cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex-dependent components of the analgesia produced by athletic competition

Competing in various athletic events (track meet, basketball game, or fencing match) can produce analgesia to cold pressor stimuli in male and female college athletes compared with baseline assessments. This competition-induced analgesia has been attributed to the stress associated with competition, which has components related to both physical exercise and the cognitive aspects of competing. This study evaluated the analgesic effect of exercise-related stress, and that caused by the cognitively stressful components of competing independent of exercise. Cold pressor pain ratings were assessed after competition in a track meet and after treadmill exercise or sedentary video game competition in both athletes and nonathletes. As expected, competing in athletics resulted in a decrease in cold pressor ratings in both male and female athletes. Independent of athletic status, treadmill running induced analgesia in women, but not in males, whereas sedentary video game competition produced analgesia in men, but not in women. These findings suggest that different components of the competitive athletic experience might be responsible for the analgesic effects in a sex-dependent manner.
On phase transitions in erythrocyte membranes and extracted membrane lipids.

Abstract X-ray diffraction patterns show that extracted erythrocyte membrane lipids from which almost all cholesterol has been removed undergo a rigid crystalline to liquid crystalline transition over the range 2 to 20°C. Increasing the cholesterol content reduces the temperature at which rigid crystalline phase appears; no rigid crystalline material is detectable above −10°C with cholesterol contents of 7.3% and greater. Also no rigid crystalline state was detected, down to −20°C, in unmodified erythrocyte membranes and in membranes depleted of up to 1 3 of their cholesterol. These results do not substantiate the indications of a phase transition at 18° to 20°C in erythrocyte membranes and extracted membrane lipids by viscosity measurements (Zimmer, G. and Shirmer, H. (1974) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 345, 314–320).
Dehydrogenation processes and molecular clusters in mass spectra of organometallic and coordination compounds

Abstract A method for the calculation of components from the complex molecular pattern is proposed. The modelling of molecular ion region in mass spectrum is applied to cases where for detection of the dehydrogenation processes effects such as losses of protons, hydrogen radicals or hydrogen molecules may occur. The parts of (MH) and (M2H) bands are determined as components of the picture observed in the molecular ion range of mass spectrum. Positive results of the modelling show, the hydrogen losses should be considered in resulted spectrum interpretation. The components contributions were computed by the least squares method, in which optimisation is based on Hooke–Jeeves procedure. Such an approach resulted in model fits within 1% precision for the cluster containing five or more peaks. Applications of the method are presented for 2-methyl-selenolo[2,3-b]-pyridine C 8 H 7 NSe, ethyl-digermane C 2 H 10 Ge 2 and methyl-mercuric-dicyandiamide C 3 H 10 HgN 4 .
Context effects in the initial storage and retrieval of noun pairs

An experiment was performed to determine the loci at which sentence contexts facilitate PA learning. The task given to 208 fifth- and sixth-grade children was that of learning 14 pairs of high-frequency nouns by a one-trial, study-test method. The principal independent variables were: the locus of presentation of the verbal context (study trial vs. test trial vs. both); and, the type of context (conjunction phrase vs. simple declarative sentence). For an outside control group, verbal context was not provided on the study trial nor on the test trial. In comparison with the control group, facilitation was produced only by sentence contexts and only when such contexts were provided during the study trial. The magnitude of facilitation was greater when the sentences were presented on both the study and test trials than when presented during the study trial alone. A mediation hypothesis is offered to account for the results.
Comparing the lifetime risks of TNF-alpha inhibitor use to common benchmarks of risk.

AbstractObjective: The study aims to illustrate the range of lifetime risks of lymphoma, tuberculosis (TB), and demyelinating diseases with TNF-α inhibitors in psoriasis patients. Methods: Previously published data and online resources were used to determine the risk of the TB, demyelinating disease, and lymphoma with and without TNF-α inhibitor treatment. Lifetime risks for heart disease and stroke were collected using a Medline search. All cancer, trauma, and environmental statistics were obtained from the data published by National Cancer Institute, National Safety Council, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, respectively. Results: The lifetime risks of TNF-α-inhibitor-linked conditions and comparators are as follows: TNF-α inhibitor-linked conditions: lymphoma with: without TNF-α inhibitors (0.5–4.8%:2.3%), TB with:without TNF-α inhibitors (0–17.1%:0.3%), and demyelinating disease with:without TNF-α inhibitors (0.1–1.7%:0.15%). Comparators: cancer (40.4%), heart disease (36.2%), s...
Vegetarian diets in cardiovascular prevention.

