cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of Aza-ortho-quinone Methides Under Room Temperature Conditions: Cs2CO3 Effect

Since the first report of a facile, room temperature process to access aza-ortho-quinone methides (aoQMs) by Corey in 1999, this chemistry has remained dormant until our report of an enantioselective catalytic example in 2014. We report a theoretical and experimental study of the key to success behind these successful examples to enable broader exploitation of this useful intermediate. We have discovered that transformations involving the aoQM are remarkably facile with barriers 30 kcal/mol), precluding their formation under mild conditions. The use of Cs2CO3 as base is critical. It provides a thermodynamically and kinetically favorable means to form aoQMs, independent of the salt solubility and base strength. The exothermic formation of salt byproducts provides a driving force (average ΔG = −30.8 kcal/mol) compensating for the majority of the inherent unfavorable thermodynamics of aoQM formation.
Scholarly Engagement With the Public: The Risks and Benefitsof Engaging Outside of the Classroom

There are several discussions inside academia as to the best way for scholars to interact with the public, when they should do so, and the extent to which they should “put themselves out there” to ...
Food for a Common(s) Curriculum: Learning to Recognize and Resist Food Enclosures

In this chapter we discuss a case study from Detroit, Michigan, that highlights what educators can learn from community efforts to address food insecurity. Advocating that educators and policy makers rethink how they recognize and come to understand food enclosures—socio-political and economic arrangements that limit access to the production, preparation, and consumption of local, healthy, and culturally relevant food—the chapter emphasizes the importance of working together to learn from and with food movements.
Plasmonic Nanomaterials for Nanomedicine

Plasmonic nanoparticles are being researched as a noninvasive tool for ultrasensitive diagnostic, spectroscopic, and, recently, therapeutic technologies. With particular antibody coatings on nanoparticles, they attach to abnormal cells of interest (cancer or otherwise). Once attached, nanoparticles can be activated/heated with ultraviolet (UV)/visible/infrared (IR), radiofrequency (RF) or x-ray pulses, damaging the surrounding area of the abnormal cell to the point of death. Here, we describe an integrated approach to improved plasmonic therapy composed of nanomaterial optimization and the development of a theory for selective radiation nanophotothermolysis of abnormal biological cells with gold nanoparticles and self-assembled nanoclusters. The theory takes into account radiation-induced linear and nonlinear synergistic effects in biological cells containing nanostructures, with focus on optical, thermal, bubble formation, and nanoparticle explosion phenomena. On the basis of the developed models, we discuss new ideas and new dynamic modes for cancer treatment by radiation-activated nanoheaters, which involve nanocluster aggregation in living cells, microbubbles overlapping around laser-heated intracellular nanoparticles/clusters, and the laser thermal explosion mode of single nanoparticles (nanobombs) delivered to cells.
Statistical-mechanical modeling of a regulatory protein: the lactose repressor

The macro-state partition function and a new cell-state combinatorial analysis have been successfully applied to the modeling of the lactose repressor-operator regulatory system in E. coli. The in vivo characteristics generated by several types of repressor i-d mutations are quantitatively correlated with the known in vitro properties of this regulatory system.
Feasibility of blood flow measurement by externally controlled dye delivery

We are developing a new method of delivering substances locally and repeatedly in the retinal vasculature under external control. This delivery system is based on encapsulating the substance in heat-sensitive lipsomes, which are injected intravenously and lysed by a heat pulse delivered by a laser. The feasibility of using this system with dyes and creating a sharp dye front was tested in vitro and in vivo. The results indicate that the background fluorescence of intact liposomes is minimal but in contrast a dramatic increase in fluorescence is achieved where the dye is released. In vivo tests indicated that only the selected vascular branch fluoresced. Moreover, a sharp dye front could be obtained repeatedly and preserved over significant distances. The presence of a sharp dye front allowed measurements, in vitro, of blood velocity which correlated well (r = 0.985, P less than 0.001) with the average blood velocity values calculated from the known flow rate.
Crystal structure of (pyridine-κN)bis(quinolin-2-olato-κ2N,O)copper(II) monohydrate

The title complex, [Cu(C9H6NO)2(C5H4N)]·H2O, adopts a slightly distorted square-pyramidal geometry in which the axial pyridine ligand exhibits a long Cu—N bond of 2.305 (3) A. The pyridine ligand forms dihedral angles of 79.5 (5) and 88.0 (1)° with the planes of the two quinolin-2-olate ligands, while the dihedral angle between the quinoline groups of 9.0 (3)° indicates near planarity. The water mol­ecule connects adjacent copper complexes through O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to phenolate O atoms, forming a network inter­connecting all the complexes in the crystal lattice.
A Note on Sexist Wording in Interest Measurement

The hypothesis that sexist wording as opposed to gender-neutral wording lowers the scores of females on interest measures was tested using occupational titles with a sample of 94 high school girls....
Quadrilateral overlapping elements and their use in the AMORE paradigm

