C. Sallusti Crispi Bellum Catulinae : Sallust's Catalinarian conspiracy /

Mode of access: Internet.

Holocene Mg/Ca, alkenones, and light stable isotope measurements on the outer North Iceland shelf, sediment core MD99-2269

We present new Holocene century to millennial-scale proxies for the well-dated piston core MD99-2269 from Húnaflóadjúp on the North Iceland Shelf. The core is located in 365 mwd and lies close to the fluctuating boundary between Atlantic and Arctic/Polar waters. The proxies are: alkenone-based SST°C, and Mg/Ca SST°C estimates and stable d13C and d18O values on planktonic and benthic foraminifera. The data were converted to 60 yr equi-spaced time-series. Significant trends in the data were extracted using Singular Spectrum Analysis and these accounted for between 50% and 70% of the variance. A comparison between these data with previously published climate proxies from MD99-2269 was carried out on a data set which consisted of 14-variable data set covering the interval 400-9200 cal yr BP at 100 yr time steps. This analysis indicated that the 1st two PC axes accounted for 57% of the variability with high loadings clustering primarily into "nutrient" and "temperature" proxies. Clustering on the 100 yr time-series indicated major changes in environment at ~6350 and ~3450 cal yr BP, which define early, mid- and late Holocene climatic intervals. We argue that a pervasive freshwater cap during the early Holocene resulted in warm SST°s, a stratified water column, and a depleted nutrient supply. The loss of the freshwater layer in the mid-Holocene resulted in high carbonate production, and the late Holocene/neoglacial interval was marked by significantly more variable sea surface conditions.

Analyse des signaux radars polarimétriques en bandes C et L pour le suivi de l'humidité du sol de sites forestiers

Résumé : Dans les couverts forestiers, le suivi de l’humidité du sol permet de prévenir plusieurs désastres tels que la paludification, les incendies et les inondations. Comme ce paramètre est très dynamique dans l’espace et dans le temps, son estimation à grande échelle présente un grand défi, d’où le recours à la télédétection radar. Le capteur radar à synthèse d’ouverture (RSO) est couramment utilisé grâce à sa vaste couverture et sa résolution spatiale élevée. Contrairement aux sols nus et aux zones agricoles, le suivi de l’humidité du sol en zone forestière est très peu étudié à cause de la complexité des processus de diffusion dans ce type de milieu. En effet, la forte atténuation de la contribution du sol par la végétation et la forte contribution de volume issue de la végétation réduisent énormément la sensibilité du signal radar à l’humidité du sol. Des études portées sur des couverts forestiers ont montré que le signal radar en bande C provient principalement de la couche supérieure et sature vite avec la densité de la végétation. Cependant, très peu d’études ont exploré le potentiel des paramètres polarimétriques, dérivés d’un capteur polarimétrique comme RADARSAT-2, pour suivre l’humidité du sol sur les couverts forestiers. L’effet du couvert végétal est moins important avec la bande L en raison de son importante profondeur de pénétration qui permet de mieux informer sur l’humidité du sol. L’objectif principal de ce projet est de suivre l’humidité du sol à partir de données radar entièrement polarimétriques en bandes C et L sur des sites forestiers. Les données utilisées sont celles de la campagne terrain Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation EXperiment 2012 (SMAPVEX12) tenue du 6 juin au 17 juillet 2012 au Manitoba (Canada). Quatre sites forestiers de feuillus ont été échantillonnés. L’espèce majoritaire présente est le peuplier faux-tremble. Les données utilisées incluent des mesures de l’humidité du sol, de la rugosité de surface du sol, des caractéristiques des sites forestiers (arbres, sous-bois, litières…) et des données radar entièrement polarimétriques aéroportées et satellitaires acquises respectivement, en bande L (UAVSAR) à 30˚ et 40˚ et en bande C (RADARSAT-2) entre 20˚ et 30˚. Plusieurs paramètres polarimétriques ont été dérivés des données UAVSAR et RADARSAT-2 : les coefficients de corrélation (ρHHVV, φHHVV, etc); la hauteur du socle; l’entropie (H), l’anisotropie (A) et l’angle alpha extraits de la décomposition de Cloude-Pottier; les puissances de diffusion de surface (Ps), de double bond (Pd) extraites de la décomposition de Freeman-Durden, etc. Des relations entre les données radar (coefficients de rétrodiffusion multifréquences et multipolarisations (linéaires et circulaires) et les paramètres polarimétriques) et l’humidité du sol ont été développées et analysées. Les résultats ont montré que 1) En bande L, plusieurs paramètres optimaux permettent le suivi de l’humidité du sol en zone forestière avec un coefficient de corrélation significatif (p-value < 0,05): σ[indice supérieur 0] linéaire et σ[indice supérieur 0] circulaire (le coefficient de corrélation, r, varie entre 0,60 et 0,96), Ps (r entre 0,59 et 0,84), Pd (r entre 0,6 et 0,82), ρHHHV_30˚, ρVVHV_30˚, φHHHV_30˚ and φHHVV_30˚ (r entre 0,56 et 0,81) alors qu’en bande C, ils sont réduits à φHHHV, φVVHV et φHHVV (r est autour de 0,90). 2) En bande L, les paramètres polarimétriques n’ont pas montré de valeur ajoutée par rapport aux signaux conventionnels multipolarisés d’amplitude, pour le suivi de l’humidité du sol sur les sites forestiers. En revanche, en bande C, certains paramètres polarimétriques ont montré de meilleures relations significatives avec l’humidité du sol que les signaux conventionnels multipolarisés d’amplitude.

