cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extraction of thorium(IV) by di esters of orthophosphoric acid, (GO)2PO(OH)

The extraction of tracer-level Th(IV) into solutions of (GO)2PO(OH), symbolized as HDGP, in toluene as carrier solvent, where G is 2-ethylhexyl, (EH), and para(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl butyl)phenyl, (OΦ), from aqueous perchlorate, chloride and nitrate solutions has been investigated. The distribution ratio, K, has been shown to vary directly with the third power of the stoicheiometric concentration of extractant in the solvent phase (third-power solvent dependency) and inversely with the fourth power of the stoicheiometric hydrogen ion concentration in the aqueous phase (inverse fourth-power acid dependency) for the di[para(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl butyl)phenyl] phosphoric acid systems. The di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid systems display a more complicated behaviour, the K being third-power solvent dependent in each of the aqueous systems, but inverse third-power acid dependent in the nitrate systems and inverse fourth-power acid dependent in the perchlorate and chloride systems at low acidities ranging to nearly inverse third-power acid dependent at high acidities. The extracted entities are formulated as Th(DOΦP)2[H(DOΦP)2]2, Th(DEHP)2[H(DEHP)2]2 and Th(DEHP)[H(DEHP)2]2X, where X is nitrate, chloride and probably perchlorate, and tentatively postulated as co-ordination complexes of co-ordination number six. The effect of the corresponding mono esters as contaminates is discussed.
Aharonov-Bohm scattering of particles with spin.

The scattering of relativistic spin-one-half particles in an Aharonov-Bohm potential is considered. It is shown that earlier approaches to this problem have neglected a crucial delta function contribution to the potential. By formulating the problem with a source of finite radius which is then allowed to go to zero, it is established that this is the delta function alone that causes solutions that are singular at the origin to become relevant. The changes in the amplitude which arise from the inclusion of spin are seen to modify the cross section for the case of polarized beams. Finally, the calculated Aharonov-Bohm amplitude is shown to describe the scattering of particles with arbitrary spin in the c=\ensuremath{\infty} limit.
Bifungites, trace fossils from Devonian-Mississippian rocks of Pennsylvania and Montana, U.S.A

Abstract The trace fossil Bifungites Desio 1940, first recognized in Late Devonian rocks of Libya and later in Algeria, is common in Late Devonian rocks of Montana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, and Early Mississippian rocks of Pennsylvania. Its manifestations are given for seven stratigraphic units from forty localities in Pennsylvania, Montana, and Michigan. Bifungites commonly occur on bedding planes and consist of a horizontal shaft with doubly terminating arrow- or dumb-bell-shaped projections. Less apparent are paired vertical cylindrical sediment-filled tubes connected at their base to the bi-arrow or dumb-bell shaft. The combination represents the mud or silt casting of an inverted pi-shaped, μ, infaunal tubular burrow (domichnia). Siltstone slabs have been transversely sectioned to reveal this π-shaped, double-arrow burrow pattern with undisturbed stratification between the vertical tubes. Three new ichnospecies are proposed based on markedly different size and shape of the fossil traces in three stratigraphic zones. A Late Devonian Girard Shale type is the smallest with wide, short arrows on a narrow shaft whose median overall length is 12.5 mm. The latest Devonian Sappington type has well-formed, shortly barbed arrow terminations and median length of 28 mm. An Early Mississippian Meadville type is the largest with median length of 36 mm and prominently barbed broad arrows. The Bifungites organism is unrecognized but it was probably a sedentary, soft-bodied, infaunal suspension-feeding animal inhabiting shallow nearshore marine and brackish water environments. The identified biota directly or indirectly associated with Bifungites is extremely limited to a few brachiopods, clams, and other trace fossils.
Effects of insulin reduction with benfluorex on serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfate, and blood pressure in hypertensive middle-aged and elderly men.

To determine whether a reduction in insulinemia would be associated with a rise in serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfate in insulin-resistant men, 29 middle-aged (30-59 yr old) and 28 elderly (60-80 yr old) hypertensive men were enrolled into a single blind, placebo-controlled study, in which benfluorex was administered to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce circulating insulin. Men in each age group received either benfluorex (150 mg) or placebo three times daily for 6 weeks, and fasting serum insulin, glucose, DHEA, DHEA sulfate, and cortisol were determined before and after treatment. Glucose tolerance was also assessed by an oral glucose tolerance test. Benfluorex treatment lowered diastolic and systolic blood pressures and improved glucose tolerance in both age groups. In middle-aged men, benfluorex (n = 12) reduced both the area under the curve for glucose (AUCGLUCOSE; from 977 +/- 27 to 814 +/- 27 mmol/L.min; P = 0.0001) and the AUCINSULIN (from 78.1 +/- 7.9 to 44.5 +/- 5.7 nmol/L.min; P <...
Backup Wi-Fi Ad-Hoc Network for Emergency Response in Scenarios with Sporadic Connectivity and Primary Users

