cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Low-Lying Electronic States of YCu

The spectroscopic constants for the singlet and triplet states of YCu below about 15 000 per centimeter are determined using an internally contracted multireference configuration-interaction approach. These calculations are calibrated by studies of fewer states using higher levels of correlation treatment and/or larger basis sets. The computed T(sub e) values and radiative lifetimes are in reasonable agreement with experiment. The calculations confirm the previous experimental assignment for all but one state, where theory helps resolve between two possible assignments.
Coupled Model Predictions of ENSO during the 1980s and the 1990s at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction.

Abstract In this paper, the authors discuss observed climatic variability from 1982 to early 1995 and emphasize the contrasts between the period of strong interannual variability during the 1980s and the period of more persistent features beginning in 1990. Three versions of the NCEP coupled forecast model, which were developed to predict interannual sea surface temperature variability in the equatorial Pacific, are described and their performance compared for those two periods. Climatic variability during 1982–1992 in the tropical Pacific was dominated by strong low-frequency interannual variations characterized by three warm and two cold El Nino episodes. However, beginning in 1990, the climate state has been characterized by a pattern of persistent positive SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific, especially in the central Pacific near the date line, and weaker than normal trade winds. Superimposed on this were several occurrences of short-lived, generally small-amplitude warmings in the eastern equatori...
Language and meaning: Data collection in qualitative research.

Qualitative research is inquiry aimed at describing and clarifying human experience as it appears in people's lives. Researchers using qualitative methods gather data that serve as evidence for their distilled descriptions. Qualitative data are gathered primarily in the form of spoken or written lan
Review of blunt body wake flows at hypersonic low density conditions

Recent results of experimental and computational studies concerning hypersonic flows about blunted cones including their near wake are reviewed. Attention is focused on conditions where rarefaction effects are present, particularly in the wake. The experiments have been performed for a common model configuration (70 deg spherically-blunted cone) in five hypersonic facilities that encompass a significant range of rarefaction and nonequilibrium effects. Computational studies using direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and Navier-Stokes solvers have been applied to selected experiments performed in each of the facilities. In addition, computations have been made for typical flight conditions in both Earth and Mars atmospheres, hence more energetic flows than produced in the ground-based tests. Also, comparisons of DSMC calculations and forebody measurements made for the Japanese Orbital Reentry Experiment (OREX) vehicle (a 50 deg spherically-blunted cone) are presented to bridge the spectrum of ground to flight conditions.
Strengthening emergency obstetric care in Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri provinces in Vietnam

Objective: Save the Children/USA and the Ministry of Health of Vietnam undertook a project between 2001 and 2004 to improve the availability of, access to, quality and utilization of emergency obstetric care (EmOC) services at district and provincial hospitals in two provinces in Vietnam. Methods: The project improved the functional capacity of 3 provincial and 1 district hospitals providing comprehensive EmOC services, and upgraded 1 district hospital providing basic EmOC into a comprehensive EmOC facility through training, infrastructure and quality improvement. Results: Data presented in this paper focus on only the 2 district hospitals even though the UN process indicators showed increases in utilization of EmOC in all 5 hospitals. In the case of Hai Lang, the proportion of births increased from 13% at baseline to 31% at the end of 2004, and met need increased significantly from 16% to 87% largely due to increased capacity of the hospital and staff. Met need in Hoang Hoa hospital more than doubled (17% at baseline versus 54% in 2004) and the proportion of births increased slightly from 19% in 2001 to 22% in 2004. Case fatality rates for the two hospitals remarkably remained at zero. Lessons from this project have been incorporated into national policy and guidelines. Conclusion: Improvements in the capacity of existing health facilities to treat complications in pregnancy and childbirth can be realized in a relatively short period of time and is an essential element in reducing maternal mortality.
Glucocorticoid-induced alterations in the rate of diaphragmatic fatigue.

These experiments tested the hypothesis that in vitro diaphragmatic fatigue resistance is enhanced in animals treated with glucocorticoids. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (4 months old) were randomly assigned to a control (N =12) or glucocorticoid treatment group (N =12). Treatment animals were injected daily for 8 days with prednisolone (5 mg kg(-1)); control animals were injected with the same volume of the vehicle. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, the following in vitro diaphragmatic contractile properties were examined in costal diaphragm strips: maximal twitch (P(t)) half time to peak tension (1/2 TPT), half relaxation time (1/2 RT), force-frequency relationship, and the rate of fatigue development. Diaphragmatic fatigue was assessed by monitoring the decrease in force production (measured as percent of initial force) over a 60-min contractile period. The in vitro fatigue protocol incorporated a supramaximal stimulus delivered at 30 Hz every 2 s with a train duration of 250 ms (duty cycle 12.5%). Citrate synthase (CS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and water content of the costal diaphragm were also determined. Glucocorticoid administration induced an 18.9% (P 0.05). Fatigue resistance was greater in the glucocorticoid group (P<0.05); the relative force production differed between groups at the end of 1 min of contractions and remained different throughout the 60-min fatigue protocol. Citrate synthase, SOD, and water content were not different between groups. These experiments support the hypothesis that costal diaphragm strips of glucocorticoid-treated rats possess a greater resistance to fatigue. We postulate that this fatigue resistance is due to glucocorticoid-induced changes muscle fibre type composition.
Role of Growth Regulators in the Uptake and Metabolism of s-Triazine Herbicide by Tea Leaves

