cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Education, race and empire: a genealogy of humanitarian governance in the United States

Much of the recent scholarship in critical philanthropy and humanitarianism focuses on the relationship between the origins of humanitarian governance and the development and expansion of imperialism. Imperial exploitation and dispossession were frequently linked in paradoxical ways with the protection and management of colonised populations. This paper explores these types of connections as they pertain to the relationship between humanitarianism, imperialism and the governance of African Americans in the United States (US). I focus, in particular, on how humanitarian initiatives in black education were mobilised in relation to differing moments of international and domestic colonialism, nation-building, national security and global aspirations at the heart of American empire. The paper advances this line of inquiry through a genealogy of humanitarian reasoning and webs of belief about the proper intellectual development of African Americans at three historic moments of national development: the periods of Reconstruction, the Efficiency Movement and Pax Americana. In each different context, philanthropic foundations and humanitarians sought to provide education to African Americans, who were disenfranchised and disconnected in different ways in each period. But although the specific moral reasoning and techniques of care employed in the provision of education were particular to time and place, the underlying rationalities of a ‘progressive imperial agenda’ connecting African American enfranchisement and connection to national development and imperial aspirations, was manifest. The paper employs a genealogical method in order to link the excavations of the past to the present, indicating some of the ways that these interconnected logics continue to affect humanitarianism in the US today.
Punishment and solidarity? An experimental test of the educative-moralizing effects of legal sanctions

Both scholars and legal practitioners have long theorized that a central function of criminal punishments is to reinforce moral values and, in so doing, symbolically reaffirm the vitality of the shared beliefs that underpin social trust and bonding—or what Durkheim refers to as “mechanical solidarity”. Crime, according to this theoretical scholarship, is a symbol of disconsensus and possesses the potential to trigger a demoralization cascade. Punishment counteracts the demoralizing effect of crime by demonstrating that a consensus remains about the moral boundaries in society and that legal authorities continue to have the motivation and resources necessary to enforce this consensus. Versions of this denunciatory or expressive theory of punishment can be found in the criminological, sociological, and legal literatures. All varieties of the theory share a common feature: to date, they have largely escaped empirical scrutiny. The current study tests this theoretical tradition’s foundational hypotheses using data from a randomized factorial survey experiment conducted with a sample of 5042 Americans. The findings provide no support for expressive theories of punishment. However, the evidence does show that punishment may play an important role in reducing the emotional impact of crime on citizens. Specifically, when the offender is caught and punished it appears to diminish the aversive emotional reactions (e.g., anger) caused by learning that a crime was committed in the first place. Our study suggests that, although punishing crimes may not influence individuals’ social or moral beliefs, it might serve another important function by attenuating potentially criminogenic emotional reactions to crime, such as anger. The sanctioning effect, then, shares similarities with conventional coping mechanisms described in general strain theory.
Why Do Fast-Growing Bacteria Enter Overflow Metabolism? Testing the Membrane Real Estate Hypothesis

Bacteria and other cells show a puzzling behavior. At high growth rates, E. coli switch from respiration (which is ATP-efficient) to using fermentation for additional ATP (which is inefficient). This overflow metabolism results in a several-fold decrease in ATP produced per glucose molecule provided as food. By integrating diverse types of experimental data into a simple biophysical model, we give evidence that this onset is the result of the membrane real estate hypothesis: Fast growth drives cells to be bigger, reducing their surface-to-volume ratios. This decreases the membrane area available for respiratory proteins despite growing demand, causing increased crowding. Only when respiratory proteins reach their crowding limit does the cell activate fermentation, since fermentation allows faster ATP production per unit membrane area. Surface limitation thus creates a Pareto trade-off between membrane efficiency and ATP yield that links metabolic choice to the size and shape of a bacterial cell. By exploring the predictions that emerge from this trade-off, we show how consideration of molecular structures, energetics, rates, and equilibria can provide important insight into cellular behavior.
The Equity Premium and the Financial Accelerator

This paper investigates the amplification mechanism of the financial accelerator on the equity premium in a production economy. To accomplish this, a medium-scale New Keynesian model with a financial intermediaries structure and generalized recursive preferences is developed. I find that the financial accelerator is a very plausible and new amplification mechanism for risk premia in the model. In the benchmark setting, the financial accelerator increases the equity premium by 46 basis points and produces fourfold greater response to shocks than the model-implied equity premium without financial frictions. I also show two channels by which the financial accelerator affects the equity premium. The first channel increases the volatility of the stochastic discount factor, and the second channel affects the risk-free rate and inflation through the Taylor rule and marginal cost, respectively.
83 Epidemiology of crime perpetration prior to sustaining firearm injury

