cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Oxidative Stress in the Pathological Sequelae of Alzheimer Disease

Oxidative stress and damage are accepted features of degenerating and at risk neuronal populations in Alzheimer disease (Smith et al., 1994a,b, 1995a, 1996a, 1997a,b; Sayre et al., 1997a). Nonetheless, there is controversy concerning how oxidative stress meshes with currently accepted disease hypotheses as well as whether oxidative stress is an initiator of the disease or is instead a result of the disease process (Figure 1).
Secondary Wall Regulating NACs Differentially Bind at the Promoter at a CELLULOSE SYNTHASE A4 Cis-eQTL.

Arabidopsis thaliana CELLULOSE SYNTHASE A4/7/8 (CESA4/7/8) are three non-redundant subunits of the secondary cell wall cellulose synthase complex. Transcript abundance of these genes can vary among genotypes and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) were identified in a recombinant population of the accessions Bay-0 and Shahdara. Genetic mapping and analysis of the transcript levels of CESAs between two distinct near isogenic lines (NILs) confirmed a change in CESA4 expression that segregates within that interval. We sequenced the promoters and identified 16 polymorphisms differentiating CESA4Sha and CESA4Bay . In order to determine which of these SNPs could be responsible for this eQTL, we screened for transcription factor protein affinity with promoter fragments of CESA4Bay, CESA4Sha , and the reference genome CESA4Col . The wall thickening activator proteins NAC SECONDARY WALL THICKENING PROMOTING FACTOR2 (NST2) and NST3 exhibited a decrease in binding with the CESA4Sha promoter with a tracheary element-regulating cis-element (TERE) polymorphism. While NILs harboring the TERE polymorphisms exhibited significantly different CESA4 expression, cellulose crystallinity and cell wall thickness were indistinguishable. These results suggest that the TERE polymorphism resulted in differential transcription factor binding and CESA4 expression; yet A. thaliana is able to tolerate this transcriptional variability without compromising the structural elements of the plant, providing insight into the elasticity of gene regulation as it pertains to cell wall biosynthesis and regulation. We also explored available DNA affinity purification sequencing data to resolve a core binding site, C(G/T)TNNNNNNNA(A/C)G, for secondary wall NACs referred to as the VNS element.
Pencils of Rays and the Sieve of Eratosthenes.

A DISCUSSION of a geometric inter pretation of the sieve of Eratosthenes has been given by Danilo Blanuza.1 In Figure 1 an example is given. The basic elements needed for his con struction consist of a pair of parallel lines b and c and a point A the same distance, d, from b as is c and such that A and c are on opposite sides of b. On a perpendicular from A to c a sequence of points Ak is es tablished by constructing Ak for fc ? 2 at a distance d/(k ? 1) from b in the direc tion of A. On the lines b and c we mark off se quences of equally spaced points, denoted by Bk and Ck} respectively, where both of the points Bk and Ck are k units fropi and on the same side of the perpendicular. It follows from a consideration of the similar -?
Structure-based virtual screening leading to discovery of highly selective butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors with solanaceous alkaloid scaffolds.

Abstract According to recent research advance, it is interesting to identify new, potent and selective inhibitors of human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) for therapeutic treatment of both the Alzheimer's disease (AD) and heroin abuse. In this study, we carried out a structure-based virtual screening followed by in vitro activity assays, with the goal to identify new inhibitors that are selective for BChE over acetylcholinesterase (AChE). As a result, a set of new, selective inhibitors of human BChE were identified from natural products with solanaceous alkaloid scaffolds. The most active one of the natural products (compound 1) identified has an IC50 of 16.8 nM against BChE. It has been demonstrated that the desirable selectivity of these inhibitors for BChE over AChE is mainly controlled by three key residues in the active site cavity, i.e. residues Q119, A277, and A328 in BChE versus the respective residues Y124, W286, and Y337 in AChE. Based on this structural insight, future rational design of new, potent and selective BChE inhibitors may focus on these key structural differences in the active site cavity.
Influence of metachronal wave on hyperbolic tangent fluid model with inclined magnetic field

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theoretical study of a nonlinear problem of cilia induced flow by considering the fluid as anincompressible non-Newtonian fluid (hyperbolic tangent fluid...
Identifying Misfitting Achievement Estimates in Performance Assessments: An Illustration Using Rasch and Mokken Scale Analyses

Researchers apply individual person fit analyses as a procedure for checking model-data fit for individual test-takers. When a test-taker misfits, it means that the inferences from their test score...
Translational Potential of Rats in Research

Abstract Rats have made significant contributions to investigations into human disease. Their relative size, intelligence, docile nature, and physiological similarity to humans have made them preferred models for pharmacology, toxicology, neurobiology, and cardiovascular studies. While mice have historically been the preferred species for genetic studies, advancements in gene targeting technologies in the rat have significantly closed the gap. Indeed, the past two decades have seen major advances in our understanding of human disease using rats as research models, including the translational success of therapies for heart failure, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, and diabetes. The advantages of the rat as a model of human disease, and the continued proof of the success of this model, make it likely that rats will remain one of the most widely used species for biomedical and pharmaceutical research for years to come.
Strategies for nonviral nanoparticle-based delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 therapeutics.

