cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exposure time dependence of image quality in high-speed retinal in vivo Fourier-domain OCT

We built a Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) system using a line scan CCD camera that allows real time data display and acquisition. This instrument is able to produce 2D B-scans as well as 3D data sets with human subjects in vivo in clinical settings. In this paper we analyze the influence of varying exposure times of the CCD detector on image quality. Sensitivity values derived from theoretical predictions have been compared with measurements (obtained with mirrors and neutral density filters placed in both interferometer arms). The results of these experiments, discussion about differences between sensitivity values, potential sources of discrepancies, and recommendations for optimal exposure times will be described in this paper. A short discussion of observed artifacts as well as possible ways to remove them is presented. The influence of relative retinal position with respect to reference mirror position will also be described.
FOCUSED THERMAL BEAM DIRECT PATTERNING ON INGAN DURING MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY

During InGaN Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) growth, the material surface is exposed to a small diameter pulse laser beam that is controlled by scanning mirrors. Local heating effects are observed at the points of exposure. The materials are characterized by Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Photoluminescence (PL). Indium mole fraction of materials is reduced where laser exposure takes place. The effect of local thermal heating appears to enhance surface diffusion while not causing ablation or evaporation under the conditions studied. PL efficiency is significantly increased by focused thermal beam exposure. Laser written regions have 7 times higher PL intensity compared to non-written areas, which might be due to surface texturing that causes higher extraction efficiency.
VICs: A modular HCI framework using spatiotemporal dynamics

Many vision-based human-computer interaction systems are based on the tracking of user actions. Examples include gaze tracking, head tracking, finger tracking, etc. In this paper, we present a framework that employs no user tracking; instead, all interface components continuously observe and react to changes within a local neighborhood. More specifically, components expect a predefined sequence of visual events called visual interface cues (VICs). VICs include color, texture, motion, and geometric elements, arranged to maximize the veridicality of the resulting interface element. A component is executed when this stream of cues has been satisfied. We present a general architecture for an interface system operating under the VIC-based HCI paradigm and then focus specifically on an appearance-based system in which a hidden Markov model (HMM) is employed to learn the gesture dynamics. Our implementation of the system successfully recognizes a button push with a 96% success rate.
A Hidden Markov Model Approach to Testing Multiple Hypotheses on a Tree-Transformed Gene Ontology Graph

Gene category testing problems involve testing hundreds of null hypotheses that correspond to nodes in a directed acyclic graph. The logical relationships among the nodes in the graph imply that only some configurations of true and false null hypotheses are possible and that a test for a given node should depend on data from neighboring nodes. We developed a method based on a hidden Markov model that takes the whole graph into account and provides coherent decisions in this structured multiple hypothesis testing problem. The method is illustrated by testing Gene Ontology terms for evidence of differential expression.
Suicidal age and childhood onychophagia among veterans with personality disorders.

Summary The relationship between childhood onychophagia (finger-nail biting) and the mean age of suicidal and nonsuicidal veterans was investigated among 70 V.A. hospitalized males, diagnosed as personality disorders. The results show that the mean age of suicidal veterans was significantly lower than that of nonsuicidal veterans, and the childhood onychophagia variable, “focal suicide,” significantly lowered the mean age of suicidal veterans, but did not significantly lower the mean age of nonsuicidal veterans.
Locality linear fitting one-class SVM with low-rank constraints for outlier detection

We propose a novel outlier detection approach in this paper, which learns the most accurate hyperspheres for the normal data through a top-down procedure. Conventional one-class support vector machine (SVM) based approaches aim to find nonlinear global solutions for all the normal data, with the benefit of kernel trick. However, those methods are intractable when data are in large-scale and inaccurate when data are under complex distributions. It's observed that high dimensional data, e.g., features of texts or images, are always sparse, and linear classifier usually performs well. A specific class of data seldom lie in one single subspace. In this paper, we propose to learn multiple discriminative hyper-spheres locally based on the data distributions, and fit them globally to formulate a more discriminative boundary for the normal data. By far, neural mechanisms used by human brain-mind for outlier detection are not known, however, the top-down strategy proposed in this paper would inspire understanding of the human neural mechanisms. The benefits of our model are two-folds. First, the distribution of each local cluster is much simpler than that in a global view, which makes the fitting processing for each individual cluster much easier and insensitive to the choice of kernel. In particular, we adopt low-rank constraints to find multiple clusters automatically. Secondly, the proposed approach trains the model linearly which tackles the large-scale problem, substantially reducing training time and memory space. Extensive experimental results on three image databases demonstrate that our approach outperforms several related methods.
Transposable elements and the evolution of regulatory networks

The control and coordination of eukaryotic gene expression rely on transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory networks. Although progress has been made in mapping the components and deciphering the function of these networks, the mechanisms by which such intricate circuits originate and evolve remain poorly understood. Here I revisit and expand earlier models and propose that genomic repeats, and in particular transposable elements, have been a rich source of material for the assembly and tinkering of eukaryotic gene regulatory systems.
Influence of Nutrient Intake on Serum Lipid Lowering Potential of Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Enriched Shell Eggs in Humans

