cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational study of transverse Peltier coolers for low temperature applications

Abstract Transverse thermoelectric effect can be produced artificially by stacking at an angle layers of a thermoelectric material with another material that may or may not be a thermoelectric material. In this exploratory computational study, a new meta-material, comprised of tilted alternating layers of an n-type thermoelectric alloy and a metal, is investigated to gain an understanding of how much cooling can be produced by transverse thermoelectric effect and the conditions under which maximum cooling is attainable. The governing conservation equations of energy and electric current, with the inclusion of thermoelectric effects, are solved on an unstructured mesh using the finite-volume method to simulate a transverse Peltier cooler under various operating conditions. First, the code is validated against experimental data for a n-Bi2Te3–Pb meta-material, and subsequently explored. It is found that intermediate applied currents produce maximum temperature depression (ΔT). Optimum values of the geometric design parameters such as tilt angle and device aspect ratio are also established through parametric studies. Finally, it is shown that the ΔT can be amplified by constricting the phonon (heat) transport cross-section while keeping the electron (current) transport cross-section unchanged—a strategy that cannot be employed in conventional thermoelectric devices where electrons and phonons follow the same path. This makes transverse Peltier coolers particularly attractive for generating large ΔT without multi-stage cascading.
Art in an age of Bonapartism, a social history of modern art

(1993). Art in an age of Bonapartism, a social history of modern art. History of European Ideas: Vol. 17, No. 5, pp. 691-693.
Intragastric balloon in the emergency department: an unusual cause of gastric outlet obstruction.

Abstract Background Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Many strategies to promote weight loss, including medications and surgical techniques, have been developed; however, few have proven effective. As the rates of obesity and associated complications continue to climb, there is growing pressure on the medical community to develop less invasive procedures that can provide lasting weight loss results. Objectives One surgical treatment for obesity, available in several countries but not yet approved for use in the United States, is the intragastric balloon (IGB). The IGB is a temporary, space-occupying device placed endoscopically into the stomach to decrease gastric volume and provide a sense of early satiety. Our objective is to highlight potential complications of this device that emergency physicians should be familiar with, in particular, gastric outlet obstruction. Case Report We report the case of a morbidly obese 63-year-old Middle Eastern man who presented to an emergency department in Texas with mechanical gastric outlet obstruction 2 months after IGB placement. After three endoscopic attempts, the balloon was successfully removed and the obstruction relieved. Conclusion With an increasingly mobile and obese global population, emergency physicians should be aware of weight loss procedures such as the IGB and appropriate time-sensitive management of high-risk complications.
Improving understanding about tanning behaviors in college students: a pilot study.

Abstract Objective: Melanoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed among 15- to 29-year-olds. This pilot study assessed behaviors, barriers, and beliefs relevant to sun exposure and protective behaviors. Participants: The sample comprised 153 undergraduate students at a large state university in western New York. Methods: Participants completed an online survey about sun safety habits, barriers to using sunblock, and beliefs about tanning and sun exposure. Results: Response rate was 90.8% (n = 139). Most students (87.8%) reportedly spent ≥ 3 hours per day outside in the summer, but only 17.3% reported always using sunblock during this time. Sixty percent reported recent indoor tanning and 41% reported more than 10 lifetime sunburns. The greatest barrier to using sunblock was forgetting (84.2%). Conclusions: Demographics coupled with inconsistent and low levels of sunblock use, high annual prevalence of indoor tanning, and multiple lifetime sunburns indicate that this sample is at high risk for skin c...
High photon counting efficiency in the near-IR (0.6 um--0.9 um) with a GaAs Ranicon

Results are presented of an evaluation of the first RANICON detector with a Negative Electron Affinity (NEA) photocathode, known as the Red-RANICON. The Red-RANICON offers a photocathode responsive quantum efficiency of about 22 percent from 0.6 - 0.9 micron, yielding a significant improvement in photon counting performance when compared with multialkali (S20) photocathode detectors. The operating characteristics of the Red-RANICON are similar to standard 25-mm active-area RANICONS, with imaging formats of 512 x 512 or 1024 x 1024 pixels. Spatial resolution is currently about 80 microns FWHM and could be improved to 40 microns FWHM with a modest decrease in the photocathode to microchannel-plate gap. The application of the Red-RANICON to high-resolution imaging and other applications requiring excellent temporal resolution is discussed. Future prospects for improving the long-wavelength response and quantum yield are also explored.
Remote Thioredoxin Recognition Using Evolutionary Conservation and Structural Dynamics

