cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deoxyribozymes that synthesize branched and lariat RNA.

Branched RNA molecules with a 2',5'-phosphodiester linkage are important biochemical intermediates. Lariat RNA is a particular type of branched RNA that is formed during intron splicing in vivo. Synthesis of branched and lariat RNA is challenging, and there are few general approaches that are applicable in vitro. Here we report the identification of divalent metal-dependent deoxyribozymes (DNA enzymes) that synthesize branched and lariat RNA. In vitro selection was used to obtain deoxyribozymes that selectively join an internal RNA 2'-hydroxyl with a 5'-terminal triphosphate in a convenient "binding arms" format. At least 85% yield of 2',5'-branched RNA is obtained at 37 degrees C and 20 mM Mn2+, pH 7.5 in </=30 min, and for some DNA enzymes in as little as 2 min (kobs approximately 0.1-2 min-1). This represents a rate enhancement of up to 5 million-fold over the background reaction. Lariat RNA is also synthesized by the new deoxyribozymes, which have significant potential as generalizable reagents for the practical preparation of branched and lariat RNA. Because nucleic acid enzymes apparently create branched RNA in nature (e.g., group II introns and the spliceosome), the new deoxyribozymes are of substantial mechanistic interest as well as practical importance.
The solubilities of five cyclic dipeptides in water at the temperature 298.15 K

Abstract The solubilities of five cyclic dipeptides: c -glycylglycine), c -( d -alanylglycine), c -( d -alanyl- d -alanine), c -( d -valyI-L-valine), and c -(glycyl- d -leucine), in water at the temperature 298.15 K have been redetermined using an improved technique. The solubility constants of the dipeptides were used to calculate molar Gibbs free energies of dissolution. Also, the molar enthalpies of dissolution and the corresponding heat-capacity changes previously determined in our laboratory were re-evaluated from the new solubility constants. Finally, from the molar enthalpies and the Gibbs free energies of dissolution, the corresponding molar entropies of dissolution of the dipeptides were calculated.
Measurement of Refractive Indices and Study of Isotropic-Nematic Phase Transition by the Surface Plasmon Technique

Abstract The surface plasmon technique is employed to measure the refractive indices and to probe the nematic-isotropic phase transition of 4-cyano-4′-n-pentylbiphenyl. Coexistence of isotropic and nematic phases in a 60 mK range and a hysteresis effect of the phase transition have been observed. A diffuse droplet model is used to estimate the supercooling and superheating range.
Effects of prednisolone and dexamethasone in vivo and in vitro: studies of insulin binding, deoxyglucose uptake and glucose oxidation in rat adipocytes.

We have studied the effects of dexamethasone and prednisolone in vitro and in vivo on insulin binding, deoxyglucose uptake and glucose oxidation in rat adipocytes. In the studies in vivo, rats were treated for 22 h with dexamethasone (30 μg/kg) or prednisolone (200 μg/kg). Following sacrifice, adipocytes were prepared and the results demonstrated that cells from prednisolone treated rats showed a 17% increase in insulin binding and increased rates of basal and insulin stimulated deoxyglucose uptake and glucose oxidation. Conversely, dexamethasone administration resulted in a 22% decrease in insulin binding, and decreased rates of deoxyglucose uptake and glucose oxidation by the cells. Thus, prednisolone and dexamethasone had opposite effects in vivo. In contrast to the opposite effects of the two glucocorticoids in vivo, dexamethasone and prednisolone (each at a concentration of 1 μmol/l) had similar effects on adipocytes in vitro. Incubation of adipocytes with the steroids did not alter insulin binding, while both agents led to a comparable decrease in the rates of basal and insulin stimulated deoxyglucose uptake and glucose oxidation. Thus, dexamethasone and prednisolone have opposite effects on adipocyte glucose metabolism in vivo but have similar effects in vitro.
Theme Comprehension: Beyond the Details.

AbstractEven though theme is cited in two of the 10 Common Core Standards for Reading Literature, little is written on how to teach it. Determining theme while reading a story is a critical element of reading literature, yet some children simply struggle. The instructional strategies presented here are designed to hone students' theme awareness and theme comprehension skills while reading or listening to children's literature.
Belarus and Its Implications for The Study of Transition Economies: An Introduction

(2011). Belarus and Its Implications for The Study of Transition Economies: An Introduction. Eurasian Geography and Economics: Vol. 52, No. 6, pp. 747-749.
Monte Carlo Study of B-Cell Receptor Clustering by Antigen Cross-Linking

