cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theoretical study of the spectroscopy of niobium nitride

Abstract State-averaged (SA) complete-active-space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) multireference configuration-interaction (MRCI) calculations are reported for the singlet and triplet states of NbN below about 20 000 cm−1 and the quintet states below about 30 000 cm−1. The theoretical spectroscopic constants for the four lowest triplet states, X3Δ, A3Σ−, B3Φ, and C3Π, are in excellent agreement with experiment. The calculations predict the ordering of states in the singlet manifold to be a1Δ, b1Σ+, c1Γ, d1Σ+, and e1Π. These states have all been experimentally observed, except for the d1Σ+ state near 13 000 cm−1. The lowest quintet state, 5Π, is predicted to lie above 17 000 cm−1. The calculations confirm the experimental conjecture, based on hyperfine splittings, that the X3Δ state is of predominantly 4dδ15s1 character. Although the NbN molecule is very ionic, the ground-state dipole moment of 3.68 D is only moderately large, because of the polarization of the 5s electron away from nitrogen atom. Electronic transition moments are computed for all of the dipole-allowed transitions in the singlet and triplet manifolds. The radiative lifetimes for the v′ = 0 level are computed to be 37 ns, 35 ns, 1 μs, and 64 ns for the B3Φ, C3Π, d1Σ+, and e1Π states, respectively. For small v′, the largest Einstein coefficients all involve transitions with v′ = v″, because the transitions in NbN are nearly vertical. We constrast our results for NbN with similar calculations for the isoelectronic ZrO molecule. The considerable differences between the spectroscopy of ZrO and that of NbN are a result of the greater stability of the d orbitals for Nb, and the fact that Nb has a 4dn+15s1 ground state, whereas Zr has a 4dn5s2 ground state.
Improved prognosis in children with intra‐abdominal non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma following LSA2L2 protocol chemotherapy

Thirty-five consecutive, previously untreated patients with intra-abdominal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (IANHL), seen between January 1971 and June 1978, were entered on the LSA2-L2 protocol. Six patients had Stage II disease, 23 Stage III and six Stage IV. The prevalent histologic types were diffuse lymphocytic poorly differentiated (13 patients) and diffuse undifferentiated (13 patients) followed by diffuse histiocytic (5 patients) and diffuse lymphoblastic (2 patients). All patients received LSA2-L2 protocol chemotherapy. Three of 4 patients with gross residual disease following initial surgery, who were seen prior to 1974, received radiation therapy during induction chemotherapy; there were no survivors among these 3 patients. Our treatment plan was revised in 1974 to include a "second-look" laparotomy during the third week of induction chemotherapy for all patients with gross residual intra-abdominal disease following their initial surgery. The disease-free actuarial survival for the total group of 35 patients is 72%. Fifteen of the 26 surviving patients are off therapy and have shown no evidence of recurrence or metastases (median observation time 26 + months). Fifteen of 26 patients seen after 1973 underwent the second laparotomy and only two were found to have residual disease. The LSA2-L2 protocol has significantly improved the disease-free survival rate of children with IANHL, even with widespread intra-abdominal and extra-abdominal disease at diagnosis. Further, the "second-look" laparotomy in patients with large unresectable disease at presentation has proved a useful method of unequivocal evaluation of response, thus eliminating unnecessary extensive abdominal irradiation in many of these children.
Surface segregation of Pt in γ′-Ni3Al: A first-principles study

Abstract We performed first-principles slab calculations based on the density functional theory to investigate the surface segregation behavior of Pt on the clean (1 0 0), (1 1 0) and (1 1 1) surfaces of γ′-Ni 3 Al. The results clearly indicate that Pt has a strong tendency to surface segregate in all three low-index surface orientations. Such a conclusion is in complete agreement with a recent experimental finding that Pt segregates to the clean Ni 3 Al(1 1 1) surface. The tendency of Pt to surface segregate also helps to explain why Pt addition is beneficial to the oxidation resistance of Ni 3 Al.
Alterations in the contents of cytochrome P-450 and adrenal ferredoxin in adrenals of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Summary The contents of cytochrome P-450 and adrenal ferredoxin were determined in the adrenals of spontaneously hypertensive rats of the Wistar-Kyoto strain and were compared with those in the adrenals of normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. Male rats between 10 and 12 weeks of age were employed in these studies. While the adrenal weight was only slightly decreased in the spontaneously hypertensive rats, the contents of both cytochrome P-450 and adrenal ferredoxin per 2 adrenals were found to be approximately 35% lower as compared to the normotensive controls. Subcellular fractionation of whole adrenal homogenates revealed that the observed decreases in the contents of cytochrome P-450 and adrenal ferredoxin were the result of alterations in the concentrations of these proteins in mitochondria. These observations are consistent with the suggestion that the pattern of steroidogenesis in the adrenal of the spontaneously hypertensive rat is altered.
Optical fiber sensor for the measurement of electric field intensity and voltage (OPSEF)

