrast, tertiary amines attack only the Me carbon of the exocyclic OMe group of the acyl phosphate to give quaternary ammonium salts of 5-membered cyclic acyl phosphates. These cyclic mixed anhydrides of phosphoric acid are the most powerful phosphorylating agents for oxygen-containing nucleophiles known at present. The end-products of the phosphorylations are phosphotriesters, phosphodiesters, and phosphomonoesters, containing the easily removable acetoinyl group, [(CH3CO)(CH3)CHO]P(O)(OR)(OR′).
Masaccio: A Formal Model for Embedded Components

Masaccio is a formal model for hybrid dynamical systems which are built from atomic discrete components (difference equations) and atomic continuous components (differential equations) by parallel and serial composition, arbitrarily nested. Each system component consists of an interface, which determines the possible ways of using the component, and a set of executions, which define the possible behaviors of the component in real time.
Sociodemographic and Psychological Characteristics of Very Light Smoking Among Women in Emerging Adulthood, National Survey of Drug Use and Health, 2011.

Introduction Although smoking prevalence and average cigarette consumption have declined, very light smoking (5 or fewer cigarettes per day) has increased. Very light smoking is common among young adult women. This study examines the differences between the sociodemographic and psychosocial factors associated with women in emerging adulthood who are very light smokers and similar women who are at other smoking levels.
Quality of Post-1965 Asian Immigrants

The reliance on an overall average approach to the labor market quality of immigrants could generate misleading information and biased policy recommendations. Focusing on Asian immigrants, this article demonstrates that much insight into immigrant quality can be gained via a diversity approach. Using the 5% PUMS data of the 1990 U.S. census, this paper shows that a common perception that the quality of post-1965 immigrants is lower than natives and earlier immigrants is invalid for post-1965 Asian immigrants. Unlike their Latin American counterparts, post-1965 Asian immigrants are generally more educated and skilled than natives. The educational level of post-1965 Asian immigrants surpasses that of their pre-1965 counterparts, despite their disadvantage in occupational attainment due to their shorter time of adaptation. Diversity also characterizes educational and occupational attainment across major post-1965 Asian immigrant groups and within each Asian immigrant group before and after 1965. Gender does not alter the advantage of post-1965 Asian immigrants over natives and their pre-1965 parallels in education, but it does complicate their occupational status. Policy implications of the findings are considered.
Concurrent Bandwidth Reservation Strategies for Big Data Transfers in High-Performance Networks

Because of the deployment of large-scale experimental and computational scientific applications, big data is being generated on a daily basis. Such large volumes of data usually need to be transferred from the data generating center to remotely located scientific sites for collaborative data analysis in a timely manner. Bandwidth reservation along paths provisioned by dedicated high-performance networks (HPNs) has proved to be a fast, reliable, and predictable way to satisfy the transfer requirements of massive time-sensitive data. In this paper, we study the problem of scheduling multiple bandwidth reservation requests (BRRs) concurrently within an HPN while achieving their best average transfer performance. Two common data transfer performance parameters are considered: the Earliest Completion Time (ECT) and the Shortest Duration (SD). Since not all BRRs in one batch can oftentimes be successfully scheduled, the problem of scheduling all BRRs in one batch while achieving their best average ECT and SD are converted into the problem of scheduling as many BRRs as possible while achieving the average ECT and SD of scheduled BRRs, respectively. The aforementioned two problems are proved to be NP-complete problems. Two fast and efficient heuristic algorithms with polynomial-time complexity are proposed. Extensive simulation experiments are conducted to compare their performance with two proposed naive algorithms in various performance metrics. Performance superiority of these two fast and efficient algorithms is verified.
Chapter 11 Vertical contractual relations

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the contractual relationship between two parties at successive stages in the vertical chain of production and marketing for a good. Intermediate good markets differ from final good markets, and thus merit independent study. First, intermediate good markets often involve large transactions made by sophisticated buyers. Second, the products being sold may possess very complex bundles of attributes, making problems of moral hazard more severe or at least more complicated. Third, the buyers' demands for an intermediate good are interdependent when the buyers are product–market competitors with one another. Fourth, the buyers of an intermediate good typically are involved in a game in the downstream product market, and the sales contract for the upstream product may affect the equilibrium of this downstream game. The buyers of intermediate goods often can credibly threaten to integrate backward into supply of the intermediate good. Given the sophistication of buyers and the large scale of individual transactions, complex selling schemes may be practicable intermediate good markets. Sellers may utilize sophisticated pricing mechanisms or nonprice contractual provisions. The chapter describes the private and social incentives to utilize such contracts.
Stabilization of ill-posed nonlinear regression model and its application to interferogram reduction

