cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cattle in the West African savanna: evidence from 1st millennium CE Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

Abstract The West African sahel and savanna are today home to diverse cattle breeds derived from complex social, political and environmental processes over at least the past four thousand years. Current evidence from the sahel and its floodplains indicates multiple sizes of cattle over time that may correspond to modern breeds. However, little is known about the cattle further south in the savanna, such as the West African Shorthorn. These humpless cattle are well adapted to the environmental conditions of more humid zones, including their significant resistance to trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness. In this paper I present new archaeozoological data from the Iron Age village of Kirikongo, Burkina Faso (100–1700 CE) that indicate the presence of small cattle in the 1st millennium CE similar in size to West African Shorthorn. These results are contextualized through comparisons with other archaeological sites and environmental data in Central West Africa, suggesting that small cattle are generally associated with the savanna environment over time, and their distributions may have oscillated with climatic changes. Lastly, interregional processes are assessed given Kirikongo’s evidence for small savanna cattle in western Burkina Faso and their subsequent adoption in the Inland Niger Delta of Mali.
Building digital collections at the OAC: current strategies with a view to future uses

Providing a context for the exploration of user defined virtual collections, this article describes the history and recent development of the Online Archive of California (OAC). Stating that usability and user needs are primary factors in digital resource development, issues explored include collaborations to build digital collections, reliance upon professional standards for description and encoding, system architecture, interface design, the need for user tools, and the role of archivist as interpreters in the digital environment.
Dynamics of biodegradation of 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetate in the presence of glucose

Biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D) and glucose were studied using a 2,4-D acclimated culture. Biodegradation of glucose by the 2,4-D preacclimated culture follows the typical Monod kinetics after a 20-h lag period in the presence or absence of 2,4-D. Biodegradation of 2,4-D by the same culture follows Andrew's "substrate inhibition" model. When both glucose and 2,4-D are available, mutual inhibition is observed. However, the effect on 2,4-D is masked by the fact that larger concentrations of active biomass are produced when glucose is available. This kind of concurrent utilization and interaction results in a substantial reduction of the mean cell residence time in a continuous flow system. It also extends the area of stability of the process into higher dilution rates as well as into higher influent concentrations.
Remote sensing of optical properties in continuously stratified waters.

The radiative transfer equation is solved by Monte Carlo methods for natural waters in which the optical properties are distributed with depth. It is demonstrated that interpreting the reflectance of a continuously stratified ocean in terms of an equivalent homogeneous ocean yields the average of a particular combination of the water's optical properties over the dimensionless penetration depth. Although in general the dimensionless penetration depth cannot be remotely measured, a method is presented for estimating the actual penetration depth from the remote observations if the medium's absorption coefficient is known, independent of depth, and sufficiently large. The application of this to the remote measurement of the vertical distribution of suspended sediments is discussed in detail.
Anthropology as a comparative science

There is a story, perhaps apocryphal, of the three tribal chiefs who were asked what their people did with their fathers when they died. One chief replied, “We eat them.” Another said, “We burn them.” And the third said, “We bury them.” Each chief was unbelievably shocked by the repulsive, barbarous, and sacrilegious practices of the other two. Anthropology as a comparative science of man seeks, along with sociology and psychology, systematically to study and to understand the many different kinds of behavior found in the thousands of human societies known to history and ethnography, for only with such a cross-cultural approach will it be possible to create a science of human behavior.
Long-lived and persistent orbital motions in superfluid /sup 3/He-A

Following suitable preparation the intensity of zero sound propagated through $^{3}\mathrm{He}$-$A$ in zero magnetic field varies periodically with time. This implies an oscillatory motion of the field of the orbital axis $\stackrel{^}{l}$, which is probably driven by a residual heat flow.
AN ENERGY PRIMER: FROM THERMODYNAMICS TO THEOLOGY

Scientific, technological, ethical, and religious issues confronting the human prospect are emerging as we encounter the inevitable shift from fossil to renewable fuels. In particular, we are entering a period of monumental transition with respect to both the forms and use of energy. As for any technological transition of this magnitude, ultimate success will require good ethics and religion, as well as good science and technology. Economic and political issues associated with energy conservation and renewable energies are arising in the context of climate change, sustainability, and human purpose. Specifically, we must consider (1) ethical and religious perspectives which might guide future energy choices and (2) energy choices which, in turn, might challenge ethical and religious perspectives. In this paper, I set the stage for subsequent articles by introducing thermodynamic and theological considerations relevant to our energy future. Scientific and technological aspects are covered within the context of the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Ethical and religious aspects are covered within the context of basic philosophical and theological motifs within our secular culture. My intention is to provide the necessary background, motivation, and perspectives for a fuller discussion of pertinent issues in the remainder of the conference papers.
Fundamental studies associated with the plasma spray process

Abstract More than 25 years ago, plasma spraying was established as a commercial process, but only recently have serious attempts been reported to establish a solid scientific base for this technology. The first part of this paper refers to the basic processes involved in plasma spraying, including plasma generation, plasma jet formation, particle injection, particle heat and momentum transfer, and particle deposition. In the second part, recent results obtained in this laboratory are summarized. These results are mainly concerned with the effects of vortex flow on particle motion and on air entrainment during atmospheric spraying.
The New York City school system's Family Life Education program.