IN many cases the effectiveness of herbicides has been increased by the addition of surface active agents to the spray1–4, but little information is available about the effects of growth regulators on the uptake and metabolism of herbicides by foliage. The object of this work was to investigate the role of gibberellic acid (GA3) and indolyl-3-acetic acid (IAA) on the absorption, diffusion, transloca-tion, and metabolism of 2-chloro-4,6-bis(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (propazine) by the upper and lower surfaces of tea leaves, Camellia sinensis.
Hyperparathyroidism and the Calcium Paradox of Aldosteronism

Background— Aldosteronism may account for oxi/nitrosative stress, a proinflammatory phenotype, and wasting in congestive heart failure. We hypothesized that aldosterone/1% NaCl treatment (ALDOST) in rats enhances Ca2+ and Mg2+ excretion and leads to systemic effects, including bone loss. Methods and Results— At 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks of ALDOST, we monitored Ca2+ and Mg2+ excretion, ionized [Ca2+]o and [Mg2+]o, parathyroid hormone and α1-antiproteinase activity in plasma, bone mineral density, bone strength, Ca2+ and Mg2+ content in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and ventricular tissue, and lymphocyte H2O2 production. A separate group received spironolactone (Spiro), an aldosterone receptor antagonist. Age- and gender-matched unoperated and untreated rats served as controls. ALDOST induced a marked (P<0.05) and persistent rise in urinary and fecal Ca2+ and Mg2+ excretion, a progressive reduction (P<0.05) in [Ca2+]o and [Mg2+]o, and an elevation in parathyroid hormone (P<0.05) with a fall (P<0.05)...
The effect of the column support material on the gas chromatographic resolution of methyl parathion, ethyl parathon, ethyl paraoxon, malathion, and malaoxon

Abstract The gas chromatographic capabilities of commercially available solid supports produces from diatomaceous earths were compared, using QF-1 silicone (FS 1265, 10 000 centistokes) as the stationary liquid phase. The relative efficiencies of the columns were evaluated from the chromatographic data obtained with the orga- phosphate compounds methyl parathond, ethyl parathon, ethyl paraoxon, malathion, and malaoxon. The data indicated that commericial methods for the preparation of solid supports have improved, but not to a degree sufficient to assure reproducible results with different batches of the same type of support. Each new batch of support should be examined for density and adsorptive characteristics before it is considered as a replacement for the column previously used.
The Effect of an Extreme Rain Event on the Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Metabolism of an Oligotrophic High-Elevation Lake

Abstract We characterized the effect of an extreme rain event on the biogeochemistry and ecosystem metabolism of an oligotrophic Sierra Nevada (California) lake. During a 10 hour period of an autumn season rainfall event, lake discharge increased from 300%. The resulting truncation of the photic zone, reduction of water column chlorophyll-a, and increase in particulate and dissolved organic matter available to microbes resulted in a 47% reduction in whole lake gross primary production and 30% increase in respiration relative to average autumn values. As a consequence, the lake went from being slightly autotrophic to strongly heterotrophic. If rain events...
Clinical and genetic risk factors for pneumonia in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective To define the contribution of polymorphisms in genes encoding tumor necrosis factor (TNF), mannose-binding lectin (MBL), and Fcγ receptor IIa (FCGR2A) as well as clinical factors, to the development of pneumonia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods We studied 282 SLE patients from a multiethnic cohort. Pneumonia events and clinical risk factors for pneumonia were identified through medical record review. Genotyping was performed for MBL (+223, +230, and +239), TNF (–308, –238, and +488), and FCGR2A (–131H/R) polymorphisms. Univariate analyses were performed to identify clinical and genetic risk factors for pneumonia. Covariates for multivariate analysis included sex, ethnicity, treatment with immunomodulators, and leukopenia. Results Forty-two patients (15%) had at least 1 episode of pneumonia. Polymorphism of the TNF gene, particularly the –238A allele and a related haplotype, revealed the most striking and consistent association with pneumonia in univariate analyses. Results of multivariate analyses indicated an odds ratio (OR) for the TNF –238A allele of 3.5 (P = 0.007) and an OR for the related haplotype of 5.4 (P = 0.001). Male sex, treatment with immunomodulators, and leukopenia also influenced the risk of pneumonia. Conclusion These findings suggest that specific TNF variants may identify SLE patients who are at particularly high risk of developing pneumonia. Given the prevalence and excessive morbidity associated with pneumonia in SLE, these findings have clinical relevance and provide insight into the pathogenesis.
Neonatal CSF oxytocin levels are associated with parent report of infant soothability and sociability

