cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Further Monte Carlo calculations for the classical one-component plasma in the range 100 ⩽ Γ ⩽ 160: The FCC lattice

Very accurate Monte Carlo calculations for the one-component plasma (OCP) have been compared with the results of Slattery, Doolen, and DeWitt.(1,2) We confirm their results and also find a slight dependence of the calculation of the internal energy per particle uponN, the number of particles. A detailed investigation forN=108 permits us to evaluate the Helmholtz free energy for an OCP fcc lattice. As is usually believed, we find that the bcc lattice is more stable than the fcc lattice. The transition from the liquid to the fcc lattice phase occurs whenΓfcc = 196 ± 1. A three-dimensional modified cubic procedure, capable of achieving high accuracy in using tables of two-particle interaction potentials, is described in Appendix B.
Periplasmic Fractionation of Escherichia coli Yields Recombinant Plastocyanin Despite the Absence of a Signal Sequence

Poplar plastocyanin has been expressed in E. coli from a synthetic gene cloned into the T7 expression system. Despite the absence of a signal sequence, large quantities of the recombinant protein were readily obtained by procedures typically used to isolate proteins from the bacterial periplasm. Several different fractionation methods were equally successful. The presence of plastocyanin in these fractions does not reflect wholesale leakage of intracellular proteins, since neither beta-galactosidase activity nor the bulk of Escherichia coli proteins were released by the fractionation. The identity of the overexpressed protein was unequivocally proven to be poplar plastocyanin by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis and by spectroscopic characterization of the purified blue copper protein.
Light weight portable operator control unit using an Android-enabled mobile phone

There have been large gains in the field of robotics, both in hardware sophistication and technical capabilities. However, as more capable robots have been developed and introduced to battlefield environments, the problem of interfacing with human controllers has proven to be challenging. Particularly in the field of military applications, controller requirements can be stringent and can range from size and power consumption, to durability and cost. Traditional operator control units (OCUs) tend to resemble laptop personal computers (PCs), as these devices are mobile and have ample computing power. However, laptop PCs are bulky and have greater power requirements. To approach this problem, a light weight, inexpensive controller was created based on a mobile phone running the Android operating system. It was designed to control an iRobot Packbot through the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in-house Agile Computing Infrastructure (ACI). The hardware capabilities of the mobile phone, such as Wi- Fi communications, touch screen interface, and the flexibility of the Android operating system, made it a compelling platform. The Android based OCU offers a more portable package and can be easily carried by a soldier along with normal gear requirements. In addition, the one hand operation of the Android OCU allows for the Soldier to keep an unoccupied hand for greater flexibility. To validate the Android OCU as a capable controller, experimental data was collected evaluating use of the controller and a traditional, tablet PC based OCU. Initial analysis suggests that the Android OCU performed positively in qualitative data collected from participants.
A Review of Significant Advances in Neutron Imaging from Conception to the Present

Abstract This review summarizes the history of neutron imaging with a focus on the significant events and technical advancements in neutron imaging methods, from the first radiograph to more recent imaging methods. A timeline is presented to illustrate the key accomplishments that advanced the neutron imaging technique. Only three years after the discovery of the neutron by English physicist James Chadwick in 1932, neutron imaging began with the work of Hartmut Kallmann and Ernst Kuhn in Berlin, Germany, from 1935-1944. Kallmann and Kuhn were awarded a joint US Patent issued in January 1940. Little progress was made until the mid-1950's when Thewlis utilized a neutron beam from the BEPO reactor at Harwell, marking the beginning of the application of neutron imaging to practical applications. As the film method was improved, imaging moved from a qualitative to a quantitative technique, with applications in industry and in nuclear fuels. Standards were developed to aid in the quantification of the neutron images and the facility's capabilities. The introduction of dynamic neutron imaging (initially called real-time neutron radiography and neutron television) in the late 1970's opened the door to new opportunities and new challenges. As the electronic imaging matured, the introduction of the CCD imaging devices and solid-state light intensifiers helped address some of these challenges. Development of improved imaging devices for the medical community has had a major impact on neutron imaging. Additionally, amorphous silicon sensors provided improvements in temporal resolution, while providing a reasonably large imaging area. The development of new neutron imaging sensors and the development of new neutron imaging techniques in the past decade has advanced the technique's ability to provide insight and understanding of problems that other non-destructive techniques could not provide. This rapid increase in capability and application would not have been possible without the advances in computer processing speed and increased memory storage. For example, images with enhanced contrast are created by using the reflection, refraction, diffraction and ultra small angle scattering interactions. It is somewhat ironic that, like the first development of neutron images, the technique remains limited by the availability of high-intensity neutron sources, both in the facility cost and portability.
Time resolved spectroscopy using synchrotron infrared pulses