The issue of adolescent pregnancy is one which physicians, social workers, ministers, politicians, parents and other concerned citizens now recognize as being of paramount importance. The New York City Board of Education, in accepting its responsibility for helping young people to live healthy and fulfilling lives, has approved an innovative curriculum, “Family Living Including Sex Education”. The curriculum is designed to help youngsters through the anxieties they feel and to help them develop positive attitudes toward their own bodies. The program was designed to supplement whatever information was being supplied in the home, and to be taught from kindergarten through high school.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage as the Exclusive Diagnostic Modality for Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia : A Prospective Study among Patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is the most common life-threatening opportunistic infection among patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Because retrospective studies suggested that bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) compared favorably to lung biopsy in the diagnosis of PCP, we prospectively evaluated the utility of BAL in 40 consecutive patients with AIDS or risk of AIDS who presented with respiratory complaints. The BAL revealed P carinii in 36 of 42 episodes of pneumonia (86 percent) among 40 patients. Clinical follow-up of the six patients whose BAL was negative for PCP suggested only one possible false negative BAL for PCP. Therefore, BAL detected PCP in 36 of 37 patients for a sensitivity of 97 percent. BAL detected cytomegalovirus in 15 of 38 patients, as well as Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare and Cryptococcus (each in one patient). By virtue of accuracy and lack of morbidity demonstrated in our study, BAL should supplant lung biopsy techniques in the evaluation of AIDS patients with pulmonary symptoms.
Sterols of organs involved in brood food production and of royal jelly in honey bees

Abstract The sterols of the organs (hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands and honey stomachs) involved in worker and queen honey bee brood food production, royal jelly and intact nurse bees were analyzed to obtain information on the selective transfer of specific sterols from one generation to the next. No appreciable increase in the percentage of 24-methylenecholesterol, relative to the total sterols isolated from intact honey bee (Apis mellifera L.), prepupae or adults, was found in the hypopharyngeal or mandibular glands or the honey stomachs from nurse bees reared in colonies fed a chemically-defined diet supplemented with 24-methylenecholesterol. The sterols of these organs contained higher levels of cholesterol than did the sterols of whole body extracts. The other major sterols, sitosterol and isofucosterol, occurred at relative concentrations comparable to whole body extracts. Also, there were higher levels of cholesterol in the sterols from glandular tissues of nurse bees maintained on pollen and sucrose solution than in sterols isolated from intact insects. In a separate study, royal jelly collected over a 6-day period had much higher relative percentages of 24-methylenecholesterol and lower levels of sitosterol and isofucosterol than did the pollen fed to these colonies. The sterols of nurse bees in the latter study had an intermediate concentration of 24-methylenecholesterol. The significance of these findings relative to the unique selective transfer of specific sterols from the diet or from endogenous sterol pools of the nurse bees from generation to generation in the honey bee is discussed.
Quantum numbers of Majorana neutrino masses

Assuming that the neutrinos have Majorana masses, we study the possibility of conserving various lepton numbers and the form of the resulting neutrino mass matrix. A model of lepton-number violation proposed some years ago is found to have interesting properties in this connection. Various phenomenological implications are noted.
Identification of a protein encoded by the vpu gene of HIV-1

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is the aetiological agent of AIDS1–3. The virus establishes lytic, latent and non-cytopathic productive infection in cells in culture4,5. The complexity of virus‐host cell interaction is reflected in the complex organization of the viral genome6–9. In addition to the genes that encode the virion capsid and envelope proteins and the enzymes required for proviral synthesis and integration common to all retroviruses, HIV-1 is known to encode at least four additional proteins that regulate virus replication, the tat, art, sor and 3′ orf proteins, as well as a protein of unknown function from the open reading frame called R10–18. Close examination of the nucleic acid sequences of the genomes of multiple HIV isolates raised the possibility that the virus encodes a previously undetected additional protein. Here we report that HIV-1 encodes a ninth protein and that antibodies to this protein are detected in the sera of people infected with HIV-1. This protein distinguishes HIV-1 isolates from the other human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-2 and SIV)19–21 that do not have the capacity to encode a similar protein.
Zircon saturation revisited: temperature and composition effects in a variety of crustal magma types

