cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experiments with ROO: A Parallel Automated Deduction System

The automated theorem prover OTTER[12 , 14] represents the state of the art in high-speed, general purpose theorem provers. One way to increase OTTER'S speed further is through the exploitation of parallelism. A general, parallel algorithm for the computing the closure of a set under an operation was presented in [18]. Since OTTEt{'s fundamental algorithm can be viewed as a closure computation, this algorithm can be applied to OTTER. The result is Roo, a parallel theorem prover compatible with OTTER that runs on shared-memory multiprocessors. Roo itself is described in [8] and [9]. For completeness we present a summary of the basic algorithm in Section 2. Compared with the numerical applications typically run on today's multiprocessors, Roo's behavior is considerably more complex. Its algorithm performs well in general, but in certain situations does badly. Some of these situations reflect only certain phases of runs on particular problems. Sometimes 1~oo, even with only one process, outperforms OTTER, and sometimes it does much worse. Speedups are often roughly linear, which is why we are well-satisfied with P~oo. Sometimes they are far below linear, and sometimes startlingly superlinear. In general, a full appreciation of the subtleties of parallel computation in this application area can only be obtained by looking closely at the behavior of Roo on a wide variety of theorem-proving problems. The purpose of this paper is to provide such a detailed look. After summarizing the algorithms of OTTER and Roo in Section 2, we present a series of experiments taken from a wide variety of test problems. These show Roo both at its best and its worst and exhibit a number of surprising features. Since the problems themselves are of interest, we provide (except in one rather tedious case) the complete set of input clauses that make up the problem. For each problem we exhibit the performance of Roo and analyze the results. Finally, the non-deterministic nature of parallel algorithms means that consecutive runs of the same input file, on the same number of processes, can produce different results. In Section 4 we address the question of the stability and reproducibility of the results we have reported for Roo.
â€œJust Like Freedom Writersâ€: A White Teacher Reflects on Hip Hop and Race in the Classroom

What happens within a 21st century urban classroom when Hip Hop pedagogy is enacted by somebody who is not part of the Hip Hop community? As Hip Hop pedagogues ask students to engage in critical thinking about their own identities and issues connected to their cultures and communities, one of the most important things for teachers to do is to recognize that, in this instance, there will be a significant power shift in most classrooms. Classrooms that are grounded in Hip Hop pedagogy inherently position students who are invested in the hip-hop culture as curricular experts, a proposition that can be scary for both new and veteran teachers. The fear of sharing academic leadership and losing classroom control can be a very real concern for teachers whose jobs may depend on meeting public expectations in the face of a high-stakes testing environment mandated by No Child Left Behind and enforced by silent, or not-so-silent, school politics. Within my own experiences as a high-school English teacher invested in hip-hop pedagogy, I have learned that I must be self-aware regarding what I bring to the educational “table.” Using personal narrative as a frame for discussion, this paper will explore the experiences of teachers who are outside of the hip-hop community and who have incorporated hip-hop pedagogy into their own classrooms. What happens when they are asked to navigate new classroom dynamics and when their own subject positions complicate the hip-hop mandate of “keeping it real”? What are some of the external and internal forces that they must navigate in order to facilitate a positive learning experience for their students?
The strategic significance of expert systems

Expert or knowledge-based systems are being deployed in virtually every industry because of their power to bring strategic competitive advantage to the firms who successfully employ them. The strategic significance of expert systems lies in their ability to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the decision-making process and, in the long run, improved decision-making leads to growth and increased profitability. This is especially true of organizations, such as brokerage firms, whose 'life's blood' is fruitful, consistent, and reliable advice. Expert system technology is advancing at a great pace as new methods for improved reasoning and automated learning are emerging from research to reality. If firms in the business of offering advice do not continually upgrade their expert systems with the latest conceptual tools, they will find it difficult to grow, even survive, in the 'knowledge age'. >
Influence of Kernel Maturity, Milling Degree, and Milling Quality on Rice Bran Phytochemical Concentrations

ABSTRACT Rice bran is a rich source of phytochemicals including tocopherols (T), tocotrienols (T3), and γ-oryzanol that have purported positive effects on human health. The screening of germplasm to determine the genetic diversity influencing contents of these compounds requires knowledge of how sample preparation influences concentrations of the phytochemicals in rice bran. Obtaining this knowledge was the objective of this study. Cultivars with different milling qualities were all milled to different degrees. The differences in bran removal among cultivars decreased as the milling time increased. Samples that were milled for 30 and 40 sec (milled to the degree of 0.23–0.44% surface lipid content [SLC]) showed no significant differences in T and T3 concentrations in the bran within cultivars. Bran starch concentration affected the rankings of cultivars based on phytochemical contents. Expression of the γ-oryanol concentration in bran after subtracting starch reduced the concentration differences resultin...
Nanoparticle-based Calcium Phosphate Substrates: Gas Phase Synthesis and Potential Applications

Emulating the ECM microenvironment of natural tissue and understanding how such an environment affects integrin function is a major goal of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In this work we have combined laser and aerosol techniques to create nanoengineered substrates comprising calcium phosphate nanoparticles of well controlled size on atomically flat SiO2 layers. In our process, gas suspended calcium phosphate nanoparticles are generated by ablation of solid a hydroxyapatite target inside a tube furnace at 800-900°C in presence of Argon/H2O flow using a KrF excimer laser and deposited on a silicon substrate via electrostatic precipitation.
The insensitivity of mitochondrial-catalyzed arsenate-water oxygen exchange reaction to dinitrophenol and to oligomycin.