Inter-agency emergency response operations are sometimes hindered by a lack of common communication technology or by circumstances that render their networks unusable. We present a protocol architecture based on ubiquitous WiFi terminals (smartphones) that could be used for backup communications when everything else fails. If WLAN primary users (access points) are present, the channel selection mechanism selects alternate channels without the need of a common control channel. To deal with a sparse and disconnected topology, our mission-aware delay-tolerant routing algorithm uses short-term contact prediction and otherwise distributes packets to disconnected subnets without network-wide flooding.
Near-Orthogonal Basis Functions: A Real Time Fetal ECG Technique

A general technique for the real-time extraction of a physiological signal in the presence of well-characterized noise is described using a noninvasive fetal ECG detection system as an example application.
Empirical mode decomposition of the ECG signal for noise removal

Electrocardiography is a diagnostic procedure for the detection and diagnosis of heart abnormalities. The electrocardiogram (ECG) signal contains important information that is utilized by physicians for the diagnosis and analysis of heart diseases. So good quality ECG signal plays a vital role for the interpretation and identification of pathological, anatomical and physiological aspects of the whole cardiac muscle. However, the ECG signals are corrupted by noise which severely limit the utility of the recorded ECG signal for medical evaluation. The most common noise presents in the ECG signal is the high frequency noise caused by the forces acting on the electrodes. In this paper, we propose a new ECG denoising method based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD). The proposed method is able to enhance the ECG signal upon removing the noise with minimum signal distortion. Simulation is done on the MIT-BIH database to verify the efficacy of the proposed algorithm. Experiments show that the presented method offers very good results to remove noise from the ECG signal.
Understanding protein hydrogen bond formation with kinetic H/D amide isotope effects.

Through the development of a procedure to measure when hydrogen bonds form under two-state folding conditions, α-helices have been determined to form proportionally to denaturant-sensitive surface area buried in the transition state. Previous experiments assessing H/D isotope effects are applied to various model proteins, including λ and Arc repressor variants, a coiled coil domain, cytochrome c, colicin immunity protein 7, proteins L and G, acylphosphatase, chymotrypsin inhibitor II and a Src SH3 domain. The change in free energy accompanied by backbone deuteration is highly correlated to secondary structure composition when hydrogen bonds are divided into two classes. The number of helical hydrogen bonds correlates with an average equilibrium isotope effect of 8.6 ± 0.9 cal mol−1 site−1. However, β-sheet and long-range hydrogen bonds have little isotope effect. The kinetic isotope effects support our hypothesis that, for helical proteins, hydrophobic association cannot be separated from helix formation in the transition state. Therefore, folding models that describe an incremental build-up of structure in which hydrophobic burial and hydrogen bond formation occur commensurately are more consistent with the data than are models that posit the extensive formation of one quantity before the other.
Publication Ethics: Clinical Chemistry Editorial Standards

Each person’s work is always a portrait of himself. — Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) In the last decade there has been increasing adverse publicity regarding the ethics of researchers, and in some cases journals, for not presenting research data and conclusions in an honest and transparent manner. As editors, we acknowledge our responsibility in making efforts toward reversing this trend. Therefore, on the first anniversary of Clinical Chemistry ’s new editorial team, we want to review the Journal’s policies regarding ethics in publication and to clearly identify the steps Clinical Chemistry is taking to avert ethical breeches in the publication of reports. Assurance of the scientific integrity of any publication depends on 3 parties—the editors, the authors, and the reviewers. Editors exercise control over the entire evaluation process of a manuscript and must be beyond reproach. Authors take responsibility for honest and complete reporting of original data produced in ethically conducted research studies. Reviewers give their honest appraisal of a study’s novelty, scientific value, experimental design, and completeness of the data reported. We present the Journal’s positions on several areas of publication ethics with the intention of ensuring the integrity of material published in Clinical Chemistry . Editors are accountable to authors, readers, and the public. The editors have sole responsibility for the integrity of material published in the Journal and exercise control over this process as mandated by their contracts with the AACC. The editors oversee the entire evaluation process of all manuscripts, including specifying the requirements for submission, selection of reviewers, management of the review process, and decisions regarding acceptance of manuscripts for publication. The editorial process has to be honest and fair, and all decisions regarding the outcome of a manuscript must be made without delay. Editors must establish policies and procedures to assure authors, reviewers, and readers …
Topical Antibiotics in Dermatology

• Topical antibiotics are safe and effective in certain conditions, primarily acne, rosacea, and nasal carriage ofStaphylococcusaureus. They are useful in impetigo only when it is of limited extent. Their efficacy in other pyodermas is unclear, although mupirocin is probably effective in many cases. In "infected eczema" that does not require systemic therapy they seem to add little to what topical corticosteroids alone achieve. They are ineffective in reducing the incidence of significant infection with indwelling intravenous catheters. They are safe preparations, but extensive use, especially in closed populations, may encourage the emergence of resistant bacteria. (Arch Dermatol1988;124:1691-1700)
Damage by indentation and single impact of hard particles on a high chromium white cast iron