B cell signaling is triggered by the recognition of antigens by the surface proteins of the cell known as B-cell receptors (BCRs). It is known from experiments that, in the presence of soluble antigens BCRs assemble into small micro clusters and then structure into a macro cluster. However the underlying mechanisms of the antigen interaction with the BCRs and their cluster formation remain unclear. In our recent effort we have investigated, using Monte Carlo simulations, the mechanism of BCR clustering which would arise due to the intrinsic attractions among them. Such mutual attraction between two adjacent BCR molecules could arise, among other possibilities, due to cross-linking by bivalent soluble antigens. Recently, we have developed and studied a Monte Carlo model of B cell receptor clustering caused by binding and cross-linking of soluble antigens. The results of our study demonstrate the formation of small micro-clusters of BCR molecules (typically of size 2-10 molecules). But antigen cross-linking only is not adequate enough for the formation of large macro-clusters. A simple model of biased diffusion where BCR molecules experience a biased directed motion towards the largest cluster is then applied, which results in a single macro cluster of receptor molecules. The types of receptor clusters formed are analyzed using various network-based metrics such as the average distance between any pairs of receptors and number of adjacent pairs. The effect of BCR and antigen concentrations on the receptor clustering, the stability of the formed clusters over the time, and size of BCR-antigen cross-linked chains are all analyzed using suitable network-based metrics.
Differential central distribution of optic nerve components in the rat.

Summar The distribution of Fink-Heimer positive degeneration and neurofibrillar proliferation has been examined in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and superior colliculus of albino and pigmented rats following enucleation between postnatal days 12 and 30 and as adults. With survival times of 6 h to 5 days following enucleation, the location of maximum degenerative reaction stained by the Fink-Heimer method changes with increasing survival time in both regions. In the dLGN contralateral to the eye removal the earliest degeneration appears in a lamina occupying the medioventral extent of the nucleus and is rapidly removed; later degeneration fills a central lamina of the nucleus with a patch of degeneration extending to the outer surface of the nucleus at the mediodorsal margin. The latest occuring degeneration fills the outermost lamina and is still obvious when degeneration is largely dispersed from the inner and central laminae; this outer lamina shows an early filamentous degenerative reaction in the adult. The uncrossed optic pathway occupies a portion of the central lamina of the nucleus, and in albino animals it shows a rapid degeneration and dispersion similar to the innermost lamina on the crossed side; in the pigmented animals degeneration of the uncrossed projection starts as early as that of the albino but persists as long as the degeneration of the central lamina on the crossed side. The degeneration time of the sprouted, uncrossed pathway resulting from unilateral enucleation at birth is similar in albino and pigmented rats and resembles in timing the normal uncrossed pathway of pigmented rats. These results suggest that there are at least 3 different fiber populations in the rat optic nerve with different distribution in the dLGN. The uncrossed optic pathway of albino and pigmented rats appears to differ in fiber composition; this may relate to aberrations in mapping of uncrossed projections in the albino.
The Use of Homework in Behavior Therapy for Anxiety Disorders

In this article, the authors discuss the role of homework in behavior therapyfor the anxiety disorders. First, the authors describe the essential componentsof behavior therapy that include exposure to feared consequences andcessation of all avoidance behaviors. Then, the authors briesy review theliterature on the relationship between homework compliance and treatmentoutcome. Next, the authors discuss the way that homework is used in termsof self-monitoring and exposure exercises during the course of treatment.Finally, the authors discuss the practicalities of encouraging homeworkcompliance and managing noncompliance.Behavior therapy is an empirically based treatment approach that hasdemonstrated efÞcacy across the anxiety disorders (see Hersen & Bellack,1999, for discussions of behavior therapy in panic disorder, obsessiveÐcompulsive disorder, social phobia and posttraumatic stress disorder, or forspeciÞc treatment manuals including suggestions for homework assign-ments see Oxford University Press/Graywind Publications manuals). Inaddition to the empirical stance taken by researchers of behavior therapy,clinicians and patients are also encouraged to take the stance of scientistsin the context of treatment. SpeciÞcally, treatment involves testing beliefsthat they have about particular situations during treatment sessions and ontheir own through the use of homework assignments.Behavior therapy for the anxiety disorders focuses primarily on havingpatients confront situations that that they are avoiding. Avoidance can beovert (e.g., a person with social phobia who refuses to do any public
Women in the Labor Force and Suicide

It has been argued that female participation in the labor force is a source of role conflict for women and may lead to higher rates of suicide in both women and men (Stack, 1978). Stack also argued that females' participation in the labor force may be a good measure of status integration in a society (that is, the degree to which the different statuses that people have are associated); this would also lead to a higher suicide rate. The present note uses a data set for the continental states of the USA in 1980 collected by Lester (1988). Women's participation in the labor force was strongly associated with men's participation in the labor force (Pearson r= 0.83). In a factor analysis using SPSSX (with a principal components extraction and a varimax rotation) of the social and economic variables, women's and men's participation in the labor force loaded highly (0.72 and 0.79, respectively) on a factor with the percentage of elderly and the death rate (loadings -0.72 and -0.64, respectively), a factor independent of one which appeared to tap social integration (with loading from divorce rates, interstate migration, and church attendance). Suicide rates did not load on this factor, and they did not correlate significantly with women's and men's participation in the labor force (rs = 0.08 and 0.14, respectively). Thus, there is no empirical evidence from these results that women's participation in the labor force is a source of role conflict, a measure of status integration or related to the suicide rates of the states of America.
Physician influence on patient compliance: A clinical trial