CRISPR-based genome editing technology has become an important potential therapeutic tool for various diseases. A vital challenge is to reach a safe, efficient, and clinically suitable delivery of a CRISPR-associated protein and a single-guide RNA. A possible translational approach to applying CRISPR-based technology is the use of viral vectors such as adeno-associated virus. However, such vectors give long-term exposure in vivo that may increase potential off-target effects as well as the risk of immunogenicity. Therefore, limitations to clinical applications are addressed using nonviral delivery systems such as nanoparticle-based delivery strategies. Today, the nanoparticle-based delivery approach is becoming more and more attractive in gene therapeutics because of its specific targeting, scale-up efficiency, efficacy of customization, minor stimulation of immune response, and minimal exposure to nucleases. In this review, we will present the most recent advances in developing innovations and potential advantages of the nanoparticle delivery system in CRISPR genome editing. We will also propose potential strategies of CRISPR-based technology for therapeutic and industrial applications. Our review will differ in focus from previous reviews and advance the literature on the subject by (a) focusing on the challenges of the CRISPR/Cas9 delivery system; (b) focusing on the application of nanoparticle-based delivery of CRISPR components (Cas9 and sgRNA), such as lipids and polymeric vectors; (c) discussing the potential nanoparticle-based delivery approaches for CRISPR/Cas9 application. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.
Barriers to the Implementation of State Concussion Laws Within High Schools

Abstract Purpose All 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia enacted concussion laws between 2009 and 2014 to mitigate the consequences of concussion among children and adolescents. In response, many high schools started to implement their respective state law that includes three main tenets: (1) concussion education, (2) removal from play, and (3) return-to-play. We aimed to identify barriers to the implementation of these tenets at the school level. Methods We conducted 64 semistructured telephone interviews with high school athletic trainers from 26 states and the District of Columbia whose school participated in High School Reporting Information Online during the 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 academic years. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results All 64 high schools employed at least one athletic trainer, and most schools were public schools (90.6%). Implementation barriers to the concussion education tenet were (1) lack of quality education, (2) lack of buy-in to educational requirements, and (3) lack of time for and attendance at educational meetings. Implementation barriers to the removal from play tenet included (1) athletes underreporting concussion symptoms, (2) lack of communication, (3) resistance from parents and coaches, and (4) sport culture and “old school” mentality. Finally, (1) cost of and access to medical care, (2) resistance from stakeholders, and (3) lack of understanding of concussion were identified as implementation barriers to the return-to-play tenet. Conclusions Identification of implementation barriers is key to the successful execution and application of state concussion laws at the school level. Future research should identify strategies to reduce these barriers.
Fashioning Fabulation: Dress, Gesture and the Queer Aesthetics of Mumbai Pride

India’s ongoing legal movement to decriminalise ‘gay sex’ has been witness to the simultaneous sanitisation of queer spaces. From Pride parades declaring ‘no nanga naach, no flamboyance’ to quotidi...
Changes in mean arterial pressure and end-tidal carbon dioxide content affect venous sinus pressures in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a randomized study

Introduction Little is known about how changes in physiologic parameters affect venous sinus pressure measurements, waveforms, or gradients associated with sinus stenosis. Objective To evaluate the effect of changes in cardiovascular and respiratory physiologic parameters on venous sinus pressure and caliber measurements in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) undergoing venous sinus stenting. Methods In a prospective, randomized pilot study, eight patients with IIH undergoing venous sinus stenting were randomized to one of two groups. Under general anesthesia, patients underwent venous manometry and waveform recordings twice in succession based on assigned physiologic groups immediately before stenting. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) group maintained normocapnia but modified MAPs in two arms to control for temporal confounding: group A1 (MAP 60-80 mm Hg then 100–110 mm Hg) and group A2 (MAP 100-110 mm Hg then 60–80 mm Hg). The end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) group maintained a high-normal MAP similar to standard neuroanesthesia goals and modified EtCO2: group B1 (EtCO2 24–26 mm Hg then 38–40 mm Hg) and B2 (EtCO2 28–40 mm Hg then 24–26 mm Hg). Results In group A, superior sagittal sinus (SSS) pressures (ranging from 8 to 76 mm Hg) and trans-stenotic pressure gradients (TSPGs) (ranging from 2 to 67 mm Hg) were seen at MAP of 100–110 mm Hg compared with SSS pressures (4–38 mm Hg) and TSPGs (3–31 mm Hg) at 60–80 mm Hg. In group B, SSS pressures and TSPGs were considerably higher at EtCO2 levels of 38–40 mm Hg (15–57 mm Hg and 3–44 mm Hg, respectively) than at 24–26 mm Hg (8–26 mm Hg and 1–8 mm Hg, respectively). Conclusions Despite the small sample size, this pilot study demonstrates a dramatic effect of both MAP and EtCO2 on venous sinus pressures obtained during venography. These findings underscore the importance of maintaining normal physiologic cardiovascular and respiratory parameters during venous sinus manometry.
Molecular basis for membrane pore formation by Bax protein carboxyl terminus.