There is growing evidence that consumption of a vegetarian diet as well as specific components of a vegetarian diet lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. Vegetarian diets lower the probability of developing CVD, are effective in altering serum lipids, are beneficial in reducing blood pressure, improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity, reduce weight, and lower mortality. Vascular effects of a vegetarian diet include a thinner carotid IMT and lower brachial artery resistance. Health care providers should be aware of the types of vegetarian diets and their risks and benefits in order to guide patients’ dietary habits with the ultimate goal of reducing their CVD risk. While a patient does not have to become a complete vegetarian to reduce their CVD risk, they can make simple changes in their diet that are effective in risk reduction.
Proximal humerus fractures in the pediatric population: a systematic review

Proximal humerus fractures and epiphyseal separations in skeletally immature children and adolescents are traditionally treated non-operatively. Recently, authors have described the operative fixation of these injuries, particularly in older children and adolescents with displaced fractures. We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify operative indications for proximal humerus fractures in children and to compare the results by age, displacement, and treatment modality. A systematic review of the literature from January 1960 to April 2010 was performed. All studies with patients under the age of 18 years who were treated for a proximal humerus fracture either operatively or non-operatively were included. The available literature is largely composed of uncontrolled case series (Level IV). According to findings, the literature shows that asymptomatic union is the rule in proximal humerus fractures in children and adolescents. Poorer outcomes were noted in operatively treated patients, patients with more displaced fractures, and older patients. The currently available literature supports a non-operative treatment approach, particularly in younger children with more growth remaining. Older patients (>13 years) with more widely displaced fractures may benefit from anatomic reduction with stabilization, though the data in the literature at this point is too weak to strongly recommend this approach. Further analysis with a more rigorous scientific method is necessary to evaluate the optimum treatment modality in this subgroup.
Progressive dilation of the ascending aorta in children with isolated bicuspid aortic valve

Although patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) are predisposed to ascending aortic (AA) dilation, stenosis, and dissection, the development of aortic disease in children with BAVs is poorly described. The purposes of this study were to determine the rate of change of AA diameter in children with BAVs and to identify risk factors for the development of aortic dilation. The echocardiograms of 276 children aged 4), and 70 (25%) were moderately abnormal (z between 2 and 4). The mean ± SD AA diameter increased more than expected, at a rate of 0.18 ± 0.30 z score per year (p 2, at follow-up. Univariate analysis demonstrated right-noncoronary commissural fusion (p
The effect of diffusion kinetics on the supersaturation in clouds

Abstract To describe the nucleation–growth interaction at and above the cloud base, a cloud model has been formulated including the haze process below the cloud base and before nucleation of cloud droplets, and a proper diffusion-kinetic droplet growth equation. Analytical equations for the maximum supersaturation by Twomey [Twomey, S., 1959. The nuclei of natural cloud formation: Part II. The supersaturation in natural clouds and the variation of cloud droplet concentration. Geofis. Pura Appl. 43, 243–249; Twomey, S., 1977. Atmospheric Aerosols. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 302 pp.] and by Fukuta and Xu [Fukuta, N., Xu, N., 1996. Nucleation–droplet growth interactions and microphysical property development in convective clouds. Atmos. Res. 41, 1–22], both employing the Maxwellian growth theory, are compared with the model outputs, and the model outputs are found to be the smallest. To preserve the clarity and usefulness of the analytical equations, a correction factor to the latter is obtained in comparison with the model results for different condensation coefficient ( β ) and cloud condensation nucleus activity spectra of typical continental and maritime air masses. Effect of β is found to be larger for small β and in continental clouds.
Endogenous opiates mediate radiogenic behavioral change

Exposure of C57BL/6J mice to ionizing radiation caused stereotypical locomotor hyperactivity similar to that produced by morphine. Naloxone administration prevented this radiation-induced behavioral activation. These results support the hypothesis that endorphins are involved in some aspects of radiogenic behavioral change.
Relation Between in Vivo Abscess Localization and in Vitro Migration and Adherence of Neutrophils

Rabbit peripheral blood and glycogen-stimulated peritoneal neutrophils were labeled with [111In]indium oxine and transfused intravenously into recipient rabbits with experimental abdominal abscesses due to Staphylococcus aureus. Peritoneal neutrophils harvested 4 hr after glycogen infusion localized within the abscesses to a greater extent than did peripheral blood neutrophils (P less than .002). In an in vitro chemotaxis under-agarose assay, peripheral blood neutrophils had greater random migration (P less than .002) and directed migration (P less than .01) than did peritoneal cells. In an in vitro glass slide adherence assay, peritoneal neutrophils were more adherent than were blood neutrophils (P less than .05). The discrepancy between in vivo and in vitro findings may be due to the increased adherence of peritoneal neutrophils. Glycogen-stimulated peritoneal neutrophils have been exposed in vivo to C5a, which is known to decrease migration and increase adherence in vitro of polymorphonuclear neutrophils; consequently, in vivo exposure of neutrophils to C5a may mean in vitro migration data may be misleading in predicting results in vivo.
Motion of a transverse/parallel grain boundary in a block copolymer under oscillatory shear flow