Abstract An optical fiber sensor for measuring high electric field intensity and voltage, which utilizes the electro-optic effect of bismuth silicone oxide single crystal, has been developed successfully, and the fundamental characteristics have been evaluated. The electric field intensity distribution inside the coaxial electrodes has been measured with this sensor. The measured results are in agreement with the theoretical values.
Forecasting the impact of office automation on clerical employment, 1985–2000

Abstract This article offers a forecast of the effects that advances in office automation technology will have on clerical employment in the banking and insurance industries for the period 1985–2000. A new forecasting approach, intended to account more directly for technological change, was developed for the study and is described. Clerical employment in both industries is estimated to peak about 1990 and decline rapidly during the following decade. Under the most conservative assumptions, absolute reductions in clerical employment of 22% in insurance and 10% in banking are expected by 2000. As a preliminary validation of the method, these results are compared to employment forecasts generated independently by executives in the two industries and to the results of other recent employment forecasts.
Glycosylation of endogenous lipids and proteins by preparations of chicken embryo fibroblasts

Abstract Glycosylation of endogenous phosphoisoprenyl lipids and membrane-associated proteins was shown to occur in preparations of chicken embryo fibroblasts incubated with GDP[ 14 C]mannose and UDP- N -acetylglucosamine. The two preparations used were cells released from the culture dishes by buffered saline containing EDTA and crude membranes from those cells. Both β-mannosyl-phosphoryldolichol and oligosaccharide-phosphoryl lipids with five to eight sugar residues were labelled under the conditions employed. The oligosaccharide isolated from the octasaccharide-lipid fraction was shown to be heterogeneous after an analysis of the products formed by treatment of the oligosaccharide with glycosidases. Some of the oligosaccharides appeared to contain N -acetylglucosamine at positions external to that of [ 14 C]mannose. Lipids with oligosaccharide moieties of different structures were made by the two preparations. The results of pulse-chase experiments were consistent with the glycosylated lipids being intermediates in glycoprotein biosynthesis.
Stabilized target visibility as a function of contrast and flicker frequency.

Abstract Flicker frequency is found to be the main determiner of stabilized target visibility. A luminous bar of 4′ was superimposed on an evenly illuminated field of 1° circular field. The whole target was stabilized. The bar luminance was varied sinusoidally or in a squarewave fashion around a constant mean level at frequencies ranging from 0.4 to 40 Hz. The contrast ratio of the bar to its background varied between 0.06 (threshold) and 10. The bar stayed visible for the longest duration when the bar flicker was 0.4 Hz. Visibility of the bar which was expressed as the duration before its disappearance, declined as a function of modulation frequency until lowest visibility was obtained at 15 Hz. An increase of frequency beyond this point led to no change in bar visibility. Between 0.4 and 15 Hz, contrast of the target played an indeterminant role, improving visibility for one subject, and having no effect on visibility for the other subjects. For flicker rates above 15 Hz, target contrast was the main determinant of visibility. In relative terms, a decrease in flicker frequency leads to longer visibility than an increase in contrast. Square-wave flicker has the same effect as sine-wave flicker.
N(2p3 2Po) in the nitrogen afterglow

Abstract The formation and depletion of metastable N(2Po) atoms in the Lewis-Rayleigh nitrogen afterglow in nitrogen, argon, and helium buffers was studied in the pressure range 1–12 torr. It was found that the N(2Po) is mainly quenched by ground-state nitrogen atoms, N(4So), in a two-body process, for the quenching rate is shown to be independent of the pressure and identity of the buffer gas. An upper limit to the value of the quenching rate constant is estimated from experiments in each of the diluent gases, and the results are compared and discussed. A mechanism for the quenching process is proposed.
On the isolation of possible artifacts due to cubic periodic boundary conditions

Abstract Cubic periodic boundary conditions in computer simulations of molecular dynamics may produce artifacts due to imposed O h symmetry. In this communication, group theoretical statistical mechanics is used to isolate ensemble averages which exist under O h symmetry but vanish under the R h (3) symmetry of an ensemble of molecules or atoms at thermodynamic equilibrium. These are artifacts of cubic periodic boundary conditions. This method allows a check on the validity of molecular dynamics computer simulations.
Evaluation of pediatric patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension: yield of diagnostic testing.

