cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Search for Structural Alternatives of RNA

This account describes a search for potentially primor- dial informational oligomers; the work is the direct outcome of the research program that was initiated by the Eschenmoser group —at ETH Zurich about 20 years ago and was continued at The Scripps Research Institute since 1996— in order to understand the chemical basis on which nucleic acids were chosen by nature as the molecular foundation of its genetic apparatus. The investigation began with the study of the base-pairing properties of structural alternatives of nucleic acids —constructed from different sugars (hexo- & pento- pyranoses and tetrofuranose) retaining the canonical nucleobases and phosphates. The outcome from these studies led to the conclusion that Watson-Crick type base-pairing is not unique to RNA/DNA, and that it can be compatible with a wide variety of backbone edifice. This provided the motivation to map the landscape of potentially primor- dial informational oligomer systems that may contain backbones, recognition elements and linker groups structurally quite different from those known so far. The oligomer systems chosen for study are, conceptually, deemed to be (a) potentially primordial (based on the nature of the starting materials and reaction conditions considered to be prebiotically realistic) and (b) informational (based on their ability to adopt a repetitive conformation such that the information encoded by the recognition elements can be transmitted intermolecularly). Though such studies suggest the possibility of finding informational systems that could lay claim as functional ancestors of RNA —they are more likely to generate results that provide the opportunity to assess the structural and functional uniqueness of nature's choice. The experimental investigation described here deals with the base-pairing properties of oligomer systems derived from 2,4-disub- situted -triazines, -5-aminopyrimdines and -6-carboxy pyrimidines as recognition elements that are tagged to oligo-dipeptide backbones via different linker groups. The results from the inter- and intra-system cross-pairing studies reveal that there is, on first approximation, a direct correlation between the magnitude of the difference in DpKa of the recognition elements and their base-pairing strength —smaller the Dpka between the base-pairing partners, weaker is the base-pairing strength (in aqueous medium at near neutral pH). These results exem- plify the inherent singularity of the canonical nucleobases— their ability to remain un-ionized under physiological conditions based on their constitution - emphasizing the relationship between their physi- cochemical properties and their functional competence in connection with their role in informational base-pairing.
Cash Holdings of S&P Firms Over the Past Decade

Over the past decade, financial research suggests US firms hold a significant amount of cash. This growing amount of cash has attracted attention from economics, the business press and government. A firm's cash balance could well indicate the firm elects to hold cash rather than invest in suboptimal investments. There are trade-offs between holding too much cash and holding too little. This exploratory study attempts to find financial relationships that explain the cash held by S&P 100 firms over the decade from fiscal year 2002 to 2011.
Whole transcriptome analysis of the silicon response of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

Silicon plays important biological roles, but the mechanisms of cellular responses to silicon are poorly understood. We report the first analysis of cell cycle arrest and recovery from silicon starvation in the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana using whole genome microarrays. Three known responses to silicon were examined, 1) silicified cell wall synthesis, 2) recovery from silicon starvation, and 3) co-regulation with silicon transporter (SIT) genes. In terms of diatom cell wall formation, thus far only cell surface proteins and proteins tightly associated with silica have been characterized. Our analysis has identified new genes potentially involved in silica formation, and other genes potentially involved in signaling, trafficking, protein degradation, glycosylation and transport, which provides a larger-scale picture of the processes involved. During silicon starvation, an overrepresentation of transcription and translation related genes were up-regulated, indicating that T. pseudonana is poised to rapidly recover from silicon starvation and resume cell cycle progression upon silicon replenishment. This is in contrast to other types of limitation, and provides the first molecular data explaining the well-established environmental response of diatoms to grow as blooms and to out-compete other classes of microalgae for growth. Comparison of our data with a previous diatom cell cycle analysis indicates that assignment of the cell cycle specific stage of particular cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases should be re-evaluated. Finally, genes co-varying in expression with the SITs enabled identification of a new class of diatom-specific proteins containing a unique domain, and a putative silicon efflux protein. Analysis of the T. pseudonana microarray data has provided a wealth of new genes to investigate previously uncharacterized cellular phenomenon related to silicon metabolism, silicon’s interaction with cellular components, and environmental responses to silicon.
Sorption processes affecting arsenic solubility in oxidized surface sediments from Tulare Lake Bed, California