Abstract A comparison was made of the sensitivities of the mitochondrial-catalyzed arsenate-water oxygen exchange (As i ⇌ H 2 O) and the phosphate-water oxygen exchange (P i ⇌ H 2 O) to dinitrophenol and to oligomycin. The observed inhibition of the P i ⇌ H 2 O exchange by oligomycin and by dinitrophenol was in accord with previously reported findings. The mitochondrial-catalyzed As i ⇌ H 2 O exchange was not inhibited by either compound. These results suggest that the prominent As i ⇌ H 2 O exchange is not directly related to the effect of As i on oxidative phosphorylation. These findings provide no support for the idea that arsenate serves as an alternative substrate in place of phosphate in a partial reaction of oxidative phosphorylation.
A case of acute promyelocytic leukemia without RARα rearrangement and apparently normal cytogenetics.

Address for correspondence: Christos Vaklavas, MD, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, North Pavillion 2540, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham AL 35294-3300 Clinical Pra ● The prototypic cytogenetic abnormality in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is the reciprocal translocation t(15;17)(q22;q21). ● This leads to the generation of a PML/RAR chimeric protein with dimerization and expanded transcriptional repression abilities. ● Clinical hallmarks of APL constitute an associated hyperfibrinolytic disseminated intravascular coagulation and responsiveness to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). ● Cases histologically indistinct from APL without evidence of RAR rearrangement on sensitive molecular analyses are exceedingly rare. ● These cases may harbor alternative cytogenetic abnormalities of possible pathogenetic importance but, rarely, sensitive molecular analyses may be normal. ● We report a case of APL with typical histopathologic features, apparently normal cytogenetic studies, and no evidence of RAR rearrangement on sensitive molecular analyses.
Low-Voltage, Compact, Depletion-Mode, Silicon Mach–Zehnder Modulator

Through rigorous process, electrical, and optical simulations, we develop a new silicon depletion-mode vertical p-n junction phase-modulator implemented in Mach-Zehnder modulator configuration, enabling an ultralow measured V ? L of only ~ 1 V·cm. Further, in a 500-?m-long lumped element device, we demonstrate a 10-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero data transmission with wide-open complementary output eye diagrams without the use of signal preemphasis.
A trial of oats in children with newly diagnosed celiac disease.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether consumption of oats is safe in children with newly diagnosed celiac disease who are starting a gluten-free diet. Study design: We conducted a self-controlled, open-label, 6-month trial of a commercial oat breakfast cereal product. Primary outcome variables were small bowel histomorphology and anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody titer. Results: The 10 children who completed the study were 6.8 ± 4.0 (mean ± SD) years of age and 5 were male. Over 6.6 ± 0.7 months, they consumed 24 grams of oat cereal per day, or 1.2 ± 0.9 g/kg/d. Compared with start of study, at completion there was a significant decrease in biopsy score ( P P P P Conclusions: We conclude that consumption of a commercially available oat cereal product for 6 months is safe for children with celiac disease beginning a gluten-free diet. Studies are needed to determine the long-term safety of including oat cereal in the gluten-free diet. (J Pediatr 2000;137:361-6)
Motor/vocal tics and compulsive behaviors on stimulant drugs: Is there a common vulnerability?

The occurrence of abnormal movements or perserverative/compulsive behaviors was noted in 34 (76%) of a group of 45 hyperactive boys during a double-blind crossover treatment trial of methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine given in a wide range of doses. These adverse effects were often subtle and transient, and they usually occurred only on one drug. There was only one case where treatment was discontinued due to the severity of the tic the subject developed during his initial treatment phase. Dextroamphetamine tended to produce more compulsive behaviors, which were also more likely to resemble clinical obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), than did methylphenidate. Abnormal movements and compulsive behaviors tended to co-occur on methylphenidate only; no general "Tourette-OCD diathesis" was found for this population.
Hospice—Palliative Medicine: A Look Back and Into the Future:

Hospice originally was a resting place for weary travelers in the fourth century and continued so for centuries. Even the monks in a 15th–century Switzerland hospice raised and trained Saint Bernard dogs, establishing the legendary portrait of the keg carrying dog. In the 19th century, a religious order established hospices for the dying in Ireland and London and in 1967, St Christopher’s hospice began. In the United States, there were only 59 identifiable hospices in 1978, which expanded to 440 by 1981. In subsequent years, the number of hospices grew exponentially to 4200 now. Along with this, hospice growth was the expected regulations and laws. In 1982, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (now the Joint Commissionon the AccreditationofHealthcare Organizations) started the Hospice Project which established standards for hospice care and continued through the late 1980s. At about the same time, the Hospice Medicare Benefit was enacted as part of TEFRA (Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act) on September 3, 1982. The final regulations were published in December 1983. Although many issues were raised both at the House Ways and Means Committee hearings on March 25, 1982, and the Senate Finance Committee hearings on September 15, 1983, the legislative and regulatory process vaulted forward with much passion. However, haunting issues from that time period remain, mainly the 6-month prognosis and attending physician involvement. So, where exactly did the number 6 come from? Did it come from
The dimolybdenum pentapivalate anion: X-ray crystal structure and dynamic solution behaviour and comments on the substitutional lability of containing compounds

Abstract The reaction between Mo2(O2CBut)4 and [Bun4N]+[ButCO2]− in toluene yields the yellow toluene-soluble salt [Bun4N]+[Mo2(O2CBut)5]− as large yellow plates upon crystallization. The molecular struture of the anion contains the now common paddle-wheel or lantern M2(O2C)4 core, = 2.1035(7) and MoO = 2.12(2) A (av), with a monodentate pivalate ligand coordinated to one metal atom, MoO = 2.298(5) A in the axial position and MoMoO (ηl-pivalate) = 176.6(1)°. In CD2Cl2 and toluene-d8 solutions the anion shows fluxional behaviour such that exchange between all pivalates is rapid on the NMR time-scale at room temperature. At −80°C this fluxional process becomes sufficiently slow to lead to the expected 4:1 ratio for the But protons. In pyridine-d5 the exchange of pivalates is slower but still sufficiently fast to lead to coalescence at elevated temperatures. In pyridine solution the predominant species are Mo2(O2CBut)4(py)2 and [Bun4N]+[ButCO2]−. These findings complement earlier work wherein [Et4N]+[Mo2(O2CCF3)5]− was prepared (Garner and Senior, J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1975, 1171) and the exchange of CF3CO−2 groups in the reaction between Mo2(O2CCF3)4 and NaO2CCF3 in CH3CN was studied (Sasaki et al., Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan 1979, 52, 446). The facile intramolecular exchange of pivalate ligands in the Mo2(O2CBut)−5 anion emphasizes that Mo4+2 containing compounds are kinetically labile to associative nucleophilic substitution reactions. Possible reaction pathways leading to exchange of ButCO−2 are discussed.
Furo[3,4-b]furan formations from alkynols of xylose

Abstract Treatment of iodoalkynol derivatives of xylose with iodonium-producing reagents afforded β,β-diiodoenol ethers contained in furo[3,4-b]furan cores.
Causes, consequences, and remedies for growth-induced solid stress in murine and human tumors

The presence of growth-induced solid stresses in tumors has been suspected for some time, but these stresses were largely estimated using mathematical models. Solid stresses can deform the surrounding tissues and compress intratumoral lymphatic and blood vessels. Compression of lymphatic vessels elevates interstitial fluid pressure, whereas compression of blood vessels reduces blood flow. Reduced blood flow, in turn, leads to hypoxia, which promotes tumor progression, immunosuppression, inflammation, invasion, and metastasis and lowers the efficacy of chemo-, radio-, and immunotherapies. Thus, strategies designed to alleviate solid stress have the potential to improve cancer treatment. However, a lack of methods for measuring solid stress has hindered the development of solid stress-alleviating drugs. Here, we present a simple technique to estimate the growth-induced solid stress accumulated within animal and human tumors, and we show that this stress can be reduced by depleting cancer cells, fibroblasts, collagen, and/or hyaluronan, resulting in improved tumor perfusion. Furthermore, we show that therapeutic depletion of carcinoma-associated fibroblasts with an inhibitor of the sonic hedgehog pathway reduces solid stress, decompresses blood and lymphatic vessels, and increases perfusion. In addition to providing insights into the mechanopathology of tumors, our approach can serve as a rapid screen for stress-reducing and perfusion-enhancing drugs.
Clinical survey of fractured teeth

A 2-year clinical study documents the two types of tooth fractures found in the survey population—incomplete crown-root fractures and root fractures associated with previous endodontic treatment. Through a standardized procedure using clinical examination, interviews, and dental history, this 2-year study documents 100 cases of tooth fracture in 98 patients. For comparison, pertinent information was also recorded for more than 2,000 teeth in a randomly selected sample population. Two chief types of fracture were found: incomplete crown-root fractures and root fractures associated with earlier endodontic therapy.
Rebalancing the Poles in Mark C. Taylor’s (A)Theology