The thioredoxin family of oxidoreductases plays an important role in redox signaling and control of protein function. Not only are thioredoxins linked to a variety of disorders, but their stable structure has also seen application in protein engineering. Both sequence-based and structure-based tools exist for thioredoxin identification, but remote homolog detection remains a challenge. We developed a thioredoxin predictor using the approach of integrating sequence with structural information. We combined a sequence-based Hidden Markov Model (HMM) with a molecular dynamics enhanced structure-based recognition method (dynamic FEATURE, DF). This hybrid method (HMMDF) has high precision and recall (0.90 and 0.95, respectively) compared with HMM (0.92 and 0.87, respectively) and DF (0.82 and 0.97, respectively). Dynamic FEATURE is sensitive but struggles to resolve closely related protein families, while HMM identifies these evolutionary differences by compromising sensitivity. Our method applied to structural genomics targets makes a strong prediction of a novel thioredoxin.
A matrix converter-based topology for high power electric vehicle battery charging and V2G application

In this paper, a new three-phase converter topology based on a 3x1 matrix converter (MC) is proposed for Plug-in Hybrid or Battery (PHEV/BEV) electric transit buses. In the proposed approach, the MC directly converts the low frequency (50/60 Hz, three-phase) input to a high frequency (6 kHz, one-phase) AC output without a dc-link. The output of the matrix converter (MC) is then processed by a PWM rectifier via a high frequency (HF) isolation transformer to interface with the EV battery system. The MC-PWM rectifier system is made to operate like a dual active bridge (DAB), facilitating bi-directional power flow suitable for charging and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) application. The digital control of the system ensures that the input currents are of high quality under both charging and discharging operations. Due to the absence of dc-link electrolytic capacitors, power density of the proposed rectifier is expected to be higher. Analysis, design example and extended simulation results are presented for a three-phase 208 V LL , 50kW charger.
Rhetorical experimentation and the cold war, 1947–1953: The development of an internationalist approach to propaganda

Because most propaganda scholars examine discourse where audience and propagandist reside in the same society, they conclude that the practice of propaganda is culturally driven. By examining governmental propaganda directed exclusively to an international audience during the early years of the Cold War, this study reveals that propagandists can and do overcome the cultural constraints of language in order to inculcate their values abroad. More specifically, this study analyzes the congressional deliberations over America's first peacetime propaganda program from 1947 through 1953 as well as the impact of those deliberations on America's international propaganda. Three distinct periods epitomize the Cold War rhetoric of this seven‐year period: the period of naivete, the period of hysteria, and the period of psychological strategy. While the periods of naivete and hysteria were driven by an American conception of democracy and communism, the period of psychological strategy subtly cultivated the cross‐cult...
Transient kinetics and thermodynamics of anthroylouabain binding to Na/K-ATPase

Abstract The Na/K-ATPase is an integral membrane protein enzyme which uses energy derived from hydrolysis of ATP to pump Na+ out of and K+ into the cell. Ouabain belongs to a class of drugs known as cardiac glycosides, which are useful for treating congestive heart failure. Therapeutic value is achieved when these drugs bind to and inhibit the Na/K-ATPase of cardiac muscle. We gain insight into this important interaction by measuring the thermodynamics of the interaction of anthroylouabain (AO), a fluorescent derivative of ouabain, with the Na/K-ATPase. AO has the useful property that its fluorescence intensity is greatly enhanced (∼10×) when it binds to the enzyme. Using this enhancement, we measure temperature dependence of transient kinetics for the association and dissociation of AO interacting with membrane fragments of Na/K-ATPase purified from dog kidney. Using a standard Eyring analysis, we find that the overall association of AO with the enzyme is driven by substantial contributions from both enthalpy and entropy, and that in an energy diagram for the association pathway, the free energy change is quite similar to that of ouabain deduced from previously published results [E. Erdmann, W. Schoner, BBA 307 (1973) 386]. However, in the transition state, there are substantial differences for the enthalpy and entropy, presumably due to the presence of the anthracene moiety.
Distribution of the extracellular space during postnatal maturation of rat cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortices of young adult and immature Sprague-Dawley rats, 10, 14, and 21 days of age, were rapidly frozen in situ and substituted at –78.5°C with a 1% solution of osmium tetroxide in acetone. In random electron micrographs of each animal, each representing 42 μ2 of cerebral cortical molecular layer, the extracellular space was evaluated stereologically. In all cases the extracellular space was found to be distributed as large extracellular lakes of variable dimension. Where no extracellular space was apparent adjacent cell processes were joined by 5-membered complexes, which appeared to represent fusion of immediately adjacent plasma membranes. In 10-day old animals an extracellular space of 40.5% was found. This diminished progressively to 31.8% at 14 days and 26.3% at 21 days, which approached the adult value of 21.7%. These data were consonant with measurements of the maturing extracellular space based on uptake studies of tracers, water and electrolyte determinations and impedance measurements. They appear to represent accurately the changing distribution of extracellular water in rapidly maturing cerebral cortex.
Job-shop scheduling based on modified tank-hopfield linear programming networks