In the past, various techniques have been developed for fringe reduction of conventional interferograms. Most typical ones utilize maximum/minimum or side tracking based on conventional image processing. These methods, however, pose a resolution limitation, not allowing acquisition of fractional fringe order numbers. The Fourier Transform method, requiring a relatively large number of fringes or injection of carrier fringes, also has limitations in some applications. The regression method, while simple, confronts a stability problem. That is, the ill-posed nonlinear intensity function cannot provide unique solutions. Here, we present a new approach and some of the test results for the regression method. It is based on iterative independent estimation of the individual terms that appear in the nonlinear model. The test results demonstrate stable convergence and accurate phase extraction by the new regression approach.
Effects of Academic Ability, Time Allowed for Study, and Teacher Directedness on Achievement in a High School Science Course (ISIS).

The simultaneous effects of the two instructional variables of degree of teacher direction (student-directed versus teacher-directed) and time allowed for study and the student variable of general ability are described for student achievement in three life-science instructional modules covering approximately three months. The instructional variables were controlled in this study; that is, high school teachers were randomly assigned to one of six combinations of the student-directed versus teacher-directed method variable and the allowed time variable with three levels. Between-class, within-class, and between-student analyses of data for 912 students in 43 classes resulted in a description of effects complicated by the presence of interactions among the three independent variables. For example, there was a disordinal interaction between instructional method and allowed time, so that statements about the relative superiority of the student-directed and teacher-directed approaches must be qualified by specification of allowed time. In any event, the estimated differences were modest, suggesting that the factor of possible achievement differences should not be dominant among the many factors considered in selecting an approach. A very modest ordinal aptitude (ability)-treatment-interaction (ATI) was also found, although the main effect of ability was quite strong. The allowed time effect suggested the possibility of decreased achievement under some circumstances when allowed time is increased, due perhaps to increased misuse of time and associated disruption.
Reduction of the reinforcing effectiveness of cocaine by continuous d -amphetamine treatment in rats: importance of active self-administration during treatment period

Rationale Continuous administration of d-amphetamine has shown promise as a treatment for psychostimulant addiction. In rodent studies, constant infusion of d-amphetamine (5 mg/kg/day) has been shown to reduce cocaine-reinforced responding in the dose range of 0.19–0.75 mg/kg/inf.
Doug Varone and Ballet Mecanique

It's hard to believe that Doug Varone and Dancers is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary. When I saw them several years ago at New York's Joyce Theater, Varone's trademark combination of melting lyricism and mechanical, puppetlike movement was already apparent in the duet Home and in group pieces like Rise. His style has continued to evolve over the years, and his work has now achieved the polished, refined quality of a choreographer at the height of his career. Like his mentor, Lar Lubovitch, Varone is gifted at creating highly kinetic, fluid movement and grouping his dancers into attractive patterns. Like Paul Taylor, he is able to infuse his work with a sense of humanity. Like Bill T. Jones, he takes a small company and makes dances of epic proportion, in scope if not always in length. Varone does not shy away from grand ideas; he has tackled everything from site-specific work to television to opera.
ROBERT H. SALISBURY

Bob was the Sidney W. Souers Professor Emeritus at Washington University, where he chaired the political science department both early and late in his career. He served as vice president of the APSA, president of the Midwest Political Science Association, and president of the Missouri Political Science Association, and he had been a Guggenheim Fellow and a Rockefeller Center scholar. He had been confined to his home by breathing problems in recent years, but he remained engaged and intellectually active. In his last months, Bob completed a new essay about interest groups, which is scheduled for publication soon. He died on April 9.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE GLTX GENE ENCODING GLUTAMYL-TRNA SYNTHETASE FROM METHANOBACTERIUM THERMOAUTOTROPHICUM

The gltX gene encoding glutamyl-tRNA synthetase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum has been cloned, sequenced, and identified. The gene is located immediately downstream of idsA in an operon containing at least three additional ORFs. The deduced protein sequence from gltX contains conserved regions (HIGH and KMSKS) indicative of a class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase.
Real-Time Visualization of Streaming Text with a Force-Based Dynamic System

Streamit lets users explore visualizations of text streams without prior knowledge of the data. It incorporates incoming documents from a continuous source into an existing visualization context with automatic grouping and separation based on document similarities. A powerful user interface allows in-depth data analysis.
Automatic proofs and counterexamples for some ortholattice identities

This note answers questions on whether three identities known to hold for orthomodular lattices are true also for ortholattices. One identity is shown to fail by MACE, a program that searches for counterexamples, and the other two are proved to hold by EQP, an equational theorem proven. The problems, from work in quantum logic, were given to us by Norman Megill.
Conservative treatment of phimosis with fluticasone proprionate 0.05%: a clinical study in 1185 boys.