Abstract We give the formulation of new 4-node overlapping quadrilateral finite elements and demonstrate their performance in several numerical examples. The elements are insensitive to mesh distortions and lead overall to accurate numerical solutions. We show how the quadrilateral elements are utilized in the AMORE scheme of “ a utomatic m eshing with o verlapping and r egular e lements”. Since in this paradigm the finite elements interior to the domain of analysis are undistorted regular elements and the distortion-tolerant overlapping elements are used for discretizations near the boundaries, high solution accuracy is achieved. This accuracy is obtained with much less effort for meshing than in traditional finite element analysis and with a reasonable computational expense.
Atmospheric Processes of Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Presence of Mineral Dust Particles in an Urban Environment

The impact of Gobi Desert dust (GDD) particles on the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation was studied to understand the photooxidation of volatile organic compounds, namely, toluene, 1,3,5-tr...
A SHORT STUDY ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF WEB APPLICATIONS SECURITY IN AFRICA AND ACROSS THE WORLD

This new digitalized era is bringing lots of advantages in the world of business today as many processes are being automated through web applications to ease the fast paced work life of people making things more rapidly and efficiently. However, due to some weaknesses in the configuration and development of web applications, it becomes easy for hackers to identify and exploit loopholes found in web applications. For that reason, it becomes vital to emphasize on the importance of web security. Therefore, a qualitative research methodology is used to investigate on the topic. To elaborate, the aim of this paper is to identify the common causes of data theft that occurred during the last few years, especially regarding the outbreak that happened in South Africa. Finally, few researches and development done in the area of security like SQl injection, Cross site scripting and others were examined.
Wearable Technology To Reduce Sedentary Behavior And CVD Risk In Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background Physical exercise is associated with decreased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but recent large-scale trials suggest that exercise alone is insufficient to reduce CVD events in high-risk older adults. Purpose This pilot randomized clinical trial aimed to collect critical data on feasibility, safety, and protocol integrity necessary to design a fully powered randomized controlled trial (RCT) and evaluate the impact of combining structured exercise with an intervention designed to enhance non-exercise physical activity (EX+NEPA) compared to EX alone. Methods Forty participants aged ≥60 years with moderate-to-high risk of coronary heart disease events were randomly assigned to either the EX+NEPA or EX groups and followed for 20 weeks. Both groups underwent a twice-weekly, 8-week center-based exercise intervention with aerobic and resistance exercises. EX+NEPA group also received a wearable activity tracking device along with behavioral monitoring and feedback throughout the study. Study outcomes were evaluated at 8 and 20 weeks. Results Data are presented as adjusted mean change of the differences over time with 95% confidence intervals at 20 weeks. Relative to EX, the change in steps/day at 20 weeks was 1994 (-40.27, 4028) higher for EX+NEPA. For sedentary time at close-out, the EX+NEPA group was -6.8 (-45.2, 31.6) min/day relative to EX. The between-group differences for systolic and diastolic blood pressure were -9.9 (-19.6, -0.3) and -1.8 (-6.9, 3.3) mmHg, respectively. Conclusion The addition of wearable technology intervention appeared to positively influence daily activity patterns and changes in blood pressure - potentially improving risk factors for CVD. A fully powered randomized trial is needed to ultimately test this hypothesis.
Winning the War on Kidney Disease: Perspective from the American Society of Nephrology

Nephrology is unique. Having saved the lives of millions of people with kidney failure and advocated successfully for the federal government to cover every American on dialysis, the specialty now faces challenges that obstruct advances in care and innovation. More than one half of Americans who
The use of pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation in a swine model of intraoperative pediatric cardiac arrest.

Background Current pediatric resuscitation guidelines suggest that resuscitators using an advanced airway deliver 8-10 breaths per minute while carefully avoiding excessive ventilation. In the intraoperative setting, having a dedicated ventilation rescuer may be difficult because of limited personnel. Continuing pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation during resuscitation for intraoperative cardiac arrest reduces personnel needed and the risk of hyperventilation but might risk hypoventilation during chest compression delivery. Aims To determine whether the use of pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation at prearrest settings provides normoxia and normocarbia during resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Methods We retrospectively analyzed combined data from preclinical randomized controlled trials. Two-week-old swine (3-4 kg) underwent asphyxia-induced cardiac arrest. Animals were resuscitated with periods of basic and advanced life support. During resuscitation, pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation was delivered at the prearrest respiratory rate, peak inspiratory pressure, and positive end-expiratory pressure. Arterial blood gases were measured prearrest, at 11 minutes of asphyxia, and at 8 and 20 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Results Piglets (n = 154) received pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation before and during cardiopulmonary resuscitation with a peak inspiratory pressure of 14-15 cm H2 O, positive end-expiratory pressure of 4 cm H2 O, 20 breaths/minute, and an inspiratory:expiratory ratio of 1:2. During asphyxia, the arterial blood gas showed the expected severe hypercarbia and hypoxia. Continuing pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation using prearrest parameters and increasing the FiO2 to 1.0 returned the PaCO2 to prearrest levels and slightly increased the partial pressure of arterial oxygen at 8 and 20 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Conclusion In this piglet model of resuscitation from asphyxial arrest, pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the prearrest ventilator settings with an FiO2 of 1.0 provides adequate oxygenation and restores normocarbia. Clinical investigation is warranted to determine the benefits of continuing pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation at prearrest parameters during pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Transcriptome Profile of Nicotinic Receptor-Linked Sensitization of Beta Amyloid Neurotoxicity