Abstract The Tank-Hopfield linear programming network is modified to solve job-shop scheduling, a classical optimization problem. Using a linear energy function, the approach described in this paper avoids the traditional problems associated with most Hopfield networks using quadratic energy functions. Although this approach requires more hardware (in terms of processing elements and resistive interconnects) than a recent approach by Zhou et al. (IEEE Trans. Neural Networks 2, 175–179, 1991) the neurons in the modified Tank-Hopfield network do not perform extensive calculations, unlike those described by Zhou et al.
The American Manufacturing Frontier, 1870-1940

Difficult statistical problems notwithstanding, it is possible to trace the course in time and place of a gradual transition from agrarian to industrial pursuits. On occasion, this transition was slowed or reversed by cyclical influences, but the long-term trend of manufacturing concentration was away from the East. As the manufacturing frontier shifted, the service industries moved in and currently employ much of the capital and labor of the old industrial centers.
Influence of necking propensity on the dynamic-tensile- extrusion response of fluoropolymers

The quasi-static and dynamic responses of two fluoropolymers - polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) - have been extensively characterized. Here we investigate the influence of the propensity to neck or not between PCTFE and PTFE on their responses under Dynamic-Tensile-Extrusion (Dyn-TenExt). The Dyn-Ten-Ext technique was originally developed for metals and applied to copper and tantalum spheres by Gray, et al. as a tensile corollary to compressive Taylor Cylinder Impact Testing. Under Taylor Cylinder loading both PTFE and PCTFE exhibit a classic three-diameter ductile deformation pattern. The ductile-to-brittle transition in PTFE occurs at 131 m s{sup -1} with a very tight transition range in impact stress of less than 4 m s{sup -1}. Conversely, the ductile-to-brittle transition in PCTFE occurs between 165 and 200 m s{sup -1} with a gradual transition to stochastic crack formation and ultimately failure. Under Dyn-Ten-Ext loading the onset of extrusion occurs above 164 and 259 m s{sup -1} for PTFE and PCTFE respectively.
Cognitive aging and training: the role of instructional coherence and advance organizers.

Background/Study Context: This study investigates whether there is a need for age-specific computer-based instructional design. The authors examined the effect of two design principles, instructional coherence and advance organizers, on learning outcomes of older and younger adults. Instructional coherence refers to the idea that people learn more deeply when information not directly relevant to learning goals is removed from training. Advance organizers are organizing frameworks for intended training content.Methods: Participants consisted of younger and older adults (mean ages were 21.7 and 75.1, respectively). Younger adults were university students and older adults were recruited from various sources, including retirement homes, senior activity centers, and online communities. We used a 2 (young, old) × 2 (low coherence, high coherence) × 2 (no advance organizer, advance organizer) between-subjects design and analyzed data using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).Results: Analyses revealed t...
Maximum Likelihood Estimation For Image Registration

This paper describes an image registration technique which utilizes a maximum likelihood estimate of translational shifts between images. Through use of a detailed error model, insight is gained into the suitability of common registration methods such as correlation. The relationship between the optimal statistical-based registration algorithm and algorithms which have been reported in the literature is also presented. Models of the two images (search and reference) to be registered are developed, assuming the search image is a combination of the reference image, additive i.i.d. Gaussian noise, and areas often referred to as background or clutter. These clutter areas may or may not have statistics similar to the reference areas. The image models differ from past models which implicitly assume a reference image of infinite dimension. Where the reference image is of infinite dimension, it is shown that Gaussian statistics lead to a likelihood equation yielding a square difference template-matching technique.
So many progenitors, so little myelin

CNS white matter injury may cause sustained demyelination despite the persistence of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). A study suggests that dysregulated Wnt signaling disrupts self-renewal to yield OPC maturation arrest.
A strategy for prevention of cancer of the large bowel

The etiology of cancer of the large bowel is in large part environmental. Both epidemiologic and experimental studies suggest that the environmental factor is dietary, specifically associated with a diet high in fat and low in fiber. Prevention is possible by altering these dietary factors, but the degree of change needed to accomplish it would be too drastic to be acceptable. However, the inclusion of certain additives in a diet only slightly modified with respect to the fat-fiber content may circumvent this problem. We have evidence that the addition of small amounts of representatives of three classes of cancer inhibitors (retinoids, plant steroids, and selenite) reduces intestinal cancer formation in rats by 50 per cent. This suggests that a diet with modest changes in the fat-fiber content plus the addition of certain inhibitors may be effective in reducing the incidence of cancer of the large bowel.
Policy Options for Public Long-term Care Insurance

CONTROVERSY surrounds the place of long-term care insurance as part of national health system reform and the nature of such insurance if it is to be part of the reform. Some groups, most notably those representing older adults, believe that the current financing system, which relies heavily on the Medicaid program, must be altered. Others would not modify present arrangements, at least in the short run. Under current law, individuals are eligible for nursing home benefits through Medicaid if they have few assets other than housing equity. The following proposals would markedly change these arrangements: The Pepper Commission1 recommends a universal insurance system for those sufficiently disabled, but limits benefits to an initial period of 3 months. After 3 months, nursing home residents would pay for everything, unless they are poor enough to qualify for coverage similar to the current Medicaid program. Analysts at the Brookings Institution 2 advocate expanding the
6-Dimethylamino-9-(β-d-arabinofuranosyl)-9H-purine: Pharmacokinetics and antiviral activity in simian varicella virus-infected monkeys

