cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Privatization: Not the only answer

Abstract Governments in many developing countries created state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to produce goods or provide services the private sector seemed unwilling or unable to offer. In many cases, SOEs have turned out to be problem children—at best, inefficient and, at worst, unable to fulfill their original functions. Now the recommended solution to the problem of state-owned enterprises is privatization. But privatization is no more a solution to the problems of SOEs than SOEs were a solution to the problems they were created to solve. The problem of SOEs is not ownership, but rather a lack of explicit goals and objectives, and an absence of organization cultures and systems that support and encourage fulfillment of those goals and objectives. In some circumstances, privatization may aid in fulfillment of an enterprise's goals and objectives because of the culture and systems it fosters; in other cases not.
Nucleic acid tests for the diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases

Nucleic acid (NA) assays have been developed and commercialized for many sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Solid phase, liquid phase or in situ hybridization of nucleic acids without amplification procedures have been successfully used for diagnosing Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and human papillomaviruses. Tests which use amplification procedures have provided better sensitivity and specificity than traditional tests. With special temperatures and enzymes, the new tests are designed to amplify either the target nucleic acid or the probe after annealing to the target. A third approach uses signal amplification. This article discusses the technology, specimen requirements and the current status of NA assay performance for diagnosing STDs and HIV by traditional and non-invasive clinical specimens.
Soluble metals in residual oil fly ash alter innate and adaptive pulmonary immune responses to bacterial infection in rats.

The soluble metals of the pollutant, residual oil fly ash (ROFA), have been shown to alter pulmonary bacterial clearance in rats. The goal of this study was to determine the potential effects on both the innate and adaptive lung immune responses after bacterial infection in rats pre-exposed to the soluble metals in ROFA. Sprague-Dawley rats were intratracheally dosed (i.t.) at day 0 with ROFA (R-Total) (1.0 mg/100 g body weight), the soluble fraction of ROFA (R-Soluble), the soluble sample subject to a chelator (R-Chelex), or phosphate-buffered saline (Saline). On day 3, rats were administered an i.t. dose of 5 x 10{sup 4} Listeria monocytogenes. On days 6, 8, and 10, bacterial pulmonary clearance was monitored and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed on days 3 (pre-infection), 6, 8, and 10. A concentrated first fraction of lavage fluid was retained for analysis of lactate dehydrogenase and albumin to assess lung injury. BAL cell number, phenotype, and production of reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) were assessed, and a variety of cytokines were measured in the BAL fluid. Rats pre-treated with R-Soluble showed elevated lung injury/cytotoxicity and increased cellular influx into the lungs. R-Soluble-treatment also altered ROS, RNS, and cytokine levels, andmore » caused a degree of macrophage and T cell inhibition. These effects of R-Soluble result in increased pulmonary bacterial burden after infection. The results suggest that soluble metals in ROFA increase lung injury and inflammation, and alter both innate and adaptive pulmonary immune responses.« less
Alternative form of Boussinesq equations for nearshore wave propagation

Boussinesq‐type equations can be used to model the nonlinear transformation of surface waves in shallow water due to the effects of shoaling, refraction, diffraction, and reflection. Different linear dispersion relations can be obtained by expressing the equations in different velocity variables. In this paper, a new form of the Boussinesq equations is derived using the velocity at an arbitrary distance from the still water level as the velocity variable instead of the commonly used depth‐averaged velocity. This significantly improves the linear dispersion properties of the Boussinesq equations, making them applicable to a wider range of water depths. A finite difference method is used to solve the equations. Numerical and experimental results are compared for the propagation of regular and irregular waves on a constant slope beach. The results demonstrate that the new form of the equations can reasonably simulate several nonlinear effects that occur in the shoaling of surface waves from deep to shallow w...
Recent Solar Research

Results from new methods of observation prove the sun to be a beautifully complex astronomical body.
Differential regulation of JAMM domain deubiquitinating enzyme activity within the RAP80 complex

BRCC36 is a JAMM (JAB1/MPN/Mov34 metalloenzyme) domain, lysine 63-ubiquitin (K63-Ub)-specific deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) and a member of two protein complexes: the DNA damage-responsive BRCA1-RAP80 complex, and the cytoplasmic BRCC36 isopeptidase complex (BRISC). The presence of several identical constituents in both complexes suggests common regulatory mechanisms and potential competition between K63-Ub-related signaling in cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. Surprisingly, we discover that BRCC36 DUB activity requires different interactions within the context of each complex. Abraxas and BRCC45 were essential for BRCC36 DUB activity within the RAP80 complex, whereas KIAA0157/Abro was the only interaction required for DUB activity within the BRISC. Poh1 also required protein interactions for activity, suggesting a common regulatory mechanism for JAMM domain DUBs. Finally, BRISC deficiency enhanced formation of the BRCA1-RAP80 complex in vivo, increasing BRCA1 levels at DNA double strand breaks. These findings reveal that JAMM domain DUB activity and K63-Ub levels are regulated by multiple mechanisms within the cell.
The effect of aging on IgD receptor expression by T cells and its functional implications