Electron synchrotron storage rings, such as the VUV ring at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), produce short pulses of infrared (IR) radiation suitable for investigating the time-dependent phenomena in a variety of interesting experimental systems. In contrast to other pulses sources of IR, the synchrotron produces a continuum spectral output over the entire IR (and beyond), though at power levels typically below those obtained from laser systems. The infrared synchrotron radiation (IRSR) source is therefore well-suited as a probe using standard FTIR spectroscopic techniques. Here the authors describe the pump-probe spectroscopy facility being established at the NSLS and demonstrate the technique by measuring the photocarrier decay in a semiconductor.
Interactions between Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Tetraphenyl Metalloporphyrins: Correlation between Spectroscopic and FET Measurements

The noncovalent functionalization, or complexation, of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with metallo-tetraphenyl porphyrins (M-TPPs) was monitored with UV−vis−NIR absorption spectroscopy and electroanalytical measurements using nanotube field-effect transistors (NTFETs). From combining both techniques, we have found that M-TTPs donate electron density exclusively into semiconducting SWNTs. Moreover, thin-film UV−vis−NIR absorption spectroscopy on SWNT/M−TPP complexes provides a well-resolved picture of the interaction between the SWNT S1 band and the electron-donating M−TPP. In total, the electron-donating properties of four different M-TPPs containing Mn(III), Co(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) were compared, and the electronic affects of each are discussed.
PULMONARY BLOOD FLOW (PBF) IN LAMBS WITH HYALINE MEMBRANE DISEASE (HMD)

Effective PBF is low during the course of HMD (Chu et al, Pediatrics, 35:733, 1965). It is not known whether this change is central in the etiologic chain of events or simply a secondary phenomenon. Total PBF was measured during the first 4 hr of life in lambs with and without HMD. At 129-133 days' gestation a pre-calibrated electromagnetic flow transducer with non-occlusive zero was implanted on the postductal portion of the common pulmonary artery of 8 fetal lambs which were returned to the amniotic cavity for 7 days and then delivered by C-section at 136-140 days' gestation. After birth a Swan-Ganz catheter was floated into a branch pulmonary artery for pressure measurements. By clinical and blood gas criteria, 4 lambs had no distress or developed mild HMD; 4 developed moderate or severe HMD. PBF increased sharply from less than 50 ml/Kg/min just before delivery to 299-735 ml/Kg/min 21 to 33 min after the first gasp and stabilized at lower levels by 1 hr of age. No differences in the pattern of the PBF surge or in the PBF levels attained during and subsequent to the surge were observed between the two groups. Severely acidotic lambs with HMD had pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) values similar to those of lambs with no distress or mild HMD. The data suggest that decreased PBF is not central in the pathogenesis of ovine HMD and that the prematurely born lamb with HMD lacks the ability to increase PVR when acidotic.
Generating pallet loading patterns with considerations of item stacking on end and side surfaces

Abstract In late 1979 a two phase heuristic algorithm employing dynamic programming was presented by Steudel for solving the two-dimensional cutting stock problem where all the small rectangles were of the same dimensions, but withour any restrictions that the cutting be performed in a purely “guillotine” fashion. The algorithm was applied to solving the common problem of loading rectangular items of size l by w on a rectangular pallet of size L and W so as to maximize the number of items per layer on the pallet deckboard. In this paper, a new three-phase heuristic is presented which extends the 1979 recursive procedure and evaluates the option of stacking items on their end and/or side surface within the best loading pattern of bottom-stacked items. The resulting pattern is then projected into the third dimension to generate the total “cubic” pallet load. Computation results show that end and/or side stacking (when applicable) can yield average improvements in the range of 5% in items per pallet load.
Ovarian management at the time of radical hysterectomy for cancer of the cervix

Ovarian management at the time of radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer was reviewed retrospectively over a 7-year period. All patients had early-stage cancer except three who had stage IIB disease. Approximately 80% of patients had squamous cancer and 20% adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma. The mean age was 44, and 24% of patients were 35 or younger. Ninety-nine patients had their ovaries removed. None of the ovaries contained metastatic disease including 22 patients with adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma. Of the 17 patients with retained ovaries 14 had transposition into the paracolic gutters. Only one of the 14 patients with transposed ovaries developed symptoms of ovarian failure. No patients with retained ovaries developed metastatic disease or required reoperation secondary to new ovarian pathology. It is our opinion that normal ovaries can be preserved in young women at the time of radical hysterectomy for early cervical cancer regardless of histologic type.
Plant photobiology 2001: a thousand points of enlightenment from receptor structures to ecological adaptation.

Light has long been known to be an important signal for plant development, influencing nearly all aspects of the life cycle from germination to flowering. From May 30 to June 2, 2001, the mechanisms by which plants perceive and respond to their light environments were discussed with great excitement
Geoeconomic Assumptions, Insecurity, and ‘Free’ Trade in Central America

The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) exemplifies interconnections and contradictions between geopolitical and geoeconomic agendas, including security, democracy, and resource marketing. Central American sovereignty is selectively weakened as states are increasingly dependent on the US and must synchronise governance with the expectations of their most important trade partner or risk becoming defendants in international tribunals. Salvadoran and Costa Rican governments have been accused of upholding environmental regulations that impede the profit-earning of multinational corporations, while the Guatemalan state was charged with violating domestic labour laws. Nevertheless, criminal behaviour and impunity are widespread across the region and seldom provoke US action. Five years after CAFTA's implementation, there is evidence of the erosion of democracy, repression of civil society, and uneven distribution of trade costs and benefits. These results have led some analysts to conclude CAFTA must ...
Suppression of the Haemorrhagic Component of the Schwartzmann Reaction by Anti-complement Serum