Bax protein plays a key role in mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and cytochrome c release upon apoptosis. Our recent data have indicated that the 20-residue C-terminal peptide of Bax (BaxC-KK; VTIFVAGVLTASLTIWKKMG), when expressed intracellularly, translocates to the mitochondria and exerts lethal effect on cancer cells. Moreover, the BaxC-KK peptide, as well as two mutants where the two lysines are replaced with glutamate (BaxC-EE) or leucine (BaxC-LL), have been shown to form relatively large pores in lipid membranes, composed of up to eight peptide molecules per pore. Here the pore structure is analyzed by polarized Fourier transform infrared, circular dichroism, and fluorescence experiments on the peptides reconstituted in phospholipid membranes. The peptides assume an α/β-type secondary structure within membranes. Both β-strands and α-helices are significantly (by 30-60 deg) tilted relative to the membrane normal. The tryptophan residue embeds into zwitterionic membranes at 8-9 A from the membrane center. The membrane anionic charge causes a deeper insertion of tryptophan for BaxC-KK and BaxC-LL but not for BaxC-EE. Combined with the pore stoichiometry determined earlier, these structural constraints allow construction of a model of the pore where eight peptide molecules form an "α/β-ring" structure within the membrane. These results identify a strong membranotropic activity of Bax C-terminus and propose a new mechanism by which peptides can efficiently perforate cell membranes. Knowledge on the pore forming mechanism of the peptide may facilitate development of peptide-based therapies to kill cancer or other detrimental cells such as bacteria or fungi.
Ethics in Photovoice: A Response to Teti

Much has been written about the Photovoice method. With the pervasive uptake of this method, debates about its use and ethical considerations will continue to permeate qualitative researchers’ work...
Synthesis, characterization and dielectric studies of poly(1-naphthylamine)–tungsten disulphide nanocomposites

Here, novel poly(1-naphthylamine)–tungsten disulphide (PNA–WS2) nanocomposites were synthesized through an in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of 1-naphthylamine in the presence of ultrasonically dispersed WS2. The effect of WS2 addition on the optoelectrical, morphological and thermal properties of PNA was studied by using different analytical tools. SEM images revealed that PNA aggregates are well supported on the dispersed WS2 sheets. The formation of a fibrous network of PNA over the dispersed WS2 layers evidenced from the TEM images has suggested larger surface area and better interfacial interaction between PNA and incorporated WS2 layers. The thermal stability was improved upon the incorporation of WS2. Optical bandgap values of PNA–WS2 nanocomposites were lower than that of bulk WS2 and pristine PNA. Electrical and dielectric studies have confirmed an improvement in conductivity and dielectric properties with increasing WS2 content, which was credited to the better charge transport between the polar backbone of PNA and charged surface of dispersed WS2 due to enhanced interfacial area and electrostatic interactions between the components. A maximum AC conductivity of 4.4 × 10–3 Sm−1 was displayed by nanocomposite containing 20% WS2 loading and a further increase in WS2 content showed a detrimental effect in electrical and dielectric properties. The present study has demonstrated that optical and dielectric properties of composites can be readily tuned by proper control of the composition and dispersion of WS2 within the PNA matrix.
Early Results from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing of Healthcare Workers at an Academic Medical Center in New York City.

COVID-19 RT-PCR employee-testing was implemented across NYU Langone. Over eight-weeks, 14,764 employees were tested: 33% of symptomatic employees, 8% of asymptomatic employees reporting COVID-19 exposure, 3% of employees returning to work were positive. Positivity rates declined over time possibly reflecting the importance of community transmission and efficacy of PPE.
Fast and Guaranteed Safe Controller Synthesis for Nonlinear Vehicle Models

We address the problem of synthesizing a controller for nonlinear systems with reach-avoid requirements. Our controller consists of a reference controller and a tracking controller which drives the actual trajectory to follow the reference trajectory. We identify a type of reference trajectory such that the tracking error between the actual trajectory of the closed-loop system and the reference trajectory can be bounded. Moreover, such a bound on the tracking error is independent of the reference trajectory. Using such bounds on the tracking error, we propose a method that can find a reference trajectory by solving a satisfiability problem over linear constraints. Our overall algorithm guarantees that the resulting controller can make sure every trajectory from the initial set of the system satisfies the given reach-avoid requirement. We also implement our technique in a tool FACTEST. We show that FACTEST can find controllers for four vehicle models (3–6 dimensional state space and 2–4 dimensional input space) across eight scenarios (with up to 22 obstacles), all with running time at the sub-second range.
Learning environment and students’ classroom behavior differences between effective, average, and ineffective urban elementary schools for Hispanic students