This study was designed to measure the effect of altering three possible impediments to care provided patients with non-emergency problems in a large city hospital emergency department: inadequate patient education by the physician, lack of continuity of care, and complex and impersonal clerical procedures. Patients with symptomatic urinary tract infections were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. A senior physician spent extra time with patients in the intervention group to discuss the assessment and management of their problem, bypass the usual clerical procedures at discharge, and promise continuity of care. Patients in the control group were treated in the usual fashion by emergency department nurses and residents. The return rate to the emergency department three weeks after the initial visit was used to measure the effect of the altered care applied to patients in the intervention group. Our hypothesis was that patients in the intervention group would be more likely to return. Of 46 patients in the intervention group, 26 returned. Of 43 patients in the control group, 14 returned (chi square 4.23 after Yate's correction, 0.025 P
Medication management by the person with epilepsy: perception versus reality.

Purpose. In an attempt to understand if perception of medication management matched actual medication management, we examined epilepsy patients' perceptions of their overall medication management and their actual management. Methods. The investigators interviewed 25 adults with refractory epilepsy regarding perceptions of their past overall medication management. Following the interview, each subject received the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) and was asked to use it for 1 month. For the 21 persons who used and returned the caps, a score for compliance was calculated by dividing the number of compliant days by the total number of days. Results. Four participants stated that they may sometimes forget to take their medications, and three patients said that they self-regulated their medications to fit their lifestyle. The self-regulation was not reflected in the MEMS cap data. Fourteen participants reported that it was not difficult to manage their medication regimen. MEMS cap data showed that 11 participants had a compliance score greater than 80% and 10 had a compliance score lower than 34%, but patients' perceptions of their past overall compliance did not differ between these groups. Conclusion. Although 14 of the participants reported that managing their medications was not a problem, MEMS cap data suggested that 10 of the participants did have difficulties managing their medication.
Die optischen Konstanten von Magnesiumoxyd im Infraroten

Durch Reflexionsmessungen bei zwei verschiedenen Einfallswinkeln sowie Durchlassigkeitsmessungen wurden die optischen Konstanten von MgO-Einkristallen im Spektralbereich von 5–33 μm Wellenlange bestimmt. Die schon fruher beobachtete Feinstruktur auf der kurzwelligen Seite der Bande konnte durch Messungen bei tiefer Temperatur weiter aufgelost werden. Aus der Analyse der Dielektrizitatskonstanten ergeben sich neben der Grundschwingung bei 394 cm−1 (25,4 μm) noch 15 weitere diskrete Gitterfrequenzen.
Speculations on the European mortality decline.

The causes of the European mortality decline which began in the seventeenth century and accelerated into the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are examined. The author challeges the hypothesis that increasing inherited resistance to infectious disease was a major factor. "After suggesting some of the reasons why this is unlikely [he discusses] some of the determinants that do seem...important. [He suggests] that mortality declined as a result of changes in the most prevalent diseases; that these changes were linked to changes in social and economic life but were determined by differences in the biology of microorganisms; and that the decline occurred in three broad but ragged and overlapping phases." The first phase which occurred during the seventeenth century was characterized by mortality peaks resulting primarily from the plague as well as by diseases such as typhus caused by wars and famines. In the second phase encompassing the eighteenth century these diseases declined because of the growing development of absolutism. In the third phase nonspecific pneumonia-diarrhea diseases became more important as causes of infant death. The author concludes that mortality declined primarily as a result of the decrease in epidemics. (EXCERPT)
Glutathione, iron and Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease involving neurodegeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra (SN), a part of the midbrain. Oxidative stress has been implicated to play a major role in the neuronal cell death associated with PD. Importantly, there is a drastic depletion in cytoplasmic levels of the thiol tripeptide glutathione within the SN of PD patients. Glutathione (GSH) exhibits several functions in the brain chiefly acting as an antioxidant and a redox regulator. GSH depletion has been shown to affect mitochondrial function probably via selective inhibition of mitochondrial complex I activity. An important biochemical feature of neurodegeneration during PD is the presence of abnormal protein aggregates present as intracytoplasmic inclusions called Lewy bodies. Oxidative damage via GSH depletion might also accelerate the build-up of defective proteins leading to cell death of SN dopaminergic neurons by impairing the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway of protein degradation. Replenishment of normal glutathione levels within the brain may hold an important key to therapeutics for PD. Several reports have suggested that iron accumulation in the SN patients might also contribute to oxidative stress during PD.
Natural Supports: Reconceptualizing Job Coach Roles.