A mesoscopic model of a diblock copolymer is used to study the motion of a grain boundary separating two regions of perfectly ordered lamellar structures under an oscillatory but uniform shear flow. The case considered is a grain boundary separating lamellae along the so-called parallel orientation (with wavevector parallel to the velocity gradient direction) and along the transverse orientation (wavevector parallel to the shear direction). In the model considered, lamellae in the parallel orientation are marginal with respect to the shear, whereas transverse lamellae are uniformly compressed instead. A multiple scale expansion valid in the weak segregation regime and for low shear frequencies leads to a pair of envelope equations for the grain boundary. These equations show that the grain boundary moves by the action of the shear, with a net average velocity toward the transverse region. Three different dynamical effects are at play: a rigid deformation of the transverse region by the shear which increases its free energy, diffusive relaxation of the order parameter in the grain boundary region leading to relative phase motion between the two domains during a shear cycle, and wavenumber adjustment in the transverse region. We show that the average velocity of the boundary is an increasing function of shear frequency and that, except at very low frequencies, it can be expressed as the product of a mobility coefficient and a driving force given by the excess energy stored in the transverse phase being sheared.
Applications of genomic technologies to the study of organochlorine pesticide-induced reproductive toxicity in fish

Microarrays and real time PCR are two molecular methods that are gaining acceptance for ecotoxicology. They will help sort out the complex biochemical pathways that are targeted by exposure of organisms to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and other toxicants and may point to the ways that these compounds affect development, reproduction and susceptibility to disease. OCPs are a large group of structurally diverse compounds that are present around the globe and are known to be highly persistent pollutants, for which mechanistic toxicity information is lacking. Genomic technologies such as these will help identify and monitor toxicity and help develop subsequent environmental policies.
Correlated Responses to Long-Term Divergent Selection for Eight-Week Body Weight in Chickens: Growth, Sexual Maturity, and Egg Production

Thirty-six generations of divergent selection for BW at 8 wk of age (BW8) resulted in approximately an eightfold difference between the high (HWS) and low (LWS) lines for this trait. Correlated traits included BW at 4, 24, and 38 wk of age (BW4, BW24, BW38, respectively), age at first egg (AFE), and percentage hen-day egg production (HDP). Responses of BW4 followed the same pattern as that for the selected trait, with the response about five times greater during the first 18 than the last 18 generations of selection in Line HWS and less than two times greater in Line LWS. For BW24 and BW38, correlated responses were greater for LWS than for HWS females without feed restriction, suggesting changes in growth curves after selection age. Although AFE was delayed in both lines, the delay was greater in Line LWS (some individuals of which were anorexic) than in Line HWS and greater in the second half than the first half of the experiment. For pullets that commenced lay, HDP declined slightly in both lines. Correlations between BW at 4, 8, 24, and 38 wk of age were moderate to high and positive in both lines. When feed intake was restricted in Line HWS, however, there were no correlations of BW4 or BW8 with BW24 or BW38. Correlations between AFE and BW at all ages were negative in Line LWS. In Line HWS there were negative correlations of AFE with BW24 and with BW38. Relaxed lines, established periodically during the experiment, were satisfactory monitors of environmental influences for primary and correlated traits.
Creating Biodiversity Partnerships: The Nature Conservancy's Perspective

/ The Nature Conservancy is an international organization dedicated to the mission of conserving biodiversity throughout the world. By working in a nonconfrontational manner, an approach that has promoted both government and corporate sponsorship of its activities, The Nature Conservancy has developed symbiotic relationships with many electric utility companies. Drawing on the organization's experiences, and the experiences of the author as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Conservancy, five broad areas of cooperation between conservation organizations and the utility industry are explored: land-management agreements, mitigation projects, conflict-avoidance programs, program support, and volunteer activities. The paper is concluded with comments on the future trends of biodiversity conservation, challenging the electric utility industry to become involved with conservation efforts by forming cooperative partnerships.KEY WORDS: Biodiversity; Conservation; Electricity; Environment; Partnership; Utility
The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in mentally retarded adults

302 mentally retarded adults, sampled by epidemiological criteria, were examined with regard to handicaps, behaviour, skills and psychopathology by use of the MRC HBS-schedule and a list of psychiatric items. Based on research criteria, a computerized psychiatric diagnosis was made on a hierarchial scale. A psychiatric disorder was diagnosed in 85 (27.1%), which is a smaller prevalence rate than found in other studies. Next to behaviour disorder (10.9%), psychosis of uncertain type (5%) was the most common disorder. Dementia and early childhood autism were found equally often (3.6% each). Neurosis was seldom (2%), while schizophrenia (1.3%) and affective disorder (1.7%) occurred at about the same rates as found in similar investigations. No cases of alcohol or drug abuse were found.
White fantasies, black bodies: Racial power, disgust and desire in American popular culture