OBJECTIVE. Children and adolescents with newly diagnosed hypertension undergo various tests to define the cause and target organ consequences of the elevated blood pressure. We tested the hypothesis that the diagnostic yield of individual components of the currently recommended assessment does not justify performance for all patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. METHODS. A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients who were referred between July 2002 and June 2007 for mild-to-moderate hypertension, defined as maximum blood pressure at ≥95% + 20/10 mmHg. The assessment included history and physical examination, nutritional assessment, urinalysis, biochemical and fasting lipid profile, renal ultrasound, echocardiogram, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. RESULTS. A total of 249 patients were identified, and charts for 220 (88%) were available for review. There were 156 boys and 64 girls aged 13.3 ± 4.4 years. BMI was 26.1 ± 6.7 kg/m2, and 143 (65%) had a BMI of ≥90%. Results of urinalysis and serum biochemical testing were clinically normal in all cases. Among those with a lipid profile, 59 (42%) had total cholesterol values of >170 mg/dL, and 26 (19%) had severe hypercholesterolemia (>200 mg/dL). Renal sonography revealed findings plausibly associated with hypertension in 14 (8%) patients; 4 (2%) had renovascular abnormalities. Yield of echocardiography was 17%. On ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, 47 (60%) children had systolic readings of >95% at least 20% of the time, and 28 (36%) had diastolic readings of >95% at least 20% of the time. CONCLUSIONS. For children and adolescents with mild-to-moderate hypertension, on the basis of a cutoff of 5% to 20% abnormal results to define a useful test, the initial evaluation can range from a serum cholesterol level and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to a panel that consists of a fasting lipid profile, renal ultrasound, echocardiogram, and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Additional assessment should be guided by specific clinical features and the nature of the patient population.
Malawian secondary students’ beliefs about intelligence

Students who view intelligence as malleable tend to be more academically motivated and perform at higher levels than students who view it as a fixed trait. We examined the beliefs of students from Malawi because the culture and schooling process in this country is very different from some other areas of the world in which students’ views of intelligence have already been studied. Our research questions were: (1) How do Malawian students define intelligence? (2) To what extent do Malawian students view intelligence as malleable? (3) Are Malawian students’ definitions of intelligence and beliefs about the malleability of intelligence similar to those of students in more developed countries? We conducted a mixed methods study and surveyed 136 students attending a secondary school in Malawi using a 39-item questionnaire. Students responded to questions about their intelligence beliefs on open- and closed-ended items. Our results showed that Malawian students believe that an intelligent student exhibits a vari...
Characterization of Acrylamidase Isolated from a Newly Isolated Acrylamide-Utilizing Bacterium, Ralstonia eutropha AUM-01

A mesophilic bacterium capable of utilizing acrylamide was isolated, AUM-01, from soil collected from leaf litter at Picnic Point on the UW-Madison campus. In minimal medium with acrylamide as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, a batch culture of AUM-01 completely converted 28.0 mM acrylamide to acrylic acid in 8 h and reached a cell density of 0.3 (A₆₀₀)). Afterward all the acrylic acid was degraded by 20 h with the cell density increasing to 1.9 (A₆₀₀). The acrylamide-utilizing bacterium was identified as Ralstonia eutropha based on morphological observations, the BiOLOG GN2 MicroPlate™ identification system for Gram-negative bacteria, and additional physiological tests. An acrylamidase that hydrolyzes acrylamide to acrylic acid was purified from the strain AUM-01. The molecular weight of the enzyme from AUM-01 was determined to be 38 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The enzyme had pH and temperature optima of 6.3 and 55°C, and the influence of different metals and amino acids on the ability of the purified protein to transform acrylamide to acrylic acid was evaluated. The enzyme from AUM-01 was totally inhibited by ZnSO₄ and AgNO₃.
Molecular simulations of deformation and failure in bonds formed by glassy polymer adhesives

The mechanical behavior of glassy polymer bonds is examined with molecular dynamics simulations. We show that the interfacial strength of the bond in mode I (tensile) and mode II (shear) fracture is strongly influenced by the coupling between the adhesive and adherends as well as by the roughness of the substrate surface. Failure occurs at the substrate (interfacial failure) when the interaction is weak, and in the bulk (cohesive failure) when the interaction is strong. The transition from interfacial to cohesive failure under mode I loading is nearly unaffected by roughness, while roughness leads to a dramatic increase in interfacial strength under mode II loading. Stress mixity is another crucial parameter that determines whether the polymer fails through shear deformation or through cavitation and crazing. By varying the geometry of the adhesive bond, we illustrate different limiting behaviors of a rupturing film.
Minimal surfaces over stars

Abstract A JS surface is a minimal graph over a polygonal domain that becomes infinite in magnitude at the domain boundary. Jenkins and Serrin characterized the existence of these minimal graphs in terms of the signs of the boundary values and the side-lengths of the polygon. For a convex polygon, there can be essentially only one JS surface, but a non-convex domain may admit several distinct JS surfaces. We consider two families of JS surfaces corresponding to different boundary values, namely JS 0 and JS 1 , over domains in the form of regular stars. We give parameterizations for these surfaces as lifts of harmonic maps, and observe that all previously constructed JS surfaces have been of type JS 0 . We give an example of a JS 1 surface that is a new complete embedded minimal surface generalizing Scherk's doubly periodic surface, and show also that the JS 0 surface over a regular convex 2n-gon is the limit of JS 1 surfaces over non-convex stars. Finally we consider the construction of other JS surfaces over stars that belong neither to JS 0 nor to JS 1 .
Characterization of 2'-deoxycytidine adducts derived from 4-oxo-2-nonenal, a novel lipid peroxidation product.