Understanding the specific gene changes underlying the prodromic stages of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis will aid the development of new, targeted therapeutic strategies for this neurodegenerative disorder. Here, we employed RNA-sequencing to analyze global differential gene expression in a defined model nerve cell line expressing α4β2 nicotinic receptors (nAChRs), high-affinity targets for beta amyloid (Aβ). The nAChR-expressing neuronal cells were treated with nanomolar Aβ1-42 to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in the presence of this sensitizing target receptor. We identified 15 genes (out of 15,336) that were differentially expressed upon receptor-linked Aβ treatment. Genes up-regulated with Aβ treatment were associated with calcium signaling and axonal vesicle transport (including the α4 nAChR subunit, the calcineurin regulator RCAN3, and KIF1C of the kinesin family). Downregulated genes were associated with metabolic, apoptotic or DNA repair pathways (including APBA3, PARP1 and RAB11). Validation of the differential expression was performed via qRT-PCR and immunoblot analysis in the defined model nerve cell line and primary mouse neurons. Further verification was performed using immunocytochemistry. In conclusion, we identified apparent changes in gene expression on Aβ treatment in the presence of the sensitizing nAChRs, linked to early-stage Aβ-induced neurotoxicity, which may represent novel therapeutic targets.
Circulatory changes in the reproductive tissues of ewes during pregnancy.

The blood flows to reproductive organs were measured by means of radionuclide-labeled microspheres in 24 pregnant ewes with gestational ages ranging from 38 to 141 days. The microspheres were injected
Joe Penhall’s Fatherhood Plays: Escaping the Influence of Sam Shepard and the Lad

Boles posits that Joe Penhall’s Haunted Child and Birthday are important turning points in his casting off the final remnants from In-Yer-Face influences and embracing the influence of fatherhood on his writing. Using Sam Shepard’s True West and Lad culture of the 1990s as touchstones, Boles discusses how Haunted Child is Penhall’s final connection to the In-Yer-Face movement and his narrative reliance on male characters that behave badly. In Birthday, which is his most autobiographical play, Penhall writes about a father who embraces all feminine roles in the family, including giving birth to a child. Through both plays Penhall, a father himself, relies on the staging of fatherhood as a new inspiration in his writing, finally banishing elements from the In-Yer-Face movement from his canon.
Impact of low flash point compounds (hydrocarbons containing eight carbon atoms) on the flash point of jet fuel and n-dodecane

Abstract Fuel flash point is important for safe fuel handling. The presence of smaller, low flash point hydrocarbons (8 carbons atoms) found in fuel lowers its flashpoint. This work involved measuring the flash points of mixtures containing small hydrocarbons from different classes of chemicals (linear, cyclic, and iso-alkanes, and aromatic compounds) mixed with either JP-5 or n-dodecane as a fuel surrogate. Flash points varied by chemical class and by specific isomer within the class. The flash points of n-dodecane mixtures containing compounds whose flash points were measured (linear and cyclic alkanes and aromatics) were successfully modeled using Liaw’s model. Applying this model to mixtures for which the pure compounds flash points were not measured allowed for the selection of a flash point for each compound from the varied reported values. A set of pure component flash points was used with blending index models to determine the model coefficients for dodecane mixtures and JP-5 mixtures. The coefficients based on the dodecane mixtures predicted the JP-5 mixtures fairly well with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.2 K and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.2 K. The coefficients based on the JP-5 mixtures gave a slight improvement in prediction with an RMSE of 1 K and an MAE of 1 K. This work emphasized the sensitivity of fuel flash point to specific isomers and shows that dodecane is a good model compound for the JP-5 in this system.
Regulation of cellular anabolism by mTOR: or how I learned to stop worrying and love translation

Abstract The process and regulation of cellular metabolism are extremely complex and accomplished through multiple signalling pathways that operate in parallel, and often experience significant overlap in upstream and downstream a signal transduction. Despite this complexity, single pathway or even single protein activations are commonly used to extrapolate broad characterizations of cellular metabolism. Furthermore, multiple routes for peptide-chain translation initiation exist, some of which may be either exclusive or overlapping depending on the state and environment of the cell. While it may be highly impractical to account for every aspect of metabolic regulation and permutation of mRNA translation, it is important to acknowledge that investigations relating to these pathways are often incomplete and not necessarily indicative of the overall metabolic status. This becomes urgent when considering the role that cellular anabolism plays in both healthy cellular functions and the aetiology of several disease's altered metabolisms. This review describes recent advances in the understanding of cellular metabolic regulation, with specific focus given to the complexity of ‘downstream’ mRNA translation initiation through both mTOR-dependent and mTOR-independent signallings.
A lab of one’s own: science and suffrage in the First World War: by Patricia Fara, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2018, xv + 334 pp., $24.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-1987-9499-8

