cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ASYMMETRIC SYNTHESIS OF A SERIES OF CHIRAL AB2 MONOMERS FOR DENDRIMER CONSTRUCTION

Efficient preparation of a series of four chiral, nonracemic AB2 monomers suitable for the construction of dendrimers is presented. Monomers 1−4 possess the common structural features of a diphenolic moiety and a benzylic or aliphatic hydroxyl which render these molecules suitable for convergent dendrimer synthesis. The same basic, high-yielding, five-step sequence is employed for 1−4. Stilbene derivatives 13 and 14 are prepared by a Horner−Wadsworth−Emmons modified Wittig reaction between 3,5- or 3,4-bis(benzyloxy)benzaldehyde (8 and 10) and an ester-substituted benzylphosphonate (11 or 12). Cinnamate derivatives 21 and 22 are prepared similarly from 8 and 10 and triethyl phosphonoacetate. Chirality is introduced in the form of a 1,2-diol unit by Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation (AD) (>97% ee in all cases). Protection of the 1,2-diols as their acetonide derivatives provides dioxolane intermediates 17, 18, 25, and 26. Reduction of the ester groups followed by hydrogenolysis of the benzyl ethers yields...
Tissue distribution and excretion of 14C-labelled cinnamic aldehyde following single and multiple oral administration in male Fischer 344 rats.

Abstract 14 C-labelled cinnamic aldehyde (CNMA) was given as a single oral dose, or 24 hr after multiple oral administration of non-radioactive CNMA for 7 days at 24-hr intervals, to male Fischer 344 rats at dose levels of 5, 50 or 500 mg/kg body weight. Residues of radioactive CNMA were measured. After the single dose radioactivity was distributed primarily in the gastro-intestinal tract, the kidneys and the liver of the rats. The radiolabel was excreted mainly in the urine, and at 24 hr 85.1, 84.2 and 81.2% of the administered radiolabel was recovered in the urine at the 5, 50 and 500 mg/kg dose levels, respectively. Faecal excretion of radiolabel at 24 hr for the 5, 50 and 500 mg/kg doses was 5.1, 4.0 and 3.2% of the administered dose, respectively. At all dose levels, a small amount of the dose was distributed to the fat and was easily measured in animals killed 3 days after dosing at the 50 or 500 mg/kg dose levels. Following multiple oral administration, similar tissue distribution and excretion patterns of radiolabel were found at the three dose levels. After 24 hr the administered radiolabel was distributed mainly to the fat, liver and gastro-intestinal tract. At 24 hr, recoveries of the radiolabel in the urine were 80.4, 80.6 and 81.9% of the dose for the 5, 50 and 500 mg/kg dose levels, respectively. Faecal excretion of radiolabel after multiple dosing at 24 hr accounted for 6.3, 6.9 and 4.5% of the administered radioactivity at the 5, 50 and 500 mg/kg dose levels, respectively. The major metabolic pathway of CNMA for all single and the 5 and 50 mg/kg multiple dose levels in this species of rat was found to be degradation to benzoic acid through β-oxidation and excretion in the urine mainly as hippuric acid, with much smaller amounts of benzoic and cinnamic acids. At the multiple dose level of 500 mg/kg, benzoic acid was the major urinary metabolite, indicating that in the Fischer 344 male rat at this relatively high oral dose level the detoxification of CNMA proceeds differently and an alternative metabolic pathway is proposed.
A bayesian treatpent of nonresponse when sampling from a dichotomous population

In the situation where significant nonresponse is present in a sample survey, a prior distribution is developed which can reflect vague prior beliefs about the differences in the attitudes of respondents and nonrespondents. A posterior interval estimate is derived for the population proportion of interest.
Tautomerism, protonation, and ionization of formycin in aqueous solution by the pH dependence of 13C chemical shifts and 13C-1H coupling constants

Abstract Analyses of the pH dependence of 13C chemical shifts and 13C-1H coupling constants of formycin in aqueous soluion revealed two pKa′s, at 4.4 and 9.7, corresponding to a protonation at N4 and an ionization at N1. The N4-protonation results in the transfer of a pyrazolo ring hydrogen from N2 to N2-At physiological pH, formycin was found to exist as a mixture of N1H and N2H tautomers, with the former being predominant (>94%).
Protein recognition via oligonucleotide-linked small molecules: Utilisation of the hemin-binding aptamer

The development of oligonucleotide-linked small molecules for protein recognition is a worthy undertaking with potential applications in drug discovery and diagnostics. Although the ground work for this novel approach to protein recognition is still being laid, a number of promising systems have recently been developed. Herein, we discuss a selection of these systems focusing on the distinct tactics that can be employed for protein binding. Also reported is a new example that underscores the unique versatility of linking aptamers to protein-binding small molecules. In particular, we discuss the development of a chimeric aptamer that in the ‘on’ state can bind and signal the presence of a target protein. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the activity of this sensing supramolecule can be switched ‘off’ on cue.
Backside Coatings for Back illuminated CCDs