Abstract 6-Dimethylamino-9-(β- d -arabinofuranosyl)-9H-purine (ara-DMAP) effectively prevented the development of rash and appreciably reduced viremia in simian varicella virus-infected monkeys. Doses of 100 and 50 mg/kg/day, administered orally, were highly effective. The lowest dose of 20 mg/kg/day was much less effective in preventing moderate viremia. However, the 20 mg/kg/day did prevent the development of rash in two of three monkeys. All three doses of ara-DMAP reduced liver infection as reflected by lower aspartate aminotransferase values in the sera of the African green monkeys. Orally administered ara-DMAP was rapidly absorbed. However, significant variation among individual monkeys in the AUC values, peak plasma levels, and plasma half-lives were observed.
Enhanced endothelialization of Dacron grafts by external vein wrapping.

X 6-mm i.d. double-velour knitted Dacron grafts. In group I (n = 6) 6-cm segments of the grafts were wrapped with autologous jugular vein with its endothelial surface applied against the outside of the graft. In group II (n = 6) the wrap procedure was performed using abdominal wall fascia. The degree and character of grab incorporation was quantitated in all prostheses at 28 days postimplantation. Group I vein wrap prostheses demonstrated uniform endothelial surface coverage in the vein wrap area (2 = 88%) that was significantly greater (P < 0.04) than coverage in adjacent unwrapped segments (2 = 48%). Group II fascial wrap grafts demonstrated variable endothelial coverage in the wrapped area (X = 48%) that was consistently less than in adjacent unwrapped portions (2 = 62%), and significantly less than vein wrap sections of group I animals (P < 0.04). No significant differences existed in endothelial coverage of unwrapped regions of group I and II grafts. This investigation documented that wrapping knitted Dacron grafts with vein enhanced endothelialization of their
(Re)creating places and spaces in two countries: Brazilian transnational migration processes

Brazilian immigration to the United States is a relatively recent phenomenon that gained momentum in the 1980s in unprecedented numbers. Today an estimated 1.2 million Brazilians live in the United States. Brazilians (re)create transnational places and spaces through social, cultural, and economic practices, within the immigrant receiving communities of Marietta, Georgia, and Framingham, Massachusetts, in the United States. They also incorporate and add new elements to their livelihoods in the respective sending communities of Piracanjuba, in the state of Goias, and Governador Valadares, in the state of Minas Gerais, in Brazil. How are these Portuguese-speaking Brazilian immigrants shaping and (re)creating new places and spaces? In what ways and spheres do transnational exchanges affect two places of destination in the United States and two places of origin in Brazil after migration occurs? Using multiple methods, which include in-depth interviews and participant observation, this paper addresses these qu...
Rough Set Theory based prognostication of life expectancy for terminally ill patients

We present a novel knowledge discovery methodology that relies on Rough Set Theory to predict the life expectancy of terminally ill patients in an effort to improve the hospice referral process. Life expectancy prognostication is particularly valuable for terminally ill patients since it enables them and their families to initiate end-of-life discussions and choose the most desired management strategy for the remainder of their lives. We utilize retrospective data from 9105 patients to demonstrate the design and implementation details of a series of classifiers developed to identify potential hospice candidates. Preliminary results confirm the efficacy of the proposed methodology. We envision our work as a part of a comprehensive decision support system designed to assist terminally ill patients in making end-of-life care decisions.
Biological aging does not lead to the accumulation of oxidized Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase in the liver of F344 rats

Abstract Cu,Zn-Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was isolated from the liver of 3-, 12-, and 26-month-old Fisher 344 (F344) rats. Specific activity and metal content of the enzyme, purified by ion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography, did not significantly change with age. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and amino acid analysis of Cu,Zn-SOD apoprotein, further purified by reverse-phase HPLC, showed neither significant loss of amino acids nor accumulation of oxidized isoforms with age. When bovine Cu,Zn-SOD, oxidized with H2O2 in vitro, was added to rat liver homogenate, we reisolated circa 70% of the oxidized bovine Cu,Zn-SOD together with the rat isoform, showing that oxidized Cu,Zn-SOD can be recovered from tissue homogenate. Therefore, our data do not confirm an earlier hypothesis that oxidatively modified Cu,Zn-SOD protein accumulates in the liver of aged F344 rats.
9/11: What did we know and when did we know it?