Analysis of the reaction between 2′-deoxycytidine and 4-oxo-2-nonenal by LC/MS revealed the presence of three major products (adducts A1 ,A 2, and B; [M + H] + ) 364). Adducts A1 and A2 were isomeric, and each dehydrated to form adduct B. The structure of adduct B was shown by LC/MS and NMR spectroscopy to be an etheno-2′-deoxycytidine adduct 1′′-[1-(2′-deoxy-‚D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-1H-imidazo[2,1-c]pyrimidin-2-oxo-4-yl]heptane-2′′-one. A time course experiment performed at 65 °C (pH 5-8) showed that the transformation of both A1 and A2 was pH-dependent. In acidic conditions, adducts A1 and A2 dehydrated primarily to adduct B. In contrast, in basic conditions, adducts A1 and A2 hydrolyzed primarily to dCyd. The data are consistent with adducts A1 and A2 being substituted ethano adducts that dehydrate to adduct B, a substituted 3,N 4 -etheno-2′-deoxycytidine adduct.
Flaw classification in welded plates using a microprocessor controlled flaw detector

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to show that a microprocessor, when utilized in connection with an ultrasonic flaw detector, can reliably regulate an ultrasonic inspection process. By means of several concentrated laboratory trials and accompanying analysis with the microprocessor-flaw detector combination, it was demonstrated that dependable, speedy, and cost-effective flaw detection is within the realm of reality. Specifically, this particular study focuses on the microprocessor controlled evaluation of steel plates. While it is true that the overall procedure employed here involves itself with flaw classification in one area (welds in steel plates), it will become apparent that applications are not restricted to steel plates. Recognising this, the paper will also provide insight into other areas pertinent to the study.
Simone Weil’s Passion Mysticism: The Paradox of Chronic Pain and the Transformation of the Cross

Simone Weil’s theology is deeply connected to her experiences with chronic pain. Pain is paradoxical in that it is an essentially private phenomenon yet it simultaneously demands to be shared with another. Weil’s life and thought exemplify both aspects of this paradox, demonstrating how her pain alienated her from her own body and from others, and how her thought found full expression as she attempted to share experiences with pain. Weil’s experience of pain was transformed in her passion mysticism, the deep connection she felt with the crucified Christ. In this connection, the most unbearable aspect of her pain, the threat, which it presented to her very self through annihilation, was absorbed into the cross and transformed by God’s love. While this did not necessarily diminish Weil’s pain, the meaning it had for her as a person was transformed through an encounter with Christ crucified, in which she experienced God’s suffering along with her.
Alcoholysis of nitriles in gold(III) complexes: The structure of [EtC(OEt)NH2]+[AuCl4]−

Abstract The alcoholysis (ROH; R = Me, Et) of nitriles (RCN; R = Me, Et) in the presence of gold(III) chloride and/or hydrogen chloride was investigated. These alcoholysis reactions in the presence of gold(III) chloride occur much more rapidly than the nitrile- alcohol mixture alone. Elemental analyses and IR and NMR spectral data identified two products from the reaction. One product was the imino-ether salt, [RC(OR′)NH2]+[AuCl4]−, while the other was the complex of the imino-ether and gold(III) chloride, RC (OR′)NH · AuCl3 (R and R′ = Me, Et). The crystal structure of hydrogenethylpropylimidate tetrachloroaurate(III) (3a) was determined by X-ray diffraction techniques.
What to Expect During Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a test during which flexible tubes called catheters are inserted into the heart via an artery or vein under x-ray guidance to diagnose and sometimes treat certain heart conditions. During right heart catheterization, a vein from the neck, arm, or leg is used to enter the right side of the heart to measure pressures and oxygen content. During left heart catheterization, an artery from the wrist, arm, or leg is used to enter the left side of the heart, usually to perform coronary angiography, which refers to the injection of contrast dye into the coronary arteries to determine the amount of blockage from atherosclerotic plaque. Cardiac catheterization is most often performed after completion of a history and physical examination and noninvasive cardiac testing such as an ECG, echocardiogram, or stress test to evaluate symptoms. Such symptoms commonly include chest pain (referred to as angina), shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, or palpitations. In addition to providing a roadmap of the coronary arteries, cardiac catheterization can help to determine how well the valves in between the chambers of the heart are working and how well the heart muscle is pumping. Cardiac catheterization provides definitive confirmation of narrowing in the coronary arteries and may also exclude the presence of coronary …
Treatment of earthquake ground motion using regionalized variables

Earthquake ground motion is a spatial phenomenon associated with local random behavior and global attenuation away from a source. By this description, ground motion is a regionalized variable. Analyses of directional variograms for earthquake ground motion reveal ansiotropic attenuation. For some earthquakes, a spatial structure exists in all directions and an average variogram can be developed. For other earthquakes, either a spatial structure can be identified only for restricted directions, or a spatial structure cannot be found to exist in any direction. A valid application of regionalized variables theory to the spatial analysis of earthquake ground motion must therefore be predicated on an initial, exhaustive analysis of estimated variograms. To estimate these data, an application of ordinary kriging is preferable to other more complex regionalized variables techniques to simplify the spatial analysis of earthquake ground motion.
Hematologic Changes Associated With Serum and Hepatic Iron Alterations in Dogs With Congenital Portosystemic Vascular Anomalies