The optimization of back illuminated CCDs for low-light-level applications requires many process steps. One such step is the deposition of thin films on the freshly thinned backside surface. These films may consist of many layers depending on both the desired properties of the detector and on the backside charging mechanism. We describe our backside coating process which has been optimized for astronomical applications. After thinning, we first grow a thin silicon oxide film in a steam environment. Following oxidation we deposit an antireflection coating optimized for a particular wavelength. We may also deposit a thin film of platinum between these layers that acts to charge the backside. Using these thin film coatings we have been able to produce CCDs which reach silicon's theoretical maximum quantum efficiency over the 300 - 1000 nm wavelength region.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Separations of Cyclic, Branched, and Linear Hydrocarbon Mixtures through Silicalite Membranes

Binary and ternary mixtures of organic vapors were separated at elevated temperatures with a silicalite zeolite membrane on a porous, tubular, γ-alumina support. Linear alkanes (C5−C9), branched alkanes, aromatics, and saturated ring compounds were used as feeds, and permeances of pure compounds and mixtures were measured between ∼360 and 510 K. Pure compound permeances of the linear alkanes strongly decrease with increasing chain length, whereas the branched and cyclic compounds permeate at rates similar to those of n-hexane and n-heptane. Almost all permeances increase with increasing temperature. Mixtures of branched or cyclic molecules with small linear alkanes were readily separated with high selectivities (over 200 for n-hexane/benzene), even though the ratios of pure component permeances were small. The separation behavior is not due to molecular sieving but instead appears to be due to preferential adsorption (adsorption on external surface, pore entering, adsorption in pores) of one species, whic...
Matching in Sexual Experience for Married, Cohabitating, and Dating Couples

This study examined heterosexual romantic partners' number of intercourse partners prior to the initiation of their relationship to determine if a significant positive correlation (matching) occurred between partners, and if this matching was associated with their level of love and satisfaction with and commitment to the relationship. One hundred and six couples who were dating, cohabitating, or married participated in this study. Results indicated that, with the exception of cohabitating couples, romantic partners showed a significant level of matching in the prior number of intercourse partners. Further, among the married couples, a higher discrepancy between men's and women's number of previous intercourse partners was related to lower levels of love, satisfaction, and commitment in the relationship.
The Utility of Social Capital and Collective Efficacy: Social Control Policy in Nonmetropolitan Settings

Researchers and practitioners have made great strides at implementing crime reduction and prevention policies in urban areas; however, such policies are largely absent in less densely populated nonmetropolitan settings. This article provides a review of major findings from two recent nonmetropolitan studies using survey data from 1,125 citizens nested in 31 nonmetropolitan residential units (RUs) located in the state of Michigan. Hierarchical linear modeling results provide empirical evidence that the differential ability of nonmetropolitan Michigan residents to realize mutual trust and solidarity (i.e., social cohesion) is a major source of RU variation in citizens’ perceived incivility and burglary. Toward this end, several policy recommendations are endorsed in nonmetropolitan communities, whereby resources of social capital can help facilitate collective efficacy for the purpose of social control and improvement of citizen quality of life. Using a social capital framework is likely to benefit rural re...
Characterization of photovoltage transients in a chloroplast BLM.

Flash-elicited electrical transients across a pigmented bilayer lipid membrane (BLM), formed from extracts of spinach chloroplast, have been further investigated under a variety of asymmetrical conditions. Flash excitation clearly delineates two voltage generative processes distinct on the basis of initial phase kinetics: (1) a concentration difference of FeCl3 across the BLM gives rise to a microsecond photovoltage transient with polarity, action spectrum and risetime that suggest that photo-electrons from excited chlorophyll reduce Fe+3; and (2) there exists a flash-elicited slower electrical transient in the presence of applied electrical field or pH difference. This Slow Component fits the following kinetic description: V(t)=Vo [1−exp(-t/RC)] exp(-λt) and peaks at approximately 200 ms, depending upon the membrane RC time constant value, according to: tpeak=1n[(K+λ)/λ]/K sec, where K=(RC)−1. The Slow Component exhibits initially RC kinetics, followed by first-order “Lambda” decay, slower than, and independent of, the BLM RC time constant value. Chlorophyll triplet excited state quenching agents such as ascorbic acid eliminate completely the Slow Component (voltage or pH difference-induced) leaving the Fast Component (FeCl3-induced) unmodified. The long-lived nature of the Slow Component together with this result suggests that it represents photopopulation of the chlorophyll triplet excited state in the membrane.
Absence of floating delocalized states in a two-dimensional hole gas

By tracking the delocalized states of the two-dimensional hole gas in a p-type GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure as a function of magnetic field, we mapped out a phase diagram in the density-magnetic-field plane. We found that the energy of the delocalized state from the lowest Landau level flattens out as the magnetic field tends toward zero. This finding is different from that for the two-dimensional electron system in an n-type GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure where delocalized states diverge in energy as B goes to zero indicating the presence of only localized states below the Fermi energy. The possible connection of this finding to the recently observed metal-insulator transition at B = 0 in the two-dimensional hole gas systems is discussed.
Real estate auctions: A survey of theory and practice