Abstract Hydrothermal experiments in the temperature range 750–1020°C have defined the saturation behavior of zircon in crustal anatectic melts as a function of both temperature and composition. The results provide a model of zircon solubility given by: In D Zr zircon/melt = −3.80−[0.85(M−1)]+12900/T where D Zr zircon/melt is the concentration ratio of Zr in the stoichiometric zircon to that in the melt, T is the absolute temperature, and M is the cation ratio (Na + K + 2Ca)/(Al · Si). This solubility model is based principally upon experiments at 860°, 930°, and 1020°C, but has also been confirmed at temperatures up to 1500°C for M = 1.3. The lowest temperature experiments (750° and 800°C) yielded relatively imprecise, low solubilities, but the measured values (with assigned errors) are nevertheless in agreement with the predictions of the model. For M = 1.3 (a normal peraluminous granite), these results predict zircon solubilities ranging from ∼ 100 ppm dissolved Zr at 750°C to 1330 ppm at 1020°C. Thus, in view of the substantial range of bulk Zr concentrations observed in crustal granitoids (∼ 50–350 ppm), it is clear that anatectic magmas can show contrasting behavior toward zircon in the source rock. Those melts containing insufficient Zr for saturation in zircon during melting can have achieved that condition only by consuming all zircon in the source. On the other hand, melts with higher Zr contents (appropriate to saturation in zircon) must be regarded as incapable of dissolving additional zircon, whether it be located in the residual rocks or as crystals entrained in the departing melt fraction. This latter possibility is particularly interesting, inasmuch as the inability of a melt to consume zircon means that critical geochemical “indicators” contained in the undissolved zircon (e.g. heavy rare earths, Hf, U, Th, and radiogenic Pb) can equilibrate with the contacting melt only by solid-state diffusion, which may be slow relative to the time scale of the melting event.
Free DNA methods for plant transformation

Abstract The most significant development in experimental and applied plant molecular biology during the past year has been the creation of fertile maize plants containing genes introduced by either the ‘particle gun’ or a new protoplast transformation method. Progress in optimization of free DNA delivery methods and in developing vectors from viruses has also been reported.
Necessity, Futility and the Possibility of Defining Life are all Embedded in its Origin as a Punctuated-gradualism

The criteria used for defining life are influenced by various philosophical visions about life, ranging from holism to reductionism and from mechanistic-reductionism to vitalism. Using different scenarios about the origin and evolution of life as well as properties of energy-dissipative systems, artificial life simulations and basic tenets of xenobiology, guidelines can be established for formulating a definition of life. A definition of life is proposed that is parametric, non-Earth-centric, quantitative and capable of discriminating ‘living entities’ from ‘life’. Living entities are defined as self-maintained systems, capable of adaptive evolution individually, collectively or as a line of descend. Life is a broader concept indicating that the capacity to express these attributes is either virtual or actual. At least four major phase transitions can be recognized during the origin of life (reflexive activity; self-regulated homeostasis; the advent of informatons and the origin of adaptive evolution); these make the origin and evolution of early life an example of ‘punctuated gradualism’. Such phase transitions can be used to identify a boundary in early evolution where life began. This contribution identifies the step in the evolution of a dynamic system when digital control of the system’s state becomes dominant over analogical control, and genetic information is irreversibly used for adaptive evolution, as the boundary between non-living and living systems.
Trajectory analysis for solar electric propulsion stage /SEPS/ planetary missions

This paper summarizes a portion of the planetary mission analysis results of past and present studies conducted by Rockwell International for NASA-MSFC (Contract NAS8-27360) dealing with the feasibility of a Solar Electric Propulsion Stage (SEPS). The SEPS is envisioned as an upper stage of a transportation system capable of delivering either separable payload spacecraft or attached science packages to various planetary targets. The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that, from a payload performance capability standpoint, a common SEP Stage can deliver various payloads to a host of planetary targets including inner and outer planets, asteroids, and comets.
The perceived availability of resources which contribute to accounting faculty productivity

Abstract This study collected evidence from administrators and faculty of accounting programs concerning their perceptions of the availability of selected resources that potentially influence faculty productivity. The objective of the analysis was to determine if there were differences in the perceptions of respondents due to their professorial rank, their employing institution (stratified into three institutional groups by highest degree offered) and/or their employment role, that is, administrator versus faculty. The results suggest that faculty perceptions are influenced more by institutional differences than by rank. When faculty were compared to administrators, the evidence indicated that administrators' perceptions of resource availability consistently exceeded that of the faculty groups.
Control of brain temperature in dogs: effects of tracheostomy

