Higher Appearance Rate Research Articles

Morphogenetic and structural characteristics of clones of elephant grass managed under intermittent stocking

This work was carried out to evaluate the morphogenetic and structural characteristics of basal and aerial tillers of two dwarf elephant grass clones (BRS Kurumi and CNPGL 00-1-3) managed under intermittent stocking in six grazing cycles. A completely randomized experimental design with three replications (paddocks) in split-split-plot arrangements was used. The clones were allocated to the plots, tiller classes were assigned to the subplots and grazing cycles to sub subplots. Higher values for basal tillers than aerial tillers were seen for the following characteristics: leaf elongation rate (12.8 and 5.1 cm/tiller/day), leaf appearance rate (0.26 and 0.19 leaves/tiller/day), stem elongation rate (0.38 and 0.16 cm/tiller/day), senescence rate (0.98 and 0.47 cm/tiller/day), total number of leaves (9.3 and 7.1 leaves/ tiller), number of live leaves (7.7 and 5.8 leaves/tiller) and final length of leaf blades (33.5 and 20.0 cm). Phyllochron was lower for basal (4.0 days/leaf) than aerial tillers (5.5 days/leaf). The leaf life span increased with the advance of the grazing cycles, averaging 31.2 days. The tiller density increased with the advance of the grazing cycles showing an average increase of 167% of aerial tillers and 62% of basal tillers for both clones. The morphogenetic and structural characteristics of dwarf clones were influenced jointly by the clones and the availability of the environmental factors of growth during the spring and summer. The high leaf elongation rates, associated with high leaf appearance rate, reveal the potential of high production dry matter of leaves and restoration of leaf area after grazing.

Cardiac Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Exhibit High Differentiation Potential to Cardiovascular Cells in C57BL/6 Mice.

Adipose-derived stem cells (AdSCs) have recently been shown to differentiate into cardiovascular lineage cells. However, little is known about the fat tissue origin-dependent differences in AdSC function and differentiation potential. AdSC-rich cells were isolated from subcutaneous, visceral, cardiac (CA), and subscapular adipose tissue from mice and their characteristics analyzed. After four different AdSC types were cultured with specific differentiation medium, immunocytochemical analysis was performed for the assessment of differentiation into cardiovascular cells. We then examined the in vitro differentiation capacity and therapeutic potential of AdSCs in ischemic myocardium using a mouse myocardial infarction model. The cell density and proliferation activity of CA-derived AdSCs were significantly increased compared with the other adipose tissue-derived AdSCs. Immunocytochemistry showed that CA-derived AdSCs had the highest appearance rates of markers for endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes among the AdSCs. Systemic transfusion of CA-derived AdSCs exhibited the highest cardiac functional recovery after myocardial infarction and the high frequency of the recruitment to ischemic myocardium. Moreover, long-term follow-up of the recruited CA-derived AdSCs frequently expressed cardiovascular cell markers compared with the other adipose tissue-derived AdSCs. Cardiac adipose tissue could be an ideal source for isolation of therapeutically effective AdSCs for cardiac regeneration in ischemic heart diseases. Significance: The present study found that cardiac adipose-derived stem cells have a high potential to differentiate into cardiovascular lineage cells (i.e., cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells) compared with stem cells derived from other adipose tissue such as subcutaneous, visceral, and subscapular adipose tissue. Notably, only a small number of supracardiac adipose-derived stem cells that were systemically transplanted sufficiently improved cardiac functional recovery after myocardial infarction, differentiating into cardiovascular cells in the ischemic myocardium. These findings suggest a new autologous stem cell therapy for patients with myocardial ischemia, especially those with secondary myocardial ischemia after cardiovascular open chest surgery.