Oxytocin (OT) has been linked to social behavior in rodents, non-human primates, and adult humans, but almost nothing is known about brain OT activity in human newborns or its impact on social development. To better understand the role of OT biology in human social functioning, a multi-disciplinary, longitudinal study was conducted. Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) OT levels from 18 human neonates were evaluated and examined in relationship to social-seeking behavior at term, at 3 months, and at 6 months of age. Higher neonatal CSF OT levels were consistently associated with solicitation of parental soothing and interest in social engagement with others. This is the first study to link CSF OT levels to normative human social functioning. Research is now required to test whether early OT levels serve as a biomarker for subsequent social abnormalities.
Small intestinal amyogenesia and dysmyogenesia induced by morphine and loperamide

We studied the effects of nitric oxide (NO) solution and acidified sodium nitrite (NaNO2), which produces NO, in splanchnic artery occlusion (SAO) shock in cats. NO is thought to be endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), a labile substance having several potentially valuable biological effects. Anesthetized cats subjected to total occlusion of the celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric arteries for 120 min, followed by reperfusion, usually died approximately 60 min after reperfusion. NO infusion significantly improved survival time in SAO-shock cats compared with those receiving vehicle (P less than 0.005). Administration of NO also attenuated the increase in plasma activities of the lysosomal hydrolase cathepsin D (P less than 0.05), total amino-nitrogen (P less than 0.001), and of the cardiotoxic peptide, myocardial depressant factor (MDF) (P less than 0.001). SAO-shock cats treated with NaNO2 at pH 2.0 also exhibited lower plasma cathepsin D (P less than 0.001), amino-nitrogen (P less than 0.05), and MDF activities (P less than 0.01), and survival time was also significantly improved (P less than 0.02). The same dose of NaNO2 infused at pH 7.4 failed to exert any significant protective effect. These results indicate that NO exerts beneficial effects in SAO shock in cats and suggest that exogenously administered NO may be a potentially useful therapeutic agent in splanchnic ischemic shock, probably via a cytoprotective rather than a vasodilator effect.
An alternative problem for backtracking and bounding

One of the programming problems in the 2002 Pacific Northwest regional ACM ICPC contest provides a new way to teach backtracking and also provides a very powerful example of a forward-looking bounding function. This article presents the problem, the bounding function, and timing information of implementations with and without the bounding function. It also provides the URL for access to the programs themselves.
Habitat Specificity in Three Sympatric Species of Ameiva (Reptilia: Teiidae)

Three sympatric species of Ameiva in Costa Rica (A. quadrilineata, A. festiva, and A. leptophrys) were found in distinct habitats with respect to vegetation cover, a ground isolation, environmental temperatures, surface litter, and activity periods. Ameiva quadrilineata commonly forages in an area of open, low vegetation cover adjacent to bare soil. Its habitat is sunnier and warmer than those occupied by the other two Ameiva. A. festiva usually forages in the open edge of forests are lower where somewhat lower percentages of ground are exposed to direct sunlight and there are lower environmental temperatures than in the habitat of A. quadrilineata. Its peak of foraging activity is later in the morning than is that of A. leptophrys. Adult a. leptophrys forage even deeper into the forest than the other two species where even less of the ground surface is insolated, the ground substrate temperatures are lower, and there is a higher percentage of ground litter. However, this species basks in the same area in which A. festiva forages, but earlier in the morning. Newly hatched A. leptophrys are found in an ecological habitat distinct from that of the adults, but very similar to that of adult A. festiva. There appeared to be no differences in gut contents among the three species with respect to type of food items. However, A quadrilineata contained slightly smaller sized food items than did the other two species. Body temperatures while foraging were very similar in all three species, but were maintained under very different sunlight conditions and microclimatic temperatures.
Evasion of the Innate Immune Response: the Old World Alphavirus nsP2 Protein Induces Rapid Degradation of Rpb1, a Catalytic Subunit of RNA Polymerase II

The Old World alphaviruses are emerging human pathogens with an ability to cause widespread epidemics. The latest epidemic of Chikungunya virus, from 2005 to 2007, affected over 40 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The Old World alphaviruses are highly cytopathic and known to evade the cellular antiviral response by inducing global inhibition of transcription in vertebrate cells. This function was shown to be mediated by their nonstructural nsP2 protein; however, the detailed mechanism of this phenomenon has remained unknown. Here, we report that nsP2 proteins of Sindbis, Semliki Forest, and Chikungunya viruses inhibit cellular transcription by inducing rapid degradation of Rpb1, a catalytic subunit of the RNAPII complex. This degradation of Rpb1 is independent of the nsP2-associated protease activity, but, instead, it proceeds through nsP2-mediated Rpb1 ubiquitination. This function of nsP2 depends on the integrity of the helicase and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase-like domains, and point mutations in either of these domains abolish Rpb1 degradation. We go on to show that complete degradation of Rpb1 in alphavirus-infected cells occurs within 6 h postinfection, before other previously described virus-induced changes in cell physiology, such as apoptosis, autophagy, and inhibition of STAT1 phosphorylation, are detected. Since Rpb1 is a subunit that catalyzes the polymerase reaction during RNA transcription, degradation of Rpb1 plays an indispensable role in blocking the activation of cellular genes and downregulating cellular antiviral response. This indicates that the nsP2-induced degradation of Rpb1 is a critical mechanism utilized by the Old World alphaviruses to subvert the cellular antiviral response.
Reactions of copper (I, II) salts in a potassium chloride matrix: A differential scanning calorimetry study