Abstract Using chronically implanted thermocouples, the authors measured the temperature of the hypothalamus, the cerebral arterial blood, and the carotid arterial blood in two dogs before and after tracheostomies were performed. In warm environments (30–45 °C), the dogs maintained normal brain and deep body temperatures as long as they breathed through the upper respiratory passages. When they respired directly through the tracheostomy, an immediate rise in the temperature of the cerebral arterial blood and the hypothalamus occurred. The rise in brain temperature during tracheostomy breathing increased with increasing ambient temperatures. Brain temperature always rose more than carotid arterial temperature during tracheostomy breathing in warm environments, suggesting that carotid arterial blood is cooled on its way to the brain in dogs which are breathing through intact respiratory passages. Since hypothalamic temperature is an important factor in control of respiration in panting animals, the use of tracheostomized animals in studies of respiratory function may introduce a significant variable into the experiments.
Using mathematics to improve ada compiled code, part 2: the proof

In a previous paper, we presented a method of eliminating most procedure call overhead, and most static scoping overhead, in compiling a program written in Ada, or, for that matter, in any language which allows nested procedures. This involves the construction of a loop tree for the call graph of the program; we described this in another earlier paper. Once this is constructed, we make use of a criterion for deciding when a new base register is needed. Suppose that U and V are procedures, with V nested in U. Then the only time a new base register might be needed by V is when there is a loop, in the loop tree, that contains V but not U. This result was stated without proof in the first part of this paper; here we present the proof, after reviewing some basic mathematical concept.
Estimating measurement noise in a time series by exploiting nonstationarity

Abstract A measured time series is always corrupted by noise to some degree. Even a rough estimation of the level of noise contained in an experimental time series is valuable. This is so, for example, when one wishes to apply techniques from nonlinear dynamics theory to analyze a time series. However, this is a very difficult problem. It becomes even harder when the measured signal is nonstationary, which is often true in practice. Detecting nonstationarity has been a hot research topic in recent years. However, many researchers stop when they find the time series under study is indeed nonstationary. Here, we exploit the very nature of nonstationarity in a signal to formulate a method for quantitatively estimating the amount of noise contained in the signal. The approach is first verified using computer simulated signals based on the chaotic Lorenz attractors and the Mackey–Glass equations with different parameters and then applied to the clinically measured intracranial EEG signals. It is found that the amount of noise in the EEG signals is around 8.0–8.5% in terms of amplitude. Implications to whether EEG signals are chaotic or not are discussed.
Synthesis and characterization of oligoproline-based molecular assemblies for light harvesting.

Helical oligoproline arrays provide a structurally well-defined environment for building photochemical energy conversion assemblies. The use of solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) to prepare four such arrays, consisting of 16, 17, 18, and 19 amino acid residues, is described here. Each array contains the chromophore [Rub‘2m](PF6)2 (b‘ = 4,4‘-diethylamidocarbonyl-2,2‘-bipyridine; m = 4-methyl-2,2‘-dipyridine-4‘-carboxylic acid) and the electron transfer donor PTZ (phenothiazine). The arrays differ systematically in the distance between the redox-active metal complex and PTZ sites. They have been used in photophysical studies to provide insight into the distance dependence of electron transfer. (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 14506−14514). This work describes the synthesis, purification, and characterization of the oligoproline arrays, including a general procedure for the synthesis of related arrays.
Procedural problems in using the Denar pantograph as a transfer-bow.

Summary A method has been described for using zinc-oxide/eugenol paste as an interclutch support when the Denar pantograph is used as a transfer-bow. Using this technique a stable centric relation position can be maintained during the maxillary cast mounting procedure and the subsequent setting of the articulator to the pantographic recordings.
The isolation and partial characterization of bovine parathyroid secretory granules.