Serum and hepatic iron determinations and hematologic parameters were measured in 10 dogs with congenital portosystemic vascular anomalies. Anemia, hypoferremia, and microcytosis were present in 70%, 70%, and 60% of the dogs, respectively. An increase in hepatic iron content was observed in all dogs. These results suggest a relationship between altered hepatic blood flow and abnormal iron metabolism in dogs with congenital portosystemic vascular anomalies.
Using a mixture of probabilistic decision trees for direct prediction of protein function

We study the direct relationship between basic protein properties and their function. Our goal is to develop a new tool for functional prediction that can be used to complement and support other techniques based on sequence or structure information. In order to define this new measure of similarity between proteins we collected a set of 453 features and properties that characterize proteins and are believed to be correlated and related to structural and functional aspects of proteins. Among these properties are the composition and fraction of different groups of amino acids, predicted secondary structure content, molecular weight, average hydrophobicity, isoelectric point and others, as well as a set of properties that are extracted from database records of known protein sequences, such as subcellular location, tissue specificity, and others.We introduce the mixture model of probabilistic decision trees to learn the set of potentially complex relationships between features and function. To study these correlations, trees are created and tested on the Pfam sequence-based classification of proteins and the EC classification of enzyme families. The model is very effective in learning highly diverged protein families or families that are not defined based on sequence. The resulting tree structure indicates the properties that are strongly correlated with structural and functional aspects of protein families, and can be used to suggest a concise definition of a protein family.
Decomposition of aquatic angiosperms. I. Dissolved components

The decomposition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from freshwater vascular macrophytes was investigated over a 180-day period under controlled conditions of temperature and oxygen (10 and 25°C; anaerobic and aerobic). Plant species studied were the emergent bulrush Scirpus acutus Bigelow, the floating-leaved water lily Nuphar variegatum Engelm., two submerged plants, Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michx., Najas flexilis (Willd.) Rostk. & Schmidt, and the submersed bulrush, Scirpus subterminalis Torrey. The concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) released by autolysis and by bacterial metabolism were analyzed in total and fractionated into four molecular weight categories (< 30 000, < 10 000, < 1000, and < 500 Daltons). Ultraviolet absorptive and fluorescence characteristics of each fraction were also analyzed. Decomposition of DOM was most rapid under aerated conditions at either temperature and resulted in declining or consistently low concentrations of DOC in all molecular weight fractions. Fluorescence and UV absorbance of low molecular weight fractions were rapidly reduced to low values, indicative of rapid removal of small compounds with unsaturated bonds or ring structures by bacterial degradation, complexing, or absorption to particulate phases. While the amount of high molecular weight DOC decreased, spectral properties indicated an increasing dominance of complex humic-type compounds. Under aerobic conditions, small and large molecular weight fractions showed consistent losses in total organic carbon at both temperatures. The presence of oxygen was more effective in control of rates of conversion of DOM than was temperature over the range examined in these experiments. A temperature effect was observed, however. At the lower temperature, when anaerobic, DOM was only slowly metabolized, and even low molecular weight fractions accumulated carbon. At the higher temperature, DOM was eventually decomposed even under anaerobic conditions. Decomposition of DOM in aerated cultures proceeded slightly faster at 25 than at 10°C.
Teratogenic effects of cholinergic insecticides in chick embryos. I. Diazinon treatment on acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase activities.

Abstract Teratogenic effects of diazinon were assessed morphologically and correlated with values determined by radiometric determinations for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities. Diazinon, at doses ranging from 23 to 1854 μg/chick egg, was injected on Day 3 of incubation, and enzyme activities in hindlimb, wing, and brain were measured on Days 6–20 of incubation. Generally, these organs displayed similar patterns of enzyme alteration. With an injected dose of 200 μg diazinon per egg, AChE activity was inhibited about 90% at Days 6–8, about 50% at Day 10, and not at all at Day 13. On the other hand, ChAT activity was not significantly different between diazinon- and corn oil-injected embryos. The threshold dose for type II teratogenic signs (such as wry neck and short neck) was higher than for type I signs (such as micromelia and abnormal feathering). Morphological studies, using atropine and gallamine, suggested that nicotinic but not muscarinic receptors may be involved in the mechanism of diazinon-induced type II malformations. Nicotinamide, which prevented type I malformations, did not prevent the diazinon-induced AChE inhibition. From the above findings, we confirm and extend the finding of others, that the cholinergic dysfunction does not temporally correlate with the type I teratogenic effects.
FSH stimulation of 3H-glucosamine-incorporation into proteoglycans by porcine granulosa cells in vitro.

