cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of Partner Type on Condom Use

The current study examined sexual risk reduction practices of inner-city African American women. Specifically, the intersection of condom use and partner type is examined through the effectiveness of a single session, one-to-one behavioral skills and motivational enhancement HIV prevention intervention for women at risk for HIV. At pre-intervention, women with non-regular partners reported higher frequency condom use than those with regular partners. Similar results were found for women with multiple partners, in that higher rates of condom use were reported with non-regular partners compared to regular partners. Findings suggest that further investigation into the effectiveness of negotiated safety for women at risk is needed.
A simple dispersion model for the analysis of chemically reactive pollutants.

Abstract The simple ATDL dispersion model, in which the surface concentration is proportional to area source strength divided by wind speed, has been used successfully in the past to estimate concentrations of chemically inert pollutants. In the analysis of chemically reactive pollutants, the concentration predicted by the simple ATDL model can be used as a scaling parameter to put the governing equations into the dimensionless form. The resulting set of differential equations for the time rate of change of concentration in a region contains a few dimensionless governing parameters per equation. By analyzing the governing parameters, the relative importance of chemical and meteorological variables and source strengths can be assessed. As expected, the wind speed and source strength are seen to be the major factors determining the seriousness of the pollution problem in any region. Using a simple kinetic mechanism ( Friedlander and Seinfeld , 1969) for photochemical smog as an example of the application of the model, it is shown that the model is capable of simulating observed noon-time concentrations of NO, NO 2 , and RH averaged over the Los Angeles basin on 29 September 1969. It is also shown that the predicted hourly concentrations of NO, NO 2 , and RH averaged over the Los Angeles basin on 30 September 1969 are as well correlated with observed concentrations as the predictions of the more complex PICK model, developed by Sklarew et al. (1972).
CELL SURFACES AND EMBRYOS: EXPRESSION OF THE F9 TERATOCARCINOMA ANTIGEN IN T-REGION LETHAL, OTHER LETHAL, AND NORMAL PRE-IMPLANTATION MOUSE EMBRYOS

Abstract F9 teratocarcinoma antigen is expressed normally on embryos which are homozygous recessive for each of 4 mutations lethal in early development, including t 12 . Homozygosity for two post-implantation T -region developmental lethal genes, t w5 and T Or1 , may alter F9 antigen expression but the results were not definitive. In addition, the time of appearance of the antigen may be affected by some of the genotypes.
Nanocluster Nucleation, Growth, and Then Agglomeration Kinetic and Mechanistic Studies: A More General, Four-Step Mechanism Involving Double Autocatalysis

The discovery of the four-step, double autocatalytic mechanism by which transition-metal organometallic and metal-salt precursors self-assemble into zerovalent transition-metal nanoclusters under reductive conditions is reported. The prototype system investigated is (1,5-COD)PtCl2 reduction under hydrogen plus 2 equiv of Bu3N and 2 equiv of Proton Sponge (1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene). The reaction stoichiometry is established by TEM, XPS, NMR, and GLC. A concomitant, fast, cyclohexene hydrogenation reporter reaction is employed to monitor the kinetics of Pt0 product/catalyst formation and agglomeration. After 15 alternative mechanisms were ruled out, a minimalistic (“Ockham's Razor”) mechanism is proposed consisting of four steps: slow continuous nucleation, A → B (rate constant k1), fast autocatalytic surface growth, A + B → 2B (rate constant k2), bimolecular agglomeration, B + B → C (rate constant k3), and a new, unprecedented autocatalytic agglomeration step between small (B) and larger, bulk-me...
Clinical application of collagen sheet, YCWM, as a burn wound dressing

In the Linkou Burn Unit, a recently developed new wound dressing derived from porcine skin was evaluated. This newly designed porcine dressing, called young collagenous wettable membrane (YCWM), was developed by the staff of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Many specific characteristics, such as negligible antigenicity, semitransparency, sterilizability, good pain relief and low costs, have been associated with it. The results of a clinical trial on 59 wounds on 50 burn patients proved encouraging. Some disadvantages such as maceration and delayed eschar separation were noted. We conclude that YCWM is suitable for the treatment of the clean, dry donor sites and superficial partial skin loss burn wounds of non-infected, non-immunocompromised patients.
Spatial Arrangement of Personal Constructs and Frequency and Duration of Participation in Leisure Activities