Abstract We have developed a procedure which allows the isolation of secretion granules from fresh parathyroid glands. Following collagenase digestion of the tissue, the cells were broken with osmotic shock and a crude granule/mitochondrial pellet was obtained by differential centrifugation. Before loading this fraction onto a metrizamide density gradient it was subjected to brief sonication to disrupt the mitochondria. This procedure was necessary in order to achieve separation of the granules from the mitochondria during ultracentrifugation of the gradient. When the fractionated gradient was analysed for PTH by radioimmunoassay, three bands containing parathyroid hormone were found, at densities of 1.0, 1.05 and 1.18. Upon electron microscopic examination of the gradient fractions, granules were found only in those fractions containing hormone. A typical granule appearance was observed for two of the populations, but the third population (density 1.18), consisted of granules without membranes and which appeared less electron dense than those of populations 1 (density of 1.0) and 2 (density of 1.05). Moreover, the lack of a limiting membrane imparted a fuzzy appearance to the population 3 granules. When fresh tissue sections were examined as control samples, granules with and without membranes were also observed. Standard marker enzyme assays further confirmed that populations 2 and 3 were relatively free of other cellular contaminants, but population 1 contained endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomal material. Because the number of granules contained in this population is very small, we have not been successful in achieving further purification of population 1. Based on radioimmunoassay of extracts of each granule population, PTH was concentrated in population 3, while the other two contained lesser amounts. Interestingly, results obtained with a radioimmunoassay for SP-1 revealed a striking difference in the distribution of SP-1 in the three granule populations. This protein, which is also secreted by the parathyroid gland, was concentrated in populations 1 and 2. Only very low levels were found in population 3. Thus, the two major secretory products are localized in different granule populations. The isolated granules were stable to pH changes, cycles of freeze/thaw and sonication. The yields of PTH extracted from each of the granule populations by freezing and thawing in buffer or by Triton containing solutions were low. PTH was completely extracted from each population only by using 8 M urea in HCl. Lower concentrations of urea were less effective. These results indicate that the molecular architecture of the granules is highly resistant to disruption.
Equations of state and phase transformation of depleted uranium DU-238 by high pressure-temperature diffraction studies

We have conducted in situ high-pressure diffraction experiments on depleted uranium (DU-238) at pressures up to $8.5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ and temperatures up to $1123\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. From the pressure $(P)$-volume $(V)$-temperature $(T)$ measurements, thermoelastic parameters were derived for $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-uranium based on a modified high-$T$ Birch-Murnaghan equation of state and a thermal-pressure approach. With the pressure derivative of the bulk modulus ${K}_{0}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ fixed at 4.0, we obtained ambient bulk modulus ${K}_{0}=117(2)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$, temperature derivative of bulk modulus at constant pressure ${(\ensuremath{\partial}K∕\ensuremath{\partial}T)}_{P}=\ensuremath{-}3.4(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}∕\mathrm{K}$ and at constant volume ${(\ensuremath{\partial}K∕\ensuremath{\partial}T)}_{v}=\ensuremath{-}1.1(6)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}∕\mathrm{K}$, volumetric thermal expansivity ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{T}=a+bT$, with $a=1.2(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and $b=8.0(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.7)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, and the pressure derivative of thermal expansion ${(\ensuremath{\partial}\ensuremath{\alpha}∕\ensuremath{\partial}P)}_{T}=\ensuremath{-}2.5(5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{GPa}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Within the experimental errors, the ambient bulk modulus and volumetric thermal expansion derived from this work are in good agreement with previous experimental results, whereas all other thermoelastic parameters represent the first determinations for the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ phase of uranium. We also studied the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ phase transformation and obtained a phase boundary described by $T$ $(\text{in}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K})=1032+7.4P\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}(\text{in}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa})$. Although the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-phase uranium cannot be pressure quenched to ambient conditions, it was observed to be stable upon cooling from $1123\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}300\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ at pressures of $7--8\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$. These observations indicate that pressure, in addition to the commonly utilized alloying techniques, provides an alternative route for stabilizing the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-uranium at room temperature.
Mechanisms of Tryptophan Fluorescence Shifts in Proteins

Tryptophan fluorescence wavelength is widely used as a tool to monitor changes in proteins and to make inferences regarding local structure and dynamics. We have predicted the fluorescence wavelengths of 19 tryptophans in 16 proteins, starting with crystal structures and using a hybrid quantum mechanical-classical molecular dynamics method with the assumption that only electrostatic interactions of the tryptophan ring electron density with the surrounding protein and solvent affect the transition energy. With only one adjustable parameter, the scaling of the quantum mechanical atomic charges as seen by the protein/solvent environment, the mean absolute deviation between predicted and observed fluorescence maximum wavelength is 6 nm. The modeling of electrostatic interactions, including hydration, in proteins is vital to understanding function and structure, and this study helps to assess the effectiveness of current electrostatic models.
High Density Lipoproteinuria in Nephrotic Syndrome