Exposure to oligomeric or aggregated (a), but not to monomeric (m), IgD causes a rapid (within 1 h) upregulation of IgD-R expression on CD4+ T cells from young, but not from aged, mice and on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from all young and from approximately 65% of aged humans. In normal young (but not in IgD-/-) mice, this increase in IgD-R expression is associated with a marked increase in primary and secondary antibody responses, transferable to both aged and young mice with T cells from aIgD pretreated donors. In both species, immunization causes a rise in the IgD-R+ expression in vivo in the young. In mice, mIgD abolishes both the induction of IgD-R expression and augmentation of immune responses, suggesting that interaction between IgD-R+ T and IgD+ B cells is needed. In aged humans, the ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes to exhibit IgD-R expression in response to aIgD in vitro or to influenza vaccine in vivo is strongly correlated to the individual's ability to produce antibody. In T cells from aged mice, but not from aged IgD-non-responder humans, IgD-R are able to come to the cell surface if an additional signal has been supplied, such as by (ionomycin/thapsigargin + aIgD). Agents which induce IgD-R and augmentation of antibody production in aged and young mice include phosphatidylcholine and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. The immunoaugmenting effect of pretreatment with these agents appears indeed due to IgD-R+ T cells, because it is abolished by mIgD.
Windows on the East: A selective list of current english-language serials on the Soviet Union

Townsend is Head of Serials Processing the Iowa State University Library in Ames. at Whether in the guise of Old Muscovy, Tsarist Empire, or Soviet state, Russia has always exerted a powerful fascination upon Westerners. This interest has never been greater than in the period since the Bolsheviks seized power during the chaotic years of 1917 to 1920 and embarked on their mission to "construct socialism." While impressions of the results have since varied from George Bernard Shaw's "future that works" to Ronald Reagan's "evil empire," the realities of global rivalry and mutually assured destruction make a familiarity with the nature and policies of the Soviet Union a matter of necessity rather than of choice. Presented here is a selective list of current English-language serials that provide information on the Soviet Union. Only Western serials are discussed, thus excluding the many translations of Soviet titles (mostly of a scientific or technical nature) as well as the recently launched translation of Pravda. The well-known monthly Soviet Life is also excluded on the grounds that, while published by the Soviet Embassy in Washington, DC, its content is 100 percent made in the USSR. This selection is based on the quality of the publications and, except where noted, the accessibility of their content to the nonspecialist. Harvard Ukrainian Studies and Journal of Baltic Studies are included not only because of their own merits, but also to underscore the fact that approximately 50 percent of the Soviet population consists of non-Russian peoples. Sources consulted include Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory, Irregular Serials and Annuals, the Katzs' Magazines for Libraries, and Farber's Classified List of Periodicals for the College Li-
Two sinapyl alcohol derivatives from bergamot essential oil

Abstract Together with T-cadinol, β-eudesmol, farnesol, sitosterol and suberosin, two derivatives of sinapyl alcohol have been identified in the less volatile
Analysis and Optimization of Sleeping Mode in WiMAX via Stochastic Decomposition Techniques

The paper establishes a general approach for analyzing queueing models with repeated inhomogeneous vacations. The server goes on for a vacation if the inactivity prolongs more than the vacation trigger duration. Once the system enters in vacation mode, it may continue for several consecutive vacations, possibly with a different probability distribution. We study a simple M/G/1 queue, which has the advantage of being tractable analytically. The theoretical model is applied to the problem of power saving for mobile devices in which the sleep durations of a device correspond to the server vacations. Various system performance metrics such as the frame response time and the economy of energy are derived. A constrained optimization problem is formulated to maximize the economy of energy in power save mode with QoS constraints. An illustration of the proposed methods is shown with a WiMAX system scenario to obtain design parameters for better performance. Our analysis allows us not only to optimize the system parameters for a given traffic intensity but also to propose parameters that provide the best performance under worst case conditions.
Lattice softening and superconductivity in CL doped Cadmium Sulphide

Abstract Cadmium Sulphide critically doped with chlorine has been previously found on pressure quenching to exhibit dia-magnetism suggestive of superconductivity at temperatures well above 77 K. X-ray diffraction and photo accoustic measurements have been made on the starting CdS as a function of chlorine doping. The results show that the chlorine induced cubic to hexagonal transformation is precipitous and accompanied by the presence of soft modes.
The Costs and Benefits of Lousy Measures of the Environment

Dr. Eric Turkheimer focused on the nonshared environment project and pointed to the nonshared environment and its components as the central problem of human scientific psychology. He described three causal models, applying them to each genetic and environmental causation, and concluded that rough measurements lead to detectable causations, but more precise measurements make the effects harder to detect. To watch Dr. Turkheimer’s presentation, please see the Panel 2 "Google Video posting.":http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8804321603731619003&hl=en
Conductometric titrations of organic bases with boron tribromide in aprotic solvents