Recent downturns in real estate markets combined with a general acceptance of auctions have resulted in an unprecedented number of auction sales. A need therefore exists for the further development of real estate auction models that can provide insights into this emerging market institution. To facilitate this task a survey of auction theory as pertaining to its application in real estate markets is provided in this paper. Topics addressed includes bidding equilibria, the role of reserve prices, information disclosure, the decision to use auctions, bidder participation, and multiple-object sales. An overview of empirical studies in this area is also provided.
The Effect of Pre-Exposure in Spectrum Photography

The effect of pre-exposure on Eastman 40, 50, I–G, I–F, and Cramer Hi-Speed plates was investigated and was found to be similar on all five. The optimum pre-exposure density in every case, as was to be expected, was equal to the density at the beginning of the straight line portion of the D-log I curve. To eliminate the Herschel effect, it was found necessary to pre-expose with a light source having an effective wave-length longer than the wave-length of any portion of the spectrum which was to be used for density measurements. A definite fading of the latent image amounting to a density decrease of 0.07 at a density level of 0.8 was observed in plates which were developed 12 hours after exposure. This fading ceased, in the cases studied, after about twenty hours.
Knowledge-based localization of hippocampus in human brain MRI

We present a novel and efficient method for localization of human brain structures such as hippocampus. Landmark localization is important for segmentation and registration. This method follows a statistical roadmap, consisting of anatomical landmarks, to reach the desired structures. Using a set of desired and undesired landmarks, identified on a training set, we estimate Gaussian models and determine optimal search areas for desired landmarks. The statistical models form a set of rules to evaluate the extracted landmarks during the search procedure. When applied on 900 MR images of 10 epileptic patients, this method demonstrated an overall success rate of 83%.
Alternative Fiscal Rules for Norway

This paper considers long-term fiscal policy options in Norway, the world's fifth largest oil exporter, in light of the substantial expected increase in pension outlays. It compares the current fiscal rule, which targets a (central government structural) non-oil deficit equal to 4 percent of Government Pension Fund assets, with three alternatives that save a larger share of oil revenue and accumulate more assets to pay for aging costs. It also analyzes the macroeconomic consequences of accumulating more assets, finding that the additional income generated from more assets allows lower tax rates, with positive effects on long-term output.
The new law of war: Legitimizing hi-tech and infrastructural violence.

This article examines how humanitarian laws of war have been recast in light of a new generation of hi-tech weapons and innovations in strategic theory. Far from falling into disuse, humanitarian law is invoked more frequently than ever to confer legitimacy on military action. New legal interpretations, diminished ad bellum rules, and an expansive view of military necessity are coalescing in a regime of legal warfare that licenses hi-tech states to launch wars as long as their conduct is deemed just. The ascendance of technical legalism has undercut customary restraints on the use of armed force and has opened a legal chasm between technological haves and have-nots. Most striking is the use of legal language to justify the erosion of distinctions between soldiers and civilians and to legitimize collateral damage. Hi-tech warfare has dramatically curbed immediate civilian casualties, yet the law sanctions infrastructural campaigns that harm long-term public health and human rights in ways that are now clear.
Welfare from a benefit viewpoint

Individual welfare is most naturally measured in terms of individual utility but this has the well-known disadvantage that utility levels of different consumers cannot be meaningfully compared. This difficulty is traditionally avoided by using various willingness-to-pay measures, such as compensating and equivalent variation. These measures are based on price changes. This paper develops alternative welfare measures using willingness-to-trade concepts as originally proposed by Dupuit (1844). These measures are based directly on commodity bundle changes. These welfare measures can be represented as integrals under certain inverse demand functions. An important property of the proposed welfare measures studied here is that they can be meaningfully aggregated to form overall welfare measures. These measures in turn directly quantify a compensation criterion. It is shown that competitive prices provide a first-order approximation to the welfare measures. Furthermore a second-order approximation can be found by forming a suitable aggregation of the individual second-order effects. Finally, it is shown that the representations for consumer welfare as integrals under inverse demand curves can be extended to the aggregate measures as well. This then provides a complete complement to traditional measures based on price changes.
Aquaporin-1 promoter hypermethylation is associated with improved prognosis in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.

