cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Student Travel to Pan-Am Congress of Plants & Biofuels in Merida, Mexico

Department of Energy – Final Technical Report Grant Title: Student Travel to Pan-Am Congress of Plants & Biofuels in Merida, Mexico Award #: DE-FG02-08ER64612 Award Amount: $15,000.00 Award period: 6/15/2008 to 6/14/2009 ______________________________________________________________________________ The Pan American Congress on Plants and BioEnergy convened in Merida, Mexico, June 22 to 25, 2008. The program was organized by Steve Long (University of Illinois) and Nick Carpita (Purdue University), along with co-organizers Marcos Buckeridge (University of Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Federico Sanchez (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico). More than 200 scientists from over a dozen nations around the world gathered to discuss key issues surrounding the development of biofuel feedstocks and to report on their research in this area. This three day conference had invited speakers surrounding developing renewable and sustainable energy resources which are typically propelled by three important drivers – security, cost and environmental impact. The first day of the conference was delegated to governmental policy makers and designers of national research and plant biologists, agronomists, microbiologists, economists and ecologists in relation to bioenergy security in the Western Hemisphere that is sustainable and ecologically and economically sound. Speakers from countries that have already made themselves energy independent shared solutions to improve efficiencymore » that is being researched. Venture capitalist and industry leaders also spoke on their commitment to economic success in a new green agroindustry. Days two and three explored bioenergy crops and introduced the participants to the breadth of the agricultural landscape, the underlying biology of bioenergy plants and new ideas to enhance biomass yield and quality of the energy crops of the future. These presentations educated the participants in an effort to develop energy strategies in countries across the world that become energy independent while developing economic growth and clean, reliable and affordable energy. Presenters educated student on reducing net greenhouse gas emissions, improving fuel efficiencies, indigenous energy alternative such as ethanol and improving bioenergy crop plants. Sessions surrounding developing bioenergy crop plants were held relating to the growth and development, cell wall synthesis and architecture to improve the next generation of energy plants. This grant was used to supplement registration and provide lodging support for graduate students, post-doctorals, and early career scientists attending the congress. Among these awardees partially funded by DOE and other agencies were 18 individuals, including nine graduate students, two post-doctorals, and seven early career scientists. The PIs on the grant worked closely with the Minority Affairs and International committees of ASPB to identify appropriate travel awardees; among the 18 awardees, nine were female, and two were African-American. Submitted & Certified by: Kimberly Kimnach« less
Circulating tetrahydrobiopterin as a novel biomarker for abdominal aortic aneurysm

Rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is unpredictable and lethal. A clinically valid biomarker to monitor the disease has not been available. Based on our recent discoveries that uncoupled en...
Cloning of the human Gfi-1 gene and its mapping to chromosome region 1p22

Recently the rat and mouse Growth Factor Independence (Gfi-1) genes have been cloned (Gilks et al., 1993; Zoring et al; 1996). This gene allows cells in culture to overcome the depletion of growth factors in the culture medium and maintain their proliferative potential. As part of a cloning strategy to isolated genes from human chromosome 1p22 which are associated with a constitutional chromosome translocation from a patient with stage 4S neuroblastoma, we have identified the human homologue of the Gfi gene and defined a 50 Kb map position within a well characterised YAC contig from the region. The full length cDNA sequence is 81% homologous with the rodent counterparts and, at the protein level, is even more highly conserved.
A cluster of disseminated coccidioidomycosis cases at a U.S. military hospital

We recently evaluated a cluster of cases of disseminated coccidioidomycosis referred to the Naval Medical Center San Diego. Between March and June of 2002, seven cases were diagnosed and treated. In a 5-year record review (March 1997-February 2002), we found only seven cases of disseminated disease attributable to Coccidioides immitis at the same institution. This report of seven cases over a 3-month period represents a 20-fold increase in the number of complicated C. immitis infections. All cases were non-Caucasians, had disseminated disease to bone and/or skin without meningeal involvement, and had a delay of 1.5 to 6 months from symptom onset until the diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis. Four of our cases occurred in previously healthy, young active duty members, emphasizing the importance of this mycosis in U.S. military personnel.
Abstract A05: BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation loss in recurrent high-grade serous carcinoma.

