cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of quinolones in treatment of prostatitis and lower urinary tract infections.

The newer quinolones, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, fleroxacin, lomefloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin and pefloxacin are highly effective antimicrobial agents against the majority of bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections and bacterial prostatitis. The pharmacokinetic properties of these agents after oral administration result in high concentrations in human urine, as well as in prostatic fluid and prostatic tissue. Ciprofloxacin, enoxacin and lomefloxacin produce the highest concentrations in prostatic tissue, followed by norfloxacin, ofloxacin and fleroxacin. More than 400 patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis have been treated with one of the newer quinolones in varying doses for 10 to 84 days. The results indicate a cure rate of approximately 70 %, although the follow-up period is quite variable in these studies. Clinical trials of short-term (single dose vs three days) therapy with the newer quinolones conducted in women with uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections were reviewed. Although bacteriologic cure rates were high with single doses of ciprofloxacin, fleroxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin and pefloxacin, approximately one in five women with suspected uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection experience failure of single-dose therapy. In contrast, a three-day regimen with these agents is more effective than a single-dose in the treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections in women.
The Mystery of the Alkali Metals; The Induced Anomalous Hall Effect in Thin Cs Films

Sandwiches made from Fe and Cs films are investigated as a function of the magnetic field and the Cs thickness. Conduction electrons which cross from the Fe to the Cs are marked by a drift velocity component perpendicular to the electric field. The anomalous Hall effect in the Fe provides this “non-diagonal” kick to the electrons that cross from the Fe into the Cs. The ballistic propagation of the conduction electrons can be monitored as a function of the Cs film thickness. The free propagation into the Cs is measured in terms of the non-diagonal conductance Lxy which we denote as the “induced anomalous Hall conductance”L xy 0. For a normal (non-magnetic) metal in contact with Fe, Lxy increases with the thickness of the normal metal until the film thickness exceeds (half) the mean free path of the conduction electrons. For Cs on top of Fe the induced anomalous Hall conductance increases up to a Cs coverage of about 100 A, then, in contrast to other non-magnetic metals, L xy 0 decreases for larger Cs coverage and approaches zero. This behavior cannot be explained with the free electron model. The strange behavior of the induced AHC in Cs films adds an even more challenging mystery to the already poorly understood properties of thin Cs films. These results defy explanation in the free electron model.
Preliminary attempt to correlate paper-electrophoretic migration of hemoglobins with phylogeny in Amphibia and Reptilia.

Abstract Variations occur between mobilities of hemoglobins from different races, species, genera, families, and orders of Amphibia and Reptilia. Hemoglobins of tadpole and adult frog differ in mobility. Blood from amphiuma, tree frog, and many turtles contains two hemoglobins. Interaction occurs between hemoglobins of turtles.
Release of endogenous glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid from rat striatal tissue slices measured by an improved method of high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

The release of endogenous glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from rat brain tissue slices was studied using a tissue slice assay in which detectable amounts of the amino acids were released from 1-2 mg of tissue. An improved method of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection was employed to measure both glutamate and GABA after derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde and sulphite in a single isocratic HPLC analysis. The non-endogenous amino acid, homoglutamine, was used as an internal standard in verifying the consistent derivatization of amino acids and in quantifying amounts of glutamate and GABA released from the caudate-putamen tissue. The derivatized amino acids (1-30 pmol) were detected as chromatographic peaks eluting at baseline level and free of significant interfering co-eluates in a 25-30 min analysis time.
Non-invasive measurement of the human core temperature

Abstract The direct measurement of the temperature of the human body core, while being of great significance for the evaluation of patient health, is inconvenient. This realization has motivated attempts to measure the core temperature indirectly, for the most part at locations which do not require invasion of the body. In the investigation described here, a new approach to noninvasive measurement of the core temperature is set forth. The site of the proposed measurement is on the forehead where the anatomy is relatively uniform amongst individuals and also well established to be modeled accurately. The approach described here consists of simple hardware and a logic-based and customized control algorithm. The connection between the core temperature, the sensor temperature, and the temperature of a sensor-system heater was determined by numerical simulations of the heat transfer in the tissue bed fronted by the forehead skin and backed by the frontal bone. For heat transfer through each tissue layer in the tissue bed, the bioheat equation was employed, while for a resistance element in the sensing system, the Fourier heat conduction equation was used. These were solved in the transient mode. The controller read the temperatures of the core, the sensor, and the ambient, and the algorithm instructed the sensor-system heater to obtain a specific temperature value. The iterative use of the control algorithm resulted in near-equality of the sensor and core temperatures. An optimization routine performed operations needed to find the best performing sensor system. After optimization, that system is capable of yielding core temperature results that are approximately in error by 0.2 °C. A model problem was formulated to assess the capabilities of the sensing system to follow a time-varying core temperature. It was found that for core temperatures that varied by 0.05 °C per minute, the sensor followed the core within 0.2 °C or better.
Comment on: People's opium? Religion and economic attitudes☆