High chromium white cast irons are used extensively in environments where small particle impact causes considerable damage. In this study, a white cast iron containing 26 wt% Cr, and with a carbide volume fraction of 0.28, is impacted with projectiles at normal incidence using a gas gun. Both crater diameter and the size of the damage zone are measured as a function of projectile velocity, and an analytical model is developed which relates the size of the impact crater to the energy absorbed by plastic and elastic deformation of the white cast iron. Peak impact loads and strain hardening rates during impact are calculated by comparing the impact craters with craters made by quasi-static indentation. It is found that considerable strain hardening occurs in austenitic white cast irons during impact and indentation. Strain localization and dynamic softening are also observed in these materials at higher impact velocities.
Space Technology 5 observations of the imbalance of regions 1 and 2 field-aligned currents and its implication to the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents

[1] In this study, we use the in situ magnetic field observations from Space Technology 5 mission to quantify the imbalance of region 1 (R1) and region 2 (R2) currents. During the 3 month duration of the ST5 mission, geomagnetic conditions range from quiet to moderately active. We find that the Rl current intensity is consistently stronger than the R2 current intensity, both for the dawnside and the duskside large-scale field-aligned current system. The net currents flowing into (out of) the ionosphere in the dawnside (duskside) are in the order of 5% of the total R1 currents. We also find that the net currents flowing into or out of the ionosphere are controlled by the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction in the same way as the field-aligned currents themselves are. Since the net currents due to the imbalance of the Rl and R2 currents require that their closure currents flow across the polar cap from dawn to dusk as Pedersen currents, our results indicate that the total amount of the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents is in the order of ~0.1 MA. This study, although with a very limited data set, is one of a few attempts to quantify the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents. Given the importance of the Joule heating due to Pedersen currents to the high-latitude ionospheric electrodynamics, quantifying the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents and associated Joule heating is needed for developing models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.
Making a difference: a day in the life of a flood relief volunteer in Mozambique.

Abstract The Journal encourages and welcomes submissions of general interest to emergency nurses for the Update section. Please refer to the Information for Authors section for specific advice on manuscript preparation. All materials should be sent to the Managing Editor, Journal of Emergency Nursing, PO Box 489, Downers Grove, IL 60515; E-mail: khalm@ena.org .
Recreational Injuries in Washington State National Parks

Abstract Objectives.—The objectives of this study were to identify the number and types of recreational injuries sustained by visitors to Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Park in Washington State and to compare the nature of injuries sustained by children compared with adults. Methods.—We retrospectively reviewed case incident reports obtained by rangers in Mount Rainer National Park and Olympic National Park between 1997 and 2001. Data collected included victim age, gender, date of injury, activity preinjury, type of injury, and mechanism of injury. Results.—There were 535 cases of recreational wilderness injuries (including 19 total deaths), yielding a rate of 22.4 injuries per million visits. The mean age of injury victims was 34 years. Males were more likely to sustain injury than were females (59% vs 41%). Most injuries occurred during summer months between noon and 6:00 pm, and 90% occurred during daylight hours. The most common preinjury activities included hiking (55%), winter spor...
Baudelaire et Ses Hypocrites Lecteurs

Sur le sens de « Hypocrite lecteur, mon semblable, mon frere » (« Fleurs du Mal ») : l'A. donne au mot hypocrite son sens etymologique de « porteur de masque » et considere que l'avertissement de B. donne naissance a un lecteur nouveau qui lit pour se masquer
Electrical properties of Si-implanted gate oxides

The electrical properties of MOS capacitors with Si-implanted SiO 2 are investigated. It is demonstrated that a hysteresis effect is present in the capacitance-voltage characteristics of MOS capacitors with Si-implanted gate oxide. Both fixed charge and interface state density are observed to increase with Si-implant dose. The current conduction in these oxide films was also examined
German National Character and the Relaxing American

(2005). German National Character and the Relaxing American. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 124-142.
Partial Hydroxylation of Certain Lysines In Collagen

Peptides derived from the al chain of collagen have been isolated in small amounts and have been shown to differ from ones found in expected amounts only by substitution of hydroxylysine for lysine. This observation indicates that hydroxylation of these lysines by protocollagen hydroxylase has been effected to a very minor extent.
Fluxon solutions in non-abellian gauge models

Abstract The fundamental homotopic charges of the adjoint group in non-abelian gauge theories support fluxons, string-like non-peturbative degrees of freedom conjectured to be relevant to quark confinement and symmetry breaking. Fluxons as localized, static, sourceless solutions are constructed in pure SU(2) Yang-Mills theory and in the Georgi-Glashow model.
UNCERTAIN NEST FATES IN SONGBIRD STUDIES AND VARIATION IN MAYFIELD ESTIMATION