Objective: BRCA1 germline mutations are associated with improved ovarian cancer survival, yet secondary revertant mutations that impair chemo-sensitivity can develop after platinum-based therapy. BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation, present in ~10% of all high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs), is associated with reduced gene and protein expression. We hypothesize that BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation decreases in recurrent HGSCs compared with matched primary samples. Methods: Primary, untreated HGSCs with known BRCA1 promoter methylation status and matched recurrent samples were macrodissected from archival slides. After DNA was extracted and bisulfite treated, pyrosequencing was performed across 11 CpG sites within the BRCA1 promoter to quantify methylation using a CLIA-approved assay. The methylation percentage was calculated from allele frequencies and 10% or greater is considered hypermethylated. Validation data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) substudy of paired primary and recurrent HGSCs. Results: Eleven patients with matched primary and recurrent tumors were evaluated. Six patients had hypermethylated primary tumors, with methylation percentages ranging from 35-69%. We found that BRCA1 promoter methylation decreased 16-95% in five recurrent samples compared to their primary tumors. One patient with a demethylated recurrent tumor had platinum refractory disease clinically and died 12 months after diagnosis. In contrast, the only patient with an increase (74%) in promoter methylation between primary and recurrent specimens is a long-term survivor alive with disease 14 years after diagnosis. There was negligible change in promoter methylation between primary and recurrent cases for the five unmethylated samples. Three of 17 paired samples from the ovarian TCGA substudy had BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation and showed a 20-50% decrease between primary and recurrent samples with a corresponding increase in BRCA1 gene expression. Conclusion: BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation generally decreases between primary and recurrent HGSCs and can be associated with remarkable clinical outcomes. BRCA1 promoter methylation may be a marker of platinum response in the recurrent disease setting and can be assessed in prospective clinical trials. In addition to BRCA1 somatic revertant mutations, loss of BRCA1 promoter methylation may be another mechanism to restore BRCA1 function in recurrent disease. Citation Format: Maria Bisogna, Fanny Dao, Narciso Olvera, Ruben Bacares, Liying Zhang, Douglas A. Levine. BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation loss in recurrent high-grade serous carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research: Exploiting Vulnerabilities; Oct 17-20, 2015; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A05.
Releasing the imagination

AbstractIn this paper, Maxine Greene illuminates the concept of an aesthetic education within her discussion of the work of New York based dance company STREB. Elizabeth Streb's daredevil, postmodern acrobatic performance piece provides this paper with the metaphor of the wall—from the glass wall through which the STREB dancers literally ‘break through’. The idea of arts education is to challenge the wall, not passively walk away—to take the risks, to ask the questions, to be willing to engage.
Interaction of glycolytic and mitochondrial enzyme systems. II. The reaction sequences: fructose diphosphate to 3-phosphoglyceric acid; and pyruvate to lactate, carbon dioxide and water.

Abstract A model glycolytic system consisting of purified enzymes and capable of converting fructose diphosphate to phosphoglyceric acid and pyruvate to lactate has been studied in the presence of washed heart-muscle mitochondria under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The glycolytic rate has been determined by estimation of phosphoglycerate and lactate formation and of pyruvate disappearance. Glycolysis in this system is restricted to a marked degree under aerobic conditions by phosphorylation associated with respiration. Addition of hexokinase and glucose to the system while increasing both anaerobic and aerobic glycolysis has a greater effect on the latter. Correlation of the glycolytic rates in the presence of an excess of inorganic phosphate with the amounts of ADP and ATP present at the end of each time interval indicates that the glycolytic rate is dependent on the availability of ADP and the concentration ratio, ADP:ATP. The Pasteur or Pasteur-like effect observed in this model system is discussed in connection with the work of other investigators and with respect to the problems involved in the elucidation of biochemical control mechanisms in the cell.
Understanding Alcoholism and Drug Dependency in Nurses

Despite the acknowledged prevalence of substance abuse among nurses, supervisors and co-workers of impaired nurses have little understanding of impairment or of how to constructively address the problem. A study of 34 nurses in Virginia explored factors underlying alcoholism in nurses. The study revealed that most of these nurses were influenced by family alcoholism and societal pressures associated with the female role. The need for acceptance and the inability to cope with stress were also important factors underlying nurses' use of alcohol. A general list of indicators of alcoholism and drug dependency were compiled based on the study results. Integrating the results of studies such as this one into educational programs for nurses may facilitate the identification of impaired nurses and their reentry into the workplace upon recovery.
Carmen Christi as cursus pudorum

In humility regard others as better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 Scholarly attention to Philippians 2:6–11 has generated an almost unmanageable bibliography. Much of this work has been preoccupied with issues of ontological Christology, as commentators have sought to clarify the meaning of expressions such as μορφῇ θeοῦ, ἁρπαγμόν, τὸ eἶναι ἴσα θeῷ, and ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσeν, and the implications of these phrases for our understanding of the nature of the incarnation. My concerns here relate not to ontology but, rather, to the manner in which Paul's picture of the self-humiliation of Jesus would have resonated in the readers’ social context. I acknowledge that ontological questions can reasonably be asked of the text. Paul's purpose, however, is not to elucidate a static doctrine of the two natures of Christ but, rather, to engender behavior among his readers which he deems appropriate for those whose citizenship is in heaven. To accomplish this end, Paul offers his readers a Jesus who embarks on what can only be viewed from the perspective of the dominant culture as a cursus pudorum – “a succession (or race) of ignominies.” The imitation of Jesus, then, to which Paul calls his readers presupposes a wholesale inversion of the relational orientation of the dominant culture, particularly as we have seen it realized in the pronounced social verticality of the colony of Roman Philippi.
Interference and memory