Economists have recently become interested in the possible association of cultural factors with differences in economic performance across countries (for example, see Alesina et al., 2001, Barro and McCleary, 2002). The intuition underlying this interest is that there are mechanisms by which cultural traits of a group of people affect their aggregate economic outcome. The logic runs as follows: A cultural trait affects certain values or beliefs, and those beliefs in turn influence one’s economic decision-making and thus economic outcomes. This chain of causality may appear at an aggregate level, with a correlation between a society’s cultural traits and its economic performance. This paper is part of a new and growing literature, and uses a data set that economists are just starting to exploit, the World Values Survey (WVS) (Inglehart, 2000). The chain of logic just described is long, and establishing its relevance will require much work. Therefore, while the authors refer implicitly to this chain of causality as motivation for their study, the study itself only tackles one part of this chain. In particular, this study explores the correlation between the cultural traits of religious belief and practice, and a set of other beliefs that may correspond to certain economic decisions. The results are, at best, suggestive of causality, and certainly do not establish causality. The authors assert that they want to use intra-country heterogeneity in religious beliefs or practice in order to examine the hypothesis that there is something ‘intrinsic’ to certain religions that affects economic performance wherever practiced. The term ‘intrinsic’ implies that there should be an effect of religion on economic performance that is similar both across individuals, within and across countries, and over time.
Optimization and Thermal Degradation Study of Black Nickel Solar Collector Coatings

Abstract Black nickel selective solar surfaces were produced from a nickel chloride bath with additions of zinc chloride, ammonium chloride, and sodium thiocyanate. A linear regression model was used to find the optimum optical properties and to elucidate the roles of individual coating parameters. Three properties, namely plating time, current density, and sodium thiocyanate concentration were found to have the largest influence on the optical properties of the coatings. Several baths from the optimum region were tested, and coatings with absorptances of 0.95 and emittances in the range of 0.24 to 0.26, after heat treatment at 200°C for 18 h, were produced. The predominant degradation phenomena occuring at above 200°C were found by reflection electron diffraction and X-ray diffractio. These included a depletion of sulfur in the coating and the formation of a smooth copper oxide between the substrate and the coating.
An Improved IMPES Method for Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media

In this paper we develop and numerically study an improved IMPES method for solving a partial differential coupled system for two-phase flow in a three-dimensional porous medium. This improved method utilizes an adaptive control strategy on the choice of a time step for saturation and takes a much larger time step for pressure than for the saturation. Through a stability analysis and a comparison with a simultaneous solution method, we show that this improved IMPES method is effective and efficient for the numerical simulation of two-phase flow and it is capable of solving two-phase coning problems.
Molecular Anthropology and Race

: Molecular analyses have led to many recent advances in the study of human variation. The addition of DNA analyses of fossils now allows the testing of hypotheses derived from sampling living people. Further sampling of all of the regions of the human genome has led to a remarkably consistent evolutionary scenario that helps to explain the patterns of variation found today.
Hospitality Industry Sales Force Automation: Organizational and Individual Levels of Adoption and the Implications on Performance, Productivity and Profitability

ABSTRACT The growth of sales force automation (SFA) in the hospitality industry in recent years has led to virtually every hotel salesperson having a computer at his or her desk in order to perform his or her sales responsibilities. However, as Orenstein and Leung (1997) point out, simply providing a computer and software is not going to miraculously increase sales volume or productivity. The adoption of SFA has been separated in two stages (Parthasarathy and Sohi, 1997). The first stage is at the organizational level and the second stage is at the individual salesperson level. This article presents evidence that significant differences exist in the level of both organizational and individual adoption of SFA in the hotel sales profession. Additionally, the I/S Success Model modified by Good and Stone (2000) is suggested as a framework for further research into how hospitality industry SFA can be analyzed to determine its effectiveness in achieving the goal of improved productivity.
Association between persistence with mammography screening and stage at diagnosis among elderly women diagnosed with breast cancer