Abstract The reactions of CuCl, CuCl2 and CuSO4 in KCl matrices were studied in the temperature range from 25 to 650°C by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). Eutectic melting of the mixtures was observed as well as the formation of copper(I, II) chloro-complexes. Reduction reactions were also detected at higher temperatures, giving elemental copper and chloro-complexes.
Somnambulism and Trance States in the Works of John William Polidori, Author of The Vampyre

English physician John William Polidori (1795–1821) is today best known as the author of The Vampyre (1819) and as the traveling companion of Lord Byron. Less appreciated is Polidori’s interest in somnambulism and trance states, the subjects of his 1815 medical thesis at the University of Edinburgh. Until now, this little‐known document existed only in the original Latin. This essay draws upon a new English translation of the thesis in order to demonstrate how Polidori’s medical writing responded to the influences of mesmerism and phrenology, while anticipating mid‐Victorian theories of “unconscious cerebration” developed by William Benjamin Carpenter and Thomas Laycock. Polidori’s interest in somnambulism carried over into his fiction. Lord Ruthven, the villain of The Vampyre, experiences trance‐like states and sensory lapses peculiar to somnambulists. These behaviors evoke Romantic‐era medical controversies surrounding the activity of the brain during sleep, as well as the potential conflict between hig...
What is “partial inductance”?

This paper discusses partial inductance. The equation for computing partial inductance was also given. The paper also gives the physical meaning of partial inductance.
Assembly Properties of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 CA Protein

During retroviral maturation, the CA protein oligomerizes to form a closed capsid that surrounds the viral genome. We have previously identified a series of deleterious surface mutations within human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) CA that alter infectivity, replication, and assembly in vivo. For this study, 27 recombinant CA proteins harboring 34 different mutations were tested for the ability to assemble into helical cylinders in vitro. These cylinders are composed of CA hexamers and are structural models for the mature viral capsid. Mutations that diminished CA assembly clustered within helices 1 and 2 in the N-terminal domain of CA and within the crystallographically defined dimer interface in the CA C-terminal domain. These mutations demonstrate the importance of these regions for CA cylinder production and, by analogy, mature capsid assembly. One CA mutant (R18A) assembled into cylinders, cones, and spheres. We suggest that these capsid shapes occur because the R18A mutation alters the frequency at which pentamers are incorporated into the hexagonal lattice. The fact that a single CA protein can simultaneously form all three known retroviral capsid morphologies supports the idea that these structures are organized on similar lattices and differ only in the distribution of 12 pentamers that allow them to close. In further support of this model, we demonstrate that the considerable morphological variation seen for conical HIV-1 capsids can be recapitulated in idealized capsid models by altering the distribution of pentamers.
Reduced expression of CD20 antigen as a characteristic marker for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

The surface antigens expressed by the cells of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are well known. Most CLL are monoclonal B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders characterized by the coexpression of B-cell antigens and CD5, an antigen present predominantly on T cells. Very little attention, however, has been paid to the quantitative characteristics of the expression of B-cell antigens in CLL. In this study, we used flow cytometry to analyze the expression of CD20, a well-known B-cell-associated antigen, in lymphocytes from 42 cases of CLL and its tissue counterpart, small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and compared the results with results obtained from the analysis of 21 follicular lymphomas, 20 hyperplastic reactive nodes, and 26 samples of normal peripheral blood. The intensity of CD20 expression in the CLL/SLL cells was significantly lower than that of B cells in the other categories. This antigen expression abnormality does not appear to be a universal phenomenon in CLL/SLL, since CD19, another pan-B antigen, was expressed in CLL/SLL at levels higher than those in follicular lymphomas and comparable to those in reactive lymph nodes. These results indicate that the low CD20 expression can be used as a marker for CLL/SLL. The few cases exhibiting intense CD20 expression may represent a biologically different disease. CLL/SLL cells faintly expressing CD20 also show concomitant low CD5 expression in a manner not observed in normal CD5-expressing B cells.
Effects of NorA inhibitors on in vitro antibacterial activities and postantibiotic effects of levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and norfloxacin in genetically related strains of Staphylococcus aureus