Analysis of Habitat Characteristics of the Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula (Carnivora : Mustelidae) Using Geographic Information System (GIS)

We investigated habitat characteristics of the yellow-throated marten Martes flavigula (Carnivora : Mustelidae) using geographic information system (GIS). GPS coordinates of the target mammal traces and seven habitat factors were used for the GIS analysis. The Odaesan National Park (ONP) is selected as a study area for GIS analysis of the habitat characteristics. According to the GIS analysis of whole area of ONP, main forest type was broadleaf trees which occupy 72% of forests. Trees of 4th to 6th age-calss account for 93% of the ONP forests. The mean elevation and slope of ONP was 901 m and 22.1 o , respectively. According to the GIS analysis of M. flavigula habitats in ONP, most M. flavigula traces were found in borad-leaf forests and coniferous forests which are main forest types of ONP. In addition, the yellow-throated marten recorded a relatively high appearance rate of 7% in unstocked forests, which account for much less than 1% of the area of ONP. Most of the marten traces were found in forests with trees of 4th to 6th age-classes. The traces were found in the forest types in higher elevation (1,080.3 m) and lower slope (15.0 o ) on average, compared with those of ONP. Appearance rate of the marten traces was 96% in range less than 600 m from the water. The traces were frequently found in areas far distantly beyond 1,400 m range from human residental areas and cultivated areas.

Finance conference quality and publication success: A conference ranking

Abstract Being subject to time and budget constraints, researchers have to decide whether to attend academic conferences, and if so, which conferences are associated with the best publication outcomes. Based on acknowledgment information obtained from footnotes of more than 3,000 research articles published in finance journals, we first argue that conference participation constitutes an important factor when publishing research articles in top finance journals. We further track the publication status of about 9,000 research articles presented at the most popular finance conferences. Thereby, we arrive at a ranking of 47 finance conferences with the highest appearance rates in top finance and economics journals. In doing so, we provide finance researchers with guidance so they can decide which conferences to attend.

Marine vertebrate faunas from the Maastrichtian phosphates of Benguérir (Ganntour Basin, Morocco): Biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology

The Maastrichtian of Benguérir (eastern part of the Ganntour Basin, Morocco) consists of about 20m of phosphates displaying an alternance of soft phosphate levels, marly horizons and hard phosphatic limestones. Isolated teeth of selachians, actinopterygians and marine reptiles are extremely numerous in these phosphatic deposits and have been used for biostratigraphical, palaeodiversity and palaeoecological purposes.Detailed field work allowed to establish an exhaustive list of the Benguérir marine vertebrate faunas with their biostratigraphical distribution through five main fossiliferous levels (L6 to L2) spanning all the Maastrichtian. Their importance for biochronological purposes and correlations with other Maastrichtian phosphate deposits worldwide appears noteworthy.The selachians are currently represented by 60 species belonging to 32 genera and 7 orders. Among them, the genus Squalicorax is one of the most interesting concerning high-resolution biostratigraphy and correlations with other phosphate basins because of important rates of change noted between the 5 species recovered from base (e.g. occurrence of S. africanus) to top (e.g. strong representation of S. pristodontus) of the Maastrichtian. The marine reptiles include mainly mosasaurids but also scarcer plesiosaurs, chelonians and crocodyliforms, representing at least 14 taxa. The mosasaurid squamates are the most abundant and diversified with at least 8 species ranging all along the succession. The actinopterygians include mainly teleosts but also pycnodonts, also common in all levels and representing at least 7 taxa.Selachians and reptiles show the same trends, in terms of species richness per level, even if the reptiles are less informative due to a less diversified assemblage. For sharks, L6 and L2 show a high percentage of genera and species occurring only in the layer concerned. The evolution of diversity in actinopterygian fishes is less clear because of their low diversity. The use of dissimilarity indices and agglomerative method underscores two distinct associations: a lower one including the levels L6 and L5, and an upper one comprising the levels L4 to L2. These two associations allow to separate a lower and an upper Maastrichtian level and are important for correlations all around the southern and eastern margins of the Tethys. Another clear faunal turnover occurs between L3 and L2, because of a high appearance rate in L2 (at least in sharks) suggesting an increase in prey abundance, as testified by the rapid increase of marine predator density.Indeed, and through L6 to L2, a possible signal of an environmental damage affecting the predator community can be noted by faunal turnovers, even if no significant change in prey association was clearly detected.From a palaeobiogeographical point of view, the faunal associations of Benguérir appear typical of the southern and eastern margins of the Tethys, with several typical species not occurring in the northern Tethys.