This article presents four case examples that illustrate various strategies used by agency personnel to promote job supports for employees with disabilities while minimizing the intrusion of suppor...
The DARPA Diverse Accessible Heterogeneous Integration (DAHI) program: Convergence of compound semiconductor devices and silicon-enabled architectures

The DARPA Diverse Accessible Heterogeneous Integration (DAHI) program is developing transistor-scale heterogeneous integration processes to intimately combine advanced compound semiconductor (CS) devices, as well as other emerging materials and devices, with high-density silicon CMOS technology. This technology is currently enabling RF/mixed signal circuits with revolutionary performance. For example, InP HBT + CMOS technology is being utilized in advanced DACs and ADCs with CMOS-enabled calibration and self-healing techniques for correcting static and dynamic errors in situ. Such CMOS-enabled self-healing techniques are expected to more generally enable improved CS-based circuit performance and yield in the presence of process and environmental variability, as well as aging. DAHI is also expected to enable the integration of high power CS devices with silicon-based linearization techniques to realize highly power efficient transmitters. By enabling this heterogeneous integration capability, DAHI seeks to establish a new paradigm for microsystems designers to utilize a diverse array of materials and device technologies on a common silicon-based platform.
Quid nobis cum pelago? The New Thalassology and the Economic History of Europe

The long debate about the nature and decline of the ancient Mediterranean economy and the appearance of a distinctive northern European economy has been considerably enriched by recent research in archaeology, ecology, numismatics, and communications history. Particularly striking has been the expansion of research into untraditional areas—microregional histories of the Mediterranean, hagiography, and the evidence of physical mobility. The result of this expansion has been to redefine the problem of the ancient and the later economies and to suggest new methods for continuing research.
Impact of problem centralization in distributed constraint optimization algorithms

Recent progress in Distributed Constraint Optimization Problems (DCOP) has led to a range of algorithms now available which differ in their amount of problem centralization. Problem centralization can have a significant impact on the amount of computation required by an agent but unfortunately the dominant evaluation metric of "number of cycles" fails to account for this cost. We analyze the relative performance of two recent algorithms for DCOP: OptAPO, which performs partial centralization, and Adopt, which maintains distribution of the DCOP. Previous comparison of Adopt and OptAPO has found that OptAPO requires fewer cycles than Adopt. We extend the cycles metric to define "Cycle-Based Runtime (CBR)" to account for both the amount of computation required in each cycle and the communication latency between cycles. Using the CBR metric, we show that Adopt outperforms OptAPO under a range of communication latencies. We also ask: What level of centralization is most suitable for a given communication latency? We use CBR to create performance curves for three algorithms that vary in degree of centralization, namely Adopt, OptAPO, and centralized Branch and Bound search.
Experience in the USA

In November 2006, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their recommendations for HIV-testing in health-care settings in the USA. The new guidelines recommended routine HIV-testing not based on patient risk, opt-out testing, no separate consent for HIV-testing and no requirement for pretest counselling. Three cardinal points underlie the changes: risk-based testing has not identified all HIV-infected individuals in the USA, opportunities for diagnosis and management of HIV are being missed and routine HIV screening is cost-effective. Routine screening for HIV is desirable and should be achievable, but challenges still remain in introducing it in the USA. State-by-State changes in laws have had to be made, the impact on providers and payers must be considered and proactive screening programmes must be supported by faith and cultural leaders in the highly affected communities. Furthermore, non-specialist clinicians must be trained to deal with all aspects of HIV-testing in an appropriate and professional manner. Despite fears that the public would not accept the new approach, many Americans believe that HIV-testing is an appropriate part of a medical check-up. With the public's support, newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals will benefit from treatment, and society will benefit because of reduced HIV transmission.
Surface Modification of Silicate Glass Using 3-(Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane for Thiol–Ene Polymerization

A thiol-ene polymerization was accomplished on silicate glass slides to graft a series of homopolymers and copolymers using 3-(mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MTS) as both a silane coupling agent and initiator. MTS was initially covalently bonded to an acid cleaned glass surface via a classical sol-gel reaction. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(acrylamide) (PAAm), poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA), poly(acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS), and the copolymer poly(AA-co-AAm-co-MA-co-AMPS) were grafted from the thiol group of MTS. The surface chemistry of the MTS modified slides and polymer grafts was characterized with attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Surface texture was evaluated with tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM). The Owens-Wendt-Kaelble (OWK) and Lifshitz-van der Waals acid-base (LW-AB) methods were used to evaluate surface energies by sessile drop contact angle method. The synthetic approach demonstrated a facile, rapid method for grafting to glass surfaces.
Characterizations of Criminal Athletes: A Systematic Examination of Sports News Depictions of Race and Crime

The present content analysis systematically analyzed the frequency and quality of newspaper coverage of race and crime in sports news. A social identity framework, incorporating insights from frami...
The PHD domain of the sea urchin RAG2 homolog, SpRAG2L, recognizes dimethylated lysine 4 in histone H3 tails