Abstract Determining whether nesting attempts are successful can be difficult. Yet, current protocols for estimating nesting success do not address how uncertain nest fates should be handled. We examined the problem of nest-fate uncertainty as it relates to Mayfield estimation of nesting success and in analyses of factors that influence success. We used data from Minnesota to illustrate the potential effect of uncertain fate; 40% of Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus; n = 127) nests and 30% of Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus; n = 144) nests had uncertain fates. How this uncertainty is incorporated into Mayfield estimates of success varied widely among researchers. In a survey of researchers who use the Mayfield method, 9 of 22 respondents (of 40 contacted) excluded nests with uncertain fate. Excluding uncertain fates is counter to how Mayfield first described his estimator and can result in severe downward bias. The remaining respondents (59%) included nests with uncertain fate but varied in how they term...
Contributions of film and jet drops to marine aerosols produced at the sea surface

Bubble populations at the sea surface were deduced from oceanic measurements; drop productions through the bursting of artificially generated bubbles were also observed. Taking these results together, contributions of film and jet drops to marine aerosols under various wind velocities are estimated; they appear to consist of mainly jet drops.
Infrared spectroscopy of chromium-doped cadmium selenide

The maximum optical-absorption cross section of Cr2+ ions was evaluated from near-infrared (NIR) absorption spectroscopy and direct measurements of the chromium concentration in Cr2+:CdSe crystals. The emission lifetime of the excited state, 5E, of Cr2+ was measured as a function of Cr2+ concentration in the 2 × 1017-2 × 1018 ions/cm3 range and as a function of temperature from 77-300 K. Lifetime values were as high as ∼6 µs in the 77-250 K range and decreased to ∼4 µs at 300 K because of nonradiative decays. Assuming that most of the Cr dopant is in the Cr2+ state, an optical-absorption cross section σa of (1.94 ± 0.56) × 10-18 cm2 was calculated. Implications for laser performance are discussed.
The extent, motivation, and effect of tying in franchise contracts

Tying in franchise contracts has been the subject of considerable antitrust litigation and theoretical analysis. Tying can enhance efficiency by increasing standardization and reducing monitoring costs, or it can be used with market power for price discrimination. In this paper, I report on the extent of tying among restaurant franchisors and test whether it is motivated by efficiency or market power considerations. The results show that the use of tying is not affected by market share or outlet share in various industry sectors, but it is affected by equipment required and by business strategy. The results are weakly supportive of efficiency and not supportive of market power. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Watershed Systems Analysis For Urban Storm-Water Management To Achieve Water Quality Goals

AbstractSystems analysis can assist in decision making to achieve water quality goals in urban watersheds that are typically associated with streams having poor water quality and degraded aquatic habitats caused by storm-water runoff. The need for an effective systems analysis methodology is particularly urgent in watersheds facing regulatory action through the imposition of a total maximum daily load (TMDL). Systems analysis methodologies are available that approach the problem at different levels of complexity corresponding to the methods that are used to model the physical, technological, and economic aspects of watershed storm-water management. Important roles exist for both simulation and analytical optimization, and they can be used together in ways that improve the applicability of both. These tools, along with geographic analysis and field monitoring, are used in a four-stage process that can lead to the development of a cost-effective strategy for moving an impaired watershed toward the restorati...
Characteristics of Vertical Wind Profiles near Supercells Obtained from the Rapid Update Cycle

Abstract Over 400 vertical wind profiles in close proximity to nontornadic and tornadic supercell thunderstorms are examined. The profiles were obtained from the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) model/analysis system. Ground-relative wind speeds throughout the lower and middle troposphere are larger, on average, in tornadic supercell environments than in nontornadic supercell environments. The average vertical profiles of storm-relative wind speed, vertical wind shear, hodograph curvature, crosswise and streamwise vorticity, and storm-relative helicity are generally similar above 1 km in the tornadic and nontornadic supercell environments, with differences that are either not statistically significant or not what most would regard as meteorologically significant. On the other hand, considerable differences are found in these average vertical profiles within 1 km of the ground, with environments associated with significantly tornadic supercells (those producing tornadoes of at least F2 intensity) having substantia...
Optimum geometries for scarfed perfect nozzles

The results of an investigation to determine the optimum geometry for length constrained scarfed nozzles employing perfect expansion contours is presented. A scarfed perfect nozzle performance analysis, based on an axisymmetric flowfield model and utilizing the method of characteristics solution technique, was developed. The performance model was utilized hi an optimization procedure to determine, for a range of nozzle projected lengths, the optimum set of scarfed perfect nozzle geometries. For each projected length, the respective optimum nozzle geometry was selected to maximize motor axial thrust coefficient. The set of optimum scarfed nozzle geometries was compared against optimum length constrained scarfed nozzles employing conical expansion contours. The optimum scarfed perfect nozzle geometries generated by this investigation were specifically produced for utilization hi a design methodology developed to minimize the length of tactical solid propellant propulsion systems. Used in conjunction with the design methodology, the results of the present investigation provide the designer with a means of further reducing propulsion system length.
Tests of fit for the three-parameter lognormal distribution

Tests based on the empirical distribution function are given for the goodness-of-fit of the three-parameter lognormal distribution when all three parameters are unknown. Critical values for finite samples are approximated by simple polynomial functions of the sample size and the shape parameter. Asymptotic critical values are computed to check these functions.
The Situation and the Opportunistic Executive

Examines the attitude of corporate executives and ways in which managers behave opportunistically in responding to business situations. Discussion on corporate decision-making; Details of leadershi...
Syntheses and structures of asymmetric Bis(silyl) niobocene hydrides.