Elevated concentrations of arsenic (As) in shallow groundwater in Tulare Basin pose an environmental risk because of the carcinogenic properties of As and the potential for its migration to deep aquifers that could serve as a future drinking water source. Adsorption and desorption are hypothesized to be the major processes controlling As solubility in oxidized surface sediments where arsenate [As(V)] is dominant. This study examined the relationship between sorption processes and arsenic solubility in shallow sediments from the dry Tulare Lake bed by determining sorption isotherms, pH effect on solubility, and desorption-readsorption behavior (hysteresis), and by using a surface complexation model to describe sorption. The sediments showed a high capacity to adsorb As(V). Estimates of the maximum adsorption capacity were 92 mg As kg −1 at pH 7.5 and 70 mg As kg −1 at pH 8.5 obtained using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Soluble arsenic [N97% As(V)] did not increase dramatically until above pH 10. In the native pH range (7.5–8.5), soluble As concentrations were close to the lowest, indicating that As was strongly retained on the sediment. A surface complexation model, the constant capacitance model, was able to provide a simultaneous fit to both adsorption isotherms (pH 7.5 and 8.5) and the adsorption envelope (pH effect on soluble As), although the data ranges are one order of magnitude different. A hysteresis phenomenon between As adsorbed on the sediment and As in solution phase was observed in the desorption–readsorption processes and differs from conventional hysteresis observed in adsorption–desorption processes. The cause is most likely due to modification of adsorbent surfaces in sediment samples upon extensive extractions (or desorption). The significance of the hysteresis phenomenon in affecting As solubility and mobility may be better understood by further microscopic studies of As interaction mechanisms with sediments subjected to extensive leaching in natural environments.
Ultra high-resolution FDTD modeling of a high-performance VLSI package

Integrated Circuits are ever-increasing in complexity while also shrinking in size. Further, ultra mobile devices are ever-increasing in functionality while also becoming more compact in size. The goal of this work is to support these trends by computationally studying electromagnetic compatibility issues both on a device level, as well as on individual component level, since these issues are beginning to dominate the design process of ultra mobile devices. Specifically, as a first step, we are employing an ultra high-resolution full-vector 3-D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) model having 343 million grid cells to simulate sample ICs. We are using this model to study undesirable induced resonances, coupling, and other electromagnetic phenomena within ICs. In subsequent work, we will be adding additional components to yield an ultra high-resolution 3-D FDTD model of a complete compact portable electronic device.
Benefit of cardiac resynchronization therapy to a patient with a narrow QRS complex and ventricular dyssynchrony identified by tissue synchronization imaging

This report described an 81-year-old woman with severe symptomatic heart failure, reduced ejection fraction, mitral regurgitation, and an electrocar- diographic QRS width of 118 ms who had ventricular dyssynchrony identified by echocardiographic tissue synchronization imaging. Because of her severe heart failure symptoms on maximal medical therapy, referral to implant a defibrillator, and mechanical dyssynchrony, she underwent cardiac resynchronization-defibrilla- tor therapy with lateral left ventricular lead placement. This resulted in an immediate 30% increase in stroke volume and 35% decrease in mitral regurgitation. Echocardiographic tissue synchronization imaging may play a role in identifying mechanical dyssynchrony in patients with narrow QRS duration who may potentially benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy.
Motivations to Maintain Social Ties With Coworkers: The Moderating Role of Turnover Intentions on Information Exchange

This study examines the relationships among an individual's motivations to maintain social ties with coworkers, information exchange with others outside the firm, and turnover intentions. The authors considered both relationship motivation to maintain friendships at work and job facilitation motivation to maintain workplace relationships that facilitate an individual's job performance. Results suggest that both types of motivation are related to workplace social inclusion, a concept that has been based in part on the social capital literature. The authors also find that individuals with job facilitation motivation for maintaining social ties with coworkers engage in more interorganizational information exchange than do those with relationship motivation. When individuals have turnover intentions, the relationship between job facilitation motivation and interorganizational information exchange is stronger.
Model-based hypothesis of gut microbe populations and gut/brain barrier permeabilities in the development of regressive autism

Regressive autism is a devastating disorder affecting children between the ages of 15-30 months. The disorder is characterized by the loss of social interaction and communication ability following otherwise healthy development. In spite of rising autism prevalence, current detection methods and treatment options for this disease are lacking. Therefore, this study introduces a systems-level model, which suggests that gut microbes and intestinal inflammation influence the onset of regressive autism through increasing gut permeability. This computational model provides a framework for quantitative understanding of how imbalances in populations of gut microbes alters the whole-body and brain distributions of neurotoxins produced by GI tract bacteria. Our results indicate that increased levels of the bacteria Bacteroides vulgatus lead to increased brain levels of propionic acid, a neurotoxin which has been known to cause symptoms characteristic of autism when injected into the brain of rats. Our results further indicate that immune response to virulence factors produced by bacteria in the gut leads to increased systemic levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, which significantly alter the permeability of the gut epithelial layer and the blood-brain barrier. Due to the large size of cytokines, however, we predict the time required for concentrations in the brain to stabilize to be on the order of years. This suggests that treatments preventing autism development could be administered after identifying microbial biomarkers of disease but before debilitating brain inflammation leads to regressive autism progression. Future research extending this work could provide new treatment options and diagnostic techniques to help combat regressive autism.
Source discriminants for near-field tsunamis