This study examined whether there are significant differences between effective, average, and ineffective urban schools with regard to (a) students’ classroom behavior and (b) students’ perceptions of their classroom learning environment. Students from four effective, average, and ineffective urban elementary schools that served predominantly Hispanic students were systematically observed during the school year and completed a learning environment survey about 6 weeks before the end of the school year. The classroom learning environment results revealed that students from the effective schools reported significantly higher involvement, teacher support, task orientation, and order and organization than students from the average and ineffective schools. Students from the effective schools also reported significantly higher affiliation than students from the ineffective schools. The classroom observation findings revealed that students from the effective schools were observed significantly more: (a) interacting with their teachers, (b) working or written assignments, and (c) on task than students from average and ineffective schools.
Beauty and the Beast: the original story by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve: edited and translated by Aurora Wolfgang, The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series, 74, Toronto, Ontario, Iter Press, 2020, 191 pages, $41.95, ISBN: 9780866986274

For over thirty years, “The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe” series has brought to light texts that had been erased from literary history and revived the contexts and conversations in which thes...
Mandatory Minimum Reforms, Sentencing, and Racial-Ethnic Disparities

Over the last 20 years, numerous states and the federal government enacted mandatory minimum reforms, especially for drug offenses. Yet little is known about how effective these reforms have been at the state-level in lowering drug sentences. Using quasi-experimental methods and administrative data, this study evaluates the impact of state-level mandatory minimum reforms on drug sentences and their concomitant racial-ethnic disparities. We find that state-level mandatory minimum reforms do not lower drug sentences in general or change racial-ethnic disparities statistically significantly. These findings suggest that the profound racial-ethnic bias sparked by state-level mandatory minimums are not fully ameliorated by subsequent state-level reforms.
Margarete’s Innocence and the Guilt of Faust

The deeper logic of the so-called “Gretchen tragedy” only becomes visible when the events are investigated in the context of the European epic system. Margarete’s guilt, as well as the guilt of her typological precursors (Medea, Dido, Eve) cannot be solved without considering the role of the man in what happens, including the killing of the child.
Optimal Control for a Class of Interconnected Discrete-Time Systems with Parameter Uncertainty

A large-scale interconnected discrete-time system is considered. This system consists of three interconnected discrete-time subsystems x 1 , X 2 , and X 3 where x 2 and X 3 can be directly controlled with the controls u 2 and u 3 respectively while x 1 is being controlled through the subsystems X 2 and X 3 . Also it is assumed that the subsystem x 1 has an uncertain parameter. In the following, controls u 2 and u 3 are designed such that a given cost functional and also the sensitivity of the system with respect to the uncertain parameter is minimized.
Testing of Performance of a Scroll Pump in Support of Improved Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal (VPCAR) Mass Reduction

This paper describes the results of ground testing of a scroll pump with a potential of being a substitute for the current vacuum pump of the Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Reduction (VPCAR). Assessments of the pressure-time, pump-down time, pump power and the pump noise were made for three configurations of the pump the first of which was without the gas ballast, the second with the gas ballast installed but not operating and the third with the gas ballast operating. The tested scroll pump exhibited optimum characteristics given its mass and power requirements. The pump down time required to reach a pressure of 50 Torr ranged from 60 minutes without the ballast to about 120 minutes with the gas ballast operational. The noise emission and the pump power were assessed in this paper as well.
Skeletal myogenesis: Control of proliferation in a normal cell lineage☆

Abstract The fates of 10-day chick embryo myogenic cell populations cultured in conditions that maximize or suppress proliferation or fusion were examined. The repression of the cell cycle, prevalence of fusible cells, or expression of myofibril formation were monitored by autoradiography, counts of myotube nuclei, staining with fluorescein-labelled antibody against skeletal myosin heavy chain, or electron microscopy. Using a calcium chelator (EGTA) to block cell fusion did not prevent the accumulation of myoblasts blocked in G1 of the cell cycle that initiated skeletal myosin synthesis and myofibril formation. Trypsinization, dilution, and daily feeding with fresh medium and serum did not reverse this cell cycle block. Using cytochalasin B (CB) as an alternative fusion block confirmed these results. Using fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR) to prevent the cycling of myogenic cells that normally would have multiplied in vitro did not prompt these cells to fuse. Muscle-conditioned medium could not prompt a switch in the commitment of replicating cells when in G1 to terminal differentiation. The indications are that myogenic cell populations contain definite mixtures of precursor phenotypes. The terminal phenotype is initiated coordinately with a relatively stable cue for the repression of the cell cycle. Differentiation-specified growth control is discussed within the context of a set of growth control mechanisms known to operate in culture.
The system requirements and process impact of event-based marketing in financial services

This paper identifies the system requirements and marketing process impacts of trigger or event-based marketing in promoting products and services in a financial services organisation.
Corticifugal influences on reticular formation evoked activity in cats.