Abstract Although omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids which are polyunsaturated would be predicted to reduce plasma lipids, data have not been consistent. The objective of this research was to assess whether dietary intake of other nutrients and energy was related to the manner in which n-3 fatty acids affected plasma cholesterol and triglyceride. Healthy male and female subjects (n=30) were assigned randomly to consume self-selected diets restricted in n-3 fatty acids plus either regular (C) or n-3 enriched shell eggs (4/week), the latter from hens fed flaxseed (F, high in linolenic acid) or menhaden oil [(M, high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)]. Subjects consumed all types of eggs for 6 weeks with a 4-week washout period between each. Plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were measured enzymatically and dietary intake assessed from 3-day food records (2/period) by the Nutrient Data System (University of Minnesota, 1994). Pearson's product moment correlation coefficients between plasma lipids and dietary components were determined. Plasma TC was correlated (P
Selection criteria and performance evaluation methods for peripheral array processors

Peripheral array processors are a class of digital computing devices designed to serve as peripherals for large mainframe, minicom puters, and microcomputers. Through extensive parallelism and pipelining, peripheral array processors greatly enhance the capabilities of the host computer to process numerical data at a very high speed, particularly in simulation and signal proces sing applications. An overview of the peripheral array proces sing field is presented in this paper followed by a discussion of five different approaches to the performance specification and evaluation of these devices.
Myocardial revascularization in the elderly using beating heart coronary artery bypass surgery

Abstract Background . Beating heart or "off-pump" coronary artery bypass (OP-CAB) has become an accepted method of myocardial revascularization by reducing the perioperative morbidity related to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, the efficacy of OP-CAB has not been well established in the elderly patient population. Methods . OP-CABs were performed in 53 patients aged 75 years and older, at Pitt County Memorial Hospital from January 1996 to October 1999, either through a median sternotomy or an anterior thoracotomy. These results were compared with 220 patients who underwent standard coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation using CPB during the same time period. Results . Mean patient age for both groups was 79 ± 0.5 years and preoperative risk factors were similar. There were no differences in postoperative myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, bleeding, neurologic complications, or renal failure. There were no deaths after OP-CAB, compared with the 7.6% operative mortality rate after CABG ( p Conclusions . Our data demonstrate that OP-CAB is a safe and efficacious method of myocardial revascularization in the elderly, and may actually be preferential in these patients when applicable.
African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) endangered by a canine distemper epizootic among domestic dogs near the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

A longitudinal study of canine distemper (CD) among domestic dogs on Maasai communal land to the north of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya was conducted from 1989 to 1991. Prevalence of antibodies to CD was very low among domestic dogs in 1989 and 1990 (4%, n = 49; and 1%, n = 119, respectively) and no African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus; n = 16) collected simultaneously from the same area had detectable antibodies. Among 51 domestic dogs sampled in 1991, however, prevalence of CD antibodies rose significantly (P < 0.01) to 76%. Disease-related mortality rates among domestic dogs were estimated from 1990 to 1992; they rose significantly (P < 0.01) from 21% in 1990 to 50% in 1991 and then decreased significantly (P < 0.01) to 38% in 1992. The 1992 mortality rate remained significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of 1990. Signs observed in clinically ill domestic dogs were consistent with CD and included listlessness, decreased appetite, bilateral serous to mucopurulent oculonasal discharge, and diarrh...
Degaussing Circuits for Color Television Receivers

In 1967 the PTC resistor was introduced to the American TV industry for color television degaussing. This new component caused comparisons of performance and economics to be made with existing techniques. The PTC degausser offered sufficient advantages so that by 1971 it was used in 50% of color televisions made in this country. After a general review of degaussing this paper explains the circuitry, advantages, anddisa disadvantages of various degaussing techniques.
High molecular weight Non-Immunoglobulin Salivary Agglutinins (NIA) bind C1q globular heads and have the potential to activate the first complement component

Abstract Non-Immunoglobulin Salivary Agglutinins (NIA) which directly bind to microbes [including HIV] were studied for their potential to activate the first complement component (C1). It was determined that NIA had the same specific activity as heat aggregated IgG in binding to C1q and in activating C1. In order to determine the region of Clq which bound to NIA, C1q globular heads and C1q stems (collagen-like regions) were prepared and separated via a Western blot procedure. NIA bound principally to the globular heads of C1q and weakly to the collagen-like stem region. NIA were also studied for their potential to activate native C1 in normal human serum. Heat-aggregated IgG and cardiolipin served as positive controls. It was observed that incubation of isolated NIA with fresh normal human serum resulted in the formation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-irreversible complexes of activated C1r-C1 inhibitor and activated C1s-C1 inhibitor and in activated C1s mediated C4 conversion. This indicated that isolated NIA had the potential to directly and effectively mediate classical complement pathway activation. Preincubation of NIA with C1q, blocked NIA mediated C1r and Cls activation and C4 conversion. The concn of NIA required to activate C1r and C1s was similar to that of heat-aggregated human IgG. In kinetic ELISA, NIA or aggregated IgG (positive controls) were first immobilized on microtiter plates, blocked with gelatin then incubated with fresh human serum as a source of complement. Depositions of C4b, C3b and iC3b substantiated that the complement system was effectively activated by immobilized NIA. The optimal relative NaC1 concn for C4b deposition was 0.11 M. While pre-incubation of NIA with C1q blocked the subsequent C1 fixing potential of NIA, pre-incubation of NIA with rgp160 [HIV-1] or fibronectin did not interfere with the potential of NIA to fix C1.
Charisma: From Weber to Contemporary Sociology