SUMMARY We present numerical simulations of tsunami run-up in the near field for a data set of 72 models of sources, involving both seismic dislocations and landslides. By varying one by one the parameters describing the source and the receiving beach, we are able to separate their individual influence on the amplitude and distribution of run-up, which we characterize by forming several dimensionless parameters, principally the ratio I 2 of its maximum amplitude to its lateral extent along the beach. We find that I 2 remains less than 10 −4 for seismic dislocation sources but is greater than this threshold for all physically realistic models of underwater landslides. Thus, it can be used as a discriminant for the nature of the source of a near-field tsunami. For seismic dislocations, we also consider the ratio I 1 of maximum run-up to seismic slip on the fault plane, and validate numerically the previously suggested ‘rule of thumb’ that this ratio cannot be much greater than 1. In the case of underwater landslides, we show that the distribution of near-field run-up is primarily controlled by the 2-D ‘wall of water’ displaced on the ocean surface as an initial condition to the simulation, and is practically independent of its extension in the third dimension, perpendicular to the beach. We apply this approach to nine profiles of tsunami run-up obtained experimentally during recent field surveys, and show that our method successfully identifies the 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunami as having been generated by an underwater landslide, thus confirming the results of shipboard and hydroacoustic investigations. It also strongly suggests a similar mechanism for the generation of the near-field Aleutian tsunami of 1946 April 1.
Map Location of the Rpp1 Locus That Confers Resistance to Soybean Rust in Soybean

Soybean rust (SBR), caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, was fi rst discovered in North America in 2004 and has the potential to become a major soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] disease in the USA. Currently, four SBR resistance genes have been identifi ed but not mapped on the soybean genetic linkage map. One of these resistance genes is the Rpp1 gene, which is present in the soybean accession PI 200492. The availability of molecular markers associated with Rpp1 will permit marker-assisted selection and expedite the incorporation of this gene into U.S. cultivars. We compared simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers between ‘Williams 82’ and the BC 5 Williams 82 isoline L85-2378, which contains the Rpp1 resistance allele from the soybean accession PI 200492, for candidate regions that might contain Rpp1. One candidate region was found with the SSR marker BARC_Sct_187 on linkage group G. A population of BC 6 F 2:3 lines segregating for the Rpp1 resistance locus was genotyped in this region on linkage group G followed by inoculation with the P. pachyrhizi isolate India 73-1 in the USDA-ARS Biosafety Level 3 Plant Pathogen Containment Facility at Ft. Detrick, MD. The Rpp1 gene was mapped between SSR markers BARC_Sct_187 and BARC_Sat_064 on linkage group G.
Chronic Headache Relief After Section of Suboccipital Muscle Dural Connections: A Case Report

The presence of a connective tissue bridge, attaching suboccipital muscles to the dura mater, is now recognized as a feature of normal human anatomy. The role that this myodural bridge may play in headache production is uncertain; however, a new conceptual model is emerging. Postsurgical myodural adhesions have been reported as a complication resulting from excision of acoustic tumors. Extensive research now exists implicating these myodural adhesions as a possible source of postoperative headache. Integrating these 2 types of myodural unions (anatomic and pathologic) into a unified theory of headache production, we report a single patient who experienced relief from chronic headache after surgical separation of the myodural bridge from the suboccipital musculature.
Hemostatic Techniques for Myomectomy: An Evidence-Based Approach

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign gynecologic tumor. They are also a significant cause of morbidity, necessitating treatments ranging from hormonal suppression to surgical intervention. Myomectomy, the removal of these highly vascular tumors, offers significant quality of life and fertility-sparing benefit for patients affected by uterine leiomyomas but with a risk of substantial intraoperative blood loss. This risk of hemorrhage leads not only an increased transfusion rate but also he need for hysterectomy and other potential operative complications. Numerous medical and surgical techniques have been developed to minimize potentially significant blood loss during abdominal, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted myomectomies. Combined with judicious preoperative assessment, these techniques substantially enhance patient safety during a myomectomy and outcomes during recovery.
The Story of Goodridge v. Department of Public Health: The Bumpy Road to Marriage for Same-Sex Couples

Book chapter, forthcoming in Family Law Stories (Carol Sanger, editor; Foundation Press) This essay examines the story behind the 2003 decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that changed the common law definition of marriage to allow same-sex couples to marry. Along with surveying the highly contested quest to obtain marriage equality for same-sex couple, the essay focuses on the arguments and the litigation strategy used by the lawyers for the plaintiff couples, contrasting them with the arguments and strategies used in earlier attempts to obtain recognition for relationships between people of the same sex. In particular, the article contrasts the top-down litigation strategy used in the Goodridge case - in which leaders of a lesbian and gay rights advocacy organization controlled the litigation and the selection of the plaintiffs - with the bottom-up approach that characterizes early gay rights litigation and some recent same-sex marriage cases.
Neutral versus charged defect patterns in curved crystals.

