cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus haemolyticus epididymo-orchitis and bacteraemia: a case report

Introduction. Although more often recognized as a culprit in female urinary tract infection, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) can cause severe genitourinary infections in men. While positive blood cultures with CoNS are usually thought to be contaminants, in the setting of a severe genito-urinary infection they can represent true infection. Case presentation. We present the case of a 70-year-old male without a central venous catheter or urinary catheter who developed Staphylococcus haemolyticus bloodstream infection secondary to epididymo-orchitis. Conclusion. This case highlights the importance of prompt recognition of serious CoNS infections, including bacteraemia, in the setting of CoNS genitourinary tract infections.
Perspective: Superhard metal borides: A look forward

Previous efforts toward the synthesis of materials with superior mechanical properties (e.g., superhardness, high bulk modulus, and high shear modulus) have focused on binary metal boride structures with short covalent bonds. In this paper, we discuss the methods for enhancing the intrinsic and extrinsic hardening factors commonly used to achieve these properties. As the realm of binary metal borides has all but been exhausted, there is a need to move to ternary and higher borides as well as to achieve greater morphological control at the nanoscale. The use of ternary and higher borides as starting materials provides a multitude of diverse compositional and structural combinations. These compounds merit further investigation as they offer the potential for the optimization of mechanical properties.
Association between serum cotinine levels and electrocardiographic left atrial abnormality.

BACKGROUND Although the harmful effect of tobacco exposure on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors are well established, the constituents of cigarette-smoke and the pathophysiological mechanism involved are unknown. Recently, deep terminal negativity of P wave in V1 (DTNPV1) has emerged as a marker of left atrial abnormality that predicts atrial fibrillation, stroke, and death due to all-cause or CVD. Therefore, we examined the association between serum cotinine levels with abnormal DTNPV1 using the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. METHODS This analysis included 4,507 participants (mean age 58 ± 13 years, 53% women, 49% non-Hispanic white) of NHANES III, without history of CVD or major electrocardiographic abnormalities and not on heart rate modifying medications. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between serum cotinine and abnormal DTNPV1-defined from automatically processed electrocardiograms as values of the amplitude of the terminal negative phase of P wave in lead V1 exceeding 100 μV. RESULTS Abnormal DTNPV1 was detected in 2.3% (n = 105) of the participants. In a model adjusted for demographics and CVD risk factors, each 10 ng/ml serum cotinine was associated with 2% increased odds of abnormal DTNPV1 (odds ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.03, p-value < 0.001). This association was consistent in subgroups stratified by age, sex, race, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CONCLUSION Elevated serum cotinine levels are associated with an abnormal DTNPV1. This suggests that nicotine exposure can lead to left atrial abnormalities, a possible mechanism for increased risk of CVD.
Hyperfiltration during early childhood precedes albuminuria in pediatric sickle cell nephropathy.

Background In patients with diabetes mellitus, hyperfiltration precedes the development of albuminuria. Pediatric sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients have a high prevalence of hyperfiltration and albuminuria during early childhood and adolescence. We tested the hypothesis that hyperfiltration precedes the development of albuminuria in a longitudinal pediatric SCA cohort. Methods We identified 91 participants with HbSS or SB0 thalassemia 5-21 years of age enrolled in a longitudinal sickle cell nephropathy cohort study who had a cystatin C measured during early childhood (4-10 years of age). Early hyperfiltration was defined as a mean eGFR >180 mL/min/1.73m2 using cystatin C obtained from 4 to 10 years of age. Persistent albuminuria was defined as an albumin to creatinine ratio > 30 mg/g on two of three untimed urine specimens. Time to event analysis estimated survival curves for participants with and without hyperfiltration using Kaplan-Meier curves and used logrank test for categorical variables to assess the association with time to development of the first episode persistent albuminuria. Results Persistent albuminuria occurred more often and at an earlier age in participants with early hyperfiltration compared to those without early hyperfiltration (log-rank, P = .004). Participants who developed albuminuria have a significant increase in their eGFR during childhood (P = .003) as compared to participants who have not yet progressed to albuminuria (P = .26). For every 1 g/dL increase in hemoglobin, the hazard ratio for developing persistent proteinuria decreased by 0.56 (95% CI: 0.3, 1.06, P = .07). Conclusion Hyperfiltration precedes the development of persistent proteinuria in pediatric SCA patients. Intervention strategies should target lowering eGFR during early childhood.
Behavioral Response of Little Fire Ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), to Trail Chemicals Laid on Epiphytic Moss