This paper critically examines sociological treatments of the concept of charisma. It demonstrates that the existence of diverse and conflicting views on charisma is due partly to sociologists' selection accentuations of the different types of charisma (magical, prophetic, and routinized) in Weber's writings. Reconsidering charisma as an expression of alienation, the paper also suggests a synthetic approach that may alleviate the conceptual anarchy surrounding it.
Feminization of the labor force: The effects of long-term development and structural adjustment

Abstract Using crosscountry data pooled for 1985 and 1990, we analyze the relationship between women's share of the labor force and the processes of long-term economic development, and macroeconomic changes associated with structural adjustment. We find that the relationship between long-term development and women's share of the labor force is U-shaped. Controlling for the feminization U, we also find that structural adjustment policies have led to an increase in feminization of the labor force via worsening income distribution and increased openness.
Spectral study of ferrous iron in CaAlborosilicate glass at room and melt temperatures

Abstract Ferrous iron absorption in the near-infrared region has been examined in CaAlborosilicate glass at room and melt temperatures. Based upon mineral spectra, ferrous iron is concluded to occupy a variety of modifier positions of different sizes in the glass structure. A new emission technique is used to collect spectral data of molten glass. Absorption at room temperature and 1260 °C is similar and no difference could be detected at different melt temperatures, once oxidation effects are eliminated. Oxidation and dehydroxylation occur simultaneously at melt temperatures, but these processes are probably not mutually dependent.
The present status of the role of the Parainfluenza-3 (PI-3) virus in fetal disease of cattle and sheep

Abstract The Bovine Parainfluenza-3 (PI-3) virus was isolated and identified from an aborted bovine fetus. The fetal isolate was characterized and found to be similar to the respiratory isolate. In utero inoculations of bovine fetuses with the PI-3 fetal isolate established fetal pathogenicity, and fetal immune competency. Inoculation of pregnant immune heifers and ewes failed to demonstrate transplacental transmission of virus. Sera from 1500 cows were examined for the presence of PI-3 serum neutralizing (SN) antibody. All serum samples contained PI-3 SN antibody at the 1:2 dilution and greater. Since PI-3 seropositive animals resist transplacental transmission of virus, and since seronegative animals are rarely available, the Bovine Parainfluenza-3 virus is probably not a common cause of fetal disease and abortion in Wyoming.
Differences Between Part-Time and Full-Time Employees in the Financial Services Industry:

Although part-time employees account for approximately 17% of the workforce, how, or if, they differ from full-time employees is still unknown. This study addresses the question of whether part-time and full-time employees differ on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job involvement, role ambiguity, role conflict, and inclusion. Additionally, the respondents were from the financial services industry, which has been underrepresented in the part-time employment studies. Part-time employees were found to have lower levels of job involvement and inclusion.
Developing a home page for the World Wide Web

Browsers Health care professionals access the WWW and navigate the Internet using a Web browser software package. Different browsers, also called "search engines," are used for different purposes. They are used to perform protocols such as process e-mail, upload and download files (file transfer protocol [FTP]), connect to remote computer system sites (Telnet), and link to other search engines. A Web browser links to the first screen of a WWW site called a home page.
ACCELERATED COOLING: A PHYSICAL METALLURGY PERSPECTIVE

AbstractIn the 25 years that accelerated cooling has been used in the production of steel, its role has undergone drastic changes. In the early days of accelerated cooling, i.e. 1962–1970, it was used exclusively on hot strip mills, mainly to reduce the length of run-out tables otherwise required for low temperature coiling. The unexpected benefits derived from the initial uses of accelerated cooling spawned a large research and development effort in that general area, which has continued to the present. There have been significant advances made as a result of this interest. Among the first, and perhaps the most significant, was the appreciation of the importance of the condition of austenite prior to cooling. Later work on alloy design and process variations within the scope of accelerated cooling (cooling rate, water end temperature, final cooling rate, etc), led to improvements in ferrite-pearlite steels, and to the development of “multiphase” steels for both strip and plate applications. The dual-phas...
Isolation of photosynthetically active protoplasts and intact chloroplasts from Phaseolus vulgaris