Porcine granulosa cells from small follicles were incubated in the presence of 1 μCi/ml 3H-glucosamine and various hormones. Proteoglycans were digested with protease, and the mucopolysaccharides (MPS) were recovered. Most of the labeled MPS was found in secretory products. Maximum incorporation of 3H-glucosamine into MPS occurred after incubation with FSH for 8–16 h. Cell concentrations of 0.5–4.0 x 106/ml proved to be ample. Highly purified porcine or human FSH gave consistent, significant stimulation by doses in the order of 100 pg/ml. Linear log-dose response curves occurred from 0.1 to 10.0 ng/ml, and maximal stimulation at 10 ng/ml was 22-fold above control. Preparations of hCG, hTSH and NIH-LH-S18 were not effective. Incubations with 1–10 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP significantly increased incorporation into MPS, suggesting that effects of FSH may be mediated by cyclic AMP.
Changes in the diuretic and antidiuretic properties of the hemolymph during the six-day vitellogenic cycle in the American cockroach

Abstract The “antidiuretic principle” concentration in the hemolymph of Periplaneta americana (L.) is low during the initial period of the six-day vitellogenic cycle. On the fourth day the concentration begins to rise and reaches a maximum on the fifth and sixth days of the cycle. The diuretic factor remains relatively constant except on day three when a peak is seen. However, the increase in “antidiuretic principle” on days 4,5, and 6 may mask a similar rise of diuretic activity. It is postulated that the physiological role of the antidiuretic principle is in conservation of water to counteract the tremendous water loss via the eggs. However, the possibility that the principle is actually a smooth-muscle stimulating hormone which enhances the movement of the eggs down the oviduct cannot be ruled out. There may be two components involved with each one having overlapping functions.
Apparent weakness of median and ulnar motors in radial nerve palsy

Muscle testing of a patient with radial nerve palsy can incorrectly suggest median and ulnar weakness because of a decreased ability to stabilize the thumb and wrist. Ten adult volunteers had radial nerve blocks and their strengths were quantitatively evaluated before and after blocking for grip, key pinch, isolated thumb adduction (adduction pinch), thumb palmar abduction, finger flexion, and flexor pollicis longus (FPL) function. Data were analyzed by paired t test ( p
Scale-dependent importance of environment, land use and landscape structure for species richness and composition of SE Norwegian modern agricultural landscapes

Knowledge of variation in vascular plant species richness and species composition in modern agricultural landscapes is important for appropriate biodiversity management. From species lists for 2201 land-type patches in 16 1-km2 plots five data sets differing in sampling-unit size from patch to plot were prepared. Variation in each data set was partitioned into seven sources: patch geometry, patch type, geographic location, plot affiliation, habitat diversity, ecological factors, and land-use intensity. Patch species richness was highly predictable (75% of variance explained) by patch area, within-patch heterogeneity and patch type. Plot species richness was, however, not predictable by any explanatory variable, most likely because all studied landscapes contained all main patch types – ploughed land, woodland, grassland and other open land – and hence had a large core of common species. Patch species composition was explained by variation along major environmental complex gradients but appeared nested to lower degrees in modern than in traditional agricultural landscapes because species-poor parts of the landscape do not contain well-defined subsets of the species pool of species-rich parts. Variation in species composition was scale dependent because the relative importance of specific complex gradients changed with increasing sampling-unit size, and because the amount of randomness in data sets decreased with increasing sampling-unit size. Our results indicate that broad landscape structural changes will have consequences for landscape-scale species richness that are hard or impossible to predict by simple surrogate variables.
The Mice in the Ceiling: Musings on the Limits of Privatization

Abstract: Commons are often portrayed as sprawling natural or intellectual resources whose vastness defies ownership. However, the urban built environment contains many shared spaces – courtyards, hallways, or even the gaps between floors and ceilings – that function as very small commons. In this essay I turn privatized, Soviet-era apartment blocks inside out to examine the shared spaces within them. I conclude that rather than merely working as buffers between neatly delineated chunks of ‘the private,’ small commons serve as the glue that ensures the structural and social cohesion of the building, and the value of individual apartments. This essay provides a mouse-sized counterpoint to the larger and more expansive commons discussed in literature on enclosure and access. ‘Thinking small’ forces us to reimagine what a ‘common might look like, and focus on how people interact in or with commons, rather than merely take from them.
Studies of large scale random rough surface problems with the sparse-matrix flat-surface iterative approach

Scattering of the TE incident wave from a perfectly conducting random rough surface is studied. First, the vector electromagnetic scattering from a two-dimensional rough surface with a surface area of 81 square wavelengths is illustrated. Monte Carlo results show backscattering enhancement for the co-polarized component. Secondly, the TE scattering from a one-dimensional random rough surface with a Gaussian roughness spectrum is studied. Specifically, a grazing incident angle at 86/spl deg/ with a surface length of 800 wavelengths is presented. Lastly, backscattering intensities from Gaussian and non-Gaussian rough surfaces are compared. Numerical results are illustrated as a function of rms height and slope. >
Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Progressive human immunodeficiency virus infection eventually leads to activation and dissemination of a wide variety of microorganisms normally held in check by the cellular immune system. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of these pathogens, and the disease caused by it has become a common presenting infection in the patient with AIDS. Dr. Richard E. Chaisson and Dr. Gary Slutkin have studied tuberculosis in the United States and worldwide, respectively. In this AIDS Commentary they address the unique nature of this infection, its diagnosis, and its treatment in the patient with AIDS.
Cubozoan venom-induced cardiovascular collapse is caused by hyperkalemia and prevented by zinc gluconate in mice.