Improved Candidate Biomarker Detection Based on Mass Spectrometry Data Using the Hilbert-Huang Transform

Mass spectrometry biomarker discovery may assist patient's diagnosis in time and realize the characteristics of new diseases. Our previous work built a preprocess method called HHTmass which is capable of removing noise, but HHTmass only a proof of principle to be peak detectable and did not tested for peak reappearance rate and used on medical data. We developed a modified version of biomarker discovery method called Enhance HHTMass (E-HHTMass) for MALDI-TOF and SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry data which improved old HHTMass method by removing the interpolation and the biomarker discovery process. E-HHTMass integrates the preprocessing and classification functions to identify significant peaks. The results show that most known biomarker can be found and high peak appearance rate achieved comparing to MSCAP and old HHTMass2. E-HHTMass is able to adapt to spectra with a small increasing interval. In addition, new peaks are detected which can be potential biomarker after further validation.

A water-centred framework to assess the effects of salinity on the growth and yield of wheat and barley

We used a water-centred framework (yield = transpiration × transpiration efficiency × harvest index) to investigate the effect of soil salinity on growth and yield of wheat and barley. Our working hypothesis is that salinity reduces transpiration proportionally more than transpiration efficiency. We established a glasshouse experiment with the factorial combination of four varieties (wheat: Janz, Krichauff; barley: Mundah, Keel) and three soil treatments: a control with no NaCl added, and NaCl added to achieve soil EC1:5 0.75 dS m−1 and 1.5 dS m−1. Pot-grown plants were watered to weight to determine transpiration and shoot dry matter was determined using a non-destructive image analysis system. Consistent with our hypothesis, salinity reduced transpiration (30–60%) proportionally more than transpiration efficiency (0–35%); transpiration accounted for 90% of the variation in shoot growth across varieties and treatments. Against this pattern, there were time- and variety-dependent responses. The rate of leaf appearance and the transpiration efficiency of Janz, Krichauff and Keel showed a two-stage response to salinity. In stage 1, salt-stressed plants maintained rate of leaf appearance and transpiration efficiency close to or slightly below those of the controls. After a clear break point where the slope changed, stage 2 was characterised by a substantial reduction in both traits. Stage 2 was not evident in salt-stressed Mundah, which maintained a relatively high rate of leaf appearance and transpiration efficiency. Across species, harvest index increased from 0.40 in controls to 0.47 at 0.75 dS m−1. Harvest index of plants grown at 1.5 dS m−1 was unaffected in wheat, and was reduced in barley. We propose that an understanding of the effect of salinity on crop development, growth and yield requires integration of low-level traits in a framework of resource capture, resource-use efficiency and plant allocation. Osmotic stress tolerance, Na+ exclusion, and tissue tolerance to accumulated Na+ would improve yield of salt-stressed crops to the extent that these traits contribute to the maintenance of water uptake and harvest index.

Biodiversity patterns of Ordovician marine microphytoplankton from Baltica: Comparison with other fossil groups and sea-level changes

Based on the extensive literature on Ordovician acritarchs, biodiversity curves of marine microphytoplankton of the palaeocontinent Baltica have been compiled. The dataset is derived from more than 100 publications and includes over 600 species whose ranges can be used in diversity analysis. Stratigraphically well-constrained data from the Rapla and Männamaa boreholes, northern Estonia, are analysed separately in order to provide additional information on the Middle to Late Ordovician microphytoplankton evolution on shallow shelf settings. The total species diversity and normalised diversity curves based on range-through data show a slight decrease from the Tremadocian to Floian, which may partly be attributed to limited data available. A continuous increase in diversity from the base of the Dapingian to late Darriwilian — early Katian can be observed, with highest total diversity approaching 250 species in the Keila Regional Stage. The highest appearance rates are recorded in the Dapingian and Darriwilian. Diversity progressively diminished after the early Katian with a more pronounced decrease in the upper Ordovician Porkuni Regional Stage, corresponding to the Hirnantian. A significant faunal turnover took place in the uppermost Ordovician Pirgu and Porkuni stages, with high extinction rates as well as the appearance of many acritarch taxa that are typical of the Silurian floras. The phytoplankton diversity curves match rather well with those of several other fossil groups in Baltica, notably brachiopods and ostracods. Comparison with other palynomorphs reveals both similarities and differences. The chitinozoans show the highest diversities in the upper Darriwilian, but their later decline predates that of acritarchs. A rapid diversification of scolecodonts (jawed polychaetes) can also be observed in the upper Darriwilian. However, unlike acritarchs or chitinozoans, their diversity continues to increase until the uppermost Katian. The acritarch diversity changes are analysed and discussed in the context of palaeogeographic (northwards drifting of Baltica) and palaeoclimatologic changes (rising sea levels up to the middle part of the Upper Ordovician). The increasing diversity of the phytoplankton not only roughly correlates with the Baltic and global sea-level changes, but also with the diversification of marine invertebrate groups.