Abstract Conductance curves are presented for the reactions between organic bases and boron tribromide in the non-aqueous solvents, thionyl chloride, nitrobenzene and thiophosphoryl chloride. Interpretations of the data on the basis of the electronic theory are suggested. The reactions re stoichiometric and should find application in analytical chemistry.
Presidential campaigning on the web: The influence of candidate world wide web sites in the 2000 general election

This study investigated the short term effects of viewing presidential candidate World Wide Web (WWW) sites (George W. Bush or Al Gore) on attitudes toward issues and character. Participants spent 15 minutes viewing either Bush's or Gore's site (a control group viewed a nonpolitical Web page). Results reveal that these sites do influence voters. Those who viewed Gore's WWW site (compared to the control group) had more positive perceptions of Gore's character, favorable perceptions of Bush's character, policy positions, and leadership, and lower ratings of Bush on a global feelings category. Gore site viewers, however, did not have more positive perceptions of Gore's policy positions or leadership, and they did not rate him higher on a global feeling measure (compared with the control group). No significant differences occurred for those who viewed Bush's site (compared with the control group) on any dependent variable. Thus, although we should not assume that Web sites will necessarily influence voters, i...
Reliable scaling exponent estimation of long-range correlated noise in the presence of random spikes

Abstract Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) has been used widely to determine possible long-range correlations in data obtained from diverse settings. In a recent study [Z. Chen, P.Ch. Ivanov, K. Hu, H.E. Stanley, Effects of nonstationarities on detrended fluctuation analysis, Phys Rev E 65 (2002) 041107], uncorrelated random spikes superimposed on the long-range correlated noise (LR noise) were found to affect DFA scaling exponent estimates. In this brief communication, singular-value decomposition (SVD) filter is proposed to minimize the effect random spikes superimposed on LR noise, thus facilitating reliable estimation of the scaling exponents. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated on random spikes sampled from normal and uniform distributions.
TU-C-AUD-07: Analysis On the Use of Megavoltage Cone-Beam Computed-Tomography Images for Dose Calculation

Purpose: To establish a relationship between Hounsfield Unit (HU) from a megavoltage cone‐beam CT (MV‐CBCT) system and relative electron density, and to assess the error in the dose calculation introduced by CB image artifacts. Method and Materials: A CTcalibration phantom was imaged using different MV‐CBCT dose and image filtering protocols. A conversion function from HU to relative electron density relationship for MV‐CBCT was developed. The mean pixel value and standard deviation of tissue inserts with known electron densities were analyzed, with the inserts located centrally and peripherally in the phantom. Moreover, to assess the magnitude of error introduced by CB imaging artifacts on the electron densities, the data acquired from placing three tissue inserts in 17 locations throughout the phantom were analyzed using this conversion function. In addition, by simulating tissue inhomogeneities with known and calculated electron densities based on CB, the effects on dose calculations were quantified. Results: The calculated relative electron densities for the central and peripheral phantom locations were different by 13.1% for trabecular bone, 17.3% for water and 45.7% for lung (exhale). Differences in HU throughout the entire phantom corresponded to a relative electron density interpretation error of up to 17.4% for trabecular bone, 23.3% for water and 71.9% for lung (exhale) were observed. Comparing the dose calculated with known relative electron density, a maximum error of 5.1% for a 6 MV beam traversing a 5.0 cm thick section of lung (exhale) was seen. Variations in measured HU due to different patient dose imaging protocols were insignificant. Conclusion: The HU to relative electron density conversion varies within the reconstructed volume of the MV‐CBCT image. Improved image filtration is needed to reduce errors in calculated relative electron densities and therefore provide more accurate dose calculations specifically for large anatomical volumes.
“We Are Not Terrorists,” but More Likely Transnationals: Reframing Understandings About Immigrants in Light of the Boston Marathon Bombings

The Boston Marathon bombings in April 2013 created a new kind of discomfort in the United States about “self-radicalized” terrorists, particularly related to Muslim immigrants. The two suspected bombers, brothers with Chechen backgrounds, had attended U.S. public schools. News media portrayed the brothers as “immigrants” and often showed them as having a struggle between their Chechen and U.S. identities. This article proposes that educators consider reframing the talk and discourses about immigrants and immigration toward a more complex understanding of transnationalism. The author demonstrates her work as a former English language learner teacher and her current research in the area of transnationalism to argue for educators to teach meaningfully about this concept. The goal, the author argues, is to help create a deeper understanding of newer arrivals to the United States so that the more newly arrived have greater choices about who they become and the identities they perform.
Differential algebraic description and analysis of trajectories in vacuum electronic devices including space-charge effects

A new method is presented to obtain transfer maps describing trajectories in vacuum electronic devices to arbitrary order. The method is based on differential algebraic techniques and is well suited for a combination with many field-generating codes. Also, internal space-charge fields in two or three dimensions can be treated in a straightforward manner based on the method of regular Gaussian subbeams. Contrary to the very unstable numerical differentiation techniques, all nonlinearities of the transfer map describing the trajectories will be obtained to an accuracy limited only by the discretization error of the field computation program. >
Permselectivity, Sensitivity, and Amperometric pH Sensing at Thioctic Acid Monolayer Microelectrodes.

