cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Life philosophy and Life style

Two categories of values are distinguished by their psychological functions. Life philosophy values secure a person's sense of personal identity; they are held regardless of what anyone else thinks of his value choice. Life style values secure a person's sense of social identity; they are held precisely because of what others think of his value choice. People sometimes run together their legitimate need for securing each of these value domains. The result of this can be an eruption of either a social or personal identity crisis. People have paid especially too little attention to the idea of social identity crisis.
Neuropharmacogenetics and behavioral genetics

Genetic studies of neurotransmitter processes to date differ from most behavioral genetic studies in that the former have rarely considered individual variability, have tended to look only for single-gene effects, and generally have overlooked or ignored environmental influences. After examining these differences, we suggest that a rapprochement between the two fields will yield synergistic benefits in studies of the genetics of neuropharmacological processes as they affect behavior.
Navigating the Lead Laws/Rules/Standards for Renovation and Repair Activities: A Guide for Contractors and Laborers

Children and adults are often exposed to lead in homes as a result of deteriorating lead-based paint surfaces and any disturbance to those surfaces. There are a number of laws, regulations, standards and guidance documents in place aimed at minimization of lead dust contamination following renovation and repair activities. These laws and regulations are oftentimes confusing and conflicting for the maintenance contractor who has limited time and resources for researching the right and appropriate course of action. This paper provides a comprehensive review and discussion of the lead laws, regulations, standards and guidelines for contractors.
Optimization and mathematical modeling of the transtubular bioreactor for the production of monoclonal antibodies from a hybridoma cell line

This report describes the use of a transtubular bioreactor to study the relative effects of diffusion versus perfusion of medium on antibody production by a hybridoma cell line. The study was performed with a high-density cell culture maintained in a serum-free, low-protein medium for 77 days. It was determined that the reactor possessed a macro-mixing pattern residence time distribution similar to a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). However, due to the arrangement of the medium lines in the reactor, the flow patterns for nutrient distribution consist of largely independent medium path lengths ranging from short to long. When operated with cyclic, reversing, transtubular medium flow, some regions of the reactor (with short residence times) are more accessible to medium than others (with long residence times). From this standpoint, the reactor can be divided into three regions: a captive volume, which consists of medium primarily delivered via diffusion; a lapped volume, which provides nutrients through unilateral convection; and a swept volume, which operates through bilateral convection. The relative sizes of these three volumes were modified experimentally by changing the period over which the direction of medium flow was reversed from 15 min (larger captive volume) to 9 h (larger swept volume). The results suggest that antibody concentration increases as the size of the diffusion-limited (captive) volume is increased to a maximum at around 30 min with a sharp decrease thereafter. As reflected by changes in measured consumption of glucose and production of lactate, no significant difference in cellular metabolism occurred as the reactor was moved between these different states. These results indicate that the mode of operation of the transtubular bioreactor may influence antibody productivity under serum-free, low-protein conditions with minimal effects on cellular metabolism.
Angiotensin and bradykinin interactions with phospholipids

Abstract Reversible interactions were demonstrated between some phospholipids and some polypeptides related to angiotensin and bradykinin. The extent of the interaction was dependent on the structures of the lipid and peptide. The naturally occurring compounds that interacted most avidly were cardiolipin and (des-Asp1)-angiotensins. The apparent dissociation constant of this complex in chloroform was 10−5 M. The complex contained more than one cardiolipin molecule/molecule of peptide. Kinins interacted most strongly with lecithin. The phospholipids altered the chromatographic behavior of radioiodinated derivatives of the polypeptides, and solubilized radioactive and unlabeled polypeptides in chloroform. In aqueous media, cardiolipin suspensions preferentially bound (des-Asp1)-angiotensin II, and inhibited its binding by antibody. The interactions were sensitive to pH and cations in the aqueous phase, and were reversed by some reagents added to the organic phase. These interactions have direct implications for binding reactions of peptides in vitro, and may bear upon the actions of the hormones in vivo.
The Politics of Increasing Religious Diversity in China

China has seen a remarkable growth and pluralization of religious activity over the past thirty years, a development that has rapidly overtaken the incremental and sluggish changes in the relevant regulatory structures. In much of the country, the government has managed the mismatch between religious practice and official rules by governing with “one eye open and one eye closed,” that is, by pretending not to notice violations of the regulations as long as people pretend that they are following the rules. Comparative evidence suggests that such a mode of governance can be long-lasting and effective by encouraging groups to self-censor, by allowing space for contextual experimentation, and by stressing the acceptance of nominal convention over the control of behavior. This situation is likely to continue unless China adopts a new vision of the desired relation between state and society.
Friction-stir welding: microstructural characterization

The microstructures of friction-stir welded aluminum alloys (1100 and 6061) are dominated by dynamic recrystallization. Friction-stir welding of 6061 aluminum to copper produced a complex, intercalated microstructure which was also dominated by dynamic recrystallization. The friction-stir welding process is characterized by extreme plastic deformation in the solid state; there is no associated melting.
Wavelet CFAR detector for mass detection in mammography

