cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methylenedioxyphenyl and Its Related Compounds as Protectants against Ozone Injury to Plants

Methylenedioxyphenyl derivatives and the compounds structurally related to piperonyl butoxide, which has been found to be a potent protectant against ozone injury to plants, were tested for effectiveness against the same injury to tobacco leaves. Five of 90 materials tested, namely 3,4-methylenedioxyphthaldehyde, benzimidazole, safroxane, xanthone and piperonal, showed high protective activity though the effectiveness was inferior to piperonyl butoxide. The protective mechanism was discussed.
Fatigue performance of injection-molded short e-glass fiber reinforced polyamide-6,6. II. Effects of melt temperature and hold pressure

Tensile and fatigue properties of an injection molded short E-glass fiber reinforced polyamide-6,6 have been studied as a function of two key injection molding parameters, namely melt temperature and hold pressure. It was observed that tensile and fatigue strengths of specimens normal to the flow direction were lower than that in the flow direction, indicating inherent anisotropy caused by injection molding. Tensile and fatigue strengths of specimens with weld line were significantly lower than that without weld lines. For specimens in the flow direction, normal to the flow direction and with weld line, tensile strength and fatigue strength increased with increasing melt temperature as well as increasing hold pressure. The effect of specimen orientation on the tensile and fatigue strengths is explained in terms of the difference in fiber orientation and skin-core morphology of the specimens. POLYM. COMPOS., 32:268–276, 2011. a 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Coronary Heart Disease in the Elderly: Identifying Established and Subclinical Disease With Stress Testing

Although cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality, morbidity, and healthcare expense in the United States, diagnosis in elderly patients, especially those who are asymptomatic, can be challenging. Noninvasive testing offers an opportunity to identify these patients, but guidelines reflect uncertainty of the impact of diagnosis on long-term outcomes. We review the role of different forms of noninvasive testing in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, as well as patients under consideration for elective surgery.
Experimental and Analytical Studies of Failure Modes in Iosipescu Specimens under Biaxial Loadings

This study is concerned with an extension of the traditional Iosipescu shear test to in-plane biaxial stress applications. A Biaxial Stress Test Fixture, which is based upon the original Iosipescu shear test and the Arcan in-plane stress method, is used to characterize mixed-mode failure phenomena in both isotropic (PMMA) and orthotropic (teak) Iosipescu specimens under externally applied biaxial loads. The fixture is used for generating failure data for a wide range of biaxial (dominated by shear) loading conditions. Finite element methods are used to evaluate the stress state at the notch tips (as a function of the notch-tip radius) of biaxially loaded Iosipescu specimens. In addition, a simplistic analytical approach has been applied to estimate the notch-tip stresses at the onset of failure. A high quality failure envelope has been generated for teak under a combination of shear and transverse tensile loading conditions. Results from the finite element analysis show that an absolute numerical evaluati...
Electrodeposition of Single-Crystal Cubes of Lead Telluride on Polycrystalline Gold Substrate

Single-crystal cubes of lead telluride (PbTe with NaCl structure) were electrodeposited on polycrystalline gold substrates. Electron and X-ray diffraction patterns and high-resolution TEM confirm that the single-crystal PbTe cubes were grown with their {100} planes parallel to the surface of the gold seed layer. The PbTe cubes might have nucleated on the {100} faces of individual Au grains on the basis of lattice mismatch calculation, followed by the lateral growth of new layers on the nuclei along the 〈110〉 directions from the four edges of the PbTe cubes. The enlargement of the PbTe single crystals occurred through lateral growth, which led to the development of relatively large single-crystal cubes on polycrystalline Au seed layers having a smaller grain size.
Establishing Quantitative Within-Subject Confidence Limits For Clinical Stereoroentgenographs

AbstractIt is now quite clear that under ideal conditions, discrete points can be located on x-ray films with standard deviations of less than 50 y. However, under routine clinical conditions, such considerations as individual variation in anatomy, movement of the subject between exposures, and variations in image quality combine to produce considerable reductions in the confidence which can be placed in quantitative assessments made from stereoroentgenographic films.This paper discusses some considerations involved in designing mathematical models in such a way as to optimize the use of imperfect data in answering specific clinical questions.IntroductionThe ability to measure small movements of one biological structure with respect to another over time can be important. Conventional roentgenographic methods using simple films are inadequate for measuring distances in three-dimensional space because of inherent projection errors. Stereoroentgenographic systems have been developed by ourselves and others1 " 8 to locate points in three-dimensional space. The discussion here will center on the question of how to quantify the movements of interest and how to quantify the confidence we can have in our estimates of those movements. We will demonstrate the issues involved primarily by referring to the system which we have developed for the detection of loosening or subsidence of a prosthesis following the surgical procedure known as total hip arthroplasty. (See Figure 1.)Loosening of the femoral component of the hip prosthesis with respect to the femur is a major complication of some total hip arthroplasties. Early detection of such loosening is much desired but is difficult to achieve using conventional methods. A brief description of the relevant portions of our system will be given here; a more complete description is given elsewhere.9 ' 10 Small metallic reference spheres (0.8 mm in diameter) are implanted in the shaft of the femur at the time of the operation. Stereopairs of x-ray films are taken at various time points after the surgery under weight bearing and non-weight bearing con­ ditions. The locations of the x-ray film images of the spheres and 2 points on the prosthesis are digitized. These digitized values are used to reconstruct the three- dimensional coordinates of the spheres and the reference points on the prosthesis. Differences in the spatial relationship between the spheres in the femur and the points on the prosthesis under different conditions of loading or at different points in time are217
Purkinje cell calcium dysregulation is the cellular mechanism that underlies catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.