Fara’s lively account of British women scientists is a refreshing addition to the social history of World War I. Reconstructing the contributions of highly skilled women to scientific research and ...
Motoneuron dendrites: role in synaptic integration

Dendrites constitute over 80% of the receptive surface area in cat motoneurons. Calculations based on matched electrical and geometrical measurements in these neurons indicate that the specific resistance of dendritic membranes in resting motoneurons is at least 2,000 ohm-cm2. When the specific membrane resistance is this high, even the most distal dendritic synapses can contribute significantly to the depolarization of the soma, and hence influence the rate of action potential generation. However, dendritic membrane resistance depends strongly on the level of background synaptic activity. The conductance changes associated with excitatory synaptic activity on a dendrite can be great enough to reduce significantly both the excitatory synaptic driving potential and the effective membrane resistance on that dendrite, and thus greatly reduce the effectiveness of synapses on that dendrite. Inhibitory synaptic activity produces an even greater reduction in dendritic membrane resistance. Thus the relative effectiveness of dendritic synapses depends on the type, distribution, and intensity of background synaptic activity, as well as on dendritic geometry and resting membrane properties. —Barrett, J. N. Motoneuron dendrites: role in synaptic integration. Federation Proc. 34: 1398–1407, 1975.
The Biosynthesis of Catecholamines in Two Genera of Protozoa

Abstract Norepinephrine was isolated from the flagellated protozoan, Crithidia fasciculata, and the ciliated protozoan, Tetrahymena pyriformis, the former having less than one-half that of the latter. Tetrahymena also synthesizes epinephrine, whereas this substance could not be detected in Crithidia. Isotopically labeled phenylalanine, tyrosine, and dihydroxyphenylalanine were significantly incorporated into the catecholamines in Tetrahymena, while only tyrosine and dihydroxyphenylalanine were incorporated in Crithidia, owing to its lack of a phenylalanine-hydroxylating system.
Extensions of Time and Conditions of Notice: California's Needless Restriction of Contractual Freedom

A LMOST UNIVERSALLY, building contracts contain a provision that conditions the contractor's right to claim an extension of time for delays beyond his control upon giving written notice of his intention to make such a claim.' Despite contrary precedents,2 a unanimous California Supreme Court gutted this sensible provision in Kiewit v. Pasadena School District.3 A questionable application of an obscure provision of California Civil Code Section 1511 was employed to justify the court's refusal to give effect to this express condition. This decision will undoubtedly hamper fair and effective administration of California construction contracts and
In utero and lactational exposure of male rats to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. 1. Effects on androgenic status.

When administered in overtly toxic doses to postpubescent rats, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) produces a variety of adverse effects on the male reproductive system including a decrease in plasma androgen concentrations. If such an androgenic deficiency were produced prenatally and/or early postnatally it could potentially impair male reproductive function by disrupting the development of sex organs and/or causing incomplete sexual differentiation of the central nervous system. To determine whether TCDD can reduce androgen concentrations perinatally and/or impair androgen-dependent perinatal development, pregnant Holtzman rats were treated with 1.0 micrograms TCDD/kg or vehicle on Day 15 of gestation. Plasma testosterone concentrations in fetal males were significantly reduced by TCDD on Gestation Days 18 through 21. The surge in plasma testosterone concentrations shortly after birth was also significantly reduced, as was anogenital distance, an androgen-dependent parameter. To further investigate the effects of perinatal TCDD exposure on the male reproductive system, rats born to dams given TCDD (0.064, 0.16, 0.40, or 1.0 micrograms/kg, po) or vehicle on Day 15 of gestation were evaluated from birth through sexual maturation. This report describes their growth, physical development, and androgenic status (i.e., androgen concentrations and androgen-dependent structures and functions); effects on spermatogenesis, testicular histology, sexual behavior, and fertility are reported separately. There was little evidence that TCDD caused maternal toxicity. Signs of overt toxicity in offspring were limited to an 8% reduction in live births (highest dose only) and to decreases in body weight gain and feed consumption (two highest doses only) which disappeared by early adulthood. With respect to androgenic status, maternal TCDD doses as low as 0.16 micrograms/kg produced significant dose-related decreases in the anogenital distance of 1- and 4-day-old males, delays in testicular descent, and decreases in seminal vesicle and ventral prostate weights. The reductions in organ weights were observed when rats were at the juvenile, pubertal, postpubertal, and mature stages of sexual development. Plasma testosterone and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone concentrations tended to be reduced at these times (though not significantly), while plasma luteinizing hormone concentrations were generally unaffected. Collectively, these results demonstrate that perinatal TCDD exposure alters the androgenic status of male rats from the fetal stage into adulthood, and that TCDD can affect androgenic status without causing overt toxicity. In rats, the male reproductive system appears to be more sensitive to the toxic effects of in utero and lactational TCDD exposure than any other organ or organ system studied thus far.
Studies on the stability of oxyhemoglobin A and its constituent chains and their derivatives