We introduce a continuous scale wavelet detector for identifying masses in mammograms. Continuous-scale wavelet algorithms have been discussed in the past, however this is the first reported algorithm that uses a scaled version of the same mother wavelet at each scale of analysis. This single mother wavelet property leads to a simpler implementation and a more direct application of detection theory to recognition problems than traditional multiscale analysis. In addition, we show that a continuous-scale search is necessary for computer aided diagnosis of mammography since traditional solutions using dyadic scales either fail to detect some masses or signal too many false alarms. Our novel wavelet detector combines a wavelet formulation with the classical theory of constant false alarm rates detectors. Finally, we show that our algorithm is able to detect masses in actual mammograms that could not be seen using conventional windowing and leveling or other traditional methods of contrast enhancement.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Popcorn Problem: Sobel on evidential decision theory and deliberation-probability dynamics

I defend evidential decision theory and the theory of deliberation-probability dynamics from a recent criticism advanced by Jordan Howard Sobel. I argue that his alleged counterexample to the theories, called the ‘Popcorn Problem’ is not a genuine counterexample.
Structure of a northwest Atlantic Shelf macrofaunal assemblage with respect to seasonal variation in sediment nutritional quality

article i nfo We examined temporal variation in the relationship between benthic macrofaunal assemblage structure and sediment nutritional quality using core samples taken seasonally from a 232-m deep site in Wilkinson Basin, Gulf of Maine, from October 2003 through August 2004. The benthic assemblage was dominated by deposit- feeding polychaetes of the families Cirratulidae, Paraonidae, and Cossuridae. Assemblage composition and abundance remained relatively constant over the course of the study, despite seasonal changes in sediment nutritional quality. Constant seawater temperatures and/or relatively long species generation times may account for this pattern. Sediment depth-frequency distributions of cirratulid and paraonid polychaetes varied temporally and exhibited subsurface abundance peaks; depth-frequency distributions of cossurid polychaetes, in contrast, were temporally stable. Subsurface peaks of plant pigment concentrations matched those of the cirratulid and cossurid polychaetes, suggesting that these groups transport and cache recently deposited phytodetritus below the sediment surface. This subsurface caching may ameliorate the effects of a seasonally variable food supply, damping any seasonal response of the fauna. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Effect of Abomasal Infusion of Saliva on Reticular Motility and Ruminal Liquid Contents of Steers

Two Holstein and two Jersey steers with ruminal and abomasal cannulas were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment to test the effects of abomasal infusion of saliva on reticular contractions and on contents of the reticulorumen. Steers were fed a ration based on sorghum silage (58.3% DM) at 2-h intervals in 12 equal amounts at 1.25 times the maintenance requirement. Saliva was collected from eight esophageally fistulated steers, pooled, and stored frozen at -20 degrees C. Saliva was mixed with McDougall's buffer (0, 33.3, 66.7, or 100% saliva) and infused abomasally at a rate of 1.5 L/h for 3 h. Abomasal infusion of saliva resulted in linear decreases in ruminal liquid and DM contents. Ruminal dilution rate tended to be faster for infused steers as concentration of saliva increased. Frequency of reticular contractions increased linearly as saliva infusion increased. The influence of saliva infusion on duration of reticular contractions was complicated by inverse patterns of response for each separate phase of the reticular contraction. The first phase of the contraction was influenced by saliva infusion in a negative, quadratic manner; the second phase exhibited an opposite response pattern. A quadratic effect was evident for both amplitude and area of contractions, indicating that the contraction strength was decreased at the intermediate salivary infusion. Postruminal passage of saliva may influence ruminal digestive function by regulating reticular motility and digesta passage.
The "frustration effect" in operant studies: A necessary control procedure'

Reinforcements were randomly eliminated from one segment of a multiple chained schedule. The ensuing response facilitation was found to be no greater than the facilitation produced by chronic nonreinforcement, i.e., what is commonly observed as contrast effects. This finding differs from those found in discrete trial situations and suggests that caution should be exercised in using frustration theory to account for operant phenomena.
A synthetic peptide with sequence identity to the transmembrane protein GP41 of HIV-1 inhibits distinct lymphocyte activation pathways dependent on protein kinase C and intracellular calcium influx.

Abstract A synthetic peptide containing env amino acid (aa) sequence 581 to 597 of the transmembrane protein gp41 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was tested for its effect on protein kinase C (PKC) and cytoplasmic free Ca 2+ ([Ca 2+ ] i ) influx-dependent immune functions. We have previously shown that this peptide inhibits PKC-mediated phosphorylation and T-cell receptor-mediated [Ca 2+ ] i influx as well as lymphoproliferation. In this study we demonstrate that the HIV-1 gp41 peptide aa581–597 inhibits lymphoproliferation stimulated via the distinct T-cell-activation molecules CD3, CD2, and CD28, as well as direct stimulation mediated by phorbol ester combined with ionomycin. Further, aa581–597 inhibits both PKC-dependent interleukin 2 (IL 2) production and the [Ca 2+ ] i influx-dependent but PKC-independent induction of IL 2 receptor expression. The HIV-1 gp41 peptide also induces dramatic morphologic changes in lymphocytes, characterized by cytoplasmic ballooning and the acquisition of adherence to plastic, and these changes are dependent on both the length and the temperature of exposure. The results of this study suggest that the HIV-1 gp41 sequence aa581–597 acts at multiple sites to inhibit both PKC activity and [Ca 2+ ] i influx, resulting in the abrogation of several distinct immune functions that are critical for an intact immune response and are defective in HIV-1-infected individuals.
Effect of cortisol on the metabolism of glucose in eviscerated adrenalectomized-diabetic rats.