Abstract A method is described for the isolation of protoplasts and intact chloroplasts from leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris L. The protocol includes digestion of the cell walls with a mixture of Onozuka RS cellulase and Pectolyase Y-23. After a 3.5-h digestion and isolation period, a typical yield of protoplasts was 0.1–0.2 mg chlorophyll per g fresh weight of leaf tissue. At saturating light levels, protoplasts demonstrated photosynthetic rates of 100–125 μmol O2 evolved (mg chlorophyll)−1 h−1. Chloroplasts were isolated by gentle lysis of the protoplasts and were purified by centrifugation through Percoll. These chloroplasts were >90% intact and were capable of CO2-dependent O2 evolution at rates of 100–120 μmol (mg chlorophyll)−1 h−1. The chloroplasts required ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid during purification and in the assay medium for maximum rates of photosynthesis. The response of photosynthesis to inorganic phosphate (Pi) by chloroplasts was biphasic with two observed optima at approximately 25 and 200 μM Pi.
Detection of a Soluble Form of B7-1 (CD80) in Synovial Fluid from Patients with Arthritis Using Monoclonal Antibodies against Distinct Epitopes of Human B7-1

The costimulatory molecule B7-1 (CD80) has been shown to be an important component for T cell immune responses. We have generated several monoclonal antibodies (PSRM-1, -2, -3, -6, and -7) against B7-1 using a human glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored B7-1 (GPI-B7-1) as an antigen. These monoclonal antibodies are able to detect B7-1 by flow cytometry, ELISA, and Western blotting. One antibody in particular, PSRM-3, blocks the CD28/CTLA-4 interaction with B7-1 and consequently blocks costimulation of T cells. The other PSRM monoclonal antibodies did not compete with PSRM-3 for recognition of B7-1 and also failed to block B7-1 interaction with CTLA-4 and CD28, indicating that these antibodies bind to different epitopes. PSRM-3 and -7 detect phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-released soluble GPI-B7-1 in a sandwich ELISA. We used this sandwich ELISA to assay for the presence of a soluble form of B7-1 in synovial fluids of arthritis patients. By sandwich ELISA, B7-1 was detected in the synovial fluid of 5/11 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 5/5 patients with osteoarthritis, and 2/6 patients with other forms, including crystalline-induced arthritis. The presence of soluble B7-1 was confirmed by immunoprecipitation using PSRM-3-coupled Sepharose beads. The source and function of soluble B7-1 are unknown at present; it is possible, however, that the soluble form of B7-1 molecule may play a local immunoregulatory role which may suppress or induce inflammation depending upon whether it interacts with the T cell costimulatory CD28 molecule or the negative signaling CTLA-4 molecule.
Learning and Representing Verbal Meaning The Latent Semantic Analysis Theory

Latent semantic analysis (LSA) is a theory of how word meaning—and possibly other knowledge—is derived from statistics of experience, and of how passage meaning is represented by combinations of words. Given a large and representative sample of text, LSA combines the way thousands of words are used in thousands of contexts to map a point for each into a common semantic space. LSA goes beyond pair-wise co-occurrence or correlation to find latent dimensions of meaning that best relate every word and passage to every other. After learning from comparable bodies of text, LSA has scored almost as well as humans on vocabulary and subject-matter tests, accurately simulated many aspects of human judgment and behavior based on verbal meaning, and been successfully applied to measure the coherence and conceptual content of text. The surprising success of LSA has implications for the nature of generalization and language.
Women, Work, and Caregiving: How Do These Roles Affect Women's Well-Being?

ABSTRACT Families provide the bulk of care to the increasing numbers of community dwelling older individuals needing assistance due to functional disabilities. Women, due to traditionally accepted familial and societal roles, often bear a disproportionate share of the responsibility for this caregiving. Data from the 1988 National Survey of Families and Households is used to provide descriptive statistics about women who concurrently fill the roles of homemaker, labor market participant, and caregiver: Sixty percent worked 35 or more hours the previous week, while 40 percent reported spending at least 10 hours providing care to someone ill or disabled. Self-reported measures of stress for this sample of women are also reported: women who report facing the demands of multiple roles consistently report higher levels of stress. Policy implications, including a discussion of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and its potential to provide relief to women facing multiple demands, concludes the paper.
The Normativity Challenge: Cultural Psychology Provides the Real Threat to Virtue Ethics

Situationists argue that virtue ethics is empirically untenable, since traditional virtue ethicists postulate broad, efficacious character traits, and social psychology suggests that such traits do not exist. I argue that prominent philosophical replies to this challenge do not succeed. But cross-cultural research gives reason to postulate character traits, and this undermines the situationist critique. There is, however, another empirical challenge to virtue ethics that is harder to escape. Character traits are culturally informed, as are our ideals of what traits are virtuous, and our ideals of what qualifies as well-being. If virtues and well-being are culturally constructed ideals, then the standard strategy for grounding the normativity of virtue ethics in human nature is undermined.
Idea Generation: Who Has The Most Profitable Ideas

