cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of maturation and activating potential in CD8+ versus CD8- dendritic cells following in vivo infection with vaccinia virus.

Abstract DC maturation is known to be a necessary step in the generation of an effective immune response. We have used vaccinia virus (VACV) as a model to investigate the regulation of DC subsets in vivo following infection. While a number of in vitro studies have shown that DC infected with VACV fail to undergo maturation, the effect of VACV infection on the maturation of and cytokine production by DC subsets in vivo remains less defined. We have found that following systemic infection with vaccinia virus, both CD8 + and CD8 − dendritic cells are infected. The number of infected DC peaked at 6h and was highly decreased by 24h post-infection. In both subsets, there was evidence of generalized upregulation of costimulatory molecules. Surprisingly, this included vaccinia infected DC, suggesting the regulation of DC maturation in vivo is much more complex andlikely influenced by DC extrinsic signals. However, while we observed generalized upregulation of costimulatory molecules, IL-12 production was restricted to a subset of non-infected cells in both the CD8 + and CD8 − DC populations. Importantly, the control of IL-12 production was differentially dependent on MyD88 signaling. IL-12 production was ablated in the absence of MyD88 in CD8 − DC, while it was unchanged in CD8 + DC. These findings provide new insights into the control of DC maturation in vivo and demonstrate that the regulation of maturation in vivo following virus infection can be differentially controlled in distinct types of DC.
Alkaloid studies XXVI. The constitution of pyrifolidine.

Die Struktur desAspidosperma-Alkaloids Pyrifolidin (I) wird durch Protonresonanz und durch Vergleich mit Aspidospermin und Aspidocarpin bewiesen. Dieses Alkaloid ist in seiner absoluten Konfiguration ein Antipode des Aspidospermins.
A joint probabilistic classification model for resource selection

Resource selection is an important task in Federated Search to select a small number of most relevant information sources. Current resource selection algorithms such as GlOSS, CORI, ReDDE, Geometric Average and the recent classification-based method focus on the evidence of individual information sources to determine the relevance of available sources. Current algorithms do not model the important relationship information among individual sources. For example, an information source tends to be relevant to a user query if it is similar to another source with high probability of being relevant. This paper proposes a joint probabilistic classification model for resource selection. The model estimates the probability of relevance of information sources in a joint manner by considering both the evidence of individual sources and their relationship. An extensive set of experiments have been conducted on several datasets to demonstrate the advantage of the proposed model.
Electrical Resistivity of Goat Meat

Abstract Electrical resistivity and anisotropy of goat meat (hind leg muscle) were investigated with respect to low input voltages of 10, 20, and 30 V ac, in the frequency range of 10–10 kHz. Three waveforms used were, Sinusoidal, Square, and Triangular. Input voltage, frequency, and waveform, both individually and in combinations, affected the resistivity of goat meat. The resistivity values decreased with the increase in both the voltage and frequency under all the three waveforms. Square wave produced the least resistivity, while triangular waves produced the highest. Resistivity across the the myofiber axes was significantly higher than along the myofiber axes.
Insulin resistance and abnormal ovarian responses to human chorionic gonadotropin in chronically anovulatory women

We studied the interrelationships between insulin resistance, obesity, and abnormal ovarian androgen secretion in chronically anovulatory women with clinical or biochemical evidence of hyperandrogenism. Four groups of six subjects each were studied: (1) normal weight (within 10% ideal body weight) anovulatory, (2) obese (>120% ideal body weight) anovulatory, (3) normal weight eumenorrheic, and (4) obese eumenorrheic. After dexamethasone suppression, human chorionic gonadotropin (2000 IU/1.5m 2 body surface area intramuscularly) was administered to each subject. Serum testosterone levels were subsequently determined hourly for 17 hours. On a separate occasion, an oral glucose tolerance test was administered to five subjects from each group. Serum glucose and immunoreactive insulin levels were determined before and after the ingestion of a standard 100 gm glucose load. As a group, the anovulatory women had higher (p
Hybrid fs/ps rotational CARS temperature and oxygen measurements in the product gases of canonical flat flames

Abstract A hybrid fs/ps pure-rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) scheme is systematically evaluated over a wide range of flame conditions in the product gases of two canonical flat-flame burners. Near-transform-limited, broadband femtosecond pump and Stokes pulses impulsively prepare a rotational Raman coherence, which is later probed using a high-energy, frequency-narrow picosecond beam generated by the second-harmonic bandwidth compression scheme that has recently been demonstrated for rotational CARS generation in H 2 /air flat flames. The measured spectra are free of collision effects and nonresonant background and can be obtained on a single-shot basis at 1 kHz. The technique is evaluated for temperature/oxygen measurements in near-adiabatic H 2 /air flames stabilized on the Hencken burner for equivalence ratios of φ = 0.20–1.20. Thermometry is demonstrated in hydrocarbon/air products for φ = 0.75–3.14 in premixed C 2 H 4 /air flat flames on the McKenna burner. Reliable spectral fitting is demonstrated for both shot-averaged and single-laser-shot data using a simple phenomenological model. Measurement accuracy is benchmarked by comparison to adiabatic-equilibrium calculations for the H 2 /air flames, and by comparison with nanosecond CARS measurements for the C 2 H 4 /air flames. Quantitative accuracy comparable to nanosecond rotational CARS measurements is observed, while the observed precision in both the temperature and oxygen data is extraordinarily high, exceeding nanosecond CARS, and on par with the best published thermometric precision by femtosecond vibrational CARS in flames, and rotational femtosecond CARS at low temperature. Threshold levels of signal-to-noise ratio to achieve 1–2% precision in temperature and O 2 /N 2 ratio are identified. The results show that pure-rotational fs/ps CARS is a robust and quantitative tool when applied across a wide range of flame conditions spanning lean H 2 /air combustion to fuel-rich sooting hydrocarbon flames.
Indomethacin promotes adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells through a cyclooxygenase independent mechanism