Gold fiber thioctic acid (TA) monolayer (thickness of ∼8 A) ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs) have been fabricated and characterized. Gold fibers were acid etched in order to produce monolayers that can act as high-quality permselective membranes. The selectivity and sensitivity of the TA monolayer UMEs compares favorably to that of TA monolayers prepared on Au vacuum deposited on large (∼1 cm(2) area) single-crystal silicon wafers. The results obtained here illustrate selectivity of the monolayer electrodes to electroinactive electrolyte anions, which participate indirectly in the electrode reaction, in addition to the previously established selectivity to electroactive cations and anions. The permselectivity of the monolayer to electrolyte anions can result in lower than expected steady-state currents at the monolayer UMEs, at the reaction potentials of fast-reacting analytes, and at high overpotentials for kinetically slow probes. Application of TA UMEs to amperometric pH sensing is also described in the determination of the pK(a) of TA at the monolayer surface. The method is compared with other methods of monolayer pK(a) measurements.
To Blame or Not To Blame Influences of Target Race and Observer Sex on Rape Blame Attribution

There is a paucity of research on the influence of racist and sexist stereotypes in rape blame attribution, including the jezebel and matriarch stereotypes of Black women. This study extends the literature by examining how victim race, perpetrator race, and participant sex affect perceptions of a rape survivor's promiscuity (jezebel stereotype) and strength and/or toughness (matriarch stereotype). The myth of the Black male sexual predator of White women is also investigated. Data provided partial support for the jezebel stereotype. There were also contradictory findings supporting and challenging the acceptance of the Black rapist of White women stereotype. No significant differences were found for the matriarch stereotype. Reasons for and implications of findings are explored.
Psychological adjustment to breast cancer: a guide for physicians in primary care

Abstract Women affected by breast cancer deal with a range of psychological and medical issues. The way in which a woman responds to these challenges can be greatly affected by the care she receives. As ongoing primary care providers, obstetricians/gynecologists can play an important part in promoting optimal psychological outcomes for this population of women. This article first reviews patient characteristics that may influence psychological outcomes for breast cancer. Next, it describes the predictable responses that women have at each stage of breast cancer, making note of the meaning that breast cancer may hold for those influenced. Finally, interventions that may facilitate emotional adjustment to this disease are identified and discussed.
Correlation effects on the third-frequency-moment sum rule of electron liquids.

The exact form of the third-frequency-moment sum rule is used to obtain the long-wavelength limit of the dynamic local-field correction of electron liquids within the formalism of Gross and Kohn. The effects of correlation modify the high-frequency behavior of the local-field correction typically by a factor 2--3 at metallic densities.
Synthesis and characterization of new quaternary selenides with ThCr2Si2-type structure : ACuMnSe2 (A = K, Rb, Cs)

Abstract The new selenides ACuMnSe2 (A = K, Rb, Cs) were synthesized by heating a mixture of the corresponding alkali metal carbonate, copper oxide, manganese, and elemental selenium at 1200 K in hydrogen/argon atmosphere. The dark-gray compounds, moderately air-stable, crystallize in the ThCr2Si2-type structure (space group I4/mmm). Semiconducting properties and short-range antiferromagnetism were observed for all the samples. A comparison of the transport properties with those previously reported for the isostructural sulfides ACuMnS2 (A = K, Rb, Cs) confirmed the primary role of the metal-metal bonds in defining the electronic properties of this series.
Dietary vitamin A deficiency and the immune system in a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin A deficiency on the onset and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a severe autoimmune disorder, using the murine SLE model, MRLMPJ-lprlpr (MRLl) mice. Sixty weanling female 4-week old MRLlpr mice were randomly assigned to either the vitamin A-deficient (A − ), A-sufficient (A + ), and A-sufficient diet/feed restricted (DR) groups. The weight losses due to the onset of SLE for both the A+ and the DR groups were greater than that for the A- group (P + and the DR groups within 12 weeks of diet treatment (or 20 weeks of age). The degree of the abnormality in splenocyte composition, viz. an increased ratio of Thy 1.2 (total T cells) and a relatively decreased ratio of SmIg positive splenocytes (total B cells), was more severe in both the A + and the DR groups than in the A − group. This change suggests that vitamin A deficiency may suppress the proliferation of abnormal T splenocytes in MRLl mice. The results of T and B splenocyte proliferation stimulated by mitogens, either concanavalin A (Con A) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro , indicated that vitamin A deficiency exerted a suppressive effect on the activities of abnormal T and B splenocytes of MRLl mice. The deficiency of vitamin A in the diet also suppressed serum anti-DNA autoantibody production in MRLl mice. In summary, it caused a suppression in autoimmunity as expressed by a decreased hyperactivity in both cellular and humoral immune functions in MRLl mice. The overall results suggest that dietary vitamin A deficiency retarded the progression of SLE and resulted in a better survival of MRLl mice.
A novel method to measure HLA-DM-susceptibility of peptides bound to MHC class II molecules based on peptide binding competition assay and differential IC50 determination