Mark C. Taylor’s After God offers resources for constructive theology, or (a)theology, asit develops an ontology of complexity. Taylor posits two poles pertaining to self-organizingwholes: (1) that of the formation of structures and (2) that of destabilizing ordisrupting structures. While Taylor prioritizes the destabilizing pole, this article arguesthat this preference is misguided and offers a corrective intended to yield a more viabletheology of complexity. It makes its case in terms of both theology/metaphysics andnatural science. It concludes that when it comes to God or the divine, an equal valorizationof the structuring and destabilizing poles commends itself, while in the case offinite creation, our experience of reality supports a priority to the structuring pole.Attendant to this second conclusion, Taylor’s position results in too close an entailmentof the human with the divine. Finally, this article argues that Taylor’s emphasis on thedestructuring pole discourages the most effective means to confront our contemporarysituation ‘‘far from equilibrium,’’ a situation so well depicted by Taylor, namely, throughreforming Christianity and other world religious traditions.
PEA APHID BIOTYPES DIFFERING IN BEAN YELLOW MOSAIC VIRUS TRANSMISSION1

Two pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)) biotypes were isolated which differed greatly in efficiency of bean yellow mosaic virus transmission. The two biotypes ranked differently in efficiency of bean yellow mosaic virus transmission among eight other aphid species, including three species not previously reported as vectors of bean yellow mosaic virus. These new vectors are Brachycaudus helichrysi (Kltb.), Cavariella aegopodii (Scop.), and Therioaphis riehmi (Borner). These biotypes also differed consistently in body size and in fecundity on pea cultivars. Zusammenfassung ERBSENLAUS-BIOTYPEN MIT UNTERSCHIEDLICHER UBERTRAGUNGSFAHIGKEIT FUR DAS GELBMOSAIK DER BUSCHBOHNEN Es wurden 2 Erbsenlaus-Biotypen (Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)) isoliert, deren Wirksamkeit als Ubertrager des Gelbmosaikvirus der Buschbohnen auf Erbsen sehr verschieden ist. Die beiden Biotypen ordnen sich dabei an verschiedene Stellen in einer Reihe von acht anderen Blattlausarten ein, die drei bisher nicht als Vektoren des Bohnengelbmosaiks nachgewiesene Arten umfast. Diese neuen Vektoren sind Brachycaudus helichrysi (Kltb.), Cavariella aegopodii (Scop.) und Therioaphis riehmi (Borner). Die Biotypen unterscheiden sich durchweg auch in Korpergrose und Fruchtbarkeit auf verschiedenen Erbsensorten.
Dimension-Reduced Modeling of Spatio-Temporal Processes

The field of spatial and spatio-temporal statistics is increasingly faced with the challenge of very large datasets. The classical approach to spatial and spatio-temporal modeling is very computationally demanding when datasets are large, which has led to interest in methods that use dimension-reduction techniques. In this article, we focus on modeling of two spatio-temporal processes where the primary goal is to predict one process from the other and where datasets for both processes are large. We outline a general dimension-reduced Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach where spatial structures of both processes are modeled in terms of a low number of basis vectors, hence reducing the spatial dimension of the problem. Temporal evolution of the processes and their dependence is then modeled through the coefficients of the basis vectors. We present a new method of obtaining data-dependent basis vectors, which is geared toward the goal of predicting one process from the other. We apply these methods to a ...
Seasonal changes of total lipids in the turtle Sternotherus odoratus

Abstract 1. 1. Seasonal variation in total lipids was examined in several body components of the turtle Sternotherus odoratus . 2. 2. Carcass fat stores in both sexes were depleted during winter. Additionally, a decline in carcass lipids was associated with increases in gonadal mass. 3. 3. Concentrations of liver lipids were maximal during August and minimal during winter. 4. 4. Males showed little seasonal change in plasma lipid levels, whereas females had seasonal peaks temporally associated with ovarian development and carcass fat storage. 5. 5. Ovarian concentrations of lipids were minimal after nesting and increased during fall. 6. 6. Results suggest that S. odoratus uses stored fats both for reproduction and maintenance during winter.
ORAL PERCEPTION OF SOLUTION VISCOSITY

Oral assessments of the viscosity of aqueous solutions thickened with sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) were made using magnitude estimation. In one experiment, subjects judged the viscosity of low (L), medium (M) and high (H) viscosity forms of CMC. CMC-H solutions were perceived to be significantly thinner than CMC-L or CMC-M solutions at equivalent physical viscosities. The data suggest that perceived viscosity is determined by averaging viscosity values over a range of shear rates. In another experiment, extreme care was taken to eliminate the possiblity of non-oral cues in the perceptual assessment of solution viscosity. Subjects judged aqueous solutions thickened with CMC-M. An exponent of 0.29 characterized the power function relating physical and orally perceived viscosity.
GABA Synchronizes Clock Cells within the Suprachiasmatic Circadian Clock

The master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) is composed of multiple, single-cell circadian clocks. We test the postulate that these individual "clock cells" can be synchronized to each other by the inhibitory transmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). For these experiments, we monitored the firing rate rhythm of individual clock cells on fixed multielectrode plates in culture and tested the effects of GABA. The results show that the daily variation in responsiveness of the SCN to phase-shifting agents is manifested at the level of individual neurons. Moreover, GABA, acting through A-type receptors, can both phase shift and synchronize clock cells. We propose that GABA is an important synchronizer of SCN neurons in vivo.
On three inequalities