Abstract Intravenous administration of the aminonucleoside of puromycin produces the nephrotic syndrome (proteinuria, hypercholesterolemia, hypoproteinemia and edema) in rats. This model is very similar to human nephrotic syndrome caused by various disease states. The current study was designed to assess the nature of urinary lipoproteins in the urine of nephrotic rats, including studies related to the urinary loss of the “activator” apolipoproteins for the lipoprotein lipase-triglyceride interaction. Sprague-Dawley rats were given a single intravenous injection (10 mg/100 g) of puromycin aminonucleoside. Plasma and urine were collected before and 7, 18, 29, 36, and 53 days after injection of puromycin. Urine was fractionated in the preparative ultracentrifuge into density (d) fractions Measurable urinary lipoproteins were present only on days 7 and 18 after induction of the nephrotic syndrome. Coelectrophoresis of these urinary lipoproteins with rat plasma revealed a single band having alpha- (HDL) electrophoretic mobility. The total mean protein content of day-7 urinary lipoproteins (64.3%) was greater than the content of plasma HDL (52.9%). The protein content of urinary lipoproteins also increased with time. When day-7 and day-18 postinjection urine of nephrotic rats was added to the lipoprotein lipase system, the hydrolysis of triglyceride yielded a mean of 0.320 and 0.235 μEq FFA/ml/20 min, respectively. Control rat urine yielded 0.030μEq FFA/ml/20 min and 0.000 μEq FFA/ml/20 min 7 and 18 days after injection of normal saline, respectively. It is inferred that in this experimental model (1) high-density lipoproteins are probably excreted in the glomerular filtrate, (2) alterations in the composition of the excreted lipoproteins may occur during their passage through the nephron. The possibility that only a selective portion of the HDL spectrum is excreted into the glomerular filtrate cannot be excluded. It is suggested that the urinary or renal loss of this functionally important lipoprotein may contribute to the pathophysiology of hyperlipoproteinemia in the nephrotic syndrome.
Detecting, Tracking and Classifying Animals in Underwater Observatory Video

For oceanographic research, remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) and underwater observatories routinely record several hours of video material every day. Manual processing of such large amounts of video has become a major bottleneck for scientific research based on this data. We have developed an automated system that detects, tracks, and classifies objects that are of potential interest for human video annotators. By pre-selecting salient targets for track initiation using a selective attention algorithm, we reduce the complexity of multi-target tracking. Then, if an object is tracked for several frames, a visual event is created and passed to a Bayesian classifier utilizing a Gaussian mixture model to determine the object class of the detected event.
The uptake and subcellular distribution of radio-labeled metabolites of digoxin in the isolated perfused guinea-pig heart.

Cardiac glycosides like digitoxin and digoxin with three digitoxoside sugar residues have been reported to undergo step-wise degradation to yield the corresponding genins, and the importance of the digitoxoside side-chain for the pharmacodynamic property of cardiac glycosides has also been suggested. A systematic study was therefore undertaken on the cleavage products of digoxin. Digoxigenin-bis-digitoxoside (with two sugar residues) digoxigenin-monodigitoxoside (with one sugar residue) and digoxigenin (with no sugar) were compared with the parent compound, digoxin. The radio-labeled compounds were perfused through isolated guinea pig hearts using 10−7 M concentration in the perfusion medium for a fixed period of 64 min followed by an 8 min period of wash-out with normal medium. The uptake and sub-cellular distribution of the drugs were thereafter measured by scintillation counting. All the compounds produced positive inotropic responses, the monodigitoxoside producing the greatest effect, digoxigenin next in order of inotropic response magnitude, the bis-digitoxoside produced the least effect, and digoxin was intermediate between the genin and bis-digitoxoside. The uptake of the monodigitoxoside was the highest, and in general, the quantitative uptake was related to the inotropic response. The greatest binding of each digitoxoside was found in the microsomal fraction. Both mechanical activity and uptake of all four drugs were uniformly reduced by an increase in potassium concentration in the perfusion medium.
Local immunity and persistence of virus in the tracheas of chickens following infection with Newcastle Disease Virus. II. Immunofluorescent and histopathologic studies.

The use of organ culture methods to demonstrate formation of local antibody and persistence of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in the tracheas of chickens that have recovered from acute respiratory infection with NDV has been described [1]. The following immunofluorescent and histopathologic studies were made on tissues from chickens in order to test conclusions of the investigations in organ culture and to provide information on the cellular sites of antibody formation and viral persistence in the trachea.
Transplantation of polymer encapsulated neurotransmitter secreting cells: Effect of the encapsulation technique

