cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms subserving the bipotential actions of estrogen on ovarian cells: studies with a selective anti-estrogen, LY156758, and the sparingly metabolizable estrogen agonist, moxestrol.

Abstract Estrogen exerts biphasic effects on progesterone biosynthesis by swine granulosa cells, such that initial transient inhibition is followed by delayed but sustained stimulation. We have tested the functional role of the estradiol receptor in these biphasic responses by utilizing the highly selective estrogen-receptor antagonist, LY156758, and the synthetic estrogen agonist, moxestrol. The acute inhibitory action of estradiol was mimicked in a dose-dependent action by moxestrol (half-maximally inhibitory dose: 54.3 ± 25 ng/ml), but was not antagonized by LY156758. Rather, the antiestrogen alone significantly suppressed basal progesterone synthesis, and accentuated the suppressive effect of submaximally inhibitory doses of estradiol. Inhibition was accompanied by increased pregnenolone accumulation, with a consequently augmented ratio of pregnenolone to progesterone. Moreover, in cell-free sonieates of granulosa cells, LY156758 directly inhibited 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in a dose-dependent fashion, with half-maximal inhibition expressed at a drug concentration of 2.44 ± 0.31 μ g/ml compared with 85 ± 19 ng/ml for estradiol. In addition, the combination of LY156758 and submaximally inhibitory doses of estradiol resulted in further suppression of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. The sustained stimulatory phase of estrogen action was also mimicked by moxestrol in a dose-dependent fashion. However, in contrast to its acute inhibitory effects, longer-term treatment with LY156758 slightly enhanced basal progesterone accumulation, and effectively antagonized estradiol's stimulatory actions. In summary, our results with moxestrol demonstrate that both the inhibitory and the stimulatory actions of estradiol are effectively mimicked by this synthetic estrogen agonist. Results with the selective anti-estrogen LY156758 indicate a small degree of intrinsic estrogen agonist activity (approx 4% that of estradiol), which is reflected by its acute and direct inhibition of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. However, under longer-term conditions in which estradiol's stimulation of progesterone production is expressed, LY156758 significantly antagonizes estradiol's trophic actions. Accordingly, we suggest that the acute suppressive effects of estradiol on progesterone production are mediated predominantly by direct inhibition of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, while delayed stimulatory effects are transduced via estrogen-receptor mechanisms. We conclude that the disparate effects of estrogen on granulosa-cell progesterone biosynthesis are dissociable under in vitro conditions and expressed via distinct and separable mechanisms.
Theology as the Construction of Piety: A Critique of the Theology of Inculturation and the Pentecostalization of African Christianity

This essay argues that an important task of theology is the construction of piety. It draws from a few critical moments in the development of Christianity, such as the development of the doctrine of God and Christology in the early church and the rejection of materialistic Christianity in early modern Europe, to argue that these moments reflect the theological struggle to shape Christian piety. The idea that theology is concerned with the shaping of piety is then used to evaluate African theology of inculturation, which has now flowered in the Pentecostalization of African Christianity. It argues that although the theology of inculturation may be helpful in constructing a viable African theology, uncritically embracing the spiritualized cosmology of African traditional societies in salvific discourses promotes a form of piety that is ill-equipped to overcome the marginalization of the continent in the modern world.
Sparse complete Gabor systems on a lattice

It is well known that if a Gabor system G(Λ,g) is complete and Λ is a lattice then D(Λ)⩾1, where D(·) denotes the Beurling density. But what if Λ is a subset of a lattice but is not itself a lattice? We investigate this question here. We show that the upper Beurling density of Λ can be arbitrarily small, provided that the lattice containing Λ has density greater than 1. We conjecture that this cannot be done if the lattice has density exactly equal to 1.
Critical currents in sputtered Nb-Ta multilayers.

Critical-current measurements have been made on sputtered Nb-Ta multilayers for both perpendicular and parallel applied field. For large bilayer periods, the pinning force behaves as h(1-h) and is due to dislocation pinning. As the bilayer period decreases, the pinning force decreases and changes over to a collective mechanism. For parallel applied field, there is a lack of temperature scaling and an increase in the pinning force, which is due to pinning by the multilayering. A search for the existence of other effects is discussed.
The devil in the details: Non-convexities in ecosystem service provision

Standard economic theory is built on key assumptions regarding concavity and convexity, particular with respect to the production possibility frontier. Non-convexity is readily demonstrated using a two species conventional model. Now that ecosystem services are growing in prominence it is important to confirm that typical natural resource production relations obey these conditions. If not, innocently prescribing price or allocation policies can lead to a minimum rather than a maximum or to wrong equilibrium solutions in general. This is a particular danger in decentralized pricing systems.
Effect of upper respiratory tract infection on eustachian tube ventilatory function in the preschool child

A prospective tympanometric and microbiologic study of 28 pre-schoolchildren was undertaken to better define the effect of acute URI on induction of eustachian tube dysfunction. Significant negative middle ear pressure was present in 12.7% of tympanograms from well children. However, abnormal tympanograms were detected during 74.7% of acute URIs. The abnormality was present on day 1 or 2 of illness in the majority of cases; 10.1% of illnesses were complicated by OME. Respiratory viruses or Sp were etiologically implicated in 40.5% of illnesses; isolation rates of Pn and HF from well and ill children were similar. Although colonization of the nasopharynx of well children with Pn or HF was associated with a higher incidence of abnormal middle ear pressure, colonization with Pn or HF during URI did not influence the frequency of tympanogram abnormality.
The global epidemiology of diabetes mellitus.

