cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational study of the generation of crystal defects in a bcc metal target irradiated by short laser pulses

The generation of crystal defects in a Cr target irradiated by a short, 200 fs, laser pulse is investigated in computer simulations performed with a computational model that combines the classical molecular dynamics method with a continuum description of the laser excitation of conduction band electrons, electron-phonon coupling, and electron heat conduction. Interatomic interactions are described by the embedded atom method (EAM) potential with a parametrization designed for Cr. The potential is tested by comparing the properties of the EAM Cr material with experimental data and predictions of density functional theory calculations. The simulations are performed at laser fluences close to the threshold for surface melting. Fast temperature variation and strong thermoelastic stresses produced by the laser pulse are causing surface melting and epitaxial resolidification, transient appearance of a high density of stacking faults along the {110} planes, and generation of a large number of point defects (vacancies and self-interstitials). The stacking faults appear as a result of internal shifts in the crystal undergoing a rapid uniaxial expansion in the direction normal to the irradiated surface. The stacking faults are unstable and disappear shortly after the laser-induced tensile stress wave leaves the surface region of the target. Thermally activated generation of vacancy-interstitial pairs during the initial temperature spike and quick escape of highly mobile self-interstitials to the melting front or the free surface of the target, along with the formation of vacancies at the solid-liquid interface during the fast resolidification process, result in a high density of vacancies, on the order of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ per lattice site, created in the surface region of the target. The strong supersaturation of vacancies can be related to the incubation effect in multipulse laser ablation/damage and should play an important role in mixing/alloying of multicomponent or composite targets.
Protoplasmic movement in slime mold plasmodia; the diffusion drag force hypothesis.

Abstract Cinephotomicrographic analyses of the vigorous protoplasmic movements in slime mold plasmodia have demonstrated the following facts. Flow at any point reverses direction with an irregular periodicity. Reversals in flow direction spread upstream or downstream along channels of flow. Movements at two points only a few microns apart may be independent in direction and reversal timing. At least three structural states of protoplasm are consistent with viability; state I, liquid, flowing; state II, non-flowing, elastic, but showing same Brownian movement as I; state III, elastic and more rigid than II, showing no Brownian movement. These three states are rapidly interconvertible, but flow only occurs in state I plus state II. The movements cannot be explained in terms of contraction of a gel posterior to the flow. They require a motive force which is distributed through the plasmodium in a pattern similar to that of the movement itself. The diffusion drag-force model of Rashevsky supplies such a motive force, and is consistent with the above data, as well as with extensive results of Kamiya and co-workers.
Practical diagnosis and management of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease in the primary care setting: an evidence-based approach.

Objective: To review evidence-based guidance on the primary care of Alzheimer’s disease and clinical research on models of primary care for Alzheimer’s disease to present a practical summary for the primary care physician regarding the assessment and management of the disease. Data Sources: References were obtained via search using keywords Alzheimer’s disease AND primary care OR collaborative care OR case finding OR caregivers OR guidelines. Articles were limited to English language from January 1, 1990, to January 1, 2013. Study Selection: Articles were reviewed and selected on the basis of study quality and pertinence to this topic, covering a broad range of data and opinion across geographical regions and systems of care. The most recent published guidelines from major organizations were included. Results: Practice guidelines contained numerous points of consensus, with most advocating a central role for the primary care physician in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Review of the literature indicated that optimal medical and psychosocial care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers may be best facilitated through collaborative models of care involving the primary care physician working within a wider interdisciplinary team. Conclusions: Evidence-based guidelines assign the primary care physician a critical role in the care of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Research on models of care suggests the need for an appropriate medical/nonmedical support network to fulfill this role. Given the diversity and breadth of services required and the necessity for close coordination, nationwide implementation of team-based, collaborative care programs may represent the best option for improving care standards for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
IN VIVO EFFECT OF HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE ON HEPATIC ADENYLATE CYCLASE ACTIVITY

Significant increases in basal, and glucagon and fluoride stimulated adenylate cyclase activity were observed in liver plasma membranes of hypophysectomized rats compared to normal adult and weanling rats. The fluoride stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was 2-3 fold greater in the membranes from hypophysectomized animals while the glucagon stimulated activity was 5-7 fold greater, and the basal activity was approximately double that of membranes from normal adult animals. Administration of growth hormone to hypophysectomized rats by an intramuscular or intravenous route decreased adenylate cyclase activity to levels equivalent to those in normal adult rats. Estradiol and thyroxine replacement did not alter the adenylate cyclase activity of the membranes from hypophysectomized animals. The fluoride or epinephrine stimulated adenylate cyclase activity of rat diaphragm homogenates was not affected by hypophysectomy.
Persistence of Self in Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence from Language and Visual Recognition

The persistence of self in individuals with probable Alzheimer's disease was investigated via language and visual self-recognition. Seventy-eight adults (ages 66—103) participated: 26 with mild cognitive impairments, 26 with moderate cognitive impairments, and 26 without impairment. Although frequency of language usage (during an interview) declined across impairment levels, there were no significant differences in either rates or proportions of pronoun and attribute usage. When asked to identify themselves in photographs taken with an instant camera, cognitively impaired individuals — in spite of forgetting the photographic session only minutes earlier — exhibited unimpaired self-recognition, a dissociation consistent with a preserved self. Taken together, these findings indicate a persistence of self in individuals with dementia, and have implications for how Alzheimer's is characterized and experienced, and how individuals are cared for.
Effects of variable practice on retention and motor schema development in Down syndrome subjects.