Abstract In this paper we obtain the best possible constants in three inequalities between two vectors. The inequalities depend on a parameter p . These inequalities were used to bound the error in the finite element approximation of a nonlinear diffusion problem.
Hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and their combinations increased health care utilization and decreased health status

Abstract Background and objective For individuals with hypertension, diabetes, or hypercholesterolemia, the relative magnitude of cardiovascular risk factors and the effect of multiple risk factors remains controversial and both treatment practices and health care usage vary. We sought to determine the effect of hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and their combinations on health care utilization and health status through analysis of data from a large national survey. Methods We applied the Anderson model to a cross-sectional representative sample ( n =15,107) of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population (the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey). Results For diabetes, additional risk factors did not increase the likelihood of emergency room (ER) visits or hospitalizations but were associated with increased outpatient visits and poorer health status. For hypertension, additional risk factors increased the likelihood of hospitalization (but not ER visits), the number of outpatient visits, and poorer health status. For hypercholesterolemia, additional risk factors were associated with increased likelihood of ER visits, hospitalizations, and poorer health status but not more outpatient visits. Diabetes had the largest effect on health care utilization and health status. Conclusion These findings re-emphasize the magnitude of diabetes as a major risk factor associated with increased ER visits, hospitalizations, outpatients visits, and lower health status.
Microstructural characterization of quantum dots with type-II band alignments

Abstract We are investigating the structural, electrical, and infrared (IR) optical properties of a new material system comprising undoped self-assembled quantum dots having a type-II band alignment with the surrounding matrix. This materials system is fundamentally different from those using conventional type-I quantum dots that must be doped and that rely on intersubband transitions for IR photoresponse. Type-II quantum dots operate in the photovoltaic mode with IR photoresponse arising from electron–hole pair production involving three-dimensionally confined states in the dots and quantum well states in the matrix material. In this paper, we discuss the structural characterization of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown InSb quantum dots embedded in an In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As matrix lattice-matched to an InP substrate.
WDSN keynote talk: “Stochastic computing: Embracing errors in architecture and design of processors and applications”

All of computing today relies on an abstraction where software expects the hardware to behave flawlessly for all inputs under all conditions. While the abstraction worked historically due to the relatively small magnitude of variations in hardware and environment, computing will increasingly be done with devices and circuits which are inherently stochastic or whose behavior is stochastic due to manufacturing and environmental uncertainties. For such emerging circuits/devices, the cost of maintaining the abstraction of flawless hardware will be prohibitive and we will need to fundamentally rethink the correctness contract between hardware and software. In our group, we are exploring a vision of computing systems where a) hardware and environmental variations are fully exposed to the highest layers of software in form errors, and b) hardware and software is optimized to maximize power savings afforded by relaxed correctness. We call the under-designed processors that produce stochastically correct results even under nominal conditions, stochastic processors. We call the applications that have been implemented to be adaptively error-tolerant, stochastic applications. In this talk, I will describe our recent approaches to architect and design stochastic processors and stochastic applications.
Sudden Cardiac Death Risk Stratification in Patients With Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Objectives The purpose of this study was to provide a meta-analysis to estimate the performance of 12 commonly reported risk stratification tests as predictors of arrhythmic events in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Background Multiple techniques have been assessed as predictors of death due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias/sudden death in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods Forty-five studies enrolling 6,088 patients evaluating the association between arrhythmic events and predictive tests (baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate turbulence, heart rate variability, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, left ventricular ejection fraction, electrophysiology study, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, left bundle branch block, signal-averaged electrocardiogram, fragmented QRS, QRS-T angle, and T-wave alternans) were included. Raw event rates were extracted, and meta-analysis was performed using mixed effects methodology. We also used the trim-and-fill method to estimate the influence of missing studies on the results. Results Patients were 52.8 ± 14.5 years of age, and 77% were male. Left ventricular ejection fraction was 30.6 ± 11.4%. Test sensitivities ranged from 28.8% to 91.0%, specificities from 36.2% to 87.1%, and odds ratios from 1.5 to 6.7. Odds ratio was highest for fragmented QRS and TWA (odds ratios: 6.73 and 4.66, 95% confidence intervals: 3.85 to 11.76 and 2.55 to 8.53, respectively) and lowest for QRS duration (odds ratio: 1.51, 95% confidence interval: 1.13 to 2.01). None of the autonomic tests (heart rate variability, heart rate turbulence, baroreflex sensitivity) were significant predictors of arrhythmic outcomes. Accounting for publication bias reduced the odds ratios for the various predictors but did not eliminate the predictive association. Conclusions Techniques incorporating functional parameters, depolarization abnormalities, repolarization abnormalities, and arrhythmic markers provide only modest risk stratification for sudden cardiac death in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. It is likely that combinations of tests will be required to optimize risk stratification in this population.
Thickness and Interfacial Roughness Changes in Polymer Thin Films during X-Irradiation