Systematic studies of diabetes prevalence and incidence are now indicating the extent and impact of the disease and its complications. A major handicap in establishing a true global picture has been the lack of uniformity in defining and classifying diabetes, and an additional limiting factor has been the grouping of different types of diabetes in published prevalence data. It appears the prevalence of insulin dependent (Type 1) and non-insulin dependent (Type 2) diabetes varies between and within ethnic groups, e.g. rural versus urban dwellers, thus making it difficult to compare data from different countries. However, this fact provides unique opportunities to study the relative importance of genetic and environmental factors in the aetiology of diabetes and its micro- and macrovascular complications. Probably the most urgent needs have been the standardization of classification and criteria, and of epidemiological methodology. This paper will cover the epidemiology of diabetes in terms of the new WHO classification: Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus = Type 1. Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus = Type 2. Other types, e.g. pancreatic or tropical malnutrition, endocrine, drug induced, etc. The main forms of diabetes seen in developed countries are Types 1 and 2. They appear to be two distinct clinical entities, but the concept of genetic-environmental interaction in their causation is probably equally applicable. In developing countries, Type 2 diabetes appears to be the most common form, but tropical malnutrition diabetes also occurs in many regions of the globe.
Hypersensitivity: a neglected plant resistance mechanism against insect herbivores

Despite many examples of plants' hypersensitive reaction against pathogens, there are exceedingly few examples of hypersensitive reactions having any importance against insect herbivores. However, such plant defense mechanisms may be widespread among more sedentary insect herbivores. The examples in which a hypersensitive reaction was elicited against insect herbivores were against galling insects, bark beetles, adelgids, and siricids. The intimate and sessile interactions during insects' egg and larval stages may have selected more specific and more complex defenses, because of the greater and more varied opportunities that the host plant has for regulating the lives of its intimate associates. Thus, it is argued that the intimate association of these herbivores during egg and larval stages set the scenario for the evolution of this plant defense mechanism. The dearth of accepted examples of hypersensitive reaction against insect herbivores may not reflect its actual frequency and occurrence in nature. Further investigation on plants' hypersensitive reaction against insect herbivores may shed light on the ecology and evolution of insect-host plant association.
Low threshold, high power, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

By optimising mirror reflectivities, number of quantum wells, and mirror doping, record continuous wave (CW) output power levels and low threshold currents have been achieved. Broad area devices yielded > 12mW CW and > 500mW pulsed, 6 μn devices gave submilliampere threshold currents and output power > 1 mW and 10 μm devices showed output powers > 3mW with a threshold of 1.5mA.
Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectrometric Analysis of NBS Standard Reference Material 1571 Orchard Leaves After Oxidation and Borate Fusion

An automated borate fusion procedure was investigated as a sample preparation method, after removal of organic matter, for the analysis of seven elements in NBS Standard Reference Material 1571 Orchard Leaves by energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry. A 2.0 g sample was pretreated by oxidation with H2SO4—HNO3 acid mixture and the residue was fused with 6.5 g of lithium tetraborate in the conventional manner. Relative errors on the order of 2 to 10% were obtained for K, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Pb.
A time/structure based software reliability model

The past 20 years have seen the formulation of numerous analytical software reliability models for estimating the reliability growth of a software product. The predictions obtained by applying these models tend to be optimistic due to the inaccuracies in the operational profile, and saturation effect of testing. Incorporating knowledge gained about some structural attribute of the code, such as test coverage, into the timeddomain models can help alleviate this optimistic trend. In this paper we present an enhanced nondhomogeneous Poisson process (ENHPP) model which incorporates explicitly the timedvarying testdcoverage function in its analytical formulation, and provides for defective fault detection and test coverage during the testing and operational phases. It also allows for a time varying fault detection rate. The ENHPP model offers a unifying framework for all the previously reported finite failure NHPP models via test coverage. We also propose the logdlogistic coverage function which can capture an increasing/decreasing failure detection rate per fault, which cannot be accounted for by the previously reported finite failure NHPP models. We present a methodology based on the ENHPP model for reliability prediction earlier in the testing phase. Expressions for predictions in the operational phase of the software, software availability, and optimal software release times subject to various constraints such as cost, reliability, and availability are developed based on the ENHPP model. We also validate the ENHPP model based on four different coverage functions using five failure data sets.
A practical method for designing FIR digital filters in the complex domain

