cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature diagnostic line ratios of Fe XVII

Based on extensive calculations of the excitation rates of Fe XVII, four temperature-sensitive line ratios are investigated, paying special attention to the contribution of resonances to the excitation rates and to the contributions of dielectronic recombination satellites to the observed line intensities. The predictions are compared to FPCS observations of Puppis A and to Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) and SOLEX observations of the sun. Temperature-sensitive line ratios are also computed for emitting gas covering a broad temperature range. It is found that each ratio yields a differently weighted average for the temperature and that this accounts for some apparent discrepancies between the theoretical ratios and solar observations. The effects of this weighting on the Fe XVII temperature diagnostics and on the analogous Fe XXIV/Fe XXV satellite line temperature diagnostics are discussed.
Stability of a radially bounded rotating fluid heated from below

The stability of a bounded rotating cylinder of fluid heated from below is treated mathematically under the assumptions of stationary onset and axisymmetry. Critical Rayleigh numbers are computed by Galerkin's method as a function of the Taylor number and cylinder aspect ratio for Taylor numbers,τ≤106. The constraining effect of the side walls is shown to decrease with either increasingτ or increasing radius/height ratios. Forτ>106, most cylinders, excluding extremely tall ones, will appear infinite in horizontal extent as far as stability characteristics are concerned. The form of the motion at onset is discussed in relation to previous work.
Synthesis of 2-oxo-3-benzothiazolineacetyl chloride (7), 5-chloro-2-oxo-3-benzothiazolineacetyl chloride (8) and derivatives

The reaction of 2-oxo-3-benzothiazolineacetic acid (5) and the 5-chloro analogue 6 with thionyl chloride afforded the titled compounds 7 and 8. The reaction of 7 or 8 with substituted hydrazines, amines or substituted anilines, alcohols and mercaptans furnished the hydrazides 9–14, acetamides and acetanilides 16–21, esters 26–30 and thiolesters 31–37, respectively. Alternate routes for the synthesis of hydrazide 15, acetamides and acetanilides 22–25 and thiolesters 35–36 are described. The reaction of 2-oxo-3(2H)-benzothi-azolineacetonitrile with thioacetic acid under acidic conditions afforded 2-oxo-3-benzothiazolineethanethio-amide (38).
Lymphosarcoma cell growth is selectively inhibited by B lymphocyte mitogens: LPS, dextran sulfate and PPD.

Summary A series of murine lymphosarcomas, including those induced by Abelson leukemia virus, were adapted to culture. Their cell growth was inhibited by B lymphocyte mitogens at concentrations which did not affect other hematopoietic cell lines: myelomas, T lymphomas, mastocytoma and erythroleukemia. The pattern of inhibition among different lymphosarcoma lines suggests that they represent tumors of B lymphocytes at different stages of differentiation.
Social Class and the Extracurriculum.

AbstractSocial class is a powerful and often unrecognized influence on student participation in the extracurriculum. Spontaneous student-created extracurricular experiences depend on students affiliating and interacting with each other; student social class is a powerful influence on student affiliations. Students tend to exercise consciousness of kind- and self-select to interact with culturally, ethnically, gender-, and class-similar members of the campus community. However, planners of extracurricular experiences typically neglect student social class in planning, promoting, or conducting an experience as well as neglecting social class as a topic for planned experiences. This article explores social class as both a personal characteristic and as a feature of the campus environment. Social class affects how members of the campus community perceive and participate in campus curricular and extracurricular activities and how extracurricular experiences are designed.
Automated protein structure modeling in CASP9 by I‐TASSER pipeline combined with QUARK‐based ab initio folding and FG‐MD‐based structure refinement

I-TASSER is an automated pipeline for protein tertiary structure prediction using multiple threading alignments and iterative structure assembly simulations. In CASP9 experiments, two new algorithms, QUARK and fragment-guided molecular dynamics (FG-MD), were added to the I-TASSER pipeline for improving the structural modeling accuracy. QUARK is a de novo structure prediction algorithm used for structure modeling of proteins that lack detectable template structures. For distantly homologous targets, QUARK models are found useful as a reference structure for selecting good threading alignments and guiding the I-TASSER structure assembly simulations. FG-MD is an atomic-level structural refinement program that uses structural fragments collected from the PDB structures to guide molecular dynamics simulation and improve the local structure of predicted model, including hydrogen-bonding networks, torsion angles, and steric clashes. Despite considerable progress in both the template-based and template-free structure modeling, significant improvements on protein target classification, domain parsing, model selection, and ab initio folding of β-proteins are still needed to further improve the I-TASSER pipeline.
The functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons. Part 26. Ionic substitution reactions in GoAggIV chemistry: The construction of CN, CS and CC bonds☆