WE have previously described1,2 the suppression of the haemorrhagic component of the Arthus reaction and the passive tuberculin reaction with antilymphocytic sera (in ref. 2 this was an antiserum against an extract of lymph node cells). The other inflammatory condition in the skin with a marked haemorrhagic component is the Schwartzmann reaction: the reaction developing at the site of an earlier intradermal injection of endotoxin when the animal is challenged with endotoxin, intravenously, 24 h later. This reaction has not been found consistently in guinea-pigs, although it can be readily produced in rabbits3; its mechanism is not well understood. We have investigated whether antilymphocytic sera suppress the Schwartzmann reaction and, if not, whether any of the heterologous antisera used in our previous experiments would suppress this reaction.
Identification of Pseudolysin (lasB) as an Aciduric Gluten-Degrading Enzyme with High Therapeutic Potential for Celiac Disease.

Published in final edited form as: Am J Gastroenterol. 2015 June; 110(6): 899–908. doi:10.1038/ajg.2015.97.
The geometry of the human cerebellar vermis.

Some general statements concerning the overall geometry of the cerebellar vermis are presented as a preliminary step in the theoretical analysis of its morphology. From a large number of measurements made on a sample of 30 human cerebella the following relationships may be demonstrated: (1) the mean outline of superimposed sagittal sections through the mid-vermis fits very closely the curve (2) the relation of the total circumference (y) of individual lobes or of the entire vermis to a measurement of the outside (visible) perimeter (x) is shown to be fitted almost exactly by the equation y = ax2; (3) the relation of total circumference to outside perimeter in the rat and the cat is found to be constant during development; (4) in the human arbor vitae the relation of the width of the “trunk” to the sum of the widths of bifurcating branches is seen to be linear with a slope, in the midline, of approximately one; (5) no simple relationship could be ascertained in teh arbor vitae between angles of branching and widths of branches or trunks.
1223 MATERNAL INSULIN: AN UNLIKELY FETAL TERATOGEN

The pathogenesis of congenital anomalies which are frequently observed in infants of diabetic mothers remains obscure. One possibility is that maternal insulin (I) may cross the placenta and act as a teratogen. Although at term the placenta is a barrier to I, this process has not been examined during organogenesis. To study this question, tracer amounts of radiolabelled I (I131 or I125) shown to contain 69-85% immunoreactive I were infused into 7 pregnant rate on day 12½ postcoitum (organogenesis: day 7-14) with a prime plus constant infusion. After 2 hrs maternal plasma and fetal and placental tissue were obtained. Plasma and tissue samples were analyzed for total radioactivity (TRA) as well as the radioactivity of the trichloroacetic acid protein precipitable fractions (TCA ppt). Significant TRA was achieved in maternal plasma at 2 hr: 3.2 − 3.4 × 103 and 3.9 − 5.8 × 104 cpm per 100 μl for I125 and I131, respectively. The percentage of the TRA in the TCA ppt was 59±7% (M±SD). This fraction contains the immunoreactive insulin fraction in addition to insulin polypeptide fragments. Placental tissue (containing some maternal blood) and fetal tissue had mean TCA ppt counts (per 100 mg) which were only 5.7% (0.7 − 16.5, range) and 0.05% (0 − 0.19) of the TCA ppt counts in maternal plasma. Since the fetus is protected from maternal insulin by the placenta during the period of late organogenesis, it is unlikely that maternal insulin acts as a fetal teratogen.
A masculinizing effect on the auditory systems of human females having male co-twins.

Abstract Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) are continuous, essentially tonal sounds that are produced by many normal-hearing cochleas. In humans, females generally exhibit more SOAEs than males, a sex difference that exists from birth. However, it is shown here that females having male co-twins [opposite-sex dizygotic (OSDZ) females] exhibit about half the average number of SOAEs per ear observed in same-sex female twins or female non-twins. Indeed, the average in OSDZ females is about the same as that seen in males--twins or non-twins. The explanation offered here is that prenatal exposure to high levels of androgens has produced a masculinizing effect on the auditory systems of these OSDZ females. Prenatal masculinizing effects have long been recognized in certain litter-bearing mammals, but their existence in humans is not well-studied.
Social Choice Observed: Five Presidential Elections of the American Psychological Association

There have been few opportunities to assess the implications of social choice theory using data from large, naturally occurring elections. We examine here five presidential elections of the American Psychological Association. These elections involve ten to fifteen thousand voters who express rank-ordered preferences over five candidates. We investigate the occurrence of the "paradox of voting," the ability of various voting systems to select majority winners, violations of subset rationality conditions, and the possibility of manipulating election outcomes through the misrepresentation of preferences. The frequent occurrence of these anomalies (with the exception of the paradox of voting) emphasizes the essential relevance of social choice theory to a theory of democratic electoral processes. T he claim by social choice theorists that developments in their field over the past thirty years require a fundamental rethinking of the role of voting in democratic societies has met with a wide range of responses from political scientists. Some, such as William Riker in his recent book Liberalism Against Populism (1982), have had their views radically altered by the "confrontation between the theory of democracy and the theory of social choice" that constitutes the subtitle of Riker's book. For Riker, social choice theory has been decisive in evaluating two contending
Nucleophilic Addition of Nitrogen to Aryl Cations: Mimicking Titan Chemistry