Abstract Oxyhemoglobin either spontaneously or under the influence of external oxidants is converted to the high spin ferric protein (acid methemoglobin) which can be studied both optically and with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The rate of ferricyanide oxidation is comparable for oxyhemoglobin A, oxyhemoglobin H (β4), and oxy α chains. p-Mercuribenzoate (PMB) derivatives of oxy α and oxy β chains react faster with this reagent than do the nonderivatized proteins. With time, the high spin form of each hemoglobin preparation is converted to various low spin forms, heretofore collectively called "hemichrome." Hemichromes are low spin derivatives of ferrihemoglobin, brought about through discrete reversible and irreversible changes of protein conformation so that atoms endogenous to the protein are now bound as the sixth ligand of the heme iron. The rate of formation of the first hemichromes from the obligatory high spin ferric protein is very slow with ferrihemoglobin A, faster with ferrihemoglobin H, and faster still with ferric α chains. This first hemichrome can be reversibly converted to deoxyhemoglobin by reduction to the hemochrome followed by anaerobic dialysis, or it can be converted quickly to oxyhemoglobin by reacting the hemochrome with CO which is then photolyzed in the presence of O2. It has been demonstrated that ferrihemoglobin cyanide prepared from high spin ferrihemoglobin H differs in structure from ferric hemoglobin cyanide prepared from the hemichrome of hemoglobin H, although the optical and EPR spectra of the two compounds are identical. With time, or under the influence of protein denaturants such as urea or salicylate, the hemichrome that can be reconstituted to oxyhemoglobin is converted to different hemichromes which are nonrenaturable to the oxy protein. Hemin added to whole globin yields high spin ferrihemoglobin A, whereas hemin added to globin prepared either from α or β subunits yields hemichrome.
Trace detection of tetrabromobisphenol A by SERS with DMAP-modified magnetic gold nanoclusters

Magnetic gold nanoclusters (MGNCs) functionalized with 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) enables the trace detection of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), an environmental pollutant, using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The synthesis, cleansing, and functionalization of MGNCs are conducted in aqueous solutions; SERS samples are prepared by magnetic precipitation in the presence of trace analyte. The limit of detection (LOD) for TBBPA is greatly increased by the use of DMAP as a reporter molecule: DMAP-modified MGNCs can detect TBBPA at 10 pM in water, whereas the LOD for TBBPA by unfunctionalized Au is 1 nM. The reproducibility of picomolar TBBPA detection with DMAP-modified MGNCs is confirmed by two-dimensional correlation analysis. The high SERS sensitivity for TBBPA can be attributed to its capacity to modulate the Raman spectrum of adsorbed DMAP. This indirect mode of detection can also be applied toward the detection of other hydrophobic analytes, each identifiable by its characteristic SERS identity.
Growth and control of filamentous microbes in activated sludge: an integrated hypothesis

Abstract Since its initial development and application, the activated sludge process has undergone a continual evolution aimed at maximizing process efficiency and controlling population selection. Organic loading rate, dissolved oxygen concentration and reactor configuration have been implicated as key process variables affecting sludge settleability, their combined effects determining which microbe or microbes are best able to grow and survive in a given system. Using available pure and mixed culture observations, a conceptual hypothesis centered around three model organisms has been developed to explain the growth and control of filamentous organisms in activated sludge. Organism selection in continuously fed systems has been hypothesized to be dominated by filamentous organisms with high sustainable growth rates at low reactor substrate concentrations/organic loading rates and filaments best able to compete for dissolved oxygen at elevated reactor substrate concentrations/organic loading rates. Intermittently fed systems, on the other hand, enrich for nonfilamentous organisms which both rapidly extract substrate from solution and maintain peak activity during extended periods of endogeneous metabolism. While both types of reactor induced feeding patterns can control filamentous organism growth, intermittently fed systems are capable of operation over a wider range of operating conditions by accentuating differences in organism physiology. Additional selection pressures such as substrate composition, non-ideal reactor hydraulics and time-variable influent waste streams were also discussed in relation to their impact on idealized systems.
Early exposure to low levels of estradiol (E2) mitigates E2-induced conditioned taste aversions in prepubertally ovariectomized female rats.

Abstract 17β-Estradiol (E 2 ) can serve as a potent unconditioned stimulus in producing a conditioned taste aversion to saccharin in rats, with the effect being greater in males than in females. To determine whether the female's lower susceptibility to such conditioning is due, in part, to early experience with estrogen, we performed the following experiment. First, we pretreated groups of prepubertally ovariectomized female rats with either sesame oil (control group) or low doses of E 2 (0.3, 0.75, or 1.50 μg). Second, in subsequent conditioning sessions, we presented a 0.2% saccharin solution to the rats prior to the injection of 100 μg of E 2 (the unconditioned stimulus). Third, we tested the magnitude of the conditioned aversion to the saccharin solution and its tendency to extinguish during the following week. The E 2 -pretreated animals evidenced significantly weaker taste aversions and extinguished them more rapidly than did the oil-pretreated controls, even at the lowest E 2 pretreatment dose, suggesting that prior experience with low levels of estrogen can significantly mitigate, in female rats, the magnitude of a conditioned taste aversion produced by a high dose of estrogen.
What Kinds of Firms Hire and Promote Women and Blacks? A Review of the Literature*

Research which reports the effects of global and contextual organizational characteristics on patterns of female and black participation in organizational work forces is reviewed. Explanations of w...
Optically active 4- and 5-coordinate transition metal complexes of bifurcated dipeptide Schiff bases.