Abstract Corticifugal influences descending through the subthalamus have been postulated to be responsible for its role in determining the excitability of the reticular formation (RF) and maintaining the attentive, affective and motor behavior of the animal. Support for this concept comes from acute experiments involving cooling of the secondary somatosensory cortex (SSII) in unanesthetized, immobilized cats. Bilateral cooling of SSII reduced the amplitude of sciatic evoked potentials (EP) along the length of the brain stem RF, though reductions in EP of midbrain RF were more consistent than those in the medullary RF. Sciatic EP in sensory and motor areas at comparable levels of the neuraxis, including ventralis posterior lateralis, showed little or no change. These results suggest that the cortex can exert tonic facilitatory influences on the RF. Cooling of SSII also decreased the amount of inhibitory interaction between paired sciatic EP in the RF which implies an interference with phasic, inhibitory influences. Extirpation of SSII had much the same effect as cooling in reducing sciatic EP in the RF. Unilateral removal of SSII produced a significant decrease in sciatic EP; subsequent removal of contralateral SSII resulted in still more reduction implying that these corticifugal influences originate bilaterally, though the ipsilateral projection may be more pronounced. Persistence of sciatic EP in the RF after bilateral extirpation or pro-longed cooling of SSII suggests that other areas of the cortex are also involved in determining the excitability of the RF to entering sensory input.
Measurement of tissue folates: A comparison of radioassay and microbiological methods

Abstract A radioassay method for measuring the folate concentration of tissues is described. This procedure uses the folate-binding protein in beta-lactoglobulin, 3 H-pteroylglutamatic acid and unlabeled 5-methyltetrahydrofolate as the standard and has a lower detection limit of 0.1 ng. The folate levels in rat liver determined by the radioassay were not significantly different from those measured by the microbiological assay using Lactobacillus casei as the test organism. Furthermore, deconjugation of the polyglutamyl folate compounds in the tissue was not necessary to measure the total folate pool by radioassay. This radioassay could prove to be useful in determining the folate content of small tissue samples and tissues containing antibiotics of folate antimetabolites.
Role of the Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator in the Post-myocardial Infarction Patient

Patients with a myocardial infarction are at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death largely due to ventricular arrhythmias associated with myocardial scarring. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have been established as the best available treatment for the secondary prevention of an arrhythmic death in patients at high risk. This includes patients who have survived sudden cardiac death, have had sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, or have had syncope assumed to be due to a ventricular arrhythmia. High-risk features of patients with infarction without a previous arrhythmic event who qualify for a primary prevention ICD are an ejection fraction (EF) 40 days following the acute myocardial infarction. Despite the establishment of the guidelines, current clinical practice has revealed that ICDs are underutilized in patients who qualify. This article reviews the ICD implantation guidelines to encourage the appropriate use of the device.
DC-Plasma Polymerization of Hexamethyldisiloxane Part II. Surface and Interface Characterization of Films Deposited on Stainless-steel Substrates

Thin films of plasma-polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane (PP-HMDS) were deposited on stainless-steel substrates from a parallel-plate DC reactor. The parameters were varied between 6.7 and 66.7 Pa for the monomer pressure and 0.4 and 20 W for the discharge power. The deposition times ranged from 5 to 600 s, thus enabling an analysis of both the film/metal interface region and the bulk of the films. Characterization of the deposits was performed using XPS, reflection-absorption Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, time-of-flight SIMS and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The results strongly suggest that the structure of the plasma polymer close to the interface is different from that of the bulk. In the case of low power and high pressure (LW/HP) deposition conditions, a non-crosslinked film is formed initially which appears to be covalently bonded to the substrate via Me-C bonds (Me = Fe and/or Cr). Film growth starts at nucleation sites on the steel surface After approximately 1 min of deposition, the film structure gradually changes and becomes more crosslinked. In high power/low pressure (HW/LP) conditions, the surface coverage of the steel is initially higher and the film has a considerably higher degree of crosslinking, which does not change much during film growth. Time-of-flight SIMS analysis of the thick films confirmed the difference between the degree of crosslinking of the films deposited under different conditions. Remarkably, the elemental composition of the thick films formed at HW/LP and LW/HP conditions was approximately the same, as was concluded from XPS analyses The STM images of the various films corroborated the initially more homogeneous coverage by the HW/LP film as compared with the LW/HP film. The images of the thick films suggested a strong effect of the concurrent ion bombardment in the case of the HW/LP film. A model for the mechanism of film growth and the effect of deposition conditions is proposed.
Characterization of a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase-associated diiron arylamine N-oxygenase from Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola

The regiospecific oxidation of aromatic amines to aryl nitro compounds is critical to the synthesis of several natural products having pharmacological importance. The arylamine N-oxygenase (AAO) from Streptomyces thioluteus (AurF) selectively oxidizes p-aminobenzoic acid to p-nitrobenzoic acid and has been the subject of investigation for its unique chemistry and substrate preferences. Little, however, is known about the biochemistry and substrate specificities of AurF homologues, which are often associated with non-ribosomal peptide synthetases or polyketide synthases and have substrate binding pockets with substantially different amino acid compositions based on sequence alignments. An AAO homolog from Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola was expressed and purified to further explore the substrate specificity and biosynthetic utility of this enzyme class. PsAAO was most active on substituted o-aminophenols at pH 9 in buffer solutions containing 40% methanol. o-Aminophenols allow both the Pseudomonas and Streptomyces AAOs to act on para-substituted arylamines having methoxy, methyl, and nitro groups, which was previously unseen. A Hammett plot of k(cat,app) vs. σ has a ρ = -1.5, indicating substrate reactivity is dependent on the electron donating effects of substituents. The mechanistic data are consistent with an amine lone pair attacking an activated oxygen atom after formation of the hydroperoxy Fe(III/III) intermediate.
A chemical conversion of penicillin sulfoxides into 6,7-epi-1-oxocephams

Abstract Penicillin sulfoxides were converted into 6,7-epi-1-oxocephams by a simple and efficient method. The oxidation of 1,2-seco-Δ2-cephem with osmium tetroxide provided 1,2 diol 5 which was then converted to the chloro-β-lactams 6. Treatment of 6 with tin (II) chloride or silver tetrafluoroborate afforded 6,7-epi-1-oxocephams 2,3. Several reactions were attempted to obtain 1-oxo-exomethylene cephalosporins 13,15 from the oxazoline 11 prepared from the exomethylene cephalosporin 8.
PARENTAL EVALUATION OF THE LIVING SMART SEXUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAM

Parents completed 75 of 200 distributed questionnaires designed to elicit information about their perceptions of the Living Smart program, attitudes toward sexuality, and perceptions of their child's sexual behavior. Analysis indicated support for the course and provided additional information concerning parental support for the program and parental attitudes toward and perceptions of their own child's sexuality.
A Soft X-Ray Streak Camera Using A Microchannel Plate Photocathode

We present data characterizing an x-ray streak camera which uses a microchannel plate as a photocathode. The microchannel plate provides good sensitivity to soft x-ray photons and adjustable gain in addition to one dimensional spatial imaging. The streak camera was used in conjunction with a high sensitivity CCD camera and a computer data acquisition system. The resulting detection system has single photon sensitivity, a time resolution of better than 200 psec, and a dynamic range exceeding 103.
Early Numeracy Assessment: The Development of the Preschool Numeracy Scales.

Research Findings: The focus of this study was to construct and validate 12 brief early numeracy assessment tasks that measure the skills and concepts identified as key to early mathematics development by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2006) and the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008)—as well as critical developmental precursors to later mathematics skills noted in the Common Core State Standards (2010). Participants were 393 preschool children ages 3 to 5 years old. Measure development and validation occurred through 3 analytic phases designed to ensure that the measures were brief, reliable, and valid. These measures were 1-to-1 counting, cardinality, counting subsets, subitizing, number comparison, set comparison, number order, numeral identification, set-to-numerals, story problems, number combinations, and verbal counting. Practice or Policy: Teachers have extensive demands on their time, yet they are tasked with ensuring that all students’ academic needs are met. To identify...
Solvent effects on hydrolysis stage of the sol-gel process

Abstract High-resulution 29 Si NMR has been employed to investigate the role of chemical additives in the dynamics of the sol-gel hydrolysis process. The chemical additives selected for the study are formamide, dimethyl formamide, dioxane and acetonitrile. The kinetics of the hydrolysis reaction have been shown to be strongly dependent upon the viscosity of the sol-gel system, and consequently upon the viscosity of the chemical additive considered.
Placement of temperature probe in bovine vagina for continuous measurement of core-body temperature

There has been increasing interest to measure core-body temperature in cattle using internal probes. This study examined the placement of HOBO water temperature probe with an anchor, referred to as the “sensor pack” (Hillman et al. Appl Eng Agric ASAE 25(2):291–296, 2009) in the vagina of multiparous Holstein cows under grazing conditions. Two types of anchors were used: (a) long “fingers” (4.5–6 cm), and (b) short “fingers” (3.5 cm). The long-finger anchors stayed in one position while the short-finger anchors were not stable in one position (rotate) within the vagina canal and in some cases came out. Vaginal temperatures were recorded every minute and the data collected were then analyzed using exponential mixed model regression for non-linear data. The results showed that the core-body temperatures for the short-finger anchors were lower than the long-finger anchors. This implied that the placement of the temperature sensor within the vagina cavity may affect the data collected.
Vortex trapping on a 60 degree delta wing

An experiment was conducted to examine the vortex trapping concept on a 60 deg sweep delta wing at low angles of attack. Using tapered leading edge fences, stable vortices have been successfully trapped. The resulting increase in lift coefficient can be as high as 0.4, which amounts to a 6.5 deg shift in the lift coefficient curve of the delta wing. The corresponding increase in drag coefficient, however, is also significant.
Body position and direction preferences in horses during road transport