This chapter discusses the concepts and theory of interference to memory. The two major interference effects in memory are proactive inhibition and retroactive inhibition. Proactive inhibition (PI) refers to losses in the ability to remember a given set of materials that may be attributed to the interfering effects of previously learned materials. Retroactive inhibition (RI) refers to memory losses that may be attributed to the interfering effects of subsequently learned materials. The classical two-factor theory of forgetting proposes that interference effects are determined by competition at the time of recall and by the unlearning of first-list associations that occurs during second-list learning. Specific competition is presumed to contribute to both RI and PI, whereas unlearning affects RI but not PI. There are two types of response competition. Specific response competition refers to the recall of one specific response blocking the recall of another specific response. Response-set interference, on the other hand, refers to the blocking of one set of responses by the tendency to continue to give responses from the most recently learned list.
Ca(BH4)2 as a simple tool for the preparation of thorium and uranium metallocene borohydride complexes: First synthesis and crystal structure of (C5Me5)2Th(η3-H3BH)2

Abstract Calcium borohydride allows for the high-yielding synthesis of (C5Me5)2An(η3-H3BH)2 (An = Th, U) by reaction with (C5Me5)2AnCl2 (An = Th, U). While a preparative synthesis of (C5Me5)2U(η3-H3BH)2 has been previously reported in the literature using K(C5Me5) and U(BH4)4, the use of Ca(BH4)2 is higher yielding and mild. Full characterization of the novel compound (C5Me5)2Th(η3-H3BH)2 is presented.
Regulation issues for renewable energy integration into electrical markets

European legislation evolution has followed the dynamics of deregulation that allowed the evolvement of the installed power capacity on renewable resources in parallel with the development of the technologies on renewable resources. This depends directly on technical and legislative factors related to the economic support to the investment for the construction of this type of power generation systems. The strengths and weaknesses of each stage of regulation can be analyzed following the Spanish energy model. The first phase of liberalization of the market for the production of electric power has been funded. Here technologies used for the generation of installed power from renewable sources have not observed criteria of availability of renewable resources and efficiency in electricity production, as much as expected. The demand for electric energy should match efficient generation, as peaks of consumption demand higher production of electricity. Thus, there should be no need to have installed total power several times greater than the electrical power required. The evolution of electric generation systems according to relevant legislation demonstrates that optimizing the choice of energy mix from renewable sources must prioritize the implementation of concentrating solar thermal plants.
American Joint Committee on Cancer Eighth Edition Changes in Staging Criteria: Implications for Data Collection.

The American Joint Committee on Cancer, in the eighth edition of its cancer staging manual, makes a number of changes to improve survival predictions in human malignancy. In this commentary, we examine the national collection of data for head and neck cancer. We outline and review the major changes made in head and neck cancer staging, identify the key data elements that will need to be collected with the new edition’s criteria, and discuss the institutional adjustments currently being made to data collection under the new guidelines to improve the quality of data in our national cancer databases.
Apologies to Indigenous Peoples in Comparative Perspective

Australia, Canada, and the United States formally apologized to their Indigenous peoples in February 2008, June 2008, and December 2009, respectively. The Indigenous peoples in these countries are relatively small in size and Indigenous issues usually lack salience in national elections, so these near simultaneous apologies appear somewhat surprising. All three came after years of pressure and incompletely realized apologies. The presence of a focusing event and the level of Indigenous mobilization help explain the variation among the apologies, with Canada and Australia’s apologies stronger than the U.S. one. However, the impact of the apologies on the three governments’ efforts to reconcile with their Indigenous populations remains unclear.
A compact MEMS-based wide-angle optical scanner

A compact laser scanner that scans approximately 90° has been demonstrated, which is enabled by an electrothermal MEMS mirror encapsulated in a 3D printed holder with a curved dome for optical amplification.
How to Detect Crisp Sets Based on Subsethood Ordering of Normalized Fuzzy Sets? How to Detect Type-1 Sets Based on Subsethood Ordering of Normalized Interval-Valued Fuzzy Sets?

If all we know about normalized fuzzy sets is which set is a subset of which, will we be able to detect crisp sets? It is known that we can do it if we allow all possible fuzzy sets, including non-normalized ones. In this paper, we show that a similar detection is possible if we only allow normalized fuzzy sets. We also show that we can detect type-1 fuzzy sets based on the subsethood ordering of normalized interval-valued fuzzy sets.
Personal tracked vehicle autonomy platform

There are several available small form factor powered personal transportation devices for intracity travel, but the majority are used on only paved surfaces. These are also widely unintended to tow a load. We demonstrate the capability of a low-cost personal tracked vehicle for development of compact automated all-terrain transportation. This vehicle shows viability in heavy-duty applications and testing of such is done with the intent of integrating with teleoperation and autonomous systems. For disaster relief scenarios, the availability of small form factor vehicles with rough terrain and towing capabilities can improve response time and safety when approaching incapacitated individuals. The design constructed here is modified to allow towing a load behind it, which could range from supplies for a mission, to a person unable to move on their own.
Intergroup Contact Attitudes Across Peer Networks in School: Selection, Influence, and Implications for Cross-Group Friendships.