Summary.-Each person creates meaning in the world by means of cognitive conceptual systems. From this perspective, an individual formulates his own personal constructs through which he views events in a personal world. This investigation explored the spatial arrangement of personal constructs and their associated influence on the frequency and duration of participation in leisure activities. The Personal Sphere Model, a projective technique, was used to assess respondents' spatial representations of important personal constructs. The model assumes that each person stands in the center of a sphere formed by the ~eople, ideas, and things which have influenced hlm throughout his life and which vary in their importance to him. Data from 149 randomly selected respondents in a southwestern metropolitan area provide evidence that the spatial arrangement of personal constructs can be significantly associated with both the frequency and duration of participation in a majority of leisure activities. A person approaches the world with reference to specific patterns of objects. In highly simplified terms, "cognition is a taxonomic process: the world is made meaningful by classifying, naming, attaching importance, and generally ordering it by means of a conceptual system" (Moore & Golledge, 1976, p. 22). George Kelly (1955) applied the term "personal construct" to the cognitive structuring of experience and developed a theory of personality based upon personal constructs. According to his theory, every person is a "scientist," formulating constructs or representations of the world and then "predicting" the course of future events based upon those constructs. Moreover, he theorized that each person formulates his own unique constructs through which he views events in a personal world. From this perspective, the human animal represents the environment, not merely responds to it. Therefore, human action in the world, including action at leisure, can be discussed in terms which recognize the importance of personal cognitive constructs. Without such constructs, the world would be an undifferentiated homogeneity of experience, and man would be unable to make sense of it (Kelly, 1955).
Olfactomedin proteins: central players in development and disease.

Olfactomedin proteins are characterized by a conserved domain of ~250 amino acids corresponding to the olfactomedin archetype first discovered in olfactory neuroepithelium. They arose early in evolution and occur throughout the animal kingdom. In mice and humans olfactomedin proteins comprise a diverse array of glycoproteins, many of which are critical for early development and functional organization of the nervous system as well as hematopoiesis. Olfactomedin domains appear to facilitate protein-protein interactions, intercellular interactions, and cell adhesion. Several members of the family have been implicated in various common diseases, notably myocilin in glaucoma and OLFM4 in cancer. This review highlights this important, hitherto understudied family of proteins.
Genetic detection of node of first fruiting branch in crosses of a cultivar with two exotic accessions of upland cotton

Flowering time has biological and agricultural significance for crops. In Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), photoperiodic sensitivity is a major obstacle in the utilization of primitive accessions in breeding programs. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analysis was conducted in two F2 populations from the crosses between a day-neutral cultivar Deltapine 61 (DPL61) and two photoperiod sensitive G. hirsutum accessions (T1107 and T1354). Node of first fruiting branch (NFB) was used to measure relative time of flowering. Different flowering time genetic patterns were observed in the two populations. Two QTLs were found across five scoring dates, accounting 28.5 (qNFB-c21-1) and 15.9% (qNFB-c25-1) of the phenotypic variation at the last scoring date in Pop. 1107 (DPL61 by T1107); whereas, one major QTL (qNFB-c25-1) can be detected across five scoring dates, explained 63.5% of the phenotypic variation at the last scoring date in Pop. 1354 (DPL61 by T1354). QTLs with minor effects appeared at various scoring date(s), indicating their roles in regulating flowering at a lower or higher node number. Genetic segregation analysis and QTL mapping results provide further information on the mechanisms of cotton photoperiodic sensitivity.
Covalent immobilization of heparin on polymethylacrylate surfaces

Heparin, a natural anticoagulant, was immobilized via covalent bonds on the surface of polymethylacrylate (PMA) beads to create a blood-compatible surface. Two chemical routes were utilized for immobilization. In the first route, PMA was hydrolyzed to produce functional carboxyl groups on its surface and heparin was covalently linked to these surface carboxyl groups by making use of carbodiimide chemistry. This method utilizes the free amino groups on heparin: the coupling occurs in minutes. In the second route, free amino groups were fixed to surface-hydrolyzed PMA by coupling one end of a suitable alkyl diamine with a water-soluble carbodiimide. Heparin was first ionically adsorbed to this aminated surface and then attached by glutaraldehyde fixation. This process occurs within one hour. In both techniques, more crude heparin (“Stage 14”) was bound than highly purified heparin due to larger number of free amino groups in crude heparin. The extent of heparin coupling was determined with 14C-labelled hepa...
A topology for galois types in abstract elementary classes

We present a way of topologizing sets of Galois types over structures in abstract elementary classes with amalgamation. In the elementary case, the topologies thus produced refine the syntactic topologies familiar from first order logic. We exhibit a number of natural correspondences between the model-theoretic properties of classes and their constituent models and the topological properties of the associated spaces. Tameness of Galois types, in particular, emerges as a topological separation principle. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Organic solid wastes from urban environment as iron sources for sorghum

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) which is susceptible to Fe deficiency was grown in two different soils in a glasshouse with two different organic urban wastes (sewage sludge and dog manure) to ascertain their ability to supply Fe and other micronutrients to plants. One soil was calcareous with a history of Fe deficiency. Sewage sludge and dog manure at an application rate of 15,000 μg/g to this soil effectively supplied Fe to plants. This effect was not present when the ash rather than the organic matter was used. Ferrous sulfate and Fe-EDDHA (Fe[ethylenediamine di-0-hydroxyphenylacetate]) likewise were not effective. Infrared spectra revealed differences in the fulvic acid for the two sources of solid wastes. The results imply that some sources of organic wastes may be useful in prevention or correction of Fe deficiency in calcareous soils.
Hormonal action of 1-methyladenine: The effect of enzymatic digestion of intact starfish oocytes on the induction of meiosis