Abstract Utilization of the GoAggIV system in the presence of sodium azide, sodium nitrite, sodium thiocyanate, sodium disulfide and tetraethylamonium cyanide converts saturated hydrocarbons into the corresponding alkyl azides, nitroalkanes, alkyl thiocyanates, dialkyl disulfides and alkyl cyanides, respectively. Mechanistic studies suggest an Fe-centered ligand coupling reaction pathway.
Microprogramming&#8212;Another look at internal computer control

The internal control of a computer is directed by the instruction. The instruction causes a sequence of steps (or microinstructions) to occur which interpret the instruction. This interpretation of an instruction can be implemented by a storage media called a control store. The programs written for this media are called microprograms. The recent availability of fast READ-WRITE bipolar storage media now makes possible the rapid changing of content of this storage and hence makes possible computer organizations which can interpret a wide variety of different types of instructions. These computer organizatios are called soft machine architectures. It is also possible to conceive of new "machine languages" or directly executable languages which are specially developed as an intermediate level between a specific higher level language and the microprogrammable machine.
The IBM card-programmed electronic calculator

Tracking a guided missile on a test range now is the only way to make sure of its performance. At one Department of Defense facility this is done by planting batteries of cameras or photo-theodolites along a 100-mile course. During its flight, the missile position is recorded by each camera at 100 frames per second, together with the camera training angles. Formerly these thousands of pictures from each of many cameras were turned over to a crew of computers, to determine just what happened. It took 2 weeks to make the calculations for a single flight. Now this is done on the International Business Machines (IBM) Card-Programmed Electronic Calculator in about 8 hours, and the tests can proceed.
Formation conditions and atomic structure of the Si(111)-√19 Ni surface

Abstract We determined the formation conditions and atomic structure of the Si(111)-√19 Ni surface using Auger electron spectroscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The √19 phase can be produced by low temperature deposition followed by annealing and quenching from above 860°C. It tends to coexist with a variable density 1 × 1-RC (ring cluster) phase. The intrinsic coverage of the √19 phase alone is approximately 0.15 monolayers, corresponding to three Ni atoms per √19 unit cell. Deposition at 550°C suppresses the 1 × 1-RC phase and creates a well-ordered √19 phase in coexistence with Si 7 × 7. Deposition at 350°C produces silicide islands in a matrix of Si 7 × 7. From high resolution STM images we determined the lattice registration of the √19 phase and present a model for its atomic structure.
PD02-01: Impact of Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy on Surgical Outcomes.

Background: Among women with unilateral cancer, rates of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) are continuing to increase. However, little is known about whether rates and types of complications differ between patients undergoing unilateral mastectomy or bilateral mastectomy, limiting the surgical outcomes evidence that can be presented in pre-surgical decision making for women considering CPM. This study was undertaken to determine whether surgical complications are increased in women undergoing CPM compared to those without CPM. Methods: Between the years 2005–2010, all patients at UCSF undergoing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction were entered into a prospective database. This database was queried for patients with unilateral cancer who had mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with or without CPM. Surgical outcomes, including implant loss, admission for IV antibiotics, and return to OR were evaluated and compared between patients who did and did not undergo CPM. Patients with bilateral cancer or bilateral prophylactic surgery were excluded; analyses were limited to patients with a minimum of 1 year follow-up. Results: 468 patients were identified who met study criteria, totaling 667 breasts. Mean follow-up time was 22 months (range 12 - 69 months). 269 of the 468 (57.5%) patients had unilateral mastectomy only, while 199 of 468 (42.5%) patients also had CPM. There were no differences in tumor grade, stage, follow-up time, smoking history, or radiation (prior or post-surgery) between the two groups. The only significant differences between the unilateral and bilateral groups were median age at diagnosis (50.7 vs. 45.9 respectively; p In patients undergoing bilateral mastectomy, overall complication rates were comparable between the index breast and the CPM breast; however, there was a higher implant loss rate in the index breast (22/177 vs. 11/188; p=0.05). Conclusions: While CPM is an increasingly common procedure, it is associated with an increased risk of major post-operative surgical complications. In this cohort, patients undergoing bilateral mastectomy for unilateral cancer had higher rates of overall complications, greater use of IV antibiotics, and more frequent return to the operating room. Since the majority of CPM cases are not at sufficiently high risk for a second breast cancer to meet clinical criteria for prophylactic surgery, guidelines and clinical recommendations should consider these increased complication rates when counseling women contemplating CPM. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr PD02-01.
Chilling injury in coleus as influenced by photosynthetically active radiation, temperature and abscisic acid pretreatment. I. Morphological and physiological responses