HLA-DM (DM) functions as a peptide editor that mediates the exchange of peptides loaded onto MHCII molecules by accelerating peptide dissociation and association kinetics. The relative DM-susceptibility of peptides bound to MHCII molecules correlates with antigen presentation and immunodominance hierarchy, and measurement of DM-susceptibility has been a key effort in this field. Current assays of DM-susceptibility, based on differential peptide dissociation rates measured for individually labeled peptides over a long time base, are difficult and cumbersome. Here, we present a novel method to measure DM-susceptibility based on peptide binding competition assays performed in the presence and absence of DM, reported as a delta-IC(50) (change in 50% inhibition concentration) value. We simulated binding competition reactions of peptides with various intrinsic and DM-catalyzed kinetic parameters and found that under a wide range of conditions the delta-IC(50) value is highly correlated with DM-susceptibility as measured in off-rate assay. We confirmed experimentally that DM-susceptibility measured by delta-IC(50) is comparable to that measured by traditional off-rate assay for peptides with known DM-susceptibility hierarchy. The major advantage of this method is that it allows simple, fast and high throughput measurement of DM-susceptibility for a large set of unlabeled peptides in studies of the mechanism of DM action and for identification of CD4+ T cell epitopes.
Chlordiazepoxide, expectation and hostility.

An experiment is described in which chlordiazepoxide or placebo was administered to a group of low anxious normal male volunteers with and without instructions of a set (expectation) that the drugs would decrease their feelings of hostility and anxiety. The data indicated that chlordiazepoxide alone, and expectation alone, each increase hostility scores, but that when combined together, there was no such increase in baseline hostility levels. Introduction of set after hostility levels were increased served to further increase rather than reverse these scores. Drug, placebo, expectation or the combination of drug and expectation had no effect on anxiety scores.
Optimization of cooling channel design and spray patterns in aluminum die casting using infrared thermography

A protocol for infrared thermal analysis of die surfaces is proposed. The most suitable infrared camera has a spectral response in the 8 - 10 micrometer of the infrared spectrum as the emissivity is higher and more uniform across the surface of the die than in the 3 - 5 micrometer region of the spectrum. Through the prudent use of shielding, die surface temperatures can be measured, thermal gradients are detected, the effectiveness of cooling lines can be evaluated and spray patterns are optimized. The technique is not suitable for examining aluminum parts as the emissivity of aluminum is low and the optical properties of the surface oxide layer change as the part cools.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Time course analysis of microarray data for the pathway of reproductive development in female rainbow trout

New statistical procedures are introduced to investigate gene activity in support of the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad–liver signaling network that provides the neuroendocrine regulation for reproduction in female, oviparous fishes. The methods include Shrunken Centroid Ordering by Orthogonal Projections (SCOOP) and a robust encoding of B-splines via Friedman's Generalized Elastic Net (GEN). SCOOP orders genes according to a novel criterion that balances discriminatory and correlative information. It is particularly useful in the present context where genes are only partially annotated, relevant networks are not known a priori, and the sample size is adequate for finding natural clusters. In this application, microarray measurements of gene expression were made in the pituitary, liver, and ovary of female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) over the course of their 1 year spawning cycle, and new methods were developed to detect systematic changes in potential gene networks. B-splines were fitted to gently smooth the estimates of expression versus time and provide a common framework for analysis. Unlike other methods, SCOOP selected not only the genes whose curves vary the most over time, but also genes closely correlated with these. This tended to recognize genes that may be part of an active network, but whose expressions undergo more modest fluctuations. To compensate for the high degree of uncertainty in fitting B-splines to individual genes, GEN methods were used to provide robust fits, and these were summarized through a novel GEN-transform as variable importance measures (VIMs). Clustering of genes via VIMs produced much more stable results than directly via B-spline coefficients, and the mean time course pattern of each cluster provided biologists with a reliable summary from which to interpret systematic patterns. Ultimately, the genes selected by SCOOP and clustered though the GEN-transform strongly suggested supportive pathways involving immunology, muscle contraction, reproduction, protein transport, metabolism, and reduction-oxidation. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 2: 192–208, 2009
Nano-Chemo-Mechanical Sensor Array Platform for High Throughput Selective Coating Material Search