NorA is a membrane-associated multidrug efflux protein that can decrease susceptibility to fluoroquinolones in Staphylococcus aureus. To determine the effect of NorA inhibition on the pharmacodynamics of fluoroquinolones, we evaluated the activities of levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and norfloxacin with and without various NorA inhibitors against three genetically related strains of S. aureus (SA 1199, the wild-type; SA 1199B, a NorA hyperproducer with a grlA mutation; and SA 1199-3, a strain that inducibly hyperproduces NorA) using susceptibility testing, time-kill curves, and postantibiotic effect (PAE) methods. Levofloxacin had the most potent activity against all three strains and was minimally affected by addition of NorA inhibitors. In contrast, reserpine, omeprazole, and lansoprazole produced 4-fold decreases in ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin MICs and MBCs for SA 1199 and 4- to 16-fold decreases for both SA 1199B and SA 1199-3. In time-kill experiments reserpine, omeprazole, or lansoprazole increased levofloxacin activity against SA 1199-3 alone by 2 log10 CFU/ml and increased norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin activities against all three strains by 0.5 to 4 log10 CFU/ml. Reserpine and omeprazole increased norfloxacin PAEs on SA 1199, SA 1199B, and SA 1199-3 from 0.9, 0.6, and 0.2 h to 2.5 to 4.5, 1.1 to 1.3, and 0.4 to 1.1 h, respectively; similar effects were observed with ciprofloxacin. Reserpine and omeprazole increased the levofloxacin PAE only on SA 1199B (from 1.6 to 5.0 and 3.1 h, respectively). In conclusion, the NorA inhibitors dramatically improved the activities of the more hydrophilic fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin). These compounds may restore the activities of these fluoroquinolones against resistant strains of S. aureus or may potentially enhance their activities against sensitive strains.
Adoptive cell transfer in autoimmune hepatitis

Adoptive cell transfer is an intervention in which autologous immune cells that have been expanded ex vivo are re-introduced to mitigate a pathological process. Tregs, mesenchymal stromal cells, dendritic cells, macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells have been transferred in diverse immune-mediated diseases, and Tregs have been the focus of investigations in autoimmune hepatitis. Transferred Tregs have improved histological findings in animal models of autoimmune hepatitis and autoimmune cholangitis. Key challenges relate to discrepant findings among studies, phenotypic instability of the transferred population, uncertain side effects and possible need for staged therapy involving anti-inflammatory drugs. Future investigations must resolve issues about the purification, durability and safety of these cells and consider alternative populations if necessary.
Sinking in freshwater phytoplankton: Some ecological implications of cell nutrient status and physical mixing processes1

Sinking rates of Asterionellu formosa, Melosira agassixii, Cyclotella meneghiniana, and Scenedesmus quadricauda in stationary and exponential phases of growth arc rcportcd. Stationary phase populations sink 4~ more rapidly, on the average, than exponentially growing populations. Time series of sinking rates during change from one growth phase to another demonstrate the viability of rapidly sinking cells. A consideration of sinking in Langmuir circulations indicates that the frcqucntly used algebraic relationship between sinking rate and rate of loss of cells from the mixed layer may greatly ovcrcstimatc loss rates. A theoretical net potential growth curve, that combines both loss from sinking and growth from sinking-dcpcndent nutrient uptake, demonstrates that nutrient depleted cells may have optimal growth rates (highest fitness) at high sinking rates.
Tissue condition and growth rate of corals associated with schooling fish1

Juvenile french and white grunts (Haemulorlflavolineatum and Haemulonplumieri) form diurnal resting schools over colonies of Porites furcata and Acropora palmata in St. Croix. We studied the effect of these grunts on the tissue composition and growth rate of corals. Porites furcata colonies with grunts had significantly more tissue cm- *, N cm-* and zooxanthellae cm-* than colonies without grunts. Acropora palma after removal growth rates were lower or not significantly different. These data demonstrate that schools of resident fishes can stimulate coral growth, perhaps by providing nitrogen supplements.
A simple randomized scheme for constructing low-weight k -connected spanning subgraphs with applications to distributed algorithms

The main focus of this paper is the analysis of a simple randomized scheme for constructing low-weight k-connected spanning subgraphs. In this paper, we focus on the metric graph. We use the term metric graph for a complete graph with metric weights. We first show that our scheme gives a simple approximation algorithm to construct a minimum-weight k-connected spanning subgraph in a metric graph, an NP-hard problem. We show that our algorithm gives an approximation ratio of O(klogn) for a metric graph, O(k) for a random graph with nodes uniformly randomly distributed in [0,1]2 and for a complete graph with random edge weights U(0,1). We show that our scheme is optimal with respect to the amount of "local information" needed to compute any connected spanning subgraph. We then show that our scheme can be applied to design an efficient distributed algorithm for constructing such an approximate k-connected spanning subgraph (for any k≥1) in a point-to-point distributed model, where the processors form a complete network. Our algorithm takes time and an expected number of messages. Our result in conjunction with a result of Korach et al. [E. Korach, S. Moran, S. Zaks, The optimality of distributive constructions of minimum weight and degree restricted spanning trees in a complete network of processors, SIAM Journal on Computing 16 (2) (1987) 231-236] implies that the expected message complexity of our algorithm is significantly better than the best distributed algorithm that finds an optimal k-connected subgraph. We also show that for geometric instances, our randomized scheme constructs low-degree k-connected spanning subgraphs which have O(klogn) maximum degree, with high probability.
The Representation of Simple Ensemble Visual Features Outside the Focus of Attention