Our concern in this paper is to explore the psychosexual logic that supports and constitutes the grammar of racist discourse in early twentieth‐century American popular media culture. Images of “grotesque” Black bodies represent the “Otherness” which was excluded in the process of white, middle‐class identity formation in this historical period. Through examination of the visual aspects of these ethnic caricatures we display how a re‐articulated racist ideology was sustained through specific strategies of iconographic representation. Racialized gender relations were depicted as symbolic inversions of bourgeois sexuality, with African American women masculinized and African American men symbolically castrated. The pervasive “bathroom humor” and sexual jokes of these images portray the Black body as contaminating, dirty, and repulsive. These postcards made use of protuberant and repugnant bodies to transform white fantasies of racial denigration into supposedly benign humor, turn racial panic into perverse ...
A hybrid tandem supersonic beam mass spectrometer for the study of collision-induced dissociation of ions in the energy range <1 to 3000 eV

Abstract A hybrid tandem mass spectrometer has been constructed to study the dynamics of collision-induced dissociation processes in the energy range of less than 1 eV to several keV. A mass- and energy-analyzed high-energy ion beam is decelerated to low energies by a series of cylindrical and rectangular tube lenses. The decelerated ion beam collides with a supersonic neutral beam at right angles. Energy and mass analysis of the fragment ions is performed by a novel hemispherical energy analyzer followed by a quadrupole mass filter. The detector system can be rotated about the collision center to provide angular analysis of scattered fragment ions. Ion beams of moderate intensity have been obtained in the entire energy range, it is especially significant that good intensity is obtained in the lower threshold energy range of 0.2–5 eV. The performance of the instrument has been evaluated by an extensive series of ion transmission, focus, and energy measurements and by comparison of CID results with known mstastable and collision-induced dissociation processes.
A graphical approach to computing Selmer groups of congruent number curves

Let En:y2=x3−n2x denote the family of congruent number elliptic curves. Feng and Xiong (2004) equate the nontriviality of the Selmer groups associated with En to the presence of certain types of partitions of graphs associated with the prime factorization of n. In this paper, we extend the ideas of Feng and Xiong in order to compute the Selmer groups of En.
Decreased interferon gamma and increased interleukin-4 production in atopic dermatitis promotes IgE synthesis

The mechanism(s) responsible for increased IgE synthesis in atopic dermatitis (AD) are unknown, but they may be related to either decreased interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and/or increased interleukin (IL)-4 production. In this study we examined peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 21 patients with AD, six patients with psoriasis, and 22 nonatopic healthy controls for IFN-γ and IL-4 production after stimulation with concanavalin A (Con A). The Con A-induced proliferative response of AD PBMCs was similar to the response of healthy controls ( p =0.9). After mitogen stimulation, however, AD culture supernatants contained significantly less IFN-γ ( p =0.001) but increased IL-4 ( p =0.001) compared with supernatants from nonatopic controls. In contrast, PBMCs from patients with psoriasis produced normal levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in vitro. Since IL-4 is known to decrease IFN-γ synthesis, we examined the effect of neutralizing anti-IL-4 on IFN-γ production. Anti-IL-4 significantly increased IFN-γ production in patients with AD ( p =0.008) and nonatopic controls ( p =0.02) but did not normalize IFN-γ production by AD PBMCs. Supernatants from AD PBMCs, but not supernatants from nonatopic PBMCs, induced IgE synthesis in PBMCs from nonatopic donors ( p =0.02). When an anti-IFN-γ receptor antibody, which blocks cellular binding of IFN-γ, was added to supernatants from nonatopic controls their capacity to induce IgE synthesis was significantly greater ( p =0.03). These results demonstrate an imbalance of IL-4 and IFN-γ production, which may contribute to increased IgE synthesis in AD.
Effect of timing of cyclosporine administration on recovery from renal ischemia in rats.

Abstract The effect of timing of cyclosporine administration on functional recovery from renal ischemia was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were given cyclosporine and subjected to renal ischemia by temporarily occluding both the renal artery and vein. Our data demonstrate no significant difference in serum creatinine among rats subjected to renal ischemia, cyclosporine, or cyclosporine-vehicle cremophor EL administration, or the control group. On the other hand, renal ischemia in combination with cyclosporine resulted in rapid and marked deterioration in renal function with serum creatinine peaking on Day 2. The most significant rise was in rats that received cyclosporine 4 hr prior to induction of renal ischemia (4.7 ± 0.5 mg/dl), followed by those that received cyclosporine 4 and 24 hr postischemia (2.8 ± 0.5 and 3.2 ± 0.7 mg/dl, respectively). Cyclosporine administration 24 hr prior to renal ischemia resulted in the least elevation of the serum creatinine (2.1 ± 0.5 mg/dl) and the earliest return to the baseline value. Our data suggest that the timing of cyclosporine administration in rats subjected to renal ischemia influences the extent of renal injury and the subsequent recovery of renal function.
A headway-based approach to eliminate bus bunching: Systematic analysis and comparisons