Background Inherited arrhythmias can be caused by mutations in the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2). The cellular source of these arrhythmias is unknown. Isolated RyR2 R4496C mouse ventricular myocytes display arrhythmogenic activity related to spontaneous Ca 2+ release during diastole. On the other hand, recent whole-heart epicardial and endocardial optical mapping data demonstrate that ventricular arrhythmias in the RyR2 R4496C mouse model of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) originate in the His–Purkinje system, suggesting that Purkinje cells, and not ventricular myocytes, may be the cellular source of arrhythmogenic activity. The relative effect of the RyR2 R4496C mutation on calcium homeostasis in ventricular myocytes versus Purkinje cells is unknown. Objective This study sought to determine which cardiac cell type is more severely affected, in terms of calcium handling, by expression of the RyR2 R4496C mutant channel: the ventricular myocytes or the Purkinje cells. Methods and Results To discriminate Purkinje cells from ventricular myocytes, we crossed the RyR2 R4496C mouse model of CPVT with the Cx40 EGFP/+ transgenic mouse. This genetic cross yields Purkinje cells that express eGFP, and therefore fluoresce green when excited by the appropriate wavelength; ventricular myocytes, which do not express connexin 40, are not green. Intracellular calcium was measured in each cell type using calcium-sensitive probes. Purkinje cells of the RyR2 R4496C mouse model of CPVT show an approximately 2× greater rate ( P P Conclusion These results demonstrate that focally activated arrhythmias originate in the specialized electrical conducting cells of the His–Purkinje system in the RyR2 R4496C mouse model of CPVT.
Amanita phalloides in the eastern United States.

SUMMARY Amanita phalloides has recently been collected in four eastern states: Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Virginia. Color and habit of the carpophores matched illustrations of European A. phalloides. Dimensions of spores from both the American and European specimens varied from one carpophore to another but fell in the same range. The average size and shape of spores deposited from individual specimens of A. phalloides changed as the carpophore aged, the length/width ratio passing through a maximum. Amanita phalloides was probably involved in two cases of fatal mushroom poisoning in New Jersey in November, 1970.
Periarteritis in a 4-month-old infant unresponsive to penicillinase

Abstract A case of periarteritis nodosa in a 4-month-old infant with marked involvement of cornary and other arteries is presented. Hypertension, fever, leukocytosis, and a recurring, evanescent skin eruption were the outstanding clinical features. Penicillinase did not alter the clinical course.
Bond-Energy and Surface-Energy Calculations in Metals

A simple technique appropriate for introductory materials science courses is outlined for the calculation of bond energies in metals from lattice energies. The approach is applied to body-centered cubic (bcc), face-centered cubic (fcc), and hexagonal-closest-packed (hcp) metals. The strength of these bonds is tabulated for a variety metals and is seen to be somewhat smaller than those typically found for the covalent bonds in molecular substances or polymers. The calculated bond energies are then combined with experimental lattice constants to illustrate the estimation of the surface energy of metals with these three crystal structures. The agreement with experiment is reasonably good, given the difficulties inherent in measuring the surface tension of metals and the considerable extrapolation required for surface-energy calculation.
Metabolic Impact of 4-Hydroxynonenal on Macrophage-Like RAW 264.7 Function and Activation

Metabolic profiling of macrophage metabolic response upon exposure to 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) demonstrates that HNE does not simply inactivate superoxide-generating enzymes but also could be responsible for the impairment of downfield signaling pathways. Multianalyte microphysiometry (MAMP) was employed to simultaneously measure perturbations in extracellular acidification, lactate production, and oxygen consumption for the examination of aerobic and anaerobic pathways. Combining the activation of oxidative burst with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and the immunosuppression with HNE, the complex nature of HNE toxicity was determined to be concentration- and time-dependent. Further analysis was utilized to assess the temporal effect of HNE on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and on protein kinase C (PKC). Increased levels of HNE with decreasing PKC activity suggest that PKC is a target for HNE adductation prior to oxidative burst. Additionally, localization of PKC to the cell membrane was prevented with the introduction of HNE, demonstrating a consequence of HNE adductation on NADPH activation. The impairment of ROS by HNE suggests that HNE has a greater role in foam cell formation and tissue damage than is already known. Although work has been performed to understand the effect of HNE's regulation of specific signaling pathways, details regarding its involvement in cellular metabolism as a whole are generally unknown. This study examines the impact of HNE on macrophage oxidative burst and identifies PKC as a key protein for HNE suppression and eventual metabolic response.
Molecular Genetics of Human Blue Cone Monochromacy