A new method is presented for the design of FIR fillers in the complex domain. The method converts the complex approximation problem into an equivalent real nonlinear optimization problem, which is solved by successive linearization using an effective geometrical linearization technique. The method converges rapidly, and the solution has a guaranteed accuracy. It also has the flexibility of allowing addition of extra constraints such as constant group delay constraints and transition-band magnitude overshoot constraints. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the method.
Multi-Modality in Girls' Game Disputes

This paper examines embodied procedures for producing disagreement turns in the midst of the children’s game of hopscotch. Turn shape, intonation, and body positioning are all critical to the construction of stance towards a player’s move in the game. In particular, in formulating a player’s move as ‘‘out’’ foul calls can state unambiguously, without doubt or delay that a violation has occurred. Turn initial tokens in disagreement turns include cries of ‘‘OUT!’’, negatives (‘‘No!’’), or response cries (nonlexicalized, discrete interjections such as ‘‘Ay!’’ or ‘‘Eh!’’). Players make use of pitch leaps, vowel lengthening, and dramatic contours (for example, LHL contours) to vocally highlight opposition in the turn preface. Whereas the normal pitch range of a speaker’s talk in ordinary conversation can be between 250 and 350 Hz, in opposition moves the pitch may be considerably higher, around 600 Hz. Affective stance is also displayed through gestures such as extended points towards the person who has committed the foul or the space where the foul occurred. Explanations or demonstrations (frequently embodied re-enactments of the player’s past move) constitute additional critical components of disagreement moves as they provide the grounds for the opposition. Disagreement moves and trajectories within children’s games provide demonstrations of the practices through which girls build and display themselves as agents in the constitution of their social order. Data for this study consists of videotaped interaction of working class fifth grade girls on the playground: second generation Mexican and Central Americans in Los Angeles, and African American Southern migrant children. Ethnic differences in the display
Simulating wind fields and snow redistribution using terrain-based parameters to model snow accumulation and melt over a semi-arid mountain catchment

In mountainous regions, wind plays a prominent role in determining snow accumulation patterns and turbulent heat exchanges, strongly affecting the timing and magnitude of snowmelt runoff. In this study, digital terrain analysis was employed to quantify aspects of the upwind topography related to wind shelter and exposure, to efficiently develop a distributed time-series of snow accumulation rates and wind speeds to force a distributed snow model. Parameters are presented that determined each grid cell's topographic exposure and potential for drift development relative to observed winds. Using meteorological data taken from both an exposed and a sheltered site in the Reynolds Mountain East watershed (0·38 km2) in southwestern Idaho, the terrain parameters were used to distribute rates of snow accumulation and wind speeds at an hourly time step for input to ISNOBAL, an energy and mass balance snow model. Model runs were initiated prior to the development of the seasonal snow cover and continued through complete meltout for the 1986 (precipitation 128% of average), 1987 (66%), and 1989 (108%) water years. A comprehensive dataset consisting of a time series of aerial photographs taken during meltout, measured runoff, and snow data from the sheltered meteorological site were used to validate the simulations. ISNOBAL forced with accumulation rates and wind fields generated from the applied terrain parameterizations accurately modelled the observed snow distribution (including the formation of drifts and scoured wind-exposed ridges) and snowmelt runoff for all three years of study. By contrast, ISNOBAL forced with spatially constant accumulation rates and wind speeds taken from the sheltered meteorological site, a typical snow-monitoring site, overestimated peak snowmelt inputs and tended to underestimate snowmelt inputs prior to the runoff peak. Published in 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Establishing an AC JOsephson Voltage Standard at NRC

NRC recently established an AC Josephson Voltage Standard (ACJVS) system based on a NIST pulse-driven Josephson-junction array. This paper describes the efforts undertaken at NRC and the experience that was gained. An experimental method of measuring corrections due to the probe leads is described and first results are reported.
Measuring Demand Factors Influencing Market Penetration and Buying Frequency for Flowers in the U.S.

The floriculture industry faces many challenges including increasing energy and input prices, seasonality of its products and international competition. To analyze floriculture demand, we estimate and use simulation analysis to decompose it into market penetration and buying frequency. Understanding what are the factors that influence non-buyers of floral products to become buyers, and the factors that influence current buyers to increase their expenditures on floral products is vital information that the industry can use to design specific programs targeting different demographic groups according to their specific preferences for flowers.
OBSERVATIONS OF CH4, C2H6, AND C2H2 IN THE STRATOSPHERE OF JUPITER