The effects of adrenalectomy and of cortisol on the utilization of glucose by the extrahepatic tissues were studied using eviscerated alloxan-diabetic rats. Changes in total body content of glucose were calculated from glucose concentrations in blood and urine at hourly intervals up to 6 hr after evisceration. Cortisol was given either at the time of evisceration or at various times (1–12 hr) beforehand. The results showed: 1) The decrease in total body glucose which follows evisceration of diabetic rats was considerably greater if the adrenals were removed. 2) Cortisol, given adrenalectomizeddiabetic animals immediately after evisceration, decreased this loss. Treatment for longer periods of time before evisceration resulted in progressively smaller falls in body glucose after evisceration. During the course of these studies it was also found unexpectedly that renal gluconeogenesis makes a significant contribution to the body glucose in diabetic rats after evisceration. Conclusions regarding possible eff...
Graft Polymerization of Acrylamide and 2-Acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic Acid onto Starch

Mixtures of acrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AASOsH) were graft polymerized onto starch by cobalt-60 irradiation, and the water absorbency and water solubility of the resulting products were determined. The conversion of monomers to polymer was nearly quantitative when pregelatinized wheat starch and a water solution of the two monomers were si­ multaneously irradiated (simultaneous irradiation conditions). Products with high \vater absorbency were obtained with equal weights of starch and total monomers when acrylamide:AASOsH ratios ranged from 9:1 to 1:3. Water solubility of these polymers was over 50%. Neither of the two monomers gave absorbent polymers when graft polymerized individually onto starch. Although highly absorbent products were also obtained at a total monomer:starch ratio of 2:5, ratios of 1:5 and lower gave products with poor absorbency. Neutralization of AASOsH with sodium hydroxide before graft polymerization drastically reduced both the water solubility and absorbency of the final products. A reaction with granular starch was also carried out under simultaneous irradiation with a total monomer:starch ratio of 2:5 and with equal weights of the two monomers. Conversion of monomers to polymer was once again nearly quantitative. To obtain good water absorbency from this granular product, it was necessary to first neutralize the AAS03H portion with alkali, then disperse the polymer in hot water, and finally dry the resulting water dispersion. Graft copolymers with good water absorbency were also obtained by adding preirradiated starch to a water solution of acrylamide and AAS03H, although only partial conversions of monomers to polymer were realized. Selected products from the various graft polymerizations were fractionated by extractiqn with either water or a 1% solution of sodium chloride. The synthetic polymer content of the resulting fractions and the percentage of AAS03H in the synthetic portion of each polymer were determined. The M n of some of the synthetic polymers was also determined after removal of carbohydrate by enzymatic hydrolysis.
Experimental argon laser thermal angioplasty as an adjunct to balloon angioplasty in peripheral arteriosclerotic disease.

Laser thermal recanalization has been used clinically as an adjunct to balloon angioplasty in the treatment of peripheral arteriosclerotic disease, with improved initial success rates in total peripheral occlusions and greater 1 yr vessel patency suggested, as compared to balloon angioplasty alone. However, the morphological effects of laser-assisted balloon angioplasty are unknown. Therefore the goals of the present study were to evaluate 1) the angiographic and nistologic effects of laser thermal recanalization followed by balloon angioplasty and 2) the hypothesis that balloon-catheter-induced neointimal fracture could be sealed by subsequent laser thermal angioplasty in an experimental rabbit iliac artery atherosclerotic model. In Group 1(7 vessels), a 1.5 mm metal capped argon laser fiberoptic was introduced via femoral arteriotomy and 10 W of thermal power was applied to the iliac artery stenosis for 5 sec while maintaining constant back-and-forth motion. Thereafter, balloon angioplasty was performed in the same vessel segment with a 2.5 mm balloon catheter inflated 3 times at 5 atm for 30 sec each. Mean angiographic luminal diameter increased from 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm after both procedures, and mean final post balloon dissection grade was 0.6 on a scale of 0,1 +, and 2 +. Perforation occurred once with the laser probe and once with the balloon catheter. Histologic examination of these vessels was characterized by irregular thermal erosions with minimal reactive thrombosis. In Group 2 (10 vessels), the sequence was reversed, with laser thermal angioplasty following balloon dilation. Mean angiographic luminal diameter improved from 1.2 mm to 1.8 mm after both procedures. The mean post laser thermal angioplasty dissection grade was 1.3, which was twice that of Group 1. Perforation occurred once with the balloon catheter and twice with the laser probe. In only 1 of the 10 vessels was there histologic evidence suggestive of neointimal sealing. In conclusion, laser thermal recanalization prior to balloon angioplasty appears to decrease the degree of angiographic dissection. Histologically, the thermal effect may be eccentric, and thrombosis appears to be limited. However, laser thermal sealing was not found to be feasible with the current 1.5 mm metal-capped fiberoptic after dilation with a 2.5 mm balloon catheter. This is possibly due to inadequate contact of the probe with the vessel wall. There may also be anincreased tendency towards laser probe perforation following the fracture and dissection which results from balloon dilation.
814-3 Effect of Estradiol-17β upon Coronary Arterial Reactivity to Acetylcholine in Men with Coronary Artery Disease