Regulation of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lineage selection is important for the generation of bone mass. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) may increase adipogenesis at the cost of decreasing osteoprogenitor output. Here we investigated the role of COX2 and its products during MSC differentiation. Indomethacin stimulated adipogenesis (increased aP2, adiponectin and lipid droplets) of CH310T1/2 stem cells as well as marrow-derived MSCs to a degree similar to the PPARγ2 ligand, rosiglitazone. Unlike rosiglitazone, indomethacin significantly upregulated PPARγ2 expression. Indomethacin and the COX2 specific inhibitor celecoxib suppressed PGE2 production, but celecoxib did not induce adipogenesis. As well, addition of PGE2 failed to reverse indomethacin induced adipogenesis, indicating that indomethacin's effects were prostaglandin independent. In MSCs over-expressing PPARγ2 and RXRα, indomethacin did not increase PPAR-induced transcription, while rosiglitazone and 15d-PGJ2 did (1.7- and 1.3-fold, respectively, P < 0.001). We considered whether indomethacin might directly affect C/EBPβ proximally to PPARγ2 induction. Indomethacin significantly increased C/EBPβ expression and protein within 24 h of addition. These results indicate that indomethacin promotes adipogenesis by increasing C/EBPβ and PPARγ2 expression in a prostaglandin-independent fashion. This effect of indomethacin is pertinent to potential deleterious effects of this commonly used anti-inflammatory drug on bone remodeling and tissue healing.
Self-mode-locked chromium-doped forsterite laser generates 50-fs pulses

Stable transform-limited (ΔνΔτ = 0.32) femtosecond pulses with a FWHM of 50 fs were generated from a self-mode-locked chromium-doped forsterite laser. The forsterite laser was synchronously pumped by a cw mode-locked Nd:YAG (82 MHz) laser that generated picosecond pulses (200–300 ps) and provided the starting mechanism for self-mode-locked operation. Maximum output power was 45 mW for 3.9 W of absorbed pumped power with the use of an output coupler with 1% transmission. The self-mode-locked forsterite laser was tuned from 1240 to 1270 nm.
Color-to-Grayscale: Does the Method Matter in Image Recognition?

In image recognition it is often assumed the method used to convert color images to grayscale has little impact on recognition performance. We compare thirteen different grayscale algorithms with four types of image descriptors and demonstrate that this assumption is wrong: not all color-to-grayscale algorithms work equally well, even when using descriptors that are robust to changes in illumination. These methods are tested using a modern descriptor-based image recognition framework, on face, object, and texture datasets, with relatively few training instances. We identify a simple method that generally works best for face and object recognition, and two that work well for recognizing textures.
Desktop binding: a novel approach to booklet making hardware

A low cost method and device for creating saddle stitch bound booklet documents is described. The device allows saddle stitch bound documents to be made using a unique low force method that avoids the issues and limitations found in commercial booklet making hardware. Typical commercial devices use high force industrial equipment that are physically bulky, unsafe, and expensive. The approach detailed here utilizes precision, light force, sheet-wise operations on individual sheets of paper to produce saddle stitch booklets, leveraging knowledge in precision paper handling and positioning. This method facilitates bound document creation with hardware that is compatible with common desktop and workgroup printer's sheet-at-a-time printing processes, but at a fraction of the cost of comparable commercial binding hardware. This platform enables the final part of the promise of desktop publishing.
Ultraviolet and infrared observations of Saturn's auroral oval

New observations of Saturn's southern auroral oval made simultaneously in ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) wavelengths show how complex and dynamic the auroral oval is. Melin et al. present high-spatial-resolution observations from the Cassini spacecraft's UV and IR instruments. The auroral oval varies over short time scales and has many small-scale structures. The researchers observed three different arcs within the auroral oval, which they suggest are probably caused by precipitation of particles with different energies. In addition, the researchers found that the main auroral oval is morphologically similar in UV and IR, but in the auroral emissions equatorward and poleward of the main oval, there are noticeable differences in UV and IR, highlighting the need for observations at a range of wavelengths. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL048457, 2011)
Quantification of the Primary Processes in Aqueous Heterogeneous Photocatalysis Using Single-Stage Oxidation Reactions