Previous studies on the association between mammography screening and stage at breast cancer (BC) diagnosis have limitations because they did not analyze persistence with mammography screening and did not distinguish screening from diagnostic mammograms. The objective of this study is to determine the association between persistence with mammography screening and stage at BC diagnosis among elderly women. A retrospective observational study of 39,006 women age ≥70 diagnosed with incident BC from 2005 to 2009 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare dataset was conducted. A validated algorithm with high sensitivity and specificity was used to distinguish between screening and diagnostic mammograms. Persistence with mammography screening was measured as having at least three screening mammograms in five years before BC diagnosis. Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to analyze the association between persistence with mammography screening and stage at diagnosis, in a multivariate framework. Overall, 46 % of elderly women were persistent with mammography screening, 26 % were not persistent, and 28 % did not have any screening mammogram in five years before BC diagnosis. As compared to women who were not persistent with mammography screening, women who were persistent with mammography screening were significantly more likely to be diagnosed at earlier stages of BC. The adjusted odds ratios were 3.28, 2.37, and 1.60 for in situ, local, and regional stages, respectively. A lower proportion of elderly women was persistent with mammography and it was highly associated with earlier stages of BC diagnosis. Interventions designed to promote persistent mammography screening among elderly women are warranted.
Plasma Protein Binding of d-Propoxyphene in Normal Subjects and Anephric Patients

The free fraction of d-propoxyphene in the plasma of normal subjects is 0.24 +/- 0.02 (mean +/- S.D.) and is not concentration dependent in the usual therapeutic and toxic conentration range. Renal failure and relatively high concentrations of d-norpropoxyphene, the major metabolite of d-propoxyphene, have no significant effect on the plasma protein binding of d-propoxyphene.
A new circuit model for the analysis of frequency selective surfaces and volumes

Frequency selective surfaces/volumes (FSS/FSV) are periodic structures with frequency selective properties, and have been widely used for millimeter wave and microwave applications. Traditionally, the finite element-boundary integral method (FE-BI) has been the tool of choice for analyzing FSS/Vs. However, when the size of the geometry exceeds a couple of wavelengths, the number of unknowns increases to a level where the available computer resources become insufficient. Thus, the introduction of the alternative methods and models is necessary for simulating such structures. The paper introduces a new equivalent circuit model for the analysis of single/multiple layer frequency selective surfaces/volumes (FSS/Vs). The new model is based on the extraction of the resistivity parameters (Topsakal, E., et al., Radio Science, vol.48, no.11, 2002) of the FSS/V using the reflection and transmission data obtained through numerical simulations or measurements. In order to illustrate the theory, several FSS/V structures are considered.
Sheet infrared transmission polarizers

The production and properties of sheet infrared transmission polarizers of the parallel wire-grating type are discussed. These polarizers are produced by evaporation of a metal conductor on one side of the grooves of an infrared-transmitting plastic film echelette diffraction grating and were first described by Bird and Parrish in 1960. The principal advance in technique given here lies in the use of a commercially available plastic film grating (which is the critical component) and in the fabrication of film gratings of polyethylene which have fewer absorption bands. The degree of polarization is above 98% and the transmission is above 70% in most of the spectral region between 50 cm−1 and 600 cm−1. In the region from 600 cm−1 to 5000 cm−1, the degree of polarization is above 95%, but some plastic absorption bands limit the coverage.
The remote location of an air medical service to the 1995 Special Olympic World Games

Reprint No. 74/l/77552 Introduction The Special Olympic World Games (SOWG) is a gathering of mentally handicapped individuals from around the world to participate in games that parallel the Olympic International Games. Commencing in 1968, the mission statement of the SOWG is to provide Special Olympic athletes the opportunity to participate in Olympic level athletic competition and demonstrate to a global audience the gifts of persons with mental retardation. The 1995 SOWG were held in New Haven, Connecticut, a small city of 127,000 with a metropolitan population of 475,000. Satellite game venues were located in West Haven and Hamden (which border New Haven) and Old Lyme and New London, Connecticut, which are located 29 and 40 nautical miles from New Haven, respectively. On June 30, 10,000 athletes and trainers from 117 countries arrived in New Haven. Opening ceremonies were held at the Yale Bowl on July 1 and were attended by 90,000 spectators, athletes, entertainers, and dignitaries including President and Mrs. Clinton and several dozen foreign ambassadors. On July 3 to 6, 28 tall ships were in New Haven Harbor where a massive fireworks celebration was held on the evening of the Fourth of July. The SOWG concluded on July 9. Because of its position on the New
Nasopharyngeal (NP) Carriage of Penicillin Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) in HIV-exposed and infected children. 696