Abstract.Coleus blumei Benth. (PI No. 354190), a green-leafed cultivar, was exposed to 5°C for 48 or 72 h after pretreatment for 48 h at two levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) (8 and 320 μmol s−1 m−2), two temperatures (13 and 20°C), and two abscisic acid (ABA) levels (0 and 200 g m−3 of the racemic mixture). Plants given low PAR for only 48 h prior to chilling treatment (48 or 72 h at 5°C) showed increased protection against chilling injury while those given high PAR were severely injured. The former plants were darker green, contained greater concentrations of chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll and anthocyanin and generally had a lower abscission rate than the latter plants. There were no differences, however, in chlorophyll-a/b ratio among plants grown at the two PAR levels, two temperatures or two ABA concentrations. Temperature and ABA pretreatment and number of hours at 5°C had no significant effect on chilling injury as measured by leaf chlorosis, but generally had a significant effect on leaf abcission, especially at 3 and 7 d after returning the plants to the greenhouse. Enclosing intact plants or excised shoots in plastic bags to maintain 100% relative humidity during 72 h chilling treatment failed to provide protection against chilling injury. These findings indicate that the protective effects of low PAR applied prior to chilling treatment may be as important or more important than that applied during chilling. They also indicate the importance of making careful measurements of PAR levels when conducting studies on chilling injury.
Tending Communities, Crossing Cultures: Midwives in 19th-Century California

This article addresses the social history of midwifery and nursing on the California frontier between 1835 and 1885. Drawing on the published interviews of Juana Machado de Ridington (1814–1901) and Apolinaria Lorenzana (born in 1795), this study addresses the practice of midwifery in this culturally diverse frontier setting. The identity of the nineteenth-century Californiana midwife was based on the multiple roles she played in the communities she served. In addition to midwife (as we know it today), these identities included the role of lay minister, godmother, foster mother, and interpreter/translator. Previous histories have tended to marginalize these women and have failed to recognize their importance on the frontier both as women and as caretakers. The primary source material available tended to give only secondary attention to these midwives and their experiences. It is important that we preserve a place in history for these midwives and understand as best we can the ways in which they served their communities.
Prostatic ultrasound in follow-up of prostatic disease

Longitudinal and radial transrectal prostatic ultrasound techniques were compared for their consistency and reproducibility in recording prostatic size. While the longitudinal image at the 12:00 position was consistent, radial scanning was variable depending on whether the apex, mid, or base aspects of the prostate were scanned. It is recommended that protocols requiring serial measurements of prostate size utilize a longitudinal ultrasonic transducer and scan at the 12:00 position.
Inter-Professional Collaboration: Perceptions and Practices with Youth with Complex Problems

Youth with complex problems are frequently served by multiple public systems, including mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, and education. Effective inter-professional collaboration is necessary to meet the needs of these youth, yet relationships among individual characteristics of service providers and their collaborative activities have not been examined. This study explores inter-professional beliefs, perceived competencies, and practices of licensed social workers serving youth with complex problems, using data from the National Association of Social Workers Workforce Study. Our analyses suggest that perceived importance of collaboration may contribute to and predict collaborative activities (B = 1.05, SE = .13,β = .30, p < .001) and this relationship remained positive and significant after controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, years of practice experience, and sector of employment. Better understanding of these inter-professional beliefs, competencies, and practices may help identify tr...
Abstract A22: New instrument to measure functional breast cancer literacy

A critical undertaking in designing research interventions that study effective ways to reduce health disparities among racial/ethnic and underserved women is to have instruments that are linguistically and culturally appropriate. Traditionally, when instruments are developed, even those that are used in health disparities, they have been normed using Caucasians and then used with other populations. We were funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research to use traditional rigors of psychometric methods in the context of a community-based participatory research intervention to validate cancer literacy assessment tools (CLAT) that measure a woman9s functional understanding of breast and cervical cancer in English, Spanish, and Arabic. With a sample size of 543 women, the reliability, factor structure, validity of the Breast Cancer Literacy Assessment Tool (BCLAT) was determined by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. We examined differential item functioning (DIF) with nonparametric IRT Multiple regression was used to identify variables predictive of performance on the BCLAT. Results: A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), using a 2-parameter IRT model, had a good fit (CFI = .81, RMSEA = .05) to the proposed three factor structure. Maximum likelihood exploratory factor analysis of tetrachoric correlations and examination of scree plots also indicated a 3-factor solution. No items were eliminated as a result of the DIF analysis. The three scales, Awareness, Screening, and Prevention/Control, were moderately difficult with 63%, 62%, and 68% correct, respectively, with internal consistency reliability of .53, .62, and .63, respectively. The scales were only weakly inter-correlated (r9s Even when implementing the Kin KeeperSM Cancer Prevention Intervention to deliver cancer education to Black, Latina and Arab women as the context in which we validated our cancer literacy assessment tools, we were still able to adhere to the rigorous of psychometric testing. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):A22.
The metabolism of δ-aminovaleric acid-δ-C14☆

Abstract δ-Aminovaleric acid-δ-C14 is rapidly oxidized to carbon dioxide in the intact rat. Glutaric acid appears to be a major product of its metabolism.
Solar‐terrestrial coupling: Solar soft X‐rays and thermospheric nitric oxide