Microcantilever (MC) sensors can detect the presence of chemical vapors at very low concentrations based on the surface stress changes generated by the interactions between probe and target molecules on their surfaces [1-2]. The magnitude of the surface stress change depends on the type of interaction taking place which include hydrogen bonding, electrostatic, van der Waals forces, etc. Pinnaduwage et al [2] demonstrated detection of explosive materials at ultra low concentrations (10-30 ppt) using single MC AFM tip coated with a thiol (-SH) self assembled monolayer (SAM). They were able to get highly sensitive and reproducible signals from their MC sensor while detecting chemicals like PETN, RDX, etc. However, they did not demonstrate the specificity of the coating material to explosive materials. Most types of chemical sensors (metal oxide, conductive polymer, carbon nano tube or belt sensors) are known to respond to interfering chemical agents in a similar manner as the target. Bietsch et al [3] used a set of MC’s (1D array) coated with different types of polymers as chemical sensing layers to try and identify unique deflection signatures for each target chemical. The performance of such sensors is expected to degrade during long term usage as the binding force between the polymer coating and the silicon cantilever structure is weak. Furthermore, polymer coating layers are in general not selective to specific target vapors since they have limited chemical and structural information due to the simple repetition of same chemical structure. To increase the selectivity for a particular target vapor, it is necessary to develop coating materials, which have enough chemical/structural information and long term stability specifically for that target. To expedite the screening process for testing several coating materials in parallel, we need a high throughput sensor array platform.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Ferromagnetic resonance in nanocrystalline Fe73.5CuNb3Si13.5B9 (Finemet)

Abstract The ferromagnetic resonance linewidth of Fe 73.5 CuNb 3 Si 13.5 B 9 melt-spun ribbons has been investigated as a function of annealing temperature. Fe 73.5 CuNb 3 Si 13.5 B 9 possesses an ultrafine grain structure which can be altered by suitable annealing to exhibit a combination of excellent soft magnetic characteristics and high saturation induction. It is a ferromagnetic metal consisting of crystallites whose anisotropy axes are randomly oriented and which may interact with each other via exchange or dipolar fields. When annealed at moderate temperatures, Fe 73.5 CuNb 3 Si 13.5 B 9 is characterized by an extremely low coercive field, and is useful in magnetic cores and memories. At a critical temperature (∼600°C), the grain size rapidly increases with annealing temperature. This onset of crystallization is accompanied by a relatively abrupt increase in the FMR linewidth, the magnetic anisotropy field, and the coercive field. We extend the scaling arguments of Herzer to explain these obviously related phenomena.
Inferior meatus endoscopy and directed treatment for epiphora: Early experience with a novel approach

Objectives Epiphora results from obstruction along the nasolacrimal (NL) system. The inferior meatus (IM) is not routinely evaluated. IM pathology is common in patients with epiphora, allowing surgery to be directed at the IM. Methods Retrospective review of patients referred for epiphora. Patients underwent office endoscopy of the IM. Patients with identifiable pathology underwent intervention directed at the IM. Results Seventeen patients were evaluated, four with bilateral epiphora. Two had no IM disease, and one with pathology refused surgery. The remaining 14 (18 sides) had IM pathology. Two patients were successfully treated in the office. Twelve patients underwent surgery (16 sides). Three NLD orifices were obstructed by a cyst, and the remaining 13 by hypertrophied soft tissue at the level of the NLD orifice. Thirteen of 14 sides with distal NLD pathology had resolution or dramatic improvement and patent NL ducts with IM treatment alone. Obstruction extending proximal to Hasner's valve was found in four NL systems, and three developed recurrent epiphora. Median follow-up was 9 months. Conclusions IM endoscopy identified pathology in most constant epiphora patients in this study. Pathology at the distal NL system portends a better outcome, whereas extension to the proximal NL duct had poorer outcome.
Protein dephosphorylation rates in myocytes after isoproterenol withdrawal.

Abstract Dephosphorylation of substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase is essential for reversing the effects of this enzyme. It has been proposed that the relevant phosphatase(s) is stimulated by muscarinic cholinergic agonists, thereby accentuating cholinergic antagonism of β-adrenergic agonists in the heart. To test this hypothesis, dephosphorylation of the three major substrates of cardiac cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (phospholamban, troponin-I, and C-protein) was examined. In isolated myocytes, isoproterenol caused concentration-dependent phosphorylation of these three proteins. Simultaneous exposure to acetylcholine with the isoproterenol caused a rightward shift in the concentration–response curve that was similar for protein phosphorylation in myocytes and for the inotropic response of the intact heart. The addition of propranolol after exposure to isoproterenol resulted in protein dephosphorylation, the onset of which was accelerated by acetylcholine. However, acetylcholine did not affect the rate of dephosphorylation for any of the proteins, indicating that phosphatase activity in cardiac muscle is not enhanced by acetylcholine.
Solution to Cleopatra's Cocktail challenge