The incidence of pediatric infections by penicillin resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) is increasing worldwide. Chronically ill and immunocompromised children are at an increased risk of S. pneumoniae infections. Some such children may have increased NP colonization with PRSP. No data are available on the prevalence of PRSP in HIV-infected children in the United States. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of PRSP NP carriage among HIV-infected children. NP swabs were performed in 50 HIV-exposed and 50 HIV-infected children:Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) was isolated from 11 (22%) HIV-exposed and 2 (4%) HIV-infected children (OR: 6.65, 95%:CI: 1.34-65.3 p=.015). The prevalence of PRSP in the HIV-exposed children was 36%. The isolates from the HIV-infected children were susceptible to penicillin. The most common isolate in both groups was Moraxella catharrhalis: 31 (62%) and 19 (38%) in the HIV-exposed and HIV-infected, respectively (p=.004). Day Care attendance, prior antibiotic treatment, and the presence of upper respiratory symptoms increased the risk of pneumococcal colonization in the HIV-exposed children. A number of variables may have influenced S. pneumoniae carriage in the HIV-infected children. Of the HIV-infected children, 30 were receiving TMP/SMZ and 7 Azithromycin; also, 25 were receiving monthly IVIG and 33 had received pneumococcal vaccine. When the risk of NP carriage of S. pneumoniae was adjusted for each of these four variables in the HIV-infected group, there was a decreased risk of NP colonization in children receiving TMP/SMZ, Azithromycin, IVIG and pneumococcal vaccine.Conclusion. These results suggest that S. pneumoniae colonization is not higher and the rate of PRSP is not greater in HIV-infected children. The use of TMP/SMZ, Azithromycin, IVIG and pneumococcal vaccine may decrease NP carriage of S. pneumoniae in HIV-infected children and thereby provide protection against S. pneumococcal infections.
Intraspecific Chromosome Number Variation: a Neglected Threat to the Conservation of Rare Plants

The effectiveness of rare plant conservation will increase when life history, demographic, and genetic data are considered simultaneously. Inbreeding depression is a widely recognized genetic concern in rare plant conservation, and the mixing of genetically diverse populations in restoration efforts is a common remedy. Nevertheless, if populations with unrecognized intraspecific chromosome variation are crossed, progeny fitness losses will range from partial to complete sterility, and reintroductions and population augmentation of rare plants may fail. To assess the current state of cytological knowledge of threatened and endangered plants in the continental United States, we searched available resources for chromosome counts. We also reviewed recovery plans to discern whether recovery criteria potentially place listed species at risk by requiring reintroductions or population augmentation in the absence of cytological information. Over half the plants lacked a chromosome count, and when a taxon did have a count it generally originated from a sampling intensity too limited to detect intraspecific chromosome variation. Despite limited past cytological sampling, we found 11 plants with documented intraspecific cytological variation, while 8 others were ambiguous for intraspecific chromosome variation. Nevertheless, only one recovery plan addressed the chromosome differences. Inadequate within-species cytological characterization, incomplete sampling among listed taxa, and the prevalence of interspecific and intraspecific chromosome variation in listed genera, suggests that other rare plants are likely to have intraspecific chromosome variation. Nearly 90% of all recovery plans called for reintroductions or population augmentation as part of recovery criteria despite the dearth of cytological knowledge. We recommend screening rare plants for intraspecific chromosome variation before reintroductions or population augmentation projects are undertaken to safeguard against inadvertent mixtures of incompatible cytotypes.
Charge sharing and resolution studies of double-sided silicon microstripe detectors with boron spray implants

Abstract Measurements of the signal to noise, charge sharing, cluster distribution properties, charge correlation and spatial resolution as a function of angle of incidence have been conducted in a high energy pion beam at Fermilab for a variety of DC-coupled double-sided silicon microstripe detectors (Micron, Inc.) utilizing a special boron-spray technique for ohmic side isolation. Readout was accomplished with the Berkeley SVX-D IC/SRS/SDA sequencer system. Stripe pitch configurations included 50 μm and 25 μm with every stripe read out (“50 ∗ 1”, “25 ∗ 1”), and also with every other stripe read out (“50 ∗ 2”, “25 ∗ 2”). One of the detectors under study was 158 μm thick, rather than the usual 300 μm. Of interest are the establishment, for 300 μm thick detectors, of sub-2.5 μm resolution perpendicular to the beam on an ohmic side with 38 mm long stripes for both 25 ∗ 1 and 25 ∗ 2 configurations, and diode side (58 mm stripes) resolutions ranging from below 3 μm at near normal incidence to about 11 μm at 60°. At large angle the 25 ∗ 2 configuration generally gave comparable or better resolution than 25 ∗ 1. The thin detector gave a resolution ranging from about 5.5 μm at 21° to about 7 μm at 45° for 25 ∗ 1 and 6.4 to 9.0 μm for 25 ∗ 2, which, for each of the three common angles of data, was better than the resolution yielded by the 300 μm detector to which it was compared. Signals and charge sharing results are compared to detailed Monte Carlo calculations based on an energy loss distribution due to Bichsel.
Ascending-Descending Posterior Pericardial Bypass of Complex Coarctation of the Aorta