The reactivity of aryl cations toward molecular nitrogen is studied systematically in an ion trap mass spectrometer at 102 Pascal of nitrogen, the pressure of the Titan main haze layer. Nucleophilic addition of dinitrogen occurs and the nature of aryl group has a significant influence on the reactivity, through inductive effects and by changing the ground state spin multiplicity. The products of nitrogen activation, aryldiazonium ions, react with typical nitriles, aromatic amines, and alkynes (compounds that are relevant as possible Titan atmosphere constituents) to form covalently bonded heterocyclic products. Theoretical calculations at the level [DFT(B3LYP)/6-311++G(d,p)] indicate that the N2 addition reaction is exothermic for the singlet aryl cations but endothermic for their triplet spin isomers. The –OH and –NH2 substituted aryl ions are calculated to have triplet ground states, which is consistent with their decreased nitrogen addition reactivity. The energy needed for the generation of the aryl cations from their protonated precursors (ca. 340 kJ/mol starting with protonated aniline) is far less than that required to directly activate the nitrogen triple bond (the lowest energy excited state of N2 lies ca. 600 kJ/mol above the ground state). The formation of aza-aromatics via arene ionization and subsequent reactions provide a conceivable route to the genesis of nitrogen-containing organic molecules in the interstellar medium and Titan haze layers.
Ikeda Research in China and Taiwan: Critical Analysis of the Chinese Language Literature

This study is the first attempt to conduct a critical analysis of the research on Ikeda's educational philosophy published in mainland China and Taiwan. The study employed a combination of archival research and responses to an online questionnaire by professors and doctorate students studying Ikeda's educational philosophy. The study analyzed the motivation for Ikeda research and major themes in Ikeda's educational philosophy. Two major motivations for Ikeda research were respect for Ikeda and improvement of education in China and worldwide. The major themes in Ikeda's educational philosophy were “education for harmony” and “moral education” by shifting from “education for society” to “society for education.” Dignity of life and humanism are the basis of such an education. Also examined were the problems of modern Chinese education, such as utilitarianism, materialism, and exam-oriented education, which can be addressed by Ikeda's “human education.” Finally, this study explored the possible reasons for th...
Effect of Fouling Conditions and Cake Layer Structure on the Ultrasonic Cleaning of Ceramic Membranes

Abstract Homogeneous alumina membranes fouled by polystyrene latex particles at different pH values and ionic strengths were subjected to ultrasonic cleaning. Cleaning was more effective at high and low pH than at neutral pH. At low pH values, less repulsive particle‐particle interactions resulted in the removal of millimeter‐scale aggregates and highly effective cleaning. At near‐neutral pH, stronger repulsive particle‐particle interactions caused detachment to occur as individual particles from the cake layer rather than as flocs, which was a slightly less effective cleaning mechanism. Ultrasonic cleaning of cake layers formed at high ionic strength (>0.3 M KCl) was less effective than cleaning at lower ionic strength (<0.3 M KCl). High ionic strength caused particles to coagulate in solution and deposit as flocs on the membrane surface forming a highly permeable fouling layer. This fouling layer was resistant to ultrasound at the sub‐optimal cleaning conditions used in this study, perhaps due to partic...
The Association of Hearing Acuity, Diplacusis, and Discrimination With Music Performance:

The purpose of the study was to determine the association, if any, between hearing efficiency and performance on selected measures of musical behavior. Hearing efficiency was divided into three categories—acuity, diplacusis, and discrimination. Possible associations among these three aspects were also investigated. Sixty undergraduate university students served as subjects: 30 music and 30 nonmusic majors. A battery of seven subtests was constructed to measure musical behavior. These subtests were excerpts from well-known standardized tests by Gordon, Gaston, and Seashore. Music test scores from the eight most efficient and eight least efficient subjects as determined categorically by acuity, diplacusis, and discrimination scores, were used for statistical analysis. The music test scores served as the dependent variable. A two-way analysis of variance was employed to test for significance of differences in music test scores between music and nonmusic majors and low and high hearing efficiency as categoriz...
Algebraic description of intrinsic modes in nuclei

Abstract We present a procedure for extracting normal modes in algebraic number-conserving systems of interacting bosons relevant for collective states in even-even nuclei. The Hamiltonian is resolved into intrinsic (bandhead related) and collective (in-band related) parts. Shape parameters are introduced through non-spherical boson bases. Intrinsic modes decoupled from the spurious modes are obtained from the intinsic part of the Hamiltonian in the limit of large number of bosons. Intrinsic states are constructed and serve to evaluate electromagnetic transition rates. The method is illustrated for systems with one type of boson as well as with proton-neutron bosons.
Autologous skin banking