In February 1998, Osama Bin Laden published a signed statement calling for a fatwa against the United States for its having ‘declared war against God’. As we now know, the fatwa resulted in the unprecedented attack of 9/11. The issue of whether or not 9/11 was in any way predictable culminated in the public debate between Richard Clarke, former CIA Director George Tenet and the White House. This paper examines whether there was any evidence of a structural change in the terrorism data at or after February 1998 but prior to June 2001, controlling for the possibility of other breaks in earlier periods. In doing so, we use the standard Bai–Perron procedure and our sequential importance sampling (SIS) Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method for identifying an unknown number of breaks at unknown dates. We conclude that sophisticated statistical time‐series analysis would not have predicted 9/11.
The Value of Market Share and the Product Life Cycle-A Game-Theoretic Model

The paper presents a dynamic, game-theoretic model of marketing competition in an oligopoly. The equilibrium solution to this model is used to investigate how a firm's optimal marketing expenditure per unit sold, which can be interpreted as a measure of the value of market share, depends on current and future market demand, which in turn can be related to the product life cycle. The results support and refine the conventional wisdom that the earlier it is the life cycle, the greater is the value of the market share.
Abstract 3804: Transcriptional repression of androgen receptor in human prostate cancer cells by plant flavone apigenin

Accumulating evidence suggest that androgen receptor (AR)-mediated signaling plays an important role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Although Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) showed controversial results however manipulation of AR signaling pathway reduced the incidence of prostate cancer. Safer agents are needed that can modulate AR signaling pathways with effective suppression of prostate cancer. Plant flavonoids have been shown to possess weak oestrogenic and anti-androgen activity. Apigenin, a naturally occurring plant flavone, has shown promising anticancer activity by modulating several signaling pathways that have relevance to prostate cancer. However, the effect of apigenin on AR signaling has not been fully investigated. Using androgen-responsive human prostate cancer LNCaP and 22Rv1cells, we determine the effect of apigenin on androgen receptor signaling. Exposure of these cells with 5-40μM apigenin suppressed cell proliferation and arrested cells in sub G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle after 5nM dihydrotestosterone (DHT) stimulation. Apigenin inhibited endogenous prostate-specific antigen (PSA) transcription and reduced intracellular and secreted PSA protein levels induced by DHT in these cells. In LNCaP cells apigenin inhibited AR expression in a concentration-dependent manner by restricting its translocation into the nucleus. Co-transfection of PC-3 cells with wild-type AR-GFP-tag plasmid demonstrated that apigenin has ability to inhibit DHT-induced AR translocation into the nucleus. Additionally, receptor binding assays indicated that apigenin is a strong competitive inhibitor of DHT binding to the AR. These observations matched with the results of structural modeling studies exhibiting that apigenin is remarkably similar in conformational geometry and surface charge distribution to synthetic AR antagonist, flutamide, although the atomic compositions of the two substances were quite different. Taken together, our results indicate that apigenin exhibits potent anti-proliferative and anti-androgenic properties and may be developed as useful and safer agent for prevention/therapy of prostate cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3804.
The role of tau in Alzheimer's disease

Despite earlier uncertainties about the role of tau pathology in AD, the discovery of multiple mutations in the tau gene that lead to the abnormal aggregation of tau and the onset/progression of FTDP-17 demonstrates that tau dysfunction is sufficient to produce neurodegenerative disease. The mutations lead to specific cellular alterations, including altered expression, function and biochemistry of tau. The finding that specific tau gene mutations lead to diverse FTDP-17 phenotypes raises the possibility that the clinical and pathological expression of hereditary and related sporadic tauopathies may be influenced by tau gene polymorphisms, other genetic factors and epigenetic events. However, the precise mechanisms whereby tau assembles into filaments and causes neurodegeneration in the human brain remain to be elucidated, but further investigation into the mechanisms of tau dysfunction, as well as the identification of potential disease-modifying factors, will provide additional insight into novel strategies for the treatment and prevention of AD and related disorders. Moreover, development of additional animal models of tauopathies that more closely recapitulate human diseases will facilitate this undertaking, and this is likely to have implications for other neurodegenerative disorders since the aggregation of tau in AD and and related tauopathies is an example of abnormal protein-protein interactions resulting in the intracellular accumulation of filamentous proteins that is a common feature of many fatal CNS diseases characterized by relentlessly progressive brain degeneration [1-3]. Thus, the fibrillization and aggregation of proteins in the brain is a common theme in a diverse group of neurodegenerative disorders and insight into the pathogenesis of any one of these disorders may have implications for understanding the mechanisms that underlie all these diseases as well as for the discovery of better strategies to treat them [1-3].
The initial transient in steady-state point estimation: contexts, a bibliography, the mse criterion, and the mser statistic

The initial transient is an unavoidable issue when estimating parameters of steady-state distributions. We discuss contexts and factors that affect how the initial transient is handled, provide a bibliography (from the system simulation literature), discuss criteria for evaluating initial-transient algorithms, arguing for focusing on the mean squared error (mse). We discuss the MSER statistic, showing that it is asymptotially proportional to the mse and therefore a good foundation for initial-transient algorithms. We suggest two new algorithms (MSER--LLM and MSER--LLM2) for using the MSER statistic and compare them, based on empirical results for M/M/1 and AR(1) data processes, to the original MSER algorithm (MSER--GM).
Development of a novel 2D color map for interactive segmentation of histological images