We have performed high-resolution spectral observations at mid-infrared wavelengths of CH4 (8.14 micrometers), C2H6 (12.16 micrometers), and C2H2 (13.45 micrometers) on Jupiter. These emission features probe the stratosphere of the planet and provide information on the carbon-based photochemical processes taking place in that region of the atmosphere. The observations were performed using our cryogenic echelle spectrometer CELESTE, in conjunction with the McMath-Pierce 1.5-m solar telescope between November 1994 and February 1995. We used the methane observations to derive the temperature profile of the jovian atmosphere in the 1-10 mbar region of the stratosphere. This profile was then used in conjunction with height-dependent mixing ratios of each hydrocarbon to determine global abundances for ethane and acetylene. The resulting mixing ratios are 3.9(+1.9)(-1.3) x 10(-6) for C2H6 (5 mbar pressure level), and 2.3 +/- 0.5 x 10(-8) for C2H2 (8 mbar pressure level), where the quoted uncertainties are derived from model variations in the temperature profile which match the methane observation uncertainties. c1998 Academic Press.
Comparative effectiveness of catheter salvage strategies for pediatric catheter-related bloodstream infections

Abstract Background Intravascular catheter salvage may be attempted in clinically suitable cases in pediatric patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of ethanol and hydrochloric acid (HCl) locks in achieving catheter salvage through decision-analysis modeling. Methods A Markov decision model was created to simulate catheter salvage using three management strategies: systemic antibiotics alone, antibiotics plus HCl lock, and antibiotics plus ethanol lock. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses were performed for all model variables. Infection control rates and recurrence rates for each strategy were derived from prospective institutional data and existing pediatric literature. Costs were derived from institutional charges. Results With antibiotics alone, 73% of patients would require line replacement within 100days, compared to only 31% and 19% of patients treated with HCl and ethanol lock, respectively. Incremental cost per additional catheter salvaged is $89 for HCl lock and $456 for ethanol lock. Superior efficacy of adjunct lock therapy is insensitive to changes in the anticipated duration of central access requirement and to clinically relevant variations in all model input variables. Conclusion HCl or ethanol locks are cost-effective adjuncts to systemic antibiotics for attempted catheter salvage in the setting of catheter-related bloodstream infections.
The Pseudo–Justinian “Oratio ad Graecos”

THE "Oratio ad Graecos" is to be found in the third volume of Otto's "Corpus Apologetarum Christianorum," and in Harnack's "Die pseudo-justinische Rede an die Griechen." 1 It represents itself as a defence for turning from the religion of the Greeks to the religion of the Logos, and presents its case most vigorously. The document opens with the traditional denunciation of the immoralities of the Greek gods and heroes, a purely Greek polemic which was begun at least as far back as Xenophanes. To this subject the author adds nothing, but presents an excellent epitome of the usual arguments. He then discusses the current way of living among the Greeks, and says that he rejected it with loathing; he justifies his opinion with a half-dozen vivid statements about Greek practices. From commenting upon the Greek religion and morality he turns in contrast to describe with equal pithiness the high moral and spiritual character of his new faith, exhorting his former associates to find the same peace and exaltation which the change has meant to him. The writer has remarkable power of going to the heart of what he discusses.
Development of a novel recessive genetic male sterility system for hybrid seed production in maize and other cross‐pollinating crops

We have developed a novel hybridization platform that utilizes nuclear male sterility to produce hybrids in maize and other cross-pollinating crops. A key component of this platform is a process termed Seed Production Technology (SPT). This process incorporates a transgenic SPT maintainer line capable of propagating nontransgenic nuclear male-sterile lines for use as female parents in hybrid production. The maize SPT maintainer line is a homozygous recessive male sterile transformed with a SPT construct containing (i) a complementary wild-type male fertility gene to restore fertility, (ii) an α-amylase gene to disrupt pollination and (iii) a seed colour marker gene. The sporophytic wild-type allele complements the recessive mutation, enabling the development of pollen grains, all of which carry the recessive allele but with only half carrying the SPT transgenes. Pollen grains with the SPT transgenes exhibit starch depletion resulting from expression of α-amylase and are unable to germinate. Pollen grains that do not carry the SPT transgenes are nontransgenic and are able to fertilize homozygous mutant plants, resulting in nontransgenic male-sterile progeny for use as female parents. Because transgenic SPT maintainer seeds express a red fluorescent protein, they can be detected and efficiently separated from seeds that do not contain the SPT transgenes by mechanical colour sorting. The SPT process has the potential to replace current approaches to pollen control in commercial maize hybrid seed production. It also has important applications for other cross-pollinating crops where it can unlock the potential for greater hybrid productivity through expanding the parental germplasm pool.
Forgiveness for intimate partner violence: The influence of victim and offender variables

We examined victim and offender correlates of forgiveness for intimate partner violence. Participants were from couples (132 women, 75 men) in which males were convicted of intimate partner violence and court-ordered into an intervention program. In women, empathy and general religiousness positively related to forgiveness, but attributions of blame were unrelated to forgiveness. Several dispositional variables in men were associated with forgiveness in women. Men who were more dominant were more likely to be forgiven, but men with more psychological problems were less likely to be forgiven. Many offender effects were mediated by women’s state empathy. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Polyimide Interlevel Insulation Process/Design Limitations

This paper describes a polyimide interlevel metal insulation process. The use of polyimide near high voltage devices can result in anomalous leakage in certain regions at elevated temperatures. The paper summarizes the reliability investigation on discrete devices fabricated with polyimide, as the interlevel material, as well as characterization data which support design criteria permitting the use of polyimide as an interlevel insulation material.
Functional distinctions between yeast TATA elements.