Abstract The effect of enzymatic digestion of starfish oocytes on the ability of 1-methyladenine (1-MeAd) to cause the induction of meiosis was studied. Enzymes shown to have no effect on 1-MeAd-induced meiosis were phospholipases A and C, neuraminidase, β-galactosidase, and deoxyribonuclease. Trypsin was shown to have a slight effect on meiosis while papain, a protease from Streptomyces griseus (protease S), ribonuclease A (RNase), and ribonuclease T 1 digestion markedly suppressed the biological response to 1-MeAd. Further studies were focused on the specific effects of protease S and RNase. These enzymes did not mediate suppression of 1-MeAd-induced meiosis by reduction of oocyte viability or alteration of the activity of the 1-MeAd molecule itself. The effects of protease S and RNase digestion were reversed after about 30–90 min if the oocytes were washed free of enzyme, and this process was not sensitive to emetine or actinomycin D. Experiments in which protease S or RNase incubation was begun at various times after 1-MeAd treatment revealed specific sensitivity periods for the two enzymes. The protease S sensitivity period terminated about 5 min after 1-MeAd treatment, whereas the RNase sensitivity period lasted until about 20 min after hormone addition. The results of these studies are discussed with respect to the presence of a 1-MeAd receptor at the oocyte surface.
Metabolic Changes in a Patient with Addison's Disease following the Onset of Diabetes Mellitu1s1

THE DEVELOPMENT of diabetes mellitus in a patient with pre-existing Addison's disease has been reported only once (1).2 There are, however, 11 well-documented instances in which diabetes mellitus and Addison's disease have developed simultaneously or in which the onset of diabetes mellitus has antedated the onset of Addison's disease. In 4 of the 11 patients, Addison's disease and diabetes mellitus appeared to develop simultaneously (table 1). In the remaining 7 instances the onset of Addison's disease appeared to follow the development of diabetes mellitus (table 2). The case reported by Arnett in 1927 (2) has been referred to (11) as the first substantiated instance of the co-existence of the two diseases. A survey of the literature, however, revealed a case report by Unverricht in 1926 in which Addison's disease developed in a known diabetic (7).The case described by Crook and Russell in 1935 (13) had been reported in 1932 by Levy-Simpson (3) and hence these reports represent a single instance of the c...
CCD Photometry of the Centaur 1995 GO

Abstract We present new CCD photometry of the Centaur object 1995 GO obtained in April 1996, including a lightcurve, a V − R color, and a surface brightness profile. The apparent brightness implies a circular effective radius of 53.5 km, assuming a 4% albedo. The shape of the lightcurve is compatible with an aspherical rotating body, with a rotation period of 8.870 ± 0.020 hr. No evidence of cometary activity was found in the observations, allowing us to place an upper limit of 3 kg sec −1 on the mass loss rate in 1995 GO. We measure the colors V − R = 0.73 ± 0.04 and B − V = 0.78 ± 0.05, which fall within the previously reported color range for Centaurs and Kuiper Belt objects.
Spinal reflex organization in early development: Electrophysiological measures and proposed motor pathways

The delay in developmental milestones in cerebral palsy (CP) is presumed to result from a nonprogressive insult to the developing central nervous system (CNS). In CP, the site(s), type, duration, and magnitude of CNS insult(s) may never be defined, and a single focus of damage may not be revealed by standard brain imaging methods. The neurological examination (i.e., assessment of reflexes, tone, and motor coordination) generally does not define the insult with precision, nor can it predict the delays in motor skill development. The CNS damage may only be suspected from the medical history during the prenatal or perinatal period; confirmation of CNS insult may be deferred until the child misses developmental milestones in the first few months or years of life. In CP, patterns of motor incoordination and delay emerge gradually over time during development. While the original CNS injury is presumed to be a nonprogressive insult to higher motor centers (e.g., cerebral motor cortex), the damage probably causes significant modulation of functional neural connections during maturation of the brain and spinal cord. Such aberrant communication in motor pathways may be caused by, or result in, motor incoordination. In turn, repetition of uncoordinated movements may reinforce aberrant neural connections with, or at, the spinal cord. In this paper, we review neural responses to stimulation of sensory and motor systems and compare data for healthy neonates and children, and children and adults with CP. Age-related differences are identified in measured onset latencies of responses, computed central conduction delays, and relative levels of excitatory drive. Differences in muscle responses are shown among subject groups for myotatic reflex activation of agonist, antagonist, and more distant limb muscles. From these data, inferences have been made that, in CP, impairments in CNS circuitry may include descending corticospinal pathways and/or spinal reflex pathways (e.g., “reciprocal excitation”). Data from a number of investigators support the theory that changes in spinal reflex pathways are likely to play a fundamental role in the development of motor control. MRDD Research Reviews 3:175-183, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Haurwitz solutions of the nonlinear shallow-water equations for small froude number