Deficits associated with neurological diseases may be improved by the transplantation within the brain lesioned target structure of polymer encapsulated cells releasing the missing neurotransmitter. Surrounding cells with a permselective membrane of appropriate molecular weight cut-off allows inward diffusion of nutrients and outward diffusion of neurotransmitters, but prevents immunoglobulins or immune cells from reaching the transplant. This technique therefore allows transplantation of post-mitotic cells across species. It also permits neural grafting of transformed cell lines since the polymer capsule prevents the formation of tumors by physically sequestering the transplanted tissue. In the present study, we compared the ability of dopamine-secreting cells, encapsulated by 2 different methods, to reverse experimental Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor disturbances due to a lack of dopamine within the striatum following degeneration of the dopaminergic nigro-striatal pathway. PC12 cells were loaded in polyelectrolyte-based microcapsules or thermoplastic-based macrocapsules and maintained in vitro or transplanted in a rat experimental Parkinson model for 4 weeks. Chemically-induced depolarization increased the in vitro release of dopamine from macrocapsules over time, while no increase in release was observed from microcapsules. Encapsulated PC12 cells were able to reduce lesion-induced rotational asymmetry in rats for at least 4 weeks, regardless of the encapsulation technique used. With both encapsulation methods, PC12 cell viability was greater in vivo than in vitro which suggests that the striatum releases trophic factors for PC12 cells. More brain tissue damage was observed with microcapsules than macrocapsules, possibly the result of the difficulty of manipulating the more fragile microcapsules.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Troponin subunit interactions

Abstract Subunit interactions of the troponin complex are displayed by the in vitro aggregates formed by tropomyosin and the components of troponin. Certain linkages are specifically affected by calcium. These findings are consistent with a simple steric scheme for the functioning of the complex.
Common Procedures in the Pet Ferret

The domestic ferret is an increasingly popular pet in North America and Europe and may easily be incorporated into the structure and workings of most small animal hospitals. Not only does treatment of ferrets provide case diversity and intellectual challenges to the veterinarian but it may increase revenue, because most ferret owners have several ferrets. The diagnostic and supportive care procedures used commonly in ferrets are similar to those used in dogs and cats. This article presents the common diagnostic and supportive care procedures used in ferrets, with special emphasis on some of the unique aspects that make these procedures easier to learn and perform.
Double-diffusive natural convective boundary layer flow in a porous medium saturated with a nanofluid over a vertical plate: Prescribed surface heat, solute and nanoparticle fluxes

Abstract The Buongiorno model [16] has been used to study the double-diffusive natural convection from a vertical plate to a porous medium saturated with a binary base fluid containing nanoparticles. The model identifies the Brownian motion and thermophoresis as the primary mechanisms for enhanced convection characteristics of the nanofluid. The behavior of the porous medium is described by the Darcy model. The vertical surface has the heat, mass and nanoparticle fluxes each prescribed as a power law function of the distance along the wall. The transport equations are transformed into four nonlinear, coupled similarity equations containing eight dimensionless parameters. These equations are solved numerically to obtain the velocity, temperature, solute concentration and nanoparticle concentration in the respective boundary layers. Results are presented to illustrate the effects of various parameters including the exponent of the power law describing the imposed surface fluxes on the heat and mass transfer characteristics of the flow. These results are supplemented with the data for the reduced Nusselt number and the two reduced Sherwood numbers, one for the solute and the other for the nanoparticles.
Application of the E-ε closure model to simulations of mesoscale topographic effects

A mesoscale Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) model with a simple turbulence closure scheme based on the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) equation and the dissipation (e) equation is used to simulate atmospheric flow over mesoscale topography. Comparative studies with different parameterizations suggest that with a proper closure assumption for turbulence dissipation, the E-model can simulate the circulation induced by the mesoscale topography with results similar to those obtained using the E-e model. On the other hand, the first-order closure using O'Brien's cubic interpolation for eddy diffusivities (K) generally produces much larger K profiles in the stable and the unstable regions, which is believed to be due to the overprediction of the height of the PBL. All models with the TKE equation yield quite similar ensemble mean fields, which are found to be little sensitive to the closure assumption for turbulence dissipation, though their predicted magnitudes of TKE and K may differ appreciably. A discussion on the diurnal evolution of the mesoscale topography-induced circulation and the spatial variations of the turbulence fluxes in the surface layer is also given based on the E-e model results.
Primary lymphoedema and lymphatic malformation: are they the two sides of the same coin?

Abstract Objectives To clear the confusion regarding the relationship between the ‘primary lymphoedema’ and (truncular) lymphatic malformation (LM); the latter is one of congenital vascular malformations. Materials & Methods A literature review was carried out on the primary lymphoedema either existing as an independent LM lesion or as a component of the Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome. Results The review was able to provide a contemporary guide/conclusion on the definition and classification, clinical evaluation and clinical management regarding conservative (physical) therapy, reconstructive surgical therapy and ablative/excisional surgical therapy, for the primary lymphoedema as an LM. Conclusions Primary lymphoedema can be considered as ‘congenital’ since its majority represents a clinical manifestation of the truncular type of LM arising during the later stages of lymphangiogenesis. Such embryological staging information of the LM is critical for proper management of the primary lymphoedema when it exists with other congenital vascular malformations (Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome). 2. Basic non-invasive to minimally invasive tests will provide an adequate diagnosis and lead to the correct multidisciplinary, specifically targeted and sequenced treatment strategy. 3. The mainstay of current management of the primary lymphoedema/truncular LM is complex decongestive therapy; and the reconstructive as well as ablative surgical therapy remain adjunctive therapies at best.
Normal uniform mixture differential gene expression detection for cDNA microarrays.