Estradiol-17β (E) has been shown to improve exercise-induced myocardial ischemia and reverse acetylcholine (ACh)-induced coronary constriction in female patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). To test this latter effect in men we studied the effect of intracoronary administration of E (2.5 μ g) in 7 male patients with proven CAD (mean age 52 years). All patients underwent measurements of coronary artery diameter and coronary blood flow at rest, after control infusion and after infusion of ACh 1.6 and 16 μ g per min, using quantitative angiography and intracoronary Doppler flowmetry. Infusions were performed before and 20 minutes after the intracoronary administration of E. Coronary artery diameter was similar after either control or estradiol-17 β (mean ± SD; 2.9 ± 0.6 vs 2.8 ± 0.5 mm respectively. P = NS). E had no effect on the ACh-induced coronary constriction (ACh 1.6 μ g per min; 2.7 ± 0.3 vs 2.7 ± 0.2 mm, P = NS; ACh 16 μ g per min; 2.6 ± 0.3 vs 2.6 ± 03 mm, P = NS; post E vs pre E respectively). Likewise, E had no effect on basal coronary blood flow compared to control (77 ± 11 vs 75 ± 10 mL/min respectively, P = NS). E had no effect on the ACh-induced changes in coronary blood flow (ACh 1.6 μg per min; 95 ± 19 vs 90 ± 22 mL/min, P = NS; ACh 16 μg per min; 142 ± 27 vs 137 ± 39 mL/min, P = NS, post vs pre E respectively) Estradiol-17 β does not appearto attenuate acetylcholine-induced coronary constriction nor enhance acetylcholine-induced coronary blood flow in male atherosclerotic coronary arteries in vivo . This is in contrast to the effect of estrogen in menopausal females. This suggests that the coronary vasculature reacts differently to estrogen in males and females
A bioeconomic model of an international fishery

Abstract The conventional analyses of exploited fisheries is extended to situations where several national fleets harvest the resource. Using a simple biological model, the dynamics of such a fishery are explored and the open-access equilibria described. The model highlights the mutual interdependencies of the several fishing fleets, which are of importance when considering management policies in a regime of extended national jurisdiction. Several alternatives for managing such fisheries are also discussed.
The electronic structure of two forms of molecular ammonia adsorbed on Pt(111)

Abstract Two states of ammonia adsorbed on Pt(111) at 100 K are distinguished by photoemission, work function, and thermal desorption measurements. Ammonia at low coverages (θ ⩽ 1 4 ), denoted α, orients as an inverted umbrella, bonds by transferring charge via its 3a 1 orbital, and increases its dipole moment to 2.0 D. High coverage β-NH 3 hydrogen-bonds to α-NH 3 .
Support for change in RPDE3

RPDE3 is a framework for building environments. Great emphasis has been placed on supporting changes of various kinds, such as extensions to existing environments and creation of new environments by adapting existing environments. We have a three-pronged approach to supporting change: (1) use of a central framework providing key services is a uniform fashion, (2) an extended object-oriented programming paradigm supporting fine-grained changes by addition of small code fragments, and (3) structured representation of program material facilitating sophisticated language-sensitive processing. RPDE3 has been used on a daily basis for its own development for about three years now, and during that time has undergone extensive change. This experience has indicated strongly that our approach to supporting change is effective, and has identified extensions to it that should make it more effective still. This paper describes the approach and, primarily, our experience.
On the growth of random knapsacks

Abstract We consider the problem of optimally filling a knapsack of fixed capacity by choosing from among a collection of n objects of randomly determined weight and value. Under very mild conditions on the common joint distribution of weight and value, we determine the asymptotic value of the optimal knapsack, for large n .
Modeling of the curing kinetics of no-flow underfill in flip-chip applications