Recurrent coarctation or complex aortic arch obstruction can present a surgical challenge. The ascending-descending posterior pericardial aortic bypass offers a safe, reproducible solution for the surgical treatment of complex or recurrent coarctation of the aorta and facilitates concomitant cardiac surgery.
Estimation with overidentifying inequality moment conditions

This paper derives limit distributions of empirical likelihood estimators for models in which inequality moment conditions provide overidentifying information. We show that the use of this information leads to a reduction of the asymptotic mean-squared estimation error and propose asymptotically uniformly valid tests and confidence sets for the parameters of interest. While inequality moment conditions arise in many important economic models, we use a dynamic macroeconomic model as a data generating process and illustrate our methods with instrumental variable estimators of monetary policy rules. The results obtained in this paper extend to conventional GMM estimators.
A note on the small sample behavior of logistic regression in a bioassay setting.

The logistic regression procedure is a popular statistical method used when analyzing quantal dose-response data. However, logistic regression results based on a poorly designed experiment can be seriously compromised. Our results indicate that depending on the spacing of the doses, the number of doses, and the number of replications at each dose, the user can get very misleading results including ineffective lack-of-fit tests and severely biased coefficient estimates along with biased estimates of response. In addition variance formulas based on asymptotic theory may be completely inappropriate. Simulation results are used to support these statements.
The Impact of College Education on Fertility: Evidence for Heterogeneous Effects

As college-going among women has increased, more women are going to college from backgrounds that previously would have precluded their attendance and completion. This affords us the opportunity and motivation to look at the effects of college on fertility across a range of social backgrounds and levels of early achievement. Despite a substantial literature on the effects of education on women’s fertility, researchers have not assessed variation in effects by selection into college. With data on U.S. women from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, we examine effects of timely college attendance and completion on women’s fertility by the propensity to attend and complete college using multilevel Poisson and discrete-time event-history models. Disaggregating the effects of college by propensity score strata, we find that the fertility-decreasing college effect is concentrated among women from comparatively disadvantaged social backgrounds and low levels of early achievement. The effects of college on fertility attenuate as we observe women from backgrounds that are more predictive of college attendance and completion.
Essential roles of Leu/Ile/Phe-rich domain of JC virus agnoprotein in dimer/oligomer formation, protein stability and splicing of viral transcripts.

Agnoprotein is one of the key regulatory proteins of polyomaviruses, including JCV, BKV and SV40 and is required for a productive viral life cycle. We have recently reported that agnoprotein forms stable dimer/oligomers mediated by a predicted amphipathic α-helix, spanning amino acids (aa), 17 to 42. Deletion of the α-helix renders a replication incompetent virus. Here, we have further characterized this region by a systematic deletion and substitution mutagenesis and demonstrated that a Leu/Ile/Phe-rich domain, (spanning aa 28–39) within α-helix is indispensable for agnoprotein structure and function. Deletion of aa 30–37 severely affects the dimer/oligomer formation and stable expression of the protein. Mutagenesis data also indicate that the residues, 34–36, may be involved in regulation of the splicing events of JCV transcripts. Collectively, these data suggest that the Leu/Ile/Phe-rich domain plays critical roles in agnoprotein function and thus represents a potential target for developing novel therapeutics against JCV infections.
Techno-economic analysis of biomass to fuel conversion via the MixAlco process

MixAlco is a robust process that converts biomass to fuels and chemicals. A key feature of the MixAlco process is the fermentation, which employs a mixed culture of acid-forming microorganisms to convert biomass components (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) to carboxylate salts. Subsequently, these intermediate salts are chemically converted to hydrocarbon fuels (gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel). This work focuses on process synthesis, simulation, integration, and cost estimation of the MixAlco process. For the base-case capacity of 40 dry tonne feedstock per hour, the total capital investment is US $5.54/annual gallon of hydrocarbon fuels (US $3.79/annual gallon of ethanol equivalent), and the minimum selling price [with 10% return on investment (ROI), internal hydrogen production, and US $60/tonne biomass] is US $2.56/gal hydrocarbon, which is equivalent to US $1.75/gal ethanol. If plant capacity is increased to 400 tph, the minimum selling price of biomass-derived hydrocarbon fuels is US $1.76/gal hydrocarbon (US $1.20/gal ethanol equivalent), which can compete without subsidies with petroleum-derived hydrocarbons when crude oil sells for about US $65/bbl. At 40 tph, using the average tipping fee for municipal solid waste (US $45/dry tonne) and current price of external hydrogen (US $1/kg), the minimum selling price is only US $1.24/gal hydrocarbon (US $0.85/gal ethanol equivalent).
Reduced kinetic equations of a CO/H2/air oxidation model by a special perturbation method