This paper deals with the preparation and structural investigation of asymmetric bis(silyl) niobocene hydrides, Cp2Nb(SiHMe2)(H)(SiXMe2) (2; X = F (a), Cl (b), Br (c), I (d)) and Cp2Nb(SiXMe2)(H)(S...
Effect of Pb- and Te-saturation on carrier concentrations in impurity-doped PbTe

Ingots of PbTe have been grown by the Bridgman method from melts doped at a level of approximately 1 × 1020 cm−3 with one of the following impurities: Cu, Ag, In, Tl, As, Sb, and Bi. Hall coefficient measurements have been made at 300 and 77K to determine the carrier type and concentration in as-grown, Pb-saturated, and Te-saturated single-crystal samples cut from these ingots. Both Ag and As are amphoteric dopants: Ag is a donor in Pb-saturated samples and an acceptor in Te-saturated ones, while As exhibits the opposite behavior. Only As- and Tl-doped samples are p-type after Pb-saturation. All samples are p-type after Te-saturation at 800° C, but those doped with In, As, Sb, and Bi are n-type after Te-saturation at 350° C. In some cases the Hall coefficient changes between 300 and 77K in a manner that is unusual for PbTe. It decreases by more than a factor of 3 for some n-type, In-doped samples and increases by more than 2 orders of magnitude for some p-type, Cu-doped samples that have been Te-saturated at 800° C.
Echocardiographic left ventricular mass index predicts incident stroke in African Americans: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

Background and Purpose— Despite theories that link stroke to left ventricular mass, few large, population-based studies have examined the predictive value of echocardiographically derived left ventricular mass index (LVMI) to incident stroke in African Americans. Methods— Participants in the Jackson cohort of the Atherosclerotic Risk in Communities study have had extensive baseline evaluations, have undergone echocardiography during the third examination (1993–1995), and have been followed up for incident cardiovascular disease including ischemic stroke. Results— The study population consisted of 1792 participants, of whom 639 (35.7%) were men and the mean±SD age was 58.8±5.7 years. Compared with those without ischemic stroke, those with ischemic stroke had a higher frequency of hypertension (85.6% vs 58.7%) and diabetes (46.9% vs 21.0%). Left ventricular hypertrophy was more prevalent in those with stroke (62.2% vs 38.6%). During a median follow-up of 8.8 years, 98 incident strokes occurred (6.5 per 1000...
The Biosynthetic Gene Cluster for the Anticancer Drug Bleomycin From Streptomyces Verticillus ATCC15003 as a Model for Hybrid Peptide-Polyketide Natural Product Biosynthesis

The hybrid peptide–polyketide backbone of bleomycin (BLM) is assembled by the BLM megasynthetase that consists of both nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) modules. BlmIX/BlmVIII/BlmVII constitute a natural hybrid NRPS/PKS/NRPS system, serving as a model for both hybrid NRPS/PKS and PKS/NRPS systems. Sequence analysis and functional comparison of domains and modules of BlmIX/BlmVIII/BlmVII with those of nonhybrid NRPS and PKS systems suggest that (1) the same catalytic sites appear to be conserved in both hybrid NRPS–PKS and nonhybrid NRPS or PKS systems, with the exception of the KS domains in the hybrid NRPS/PKS systems that are unique; (2) specific interpolypeptide linkers may play a critical role in intermodular communication to facilitate transfer of the growing intermediates between the interacting NRPS and/or PKS modules; and (3) posttranslational modification of the BLM megasynthetase has been accomplished by a single PPTase with a broad substrate specificity toward the apo forms of both acyl carrier proteins (ACPs) and peptidyl carrier proteins (PCPs). Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2001) 27, 378–385.
Microleakage between different types of base materials

This study investigated the sealing properties of various combinations of base materials. Three chemically cured and three light-activated base materials were combinationally used to make 15 sample groups. The samples were thermocycled and immersed in 0.05% crystal violet solution for 1 hour. They were then embedded in clear casting resin, sectioned, and photographed. The interfaces of the samples were digitized. The ratio of the total interface length to the penetration of leakage was calculated and compared. The results indicated that the combination of Cavalite and VLC Dycal materials had the least microleakage and was significantly different from the other 14 groups.
The self-reported likelihood of patient delay in breast cancer: new thoughts for early detection.