Portions of Schmidt's schema theory, the effects of variable practice on retention and ability to learn a novel motor task, were tested using Down syndrome subjects. 23 subjects ranged in mental and chronological ages from 3.0 to 5.1 yr. and 4.6 to 22 yr., respectively. IQs ranged from 32 to 62. The two throwing tasks were closed, discrete movements requiring no feedback or error detection during movement. Subjects were randomly assigned to a specific-practice, variable-practice, or control group. Specific group subjects practiced 100 trials from the test-target location. Variable-practice subjects also practiced 100 trials but from four different practice locations. The control group practiced an unrelated kicking activity. All subjects participated in identical pretests, posttests, and retention tests to assess accuracy on these throwing tasks. A standard archery target was used to score tosses. To examine the effects of practice on a novel task, two target conditions, or tasks, were employed. On Task A the subject tossed a bean bag at the archery target placed flat on the floor. For Task B, the novel task, the target was placed upright on the wall. Subjects were assigned higher scores for tosses landing closer to the center of the target. Analysis of variance indicated no significant differences between groups on Task A pretest or posttest. Significance was detected for the main effect of group for Task B. However, the Scheffe post hoc test indicated that the simple main effects were nonsignificant. This research did not support Schmidt's schema theory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
K-Pulse Estimation Using Legendre Polynomial Expansions and Target Discrimination

An approximate K- pulse estimation technique based on Legendre polynomial expansions and late-time target response energy minimizations is formulated and applied to both high-Q and low-Q targets. The targets have varying degrees of geometrical complexity. The complex natural resonant (CNR) frequencies of the test targets are numerically extracted as frequency domain zeros of the resultant K- pulses. The validity of the K- pulse estimation results is demonstrated by means of target discrimination examples at arbitrarily chosen combinations of aspect and polarization. Comparisons of the extracted CNR frequencies with other results are also used to verify the K- pulse synthesis results wherever a priori information on a test target's natural resonances is available.
An Examination of the Social Work Profession's Efforts to Achieve Legal Regulation

The social work profession's efforts in achieving legal regulation are explored. Widespread success is found in these efforts, and 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands now have legal regulation. There is variance in terms of the level of legal regulation, however, as reflected in the level of educational or practice attainment required and levels of protection provided. Interdisciplinary collaboration in this area among mental health professions is examined.
Analysis of a Shift in Codon Usage in Drosophila

In order to gain further insight into a shift in codon usage first observed in Drosophila willistoni we have analyzed seven genes in six species in the lineage leading to D. willistoni. This lineage contains the willistoni and saltans species groups. Sequences were obtained from GenBank or newly sequenced for this study. All species studied showed significant difference in codon usage compared to D. melanogaster for about one third of all amino acids. Within the willistoni/saltans lineage, codon usage is homogeneous, indicating that the shift in codon usage occurred prior to the diversification of extant species in this lineage which we estimate to date to about 20 million years ago. Thus the shift is old and has been stable. We also examined introns from these genes and the G/C composition at four-fold degenerate sites in an effort to detect a change in mutation bias. There is little or no evidence for a difference in mutation bias compared to D. melanogaster. We also considered whether relaxed selection (possibly due to reduced population sizes) or reduced recombination (due to numerous naturally occurring inversions) could account for the shift and concluded these factors alone are insufficient to explain the patterns observed. A change in the relative abundance of isoaccepting tRNAs is one of the few explanations that can account for the observations. Particularly intriguing is the fact that the greatest changes in codon usage have occurred for amino acids with two-fold C/T ending codons for which it is known that posttranscriptional modification occurs in tRNAs from a G in the wobble position to Queuosine that changes optimal binding from C to a slight preference for U. However, we do not argue that this shift was adaptive in nature, rather it may be an example of a “frozen accident.”
Lek Social Organization and Reproductive Success in the Greater Prairie Chicken

Between 1964 and 1969, studies were made of Prairie Chicken reproductive behavior on a lek with a stable social organization. The social organization of this lek was altered by the removal of dominant males; three in 1970 and two in 1971. Social organization and reproductive behavior were observed on this lek prior to and following removal of the dominant males. Removal of dominant males disrupted the stable social organization on the lek. Total number of aggressive interactions between males increased following removal of dominant males. No change was noted in the total number of females visiting the lek in 1970 compared with the previous 6-year period. Likewise, no change was noted in the number of attempted copulations observed in 1970 compared with previous years. However, the number of successful copulations was drastically reduced (90% fewer) during 1970 because of increased male-male aggressive interactions on the lek. During 1971, fewer territorial males were on the lek compared to previous years, and fewer females visited the lek and fewer successful copulations were recorded than in previous years. Late nests of Prairie Chickens are less successful and contain fewer eggs compared with nests begun earlier. In some instances, the female social hierarchy may serve to delay onset of nesting, therefore reducing total reproduction for the year.
Managing Local Development: Lessons from Spain