Blue cone monochromacy is a rare X-linked disorder of color vision characterized by the absence of both red and green cone sensitivities. In 12 of 12 families carrying this trait, alterations are observed in the red and green visual pigment gene cluster. The alterations fall into two classes. One class arose from the wild type by a two-step pathway consisting of unequal homologous recombination and point mutation. The second class arose by nonhomologous deletion of genomic DNA adjacent to the red and green pigment gene cluster. These deletions define a 579-base pair region that is located 4 kilobases upstream of the red pigment gene and 43 kilobases upstream of the nearest green pigment gene; this 579-base pair region is essential for the activity of both pigment genes.
An effective locking-free caching technique for power-aware multicore computing systems

In multicore/manycore systems, multiple caches increase the total power consumption and intensify latency because it is nearly impossible to hide last-level latency. Studies suggest that there are opportunities to increase the performance to power ratio by locking selected memory blocks inside the caches during runtime. However, the cache locking technique reduces the effective cache size and may introduce additional configuration difficulties, especially for multicore architectures. Furthermore, there may be other restrictions (example: PowerPC 750GX processor does not allow cache locking at level-1). In this paper, we propose a Smart Victim Cache (SVC) assisted caching technique that eliminates traditional cache locking without compromising the performance to power ratio. In addition to functioning as a normal victim cache, the proposed SVC holds memory blocks that may cause higher cache misses and supports stream buffering to increase cache hits. We model a Quad-Core System that has Private First Level Caches (PFLCs), a Shared Last Level Cache (SLLC), and a shared SVC located between the PFLCs and SLLC. We run simulation programs using a diverse group of applications including MPEG-4 and H.264/AVC. Experimental results suggest that the proposed SVC added multicore cache memory subsystem helps decrease the total power consumption and average latency up to 21% and 17%, respectively, when compared with that of SLLC cache locking mechanism without SVC.
Phase diagram of twisted mass lattice QCD

We use the effective chiral Lagrangian to analyze the phase diagram of two-flavor twisted mass lattice QCD as a function of the normal and twisted masses, generalizing previous work for the untwisted theory. We first determine the chiral Lagrangian including discretization effects up to next-to-leading order (NLO) in a combined expansion in which ${m}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2}/(4\ensuremath{\pi}{f}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}{)}^{2}\ensuremath{\sim}a\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ ($a$ being the lattice spacing, and $\ensuremath{\Lambda}={\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{\mathrm{Q}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{D}}$). We then focus on the region where ${m}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2}/(4\ensuremath{\pi}{f}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}{)}^{2}\ensuremath{\sim}(a\ensuremath{\Lambda}{)}^{2}$, in which case competition between leading and NLO terms can lead to phase transitions. As for untwisted Wilson fermions, we find two possible phase diagrams, depending on the sign of a coefficient in the chiral Lagrangian. For one sign, there is an Aoki phase for pure Wilson fermions, with flavor and parity broken, but this is washed out into a crossover if the twisted mass is nonvanishing. For the other sign, there is a first order transition for pure Wilson fermions, and we find that this transition extends into the twisted mass plane, ending with two symmetrical second order points at which the mass of the neutral pion vanishes. We provide graphs of the condensate and pion masses for both scenarios, and note a simple mathematical relation between them. These results may be of importance to numerical simulations.
Brillouin spectra of mixed alkali glasses: xCs2O(1−x)Na2O5SiO2

Abstract The Brillouin spectra of a series of mixed alkali glasses, of the composition xCs2O(1−x)Na2O5SiO2, have been measured and analyzed. Significant nonlinearities are found for the variation of the isothermal compressibility [KT,0(Tf)] and Landau-Placzeck ratio, with a minimum observed in each as a function of x, while the longitudinal and transverse sound velocities and related elastic constants, C11, C44 and Young's modulus, E, vary monotonically (nearly linearly) with x. The results are interpreted in connection with related ultrasonic data and the effect of varying composition on the mechanical properties of mixed alkali glasses.
High Temperature Rarefied Hypersonic Flow Over a Flat Plate