Simultaneous measurements were made of the solar soft x-ray irradiances and the thermospheric nitric oxide density in the tropics from the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE) satellite. The analysis of these observations for 44 days of low geomagnetic activity in the spring of 1998 show that there is a correlation between the solar soft x-ray irradiances and thermospheric nitric oxide densities in the tropics. Photochemical model calculations that used the measured solar soft x-ray irradiances as input parameters adequately reproduce the magnitude of the time-varying component of the thermospheric nitric oxide in the tropics. An additional amount of nitric oxide is present in the tropics that does not vary with the time period of the solar rotation. The conclusion of this analysis is that solar soft x-rays are the primary cause of the variation in the thermospheric nitric oxide densities in the tropics during times of low geomagnetic activity.
Visual evoked potentials and quantitative perimetry in multiple sclerosis

The visual evoked potential (VEP) to a flash stimulus proved to be more effective than quantitative perimetry in detecting evidence of previous optic neuritis (97 vs 56%) or asymptomatic lesions in the visual pathways (56 vs 14%) of 49 patients with multiple sclerosis. The characteristic VEP abnormality, increased latency, was also found in 8 of 15 eyes with visual field defects related to ischemic optic neuropathy. This abnormality therefore is not specific for demyelinative disease, but it is highly suggestive in the presence of normal visual function determined psychophysically. The VEP disclosed a high incidence (81%) of asymptomatic lesions in optic nerves opposite previously affected eyes. Neither the presence nor the magnitude of the latency abnormality correlated with the degree of visual impairment. Prolonged latency may not be present at the onset of acute optic neuritis.
Performance characteristics of two Ethernets: an experimental study

Local computer networks are increasing in popularity for the interconnection of computers for a variety of applications. One such network that has been implemented on a large scale is the Ethernet. This paper describes an experimental performance evaluation of a 3 and a 10 Mb/s Ethernet. The effects of varying packet length and transmission speed on throughput, mean delay and delay distribution are quantified. The protocols are seen to be fair and stable. These measurements span the range from the region of high performance of the CSMA/CD protocol to the upper limits of its utility where performance is degraded. The measurements are compared to the predictions of existing analytical models. The correlation is found to range from good to poor, with more sophisticated models yielding better results than a simple one.
DESIGNING SIMPLE RELIABILITY EXPERIMENTS

A common problem in teaching reliability is the lack of data which can be both generated - and then analyzed - by the student. This short article illustrates two simple reliability experiments that can be performed rapidly with a minimum of equipment. O..
Timing of large movement events of pond-breeding amphibians in Western Massachusetts, USA

Abstract Understanding the factors influencing the timing of large movement events in pond-breeding amphibians has important conservation implications, especially with regard to establishing road closures aimed at minimizing road mortality. We examined the timing of juvenile emigration and adult immigration in four species of pond-breeding amphibians (Ambystoma maculatum, Ambystoma opacum, Notophthalmus viridescens, and Rana sylvatica) at 14 seasonal ponds in western Massachusetts from 1999 to 2003. Regression trees were variously successful in producing an effective and parsimonious description and robust prediction of large movement events based on a suite of temporal and meteorological variables. Julian date, degree-days, temperature, precipitation and droughtiness were all important correlates of movement for one or more species and age class. The amount of rainfall during the previous 24 h period was an important variable in four of the five trees built, and degree-days was an important variable in two of the three trees built describing juvenile emigration. In four of six cases, regression trees identified a few days each year that accounted for a large percentage of the total annual movement, and thus offered a practical means to determine when road-closure events designed to minimize road mortality of pond-breeding amphibians during migratory events would be most effectively employed.
scid mutation in mice confers hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation and a deficiency in DNA double-strand break repair.

Abstract C.B-17 severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice carry the scid mutation and are severely deficient in both T cell- and B cell-mediated immunity, apparently as a result of defective V(D)J joining of the immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene elements. In the present studies, we have defined the tissue, cellular, and molecular basis of another characteristic of these mice: their hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation. Bone marrow stem cells, intestinal crypt cells, and epithelial skin cells from scid mice are 2- to 3-fold more sensitive when irradiated in situ than are congenic BALB/c or C.B-17 controls. Two independently isolated embryo fibroblastic scid mouse cell lines display similar hypersensitivities to gamma-rays. In addition, these cell lines are sensitive to cell killing by bleomycin, which also produces DNA strand breaks, but not by the DNA crosslinking agent mitomycin C or UV irradiation. Measurement of the rejoining of gamma-ray-induced DNA double-strand breaks by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis indicates that these animals are defective in this repair system. This suggests that the gamma-ray sensitivity of the scid mouse fibroblasts could be the result of reduced repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Therefore, a common factor may participate in both the repair of DNA double-strand breaks as well as V(D)J rejoining during lymphocyte development. This murine autosomal recessive mutation should prove extremely useful in fundamental studies of radiation-induced DNA damage and repair.
Mating alters gonadotropin-releasing hormone cell number and content.