Statement of Purpose History of crime perpetration is recognised as one of the strongest risk factors for subsequent crime perpetration. Our knowledge of the frequency, type, and timing of past crime perpetration among firearm injury patients is limited. We sought to examine past crime perpetration among firearm injury patients enrolled in a randomised trial of a program designed to promote their well-being. Approach Helping Individuals with Firearm Injuries is an ongoing randomised trial (March 2016-present) at Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle. Patients with firearm injuries are randomised by calendar week to either usual care or an evidence-based case management program. The primary outcome is crime perpetration reduction. Patients’ records are linked to statewide administrative crime databases. We present results pertaining to crime perpetration before study entry among 66 patients enrolled through January 2017. Results Most patients were men (83%) with a mean age of 30 years. 65% of patients had an arrest history. A substantially greater proportion of patients with an arrest history were unemployed (53%) and presented with an assault-related firearm injury (81%) than those without an arrest history (25% and 35%, respectively). The total count of arrest among those with an arrest history was 468 (individual range:1–66) including 103 violence-related and 365 nonviolence-related arrests. Of these patients, 74% and 93% had been respectively arrested for a violent and nonviolent crime; 67% had been arrested for both types of crime. Assault was the most common (84%) type of crime among those with a violence-related arrest. The most recent arrest occurred within one year prior to study entry for 42% of patients with an arrest history. Conclusion The burden of past arrest among patients with firearm injuries is substantial. Significance Findings highlight the importance of testing interventions designed to reduce the risk of future crime perpetration among firearm injury patients.
Affective Commitment to Organizations: A Comparison Study of Reverse Mentoring Versus Traditional Mentoring Among Millennials

A current topic of interest in management and organization research is the phenomenon of a generation shift in the workforce and how this shift will affect organizations in the near future. Millennials represent the largest generational cohort in the American workforce. Organizations find themselves challenged with retention efforts as Millennials tend to leave an organization after short tenures. The problem this study addressed is the high turnover rates among millennial employees. Specifically, it was unknown whether Millennials who received reverse mentoring evidenced greater affective commitment to the organization as compared to Millennials who received standard mentoring. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that Millennials who received reverse mentoring evidenced greater affective commitment to the organization as compared to Millennials who received standard mentoring. A two group post-test only quasi-experimental design was conducted. A total of 90 participants (45 per group) completed the survey. The survey was conducted by Qualtrics, an online survey company. The sample population included male and female individuals, born between 1982 and 1998, employed by all types of organizations in the United States and participating in a mentoring program at the time the survey was taken. Affective commitment was greater in the reverse mentoring group (M = 36.683, SE = .959) compared to the traditional mentoring group (M = 34.984, SE = .959). However, after adjustment for quality of relationship (LMX) and length and frequency of mentoring (LFM) there was no statistically significant difference (p < .05) between traditional mentoring and reverse mentoring on affective commitment to the organization indicated by F(1,86) = 1.569, p = .214. Additional results of this study showed that two-thirds of the surveyed millennial employees had already exceeded the average length of employment of 12 to 18 months with the organization they were employed with at the time of the survey. This finding indicated the importance of investing in workplace relationships, such as mentoring, regardless of traditional or reverse.
Gestational differences in murine placenta: Glycolytic metabolism and pregnancy parameters.

Abstract The placenta is a complex and essential organ composed largely of fetal-derived cells, including several different trophoblast subtypes that work in unison to support nutrient transport to the fetus during pregnancy. Abnormal placental development can lead to pregnancy-associated disorders that often involve metabolic dysfunction. The scope of dysregulated metabolism during placental development may not be fully representative of the in vivo state in defined culture systems, such as cell lines or isolated primary cells. Thus, assessing metabolic function in intact placental tissue would provide a better assessment of placental metabolism. In this study, we describe a methodology for assaying glycolytic function in structurally-intact mouse placental tissue, ex vivo, without culturing or tissue dissociation, that more closely resembles the in vivo state. Additionally, we present data highlighting sex-dependent differences of two mouse strains (C57BL/6 and ICR) in the pre-hypertrophic (E14.5) and hypertrophic (E18.5) placenta. These data establish a foundation for investigation of metabolism throughout gestation and provides a comprehensive assessment of glycolytic function during placental development.
Equine Caregiver Information-Seeking Preferences: Surveys in the Midwest.