Abstract Background. Delayed presentation of self-discovered breast symptoms influences stage of cancer at diagnosis and decreases breast cancer survival. Methods. A total of 699 asymptomatic women (black, white, and Latino), recruited in community settings and stratified by age, income, and educational level, were surveyed for their likelihood to delay (J-Delay scale) in the event of a breast symptom discovery. Models of likelihood were tested with logistic regression analyses. Results. A total of 166 women (23.7%) reported likelihood to delay. Lower income, lower educational level, self identification as Latino or black, experienced prejudice in care delivery, perceived lack of access to health care, fatalism about breast cancer, poor health care utilization habits, self-care behavior, spouse/partner and employer perceived constraints, problem-solving style, and a lack of knowledge of breast cancer's presenting symptoms were associated with likelihood to delay. A combined sample multiple logistic regression model correctly predicted 40.6% of women reporting a likelihood to delay, 94.9% of those not likely to delay, and 82.4% (551 of 669) of cases overall. Conclusions. Self-reported likelihood of patient delay is measurable in advance of symptom occurrence, and this measure is consistent with behavioral and knowledge variables previously linked with advanced breast cancer at diagnosis.
Possible role of mantle-derived CO2 in causing two “phreatic” explosions in Alaska

Two “phreatic” maars in Alaska may have been created by the explosive release of carbon dioxide from a basaltic melt. Both the basalt of the maars and the observed CO 2 (δ 13 C = −6.36‰) are inferred to have come from the mantle.
Gas-phase reactions of doubly charged alkaline earth and transition metal complexes of acetonitrile, pyridine, and methanol generated by electrospray ionization

Formation and low energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of doubly charged metal(II) complexes ([metal(II)+Ln]2+, metal(II)=Co(II), Mn(II), Ca(II), Sr(II) and L = acetonitrile, pyridine, and methanol) were investigated. Complexes of [metal(II)+Ln]2+ where n≤7 were obtained using electrospray ionization. Experimental parameters controlling the dissociation pathways for [Co(II)+(CH3CN)2]2+ were studied and a strong dependence of these processes on the collision energy was found. However, the dissociation pathways appear to be independent of the cone potential, indicating low internal energy of the precursor ions. In order to probe how these processes are related to intrinsic parameters of the ligand such as ionization potential and metal ion coordination, low energy CID spectra of [metal(II)+Ln]2+ for ligands such as acetonitrile, pyridine, and methanol were compared. For L = pyridine, all metals including the alkaline earth metals Ca and Sr were reduced to the bare [metal(I)]+ species. Hydride transfer was detected upon low energy CID of [metal(II)+Ln]2+ for metal(II)=Co(II) and Mn(II) and L = methanol, and corroborated by signals for [metal(II)+H−]+ and [metal(II)+H−+CH3OH]+, as well as by the complementary ion [CH3O]+.
When STAR meets the Clouds - Virtualization & Cloud Computing Experiences

In recent years, Cloud computing has become a very attractive paradigm and popular model for accessing distributed resources. The Cloud has emerged as the next big trend. The burst of platform and projects providing Cloud resources and interfaces at the very same time that Grid projects are entering a production phase in their life cycle has however raised the question of the best approach to handling distributed resources. Especially, are Cloud resources scaling at the levels shown by Grids? Are they performing at the same level? What is their overhead on the IT teams and infrastructure? Rather than seeing the two as orthogonal, the STAR experiment has viewed them as complimentary and has studied merging the best of the two worlds with Grid middleware providing the aggregation of both Cloud and traditional resources. Since its first use of Cloud resources on Amazon EC2 in 2008/2009 using a Nimbus/EC2 interface, the STAR software team has tested and experimented with many novel approaches: from a traditional, native EC2 approach to the Virtual Organization Cluster (VOC) at Clemson University and Condor/VM on the GLOW resources at the University of Wisconsin. The STAR team is also planning to run as part of the DOE/Magellan project. In this paper, we will present an overview of our findings from using truly opportunistic resources and scaling-out two orders of magnitude in both tests and practical usage.
The role of computed metrizamide myelography in evaluation of extradural extension from vertebral chordoma

Computed tomographic metrizamide myelography (CTMM) is proving to be of considerable value in the assessment of disease within the spinal canal. The tendency for vertebral chordoma to undergo local spread to the epidural space and the need for accurate assessment of the boundaries of this extension in planning radiotherapy have prompted the use of CTMM in this disease.
A new approach to natural products discovery exemplified by the identification of sulfated nucleosides in spider venom.

Using a new approach based on the NMR spectroscopic analysis of the entire, unpurified spider venom, we identified a family of unusual sulfated nucleoside derivatives from the venom of the hobo spider, Tegenaria agrestis. These compounds are ribonucleoside mono- and disulfates derived from guanosine and xanthosine, some of which are glycosylated, bearing one or two d-fucose units. The use of NMR spectroscopy to characterize the unfractionated venom was central to the discovery of this heretofore overlooked class of venom components.
Steady‐state flow of solid CO2: Preliminary results