Background One of the primary tasks in analysing gene expression data is finding genes that are differentially expressed in different samples. Multiple testing issues due to the thousands of tests run make some of the more popular methods for doing this problematic.
Effect of Calcium Level of the Developing and Laying Ration on Hatchability of Eggs and on Viability and Growth Rate of Progeny of Young Pullets

Abstract COMMERCIAL hatcherymen have observed that fertile eggs from pullets just starting to lay do not hatch well and that mortality rate in the chicks which do hatch is abnormally high. Sunde and Bird (1959) observed that both fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs was much lower in eggs from pullets just starting to lay than it was in eggs laid six weeks later. Much of the embryonic mortality in the first laid eggs occurred during the first week of incubation. Such dietary factors as vitamin levels, protein levels, antibiotic levels and vegetable vs. animal protein were found to have no effect on improving the hatchability of eggs from young breeder hens. This paper will present evidence that level of calcium in the laying diet may affect hatchability of eggs and growth and viability of chicks from pullets just starting to lay. EXPERIMENTAL The data to be presented were secured as …
Survey assessment of methadone treatment services as reinforcers.

Offering incentives contingent on behavioral change can be an effective method for improving treatment outcome in methadone maintenance. Further, there are several incentives available within the daily operation of methadone clinics that can be used in this way. This study describes patient preferences for clinic service incentives as identified by three types of survey methodologies: multiple choice procedures, visual analog scales, and rank ordering. Methadone patients (n = 111) rated preference for three service incentives (take-home medication, dose increase, counseling sessions) using each survey. Mean and individual responses were highly consistent across surveys and indicated that, in general, take-homes were the most preferred, followed by dose increases and then counseling. The rank order survey also assessed an additional 18 service items (e.g., rent, food or gas payments; employment assistance; medical care). Consistent with other measures, most patients (64%) placed take-homes within their top...
Virtual radar antenna beamforming using orthogonal coding waveforms

In this paper, an innovative approach to form virtual radar antenna beams is proposed. These virtual beams are shown to be equivalent to those obtained with a traditional phased array of the same size in term of antenna gain and resolution. These beams are formed through digital filtering and using orthogonal coding waveforms. It is shown that using multiple beam forming filters, multiple virtual beams can simultaneously be formed, each having maximum gain and finest resolution.
Parallel Scan-Like Testing and Fault Diagnosis Techniques for Digital Microfluidic Biochips

Dependability is an important attribute for microfluidic biochips that are used for safety-critical applications such as point-of-care health assessment, air-quality monitoring, and food-safety testing. Therefore, these devices must be adequately tested after manufacture and during bioassay operations. Moreover, since disposable biochips are being targeted for a highly competitive and low-cost market segment, test and diagnosis methods should be inexpensive, quick, and effective. We propose a cost-effective testing methodology referred to as "parallel scan-like test", and a rapid diagnosis method based on test outcomes, for droplet-based microfluidic devices. The proposed method allows testing using parallel droplet pathways in both on-line and off-line scenarios. The diagnosis outcome can be used to reconfigure a droplet-based biochip such that faults can be easily avoided, thereby enhancing chip yield and defect tolerance. We evaluate the proposed test and diagnosis methods using complexity analysis as well as experiments using a fabricated biochip.
Protein C activity in dogs: adaptation of a commercial human colorimetric assay and evaluation of effects of storage time and temperature

Objectives of this study were to adapt a commercial human protein C (PC) colorimetric assay for use in dogs and to investigate effects of various storage conditions. The human assay was modified by using pooled canine plasma for calibration and by increasing the activation time. PC activity was measured in fresh canine plasma and in plasma stored under various conditions. PC activity of some stored samples was significantly different from that of fresh plasma; however, differences were small. No difference was detected in samples stored under similar conditions but analyzed in different laboratories using similar methodology. Results of this study indicate that the human colorimetric assay is suitable for canine samples if pooled canine plasma is used for calibration, that Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute sample storage guidelines developed for testing in humans are appropriate for dogs, and that comparisons of results from laboratories using similar methodology are legitimate.