ObjectivesAquaporin-1 (AQP1) is a candidate oncogene that is epigenetically modified in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). We sought to (1) assess AQP1 promoter methylation and expression in an ACC co...
Mitotic responses of the anterior pericardial wall of Biomphalaria glabrata (Mollusca) subjected to challenge

En vue de determiner les types de stimuli qui peuvent induire une hyperplasie pericardiale, on a injecte a B.g. a 2 reprises, differentes particules et des materiels solubles et on a expose plusieurs individus a des miracidies de trematodes
Next generation data centers: trends and implications

In this talk we will discuss next generation data centers and the important impact they will have upon enterprise applications. Specifically, we will discuss the technical and economical trends motivating the move towards large scale distributed data centers consisting of tens of thousands of servers and hundreds of petabytes of storage. We will explain the roles and advantages of virtual machines and other virtualization technologies in these environments and also explore how they exacerbate the complexity of management and achieving predictable application behavior.To better illustrate issues emerging in such environments we will describe early experiments we conducted with a 1000-processor utility rendering service created for DreamWorks Animation that was used to render the films Shrek II and Madagascar. We will discuss the lessons learned from this experience.Next, we consider the trend towards service oriented architectures for enterprise application platforms. Service orientation provides for more flexible and agile information technology systems but further increases the complexity of management and behavior. We will explore the implications of composing services dynamically using an SOA approach.These trends for enterprise application platforms and the trends towards next generation data centers have helped to drive our current research agenda. Our goal is to enable the flexibility and agility offered by these new technologies while enabling cost effective management, predictable behavior and improved quality of service. We will give an overview of our research on model driven design for enterprise application infrastructure, automated deployment, and operations of distributed application services executing in a virtualized, shared resource pool within these next generation data centers.Finally, we will summarize the implications, challenges, and opportunities posed by these trends on academic and industrial research. In particular, we consider the impact on software performance and software performance engineering and pose important unanswered questions.
EXAMINATION OF RETENTION DECREMENT EXPLANATION OF COMPARATIVE SUCCESSIVE DISCRIMINATION REVERSAL LEARNING BY BIRDS AND MAMMALS

The role of successive discrimination reversal in comparative behavioral analysis is briefly summarized with attention to recent criticism of the retention-decrement hypothesis that attempts to account for improvement in performance on this task. Data from 7 mammalian and 10 avian species are presented in support of this criticism. Alternative hypotheses are proposed.
Three populations of primary auditory fibers in the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana): Their peripheral origins and frequency sensitivities

Single unit recordings from the VIIIth nerve of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) in response to tones reveal three populations of auditory fibers: low-frequency inhibitable fibers, mid-frequency non-inhibitable fibers and high-frequency non-inhibitable fibers. By selectively sectioning and recording from individual nerve branchlets within the inner ear, it is shown that the amphibian papilla gives rise to low and mid-frequency sensitive units and the basilar papilla gives rise to high-frequency sensitive units.
Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Covariation Between DHEA and Testosterone in Adolescent Twins.

Although several studies have shown that pubertal tempo and timing are shaped by genetic and environmental factors, few studies consider to what extent endocrine triggers of puberty are shaped by genetic and environmental factors. Doing so moves the field from examining correlated developmentally-sensitive biomarkers toward understanding what drives those associations. Two puberty related hormones, dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone, were assayed from salivary samples in 118 MZ (62 % female), 111 same sex DZ (46 % female) and 103 opposite-sex DZ twin pairs, aged 12–16 years (M = 13.1, SD = 1.3). Pubertal status was assessed with a composite of mother- and self-reports. We used biometric models to estimate the genetic and environmental influences on the variance and covariance in testosterone and DHEA, with and without controlling for their association with puberty, and to test for sex differences. In males, the variance in testosterone and pubertal status was due to shared and non-shared environmental factors; variation in DHEA was due to genetic and non-shared environmental factors. In females, variance in testosterone was due to genetic and non-shared environmental factors; genetic, shared, and non-shared environmental factors contributed equally to variation in DHEA. In males, the testosterone-DHEA covariance was primarily due to shared environmental factors that overlapped with puberty as well as shared and non-shared environmental covariation specific to testosterone and DHEA. In females, the testosterone-DHEA covariance was due to genetic factors overlapping with pubertal status, and shared and non-shared environmental covariation specific to testosterone and DHEA.
Mössbauer studies of quadrupole and hyperfine interactions in FeCl2·2H2O

Abstract Mossbauer studies of antiferromagnetic FeCl 2 ·2H 2 O ( T N ≈ 23°K) indicate an effective hyperfine field of ∼250 kG. The experimental data are consistent with the assumption that the major axis of the electric field gradient tensor is perpendicular to the effective magnetic field.
The measurement of normative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores.