If the precise amount of acetic acid needed to react with the calcium carbonate is used, all of the acid is neutralized and the cocktail would be quite palatable (the pearl lends a somewhat fishy taste). The reaction occurs very quickly with powdered calcium carbonate. In a pearl, however, the calcium carbonate is deposited between layers of an organic matrix, which reduces the rate of reaction. Experiments reveal that crushing the pearl increases the reaction rate, as does using an excess of vinegar and increasing the temperature at which the reaction is carried out. Interestingly, increasing the concentration of acetic acid beyond that found in vinegar fermented from wine (ca. 10%), reduces the rate of the reaction. A pearl weighing approximately 1 g takes 24 to 36 h to fully react with a 5% solution of acetic acid, a concentration identical to that of white vinegar sold in supermarkets. After the pearl has reacted fully with the vinegar, a small amount of translucent, gel-like material remains. This organic material represents the protein matrix of the pearl and does not react with the acid, but is softened by it. Concentrations of acetic acid higher than those that can be obtained by fermenting wine hinder the reaction. In experiments using concentrations of acetic acid higher than those found in vinegar, experiments show that the reaction rate decreases. In a 5% acetic acid solution, powdered calcium carbonate took 3 min to react fully; in a 25% solution, the reaction took 35 min; 100% acetic acid failed to react with powdered calcium carbonate within 24 h. In 100% acetic acid, a pearl's outermost layer of organic material is softened within 24 h, but the disintegration does not proceed beyond that point and there are no bubbles of carbon dioxide to indicate that a reaction is occurring. These further experiments indicate that not only are the concentrations of acetic acid found in vinegar adequate to react with a pearl, they are ideal.
Search for Evidence of Ternary Fission Induced in Au 197 , Bi 209 , and Pu 239 by Intermediate-Energy Helium Ions

Data have been obtained from radiochemical studies which indicate that ternary fission has been induced in ${\mathrm{Bi}}^{209}$ and ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$ with intermediate-energy (\ensuremath{\le}60-MeV) helium ions. ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{28}$, a nuclide prominent in the ternary fission of ${\mathrm{U}}^{238}$, was used as a semiquantitative monitor for the ternary process. The low limit set for ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{47}$ in these fissioning systems also substantiates the ternary-fission-product nature of ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{28}$. No evidence was found for the formation of ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{28}$ in ${\mathrm{Au}}^{197}$ irradiated with helium ions until excitation energies \ensuremath{\le}64 MeV were used, but at these energies the yields of ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{47}$ were greater than the yields of ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{28}$. These observations are consistent with the postulated change in the nature of the saddle-point shapes of lower-$Z$ nuclides having a fissionability parameter, $x$, \ensuremath{\le}0.67.
Frequency of Postlicensure Registered Nurse Boundary Violations with Patients in the State of Ohio: A Comparison Based on Type of Prelicensure Registered Nurse Education

Nurse–Patient boundary violations remain a problem. Efforts to address the problem through postlicensure education and stronger disciplinary measures are well documented. However, efforts to understand this problem based on prelicensure components are less studied. Using data from The Ohio Board of Nursing from 2002 to 2006, the difference in frequency of incidents of violations between associate degree-prepared registered nurses and baccalaureate degree-prepared registered nurses was studied. A statistically significant difference was found through chi-square analysis: Associate degree-prepared nurses had higher frequency of boundary violations. Further studies on prelicensure curricular influences on registered nurses' postlicensure behavior, particularly in relation to curricular content focused on interpersonal skill development, are recommended.
Contralateral activity in a homologous hand muscle during voluntary contractions is greater in old adults

This study compared the amount of contralateral activity produced in a homologous muscle by young (18–32 yr) and old (66–80 yr) adults when they performed unilateral isometric and anisometric contr...
Serum creatine kinase and CK-MB isoenzyme responses to acute and prolonged swimming in trained athletes

Six highly-trained male swimmers completed a maximum work capacity tethered swim and a 1-h continuous tethered swim at approximately 70% VO2max in order to evaluate total serum creatine kinase and CK-MB isoenzyme changes. Venous blood obtained before, 5 min post-, 6 h post-, and 24 h post-exercise was analyzed for total serum CK (kinetic UV method, normal = less than 100 U/l) and CK-MB isoenzyme (quantitative electrophoretic technique, normal = less than 5 U/l). VO2max averaged 4.59 +/- 0.28 l/min, with a mean total work time of 24.5 min to achieve maximum capacity. Mean resting total CK was 100.5 +/- 15.8 U/l. Compared to rest, neither swim bout produced a significant (p greater than 0.05) elevation in mean total creatine kinase. No CK-MB isoenzyme was observed in any post-exercise blood sample. Swimming, performed by highly-trained swimmers at high levels of intensity or for prolonged durations, may not impose sufficient degrees of trauma producing muscular stress. Therefore, the structural integrity of the cell membrane is maintained and the loss of intracellular creatine kinase to the bloodstream prevented.
Community and accountability in a first year programming sequence

The paper documents the partial results of a multi-year study of first-year students enrolled in an introductory programming sequence. Key components of this project focus on transitioning the course from a lecture to a studio environment, the formation of a student cohort based on skill level and initiatives to encourage a higher level of student accountability and success.This paper focuses on the experiences in implementing the cohort, establishing a course support system for students and modifying the attendance policy. Also discussed are initiatives to improve accountability and build student confidence through collaborative learning and a sense of community.
A lifetime of fitness.