Abstract Two surveys of equine owners/managers and professionals using convenience sampling via multimodal distribution were conducted on perceptions of equid health and well-being (n = 142) and equine nutrition and feeding practices (n = 151). Surveys were distributed in 2014–2015 (health and well-being) and 2016 (nutrition and feeding) to similar email lists and social media sites; both included questions regarding information-seeking preferences. Respondents were mostly female (62% health and well-being, 84% nutrition and feeding) and had over 20 years of equine ownership/management experience (47% and 61%, respectively). Participants in the Nutrition and Feeding survey reported seeking information from veterinarians (77%), books/magazines (42%), horse enthusiasts (38%), friends/family (35%), Internet/social media (28%), feed company representative (28%), farrier (25%), scientific publications (25%), trainer/instructor (21%), equine nutritionist (19%), equine dentist (7%), extension specialist (7%), and radio (1%). The Health and Well-Being survey requested information regarding participants' likeliness (5-point Likert scale) of trusting various sources for animal well-being information. Respondents from the Health and Well-Being survey indicated veterinarians/nutritionists (average = 4.5) and extension specialists/university personnel (average = 4.0) as their top two trusted sources of information, and local (average = 2.9) and national humane societies/rescues (average = 2.8) their least-trusted sources of information. These results elucidated the information-seeking preferences of horse owners from the Upper Midwest regarding two equine topics. Veterinarians are sought as a source of equine information in the Upper Midwest.
Molecular Aspects of Quantum Electrode Kinetics

The quantum mechanical theory of electrode kinetics has been developed in recent time in two entirely different ways. One is the molecular and mechanistic theory orginated by Gurney(1) as early as 1931. This molecular approach was further developed by Butler,(2) Gerischer,(3,4) Christov,(5–7) Bockris et al.,(8–12) Schmickler,(13,14) and Khan et al.(15) The other is the continuum and nonmechanistic theory originated by Weiss(16) and Libby(17) and importantly developed by Marcus.(18) Levich et al.(19–23) were the first to develop this theory at a quantum mechanical level.
Designing Boron Nitride Islands in Carbon Materials for Efficient Electrochemical Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide

Heteroatom-doped carbons have drawn increasing research interest as catalysts for various electrochemical reactions due to their unique electronic and surface structures. In particular, co-doping of carbon with boron and nitrogen has been shown to provide significant catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, limited experimental work has been done to systematically study these materials, and much remains to be understood about the nature of the active site(s), particularly with regards to the factors underlying the activity enhancements of these boron–carbon–nitrogen (BCN) materials. Herein, we prepare several BCN materials experimentally with a facile and controlled synthesis method, and systematically study their electrochemical performance. We demonstrate the existence of h-BN domains embedded in the graphitic structures of these materials using X-ray spectroscopy. These synthesized structures yield higher activity and selectivity toward the 2e– ORR to H2O2 than structures with i...
Diglycolic acid induces HepG2/C3A liver cell toxicity in vitro.

Abstract Carboxymethyl starches are added to food products for thickening or tablet binding/filling purposes. Although they lack toxicity, their synthesis creates the chemical byproduct diglycolic acid (DGA), which is difficult to eliminate and whose toxicity is in question. A rare case of an accidental direct exposure to extremely high concentrations of DGA in a person revealed that DGA has the potential to be toxic to several organs, with the kidneys and liver being the most affected organs. Given that DGA is present in our food supply as a chemical byproduct of carboxymethyl starch food additives, we sought to perform in vitro testing of its potential hepatotoxicity to help complement a recent in vivo rat acute dose-response study that also tested for the potential hepatotoxic effects of daily DGA ingestion by oral gavage over a period of 28 days. Using the HepG2/C3A cellular in vitro model, we tested how escalating doses of DGA exposure over 24 h could induce hepatotoxicity. Both in vitro and in vivo testing systems revealed that DGA is indeed a hepatotoxin once a certain exposure threshold is reached. The concordance of these models highlights the utility of in vitro testing to support and help predict in vivo findings.
Validity of Teachers' Perceptions of Children's Cognitive Styles.

Cognitive styles repeatedly have been shown to have important education-related influences. Theoretically, classroom instruction should improve if teachers can practically identify students' cognit...
Planting the Seeds: What Educators Can Do Now to Promote the Field of Teaching Among Minoritized High School Youth

With a growing shortage of teachers of color in public schools, the author asserts a necessity for more Critical Educators of Color—educators from racially marginalized backgrounds willing to confr...
Ce que les romans d’amour ont à nous apprendre

Souvent meprises par les critiques ou relegues a la categorie « litterature de plage », les romans d’amour ont pourtant beaucoup a nous apprendre sur la facon dont le sentiment amoureux a evolue au fil des siecles. Que s’est-il produit pour que l’on passe de l’amour heroique de l’epoque medievale a l’amour fluide de l’epoque moderne ? Dans cette communication, nous verrons comment la definition de l’amour s’est transformee pour s’adapter aux realites et aux exigences de la societe occidentale. Nous verrons aussi le role predominant de l’epoque victorienne dans l’etablissement d’une definition de l’amour, mais aussi du flirt, du mariage et de la felicite conjugale. Ceci nous amenera a examiner comment l’amour est apprehende aujourd’hui et comment nous negocions l’ecart entre la vision victorienne de l’amour et les imperatifs du XXIe siecle.
Krylov Subspace iterative methods for time domain boundary element method based nearfield acoustical holography