Bus schedules cannot be easily maintained on busy lines with short headways: experience shows that buses offering this type of service usually arrive irregularly at their stops, often in bunches. Although transit agencies build slack into their schedules to alleviate this problem - if necessary holding buses at control points to stay on schedule - their attempts often fail because practical amounts of slack cannot prevent large localized disruptions from spreading system-wide. This paper systematically analyzes an adaptive control scheme to mitigate this problem. The proposed scheme dynamically determines bus holding times at a route's control points based on real-time headway information. The method requires less slack than the conventional, schedule-based approach to produce headways within a given tolerance. This allows buses to travel faster than with the conventional approach, reducing in-vehicle passenger delay and increasing bus productivity.
Anatomy‐Guided Linear Atrial Lesions for Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

The surgical atrial maze procedure has provided proof that atrial fibrillation can be cured by performing atrial incisions based on anatomical and electrophysiological principles. Preliminary reports of attempts at radio frequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation utilizing an anatomy-based “linear incision” method have shown the feasibility of the method. However, postprocedural atrial fibrillation recurrence has been common and in addition new, uniform tachycardias have developed in some patients. Both of these outcomes may be in part due to incomplete or inconsistent lesion deployment. This article details the use of the CARTO system for deploying anatomy guided linear atrial lesions for the purpose of curing atrial fibrillation. The procedure is comprised of three phases, which are discussed in detail: (1) baseline map: (2) lesion deployment and; (3) lesion assessment. Using a single standard ablation electrode, lesions can be deployed safely, and complete lesions can be confirmed. Paradigms for right and left atrial incisions are proposed.
Poultry production: a model for developing interactive Internet-based distance education

Over the last several decades, many poultry science programs have merged with other departments, but the poultry industry has undergone tremendous expansion worldwide, leading to a growing instructional void with regard to poultry production information. The objective of this project was to address the demand for information by developing two Web-based poultry production courses that cover management of broilers, turkeys, breeders, and layers. The Internet was chosen as the platform because it is asynchronous and may be accessed from any connected site around the world. To be effective, web-based courseware must be theoretically grounded and interactive, but university-level web-based distance education courses often fail to meet these standards. During courseware development, the impact of instructional techniques and technologies on interactivity and learning outcomes was explored. A content expert, an instructional designer, and a graphic artist carefully reviewed a variety of instructional techniques to increase interactivity. Concept mapping was chosen because it has been shown to be a superior learning tool for enhancing the exchange of ideas and knowledge between instructors, students, and content. A unique instructional interface was established that includes threaded e-mail discussion, thought questions, animation, hypertext, rollover interactions, video clips, and concept mapping exercises. Results indicate that the integration of concept mapping into web-based learning environments successfully increased interactivity and learning outcomes.
Effect of Estradiol on Neuronal Swedish-Mutated β-Amyloid Precursor Protein Metabolism: Reversal by Astrocytic Cells

Alzheimer's disease is the most frequent neurodegenerative disorder in the aged population and is characterized by the deposition of the 40/42-residue amyloid beta protein (Abeta), a proteolytic fragment of the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP). Recently, it has been shown that physiological doses of estradiol reduce the generation of endogenous Abeta in primary cortical neurons. Here we investigate the influence of estrogen in amyloidogenesis and sAPPalpha secretion in the CNS. By means of primary cortical neurons overexpressing humanized APP(695) bearing the Swedish mutation (hAPP(695sw)), we analyzed APP maturation in the absence or in the presence of estrogen. We show that estrogen at a 2 microM concentration increases the release of the neuroprotective sAPPalpha fragment but does not reduce the release of Abeta in primary neurons overexpressing the Swedish-mutated form of APP. Furthermore, neurons cocultured with astrocytic cells or grown with astrocytes conditioned media do not exhibit the estrogen-induced increase in sAPPalpha secretion. Altogether, our data indicate that astrocytes interfere with estrogen in the regulation of sAPPalpha secretion, probably via secreted factor(s).
The impact of directed versus random movement on population dynamics and biodiversity patterns.

Abstract: An improved understanding of dispersal behavior is needed to predict how populations and communities respond to habitat fragmentation. Most spatial dynamic theory concentrates on random dispersal, in which movement rates depend neither on the state of an individual nor its environment and movement directions are unbiased. We examine the neglected dispersal component of directed movement in which dispersal is a conditional and directional response of individuals to varying environmental conditions. Specifically, we assume that individuals bias their movements along local gradients in fitness. Random movers, unable to track heterogeneous environmental conditions, face source‐sink dynamics, which can result in deterministic extinction or increase their vulnerability to stochastic extinction. Directed movers track environmental conditions closely. In fluctuating environments, random movers “spread their bets” across patches, while directed movers invest offspring in habitats currently enjoying propi...
Structural Aspects of the Dephosphorylation of Adenosine Triphosphate Catalyzed by Polyammonium Macrocycles