Structure of the disodium salt of glucose 1-phosphate hydrate, 2Na+.C6H11O9P2-.3.5H2O

Mr= 367.2, monoclinic, C2, a = 8.429 (1),b= 10.184(2), c= 16.570(2)A, /~= 99.18 (1) °, U= 1404.2 A 3, z = 4, D m = 1.73, D x = 1.74 Mg m -3,Cu K~, 2 = 1.5418 A, g = 2.99 mm -1, F(000) = 764,T= 300K, final R for 1524 observed reflections is0.069. The endocyclic C-O bonds in the glucose ring are nearly equal with C(5)-O(5)= 1.445 (10) and C(1)-O(5)= 1.424(10). The pyranose sugar ring adopts a 4C 1 chair conformation. The conformation about the exocyclic C(5)-C(6) bond is gauche-gauche, in contrast to gauche-trans observed in the structure of the dipotassium salt of glucose 1-phosphate. The phosphate ester bond, P-O(1), is 1.641 (6)A, slightly longer than the 'high-energy' P-,.O bond in the monopotassium salt of phosphoenolpyruvate [1.612 (6)A]. Two sodium ions are six coordinated while the third has only five neighbours.

Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) invasion effects on soil physicochemical properties

Lantana camara is a recognized weed of worldwide significance due to its extensive distribution and its impacts on primary industries and nature conservation. However, quantitative data on the impact of the weed on soil ecosystem properties are scanty, especially in SE Australia, despite the pervasive presence of the weed along its coastal and inland regions. Consequently, mineral soils for physicochemical analyses were collected beneath and away from L. camara infestations in four sites west of Brisbane, SE Australia. These sites (hoop pine plantation, cattle farm, and two eucalyptus forests with occasional grazing and a fire regime, respectively) vary in landscape and land-use types. Significant site effect was more frequently observed than effect due to invasion status. Nonetheless, after controlling for site differences, ~50% of the 23 soil traits examined differed significantly between infested and non-infested soils. Moisture, pH, Ca, total and organic C, and total N (but not exchangeable N in form of NO3-) were significantly elevated, while sodium, chloride, copper, iron, sulfur, and manganese, many of which can be toxic to plant growth if present in excess levels, were present at lower levels in soils supporting L. camara compared to soils lacking the weed. These results indicate that L. camara can improve soil fertility and influence nutrient cycling, making the substratum ideal for its own growth and might explain the ability of the weed to outcompete other species, especially native ones.