To help answer the question of how much solid CO2 exists in the Martian south polar cap, we performed a series of laboratory triaxial deformation experiments at constant displacement rate in compression on jacketed cylinders of pure, polycrystalline CO2. Test conditions were temperatures 150 < T < 190 K, hydrostatic confining pressures 5≤ P ≤40 MPa, and strain rates 4.5×10−8 ≤ ⋵ ≤4.3×10−4 s−1. Most of the measurements follow a constitutive law of the form ⋵ = Aσnexp(−Q/RT), where σ is the applied differential stress, R is the gas constant, and the other constants have values as follows: A = 103.86 MPa−ns−1, n = 5.6, and Q = 33 kJ/mol. Solid CO2 is markedly weaker than water ice. Our results suggest that the south polar cap on Mars is unlikely to be predominately solid CO2, because the elevation and estimated age of the cap is difficult to reconcile with the very weak rheology of the material.
An Algorithm for Constructing Hypothetical Evolutionary Trees Using Common Mutation Similarity Matrices

In this paper, we introduce a new evolutionary tree algorithm that is based on common mutation similarity matrices instead of distance matrices.
The effect of mesoscales on the tracer equation in z-coordinates OGCMs

Abstract In z -coordinates ocean codes, mesoscale fluxes entering the T,S equations are represented by three terms: an eddy-induced velocity, a diapycnal flux Σ and a diffusion (Redi-like) term. Several eddy resolving codes have shown that the diapycnal flux Σ is quite large. However, all ocean codes have been run with zero diapycnal flux, Σ = 0. We model Σ and show that its contribution is of the same order of magnitude as the other two mesoscale terms usually accounted for. We also assess the validity of the two arguments most frequently cited to neglect Σ : (1) in an adiabatic regime, fluxes across isopycnal surfaces must vanish and so must the diapycnal flux Σ (we show that since Σ is not the total buoyancy flux but only part of it, there is no justification in demanding that Σ should satisfy the same conditions as the total flux) and (2) the results of a z -coordinate ocean code without Σ can be re-interpreted as those derived from the TRM (temporal residual mean) in which there is no Σ almost by definition since TRM is quite close to an isopycnal model.
Ovulation rate, embryo number and uterus length in purebred and crossbred Duroc, Landrace and Large White gilts

Abstract Ovulation and embryo survival rate, number of live and degenerated embryos and uterus length were examined between 28–35 d of gestation in purebred Landrace (LD) and Large White (LW), and in crossbred LDLW, LWLD, Duroc (DR) LD and DRLW gilts. Purebred and crossbred gilts were mated to purebred DR, LD or LW boars. Ovulation rate and live embryo number differed between breed combinations (P
Research on Ferro-Resonance of Electromagnetic Voltage Transformer

Ferro-resonance due to the voltage transformer (PT) occurs is a normal fault of power systems. With the nonlinear excitation characteristics of PT, its saturation is considered to cause the Ferro-resonance. Based on the ATP-EMTP platform, and considering the nonlinear excitation characteristics of PT, this paper builds a ferro-resonance simulation model of PT, and simulates high frequency resonance, fundamental resonance, and fraction frequency resonance separately. The factors affecting resonance are also discussed, to provide theoretical basis for the suppression of ferro-resonance in power system.
SiO 2 insulator defects, spatial distributions, densities, types, and sizes

Standard IC processes, as well as those involving the use of ionizing radiation, such as x-ray lithography etc., result in the generation of bulk defects, and interface states in the gate insulator, or underlying substrate, respectively, of insulated gate field effect transistors. Bulk defects are believed to be present as positively and negatively charged electron and hole traps, respectively, as well as neutral hole and “large” and “small” neutral electron traps. This paper provides a perspective of the current state of knowledge about the spatial distributions of large bulk defects, their areal densities, sizes, possible interrelationships among them, and the special cases of defects created by ion implanted silicon and oxygen, where knock-on effects have been simulated. It appears that bulk defects may all have their origin in neutral hole traps, (so-called E′ centers) and that when the insulator thickness is decreased to about 6-7 nm, defects are either no longer present, or, more likely, are incapable of trapping charge at room temperature because trapped carriers can either tunnel to one of the interfaces, or be annihilated by a reverse process. It appears possible also that the precursor of the several types of defects only forms at a “grown” silicon-silicon oxide interface. In theory, this would make it possible to grow defect free insulators by a combination of deposition and oxidation processes.
Aerosol Infection of Cynomolgus Macaques with Enzootic Strains of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Viruses

Because Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses (VEEVs) are infectious by aerosol, they are considered to be a biological-weapons threat. Nonhuman-primate models are needed to evaluate the efficacy of candidate vaccines. In the present study, cynomolgus macaques, after aerosol exposure to either VEEV-IE or VEEV-IIIA, developed fever, viremia, and lymphopenia; the severity of the fever response, viremia, and lymphopenia correlated with the inhaled dose of VEEV. Of the 10 macaques in our study, 7 developed clinical signs indicative of encephalitis, including loss of balance and hypothermia. In the macaque, the enzootic strains used are infectious by aerosol and lead to disease, including clinical encephalitis.
A High-Precision Study of Anharmonic-Oscillator Spectra