Abstract In this paper we study the reconstruction of the acoustic field on an arbitrarily shaped vibrating surface using the Time domain Boundary Element Method (TBEM) based Near-field Acoustic Holography technique, or Inverse TBEM (ITBEM). The main focus of our study is the indirect formulation known as the single layer representation and the impact of the dicretization using higher order polynomial basis for both space and time. The solution of the resultant matrix system from this formulation contains a special sparse structure that can be efficiently implemented using Krylov subspace iterative methods like Least Squares QR (LSQR). We show, using numerical data, that the semi-convergent behavior of the LSQR iterations allows the effective mitigation of the ill-posed nature of the numerical solution to this matrix system. Similarly, we provide a numerical study of the ITBEM reconstruction when the signals contain problematic frequencies information. The numerical data is generated over a spherical geometry using Gaussian pulses.
A Randomized Control Trial of Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions of School Counselor Impact

The purpose of this study was to determine if 5th grade teachers’ perceptions of the school counselor’s impact (SCI) would differ from those of classroom teachers who did not collaborate with a sch...
Comparison of phytochemical composition of Ginkgo biloba extracts using a combination of non-targeted and targeted analytical approaches

Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) is a dietary supplement derived from an ethanolic extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves. Unfinished bulk GbE is used to make finished products that are sold as dietary supplements. The variable, complex composition of GbE makes it difficult to obtain consistent toxicological assessments of potential risk. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) observed hepatotoxicity in its rodent studies of a commercially available, unfinished GbE product, but the application of these results to the broader GbE supplement market is unclear. Here, we use a combination of non-targeted and targeted chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods to obtain profiles of 24 commercially available finished GbE products and unfinished standardized and unstandardized extracts with and without hydrolysis, then used principal component analysis to group unfinished products according to their similarity to each other and to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard reference materials (SRM), and the finished products. Unfinished products were grouped into those that were characteristic and uncharacteristic of standardized GbE. Our work demonstrates that different analytical approaches produced similar classifications of characteristic and uncharacteristic products in unhydrolyzed samples, but the distinctions largely disappeared once the samples were hydrolyzed. Using our approach, the NTP GbE was most similar to two unfinished GbE products classified as characteristic, finished products, and the NIST GbE SRM. We propose that a simple analysis for the presence, absence, or amounts of compounds unique to GbE in unhydrolyzed samples could be sufficient to determine a sample's authenticity.Graphical abstract.
Linear Hypothesis Testing in Linear Models With High-Dimensional Responses

In this article, we propose a new projection test for linear hypotheses on regression coefficient matrices in linear models with high-dimensional responses. We systematically study the theoretical ...
Frailty Transitions One Year After Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Cohort Study.

Abstract Background Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is prevalent and offered to patients regardless of frailty status experiencing pain, disability, and functional decline. This study aims to describe changes in levels of frailty 1 year after TJA. Methods We identified a retrospective cohort of adult patients undergoing primary TJA between 2005 and 2016 using an institutional total joint registry. Associations between categorized frailty deficit index (FI) and change in FI were analyzed using linear regression models. Mortality, deep periprosthetic joint infection, and reoperation were analyzed using time to event methods. Results In total, 5341 patients (37.6% non-frail, 39.4% vulnerable, and 23.0% frail) with items necessary to determine FI at 1 year after TJA were included. Preoperatively, 29% of vulnerable patients improved to non-frail 1 year later, compared to only 11% regressing to frail. Four in 10 frail patients improved to vulnerable/non-frail. Improvements in activities of daily living (ADL) were more evident in frail and vulnerable patients, with >30% reduction in the percentage of patients expressing difficulties with walking, climbing stairs, and requiring ADL assistance 1 year after TJA. Increases in frailty 1 year after TJA were associated with significantly increased rates of mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-1.82, P Conclusion Frailty states are dynamic with patient frailty shown to be modifiable 1 year after TJA. Preoperative frailty measurement is an important step toward identifying those that may benefit most from TJA and for postoperative frailty surveillance.
A Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Grating 1D-OPA

We propose a 1D optical phased array (OPA) utilizing near-field micro-opto-electro- mechanical interaction to tune a waveguide grating’s diffraction angle. Simulations demonstrate steering angles >20 (material, geometry, wavelength, and polarization-dependent). Measurements validate the proposed OPA concept.
CEO Inside Debt and Mutual Fund Investment Decisions

I show equity mutual funds invest less in companies with higher inside debt, whereas corporate bond funds invest more in such companies. The e ffect persists after accounting for endogeneity using fi rst-time mandatory disclosure of inside debt in 2007 as a natural experiment, and using state-level personal income tax rates as an instrument for inside debt. The e ffect of inside debt on portfolio allocation is stronger in fi rms with higher likelihood of default and higher idiosyncratic risk, fi rms su ffering from debt overhang, and fi rms with lower credit ratings. Lastly, equity funds that underweight high-inside debt fi rms and bond funds that overweight them deliver positive alphas.
An Investigation of the Effects of the Propeller Slipstream on a Laminar Wing Boundary Layer