V(D)J recombination is a somatic gene rearrangement process that assembles antigen receptor genes from individual segments during lymphocyte development. The access of the RAG1/RAG2 recombinase to these gene segments is regulated at the level of chromatin modifications, in particular histone tail modifications. Trimethylation of lysine 4 in histone H3 (H3K4me3) correlates with actively recombining gene elements, and this mark is recognized and interpreted by the plant homeodomain (PHD) of RAG2. Here we report that the PHD domain of the only known invertebrate homolog of RAG2, the SpRAG2L protein of the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) also binds to methylated histones, but with a unique preference for H3K4me2. While the cognate substrate for the sea urchin RAG1L/RAG2L complex remains elusive, the affinity for histone tails and the nuclear localization of ectopically expressed SpRAG2L strongly support the model that this enzyme complex exerts its activity on DNA in the context of chromatin.
Online work maximization under a peak temperature constraint

Increasing power densities and the high cost of low thermal resistance packages and cooling solutions make it impractical to design processors for worst-case temperature scenarios. As a result, packages and cooling solutions are designed for less than worst-case power densities and dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) is used to prevent dangerous on-chip temperatures at run time. Unfortunately, DVFS can cause unpredicted drops in performance (e.g., long response times). We propose and optimally solve the problem of thermally-constrained online work maximization for general-purpose computing systems on uniprocessors with discrete speed levels and non-negligible transition overheads. Simulation results show that our approach completes 47.7% on average and up to 68.0% more cycles than a naive policy.
Resilience to Loss in Bereaved Spouses, Bereaved Parents, and Bereaved Gay Men

Recent research has indicated that many people faced with highly aversive events suffer only minor, transient disruptions in functioning and retain a capacity for positive affect and experiences. This article reports 2 studies that replicate and extend these findings among bereaved parents, spouses, and caregivers of a chronically ill life partner using a range of self-report and objective measures of adjustment. Resilience was evidenced in half of each bereaved sample when compared with matched, nonbereaved counterparts and 36% of the caregiver sample in a more conservative, repeated-measures ipsative comparison. Resilient individuals were not distinguished by the quality of their relationship with spouse/partner or caregiver burden but were rated more positively and as better adjusted by close friends.
Serine-204 in the linker region of Smad3 mediates the collagen-I response to TGF-β in a cell phenotype-specific manner

Regulation of TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling in fibrogenesis is complex. Previous work by our lab suggests that ERK MAP kinase phosphorylates the linker region (LR) of Smad3 to enhance TGF-β-induced collagen-I accumulation. However the roles of the individual Smad3LR phosphorylation sites (T179, S204, S208 and S213) in the collagen-I response to TGF-β are not clear. To address this issue, we tested the ability of Smad3 constructs expressing wild-type Smad3 or Smad3 with mutated LR phosphorylation sites to reconstitute TGF-β-stimulated COL1A2 promoter activity in Smad3-null or -knockdown cells. Blocking ERK in fibroblasts and renal mesangial cells inhibited both S204 phosphorylation and Smad3-mediated COL1A2 promoter activity. Mutations replacing serine at S204 or S208 in the linker region decreased Smad3-mediated COL1A2 promoter activity, whereas mutating T179 enhanced basal COL1A2 promoter activity and did not prevent TGF-β stimulation. Interestingly, mutation of all four Smad3LR sites (T179, S204, S208 and S213) was not inhibitory, suggesting primacy of the two inhibitory sites. These results suggest that in these mesenchymal cells, phosphorylation of the T179 and possibly S213 sites may act as a brake on the signal, whereas S204 phosphorylation by ERK in some manner releases that brake. Renal epithelial cells (HKC) respond differently from MEF or mesangial cells; blocking ERK neither changed TGF-β-stimulated S204 phosphorylation nor prevented Smad3-mediated COL1A2 promoter activity in HKC. Furthermore, re-expression of wild type-Smad3 or the S204A-Smad3 mutant in Smad3-knockdown HKC reconstituted Smad3-mediated COL1A2 promoter activity. Collectively, these data suggest that Serine-204 phosphorylation in the Smad3LR is a critical event by which ERK enhances Smad3-mediated COL1A2 promoter activity in mesenchymal cells.
The oxidation of methanol on a silver (110) catalyst

The oxidation of methanol was studied on a Ag(110) single-crystal by temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy. The Ag(110) surface was preoxidized with oxygen-18, and deuterated methanol, CH3OD, was used to distinguish the hydroxyl hydrogen from the methyl hydrogens. Very little methanol chemisorbed on the oxygen-free Ag(110) surface, and the ability of the silver surface to dissociatively chemisorb methanol was greatly enhanced by surface oxygen. CH3OD was selectively oxidized upon adsorption at 180 K to adsorbed CH3O and D218O, and at high coverages the D218O was displaced from the Ag(110) surface. The methoxide species was the most abundant surface intermediate and decomposed via reaction channels at 250, 300 and 340 K to H2CO and hydrogen. Adsorbed H2CO also reacted with adsorbed CH3O to form H2COOCH3which subsequently yielded HCOOCH3 and hydrogen. The first-order rate constant for the dehydrogenation of D2COOCH3 to DCOOCH3 and deuterium was found to be (2.4 ± 2.0) × 1011 exp(−14.0 ± 0.5 kcalmole · RT)sec−1. This reaction is analogous to alkoxide transfer from metal alkoxides to aldehydes in the liquid phase. Excess surface oxygen atoms on the silver substrate resulted in the further oxidation of adsorbed H2CO to carbon dioxide and water. The oxidation of methanol on Ag(110) is compared to the previous study on Cu(110).
Enhancement of E2 transition probability