Aerodynamic investigations were conducted on the flow over a flat plate with a sharp leading edge in a hypersonic shock tunnel . The flow Mach number ranged from 7.95 to 25.1 with stagnation temperatures of approximately 2300 and 7000 R. For these flow conditions, the static pressure in the test section varied from 3.2 n to 0.95 m m of mercury and the Knudsen number, based on the ratio of the free stream mean free path and the leading edge thickness, varied from approximately 0.4 to 86. Schlieren photographs taken at these conditions indicated the presence of slip flow at the sharp leading edge, in tha t the formation of the strong shock wave and the boundary layer was delayed. The induced pressures measured on the surface of the plate indicated the existence of slip flow in the vicinity of the leading edge. The slip flow region increased with the free stream flow Mach and Knudsen numbers. In the strong shock wave-boundary layer interaction region near the leading edge, the viscous region extended from the plate surface to the shock wave, and there was no apparent inviscid region between the shock wave and the boundary layer. The induced pressure on the surface of the flat plate varied inversely as the square root of the distance from the leading edge for all cases except at the highest Mach number of 25.1. At this Mach number, the maximum induced pressure on the surface near the leading edge was 28 times the free stream static pressure. For a reflected stagnation temperature of 7000 R with real gas effects, the leading edge slip phenomenon and the shock wave-boundary layer interaction were present. The strong interaction parameter % = M i V v ^ varied from 2.5 to 756. The experimental induced pressures are compared with the insulated and noninsulated interaction theories of Li and Nagamatsu.
Further evidence for a pseudoautosomal gene for Hodgkin's lymphoma: Reply to ‘The familial risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma ranks among the highest in the Swedish Family-Cancer Database’ by Altieri A and Hemminki K

Further evidence for a pseudoautosomal gene for Hodgkin's lymphoma: Reply to ‘The familial risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma ranks among the highest in the Swedish Family-Cancer Database’ by Altieri A and Hemminki K
Uterine cellular leiomyomata with chromosome 1p deletions represent a distinct entity.

Objective This study aimed to determine whether 1p deletion defines a subset of cellular leiomyomata (CL), which is a hypercellular variant of uterine leiomyomata that may have delayed malignant potential, and to correlate this genetic change with clinical and pathologic characteristics including those present in uterine sarcomas. Study Design Available CL cases at the Mayo Clinic (n = 101) and variant cases reported in another article (n = 16) were identified. Each case with sufficient tissue that met histologic criteria for CL when reviewed by a single pathologist underwent interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization to determine the presence of 1p deletion. Clinical characteristics of women with confirmed CL were compared on the basis of 1p deletion status using univariate analysis. Results Of the Mayo Clinic cohort of histologically confirmed CL, 23% had deletion of 1p. Women with this subset of CL, when compared to those without 1p deletion, were more likely to be postmenopausal ( P = .049) and their uteri tended to be heavier ( P = .039) with a larger dominant leiomyoma ( P = .030). The pathologic features associated with 1p deletion were high cellularity ( P = .036) and hyaline necrosis ( P = .047), which remained significant after inclusion of the CL cases from a previously published series. Conclusion Deletion of 1p occurs in approximately one-quarter of CL cases. This genetic alteration is potentially associated with clinicopathologic features that are present in uterine sarcomas, which suggests a distinct clinical entity that may have malignant potential. Our findings are particularly pertinent considering the increased preference for uterine-sparing options in leiomyoma treatment, suggesting assessment of 1p deletion status in CL may influence clinical surveillance decisions.
Typhoid and paratyphoid fever: A review of four cases treated with chloromycetin

Summary 1. Three cases of typhoid and one case of paratyphoid fever treated with Chloromycetin are presented. 2. The immune response of the body is probably altered by early treatment with Chloromycetin. 3. With an effective therapeutic agent for treatment, the advisability of routine typhoid-paratyphoid vaccination, as used in many Southern communities, is questioned.
Design and characterization of coherent integrated fiber-optic imaging probes

An integrated fiber-optic probe comprising a short length of multimode fiber that is fusion spliced to a monomode optical fiber has been fabricated for imaging and nonimaging applications. The fiber probe, typically 250 µm in diameter, can deliver a focused Gaussian spot approximately 25 µm in diameter at a distance of approximately 500 µm from the tip. Two off-the-shelf graded-index multimode fibers have been used in the fabrication of imaging and nonimaging probes. These integrated probes have considerably improved the spatial resolution of backscatter lensless fiber probes being utilized in the dynamic light-scattering characterization of colloidal suspension.
Financing cures in the United States.

True cures in health care are rare but likely not for long. The high price tag that accompanies a cure along with its rapid uptake create challenges in the financing of cures by public and private payers. In the US, the disaggregated nature of health insurance system adds to this challenge as patients frequently churn across multiple health plans. This creates a ‘free-rider’ problem, where no one health plan has the incentive to invest in cure since the returns will be scattered over many health plans. Here, a new health currency is proposed as a generalized version of a social impact bond that has the potential to solve this free-rider problem, as it can be traded not only between public and private payers but also within the private sector. An ensuing debate as to whether and how to develop such a currency can serve the US health care system well.
Substrate-induced orientational order in the isotropic phase of liquid crystals

Nematic order induced near a solid boundary in an otherwise isotropic liquid crystal is studied theoretically, at temperatures just above the bulk nematic-isotropic phase transition. Three distinct regimes are found, depending on the strength of orientational torques at the boundary: (1) strong orientational order, (2) strong orientational order followed by a first-order transition to a state of weak orientational order as temperature is raised, and (3) a state of weak orientational order.
Propensity, Social Ties, Friend Behavior, and Heavy Drinking Among College Students