Despite the obvious occurrence of synchrotron X-ray damage to organic thin films, few attempts have been made to qualitatively determine changes to their structural parameters during X-ray exposure. We report here the use of X-ray reflectivity to study X-radiation damage to thin films of poly(tert-butyl acrylate) and polystyrene at various incident flux densities and sample temperatures. At the flux densities studied, (0.4−6.7) × 109 photons/(s mm2), the polyacrylate film thickness decreased during irradiation at rates ranging from −0.1 to −4 A/min, while the surface roughness increased. The volume of polymer removed per incident photon ranged from 150 to 1400 A3/photon. The rate of the thickness decay of the films was found to be linear with flux density over the range studied. The damage rate also appears to be directly related to the amount of X-ray energy deposited in the film, not the amount of energy available for creation of secondary electrons at the substrate. At comparable flux densities, polyst...
In situ characterization of nasal leucine enkephalin degrading aminopeptidase susceptibility of the nasal enzyme to boronic acids and phosphorus-containing peptide and amino acid isosteres

Abstract The N -terminal Tyr-Gly bond of leucine-enkephalin is specifically hydrolyzed during exposure to the nasal mucosa. Kinetic properties in situ indicate that this activity is due to a single enzyme which has a K M app of 0.4 mM for leucine-enkephalin. Analysis of initial rates of hydrolysis from earlier inhibition studies using boroalanine, boroleucine, and borovaline indicated that these inhibitors bind the nasal enzyme with K m app values of 0.009–0.02 μM. In addition, we have evaluated borophenylalanine ( K app i = 0.004 μM) in this study. Similarly, H-PheΨP(O)(OH)CH 2 Phe-OMe binds the nasal aminopeptidase with a K app i of 0.2 μM. Comparison of these K i values with those of cytosolic aminopeptidase and microsomal aminopeptidase derived from porcine kidney, indicates that the nasal enzyme closely resembles the microsomal enzyme in properties. Major distinctions between the enzymes are: (1) the greater dependence of the cytosolic enzyme on the nature of the amino acid residue in the primary site (2) a much greater preference of both the microsomal and nasal enzyme for HPheΨ[P(O)(OH)CH 2 ]Phe-OMe over H-PheΨ[P(O)(OH) 2 ].
Photoluminescence and Electroluminescence of d6 Metal−Organic Conjugated Oligomers: Correlation of Photophysics and Device Performance

The photophysical and electroluminescent device properties of a series of d6 transition metal complexes that feature an oligo(aryleneethynylene) (OAE) “ligand” have been investigated. The metals are coordinated η2- to the OAE via a 2,2‘-bipyridine moiety that is in the “core” of the oligomer, and the metals used are η2-Ir(ppy)2+, η2-Ru(bpy)22+, and η2-Os(bpy)22+ (Ir-2, Ru-2, and Os-2, respectively, where ppy = 2-phenylpyridine and bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine). The photoluminescence spectra and excited-state decay parameters for the metal−OAEs indicate that at ambient temperature Ru-2 and Os-2 feature a lowest 3MLCT excited state; however, in Ir-2 the lowest excited state is 3π,π* localized on the OAE. Electroluminescent (EL) devices that contain the metal−OAEs dispersed at 5 wt % in a poly(vinyl carbazole):2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-5-(4-biphenylyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole matrix exhibit electroluminescence at wavelengths that correlate well with the photoluminescence from the complexes in a rigid glass at low temperature...
Characteristic energy losses from channeled 100 keV electrons

Abstract The intensity of the K-losses of Mg and Al for the (100)-planar channeling in natural spinel (MgAl2O4) has been studied with an energy loss spectrometer attached to a transmission electron microscope, operating at 100 keV. The divergence angle of the incident beam and the collector angle of the spectrometer were considerably smaller than the Bragg angle. Depending on the angular deviation of the incident and collected electrons from the (100)-planes the observed ratio between the intensity of the K-losses of Mg and A1 changes by a factor in excess of 10 for thin crystals. This large variation which not only depends on the crystallographic direction of the incident and collected beam, but also increases strongly with scattering angle, can qualitatively be explained as a combined effect of channeling and blocking.
Test of 34 therapeutic agents for control of kidney disease in trout

Abstract Sixteen strains of fish kidney disease bacterium were tested in vitro to determine their reaction to 34 therapeutic agents. On the basis of the results obtained ten of the drugs were employed in experimental therapy of kidney disease in eastern brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Erythromycin at the rate of 100 milligrams per kilogram of fish per day (4.5 grams per 100 pounds of fish) for 21 days gave the best results. Other drugs gave only temporary benefit if any.
A novel node level security policy framework for wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks are commonly used for critical security tasks such as intrusion or tamper detection, and therefore must be protected. To date, security of these networks relies mostly on key establishment and routing protocols. We present an approach to protecting wireless sensor networks based on a security policy, enforced at the node level. This policy is based on a new approach to key establishment, which combines a group-based distribution model and identity-based cryptography. Using this solution enables nodes to authenticate each other, and provides them with a structure to build secure communications between one another, and between various groups. Using our key establishment protocol and security policy, we show how to reduce or prevent significant attacks on wireless sensor networks.
Changes in responsiveness to ethylene and gibberellin during corolla expansion ofIpomoea nil