Small amounts of excess autograft are commonly harvested during burn procedures, and typically these are discarded. However, the resources of a local skin bank may be used to preserve this tissue for a later autologous use. This has been a routine practice in our institution and we feel that it has impacted favorably on patient care. In this paper we report 42 consecutive applications of autologous frozen skin and illustrate the technique with a case report.
Dark energy from Casimir energy on noncommutative extra dimensions

We study the possibility that dark energy is a manifestation of the Casimir energy on extra dimensions with the topology of ${S}^{2}$. We consider our universe to be ${M}^{4}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{S}^{2}$ and modify the geometry by introducing noncommutativity on the extra dimensions only, i.e. replacing ${S}^{2}$ with the fuzzy version ${S}_{F}^{2}$. We find the energy density as a function of the size of the representation $M+1$ of the algebra of ${S}_{F}^{2}$, and we calculate its value for the $M+1=2$ case. The value of the energy density turns out to be positive, i.e. provides dark energy, and the size of the extra dimensions agrees with the experimental limit. We also recover the correct commutative limit as the noncommutative parameter goes to zero.
Polar Residues in Transmembrane Helices can Dramatically Reduce Mobility on SDS Gels WITHOUT Dimerization

Polar residues in membrane-spanning helices are known to drive oligomerization in biological and synthetic membranes, as well as in membrane mimetic systems such as detergents. Here we report a study of a hydrophobic peptide that contains either an asparagine (N) or a leucine (L) residue in the 12th position of an otherwise hydrophobic segment of 20 amino acids. These peptides are fully alpha-helical in detergents. In SDS polyacrylamide gels, the L12 peptides migrated as monomers while the N12 peptides always migrated as single bands at twice their apparent molecular weights. In sharp contrast, Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments in SDS showed little evidence of dimerization of N12 under any conditions studied. Experiments were done with labeled peptides at concentrations up to 50 micromolar and at acceptor to donor ratios from 1:1 to 10:1. SDS concentrations ranged from 3.5 to 70 mM. We also performed in situ FRET experiments on the peptide bands in polyacrylamide gels, where there was little excess FRET observed for the slower N12 bands relative to L12 bands. We conclude that N12 is always monomeric in SDS gels, despite the fact that it appears to migrate as a dimer. Dynamic light scattering experiments showed a significant difference between L12/SDS micelles and N12/SDS micelles. We hypothesize that the polar residue in the center of the otherwise hydrophobic helix alters the interactions between the peptides and detergent and that physical differences in the peptide-detergent micelles, such as shape and stoichiometry are responsible for the altered migration of the N12 peptides relative to the L12 peptides.
The Gatekeeping Impulse and Professor X: An Exploration.

Abstract College and university instructors who assess student writing, including but not limited to teachers of first-year composition, sometimes keep the gate. Gatekeeping by writing instructors is an activity directly related to grading practices and, in many cases, to grading practices which emphasize formal, mechanical, usually sentence-level choices made by student writers. A gatekeeper, as defined here, privileges academic standards—usually emphasizing “correctness”—in student assessment rather than other measures of student advancement or learning. What are the proper boundaries of the gatekeeping impulse? How can writing instructors balance a need to serve their institutions, or to serve “standards,” and their coexistent responsibility to serve students, to enable writing instruction that benefits student writers of varying skill levels? Professor X's “In the Basement of the Ivory Tower” serves as an example of the gatekeeping impulse unchecked. This article, through a synthesis of the author's experiences as a “gatekeeper” in the Office of Admissions at a large, Midwestern University and his experiences as a college writing instructor, reacts against Professor X's methods and argues that the gatekeeping impulse should not be viewed not as the key principle in writing assessment but rather as a “contrary force” to be balanced with assessment practices and pedagogical approaches that enable writing instruction.
Coccidioides Fungemia in Six Patients, with a Review of the Literature

To identify demographics, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of patients with Coccidioides fungemia, we searched our institutional medical records to identify patients with Coccidioides fungemia treated between 1998 and 2008 and conducted a comprehensive search of the medical literature to identify previously reported cases. Coccidioides fungemia is an uncommon manifestation of coccidioidomycosis, a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides sp. endemic to the southwestern United States. Six Coccidioides fungemia patients were treated at our institution during the 10-year period. All 6 had underlying comorbid disease; three were receiving immunosuppressants. Three patients survived longer than 2 years. The literature review identified 107 patients, bringing the total cohort to 113 (mean age, 42 years). Forty-three patients (38%) had infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, 20 (18%) were receiving corticosteroids, 11 (10%) had solid organ transplants, and 5 (4%) were pregnant. Sites of extrapulmonary dissemination were reported for 97 (86%); the most common sites were liver (26/97 [27%]), spleen (21/97 [22%]), and meninges/central nervous system (17/97 [18%]). No patient showed evidence of endocarditis. At least 1 serologic test was positive in 45 (87%) of 52 patients for whom results were available. Overall mortality at 30 days was 62% (70/113; mean survival, 11.4 days). Survival was significantly worse in immunocompromised versus immunocompetent patients (22/72 [31%] vs. 19/36 [53%], respectively; P = .04). Lack of antifungal therapy predicted poor survival (8/38 [21%] vs. 32/65 [49%], respectively; P = .004). Coccidioides fungemia is an uncommon manifestation of fulminant, disseminated coccidioidomycosis. Survival is poorest in immunocompromised patients or those not receiving antifungal therapy.
Computation of maximum and minimum eigenpairs of large matrices