In this note we find special solutions of the nonlinear shallow-water equations. From the first integrals of the potential vorticity and energy equations for steady flow we derive a single equation in the streamfunction. In the limiting case of very small Froude number, that equation has no solutions corresponding to gravity waves. Under a nonlinear transformation of dependent variable, it becomes a linear equation whose solutions are related to Haurwitz's solutions for nondivergent barotropic flow in spherical surfaces. The distinguishing feature of these solutions is that the streamlines coincide with contours of the free surface: thus, although the height of the free surface varies, the motions of the fluid are horizontal, and the flow is nondivergent.
Properties of a small radon diffusion chamber with plastic track detectors

ABSTRACT The response of radon diffusion chambers of a few cm3 in volume have been determined by experiment and calculation. Environmental effects have also been measured. It has been demonstrated that the response is stable to within ± 3% for exposure periods of three hours or longer. The plastic nuclear track detector used is CR-39 polycarbonate.
On the structure of pseudo-holomorphic discs with totally real boundary conditions

In this paper, we study the structure ofJ-holomorphic discs in relation to the Fredholm theory of pseudo-holomorphic discs with totally real boundary conditions in almost complex manifolds (M, J). We prove that anyJ-holomorphic disc with totally real boundary condition that is injective in the interior except at a discrete set of points, which we call a “normalized disc,” must either have some boundary point that is regular and has multiplicity one, or satisfy that its image forms a smooth immersed compact surface (without boundary) with a finite number of self-intersections and a finite number of branch points. In the course of proving this theorem, we also prove several theorems on the local structure of boundary points ofJ-holomorphic discs, and as an application we give a complete treatment of the transverslity result for Floer’s pseudo-holomorphic trajectories for Lagrangian intersections in symplectic geometry.
Perturbation analysis of high strain-rate shear localization in B.C.C. crystalline materials

A perturbation analysis has been used to obtain a detailed and fundamental understanding of the high strain-rate material mechanisms associated with material instabilities and adiabatic shear-band formation in single body-centered cubic (b.c.c.) crystals. The interrelated effects of wave number, shear-band orientation, strain hardening, strain-rate sensitivity, and thermal and geometrical softening on material instability and shear-strain localization have been investigated in terms of the competition between the softening and hardening mechanisms for nominal strain-rates from 100/s to 5000/s. A perturbed system of equations has been obtained, accounting for arbitrary crystal orientations, and since no approximations have been made for the magnitude of the strain-rate sensitivity parameter, all the roots associated with the stability of the perturbed equations can be obtained for physically representative deformations. Hence, a comprehensive characterization of material instabilities can be obtained beyond the initial instability point, and the strength of material instabilities can be then monitored throughout the deformation history to distinguish between material instabilities and shear-strain localization.
Causing Human Actions: New Perspectives on the Causal Theory of Action

Jesus Aguilar and Andrea A. Buckareff (Eds.), Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2010, 335 pages, ISBN: 0262514761 (pbk), $35.00 Causing human actions: New perspectives on the causal theory of action is an ...
Database abstractions: aggregation and generalization

Two kinds of abstraction that are fundamentally important in database design and usage are defined. Aggregation is an abstraction which turns a relationship between objects into an aggregate object. Generalization is an abstraction which turns a class of objects into a generic object. It is suggested that all objects (individual, aggregate, generic) should be given uniform treatment in models of the real world. A new data type, called generic, is developed as a primitive for defining such models. Models defined with this primitive are structured as a set of aggregation hierarchies intersecting with a set of generalization hierarchies. Abstract objects occur at the points of intersection. This high level structure provides a discipline for the organization of relational databases. In particular this discipline allows: (i) an important class of views to be integrated and maintained; (ii) stability of data and programs under certain evolutionary changes; (iii) easier understanding of complex models and more natural query formulation; (iv) a more systematic approach to database design; (v) more optimization to be performed at lower implementation levels. The generic type is formalized by a set of invariant properties. These properties should be satisfied by all relations in a database if abstractions are to be preserved. A triggering mechanism for automatically maintaining these invariants during update operations is proposed. A simple mapping of aggregation/generalization hierarchies onto owner-coupled set structures is given.
Improved Synthesis of 1,5-Bis(Dimethylamino)-1,4-Pentadien-3-One

Abstract 1,5-Bis (dimethylamino)-1,4-pentadien-3-one is conveniently prepared in quantitative yield by reaction of 1,3-acetone-dicarboxylic acid with dimethylformamide dimethylacetal.
Zeon-1 , a member of a new maize retrotransposon family

We have previously shown that the tandemly duplicated 27 kDa maize storage protein locus underwent mitotic rearrangement to yield a single-copy allele in isolates of the inbred line A188. This rearrangement contains a new LTR retrotransposon, designatedZeon-1. This middle repetitive element of 7313 by had two long terminal repeats, a primer binding site, a polypurine tract and agag-related open reading frame of 375 amino acids. Transcripts of thegag-related region were detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in certain maize tissues, and Western blots detected thegag-related protein in the same tissues. Moreover, the product of this mitotic rearrangement was shown to contain the same insertion site and 3′ LTR asZeon-1, suggesting that this rearrangement occurs with unusual precision.Zeon elements were found to be present in teosinte and not present in the Gramineae wheat, barley, sorghum and rye.
Dipole states in 208Pb

Abstract The dipole states in 208 Pb are calculated using G -matrix elements from the Hamada-Johnston potential. The large discrepancy with experiment found in previous calculations remains, even when the self-screening of the exchange term is included. Possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed.
Tumor-specific anti-nucleosome antibody improves therapeutic efficacy of doxorubicin-loaded long-circulating liposomes against primary and metastatic tumor in mice.