A research program is in progress to study the effects of the propeller slipstream on natural laminar flow. Flight and wind tunnel measurements of the wing boundary layer have been made using hot-film velocity sensor probes. The results show the boundary layer, at any given point, to alternate between laminar and turbulent states. This cyclic behavior is due to periodic external flow turbulence originating from the viscous wake of the propeller blades. Analytic studies show the cyclic laminar/turbulent boundary layer to result in a significantly lower wing section drag than a fully turbulent boundary layer. The application of natural laminar flow design philosophy yields drag reduction benefits in the slipstream affected regions of the airframe, as well as the unaffected regions.
Measurement of Dispersion Properties of Silver Nanowires Used as Plasmon Waveguides

Surface plasmon waves created by shaped femtosecond pulses are used to control the two-photon induced plasmon emission of silver nanoparticles. A quantitative measurement of the dispersion properties of surface plasmon waveguides is given.
Transcription of DNA from the 70S RNA of Rous Sarcoma Virus I. Identification of a Specific 4S RNA Which Serves as Primer

Abstract The enzymatic transcription of DNA from the 70S RNA of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is initiated on the 3′ terminus of a molecule of 4S RNA which is hydrogen bonded to the viral genome. We labeled this primer with radioactive deoxynucleotides, and demonstrated that its release from 70S RNA by thermal denaturation was accompanied by a reduction in the template activity of the viral RNA. Two-dimensional electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels separated the 4S RNAs associated with the 70S RNA of RSV into approximately eight fractions, each of which appeared to contain a discrete species of tRNA. The RNA in one of these fractions served as the principal primer for initiation of DNA synthesis by both detergent-disrupted virions of RSV and purified RNA-directed DNA polymerase with RSV 70S RNA as template.
The Story of the School Prayer Decisions: Civil Religion under Assault

This chapter, from Foundation Press's forthcoming "First Amendment Stories" volume, traces the background, resolution, and impact of the Supreme Court's first school prayer decisions, Engel v. Vitale and Abington School Dist. v. Schempp. Among other things, the chapter traces the relation of the Regents' Prayer, struck down in Engel, to the nondenominational theistic civil religion of the 1950s, and the relation of constitutional attacks on the prayer to various criticisms of that civil religion from both religious and nonreligious quarters.
Specifying and verifying requirements for election processes

In this paper we outline an approach for modeling election processes and then performing rigorous analysis to verify that these process models meet selected behavioral requirements. We briey outline some high-level requirements that an election process must satisfy and demonstrate how these are refined into a collection of lower-level properties that can be used as the basis for verification. We present a motivating example of an election process modeled using the Little-JIL process definition language, capture the lower-level properties using the PROPEL property elicitation tool, and perform formal analysis to verify that the process model adheres to these properties using the FLAVERS finite-state verifier. We illustrate how this approach can identify errors in the process model when a property is violated.
Gas hydrates in aqueous-organic systems. V. Effects of ethylene oxide and ethylene oxide hydrate in animal tissue.

Abstract Ethylene oxide (EO) and EO hydrate were studied to determine their effects in beef muscle and rat liver tissue. It was found that: 1) EO (no detectable hydrate crystals) causes muscle and liver cells to shrink and separate, 2) slowly crystallized EO hydrate appears to form only in extracellular areas and its presence results in shrinkage of tissue cells that is much more pronounced than that caused by EO alone (no hydrate), and 3) cell shrinkage tends to increase with increasing time (1 to 72 hrs) and temperature (0 to 5 °C) of EO hydrate formation. The behavior in 2) and 3) is similar to that observed during conventional slow freezing of animal tissue.
Hormones and the Orientation of Growth

Hormones are chemical messengers which act at target sites to regulate rates and amounts of growth of cells in tissues of roots, stems, leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits. In this chapter, we shall focus on the roles that hormones play in the orientation of growth of plant organs, particularly of roots and shoots. The basic growth-orienting processes that we shall discuss include phototropism—the orientation of shoots toward unilateral light sources; gravitropism—the orientation of roots downwards and of shoots upwards in response to gravistimulation (placement of plants horizontally); and thigmotropism—the change in orientation of growth in stems from one of rapid elongation to one of repressed elongation and promoted lateral expansion as a result of mechanical perturbation.
Tuberculosis control: how the world has changed since 1990.