We present a color segmentation approach based on a two-dimensional color map derived from the input image. Pathologists stain tissue biopsies with various colored dyes to see the expression of biomarkers. In these images, because of color variation due to inconsistencies in experimental procedures and lighting conditions, the segmentation used to analyze biological features is usually ad-hoc. Many algorithms like K-means use a single metric to segment the image into different color classes and rarely provide users with powerful color control. Our 2D color map interactive segmentation technique based on human color perception information and the color distribution of the input image, enables user control without noticeable delay. Our methodology works for different staining types and different types of cancer tissue images. Our proposed method's results show good accuracy with low response and computational time making it a feasible method for user interactive applications involving segmentation of histological images.
A changing of the guard

In May 1990, Gordon Tullock stepped down as Editor of Public Choice following twenty-four creative years during which his journal had played an indispensable role in stimulating a research program which has succeeded in revolutionizing the approach both of economics and of political science to the behavior of political markets. So complete has been this revolution that older scholars of public choice simply cannot revisit 1965 to recapture the flavor of market failure theory as it then impressed itself upon them. The paradigm has shifted and those who have shifted with it are different people, with a changed vision, reflecting upon the past through a radically new perspective. Was Camelot really ever embraced? Were philosopher-kings ever countenanced? Was a public interest theory of government ever the fulcrum of policy discussion?
Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Good Soldier Syndrome

The article presents a review of the book “Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Good Soldier Syndrome,” by Dennis W. Organ.
Gross primary production and ecosystem respiration of irrigated and rainfed maize–soybean cropping systems over 8 years

The objective of this study is to examine interannual variability of carbon dioxide exchange and relevant controlling factors in irrigated and rainfed maize–soybean agroecosystems. The mean annual gross primary production (GPP) of irrigated and rainfed maize was 1796 ± 92 g C m−2 y−1 (±standard deviation) and 1536 ± 74 g C m−2 y−1, respectively. Mean annual GPP of soybean (average of irrigated and rainfed crops) was about 56% that of maize. Light use efficiency of maize and soybean during clear sky conditions were 1.96 ± 0.10 and 1.37 ± 0.06 g C MJ−1, respectively. A light use efficiency model, incorporating sensitivity to diffuse light, provided a reasonable simulation of daily GPP of maize and soybean (r2 = 0.89–0.98 and 0.85–0.97, respectively). Simulated growing season GPP totals were within about 10% of the measured values. The green leaf area index (LAI) played a dominant role in explaining interannual variability of GPP in maize. For soybean, both LAI and PAR contributed to the interannual variability. Mean growing season ecosystem respiration (Re) totals were 1029 ± 46 g C m−2 for irrigated maize and 872 ± 29 g C m−2 for rainfed maize. The growing season Re total of soybean (average of irrigated and rainfed crops) was about 78% that of maize. A relationship, based on a reference soil respiration (Re20), air temperature (Ta), and LAI, simulated daily growing season Re reasonably well for maize and soybean (r2 = 0.77–0.91 and 0.51–0.94, respectively). Modeled Re totals during the growing season were generally within 10% of the measured values. Variations in the LAI and Re20 explained the majority of the interannual variability in growing season Re for maize. In addition to LAI and Re20, Ta also contributed to the soybean Re variability. Non growing season Re contributed 10–20% and 17–24% of annual Re in maize and soybean, respectively and was primarily controlled by air temperature and residue biomass (r2 ∼ 81%). About 70% of maize GPP was lost in Re, resulting in the mean annual net ecosystem CO2 production (NEP) of 552 ± 73 g C m−2 y−1 for irrigated maize and 471 ± 52 g C m−2 y−1 for rainfed maize. For soybean, however, most of the annual GPP was lost in Re resulting in a mean annual NEP of −57 ± 43 and 10 ± 52 g C m−2 y−1 for irrigated and rainfed soybean, respectively. In general, as compared to Re, GPP contributed more to explaining the departures (ΔNEP) of NEP from the 4-year mean for maize. Both GPP and Re contributed to the ΔNEP for soybean. Results on the net biome production (NBP) indicated that the irrigated maize–soybean rotation was initially a moderate source of carbon; however, the system appears to be approaching near C neutral recently. The rainfed maize–soybean rotation is approximately C neutral.
Millimetre Wave-Length Spectra of the Crab and Orion Nebulae

Millimeter wavelength spectral indices of Crab and Orion nebulae for 35, 70 and 94 gc radiation
In search of better methods to evaluate natural antioxidants and oxidative stability in food lipids