Studies on Cultivated Ephedra Plants in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Progression of the desertification in northern China has been causing damage to wild Ephedra plants on which we depend for most of supply of the traditional herbal medicine, "Ma huang." The Chinese government encourages the cultivation of Ephedra plants, and Ephedra fields have been reclaimed in the original Ephedra habitats in recent years. We surveyed 7 Ephedra fields that have been recently developed in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to collect information on Ephedra plant cultivation, especially pertaining to crop species. Specimens taken from those Ephedra fields were genetically and morphologically analyzed, and their ephedrine alkaloid content was examined. DNA analyses of Ephedra specimens, including DNA sequencing of ITS (internal transcribing sequence of nuclear ribosomal DNA) and trn L/F (intron of trnL and intergenic spacer between the trnL and trnF of chloroplast DNA) region and species-specific amplification of trn L/F were conducted to identify Ephedra species. Based on the results of DNA sequencing and morphological determination, the crops grown in 6 fields ware identified as Ephedra sinica, while co-planting of E. sinica and E. intermedia was found in one field where a higher appearance rate of plants with varied morphology from wild Ephedra plants was observed. Furthermore, direct sequencing of the PCR product of the trn L/F region of some specimens from the field and their species-specific PCR showed ambivalent result. Cloning and sequencing of the PCR product of the trn L/F region of those specimens DNA suggested their heteroplasmy, containing both E. sinica- and E. intermedia-type chloroplasts. On the other hand, the profile of the ephedrine alkaloid content was clearly correlated with the result of direct sequencing of the trn L/F region; the specimens showing the E. sinica-type sequence contained more ephedrine than pseudoephedrine, and the specimens of the E. intermedia-type more pseudoephedrine.

Repair of defect induced by removal of body surface malignancy with island skin flap

目的 探讨岛状皮瓣修复体表恶性肿瘤切除术后皮肤、软组织缺损的临床效果.方法应用主干动脉岛状皮瓣和穿支血管岛状皮瓣修复不同部位的体表恶性肿瘤切除术后遗留皮肤和软组织缺损,共修复5例,其中2例在面部,2例在四肢,1例在胸壁.结果 5例中,采用主干动脉岛状皮瓣移植修复1例,采用穿支血管岛状皮瓣移植修复4例,5例移植皮瓣全部成活.随访1～5年,除1例肿瘤切除后5年复发外,其余没有复发.缺损修复部位形态和功能良好,岛状皮瓣供区无功能缺损和障碍.结论选择主干动脉岛状皮瓣,尤其选择穿支血管岛状皮瓣修复体表恶性肿瘤切除术后缺损,是一成功率高,术后功能和形态良好,供区损害较小的手术方法。

Effect of enteral glutamine or glycine on whole-body nitrogen kinetics in very-low-birth-weight infants

Glutamine is a critical amino acid for the metabolism of enterocytes, lymphocytes, and other proliferating cells. Although supplementation with glutamine has been suggested for growing infants, its effect on protein metabolism has not been examined. The objective was to examine the effect of enteral glutamine or glycine on whole-body kinetics of glutamine, phenylalanine, leucine, and urea in preterm infants. Infants at <32 wk of gestation were given formula supplemented with either glutamine (0.6 g. kg(-1). d(-1); n = 9) or isonitrogenous amounts of glycine (n = 9) for 5 d. Eight infants fed unsupplemented formula served as control subjects. Glutamine, phenylalanine, leucine nitrogen flux, leucine carbon flux, and urea kinetics were quantified during a basal fasting period and in response to nutrient intake. Growing preterm infants had a high weight-specific rate of appearance of glutamine, phenylalanine, and leucine nitrogen flux. When compared with the control treatment, enteral glutamine resulted in a high rate of urea synthesis, no change in the plasma glutamine concentration, and no change in the rate of appearance of glutamine. Glycine supplementation resulted in similar changes in nitrogen metabolism, but the magnitude of change was less than that in the glutamine group. In the nonsupplemented infants, the rate of appearance of leucine nitrogen flux was negatively correlated (rho = -0.72) with urea synthesis. In contrast, the correlation (rho = 0.75) was positive in the glutamine group. Enterally administered glutamine in growing preterm infants is entirely metabolized in the gut and does not have a discernable effect on whole-body protein and nitrogen kinetics.