Characterizing the complex spectrum of topological defects in ground states of curved crystals is a long-standing problem with wide implications, from the mathematical Thomson problem to diverse physical realizations, including fullerenes and particle-coated droplets. While the excess number of ``topologically charged'' fivefold disclinations in a closed, spherical crystal is fixed, here we study the elementary transition from defect-free, flat crystals to curved crystals possessing an excess of ``charged'' disclinations in their bulk. Specifically, we consider the impact of topologically neutral patterns of defects\char22{}in the form of multidislocation chains or ``scars'' stable for small lattice spacing\char22{}on the transition from neutral to charged ground-state patterns of a crystalline cap bound to a spherical surface. Based on the asymptotic theory of caps in continuum limit of vanishing lattice spacing, we derive the morphological phase diagram of ground-state defect patterns, spanned by surface coverage of the sphere and forces at the cap edge. For the singular limit of zero edge forces, we find that scars reduce (by half) the threshold surface coverage for excess disclinations. Even more significant, scars flatten the geometric dependence of excess disinclination number on Gaussian curvature, leading to a transition between stable ``charged'' and ``neutral'' patterns that is, instead, critically sensitive to the compressive vs tensile nature of boundary forces on the cap.
Effect of Vitamin A Deficiency on the Rate of Apposition of Dentin.

SummaryThe rate of apposition of dentin is selectively altered in Vitamin-A deficiency, while the life span of the formative cells is not affected. The rate of apposition is accelerated in the enamel-covered portion and decelerated in the cementum-covered portion. The findings indicate the delicate response of the rate of dentin apposition to Vitamin-A deficiency and suggest the possible use of this reaction as a biologic method of measuring the Vitamin-A content of foods.
Effect of verapamil on the hydroosmotic response to antidiuretic hormone in toad urinary bladder.

To investigate the role of the calcium ion in the hydroosmotic response to antidiuretic hormone (ADH), the effects of verapamil, an inhibitor of calcium ion entry into cells, on stimulated water flow was examined in vitro in the toad urinary bladder. Verapamil, 50 micro M, decreased ADH-stimulated osmotic water flow from 23.4 +/- 4.1 to 9.9 +/- 3.3 mg . min-1 . hemibladder-1 (mean +/- SE, n = 12, P < 0.001). That this inhibitory effect was due to a verapamil-induced alteration in cellular calcium metabolism is suggested by the findings that 45Ca2+ uptake by isolated toad bladder epithelial cells was reduced nearly 50% in the presence of verapamil and that reversibility of verapamil's inhibitory action was calcium dependent. Additionally, verapamil reduced theophylline- (20 mM) stimulated water flow from 22.8 +/- 2.7 to 9.5 +/- 2.9 mg . min-1 . hemibladder-1 (n = 7, P < 0.001) but enhanced cAMP- (10 mM) induced water flow from 12.8 +/- 2.5 to 21.6 +/- 1.1 ng . min-1 . hemibladder-1 (n = 7, P < 0.001). The latter effect was due, at least in part, to a direct inhibitory effect by verapamil on phosphodiesterase activity of toad bladder homogenates. These results, therefore, suggest that the calcium ion is an important coupling factor at the level of the adenylate cyclase enzyme complex for the stimulus-reabsorption coupling between ADH and the transporting epithelia of the toad urinary bladder.
Ultrafast Formation of a Long-Lived Charge-Separated State in a Ru-Loaded Poly(3-hexylthiophene) Light-Harvesting Polymer

A light-harvesting macromolecular assembly (PT-Ru) consisting of a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) scaffold and pendant Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes that exhibits rapid and efficient formation of a long-lived charge-separated state is described here. Photoinduced electron transfer from the polymer backbone to Ru(II) was investigated by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Photoexcitation at 388 nm results in the excitation of both the polymer backbone and Ru(II) complexes, with relative excitation probabilities of 60 and 40%, respectively. The dominant pathway (∼85%) for decay of the polymer excited state is direct electron transfer from the polymer scaffold to Ru(II), forming a positive polaron and a reduced complex [RuII(L)2(L–)]+, denoted Ru(I). The charge-separated state PT+•-Ru(I) is long-lived, persisting for 20–60 μs, and is attributed to the high mobility of holes on the polymer backbone, which facilitates spatial separation of the electron and hole, delaying recombination. The remaining 1...
Immunoglobulin Production in Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis and Relation to Other “Benign” Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Iminunoperoxidase technics were used to examine the immunoglobulin content of sections of pulmonary tissue from two typical cases of lymphomatoid granulomatosis and two cases of pneumonic processes initially diagnosed as lymphomatoid granulomatosis but representing different processes on review. Both “typical” cases and one of the others had a predominantly mixed pattern of all immunoglobulins. One “typical” case showed a focus of exclusively IgG/K staining, which corresponded to histologic malignancy. Less than 1 % of cells stained in the fourth case. These results demonstrate that several different processes may fit the morphologic criteria of lymphomatoid granulomatosis; that there is a group of cases that typify lymphomatoid granulomatosis clinically and histologically, and that these cases represent a B-cell proliferation that is initially polyclonal but may evolve into immunoblastic sarcoma. “Typical” cases are similar to other lymphoreticular proliferations with malignant potential, such as angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy and Sjogren’s syndrome.
Preliminary Results of Laser Tissue Welding in Extra Vesical Reimplantation of the Ureters