Idea generation has been recognized as an important part of the front end of the innovation process. Few studies have empirically examined where the most profitable ideas come from or the linkages ...
Minimum variance estimation in stratified sampling

Abstract This article discusses efficiency properties of some common stratified estimators, in the context of a superpopulation model, relative to the greatest lower bound on the variance of the Horvitz—Thompson estimator. The estimators discussed use both Dalenius—Hodges and model-based survey sampling (MBSS) stratification and a variety of sample allocation methods, including optimum, proportionate, and uniform sample allocation. The main result is that both Dalenius—Hodges stratification with optimal allocation and MBSS stratification with uniform allocation yield approximately minimum variance estimators, with convergence to the lower bound at rate O(L –2), where L is the number of strata. Since this lower bound has been shown to hold for many types of finite population estimators, the results derived here have broad implications. A series of examples is presented in which Dalenius—Hodges/optimum allocation is consistently more efficient than MBSS/uniform allocation.
“Generation 1.5” and Its Discourses of Partiality: A Critical Analysis

This is a critical discourse analysis of generation 1.5, a term used to refer to students born outside the United States who received part, or most, of their formal education in the United States. The analysis reveals that surrounding generation 1.5 are 3 interconnected discourses of partiality: a discourse of demographic partiality, a discourse of linguistic partiality, and a discourse of academic partiality. Claiming that these discourses are grounded in a monolingual/monocultural ideology, I offer counterdiscursive evidence that self-described generation 1.5 writers see themselves not as partial but as visible minorities who experience racism in their daily lives. To address racism, I offer strategies for promoting multilingualism and multiculturalism on U.S. college campuses.
NANOSECOND TIMING USING A PLASTIC SCINTILLATOR IN A CYCLOTRON BEAM.

Abstract Fast plastic scintillators have been used directly in 5 nA, 25–70 MeV alpha-particle beams to provide a direct, stable reference timing signal for experiments requiring time measurements in the ns region.
Frontiers in Male Contraception: There are few alternatives now, but several promising avenues of research are under way.

On the female side, when it comes to contraception, there's an arsenal of options. There's the pill, patches, implants, injectable hormones, sponges, spermicides, cervical caps, diaphragms, morning-after pills, and the intrauterine device.
Alternative Ubiquitin Activation/Conjugation Cascades Interact with N-end rule Ubiquitin Ligases to Control Degradation of RGS Proteins

Vertebrates express two enzymes for activation of ubiquitin-UBA1, which is responsible for activation of the vast majority of E2 conjugating enzymes, and UBA6, which uses the dedicated E2, USE1. However, targets and E3s for UBA6-USE1 are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that UBA6-USE1 functions with the UBR1-3 subfamily of N-recognin E3s to degrade the N-end rule substrates RGS4, RGS5, and Arg (R)-GFP. This pathway functions in the cytoplasm in parallel with the UBA1-UBE2A/B-UBR2 cascade, which promotes turnover of nuclear RGS4/5 proteins and an apparently phenotypically distinct pool of cytoplasmic RGS4/5. UBR2 promotes Lys48 (K48)-specific ubiquitin discharge from, and RGS4 ubiquitylation by, both USE1 and UBE2A in vitro. This work provides insight into the machinery employed by the UBA6-USE1 cascade to promote protein turnover and suggests that the UBA6 and UBA1 pathways can function in parallel with the same E3 to degrade the same targets in a spatially distinct manner.
Contribution of potassium channels to the discharge properties of rat aortic baroreceptor sensory endings.

Abstract The expression of several types of membrane potassium channel at the cell body and central synaptic terminal of the rat aortic arch baroreceptor has been reported by others. It is not known if any of the same channels function at the peripheral sensory terminal of these afferent nerves. Our study examined the effect of three potassium channel blocking agents on the pressure-evoked discharge of such baroreceptors. Thirty-one single unit, regularly discharging baroreceptors were studied using an in vitro aortic arch-aortic nerve preparation. Discharge thresholds and suprathreshold pressure sensitivities were derived from responses of receptors to slowly rising ramps of pressure applied to the aortic arch. Vessel diameter was recorded along with receptor discharge to assess any drug-induced changes in vascular smooth muscle. The blocking agents tested have a range of specificities for classes of potassium channels: tetraethylamminium (TEA), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and charybdotoxin. TEA depressed the pressure sensitivity of all baroreceptors tested ( n = 3 ) in a dose-dependent manner. Baroreceptor responses to 4-AP were complex ( n = 22 ) and varied widely across individuals. Three were unaffected by 5 mM 4-AP. Most baroreceptors were generally depressed by 4-AP. Some of the 4-AP effects appeared to be related to actions at vascular smooth muscle. None of the baroreceptors tested ( n = 6 ) was affected by charybdotoxin. The results of selective potassium channel blockade are generally consistent with what would be expected from a sustained depolarization of baroreceptor endings such as has been reported with raising extracellalar potassium and probably includes effects of inactivation of other voltage-dependent channels. One explanation for the variability of the responses to potassium channel antagonist across baroreceptors is that potassium channels may be heterogeneously expressed at rat baroreceptor sensory nerve endings.
DISCOVERY OF FOUR kpc-SCALE BINARY ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