Computing the minimum eigenpair of a matrix is a requirement for many algorithms of signal processing and control. The Rayleigh quotient iteration (RQI) method for locating the minimum eigenpair has a cubic convergence rate and is one of the most efficient algorithms to locate a single eigenpair. However, the RQI method does not always converge to the minimum eigenpair. In this paper efficient techniques for computing the minimum and maximum eigenvalues and their corresponding eigenvectors of Hermitian matrices are developed. The proposed methods exploit the cubic convergence rate of the RQI and ensure convergence to the desired eigenpair for symmetric or hermitian matrices. The core procedure is based on a modified Rayleigh quotient iteration (MRQI) which uses a line search to determine a vector of steepest descent. One of the key features of this method is that it can be implemented in matrix inverse free fashion and thus it is very efficient for very large eigenvalue problems. The proposed algorithms are customized to solve high resolution temporal and spatial frequency tracking problems. The eigenstructure tracking algorithm has update complexity $O(n^2p)$, where $n$ is the data dimension and $p$ is the dimension of the minor or major subspaces. The performance of these algorithms is tested with two examples.
Temporal burn scar evolution in tallgrass prairie based on field spectroscopy

In situ field spectroscopy samples were used to simulate several Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer MODIS bands and indices commonly used for burned area detection. Each band or index was tested for its ability to differentiate between burned and unburned tallgrass prairie during several time periods from spring when burning took place to late summer peak biomass with three analysis of variance tests. The normalized difference vegetation index NDVI, global environmental monitoring index GEMI, global environmental monitoring index – burn scar GEMI-B, and normalized burn ratio NBR indices, as well as MODIS band 7 longwave mid-infrared; LWMIR, showed virtually no promise for differentiating burned from unburned areas for more than several days after the burn. Others, including the burned area index BAI, Mid-infrared burn index MIRBI, and MODIS bands 3 red, 4 near-infrared; NIR, 5 longwave near-infrared; LWNIR, and 6 shortwave mid-infrared; SWMIR were able to differentiate between burned and unburned areas well into the growing season – in some cases, even through its entire length. The performance of particular bands and indices often depended on grazing, vegetation phenology, ash/char/soil reflectance, and factors that influenced pre-burn biomass.
A new heterotopic allostere with low pre-organization

Abstract A new molecule based on a branched polyamine is described that exhibits Zn(II) dependence for binding a second, fluorescent substrate in a hydrophobic binding site.
Similarity of science textbooks: A content. Analysis

The investigator completed a content analysis of the astronomy portion of science texts at three grade levels (4th, 5th, and 6th) that were produced by five different publishers. The analysis used an operant paradigm and compared the responses expected of students who used one science text to those expected of students using other science texts. The response comparisons were made both within and across grade levels. Using similarity of the responses expected of students as a basis of comparison, elementary school science texts produced by different publishers had more in common across grade levels than within grade levels. Less than 50% of the responses expected of students at one grade level were common to other science texts at the same or different grade levels.
RbSr chemical and isotopic response of gneisses in late Archean shear zones of the Limpopo mobile belt, southern Africa

Abstract This note reports on the Rb, Sr and K chemistry and Sr isotope composition of sheared gneisses from the Limpopo mobile belt, an Archean high-grade terrain in southern Africa. Retrogression during shearing appears to have shifted the chemical and isotopic composition of the gneisses away from those of the surrounding unsheared granulites towards compositions characteristic of certain late Archean granites within the mobile belt and on the adjacent Zimbabwe craton. These results bear on the issues of RbSr dating of high-strain events and of granite genesis in the Limpopo belt.
Exclusion of the gene for human cartilage intermediate layer protein in currently mapped calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition syndromes

Objective To map the gene for human cartilage intermediate layer protein (CILP) in order to assess its involvement in some familial forms of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) deposition disease. Methods A radiation hybrid panel was analyzed for chromosomal assignment of the CILP gene within a 1-cM limit of resolution. The location of the gene for CILP was confirmed to reside at the observed radiation hybrid locus by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Results The human CILP gene resides at chromosome 15q21. Conclusion This map location definitively excludes mutations in the CILP gene as the cause of certain familial forms of CPPD deposition disease that have been genetically mapped to chromosomes 8q and 5p.
Development of a sensitive amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay to monitor the interactions between pTEFb and Tat