Abstract The use of natural antioxidants to improve the oxidative stability of food lipids has received special attention because of the worlwide trend to avoid the use of synthetic food additives. The efficacy of natural antioxidants and the oxidative stability of edible oils and food emulsions have been difficult to evaluate in view of questionable conditions and methodology used to follow oxidation. The methodology used to evaluate natural antioxidants must be carefully interpreted depending on the conditions of oxidation and the analytical method used to determine the extent and endpoint of oxidation. The purpose of this review is to re-evaluate current methods of determining the oxidative stability of food lipids and the effectiveness of natural antioxidants.
Mid-infrared images of the debris disk around HD 141569

We have imaged the circumstellar debris disk around the A0 Ve/B9.5 Ve star HD 141569 (D = 99 pc), at λ = 12.5, 17.9, and 20.8 μm using the Keck II telescope, and confirm the general morphology from other recently published mid-infrared observations. Model fits to an assumed flat radially symmetric dust disk yield an inclination i = 53° ± 5° and a position angle of -6° ± 4° for the tilt axis and indicate the presence of a depression in optical depth by a factor of about 4 within a radial distance of 30 AU (03) from the star. Such a depression is suggestive of a density depletion and is consistent with published spectral energy distributions that indicate the absence of a near-infrared excess even though a mid-infrared excess is present. Our mid-infrared results, in conjunction with previously published near-infrared scattering images, suggest that the two wavelength regimes are viewing, respectively, the inner and outer parts of a common disk structure, which is dominated by small (probably submicron) grains throughout.
Scrambling of the amino acids within the transmembrane domain of Vpu results in a simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIVTM) that is less pathogenic for pig-tailed macaques.

Abstract Previous studies have shown that the transmembrane (TM) domain of the subtype B Vpu enhances virion release from cells and some studies have shown that this domain may form an oligomeric structure with properties of an ion channel. To date, no studies have been performed to assess the role of this domain in virus pathogenesis in a macaque model of disease. Using a pathogenic molecular clone of simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV KU-1bMC33 ), we have generated a novel virus in which the transmembrane domain of the Vpu protein was scrambled but maintained hydrophobic in nature (SHIV TM ), which presumably would disrupt any ion channel TM properties of this protein. Vectors expressing the Vpu as a fusion protein with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (Vpu TM EGFP) indicate that it was transported to the same intracellular compartment as the unmodified Vpu protein but did not down-regulate cell surface expression of CD4. To assess the pathogenicity of SHIV TM , three pig-tailed macaques were inoculated with the SHIV TM and monitored for 6–8 months for CD4 + T cell levels, viral loads and the stability of the sequence of the vpu gene. Our results indicated that unlike the parental SHIV KU-1bMC33 , inoculation of macaques with SHIV TM did not cause a severe CD4 + T cell loss over the course of their infections. Sequence analysis of the vpu gene analyzed from sequential PBMC samples derived from macaques revealed that the scrambled TM was stable during the course of infection. At necropsy, examination of tissues revealed low viral loads and none of the pathology commonly observed in lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues following inoculation with the pathogenic parental SHIV KU-1bMC33 virus. Thus, these results show for the first time that the TM domain of Vpu contributes to the pathogenicity of SHIV KU-1bMC33 in pig-tailed macaques.
Understanding Qualitative Research: A School Nurse Perspective:

More school nurses are engaging in the generation of research, and their studies increasingly are using qualitative methods to describe various areas of practice. This article provides an overview of 4 major qualitative methods: ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and historical research. Examples of school nursing research studies that have used these methods are included. Descriptions of other qualitative designs, ethical considerations, and issues of scientific rigor are also discussed.
Festschrift for Robert M. Zollinger, M.D.

This Festschrift honors Dr. Robert M. Zollinger on the 100th anniversary of his birth, in recognition of his leadership in American surgery. Professor and chairman of surgery at Ohio State University from 1947 to 1974, Dr. Zollinger was a master of surgical technique and an influential educator. His landmark description of gastrinoma tumors and their clinical manifestations, known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, began a new era of research into gastrointestinal peptides. The author of this preface is professor emeritus of surgery at UCLA School of Medicine and a former trainee of Dr. Robert M. Zollinger.
On the motion of thermal electrons in n-alkane vapors

Abstract The mobilities of thermal electrons in n-alkane vapors decrease with increasing static polarizability and the measured scattering cross sections compare well with the geometric cross sections. Evidence is provided for the existence of a Ramsauer—Townsend minimum in C2H6 and C3H8.
ON THE DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF BUOY-SUPPORTED CABLES AND PIPES TO CURRENTS AND WAVES

Of essential interest in the design of such structures is their dynamic response to currents and waves and the resulting stresses induced by the motion. The author presents a model which includes the three-dimensional effects of cross currents (i.e., currents running obliquely to the direction of wave propagation), and which allows large deflections with the motion of the top dependent upon the interaction of the system and the water.
In vivo imaging of microfluidic-produced microbubbles