This study offers new insights into the power of peer networks for shaping intergroup relations in a diverse school. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of sixth-eighth graders (N = 524; MageT1 = 11.87; 48% girls; 9% Asian American/Pacific Islander, 28% African American, 13% Latino, 1% Native American, 31% White, 5% Other, and 11% Multiracial) in the Midwestern United States. Students with more positive intergroup contact attitudes (ICA) were most likely to be friends with similarly minded students. Students with more positive ICA were less likely to select friends of the same race/ethnicity than those with less positive ICA. Finally, students' ICA became more similar to their friends' ICA over time. Results implicate school-level norms and contagion in students' ICA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Metacognition and Metamemory in Non-Human Animals

Metacognition, or thinking about thinking, allows one to monitor and control cognitive processing. Metacognition is inferred when subjects accurately evaluate (either prospectively or retrospectively) performance in a cognitive task, such as a perceptual discrimination or a memory test. Non-human animals including dolphins, rats, monkeys, and apes have been reported to show metacognition. Efforts to identify and discriminate among the variety of cognitive mechanisms that may underlie metacognition are ongoing. Some mechanisms for metacognitive performance invoke associative learning about publicly observable stimuli. Other accounts posit introspective cognitive mechanisms by which subjects have privileged access to subjective mental states. Current evidence suggests the existence of both types of mechanisms.
Increased Mortality in Mice following Immunoprophylaxis Therapy with High Dosage of Nicotinamide in Burkholderia Persistent Infections.

ABSTRACT Bacterial persistence, known as noninherited antibacterial resistance, is a factor contributing to the establishment of long-lasting chronic bacterial infections. In this study, we examined the ability of nicotinamide (NA) to potentiate the activity of different classes of antibiotics against Burkholderia thailandensis persister cells. Here we demonstrate that addition of NA in in vitro models of B. thailandensis infection resulted in a significant depletion of the persister population in response to various classes of antibiotics. We applied microfluidic bioreactors with a continuous medium flow to study the effect of supplementation with an NA gradient on the recovery of B. thailandensis persister populations. A coculture of human neutrophils preactivated with 50 µM NA and B. thailandensis resulted in the most efficient reduction in the persister population. Applying single-cell RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis and quantitative PCR, we found that NA inhibited gene expression of the stringent response regulator relA, implicated in the regulation of the persister metabolic state. We also demonstrate that a therapeutic dose of NA (250 mg/kg of body weight), previously applied as immunoprophylaxis against antibiotic-resistant bacterial species, produced adverse effects in an in vivo murine model of infection with the highly pathogenic bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, indicating that therapeutic dose and metabolite effects have to be carefully evaluated and tailored for every case of potential clinical application.
We Dare Defend Our Rights: With Marriage in the Balance, Alabama Holds the Line on Judicial Federalism

Are state officials bound by the decision of a federal district court judge when she strikes down provisions of state law based on her answer to an unsettled federal question? This is the question that undergirds an intense legal battle over Alabama’s marriage laws. After U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. Granade issued two orders striking down as unconstitutional an Alabama statute and constitutional provision that prohibit same-sex marriage, the world watched as Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy S. Moore declared her orders ineffective. Alabama’s probate judges, responsible for granting marriage licenses, are caught in the middle of this legal dispute. In the media coverage about the legal dispute, Alabama became a convenient punching bag for social commentators who seemed determined to permanently tether the state to its painful history amid the American Civil Rights Movement half a century ago. In their haste to pile on at the expense of the Yellowhammer State, very often these commentators simply ignored the legal argument being advanced by the state and its jurists. However, Chief Justice Moore’s claim that state courts are not bound by lower federal courts, echoed by the Alabama Supreme Court, warrants an evaluation of its legal merits, no matter how one feels about the ultimate answers to the federal questions at issue. Likewise, the incessant comparison of Moore’s actions to Alabama Governor George Wallace’s “stand in the schoolhouse door” deserves scrutiny, in part because the differences between the two situations highlight the validity of Moore’s point. This Note asserts that the approach taken by Chief Justice Roy Moore and the Alabama Supreme Court properly upholds the federal system’s high view of the sovereign states’ respective judiciaries. Part I provides a detailed, chronological account of how the legal impasse between Alabama’s judiciary and a federal district court arose. Part II outlines historical and contemporary perspectives that support the notion of a strong, independent state judiciary that can interpret the federal Constitution. Part III argues that a proper understanding of the United States’ dual judicial systems — federal and state — necessitates that Alabama officials fight for the sovereignty of the state’s judiciary. By wading through the emotionally-charged issue of same-sex marriage and isolating the legal question at stake, it is possible to see how Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is up to more than just political grandstanding. In fact, while Moore unwisely wraps his legal arguments in language about religion and morality — reasoning that was ultimately incapable of justifying previous discrimination in marriage statutes — the foundational point about judicial federalism will stand long after the controversy regarding same-sex marriage has passed.
Obesity and Air Travel: Weighing Up the Issues