The current research explores self-control, early-onset alcohol propensity, and social ties as they relate to heavy drinking on a college campus. The study draws on a survey of alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors administered to a cluster sample of 149 residential students (M age = 19.9; 51% female) at a medium-sized Midwestern university. A series of ordinary least squares regressions were conducted to explore independent and interactive effects of propensity and social ties on drinking. Propensity and antisocial ties consistently and independently predicted measures of heavy drinking and related consequences. Prosocial ties were less consistent, though they were associated with alcohol-related consequences. Propensity amplified the effects of antisocial ties on drinking and related consequences. Early-onset drinking and low self-control represented unique indicators of propensity for heavy drinking behavior in college. The strongest, most consistent finding across all models was the positive associa...
Falling Temperature and Colder Weather Are Associated with an Increased Risk of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Objective To use weather data to predict increased incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) at a large institution with an extensive referral network in response to falling temperatures. Methods In a retrospective study, 1175 prospectively collected aSAH cases accrued over 18 years from one hospital were reviewed to determine if season, maximum ambient temperature (MAT), average relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure were related to incidence of aSAH at that institution on a given day. A Poisson regression model was used to assess daily risk of incident aSAH based on daily MAT and 1-day change in MAT. Results A MAT decrease of 1°F from one day to the next was associated with a 0.6% increase in risk of aSAH (relative risk [RR] = 1.006, P = 0.016). The increased risk associated with MAT decrease from the previous day was especially strong for female patients (RR = 1.008/°F, P = 0.007) and drove the overall model, representing 72% of cases. In addition, warmer temperatures were associated with a decreased risk of aSAH; each 1°F increase in temperature compared with the previous day was associated with a 0.3% decrease in risk of aSAH (RR = 0.997; P Conclusions A 1-day decrease in temperature and colder daily temperatures were associated with an increased risk of incident aSAH at a single institution with a large referral network. These variables appeared to act synergistically and independently of season. These relationships were particularly predominant in the fall when the transition from warmer to colder temperatures occurred.
Sigma virus multiplication in whole-animal culture of Drosophila

Abstract Drosophila melanogaster larvae were opened by cutting their body walls and then kept alive in vitro without further dissection. The opened larvae were inoculated with sigma virus and sampled at intervals. Infectious virus found in the tissues and in the culture fluid could be attributed to virus multiplication in the cultured animals. This result establishes whole-animal culture, with its attendant advantages, as a method for investigating virus infections in vitro .
Upregulation of an Arabidopsis RING‐H2 gene, XERICO, confers drought tolerance through increased abscisic acid biosynthesis

Summary RING (really interesting new gene) zinc-finger proteins have important regulatory roles in the development of a variety of organisms. The XERICO gene encodes a small protein (162 amino acids) with an N-terminal trans-membrane domain and a RING-H2 zinc-finger motif located at the C-terminus. In silico gene-expression analysis indicated that XERICO is induced by salt and osmotic stress. Compared with wild-type (WT) Arabidopsis plants, transgenic plants overexpressing XERICO (35S::XERICO) exhibited hypersensitivity to salt and osmotic stress and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) during germination and early seedling growth. When subjected to a drought treatment, transcriptional upregulation of a key ABA-biosynthesis gene, AtNCED3, was much faster and stronger in 35S::XERICO plants compared with WT plants. Further, upregulation of XERICO substantially increased cellular ABA levels. The adult 35S::XERICO plants, in contrast to early seedling growth, showed a marked increase in their tolerance to drought stress. Yeast two-hybrid screening indicated that XERICO interacts with an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (AtUBC8) and ASK1-interacting F-box protein (AtTLP9), which is involved in the ABA-signaling pathway. Affymetrix GeneChip array analysis showed that the expressions of many of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of plant hormones (e.g. ethylene, brassinosteroid, gibberellic acid) were significantly changed in the 35S::XERICO plants. These results suggest that the homeostasis of various plant hormones might be altered in 35S::XERICO plants, possibly by overaccumulation of ABA.
Fine structure and distribution of epidermal projections associated with taste buds on the oral papillae in some loricariid catfishes (Siluroidei: Loricariidae)

Two morphologically distinct structures occur on the surfaces of the oral papillae in several loricariid catfish species; namely, (1) typical vertebrate taste buds composed of receptor and sustentacular cells and (2) brushlike projections, termed epidermal brushes, that represent specialized epidermal cells containing keratin. Both of these structures were studied with the combined use of light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The general body surface, fins, and rostral cutaneous processes of some loricariid catfishes are covered with taste or terminal buds but lack the epidermal brushes. It is suggested that the epidermal brushes found on the oral papillae serve as protective devices for the taste buds and as abrasive surfaces for substrate scraping during feeding. The taste buds on the oral papillae may detect any gustatory stimuli from the resulting substrate disturbance. Comparative studies reveal many differences in the number and spatial arrangement of these two structures on the oral papillae among the several species of the Loricariidae examined. These differences may represent functional adaptations to the various modes of life in the Loricariidae.
Reducing Delay Jitter of Real-Time Control Tasks through Adaptive Deadline Adjustments