The viral transactivator protein (Tat) plays an essential role in the replication of human immunodeficiency type 1 virus (HIV-1) by recruiting the host positive transcription elongation factor (pTEFb) to the RNA polymerase II transcription machinery to enable an efficient HIV-1 RNA elongation process. Blockade of the interaction between Tat and pTEFb represents a novel strategy for developing a new class of antiviral agents. In this study, we developed a homogeneous assay in AlphaLISA (amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay) format using His-tagged pTEFb and biotinylated Tat to monitor the interaction between Tat and pTEFb. On optimizing the assay conditions, the signal-to-background ratio was found to be greater than 10-fold. The assay was validated with untagged Tat and peptides known to compete with Tat for pTEFb binding. The Z' of the assay is greater than 0.5, indicating that the assay is robust and can be easily adapted to a high-throughput screening format. Furthermore, the affinity between Tat and pTEFb was determined to be approximately 20 pM, and only 7% of purified Tat was found to be active in forming tertiary complex with pTEFb. Development of this assay should facilitate the discovery of a new class of antiviral agents providing HIV-1 patients with broader treatment choices.
Amyloid-β peptide activates cultured astrocytes: morphological alterations, cytokine induction and nitric oxide release

A common feature of many neurodegenerative disorders is an abundance of activated glial cells (astrocytes and microglia). In Alzheimer's disease (AD), activated astrocytes are in close apposition to and surrounding the amyloid plaques. The mechanisms by which the astrocytes become activated in AD and the consequences of reactive astrocytosis to disease progression are not known. We examined the possibility that the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide, a major constituent of the amyloid plaque, could act as a stimulus leading to activation. We found that treatment of rat cortical astrocyte cultures with aggregated Abeta 1-42 peptide induces activation, as assessed by reactive morphological changes and upregulation of selective glial mRNA and proteins, such as the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta. Abeta also stimulates inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels and nitric oxide (NO) release. Abeta 1-42, a major form of amyloid associated with neurotoxicity, activated astrocytes in a time- and dose-dependent manner, whereas a scrambled Abeta 1-42 sequence or Abeta 17-42 had little or no effect. We also determined that the Abeta activity can be found in a supernatant fraction containing soluble Abeta oligomers. Our data suggest that Abeta plays a role in the reactive astrocytosis of AD and that the inflammatory response induced upon glial activation is a critical component of the neurodegenerative process.
Determinants and prognostic importance of cardiomegaly among new ESRD patients in the United States.

Abstract Purpose Cardiomegaly is a radiographic abnormality of major prognostic importance in the general population. We explored the clinical correlations and mortality impact of cardiomegaly in new end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients from the Dialysis Morbidity and Mortality Study Wave 2. Methods Radiographic data denoting the presence or absence of cardiomegaly were available for 97% (n = 3908) of the entire cohort. Multivariate logistic regression explored relationships between potential uremic factors and known traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) factors with cardiomegaly and Cox regression estimated the mortality risk associations over 2 years. Results The prevalence of cardiomegaly was 26%. Multivariate analysis identified: age (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.30 per 10 years older), black race (OR = 1.33) diabetes (OR = 1.26), hypertension (OR = 1.28), tobacco use (OR = 1.17), serum albumin (OR = 1.36 per 1 g/dL lower), and extremes of body mass index (BMI) (OR = 1.24 for BMI 30.0 compared with referent [21.1–23.3 Kg/m 2 ]) as significant correlates. The impact of cardiomegaly on mortality was greatest in the first 12 months (RR = 1.56; CI, 1.33–1.83) and persisted for up to 2 years (RR = 1.44; CI, 1.27–1.62). Interestingly, the likelihood of cardiomegaly was significantly lower for patients who received regular care during the pre-ESRD period (erythropoietin use [OR = 0.79] and nephrology visits [OR = 0.80 for ⩾2 vs. less]). Conclusions Traditional CVD risk factors were the predominant correlates of cardiomegaly in new ESRD patients. Vigorous CVD risk factor reduction strategies and frequent specialist care during the pre-ESRD period may be beneficial in reducing the prevalence of cardiomegaly and attenuating its impact on survival.
Selective Grazing Induced by Animal Excreta. II. Investigation of a Causal Theory

Summary Two studies are reported which investigated the theory of Plice (14, 15), that decreased sugar in forages heavily fertilized with dung or N fertilizers caused the forage to become unpalatable to cattle. The first study revealed that heavy applications of P would not overcome unpalatability of dung-affected brome and that heavy applications of N would not cause brome to become unpalatable, both being contradictory to the proposed theory. The second study confirmed earlier results which showed the failure of N fertilizers to render brome unpalatable. Similar increases in P in brome heavily fertilized with N or sheep manure accompanied increased crude protein with these treatments and dispelled the idea that a P/N imbalance occurs in plants fertilized in this manner. Although less ethanol-soluble sugar did occur in brome receiving these additives (as predicted in Plice's theory), N applications did not render brome unpalatable, whereas sheep manure did, refuting the claim that lowered sugar concentration in the plant is responsible for the unpalatability of dung-affected forage. The unpalatability of brome growing on plots treated with a dilute mixture of feces, urine, and water, which failed to cause significant changes in chemical composition, further indicated that Plice's theory is invalid.
Algebraic realizations of chiral symmetry