It may soon be the norm for many airline passengers arriving at the check-in desk of any international airline with both stowaway and carry-on luggage to be asked to step onto the weighing scale as the airlines attempt to compete and remain operationally viable in what has become for most a cut-throat and highly litigious operating environment. The author's commentary seeks to highlight a number of the issues surrounding the current impasse. It is also intended to catalyze a more healthy and informed debate aimed at finding an acceptable resolution to this crisis prior to one being imposed which fails to satisfy the needs of either camp. This article is available in Hospitality Review: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/hospitalityreview/vol22/iss1/8 Obesity and air travel: weighing up the issues by Martin A. O'Neill R may soon be the norm for many airline passengers arriving at the check-in desk of any international airline with both stowaway and carry-on luggage to be asked to step onto the weighing scale as the airlines attempt to compete and remain operationally viable in what has become for most a cut-throat and highly litigious operating environment. The author's commentary seeks to highlight a number of the issues surrounding the current impasse. It is also intended to catalyze a more healthy and informed debate aimed at finding an acceptable resolution to this crisis prior to one being imposed which fails to satisfy the needs of either camp. T his issue has found its way onto the boardroom table of most air carriers because of obesity. The one common denominator shared by affluent and underprivileged members of global society alike is threatening to, a t the very least, change the economics of the airline game and, at the very worst, potentially ground carriers for what may be perceived as active discrimination and contravention of the civil liberties of obese travelers. At first glance i t seems that yet another section of the community is being victimized by an industry that has long since been accused of flouting the needs of the traveling public in the interests of increased efficiency savings and the bottom line. On scratching a little deeper, however, it quickly becomes clear that the issues (health, safety, legal, and ethical) are a little more complex with logic and common sense prevailing on both sides of the debate. While the academic press has been slow to react to this issue and the very real threats posed to both the airlines and the traveling public, the news media have been making much play of the issues.
An NLP-based Question Answering Framework for Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Visualization

A spatio-temporal analysis system is becoming critical in many disciplinaries to acquire, analyze, and visualize data. However, conducting spatio-temporal analysis often requires certain levels of domain knowledge and experience: on one hand, sophisticated and domain-specific software design makes the analysis difficult for public users; on the other hand, conveying findings from the analysis could result in ineffectiveness and inefficiencies. In this work, we present a Natural Language Processing (NLP)-enabled Question Answering (QA) framework for spatio-temporal analysis and visualization. It allows users to conduct spatio-temporal analysis by speaking or typing questions. Interactive visualization component in the framework creates better communication between insights and users. We use a dataset from the domain of climate science as a case study to demonstrate the framework. The case study is evaluated through a mid-size software company, and great feedback was received. With the microservice architecture in it, the framework is general enough to be applied in a variety of applications and domains.
Discrete Element Transmission Line Beam Spreader Kickers for LCLS-II

The LCLS-II project requires a beam spreader to distribute the 929 kHz electron beam between two undulators and a dump. Three kicker sections and a septum are required to divert beam for each undulator. When the kickers are not pulsed, beam proceeds to the dump. Each kicker magnet is approximately one meter in length and composed of multiple sections. Each section consists of a ferrite and a capacitor to form a lumped element transmission line. The output magnetic field is a 500 kHz pulse rate. Provided experimental data illustrates pulse-to-pulse repeatability of approximately 100 ppm, transverse field quality, and field-settling time. Additional discussion includes thermal considerations and circuit protection. Adaptation of the kicker system for a low field long flattop pulse is also considered.
Carbon monoxide formation from trimethylamine-boranecarboxylate: DFT studies of SNi and chelotropic mechanisms

Trimethylamine-boranecarboxylic acid (CH3)3N-BH2COOH and other amine carboxyboranes have been observed to undergo slow decarbonylation in neutral aqueous solution. This reaction, when it occurs in vivo, may have a therapeutic effect by delivering low concentrations of carbon monoxide over an extended period. In order to identify a possible mechanistic pathway for decarbonylation, the smallest tertiary amine derivative and its corresponding carboxylate ion were studied using CCSD(T)/PCM/6-311++G(2d,p)//M06-2X/PCM/6-311++G(2d,p) model chemistry. The proposed mechanistic pathway begins with a trimethylamine boranecarboxylate ion, which first undergoes an internal substitution reaction (SNi) to give free amine and the carboxyborane anion BH2COO−. The latter cyclic ion then releases CO via a rapid chelotropic fragmentation. The role of water solvent in these reactions was explored by structural and energetic analysis of hydrogen-bonded complexes. It was found that complexation with water inhibits dissociation of trimethylamine by stabilizing the trimethylamine carboxyborane anion, whereas water accelerates CO loss by stabilizing the polar chelotropic transition state.
Side Chain Regioisomers that Dictate Optical Propertiesand Mechanofluorochromism through Crystal Packing