For many control systems, control performance is strongly dependent on delay variations of the control tasks. Such variations can come from a number of sources including task preemptions, variations in task workloads and perturbations in the physical environment. Existing work has considered improving control task delay variations due to task preemption only. This paper presents a general adaptive framework that incorporates a powerful heuristic aiming to further reduce delay variations. Preliminary results indicate that the heuristic significantly improves existing approaches.
The Paradoxical Lack of Interspecies Correlation Between Plasma Concentrations and Chemical Carcinogenicity

Abstract Several chemicals have been shown, within the limits of epidemiology, to be thus far not carcinogenic in humans at systemic exposure levels similar to those associated with carcinogenicity in rodents. The data are discussed in terms of mechanisms which appear to operate in rodents but not in humans. Pharmacokinetic methods for interspecies comparisons must always be validated by a complementary scrutiny of the pharmacodynamic processes involved. i.e., by considering the responsiveness of the species in question to a given systemic concentration of xenobiotic. For carcinogenesis this validation step is usually beyond reach, due to the time frame for the onset of cancer in humans. For these reasons it is argued that, in the absence of knowledge of mechanisms, there is usually no scientific basis for using the concentrations of a xenobiotic that occur in body fluids or tissues during a rodent carcinogenicity test to make a quantitative carcinogenic risk assessment in humans.
The Effects of a T-Group Laboratory on Interpersonal Behavior:

This is a study of 71 participants in the 1959 Western Training Laboratory in Human Relations. Both FIRO-B questionnaires (administered before, after, and six months later) and open-ended questions...
Integration of Basic Clinical Skills Training in Medical Education: An Interprofessional Simulated Teaching Experience

Background: A 2004 survey reveals that the implementation of the 1998 AAMC report on medical student clinical skills training is slow. Given the importance of intravenous catheter placement, a creative approach evolved to educate medical students on this important skill. Description: As part of a community service learning initiative, six graduate nursing students developed, implemented, and evaluated a pilot IV Cannulation Education Module taught to medical students. Evaluation: Data analysis of 63 participants reveals improved knowledge and confidence in medical students' ability to place an intravenous catheter. The objectives were met and the process enjoyed by students of both professions. Conclusion: Opportunities for interprofessional teaching and learning include clinical skills training. Medical students learned an important skill taught by graduate nursing students who developed and evaluated a curriculum that met their own graduate course objectives. Both professions appreciated the opportunity...
Light-Induced Spectral Changes in Fully Oxidized Cytochrome c Oxidase in the Presence of Oxygen†

Illumination of oxidized cytochrome oxidase with low intensity (<2 mW) light below 300 nm in the presence of oxygen causes pH-dependent spectral changes in the Soret and visible regions. The light-induced difference spectra show a peak at 438 nm and a trough at 414 nm in the Soret region and a peak at 606 nm and a shoulder at approximately 577 nm in the visible region. The effect was inhibited by cyanide, suggesting the involvement of cytochrome a3. The pH dependence indicates two titratable groups with pKa values of 6.52 +/- 0.26 and 6.85 +/- 0.15. The spectral changes are analogous to those occurring upon addition of hydrogen peroxide to the fully oxidized enzyme, which results in a mixture of species with absorbance maxima at 607 and 580 nm when referenced against the oxidized enzyme. Catalase addition affected the initial onset of the spectral change and increased the rate at which the reverse reaction occurred upon termination of illumination. The data are consistent with a mechanism involving light-induced autoreduction of the binuclear center and subsequent O2 binding, followed by the release of hydrogen peroxide and the formation of a mixture of the 607 nm and 580 nm forms.
Formation of icosahedral Al(Mn) by directed energy processes

Surface layers of icosahedral Al/sub 84/Mn/sub 16/ have been formed for the first time by ion-beam mixing of deposited Al/Mn layers on Al substrates at approx.80 /sup 0/C and by either of two rapid electron-beam heat treatments of such layers. The well-defined temperature histories allow us to place limits on the melting point (660/sup 0/C < T/sub m / < 930/sup 0/C) and the time needed for nucleation of the icosahedral phase from the melt at 660/sup 0/C (tau/sub n / < 900 ns). The microstructures observed place restrictions on a proposed microtwinning structural model.
Targeted Advertising Strategies on Television

The personal video recorder (PVR) facilitates the use of targeted advertising by allowing companies to monitor television viewing behavior and to build demographic profiles of viewers from the data that are collected. Our research explores the extent to which an advertiser should allocate resources to increase the quality of its targeting. We present a game-theoretic model that extends the conventional measurement of targeting quality by exploring the trade-off between two measures: accuracy and recognition. Accuracy measures the likelihood that any target segment prediction is correct, while recognition conversely measures the likelihood that any member of the target segment is identified. We find that the relative resources allocated to improving accuracy and recognition depend upon the size of the population of viewers, the propensity of viewers to skip commercials, the overall cost of airing commercials, and the competitive environment. Furthermore, the incentives to improve accuracy are markedly different from those to improve recognition. Although improving accuracy does not affect the extent of price competition, improving recognition leads to intensified price competition and reduced profitability in the product market. Thus, when facing a competitor that pursues a strategy to improve its recognition of potential customers, an advertiser should choose to reduce its investment in recognition and increase its investment in accuracy.
Common variable hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia on intravenous γ-globulin therapy, and natural killer deficiency