No-flow underfill has greatly improved the production efficiency of flip-chip process. Due to its unique characteristics, including reaction latency, curing under solder reflow conditions and the desire for no post-cure, there is a need for a fundamental understanding of the curing process of no-flow underfill. Starting with a promising no-flow underfill formulation, this paper seeks to develop a systematic methodology to study and model the curing behavior of this underfill. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) is used to characterize the heat flow during curing under isothermal and temperature ramp conditions. A modified autocatalytic model is developed with temperature-dependent parameters. The degree of cure (DOC) is calculated; compared with DSC experiments, the model gives a good prediction of DOC under different curing conditions. The temperature of the printed wiring board (PWB) during solder reflow is measured using thermocouples and the evolution of DOC of the no-flow underfill during the reflow process is calculated. A stress rheometer is used to study the gelation of the underfill at different heating rates. Results show that at high curing temperature, the underfill gels at a lower DOC. Based on the kinetic model and the gelation study, the solder wetting behavior during the eutectic SnPb and lead-free SnAgCu reflow processes is predicted and confirmed by the solder wetting tests.
Deformation‐based nuclear morphometry: Capturing nuclear shape variation in HeLa cells

� Abstract The empirical characterization of nuclear shape distributions is an important unsolved problem with many applications in biology and medicine. Numerous genetic diseases and cancers have alterations in nuclear morphology, and methods for characterization of morphology could aid in both diagnoses and fundamental understanding of these disorders. Automated approaches have been used to measure features related to the size and shape of the cell nucleus, and statistical analysis of these features has often been performed assuming an underlying Euclidean (linear) vector space. We discuss the difficulties associated with the analysis of nuclear shape in light of the fact that shape spaces are nonlinear, and demonstrate methods for characterizing nuclear shapes and shape distributions based on spatial transformations that map one nucleus to another. By combining large deformation metric mapping with multidimensional scaling we offer a flexible approach for elucidating the intrinsic nonlinear degrees of freedom of a distribution of nuclear shapes. More specifically, we demonstrate approaches for nuclear shape interpolation and computation of mean nuclear shape. We also provide a method for estimating the number of free parameters that contribute to shape as well as an approach for visualizing most representative shape variations within a distribution of nuclei. The proposed methodology can be completely automated, is independent of the dimensionality of the images, and can handle complex shapes. Results obtained by analyzing two sets of images of HeLa cells are shown. In addition to identifying the modes of variation in normal HeLa nuclei, the effects of lamin A/C on nuclear morphology are quantitatively described. ' 2007 International Society for Analytical Cytology
Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of neighborhood characteristics with inflammatory markers: findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

We investigated cross-sectional associations of neighborhood deprivation, problems, safety and cohesion with circulating levels of fibrinogen, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (n=5370) and longitudinal associations with changes in IL-6 over a 3–4 year period (n=946). In cross-sectional analyses, higher levels of neighborhood deprivation and problems were associated with higher levels of all three inflammatory markers, whereas higher levels of safety were associated with lower levels. Fibrinogen remained associated with all neighborhood characteristics except cohesion and IL-6 remained associated with safety after adjustment for race and SES. In longitudinal analyses, higher levels of neighborhood deprivation and problems, and lower levels of safety were associated with greater longitudinal increases in IL-6 after adjustment for age, sex, race and SES. These findings were not substantially modified by further risk factor adjustment. Although findings regarding different inflammatory markers were mixed, the longitudinal results which are less limited by race confounding suggest that inflammatory pathways may contribute to neighborhood differences in cardiovascular disease risk.
Homeostatic and Hedonic Signals Interact in the Regulation of Food Intake

Food intake is regulated by 2 complementary drives: the homeostatic and hedonic pathways. The homeostatic pathway controls energy balance by increasing the motivation to eat following depletion of energy stores. In contrast, hedonic or reward-based regulation can override the homeostatic pathway during periods of relative energy abundance by increasing the desire to consume foods that are highly palatable. In contrast to the consumption of food, the motivation to use drugs of abuse is mediated only by the reward pathway. In this article we review the extensive research that has identified several mechanisms by which repeated exposure to drugs of abuse alters neuronal function and increases the motivational incentive to obtain and use these substances. We then compare our current understanding of drug-induced changes in neuronal reward circuitry with what is known about the consequences of repeated consumption of highly palatable foods such as high-fat and high-sugar diets. Next, we discuss the normal homeostatic regulation of food intake, which is a unique aspect of food addiction. Finally, we discuss the clinical implications of these neuronal adaptations in the context of obesity and neuropsychiatric syndromes such as bulimia nervosa and Prader-Willi syndrome.
High‐Temperature‐Resistant Ceramic Adhesives

Ceramic adhesives were developed for bonding metal in the operational range 500 to lOOO F. When glassybond adhesives were suitably prepared and properly applied to types 302 and 17-7 PH stainless-steel specimens, shear strengths of the order of 2000 psi were obtained at a test temperature of 8OO F, and shear strengths of more than 8OO psi were obtainad at l000 F. Factors affecting adhesive strength included thermalexpansion fit between ceramic adhesive and metal, metal or metallic oxide additions to the adhesive glass, and the use of metal screens of selected wire and mesh dimensions as carriers in the adhesive joint. The ceramic adhesive could be applied to a precipitation hardenable type of stainless steel during part of the precipitation hardening treatment, which included heating the metal for various times at temperatures up to 1750 F. (auth)
Cytology of the pars anterior of the bovine adenohypophysis