Abstract Objective Circumcision has been the traditional method of choice in the treatment of boys with phimosis. Recently, several published studies worldwide have focused their interest on more conservative approaches in management of this condition. These studies advocate the use of topical steroids in the phimotic foreskin. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a medium potency corticosteroid in boys with different types of prepuce retractabilty. Patients and methods A prospective study was performed involving boys referred to our hospital for possible phimosis between January 2004 and February 2008. All were treated initially with fluticasone proprionate 0.05% for a period of 4–8 weeks. Patients were reassessed after 6 months of follow up. Results A total of 1185 boys with a diagnosis of phimosis were treated with fluticasone proprionate 0.05%. Successful results were achieved in 1079 (91.1%) patients including boys with mild balanitis xerotica obliterans. No side effects were noticed. Conclusion Our results show that fluticasone proprionate 0.05%, a mild potent corticosteroid, is effective and safe in the treatment of boys with different types of phimosis.
Robust visual measurement planning in multi-robot systems

This paper develops a non-myopic planning scheme that robustly maximizes the quality of the acquired information in an uncertain multi-camera multi-target vision system. To devise a robust plan, the probabilistic uncertainties associated with the system states are propagated through a non-linear quality metric utilizing the Unscented Transform. The metric considers different contributing factors that affect the quality of the observations for Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras, such as the resolving ability as a function of distance, occlusion and the observation quality of different sides of the targets. The robust planning algorithm is formulated as a Mixed Integer Second Order Cone Program which employs the propagated statistics of the perception qualities at different time samples. Exploiting the proposed formulation, the trade-off between robustness and performance can be controlled by the confidence value parameter. This adds the capability of reaching suitable compromises to maximize observation quality despite system uncertainties. Extensive simulations confirm the effectiveness of the proposed planning scheme for a typical multi-agent surveillance application.
Effective Thermal Conductivity of Six Sigma’s Copper Reinforced Column Grid Array Interconnect for Ceramic Microelectronic Packages

Thermal management of flip chip style integrated circuits often relies on thermal conduction through the ceramic package and high lead solder grid array leads into the printed wiring board as the primary path for heat removal. Thermal analysis of this package configuration requires accurate characterization of the sometimes geometrically complex package-to-board interface. Given the unique structure of the Six Sigma column grid array (CGA) interconnect, a detailed finite element submodel was used to numerically derive the effective thermal conductivity with comparisons to a conventional CGA interconnect. Once an effective thermal conductivity value is obtained, the entire interconnect layer can be represented as a fictitious cuboid layer for inclusion in a more traditional “closed-form” thermal resistance calculation. This method allows the package designer a quick and robust method to evaluate initial thermal design study tradeoffs.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Tunable laser fluorescence studies of the metastable b1Σ+ state of the ND radical☆

Abstract We have detected the b 1 Σ + state of ND, produced in a pulsed discharge through Ar/ND 3 , by exciting the c 1 Π ← b 1 Σ + 0,0 band with a tunable laser and monitoring c 1 Π → a 1 Δ fluorescence.
Carbon monoxide inhalation increases microparticles causing vascular and CNS dysfunction

We hypothesized that circulating microparticles (MPs) play a role in pro-inflammatory effects associated with carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation. Mice exposed for 1 h to 100 ppm CO or more exhibit increases in circulating MPs derived from a variety of vascular cells as well as neutrophil activation. Tissue injury was quantified as 2000 kDa dextran leakage from vessels and as neutrophil sequestration in the brain and skeletal muscle; and central nervous system nerve dysfunction was documented as broadening of the neurohypophysial action potential (AP). Indices of injury occurred following exposures to 1000 ppm for 1 h or to 1000 ppm for 40 min followed by 3000 ppm for 20 min. MPs were implicated in causing injuries because infusing the surfactant MP lytic agent, polyethylene glycol telomere B (PEGtB) abrogated elevations in MPs, vascular leak, neutrophil sequestration and AP prolongation. These manifestations of tissue injury also did not occur in mice lacking myeloperoxidase. Vascular leakage and AP prolongation were produced in naive mice infused with MPs that had been obtained from CO poisoned mice, but this did not occur with MPs obtained from control mice. We conclude that CO poisoning triggers elevations of MPs that activate neutrophils which subsequently cause tissue injuries.
Improvement of muscle function in acid maltase deficiency by high‐protein therapy