The representation of visual information inside the focus of attention is more precise than the representation of information outside the focus of attention. We found that the visual system can compensate for the cost of withdrawing attention by pooling noisy local features and computing summary statistics. The location of an individual object is a local feature, whereas the center of mass of several objects (centroid) is a summary feature representing the mean object location. Three experiments showed that withdrawing attention degraded the representation of individual positions more than the representation of the centroid. It appears that information outside the focus of attention can be represented at an abstract level that lacks local detail, but nevertheless carries a precise statistical summary of the scene. The term ensemble features refers to a broad class of statistical summary features that we propose collectively make up the representation of information outside the focus of attention.
promiscuity, paternity, and culture

Recent theoretical developments, such as kin selection, suggest that there may be an association between genetic relationships and the functions of culture. In particular, the average level of paternity certainty in cultures with high levels of female extramarital promiscuity may correlate with certain aspects of the social structure. Data from the Human Relations Area Files exhibit patterns consistent with these expectations. That is, paternity uncertainty as measured by female promiscuity is associated with specific marital patterns and kinship terminology systems.
The synthesis and use of the owl's auditory space map

The barn owl (Tyto alba) is capable of capturing prey by passive hearing alone, guided by a topographic map of auditory space in the external nucleus of its inferior colliculus. The neurons of this auditory space map have discrete spatial receptive fields that result from the computation of interaural differences in the level (ILD) and time-of-arrival (ITD) of sounds. Below we review the synthesis of the spatial receptive fields from the frequency-specific ITDs and ILDs to which the neurons are tuned, concentrating on recent studies exploiting virtual auditory space techniques to analyze the contribution of ILD. We then compared the owl's spatial discrimination, assessed behaviorally, with that of its space map neurons. Spatial discrimination was assessed using a novel paradigm involving the pupillary dilation response (PDR), and neuronal acuity was assessed by measuring the changes in firing rate resulting from changes in source location, scaled to the variance. This signal-detection-based approach revealed that the change in the position of the neural image on this map best explains the spatial discrimination measured using the PDR. We compare this result to recent studies in mammalian systems.
Temporal Changes in Native and Exotic Vegetation and Soil Characteristics following Disturbances by Feral Pigs in a California Grassland

Invasive species that increase prevailing disturbance regimes can profoundly alter the composition and structure of ecosystems they invade. Using both comparative and manipulative approaches, we investigated how native and exotic vegetation and soil characteristics at a coastal grassland site in northern California changed through time following disturbances by feral pigs (Sus scrofa). We quantified these successional changes by comparing pig disturbances of varying ages (2, 14, 26+, and 60+ months) during the spring and early summer of 2001. Our results indicate that species richness of native plants increased slowly but steadily through time following disturbances, whereas richness of exotic species rebounded much more rapidly. Percent cover of native perennial grasses also increased steadily through time after pig disturbance, whereas the cover of exotic perennial grasses, annual grasses and forbs initially increased rapidly after disturbance and then remained the same or subsided slightly with time. The cover of native forbs and bulbs either increased weakly through time following disturbance or did not change substantially. Pools of ammonium and nitrate in the soil did not change greatly through time following pig disturbance. Net mineralization rates for ammonium and nitrate also varied little with age since disturbance, although we did find that nitrate mineralization was greater at intermediate ages in one study. Neither organic matter content or particle size varied significantly with disturbance age. In summary, we have shown that native and exotic plants from different functional groups vary greatly in how they recovered from pig disturbances. Exotic taxa were generally able to rapidly colonize and persist in pig disturbances, whereas native taxa usually exhibited a slow but steady rebounding following pig disturbance. Given our results, and those of others from nearby sites, we suggest that the health of coastal grasslands may be enhanced substantially by eliminating or greatly reducing the size of feral pig populations.
POOR WOMEN WITH SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS: PROVIDERS' PERSPECTIVES ON DIAGNOSES

This article presents results from a study of health care providers, mainly nurses and nurse practitioners, who routinely diagnose sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in rural low-income populations in West Virginia (WV). A qualitative analysis of eighteen semi-structured interviews reveals that providers who consistently work with low-income populations believe patients undergo a negative change in self-image in response to a chronic STD diagnosis. Providers express concerns about a number of issues related to lowincome, rural women’s access to sexual health care and see the need for more sexuality education, more funding for free and reduced cost clinics, and more available health insurance. Additionally, despite problems working in publicly funded clinic environments, providers attempt to eliminate stigma attached to diagnoses of sexually transmitted disease.
Lorentz-Augmented Jovian Orbit Insertion