A toddler with common variable hypoimmunoglobulinemia (CVH), inflammatory bowel disease, and recurrent Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) on intravenous gammaglobulin (IVIG) replacement was evaluated for a combined cellular immunodeficiency. He had a normal number of circulating T-cells, natural killer (NK) cells, T-cell subset percentages, and his peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM)-derived B-cell number was low. PBM mitogen blastogenesis and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) were normal. MLR activated T-cells expressed class I and II MHC antigens, interleukin 2 (IL-2), and B-cell growth factor (IL-5)-related receptors. The patient's T-cells induced control B-cell maturation with pokeweed mitogen (PWM-PC), and did not suppress PWM-PC production by allogeneic PBM. Bone marrow (BM) CD19+ B-cell number varied between 10 and 44% of all PBM, and the BM B-cell-enriched fraction failed to differentiate to PWM-PC with autologous or allogeneic T-cell help. The NK activity assayed using K562 target cells was deficient, 9.2 x 7.7% (6.9-9.2%) pt, control 35.9 x 35.8% (16.3-67.2% +/- 12.8). In the presence of interferon-alpha, 800 U/ml, the patient's NK activity increased to 17.2 x 14.9% (12.6-17.2%), control 35.9 x 51.0% (36.5-72.3% +/- 12.0). The patient's cell-mediated lympholysis of HLA nonidentical, allogeneic stimulators was normal. Maintaining trough serum IgG levels above 500 mg/dl was required to suppress recurrent PCP. This functional NK deficiency may be relevant to the development of recurrent PCP in IVIG-treated CVH patients.
Characterization of a ribonuclease gene and encoded protein from the reptile, Iguana iguana.

Abstract In this work we identify an intronless open reading frame encoding an RNase A ribonuclease from genomic DNA from the Iguana iguana IgH2 cell line. The iguana RNase is expressed primarily in pancreas, and represents the majority of the specific enzymatic activity in this tissue. The encoded sequence shares many features with its better-known mammalian counterparts including the crucial His 12 , Lys 40 and His 114 catalytic residues and efficient hydrolytic activity against yeast tRNA substrate ( k cat / K m = 6 × 10 4 M −1 s −1 ), albeit at a reduced pH optimum (pH 6.0). Although the catalytic activity of the iguana RNase is not diminished by human placental RI, iguana RNase is not bactericidal nor is it cytotoxic even at micromolar concentrations. Phylogenetic analysis indicates moderate (46%) amino acid sequence similarity to a pancreatic RNase isolated from Chelydra serpentina (snapping turtle) although no specific relationship could be determined between these RNases and the pancreatic ribonucleases characterized among mammalian species. Further analysis of ribonucleases from non-mammalian vertebrate species is needed in order to define relationships and lineages within the larger RNase A gene superfamily.
Remarks on blind and partially blind one-way multicounter machines

We consider one-way nondeterministic machines which have counters allowed to hold positive or negative integers and which accept by final state with all counters zero. Such machines are called blind if their action depends on state and input alone and not on the counter configuration. They are partially blind if they block when any counter is negative (i.e., only nonnegative counter contents are permissible) but do not know whether or not any of the counters contain zero. Blind multicounter machines are equivalent in power to the reversal bounded multicounter machines of Baker and Book [1], and for both blind and reversal bounded multicounter machines, the quasirealtime family is as powerful as the full family. The family of languages accepted by blind multicounter machines is the least intersection closed semiAFL containing {anbn|n⩾0} and also the least intersection closed semiAFL containing the two-sided Dyck set on one letter. Blind multicounter machines are strictly less powerful than quasirealtime partially blind multicounter machines. Quasirealtime partially blind multicounter machines accept the family of computation state sequences or Petri net languages which is equal to the least intersection closed semiAFL containing the one-sided Dyck set on one letter but is not a principal semiAFL. For partially blind multicounter machines, as opposed to blind machines, linear time is more powerful than quasirealtime. Assuming that the reachability problem for vector addition systems is decidable [16], partially blind multicounter machines accept only recursive sets and do not accept even {anbn|n⩾0∗, and quasirealtime partially blind multicounter machines are less powerful than general quasirealtime multicounter machines.
A general framework for computing block accesses

A physical database system design should take account of skewed block access distributions, nonuniformly distributed attribute domains, and dependent attributes. In this paper we derive general formulas for the number of blocks accessed under these assumptions by considering a class of related occupancy problems. We then proceed to develop robust and accurate approximations for these formulas. We investigate three clases of approximation methods, respectively based on generating functions, Taylor series expansions, and majorization. These approximations are as simple to use and far more accurate than the cost estimate formulas generated by making independence and uniformity assumptions.
Stoichiometry and pH dependence of the rabbit proton-dependent oligopeptide transporter PepT1.