Abstract Reduced kinetic equations for a CO/H 2 /air oxidation model have been constructed by a special perturbation method (SPM) developed recently by the authors. The SPM is a modification of the constrained nonlinear lumping approach to the simplification of kinetic models. The reduced kinetic equations are only composed of the variables for the temperature and the concentrations of main species (CO, H 2 , O 2 , CO 2 and H 2 O), and retain high accuracy in the solutions. All the eliminated variables, the concentrations of radicals and other unimportant species, can be also accurately calculated from the solutions of the reduced kinetic equations by employing some algebraic expressions. The SPM gives significantly better results than the traditional quasi-steady-state approximation when the latter breaks down.
Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with in-source collision-induced dissociation of monensin factors and related metabolites

Monensins are a series of polyether ionophore antibiotic factors produced by Streptomyces cinnamonensis. Three monensin factors and four metabolites of monensin A isolated from cattle feces were investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In-source collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the alkali metal and ammonium molecular ion adducts of monensin produce strikingly different mass spectra, with the alkali metal complexes exhibiting little dissociation and the ammoniated forms characterized by extensive fragmentation of the polyether skeletal structure with the production of several structurally diagnostic ions. The observed fragmentation of ammoniated monensin primarily involves opening of the cyclic ether rings and consecutive H2O losses. The propensity of ammoniated monensin derivatives toward skeletal fragmentation may involve the complexation of the thermally labile NH4+ ion through multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions with the polyether complexing oxygens resulting in decreased stability of the resultant complex. Comparison of the in-source CID spectra associated with the structurally similar compounds evaluated provides for the proposal of a general scheme for the fragmentation of ammoniated monensins and related compounds, the consistency of which indicates the usefulness of ESI-MS with in-source CID in ionophore structure elucidation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effectiveness of Riparian Restoration for Improving Instream Fish Habitat in Four Hardwood-Dominated California Streams

Abstract Recent reviews of salmonid habitat restoration programs have recommended that managers emphasize strategies that restore natural habitat-forming processes, such as restoring riparian vegetation, over placement of instream structures. In addition to the direct benefits of shading and providing a source for large woody debris (LWD), riparian restoration is often implemented to improve channel morphology for purposes of restoring fish habitat. However, multiple studies provide equivocal evidence that restored vegetation can lead to improved channel form within a period of years to decades. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of riparian restoration for improving channel morphology and fish habitat in four hardwood-dominated streams in Mendocino County, California. These streams support populations of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and contain reaches with riparian corridors that were restored through exclusionary fencing implemented 10–20 years earlier. We compared channel morphology, LWD, a...
Mating preference inSchistosoma mansoni.

We investigated the suitability of an in vitro culture system for measurement of mating behavior ofSchistosoma mansoni. The criteria used to evaluate this system were the level of phosphorylated nucleotides, egg production, and mating status of parasites. The level of ATP, ADP, AMP, and G6-P was measured at different time intervals during cultivation of worm pairs and remained essentially the same as that of control worms for up to 6 days. Egg production was observed in this system during 19 days of cultivation. Peak egg production occurred on day 4 with 72% of the total eggs being laid during the first week of cultivation. The variability in the number of eggs produced by different pairs ofS. mansoni necessitated the selection and matching of tubes with the same number of eggs after 48 hr. This permitted the detection of small changes in egg production by decreasing intertube variation. Mating recognition between male and femaleS. mansoni was evaluated by culturing separated adult worms with their original partner or with a different partner. During the first 24 hr, mating occurred among a greater percentage of worm pairs comprised of their original partner than among worm pairs comprised of different partners (P < 0.001). After 48 and 72 hr of cultivation, these differences were not statistically significant. Similar results were obtained with a culture of mixed males and females. Two drugs were studied for their effects on the mating ofS. mansoni in vitro. Aminoglutethimide (AG) at a concentration of 1 × 10−4 had no effect on the frequency of mating whereas diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) completely inhibited mating at a concentration of 3 × 10−6 M and reduced the level of ATP in these worms.
Sustainable Manufacturing Technology and Properties of Steel Slag Concrete

Early-age deterioration of concrete due to cracking and higher maintenance cost for poor durability cause serious troubles to concrete structures. Steel slag is a solid waste discharged in large quantities by the iron and steel industry. Steel slag includes a certain scale mineral such as C2S and C3S, and can be applied in cement and concrete as mineral admixtures. When mineral admixtures with steel slag powder and blast-furnace slag powder are mixed into concrete, the performance of concrete can be improved further. Mineral admixtures with steel slag powder as partial replacement for Portland cement in mortar is an effective means for enhancing abrasion resistance. Steel slag powder can be used to reduce cracking in concrete at early age, so that it will improve the durability of concrete structures.
Metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cultured human leukocytes under genetic control.