This paper analyzes an operational method that regional government agencies can use to enable locally-based firms to compete effectively in their industries. This method, which emerged in southern Spain after the transition to democracy, embodies many precepts found in the contemporary public management literature. The paper begins the task of cumulating the clinical knowledge needed to translate action plan precepts into specific managerial decisions.
Dissemination pathways of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris , Fabaceae) deduced from phaseolin electrophoretic variability. II. Europe and Africa

Phaseolin type, determined by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was used to suggest dissemination routes of common bean (Thaseolus vulgaris) cultivars from their areas of domestication to Europe and Africa. In the Iberian Peninsula, ‘C’ was the most frequent phaseolin type. Only in Chile has a comparably high ‘C’ frequency been observed previously, indicating that many Iberian cultivars may have been introduced from Chile, or that many Chilean cultivars may have come from the Iberian Peninsula. In Europe (outside the Iberian Peninsula), most cultivars exhibited a ‘T’ type. The high frequency of this type may be related to the high frequency of green pod cultivars among European cultivars. Most African cultivars exhibited a ‘T’ or a ‘C’ type and may have been introduced from Brazil, the Iberian Peninsula, or western Europe. ‘T’ or ‘C’ cultivars had larger seeds than ‘S’ cultivars. The phaseolin patterns of cultivars with different seed types and of early French cultivars are discussed.
Immunotoxicological characteristics of sodium methyldithiocarbamate.

Abstract This study was conducted to assess immunotoxicological effects and selected general toxicological effects of sodium methyldithiocarbamate (SMD). Initially, the compound was administered orally to female B6C3F1 mice at 300 mg/kg/day for 3, 5, 10, or 14 days. Body, liver, kidney, spleen, and thymus weights were measured. Selected hematological and bone marrow parameters were examined. Flow cytometric analysis was used to assess changes in lymphocyte subpopulations in the thymus and spleen, and production of antibody-forming cells in vitro was measured. Major effects included decreased thymus weight at all time points; increased spleen weight after 10 or 14 days of exposure, increased bone marrow cellularity after 10 or 14 days of exposure, significant decreases in mature lymphocyte subpopulations which were greater in the thymus than in the spleen, relatively selective depletion of the major subpopulation of thymocytes (CD4+CD8+), and decreased body weight. Overall patterns of changes were consistent with the conclusion that SMD rapidly depletes most CD4+CD8+ thymocytes, more slowly depletes a smaller number of mature lymphocytes in the thymus and spleen, and induces compensatory and/or detoxication mechanisms after 10–14 days of exposure. Subsequent experiments were done to assess selected immune function parameters. SMD at 50–300 mg/kg/day for 7 days caused substantial, dose-dependent suppression of NK cell activity. No suppression of antibody production in vivo or splenocyte responses to mitogens or allogeneic lymphocytes in vitro was detected. NK cell activity, thymus weight, and CD4+CD8+ thymocyte numbers were suppressed by dermal administration of SMD. These results indicate that NK cell activity is significantly decreased by SMD, but mature T and B lymphocytes which survive treatment are generally not significantly impaired with regard to the functions tested. In several experiments, immunological parameters were significantly suppressed in the absence of a significant decrease in body weight, suggesting that most of the effects of SMD on the immune system are not secondary to generalized toxicity.
GETTING CONTINGENT WORK: Insights into On‐Call Work, Matching Processes, and Staffing Technology from a Study of Substitute Teachers

Research on the matching of people to jobs neglects contingent work; studies of contingent work largely overlook matching processes. Neither literature considers new staffing technologies. We begin to fill these gaps by exploring how substitute teachers secure and experience assignments in a public school district that uses an automated calling and reservation system. Three patterns stand out: (1) substitutes shape the timing and content of assignments through strategic use of relationships with teachers and the automated system; (2) the automated system curbs ascription by providing assignments independent of relationships; and (3) substitutes view assignments secured through relationships as better and more satisfying. The study offers insights into the ways staffing technology, social relationships, and worker agency combine to shape how assignments are secured and experienced.
High blood pressure and hypertension in children with newly diagnosed acute leukemia and lymphoma