Symmetrical and unsymmetrical benzophenone Schiff bases of bifurcated dipeptides [e.g., Ar2CNCHR1CONH∼HNCOCHR2NCAr2] have been synthesized using Boc methodology. These ligands may be regarded as chiral porphyrin mimics because of the α-carbons of the amino acids. The Schiff bases function as effective ligands for transition metals, particularly the late transition metals Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn. Upon metal insertion, there is loss of the amide protons, resulting in N4 chelating ligands that retain the amino acid based chirality as well as newly generated metal-centered chirality, which for the Ni(II) complexes have been shown by X-ray analysis to be Λ (left-handed helix) if the amino acids are S. For Ni(II) and Cu(II), metal insertion results in highly colored complexes and is easily followed by UV−vis spectrophotometry. Several Ni(II) complexes were also characterized by 1H NMR. Co(II) and Mn(II) complexes were characterized by CW EPR. Two Cu(II) complexes, 7f·CuII and 7k·CuII, were characterized by EPR (...
Notes on superconducting cosmic strings

Abstract Several problems in string electrodynamics are discussed. Electric currents induced in strings oscillating in stationary electric and magnetic fields are calculated. In some cases the currents grow linearly with time. The rate of pair production in the electromagnetic field of strings is estimated.
Induction of L-lysine ε-aminotransferase by L-lysine in Streptomyces clavuligerus, producer of cephalosporins

l-Lysine ϵ-aminotransferase (LAT) catalyzes the first reaction in the two-step conversion of l-lysine (Lys) to l-α-aminoadipic acid (Aaa), a direct precursor of cephalosporins (including cephamycin C) in Streptomyces clavuligerus. Previous work showed that addition of Lys to chemically defined medium improved antibiotic production. We show that in S. clavuligerus cultures supplemented with high concentrations of Lys, Lys enhances antibiotic production by a dual effect i.e. as a substrate of LAT thus providing Aaa and also as an inducer of LAT yielding even more Aaa. On the other hand, LAT is not induced by Aaa.
Bilingual creativity in Chinese English: Ha Jin’s In the Pond

This paper addresses issues related to bilingual creativity in Chinese English and their implications for world Englishes in the Chinese context. The language examined in this paper is drawn from Ha Jin’s novella, In the Pond, in which the author’s use of English is ‘nativized’ to the Chinese context in order to recast the cultural meanings of the language. Rooted in social realism, cultural authenticity, and historical accuracy, Ha Jin describes the lives of ordinary people against the larger political backdrop of China. His skilful use of English successfully transcreates his native Chinese experience to form an indigenized narrative style. In this paper, I employ a theoretical framework derived from Kachru (1982, 1986, etc.) to show how Ha Jin’s work expresses a distinct Chinese cultural identity. Ha Jin’s use of creative innovations in English reflect the texture of Chinese ideological, political and socio–cultural representations. The linguistic exponents of such creativity range from the use of address terms, curse words, to metaphors, proverbs, political expressions, and other aspects of the contemporary Chinese lexicon. Despite a central concern with universal themes in his fiction, Ha Jin simultaneously conveys a distinct sense of ‘Chineseness’ through the use of nativized discourse patterns, rhetorical strategies, speech acts, and a range of other linguistic devices.
NMR of carboxylic-17O in amino acids

17O NMR studies were conducted on the α-COOH groups of the amino acids Val, Leu, Ile, His and Pro and on the γ-COOH group of Glu. Limit chemical shifts, downfield from external water, were 249-257 ppm in aqueous solution at low pH, and 234–243 ppm in HSO3F. The relative nuclear screening order for α-COOH 17O between pH -1 and 13 and in HSO3F was usually Pro>Leu>His>Val>Ile, reflecting on interactions with the side chain. Concomitant with ionization in aqueous solution, the α- and γ-COOH resonances were displaced to lower field, by 13–18 aid 24 ppm, respectively, presumably owing to overriding effects of the bond order-charge density term in the paramagnetic contribution toward nuclear shielding. Titration with alkali above neutrality resulted in 2–4 ppm upfield shifts related to deprotonation of the α-NH3+ group. T2 relaxation times were inversely related to the molecular weight. Line widths of amino acid 17O-COOH resonances near neutrality were between 280 and 525 Hz, corresponding to T2 relaxation times between 0.6 and 1.1 ms. Titration from acidic to neutral pH increased T2 by up to 1.7-fold. T1 measured for 17O-Gly and γ-17O-Glu changed in parallel with T2. This was attributed to decreasing rotational correlation times, τc, in line with expected changes in the nuclear quadrupole coupling constant. τc values calculated from 17O relaxation in solutions near neutrality (zwitterion predominant) were in good agreement with τη, expected from solution properties and with the assumption of isotropic rotation. T2 decreased when the pH was increased above neutrality, partly owing to increasing solution viscosity.
Finite Element Methods in Spine Biomechanics Research