Summary It has been hypothesised that horses have a preference for facing backward in a trailer during road transport in order to minimise shifts of body weight due to accelerations and decelerations. To determine if horses have preferences for facing forward vs. backward in a horse trailer, the authors analysed the percentages of time horses spent in different body positions and directions while standing in a moving or parked horse trailer. Body positions and directions of 8 Thoroughbred geldings were videotaped while horses were transported singly and untethered in a 4-horse stock trailer over a 32 km route of country roads; or while the same horses were untethered in the same trailer stationary in a parking lot. Analysis of the logit-transformed percentages of time horses spent in different directions indicated that they spent significantly more time facing backward when the trailer was in motion, but not when it was parked. Several horses displayed strong individual preferences for the directions they faced during road transport.
Increased Na+-dependent high affinity uptake of glutamate in astrocytes chronically exposed to ethanol

The effects of ethanol exposure on the Na+-dependent high affinity uptake of [3H]glutamate were determined in primary cultures of astrocytes prepared from neonatal rat cerebral cortex. Acute exposure to 100 mM ethanol had only marginal effects on [3H]glutamate uptake. However, chronic exposure of astrocytes to 50 or 100 mM ethanol for 4 days elicited a dose-dependent increase in the maximal uptake capacity, Vmax, for glutamate with no significant effect on the Km for this process. Because Na+-dependent glutamate uptake by astrocytes is considered a principal mechanism for the clearance of brain extracellular glutamate, the present results suggest that the ethanol-induced upregulation of glutamate transport may modulate glutamatergic transmission in certain disease states such as alcoholism.
Effect of multi-sized dust distribution on local plasma sheath potentials

Abstract This work investigates the modification of a plasma sheath in a complex plasma due to the presence of dust particles with a specified size distribution. A self-consistent model for the plasma sheath is combined with a self-consistent dynamical code in order to determine the interaction of the dust particles with the local sheath potential and the subsequent effect on the dynamics of the particles. It is shown that the ion density in the region of levitated particles is decreased. The sheath potential in the region of levitated dust particles is also more negative which is qualitatively consistent with the experimental results of Arnas et al. [Arnas, C., Mikikian, M., Bachet, G., Doveil, F. Sheath modification in the presence of dust particles. Phys. Plasmas 7(11), 4418–4422, 2000.].
TYPE OF SOIL AFFECTS SURVIVAL BY OVERWINTERING HATCHLINGS OF THE PAINTED TURTLE

Abstract 1. 1. We placed hatchlings of the North American painted turle ( Chrysemys picta ) on a dry surface and exposed them for 30 days to temperatures near −5°C to determine the risk to overwintering animals of freezing spontaneously by heterogeneous nucleation. We then placed animals in a second experiment into artificial hibernacula in damp clay or damp, loamy sand, and exposed them to subzero temperatures near −4°C or −7°C to assess the influence of different soils on survival by overwintering animals. 2. 2. Hatchlings on a dry surface (and making no contact with crystals of ice) remained unfrozen for 30 days at temperatures near −5°C, and all animals survived the exposure. Thus, neonates are not at appreciable risk of freezing spontaneously by heterogeneous nucleation. 3. 3. Turtles in artificial hibernacula in loamy sand survived as well as turtles in clay at temperatures near −4°C, but animals in sand sustained higher mortality than those in clay at temperatures near −7°C. 4. 4. Some turtles in artificial hibernacula were inoculated by ice in the frozen soil, and none of these animals survived the tests of tolerance. Animals that survived the tests remained unfrozen and supercooled. Thus, the key to survival by hatchlings overwintering in the field apparently is to remain unfrozen and supercooled regardless of the type of soil in which hibernacula are located.
QoS and channel aware packet bundling for VoIP and data traffic in multi-carrier cellular networks

We study the problem of multiple packet bundling in multi-carrier cellular networks for VoIP and data traffic. In a time-slotted system such as the cdma2000 1xEV-DO downlink, part of a time-slot may not be fully utilized, if the packet sizes are small, as in the case of real-time VoIP traffic. Packet bundling can alleviate such a problem by sharing a time slot among multiple users, as proposed in the EV-DO Revision A system. A recent revision, EV-DO Revision B, enables further increased system capacity through multiple carriers. However, the efficacy of packet bundling, especially across multiple carriers, is not well understood. When packets are bundled, the packet with the lowest channel quality dictates the modulation and coding format of the entire bundle, possibly wasting significant slot space due to unnecessary coding bits for the other packets. We first present how multiple carriers, together with packet bundling, improve spectral efficiency, but lose some of that benefit in realistic channel scenarios. Then we propose an effective heuristic algorithm to effectively exploit the multi-carrier with bundling system. We consider QoS requirements as well as time-varying and user-dependent channel conditions, and then show how channel utilization can be significantly improved while keeping delays of real-time packets limited.
DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES ON THE COENOCYTIC ALGA, CAULERPA SERTULARIOIDES