Little has been published on the rate of prehypertension (HBP) and hypertension (HTN) in children with hematologic malignancies. This study was preformed to determine the prevalence and predictors of HBP and HTN in newly diagnosed acute leukemia and lymphoma patients. Retrospectively, blood pressure (BP) values were followed from admission until normalization in 102 children. HBP and HTN were defined as either a systolic or diastolic value ≥ the 90th and 95th percentile BP measurement, respectively. HBP and HTN were identified in 68.6% and 52.9% of children prior to chemotherapy and 78.4% and 67.3% postchemotherapy, respectively. Mean time to BP normalization was 54days. Only ten children (15% of HTN patients) received antihypertensive therapy. Logistic regression determined that the only predictor for HBP and HTN was the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the time of admission—every 10ml/min per 1.73m2 increase led to a 16% and 14% decrease in the odds of postchemotherapy HBP (p = 0.02) and HTN (p = 0.03), respectively. A surprisingly high prevalence of BP abnormalities was identified and lower eGFR predicted HBP and HTN in children with newly diagnosed hematologic malignancies. Better recognition and serious consideration for treatment should be given to this cardiovascular abnormality.
CROSS-VALIDATION OF THE WRIGHT-TEDESCHI FACTORS OF THE INTERPERSONAL TRUST SCALE

Summary.-Separate factor analyses of high school student (106 males and 108 females) and adult (295 males and 334 females) samples of respondents to Rotter's Interpersonal Trust Scale demonstrated cross-validation of the three Wright-Tedeschi factors derived from samples of college studenrs. Clearest support was found for the factor, Trust of Strangers. Similarities and differences among various factor structures of the Interpersonal Trust Scale are discussed. The Interpersonal Trust Scale (Rotter, 1967, 1971), a Likert-type scale of 25 trust items and 15 filler items, is an additive scale that samples a wide range of situations and potential groups that one might trust. The construct validity network of research on trust indicates that in numerous situations and contexts the Interpersonal Trust Scale predicts individual differences in trust, trustworthiness, and adjustment, but is not related to gullibility; see reviews by Rotter (1980) and Stack (1978). Roberts ( 197 1 ) proposed two subscales within the Interpersonal Trust Scale-Political Trust (Items 4, 9, 13, 16, 18, 21, 29, and 40) and Peer Trust (Items 3, 8, 11, 14, 24, and 26). Roberts used face-validity ratings by studentjudges and an inter-item consistency analysis to construct these subscales, and did not indicate the proportion of trust scale variance which they accounted for. Kaplan (1973) used a principal-components factor analysis to generate factors of the Interpersonal Trust Scale which he labeled Institutional Trust, Sincerity, and Caution. Kaplan's results must be questioned because there are several methodological flaws, including small sample size, failure to control for sex, the use of an Interpersonal Trust Scale which included additional items, failure to report the proportion of common variance accounted for by the factors, and inclusion of more than one item on a factor. Chun and Campbell (1974) factor analyzed a form of the Interpersonal Trust Scale which had the 15 filler items deleted and other questions, including Wrightsman's (1964) Philosophies of Human Nature scale added instead. Using three different procedures with a single sample, they found four factors which they labeled Interpersonal Exploitation (Items 3, 14, and 26), Societal
Neutrophil-assisted DNA synthesis by human lymphocytes in response to mevalonic acid; enhancement by cytochalasin B.

Abstract Mevalonic acid is capable of initiating DNA synthesis, morphologic transformation, and cell division in cultures of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Pure populations of lymphocytes respond poorly to mevalonic acid, but their response can be enhanced by peripheral blood neutrophils. Addition of cytochalasin B (0.5 – 1.0 μg/ml), but not cytochalasin A, to mixed neutrophil-lymphocyte cultures enhances the response of lymphocytes to both Con A and mevalonate, but the increment in mevalonate-induced DNA synthesis (+343%) far exceeds the enhancement which cytochalasin B produces in the Con A response (+24%). As a consequence, the DNA synthetic response in mevalonate (10 −2 M ) containing cultures averages 39% of the response to an optimal dose of Con A. The cytochalasin B-enhanced response of mixed neutrophil-lymphocyte cultures to mevalonate is abolished by prior X irradiation of the lymphocytes, or their pretreatment with mitomycin C, as well as by the addition of hydroxyurea to the cultures but is not altered by prior X irradiation or mitomycin C pretreatment of the neutrophil helper population. These experiments suggest that the enhancing effect of cytochalasin B in the response of mixed neutrophil-lymphocyte cultures to mevalonic acid results from its ability to potentiate a time-dependent conditioning effect on lymphocytes which neutrophils exert. The conditioning effect of neutrophils cannot be achieved by cell-free neutrophil lysosomal enzymes released by exocytosis, and reactive oxygen species potentially generated by neutrophils are not involved. Attempts to demonstrate the production by neutrophils of a soluble mediator induced by mevalonate in the presence of cytochalasin B were without success. In the presence of cytochalasin B, only the metabolically active R (−) enantiomeric form of mevalonate is capable of initiating DNA synthesis in mixed neutrophil-lymphocyte cultures. The cytochalasin B-potentiated response of mixed neutrophil-lymphocyte cultures to mevalonic acid is preferentially displayed in cultures containing E-rosette-negative, as opposed to E-rosette-positive, lymphocytes. These observations add to the growing knowledge about the relationship between mevalonate metabolism, DNA synthesis, and cell replication.
Security engineering in a system of systems environment