The sum of tree graphs for forward pion scattering, generated by any chiral-invariant Lagrangian, is required to grow no faster at high energies than the actual scattering amplitude. In consequence, algebraic restrictions must be imposed on the axial-vector coupling matrix X and the mass matrix ${m}^{2}$: For each helicity, X must, together with the isospin T, form a representation of $\mathrm{SU}(2)\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\mathrm{SU}(2)$, and ${m}^{2}$ must behave with respect to commutation with T and X as the sum of a chiral scalar and the fourth component of a chiral four-vector. If it is further assumed that the contribution of tree graphs to inelastic forward pion scattering vanishes at high energy, the two parts of the mass matrix must commute; this fixes various mixing angles, and leads to predictions like ${m}_{\ensuremath{\sigma}}={m}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}$, ${m}_{{A}_{1}}=\sqrt{2}{m}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}$, ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}=135$ MeV, etc. If all pion transitions involved only $p$-wave pions, then X would form part of the algebra of $\mathrm{SU}(4)$, and the mass matrix would behave as the sum of a 1- and a 20-dimensional representation of $\mathrm{SU}(4)$; if $s$-wave transitions are allowed, then the algebra must be enlarged to at least $\mathrm{SO}(7)$.
Comparative Evaluation of Indoor Thermal Comfort for Green and Conventional Office Buildings

A comparative analysis was conducted between two office buildings, one constructed using green design and the other erected using traditional building construction methods. As part of the analysis, thermal comfort indicators (using the Predicted Mean Value of Fanger model) were monitored by recording equivalent temperature, air temperature, and relative humidity at each site. The study tests whether office buildings constructed using different design approaches have significantly different indoor thermal environment. The results of the comparative analysis indicate that the green building provides better thermal comfort than the conventional building.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
On a Theorem of Bahadur and Goodman

Introduction. This note is concerned with the problem of selecting the best one (or any other specified number) of several populations. It is restricted to the symmetric case where typically the observations consist of samples of equal size from the different populations. For certain families of distributions, Bahadur (1950) and Bahadur and Goodman (1952) have proved that the natural selection procedure uniformly minimizes the risk among all symmetric procedures for a large class of loss functions. In Section 2 we give an alternative proof of this theorem, and in Section 3 show that the theorem implies many other optimum properties including one obtained in a different manner by Hall (1959).
Comment and evaluation concerning some partial wave electron scattering factors frequently used in gas electron diffraction

Abstract An evaluation is presented of some recently published partial wave electron scattering factors for neutral atoms which are frequently used in structural studies by gas electron diffraction. Significant corrections are given for 3 of the 75 elements which were treated.
Cyclohexene as a chemical probe of the low-temperature hydrogenation activity of Pt/Ni(111) bimetallic surfaces

Abstract The reactions of H2 and cyclohexene on Pt/Ni(1 1 1) surfaces were investigated using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Hydrogen desorbs from Pt/Ni(1 1 1) bimetallic surfaces at temperatures approximately 40–50 K lower than the clean Ni(1 1 1) surface. The reaction pathways of cyclohexene are also significantly modified on the Pt/Ni(1 1 1) surfaces. On Ni(1 1 1), cyclohexene undergoes dehydrogenation and decomposition to produce benzene (c-C6H6), atomic C(a) and H2(g). HREELS results also reveal that cyclohexene (c-C6H10) is strongly bonded to the Ni(1 1 1) surface. However, when Pt is added to the Ni(1 1 1) surface at coverages from 0.5 to 3 ML, a fraction of the cyclohexene undergoes self-hydrogenation to produce cyclohexane (c-C6H12) at 237 K. HREELS results indicate that cyclohexene is more weakly bonded to the Pt/Ni(1 1 1) surface, with the ν(CC) stretching frequency (∼1638 cm−1) and skeletal distortions (649 cm−1) still present at 200 K. When a submonolayer coverage (40–50% saturation) of hydrogen is pre-adsorbed on the Pt/Ni(1 1 1) surfaces, the cyclohexene hydrogenation activity is enhanced by 10-fold, with a lower onset temperature of desorption of the cyclohexane product at ∼180 K.
A geometric model of space-time and matter

A geometric model of a spin one-half charged particle based on a modified version of Weyl's unified model of electromagnetism and gravity is presented. The model predicts a short-range force which we identify with the strong force. A nuclear mass formula similar to the Weizsacker mass formula provides experimental verification of the geometric approach.
Platelet Consumption by Arterial Prostheses: The Effects of Endothelialization and Pharmacologic Inhibition of Platelet Function

AbstractThe thrombogenic mechanism of arterial grafts has been studied by determining the relative utilization of platelets, fibrinogen and plasminogen by human arterial prostheses, and by direct examination of arterial grafts in a baboon model. Forty-one survival and turnover measurements of 51Crpl
The seven deadly sins of data processors

How many of Dante's Seven Deadly Sins can you name? (Hint: They do not begin with Dasher, Dancer and Prancer.) It is not necessary for the reader to memorize the Seven Deadly Sins of Data Processors --- any two will kill you!