We determined baseline scores on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) questionnaire in individuals who had no known shoulder condition and evaluated related factors that could influence the score. A modified version of the questionnaire was completed by 343 patients from an outpatient orthopaedic center being seen for conditions unrelated to the shoulder. A separate group completed the questionnaire at two different times to assess its reliability. The mean ASES score was 92.2 ± 14.5 points. The instrument was found to be very reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96). Only the variables of shoulder status and sports participation entered the regression model to explain the variance in scores. Subjects aged 60 years or older exhibited decreased ability to lift above shoulder level and reach behind the back when compared with younger cohorts. Previous investigators have made the assumption that a normal preinjury ASES score is 100 points. This study raises questions about this assumption. This information can serve as a basis to compare normative scores with those of patients with active shoulder disease.
Structure–nongenomic neuroprotection relationship of estrogens and estrogen-derived compounds

Nongenomic estrogen signaling pathways involve extranuclear estrogen receptors or function independently from estrogen receptors. These pathways participate in neuroprotection elicited by the hormone. Additional nongenomic neuroprotective effects are attributable to antioxidant and antiinflammatory actions of estrogens. Numerous chemical modifications to afford neuroprotective compounds from estrogens while eliminating estrogenicity and maintaining or enhancing nongenomic neuroprotection have been described. This review highlights recent structure-activity studies that revealed the importance of antioxidant effects for neuroprotective estrogen analogues and derivatives.
Reliabilities of the WAIS-III for discrepancy scores: generalization to a clinical sample.

Summary Internal consistency reliabilities for WAIS-III IQ, Index, and subtest discrepancy scores are provided for 100 men in a treatment program for substance abuse disorders. There were 63 Euro-Americans and 37 African Americans. Means for age, education, and Full Scale IQ were 46.1 yr. (SD = 8.8), 12.7 yr. (SD = 1.5), and 93.8 (SD = 14.0), respectively. Reliabilities ranged from .34 to .86. Compared with the WAIS-III standardization sample, discrepancy score reliability coefficients differed only for the Verbal Comprehension Index vs Perceptual Organization Index contrast, which was higher in the patient sample. Interpretation of discrepancy scores for the WAIS-III appears to be useful in a clinical sample with substance abuse as in a purportedly normal sample.
Signaling and initial public offerings: The use and impact of the lockup period

Abstract To reduce information asymmetries for potential investors considering investment in an IPO venture, owners can signal the firm's longer-term viability and quality in several ways. The lockup period, is one signal that can be offered. We investigated the lockup period of a sample of 640 ventures going through the IPO and find that a longer lockup period acts as a substitute signal to venture capital (VC) and prestigious underwriter backing. Furthermore, we find that ventures which have a going concern issue can reduce the amount of underpricing at the time of the IPO by accepting a longer lockup period.
TAE Plus: Transportable Applications Environment Plus: a user interface development environment

The Transportable Applications Environment Plus (TAE Plus) is a NASA-developed user interface development environment (UIDE) for the rapid prototyping, evaluation, implementation, and management of user interfaces. TAE Plus provides an intuitive What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) WorkBench for designing an application's user interface. The WorkBench supports the creation and sequencing of displays, including real-time, data-driven display objects. Users can define context-sensitive help for a target application. They can rehearse the user interface and also generate code automatically. In addition TAE Plus contains application services for the runtime manipulation and management of the user interface. Based on Motif and the MIT X Window System, TAE Plus runs on a variety of Unix- or VMS-based workstations. TAE Plus is an evolving system. User-defined requirements and new technology guide the development of each new version. Advances in virtual operating systems, human factors, computer graphics, command language design, standardization, and software portability are monitored and incorporated as they become available.
Keynotes: An address to dental examiners and dental educators

The keynote address given by Doctor Hillenbrand to the Fourth Workshop of Dental Examiners and Dental Educators, February 3, 1967.
Exploring the Role of Zn in PdZn Reforming Catalysts: Adsorption and Reaction of Ethanol and Acetaldehyde on Two-dimensional PdZn Alloys

The adsorption and reaction of ethanol and acetaldehyde on two-dimensional PdZn alloys on Pd(111) were studied with use of temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Incorporation of Zn into the Pd(111) surface was found to decrease the dehydrogenation activity and alter the activation energies for C−H bond scission in adsorbed ethoxide, acetaldehyde, and acetyl intermediates. Large changes in the stability of adsorbed intermediates were observed on Zn/Pd(111) surfaces with Zn coverages <0.1 ML, indicating that long-range electronic effects play a role in altering the surface reactivity. The results obtained in this study are similar to those in our previous study of the reaction of methanol and formaldehyde on PdZn and further illustrate the dramatic effect that Zn substitution into the Pd lattice has on the reactivity of the surface.
The molecular basis of Marfan syndrome.

ABSTRACT The Marfan syndrome is an inherited, autosomal dominant disorder that affects the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems. Recent biochemical and genetic studies have demonstrated that this deadly genetic disorder arises from defects in the connective tissue protein fibrillin. Fibrillin is a component of microfibrils, structures found in the extracellular matrices of most tissues, including those affected in Marfan patients. The appearance of microfibrils in the matrix produced by Marfan patient fibroblasts is different from that of normal cells. Genetic linkage between the fibrillin gene and the Marfan phenotype has been established and the gene mapped to the same chromosomal position as the disease locus. In several instances, the disease has been associated with mutations in the fibrillin gene, confirming that defects in fibrillin cause the Marfan syndrome.
Minimization of artifacts in sulfuric acid mist measurement using NIOSH Method 7903.