Systems engineering (SE) of defense systems and critical infrastructure must incorporate consideration of threats and vulnerabilities to malicious subversion into the engineering requirements, architecture, and design processes. Recognizing this need, the United States Department of Defense recently revitalized its system security engineering (SSE) efforts by extending its program protection processes to apply SSE principles and body of knowledge to defense acquisition programs [1]. At the same time, a growing number of military capabilities are being fielded through system of systems (SoS) approaches which are not necessarily managed under formal acquisition processes. This trend is expected to continue. Recognizing this trend, several years ago the DoD undertook an initiative to develop initial guidance on the system engineering of SoS [3]. In the ensuing years, a companion body of knowledge has been developed [4]. More recently, the importance and the challenges of applying SSE beyond individual systems to SoS has been recognized [4]. The question arises, “what does or should SSE look like in an SoS environment?” This paper presents the results of an exploratory investigation of SSE as an integral element of SoS SE. Defense-based approaches to SoS SE are reviewed and logical extensions to address SSE for SoS and program protection are described within an SoS SE framework. The results of case studies exploring how SoS currently address security at the SoS level are presented. Finally, observations and challenges are discussed, including whether and how guidelines and practices for SSE at the individual or constituent system level can be extended to the ensemble of systems that collectively create an SoS capability.
An overview of targeted treatments in cancer.

Abstract Background: The concept behind cancer treatment has evolved over the past decade from systemic, nonspecific, high-dose chemotherapy to targeted therapy and the introduction of cancer vaccines. Advanced technology and a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that control cancer biology have helped in the development of such targeted treatment. Objective: The aim of this article was to review some of the new and commonly used targeted treatments in cancer, emphasizing their mechanisms of action, safety profiles, and clinical applications. Methods: The terms cancer, chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, targeted treatment, tyrosine kinase, epidermal growth factors, epidermal growth factor receptor , and cancer vaccines were used to search MEDLINE for English-language studies in humans, published between 1966 and March 2003. Identified publications addressing the objectives of this article were selected for review. Results: All-trans-retinoic acid, imatinib, gemtuzumab ozogamicin, rituximab, alemtuzumab, trastuzumab, cetuximab, and gefitinib are recently developed cancer therapies that target specific types of cells and receptors. They have been used in a variety of hematologic and solid tumors, and their tolerability makes them attractive for use even in elderly and extensively pretreated patients. Vaccines using dendritic cells, tumor cells, and fusions of tumor cells and antigen-presenting cells have also shown some promise in research, but further study is needed to obtain better, sustained results. Conclusions: Targeted treatment and cancer vaccines are novel approaches in the treatment of cancer. Both fields are expanding rapidly, with new technology and ongoing medical research. The clinical implications of such agents, administered either solely or in combination with established chemotherapeutic agents, may ultimately lead to better regimens and improved clinical responses.
Global flows : Terror, oil, and strategic philanthropy

U.S. involvement in Africa is growing following threats of terrorism and interruptions in oil production and because of desires by foreign corporations to expand their activities on the continent. The response of American policymakers has been to establish a stronger military presence that will engage in counter-terrorism initiatives and police oil installations. The goals and extent of this buildup and the ideology legitimating it are new. They are departures from Cold War policies. Similarly the response of American business leaders to weaknesses in the infrastructure and political order of African states leads them to establish their own forms of community development known as strategic philanthropy so as to protect and expand local markets. Despite these major developments the media are not informing the public. This article examines the implications of these military and business initiatives for African nations and the reasons for lack of information about them. (authors)
Administrator Competency Testing: Its Status for the '90s

During the mid to late 1980s, the question arose as to whether adminis trator competency testing was a growing trend. A survey was conduct ed recently by the author to answer that question, to determine what states were hoping to achieve through its use, and to identify what alterna tives existed. This article reports the findings from that study.
Eddy correlation measurements of methane flux in a northern peatland ecosystem

A pilot study to measure methane flux using eddy correlation sensors was conducted in a peatland ecosystem in north central Minnesota. A prototype tunable diode laser spectrometer system was employed to measure the fluctuations in methane concentration.
Perceptions of Depression in Korean American Immigrants

Despite its high prevalence, depression is often unrecognized and untreated in minority immigrants. Culture and environment influence perceptions of depression. The purpose of this study was to understand perceptions of depression (knowledge and coping mechanisms) in Korean American immigrants using focus group discussions. A convenience sample (n = 28) was recruited from Korean communities in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Participants lacked an understanding of depression. Difficulties from immigration-related environmental changes were the main sources of stress. Immigration-related environmental changes resulted in changes in coping resources. Culture-friendly education and coping resources might benefit this minority group.
Use of small-scale liquefaction features to assess paleoseismicity: an example from the Saline River fault zone, Southeast Arkansas, USA