The little fire ant (LFA), Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is native to the neotropics, but has become one of the world’s most widespread and destructive invasive ants. In Hawaii, LFA was first discovered in 1999 on the Big Island and since then has rapidly spread to neighboring islands, causing ecological and economic damage. LFA can develop fully functional nests on the ground and arboreally, and their foraging and retrieval of food resources is facilitated by a well-developed recruitment system. LFA were found to form recruitment trails on epiphytic moss growing on macadamia nut trees. As a first step to identify LFA recruitment pheromone components, we tested the LFA worker trail-following response to naturally marked epiphytic moss trails. Significantly more LFA workers placed on a natural trail followed the trail and made 90° turns to continue following the trail compared to when they were placed on a fake trail that had no trail marking substance(s). In laboratory choice assays using hexane extracts of moss with and without LFA trail, LFA workers preferred to follow a trail drawn with a hexane extract of moss that had a recruitment trail over a trail drawn with a hexane extract of moss only. Our results confirm that LFA workers readily follow a trail marking substance(s) laid down on epiphytic moss.
Out-of-sample equity premium prediction in the presence of structural breaks

Abstract This study comprehensively investigates the uncertainty on parameter instability and model selection when forecasting the equity premium out-of-sample. We employ the robust optimal weights methodology proposed in Pesaran et al. (2013) to construct out-of-sample forecasts in the presence of possible structural breaks. While we find that parameter instability alone cannot fully explain the weak predictive performance of many variables considered in Goyal and Welch (2008), our empirical results show that some models, particularly the one with the stock market variance, can consistently generate superior statistical and economic gains relative to the historical mean benchmark and other competitors when estimated by the robust optimal weights. Furthermore, we discover that the stock market variance seems to be more powerful when forecasting the equity premium during periods of financial crisis.
Using an Embedded Librarian Model to Increase Information Literacy in Political Science Research Methods

This paper discusses the design, facilitation and outcomes of a pilot embedded librarian initiative that transpired in a research methods course in a political science program. The purpose of this ...
Data-driven Model-free Adaptive Control of High Power Converters in Super-large-scale Energy Storage Station

A data-driven control method is proposed in super-large-scale energy storage station. This control strategy is embedded in power converter and can solve the serious parallel control problems, that is, the output voltage amplitude, phase angle and frequency may be different due to their model mismatch and unknown dynamics, when high power converters are connected in parallel. Based on the model free adaptive control algorithm, the data-driven controller is designed in high power converter system. The parallel power converter system is dynamically linearized by introducing the pseudo partial derivative. In order to keep that output voltage amplitude, frequency and phase of each power converters are equal at the point of common connection in super-large-scale energy storage station, the control parameters of power converter are updated through the input and output data acquired in real time, when the parallel power converters is running. The simulation results show that the model free adaptive algorithm of power converter is effective in super-large-scale energy storage station.
Shale Gas, Tight Oil, Shale Oil and Hydraulic Fracturing

Abstract The potential to produce oil and gas from low-permeability (tight) rocks has expanded rapidly over the last 2 decades. Over that time, drilling and stimulation technology have advanced, enhancing the ability to produce oil and gas from these impermeable rocks through precise directional drilling, massive multistage hydraulic fracturing, and microseimsic monitoring. These technological advances, along with continuing demand for the product, have driven a revolution in oil and gas production. Organic-rich shale and mudstone that has not been buried to a depth sufficient to generate hydrocarbons (called oil shale) has been mined and either burned to generate power or heated in specialized vessels to produce synthetic oil (shale oil) and gas for more than a century. This chapter discusses the nomenclature of these unconventional oil and gas resources, the resources potentially available in shale gas and tight oil reservoirs, the primary technology of production (massive, multistage hydraulic fracturing), and the projected production of oil and gas from them. These resources have the potential to provide extended production of both oil and gas for at least the next 3 decades. It also discusses resources, technology, and production potential for shale oil from oil shale. Although under very limited development at this time, the oil shale resource is very large, and provides a potential extension to the life of hydrocarbon usage, presuming that environmental issues can be resolved.
The Impact of Toxic Stress on Refugee Children: Implications for the Asylum Process

Every day, refugees seeking asylum in the United States must find a way to present their stories in a fact-based, timeline-coherent, rational, and especially a consistent way. Persons traumatized by the very circumstances that would most qualify them to seek asylum can be the least capable of presenting their stories in this manner. The post- and sometimes present-traumatic stress that refugees suffer can impair their memories by erasing or distorting key facts. Even without memory impairments, the necessary recounting of their trauma narrative in the course of the asylum process is remarkably difficult and often re-traumatizing. These difficulties are especially acute for children and minors. The resulting symptoms they often experience and manifest, including anxiety, memory loss, impaired executive function, and more, can put significant roadblocks in the way of their future protection in a safer and more secure environment. It is critical to understand and acknowledge the toxic stress experienced by many asylum-seeking children and minors before, during, and after migration because it negatively impacts their health, including cognitive and mental health, in ways that can directly interfere with their ability to meet the legal requirements of the asylum process. “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men” (Frederick Douglass, 1817–1895).
Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) interference in simulated sweetpotato plant beds

Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2016 at Pontotoc and Verona, MS. On March 3 (Pontotoc) and March 7 (Verona), landscape fabric was placed in the bottom of polyethylene lugs, each 0.22 m2, then approximately 5 cm of a 1:1 (v/v) blend of soilless potting media and masonry sand was added. ‘Beauregard’ sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L). Lam.] storage roots weighing between 85 and 227 g, and several with emerging sprouts ≤1 cm, were placed longitudinally in a single layer on the substrate, then covered with an additional 3 cm of the substrate. Sprouted yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) tubers were transplanted equidistantly into sweetpotato-containing lugs at six densities: 0, 18, 36, 73, 109, and 145 m−2. Trials were terminated 55 and 60 d after planting at Pontotoc and Verona, respectively. Predicted total sweetpotato stem cuttings (slips) decreased linearly from 399 to 312 m−2 as C. esculentus density increased from 0 to 145 m−2. Predicted total slip dry weight at a C. esculentus density of 145 m−2 was reduced 21% compared with 0 m−2. Predicted rotten sweetpotato storage roots increased from 2.6 to 11.3 m−2 as C. esculentus density increased from 0 to 145 m−2. In response to increasing C. esculentus density, sweetpotato seed roots exhibited increased proximal-end dominance.
Stucki, Andreas. Violence and Gender in African’s Iberian Colonies: Feminizing the Portuguese and Spanish Empire, 1950s-1970s. Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.

In the volatile and waning decades of Portuguese and Spanish colonialism in Africa, Andreas Stucki’s Violence and Gender in Africa’s Iberian Colonies: Feminizing the Portuguese and Spanish Empire, 1950s-1970s uncovers how women as paradigms and material bodies were strategically weaponized against the insurgent struggle for African independence to ensure Afro-Iberian cultural ties.
Verifying object construction

In object-oriented languages, constructors often have a combination of required and optional formal parameters. It is tedious and inconvenient for programmers to write a constructor by hand for each combination. The multitude of constructors is error-prone for clients, and client code is difficult to read due to the large number of constructor arguments. Therefore, programmers often use design patterns that enable more flexible object construction---the builder pattern, dependency injection, or factory methods. However, these design patterns can be too flexible: not all combinations of logical parameters lead to the construction of well-formed objects. When a client uses the builder pattern to construct an object, the compiler does not check that a valid set of values was provided. Incorrect use of builders can lead to security vulnerabilities, run-time crashes, and other problems. This work shows how to statically verify uses of object construction, such as the builder pattern. Using a simple specification language, programmers specify which combinations of logical arguments are permitted. Our compile-time analysis detects client code that may construct objects unsafely. Our analysis is based on a novel special case of typestate checking, accumulation analysis, that modularly reasons about accumulations of method calls. Because accumulation analysis does not require precise aliasing information for soundness, our analysis scales to industrial programs. We evaluated it on over 9 million lines of code, discovering defects which included previously-unknown security vulnerabilities and potential null-pointer violations in heavily-used open-source codebases. Our analysis has a low false positive rate and low annotation burden. Our implementation and experimental data are publicly available.
Transcriptional profiles in Strongyloides stercoralis males reveal deviations from the Caenorhabditis sex determination model

The human and canine parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis utilizes an XX/XO sex determination system, with parasitic females reproducing by mitotic parthenogenesis and free-living males and females reproducing sexually. However, the genes controlling S. stercoralis sex determination and male development are unknown. We observed precocious development of rhabditiform males in permissive hosts treated with corticosteroids, suggesting that steroid hormones can regulate male development. To examine differences in transcript abundance between free-living adult males and other developmental stages, we utilized RNA-Seq. We found two clusters of S. stercoralis-specific genes encoding predicted transmembrane proteins that are only expressed in free-living males. We additionally identified homologs of several genes important for sex determination in Caenorhabditis species, including mab-3, tra-1, fem-2, and sex-1, which may have similar functions. However, we identified three paralogs of gld-1; Ss-qki-1 transcripts were highly abundant in adult males, while Ss-qki-2 and Ss-qki-3 transcripts were highly abundant in adult females. We also identified paralogs of pumilio domain-containing proteins with sex-specific transcripts. Intriguingly, her-1 appears to have been lost in several parasite lineages, and we were unable to identify homologs of tra-2 outside of Caenorhabditis species. Together, our data suggest that different mechanisms control male development in S. stercoralis and Caenorhabditis species.
Conflicted: How Black women negotiate their responses to racial microaggressions at a historically White institution

Racial microaggressions are subtle, seemingly innocuous acts that target people of color. They have been found to have negative social, emotional, and psychological consequences, including increase...
Effects of a Peer-Mentoring Program on Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Stress

Purpose This study sought to examine the effects of a peer-mentoring program on first-year speech-language pathology graduate students' perceived stress levels. Method The researcher randomly assig...
Covid-19 Eviction Moratoriums and Eviction Filings: Evidence from New Orleans