Progressive muscle weakness in acid maltase deficiency (AMD) is associated with intralysosomal accumulation of glycogen and altered myofibrillar morphology. A rapid fall in circulating branched chain amino acids after protein ingestion in a child with AMD suggested that increased net muscle protein catabolism may play a part in the pathogenesis of this condition. To reduce this muscle catabolism, the patient was treated with a high-protein diet for 12 months. This has reversed the weakness and wasting, with improvement in muscle function, exercise tolerance, and growth.
Calculation of energy band gaps in quaternary iii/v alloys

The dielectric theory of electronegativity is applied to the calculation of the compositional dependence of the energy band gap for quaternary III/V alloys of type Al-xBxC1-yDy and A1-x-yBxCyD. The departure from linearity of EG versus x and y is taken to be the sum of two terms, the intrinsic or virtual crystal term and the extrinsic term due to effects of aperiodicity which for one type of alloy may occur on both sublattices. Rather than simply treating the quaternary as an average of the bounding ternary systems, as has been common in the past, the intrinsic departure from linearity is calculated by assuming Eh,i,C, and Dav to vary linearly with x and y. The result is a smaller intrinsic deviation from linearity and a much better fit to existing data in the system Ga1-xInxAs1-y Py. The calculation is also applied to three systems where no data exist but which are of great interest because of their potential application for the fabrication of lattice matched tandem solar cells: Gal-xA1xAsl-ySby. Ga1-x-yA1xInyAs, and GaAs1-x-yPxSby.
Negotiation-based coalitions in the physical world

We present a negotiation based coalition formation scheme for autonomous agents residing in the physical world. While in the virtual world we can abstract the negotiation into a calculation of rewards and ignore the details of the physical substrate of the negotiation, in the physical world we need to concern ourselves with variables such as the geographical location of the agent, range of the communication devices, path planning, obstacles and hazards, the necessity of co-location and the temporal constraints assocatiated with it. We concentrate on agents with coordinated location and speed (convoys) which can improve their performance by being able to traverse previously inaccessible areas. We assume a model where agents can dynamically join and leave the coalition.
Incorporation and effects of thymidine analogues in gametophytic tissue of Arbidopsis thaliana

Abstract The incorporation of 5-iododeoxyuridine into gametophytic cells of the primary bud cluster of Arabidopsis thaliana was detected by section autoradiography of buds treated for 24 μ1 of a solution containing 125 I-labelled 5-iododeoxyuridine mixed with 3 · 10 −4 M 5-iododeoxyuridine abd 1 · 10 −6 M 5-fluorodeoxyuridine. Heaviest incorporation was in the megagametophytic cells of the primary bud but pollen mother cells of some anthers also incorporated the analogue. Incorporation in such labelled mother cells was higher in the nuclei than the cytoplasm, as measured by silver grain distribution over these cells. 5-fluorodeoxyuridine and/or 5-bronmodeoxyuridine applied at the primary bud stage prolong onset flowering and inhibit growth. These effects can be overcome by an application of thymidine. Progeny in segregations from some plants treated with 5 · 10 −4 M 5-bromodeoxyuridine in combination with 5 · 10 −7 M 5-fluorodeoxyuridine and 5 · 10 −a M deoxyguanosine showed a response to selection for viable seedling laggards versus nonlaggards, and the frequency of “lethal laggard” seedlings was also higher in these selected lines than in control populations and nonlaggard selected lines. The possibility that this effect was due to genetic changes caused by the analogue treatment is presently unresolved in view of the probability of nongenetic lesions causing similar phenotypes.
Management of solitary pulmonary nodules.

The solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN), a single intrapulmonary spherical lesion that is fairly well circumscribed, is a common clinical problem. About half of SPNs seen in clinical practice are malignant, usually bronchogenic carcinomas. Some nodules are primary tumors of other kinds or metastatic. Virtually all benign SPNs are tuberculous or fungal granulomas. The standard management of the SPN of unknown cause is prompt surgical removal unless benignity is established by prior chest roentgenograms showing that the nodule has been stable (i.e., showing no growth) for 2 years or by the presence of a "benign" pattern of calcification. Less universally accepted criteria for benignity include (1) transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) showing a specific benign process, and (2) patient's age under 30 to 35 years. Bronchoscopy has a low diagnostic yield, particularly for benign nodules. SPNs usually grow at constant rates, expressed as the "doubling time" (DT). A nodule with a DT between 20 and 400 days is usually malignant. Benign nodules usually have a DT greater than 400 days. The prospective determination of DT by serial chest roentgenograms (the "wait and watch" strategy) is widely criticized but has clinical utility in special circumstances, particularly if the likelihood of malignancy is low and/or the anticipated surgical mortality is high. The presence and pattern of calcification are best shown by high-resolution thin-section computed tomography (CT). Diffuse, laminated, central or "popcorn" patterns of calcification indicate benignity. An eccentric calcium deposit or a stippled pattern does not rule out malignancy. CT densitometry will often show "occult" calcification in nodules that show no direct visual evidence of calcium deposition. The characteristics of the edge of the nodule correlate with the likelihood of malignancy. Nodules with irregular or spiculated margins are almost always malignant. The probability that the nodule is malignant (pCA) is related to the age of the patient, the diameter of the nodule, the amount of tobacco smoke inhalation, the overall prevalence of malignancy in SPNs, the nature of the edge of the lesion, and the presence or absence of occult calcification. It is possible by Bayesian techniques to combine these factors to calculate a more precise and comprehensive prediction of pCA in any given nodule. The 5-year survival after nodule resection depends on the size of the nodule at the time of surgery; it may be as high as 80% with nodules that are 1 cm in diameter. Lymph node involvement is uncommon with small tumors, and many authorities question the need for CT staging in such cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Diel variation of trace metals in the upper clark Fork River, Montana

Hourly sampling of an oxic, slightly alkaline river with high concentrations of trace metals stored in bed and flood plain sediments reveals diel cycles in dissolved Mn and Zn and acid-soluble particulate Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn. Metal concentrations increase 2−3-fold at night as pH and dissolved oxygen decrease. Dissolved Mn and Zn cycles may be the result of redox reactions in river-bed sediments or variations in influx of water from the hyporheic zone as a result of evapotranspiration. Increased particulate metal concentrations result from an increase in total suspended matter at night. Particulate metal concentrations decrease several hours before the decline of dissolved concentrations in the morning. Major elements and ions including Ca, Mg, Na, Si, Cl-, SO42-, and total alkalinity show no evidence of diel variation. The results have implications for monitoring and assessment of reclamation because they show that daytime sampling underestimates the flux of metals in the river.
ISSUER SOPHISTICATION AND UNDERPRICING IN THE NEGOTIATED MUNICIPAL BOND MARKET

Research on municipal bond offerings has established the determinants of effective competitive bidding, but no comparable research has been undertaken for the negotiated method. This study examines the effect of issuer sophistication on the interest costs for a sample of negotiated issues. The first part of the paper reviews the theory relating issuer sophistication, negotiated issues, and underpricing. The second part presents statistical evidence supporting the theory that the net interest cost of a sample of negotiated issues declines as issuer sophistication increases.
Gl2 of rings with many units

This paper describes the generiators and normal subgroups of GL2(R) where R is a commutative ring with “many units”.
Low-pressure pyrolysis studies of a new phosphorus precursor: Tertiarybutylbis(dimethylamino)phosphine

The low pressure decomposition of tertiarybutylbis(dimethylamino) phosphine, (t-Bu)P(NMe2)2, (TBBDMAP), has been studied on quartz and deposited GaP and InP surfaces. This new phosphorus precursor has been found to pyrolyze on quartz surfaces at much lower temperatures than the related compounds tertiarybutylphosphine, (t-Bu)PH2, (TBP) and tris(dimethylamino)phosphorus, P(NMe2)3, (TDMAP). In contrast to the results obtained for TDMAP, GaP and InP surfaces decrease the decomposition temperature of TBBDMAP only slightly. The TBBDMAP reaction products were dimethylamine, methylmethyleneimine, and isobutylene, consistent with previous pyrolysis studies of TBP and TDMAP.
Modal Element Method for Scattering and Absorbing of Sound by Two-Dimensional Bodies