The Lorentz force acting on a statically charged body moving with respect to a rotating magnetic field is evaluated as a means of capture into a Jovian orbit. This study offers insight into the classes of captures available as a function of the spacecraft's charge-to-mass ratio and approach conditions. A range of these parameters is simulated using low-order magnetosphere and gravity models and a bang-off controller. The results suggest that charge-to-mass ratios on the order of 0.1 C/kg are required to capture a spacecraft with a hyperbolic equatorial approach to an orbit similar to that of Jupiter's moon Europa. The Lorentz-augmented-orbit architecture is related to a similar technology: electrodynamic tethers. Using a high-order magnetic field and gravity model, we recreate a sample electrodynamic-tether Jovian capture mission using Lorentz-augmented orbits with a charge-to-mass ratio of 0.0975 C/kg over 2.5 years. We conclude that Lorentz-augmented-orbit maneuvers are capable of reducing a spacecraft's energy and eccentricity into a bounded circular Jovian orbit for typical mission requirements. A simple feasibility study suggests that Lorentz-augmented-orbit spacecraft designs capable of Jovian orbit insertion are challenging, but likely possible.
The Synthesis and Structures of Tris(2-pyridylseleno)methyl Zinc Compounds with κ2-, κ3-, and κ4-Coordination Modes

Tris(2-pyridylseleno)methane, [Tpsem]H, has been employed to synthesize the bis(trimethylsilyl)amido zinc complex [κ3-Tpsem]ZnN(SiMe3)2. The latter compound provides access to a variety of other [Tpsem]ZnX derivatives, which include the isocyanate complex [κ4-Tpsem]ZnNCO, the hydrosulfido complex [κ3-Tpsem]ZnSH, the sulfido complex {[κ3-Tpsem]Zn}2(μ-S), the 2 : 1 complex [κ2-Tpsem]2Zn and the pyridyl-2-selenolate complex [κ4-Tpsem]Zn-(κ2-SeC6H4N), thereby demonstrating that the [Tpsem] ligand can exhibit κ2-, κ3-, and κ4-coordination modes. Variable-temperature 1H NMR spectroscopic studies demonstrate that [κ3-Tpsem]ZnN(SiMe3)2, [κ3-Tpsem]ZnSH, and {[κ3-Tpsem]Zn}2(μ-S) are fluxional on the NMR timescale.
Regional variation in head and neck cancer mortality: Role of patient and hospital characteristics.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine whether outcomes in head and neck cancer would vary based on geographic location of patients. Methods A dataset from the California Cancer Registry was linked to publicly available discharge abstracts. Patients were separated into geographic areas based on health service areas (HSAs). Multilevel logistic regression models were constructed to include geographic, patient, and hospital-level characteristics. Results There was significant variation in 5-year survival hazard ratios (HRs) among the majority of the 14 HSAs in the unadjusted model. After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, the differences between regions were not significant except for Orange County (HR = 0.75). Commission on Cancer certification (HR = 0.82; p < .01) and hospital volume (HR = 0.975; p < .01) were each independently associated with differences in survival. Conclusion Geographic variation in 5-year survival outcomes is seen in head and neck cancer. Patient characteristics and treating hospitals explain much of this variation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015
Upper Permian brachiopods of the superfamily Orthotetoidea from Hydra Island, Greece

Permian Orthotetoidea on Hydra belong to the genera Cyndalia Grant (1993a), Goniarina Cooper and Grant (1969), Derbyia Waagen (1884), Diplanus Stehli (1954), Schuchertella Girty (1904), Sicelia Merla (1934), and Tropidelasma Cooper and Grant (1969). Hydra has the most complete Permian section in the Western Tethys, 500 m thick and ranging in age from Asselian to Dorashamian. These are the youngest silicified Permian brachiopods west of China.
Nature Contacts Employee Wellness in Healthcare

Objective:This study was designed to ascertain the amount of outdoor, indoor, and indirect nature contact exposures hospital employees have in a workweek.Background:Hospital employees have been fou...
Dihydroactinidiolide—a potent growth inhibitor fromEleocharis coloradoensis (spikerush)

Dihydroactinidiolide has been isolated fromEleocharis coloradoensis, along with p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and luteolin, and shown to be a potent phytotoxin at low concentration.
Epidemiologicai analysis of Gonorrhea in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from 2004-2010

Objective To explore the epidemiological characteristics of Gonorrhea in Inner Mongolia and provide basis for making control measures. Methods Based on the "China information system for disease control and prevention",the date of prevalence of gonorrhea were statistically analyzed. Results In Inner Mongolia,the report showed that the incidence of gonorrhea descend from 2004 to 2010,but there was a difference in cities.Most of the cases were engaged in housekeeping,workers and farmers.Conclusion The health sector should increase efforts to control.
Neonatal Lupus: What We Have Learned and Current Approaches to Care

Neonatal lupus results from the passive transfer of autoantibodies; however, this transfer is not sufficient to cause disease. This article reviews clinical presentation with a focus on autoimmune-mediated congenital heart disease. Recent data looking for additional disease mechanisms and biomarkers as well as latest information on interventions will be reviewed. Our understanding of this rare disease is often dependent on patient participation in disease registries and biorepositories. Future participation in registries including descriptive as well as biophysical data is critical to our knowledge.
‘What is up with my sisters? Where are you?’ The origins and consequences of lesbian-friendly place reputations for LBQ migrants:

Drawing on a comparative ethnography of four small US cities with growing lesbian populations, this article explicates the gap between lesbian, bisexual, and queer female (LBQ) individuals’ expecta...
Emerging β-Sheet Rich Conformations in Supercompact Huntingtin Exon-1 Mutant Structures.