Securing stable housing to prevent the spread of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic remains a concern among policymakers in the US. In this article, we provide a descriptive analysis of the association between COVID-19-related eviction moratoriums and eviction filings in New Orleans, Louisiana. Beginning in March 2020, four separate moratoriums were implemented at the local, state, and federal levels that sought to restrict eviction filings in New Orleans. We collected data on evictions filed from January 2017 through November 2020 in the First City Court of Orleans Parish, the entity responsible for adjudicating the majority of eviction filings in New Orleans. We then examined the association between the various eviction moratoriums, the number of evictions filed, the estimated number of evictions temporarily averted, and the average suit dollar amount for filed evictions. Our results indicate that local and state moratoriums were effective at temporarily halting eviction filings. Federal moratoriums offering fewer protections reduced eviction filings by approximately 50%. We estimate that COVID-19-related eviction moratoriums temporarily averted 2,492 eviction filings in New Orleans between March and November 2020. The average suit amount for eviction filings that resumed following the expiration of local and state moratoriums doubled from pre- COVID-19 filing amounts.
Laser beam guided magnetic scanning catheter for sonothrombolysis with real-time clot detection

Thrombosis diseases have become one of the primary causes of death globally. Existing thrombolysis techniques such as using tPA (or tissue plasminogen activators) for successful dissolution of large thrombus often have a slow therapy time and complications including excessive bleeding. Besides, it is challenging to track the real-time clot location without using x-ray fluoroscopy. Here we report a novel magnetically driven scanning catheter device that integrates a stacked transducer, a tiny ring magnet, and fiber-optic laser sensors for clot spot tracking during the thrombolysis process. The magnetic scanning motion of the catheter induced by the rotational magnetic field is expected to extend the treatment region and improve thrombolysis efficiency.
Introduction to mechanisms of DNA damage and repair

From a pessimistic point of view, biological systems are surrounded by an unfriendly medium, the oxygen atmosphere.1 They are also exposed to damaging solar2 and cosmic radiations.3 Food, the basic source of life-sustaining bio-energy, contains a variety of natural and cooking-induced carcinogens.4 In addition to these natural exposures, technological developments have resulted in man-made hazards from pollution.
The endogenous molecular clock orchestrates the temporal separation of substrate metabolism in skeletal muscle

Skeletal muscle is a major contributor to whole-body metabolism as it serves as a depot for both glucose and amino acids, and is a highly metabolically active tissue. Within skeletal muscle exists an intrinsic molecular clock mechanism that regulates the timing of physiological processes. A key function of the clock is to regulate the timing of metabolic processes to anticipate time of day changes in environmental conditions. The purpose of this study was to identify metabolic genes that are expressed in a circadian manner and determine if these genes are regulated downstream of the intrinsic molecular clock by assaying gene expression in an inducible skeletal muscle-specific Bmal1 knockout mouse model (iMS-Bmal1 −/− ). We used circadian statistics to analyze a publicly available, high-resolution time-course skeletal muscle expression dataset. Gene ontology analysis was utilized to identify enriched biological processes in the skeletal muscle circadian transcriptome. We generated a tamoxifen-inducible skeletal muscle-specific Bmal1 knockout mouse model and performed a time-course microarray experiment to identify gene expression changes downstream of the molecular clock. Wheel activity monitoring was used to assess circadian behavioral rhythms in iMS-Bmal1 −/− and control iMS-Bmal1 +/+ mice. The skeletal muscle circadian transcriptome was highly enriched for metabolic processes. Acrophase analysis of circadian metabolic genes revealed a temporal separation of genes involved in substrate utilization and storage over a 24-h period. A number of circadian metabolic genes were differentially expressed in the skeletal muscle of the iMS-Bmal1 −/− mice. The iMS-Bmal1 −/− mice displayed circadian behavioral rhythms indistinguishable from iMS-Bmal1 +/+ mice. We also observed a gene signature indicative of a fast to slow fiber-type shift and a more oxidative skeletal muscle in the iMS-Bmal1 −/− model. These data provide evidence that the intrinsic molecular clock in skeletal muscle temporally regulates genes involved in the utilization and storage of substrates independent of circadian activity. Disruption of this mechanism caused by phase shifts (that is, social jetlag) or night eating may ultimately diminish skeletal muscle’s ability to efficiently maintain metabolic homeostasis over a 24-h period.
The precancerous mouth lesions of avitaminosis B

Abstract The degenerative changes which occur in the oral mucous membranes as the result of avitaminosis B are discussed as to their etiology, symptomatology and treatment. The clinical material upon which this study is based is drawn from the general admissions to the Head and Neck Clinic of the Memorial Hospital and includes three special series in which dietary surveys were made. The significance of the mouth lesions of avitaminosis B is discussed from the standpoints of prophylaxis and treatment of mouth cancer.
Predicting Next Label Quality: A Time-Series Model of Crowdwork