The efficacy of drug delivery systems can be significantly enhanced by making them target-specific via the attachment of various ligands to their surface. We attempted to enhance tumor accumulation and therapeutic effect of doxorubicin-loaded long-circulating liposomes (Doxil, ALZA Corp.) by coupling to their surface the anticancer monoclonal antibody 2C5 (mAb 2C5) with nuclesome (NS)-restricted activity, that can recognize the surface of various tumor but not normal cells via the surface-bound nucleosomes released from the apoptotically dying neighboring tumor cells and specifically targets pharmaceutical carriers to tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Antibody coupling to PEGylated doxorubicin-liposomes was performed by the “post-insertion” technique. The pharmacokinetics of plain and immuno-targeted Doxil-mimicking liposomes, as well as their accumulation in primary Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumors in mice was followed by real-time gamma-scintigraphy upon liposomal membrane labeling with 111In. Therapeu...
Vaccinia virus mutations in the L4R gene encoding a virion structural protein produce abnormal mature particles lacking a nucleocapsid.

Electron micrographs from the 1960s revealed the presence of an S-shaped tubular structure in the center of the vaccinia virion core. Recently, we showed that packaging of virus transcription enzymes is necessary for the formation of the tubular structure, suggesting that the structure is equivalent to a nucleocapsid. Based on this study and on what is known about nucleocapsids of other viruses, we hypothesized that in addition to transcription enzymes, the tubular structure also contains the viral DNA and a structural protein as a scaffold. The vaccinia virion structural protein L4 stands out as the best candidate for the role of a nucleocapsid structural protein because it is abundant, it is localized in the center of the virion core, and it binds DNA. In order to gain more insight into the structure and relevance of the nucleocapsid, we analyzed thermosensitive and inducible mutants in the L4R gene. Using a cryo-fixation method for electron microscopy (high-pressure freezing followed by freeze-substitution) to preserve labile structures like the nucleocapsid, we were able to demonstrate that in the absence of functional L4, mature particles with defective internal structures are produced under nonpermissive conditions. These particles do not contain a nucleocapsid. In addition, the core wall of these virions is abnormal. This suggests that the nucleocapsid interacts with the core wall and that the nucleocapsid structure might be more complex than originally assumed. IMPORTANCE The vaccinia virus nucleocapsid has been neglected since the 1960s due to a lack of electron microscopy techniques to preserve this labile structure. With the advent of cryo-fixation techniques, like high-pressure freezing/freeze-substitution, we are now able to consistently preserve and visualize the nucleocapsid. Because vaccinia virus early transcription is coupled to the viral core structure, detailing the structure of the nucleocapsid is indispensable for determining the mechanisms of vaccinia virus core-directed transcription. The present study represents our second attempt to understand the structure and biological significance of the nucleocapsid. We demonstrate the importance of the protein L4 for the formation of the nucleocapsid and reveal in addition that the nucleocapsid and the core wall may be associated, suggesting a higher level of complexity of the nucleocapsid than predicted. In addition, we prove the utility of high-pressure freezing in preserving the vaccinia virus nucleocapsid.
Using Ridge Regression to Estimate Directly Lagged Effects in Marketing

Abstract A prediction criterion for ridge regression is developed and used for estimating lagged effect patterns by means of the direct lag model. As examples, the Lydia Pinkham monthly and annual data are analyzed, showing that lag patterns can be obtained that are in agreement across time intervals.
Projections from the claustrum to the prelunate gyrus in the monkey.

In order to determine whether the cells in the monkey claustrum which project to visual area V4 are found in the same territory as cells projecting to other visual areas, we made injections of the retrograde fluorescent tracer diamidino yellow into area V4 in two monkeys. Injections of a second tracer, fast blue, were also made in area PM, an area just medial to area V4 on the prelunate gyrus, in one animal. Area V4 injections labeled cells in ventral claustrum over about 5–6 mm of its anterior-posterior extent. The more medial prelunate injection labeled cells in adjacent dorsal and more lateral claustrum. These results, together with data from other studies, suggest that in the monkey, as in the cat, there is a ”visual” region of claustrum that is interconnected with multiple visual areas including V1, V2, V4, MT, FST, MST, TEO and TE. The data also suggest that dorsal and lateral to this region is another zone which is connected with different visual areas, including several in posterior parietal cortex.
Effects of bacterial contamination on development ofMicroplitis croceipes [Hym.: Braconidae]