The ionic basis of frequency selectivity in hair cells of the bullfrog's sacculus

Hair cells from the bull frog's sacculus, a vestibular organ responding to substrate-borne vibration, possess electrically resonant membrane properties which maximize the sensitivity of each cell to a particular frequency of mechanical input. The electrical resonance of these cells and its underlying ionic basis were studied by applying gigohm-seal recording techniques to solitary hair cells enzymatically dissociated from the sacculus. The contribution of electrical resonance to frequency selectivity was assessed from microelectrode recordings from hair cells in an excised preparation of the sacculus.

Electrical resonance in the hair cell is demonstrated by damped membrane-potential oscillations in response to extrinsic current pulses applied through the recording pipette. This response is analyzed as that of a damped harmonic oscillator. Oscillation frequency rises with membrane depolarization, from 80-160 Hz at resting potential to asymptotic values of 200-250 Hz. The sharpness of electrical tuning, denoted by the electrical quality factor, Q_e, is a bell-shaped function of membrane voltage, reaching a maximum value around eight at a membrane potential slightly positive to the resting potential.

In whole cells, three time-variant ionic currents are activated at voltages more positive than -60 to -50 mV; these are identified as a voltage-dependent, non-inactivating Ca current (I_ca), a voltage-dependent, transient K current (I_a), and a Ca-dependent K current (I_c). The C channel is identified in excised, inside-out membrane patches on the basis of its large conductance (130-200 pS), its selective permeability to Kover Na or Cl, and its activation by internal Ca ions and membrane depolarization. Analysis of open- and closed-lifetime distributions suggests that the C channel can assume at least two open and three closed kinetic states.

Exposing hair cells to external solutions that inhibit the Ca or C conductances degrades the electrical resonance properties measured under current-clamp conditions, while blocking the A conductance has no significant effect, providing evidence that only the Ca and C conductances participate in the resonance mechanism. To test the sufficiency of these two conductances to account for electrical resonance, a mathematical model is developed that describes I_ca, I_c, and intracellular Ca concentration during voltage-clamp steps. I_ca activation is approximated by a third-order Hodgkin-Huxley kinetic scheme. Ca entering the cell is assumed to be confined to a small submembrane compartment which contains an excess of Ca buffer; Ca leaves this space with first-order kinetics. The Ca- and voltage-dependent activation of C channels is described by a five-state kinetic scheme suggested by the results of single-channel observations. Parameter values in the model are adjusted to fit the waveforms of I_ca and I_c evoked by a series of voltage-clamp steps in a single cell. Having been thus constrained, the model correctly predicts the character of voltage oscillations produced by current-clamp steps, including the dependencies of oscillation frequency and Q_e on membrane voltage. The model shows quantitatively how the Ca and C conductances interact, via changes in intracellular Ca concentration, to produce electrical resonance in a vertebrate hair cell.

PLASTICIDAD DE LOS RECEPTORES DE LA SEROTONINA EN LAS ASTAS POSTERIORES DE LA MÉDULA ESPINAL DE LA RATA: INTERACCIÓN CON LA NEUROTRANSMISIÓN OPIOIDÉRGICA Y GLUTAMATÉRGICA EN UN MODELO DE DOLOR PERSIST