1. The intestinal H(+)-coupled peptide transporter PepT1, displays a broad substrate specificity and accepts most charged and neutral di- and tripeptides. To study the proton-to-peptide stoichiometry and the dependence of the kinetic parameters on extracellular pH (pHo), rabbit PepT1 was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and used for uptake studies of radiolabelled neutral and charged dipeptides, voltage-clamp analysis and intracellular pH measurements. 2. PepT1 did not display the substrate-gated anion conductances that have been found to be characteristic of members of the Na(+)- and H(+)-coupled high-affinity glutamate transporter family. In conjunction with previous data on the ion dependence of PepT1, it can therefore be concluded that peptide-evoked charge fluxes of PepT1 are entirely due to H+ movement. 3. Neutral, acidic and basic dipeptides induced intracellular acidification. The rate of acidification, the initial rates of the uptake of radiolabelled peptides and the associated charge fluxes gave proton-substrate coupling ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 1:1 for neutral, acidic and basic dipeptides, respectively. 4. Maximal transport of the neutral and charged dipeptides Gly-Leu, Gly-Glu, Gly-Lys and Ala-Lys occurred at pHo 5.5, 5.2, 6.2 and 5.8, respectively. The Imax values were relatively pHo independent but the apparent affinity (Km(app) values for these peptides were shown to be highly pHo dependent. 5. Our data show that at physiological pH (pHo 5.5-6.0) PepT1 prefers neutral and acidic peptides. The shift in transport maximum for the acidic peptide Gly-Glu to a lower pH value suggests that acidic dipeptides are transported in the protonated form. The shift in the transport maxima of the basic dipeptides to higher pH values may involve titration of a side-chain on the transporter molecule (e.g. protonation of a histidine group). These considerations have led us to propose a model for coupled transport of neutral, acidic and basic dipeptides.
Religiosity, Intolerant Attitudes, and Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance

The latent construct of religiosity comprised measures of external, internal, and quest religiosity and was examined in relation to the latent construct of intolerant attitudes in a sample of undergraduate and graduate students at a Christian-affiliated university. The latent construct of intolerance included the indicators of rape and domestic violence myth acceptance, social dominance, dogmatism, and negative attitudes toward women. Multivariate results revealed significant negative correlations between internal and quest religiosity and indicators of intolerant attitudes, including the interpersonal violence myth acceptance scales. Quest religiosity also demonstrated unique univariate quadratic effects with both rape myth acceptance and domestic violence myth acceptance. Moderate levels of questing were associated with highest levels of interpersonal violence myth acceptance. Implications for the existing literature are discussed within the framework of a relational conceptualization of religiosity.
Clinically Significant Bleeding in a Patient With von Willebrand Exon 28 Polymorphism D1472h: A Case Report

a malignancy should always be considered. We present three cases of genital malignancies presenting as vaginal bleeding occurring in infancy, childhood, and pubescence. Case 1: A 7 month old infant was initially seen in a primary care clinic with a three day history of blood in her diapers. An evaluation for urinary tract infection was negative and renal ultrasound showed no structural abnormalities. Multiple episodes of bleeding occurred over the next month. Pelvic ultrasound and vaginoscopy revealed a 2 centimeter friable vaginal mass consistent with a yolk sack tumor. Case 2: A 7 year old followed for congenital absence of the right kidney was noted to have new onset hematuria on urinanalysis. Due to an unclear etiology of the bleeding, a workup for precocious puberty was preformed and was negative. Pelvic ultrasound revealed an ill defined endometrial stripe with normal ovaries. Subsequent vaginoscopy and biopsy revealed clear cell carcinoma of the vagina. Case 3: A 13 year old presented with probable anovulatory estrogen withdrawal bleeding and severe anemia. She was treated on different occasions with an oral contraceptive pill taper, daily norethindrone acetate, and intravenous estrogen with minimal response. Pelvic ultrasound revealed a large clot in the uterine cavity. Patient underwent vaginoscopy with dilation and curettage. Findings at time of surgery and subsequent histology revealed a neuroendocrine tumor of the cervix. Comments: Vaginal bleeding in infancy or childhood is more alarming to a physician than abnormal menstruation in an adolescent. Despite the high incidence of menstrual irregularities in adolescents, continued symptoms should also trigger further investigation. These cases validate the necessity of complete evaluation of the genital tract when a premenarchal or adolescent child presents with vaginal bleeding. Malignancy ranks low on the list of differential diagnoses and is rare in this age group. However, there may be dire consequences to delayed diagnosis and therefore, a timely and thorough evaluation with vaginoscopy by a pediatric gynecologist is recommended.
Temperature-Dependent Spin-Spin Relaxation Times: Application to the Mössbauer Spectra of Ferric Hemin

The M\"ossbauer spectra of ferric hemin are interpreted on the basis of a temperature-dependent electronic spin-spin relaxation time. The relaxation slows down with increasing temperature as a result of a change in population of ionic energy levels. The slowing down of the relaxation time, together with other effects resulting from population changes, produces a quadrupole-split line which becomes asymmetric as the temperature is increased.