The modal element method for acoustic scattering from a 2-D body is presented. The body may be acoustically soft (absorbing) or hard (reflecting). The infinite computational region is divided into two subdomains - the bounded finite element domain, which is characterized by complicated geometry and/or variable material properties, and the surrounding unbounded homogeneous domain. The acoustic pressure field is represented approximately in the finite element domain by a finite element solution, and is represented analytically by an eigenfunction expansion in the homogeneous domain. The two solutions are coupled by the continuity of pressure and velocity across the interface between the two subdomains. Also, for hard bodies, a compact modal ring grid system is introduced for which computing requirements are drastically reduced. Analysis for 2-D scattering from solid and coated (acoustically treated) bodies is presented, and several simple numerical examples are discussed. In addition, criteria are presented for determining the number of modes to accurately resolve the scattered pressure field from a solid cylinder as a function of the frequency of the incoming wave and the radius of the cylinder.
Refinement of the molecular structure of actinomycin D by energy minimization.

The atomic coordinates of actinomycin D obtained by x-ray analysis by Sobell et al. have been refined to fit a set of standard bond lengths and bond angles using a least squares procedure and a conformational energy minimization technique. The computationally refined structure shows greater similarity between the conformations of the two pentapeptide rings and an improved dyad symmetry, compared to the x-ray structure. The refined structure is compared with NMR data and with the structure proposed by De Santis et al. The energy calculations also provide information about the conformational features of cis proline residues in polypeptide chains.
Biology and control of Pectobacterium in potato

Pectobacterium species cause soft rot, blackleg, and stem rot in potato and a wide range of other vegetable crops and ornamental plants. Diseases caused by Pectobacterium are controlled mainly through use of healthy planting material, sanitation and copper sprays. Environmental factors, such as temperature, moisture and soil oxygen concentration, have a large effect on development of diseases caused by Pectobacterium and disease incidence can be unpredictable. The pathogen is spread by various mechanisms including water, seed, equipment and insects. Little is understood about plant resistance to soft rot bacterial pathogens and no commercial potato cultivars are resistant to soft rot, although some have tolerance and some wild potato species are resistant. Pectobacterium is a diverse genus, with multiple species capable of infecting potato. Multiple Pectobacterium species may be found in the same field and even on the same plant. Pectobacterium strains vary in aggressiveness and the virulence genes they encode but there are many commonalities across the genus. Over the past decade, genomic studies have provided new insights into Pectobacterium biology. For example, some Pectobacterium strains may elicit plant cell death to promote disease in leaves. Strains of the pathogen also produce an orange pigment and volatile compounds that increase virulence and that may act as insect kairomones. Recent work with a supervised machine learning program has identified several novel target genes likely to contribute to plant-microbe interactions, suggesting that there is still much to learn about how soft rot bacteria cause disease.
Kinetic studies on the diphosphoryridine nucleotide cytochrome c reductase from heart

1. 1. Initial velocities for the reaction catalyzed by DPNH-cytochrome c reductase from pig heart sarcosomes have been determined at 14° as a function of DPNH, cytochrome c and hydrogen ion concentration. 2. 2. Maximum velocities and Michaelis constants have been calculated from the data over a pH range of 7 to 9.2. 3. 3. At constant pH, the kinetic results follow the rate equation ν = VI+KDPNH[DPNH]1+Kcyt[cyt] which indicates that the enzymic reaction may be treated as a “two substrate” case even though the overall stoichiometry of the reaction requires three substrate molecules. 4. 4. The pH-dependence of the maximum velovity indicates that three ionizing groups are involved in the enzymic reaction. Furthermore, the pH-dependence of the maximum velocity-Michaelis constant ratio shows that two of the three groups are in the enzymically active site and are associated with the oxidation of DPNH. The third ionizing group is involved in the reduction of cytochrome c. It is impossible to determine kinetically whether this third grouo is associated with the enzyme or with the cytochrome itself. 5. 5. Ionization constants for the groups involved and the so-called pH-indepedent kinetic parameters have been calculated. 6. 6. The β-deuterium labelled reduced DPN has been made by the stereospecific exchange reaction catalyzed by the enzyme. Use of this material as a substrate shows that the Michaelis constant for DPNH in unaffected but that the maximum velocity is decreased approximately 2.3 fold.
Some correlates of sound difficulty in stuttering