Female musk shrews (Suncus murinus) are induced ovulators, which lack a behavioral and ovarian estrous cycle. Females mate the first time they are introduced to a male, but a second or third mating, at least 24 h later, is usually required to induce ovulation. Because GnRH-immunoreactive (GnRH-ir) cell numbers increase during and after exposure to a male, we hypothesized that mating promotes synthesis of this important peptide. To test this hypothesis, we examined changes in GnRH-ir cell number and GnRH-ir content at select time points after mating and ovulation. One hour after mating, GnRH-ir cell numbers in olfactory-related regions of the forebrain were increased. By 15 h after mating, just before ovulation, GnRH-ir cell number and content were increased. Twenty-four hours after mating, GnRH-ir cell numbers in the tenia tecta and medial septum/diagonal band were lower in females that ovulated compared with females that did not ovulate. By 40 h postmating, females that ovulated had fewer GnRH-ir neurons...
Cardiorheumatology: cardiac involvement in systemic rheumatic disease

Autoimmune rheumatic diseases can affect the cardiac vasculature, valves, myocardium, pericardium, and conduction system, leading to a plethora of cardiovascular manifestations that can remain clinically silent or lead to substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although the high risk of cardiovascular pathology in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatological diseases is not owing to atherosclerosis alone, this particular condition contributes substantially to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality-the degree of coronary atherosclerosis observed in patients with rheumatic diseases can be as accelerated, diffuse, and extensive as in patients with diabetes mellitus. The high risk of atherosclerosis is not solely attributable to traditional cardiovascular risk factors: dysfunctional immune responses, a hallmark of patients with rheumatic disorders, are thought to cause chronic tissue-destructive inflammation. Prompt recognition of cardiovascular abnormalities is needed for timely and appropriate management, and aggressive control of traditional risk factors remains imperative in patients with rheumatic diseases. Moreover, therapies directed towards inflammatory process are crucial to reduce cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. In this Review, we examine the multiple cardiovascular manifestations in patients with rheumatological disorders, their underlying pathophysiology, and available management strategies, with particular emphasis on the vascular aspects of the emerging field of 'cardiorheumatology'.
Acute effects of high‐dose methylprednisolone on diaphragm muscle function

The time- and dose-dependent effects of acute high-dose corticosteroids on the diaphragm muscle are poorly defined. This study aimed to examine in rabbits the temporal relationships and dose-response effects of acute high-dose methylprednisolone succinate on diaphragmatic contractile and structural properties. Animals were assigned to groups receiving: (1) 80 mg/kg/day methylprednisolone (MP80) intramuscularly for 1, 2, and 3 days; (2) 10 mg/kg/day methylprednisolone (MP10, pulse-dose) for 3 days; or (3) saline (placebo) for 3 days; and (4) a control group. Diaphragmatic in vitro force-frequency and force-velocity relationships, myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform protein and mRNA, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), muscle atrophy F-box (MAF-box) mRNA, and volume density of abnormal myofibrils were measured at each time-point. MP80 did not affect animal nutritional state or fiber cross-sectional area as assessed in separate pair-fed groups receiving methylprednisolone or saline for 3 days. Compared with control values, MP80 decreased diaphragmatic maximum tetanic tension (Po) by 19%, 24%, and 34% after 1, 2, and 3 days (P 0.05). Vmax and MyHC protein proportions were unchanged in both the MP80 and MP10 groups. Maximum power output decreased after 2 and 3 days of MP80. Suppression of IGF-1 and overexpression of MAF-box mRNA occurred in both MP groups. Significant myofibrillar disarray was also observed in both MP groups. The decline in Po was significantly associated with the increased volume density of abnormal myofibrils. Thus, very high-dose methylprednisolone (MP80) can produce rapid reductions in diaphragmatic function, whereas pulse-dose methylprednisolone (MP10) produces only modest functional loss.
Serum and blister fluid pharmacokinetics and bactericidal activities of ampicillin-sulbactam, cefotetan, cefoxitin, ceftizoxime, and ticarcillin-clavulanate.

Ampicillin-sulbactam, ticarcillin-clavulanate, cefoxitin, cefotetan, and ceftizoxime are promoted for the treatment of mixed aerobic-anaerobic bacterial infections. Their activities have been compared in vitro but not in vivo. In order to assess the in vivo activities of these agents in serum and interstitial fluid, we administered single, intravenous doses of these antimicrobial agents to healthy subjects. Concentrations of the antimicrobial agents in serum and suction-induced blister fluid and bactericidal activity were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography and the standard methodology of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, respectively. The organisms used for bactericidal activity tests were one isolate each of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Bacteroides fragilis. Pharmacokinetic parameters in serum and blister fluid were similar to those derived in other investigations. Of note were the high and prolonged concentrations of ticarcillin and cefotetan in blister fluid, despite high-level serum protein binding. The bactericidal activities in serum and blister fluid reflected the relative in vitro activities and kinetic dispositions of the various antimicrobial agents except for the bactericidal activity of cefotetan, which was substantially lower in blister fluid than serum, despite a blister fluid:serum area under the concentration-time curve ratio of 1.5. Similarly, the activity of ticarcillin-clavulanate in blister fluid was also substantially less than would have been predicted by the blister fluid:serum ratio of the area under the concentration-time curve of 1.1, possibly because of the low concentrations of clavulanate in blister fluid. The rankings of the in vivo bactericidal activities of the five drugs were as follows: for S. aureus, ampicillin-sulbactam > ticarcillin-clavulanate > ceftizoxime > cefoxitin > cefotetan; for K. pneumoniae, ceftizoxime > cefotetan > ampicillin-sulbactam = ticarcillin-clavulanate > cefoxitin; and for B.fragilis, ticarcillin-clavulanate > cefotetan > ceftizoxime > ampicillin-sulbactam = cefoxitin.
Variation in Budburst Phenology of Douglas-fir Related to Western Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Fitness