NIOSH Method 7903 employs a silica gel tube for sulfuric acid mist measurement in workplaces. However, SO2 gas present in the sample volume can be transformed into sulfate in the sampling process causing an artifact that is reported as sulfuric acid. A sampling train incorporating a honeycomb denuder system was applied for field sampling at seven phosphate fertilizer plants to evaluate its use for reducing the artifact sulfate concentration while preserving the actual sulfuric acid mist concentration. The denuder system was designed to remove SO2 gas before the air entered the silica gel tube and to monitor SO2 concentration at the same time. A deactivation model was also applied to correct for the presence of the artifact. The denuder system had 95.7 ± 6.8% collection efficiency for SO2 gas, and the impact of sulfate aerosol on SO2 collection was negligible. SO2 concentrations at the seven plants ranged from 34 ppb to 5.6 ppm. The honeycomb denuder system and the deactivation model were shown to reduce t...
Preliminary interpretation of aeromagnetic and aeroradioactivity maps of the Alabama Piedmont

Aeromagnetic and aeroradioactivity maps of the Alabama Piedmont province and parts of the Valley and Ridge province and the East Gulf Coastal Plain appear to correlate very well with most major geologic features in the area. Major lithologic units, fault zones, and other contacts are discernible on one or both of the geophysical maps. Basement lithology and structure can be reliably interpreted in areas where the crystalline magnetic “basement” rocks are covered by nonmagnetic sedimentary or low-rank metamorphic rocks.
Effects of cancer on the sexuality and fertility of women

As more Americans become cancer survivors, sexuality and fertility have become more paramount issues in cancer care. Both the disease and the treatments used can produce both short-term and long-term effects that can confound sexual expression and fertility. The identification of these sequelae in survivors of cancer has led to the exploration of methods to predict, prevent, or minimize their occurrence. This article addresses the effects of cancer and cancer care in those undergoing treatment and surviving the array of diseases known as cancer.
Studies directed toward the synthesis of (+)-mycotrienin I. Asymmetric synthesis of the C9N21 aromatic synthon

Abstract The asymmetric synthesis of the C9N21 fragment of (+)-mycotrienin I is described employing chiral allylsilane bond construction methodology for the installation of the C12C13 absolute stereochemical relationships. In this convergent synthesis the construction of the C9C16 and C17N21 aromatic synthon subunits and their coupling through a lithio dithiane alkylation strategy are detailed.
Microstructural disorder, mesoscale finite elements and macroscopic response

Consideration of boundaryvalue problems in mechanics of materials with disordered microstructures leads to the introduction of an intermediate scale, a mesoscale, which specifies the resolution of ...
Addressing capacity uncertainty in resource-constrained assignment problems

Resource-constrained assignment problems typically assume capacities are known. We focus on the situation when capacities are uncertain. In addition to the well-known generalized assignment problem (GAP) and the assignment problem with side-constraints (APSC), we discuss two other resource-constrained generalizations of the assignment problem. We identify two alternative approaches to utilize deterministic solution strategies while addressing capacity uncertainty, and illustrate how these approaches can be applied to a specific generalization. We also report the performance of these alternatives on a number of random test problems.
Optical method for spatial noise removal in interferometry

We present an analysis of the interference of light scattered from different planes in a simple interferometer, to establish a method that will allow the final output fringe contrast to be enhanced through spatial noise removal. The approach developed involves modifying the spatial coherence of the illuminating wave. By controlling the correlation length of this wave, a time-averaged interferogram along with another for which a ? phase shift has been introduced into the reference arm is shown to provide the information necessary to retrieve the fringe pattern with relatively little noise remaining. The approach suggested allows the controlling parameters to be easily varied optically in order to suppress different spatial noise types and scales. The greatest benefits of this method are in cases where large-scale and slowly varying surfaces or index profiles are to be accurately measured. Simulations are presented and the effectiveness of the proposed coherence degradation procedure is evaluated.
Limiting factors for photochemical charge separation in BiVO4/Co3O4, a highly active photocatalyst for water oxidation in sunlight

Chemical modification of BiVO4 nanoparticles (Scheelite, EG = 2.62 eV) with chemically deposited Co3O4 nanoparticles improves the photocatalytic water oxidation activity by a factor of 17 to 11 mmol g−1 h−1 under visible light (AQE 10% at 435 nm) and to 1.24 mmol g−1 h−1 under sunlight from aqueous 0.02 M NaIO4. This activity ranks among the highest among known visible light driven water oxidation photocatalysts. Based on systematic electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, and surface photovoltage measurements, the high photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the electrocatalytic properties of the Co3O4 cocatalyst and to the formation of a heterojunction at the BiVO4–Co3O4 interface.
A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS: Citizen Predisposition to Intervene in Spouse Abuse