The present study aimed at the quantification of primary photocatalytic processes occurring over irradiated semiconductors. The photodegradation of HCOOH was selected as a probe reaction since it follows a single-stage oxidation mechanism (yielding CO2 and H2O), thus not relying on the formation of stable intermediate products or multiple reactions. This reaction was used to determine lumped kinetic parameters of UV-assisted photocatalysis in semiconductor slurries. A modified Fricke dosimeter (Fe2+→Fe3+) was utilized to determine the exact concentrations of reactive oxygen species in the slurry, such as •OH, HO2•, •O2−, and H2O2. These experiments yielded maxima in the concentrations of these species during the first few minutes of reaction with the subsequent attainment of a steady state. The rate of generation of reactive oxygen species characterizes the true oxidative power of photocatalysts, and it was found to increase with the catalyst concentration and reach a plateau value in the vicinity of 0.25 g/l of catalyst. This generation rate follows the pattern Ishihara ST21≈Hombikat UV100≈Degussa P25>Aldrich anatase; its value for Aldrich anatase is approximately one-third of that for the other catalysts. The effect of direct oxidation by valence-band holes was studied using the oxidation of NO−2 to NO−3 and proved to be minimal. From the kinetic data of the photodegradation of formic acid, rates of primary photocatalytic processes, such as radical generation (Rgen) and electron–hole recombination (Rrec), were determined with our methodology. In particular, Rrec was found to be inversely proportional to the BET surface area of the catalyst following the sequence Aldrich anatase>Degussa P25>Ishihara ST21≈Hombikat UV100. Using the present methodology, the quantum yield of a particular photocatalyst can be predicted satisfactorily from its radical generation rate. It should be noted that such quantum yield depends on the catalyst concentration and reactor setup to a much lesser extent than the traditionally used quantum yield for phenol photodegradation, since the latter process is accompanied by multiple secondary oxidation reactions. Thus, the method proposed provides a convenient procedure for a thorough study on semiconductor photocatalysis and can serve as a common means of photocatalyst characterization.
The penetration of formulated Guthion spray through selected fabrics.

Abstract A technique for comparing pesticide penetration through fabric was devised. It involved passing fabric swatches through a controlled spray system and measuring the pesticide residue transferring on and through the tested fabric. Six variations in fabric were selected for testing: 100% cotton woven chambray, Scotch‐guard® treated chambray, Tyvek® , Crowntex® , and two variations of Gore Tex®. Guthion® (azinphos‐methyl) was chosen as the insecticide for controlled use in this experiment because of its widespread use and relatively high toxicity. Gas Chromatographie analysis of the amount of Guthion® transferred through the outer fabric was made by the use of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's multiple range test. The ANOVA for experiment replication showed no significant difference among the replications of each fabric. The treatment ANOVA was highly significant at the 0.01 level. Duncan's multiple range test further analyzed the differences in the treatment, and three groups were found to b...
Relationships of Forage Nutritive Value to Cool-Season Grass Canopy Characteristics

In-!eld assessment of forage nutritive value could help producers manage forage harvest- ing or grazing based on potential feed value to ruminants. The objective of this research was to evaluate the relationship of forage nutri- tive value to canopy characteristics of mixed cool-season grass forage to identify potential indicators of forage nutritive value that can be assessed in real time. The research was con- ducted at Columbus, OH, from April to October 2009 and 2010 in a mixed cool-season grass forage stand. Growth periods were initiated in April, May, June, July, and August and allowed to continue unharvested for the remainder of the growing season, with weekly sampling for nutritive value and morphological composition. The proportions of dead material and lamina, age (days of growth), and herbage mass had the highest correlations with forage neutral detergent !ber digestibility (NDFD) and were higher than the correlations of the canopy char- acteristics with neutral detergent !ber (NDF). A linear model was !t to predict NDFD (g kg �1 ) from herbage mass (kg dry matter (DM) ha �1 ), in which NDFD = (�0.05 " herbage mass) + 746 (root mean square error = 44.1, r 2 = 0.81, P < 0.001). The relationship between herbage mass and NDFD was consistent over the growing sea- son and across both years. R.L.G. Nave, R.M. Sulc, and D.J. Barker, Dep. of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State Univ., 2021 Co/ey Rd., Columbus, OH
Paxilline inhibits BK channels by an almost exclusively closed-channel block mechanism.