Abstract Although the yeast his3 promoter region contains two functional TATA elements, TR and TC, the GCN4 and GAL4 upstream activator proteins stimulate transcription only through TR. In combination with GAL4, an oligonucleotide containing the sequence TATAAA is fully sufficient for TR function, whereas almost all single-base-pair substitutions of this sequence abolish the ability of this element to activate transcription. Further analysis of these and other mutations of the TR element led to the following conclusions. First, sequences downstream of the TATAAA sequence are important for TR function. Second, a double mutant, TATTTA, can serve as a TR element even though the corresponding single mutation, TATTAA, is unable to do so. Third, three mutations have the novel property of being able to activate transcription in combination with GCN4 but not with GAL4; this finding suggests that activation by GCN4 and by GAL4 may not occur by identical mechanisms. From these observations, we address the question of whether there is a single TATA-binding factor required for the transcription of all genes.
Mantle-cell lymphoma

During the past decade, mantle-cell lymphoma has been established as a new disease entity. The normal counterparts of the cells forming this malignant lymphoma are found in the mantle zone of the lymph node, a thin layer surrounding the germinal follicles. These cells have small to medium-sized nuclei, are commonly indented or cleaved, and stain positively with CD5, CD20, cyclin D1, and FMC7 antibodies. Because of its morphological appearance and a resemblance to other low-grade lymphomas, many of which grow slowly, this lymphoma was initially thought to be an indolent tumour, but its natural course was not thoroughly investigated until the 1990s, when the BCL1 oncogene was identified as a marker for this disease. Mantle-cell lymphoma is a discrete entity, unrelated to small lymphocytic or small-cleaved-cell lymphomas.
The influence of oxytocin administration on responses to infant faces and potential moderation by OXTR genotype

Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that is associated with increases in social affiliative behaviors, particularly toward infants. However, no previous study has investigated healthy adults’ responses to infant faces following oxytocin administration. In addition, given that preliminary evidence suggests that a single-nucleotide polymorphism of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, rs53576, may influence behaviors associated with parental sensitivity, we assessed whether such responses vary according to OXTR rs53576 genotype. The present study assessed the effects of intranasally administered oxytocin and OXTR genotype on human adults’ preferences for infant faces. A double-blind, between-groups design was used, with 57 genotyped volunteers randomly assigned to receive intranasally administered oxytocin or placebo. Fifty minutes following the administration of oxytocin or placebo, participants viewed infants’ and adults’ faces showing neutral expressions and assessed how appealing they found each face. Infants’ faces were more strongly preferred following oxytocin inhalation relative to placebo. When participants were separated according to genotype, this effect was only observed for participants homozygous for the rs53576G allele. Parallel effects were not seen for adults’ faces. The present results are consistent with the hypothesis that acute oxytocin administration increases sensitivity to reward-relevant features of infants and/or reduces sensitivity to their aversive properties. The results are also consistent with suggestions of more efficient oxytocinergic function in rs53576G homozygotes.
Comparison of Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation in Ganglia In Vivo and in Explants Demonstrates Quantitative and Qualitative Differences

The in vivo ganglionic environment directs the latent herpes simplex virus transcriptional program. Since stress-driven perturbations in sensory neurons are thought to play a critical role in the transition from latency to reactivation, a primary concern in the selection of a valid model of the molecular interactions leading to reactivation is the faithful recapitulation of these environments. In this study reactivation of latently infected ganglia excised and cultured in vitro (explanted) is compared to reactivation occurring in latently infected ganglia in vivo following hyperthermic stress. Three notable points emerged. (i) Neurons in explanted ganglia exhibited marked morphological changes within 2 to 3 h postexplant. DNA fragmentation in neuronal nuclei was detected at 3 h, and atypical expression of cell cycle- and stress-regulated proteins such as geminin, cdk2, cdk4, and cytochrome c became apparent at 2 to 48 h. These changes were associated with axotomy and explant and not with the initiation or progression of reactivation and were not observed in ganglia following in vivo hyperthermic stress. (ii) Despite these differences, during the first 22 h primary reactivation events were restricted to a very small number of neurons in vivo and in explanted ganglia. This suggests that at any given time only a few latently infected neurons are competent to reactivate or that the probability of reactivation occurring in any particular neuron is very low. Importantly, the marked changes detected in explanted ganglia were not correlated with increased reactivation, demonstrating that these changes were not associated with the reactivation process per se. (iii) Secondary spread of virus was evident in explanted ganglia within 36 h, an event not observed in vivo. We conclude that explant reactivation may provide an ancillary system for selected studies of the early events in reactivation. However, clear signs of neuronal degeneration within 2 to 3 h postexplant indicate that these ganglia are undergoing major physiological changes not associated with the reactivation process. This ongoing neurodegeneration could alter even the early virus-host interactions in reactivation, and thus caution in the extrapolation of results obtained in explants to the in vivo interactions initiating reactivation is warranted.
Sociology and Biology: What Biology Do Sociologists Need to Know?