Since victims' opportunities to seek help are constrained, observers can play an important role in aiding vicitims of spouse abuse. Many witnesses, however, are reluctant to act. By examining some of the reasons for this reluctance, this paper attempts to provide information that can be used to structure attempts to increase the propensity of observers to intervene—either personally or by summoning outside help. Hypotheses derived from a review of the literatures on crime reporting and helping behavior were tested in a random-digit dialed general population telephone survey of 1, 208 Chicago households. Measures of perceptions of crime, experiences with and opinions of the police, community ties, and standard demographic variables were included. In conjunction with census data on respondents' neighborhoods, this permitted an examination of the individual and joint influences of experiential, attitudinal, structural, and contextual effects on observer responses. Following presentation of findings, research and policy implications are discussed.
Candida albicans Mds3p, a Conserved Regulator of pH Responses and Virulence Identified Through Insertional Mutagenesis

Candida albicans is a commensal fungus that causes diverse infections after antibiotic use or immune debilitation. Gene discovery has been limited because the organism is an asexual diploid. We have developed a strategy that yields random homozygous insertion mutants. The strategy has permitted identification of several prospective essential genes. Many of these genes are homologous to nonessential Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes, and some have no S. cerevisiae homolog. These findings may expand the range of antifungal drug targets. We have also identified new genes required for pH-dependent filamentation, a trait previously associated with virulence. One newly identified gene, MDS3, is required for expression in alkaline media of two filamentation-associated genes, HWP1 and ECE1, but is not required for expression of other pH-response genes. In S. cerevisiae, the two MDS3 homologs are required for growth in alkaline media, thus arguing that Mds3p function in adaptation to external pH changes is conserved. Epistasis tests show that Mds3p contributes to virulence and alkaline pH responses independently of the well-characterized Rim101p pH-response pathway.
CP47,497-C8 and JWH073, commonly found in ‘Spice’ herbal blends, are potent and efficacious CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonists

'Spice' is an herbal blend that has been reported to produce cannabis-like effects when smoked and is marketed as an alternative to marijuana. Synthetic additives have been identified in numerous 'Spice' preparations from different sources. Common among many of the preparations were the compounds JWH018 and a dimethyloctyl variant of CP47,497 (CP47,497-C8) and, more recently JWH073. The synaptic effects of each of these compounds were uncharacterized. We previously reported that JWH018 is a potent and efficacious CB(1) cannabinoid receptor agonist. In this study we have examined the abilities of CP47,497-C8 and JWH073 to inhibit neurotransmission in cultured autaptic hippocampal neurons. Each inhibited EPSCs with an efficacy and potency similar to JWH018. We also analyzed these compounds' effects on promoting internalization of CB(1) receptors in HEK293 cells stably expressing CB(1) receptors. Similar to our neurotransmission data, CP47,497-C8 internalized CB(1) in a fashion indistinguishable from JWH018. However, JWH073 was less potent and produced slower internalization than JWH018 and CP47,497-C8. It appears that 'Spice' contains a number of cannabinoid receptor agonists that activate CB(1) receptors to inhibit synaptic transmission with similar potencies and efficacies. It is highly probable that the cannabis-like effects of 'Spice' are due to the presence of these and analogous synthetic additives acting on CB(1) receptors.
Fragility, Stability, and Our Ideals Regarding the Well-Being of Others: Reflections on Fukushima Daiichi

In The fragility of goodness, Martha Nussbaum explored ‘the gap between being a good person and managing to live a good life’ (Nussbaum, 2001, p. xviii). This gap results from the importance of con...
Building terpene production platforms in yeast

Plants and microbes commonly make terpenes and terpenoids in small amounts and as complex mixtures, and their chemical synthesis is often costly and inefficient. Hence, there are many efforts to create robust and efficient biological production platforms for this interesting class of molecules. In this study, our effort was directed towards building a yeast production platform using an unbiased genetic selection approach. Yeast strain BY4741 was subjected to EMS mutagenesis, followed by selection for growth in the presence of nystatin, squalestatin, and exogenous cholesterol. This unbiased screen selected for mutant yeast lines having a dispensable mevalonate pathway and containing uncharacterized SUE (sterol uptake enhancement) mutations supporting aerobic uptake of exogenous sterol. These mutants were next screened for high level accumulation of farnesol (FOH), an indicator for high level accumulation of the key intermediate FPP, farnesyl diphosphate. To further improve the FPP pool in these mutants, insertional mutations into the ERG9 gene (coding for squalene synthase) were introduced into those lines capable of accumulating ≥50 mg farnesol/L. This generated another series of lines that accumulated farnesol levels over 70 mg/L in small-scale shake cultures. To evaluate the utility of these lines as a general production platform for specific terpenes, select SUE/erg9 lines were transformed with a vector harboring the Hyoscyamus muticus premnaspirodiene synthase (HPS) gene encoding for a sesquiterpene synthase. The new yeast line ZX178-08 accumulated the highest level of premnaspirodiene, up to 116 mg/L, with FOH levels of 23.6 mg/L. In comparison, the parental line BY4741 accumulated 10 times less premnaspirodiene, 10.94 mg/L, with no farnesol detectable. Co-expression of the HPS gene with an amino-terminal truncated, catalytic form of the hamster HMGR gene, tHMGR, increased premnaspirodiene accumulation to 170.23 ± 30.44 mg/L, almost a 50% increase. Further utility of this yeast line was demonstrated for triterpene production. When engineered for the production of a non-native triterpene, Zx178-08 accumulated upwards of 60 mg/L of botryococcene. To engineer more native triterpene accumulation, additional insertion mutants into the ERG1 gene (coding for squalene epoxidase) were evaluated. Insertion of a simple selection marker followed by over-expression of a heterologous squalene synthase gene resulted in greater than 85 mg/L of squalene. However, when the ERG1 insertional mutant included chromosomal insertion of a truncated, heterologous HMGR gene, squalene production was more than tripled to 270 mg/L. These results are discussed in comparison to other recently developed terpene production platforms. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1854–1864. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Droplet-Manipulation Method for Achieving High-Throughput in Cross-Referencing-Based Digital Microfluidic Biochips