Designing strong interactions into π-conjugated materials can direct their typically uncontrolled molecular packing and is an important strategy toward tuning their technologically relevant propert...
Resolving the History of Life on Earth by Seeking Life As We Know It on Mars

An origin of Earth life on Mars would resolve significant inconsistencies between the inferred history of life and Earth's geologic history. Life as we know it utilizes amino acids, nucleic acids, and lipids for the metabolic, informational, and compartment-forming subsystems of a cell. Such building blocks may have formed simultaneously from cyanosulfidic chemical precursors in a planetary surface scenario involving ultraviolet light, wet-dry cycling, and volcanism. However, early Earth was a water world, and the timing of the rise of oxygen on Earth is inconsistent with final fixation of the genetic code in response to oxidative stress. A cyanosulfidic origin of life could have taken place on Mars via photoredox chemistry, facilitated by orders of magnitude more sub-aerial crust than early Earth, and an earlier transition to oxidative conditions. Meteoritic bombardment may have generated transient habitable environments and ejected and transferred life to Earth. The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover offers an unprecedented opportunity to confirm or refute evidence consistent with a cyanosulfidic origin of life on Mars, search for evidence of ancient life, and constrain the evolution of Mars' oxidation state over time. We should seek to prove or refute a Martian origin for life on Earth alongside other possibilities.
Starting with the Teacher in the Mirror: Critical Reflections on Whiteness from Past Classroom Experiences

While critical whiteness studies have been a robust field of research for the last several decades, scholars have recently called for a refocus in critical whiteness studies to address the current ...
Genome-wide SNP analysis of three moose subspecies at the southern range limit in the contiguous United States

Genome-wide evaluations of genetic diversity and population structure are important for informing management and conservation of trailing-edge populations. North American moose (Alces alces) are declining along portions of the southern edge of their range due to disease, species interactions, and marginal habitat, all of which may be exacerbated by climate change. We employed a genotyping by sequencing (GBS) approach in an effort to collect baseline information on the genetic variation of moose inhabiting the species’ southern range periphery in the contiguous United States. We identified 1920 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 155 moose representing three subspecies from five states: A. a. americana (New Hampshire), A. a. andersoni (Minnesota), and A. a. shirasi (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming). Molecular analyses supported three geographically isolated clusters, congruent with currently recognized subspecies. Additionally, while moderately low genetic diversity was observed, there was little evidence of inbreeding. Results also indicated > 20% shared ancestry proportions between A. a. shirasi samples from northern Montana and A. a. andersoni samples from Minnesota, indicating a putative hybrid zone warranting further investigation. GBS has proven to be a simple and effective method for genome-wide SNP discovery in moose and provides robust data for informing herd management and conservation priorities. With increasing disease, predation, and climate related pressure on range edge moose populations in the United States, the use of SNP data to identify gene flow between subspecies may prove a powerful tool for moose management and recovery, particularly if hybrid moose are more able to adapt.
Nitrate/Nitrite as Critical Mediators to Limit Oxidative Injury and Inflammation.

Abstract Significance: Nitric oxide (NO) is a critical signaling molecule marked by complex chemistry and varied biological responses depending on the context of the redox environment. In the setting of inflammation, NO can not only contribute to tissue injury and be causative of oxidative damage but can also signal as an adaptive molecule to limit inflammatory signaling in multiple cell types and tissues. Recent Advances: An advance in our understanding of NO biology was the recognition of the nitrate-nitrite-NO axis, whereby nitrate (predominantly from dietary sources) could be converted to nitrite and nitrite could be reduced to NO. Critical Issues: Intriguingly, the recognition of multiple enzymes that serve as nitrite reductases in the setting of hypoxia or ischemia established the concept of nitrite as a circulating endocrine reservoir of NO, with the selective release of NO at sites that were primed for this reaction. This review highlights the anti-inflammatory roles of nitrite in numerous clinica...
Predictive inference for responses from the generalized Rayleigh model given a type II censored sample