One exciting potential use of laparoscopic technology is the extravesical reimplantation of the ureters. We have assessed the efficacy of laser-activated fibrinogen solder to close vesical muscle flaps over submucosal ureters (Lich-Gregoir technique) in a canine model. Four dogs were subjected to unilateral flap closures via a protein solder (indocyanine green and fibrinogen) applied to the bladder serosa and exposed to 808 nm. continuous wave diode laser energy. Contralateral reimplantation was performed using 4-zero vicryl muscle flap closures (controls). At 7, 14 and 28 days postoperatively, intravenous pyelograms confirmed bilateral ureteral patency. At intravesical pressures above 100 cm. H2O, there was no evidence of wound disruption in either group. Nondisrupted wound closures were sectioned and strained until ultimate breakage to determine tensile strength. At each study interval the laser-welded closures withstood greater stress than the controls. Although these data represent single tissue samples and are not amenable to statistical analysis, laser-welded closures appeared to be stronger at each study interval. In conclusion, laser-welded vesical wound closures appear at least as strong as suture closures in the canine model.
Control of Massive Prostatic Bleeding with Angiographic Techniques

In the 4 cases reported herein angiographic techniques with selective bilateral hypogastric embolization were used to control severe prostatic hemorrhage. The technique is offered as an alternative, non-operative procedure in the management of bleeding when other modes of therapy contain significantly higher potentials for morbidity and mortality.
Effects of high three pro-nuclei (3PN) proportion incidence on clinical outcomes in the fresh cleavage-stage and blastocyst-stage embryo transfer (ET) cycles

AbstractObjectives: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of three pro-nuclei (3PN) incidence on clinical outcomes in the fresh cleavage-stage embryo transfer (CSET) and blastocyst-stage embryo transfer (BSET) cycles.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 1427 CSET cycles, 632 BSET cycles, and 313 elective single BSET cycles from January 2013 to June 2015. The patients were divided into two groups as follows: Group 1 included patients with no 3PN zygotes and Group 2 included patients with >20% 3PN zygotes.Results: We observed that the fertilization rate was significantly lower in 3PN = 0% than 3PN > 20% group (p 20% group (p > 0.05). Interestingly, in the CSET, the implantation (42.87% and 41.76%, p = 0.585) and clinical pregnancy (59.94% and 58.25%, p = 0.538) rates were not significantly different between two groups. In the BSET, the implan...
Myeloid Metaplasia Masquerading as a Urethral Caruncle

AbstractA 64-year-old woman presented with a painless bleeding mass of the urethral meatus that was diagnosed as a caruncle and removed surgically. Histological examination revealed a cellular and vascular polypoid lesion that contained megakaryocytes, as well as groups of hematopoietic stem cells, and maturing cells of the erythroid and granulocytic series. The diagnosis of myeloid metaplasia was confirmed by marker studies with immunoperoxidase techniques. The patient had a long history of bleeding and clotting problems owing to a myeloproliferative disorder with thrombocytosis and gradual development of myelofibrosis. No other foci of extramedullar hematopoiesis were apparent. The patient was free of urinary symptoms 22 months postoperatively.
N-Methyl d-Aspartate Receptor Expression Patterns in the Human Fetal Cerebral Cortex

N-methyl d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), a subtype of glutamate receptor, have important functional roles in cellular activity and neuronal development. They are well-studied in rodent and adult human brains, but limited information is available about their distribution in the human fetal cerebral cortex. Here we show that 3 NMDAR subunits, NR1, NR2A, and NR2B, are expressed in the human cerebral cortex during the second trimester of gestation, a period of intense neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. With increasing fetal age, expression of the NMDAR-encoding genes Grin1 (NR1) and Grin2a (NR2A) increased while Grin2b (NR2B) expression decreased. The protein levels of all 3 subunits paralleled the changes in gene expression. On cryosections, all 3 subunits were expressed in proliferative ventricular and subventricular zones, in radial glia, and in intermediate progenitor cells, consistent with their role in the proliferation of cortical progenitor cells and in the determination of their respective fates. The detection of NR1, NR2A, and NR2B in both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons of the cortical plate suggests the involvement of NMDARs in the maturation of human cortical neurons and in early synapse formation. Our results and previous studies in rodents suggest that NMDAR expression in the developing human brain is evolutionarily conserved.
The Evidence About the Impact of Student Debt