Selected samples from the pars anterior of 2 lactating cows, 2 normal calves, 3 thyroidectomized calves, and 12 heifers at different stages of the estrous cycle or in early pregnancy were examined by electron microscopy. Adjacent thick sections were differentially stained and routinely examined by light microscopy. Two acidophilic cell types were distinguished. One had granules with maximum diameters between 350 and 500 mμ. The other, containing granules with maximum diameters between 550 and 750 mμ, was frequently seen in lactating cows and midcycle or pregnant heifers. Basophilic cell types were not so clearly distinguishable. PAS-positive, Alcian bluenegative basophils were most frequently seen in proestrous heifers, but basophils with Alcian blue, PAS-positive granules were also present, and in some of these the granules were morphologically similar to those of the PAS-positive cell type. Globular bodies, morphologically similar to those reported in amphibia but negative for acid phosphatase, were routinely observed in some of the Alcian blue, PAS-positive basophils. The most significant change in estrous heifers and thyroidectomized calves was the development of large chromophobes with an extensive dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. It was not possible clearly to relate these chromophobes individual basophilic cell types.
Deleted interpolation and density sharing for continuous hidden Markov models

As one of the most powerful smoothing techniques, deleted interpolation has been widely used in both discrete and semi-continuous hidden Markov model (HMM) based speech recognition systems. For continuous HMMs, most smoothing techniques are carried out on the parameters themselves such as Gaussian mean or covariance parameters. HMMs this paper, we propose to smooth the probability density values instead of the parameters of continuous HMMs. This allows us to use most of the existing smoothing techniques for both discrete and continuous HMMs. We also point out that our deleted interpolation can be regarded as a parameter sharing technique. We further generalize this sharing to the probability density function (PDF) level, in which each PDF becomes a basic unit and can be freely shared across any Markov state. For a wide range of dictation experiments, deleted interpolation reduced the word error rate-by 11% to 23% over other simple parameter smoothing techniques like flooring. Generic PDF sharing further reduced the error rate by 3%.
The DOE-JGI Standard Operating Procedure for the Annotations of Microbial Genomes

The DOE-JGI Microbial Annotation Pipeline (DOE-JGI MAP) supports gene prediction and/or functional annotation of microbial genomes towards comparative analysis with the Integrated Microbial Genome (IMG) system. DOE-JGI MAP annotation is applied on nucleotide sequence datasets included in the IMG-ER (Expert Review) version of IMG via the IMG ER submission site. Users can submit the sequence datasets consisting of one or more contigs in a multi-fasta file. DOE-JGI MAP annotation includes prediction of protein coding and RNA genes, as well as repeats and assignment of product names to these genes.
Distance-scaled Force Biased Monte Carlo Simulation for Solutions containing a Strongly Interacting Solute

Abstract The force-biased extension of the Metropolis Monte Carlo method [1] improves convergence by sampling moves preferentially along the directions of force (and torque) [2]. For solvated systems it is particularly effective [3] when coupled with the preferential sampling scheme [4] that attempts to move solvents near the solute more frequently. However, in recent force-biased simulations of aqueous ionic solutions [5] some of the water molecules in the vicinity of the solute remained essentially stationary. Only significant reduction in the stepsize produced some accepted moves.
Implications of Land Use Changes on Carbon Dynamics and Sequestration—Evaluation from Forestry Datasets, India

Summary. Forests and soils are a major sink of carbon, and land use changes can affect the magnitude of above ground and below ground carbon stores and the net flux of carbon between the land and the atmosphere. Studies on methods for examining the future consequences of changes in patterns of land use change and carbon flux gains importance, as they provide different options for CO2 mitigation strategies. In this study, a simulation approach combining Markov chain processes and carbon pools for forests and soils has been implemented to study the carbon flows over a period of time. Markov chains have been computed by converting the land use change and forestry data of India from 1997 to 1999 into a matrix of conditional probabilities reflecting the changes from one class at time t to another class time t + 1. Results from Markov modeling suggested Indian forests as a potential sink for 0.94 Gt carbon, with an increase in dense forest area of about 75.93 Mha and decrease of about 3.4 Mha and 5.0 Mha in open and scrub forests, if similar land use changes that occurred during 1997–1999 would continue. The limiting probabilities suggested 34.27 percent as dense forest, 6.90 as open forest, 0.4 percent mangrove forest, 0.1 percent scrub and 58 percent as non-forest area. Although Indian forests are found to be a potential carbon sink, analysis of results from transition probabilities for different years till 2050 suggests that, the forests will continue to be a source of about 20.59 MtC to the atmosphere. The implications of these results in the context of increasing anthropogenic pressure on open and scrub forests and their contribution to carbon source from land use change and forestry sector are discussed. Some of the mitigation aspects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land use change and forestry sector in India are also reviewed in the study.
FUMIL-Fuzzy Multiple Instance Learning for early illness recognition in older adults