L'injonction durkheimienne qui affirme que l'on ne doit rechercher les causes des faits sociaux qu'a partir de causes sociales antecedentes semble interdire la prise en compte des facteurs biologiques qui peuvent intervenir dans la production de ces memes phenomenes sociaux. L'A. estime que les facteurs biologiques peuvent etre integres aux modeles traditionnels developpes par la sociologie. Cependant cette approche necessite de la part des sociologues qu'ils incorporent a leur cadre de pensee un certain nombre de connaissances, de paradigmes, d'explications elaborees par les biologistes. Tous ces enseignements constituent des apports indeniables pour comprendre un certain nombre de comportements important dans le cadre de la discipline. Il montre, sur ce point, l'importance de la theorie de l'evolution, de la genetique comportementale et de l'endocrinologie comportementale
SEMINAL VESICLE ASPIRATION IN SPINAL CORD INJURED MEN: INSIGHT INTO POOR SPERM QUALITY

Purpose:: In men with spinal cord injury poor quality semen is seen when performing electroejaculation and penile vibratory stimulation. We determined whether sperm stasis within the seminal vesicles is a potential cause of this problem.Materials and Methods:: Seminal vesicle aspiration was performed immediately before electroejaculation or penile vibratory stimulation in men with aspermia secondary to spinal cord injury. Sperm count and quality of seminal vesicle aspiration and subsequent ejaculation were compared with historical ejaculated counts, ultrasound findings and patient characteristics.Results:: Mean total number of right plus left seminal vesicle sperm plus or minus standard deviation was 511 ± 960 × 166. Mean total number of sperm obtained by seminal vesicle plus electroejaculation or penile vibratory stimulation was 918 ± 1,261 × 106. Average motility and viability of the seminal vesicle aspirated sperm were 1.3 and 3.2%, respectively. Average motility of the ejaculated sperm was 26.4% after...
RADIATION DAMAGE EFFECTS IN FERROELECTRIC LiTaO3 SINGLE CRYSTALS

Z-cut lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) ferroelectric single crystals were irradiated with 200 keV Art ions. LiTaO3 possesses a structure that is a derivative of the corundum (A1 20 3) crystal structure. A systematic study of the radiation damage accumulation rate as a function of ion dose was performed using ion-beam channeling experiments. An ion fluence of 2.501018 Ar 2 + 2 was sufficient to amorphize the irradiated volume of a LiTaO3 crystal at an irradiation temperature of -120K. This represents a rather exceptional susceptibility to ion-induced amorphization, which may be related to a highly disparate rate of knock-on of constituent lattice ions, due to the large mass difference between the Li and Ta cations. We also observed that the c end of the ferroelectric polarization exhibits slightly higher ion dechanneling along with an apparent greater susceptibility to radiation damage, as compared to the c' end of the polarization.
beta-mercaptoethanol enhances blastocyst formation rate of bovine in vitro-matured/in vitro-fertilized embryos.

The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of 13-mercaptoethanol (-ME) and fetal bovine serum (FBS) on in vitro development of bovine embryos derived from oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro and to examine the mechanism through which 13-ME may influence embryo development. A 2 x 2 factorial treatment arrangement was used to evaluate the effect of 0 or 100 LM 3-ME and 0% or 10% FBS on embryos cultured in Medium 199 (M199) in the absence of somatic cells. Embryos were randomly allocated within stage of development (< 8 cells or 8-16 cells) to one of four treatment combinations and were cultured for 6 days. Both 13-ME and FBS promoted increased (p < 0.01) development of embryos to the blastocyst stage, and their effects were greater (p < 0.01) in 8- to 16-cell embryos than in embryos having fewer than 8 cells at the initiation of treatment. The cysteine and cystine content of M199, with and without 13-ME, were determined by HPLC. Medium supplemented with 13-ME contained neither cysteine nor cystine, and it is suggested that these compounds were converted into a mixed disulfide between cysteine and PI-ME. These results indicate that 1-ME is capable of enhancing bovine embryo development in a cell-free, serum-free culture system.
The Michelle Obama influence: an exploration of the first lady’s fashion, style, and impact on women