Una de las principales características de las vías descendentes provenientes de la RVMMes su capacidad para modular la transmisión nociceptiva en la médula espinal de manerabidireccional, es decir su capacidad tanto de facilitarla como de inhibirla. En este trabajomostramos que la activación de los receptores de la serotonina presentes en neuronas dela médula espinal puede tanto aumentar como disminuir los potenciales evocados porfibras C, o bien no producir cambio alguno en los mismos, dependiendo del subtipo dereceptor que se reclute. Demostramos también que la modulación de la nocicepción pormedio de los subtipos 5-HT1A, -2A, -2B, y -4 se modifica profundamente por efecto dela LNR.Datos previos que documentan mecanismos de interacción entre receptores del glutamatoy de la serotonina en otras regiones del SNC nos han conducido a plantear la hipótesis desu posible existencia en neuronas de las astas posteriores y su función en el dolorpersistente. Hemos hallado que la activación del receptor 5-HT2A induce cambiosplásticos de mGluR1 en las astas posteriores a través de un mecanismo intracelulardependiente de PKC. Esta modulación adquiere un papel clave en los signos desensibilización inducidos por la LNR a partir del quinto día posterior a la lesión. Por suparte, la activación del receptor 5-HT2B induce la fosforilación del receptor NMDA en ladensidad sináptica de las neuronas de las astas posteriores tras la LNR. Este mecanismoes mediado por la translocación de la isoforma ¿ de la PKC al espacio sináptico. El papelde 5-HT2B en la sensibilización central predomina en los primeros 2 días post-ligadura, ypierde relevancia en los días sucesivos.Además, la neurotransmisión serotoninérgica mediada por los receptores 5-HT2A y5-HT2B en animales sometidos a ligadura de L5 tiene un impacto negativo sobre laactividad antinociceptiva de los receptores opioides ¿ y ¿ en la médula espinal. Estosresultados sugieren que la intervención sobre los receptores 2A y 2B podría servir de basepara mejorar la eficacia de la analgesia por opioides en personas con dolor crónico.

增强UV-B辐射对暖温带落叶阔叶林下土庄绣线菊水分生理和氮素利用及形态特性的影响

在中国北方大部分地区，水分始终是影响植物生长和分布的最主要限制性因子之一，植物在其生长期经常遭受水分胁迫。不仅如此，随着大气同温层中臭氧浓度的减少，过量的有害紫外辐射（主要是UV-B，280nm-320nm）将穿透大气层达到地球表面。随着全球变化的加剧，这些地区的植物将不可避免地受UV-B和水分胁迫的共同作用。 本实验是在北京东灵山暖温带森林生态系统中，选择常见灌丛土庄绣线菊(Spiraea pubescens)，建立UV-B控制实验。连续三个生长季每天增补9.4kJ•m-2的辐射剂量，模拟臭氧衰减17%时近地表面UV-B辐射的增强。本实验的目的是观测在野外环境下，长时间人工增强UV-B辐射对土庄绣线菊水分生理、氮素利用以及形态特征的影响。具体对以下指标进行测定：叶片的气孔导度、碳同位素比率（δ13 C）、叶含水量、叶面积、水分利用效率（WUE）、叶全氮含量、叶氮素再吸收率。 实验结果表明，增强UV-B辐射显著减少了土庄绣线菊的叶面积（50.1%），提高了叶片全氮含量(102%)，处理植株的氮素再吸收率比对照植株高出50.9%。同时，UV-B辐射还在一定程度上（尽管统计显示不显著）降低了气孔导度(16.1%)、胞间CO2浓度与大气CO2浓度之比(Ci/Ca) (4.0%)、提高了碳同位素比率（δ13 C）(20.5‰)、叶含水量(3.1%)及比叶重（SLW）(5.2%)，从而导致水分利用效率（WUE）的增加(4.1%)，植物的抗旱能力增强。值得注意的是，深层土壤（30-40cm）含水量变化会影响气孔导度、δ13 C、WUE对紫外辐射的响应程度：在土壤干旱的季节（6月和9月），气孔导度、δ13 C、WUE这些指标处理和对照的差异很小，但是当土壤水分充足时（7月和8月），处理和对照的差异就较为显著。另外，随着实验处理时间的延长UV-B的效应变得不显著。相关分析表明，UV-B辐射降低了土壤含水量（30-40cm）与土庄绣线菊叶含水量、δ13 C、Ci/Ca、气孔导度的相关系数，增强了WUE与土壤含水量的相关性，这也许是由于UV-B辐射增强了WUE对土壤水分变化的敏感性。本研究的结果表明UV-B辐射对土庄绣线菊的形态和生长有显著的影响，但对主要水分生理指标影响不显著。