Abstract The method of generator coordinates is applied to the calculation of E2 transition probabilities. Complete single-particle states in a deformed well are used as generator functions, and the transition from the first excited state to the ground state of C12 is computed as an example. The degree of enhancement is found to be of a magnitude consistent with experiment. The effect of centre-of-mass motion and other factors affecting the validity of the result are discussed.
Liability and Litigation Risks for Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

The potential for legal liability involving faculty members and students in higher education settings is a topic that warrants serious attention by administrators. Specific areas identified as high risk include dismissal of a faculty member, denial of tenure, misappropriation of grant-funding, intellectual property conflicts, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) issues, sexual harassment, student suspension, disabilities, and student privacy issues. Examples of litigation in the higher-education setting are presented, along with a list of online resources for additional information. It is important for higher education administrators, faculty members, staff members, and students to recognize the currently accepted legal rights and responsibilities associated with these high-risk areas.
Solid-gas reactions of diphenyl-F-phenyl phosphine oxide with methylamine and ammonia [1]

Abstract The reactions of gaseous MeNH 2 and NH 3 with solid Ph 2 P(O)C 6 F 5 have been examined. The principal products of the reaction are para -Ph 2 P(O)C 6 F 4 NHMe and para -Ph 2 P(O)C 6 F 4 NH 2 and not the ortho isomers. This is due to the low reactivity of Ph 2 P(O)C 6 F 5 and the nature of the solid-gas reaction. This reactivity is contrasted with the prediction based on the X-ray crystal structure of Ph 2 P(O)C 6 F 5 , which has been determined. The solution reactivity of Ph 2 P(O)C 6 F 5 is compared to C 6 F 5 NO 2 .
Export performance and growth in China: a cross-provincial analysis

The role of exports in economic growth continues to be debated and tested in the literature on trade an development. China is a new player in this debate with its rapid entry into international makrets. This paper extends some of the previous empirical studies on the relationship between exports and economic growth in order to assess to what extent China's remarkable export growth has contributed to the country's overall growth. The study utilizes data for 26 provinces between 1985 and 1993 in an export-augmented aggregate production function approach. The results of our study support the hypothesis that exports have contributed to the growthh of provincial incomes in China for the period examined with both the cross-sectional and pooled analyses, with the results being primarily determined by the coastal provinces compared with inland areas.
Walt Whitman's Working Notes for the First Edition of Leaves of Grass

Demonstrates the importance of an early page of Whitman's handwritten notes (currently in the University of Texas Humanities Research Center collection) by showing how it sheds light on a number of mysteries concerning Whitman's intentions for the 1855 edition of Leaves.
Using quantitative breath sound measurements to predict lung function following resection

Predicting postoperative lung function is important for estimating the risk of complications and long-term disability after pulmonary resection. We investigated the capability of vibration response imaging (VRI) as an alternative to lung scintigraphy for prediction of postoperative lung function in patients with intrathoracic malignancies. Eighty-five patients with intrathoracic malignancies, considered candidates for lung resection, were prospectively studied. The projected postoperative (ppo) lung function was calculated using: perfusion scintigraphy, ventilation scintigraphy, and VRI. Two sets of assessments made: one for lobectomy and one for pneumonectomy. Clinical concordance was defined as both methods agreeing that either a patient was or was not a surgical candidate based on a ppoFEV1% and ppoDLCO% > 40%. Limits of agreement between scintigraphy and VRI for ppo following lobectomy were -16.47% to 15.08% (mean difference = -0.70%;95%CI = -2.51% to 1.12%) and for pneumonectomy were -23.79% to 19.04% (mean difference = -2.38%;95%CI = -4.69% to -0.07%). Clinical concordance between VRI and scintigraphy was 73% for pneumonectomy and 98% for lobectomy. For patients who had surgery and postoperative lung function testing (n = 31), ppoFEV1% using scintigraphic methods correlated with measured postoperative values better than projections using VRI, (adjusted R2 = 0.32 scintigraphy; 0.20 VRI), however the difference between methods failed to reach statistical significance. Limits of agreement between measured FEV1% postoperatively and ppoFEV1% based on perfusion scintigraphy were -16.86% to 23.73% (mean difference = 3.44%;95%CI = -0.29% to 7.16%); based on VRI were -19.56% to 28.99% (mean difference = 4.72%;95%CI = 0.27% to 9.17%). Further investigation of VRI as an alternative to lung scintigraphy for prediction of postoperative lung function is warranted.
Interaction of Human Cytomegalovirus pUL84 with Casein Kinase 2 Is Required for oriLyt-Dependent DNA Replication