High-precision methods are developed to evaluate eigenvalues for all states {vert_bar}{ital m,N}{r_angle} of the x{sup 2m} anharmonic oscillators with {ital m} from 2 to 6, for all values of the anharmonicity parameter. There are three basic steps: rescaling to introduce a length scale natural to the problem; use of fifth-order JWKB to generate an accurate starting estimate of the rescaled energy; and shifted (resolvent-based) Lanczos algorithm to sharpen the initial JWKB estimate. JWKB itself gives 33-figure accuracy for {ital N} greater than 1500 (for m=2) to 3500 (for m=6). With the JWKB starting energy, the shifted Lanczos algorithm converges to 33 figures in 3 iterations or less for all states. These methods are used in a study of the systematics of anharmonic-oscillator spectra and of the physical effects of the rescaling transformation. {copyright} 1999 Academic Press, Inc.
Common and uncommon cytochrome P450 reactions related to metabolism and chemical toxicity.

Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes catalyze a variety of reactions and convert chemicals to potentially reactive products as well as make compounds less toxic. Most of the P450 reactions are oxidations. The majority of these can be rationalized in the context of an FeO3+ intermediate and odd electron abstraction/rebound mechanisms; however, other iron−oxygen complexes are possible and alternate chemistries can be considered. Another issue regarding P450-catalyzed reactions is the delineation of rate-limiting steps in the catalytic cycle and the contribution to reaction selectivity. In addition to the rather classical oxidations, P450s also catalyze less generally discussed reactions including reduction, desaturation, ester cleavage, ring expansion, ring formation, aldehyde scission, dehydration, ipso attack, one-electron oxidation, coupling reactions, rearrangement of fatty acid and prostaglandin hydroperoxides, and phospholipase activity. Most of these reactions are rationalized in the context of high-valent...
Accounting Practices in Medical Interviews.

As doctors and patients communicate during medical interactions they both offer accounts and respond to them. By treating these accounts as interactional strategies which link social structure to social interaction we display how the medical interview is characterized by a moment-tomoment battle that mirrors and largely sustains the institutional authority and status of doctors and the reality of genders. (Medicine, communication, accounting practices, interactional strategies, institutional authority, professional status, gender) The expression "talking social structure" (Molotch & Boden I985) provides a new vocabulary to talk about an important sociological issue: the relationship between social interaction and social structure. It implies a relationship between interaction and institutional, structural, and cultural factors. Although traditionally sociologists have treated social interaction and social structure as disparate, we join others who contend that our analyses would be enriched if these concepts were integrated (cf. Giddens 1976, 1983, 1984;
The Philosophy of Death

The Philosophy of Death is a discussion of the basic philosophical issues concerning death, and a critical introduction to the relevant contemporary philosophical literature. Luper begins by addressing questions about those who die: What is it to be alive? What does it mean for you and me to exist? Under what conditions do we persist over time, and when do we perish? Next, he considers several questions concerning death, including: What does dying consist in; in particular, how does it differ from ageing? Must death be permanent? By what signs may it be identified? Is death bad for the one who dies? If so why? Finally he discusses whether, and why, killing is morally objectionable, and suggests that it is often permissible; in particular, (assisted) suicide, euthanasia and abortion may all be morally permissible. His book is a lively and engaging philosophical treatment of a perennially fascinating and relevant subject.
The status and use of spanish and english among hispanic youth in dade county (miami) florida: A sociolinguistic study, 1989–1991

Abstract Will Hispanic youth in Dade County (Miami, et al.) Florida sustain their Spanish‐English bilingualism? Or, will they shift to English‐only monolin‐gualism? Prior studies pertaining to the status of Spanish‐English bilingualism among Cuban American youth in Florida revealed an emerging pattern in which they tended to use both Spanish and English in the home, leaning toward English when speaking to their siblings. This paper reports the results of a sociolinguistic analysis on the status of Spanish‐English bilingualism among Hispanic youth in Dade County, Florida, focused on the questions: Which languages (Spanish or English) do the Hispanic youths speak to whom? And, under what circumstances? What is their attitude toward Spanish and English? And, to what extent are they literate in Spanish and English? Answers to these questions have crucial implications for the maintenance of native Spanish in the United States as well as implications pertaining to the social, political, and economic future of t...
Objecting to the Genetic Virtue Program.

The Enlightenment bequeathed to us the notion that the human mind can and should dominate over nature—that there is nothing we cannot know or should not attempt. And, in fact, there is something to be said for this position, since a truthful historian has to admit that standards of living have generally been greatly bettered by the technology of the last two centuries. Without confidence in our ability to remake nature, the great medical advances of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries would never have been possible: antisepsis, the discovery of the tuberculosis bacillus, sulfa drugs, the polio vaccine. Like twentieth-century researchers who faced polio and smallpox, Mark Walker has perhaps identified the central ethical malady of our twenty-first century civilization—how the lack of virtue impedes our moral progress. And just as biological researchers sought to use science to eradicate these diseases, so Walker seeks to use genetic manipulation to eradicate evil.