外源草酸对采后果实的保鲜效应及其生理机理研究

本文以桃(Prunus persica L. cv. Bayuecui.)栽培种‘八月脆’和芒果（Mangifera indica L.）栽培种‘圣心’为材料，研究外源草酸对采后果实的生理生化效应及其作用机理，为果实贮藏保鲜提供新方法。采后桃果实用1、5 mM的草酸溶液浸果10 min，以浸水10 min为对照，然后在常温下贮藏，测定果实在贮藏期间对草酸处理的一些生理生化反应。芒果经采后杀菌剂（post- P）、采后草酸（post-OA）、采前＋采后草酸（pre-OA + post-OA）、采前Ca ＋ 采后草酸处理（pre-Ca + post-OA）处理，以采后浸水为对照，然后分别将果实在常温(25 C)、低温（14 C）和控制性气调（3% CO2 + 2% O2 ，14 ± 1 C）下贮藏，测定草酸处理对芒果的成熟进程、病情发展及其相关生理指标的影响。研究结果表明如下： 1．与对照相比，草酸处理的桃果实在贮藏期间果实的电解质渗漏量和呼吸速率降低、果实硬度高、果实的抗氧化酶（超氧化物岐化酶、SOD;过氧化物酶，POD;过氧化氢酶、CAT;抗坏血酸过氧化物酶、APX）和多酚氧化酶（PPO）活性提高、脂氧合酶（LOX）活性降低。同时，在贮藏后期，果实的活性氧自由基（ROS）产量（超氧阴离子、O2.;过氧化氢、H2O2)和丙二醛（MDA）含量降低。草酸的这些生理效应有利于保持膜的完整性和延缓桃果实的成熟;草酸诱导POD、SOD、PPO活性可能有助于提高采后果实的抗病性。 2．外源5、10 mM浓度的草酸（pH值中和或不中和）对芒果炭疽病原菌（Colletotrichum gloeosporioides）孢子萌发和菌丝生长均表现出显著的抑制作用。这种作用不仅与草酸降低培养基（PDA）的pH值相关，而且与草酸独特的化学特性相关。 3．在常温、低温和控制性气调贮藏下，采后草酸、采前 + 采后草酸、采前Ca + 采后草酸处理均能有效减缓芒果果实的软化速率，延缓芒果的成熟进程，降低芒果的病情指数，同时改善芒果成熟时的表皮着色，对果实完全后熟时的可溶性固形物（SSC）、可滴定酸（TA）含量、果肉口感均没有产生负面的影响。 4．草酸处理增强芒果细胞膜的稳定性，诱导提高芒果抗氧化酶活性，特别是提高果皮SOD、APX活性，降低LOX活性，以及降低果皮O2.、H2O2 和果肉H2O2含量，抑制采后果实的乙烯生物合成。这些生理生化效应与延缓芒果的成熟衰老和提高果实的抗病性相关。 5． 采后草酸、采前 + 采后草酸和采前Ca + 采后草酸处理表现出高效低廉、无毒无副作用、易操作等优点，是芒果采后贮藏保鲜的可供选、具有实际应用前景的新方法。

On the acid-base stability of Keggin Al-13 and Al-30 polymers in polyaluminum coagulants