Chironex fleckeri (Australian box jellyfish) stings can cause acute cardiovascular collapse and death. We developed methods to recover venom with high specific activity, and evaluated the effects of both total venom and constituent porins at doses equivalent to lethal envenomation. Marked potassium release occurred within 5 min and hemolysis within 20 min in human red blood cells (RBC) exposed to venom or purified venom porin. Electron microscopy revealed abundant ,12-nm transmembrane pores in RBC exposed to purified venom porins. C57BL/6 mice injected with venom showed rapid decline in ejection fraction with progression to electromechanical dissociation and electrocardiographic findings consistent with acute hyperkalemia. Recognizing that porin assembly can be inhibited by zinc, we found that zinc gluconate inhibited potassium efflux from RBC exposed to total venom or purified porin, and prolonged survival time in mice following venom injection. These findings suggest that hyperkalemia is the critical event following Chironex fleckeri envenomation and that rapid administration of zinc could be life saving in human sting victims.
Electropulse Responsivity to Changes in Skin Moisture

12 Ss were exposed to electropulse stimulation under 3 moisture treatments: dry, water immersion, and a fluid approximation of sweat. Touch threshold data were obtained under these conditions during the first half of the experiment and electropulse recognition responses during the second half. A significant threshold rise occurred with increased amounts of moisture on the skin. Similarly, recognition accuracy decreased but remained within a 90 to 100% range. Human engineering implications pertinent to a tactual communication system were discussed.
Defects and transmutations in reactor-irradiated copper

Abstract From measurements made at 4.2 K, the residual resistivity increases produced by reactor irradiation near room temperature were studied in pure Cu up to fluences of 4.2 × 1023n/m2 (E > 1 MeV) and 12 × 1023 thermal n/m2 by methods which resolved the effects due to transmutations and to defects. While the increase in resistivity due to transmutations is linear, that due to defects falls off rapidly with increasing fluence. The defect damage rates at low doses depend upon initial sample conditions that are related to impurities, but they become equal above ~6 × 1021n/m2 (E > 1 MeV). Computations of defect concentrations using these resistivity data and earlier X-ray results [1], which measure dislocation loops, can be brought into reasonable agreement if the specific resistivity attributed to a single defect is decreased when that defect becomes part of a dislocation loop. In addition to the fundamental interest of these results, they also suggest that during the life of certain water-cooled Cu magnets for fusion reactors the resistivity increases due to defects will be small compared to those produced by transmutations.
TREATMENT OF KRAFT PULP AND PAPER WASTEWATERS BY MEANS OF FOAM SEPARATION

Abstract The pulp and paper industry is the third largest industrial consumer of fresh water in the United States. The current use rate of over two trillion gallons annually is expected to increase as the demand for paper products continues to rise Of the various methods of producing paper from wood, the Kraft process is the most widely used. Color, dissolved and suspended organic matter, and dissolved inorganic solids are major pollutants in Kraft processing wastewater. Current federal regulations limit the amount of solids and organic matter that a Kraft facility may dispose into public waters, so most plants have some form of wastewater treatment In this study, the capacity of a continuous-flow, foam separation system to effect removals of color from a Kraft process wastewater was evaluated. The cationic surfactant, EHDABr, was used to precipitate color bodies in the wastewater and create a foam to carry the precipitates from the wastewater. The effect of pH adjustment was also considered. Color remova...
Zero-fidelity simulation of fire emergency response: improving team coordination learning

Fire emergency responders rely on team coordination to survive and succeed in high-stress environments, but traditional education does not directly teach these essential skills. Prior simulations seek the highest possible fidelity, employing resources to capture concrete characteristics of operating environments. We take a different tack, hypothesizing that a zero-fidelity approach, focusing on human-centered aspects of work practice, will improve team coordination learning. Such an approach promotes simulation focus by developing an alternative environment that stimulates participants to engage in distributed cognition. The costs of simulation development are reduced. To supplement preparation for burn training exercises, 28 fire emergency response students played the Teaching Team Coordination game (T2eC), a zero-fidelity simulation of the distributed cognition of fire emergency response work practice. To test our hypothesis, we develop quantitative evaluation methods for impact on team coordination learning through measures of communication efficiency and cooperative activity. Results show that participants improve cooperation, become more efficient communicators, differentiate team roles through communication, and leverage multiple communication modalities. Given the context of the study amidst the educational process, qualitative data from the students and their expert instructor supports the ecological validity of the contribution of the T2eC zero-fidelity simulation to fire emergency response education.
Draft Genome Sequence of Aeromonas veronii Hm21, a Symbiotic Isolate from the Medicinal Leech Digestive Tract

ABSTRACT Aeromonas veronii strain Hm21 was isolated from the digestive tract of the medicinal leech Hirudo verbana and has been used to identify genes that are important for host colonization. This species is also a symbiont in the gut of zebrafish and is a pathogen of mammals and fish. We present here a 4.68-Mbp draft genome sequence for Hm21.
A vectorial rotation-invariant 3-D shape descriptor