Growth, radiation use efficiency and yield potential of enset (Ensete ventricosum) at different sites in southern Ethiopia

SummaryKnowledge on the physiological parameters that determine the growth of enset (Ensete ventricosum) and on how these parameters develop over time and affect yield under field conditions is scarce. Field experiments were carried out at three sites in southern Ethiopia using suckers of several clones to generate crop physiological parameters and to describe the time course of leaf number, leaf area and plant height. Yield potentials at different sites were estimated using these parameters and weather data, and compared with the actual yield.Plant height and LAI increased faster at Awassa and Areka than at Hagereselam because of a higher leaf appearance rate associated with temperatures being closer to the optimum. The trend in plant height was best described by a logistic function, whereas the trend in LAI was best described by a logistic function only at Awassa and Areka.A high leaf appearance rate (0.18 leaves day−1) during early growth at Awassa and Areka made it possible that leaves that were senesced during unfavourable climatic conditions could be rapidly replaced without strong fluctuation in leaf area index. At Hagereselam, however, the rate of leaf appearance (0.09 leaves day−1) was too small to compensate for the decline in the number of green leaves per plant during adverse conditions and thus LAI fluctuated over the whole growing period.The trend in fraction of PAR intercepted was best described by a generalised logistic function. At 300 days after transplanting the suckers, LAI reached a value of 4.5 and enset clones intercepted 92–97% of incoming PAR. The mean extinction coefficient was between 0.56–0.91 and radiation use efficiency (RUE) ranged from 1.43–2.67 g MJ−1. Dry matter kocho yield potentials of 17.1 to 33.9 t ha‐1 yr‐1 were estimated for enset clones. Important yield potential differences existed between clones mainly because of differences in radiation use efficiency that was probably partly associated with viral infection. The average ratio of actual yield:yield potential (0.24) was low mainly because of large losses associated with traditional fermentation techniques, yield reducing cultivation methods such as repetitive transplanting and leaf pruning, presence of diseases, lack of adequate fertilisation and shortage and uneven distribution of rainfall.

Leg and arm lactate and substrate kinetics during exercise.

To study the role of muscle mass and muscle activity on lactate and energy kinetics during exercise, whole body and limb lactate, glucose, and fatty acid fluxes were determined in six elite cross-country skiers during roller-skiing for 40 min with the diagonal stride (Continuous Arm + Leg) followed by 10 min of double poling and diagonal stride at 72-76% maximal O(2) uptake. A high lactate appearance rate (R(a), 184 +/- 17 micromol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) but a low arterial lactate concentration ( approximately 2.5 mmol/l) were observed during Continuous Arm + Leg despite a substantial net lactate release by the arm of approximately 2.1 mmol/min, which was balanced by a similar net lactate uptake by the leg. Whole body and limb lactate oxidation during Continuous Arm + Leg was approximately 45% at rest and approximately 95% of disappearance rate and limb lactate uptake, respectively. Limb lactate kinetics changed multiple times when exercise mode was changed. Whole body glucose and glycerol turnover was unchanged during the different skiing modes; however, limb net glucose uptake changed severalfold. In conclusion, the arterial lactate concentration can be maintained at a relatively low level despite high lactate R(a) during exercise with a large muscle mass because of the large capacity of active skeletal muscle to take up lactate, which is tightly correlated with lactate delivery. The limb lactate uptake during exercise is oxidized at rates far above resting oxygen consumption, implying that lactate uptake and subsequent oxidation are also dependent on an elevated metabolic rate. The relative contribution of whole body and limb lactate oxidation is between 20 and 30% of total carbohydrate oxidation at rest and during exercise under the various conditions. Skeletal muscle can change its limb net glucose uptake severalfold within minutes, causing a redistribution of the available glucose because whole body glucose turnover was unchanged.