Corolla expansion inIpomoea nil appears to be triggered by changes in gibberellin concentration and ethylene production during development. We investigated the role of responsiveness to GA and ethylene in corolla expansion. The effects of growth regulators applied in vitro were measured as a change in area of corolla segments from younger (15–17 mm) and older (18–20 mm) whole corollas. Applied gibberellic acid (GA3) significantly (p < 0.05) promoted growth in the younger segments but was less effective in the older segments. Moreover, applications of the GA biosynthesis inhibitors, PP333 (paclobutrazol) AMO1618 (2-isopropyl-4-dimethylamino-5-methylphenyl-1-piperidinecarboxylate methyl chloride), chlorocholine chloride, and tetcyclasis had little effect on younger segments but inhibited growth of older segments. The older corollas have apparently synthesized and accumulated enough GA-like substances to become less responsive to additional applied GA3. The amount of growth induced by applied or endogenous GA depended on the amount of ethylene simultaneously produced in the tissue. The younger corollas rapidly produced ethylene from endogenous 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and did not respond to applied ACC whereas the older corollas naturally produced much less ethylene and were significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited by applied ACC. When ethylene production was inhibited by applying aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), growth was promoted in all segments. However, only the growth of the younger segments was further stimulated by simultaneously applied AVG and GA3 over the GA3 control. Thus the differential responses of segments from 15- to 20-mm long corollas to applied growth regulators reflect developmental changes in responsiveness of the developing corolla. The change in responsiveness is attributed in part to the changes in production of endogenous growth regulators and to the effect of one endogenous plant growth regulator (PGR) on the responsiveness of the corolla to another PGR.
Deterioration in Concrete Pavements Constructed with Slag Coarse Aggregate

In Michigan, sections of an Interstate-type pavement are suffering extensive cracking and joint deterioration after 10 years of service, having been constructed in 1992. An adjacent section constructed in 1993 with comparable design features and materials remains in good condition, with little visual sign of distress. A study was conducted to determine, if possible, the cause of the observed distress in the highway built in 1992. In all, cores from nine different projects were evaluated, all of which were made with iron blast-furnace-slag coarse aggregate and natural fine aggregate containing chert constituents. The analyses conducted included stereo and petrographic microscopy and chemical extractions to determine levels of exchangeable and soluble potassium and sodium, as well as sulfates. The findings indicate that, in distressed pavement sections, the chert constituents in the fine aggregate are deleteriously alkali-silica reactive (ASR), whereas these same constituents are not deleterious in the sections rated as fair. Further, the distressed sections all had sulfate levels significantly higher than predicted by the mixture design. It is hypothesized that, in addition to the ASR in the fine aggregate, dissolution of the calcium sulfide dendrites in the slag coarse aggregate is providing excess internal sulfates, resulting in in-filling of the air-void system with ettringite and potentially sulfate attack. The exact nature of the deterioration mechanisms is not fully understood, but it seems clear that some type of interaction exists between the ASR and excess sulfates.
Sclerotization and coloration of the insect cuticle.

Evidence indicating linkage between the processes of cuticle hardening and coloration are reviewed. Data and observations for the mutants black and ebony inDrosophila melanogaster are used to construct a possible model for the relationship between these developmental events.
Landraces ofPhaseolus vulgaris (Fabaceae) in Northern Malawi. I. Regional variation

Bean germplasm collections in northern Malawi revealed the existence of diverse landraces, which have probably been maintained by the local farmers as heterogeneous mixtures since the precolonial introduction of Phaseolus vulgaris into eastern Africa. The various seed types comprising these mixtures are known by an array of local names, reflecting farmer perceptions of seed color and pattern, eating quality, plant structure, origin, and other characteristics. A principal components analysis of morphological, phenological, and agronomic metrical traits for 375 lines randomly selected from 15 landraces revealed a clinal pattern, with the northern and southern areas forming the extremes. Genetic distances, based on the first six PCs, indicated greater between-area variability than within-area variability. Bean landrace diversity in Malawi is likely the result of a complex interplay among forces that generate variability such as outcrossing and human and environmental selection.
Further Observations on Induction of Tumors in Mice with Radioactive Thymidine.