While temporal behavioral patterns can be discerned to underlie real crowd work, prior studies have typically modeled worker performance under a simplified i.i.d. assumption. To better model such temporal worker behavior, we propose a time-series label prediction model for crowd work. This latent variable model captures and summarizes past worker behavior, enabling us to better predict the quality of each worker's next label. Given inherent uncertainty in prediction, we also investigate a decision reject option to balance the tradeoff between prediction accuracy vs. coverage. Results show our model improves accuracy of both label prediction on real crowd worker data, as well as data quality overall.
High-resolution biomedical gas chromatography : Determination of human urinary steroid metabolites using glass open tubular capillary columns

Abstract Recently developed analytical procedures for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of human urine for major and minor steroid metabolites are described. Steroid profile samples were obtained by enzymic hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase and sulfatase. Methoxime-trimethylsilyl ether derivatives of steroid metabolites were prepared; the recommended procedure converts all ketone groups (except the 11-one group) into methoxime groups and all hydroxyl groups into trimethylsilyl ether groups. These derivatives are thermally stable, readily volatilized, not subject to dehydration or adsorption on gas chromatographic columns, and suitable for both qualitative and quantitative analytical studies. Thermostable glass open tubular capillary columns, coated with the non-polar phase SE-30, and containing dispersed particles of silanized silicic acid, were used for the gas chromatographic separation. Illustrations of profiles for normal female and male subjects, and patients with a testosterone-secreting ovarian tumor, congenital adrenal insufficiency and a dehydroepiandrosterone-secreting adrenal tumor are included.
In search of an "Authentic" women's medicine: the strange fates of Trota of Salerno and Hildegard of Bingen.

Despite centuries of debate about the medieval medical writers Trota and Hildegard, there still remain widely disparate views of them in both popular and scholarly discourses. Their alternate dismissal or romanticization is not due to a simple contest between antifeminist and feminist tendencies. Rather, issues of gender have intersected in varying ways with other agendas (intellectual, nationalist, etc.). Recent philological researches have helped not only to clarify why these earlier interpretations were created in the first place, but also to raise our understanding of these women and their work to a new, higher level.
Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Protein Kinases

The two cyclic nucleotides, cAMP and cGMP, are ubiquitous intracellular second messengers. The discovery of cAMP by Earl Sutherland and the demonstration that this molecule plays a key role in the actions of many hormones established the entire field of second messenger signaling and revolutionized our understanding of cellular biochemistry. cGMP was subsequently identified and has also been shown to be an important second messenger for mediating specific signaling pathways. As our understanding of the physiology of cAMP and cGMP signaling pathways continues to grow, the opportunities for interventional therapies that target the intracellular receptors for cAMP and cGMP are also rapidly expanding. The intracellular concentrations of cAMP and cGMP are modulated in response to a panoply of hormonal and chemical signals, and the resulting changes in the levels of these nucleotides provide for the key roles of these molecules in regulating myriad physiological processes.
Hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster: nature and inheritance of P element regulation.

The genetic determination of the control of resistance or susceptibility to germ line changes mediated by P elements was studied in two strains and in derivatives of crosses between them. One strain, characterized as true M, completely lacked P elements. The second strain, pseudo- M (M'), carried a number of P elements, but these did not have the potential to induce the gonadal sterility that is associated with P-M hybrid dysgenesis. Individuals from the true M strain were invariably unable to suppress P factor activity (i.e., all daughters of outcrosses of M females and P males were sterile). In contrast, individuals from the M' strain showed variable degrees of suppression that were manifested in a wide range of gonadal sterility frequencies in standard tests. This continuous distribution pattern was reproducible for more than 25 generations.—The results of the genetic analysis indicate that a strain with a variable degree of suppression of gonadal dysgenesis is not necessarily in a transient state between the extreme conditions of P and M cytotype. A large variance in the ability to suppress gonadal dysgenesis with a mean value intermediate between the extremes of P and M cytotype may be a relatively stable strain characteristic. No reciprocal cross effect was observed in the suppression of sterility of F1 females from M x M' matings. Thus, the existence of M' strains indicates a Mendelian component in P element regulation and suggests that cytotype, which has an extrachromosomal aspect, may be only one of perhaps several mechanisms involved in regulation. Analysis of the effects of individual chromosomes from the M' strain showed that each chromosome contributed to the reduction of gonadal dysgenesis in the progeny of test matings. The results are consistent with a one-component titration model for P element regulation.
On CNDO bond indices and relations to molecular energies