Abstract Four polyammonium macrocycles were synthesized and characterized: two with 21-membered rings and differing numbers of oxygen and nitrogen heteroatoms, [21]N6O (1) and [21]N5O2 (2), and two with bipyridine incorporated into the ring, [24]N4O2bipy (3) and [27]N3O2bipy (4). Their ability to catalyze the dephosphorylation of adenosine triphosphate was examined. It was found that ring size plays a crucial role in the catalytic ability of the macrocycles, with the 21-membered rings being superior to larger macrocycles. Also, rates of dephosphorylation were found to increase with increasing number of nitrogen atoms in the ring. For two of the macrocycles, crystal structures were determined. Macrocycle 2 crystallizes in the tricliriic space group PI, a = 10.692(1), b = 17.037(2), c = 8.1952(8)A, a = 92.550(9), β = 100.816(9), γ = 106.77(1)°, V = 1396.1(3) A3; the structure was solved to R = 0.089 and R w = 0.098. Macrocycle 4 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n, a = 14.589(1), b = 15.427(1),...
The Chemistry of Sulfur Tetraflouride

Current knowledge regarding the chemical and physical properties of sulfur tetraflouride is reviewed. The structural features of the compound are discussed, and its toxicological properties are presented. Particular attention is given to its reaction as a flourinating agent in view of the widespread interest in this facet of its chemistry.
Biocatalytically Synthesized Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)

Over the past decade, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) has been one of the widely investigated conjugated polymers due to its excellent electro-optical properties. The conventional synthesis of PEDOT/PSS involves oxidation of EDOT using strong oxidants in aqueous polystyrenesulfonate (SPS) solution. The low pH conditions and strong oxidants render this synthetic protocol unsuitable for use of PEDOT in applications such as biosensing. For the purpose of expanding the utility of PEDOT in these applications, it is important to develop a route that can provide the possibility of synthesizing PEDOT in the presence of the appropriate biological entities. Here we report the use of terthiophene as a radical mediator to synthesize PEDOT/ PSS under milder pH conditions using soybean peroxidase (SBP). The oxidation potential of terthiophene is sufficiently low for initiation of the polymerization reaction catalyzed by SBP. The oxidized terthiophene helps the subsequent oxidation of EDOT, thus mediating the polymerization reaction. This novel approach involving the use of conjugated oligomers as redox mediators is generic and vastly expands the types of substrates (thiophenes, pyrroles) that can be polymerized using enzymatic methods and benign conditions.
The shortest metal-metal bond yet: molecular and electronic structure of a dinuclear chromium diazadiene complex.

Reduction of a diazadiene chromium halide complex, [(HLiPr)Cr(μ-Cl)]2 (1, HLiPr = bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)diazadiene), with KC8 gave a diamagnetic, bimetallic complex, (HLiPr)2Cr2 (2). Complex 2 has been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and consists of a Cr2 unit spanned by two diazadiene ligands. The very short Cr−Cr distance (1.8028(9) A) and low formal oxidation state of the Cr atoms suggest that the Cr−Cr bond order may be greater than 4. Spin-restricted and spin-unrestricted DFT calculations on a model complex both converge on a singlet spin state and accurately reproduce the metric parameters of 2. The calculations show high-order metal−metal bonding along with extensive delocalization over the diazadiene ligands. Natural resonance theory analysis shows population of resonance structures that contain quintuple bonds, and natural bond order analysis gives a bond order of 4.28 for the Cr−Cr bond.
An Introduction to Causal Inference

Sociologists routinely employ regression analysis and a variety of related statistical models to draw causal inferences from survey data. Typically, the parameters of the models are interpreted as effects that indicate the change in a dependent variable that would occur if one or more independent variables were set to values other than the values actually taken. The purpose of this article is to formally demonstrate, in a fashion accessible to the social researcher who is not a methodologist, why the interpretations above do not generally hold, even when the model is correctly specified and a causal theory is given. Some implications for the way in which social research is and should be conducted are discussed. In particular, the usual strategies for testing competing causal explanations are misdirected. Further, the emphasis on causation in contemporary sociology is often misdirected.
The Role of Jet Fans in Rail Tunnel Safety

Given the high volume of people using today’s public transportation systems, passenger safety has taken on even greater importance in engineering design. This trend has also driven more technical innovation to achieve the same levels of safe ridership using less energy and with reduced cost Jet fens are ideal mechanical systems for emergency ventilation of unidirectional road tunnels; the arched roadway tunnels provide ample space for installation, and this equipment can be operated to transport smoke in the direction of traffic flow — thus enabling stranded motorists to evacuate under clear air in the opposite direction. The application of jet fan systems to multi-directional rail tunnels is not as straightforward, but it can produce significant savings in terms of both energy usage and capital cost, without diminishing passenger safety. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how jet fan systems can be applied to rail tunnel networks as mitigating factors against traditionally large, expensive and high energy-consumption fen facilities. This paper covers the key aspects of jet fan implementation — including spatial allowance, operational modes, high-temperature exposure and economic impacts — through presentation of a sample rail tunnel network and analysis of hypothetical emergency ventilation scenarios.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Becoming a leader in university budgeting

This chapter presents information to help senior student affairs officers first establish themselves as experts in division-level budgeting and then go on to become leaders in university-wide budgeting.
Collaboration in the Invention of Technology: Globalization, Regions, and Centers