Bacterial contaminants ofHeliothis virescens (F.) influenced the development ofMicroplitis croceipes (Cresson). Among the four bacterial species studied, the most virulent wasPseudomonas maltophilia Hugh and Ryschenkow followed byBacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn. Both bacteria caused severe mortality in all stages ofMicroplitis tested.Microplitis larvae were less susceptible toEscherichia coli (Migula) Castellani and Chalmers andLeuconostoc mesenteroides (Tsenkovskii) van Thieghem than toB. subtilis andP. maltophilia. AlthoughE. coli did not affect the number of cocoons produced, adult emergence was lower than in controls. Longevity of adultMicroplitis exposed to bacterially contaminated honey-water was greatly reduced in all bacterial treatments.
Collaborative System Identification via Parameter Consensus

Classical schemes in system identification and adaptive control often rely on persistence of excitation to guarantee parameter convergence, which may be difficult to achieve with a single agent and a single input. Inspired by consensus systems, we extend classical parameter adaptation to the multi agent setting by combining an adaptive gradient law with consensus dynamics. The gradient law represents the main learning signal, while consensus dynamics attract each agent's parameter estimates toward those of its neighbors. We show that the resulting decentralized online parameter estimator can be used to identify the true parameters of all agents, even if no single agent employs a persistently exciting input.
Recent advances in the hyphenation of chromatographs and FT-IR spectrometers

Abstract A common approach to measuring on-line infrared spectra of species eluting from gas, supercritical, and high performance liquid chromatographs is described. The eluites are deposited as very small spots on a moving ZnSe window and are passed through a microbeam of a Fourier Transform infrared spectrometer shortly after deposition. Identifiable spectra can be obtained from subnanogram quantities of each analyte. Spectra measured in this way are very similar to KBr-disk reference spectra.
Seeing like a Rover: Visualization, embodiment, and interaction on the Mars Exploration Rover Mission

Based on more than 2 years of ethnographic immersion with the Mars Exploration Rover mission, this paper examines the representational work and associated embodied practices through which the scien...
The conformations of nitroxide-labelled fatty acid probes of membrane structure as studied by 2H-NMR

The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrum of a nitroxide spin probe intercalated in a membrane is influenced by the amplitude of anisotropic motion of the nitroxide group and by the geometry of the oxazolidine ring of the nitroxide. In the analysis of the ESR spectra of nitroxide-labelled fatty acid probes, it is generally assumed that the five-membered oxazolidine ring system is oriented rigidly perpendicular to the long molecular axis of the probe. This assumption is tested in the present study, using 2H-NMR of specifically deuterium-labelled nitroxide spin probes. Evidence is presented that the nitroxide does not display the assumed geometry in membranes. The departure from this geometry depends on the position of the nitroxide label on the acyl chain, with a more pronounced departure for position 5 relative to position 12. These and previous data provide an explanation for the discrepancies between spin-probe ESR and 2H-NMR order parameters in membranes.
Abyssal Benthonic Foraminifera as Indicators of Present and Past Deep-Sea Circulation in North Atlantic Ocean: ABSTRACT

Analysis of surface-sediment samples from 5 transects across the western North Atlantic Ocean shows the existence of 2 distinct populations of benthonic Foraminifera. The distribution of these populations correlates well with the distribution of the cold North Atlantic deep water (Epistominella exigua assemblage) and the very cold Arctic/Antarctic bottom-water masses (Epistominella umbonifera assemblage). Slight, but detectable, faunal differentiation is associated with the Arctic and Antarctic deep-water masses respectively. Abyssal, benthonic Foraminifera thus can be utilized to trace the thermohaline circulation of the deep ocean. Analyses of core samples, dating from the last full-glacial period, indicate a shifting of faunal boundaries. First information points to an areal diminution of the fauna associated with the very cold bottom water, indicating a general warming of the bottom water during the last ice age, that possibly was due to the pack-ice cover over ocean areas that now provides the very cold bottom waters. End_of_Article - Last_Page 803------------
Activation of methyl acetate on Pd(111)

The absorption and activation of methyl acetate (CH{sub 3}COOCH{sub 3}), one of the simplest carboxylic esters, on Pd(111) have been studied using self-consistent periodic density functional theory calculations. Methyl acetate adsorbs weakly through the carbonyl oxygen. Its activation occurs via dehydrogenation, instead of direct C-O bond dissociation, on clean Pd(111): It is much more difficult to dissociate the C--O bonds ({epsilon}{sub a} ? 2.0 eV for the carbonyl and acetate-methyl bonds; {epsilon}{sub a} = 1.0 eV for the acetyl-methoxy bond) than to dissociate the C-H bonds to produce enolate (CH{sub 2}COOCH{sub 3}; {epsilon}{sub a} = 0.74 eV) or methylene acetate (CH{sub 3}COOCH{sub 2}; {epsilon}{sub a} = 0.82 eV). The barriers for C-H and C-O bond dissociation are directly calculated for enolate and methylene acetate, and estimated for further dehydrogenated derivatives (CH{sub 3}COOCH, CH{sub 2}COOCH{sub 2}, and CHCOOCH{sub 3}) based on the Bronsted-Evans-Polanyi linear energy relations formed by the calculated steps. The enolate pathway leads to successive dehydrogenation to CCOOCH{sub 3}, whereas methylene acetate readily dissociates to yield acetyl. The selectivity for dissociating the acyl-alkoxy C-O bond, which is desired for alcohol formation, is therefore fundamentally limited by the facility of dehydrogenation under vacuum/low-pressure conditions on Pd(111).
Q-value measurements in charge-transfer collisions of highly charged ions with atoms by recoil longitudinal momentum spectroscopy.