A 88-year-old retired real estate attorney and former college dean, who was born in Georgia, was seen as part of a research project on physical fitness and aging (Figure 1). He has been unusually active during his life. His father took him on daily hikes as a child. He learned to walk on his hands while performing in a YMCA circus and once walked down the Washington Monument in this fashion. In college, he ran 6 to 8 miles every morning with 2-pound weights in each hand, training for boxing. He later ran 5 miles/day with his youngest son, when the latter was training for college tennis. His most astounding feat was to bicycle around the world, from Norway to Saigon, in his twenties (the one-speed bike, “Bucephalus,” is in the Smithsonian Institute). En route, he had encounters with a scimitar-wielding Iranian (whom he dispatched with his fists) and was tracked by wolves in the Sinai desert and a tiger in the Far East. Three years later he bicycled 12,120 miles around North America. (The second bicycle “Pegasus” is also in the Smithsonian Institute). At age 63, he hiked the Appalachian Trail with his physician son. Three years later, he hiked the Inca Trail. • • • Beginning at age 71, he built a huge stone wall (up to 16 feet high) around his 2-acre lot (Figure 2). He did most of the work himself over a 5-year period, loading and hauling the rocks in an old car and lifting the equivalent of 72 boxcars of boulders into place. He has con-
Pharmacotherapy of cryptococcosis

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes central nervous system and pulmonary disease among immunocompromised patients. Recent studies highlight the high incidence of cryptococcosis among patients in certain resource-poor areas, where there is also a high incidence of AIDS. Despite the availability of antifungal agents with anticryptococcal activity, the mortality and treatment-failure rates associated with cryptococcosis remain unacceptably high. This article reviews current treatment strategies and the basis for these strategies, as well as prospects for future approaches to the treatment of cryptococcosis.
Computer as thinker/doer: problem-solving environments for computational science

During the early 1960s, scientists began to envision problem-solving computing environments not only powerful enough to solve complex problems but also able to interact with users on human terms. While many tried to create PSEs over the next few years, by the early 1970s they had abandoned almost all of these attempts. Technology could not yet support PSEs in computational science. But the dream of the 1960s can be the reality of the 1990s: high-performance computers combined with better understanding of computing and computational science have put PSEs well within our reach. The term 'problem-solving environment' means different things to different people. A PSE is a computer system that provides all the computational facilities necessary to solve a target class of problems. These features include advanced solution methods, automatic or semi-automatic selection of solution methods, and ways to easily incorporate novel solution methods. Simple PSEs appeared early in computing without being recognized as such. Some of the capabilities of future problem-solving environments seem like science fiction, but whatever form they eventually take, their scientific and economic impact will be enormous. >
Deoxynivalenol: Toxicity, mechanisms and animal health risks

Abstract Trichothecene contamination of agricultural staples such as wheat, barley and maize during Fusarium colonization is an increasingly common problem possibly because of expanded use of “no-till farming” and changing climate patterns. Since food and feed contamination by trichothecenes have been associated with human and animal toxicoses, serious questions remain regarding assessment of potential risks from ingesting foodborne trichothecenes and how they should be regulated. Deoxynivalenol (DON), known colloquially as “vomitoxin” is the trichothecene most commonly detected, often at the ppm level. All animal species evaluated to date are susceptible to DON according to the rank order of pigs > mice > rats > poultry ≈ ruminants. Differences in metabolism, absorption, distribution, and elimination of DON among animal species might account for this differential sensitivity. Both 3- and 15-acetyl DON, which sometimes co-occur in smaller amounts cereal grains, are equivalently or less toxic than DON based on LD50 values in mice and are thus unlikely to pose any additional risk. Acute exposure to extremely high DON (≥27 mg/kg body weight; b.w.) doses is required to cause mortality or marked tissue injury in experimental animals. In contrast, acute exposure to relatively low doses (≥50 μg/kg b.w.) can cause vomiting in pigs, the most sensitive species. This corresponds to human food poisoning outbreaks with nausea, diarrhea and vomiting as primary symptoms that were associated with Fusarium -infested cereals. The most common effects of prolonged dietary exposure of experimental animals to DON are decreased weight gain, anorexia, decreased nutritional efficiency and altered immune function with species differences again being apparent.
Growth and Survival of Salmonella typhimurium at Low Temperature in Nutrient Deficient Media

The growth and survival of two strains of Salmonella typhimutium in nutrient-deficient media at 7°C were studied. Cultures were propagated at 37°C, 24°C or 7°C in tryptic soy broth (TSB), inoculated into optimal, minimal and nutrient-deficient media (TSB, 1% TSB; 1.0%, 0.1% and 0.01% peptone water; 0.1% and 0.01% nonfat dry milk; and 30% glycol with and without 0.1% added milk solids) and incubated at 7°C. Numbers at 7°C declined initially when first propagated at 37°C. No decline was seen when propagated at the lower temperatures (24°C and 7°C). S. typhimurium survived in all media for extended periods; one strain survived for more than 1 year at 7°C in 0.1% peptone water and TSB.