The lifetime data may be modeled as generalized Rayleigh model. Recently, the authors Raqab and Kundu (35) described this model with several properties. Kundu and Raqab (30) considered different methods of estimation and compared their performance. In this paper, the likelihood function for the parameter given a type II censored sample from the two-parameter generalized Rayleigh model is derived. The posterior density function, the predictive density for a single future response, a bivariate future response, and several future responses are derived. Predictive raw moments, corrected moments, and the shape characteristics for a single future response are obtained. A real data set used by Al-khedhairi et al. (10) is considered to illustrate the predictive results.
A biomechanical study of standard posterior pelvic ring fixation versus a posterior pedicle screw construct.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to biomechanically test a percutaneous pedicle screw construct for posterior pelvic stabilisation and compare it to standard fixation modalities. Methods Utilizing a sacral fracture and sacroiliac (SI) joint disruption model, we tested 4 constructs in single-leg stance: an S1 sacroiliac screw, S1 and S2 screws, the pedicle screw construct, and the pedicle screw construct + S1 screw. We recorded displacement at the pubic symphysis and SI joint using high-speed video. Axial stiffness was also calculated. Values were compared using a 2-way ANOVA with Bonferroni adjustment ( p Results In the sacral fracture model, the stiffness was greatest for the pedicle screw + S1 construct ( p p = 1). For the SI joint model, the S1 + S2 SI screws had the largest overall load and stiffness ( p p = 0.001). Conclusions The pedicle screw construct biomechanically compares to currently accepted methods of fixation for sacral fractures when the fracture is uncompressible. It should not be used for SI joint disruptions as one SI or an S1 + S2 are significantly stiffer and cheaper.
Chromosomes in Bacillus subtilis Spores and Their Segregation During Germination

Abstract Spores of a thymine-requiring mutant of Bacillus subtilis 168 leucine–, indole–, thymine–) were uniformly labeled with 3H-thymidine. These were seeded on thinlayer agar plates where they germinated into long-chained microcolonies. Autoradiograms were used to measure the distribution of labeled deoxyribonucleic acid in the chains of cells, which ranged in length from 2 to 32 cells. Four major grain clusters appeared in most chains. These clusters were homogeneous in size; their grain numbers were distributed symmetrically from 9 to 15 with an average of 12.0. When three or fewer major clusters appeared in short chains, some of them were composed of two subclusters. However, there were always four clusters per chain when these subclusters were counted as individuals. Groupings containing two to eight grains appeared, as well as the four major clusters in longer chains. These minor groups were fragments of the major clusters. In contrast to the symmetrical distribution of major clusters, fragmented clusters were distributed at random, indicating random fragmentation. The total number of major and minor clusters increased at a constant exponential rate when measured against total cell number per chain, i.e., number of generations. It was calculated from the rate that a detectable fragmentation, at least 16% of a conserved unit (defined as a single strand of the complete chromosome), occurred every 6.0 generations. These results led us to conclude that each B. subtilis spore contained four conserved units or two completed chromosomes. Segregation of the four units into progeny cells was almost random. The one notable exception was a conserved unit which frequently appeared in a terminal cell to which an empty spore coat was attached. The presence of two chromosomes in the spore is consistent with our proposed structure of the completed chromosome, in which two sister chromosomes are covalently linked at the initiation region. This double chromosome may be incorporated into the spore without further structural change.
Evaluation of Social Work Journal Quality: Citation versus Reputation Approaches

Although journals are the primary vehicle though which social work professionals explore innovative interventions, research strategies, and policy ideas, journal quality has received little attention in the literature. This project extends a 1990 study and presents multiple measures for assessing journal quality. The primary data source is a national survey of 556 faculty from accredited schools of social work; additional data were compiled from the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI). Findings indicate that journal rankings have changed since 1990 and are considerably different from the SSCI ratings. Multiple evaluation systems are recommended for assessing social work journal quality.
Gene Delivery by Viruses

Viral vector systems are very useful for delivering genes to cells. Commonly used systems include vectors derived from retroviruses, lentiviruses, adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses and herpesviruses. Keywords: gene therapy; retrovirus; lentivirus; adenovirus; adeno-associated virus
Expression and genomic analysis of midasin, a novel and highly conserved AAA protein distantly related to dynein

The largest open reading frame in the Saccharomyces genome encodes midasin (MDN1p, YLR106p), an AAA ATPase of 560 kDa that is essential for cell viability. Orthologs of midasin have been identified in the genome projects for Drosophila, Arabidopsis, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Midasin is present as a single-copy gene encoding a well-conserved protein of ~600 kDa in all eukaryotes for which data are available. In humans, the gene maps to 6q15 and encodes a predicted protein of 5596 residues (632 kDa). Sequence alignments of midasin from humans, yeast, Giardia and Encephalitozoon indicate that its domain structure comprises an N-terminal domain (35 kDa), followed by an AAA domain containing six tandem AAA protomers (~30 kDa each), a linker domain (260 kDa), an acidic domain (~70 kDa) containing 35–40% aspartate and glutamate, and a carboxy-terminal M-domain (30 kDa) that possesses MIDAS sequence motifs and is homologous to the I-domain of integrins. Expression of hemagglutamin-tagged midasin in yeast demonstrates a polypeptide of the anticipated size that is localized principally in the nucleus. The highly conserved structure of midasin in eukaryotes, taken in conjunction with its nuclear localization in yeast, suggests that midasin may function as a nuclear chaperone and be involved in the assembly/disassembly of macromolecular complexes in the nucleus. The AAA domain of midasin is evolutionarily related to that of dynein, but it appears to lack a microtubule-binding site.
Innumerable nevi with giant congenital melanocytic nevus clinically mimicking neurofibromatosis: A diagnostic challenge