Brain alpha(2)-adrenoceptors in monoamine-depleted rats: increased receptor density, G coupling proteins, receptor turnover and receptor mRNA.

1. This study was designed to assess the molecular and cellular events involved in the up-regulation (and receptor supersensitivity) of brain alpha(2)-adrenoceptors as a result of chronic depletion of noradrenaline (and other monoamines) by reserpine. 2. Chronic reserpine (0.25 mg kg(-1) s.c., every 48 h for 6 - 14 days) increased significantly the density (B(max) values) of cortical alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist sites (34 - 48% for [(3)H]-UK14304, 22 - 32% for [(3)H]-clonidine) but not that of antagonist sites (11 - 18% for [(3)H]-RX821002). Competition of [(3)H]-RX821002 binding by (-)-adrenaline further indicated that chronic reserpine was associated with up-regulation of the high-affinity state of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors. 3. In cortical membranes of reserpine-treated rats (0.25 mg kg(-1) s.c., every 48 h for 20 days), the immunoreactivities of various G proteins (Galphai(1/2), Galphai(3), Galphao and Galphas) were increased (25 - 34%). Because the high-affinity conformation of the alpha(2)-adrenoceptor is most probably related to the complex with Galphai(2) proteins, these results suggested an increase in signal transduction through alpha(2)-adrenoceptors (and other monoamine receptors) induced by chronic reserpine. 4. After alpha(2)-adrenoceptor alkylation, the analysis of receptor recovery (B(max) for [(3)H]-UK14304) indicated that the increased density of cortical alpha(2)-adrenoceptors in reserpine-treated rats was probably due to a higher appearance rate constant of the receptor ((Delta)r=57%) and not to a decreased disappearance rate constant ((Delta)k=7%). 5. Northern- and dot-blot analyses of RNA extracted from the cerebral cortex of saline- and reserpine-treated rats (0.25 mg kg(-1), s.c., every 48 h for 20 days) revealed that reserpine markedly increased the expression of alpha(2a)-adrenoceptor mRNA in the brain (125%). This transcriptional activation of the receptor gene expression appears to be the cellular mechanism by which reserpine induces up-regulation in the density of brain alpha(2)-adrenoceptors.

電気泳動，ゲノム，プロテオーム

The development of modern molecular biology strongly depends on the progress of “electrophoresis” techniques. Since Tiselius, the resolution of electrophoresis separation of proteins had been elevated dramatically, especially after the advent of SDS-polyacrylamide gel by Laemmli, until it became two-dimensional by O'Farrell. On the other hand, nucleic acids became also the target of this technique ended up with the establishment of DNA-sequencing gel by Maxam-Gilbert and Sanger. This technique aided by gene cloning technology has determined a great number of genes with respect to the nucleotide sequence. This also led to the elucidation of the relationship between the structure and the function of genes in eukaryotes as well as prokaryotes. The emerging issue was then to determine the whole genomic as well as mRNA (cDNA) sequences of a species including human in order to understand the riddle of life on the molecular level. The Human Genome Project began in 1989/1990 by the leadership of NIH, USA as a consortium of several countries including U. K., Japan, France and Germany. A venture business Celeara Genomics came in the competition using another procedure named“whole genome shot-gun”. They reconciled in June 2000, by shaking hands at both sides of the President Clinton, announcing that draft sequence of the human genome had been completed. The results were published in February issues of Nature and Science this year (2001). The results were mostly similar confirming their efforts were correct. But, some unexpected results were also obtained; e. g. the unexpectedly low number of human genes, very high rate of appearance of trasposon-type repetitive sequences etc. The author will interpret the results carefully and discuss further on interesting points leading to proteomes.

Response to selection for node appearance rate of white clover

Genotypes were selected for high and low node appearance rate within cultivars of white clover, and populations were generated by polycrossing in isolation. Cultivars of white clover were significantly different for node appearance rate, with a breeding line Isolation V having the highest, and cultivars ‘Dusi’ and ‘Grasslands Challenge’ the lowest node appearance rates of 11 cultivars. Node appearance rate of cultivars is negatively associated with leaf size. Selected genotypes, and progeny from them, selected for high node appearance rate had significantly higher node appearance rate than genotypes and their progeny selected for low node appearance rate when re‐tested. Selection for high node appearance rate within some cultivars resulted in increased stolon elongation rate and proportion of nodes branching. In white clover node appearance rate is highly heritable.