We report on the first Q-value measurements in charge-transfer collisions using recoil longitudinal momentum spectroscopy. This method is not limited to relatively low beam energies and is easily adaptable to captures involving any number of transferred electrons. A very monoenergetic beam is not necessary. For a 50-keV ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{15+}$ on Ar collision system, Q values coresponding to single through quintuple electron capture were measured and found to be in good agreement with the predictions of the molecular classical overbarrier model.
Molecular Weights and Isoelectric Points of Sperm Antigens Relevant to Autoimmune Infertility in Men

AbstractPurpose: We determined the molecular weights and isoelectric points of antigens in the uncapacitated and capacitated spermatozoa of fertile men binding to the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) from 8 autoimmune infertile men and 8 fertile nonautoimmune men.Materials and Methods: We used double fluorochrome cytotoxicity and immunobead binding assays to determine the sperm antibody status of the study subjects. 2-Dimensional gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis were used to determine the molecular weights and isoelectric points of sperm antigens binding to serum IgG from these men. Amino acid sequencing of the digested peptides of chosen proteins was accomplished. Immune reactivity to the proteins in autoimmune infertile men was further verified.Results: Serum IgG from fertile men failed to react significantly. Serum IgG from all autoimmune men (100 percent) showed significant binding to proteins with a molecular weight of 92 kDa. and isoelectric points of 3.5 to 4.0 in the capacitated spermatoz...
Determination of Particle Size Distribution Using Laser Diffraction Technique

Understanding the disintegration mechanism, spray penetration, and spray motion is of great importance in the design of a high quality diesel engine. The atomization process that a liquid would undergo as it is injected into a high-temperature, high-pressure air, is investigated in this work. The purpose of this study is to gain further insight into the atomization mechanism, the variation over time in droplet size distribution and spray penetration. This is done based on effect of chamber pressure, injection pressure, and type of fuel. A laser diffraction method is used to determine droplet mean diameters, single injection with synchronized time mechanism allowed the time dependent studies. Obscuration signals are obtained through a digital oscilloscope from which arrival time of spray can be measured. The spray penetration correlation obtained is compared to other correlation’s obtained from different other techniques used in the literature.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Pain perception in burn patients with stress disorders

Abstract Of 134 participants in a burn center analgesia study, 104 were studied to determine the relationshipbetween current symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain experienced both non-procedurally and during debridement. On many variables, the 43 patients who met DSM-III Criteria for PTSD were different from the 61 who did not. As predicted, they reported more procedural and non-procedural pain, despite equivalent doses of analgesic medication. They also had larger burns and a higher prevalence of DSM-III delirium. Despite less actual responsibility for the burn, they lelt more guilty about the burn event. Finally, PTSD sufferers were more likely to be male, married, and employed. The implications of these data, in light of recent psychophysiological findings in PTSD, are discussed
Synthesis of schiff bases derived from 2,4,6-trimethoxypyrimidine-5-carboxaldehyde

Schiff bases have been formed with methyl-, methoxy-, nitro- and unsubstituted anilines and 2,4,6-trimethoxypyrimidine-5-earboxaldehyde.
Neural Circuit Recording from an Intact Cockroach Nervous System

The cockroach ventral nerve cord preparation is a tractable system for neuroethology experiments, neural network modeling, and testing the physiological effects of insecticides. This article describes the scope of cockroach sensory modalities that can be used to assay how an insect nervous system responds to environmental perturbations. Emphasis here is on the escape behavior mediated by cerci to giant fiber transmission in Periplaneta americana. This in situ preparation requires only moderate dissecting skill and electrophysiological expertise to generate reproducible recordings of neuronal activity. Peptides or other chemical reagents can then be applied directly to the nervous system in solution with the physiological saline. Insecticides could also be administered prior to dissection and the escape circuit can serve as a proxy for the excitable state of the central nervous system. In this context the assays described herein would also be useful to researchers interested in limb regeneration and the evolution of nervous system development for which P. americana is an established model organism.
Tipping and service quality: results from a large database