Metabolism of the polycyclic hydrocarbon benzo(a)pyrene(BP) to watersoluble products was measured in cultured human leukocytes from 35 healthy volunteers. The classification into 3 different groups with respect to degree of BP metabolism fits that obtained in a previous population and family study, where only the ratio of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity of 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) treated cultures to the activity of control cultures was measured. These data support previous observations that metabolism of polycyclic hydrocarbons is under genetic control.
Variable magnetic field magnetic force microscopy of the magnetization reversal in epitaxial iron (1 1 1) thin films

Abstract The magnetization reversal in epitaxial iron 〈1 1 1〉 films has been studied using MFM with in situ magnetic fields and, in addition, correlated with macroscopic data obtained by conventional magnetometry. Due to the crystallographic orientation and growth-related strain of the films, they do not have an in-plane magnetic easy axis which results in a fine stripe domain pattern in zero magnetic field. The observed zero field stripe period and the critical thickness for stripe formation in the films are in approximate agreement with theory. The magnetization reversal in these films can be described in terms of two distinct regimes: the `fast’ regime in which the in-plane magnetization of magnitude approximately half the saturation magnetization reverses in a narrow field range around the coercive field (of approximately 100 Oe), and the `slow’ regime at higher fields where the in-plane magnetization gradually increases toward saturation along the applied field. The salient features in the `fast’ regime shown by the MFM data are subtle: the positions of the stripes do not change indicating that the out of plane magnetization components are not altered; and the only clearly observable change is a reduction in the number of forks or defects in the stripe pattern. As the field is further increased through the `slow’ regime, the stripe domain period decreases. In addition, in the high field region where the bulk hysteresis loop data indicate the magnetization to be reversible, the MFM data clearly indicate that the magnetization process is irreversible with the average stripe width observed to be smaller in decreasing the field after saturation.
CURRICULUM INNOVATION USING JOB DESIGN THEORY

“Introduction to Engineering” was designed in 1994 by a cross-disciplinary group of seven engineering faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The faculty group had recently completed a nine-month team-based professional development program, where they studied, discussed, and reflected upon the learning process. The group was asked by the administration to design a course to improve the retention of freshmen engineering students, with specific emphasis on the retention of underrepresented student groups. This paper highlights the human factors and job design foundations of this course in two ways. First, in that the course itself was created using theories of work motivation taken from classic literature and applied to the “work” of learning. Second, by creating a course that ultimately would be considered service-learning, students and faculty from diverse engineering departments would need and become familiar with human factors in design.
Noise amplification of plant gravisensing

Abstract A common problem in sensory physiology is the detection of weak signals, such as that produced by the repositioning of statoliths (amyloplasts) in gravisensing cells, from a noisy background. As in other studied biological mechanosensory systems, it is conceivable that the gravisensing process may be amplified by stochastic resonance and nonlinear noise-assisted effects. We therefore investigated the possible dependency of gravisensing on vibrational or thermodynamic noise by examining the effect of external oscillation and temperature on the rate of gravitropic curvature in flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.) roots. Roots were oscillated for 15 min prior to or during gravistimulation, either parallel or perpendicular to the root axis. The effect of oscillation was dependent on its direction as well as frequency and amplitude. Initial curvature was most effectively enhanced by vertical oscillations of 5 Hz and 0.5 mm amplitude prior to reorientation. Vertically oscillated roots reached half-maximal curvature 32 min after reorientation, about 18 min earlier than non-oscillated roots. The enhancing effect of vibration on curvature subsided with a half-time of about 20 min. The temperature dependency of the graviresponse indicated that thermodynamic noise also impacted gravity perception. For vibrations and temperature studies, the presentation times decreased almost 6-fold. Our data indicate that gravisensing may depend on or be enhanced by thermodynamic or mechanical noise.
Wasting and neurologic signs in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) not associated with abnormal prion protein.