Given keen national interest in the fashion sense of First Lady Michelle Obama, few studies have examined the appeal of the first lady’s style and if her example influences women to modify their styles and shopping behaviors. To address this paucity in the research, the purpose of this study was to explore the impact of Michelle Obama’s apparel choices on women. To address this purpose, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who follow Michelle Obama’s fashion and rated her style as appealing. Qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed three themes: (1) relating through authenticity, (2) permission to defy norms, and (3) brands and the impression of endorsement. Findings reveal that Michelle Obama’s apparel choices make her relatable to everyday women. Participants noted that the first lady’s fashion choices gave them permission to challenge fashion norms for women, and adjust their personal styles. Lastly, several retail brands were thought of more positively by participants, given Michelle Obama’s implied endorsement.
Reliability of Ultrasound Imaging Measures of Transverse Abdominis and Lumbar Multifidus in Various Positions

Abstract Objective To determine the reliability of measurement of muscle activation via ultrasound imaging measures of the transverse abdominis (TrA) and lumbar multifidus (LM) in tabletop, seated, standing, and walking conditions. Design Descriptive laboratory study. Setting University research laboratory. Participants Sixteen healthy participants (age, 20.4 ± 1.8 years; height, 167.7 ± 9.0 cm; mass, 65.1 ± 10.8 kg). Interventions None. Main Outcome Measurements The activation ratio (AR) of TrA and LM and preferential activation ratio of TrA in tabletop, seated, standing, and walking positions were assessed by the same examiner during 2 ultrasound imaging sessions 24-72 hours apart. Statistical analysis included determination of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) using analysis of variance for each muscle and position between sessions. Results Excellent reliability was found in TrA AR between sessions for healthy participants in the tabletop position (ICC 3,k = 0.903), and acceptable to excellent reliability was found in seated (ICC 3,k = 0.613), standing (ICC 3,k = 0.553), and walking (ICC 3,k = 0.737) positions. LM AR was fair in the tabletop position for these participants (ICC 3,k = 0.264). The preferential activation ratio for healthy participants was substantially reliable in tabletop and seated positions (ICC 3,k = 0.668, 0.684) and showed fair reliability for walking (ICC 3,k = 0.455). Conclusions Ultrasound imaging is a reliable method of measuring muscle thickness across multiple positions in healthy persons. This measure may be used to compare abdominal muscle thickness across populations or after interventions. LM AR was only found to be reliable in the tabletop position.
Abstract 11215: Exercise Influences Penetrance and Outcomes in Family Members of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy Patients Carrying a Pathogenic Desmosomal Mutation

Background: Endurance exercise is associated with adverse arrhythmic outcomes and development of heart failure in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C)-associated desmosomal mutation carriers. However studies comparing exercise participation in family members with desmosomal mutations are lacking. Methods: Structured exercise interviews were performed focusing on duration, intensity and timing among ten families with 37 patients (9 probands, 28 family members) carrying a pathogenic plakophilin (PKP2) mutation. Exercise was classified based on 36th Bethesda Conference into endurance/dynamic sports and static sports. Baseline characteristics, non-invasive and invasive clinical data, family history data and occurrence of ventricular tachycardia/appropriate defibrillator intervention (VT/VF) were collected. Results: Exercise duration (hours/year) at last follow up was highest among probands. Family members meeting 2010 Task Force Criteria [TFC] had significantly higher exercise du...
Web application prototype: State-of-art survey evaluation

Human Computer Interactivity plays a vital role in a web application's success. A survey evaluation was undertaken of a web application prototype named "My Portfolio", directed towards the students of different universities. The aim of the survey was to find the shortcomings in the interface design, whether it followed the design principles and if the web application is user-friendly. A questionnaire, consisting of 16 questions was distributed among the students. The questions were made after studying some basic Human Computer Interaction design principles. The overall assessment of the web application was very positive and some evaluators mentioned that they liked the simplicity and color scheme of the application. We summarize the findings of our study and discuss the issues that need to be resolved in the next prototype.
Scene Classification Using External Knowledge Source

In this paper, we introduce a model for scene category recognition using metadata of labeled training dataset. We define a measurement of object-scene relevance and apply it to scene category classification to increase coherence of objects in classification and annotation tasks. We show how our context-based extension of supervised Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model increases recognition accuracy when feature mix is influenced by our relevancy score. We demonstrate that the proposed approach performs well on LabelMe dataset. Comparison between our purposed approach and state of art semi-supervised clustering algorithms using labeled data shows effectiveness of our approach in interpretation of scenes.
Experimental study of instability in a random laser with immobile scatterers

Pulse-to-pulse instability in the emission from a random laser based on Nd:Sc${}_{3}$(BO${}_{3}$)${}_{4}$ ceramic with immobile scatterers was studied below, at, and above the stimulated emission threshold ${P}_{\mathrm{th}}$. The correlation between pumping and emission intensities was found to be surprisingly low, especially in the vicinity of the lasing threshold. When the sample was excited by reasonably stable (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5$%$) pumping pulses, a strong fluctuation of output intensities was observed in the range of pumping energies ${P}_{\mathrm{th}}$/2 $P$ 2${P}_{\mathrm{th}}$---the range in which the L\'evy statistics of emission fluctuations has been predicted in random lasers. We thus report on experimental evidence of the L\'evy statistics in a random laser with firmly fixed scatterers.
Hypertensive factor in different models of experimental hypertension.