This article describes four factors that pushed tuberculosis (TB) to the forefront of the international agenda since 1990. These developments are: directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS); the quantification of TB’s economic impact; WHO’s marketing strategy for DOTS; and the resurgence of the disease in industrialized countries.
1,1,‐Dimethylethyl (S)‐ or (R)‐4‐Formyl‐2,2‐Dimethyl‐3‐Oxazolidinecarboxylate: A Useful Serinal Derivative

1,1,-dimethylethyl (S)- or (R)-4-formyl-2,2-dimethyl-3-oxazolidinecarboxylate: A useful serinal derivative reactant: N-Boc-L-serine intermediate: N-Boc-L-serine methyl ester intermediate: 3-(1,1-Dimethylethyl) 4-methyl (S)-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-oxazolidinedicarboxylate product: 1,1-Dimethylethyl (S)-4-formyl-2,2-dimethyl-3-oxazolidinecarboxylate Keywords: acetal (and thioacetal) formation; acylation; alkylation, N-alkylation; alkylation, O-alkylation; alkylation, O-alkylation; annulation, heterocyclic-[5]; cyclization, condensation; esterification, of substituted monobasic acids; protection, nitrogen; reduction, CO2R CHO; toluene; benzene; diazomethane, explosive, toxic; N,N-dimethylformamide, cancer suspect agent; dioxane, cancer suspect agent; methyl iodide; nitrosomethylurethane, warning
Solid‐State NMR Studies of the Membrane Disruption Induced by the β Amyloid Peptides: Perspective and Difficulties

As one of the most significant clinic hallmarks in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the deposition of β amyloid (Aβ) plaques has been considered to play crucial pathological roles in the disease progression. Disruption of the cellular membranes induced by the molecular interactions between Aβ and phospholipid bilayers is closely related to the neuronal cell death and the Aβ cytotoxicity. However, the structural details involved in these interactions have not been understood thoroughly at the molecular level, presumably owing to the presence of multiple membrane disruption pathways and the lack of applicable high-resolution techniques. In the past two decades, solid-state NMR spectroscopy has developed rapidly for the applications in amyloid fibrils and membrane proteins. This technique allows preparation of samples under natural conditions, and therefore has been utilized to obtain biologically relevant structural information. A brief overview of the liposome model systems that have been developed to study the Aβ/membrane interactions will be provided, with emphasis on their correlations to the membrane disruption pathways. Potential applications and difficulties of solid-state NMR spectroscopy on the Aβ/membrane system will be discussed. Keywords: β amyloid peptides; Alzheimer's disease; amyloid cascade hypothesis; membrane disruption; solid-state NMR spectroscopy; fluorescence spectroscopy
Conformal invariance and critical behavior

Abstract A review is given of recent work on the application of conformal invariance to systems at critical points, with emphasis on the classification of such systems in two dimensions using the constraints of positivity and modular invariance on a torus.
Three-Dimensional Elastic Moduli of Graphite/Epoxy Composites

The 3-dimensional elastic moduli are measured from testing simple ten sion, compression, and shear specimens. The results are in good agreement with the isotropic and reciprocal relations for a transversely isotropic material. Existing data obtained by ultrasonic techniques and another mechanical testing technique compare well with our data. The bounds of Poisson's ratio for transversely isotropic materials are shown to be zero and unity.
Estimation of film thickness nonuniformity effects on coating optical properties

Film nonuniformities cause many problems for the coating scientist. One area of coating film performance that they impact directly is optical properties. Measurements and predictions of film optical performance are all made assuming uniform film thickness. Incomplete leveling and other film application problems often yield nonuniform films with significant film thickness fluctuations. These film thickness imperfections can be modeled by a sine wave thickness fluctuation, and this fluctuation can be used to estimate the effects of nonuniformity in thickness on optical properties. This has been done using both approximate equations for scattering, transmission, and reflectance in films (zero absorption) and for the Kubelka-Munk equations including absorption. the effects of average film thickness and amplitude of fluctuation on measured S, R, and T values are predicted numerically for several cases of [K, S] pairs consistent with wavelength independent situations (white or similar films) over black substrates, and then the calculations are used to consider colored films [considering δE(L*a*b*)] over black substrates. Film thickness fluctuations are shown to have considerable impact on film optical properties, especially in thin highly scattering films. Examples of the types of predictions that can be made are given; how the results depend on the coating optical parameters is also shown.
Impact of the global on patient perceivable change in an asthma specific QOL questionnaire

One method of defining clinically meaningful changes in quality of life domain scores is ‘anchoring’, that is, relating changes in domain scores to more easily understood changes on a global question. Although this methodology has been used to assess changes in domain scores in clinical trials, the choice of global question has not undergone much scrutiny. This study examines the impact of two global questions on the definition of clinically meaningful changes in an asthma specific quality of life (ASQOL) questionnaire. We tracked 343 patients with mild to moderate asthma symptoms in a placebo controlled clinical trial. The patients responded to the ASQOL questionnaire, and answered two global questions; one assessing how well their asthma is controlled, and the other assessing the change in their asthma since the start of the study. Changes in each domain of the ASQOL questionnaire were related to each global question. Since each global question led to different definitions of what constituted meaningful change, we concluded that the wording of the global question can affect the definition of meaningful change in the ASQOL domain scores. Thus, when identifying meaningful changes, it is important to state the global question so that the context of the meaningful change is correctly understood.
Optimization of optical spectral throughput of acousto-optic modulators for high-speed optical coherence tomography.