Paxilline, a tremorogenic fungal alkaloid, potently inhibits large conductance Ca2+- and voltage-activated K+ (BK)-type channels, but little is known about the mechanism underlying this inhibition. Here we show that inhibition is inversely dependent on BK channel open probability (Po), and is fully relieved by conditions that increase Po, even in the constant presence of paxilline. Manipulations that shift BK gating to more negative potentials reduce inhibition by paxilline in accordance with the increase in channel Po. Measurements of Po times the number of channels at negative potentials support the idea that paxilline increases occupancy of closed states, effectively reducing the closed–open equilibrium constant, L(0). Gating current measurements exclude an effect of paxilline on voltage sensors. Steady-state inhibition by multiple paxilline concentrations was determined for four distinct equilibration conditions, each with a distinct Po. The IC50 for paxilline shifted from around 10 nM when channels were largely closed to near 10 µM as maximal Po was approached. Model-dependent analysis suggests a mechanism of inhibition in which binding of a single paxilline molecule allosterically alters the intrinsic L(0) favoring occupancy of closed states, with affinity for the closed conformation being >500-fold greater than affinity for the open conformation. The rate of inhibition of closed channels was linear up through 2 µM paxilline, with a slope of 2 × 106 M−1s−1. Paxilline inhibition was hindered by either the bulky cytosolic blocker, bbTBA, or by concentrations of cytosolic sucrose that hinder ion permeation. However, paxilline does not hinder MTSET modification of the inner cavity residue, A313C. We conclude that paxilline binds more tightly to the closed conformation, favoring occupancy of closed-channel conformations, and propose that it binds to a superficial position near the entrance to the central cavity, but does not hinder access of smaller molecules to this cavity.
Optical Model Analysis of Elastic Scattering of 125-Mev K + Mesons in Nuclear Emulsions

The diffuse-surface optical model has been used to analyze the elastic scattering and interaction cross-section data obtained from 94 meters of positive $K$-meson track in nuclear emulsion between energies of 100 and 150 Mev. The analysis was carried out on the SWAC digital computer through the use of the existing proton code which required but slight modification, such as the use of the Klein-Gordon equation. A thorough investigation was made of the number of energy intervals and representative emulsion nuclei that were required for adequate accuracy in the computed averaged cross sections. This number was found to be one energy and two representative emulsion nuclei (heavy and light). The four parameters (${R}_{0}$, the radius parameter; $a$, the edge thickness; $V$, the real part of the potential; and $W$, the imaginary part of the potential) were varied and the goodness of fit was tested by means of the ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{2}$ probability, there being nine degrees of freedom. An attractive real potential is fairly clearly ruled out and good fits were obtained for a repulsive real potential for a fairly wide range of physically acceptable geometrical parameters. If the ${R}_{0}$ and $a$ are chosen from electron-scattering experiments, then $V=21\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4$ Mev and $W=\ensuremath{-}11.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.5$ Mev. If ${R}_{0}$ is increased to 1.20\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm, then $V=14\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.5$ Mev and $W=\ensuremath{-}7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$ Mev.
New Pleasure in Life Unfolding: Madeleine de Scudéry’s Friendship Fan

AbstractDuring her long literary career, Madeleine de Scudery developed complex representations of mixed-gender friendship. However, the fullest expression of this heterosocial paradigm can be found not in the novels for which she remains most well-known, but in the Conversations, her final published literary output. This article analyzes the description of a particular object, a lady’s fan, found in the Conversations’ chapter on friendship (1686). When we see the fan in both its historical and literary context, we see that the Conversations are also quite possibly the chef d’oeuvre of Scudery’s literary career, the point at which, for the first time, her life-long concerns about the power of women to participate in the sociable world of the seventeenth-century letters unfold from within the frame of philia rather than of eros. The ‘friendship’ fan diverts readerly attention from Scudery’s novels as it gestures toward a new, self-sustaining and self-renewing form of mixed-gender sociability. Through it, S...
Production of autologous and homologous antibodies against some whey proteins in three ruminant species.

Abstract The primary purpose of the present trial was an attempt to produce antibodies to autologous and homologous milk whey proteins in three ruminant species; moreover, to use rabbits as a source of heterologous antibody and to show that the preparation used for immunization was antigenic. The underlying thought was that since milk proteins are unique to the mammary gland, an auto-allergic condition to milk proteins may play a role in mastitis. Lactating females, virgin females, and males of the bovine, ovine, and caprine species were immunized with injections of a mixture of complete Freund's Adjuvant and whole milk. Eleven injections were given over a three-month period. The results showed the bovine did not produce antibodies to either homologous or autologous milk proteins. However, the ovine and caprine species produced both autologous and homologous antibodies of low concentration. Neither quarter milk production nor incidence of clinical mastitis was influenced by repeated injections of milk. It was concluded that the autologous and homologous antibodies produced against milk proteins were not important etiological agents in an auto-allergic condition of mastitis. It was postulated that the apparent unresponsiveness to injected milk proteins in the bovine may be due to intestinal absorption of large quantities of immunologically reactive milk proteins during the first few neonatal days. This, then, could cause an acceptance of milk proteins and failure to recognize these as being foreign in later life.
Changes in the serum levels of clusterin in children with sepsis

Abstract Aim: The first aim of this study was to determine levels of clusterin in pediatric patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome or septic state, comparing these levels with a healthy population. The second objective was to compare levels of clusterin within individual septic conditions, influence of levels of these proteins on mortality. Background: Clusterin is a highly conserved protein which is expressed at increased levels by many cell types in response to a broad variety of stress conditions. Methods: Fifty-seven children aged 0–19 years (30 boys and 27 girls) hospitalized from June 2009 to March 2011, with expected or proven SIRS and septic condition. The degree of severity was evaluated according PELOD Score. Blood tests to determine levels of clusterin were taken throughout the patient meets the criteria of SIRS or sepsis. Control group to determine the serum levels of clusterin has been taken from patients undergoing elective surgery. Results: We found lower concentrations of clusterin in patients with SIRS or septic state, than in the control group. Clusterin cut-off for first day – D1 was 91.04 μg/ml; AUC 0.900; p -value p -value p -value p -value 0.004. Conclusion: We have demonstrated a decrease clusterin levels in pediatric patients with septic state, and its effect on mortality.
Early Tertiary paleogeologic map of the northern Sierra Nevada batholith and the northwestern Basin and Range