AbstractA hypertensive factor (HF), isolated from rat erythrocytes, has been shown to stimulate in vitro calcium uptake in aortic rings and to elevate blood pressure when injected into normotensive rats. In the present study, we investigated tissue responsiveness to HF in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), 2-kidney, 1-clip renovascular hypertensive rats and uninephrectomized rats that were given water or saline to drink or that were treated with DOCA and given water or saline to drink (DOCA-salt). Tissue responsiveness was determined by incubating aortic rings from the rats in the different groups with a constant amount of HF and measuring “lanthanum-resistant” calcium uptake. Tissue sensitivity to HF was greater in SHR than in WKY. In contrast, tissue sensitivity to HF was not enhanced in 2-kidney, 1-clip renovascular and DOCA-salt hypertensive rats relative to their appropriate controls.These results suggest that the increased tissue responsiveness to HF found in SHR is not ...
Pharmacoeconomic benefit of antibiotic step-down therapy: converting patients from intravenous ceftriaxone to oral cefpodoxime proxetil

Objective:To evaluate the economic benefit associated with the early conversion of therapy from intravenous ceftriaxone to the comparable oral third-generation cephalosporin, cefpodoxime proxetil.Design:Open-label, unblind, nonrandomized clinical trial.Setting:A 360-bed Veterans Affairs Medical Center.Patients:Forty patients who began receiving intravenous ceftriaxone for either a community-acquired pneumonia or a complicated urinary tract infection.Intervention:Twenty patients were selected, based on clinical assessment, to be converted from intravenous ceftriaxone to oral cefpodoxime proxetil. Twenty other comparable patients, who would have been appropriate for step-down therapy, did not receive pharmacy intervention and were used as a control group.Measurements:Both groups were assessed and compared for length of ceftriaxone therapy, length of oral follow-up therapy (if any), length of hospitalization, results of culture and sensitivity testing, treatment success and readmissions, and cost of respecti...
The Work versus Welfare Trade-Off: 2013 - An Analysis of the Total Level of Welfare Benefits by State

In 1995, the Cato Institute published a groundbreaking study, "The Work vs. Welfare Trade-Off", which estimated the value of the full package of welfare benefits available to a typical recipient in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It found that not only did the value of such benefits greatly exceed the poverty level but, because welfare benefits are tax-free, their dollar value was greater than the amount of take-home income a worker would receive from an entry-level job. Since then, many welfare programs have undergone significant change, including the 1996 welfare reform legislation that ended the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program and replaced it with the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. Accordingly, this paper examines the current welfare system in the same manner as the 1995 paper. Welfare benefits continue to outpace the income that most recipients can expect to earn from an entry-level job, and the balance between welfare and work may actually have grown worse in recent years. The current welfare system provides such a high level of benefits that it acts as a disincentive for work. Welfare currently pays more than a minimum-wage job in 35 states, even after accounting for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and in 13 states it pays more than $15 per hour. If Congress and state legislatures are serious about reducing welfare dependence and rewarding work, they should consider strengthening welfare work requirements, removing exemptions, and narrowing the definition of work. Moreover, states should consider ways to shrink the gap between the value of welfare and work by reducing current benefit levels and tightening eligibility requirements.
Preliminary analysis of the distribution of water in human hair by small-angle neutron scattering

Diffusion and distribution of water in hair can reveal the internal structure of hair that determines the penetration of various products used to treat hair. The distribution of water into different morphological components in unmodified hair, cuticle-free hair, and hair saturated with oil at various levels of humidity was examined using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) by substituting water with deuterium oxide (D(2)O). Infrared spectroscopy was used to follow hydrogen-deuterium exchange. Water present in hair gives basically two types of responses in SANS: (i) interference patterns, and (ii) central diffuse scattering (CDS) around the beam stop. The amount of water in the matrix between the intermediate filaments that gives rise to interference patterns remained essentially constant over the 50-98% humidity range without swelling this region of the fiber extensively. This observation suggests that a significant fraction of water in the hair, which contributes to the CDS, is likely located in a different morphological region of hair that is more like pores in a fibrous structure, which leads to significant additional swelling of the fiber. Comparison of the scattering of hair treated with oil shows that soybean oil, which diffuses less into hair, allows more water into hair than coconut oil. These preliminary results illustrate the utility of SANS for evaluating and understanding the diffusion of deuterated liquids into different morphological structures in hair.