Digital microfluidic biochips are revolutionizing high-throughput DNA, immunoassays, and clinical diagnostics. As high-throughput bioassays are mapped to digital microfluidic platforms, the need for design automation techniques for pin-constrained biochips is being increasingly felt. However, most prior work on biochips computer-aided design has assumed independent control of the underlying electrodes using a large number of (electrical) input pins. We propose a droplet-manipulation method based on a ldquocross-referencingrdquo addressing method that uses ldquorowrdquo and ldquocolumnsrdquo to access electrodes. By mapping the droplet-movement problem on a cross-referenced chip to the clique-partitioning problem from graph theory, the proposed method allows simultaneous movement of a large number of droplets on a microfluidic array. Concurrency is enhanced through the use of an efficient scheduling algorithm that determines the order in which groups of droplets are moved. The proposed design-automation method facilitates high-throughput applications on a pin-constrained biochip, and it is evaluated using random synthetic benchmarks and a set of multiplexed bioassays.
Cocaine activates Homer1 immediate early gene transcription in the mesocorticolimbic circuit: Differential regulation by dopamine and glutamate signaling

Homer proteins are intracellular scaffolding proteins that, amongst glutamate receptors, selectively bind to group1 metabotropic glutamate receptors and regulate their trafficking and intracellular signaling. Homer proteins have been implicated in synaptic and behavioral plasticity, including drug-seeking behavior after cocaine treatment. Homer1 gene activation leads to transcription of a variant mRNA (Homer1a) which functions as an immediate early gene. Homer1a competes with the constitutive Homer proteins (Homer1b/c/d, Homer2a/b, Homer3) for binding to group1 metabotropic glutamate and IP3 receptors. Binding of Homer1a to these proteins disrupts their association with the intracellular signaling scaffold and modulates receptor function. In this study, using RT-PCR, activation of Homer1a mRNA transcription in response to acute and repeated administration of cocaine was characterized in prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and ventral tegmental area, three mesocorticolimbic nuclei of the rat brain. Moreover, the dopaminergic and glutamatergic regulation of Homer1 gene activation by cocaine was investigated. Acute cocaine rapidly and transiently activated transcription of Homer1a mRNA in all three nuclei. However, repeated administration of cocaine was not effective in inducing the Homer1a mRNA transcription after various withdrawal times ranging from two hours to three weeks. The acute cocaine-mediated activation of Homer1 gene was regulated by D1 but not D2 dopamine receptors. The blockade of AMPA or NMDA glutamate receptors did not prevent cocaine-mediated activation of Homer1 gene in the three mesocorticolimbic nuclei. These data indicate that acute administration of cocaine transiently activates Homer1 gene producing the immediate early gene Homer1a mRNA in the three mesocorticolimbic nuclei of the rat brain. Activation of Homer1 gene may contribute to the cocaine-mediated synaptic and behavioral plasticity.
Compositional Ordering in InxGa1-xN and its influence on optical properties

InxGa1-x N layers grown with compositions with the predicted miscibility gap have been studied using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction and optical measurements (photoluminescence and absorption). The samples (0.34 < x < 0.8) were deposited by Molecular Beam Epitaxy at 800°C using 200 nm AlN buffer layer grown directly on sapphire substrates. Another sample with x = 0.34 was grown on a GaN buffer layer. Dislocation densities in the InGaN layers were typically in the mid-1010 cm−2 to1011 cm−2 range. Edge dislocations were the most prevalent. For In concentration x = 0.5 compositional ordering is observed leading to extra diffraction spots in electron and x-ray diffraction. The ordering was not observed for the sample with x=0.34 grown on GaN. Based on TEM measurements the estimated period of ordering Δ was about Δ = 45 A for x = 0.5 and Δ = 65A for x = 0.78. The sample with x = 0.5 had the highest dislocation density. In addition to the presence of threading dislocations two types of domain boundaries on (0001) and (0110) planes were also observed in this sample. This sample has a broader photoluminescence (PL) that is redshifted compared to the absorption edge (“Stokes shift”).