We describe a generic method to optimize the optical spectral throughput of a pair of acousto-optic modulators (AOM) which can be used for introducing a frequency shift in ultrahigh-resolution heterodyne optical coherence tomography. Systematic and quantitative analysis of a pair of AOMs indicates that a configuration with a spectral bandwidth of more than 200 nm at a center wavelength of 825 nm (tunable) can be achieved. Using a pair of AOMs in conjunction with a broadband low coherence light source, real-time imaging of biological tissues with an axial resolution ~3 μm (in air) has been experimentally demonstrated with a high-speed OCT system.
β3-adrenergic agonists: potential therapeutics for obesity

During the last decade a number of β3-adrenergic receptor agonists have been advanced to clinical trials. The results of human studies to date have been disappointing with respect to sustained increases in metabolic rate and weight loss. Cloning of β3-adrenoceptors in a number of species and subsequent pharmacological evaluations revealed these early investigational drugs to be weakly active against the human receptor, suggesting an explanation for the poor performance of these compounds in clinical trials. This information has been integrated into subsequent research efforts resulting in the discovery of agents with activities optimised for the human receptor. This new generation of compounds is in late preclinical/early clinical development and are poised to address the role β3-adrenoceptor signalling plays in the obese state. Issues related to the potential for β3-adrenergic agonists to positively impact metabolic parameters in humans are also discussed.
Gap junction proteins exhibit early and specific expression during intramembranous bone formation in the developing chick mandible

The spatial and temporal expression of three closely related members of the connexin family of gap junction proteins (connexin42, Cx42; connexin43, Cx43; and connexin45, Cx45) was evaluated during bone formation in the mandibular process of the chick embryo. Mandibles of chick embryos from Hamburger and Hamilton stage 25 (approximately 5 days) through 19 days of development were dissected, serially sectioned and processed for immunocytochemical localization, employing site-specific anti-connexin antibodies. Our data revealed that (1) Cx43 was present throughout mandibular bone formation; (2) although it appeared to be associated with all bone cell types, Cx43 was concentrated in mesenchymal cells during the earliest stages in the osteogenic lineage; (3) most importantly, the localization of Cx43 at sites of bone formation appeared to precede the overt expression of the osteogenic phenotype; (4) by contrast, Cx45 was more restricted, spatially and temporally, in its distribution; (5) Cx42 expression was not detected in osteogenic tissue during mandibular bone formation. From all of the data obtained, Cx45 appeared to be associated with stages of bone formation characterized by the elaboration of matrix and the progressive expression of the differentiated osteogenic phenotype. Cx43 appeared to be associated with condensation of mesenchyme and the earliest stages of osteogenesis. Because of these associations, we propose that connexin expression may be necessary for the initiation of bone formation and the full expression of the osteogenic phenotype.
Efficacy of SSRIs and newer antidepressants in severe depression : Comparison with TCAs

Background The significant morbidity and mortality associated with severe depression and its psychotic or melancholic subtypes necessitate effective and well-tolerated therapy. This review evaluates antidepressant treatments for patients with severe depression. Data sources Comparative clinical trials conducted on patients with severe depression were found by an English-language MEDLINE search (1985 to present). Additional studies were identified in article bibliographies. Search terms included depressive disorders, depression and severe, hospitalized, melancholic or melancholia, psychotic, and endogenous. Study findings Evidence for efficacy of SSRIs in severe or melancholic depression comes from a small but growing number of controlled studies with adequate samples, as well as meta-analyses and retrospective subgroup analysis of premarketing trials. In studies that defined response as a 50% or greater reduction in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) scores, response rates ranged from 53% to 64% for SSRIs and 43% to 70% for TCAs. In separate trials on severe depression, venlafaxine and mirtazapine were both more effective than placebo and an active comparator. Nefazodone and bupropion were each found to be more effective than placebo in studies of severe depression. Venlafaxine and mirtazapine have been found to be more effective than fluoxetine. Conclusion SSRIs and TCAs are comparably effective for the treatment of severe or melancholic depression. SSRIs and other newer agents appear to be better tolerated than TCAs, specifically lacking adverse anticholinergic and cardiovascular effects that may limit the use of TCAs. Emerging data with venlafaxine and mirtazapine in severely depressed patients with or without melancholia support the efficacy of these treatments. Nefazodone and bupropion were found to be effective in hospitalized depressed patients. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or combined antidepressant therapy may be useful in some patients with severe depression. Patients with severe psychotic depression may respond better to an antipsychotic-antidepressant combination.
Reponses of mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) trees to continuous and cyclical flooding in calcareous soil