Many important applications in Health Sciences and Biology have underlying datasets that have ambiguous class membership, that is, individual labels are difficult to establish. In such cases, many times, the training examples are easier to label as a group rather than at the instance level. Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) is a supervised learning strategy that addresses this labeling difficulty by employing training example given as positive and negative bags of instances. In this paper we describe a fuzzy variation of the MIL Diverse Density framework (FUMIL) based on ordered weighted geometric operator (OWG) and fuzzy complement operators. We apply FUMIL for early illness recognition of elderly living alone in their home. The available data consists of wireless non-wearable sensor values aggregated at hour level (instance) and ground truth (medical data) available at day level (bag). In our preliminary experiments FUMIL performed better than the traditional MIL framework.
Effect of black tea extract on herpes simplex virus-1 infection of cultured cells

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if black tea extract (BTE), consisting primarily of flavanol compounds called theaflavins, could inhibit herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection in cultured A549 (human epithelial) and Vero cells. The effect of BTE both on A549 and Vero cultured cells and on HSV-1 was assessed by using phase contrast and fluorescent microscopy, and cell viability and proliferation assays. After establishing the maximum non-cytotoxic concentration of BTE, A549 and Vero cells and HSV-1 virions were treated with varying concentrations of BTE, respectively. A549 and Vero cells were infected with HSV-1 with green fluorescent protein (GFP) insert at the UL46 gene. The effect of infectivity was determined by viral DNA extraction followed by PCR, plaque assays, adsorption assays, and electrophoresis of PCR products. BTE was not cytotoxic to A549 and Vero cells, as confirmed by cell viability and proliferation assays, in which BTE treated groups paralleled the positive control group. For both cell lines, plaque assays and fluorescent microscopy indicated an inverse relationship between BTE concentration (from 0.14 μM – 1.4 mM) and HSV-1 infectivity. Specifically, PCR and electrophoresis showed a reduction in the viral genome following treatment with BTE. In addition, there was a noticeable decrease in the amount of viral plaques for BTE treated samples in the adsorption assays. BTE consisting primarily of theaflavins is not cytotoxic and can reduce or block the production of infectious HSV-1 virions in cultured A549 and Vero cells, thus inhibiting the infectivity of the virus by interfering in the attachment, penetration and viral DNA replication of HSV-1 particles. These findings indicate that BTE enriched with theaflavins has the potential to be developed as a safe, therapeutic antiviral agent to prevent the spread of HSV-1.
Painful diffuse osteosclerosis after intravenous drug abuse.

Abstract purpose: We identify a new syndrome of acquired painful diffuse osteosclerosis associated with past intravenous drug abuse in two adults. methods: A 28-year-old white woman and a 38-year-old black man with a history of non-A, non-B chronic active hepatitis were referred to us for increasing bone pain that was especially severe in their lower extremities. They were studied at our clinical research center. results: Skeletal radiographs documented progressive generalized osteosclerosis. Increased bone mass was confirmed by dual-energy radiography, and bone scintigraphy showed diffusely increased radionuclide accumulation. Serum biochemical studies revealed elevated alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin levels, mild to moderately increased 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and normal parathyroid hormone levels. In urine, hydroxyproline excretion was elevated, whereas calcium levels were reduced. Iliac crest histomorphometry showed increased rates of bone formation. Hematology, renal function, serum protein electrophoresis, and screening for fluorosis as well as vitamin A and heavy metal poisoning were all normal. Family histories were negative. Both patients were seropositive for antibody against hepatitis C virus as well as against Epstein-Barr virus (antiviral capsid antigen IgG but not IgM). Each subject was seronegative for cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 and 2, and human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) 1 and 2. Assay for reverse transcriptase in lymphocyte co-culture fluid and polymerase chain reaction studies using HIV-1 primers on peripheral monocyte DNA were negative. Treatment with synthetic salmon calcitonin in both individuals rapidly led to decreased bone pain and to a decline in biochemical parameters of accelerated bone turnover. conclusion: Painful diffuse osteosclerosis can follow intravenous drug abuse and is possibly caused by parenteral transmission of a virus that in some way stimulates bone formation.
Dynamo: amazon's highly available key-value store

Reliability at massive scale is one of the biggest challenges we face at Amazon.com, one of the largest e-commerce operations in the world; even the slightest outage has significant financial consequences and impacts customer trust. The Amazon.com platform, which provides services for many web sites worldwide, is implemented on top of an infrastructure of tens of thousands of servers and network components located in many datacenters around the world. At this scale, small and large components fail continuously and the way persistent state is managed in the face of these failures drives the reliability and scalability of the software systems.This paper presents the design and implementation of Dynamo, a highly available key-value storage system that some of Amazon's core services use to provide an "always-on" experience. To achieve this level of availability, Dynamo sacrifices consistency under certain failure scenarios. It makes extensive use of object versioning and application-assisted conflict resolution in a manner that provides a novel interface for developers to use.
Sandra Seaton's 'A Bed Made in Heaven'; Family, Race, and Law in Nineteenth-Century America