Variation in budburst phenology among individual trees of interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca [Beissn.] Franco) may influence their susceptibility to western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) defoliation. We tested the hypothesis that phenological asynchrony between Douglas-fir and the western spruce budworm is a mechanism of resistance using clones derived from parent trees that showed resistance versus susceptibility to C. occidentalis defoliation in the field. Susceptible clones had earlier budburst phenology compared with resistant clones when they were grown in a common greenhouse environment, demonstrating a genetic basis for parallel phenological differences exhibited by the parent trees. We tested the importance of phenological asynchrony as a factor influencing fitness of C. occidentalis using two different greenhouse bioassay experiments. One experiment compared western spruce budworm performance on equivalent phenological stages of susceptible and resistant clones by matching larval feeding to the columnar (fourth) bud development stage of each clone. Larvae reared on resistant clones had greater realized fitness (i.e., number of F1 offspring produced) than those reared on susceptible clones when the influence of variation in budburst phenology was minimized. In the other experiment, western spruce budworm larvae were placed on all trees on the same date when approximately 50% of all terminal buds in the population were in the yellow (second) budburst stage. Larvae reared on susceptible clones had greater realized fitness than those reared on resistant clones when the influence of phenological asynchrony was expressed. Our results suggest that resistant phenotypes of Douglas-fir have negative effects on survival and reproduction of C. occidentalis under the natural conditions that insects and trees experience in the field. Genetic variation among trees in budburst phenology has an important influence on interactions between the western spruce budworm and Douglas-fir.
A mathematics colloquium for sophomores

ABSTRACT At Wheaton College, we introduced a department colloquium in 1997 as a required one hour course for the mathematics major. The purpose is to introduce our sophomore majors to the experiences of mathematical exploration, research, problem-solving, group work, and oral presentation in an informal setting of about 15 students and department faculty. This paper contains details for five different colloquium courses, along with a description of two open-ended problems we have used, and an assessment of the value of this experience. * This paper is an invited paper from the Contributed Paper Session on The Undergraduate Seminar in Mathematics at the New Orleans Joint AMS/AMA Mathematics Meetings, 10–13 January 2001.
Controlling quantum phenomena: Why does it appear easy to achieve?

The introduction of optimal control theory and associated optimal control experiments have produced many successful results for manipulating quantum systems including those of high complexity. These findings may appear surprising as hundreds of control variables are simultaneously searched to optimize a typical objective. This paper discusses the reason for this attractive behaviour, revealing that the origin lies in the quantum system simply being controllable and undergoing unitary evolution. Under satisfaction of these conditions, the search space landscape for maximizing the probability of making a quantum transition is shown to have no false extrema. Although real systems may not be fully controllable, this result provides the basis to explain the generally successful findings from quantum optimal control simulations and experiments, as well as provides a very positive projection of the future for the field.
On-Road Eye Movement Tracking-Glance Analysis of Dynamic Scenes

Results from an on-road study of drivers eye-movements collected using a head-mounted eye-tracker are presented. Glance patterns for normal and distracted driving shall be identified. Problems in data collection and analysis will also be reported.
Classifying cellular automata automatically: finding gliders, filtering, and relating space-time patterns, attractor basins, and the Z parameter

Cellular automata (CA) rules can be classified automatically for a spectrum of ordered, complex, and chaotic dynamics by a measure of the variance of input-entropy over time. Rules that support interacting gliders and related complex dynamics can be identified, giving an unlimited source for further study. The distribution of rule classes in rule-space can be shown. A byproduct of the method allows the automatic “filtering” of CA space-time patterns to show up gliders and related emergent configurations more clearly. The classification seems to correspond to our subjective judgment of space-time dynamics. There are also approximate correlations with global measures on convergence in attractor basins, characterized by the distribution of in-degree sizes in their branching structure, and to the rule parameter, Z. Based on computer experiments using the software Discrete Dynamics Lab (DDLab), this article explains the methods and presents results for 1D CA. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Inelastic-scattering effects on single-barrier tunneling.