We report the discovery of four kpc-scale binary active galactic nuclei (AGNs). These objects were originally selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey based on double-peaked [O III] {lambda}{lambda}4959, 5007 emission lines in their fiber spectra. The double peaks could result from pairing active supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in a galaxy merger or could be due to bulk motions of narrow-line region gas around a single SMBH. Deep near-infrared (NIR) images and optical slit spectra obtained from the Magellan 6.5 m and the Apache Point Observatory 3.5 m telescopes strongly support the binary SMBH scenario for the four objects. In each system, the NIR images reveal tidal features and double stellar components with a projected separation of several kpc, while optical slit spectra show two Seyfert 2 nuclei spatially coincident with the stellar components, with line-of-sight velocity offsets of a few hundred km s{sup -1}. These objects were drawn from a sample of only 43 objects, demonstrating the efficiency of this technique to find kpc-scale binary AGNs.
Inhibiting effects in hydrodesulfurization of 4,6-diethyldibenzothiophene

Abstract This study addresses some of the inhibiting aspects of the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of 4,6-diethyldibenzothiophene on a sulfided CoMo/Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 catalyst at relatively low hydrogen pressures. It is shown that thermodynamic equilibrium does not play a significant role in inhibiting sulfur removal at 2.17 MPa hydrogen pressure at least up to 370 °C. Both 3-ethylcarbazole and naphthalene inhibit the HDS rate, with the former being far more potent. Other electron-rich or electron-deficient substituted carbazoles are also strong inhibitors, suggesting that the substituent-induced electronic effect is not a factor governing the poisoning potency of the carbazole family. Operating at high temperatures is more effective in mitigating the inhibiting effect than operating at high hydrogen pressures. A strong inhibiting effect can lead to falsification of the overall HDS kinetics.
Histologic examination of bone development in juvenile chimpanzees

The purpose of this study is to determine whether histologic skeletal development in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) differs from that in humans. Currently, minimal quantitative data are available on the bone histology of great apes. In addition to providing baseline data on juvenile chimpanzee bone histology, the data generated by this study have potential applications for studying the comparative development between chimpanzees and humans and other primates, as well as investigating the evolution of human bone development, differences in development among limb elements, and differences in histology related to locomotor function. The study sample includes thin sections from the femoral, tibial, and fibular midshafts of 13 chimpanzees originally prepared by Kerley ([1966] Tulane Stud. Zool. 13:71–82) as part of a study on skeletal age changes in the chimpanzee. Twelve juveniles, ranging in known age from 2–15.3 years, and one adult, with a known age of 35 years, are represented. For each specimen, numbers of osteons, osteon fragments, and non-Haversian canals were counted, and percent lamellar bone was estimated. Results were compared with data extracted from Kerley ([1965] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 23:149–164) on a juvenile human sample. Results indicate that juvenile chimpanzees and humans exhibit similar age-related changes in histologic variables. However, age is not as strong a predictor of variation in microstructural variables in chimpanzees as it is in humans. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Prevalence of mastitis pathogens in goat milk

Abstract Routine examination of goat milk was performed on 2911 udder halves as part of a milk quality monitoring program over 8 years in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Prevalence of mastitis, including both clinical and subclinical mastitis, was 36.4% (n = 1061) of all samples taken. The most prevalent mastitis agents were non-hemolytic Staphylococcus spp., 38.2% (n = 406); Staphylococcus aureus, 11.0% (n = 117) and Streptococcus spp., 4.1% (n = 43). Other than Streptococcus agalactiae, other isolates included Escherichia coli, 1.6% (n = 17) and Pseudomonas spp., 1.2% (n = 13). Samples that contained more than 1 × 106 somatic cells per milliliter but which did not grow mastitis pathogens were defined as culture-negative mastitis. Culture-negative mastitis accounted for 43.9% (n = 466) of samples considered mastitic. The results of this study demonstrate the prevalence of mastitis and of individual mastitis pathogens in Connecticut and Rhode Island. In addition, the detection of pathogen-free goat milk samples that contained more than 1 × 106 somatic cells per milliliter further demonstrates that elevated somatic cell counts alone are not a valid indication of mammary infection in goats.
Regulation of oestrogen receptor gene expression: new insights and novel mechanisms