The acid-base stabilities of Al-13 and Al-30 in polyaluminum coagulants during aging and after dosing into water were studied systematically using batch and flow-through acid-base titration experiments. The acid decomposition rates of both Al-13 and Al-30 increase rapidly with the decrease in solution pH. The acid decompositions of Al-13 and Al-30 with respect to H+ concentration are composed of two parallel first-order and second-order reactions, and the reaction orders are 1.169 and 1.005, respectively. The acid decomposition rates of Al-13 and Al-30 increase slightly when the temperature increases from 20 to ca. 35 A degrees C, but decrease when the temperature increases further. Al-30 is more stable than Al-13 in acidic solution, and the stability difference increases as the pH decreases. Al-30 is more possible to become the dominant species in polyaluminum coagulants than Al-13. The acid catalyzed decomposition and followed by recrystallization to form bayerite is one of the main processes that are responsible for the decrease of Al-13 and Al-30 in polyaluminum coagulants during storage. The deprotonation and polymerization of Al-13 and Al-30 depend on solution pH. The hydrolysis products are positively charged, and consist mainly of repeated Al-13 and Al-30 units rather than amorphous Al(OH)(3) precipitates. Al-30 is less stable than Al-13 upon alkaline hydrolysis. Al-13 is stable at pH < 5.9, while Al-30 lose one proton at the pH 4.6-5.75. Al-13 and Al-30 lose respective 5 and 10 protons and form [Al-13] (n) and [Al-30] (n) clusters within the pH region of 5.9-6.25 and 5.75-6.65, respectively. This indicates that Al-30 is easier to aggregate than Al-13 at the acidic side, but [Al-13] (n) is much easier to convert to Alsol-gel than [Al-30] (n) . Al-30 possesses better characteristics than Al-13 when used as coagulant because the hydrolysis products of Al-30 possess higher charges than that of Al-13, and [Al-30] (n) clusters exist within a wider pH range.

Synthesis and properties of novel soluble polyimides having a spirobisindane-linked dianhydride unit

A new synthetic procedure was elaborated allowing the preparation of semiaromatic dianhydride. N-Methyl protected 4-chlorophthalic anhydride was nitrated with HNO3 to produce N-methyl-4-chloro-5-nitrophthalimide (1). The aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction between 5,5',6,6'-tetrahydroxy-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-1,1-spirobisindane and 1 afforded spirobisindane-linked bis(N-methylphthalimide) (2), which was hydrolyzed and subsequently dehydrated to give the corresponding dianhydride (3). The latter was polymerized with five different aromatic diamines to afford a series of aromatic polyimides. The properties of polyimides such as inherent viscosity, solubility, UV transparency and thermal stability were investigated to illustrate the contribution of the introduction of spirobisindane groups into the polyimide backbone. The resulting polyimides were readily soluble in polar solvents such as chloroform, THF and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The glass-transition temperatures of these polyimides were in the range of 254-292 degrees C. The tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young's modulus of the polyimide film were 68.8-106.6 MPa, 5.9-9.8%, 1.7-2.0 GPa, respectively. The polymer films were colorless and transparent with the absorption cutoff wavelength at 286-308 nm.

高原湖泊沉积物碳酸盐稳定同位素及孔隙水碳酸盐体系地球化学研究

在沉积物早期成岩作用过程中，扩散、对流和化学反应等动力学因素共同影响着孔隙水的化学平衡性质，使孔隙水在水－沉积物界面附近出现方解石不饱和现象，而在深部却呈饱和状态。从云贵高原的洱海、泸沽湖和红枫湖等湖泊的研究可以发现：在方解石不饱和带中，孔隙水的HCO_3~-和Ca~(2+)的浓度梯度比值大于理论值（1.34），HCO_3~-和Ca~(2+)的垂直分布可以用非线性常微分方程组（3-10）来描述。对寄宿时间较长的非封闭湖泊，沉积物碳酸盐的C、O稳定同位素变化特征可以用δ~（13）C-δ~（13）O模式图表示出来；特别当输入寄宿时间与蒸发寄宿时间的比值较大时，随沉积深度的不同，碳酸盐的δ~（13）C和δ~（13）O值可能呈正相关波动变化，其δ~（13）O能够反映了湖区气温变化的特征。