A captive adult male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with wasting and neurologic signs similar to chronic wasting disease (CWD) was evaluated by histopathology, histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for disease-associated prion protein (PrPd). On histologic examination, the brainstem had areas of vacuolation in neuropil and extensive multifocal mineralization of blood vessels with occasional occlusion of the lumen. Some of the clinical and pathologic features of this case were similar to the CWD of white-tailed deer. However, the tissues were negative for PrPd by IHC. Because the lesions were more prominent in the obex region of the brainstem, it is speculated that this would have resulted in clinical signs similar to CWD in white-tailed deer. To our knowledge, neither cerebrovascular mineralization nor clinicopathologic changes resembling CWD have previously been described in white-tailed deer without the presence of PrPd. Such a case should be considered in a differential diagnosis o...
Prevention of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease: lessons from vaccine efficacy trials.

Abstract To assess vaccines, multiple laboratory investigations and immunogenicity studies are conducted but the ultimate tests of the effectiveness of a vaccine are field trials that evaluate disease prevention. Immunogenicity studies are often used as a surrogate for protection, but it is often difficult to determine precisely the level of antibody needed for protection and it is not always clear what immunologic factors most determine protection. However, efficacy trials are difficult to conduct well and there are only a limited number of ways to perform such studies. Nonetheless, the results of efficacy studies are essential for the appropriate selection of the best Hib vaccines and to establish recommendations for optimal use. The first Hib vaccine, the PRP (polyribosylribitol phosphate) polysaccharide vaccine, was shown by several efficacy studies to have no protective efficacy in young infants, and to have only limited, if any, efficacy in older children. The first Hib polysaccharide conjugate vaccine, PRP-D, is more immunogenic and provides better protection than PRP in older children (> 18 months of age), but it has limitations in both immunogenicity and protective efficacy when given to children younger than 6 months of age. Newer, more promising, Hib conjugate vaccines are now available, and include HbOC, PRP-OMP, and PRP-T vaccines. Each is currently being evaluated in field trials to evaluate protective efficacy and the methods and results of these trials will be reviewed. The control of invasive Hib disease worldwide will depend upon the appropriate application of knowledge derived from these field trials.
Two measures of temporal resolution in brown-headed cowbirds ( Molothrus ater )

Studies of auditory temporal resolution in birds have traditionally examined processing capabilities by assessing behavioral discrimination of sounds varying in temporal structure. Here, temporal resolution of the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) was measured using two auditory evoked potential (AEP)-based methods: auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) to paired clicks and envelope following responses (EFRs) to amplitude-modulated tones. The basic patterns observed in cowbirds were similar to those found in other songbird species, suggesting similar temporal processing capabilities. The amplitude of the ABR to the second click was less than that of the first click at inter-click intervals less than 10 ms, and decreased to 30% at an interval of 1 ms. EFR amplitude was generally greatest at modulation frequencies from 335 to 635 Hz and decreased at higher and lower modulation frequencies. Compared to data from terrestrial mammals these results support recent behavioral findings of enhanced temporal resolution in birds. General agreement between these AEP results and behaviorally based studies suggests that AEPs can provide a useful assessment of temporal resolution in wild bird species.
Bridging the Gap between Professors and Practitioners.

Here are some strategies to assist in developing productive dialog between professors and practitioners. The writ er focuses on conditions and struc tures that colleges and departments of educational administration can create, as well as on activities that individuals can undertake.
Evaluating use of data flow systems for large graph analysis

Large graph analysis has become increasingly important and is widely used in many applications such as web mining, social network analysis, biology, and information retrieval. The usually high computational complexity of the commonly-used graph algorithms and large volume of data frequently encountered in these applications, however, make scalable graph analysis a non-trivial task. Recently, more and more of these graph algorithms are implemented as dataflow applications, where many tasks perform assigned operations in parallel independent of other tasks. These applications are run on large-scale computing platforms to combine the advantages of the data parallelism enabled by dataflow model and the high computing power and large storage capacity offered by increasingly affordable high-end computers. In this paper, we evaluate the potentials of many-tasks concept in a form of dataflow system for large graph analysis applications by studying the performance of complicated graph algorithms on an actual dataflow machine. We have found that a dataflow system can achieve orders of magnitude performance improvement over state-of-art database systems and serve as a viable scalable graph analysis engine.
Do IMF-Supported Programs Help Make Fiscal Adjustment More Durable?

This paper investigates fiscal developments in 112 countries during the 1990s. It finds that, while the overall fiscal balance improved in most of them, the composition of this improvement differed. In nonprogram countries, revenues increased modestly and expenditure declined sharply, while in program countries both revenue and expenditure declined. However, in countries with programs that included structural conditions the adjustment was effected primarily through sharp expenditure compression. We did not find evidence of a statistically significant impact of IMF conditionality. Morever, fiscal improvements are strongly influenced by cyclical factors