Many assertions about the impact of student debt are grounded in weak evidence and problematic reasoning. It is difficult to sort out cause and effect, as opposed to similar trends, in much of the analysis of the relationship between student debt and asset formation, entrepreneurial activity, and home purchases. Few discussions of student debt clarify the alternatives—if people didn’t borrow for college would they manage to get the same education? If students didn’t borrow, who would pay and what would be the impact of higher taxes or reduced spending in other areas? Moreover, surveys of what people believe to be true are too often confused with evidence about what is actually true.
Drug Synthesis and Analysis on a Dime: A Capstone Medicinal Chemistry Experience for the Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory.

Integrative, research-based experiences have shown tremendous potential as effective pedagogical approaches. Pharmaceutical development is an exciting field that draws heavily on organic chemistry and biochemistry techniques. A capstone drug synthesis/analysis laboratory is described where biochemistry students synthesize azo-stilbenoid compounds and test the biological activity of those compounds as well as a known inhibitor on mushroom tyrosinase using UV/vis-based kinetic assays. In this paper, three such successful azo-stilbenoid inhibitors of tyrosinase, representative student generated data, technical aspects of the experiments, and an interpretation of student feedback on the project as a whole are presented.
Worker mutualism in an age of entrepreneurial capitalism

ABSTRACTIn this Keynote Address to the 30th AIRAANZ Conference in Sydney, the author identifies three vital and promising models of worker mutualism. These models show that worker mutualism is thriving, even in an era of entrepreneurial and hyper-individualistic capitalism. Indeed, we are at a moment of recovery and reconfiguration for labour and labour movements globally. The three models of worker mutualism are set within a larger context. The author challenges three mythic narratives: labour decline, working-class conservatism and the association of the rise of new forms of work with rising economic inequality that keep scholars from thinking clearly about worker mutualism and entrepreneurial capitalism.
Cognitive Computing Applications in Education and Learning

Abstract Education and learning stand out among many application areas of cognitive computing due to their practical appeal as well as their research challenge. We can gauge the level of research challenge once we recognize the broad spectrum of human learning, the complex and not fully understood human learning process, and various influencing factors of learning, such as pedagogy, technology, and social elements. We survey some of the key research problems and recent efforts to solve them. In particular, we examine the important roles played by the Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics communities in these research efforts. We find evidence of significant progress over the last few years. We also find evidence of concerted efforts by academia and industry in bringing some of these research results to the public in the form of learning and educational software.
Development of a high power Helicon system for DIII-D

Abstract A mechanism for driving current off-axis in high beta tokamaks using fast electromagnetic waves, called Helicons, will be experimentally tested in the DIII-D tokamak. This method is calculated to be more efficient than current drive using electron cyclotron waves or neutral beam injection, and it may be well suited to reactor-like configurations [1] , [2] . A low power (100 W) 476 MHz “combline” antenna, consisting of 12 inductively coupled, electrostatically shielded, modular resonators [3] , was recently installed in DIII-D. Initial operation showed that the plasma operating conditions were achieved under which helicon waves can be launched. Plasma operations also showed that the location of the antenna has not reduced the performance of, or introduced excessive impurities into, the discharges produced in DIII-D. The development of a high power (1 MW) Helicon system is underway. This antenna consists of 30 modules mounted on the inside of the outer wall of the vacuum vessel slightly above the midplane. Carbon tiles around the antenna protect the antenna from thermal plasma streaming along field lines. A 1.2 MW, 476 MHz klystron system will be transferred from the Stanford Linear Accelerator to DIII-D to provide the RF input power to the antenna. A description of the design and fabrication of high power antenna and the RF feeds, the klystron and RF distribution systems, and their installation will be presented.
Reactions of Allyl and Propargyl/Allenic Organometallics with Imines and Iminium Ions

Gilman and Eisch were the first to recognize that allyl organometallic reagents possess superior reactivity relative to ordinary, nonresonance-stabilized organometallic reagents in imine addition reactions.1
Developmental Stage Influences Plant Response to Benzyladenine

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effects of developmental stage (DS) on plant response to benzyladenine (BA), a synthetic cytokinin that promotes lateral shoot development. Beginning in March, April, or June 2003, three applications of 1750 or 3500 ppm BA were applied at 7-day intervals to ‘Conor’ (Eleanor Taber™) Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis Lindl.) at three stages of increased shoot development (DS 1–3). At 30 and 60 days after last treatment (DALT), new shoot counts were highest on DS 2 plants, and new shoot counts increased with increasing BA rate. Plants treated at DS 1 and DS 2 incurred foliar injury, but not those treated at DS 3. A second experiment with ‘Nigra’ inkberry holly (Ilex glabra L.), ‘Harbour Dwarf’ nandina (Nandina domestica Thunb.), and ‘Conia’ (Olivia™) Indian hawthorn determined how plant DS affected severity of injury following BA application. Extensive foliar injury to ‘Nigra’ inkberry holly occurred when BA was applied to actively growing, immature foliage, but no...
Unnatural Selection: Eugenics and the Spirit World