Heat capacities of Al62.5Cu25Fe12.5 quasicrystals and B2 related crystals

The heat capacities of two Al62.5Cu25Fe12.5 samples containing icosahedral quasicrystals and B2 related crystals respectively were measured with a high-precision automatic adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range of 75-385 K. The heat capacities of both samples increase with temperature. At the low temperature range, the heat capacity of the quasicrystalline sample is higher than that of the B2 approximate. However, the heat capacity of the B2 sample becomes higher above 254.987 K. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Recovery of linear and nonlinear heart rate dynamics after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

Background: Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (C-CABG) and off-pump CABG (OPCAB) surgery may produce different patients' outcomes, including the extent of cardiac autonomic (CA) imbalance. the beneficial effects of an exercise-based inpatient programme on heart rate variability (HRV) for C-CABG patients have already been demonstrated by our group. However, there are no studies about the impact of a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on HRV behaviour after OPCAB. the aim of this study is to compare the influence of both operative techniques on HRV pattern following CR in the postoperative (PO) period.Methods: Cardiac autonomic function was evaluated by HRV indices pre- and post-CR in patients undergoing C-CABG (n = 15) and OPCAB (n = 13). All patients participated in a short-term(approximately 5 days) supervised CR programme of early mobilization, consisting of progressive exercises, from active-assistive movements at PO day 1 to climbing flights of stairs at PO day 5.Results: Both groups demonstrated a reduction in HRV following surgery. the CR programme promoted improvements in HRV indices at discharge for both groups. the OPCAB group presented with higher HRV values at discharge, compared to the C-CABG group, indicating a better recovery of CA function.Conclusion: Our data suggest that patients submitted to OPCAB and an inpatient CR programme present with greater improvement in CA function compared to C-CABG.

Variation in the type and frequency of postoperative invasive Staphylococcus aureus infections according to type of surgical procedure.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiological characteristics of postoperative invasive Staphylococcus aureus infection following 4 types of major surgical procedures.design. Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Eleven hospitals (9 community hospitals and 2 tertiary care hospitals) in North Carolina and Virginia. PATIENTS: Adults undergoing orthopedic, neurosurgical, cardiothoracic, and plastic surgical procedures. METHODS: We used previously validated, prospectively collected surgical surveillance data for surgical site infection and microbiological data for bloodstream infection. The study period was 2003 through 2006. We defined invasive S. aureus infection as either nonsuperficial incisional surgical site infection or bloodstream infection. Nonparametric bootstrapping was used to generate 95% confidence intervals (CIs). P values were generated using the Pearson chi2 test, Student t test, or Wilcoxon rank-sum test, as appropriate. RESULTS: In total, 81,267 patients underwent 96,455 procedures during the study period. The overall incidence of invasive S. aureus infection was 0.47 infections per 100 procedures (95% CI, 0.43-0.52); 227 (51%) of 446 infections were due to methicillin-resistant S.aureus. Invasive S. aureus infection was more common after cardiothoracic procedures (incidence, 0.79 infections per 100 procedures [95%CI, 0.62-0.97]) than after orthopedic procedures (0.37 infections per 100 procedures [95% CI, 0.32-0.42]), neurosurgical procedures (0.62 infections per 100 procedures [95% CI, 0.53-0.72]), or plastic surgical procedures (0.32 infections per 100 procedures [95% CI, 0.17-0.47]) (P < .001). Similarly, S. aureus bloodstream infection was most common after cardiothoracic procedures (incidence, 0.57 infections per 100 procedures [95% CI, 0.43-0.72]; P < .001, compared with other procedure types), comprising almost three-quarters of the invasive S. aureus infections after these procedures. The highest rate of surgical site infection was observed after neurosurgical procedures (incidence, 0.50 infections per 100 procedures [95% CI, 0.42-0.59]; P < .001, compared with other procedure types), comprising 80% of invasive S.aureus infections after these procedures. CONCLUSION: The frequency and type of postoperative invasive S. aureus infection varied significantly across procedure types. The highest risk procedures, such as cardiothoracic procedures, should be targeted for ongoing preventative interventions.