Shape remains a major descriptive and discriminant feature of objects, especially in clinical settings where it forms an integral part (for example) of radiological morphometry as well as anthropometry and biometrics. Most successful descriptions of shape are functional rather than descriptive, and it is often the goal that any such functional description of shape be unique (but generalizable, see below) as well as invariant under some (or all) rigid motions of the base object. When these goals are combined with a desire to keep the descriptor reasonably computationally efficient then often a compromise had to be made in which one or other of the goals is relaxed. In this paper we describe a vectorial formulation of an invariant shape descriptor which is reasonably computationally efficient but for which we cannot guarantee absolute uniqueness. Our setting is a wide class of three-dimensional (polyhedral) objects drawn from such datasets as the visible human datasets and the CAESAR/CARDLab anthropometric datasets. In this short paper we describe the formal definition of a set of vectorial spherical shape descriptors, and give preliminary indications of their role in shape description in anthropometry.
Intimate Partner Violence Victims as Mothers Their Messages and Strategies for Communicating With Children to Break the Cycle of Violence

Children whose mothers are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) are at increased risk of adverse health and psychosocial consequences, including becoming victims or perpetrators of violence in their own relationships. This study aimed to understand the role mothers may play in preventing the perpetuation of violence in their children’s lives. We performed semistructured interviews with 18 IPV victims who are mothers and were living at the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh from July through November 2011. We sought to understand how they communicate with their children about IPV and relationships. These mothers described a desire to explain their IPV experience and offer advice about avoiding violence in relationships. As foundations for these discussions, they emphasized the importance of close relationships and open communication with their children. Although mothers are interested in talking about IPV and relationships and identify communication strategies for doing so, many have neve...
HiDRA: Statistical multi-dimensional resource discovery for large-scale systems

Resource discovery enables applications deployed in heterogeneous large-scale distributed systems to find resources that meet QoS requirements. In particular, most applications need resource requirements to be satisfied simultaneously for multiple resources (such as CPU, memory and network bandwidth). Due to dynamism in many large-scale systems, providing statistical guarantees on such requirements is important to avoid application failures and overheads. However, existing techniques either provide guarantees only for individual resources, or take a static or memoryless approach along multiple dimensions. We present HiDRA, a scalable resource discovery technique providing statistical guarantees for resource requirements spanning multiple dimensions simultaneously. Through trace analysis and a 307-node PlanetLab implementation, we show that HiDRA, while using over 1,400 times less data, performs nearly as well as a fully-informed algorithm, showing better precision and having recall within 3%. We demonstrate that HiDRA is a feasible, low-overhead approach to statistical resource discovery in a distributed system.
Are rheumatologists' treatment decisions influenced by patients' age?

Objectives. The objective of this study was to determine whether physicians’ treatment preferences are influenced by patients’ age. Methods. We mailed a survey to a random sample of rheumatologists practicing in the US. The survey included a scenario describing a hypothetical patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine and low-dose prednisolone, who presents with active disease during a follow-up appointment. The scenario was formulated in two versions that were identical except for the age of the patient. After reading the scenario, respondents were asked to rate (on a 10 cm numerical rating scale) their recommendations for each of the three options: (i) increasing the dose of prednisolone, (ii) adding a new disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) and (iii) switching DMARDs. Rheumatologists who rated either adding a new DMARD or switching DMARDs higher than increasing the dose of prednisolone were classified as ‘preferring aggressive treatment with DMARDs’, while the others were classified as ‘NOT preferring aggressive treatment with DMARDs’. Results. A total of 480 rheumatologists were mailed a questionnaire; 204 responded, giving a response rate of 42.5%. Overall 163 (80%) respondents were classified as preferring aggressive treatment with DMARDs. Rheumatologists responding to this survey were more likely to prefer aggressive DMARD treatment for the young RA patient vs the older RA patient (87 vs 71%, P ¼ 0.007). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that rheumatologists’ treatment recommendations may be influenced by age. Future educational efforts should increase physician awareness of this possible bias in order to ensure equal service delivery across ages.
Electrochemical investigations of stable cavitation from bubbles generated during reduction of water

Megasonic cleaning is traditionally used for removal of particles from wafer surfaces in semiconductor industry. With the advancement of technology node, the major challenge associated with megasonic cleaning is to be able to achieve high cleaning efficiency without causing damage to fragile features. In this paper, a method based on electrochemistry has been developed that allows controlled formation and growth of a hydrogen bubbles close to a solid surface immersed in an aqueous solution irradiated with ∼1 MHz sound field. It has been shown that significant microstreaming from resonating size bubble can be induced by proper choice of transducer duty cycle. This method has the potential to significantly improve the performance of megasonic cleaning technology through generation of local microstreaming, interfacial and pressure gradient forces in close vicinity of conductive surfaces on wafers without affecting the transient cavitation responsible for feature damage.