Abstract Technology is no longer invented mainly in solitude but is now mostly created through collaboration among inventors, both within a country and across national boundaries. Collaboration in invention can be indicated by patents obtained jointly by inventors, amounting for about half of the patents issued from 1975 to 1991 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to inventors throughout the world. Collaboration is shown to differ considerably across technologies; it is least frequent in fields of clothing and houseware and most frequent in chemistry. Collaboration has been increasing within and especially across national boundaries, a process of globalization of collaboration. Participation involves nearly every society but collaboration is quite unevenly distributed around the world. The network of collaboration forms a hierarchy of a few highly inventive centers, especially the United States, dominating collaboration with the peripheries. Collaboration is also embedded in geopolitical links. Specifically, a decrease in collaboration among the nations in the East Bloc has accompanied the geopolitical distingration of the communist bloc, and an increase in collaboration among the 12 nations now in the European Union has accompanied the formation of this geopolitical region.
Furan formation from fatty acids as a result of storage, gamma irradiation, UV-C and heat treatments.

Abstract The effects of gamma and UV-C irradiation in comparison with thermal processing and storage at 25 °C on formation of furan from different fatty acids were investigated. Results showed that furan was generated from polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and linolenic acid during thermal (120 °C, 25 min) and UV-C (11.5 J/cm 2 ) treatments. Gamma irradiation (up to 20 kGy) did not induce formation of significant amounts of furan from any of the fatty acids studied. Storage of unsaturated fatty acid emulsions at 25 °C for 3 days led to the formation of furan (7–11 ng/mL) even without prior thermal or non-thermal treatments. pH significantly impacted furan formation with >3.5 times more furan formed at pH 9 than at pHs 3 or 6 during 3 days at 25 °C. The addition of Trolox, BHA, and propyl gallate had no significant effect on furan formation from linolenic acid while α-tocopherol and FeSO 4 promoted furan formation.
Smads keep TABs on inflammation.

Smad7 controls inflammation by negatively regulating activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. New work shows that Smad7 inhibits NF-κB by binding to the regulatory proteins TAB2 and TAB3, thereby blocking association of the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF2 with the kinase TAK1.
Professional development for school leadership: The impact of U.S. educational reform

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of three major reform proposals offered recently as strategies for the renewal and improvement of educational practice in the United States. Proposals selected for analysis include site-based management, greater freedom of choice for parents selecting schools for their children, and the adoption of accountability standards tied to the demonstration of effectiveness through reviewing student performance on mandated student achievement tests. It has been assumed that schools will improve if these measures are adopted. The chapter looks at these concepts and questions the impact that the wholesale acceptance of such practice will have on the role and function of school principals
Mass spectrometric analysis of evolved CO 2 during 9.6-μm CO 2 irradiation of dental enamel

Carbon dioxide laser irradiation induces chemical changes in dental hard tissues including, dehydration, decomposition, disproportionation, and vaporization. Such changes can lead to either an increase or decrease in susceptibility to acid dissolution and adversely affect the bond strength to restorative materials. The objective of this study was to measure the evolved molecular species produced during laser irradiation. Samples of bovine enamel were irradiated by a 9.6 micrometers TEA CO2 laser in a vacuum chamber connected to a quadruple mass spectrometer. At irradiation intensities above 0.37 J/cm2 an increase in evolved CO2 and H2O were detected indicative of thermal decomposition of the mineral phase. The respective ion yields changed markedly with increasing number of laser pulses suggesting that the decomposition was complete after less than ten laser pulses at irradiation intensities from 0.4 to 0.8 J/cm2. Above irradiation intensities of 1.0 J/cm2 there is continual emission after 50 laser pulses indicative of vaporization and material removal. At higher ablative fluence, higher mass species were detected due to the ejection of hydroxyapatite. This study demonstrates that mass spectroscopy can be used to directly probe laser induced physical and chemical changes in dental hard tissue during laser ablation.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The nutritional value of pressed potato vine silage

Potato (Solanum tuberoswn L.) vines were studied to determine if they could be successfully ensiled and fed to ruminant animals. Russet Burbank potato vine and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) silages were fed to goats (Capra hircus) to measure in vivo digestibility and to determine if potato glycoalkaloids were aversive or toxic. No differences in the feeding patterns between control and experimental animals were observed. Alfalfa silage was more digestible than the Russet Burbank potato vine silage due to a higher content of digestible cell wall materials. Digestibility differences between potato clones and harvest dates were found when in vivo digestibility tests were performed. W729R was the most digestible clone studied, especially for the early harvest dates. Most of the clones had vines that were more digestible, in vitro, than alfalfa. Vine glycoalkaloid contents of the experimental clones were similar to the values reported in the literature. There was no apparent correlation between vine glycoalkaloid content and percent digestible dry matter. A positive correlation of 0.38 between digestible dry matter and dry vine yield was found. Potato vine silage, produced after pressing the vines to remove water, was an acceptable feed for ruminant animals. Additional in vivo testing is necessary to determine if toxic effects due to glycoalkaloids or pesticides from long term feeding will be a problem.
A noninteractive procedure for land-use determination