An empirical bond strength index is proposed which makes use of the CNDO orbital bond orders in a way appropriate for molecular summation. The index properly summed over all bonds is shown capable of precisely correlating the stabilities of a variety of hydrocarbons as reflected by their heats of formation. Analysis of the form of the relationship between the heats and indices, and comparisons with a similar correlation of stabilities with total binding energies as computed by the CNDO method, reveals the bond indices as precise measures of the two-center molecular energies. Exchange contributions which are dependent upon the square of bond-order terms, electron-nuclear attractions and electron-electron and nuclear-nuclear repulsions are shown to quite precisely cancel each other as contributions to the heats. Effects of structure (ring vs. chain configuration) and hybridization are analyzed with respect to their contributions to the binding energies and hence to the heats of formation.
Formylation of tetrahydrofolate by formyl phosphate

Formyl phosphate is the putative intermediate in the formylation of tetrahydrofolate (THF) catalyzed by N10-formylTHF synthetase. In this study the non-enzymic reaction between formyl phosphate and THF was examined at 5°C. 1H-NMR, HPLC and kinetic analysis of the proton-catalyzed conversion of the product to N5,10-methenylTHF were used to identify the product. In contrast to the enzyme reaction, which produces N10-form-ylTHF, N5-formylTHF was the only formylated THF derivative formed. The reaction was conducted at pH values of 3, 5, and 7, with the highest yield being obtained at pH 5 (64–85%, based on THF). The enzyme, therefore, changes the regioselectivity of this reaction by increasing the reactivity of the 10-nitrogen and either decreasing the reactivity of the 5-nitrogen or limiting its accessibility to formyl phosphate. 2-Mercaptoethanol, present in the reaction mixture to protect THF from O2, was also formylated by formyl phosphate, at the oxygen position.
The cumulative effects of different stimulus repitition rates on the auditory evoked response in man

Abstract Experiments were designed so that a test stimulus was presented each 5.5 sec and a fixed silent interval (approx. 1 sec in duration) preceded its onset. Stimuli delivered at various repetition rates were interposed between successive test stimuli. Their effects on the N 1 P 2 amplitudes and latencies recorded for the test stimulus were investigated. Because of the fixed silent interval, the influence of extremely rapid rates of intervening stimulation could be studied since there was always some degree of N 1 P 2 recovery. Both tone-bursts and noise-bursts were employed. The results showed that the N 1 P 2 component of the auditory evoked response was reduced in amplitude as the presentation rate of intervening stimuli was increased from 1/4 sec to 10/sec. Further increases in repitition rate reversed this trend. Indeed, sounds presented at 25/sec appeared to be treated by the neural mechanism underlying N 1 P 2 as if they formed a continuous sound. Response amplitudes associated with both conditions were nearly identical. Response latencies were reduced when the test stimulus was preceded by slowly and periodically presented stimuli compared to those recorded when no stimuli intervened between successive test stimuli. This was interpreted to mean that the intervening stimuli “alerted” the auditory nervous system to the impending arrival of the test stimulus.
Physiological identification of afferent fibers and postsynaptic sensory neurons in the spinal cord of the intact, awake cat

A method was developed to record from spinal cord cells in the awake, intact, partially restrained cat. Units were classified as afferent fibers or postsynaptic cells based on their ability to follow 100-Hz peripheral stimulation, the duration and configuration of the action potential waveform, and the number of spikes evoked by a single electrical pulse. These criteria are supported by independent observations of the location of the recording site, size of the receptive field, and adequate stimulus. Of 84 cutaneously activated units, 29 were classified as afferent fibers, 28 as postsynaptic cells, and 27 were not classified. No cutaneously activated unit was spontaneously active. In contrast, all 28 units (7 postsynaptic and 2 1 not classified) responding to joint position or movement were spontaneously active (5 to 40 Hz). No unit responded to both cutaneous and proprioceptive inputs. Evidence for convergence of cutaneous input from different types of receptors was limited to five postsynaptic neurons that responded to hair movement and to stimuli applied to the skin; two of these cells responded differentially to noxious pinch. Two of 24 postsynaptic cutaneous units ceased responding to electrical cutaneous stimuli when the cat was eating. The responses of 29 primary afferent fibers were not altered by the behavior of the cat. These results suggest that, in the awake cat (i) criteria based on neuronal responsiveness and action potential waveform can be used to distinguish adequately between afferent fibers and postsynaptic cells; and (ii) there is a tonic inhibitory control, greater than in the anesthetized or spinally transected cat, that varies with behavioral state and is directed primarily at spinal neurons receiving cutaneous input.
Relating data practices, types, and curation functions: an empirically derived framework

We present a general conceptual framework that maps relationships and dependencies among scientific data practices, types of data produced and used, and associated curation activities. As part of the Data Conservancy initiative, the framework is being elaborated through empirical studies of data practices in the earth sciences and life science and validated against use cases as curatorial services are developed around data being prepared for ingest into the repository. The framework can be applied more broadly for identifying and representing curation requirements and to support description and assessment of existing or planned curation infrastructure and services. It will support full accounts of the data products and workflows required to maintain the coherence and context of complex data collections.
Synthesis of Quinazolines from N-(2-nitrophenylsulfonyl)iminodiacetate and α-(2-Nitrophenylsulfonyl)amino Ketones via 2H-Indazole 1-Oxides