Large-scale liquefaction features (e.g., sand blows, lateral-spread fissure vents) that can be recognized on remote-sensing imagery and photography have been of great utility in developing chronologies of paleo-earthquakes. In areas where large-scale features are obscured on imagery by forest cover and Holocene exposure is lacking, small-scale liquefaction features (e.g., convoluted bedding, clastic intrusions, foundered and suspended blocks, water-escape structures) offer an alternative data source that can be investigated in meter-scale excavations. In order to assess the geographic extent of Holocene sand blow fields in southeast Arkansas that were previously mapped on river terraces and flood plains using aerial photography, we investigated the distribution of small-scale liquefaction features in alluvium along streams within a forested region between the sand blow fields. Our results suggest that the fields are not continuous and do not reflect a single large liquefaction field related to paleo-earthquakes >M 6.5. Features at one of our sites suggests the Desha County sand blow field may be larger than presently mapped, and that the distance from the center of the field to the farthest liquefaction may be ~30 km. The empirical relationship of magnitude and distance to farthest liquefaction suggests a field of this size could have been produced by a M 6.3 earthquake. We also found Holocene liquefaction features that we interpret as resulting from ground shaking near previously documented Pleistocene and Holocene surface ruptures of the Saline River fault zone. Liquefaction during a paleo-earthquake (~M 5.5) may have coincided with movement on that fault zone ~ AD 1700.
DIFFERENTIAL REGULATION BY ESTROGEN OF C-FOS IN HAMSTER-KIDNEY AND ESTROGEN-INDUCED KIDNEY TUMOR-CELLS - RECEPTOR MEDIATION VS METABOLIC-ACTIVATION

Chronic administration of 17 beta-estradiol to male Syrian hamsters for at least six months induces estrogen-dependent kidney tumors, which express high levels of c-fos mRNA compared to surrounding renal or control tissues. We have investigated the cellular localization of c-Fos oncoprotein in these tissues and studied the estrogenic regulation of c-fos mRNA in kidney and in H-301 cells, a cell line derived from primary hamster kidney tumors. Immunocytochemical analyses showed that levels of c-Fos protein were high in estrogen-dependent tumors. To study the early events in this model, hamsters were treated with 17 beta-estradiol for only 15 days. At this time, well before the appearance of tumors, c-Fos protein was concentrated in interstitial capillaries, arteries, and podocytes of the glomerulus, but not in renal tubular epithelium, and this pattern was not appreciably changed from controls. To study the regulation of c-fos that led to the altered expression in tumor vs. kidney, total RNA was isolated from kidneys of Syrian hamsters 3-48 h after treatment with single injections of either 17 beta- or 17 alpha-estradiol, 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol, the steroidal antiestrogen ICI 182,780, or 17 beta-estradiol plus ICI 182,780. Similar studies were carried out on H-301 cells grown in D-MEM/F-12 medium and charcoal-stripped serum. The increases in c-fos mRNA levels in H-301 cells but not kidney were elicited by classical estrogen receptor-mediated processes. In H-301 cells, c-fos levels were increased four-fold over controls after 3 h of 17 beta-estradiol treatment and this induction was suppressed by antiestrogen treatment. In hamster kidneys, c-fos levels were increased about two-fold by 17 beta-estradiol, but this induction was not affected by antiestrogen treatment. In H-301 cells but not in hamster kidneys, 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol induced c-fos. 17 alpha-estradiol was more potent than 17 beta-estradiol in the induction of c-fos in hamster kidney but was a poor inducer in H-301 cells. These studies are consistent with regulation of c-fos expression in H-301 tumor cells by an estrogen receptor-mediated mechanism. But in hamster kidney, c-fos expression does not appear to be regulated by receptor-mediated pathways. We propose that it may be induced by estrogen metabolites.
Effects of Amounts and Units of Information on the Judgmental Process

Studies which dealt with the effects of increasing information were reviewed and discussed in terms of the distinction between amounts and units of information. 75 subjects made judgments of predicted class rankings using varying amounts and units of computer-generated information. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of five information conditions in which they were presented 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 cues which accounted for proportionate amounts of variance in the criterion. Results were analyzed using Tucker's modification of the lens model equation. Predictive accuracy increased with greater amounts of information, while knowledge of the task system decreased and cognitive control did not change significantly. The results were discussed in terms of the differential effects of amounts and units of information and Goldberg's (1968) conclusions about the relationship of information and accuracy of judgment.
Network management for residential broadband interactive data services

Although coaxial networks and hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) networks have been in use for delivering television programs to the home, their usage as access networks to provide broadband interactive data services (BIDS) to the home is very recent. In this article, the authors highlight the importance of managing the networking infrastructure for BIDS and explore the unique requirements and challenges in managing HFC networks. Considering the operational requirements of BIDS operators, network maintenance, subscriber support, and planning are identified as the three functional areas that a BIDS network management system must address. It is argued that management support built into BIDS equipment (e.g., cable modems, headend cable termination units, subscriber PCs) can provide a cost-effective way of monitoring the status and performance of HFC networks, and some initial experiences of implementing and deploying network monitors in a real-world BIDS system are presented.
Allozymic variation in a north American colony of Cepaea nemoralis