A complete operational procedure designed for use by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the determination of land-use information for hydrologic planning purposes is reported. The procedure combines photo interpretation techniques and the batch-mode computer analysis of Landsat digital data. Since the operational constraints preclude the use of dedicated, interactive image processing facilities, several novel approaches to geometric correction, classification, and data input/output were developed. The procedure is summarized, and examples of the application of the procedure to urban watersheds are described. In spite of the constraints, the procedure provides results comparable in accuracy and lower in cost than those provided by commercial services using interactive techniques.
Whole-genome sequencing in bacteriology: state of the art

Over the last ten years, genome sequencing capabilities have expanded exponentially. There have been tremendous advances in sequencing technology, DNA sample preparation, genome assembly, and data analysis. This has led to advances in a number of facets of bacterial genomics, including metagenomics, clinical medicine, bacterial archaeology, and bacterial evolution. This review examines the strengths and weaknesses of techniques in bacterial genome sequencing, upcoming technologies, and assembly techniques, as well as highlighting recent studies that highlight new applications for bacterial genomics.
Where gene discovery turns into systems biology: genome-scale RNAi screens in Drosophila.

Systems biology aims to describe the complex interplays between cellular building blocks which, in their concurrence, give rise to the emergent properties observed in cellular behaviors and responses. This approach tries to determine the molecular players and the architectural principles of their interactions within the genetic networks that control certain biological processes. Large-scale loss-of-function screens, applicable in various different model systems, have begun to systematically interrogate entire genomes to identify the genes that contribute to a certain cellular response. In particular, RNA interference (RNAi)-based high-throughput screens have been instrumental in determining the composition of regulatory systems and paired with integrative data analyses have begun to delineate the genetic networks that control cell biological and developmental processes. Through the creation of tools for both, in vitro and in vivo genome-wide RNAi screens, Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as one of the key model organisms in systems biology research and over the last years has massively contributed to and hence shaped this discipline. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2011 3 471–478 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.127 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Die Bestimmung des Bedeckungsgrades von S2O82− und Jodat an Platin

Zusammenfassung Es wurden die Bedeckungsgrade und die Adsorptionsisothermen fur S2O82− in 0.1 N KOH an, Pt und fur Jodat in 0.1 N H2SO4 an Pt bestimmt. Zur Bestimmung der auf die Menge des an der Pt-Oberflache chemisorbierten Sauerstoffes bezogenen Bedeckungsgrade wurden zwei elektrochemische Methoden entwickelt. Sie basieren auf der Aufnahme potentiodynmaischer katodischer Kurven und unterscheiden sich im Verharen zur Eliminierung des Stromanteiles, der auf die Reduktion des Depolarisators aus der Losung zuruckzufuhren ist. Fur eine 10−3 M K2S2O8-Losung wurde ein Bedeckungsgrad von 12% und fur eine 10−3 M JO3−-Losung ein solcher von ∼16% ermittelt. Die Adsorptionsisothermen zeigen die fur dissoziative Chemisorption in 2 Teilchen charakteristische Abhangigkeit θ=prop. cc1/2. Das liess bei den ermittelten Bedeckungsgraden θ
Partial purification of cytochrome P450 from rat brain and demonstration of estradiol hydroxylation.

Summary Cytochrome P450 was partially purified from brain microsomes of untreated rats. A difference spectrum of the dithionite-reduced CO-complex of the purified P450 showed essentially the hemeprotein absorbing exclusively at 449nm. The purified brain P450 was able to catalyze estradiol (E2) hydroxylation leading to the formation of 6α- and 6β-hydroxy(OH)E2, 4-OHE2, estrone, 6oxoE2, 2-OHE2, 15α-OHE2 and estriol. These results demonstrate that rat brain P450 is active in estradiol hydroxylation.
The effect of acute pain crisis on exhaled nitric oxide levels in children with sickle cell disease

Exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)) has been shown to be decreased in children with sickle cell disease. We sought to evaluate the effect of sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) on FE(NO) levels. We measured FE(NO) levels in 42 children with sickle cell disease, 29 in their baseline health and 13 during an acute VOC. There was no difference in FE(NO) levels between children at baseline (15.12 +/- 9.32 ppb) and those during an acute VOC (15.68 +/- 7.26 ppb; P = 0.794). FE(NO) is not a useful marker of acute VOC in children with sickle cell disease.
Frequency-selective double-quantum-filtered COSY in water

Abstract The possibility of performing complex frequency-selective proton NMR experiments in aqueous solution is demonstrated. We show double-quantum-filtered two-dimensional spectra of a small protein obtained using frequency-selective pulse sequences alone. The frequency-selective pulse sequences exploit the nonlinear spin response so as to retain control over the phase of the spin coherences. A data processing method for greatly reducing the t 1 noise from the imperfectly suppressed solvent peak is also demonstrated.