The religious movement of Spiritualism embraced progress as the hallmark of all existence on earth and in heaven. With the publication of On the Origin of Species, this devotion to improvement fell...
Coherence and Chaos in the Kuramoto-Velarde Equation

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on partial differential equations that model localized patterns and structures appearing on interfaces between complex flows. They occur in quasi-planar flame fronts, thin viscous fluid films flowing over inclined planes, and the dendritic phase change fronts in binary alloy mixtures. The solution of some of these models is indistinguishable from the solution of a finite-dimensional dynamical system. In these models, as a critical physical parameter is varied, a simple laminar solution destabilizes. The destabilization is heralded by the cohesive organization of cells and patterns—often hexagonal—on the moving front or interface. The turbulence, localized on the interface, is dominated by fluctuations in the normal direction. Many interfaces with localized turbulence, including flames, can be modeled by the simple Kuramoto-Sivashinsky partial differential equation. This equation accurately accounts for the thermodiffusive and convective mechanism of flow-field coupling across an interface before turbulence breaks away from the interface and reaches deeply into the fluid.
Electromechanics of Particles

Small particles in the size range from one micron to one millimetre are increasingly important in today's technological world. They serve as workhorses in many mechanisms and devices - from electrostatic copiers to fluidised beds. A more recent development involves the characterisation and manipulation of individual cells and DNA molecules. Particulates can also be a hazard, for example, particulate pollution. Because all particles have electrical and magnetic properties associated with their shape and the materials of which they are constituted, they experience forces and torques when subjected to electric and/or magnetic fields. This book offers a lucid account of the electromechanical interactions that govern the behaviour of particles when an electric or magnetic field is present. With numerous real-world examples, the book should interest a wide range of scientists and engineers.
Positron emission tomography of tau in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans with blast neurotrauma.

Abstract Military personnel are often exposed to multiple instances of various types of head trauma. As a result, there has been increasing concern recently over identifying when head trauma has resulted in a brain injury and what, if any, long-term consequences those brain injuries may have. Efforts to develop equipment to protect soldiers from these long-term consequences will first require understanding the types of head trauma that are likely responsible. In this study, we sought to identify the types of head trauma most likely to lead to the deposition of tau, a protein identified as a likely indicator of long-term negative consequences of brain injury. To define the types of head trauma in a military population, we applied a factor analysis to interviews from a larger cohort of 428 Veterans enrolled in the Translational Research Center for Traumatic Brain Injury and Stress Disorders. Three factors were identified: Blast Exposure, Symptom Duration, and Blunt Concussion. Sixteen male Veterans from this study and one additional male civilian (aged 25–69, mean 35.2 years) underwent simultaneous positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging using a tracer that binds to tau protein, the ligand T807/AV-1451 (Flortaucipir). Standard uptake value ratios to the isthmus of the cingulate were calculated from a 20-minute time frame 70 min post-injection. We found that tracer uptake throughout the brain was associated with Blast Exposure factor beta weights, but not with either Symptom Duration or Blunt Concussion. Associations with uptake were located primarily in the cerebellar, occipital, inferior temporal and frontal regions. The data suggest that in this small, relatively young cohort of Veterans, elevated T807/AV-1451 uptake is associated with exposure to blast neurotrauma. These findings are unanticipated, as they do not match histopathological descriptions of tau pathology associated with head trauma. Continued work will be necessary to understand the nature of the regional T807/AV-1451 uptake and any associations with clinical symptoms.
Fluorescein Angiography of Persistent Incomplete Vascularization of the Retina After Bevacizumab Therapy in Retinopathy of Prematurity

Purpose:This study evaluates the vascular development of premature infants at 50 weeks postconception after treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab for type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).Metho...
Factors associated with early postoperative survey completion in orthopaedic surgery patients.

Abstract Purpose To determine factors associated with survey compliance 2-weeks postoperatively. Methods 1269 patients age 17-years and older participating in the Maryland Orthopaedic Registry from August 2015–March 2018 were administered a baseline questionnaire preoperatively and emailed a follow-up questionnaire 10-days postoperatively. Demographics were self-reported and medical records reviewed for relevant medical history. Results 609 patients (48.0%) completed both the baseline and 2-week surveys. A decreased likelihood of 2-week survey completion was seen in patients who identified as black, smokers, patients without a college education, patients who were unmarried, unemployed, had a lower income, or covered by government-sponsored insurance (p Conclusion Several demographic and preoperative variables are associated with survey completion 2-weeks post-orthopaedic surgery. The results provide insight into patient populations that may be targeted in order to assure higher survey compliance and improve analysis of patient-reported outcomes.
Self-Directed and Lifelong Learning: the 5th "S" for TBL™ Application Exercises?