The northern Sierra Nevada and adjacent Basin and Range, western United States, are marked by a widespread regional unconformity at the base of the Eocene-Miocene volcanic and sedimentary section that overlies the Mesozoic batholith and its wall rocks. To help address controversial questions about the origin, uplift, and erosion of the batholith, we compiled a subcrop geologic map of the unconformity prior to Tertiary extension. This simple but under-utilized technique reveals the distribution of rock units that could have contributed detritus to the Eocene-Miocene river channels crossing the Sierra Nevada and demonstrates that the Mesozoic Sierra Nevada batholith was continuous to the northeast across the northwestern Basin and Range. More speculatively, the subcrop map implies that Late Cretaceous–Eocene erosional stripping may have been greatest above the axis of the batholith and decreased to the east; thus, drainage in this area may have been eastward and then switched westward in Eocene-Miocene time.
Improved micro-method for determination of serum bilirubin

Abstract A simple, rapid, and precise diazo method for determining serum bilirubin has been described. The method requires 0.1 ml of serum. Interferences have been largely resolved by improved kinetics and stoichiometry, and by the use of a direct spectrophotometric technic as a reference method. Reliability of the diazo method has been established by comparison with a well-known diazo method as well as with the direct spectrophotometric reference method, by demonstrating the effect of hemolysis and lipemia, and by replicate analyses.
Adults and Nymphs Do Not Smell the Same: The Different Defensive Compounds of the Giant Mesquite Bug (Thasus neocalifornicus: Coreidae)

Heteropteran insects often protect themselves from predators with noxious or toxic compounds, especially when these insects occur in aggregations. The predators of heteropteran insects change from small insect predators to large avian predators over time. Thus, a chemical that is deterrent to one type of predator at one point in time may not be deterrent to another type of predator at another point in time. Additionally, these predator deterrent compounds may be used for other functions such as alarm signaling to other conspecifics. Defensive secretion compounds from the adult and the nymph giant mesquite bug (Thasus neocalifornicus: Coreidae) were isolated and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and NMR. The predominant compounds isolated from the nymph mesquite bugs during a simulated predator encounter were (E)-2-hexenal and 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal. In adults, the major compounds released during a simulated predator encounter were hexyl acetate, hexanal, and hexanol. Results from predator bioassays suggest the nymph compounds are more effective at deterring an insect predator than the adult compounds. By using behavioral bioassays, we determined the role of each individual compound in signaling to other mesquite bugs. The presence of the nymph secretion near a usually compact nymph aggregation caused nymph mesquite bugs to disperse but did not affect adults. Conversely, the presence of the adult secretion caused the usually loose adult aggregation to disperse, but it did not affect nymph aggregation. The compounds that elicited nymph behavioral responses were (E)-2-hexenal and 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal, while those that elicited adult behavioral responses were hexyl acetate and hexanal. The differences between the chemical composition of nymph and adult defensive secretions and alarm behavior are possibly due to differences in predator guilds.
Resonance of the one-dimensional electron transmission above a quantum well with dissipation.

We study electron transmission above a quantum well considering the capture effect into a bound state in a quantum well due to dissipation. Our calculation shows a remakable resonance appears when the incident energy nears {omega} above the bound state, with {omega} the phonon (photon) energy, no matter how weak dissipation is.
SOME EFFECTS OF ANDROGENIC SUBSTANCES IN THE RAT.

Some effects of androgenic substances in the rat are discussed. The effect of male hormone extracts on the testes of hypophysectomized rats was studied. The results indicated not only that the sperm possessed the capacity for fertilization but also that male hormone extracts can restore libido in hypophysectomized animals. The effect of synthetic androgenic substances on the hypophysis mammary gland and uterus was studied in spayed rats. Androsterone androstanediol or androstenedione was injected into spayed virgin rats (.5 of 1 mg/day) fo r 30 days beginning the day after ovariectomy. 1 mg androstanediol and androstenedione suppressed the castration changes in the hypophysis and induced degranulation 1 mg androsterone partially prevented castration changes and androstenediol revealed no effect. 1 mg of androstanediol showed a remarkable proliferation of the mammary glands 1 mg androstenedione was similar but less so and androsterone revealed no effect. 1 mg androstanediol caused an increase in uteri-connective tissue and smooth muscle androstenedione caused slight stimulation and androsterone revealed no effect.
Improved System Understanding by Similarities and Analogies