Prior case studies have documented the combined phenotype of congenital melanocytic nevi with neurofibroma (NF)-like lesions.1, 2, 3, 4 This case is the first description of extensive nevi, occurring in the setting of a giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN), clinically resembling neurofibromatosis.
Timing of conditioned responses utilizing electrical stimulation in the region of the interpositus nucleus as a CS

A large body of evidence indicates that the cerebellum is essential for the acquisition, retention, and expression of the standard delay conditioned eyeblink response and that the basic memory trace appears to be established in the anterior interpositus nucleus (IP). Adaptive timing of the conditioned response (CR) is a prominent feature of classical conditioning—the CR peaks at the time of onset of the unconditioned stimulus (US) over a wide range of CS-US interstimulus intervals (ISI). A key issue is whether this timing is established by the cerebellar circuitry or prior to the cerebellum. In this study timing of conditioned eyeblink responses established via electrical stimulation of the interpositus nucleus as a conditioned stimulus (CS) was analyzed prior to and following modification of the CS-US interval in well-trained rabbits. Consistent with previous results, learning under these conditions is very rapid and robust. The CR peak eyeblink latencies are initially timed to the US onset and adjust accordingly to lengthening or shortening of the CS-US interval, just as with peripheral CSs. The acquisition of conditioned eyeblink responses by direct electrical stimulation of the IP as a CS thus retains temporal flexibility following shifts in the CS-US delay, as found in standard classical eyeblink conditioning procedures.
Characterization of Primary Organic Aerosol Emissions from Meat Cooking, Trash Burning, and Motor Vehicles with High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometry and Comparison with Ambient and Chamber Observations

Organic aerosol (OA) emissions from motor vehicles, meat-cooking and trash burning are analyzed here using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). High resolution data show that aerosols emitted by combustion engines and plastic burning are dominated by hydrocarbon-like organic compounds. Meat cooking and especially paper burning emissions contain significant fractions of oxygenated organic compounds; however, their unit-resolution mass spectral signatures are very similar to those from ambient hydrocarbon-like OA, and very different from the mass spectra of ambient secondary or oxygenated OA (OOA). Thus, primary OA from these sources is unlikely to be a significant direct source of ambient OOA. There are significant differences in high-resolution tracer m/zs that may be useful for differentiating some of these sources. Unlike in most ambient spectra, all of these sources have low total m/z 44 and this signal is not dominated by the CO2+ ion. All sources have high m/z 57, which is low during hi...
Thermal-shock experiments with flawed clad cylinders

Abstract In recent years, four thermal-shock experiments with a large (991 mm OD × 1220 mm lenght) thick-walled (152 mm), clad, steel cyclinder, containing both through-clad and subclad flaws, have been conducted to evaluate the effects of cladding on the propagation of flaws in light-water-reactor (LWR) pressure vessels. The thermal shock was achieved by first heating the test cylinder to ∼ 93° C and then applying liquid nitrogen to the inner surface. During the first experiment, one of six equally spaced, 19 mm-deep by 114 mm-long, semielliptical subclad flaws propagated in two initiation-arrest events to a length of ∼ 1100 mm and a maximum depth of 70 mm. There was no breaching of the cladding. Two 20 mm-radius, semicircular, surface flaws were added for the second and third experiments. These flaws did not propagate. For the final experiment, four of the subclad flaws that did not propagate during the first experiment were converted to surface flaws. These flaws propagated extensively in length and depth, bifuracting several times in the length direction, but all propagation was subclad (no breaching of the cladding). The results of these experiments indicate that under the specific test conditions, the cladding was beneficial in reducing the potential for initiation of a subclad flaw and deep propagation of a surface flaw. However, the benefit was not as great as predicted.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE DEATH PENALTY FOR JUVENILES AND ADULTS

ABSTRACT David Garland's recent book Punishment and Modern Society should prompt a reconsideration of the role of religion in shaping public opinion and public policy in the area of criminal justice. The present study examines the relationship between certain religious beliefs associated with fundamentalist and evangelical Protestantism and support for capital punishment for both adults and juveniles. The analysis reveals that these beliefs generally do have positive direct effects on support for the death penalty. One of them, an adherence to a literal interpretation of the Bible, is nearly as predictive as race of support for the death penalty. Suggestions are offered for a research agenda which would abandon the “secularization paradigm” which has characterized criminal justice research, and social and behavioral science research in general, and examine more carefully the connection between religion and justice.