17Beta-oestradiol is a pleiotropic hormone with organisational, activational and protective actions in both male and female mammals. It is responsible for numerous aspects of brain development, including sexual differentiation of the brain. The organisational effects of early oestrogen exposure are essential for long-lasting cognitive and behavioural functions. Oestradiol mediates its effects through several intracellular or membrane-associated receptor proteins. In the rodent cerebral cortex, oestrogen receptor (ER) expression, as demonstrated by hormone binding studies, is high early in postnatal life and declines precipitously as the animal approaches puberty. This decline is caused by a decreased expression of ERalpha mRNA. An understanding of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of ERalpha gene expression is critical for understanding the developmental as well as postpubertal expression of the ER. Despite recent data indicating the current hormone replacement therapies can be detrimental in older women, numerous animal studies have shown that the endogenous oestrogen, 17beta-oestradiol, is neuroprotective. Specifically, low levels of oestradiol protect the cortex from cell death caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The attenuation of cell death by oestradiol in this model is mediated through an ERalpha-dependent mechanism. To this end, ERalpha expression is rapidly increased after MCAO, suggesting a return to the developmental programme of gene expression within neurones. One mechanism of suppressing gene expression is by the epigenetic modification of the promoter regions, which results in gene silencing. Of the epigenetic modifications utilised by cells, DNA methylation has been intensively studied as a mechanism by which genes are both permanently and reversibly silenced. Little is known about the mechanisms of ER gene regulation in the brain; however, in breast cancer cells, both ERalpha and ERbeta are down-regulated by promoter methylation, and subsequent binding of the methyl-CpG-binding protein, MeCP2. Data from our laboratory demonstrate that the promoters of the ERalpha gene are also methylated during development and after neuronal injury, suggesting a role of DNA methylation in regulating ER expression in the brain.
Experimental investigations on the effect of perforated tile air jet velocity on server air distribution in a high density data center

High density racks are becoming increasingly common in modern datacenters. The cold air distribution to high density racks has been a major challenge in the data center thermal design. Generally, the cold air is supplied through perforated tiles placed in front of the racks. Previous literature has focused more on large scale air distribution with in the data center rather than detailed air distribution to individual servers placed in the rack. This paper investigates the effect of tile air flow rate on the server air distribution at various locations in the rack. A series of experiments are performed using a 22.8kW server simulator placed in a raised floor data center environment. The tile air flow rate is varied in the range of 0 m3/s to 1.224 m3/s (∼ 2594 CFM) by adjusting the fan speed of computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique is used to capture the air flow pattern at the server inlet. The PIV images are recorded at various locations and later combined to get the complete air distribution across the rack inlet. A significant change in the air distribution pattern is observed for various cases of tile air flow rates. Undesirable effects such as recirculation and cold air entrainment are observed at higher tile air flow rates.
Bioelectric signaling regulates head and organ size during planarian regeneration.

A main goal of regenerative medicine is to replace lost or damaged tissues and organs with functional parts of the correct size and shape. But the proliferation of new cells is not sufficient; we will also need to understand how the scale and ultimate form of newly produced tissues are determined. Using the planarian model system, we report that membrane voltage-dependent bioelectric signaling determines both head size and organ scaling during regeneration. RNA interference of the H+,K+-ATPase ion pump results in membrane hyperpolarization, which has no effect on the amount of new tissue (blastema) that is regenerated yet produces regenerates with tiny ‘shrunken’ heads and proportionally oversized pharynges. Our data show that this disproportionality results from a lack of the apoptosis required to adjust head and organ size and placement, highlighting apoptotic remodeling as the link between bioelectric signaling and the establishment of organ size during regeneration.
Role of Leaky Neuronal Ryanodine Receptors in Stress- Induced Cognitive Dysfunction

The type 2 ryanodine receptor/calcium release channel (RyR2), required for excitation-contraction coupling in the heart, is abundant in the brain. Chronic stress induces catecholamine biosynthesis and release, stimulating β-adrenergic receptors and activating cAMP signaling pathways in neurons. In a murine chronic restraint stress model, neuronal RyR2 were phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA), oxidized, and nitrosylated, resulting in depletion of the stabilizing subunit calstabin2 (FKBP12.6) from the channel complex and intracellular calcium leak. Stress-induced cognitive dysfunction, including deficits in learning and memory, and reduced long-term potentiation (LTP) at the hippocampal CA3-CA1 connection were rescued by oral administration of S107, a compound developed in our laboratory that stabilizes RyR2-calstabin2 interaction, or by genetic ablation of the RyR2 PKA phosphorylation site at serine 2808. Thus, neuronal RyR2 remodeling contributes to stress-induced cognitive dysfunction. Leaky RyR2 could be a therapeutic target for treatment of stress-induced cognitive dysfunction.
Using an Ersatz Thermosiphon Loop to Model Natural Convection Flows Inside a Shallow Enclosure

Natural convection loops (NCL) can occur when extracting energy from thermal storage with immersed heat exchangers. To assist in heat exchanger design and annual performance simulations of such systems, this paper proposes modeling an NCL with a comparatively simple ''ersatz'' thermosiphon loop (ETL). In an actual thermosiphon loop, fluid in channels or pipes flows in a closed loop, driven by a net buoyancy head which is equal to the total pressure drop. In the proposed approach, ersatz flow channels corresponding to the actual NCL flow are first defined, based upon experiment, numerical solution, or other information. The heat transfer and friction coefficients in the simplified ETL model must then be adjusted to fit these known data. The test case analyzed here is a horizontal shallow enclosure with temperature boundary conditions at both ends. A numerical solution is used to calibrate the ETL, and an analytical solution is used to extrapolate to other conditions for testing the ETL mo del predictions. It is shown that over two orders of magnitude variation in heat transfer, the calibrated ETL model predicts the heat transfer to 8% RMSD.
Improving Teacher Preparation and Selection: Lessons from the Pennsylvania Experience.