An Acoustically Evoked Short Latency Negative Response in Profound Hearing Loss Patients

In our auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests, a peculiar V-shaped negative wave at around 3-4 ms latency was observed. At present, this acoustically evoked short latency negative response (ASNR) is poorly understood. In order to study its appearance and origin, the ABR data of 3104 tests during 1980-98 were reviewed. The ASNR was found only in profound hearing loss ears under intense stimuli (80-120 dB nHL). Out of the total 653 profound hearing loss patients (981 ears), the click-evoked ASNRs were present in 80 patients (12.3%), 117 ears (11.9%). The age range was from 8 months to 70 years. Demographic outcome revealed significant higher appearance rates in young subjects especially in the 20-30 years group. The ASNR was excluded from an artifact by its reproducibility over time, equipment and institutes. Moreover, it became absent after external auditory canal occlusion, which simply blocked the air conduction without any influence upon scalp potentials or equipment. It had neural response characteristics that the latency and amplitude shortened and increased respectively in response to the increase of stimulus intensity. Because the peculiar V-shaped waveform obviously differs from ABR, the ASNR was not interpreted as a potential generated from the conventional auditory pathway. On the other hand, the ASNR individuals were of good vestibular function in sharp contrast with their poor hearing. This suggests the probable relation between the ASNR and the vestibular system. The saccule and vestibular nucleus are hypothesized to be the sense organ and the origin of the response respectively.

Performance and architectural evaluation of the PSI machine

We evaluated a Prolog machine PSI (Personal Sequential Inference machine) for the purpose of improving and redesigning it. In this evaluation, we measured the execution speed and the dynamic characteristics of cache memory, register file, and branching hardware introduced for high-speed execution of Prolog programs.Execution speed of the PSI firmware interpreter was found to be comparable to that of the DEC-10 Prolog compiled code on the DEC-2060. It was also found that PSI was faster than DEC for executing programs containing much unification and backtracking that require runtime processing.With the cache memory, the hit ratio for application programs was found higher than 96%; this demonstrates that the Prolog execution has much memory access locality. The memory access frequency and the appearance ratio between Read and Write command were also investigated.Concerning the register file, use rate of each dedicated access mode was measured and effect of each mode was discussed. In the branching function we confirmed a high appearance rate of conditional branches and multi-way branches based on tag values.

Performance and architectural evaluation of the PSI machine

We evaluated a Prolog machine PSI (Personal Sequential Inference machine) for the purpose of improving and redesigning it. In this evaluation, we measured the execution speed and the dynamic characteristics of cache memory, register file, and branching hardware introduced for high-speed execution of Prolog programs.Execution speed of the PSI firmware interpreter was found to be comparable to that of the DEC-10 Prolog compiled code on the DEC-2060. It was also found that PSI was faster than DEC for executing programs containing much unification and backtracking that require runtime processing.With the cache memory, the hit ratio for application programs was found higher than 96%; this demonstrates that the Prolog execution has much memory access locality. The memory access frequency and the appearance ratio between Read and Write command were also investigated.Concerning the register file, use rate of each dedicated access mode was measured and effect of each mode was discussed. In the branching function we confirmed a high appearance rate of conditional branches and multi-way branches based on tag values.

Performance and architectural evaluation of the PSI machine

We evaluated a Prolog machine PSI (Personal Sequential Inference machine) for the purpose of improving and redesigning it. In this evaluation, we measured the execution speed and the dynamic characteristics of cache memory, register file, and branching hardware introduced for high-speed execution of Prolog programs.Execution speed of the PSI firmware interpreter was found to be comparable to that of the DEC-10 Prolog compiled code on the DEC-2060. It was also found that PSI was faster than DEC for executing programs containing much unification and backtracking that require runtime processing.With the cache memory, the hit ratio for application programs was found higher than 96%; this demonstrates that the Prolog execution has much memory access locality. The memory access frequency and the appearance ratio between Read and Write command were also investigated.Concerning the register file, use rate of each dedicated access mode was measured and effect of each mode was discussed. In the branching function we confirmed a high appearance rate of conditional branches and multi-way branches based on tag values.