A set of definitions of system engineering concepts is the point of departure of this paper. Those definitions are generic and cover system and its life cycle, the system engineering discipline and the system engineering process. A system engineer must be able to analyze and understand systems, first on a conceptual level that is independent of technology, i.e., a technology free functional analysis. More detailed knowledge and deeper insight into a concrete technology are required later. The system engineer must be able to move from one system project to another, sometimes with entirely different technologies and requirements. The paper points to a need for greater flexibility and easier adaptability on the part of the system engineer. This means that the knowledge base and professional tool box of the system engineer must meet this requirement also. A way this requirement can be met is by system similarity and the principle of analogy between functional principles.
Acute toxicity of a synthetic oil, aniline and phenol to laboratory and natural populations of chironomid (diptera) larvae

Abstract The acute toxicity of a water-soluble fraction of a coal-derived oil and two of its components, aniline and phenol, to larvae of four chironomid species was determined in 48-h bioassays. Three species, Clinotanypus pinguis, Einfeldia natchitocheae and Tanypus neopunctipennis , were collected from natural populations and the fourth, Chironomus tentans , was reared in laboratory culture. Bioassay data were examined using weighted least squares and probit analyses. The LC 50 values calculated from regression equations for the water-soluble fraction ranged from 1·1% for E. natchitocheae to 2·0% for C. pinguis ; for aniline, 287 mg litre −1 for T. neopunctipennis to 442 mg litre −1 for E. natchitocheae ; and for phenol, 73 mg litre −1 for T. neopunctipennis to 187 mg litre −1 for C. tentans . Comparisons from sensitivity analyses revealed that the closer the taxonomic relationship between species, the more similar the response to a given toxicant. The data suggest that the laboratory population may be representative of natural midge populations in bioassays.
A study of drug detection in a postmortem pediatric population.

At The Office of the Cuyahoga County Coroner (CCCO), Cleveland, Ohio, it is customary to perform an autopsy and conduct toxicological testing on decedents less than 19 years of age. This study provides a retrospective evaluation of drugs detected in a pediatric postmortem population between the years 1998 and 2002 (n = 730). Demographic information, cause and manner of death, and toxicological results were examined. Blacks comprised 54% of cases, males 59%, and 48% were less than one year of age or stillborn. Forty-two percent of deaths were ruled natural, 27% accident, 13% undetermined, 5% suicide, and 2% homicide. Of the 640 cases subjected to comprehensive testing, 38% of the cases were positive for at least one compound. Resuscitative/treatment drugs were detected most frequently (56% of positive results), followed by illicit drugs (26%), ethanol (11%), carbon monoxide (8%), and antihistamines (6%). Eighty-seven cases contained more than one drug. The deaths of 47 individuals were drug related (6%). In this population, it is recommended that illicit drugs and ethanol are targeted for testing, especially when limited specimens are available for analysis. Language: en
Evidence for the Implication of Phosphoinositol Signal Transduction in μ‐Opioid Inhibition of DNA Synthesis

: An opioid receptor agonist, [D-Ala2, Me-Phe4, Glyol5]enkephalin (DAMGE), decreased [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA of fetal rat brain cell aggregates. This action proved to depend on the dose of this enkephalin analog and the interval the aggregates were maintained in culture. The opioid antagonist naltrexone and the μ-specific antagonist cyclic D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr amide (CTOP) reversed the DAMGE effect, arguing for a receptor-mediated mechanism. The μ-opioid nature of this receptor was further established by inhibiting DNA synthesis with the highly μ-selective agonist morphiceptin and blocking its action with CTOP. Several other opioids, pertussis toxin, and LiCl also diminished DNA synthesis, whereas cholera toxin elicited a modest increase. Naltrexone completely reversed the inhibition elicited by the combination of DAMGE and low doses of LiCl but not by that of high levels of LiCl alone. The enkephalin analog also reduced basal [3H]inositol trisphosphate and glutamate stimulated [3H]inositol monophosphate and [3H]inositol bisphosphate accumulation in the aggregates. These DAMGE effects were reversed by naltrexone and were temporally correlated with the inhibition of DNA synthesis. A selective protein kinase C inhibitor, chelerythrine, also in hibited thymidine incorporation dose-dependently. The effect of DAMGE was not additive in the presence of chelerythrine but appeared to be consistent with their actions being mediated via a common signaling pathway. These results suggest the involvement of the phosphoinositol signal transduction system in the modulation of thymidine incorporation into DNA by DAMGE.
Equilibrium Analysis of Aggregation Behavior in the Solvent Extraction of Cu(II) from Sulfuric Acid by Didodecylnaphthalene Sulfonic Acid

Abstract By use of the principles of equilibrium analysis, the liquid-liquid cation exchange of Cu(II) from aqueous sulfuric acid at 25°C by didodecylnaphthalenesulfonic acid (HDDNS) in toluene may be understood in terms of small hydrated aggregated species in the organic phase. Extraction data have been measured as a function of organic-phase HDDNS molarity (1.0 × 10−4 to 1.0 × 10−1), aqueous copper(II) sulfate molarity (1.2 × 10−8 to 1.3 × 10−2), and aqueous sulfuric acid molarity (0.03 to 6.0). Graphical analysis of linear regions of the data support a model in which organic-phase aggregates of HDDNS function by cation exchange to incorporate Cu(II) ions with no apparent change in aggregation number at low loading. Supporting FTIR spectra and water-content measurements of HDDNS solutions in toluene show that the HDDNS aggregates are highly hydrated. By use of the computer program SXLSQA, a comprehensive equilibrium model was developed with inclusion of activity effects. Aqueous-phase activity coefficie...
Pregnancy gingivitis and causal inference.