Thymidine labeled with tritium or with carbon-14, when incorporated into DNA of proliferating cells, produces a selective mode of irradiation of cells and cell nuclei. Single and multiple injections of radioactive thymidine have been found to shorten the life span and to produce an increased incidence of tumors in CaFl mice. The incidence of tumoi s increased with dose and it was greater in animals injected as young adults than in animals injected later in life. Labeling of embryos in utero with tritiated thymidine likewise increased the incidence of malignant tumors. (auth)
Effects of light flashes on the dark closure of Albizzia julibrissin pinnules

An electronic flash unit is used to deliver, at the beginning of a 10 min dark period and within a few ms, large doses of light to Albizzia julibrissin pinnules, to ascertain their effects on the rate of pinnule closing. In a series of alternating light flashes at 710 and 550 nm, the first 710 nm light flash significantly retards closing. A following light flash at 550 nm negates the far-red induced delay. The second 710 nm light flash delays closing less effectively than the first when given within 4 s after the green flash, but is just as effective when given after 30 s. The delay brought about by the second 710 nm light flash is again abolished by a light flash at 550 nm. A light flash at 660 nm has no effect on pinnule closing by itself and is also ineffective in reversing the far-red induced delay. A series of ten 710 nm light flashes becomes most effective in delaying closure when there is a dark interval of one min between flashes. The closing delay induced by a 710 nm light flash escapes reversal by a 550 nm light flash when the dark interval between the two flashes exceeds 2–3 min. A 750 nm light flash has no retarding effect on pinnule closing, but it becomes effective when preceded by a 660 nm or 550 nm light flash. The results obtained are suggested to be due to light absorbed by phytochrome and an unknown photoreceptor with green, far-red photoreversal property.
Acute effects of vigabatrin on brain GABA and homocarnosine in patients with complex partial seizures.

Summary: Purpose: The acute, subacute, and chronic effects of vigabatrin (VGB) were studied in patients with refractory complex partial seizures. VGB increases human brain γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the related metabolites, homocarnosine and 2-pyrrolidinone. Methods: In vivo measurements of GABA and homocarnosine were made of a 14-cc volume in the occipital cortex by using 1H spectroscopy with a 2.1-Tesla magnetic resonance spectrometer and an 8-cm surface coil. Six patients (three women) were studied serially during the initiation and maintenance of VGB as adjunct therapy. Results: The first, 3 g dose of VGB increased brain GABA by 2.0 μmol/g within 81 min of oral administration. After 2 h, median edited GABA remained essentially the same for 2 days. The response to the second, 3-g dose of VGB given at 48 h was considerably less than that to the first dose, with a median increase of 0.5 μmol/g within 72 min. After 2–3 months, rechallenging patients taking 1.5-g VGB twice daily with 6 g increased GABA by 0.4 μmol/g within 87 min. Homocarnosine increased more gradually than GABA to above-normal levels after a week of VGB therapy. Conclusions: VGB promptly elevates brain GABA and presumably offers partial protection against further seizures within hours of the first oral dose. Once-a-day dosing is sufficient to increase GABA. Patients may be expected to experience the effects of increased homocarnosine within 1 week.
Analysis and design issues addressed at ICCC '78

Abstract The ICCC '78 meeting in Japan was notable for the large number of papers involved with the analysis and design aspects of computer networks. In this review, I comment on a number of these papers and address my comments strictly to the printed material in the Proceedings rather than to the oral presentations. As mentioned in the three other review papers, the meeting was very well organized and great attention was paid to detail. However, the way in which papers were assigned to sessions was not as carefully done as it should have been. Particularly, session titles often had little to do with the papers presented in that session. As a result of this problem, my comments in this review paper will not be presented session by session but rather will be grouped by topics of interest to computer communications and each of these topics will contain papers from the collection of sessions where appropriate. Each of the following sections is devoted to a specific topic and these sections (topics), are organized in a logical fashing, the first sections beginning with the innermost issues of network design, succeeding sections moving out from the interior of the network toward more global issues and the final sections referring to large scale issues and services. They are organized as follows: (1) Centralized Network Design; (2) Backbone Network Design; (3) Routing; (4) Flow Control; (5) Protocols; (6) Multi-Access Communication Protocols; (7) Satellite Packet Switching; (8) Integrated Networks; (9) Value Added Networks; (10) Applications.
Effects of Phragmites australis (Common Reed) Invasion on Aboveground Biomass and Soil Properties in Brackish Tidal Marsh of the Mullica River, New Jersey

Phragmites australis (common reed) has been increasing in brackish tidal wetlands of the eastern United States coast over the last century. Whereas several researchers have documented changes in community structure, this research explores the effects of Phragmites expansion on aboveground biomass and soil properties. We used historical aerial photography and a global positioning system (GPS) to identify and age Phragmites patches within a high marsh dominated by shortgrasses (Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata). Plots along transects were established within the vegetation types to represent a gradient of species dominance and a variety of ages of the Phragmites plots. In comparison to neighboring shortgrass communities, Phragmites communities were found to have nearly 10 times the live aboveground biomass. They also had lower soil salinity at the surface, a lower water level, less pronounced microtopographic relief, and higher redox potentials. These soil factors were correlated with the age and biomass of Phragmites communities, were increasingly different with increasing Phragmites dominance along the transects, and were increasingly altered by the ages of Phragmites communities until the factors stabilized in plots of 8 yr to 15 yr of age. We propose that Phragmites expansion plays an important role in altering these soil properties and suggest a variety of mechanisms to explain these alterations.