Starch gel electrophoresis of foot-muscle extracts from over 400 individuals of the land snail Cepaea nemoralis collected from 10 different populations in the Lexington, Virginia, colony revealed nine scorable loci. Two of these, LAP II and PGM II, proved to be polymorphic with two and three alleles, respectively. Each of the populations surveyed was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at both loci, and laboratory crosses have confirmed the basis of the polymorphism.
Ischemic Preconditioning in the Intact Rat Heart Is Mediated by δ1- But Not μ- or κ-Opioid Receptors

Background—Our laboratory has previously shown that δ-opioid receptors are involved in the cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning in the rat heart. However, this class of receptors consists of two subtypes, δ1 and δ2, and μ- or κ-opioid receptors may also exist in the heart. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that ischemic preconditioning is mediated through stimulation of one or both δ-opioid receptor subtypes. Methods and Results—Anesthetized, open chest, male Wistar rats were assigned to 1 of 14 groups. All animals were subjected to 30 minutes of occlusion and 2 hours of reperfusion. Ischemic preconditioning was elicited by three 5-minute occlusion periods interspersed with 5 minutes of reperfusion. Two doses of 7-benzylidenenaltrexone (BNTX; 1 and 3 mg/kg IV), a selective δ1-opioid receptor antagonist, or naltriben (NTB; 1 and 3 mg/kg IV), a selective δ2-opioid receptor antagonist, were given before ischemic preconditioning. To test for a role of μ-opio...
Uptake by the Root and Subsequent Distribution Within the Potato Plant of Strontium-89 Leached from the Foliage

Strontium-89 distribution in potato plants, (Solanum tuberosum), was followed after foliar application. Results indicate that Sr/sup 89/ that is deposited on potato foliage is accumulated in underground tubers by foliar leaching and root absorption rather than via basipetal transport from the foliage. Pathways for tuber contamination by fallout are discussed. (C.H.)
Degradation pathways of a peptide boronic acid derivative, 2-Pyz-(CO)-Phe-Leu-B(OH)(2).

The peptide boronic acid derivative 2-Pyz-(CO)-Phe-Leu-B(OH)(2) is a potent inhibitor of 20S proteasome and a proposed anticancer agent. During preformulation studies, the compound presented erratic stability behavior. Efforts were made to isolate and identify the degradation products, thereby helping to identify possible mechanisms for the degradation. The reaction of 2-Pyz-(CO)-Phe-Leu-B(OH)(2) with hydrogen peroxide not only provided a convenient way to isolate the initial degradation products seen from hydrolysis in aqueous buffers but also showed that the major, initial degradation pathway was probably oxidative in nature. The isolated degradation products were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and optical rotation dispersion. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, the boronic acid group was cleaved from 2-Pyz-(CO)-Phe-Leu-B(OH)(2) to give an alcohol with an apparent retention of the original stereochemistry. Subsequent isomerization and further hydrolysis were then seen. Surprisingly, added ascorbate and EDTA accelerated rather than inhibited degradation. Degradation of 2-Pyz-(CO)-Phe-Leu-B(OH)(2) under acidic and basic conditions seemed to be mediated by an initial oxidative degradation pathway similar to that seen with the peroxide.
Studies of epoxy resin systems: Part A: A study of the origins of the secondary relaxations of epoxy resins by thermally stimulated depolarization

The relaxation behavior of several epoxy resin systems, which have systematic structural differences, has been studied by the thermally stimulated discharge (TSD) technique. Two TSD peaks centered at about 115°K (β peak) and 185°K (β peak) were found for epoxy resins cured with a diamine. Structural change, either in the epoxy resin molecule or the amine molecule, did not seem to affect those two peaks. The TSD thermogram of the DGEBA (diglycidyl ether of disphenol A) epoxy resin part only showed a small new peak at 160°K instead of the ft peak at 185°K. This result, together with the fact that postcuring increased β peak height, leads to the conclusion that the ft peak is most likely due to the newly-created molecular segment during the curing reaction. The peak at 160°K was assigned to the epoxy group. This assignment was based on the fact that the 160°K peak of an epoxy homopolymer, which has fewer epoxy groups, was smaller than that of the parent DGEBA. The β and γ peaks were found to be of distributed characteristics, and the distribution of activation energy was studied by the partial heating method.
Positron emission tomography (PET) evaluation after initial chemotherapy and radiation therapy predicts local control in rhabdomyosarcoma.