Tipping is a big business in the United States economy. We use a large data base from a restaurant delivery service to determine if the quality of service, as measured by the delivery time, is a significant determinant of the percentage tip by the customer. After controlling for the demographic characteristics, the location and income of the customer as well as the payment method, we find that the percentage tip decreases by 0.12% for every minute of delivery time. Similar to other studies we find that minorities and the elderly tend to tip smaller amounts than do other groups.
Probabilities of homomorphic mappings from multiple graphs

Abstract Each partition of a population defines a homomorphic mapping of sociometric graphs onto a corresponding set of image graphs. For sets of images selected by substantive importance, the expected number of mappings is calculated when the array of sociometric graphs is drawn at random with equal probabilities. Upper and lower bounds are computed for the probability of finding at least one mapping from an array to the given images, and for the expected number of mappings given that there is at least one. Results of small Monte Carlo trials are reported.
Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Visual Perceptual Skills and Reading Achievement

A review of research examines the relationship between visual perceptual skills and reading achievement using meta-analysis to integrate statistically the results from 161 studies. A total of 1,571 correlation coefficients were collected and aggregated across eight visual perceptual skills, six reading abilities, three grade levels, and three subject groups. Additionally, a correlation matrix was constructed and used for a factor analysis, cannonical correlation analysis, and step-wise multiple regression analysis descriptive of the relationship among and between visual perceptual skills, intelligence, and reading achievement variables. The findings suggested that visual perception is an important correlate of reading achievement, but the proportion of explained variance in reading skills was contingent on the combination of visual and reading variables considered. It was concluded that visual perceptual skills should be included in the complex of factors predictive of reading achievement.
Rho GTPase–independent regulation of mitotic progression by the RhoGEF Net1

Neuroepithelial transforming gene 1 (Net1) is a RhoA-subfamily–specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor that is overexpressed in multiple human cancers and is required for proliferation. Molecular mechanisms underlying its role in cell proliferation are unknown. Here we show that overexpression or knockdown of Net1 causes mitotic defects. Net1 is required for chromosome congression during metaphase and generation of stable kinetochore microtubule attachments. Accordingly, inhibition of Net1 expression results in spindle assembly checkpoint activation. The ability of Net1 to control mitosis is independent of RhoA or RhoB activation, as knockdown of either GTPase does not phenocopy effects of Net1 knockdown on nuclear morphology, and effects of Net1 knockdown are effectively rescued by expression of catalytically inactive Net1. We also observe that Net1 expression is required for centrosomal activation of p21-activated kinase and its downstream kinase Aurora A, which are critical regulators of centrosome maturation and spindle assembly. These results identify Net1 as a novel regulator of mitosis and indicate that altered expression of Net1, as occurs in human cancers, may adversely affect genomic stability.
Reconfigurable buses with shift switching: concepts and applications

We propose to enhance traditional broadcast buses by the addition of a new feature that we call shift switching. We show that on a linear array of processors enhanced with shift switching, the prefix sums of n bits can be computed in [log(n+1)/log w] broadcasts, each over n switches, assuming a global bus of width w. Next our prefix sums algorithm is used in conjunction with broadcasting on short buses to obtain several efficient architectural designs for the following fundamental problems: 1) ranking linked lists, 2) counting the number of 1's in a sequence of n bits, and 3) sorting small sets. We see our main contribution in showing that the new bus feature leads to designs that are both theoretically interesting and practically relevant. >
Monosodium glutamate and sweet taste: discrimination between the tastes of sweet stimuli and glutamate in rats.

Generalization of a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is based on similarities in taste qualities shared by the aversive substance and another taste substance. CTA experiments with rats have found that an aversion to a variety of sweet stimuli will crossgeneralize with monosodium glutamate (MSG) when amiloride, a sodium channel blocker, is added to all solutions to reduce the taste of sodium. These findings suggest that the glutamate anion elicits a sweet taste sensation in rats. CTA experiments, however, generally do not indicate whether two substances have different taste qualities. In this study, discrimination methods in which rats focused on perceptual differences were used to determine if they could distinguish between the tastes of MSG and four sweet substances. As expected, rats readily discriminated between two natural sugars (sucrose, glucose) and two artificial sweeteners (saccharin, SC45647). Rats also easily discriminated between MSG and glucose, saccharin and, to a lesser extent, SC45647 when the taste of the sodium ion of MSG was reduced by the addition of amiloride to all solutions, or the addition of amiloride to all solutions and NaCl to each sweet stimulus to match the concentration of Na + in the MSG solutions. In contrast, reducing the cue function of the Na+ ion significantly decreased their ability to discriminate between sucrose and MSG. These results suggest that the sweet qualities of glutamate taste is not as dominate a component of glutamate taste as CTA experiments suggest and these qualities are most closely related to the taste qualities of sucrose. The findings of this study, in conjunction with other research, suggest that sweet and umami afferent signaling may converge through a taste receptor with a high affinity for glutamate and sucrose or a downstream transduction mechanism. These data also suggest that rats do not necessarily perceive the tastes of these sweet stimuli as similar and that these sweet stimuli are detected by multiple sweet receptors.