Abstract This paper examines Pennsylvania's teacher preparation and selection processes over the last decade. Teacher test scores are examined across colleges of education, and extreme differences in teacher test scores are found. Also, extreme variations are evident among districts' employed teachers. A unique survey of district employment practices reveals that, on average, 40% of a district's teachers previously attended there as students. An exploratory econometric model indicates that the higher the unemployment rate in a district, the more likely it will hire its former students to teach, and that the greater the fraction of former students now in the district's teacher force, the lower is student achievement. The paper concludes with a discussion of conventional and unconventional strategies to improve the quality of teachers actually hired by school boards.
Suitability of Fetal Tissues From Spontaneous Abortions and From Ectopic Pregnancies for Transplantation

Objective. —To assess the potential availability and utility of fetal tissues obtained from spontaneous abortions and from ectopic pregnancies for human transplantation therapy. Design. —Tissue collection and analysis by personnel skilled in tissue banking. Setting. —Procurement programs in five tissue banks located in diverse geographical areas that are funded by the National Institutes of Health. Patients. —All women entering obstetric clinics during 1993 who consented to participate in the study. Interventions. —None. Main Outcome Measures. —Evaluation of the products of conception by standard developmental, histological, microbiological, and cytogenetic criteria. Results. —From 22235 obstetric admissions, 1250 spontaneously aborted embryos and 247 products of ectopic pregnancies were obtained. Of these, seven embryos (0.5%) were potentially useful for human transplantation therapy. Conclusion. —Fetal tissues from spontaneous abortions and from ectopic pregnancies are quite limited as feasible sources for human transplantation therapy. ( JAMA . 1995;273:66-68)
Racial disparities in severity of cerebrovascular events.

This study was conducted to determine if blacks hospitalized for cerebrovascular events had more severe cerebrovascular events than whites similarly hospitalized.Data from the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission were used to determine incidence of coma, death rates, age at death of those who died, and length of stay for acute hemorrhagic and occlusive stroke in hospitalized blacks and whites after adjusting for sex and, if appropriate, age.With a single exception (number of patients with hemorrhagic stroke who died during short-term hospitalization), all indices indicated that blacks incurred more severe cerebrovascular events than whites (P < .05 or less).Maryland state data from hospitalized patients indicate that blacks had more severe strokes than whites.
Effect of glyburide on beta cell responsiveness to glucose in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Since the introduction of glyburide in 1984, many studies have evaluated the effects of this oral hypoglycemic agent on beta cell function in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The early studies, which were performed in patients receiving concomitant insulin therapy, may have underestimated the true effect of glyburide on insulin secretion. The more recent studies demonstrate that both short- and long-term glyburide therapy increaes C-peotide levels in diabetic as well as nondiabetic subjects and that the effects of glyburide are comparable to those of the other second-generation sulfonylurea, glipizide. The effects of glyburide on insulin secretory rates calculated from plasma C-peptide levels were recently evaluated using individually derived C-peptide kinetic parameters and a validated open two-compartment model of peripheral C-peptide kinetics. Glyburide did not influence fasting insulin secretion (196 ± 34 versus 216 ± 23 pmol/min) but did cause an increase in the total amount of insulin secreted over a 24-hour period (447 ± 58 versus 561 ± 55 nmol). This increase in the production of insulin was generated by an increase in amplitude of secretory pulses occurring after lunch and dinner rather than by a greater number of pulses. The full effect of glyburide on the beta cell became evident when glucose concentrations were clamped at the hyperglycemic level of 300 mg/dL both befor and during treatment for a 3-hour period. During that time, insulin secretion rates increased by 221 percent in response to glyburide. Glyburide did not, however, completely reverse the beta cell secretory defect characteristic of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In the patients receiving glyburide, the sluggish insulin secretory response to breakfast persisted, and the insulin secretory response during the hyperglycemic clamping was less than the response normally seen in nondiabetic subjects. These experiments suggest that the primary effect of glyburide on the beta cell is to increase its responsiveness to glucose. Although the precise mechanism of action of glyburide at the cellular level is unclear, in vitro studies suggest that its effect is mediated through binding with specific receptors on the beta cell membrane, which in turn leads to alterations in the cellular efflux of potassium ions and influx of calcium ions