Thallus growth and development in the coenocyti alga Caulerpa sertularioides (Gmelin) Howe have been studied quantitatively. In unsupplemented seawater at 26 C and in a 12:12 hr light/dark cycle, new rhizomes formed near the old growing points on thalli transplanted from the ocean. Adjacent to the apices of new rhizomes, rhizoids were produced downward, regularly spaced and at a rate of about 1.5/day. Upright. shoots developed irregularly in acropetal succession behind the tips of either the parent or the new rhizomes, which arose as branches of the old. Rates of rhizome, rhizoid, and upright shoot elongation were 0.4, 0.81, and 0.54 cm/day, respectively. Thalli survived up to 2 months in unsupplemented seawater. Long-term growth was obtained by varying culture conditions. A substratum of sand, apparently rich in microorganisms, produced long-term thallus growth in seawater, and the form of development changed so that upright shoot formation was promoted and rhizome elongation halved. Similar effects were elicited by indole-3-acetic acid, 5 × 10(-5) , M in seawater and by sap expressed from C. racemosa or C. sertularioides and added to seawater at 2.5-10% by volume. The regulation of development in an algal coenocyte is discussed and analogies with regulation in multicellular plants are drawn.
Effect of dietary caffeine and zinc on the activity of antioxidant enzymes, zinc, and copper concentration of the heart and liver in fast-growing rats.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between concentrations of Zn and Cu and the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the heart and liver of young rat pups whose dams were fed a diet supplemented with caffeine and/or Zn. Four groups of dams with their newborn pups were fed one of the following diets for 22 d: 20% protein basal diet; the basal diet supplemented with caffeine (2 mg/100 body wt); the basal diet supplemented with Zn (300 mg/kg diet); or the basal diet supplemented with caffeine plus Zn. The Cu levels in the livers of the pups were decreased by maternal intake of the caffeine and Zn diet. The maternal intake of the caffeine diet increased Mn-superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity and Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (CUZnSOD) in the heart of the pups. On the other hand, the activity of Cu,ZnSOD was significantly reduced in the liver of pups whose dams consumed a caffeine, Zn, or caffeine plus Zn diet. Cu, ZnSOD activity in the liver of the pups seems to be correlated with Cu levels in the tissue. Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in the heart and liver showed no difference among the groups. The effect of dietary caffeine and/or Zn on the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the heart and liver were different in young rats. The activities of these enzymes in the heart were lower than in the liver of 22-d-old rats. Our experiments indicate that the heart has limited defenses against the toxic effects of peroxides when compared to the liver.
Single pollinator species losses reduce floral fidelity and plant reproductive function

Understanding the functional impacts of pollinator species losses on plant populations is critical given ongoing pollinator declines. Simulation models of pollination networks suggest that plant communities will be resilient to losing many or even most of the pollinator species in an ecosystem. These predictions, however, have not been tested empirically and implicitly assume that pollination efficacy is unaffected by interactions with interspecific competitors. By contrast, ecological theory and data from a wide range of ecosystems show that interspecific competition can drive variation in ecological specialization over short timescales via behavioral or morphological plasticity, although the potential implications of such changes in specialization for ecosystem functioning remain unexplored. We conducted manipulative field experiments in which we temporarily removed single pollinator species from study plots in subalpine meadows, to test the hypothesis that interactions between pollinator species can shape individual species’ functional roles via changes in foraging specialization. We show that loss of a single pollinator species reduces floral fidelity (short-term specialization) in the remaining pollinators, with significant implications for ecosystem functioning in terms of reduced plant reproduction, even when potentially effective pollinators remained in the system. Our results suggest that ongoing pollinator declines may have more serious negative implications for plant communities than is currently assumed. More broadly, we show that the individual functional contributions of species can be dynamic and shaped by the community of interspecific competitors, thereby documenting a distinct mechanism for how biodiversity can drive ecosystem functioning, with potential relevance to a wide range of taxa and systems.
Volumetric heart modeling and analysis

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world and consequently the study of normal and pathological heart behavior is an active research area. In particular, the study of the shape and motion of the heart is important because many heart diseases are strongly correlated to these two factors. The human heart is composed of two separate pumps: a right heart that pumps the blood through the lungs and a left heart that pumps the blood through the peripheral organs. In turn, each of these "hearts" is a two-chamber pump composed of an atrium and a ventricle. Special mechanisms in the heart provide cardiac rhythm and transmit action potentials throughout the heart muscle to cause the heart's rhythmic relaxation (diastole) and contraction (systole).
A struggle for survival: Edith Summers Kelley's Weeds

(1986). A struggle for survival: Edith Summers Kelley's Weeds. Women's Studies: Vol. 13, The Female Imagination and the Modernist Aesthetic, pp. 103-113.