Base-catalyzed rearrangement of 2H-indazoles 1-oxides, prepared by tandem carbon-carbon followed by nitrogen-nitrogen bond formations from easily accessible N-alkyl-2-nitro-N-(2-oxo-2-aryl-ethyl)-benzenesulfonamides using glycine, 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chlorides, and bromo ketones/acetates, yielded high purity quinazolines.
Powering Exploration: The Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle and Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Constellation Program is depending on the Ares Projects to deliver the crew and cargo launch capabilities needed to send human explorers to the Moon and beyond. The Ares Projects continue to make progress toward design, component testing, and early flight testing of the Ares I crew launch vehicle, as well as early design work for Ares V cargo launch vehicle. Ares I and Ares V will form the core space launch capabilities the United States needs to continue its pioneering tradition as a spacefaring nation. This paper will discuss programmatic, design, fabrication, and testing progress toward building these new launch vehicles.
Effective Learning Environments and the Use of Teaching Fellows in Alternative Urban Middle Schools

The use of recent college graduates as uncertified classroom teachers has increased in recent years, with the growth of Teach for America, alternative certification routes for teachers, and alternative schools for urban children placed at risk. Few studies to date have investigated the effects of using these inexperienced teachers on the quality of classroom instruction and student engagement in learning. This study examines the effectiveness of using uncertified teaching fellows in alternative urban middle schools that employ the NativityMiguel educational model. Results support the value of using such teachers, provided they are well prepared, mentored, and given appropriate teaching responsibilities as they become more proficient in the classroom. Implications for practice in urban schools are discussed.
International user research in product development cycle

As an increasing number of software products enter the global market, the popularity of international user research is on the rise. Though the concept of studying international users to inform global designs is clear-cut, the actual practice is not. There are many open questions and challenges present, such as, in what stages of the development cycle and using what methods should international research be done? How might different language interfaces be studied? In this SIG, we will review actual case studies focused on international user research, and discuss best practices for conducting international user research to maximize global usability and ROI.
Substance abuse in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder : therapeutic implications.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder in children that frequently persists into adulthood. Studies have found that substance use disorders (SUD) are seen more commonly in those with ADHD than the general population. Although treatment with stimulant medications has been shown to be effective for individuals with ADHD, concern about the use of these agents in this population persists. This review article highlights the research in this area with a focus on the treatment of individuals who present with concomitant ADHD and SUD. Although stimulants can be abused, studies have shown that adolescents who are prescribed stimulants for ADHD have lower rates of SUD than those who are not treated with stimulants. It may be particularly difficult to evaluate adults for the diagnosis of ADHD when SUD is a co-morbid factor. Studies show that 20–30% of adults presenting with SUD have concomitant ADHD and approximately 20–40% of adults with ADHD have histories of SUD. Therefore, it is critical to perform careful diagnostic interviews to discern if patients have either or both of these disorders. Many clinical experts suggest that adults with ADHD and active SUD be treated for the SUD until a period of sobriety persists prior to initiation of specific treatment for ADHD. Since individuals with ADHD and active SUD are more likely to have more severe SUD and a worse prognosis, this approach may not serve many patients, as they relapse prior to obtaining ADHD treatment. Therefore, research has been directed towards determining if the treatment of ADHD with stimulant medications can be safe and effective for the individual with active SUD and concomitant ADHD. An initial trial of methylphenidate in a population of adults with active cocaine dependence and ADHD indicates that this is the case. Individuals with ADHD and SUD can present difficult diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. It appears that the most effective treatment option is to create a programme that uses the most effective treatment modalities available, including both behavioural and medical therapies, along with close supervision and monitoring. Newer medical treatment options of long-acting stimulants and non-stimulants (e.g. atomoxetine) offer effective treatment with a lower risk of abuse potential.
Social boundaries in a Malagasy prosimian, the Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)

Using focal animal samples, the social organization of sifakas was studied in two forests for 2500 hr spread over 18 months. Data were also obtained on the size and composition of groups at two other sites. The size and adult sex ratio of groups varied widely within populations, although population-wide sex ratios approached unity. During the brief annual mating season, some males mated with females belonging to other groups. The response of both male and female group members to the approach of a nongroup male appeared to depend on his identity. It is argued that while group size may be constrained by the availability of resources, group composition reflects the effects of small-sample demographic variations rather than the outcome of reproductive competition among or between males and females. Spatial boundaries of groups do not coincide with social or reproductive boundaries even within a single breeding season; further study is needed of the processes whereby relationships are established and maintained between individuals from different groups.
A Tale of Tails: How Histone Tails Mediate Chromatin Compaction in Different Salt and Linker Histone Environments†