Purpose 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) is already an integral part of staging in rhabdomyosarcoma. We investigated whether primary-site treatment response characterized by serial PET imaging at specific time points can be correlated with local control. Patients and Methods We retrospectively examined 94 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma who received initial chemotherapy 15 weeks (median) before radiotherapy and underwent baseline, preradiation, and postradiation PET. Baseline PET standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and the presence or absence of abnormal uptake (termed PET-positive or PET-negative) both before and after radiation were examined for the primary site. Local relapse-free survival (LRFS) was calculated according to baseline SUVmax, PET-positive status, and PET-negative status by the Kaplan-Meier method, and comparisons were tested with the log-rank test. Results The median patient age was 11 years. With 3-year median follow-up, LRFS was improved among postradiation PET-negative vs PET-positive patients: 94% vs 75%, P=.02. By contrast, on baseline PET, LRFS was not significantly different for primary-site SUVmax ≤7 vs >7 (median), although the findings suggested a trend toward improved LRFS: 96% for SUVmax ≤7 vs 79% for SUVmax >7, P=.08. Preradiation PET also suggested a statistically insignificant trend toward improved LRFS for PET-negative (97%) vs PET-positive (81%) patients (P=.06). Conclusion Negative postradiation PET predicted improved LRFS. Notably, 77% of patients with persistent postradiation uptake did not experience local failure, suggesting that these patients could be closely followed up rather than immediately referred for intervention. Negative baseline and preradiation PET findings suggested statistically insignificant trends toward improved LRFS. Additional study may further understanding of relationships between PET findings at these time points and outcome in rhabdomyosarcoma.
Diffusion of Water in Nafion Using Time-Resolved Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated Total Reflectance Spectroscopy

Hydrogen fuel cells are attractive alternative power sources for applications such as transportation; however, fuel cell performance is a strong function of water equilibrium content and water sorption and desorption kinetics in polymer electrolyte membranes (e.g., Nafion). Although similar water sorption isotherms for Nafion have been reproduced in many laboratories, reported diffusion coefficients of water in Nafion vary by 4 orders of magnitude. In this study, sorption and desorption dynamics of water vapor in Nafion were measured as a function of water vapor activity and flow rate using time-resolved Fourier transform infrared−attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Both integral and differential experiments were performed, where integral experiments consisted of increasing the vapor activity from 0% RH to one of five values (22, 43, 56, 80, or 100% RH), while in differential experiments the activity was sequentially increased in smaller steps from 0 to 22 to 43 to 56 to 80 to 100% RH. F...
Tumour-induced altered gastrointestinal steady-states: absence of MHC restriction in the paraneoplastic gastrointestine

The growth of a number of experimental rodent tumours including the Lewis lung tumour (LLca) progressively compromises the integrity of the host's gastroinestine by inducing cytokinetic alterations in the small bowel resembling those generally defining the intestinal phase of a graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR). To determine whether the induction of this paraneoplastic gastrointestine (PGI) involves, similar to a GVHR, a disparity between the MHC of the donor (LLca tumour) and the recipient (host), PGI development was evaluated in various LLca tumour-bearing murine strains that were either 'syngeneic' [C57BL/6 and BL/10 (H-2b)], 'semisyngeneic' [B6D2F1 (H-2bd) and B6C3F1 (H-2bk)] or 'allogeneic' [C3H/HeJ (H-2k) and DBA/2 (H-2d)] to the H-2b LLca tumour. The temporal appearance and magnitude of a PGI developing in either LLca-syngeneic or semi-syngeneic hosts, but not the allogeneic strains, suggested that the mechanism(s) involved in PGI development like the GVHR, was restricted by the MHC. Subsequent studies using congenic strains [B10.A (H-2k) and B10.D2/nSn (H-2d)], however, demonstrated that the mechanism(s) responsible for the PGI was restricted by the non-MHC loci of the C57BL mouse. These observations were supported by the appearance of a LLca-induced PGI in various B10.A congenic strains carrying mutations at the I-A or I-E/I-J loci of the MHC. Not unlike the intestinal phase of a GVHR, development of the PGI required the participation of enhanced mucosal mast cells which were limited in the WCB6F1 (S1/S1d) but not the (+/+) murine strains. These observations are discussed in light of the postulated premature migration of immature thymocytes that accompany tumour growth and their ability to non-specifically enhance (or suppress) cell mediated immune reactions in the host.
The Continued Emergence of Drug-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States: An Update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Pneumococcal Sentinel Surveillance System

As part of ongoing national surveillance, serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were done on all pneumococcal isolates recovered from normally sterile body sites of patients at 12 hospitals in 11 states during 1993-1994. Of 740 isolates, 14.1% were penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae (PNSP ; MIC ≥0.1 μg/mL), 3.2% were penicillin-resistant (MIC ≥2.0 μg/mL), and 25.5% were nonsusceptible to more than one antimicrobial agent. PNSP were more prevalent among children <6 years old (18.4%) than patients ≥18 years old (11.7%) and among white persons (16.2%) than black persons (12.1%). PNSP represented 15 serotypes, but 89% of PNSP were serotypes in the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine. The proportion of isolates with reduced susceptibility and the number of serotypes of nonsusceptible strains are increasing in the United States. Improved local surveillance for PNSP infections, judicious use of antibiotics, and development and use of effective pneumococcal vaccines will be required to treat and prevent disease caused by these strains.