La presence d'une distribution continue de diffuseurs inelastiques localises peut soit augmenter, soit reduire le courant de l'effet tunnel qui depend de la transparence de la barriere et l'ordre de grandeur du rapport de diffusion inelastique. Les calculs sont bases sur une equation cinetique quantique resolue dans le regime de reponse lineaire a basses temperatures
Influence of grain boundary carbides and phosphorus segregation on the low-temperature intergranular embrittlement of type 316 stainless steel

Grain boundary carbide precipitation controls low-temperature impact properties. Carbide coverages of about 50% or more along grain boundaries promote intergranular embrittlement at {minus} 196{degrees}C. Phosphorus segregation (up to 10% of a monolayer) did not induce intergranular fracture without carbides or significantly increase embrittlement when carbides were present. Carbide/matrix interfaces appear to be inherently weak and susceptible to embrittlement at {minus} 196{degrees}C without impurity segregation.
Stratigraphic Systems: Origin and Application

In Stratigraphic Systems: Origin and Application, Glenn S.Visher attempts to synthesize and organize the knowledge and integrated interpretation system developed over 35 years in sedimentary analysis. The book sets forth an extremely aggressive agenda: to bring together a knowledge base that includes basin tectonics, stratigraphy, sedimentology paleogeomorphology seismic interpretation, and petroleum geoscience. The book contains more than 700 figures. An enclosed CD-ROM provides many additional figures, 24 color plates, and an expert system program—DE-EXPERT—developed by Visher and colleagues. Visher's approach is inclusive and emphasizes regional synthesis of multiple data sets. The analysis of stratigraphic systems is condensed into a suite of 15 siliciclastic and 6 biochemical depositional themes that reflect deposition over extended time, geographic area, and depositional settings. The themes are built around geomorphic patterns and basin tectonic contexts. In the end, however, the book is disappointing.
Effects of Age, Gender, and Causality on Perceptions of Persons with Mental Retardation.

The present study examined the effects of age, gender, and causality on the perceptions of persons with mental retardation. Participants rated individuals with mental retardation using a semantic differential scale with three factors: activity, evaluation, and potency. Target individuals in each scenario varied on the variables of age (8, 20, 45), gender (male, female), and causality of mental retardation (genetic, self-inflicted, inflicted by others). Perceptions differed significantly according to causality, with those with mental retardation due to inheritance/genetics (Down Syndrome) evaluated most positively and those whose mental retardation was self-inflicted viewed most negatively (brain damage due to drinking cleaning fluid). Female participants gave higher ratings than male participants for target subjects on evaluation and potency factors. Implications of findings for persons with mental retardation are discussed.
Olfactory event-related potentials and aging: normative data

Abstract Unlike the clinical usages of evoked potentials (e.g. brain stem auditory evoked potentials for the assessment of auditory function), normative data for the olfactory event-related potential (OERP) have been unavailable. The principal objective was to establish normative data across the human life span for OERPs with a given set of parameters. Participants were 140 persons from seven age groups (16–19, 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69 and 70–79 years of age), with equal numbers of males and females, screened for nasal health and dementia. The odor stimulus was amyl acetate, presented at nasal temperature in a humidified airstream delivered by an air-dilution olfactometer at a constant flow rate, using a 60-s inter-stimulus interval. OERPs were recorded at Fz, Cz, and Pz electrode sites, amplified and averaged over trials. Amplitudes of the N1/P2 and P3 and latencies of the P2 and P3 were analyzed. Processing speed decreased at a constant rate over decades for the sensory (P2 latency) as well as cognitive (P3 latency) components. Decline in amplitude over decades was also apparent. Normative data will be useful in research on olfactory function and in clinical assessment of olfactory functional status.
Phospholipase activity associated with serum albumin.

Abstract A phospholipase A2 has been found in association with several commercial human and bovine serum albumin preparations. Activity is maximal between pH 6.0 and 8.0 and has been demonstrated using as substrates [1-14C]oleate-labeled Escherichia coli after autoclaving the labeled bacteria, and purified [1-14C]fatty acid-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine. The rates of breakdown of the major E. coli phospholipids were roughly comparable. The phospholipase activity seems distinct from triglyceride-splitting activities in association with albumin, described by others. The presence of phospholipase A in serum albumin preparations, often used in experiments with cells and tissues in vitro, may influence the results.
Stability constants for metal arsenates