Human cytomegalovirus pUL84 is a phosphorylated protein that is required for lytic DNA replication and participates in regulation of virus gene expression. We previously used a proteomics assay to show that human cytomegalovirus pUL84 interacts with casein kinase 2 (CK2). We now have demonstrated that pUL84 is a substrate for CK2 in vitro, and we have determined that two putative CK2 phosphorylation sites within pUL84 mediate binding to CK2. Mutation of a threonine residue at amino acid (aa) 148 and a serine residue at aa 157 within the pUL84 protein resulted in the inability of the protein to interact with the CK2α subunit in transfected cells. Interaction of pUL84 with CK2 was essential for complementation of oriLyt-dependent DNA replication, suggesting that phosphorylation is an essential modification.
The Influence of Consistent Assignment on Nursing Home Deficiency Citations

Objective: The association of consistent assignment of nurse aides (NAs) with quality of care and quality of life of nursing home residents is examined (using 5 groups of deficiency citations). Methods: Data used came from a survey of nursing home administrators, the Online Survey Certification and Reporting data, and the Area Resource File. The information including consistent assignment and staffing variables of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and NAs were measured in 2007 and came from 3,941 facilities. Negative binomial regression and multivariate logistic regression models were used. Results: An average of 68% of nursing homes in this sample reported using consistent assignment. However, the actual level of NA consistent assignment used varied substantially. Only 28% of nursing homes using NA consistent assignment did so at the often recommended level of 85% (or more). In the multivariate analyses, consistent assignment was associated with the deficiency citations exam ined in 4 of the 5 models. That is, quality of life defi ciency citations (resident), quality of life deficiency citations (staffing), quality of life deficiency citations (facility), and quality of care deficiency citations were significantly ( p < .01) lower in facilities with the highest levels of consistent NA assignment. Few significant findings were found in nursing homes using lower levels of consistent assignment. Conclusion: Consistent assignment has developed as a preferred practice in nursing homes based on little empirical evidence in the peer-reviewed literature. The findings presented here provide some justifica tion for the use of this staffing practice for NAs.
Dynamic pressure maps for wings and tails of pigeons in slow, flapping flight, and their energetic implications

Differential pressure measurements offer a new approach for studying the aerodynamics of bird flight. Measurements from differential pressure sensors are combined to form a dynamic pressure map for eight sites along and across the wings, and for two sites across the tail, of pigeons flying between two perches. The confounding influence of acceleration on the pressure signals is shown to be small for both wings and tail. The mean differential pressure for the tail during steady, level flight was 25.6 Pa, which, given an angle of attack for the tail of 47.6 degrees , suggests the tail contributes 7.91% of the force required for weight support, and requires a muscle-mass specific power of 19.3 W kg(-1) for flight to overcome its drag at 4.46 m s(-1). Differential pressures during downstroke increase along the wing length, to 300-400 Pa during take-off and landing for distal sites. Taking the signals obtained from five sensors sited along the wing at feather bases as representative of the mean pressure for five spanwise elements at each point in time, and assuming aerodynamic forces act within the x-z plane (i.e. no forces in the direction of travel) and perpendicular to the wing during downstroke, we calculate that 74.5% of the force required to support weight was provided by the wings, and that the aerodynamic muscle-mass specific power required to flap the wings was 272.7 W kg(-1).
The missing layer: Geo-technologies, communities, and implications for marine spatial planning

Abstract The assessment and management of marine resources is an increasingly spatial affair dependent upon emerging geo-technologies, such as geographic information systems, and the subsequent production of diverse layers of spatial information. These rapid developments are, however, focused on biophysical processes and data collection initiatives; the social landscape of the marine environment is undocumented and remains a “missing layer” in decision-making. As a result, the resource areas upon which stakeholders and communities are dependent are neither mapped nor integrated into planning processes. We report on a participatory method to map the presence of fishing communities at-sea. The lessons learned concerning the spatial representation of communities informs not only fisheries, but other sectors struggling to incorporate similarly the human dimensions of the marine environment in assessment and planning.
Using Artificial Organisms To Study The Evolution of Backbones in Fish

This paper describes the use of both robotic and digital organisms to help in the study and understanding of the evolution of biological structures. Our premise in this paper is that simulations using robotic and digital organisms are an effective methodology for studying how some features evolved in swimming fish. Experiments with the artificial organisms allow us to evaluate the hypothesis that backbones evolved in fish in part because they result in higher velocity, acceleration and maneuverability. The use of both robotic and digital organisms provides the ability to (1) use computers to efficiently explore a very large search space of possibilities, (2) validate (using the robotic organisms) that the digital models accurately reflect the physical constraints of the environment
Career track of Society of University Surgeons Resident Research Award recipients