This paper describes a pilot of an innovation to TBL™ as a means to add a fifth “S”, self-directed learning (SDL) and life-long learning (LLL), to the 4S application exercise framework. It is important for TBL™ to explicitly address SDL and LLL to enhance student learning and meet accreditation standards.
Identification of Chipless RFID Tags in the Reader

The signal received by the antenna includes the scattered signal from the chipless RFID tag located in the reader area, reflections from background objects (clutter), and noise. Therefore, the detection process is a challenging aspect in the design of chipless RFID systems. In most situations, the reflections from background objects are stronger than the tag response. The identification can be performed based on the time-domain or frequency-domain response. In this chapter, first the time and frequency characteristics of the scattered signal from the tag are presented. It will be shown that the absolute value of the scattered field from the tag and the group delay response do not provide sufficient information about the resonant behavior of the tag. Then, a review on the time-frequency techniques, suitable for extracting the information from the signal, is presented. Two basic techniques such as short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and wavelet transform are studied in more detail. A new technique, called short-time matrix pencil method (STMPM) is introduced by which the resonant frequencies and damping factors of the CNRs are extracted from the time-domain response. It will be shown that by increasing the filtering parameter and decreasing the length of the window simultaneously, the resolution in both time and frequency domains can be improved, simultaneously. The performance of the method against noise and some important parameters such as resolution in time and frequency are studied in detail in this chapter. As an example, the time-frequency analysis of the open-ended cylinder is presented and compared to the results obtained from short-time frequency transform (STFT). Then, the application of the proposed technique in decoding the IDs of the chipless RFID tags is presented.
Timescale interpolation and no-neighbour discretization for a 1D finite-volume Saint-Venant solver

A new finite-volume numerical method for the one-dimensional (1D) Saint-Venant equations for unsteady open-channel flow is developed and tested. The model uses a recently-developed conservative fin...
'Introduction,' to John Witte, Jr. and Michael Bourdeaux, eds., Proselytism and Orthodoxy in Russia: The New War for Souls

A new war has developed for the salvation of souls in Russia, as local and foreign religious groups battle in Russia over the right and power to proselytize. This is, in parti a legal war just as it is a religious war, as the Russian government has developed favorite denominations and oppressed others. After the Soviet Union crumbled, president Mikhail Gorbachev broke the Marxist/Lennist atheism of Russian and allowed religious freedom with legal backing. No state religion was implemented, and Russia entered a golden age of religious liberty along with a massive religious awakening, both within and without its borders. Foreign religious groups even began to make some headway in Orthodox Russia. These new arrivals eventually created resentment due to their Western concepts and their “hit and run evangelism.” The Russian Orthodox church requested these groups lower their level of activity, but they were ignored and forced to turn to state law. They proposed restrictions on foreign proselytism, which were only enacted on the local level. However, the Russian government eventually passed the Freedom of Conscience Law, a controversial law that places religious groups with certain classes. The Orthodox Russian Church receives legal protection and benefits. Traditional foreign religions, like Protestant Christian and mainline Jewish and Muslim sects, are given full protection under the law, but fewer benefits. Other religious groups, those considered “dangerous” by the Orthodox Russian Church, are given only a pro forma guarantee of freedom of worship and liberty of conscience. Similarly, religious organizations are given a juridical personality and affirmative rights, while religious group are given only minimal protections and can be dissolved for a number of reasons that are vague and expansive. This law is self-contradictory and violates basic human rights guarantees. Boris Yeltsin vetoed the law, religious groups have protested the law, and foreign leaders have admonished the law. Unfortunately, the Freedom of Conscience Law is not a temporary problem on one based on misunderstanding. The law instead reflects ontological differences between Russian Orthodoxy and Western theology. To the Russian Church, Western theology is under the “shadow of the Enlightenment” and grants too much freedom to its congregants while expressing too little faith. The main problems that exist are twofold: 1. Theological differences over the concept of proselytism, and 2. Cultural differences over concepts of church, state, and nation. A middle ground must be found between Russian Orthodox values and Western theological concepts so Russia can regain the religious liberty the Freedom of Conscience Law has oppressed.
Diversity Will Fuel Excellence in Pharmacy Education…If We Let It Flourish.

The authors of the three manuscripts found within this theme issue regarding the status of graduate education in schools and colleges of pharmacy asked me to address the following questions: Are universities doing enough to attract a diverse pool of students, and what mechanisms would you recommend