The PubMed and Embase databases were searched together with hand searching of the Journal of Periodontology, Journal of Periodontal Research and Journal of Clinical Periodontology. The reference lists of identified articles were also searched. Prospective cohort or cross-sectional studies assessing the effect of pregnancy on gingival inflammation evaluated by the gingival index and/or bleeding on probing were included. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS). Study assessment and data extraction were carried out independently by two reviewers, with disputes resolved by a third reviewer. Mean values of primary and secondary outcomes were directly pooled and analysed with weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), considering independently each study design (cohort and cross-sectional). Study specific estimates were pooled with both the fixed- and random-effect models. Forty-four articles representing 33 studies (14 cohort and 19 cross-sectional) were included. Meta-analyses revealed a significantly lower GI in pregnant women in the first term compared with those in their second or third term of pregnancy; a lower mean GI score in post-partum women compared with women in their second [WMD = 0.143; 95% CI (0.031; 0.255); p = 0.012] or third term [WMD = 0.256; 95% CI (0.151; 0.360); p < 0.001] of pregnancy, when considering cohort studies; non-pregnant women had lower mean GI values than women in their second or third term of pregnancy. Small changes in plaque levels were reported. The results of this systematic review confirm that gingival inflammation is significantly increased throughout pregnancy and when comparing pregnant versus post-partum or non-pregnant women, without a concomitant increase in plaque levels. However, this information should be considered with caution, due to the small number of studies included in the meta-analyses, the low quality of the included studies, differences in study design, absence of a periodontal diagnosis at baseline and performance of periodontal treatment in some cases. No conclusions could be drawn regarding secondary outcomes such as microbiological, immunological and patient-centred data, because no meta-analyses were possible for these factors. Future studies with higher quality should be designed to answer these questions.
Evolution and ontogeny of neural circuits

Recent studies on neural pathways in a broad spectrum of vertebrates suggest that, in addition to migration and an increase in the number of certain select neurons, a significant aspect of neural evolution is a “parcellation” (segregation-isolation) process that involves the loss of selected connections by the new aggregates. A similar process occurs during ontogenetic development. These findings suggest that in many neuronal systems axons do not invade unknown territories during evolutionary or ontogenetic development but follow in their ancestors' paths to their ancestral targets; if the connection is later lost, it reflects the specialization of the circuitry.The pattern of interspecific variability suggests (1) that overlap of circuits is a more common feature in primitive (generalized) than in specialized brain organizations and (2) that most projections, such as the retinal, thalamotelencephalic, corticotectal, and tectal efferent ones, were bilateral in the primitive condition. Specialization of these systems in some vertebrate groups has involved the selective loss of connections, resulting in greater isolation of functions. The parcellation process may also play an important role in cell diversification.The parcellation process as described here is thought to be one of several underlying mechanisms of evolutionary and ontogenetic differentiation.
Genic Heterozygosity and Protein Polymorphism among Local Populations of OENOTHERA BIENNIS

ABSTRACT Twenty enzyme loci were studied in 44 Illinois populations of Oenothera biennis; four were polymorphic. Most of the variation was distributed between populations. Fifty-nine percent of the populations had one genotype, 27% two genotypes and the remaining 16% from three to five genotypes; the average was 1.50. The proportion of genetic diversity present in single populations is.38 of that present in the state. Members of single populations were uniformly heterozygous for 1 to 4 loci. The mean heterozygosity per population ranged from 0 to 20%. For Illinois populations collectively, heterozygosity averaged 4.5%. There was much gene frequency heterogeneity between populations. The true standardized genetic variance among populations for alleles at polymorphic loci varied from.40 to.78. Populations from Cook County were much more similar inter se than those downstate, had fewer genotypes and polymorphic loci, and had less heterozygosity than downstate populations. The mean normalized genetic identity among Cook County populations was.987 versus.947 for downstate populations. The mean number of genotypes per population in Cook County was 1.06 versus 2.40 in downstate populations. There was only one polymorphic locus in Cook County, VLP. The genetic structure of Oe. biennis suggests that single populations are colonized by one, or at best a few individuals. Cook County populations are judged to be less variable than downstate populations because the mean age of the populations probably is less than that of those downstate.
Control of CNP homeostasis in herbivore consumers through differential assimilation.