Monte Carlo methods. Analyses of the resulting ensembles reveal a dynamic synergism between the histone tails, linker histones, and ions in forming compact higher-order structures of chromatin. In the presence of monovalent salt alone, oligonucleosomes remain relatively unfolded, and the histone tails do not mediate many internucleosomal interactions. Upon the addition of linker histones and divalent cations, the oligonucleosomes undergo a significant compaction triggered by a dramatic increase in the internucleosomal interactions mediated by the histone tails, formation of a rigid linker DNA “stem” around the linker histones’ C-terminal domains, and reduction in the electrostatic repulsion between linker DNAs via sharp bending in some linker DNAs caused by the divalent cations. Among all histone tails, the H4 tails mediate the most internucleosomal interactions, consistent with experimental observations, followed by the H3, H2A, and H2B tails in decreasing order. Apart from mediating internucleosomal interactions, the H3 tails also contribute to chromatin compaction by attaching to the entering and exiting linker DNA to screen electrotatic repulsion among the linker DNAs. This tendency of the H3 tails to attach to linker DNA, however, decreases significantly upon the addition of linker histones due to competition effects. The H2A and H2B tails do not mediate significant internucleosomal interactions but are important for mediating fiber/fiber intractions, especially in relatively unfolded chromatin in monovalent salt environments.
Reduction of Intraoperative Myocardial Infarction by Means of Exogenous Anaerobic Substrate Enhancement: Prospective Randomized Study

Abstract In a prospective study, patients who had an ejection fraction of 40% or more and who were undergoing elective coronary artery operation were randomly divided into three groups that differed in the method of anaerobic substrate enhancement during cardiopulmonary bypass. Group 1, the controls (n = 157), received no additional glucose, insulin, and potassium solutions and experienced immediate spontaneous defibrillation (10%), transmural myocardial infarction (10.3%), malignant ventricular arrhythmias (26%), and severe atrial arrhythmias (20%). Group 2 (n = 120) received a bolus of hypertonic glucose, insulin, and potassium in the pump perfusate before aortic cross-clamping. In this group, the rate of spontaneous defibrillation was 41%, of transmural infarction, 8.3%, of malignant ventricular arrhythmias, 31%, and of severe atrial arrhythmias, 19%. Group 3 (n = 114) had the aortic root continuously infused with glucose, insulin, and potassium solution at 4° during aortic cross-clamping. This group was significantly improved; the rate of spontaneous defibrillation was 60%, there were no transmural myocardial infarctions and the incidence of severe atrial arrhythmias was 6% and that of malignant ventricular arrhythmias, 5%. It is proposed that the superior clinical results in Group 3 resulted from better myocardial preservation achieved by more efficient means of providing continuous anaerobic substrate, coronary washout, and elution of lactic acidosis, uniform global hypothermia, and direct supplemental myocardial potassium in addition to mere cardioplegic effects.
Urban Politics, Governing Nonprofits, and Community Revitalization

Drawing on work by Schattschneider (1960) and Baumgartner and Jones (1993) and examining governing nonprofits in three U.S. cities, the authors assert that governing nonprofits can provide a platform for restructuring political agendas. They take on roles and responsibilities traditionally reserved for the government, and they forge coalitions among and across groups, organizations, and sectors to address societal problems. These organizations require broad community support, embrace flexible policy agendas, and operate in the public domain. The success of governing nonprofits also lies in their ability to foster positive linkages with the local leadership without becoming completely identified with local authorities.
The isolation and properties of heparitin sulfate from human umbilical cord tissues.

Heparitin sulfate has been isolated from human umbilical cords in a yield of approx. 0.07% of the dry weight of tissue. Heparin was not detected, and if present, it is believed to be in considerably lower concentrations than heparitin sulfate. The isolated heparitin sulfate showed similarity to the material obtained from human aortic tissue in having low total and N-sulfate contents and relatively slow electro-phoretic mobility. Reaction of the preparation with HNO2 gave products which indicated structural similarly to the molecular formulation proposed previously for bovine lung heparitin sulfate9, although the umbilical cord substace contained fewer ester sulfate groups on the N-acetylated glucosamine-containing sections and a larger proportion of such sections which carried multiple uronosyl-N-acetyl glucosamine repeating units.
The phase transition in a one-dimensional lattice of axisymmetric bodies

The partition function is studied for an array of axisymmetric, hard bodies (capped cylinders, etc.) with each fixed at the base on a regular one-dimensional lattice. It is shown that if a phase transition occurs in a system ofn molecules, then it also occurs in a system of two molecules for the same value of the spacing parameter. With certain additional technical assumptions the converse is also true. Results are reported specifically for a system of thin, hard rods. Necessary and sufficient conditions are shown for a first-order transition to occur in the thermodynamic limit; there is only one transition and that happens when the spacing parameter is equal to the length of the rod. As expected, there is no phase transition when the rod is contracted to a point.