The finite element method has been used in spine biomechanics research for nearly a quarter of a century. Recent developments have made it possible to simulate a variety of clinically relevant situations in an increasingly realistic manner, elevating the finite element method into a fully complementary partnership with experimental approaches for the investigation of clinical problems in the spine. These new developments are presented in a historical context to evaluate their potential impact on future spine biomechanics research.
Transforming sterile processing departments by service-oriented business process management

One major cause that dramatically impacts patient safety is the use of unclean reusable medical equipment (RME), delivered from a sterile processing department (SPD). Unfortunately, current reprocessing practice is mostly driven by human labour and control, which is error-prone and inefficient. In this paper, business process management is proposed to support modelling, automating, monitoring, and analysing sterile reprocessing procedures. The main contributions are: 1) identifying the main factors in the current practice that compromise patient safety 2) proposing a service-oriented business process modelling framework to publish, discover, reuse, and compose interoperable services for different purposes 3) promoting healthcare workflow to control the execution status and identifying the key architectural requirements for a healthcare workflow system 4) proposing a service-oriented architecture and validating it with our SPD workflow prototyping system, SPDFLOW. To our best knowledge, SPDFLOW is the first effort in exploring healthcare workflow technology in the SPD domain.
The rise and fall of the competitive local exchange carriers in the U.S.: An institutional perspective

The debacle of the telecommunications industry at the turn of the millennium resulted in significant consequences for investors, workers, financial institutions, telecom companies, and the economy in general worldwide. In the midst of the telecom bubble, the CLECs (competitive local exchange carriers) adopted similar or identical business plans and saturated the market, which resulted in destructive competition. In this study, we investigate the isomorphic business models of the CLECs from the perspectives of the new institutional theory. We argue that the combined coercive, mimetic, and normative institutional forces exerted on the companies by the actors who controlled the funding, managed the business, and provided the information fashioned the isomorphic CLEC business models, which in turn contributed to the demise of these companies and thus the burst of the telecom bubble. Evidence of the institutional influences on CLECs and the actors exerted the influences are presented and their consequences are discussed.
Is it time to reassess alpha lipoic acid and niacinamide therapy in schizophrenia

As sulfur containing thiols, alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and its reduced form dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) are powerful antioxidants and free radical scavengers capable of performing many of the same functions as glutathione (GSH). ALA supplementation may help protect mitochondria from oxidative stress, a possible mechanism contributing to certain forms of brain diseases called schizophrenia. Shortly before the advent of antipsychotic medications, two small studies found ALA relieved psychiatric symptoms in schizophrenia. More recently, animal studies have shown ALA augmentation improves mitochondrial function. At pharmaceutical levels, niacinamide helps preserve mitochondrial membrane integrity and acts as an antioxidant. ALA is a precursor for lipoamide, an essential mitochondrial coenzyme and niacinamide is a component of niacinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NADH, the reduced form of NAD, is involved in the reduction of ALA to DHLA within the mitochondria. This is relevant to contemporary research because DHLA increases GSH and low GSH levels contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress which have been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Autoantibodies to amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) are increased in Alzheimer’s disease patients and Aβ antibodies can enhance Aβ neurotoxicity

Studies of amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice suggest that immune responses to amyloid β peptide (Aβ) may be instrumental in the removal of plaques from the brain, but the initial clinical trial of an Aβ vaccine in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was halted as the result of serious neurological complications in some patients. We now provide evidence that AD patients exhibit an enhanced immune response to Aβ and that, contrary to expectations, Aβ antibodies enhance the neurotoxic activity of the peptide. Serum titers to Aβ were significantly elevated in AD patients and Aβ antibodies were found in association with amyloid plaques in their brains, but there was no evidence of cell-mediated immune responses to Aβ in the patients. Aβ antibodies were detected in the serum of old APP mutant transgenic mice with plaque-like Aβ deposits, but not in the serum of younger transgenic or nontransgenic mice. Serum from APP mutant mice potentiated the neurotoxicity of Aβ. Our data suggest that a humoral immune response to Aβ in AD patients may promote neuronal degeneration, a process with important implications for the future of vaccine-based therapies for AD.
Effect of specimen orientation and extrusion welds on the fatigue life of an AA6063 alloy