Stoichiometric analysis recognizes that a herbivore is a mixture of multiple chemical elements, especially C, N, and P, that are fixed in various proportions. In the face of a variable quality food supply, herbivores must regulate ingested nutrients to maintain a homeostatic state. We develop a dynamic mathematical model, based on differential assimilation, that controls the C: N and C: P ratios in a herbivore within given tolerance ranges; the actual mathematical mechanism is to define the absorption coefficients to be dependent on these elemental ratios. The model inputs variable, time-dependent food and grazing rates and calculates the net dynamic consumer production (growth) of C, N, and P. It shows that total growth is equally sensitive to variations in both food quality and in assimilation rates, and it shows quantitatively how C-, N-, or P-limited growth could occur at different periods during the development period. The analysis generalizes earlier work limited to just two elements.
Hierarchical data visualization using a fast rectangle-packing algorithm

We present a technique for the representation of large-scale hierarchical data which aims to provide good overviews of complete structures and the content of the data in one display space. The technique represents the data by using nested rectangles. It first packs icons or thumbnails of the lowest-level data and then generates rectangular borders that enclose the packed data. It repeats the process of generating rectangles that enclose the lower-level rectangles until the highest-level rectangles are packed. We present two rectangle-packing algorithms for placing items of hierarchical data onto display spaces. The algorithms refer to Delaunay triangular meshes connecting the centers of rectangles to find gaps where rectangles can be placed. The first algorithm places rectangles where they do not overlap each other and where the extension of the layout area is minimal. The second algorithm places rectangles by referring to templates describing the ideal positions for nodes of input data. It places rectangles where they do not overlap each other and where the combination of the layout area and the distances between the positions described in the template and the actual positions is minimal. It can smoothly represent time-varying data by referring to templates that describe previous layout results. It is also suitable for semantics-based or design-based data layout by generating templates according to the semantics or design.
INEFFICIENT PRE-BARGAINING SEARCH

We identify conditions under which a bargainer makes inefficiently large (small) investments in search for information about the opponent’s reservation price. The analysis starts with the observation that a player will invest too much (too little) if the opponent’s expected payoff is decreasing (increasing) in the probability that the player gets information. We develop comparative static results about over- and under-investment as a function of the efficiency and distributional properties of mechanisms, their dependence on search outcomes, and the nature of the trading problem. The results do not depend on any specific bargaining mechanism and are illustrated in several examples.
Pseudophakic and Aphakic Retinal Detachment Mimicking Cystoid Macular Edema

Abstract Seventeen eyes of patients who were being followed by their ophthalmologists for aphakic (8 eyes) or pseudophakic (9 eyes) cystoid macular edema (CME) were examined on referral. All eyes showed retinal detachment (RD), and eight eyes had CME with RD. Most RDs were inferior and shallow. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) was noted in 15 eyes (88.2%). There was history of vitreous loss during the last intraocular surgery in 88.2% eyes. Visual acuity ranged from 20/40 to hand movements. Fundus view was hazy in most eyes, and indirect ophthalmoscopy was most useful in detecting RD. Retinal reattachment with scleral buckling and/or vitrectomy was achieved in 16 eyes (94.1 %). Postoperative visual recovery was jeopardized due to longstanding macular detachment of greater than 1 month in 11 eyes (64.7%). Eight eyes (47%) achieved 20/50 vision whereas 25% did not improve to better than 20/400. Factors leading to failure in making the correct diagnosis and their prevention are discussed.
Detection of broken rotor bars in induction motors using state and parameter estimation

The detection of broken rotor bars in induction motors is studied. The hypothesis on which detection is based is that the apparent rotor resistance of an induction motor will increase when a rotor bar breaks. Here, the apparent rotor resistance is that in the balanced steady-state single-phase electrical model of an induction motor. To detect broken rotor bars, measurements of stator voltage, stator current, stator excitation frequency, and rotor velocity are taken over a small range of velocity. These measurements are processed by a near least square error estimator to produce estimated motor states and parameters. In particular, rotor resistance is estimated and compared with its nominal value to detect broken rotor bars. As part of this estimation process, it is necessary to compensate for the thermal variation in rotor resistance. The broken rotor bar detector is evaluated experimentally using one stator and three rotors, one with a broken bar, from identical 3 hp induction motors. The estimated rotor resistance is clearly greater for the rotor with the broken bar. >
Design and Development of a Novel 3-D Cubic Antenna for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and RFID Applications

A novel miniaturized 3-D cubic antenna for use in a wireless sensor network (WSN) and RFIDs for environmental sensing is introduced. The antenna produces a truly omnidirectional pattern in both E-plane and H-plane, which allows for non-intermittent communication that is orientation independent. The frequency of operation lies in the UHF RFID band, 902 MHz-928 MHz (centered at 915 MHz). The ultra-compact cubic antenna has dimensions of 3 cm times 3 cm times 3 cm (27 cm3), which features a length dimension of lambda/11 . The cubic shape of the antenna allows for ldquosmartrdquo packaging, as sensor equipment may be easily integrated inside the cube's hollow (or Styrofoam-filled) interior. The prototype fabrication was performed on six (planar) sides on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate, and then folded into the cubic structure. The geometry of the design is inspired by the RFID inductively coupled meander line structures, which are folded around the sides of the cube. Due to the large number of freedom degrees, this antenna concept may be easily reconfigured for many values of impedances and design parameters. Experimental data verify the simulation results.