(1937). Some correlates of sound difficulty in stuttering. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 67-69.
The Pathophysiology of Malignant Ventricular Arrhythmias During Acute Myocardial Ischemia

In 20 anesthetized open-chest dogs, epicardial electrograms were recorded from ischemic and nonischemic zones of the left ventricle during acute occlusion of the left anterior descending artery. The average time to onset of ventricular tachycardia during atrial pacing (150-200 beats/min) was 4 min, 18 sec. In 18 dogs, ventricular ectopic beats were induced in normal and ischemic zones after every tenth atrial stimulus. Those induced in the ischemic zone consistently caused ventricular tachycardia earlier (mean: 3 min, 22 sec) than those in the normal zone (mean: 4 min, 11 sec) ( P < 0.01). This arrhythmia, whether spontaneous or induced, always followed the complex which demonstrated the greatest delay of the ischemic zone potential and increased ventricular activation time. Ventricular tachycardia was repeatedly produced by ectopic beats with late diastolic coupling. Analysis of the episodes of tachycardia leading to fibrillation revealed a progressive increase in the ventricular activation time of the successive beats, whereas in those self-terminating episodes ventricular activation time progressively decreased. These data suggest that the major determinant of malignant ventricular arrhythmias in acute ischemia may be the related abnormalities of ventricular activation rather than the coupling of the premature ectopic beats.
Characterization of RNA synthesized in Escherichia coli after bacteriophage T2 infection

The primary purpose of the present investigation was to obtain further information on the RNA synthesized in E. coli subsequent to infection by a virulent virus. Particular attention was focused on the physical nature of the RNA formed and its relation to the known particulate and soluble fractions which contain the bulk of the RNA in normal E. coli cells. To this end, examinations were carried out on extracts to permit identification of the ribonucleoprotein particles as well as on purified free RNA obtained from relevant fractions. The identification of newly synthesized RNA was accomplished by 32PO4 labeling and the period studied was between 5 and 7 min after infection. Most of the experiments were performed with the T2 bacteriophage. The data obtained may be summarized as follows: (1) Two categories of RNA are synthesized after infection with T2. One is found in the soluble and the other in the ribosomal fraction. The latter constitutes the bulk of the RNA formed in the period studied. (2) Examination of the T2-specific ribosomal RNA reveals a number of features which distinguish it from the majority of the normal RNA. It exists mainly in the form of ribonucleoproteins possessing a sedimentation coefficient of 30 s. It is released as free RNA on dialysis against low Mg2+ concentration. After deproteinization, it was shown to have a sedimentation coefficient (about 8 s) which is considerably lower than the 25 s and 18 s values found for the two major components of ribosomal RNA. It also possessed a distinctly higher elec-trophoretic mobility. Finally, it is readily distinguishable from normal ribosome RNA in terms of its base composition, and thus appears to correspond to the newly-synthesized RNA studied by Volkin & Astrachan. (3) In addition to the T2-specific ribosomal RNA a “soluble RNA” is synthesized after T2 infection. The T2-specific “soluble RNA” is similar to its normal counterpart in existing as free RNA and possessing the same average sedimentation coefficient. It is distinguishable by its higher electrophoretic mobility and markedly different base composition which resembles the T2-specific RNA found in the ribosomal fraction.
Elimination of hepatitis delta virus infection after loss of hepatitis B surface antigen in patients with chronic delta hepatitis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection treated with alpha interferon and subsequent loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) eliminate HDV. HDV RNA was detected in 26 of 28 patients with chronic delta hepatitis using the polymerase chain reaction. Seventeen patients in whom HDV RNA was detected were treated with alpha interferon; in 65%, HDV RNA remained detectable during treatment or reappeared after stopping therapy whereas in three patients HDV RNA remained absent (17.5%). HDV RNA became and remained undetectable in serum and liver of two of these three patients who lost HBsAg from serum and in one patient who was intermittently HBsAg negative during therapy. After loss of HBsAg, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was still detectable in the liver, but not HBV RNA, indicating absent or very low HBV replication. Three patients were lost to follow up (17.5%). Two nontreated patients with chronic HDV infection also lost HBsAg during follow up; HDV RNA also became undetectable in their serum. Thus, HDV replication does not persist after the loss of HBsAg. Clearance of HBsAg may be a useful guide to when therapy can be stopped. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.