This essay seeks to enter into the imaginative understanding created by playwright Sandra Seaton in 'A Bed Made in Heaven', her play about Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, and the familial setting they shared with his children from his marriage with the deceased Martha Jefferson and Hemings’s blood relatives, especially her mother Elizabeth Hemings. Because Seaton creates a portrait of family connection, with foibles, outside pressures, and resentments, she allows a generous reading of Jefferson as a person. In her rendering, he is a man divided between deep loyalty to a family yet unwilling to defy the political force of public opinion. She presents his family debates, in which he asks family members to accept outside forces and insult as a given in their lives and to accept his split between his intimate racial ties and his public support for racist ideas and laws. The result is a generous reading of one family bond. The play does not offer a morally fraught, political and historical assessment of Jefferson as a bad or a good man. Rather, it traces the complex familial history of Americans living today in the legacy of unreadable connections across the pre-Civil War racial divide, many (most) made only of brutality, some of family compromise in a setting that implicates a member in injustice, and all clouded by the enslavement of women family members. Seaton strives to capture the family complexity in the close quarters of Monticello, a home crowded with memories, resentments, and clashing needs and pretensions.
Human Connexin Disorders of the Skin

(2001). Human Connexin Disorders of the Skin. Cell Communication & Adhesion: Vol. 8, No. 4-6, pp. 401-407.
Is the APOE ɛ4 Genotype Associated With Higher Hospital Costs Among Elderly Patients

OBJECTIVE The apolipoprotein ɛ4 (APOE ɛ4) genotype is associated with a number of adverse health outcomes. The authors assessed whether the ɛ4 genotype was associated with higher hospital costs on the basis of data from 1,999 white or black respondents to the Duke Established Population for Epidemiological Studies of the Elderly who consented to be genotyped in 1992–1993. METHODS They measured hospital costs, using the amount paid by Medicare for hospitalizations from 1992 to 1997. RESULTS Persons with the ɛ4 genotype did not have higher costs than those who were ɛ4-negative. The highest costs were observed for those who had missing ɛ4 genotype. CONCLUSION The ɛ4 genotype is not a significant predictor of hospital costs, and so would not be a good risk adjustor for purposes such as setting reimbursement rates for Medicare risk plans.
Dogmas and controversies in the handling of nitrogenous wastes: 5-HT2-like receptors are involved in triggering pulsatile urea excretion in the gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta.

SUMMARY When injected arterially, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) has been shown to elicit naturally sized urea pulse events in the gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta . The goal of the present study was to determine which 5-HT receptor(s) was involved in mediating this serotonergic stimulation of the pulsatile excretion mechanism. Toadfish were surgically implanted with caudal arterial catheters and intraperitoneal catheters and injected with either 8-OH-DPAT (1 μmol kg –1 ), a selective 5-HT 1A receptor agonist, α-methyl-5-HT (1 μmol kg –1 ), a 5-HT 2 receptor agonist, or ketanserin, a 5-HT 2 receptor antagonist (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 μmol kg –1 ) plus α-methyl-5-HT. 8-OH-DPAT injection did not mediate an increase in urea excretion, ruling out the involvement of 5-HT 1A receptors in pulsatile excretion. However, within 5 min,α -methyl-5-HT injection caused an increase in the excretion of urea in> 95% ( N =27) of the fish injected, with an average pulse size of 652±102 μmol N kg –1 ( N =26). Withα -methyl-5-HT injection there was no corresponding increase in ammonia or [ 3 H]PEG 4000 permeability. Urea pulses elicited byα -methyl-5-HT were inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion by the 5-HT 2 receptor antagonist ketanserin, which at low doses caused a significant inhibition of pulse size and at higher doses significantly inhibited the occurrence of pulsatile excretion altogether. However, neither 8-OH-DPAT nor α-methyl 5-HT injection had an effect on plasma cortisol or plasma urea concentrations. These findings suggest the involvement of a 5-HT 2 -like receptor in the regulation of pulsatile urea excretion.
Laboratory selection at different temperatures modifies heat-shock transcription factor (HSF) activation in Drosophila melanogaster.

The magnitude and time course of activation of the heat-shock transcription factor (HSF) differ among Drosophila melanogaster lines evolving at 18 degrees C, 25 degrees C or 28 degrees C for more than 20 years. At lower heat-shock temperatures (27–35 degrees C), flies from the 18 degrees C population had higher levels of activated HSF (as detected by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay) than those reared at 25 degrees C and 28 degrees C. At higher temperatures (36 and 37 degrees C), however, the 28 degrees C flies had the highest levels of HSF. These differences persisted after one generation of acclimation at 25 degrees C, suggesting that phenotypic plasticity was limited. In addition, larvae from the 28 degrees C lines activated HSF less rapidly after a 35 degrees C heat shock than those from the 18 degrees C and 25 degrees C populations. These results are similar but not identical to previously reported differences in expression of Hsp70 (the major heat-inducible stress protein in Drosophila melanogaster) among the experimental lines. We conclude that HSF activation evolves rapidly during laboratory culture at diverse temperatures and could play an important role in the evolution of the heat-shock response.