Abstract The effect of specimen orientation and extrusion seam welds on the fatigue life of specimens milled from a hollow AA6063 aluminum alloy extrusion profile have been characterized in the form of S–N curves. The fatigue behavior of the fully recrystallized AA6063 alloy reported here is compared to previously reported results on a partially recrystallized AA6082 extruded aluminum alloy [Nanninga N, White C, Furu T, Anderson O, Dickson R. Effect of orientation and extrusion welds on the fatigue life of an Al–Mg–Si–Mn alloy. Int J Fatigue 2008; 30(9): 1569–78]. Specimen orientation with respect to the extrusion direction has a large effect on fatigue life, and is attributed to the orientation of extrusion die lines. Transverse specimens exhibit only a fraction of the high cycle fatigue life exhibited by longitudinal specimens. The presence of seam and/or charge welds, oriented both longitudinal and transverse to the loading direction, may also reduce the fatigue life. However, the effects of these welds are not as significant as the effects of orientation alone, and appear to be related to increased surface roughness at the welds. Variations in fatigue life are explained by surface roughness and variations in microstructure. Grain boundary separation was the primary mechanism of fatigue crack initiation in this study. Results from Auger energy spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope analyses suggest that localized strain in precipitate free zones may assist in this behavior.
RANS Evaluations of Internal Cooling Passage Geometries: Ribbed Passages and a 180 Degree Bend

A comprehensive study and assessment of RANS based turbulence models is performed on internal cooling duct passages of turbine blades. Conjugate computational heat transfer studies of 90 and 45 degree turbulated ducts are performed and compared to experimental data from the Von Karmon Institute. Spatially resolved Nusselt number distributions are computed using CFX in conjunction with several RANS based turbulence models. In addition, similar computational studies of a 180 degree turnaround bend are performed and compared to experimental data from Arizona State University. In that experiment, area averaged Nusselt numbers are provided at different locations throughout a 180 degree turn around bend. For both analyses, the experimental data sets are carefully chosen as the original authors/experimentalists clearly identified the geometry and boundary conditions such that there was no ambiguity for CFD analysis. For the 90 degree turbulator orientation, it was found that most two equation models largely under predicted heat transfer levels. For the 45 degree turbulator configuration, it was found that a new SST based turbulence formulation, provided by CFX, adequately matched the experimental data. For the 180 degree turnaround bend, Nusselt numbers were well predicted by this new formulation. For all geometries analyzed, resorting to a particular higher moment closure model inside of CFX provided no extra benefit in terms of accuracy.© 2007 ASME
Serengeti Shall Not Die: Bernhard Grzimek, Wildlife Film, and the Making of a Tourist Landscape in East Africa

This article examines the documentary films, popular science books, and essays of former Frankfurt Zoo director and television star Bernhard Grzimek and his son Michael as harbingers of a global conservation movement and an emerging tourist economy in East Africa, moulded by the unresolved longings of German imperialism, West German anxieties about decolonization and the Cold War, and the rise of West Germans as the ‘world champions of travel’. In their award-winning films No Room for Wild Animals (1956) and Serengeti Shall Not Die (1959), the Grzimeks depicted Africa's national parks as untouched ‘gardens of Eden’, a framing of nature designed to appeal to war-weary European tourists that elided the crucial role of Maasai pastoralists in shaping wildlife ecology on the savanna and the colonialist violence that had partitioned the African landscape to ensure European hegemony. In their quest to break with colonialist exoticism and racism, moreover, the Grzimeks embraced a developmentalist paradigm that envisioned black Africans as immature Europeans doomed to recapitulate the West's pathological journey to modernity, thus reinforcing the belief that what ‘ought to be seen’ in Africa was the fauna, not the people.
Currently available treatment guidelines for men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

As a result of pressure from the USA Federal Government, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) was formed in the late 1980s to develop guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of common conditions characterized by contributing individually and collectively to a signiﬁcant portion of the healthcare expenditure in the USA. The urological condition chosen as a target was BPH, which at the time was mostly treated surgically and with nearly 300 000 TURPs being performed annually represented the second most common procedure under Medicare.The AUA had independently recognized several problems with the delivery of care for certain urological conditions, including BPH [1,2]. These problems were:• Signiﬁcant geographical variability in resource utilization and surgical rates.• Lack of standardized evaluation and assessment.• Lack of standardized indications for treatment.• Lack of standardized outcome assessment and quality of care indicators.• Signiﬁcant contributor to overall healthcare cost.• Signiﬁcant contributor to revenue of practising urologists.In this environment, characterized by an increasing tension between providers and payers, the AUA initiated its own guideline effort and focused on several common diseases including BPH. However, the panel assigned to BPH was taken over by the AHCPR and over time developed the ﬁrst systematic review of the literature and a comprehensive evaluation, and a treatment guideline for BPH was published in 1994 [3–5].Internationally a WHO-sponsored consensus conference effort started also in the early 1990s, and in 1991 the ﬁrst of a long and successful series of conferences resulted in the publication of a book detailing a worldwide consensus regarding virtually all aspects of the aetiology, evaluation, and treatment of BPH [6].Since then the AUA has updated its guidelines in 2003 and is currently undertaking another update; the European Association of Urology (EAU) has published several iterations of its guidelines; the WHO consensus documents were updated several times, the last modiﬁcation being the result of a 2005 consultation; and many countries and professional organizations have published their own guidelines, more or less following the patterns set by the larger multinational organizations [7].