Microfluidics-based production of stable microbubbles for ultrasound contrast enhancement or drug/gene delivery allows for precise control over microbubble diameter but at the cost of a low production rate. In situ microfluidic production of microbubbles directly in the vasculature may eliminate the necessity for high microbubble production rates, long stability, or small diameters. Towards this goal, we investigated whether microfluidic-produced microbubbles directly administered into a mouse tail vein could provide sufficient ultrasound contrast. Microbubbles composed of nitrogen gas and stabilized with 3 % bovine serum albumin and 10 % dextrose were injected for 10 seconds into wild type C57BL/6 mice, via a tail-vein catheter. Short-axis images of the right and left ventricle were acquired at 12.5 MHz and image intensity over time was analyzed. Microbubbles were produced on the order of 105 microbubbles/s and were observed in both the right and left ventricles. The median rise time, duration, and decay time within the right ventricle were 2.9, 21.3, and 14.3 s, respectively. All mice survived the procedure with no observable respiratory or heart rate distress despite microbubble diameters as large as 19 μm.
Aesthetic and Other Theoretical Virtues in Science

Here I first provide an introduction to a neglected topic in contemporary aesthetics: intellectual beauty. Then I review James McAllister?s critique of autonomism and reductionism regarding the relation between empirical and aesthetic criteria in scientific theory evaluation. Finally, I critique McAllister?s ?aesthetic induction,? and defend an alternative model that emphasizes the holistic coherence of aesthetic and other theoretical virtues in scientific theorizing.
Initial subjective reward: single-exposure conditioned place preference to alcohol in mice.

Most adults consume alcohol with relative impunity, but about 10-20% of users persist (or progress) in their consumption, despite mounting and serious repercussions. Identifying at-risk individuals before neuroadaptative changes associated with chronic use become well ingrained is thus a key step in mitigating and preventing the end stage disease and its devastating impacts. Explaining liability has been impeded, in part, by the absence of animal models for assessing initial sensitivity to the drug’s reinforcing properties, an important endophenotype in the trajectory toward excessive drinking. Here we assess the initial rewarding effects of the drug in a novel application of the conditioned place preference paradigm. In contrast to previous studies that have all employed repeated drug administration, we demonstrated a robust preference for a context paired with a single exposure to 1.5g/kg EtOH in male and female subjects of three strains. This model validates an assay of initial sensitivity to the subjective rewarding effects of alcohol, a widely used drug with multifarious impacts on both brain and society, and provides a new tool for theory-driven endophenotypic pharmacogenetic approaches to understanding and treating addiction.
Chemical reaction of sulfur dioxide with a calcium oxide aerosol particle

Abstract The chemical reaction between a single electrodynamically levitated microparticle of calcium oxide and sulfur dioxide and water vapor in a nitrogen stream was examined by means of microparticle Raman spectroscopy and gravimetric measurement. The reaction was carried out at room temperature and ambient pressure. The double-ring electrodynamic reactor is described, and the results of experiments are presented. In the presence of humid nitrogen the reaction proceeded slowly to form hemi-hydrated calcium sulfite. Raman spectra obtained during the course of the reaction show the formation of calcium hydroxide as water is taken up by the particle and the formation of calcium sulfite by reaction of sulfur dioxide with the hydroxide. It appears that either pore-plugging or the formation of a coated layer on the particle prohibited the reaction from going to completion. Microparticles of the order of 100 μm were used in the experiments.
A comparison of patterns of methamphetamine and cocaine use

Typical use patterns of methamphetamine (MA) users were examined using self-report measures from 120 MA and 63 cocaine users. Twenty (14 MA and 6 cocaine) of the participants also took part in structured interviews designed to provide more specific descriptions of their drug use. The typical MA user uses more than 20 days a month. Use is evenly spaced throughout the day, and although the amount of drug used per day is not different, MA users use fewer times per day than do cocaine users. Fewer of the cocaine users are continuous users, and they use in the evening rather than the daytime. The cocaine pattern of fewer days of use, evening use, and more frequent doses per day fits a picture of recreational use, whereas the all-day-most-days methamphetamine pattern does not.
Aortoesophageal fistula after reconstruction of the thoracic spine

Aortoesophageal fistula is a rare complication after neurosurgical repair of the thoracic spine. We report an instance of a lethal aortoesophageal fistula caused by a pseudoaneurysm that developed after long contact between the prosthetic material from a spinal reconstruction procedure and the thoracic aorta. Pathologic examination showed that the mesh formed the roof of the pseudoaneurysm and was the most probable cause of the lesion.
Modeling and stability considerations for FDTD analysis of wave propagation in lossy dispersive soils

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm, when modified to include dispersion, is a convenient tool for analyzing wave propagation in lossy, dispersive soils. It has been shown recently that a convenient way to include the dispersion is through a spatial array of digital permittivity or conductivity filters, one filter at each space node in the finite-difference grid. We address here the problem of selecting filter coefficients that result in accurate and stable FDTD implementations. We present a systematic procedure for determining the coefficients based on a nonlinear optimization procedure and stability test.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.