Abstract Background The Society of University Surgeons (SUS) has an ongoing competitive funding program to support research training for residents. We sought to determine the career track of award recipients. Methods We included in the study SUS resident awardees who completed awards from 1989–2007. Characteristics of awardees and their academic productivity were extracted from curriculum vitae provided by awardees (n = 24), or from online sources (n = 7). Results Awardees spent an average of 2.7 y (range, 1–4 y) of dedicated research time during residency. Awardees averaged 9.8 publications (range, 1–32), with 5.4 as first author (range, 1–17), with their mentor within 3 y of award completion, with an average maximum impact factor of 5.7. A total of 25 residents (81%) pursued fellowships. At an average follow-up of 11.4 y (range, 4–22 y) from the end of the award and 7.2 y (range, 0–18 y) from end of clinical training, awardees had a Hirsch index of 14.5 (range, 2–48). At the time of the study, 26 awardees (84%) were in academic surgery. Of the 23 awardees who had completed surgical training ≥ 3 y earlier, 11 (48%) received independent research funding, seven of whom (30%) received R01 or equivalent funding. Conclusions The SUS resident research awardees had a productive research experience. Although our retrospective study cannot determine causation, the SUS award mechanism delivers on its promise of supporting junior surgeon-scientists who pursue academic careers and establish independent research programs. Further studies are needed to determine how rates of subsequent independent research funding can be improved.
Social control of sexual assault by physicians and lawyers within the professional relationship: Criminal and disciplinary sanctions

Two penal sanctions may be imposed judicially on physicians and lawyers who are alleged to have sexually assaulted their patients and clients. Appellate opinions in each state reporting such a case were examined from 1980 through June, 1993, and generalizations from those opinions are reported here. In each profession, the administrative/disciplinary sanction imposed by the professional association may offer a stronger means of social control than does the criminal sanction. The efficacy of the disciplinary sanction, relative to the criminal, is attributable to the facts that the burden of proof is easier to meet and defenses commonly raised in sexual assault cases are not available in disciplinary proceedings. The significance of this pattern is discussed in relation to Black’s theory of the behavior of law, specifically with respect to the manner in which the style of social control is influenced by stratification, the relational distance between the parties, and organization.
Ethical Misconduct Of Business Students: Some New Evidence

This study examines ethical misconduct of 193 business students in four universities in the United States. In addition to self-reported ethical behavior, two dimensions of emotional intelligence (self-emotions appraisal and others emotions appraisal) significantly impacted student misconduct. None of the other dimensions of emotional intelligence were significant. Grade Point Average (GPA), religiosity, non-business ethics course, sex, graduate status, university, and over claiming did not impact student misconduct. Implications of the results of the study for business schools and industry professionals are discussed.
Architecting a reliable CMP switch architecture

As silicon technologies move into the nanometer regime, transistor reliability is expected to wane as devices become subject to extreme process variation, particle-induced transient errors, and transistor wear-out. Unless these challenges are addressed, computer vendors can expect low yields and short mean-times-to-failure. In this article, we examine the challenges of designing complex computing systems in the presence of transient and permanent faults. We select one small aspect of a typical chip multiprocessor (CMP) system to study in detail, a single CMP router switch. Our goal is to design a BulletProof CMP switch architecture capable of tolerating significant levels of various types of defects. We first assess the vulnerability of the CMP switch to transient faults. To better understand the impact of these faults, we evaluate our CMP switch designs using circuit-level timing on detailed physical layouts. Our infrastructure represents a new level of fidelity in architectural-level fault analysis, as we can accurately track faults as they occur, noting whether they manifest or not, because of masking in the circuits, logic, or architecture. Our experimental results are quite illuminating. We find that transient faults, because of their fleeting nature, are of little concern for our CMP switch, even within large switch fabrics with fast clocks. Next, we develop a unified model of permanent faults, based on the time-tested bathtub curve. Using this convenient abstraction, we analyze the reliability versus area tradeoff across a wide spectrum of CMP switch designs, ranging from unprotected designs to fully protected designs with on-line repair and recovery capabilities. Protection is considered at multiple levels from the entire system down through arbitrary partitions of the design. We find that designs are attainable that can tolerate a larger number of defects with less overhead than naive triple-modular redundancy, using domain-specific techniques, such as end-to-end error detection, resource sparing, automatic circuit decomposition, and iterative diagnosis and reconfiguration.
Surfactant/foam process for improved efficiency of aquifer remediation

Results of laboratory studies and preliminary results of a field demonstration are presented for a surfactant/foam process for remediation of ground water aquifers contaminated with organic liquid contaminants, especially chlorinated solvents. Injection of air with the surfactant solution generates foam in zones of high permeability or hydraulic conductivity. As the foam has a high resistance to flow of liquid, surfactant solution is diverted to zones of low permeability, thereby improving sweep efficiency of the process. This behavior was confirmed by laboratory experiments using a two-dimensional model packed with two layers of sands having different permeabilities. These experiments utilized sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate as the surfactant at its optimal salinity with trichloroethylene (TCE) as a model contaminant. The same surfactant was used in the field at a site at Hill Air Force Base in Utah which had a TCE-rich contaminant. The surfactant/foam process reduced the amount of this contaminant in a line-drive pattern about 6.1 m long to a very low average saturation of 0.03%.