Environmental context. The behaviour of arsenic compounds is controlled by their solubility, which in turn controls both the forms and mobility of arsenic in the environment. Current knowledge on arsenic chemistry may be distorted because information available on the solubility of arsenic compounds usually does not include possible formation of metal–arsenate complexes. Our results show the formation of stable metal–arsenate complexes that have not been considered before, and this new data can be used to further examine the effect of these complexes on controlling the fate and transport of arsenic in the environment. Abstract. The formation of solid metal arsenates could conceivably reduce the concentrations of arsenate and metal ions in natural and contaminated aqueous ecosystems, and possibly in human body fluids. In this study, solid metal arsenates were dissolved isothermally in solutions with different molar concentrations of arsenic acid. The saturated solutions were analysed and the results processed to derive the solubility products (Ksp) for solid phases and association constants (K) for metal arsenate ion-pairs. Ion chromatography was used to confirm the presence of ion-pairs, some of which had never before been considered. Association constants were determined for the following ion-pairs: FeHAsO4+ (log K = 4.88), CoHAsO40 (log K = 1.50), ZnHAsO40 (log K = 3.28), SrH2AsO4+ (log K = 1.72), and Ag2H2AsO4+ (log K = 4.50). The following metal ions apparently do not form stable complexes with HAsO42–: Cd2+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, and Sn2+. Standard state solubility products (Ksp°) were redetermined for the following compounds: Ag3AsO4, Cd3(AsO4)2, Co3(AsO4)2, CrAsO4, Cu3(AsO4)2, FeAsO4, Mg3(AsO4)2, MnHAsO4, NiHAsO4, PbHAsO4, Sn3(AsO4)2, Sr3(AsO4)2, Zn3(AsO4)2·Zn3(AsO4)2·8H2O (koettigite), Cu2Al7(AsO4)4(OH)13·12H2O (ceruleite), and Pb2CuAsO4CrO4OH (fornacite). Our results show the formation of ion-pairs for some metal arsenates and indicate that previous studies have overestimated the solubilities of many arsenates.
Molecular pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis and current therapeutic approaches

The pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis involves significant deposition of fibrilar collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins. It is a rather dynamic process of wound healing in response to a variety of persistent liver injury caused by factors such as ethanol intake, viral infection, drugs, toxins, cholestasis, and metabolic disorders. Liver fibrosis distorts the hepatic architecture, decreases the number of endothelial cell fenestrations and causes portal hypertension. Key events are the activation and transformation of quiescent hepatic stellate cells into myofibroblast-like cells with the subsequent up-regulation of proteins such as α-smooth muscle actin, interstitial collagens, matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, and proteoglycans. Oxidative stress is a major contributing factor to the onset of liver fibrosis and it is typically associated with a decrease in the antioxidant defense. Currently, there is no effective therapy for advanced liver fibrosis. In its early stages, liver fibrosis is reversible upon cessation of the causative agent. In this review, we discuss some aspects on the etiology of liver fibrosis, the cells involved, the molecular pathogenesis, and the current therapeutic approaches.
STM of the (010) surface of orthorhombic phosphorus

Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to image the freshly cleaved (010) surface of orthorhombic black phosphorus (BP) in air. The surface became oxidized and adsorbed moisture from the air. The hydrophilic and reactive nature resulted in a rough and changing surface, as revealed by the STM. During STM imaging the BP surface was continuously removed by the W probe in a layer-by-layer fashion. Nevertheless, high quality STM atomic resolution images were obtained after the tip inscribed a depression by locally etching away several layers on the substrate. The puckered nature of the surface structure and the associated [100] oriented channels were clearly observed. Higher resolution imaging revealed the zig-zag arrangement of phosphorus atoms separated by about 0.22 nm.
SkyQuery: A Web Service Approach to Federate Databases

Traditional science searched for new objects and phenomena that led to discoveries. Tomorrow's science will combine together the large pool of information in scientific archives and make discoveries. Scientists are currently keen to federate together the existing scientific databases. The major challenge in building a federation of these autonomous and heterogeneous databases is system integration. Ineffective integration will result in defunct federations and under utilized scientific data. Astronomy, in particular, has many autonomous archives spread over the Internet. It is now seeking to federate these, with minimal effort, into a Virtual Observatory that will solve complex distributed computing tasks such as answering federated spatial join queries. In this paper, we present SkyQuery, a successful prototype of an evolving federation of astronomy archives. It interoperates using the emerging Web services standard. We describe the SkyQuery architecture and show how it efficiently evaluates a probabilistic federated spatial join query.
Time-sharing in rats: Effect of distracter intensity and discriminability

Interruptions (gaps) and unfamiliar events (distracters) during a timed signal delay the timed response of humans and other animals. To explore this phenomenon, we manipulate the intensity of auditory distracters (experiment 1), and we dissociate the role of distracter intensity, distracter similarity with the inter-trial interval, and dissimilarity from the timed auditory signal (experiment 2). When the inter-trial interval and the timed signal were silent, the delay in response after an auditory distracter increased with its intensity: Rats ignored (ran through) a 40dB distracter, stopped timing during a 75dB distracter, and reset after a 100dB distracter. However, when timing was signaled by a 70dB noise, rats reset both for 40dB and 100dB distracters, stopped for both 55dB and 85dB distracters, and run for the 70dB distracter. Data are accounted for by a time-sharing model assuming two concurrent processes—time accumulation and memory decay controlled by the discriminability of the interrupting event—whose interplay results in a continuum of responses, from run to reset.