There exists strong correlation between the extended polyglutamines (polyQ) within exon-1 of Huntingtin protein (Htt) and age onset of Huntington’s disease (HD); however, the underlying molecular mechanism is still poorly understood. Here we apply extensive molecular dynamics simulations to study the folding of Htt-exon-1 across five different polyQ-lengths. We find an increase in secondary structure motifs at longer Q-lengths, including β-sheet content that seems to contribute to the formation of increasingly compact structures. More strikingly, these longer Q-lengths adopt supercompact structures as evidenced by a surprisingly small power-law scaling exponent (0.22) between the radius-of-gyration and Q-length that is substantially below expected values for compact globule structures (∼0.33) and unstructured proteins (∼0.50). Hydrogen bond analyses further revealed that the supercompact behavior of polyQ is mainly due to the “glue-like” behavior of glutamine’s side chains with significantly more side cha...
‘Les Soixante-Routards: travel, generation, and 1968’

AbstractPhilippe Gloaguen and the ‘Routard Generation’ reveal a variety of themes in the cultural history of 1968 and its legacy in France regarding the intersection of travel mobility and generational identification. Mobility was and remains a central motif in the mythology of 1968. The way the cultural phenomenon of French backpacker travel has come to be understood there is bound up with ideas about 1968 and generation. The cultural association of 1968 with French travel and mobility helped create a broad generational cohort able to incorporate those who were not politically involved, or at best, were on the margins of protest activity. The self-proclaimed soixante-routards conflate travel mobility with a generational construct centred on 1968 as a means to render their personal travel with political meaning.
Literature, revolution, and national aesthetics on the interwar Yugoslav left

The interwar years are relatively understudied by intellectual historians of Eastern Europe. This is especially true of the study of the region’s radical left-wing cultures, where attention has ten...
Demystifying P2Y1 Receptor Ligand Recognition through Docking and Molecular Dynamics Analyses

We performed a molecular modeling analysis of 100 nucleotide-like bisphosphates and 46 non-nucleotide arylurea derivatives previously reported as P2Y1R binders using the recently solved hP2Y1R structures. We initially docked the compounds at the X-ray structures and identified the binding modes of representative compounds highlighting key patterns in the structure–activity relationship (SAR). We subsequently subjected receptor complexes with selected key agonists (2MeSADP and MRS2268) and antagonists (MRS2500 and BPTU) to membrane molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (at least 200 ns run in triplicate, simulation time 0.6–1.6 μs per ligand system) while considering alternative protonation states of nucleotides. Comparing the temporal evolution of the ligand–protein interaction patterns with available site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) data and P2Y1R apo state simulation provided further SAR insights and suggested reasonable explanations for loss/gain of binding affinity as well as the most relevant charged sp...
Streaming Media in an Uncertain Legal Environment: A Model Policy and Best Practices for Academic Libraries

As VCRs and DVD players become obsolete, online course offerings increase, and flipped pedagogy becomes ubiquitous, academic librarians are frequently confronted with requests from instructors for streaming media. The authors of this article describe the reasoning for and process by which a policy and best practices to manage streaming media requests were developed at a large public university. This policy is guided by the principles set forth in U.S. Copyright Act’s fair use doctrine (17 U.S.C. § 107) and ARL’s Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries (2012). The policy also includes a workflow for delivering streaming, ADA-compliant video content that cannot be licensed via conventional library means. Moreover, the comparative costs of purchasing subscription video collections versus licensing individual streaming videos at George Mason University are provided for the fiscal years 2013 through 2016.
A pilot(less) study on the use of an unmanned aircraft system for studying polar bears ( Ursus maritimus )

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are increasingly popular tools for studying wildlife ecology. The non-invasive aspect of UAS and the ability to collect a large amount of high-resolution imagery should be of interest to polar bear (Ursus maritimus) researchers who face logistic challenges with field work and developing minimally invasive methods. We opportunistically observed the behavioural reactions of three adult male polar bears during UAS surveys in the summer of 2016. We recorded vigilance behaviours and compared them to previously published vigilance behaviours during wildlife-viewing activities by Dyck and Baydack (2004). The number of vigilance events was 13.4 ± 3.7 (SE) and vigilance bout lengths was 18.7 ± 2.6 s (SE), which is similar to reported results by Dyck and Baydack (2004). To estimate detection probabilities of polar bears from UAS imagery, we had two independent observers review mosaics and 80% of known bear locations were identified. Our preliminary results suggest that UAS are capable of detecting polar bears using RGB imagery in a relatively non-invasive manner. Before UAS can be integrated into large-scale polar bear studies, further research is required to formally assess behavioural impacts with unhabituated individuals in the wild, and model factors influencing detection probabilities.