Abstract Physiological and growth responses of ‘Pantin’ and ‘Magana’ mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) trees to continuous and cyclical flooding were studied in a series of experiments. Trees were grown in containers in a very gravelly loam soil and were subjected to continuous flooding of the root zone for 30–66 days (Experiments 1 and 2) or alternating flooding–unflooding cycles for 50 days (Experiments 3–5). For all experiments, the control treatment consisted of nonflooded trees. Net CO2 assimilation (A) and stomatal conductance (gs) decreased within 3 days of continuous flooding and internal CO2 concentration was significantly higher in leaves of flooded than nonflooded plants. In the cyclic flooding experiments, trees were flooded in 3- to 6-day cycles and then unflooded for the same time periods. Stomatal conductance and A decreased within 3 days of flooding, leaf epinasty occurred between days 5 and 10, leaf senescence and abscission occurred between days 15 and 30, and branch dieback and tree death occurred between days 30 and 60. Three cycles of 3-day flooding and 3-day recovery of trees had little effect on leaf gas exchange of ‘Magana’ trees. Similarly, ‘Pantin’ trees survived 3 cycles of 6 days of flooding interspersed with 3–6 days of recovery despite consistent decreases in gs and A during flooding. Stomatal conductance and A of both mamey sapote cultivars decreased within a few days of flooding and this species appears to have intermediate flooding tolerance compared with other tropical fruit crops based on tree survival.
Induction and superinduction of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-inducible poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase: Role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor/aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator transcription activation domains and a labile transcription repressor

Abstract The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD) induces a novel poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (TiPARP). In this study, the signaling pathway of the induction was analyzed. Induction of TiPARP by TCDD occurs in both hepa1c1c7 cells and C57 mouse liver. Induction is concentration and time dependent. Genetic analyses reveal that induction is abolished in aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)- or aromatic hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (Arnt)-defective variants but restored upon reconstitution of the variant cells with cDNAs expressing functional AhR or Arnt. Moreover, induction is largely reduced in cells expressing a deletion mutant of AhR or Arnt lacking the transcription activation (TA) domain, thus implicating the TA activities of both AhR and Arnt in the induction. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide enhances the induction of TiPARP in the presence of an AhR agonist. The superinduction is transcriptional and does not require pretreatment with TCDD. Finally, inhibition of the 26S proteasomes by MG132 superinduces TiPARP. These findings establish that induction of TiPARP by TCDD is mediated through an AhR and Arnt transcription activation-dependent signal transduction that is repressed by a labile factor through the ubiquitin–26S proteasome-mediated protein degradation.
A Multinozzle Drop Generator Which Produces Uniform Breakup of Continuous Jets

An ink-jet drop generator design is presented which incorporates radial symmetry and resonant operation to produce uniform stream breakup. Design considerations are discussed for the various components. The uniform breakoff requirement for multinozzle synchronous operation is explained, and the optimum operating point is defined. The performance of the drop generator over a range of operating parameters is illustrated.
Isobaric diffusion, permeability, and simultaneous flow and diffusion in commercial catalysts

Abstract An experimental study of isobaric binary diffusion, permeability of pure gases, and simultaneous flow and binary diffusion in commercial catalyst pellets was conducted at pressures up to 48 atm. Attempts to correlate the data, using the dusty-gas model and its extended form, showed that an additional constant, τ, must be introduced into the model. This constant is directly measurable and is a function of only the pellet structure. Furthermore, all the constants in the model can be determined from isobaric diffusion and permeability measurements and then used directly to describe the fluxes for simultaneous diffusion and flow.
Cyclic Analysis of Wood Shear Walls

A simple numerical model to predict the load-displacement response and energy dissipation characteristics of wood shear walls under general quasi-static cyclic loading is presented. In this model the shear wall is comprised of three structural components: rigid framing members, linear elastic sheathing panels, and nonlinear sheathing-to-framing connectors. The hysteretic model for the sheathing-to-framing connector takes account of pinching behavior and strength and stiffness degradation under cyclic loading. A robust displacement control solution strategy is utilized to predict the wall response under general cyclic loading protocols. The shear wall model has been incorporated into the computer program CASHEW (Cyclic Analysis of SHEar Walls). The predictive capabilities of this program are compared with monotonic and cyclic tests of full-scale wood shear walls. It is shown that this model can accurately predict the load-displacement response and energy dissipation characteristic of wood shear walls under general cyclic loading. As an application of the CASHEW program, a procedure is presented for calibrating a single degree-of-freedom system to predict the complete nonlinear dynamic response of shear walls under seismic loading.