cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceived Racial Discrimination and Mental Health in Diverse Groups of Asian Americans: The Differing Impacts by Age, Education, and Ethnicity

The aim of this study was to examine how perceived racial discrimination is associated with mental distress among diverse Asian Americans and to explore the potential moderators in the relationship. Based on the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life (AAQoL) survey (n = 2609), direct influences were tested of the contextual (demographic, health-related, and immigration-related) variables and perceived racial discrimination on mental distress, as well as their interactions. About 30% of the sample reported perceived racial discrimination, and 44% fell into the category of having mental distress. Perceived racial discrimination was associated with 1.90 times higher odds of mental distress and had significant interactions with age, education, and ethnicity. The association of mental distress with perceived racial discrimination was higher among those who were 60 or older, less educated, and Vietnamese than among their respective counterparts. Findings can guide strategic and targeted interventions for high-risk groups.
Introduction to the Special Issue “The Brain-Gut Axis”

This special Issue presents comprehensive and state-of-the-art advances in supporting the crucial role of the bidirectional interactions between the Brain-Gut Axis in health and diseases with an emphasis on the microbiome-gut-brain axis and its implications in variety of neurological disorders. There are intimate connections between the brain and the digestive system. Gut microbiota dysbiosis activates the intestinal immune system, enhances intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation, leading to neuroinflammation, epigenetic changes, cerebrovascular alterations, amyloid β formation and α-synuclein protein aggregates. These alterations may participate in the development of hypertension, Alzheimer, Parkinson, stroke, epilepsy and autism. Brainstem nuclei such as the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) regulate gastric motor function by way of bidirectional inputs through the vagus nerve.
Cloning of the symbiotic region of Rhizobium leguminosarum: the nodulation genes are between the nitrogenase genes and a nifA-like gene.

Abstract The region of the Rhizobium leguminosarum plasmid pRL1JI involved in nodulation and nitrogen fixation has been cloned on a series of four overlapping cosmid clones. These clones represent ˜60 kb of pRL1JI DNA on which a series of Tn5-induced fix and nod alleles have been identified, with the two most distant alleles being separated by ˜45 kb of DNA. The mutant alleles fell into three groups, two clusters of fix alleles separated by one cluster of nod alleles. Within one group of fix alleles, DNA homologous to the nifA gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae has been identified, whereas the pRL1JI DNA homologous to the K. pneumoniae nitrogenase genes is present within the other group of fix alleles.
Rad52 deficiency Increases immunoglobulin class switch DNA recombination (IRM8P.714)

Class switch DNA recombination (CSR) plays a central role in the maturation of the antibody response. CSR entails the generation of double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) mediated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). Resolution of these DSBs can occur through Ku70/Ku86 dependent classical non-homologous end-joining (C-NHEJ), or through an undefined alternative-end joining (A-EJ) that introduces microhomologies in the S-S junctions. Here we investigate the role of Rad52, an important DSB repair factor in CSR. We found that Rad52 deficiency elicits an increase in NP-specific IgG1 and IgG3 responses to T-dependent and T-independent antigens. The increased antibody response is not due to alterations in lymphoid differentiation, B cell proliferation or cell division but rather a direct effect on the CSR machinery. This phenomenon is B cell intrinsic, as CSR to IgG1, IgG2a, IgG3 and IgA virtually double in Rad52-/- B cells stimulated with LPS and respective cytokines. In CSR, both Rad52 and Ku70/Ku86 are specifically recruited to S region DNA in an AID-dependent manner. In the absence of Rad52, the recruitment of Ku70/Ku86 to the S regions was significantly increased. Finally, the frequency and length of microhomologies in the S-S junctions was significantly reduced in Rad52-/- B cells. Altogether, our findings suggest that Rad52 competes with Ku70/Ku86 in binding S region to repair DSBs in CSR possibly utilizing an alternative end-joining pathway.
Biological activity of a set of new copper(II) complexes: toward understanding structure-reactivity correlations (928.2)

Cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin are all platinum-containing complexes that have been approved for use as chemotherapy drugs. The success of these complexes as well as their downfalls have sparked interest into alternative transition metal based compounds as potential chemotherapeutic agents. The use of platinum based complexes in cancer treatment has faced complications including cytotoxicity and drug resistance. The use of copper(II) as an alternative metal center is of specific interest because of copper’s bioavailability and elevated concentrations within tumor cells. We have synthesized and characterized several copper complexes that utilize a nitrogen based ligand system including some that contain a thiazole moiety. The biological activity and potential cytotoxicity of these complexes was measured on the basis of nuclease activity, DNA binding, and interaction with BSA. These characteristics were determined by quantitative analysis of studies using ethidium bromide, gel electrophoresis, and U...
Decreased ζ Chain Expression and Apoptosis in CD3+ Peripheral Blood T Lymphocytes of Patients with Melanoma

Expression of T-cell receptor- or Fcgamma receptor III-associated signal-transducing zeta chain is important for the functional integrity of immune cells. We found that significantly higher proportions of circulating CD3+ T cells as well as natural killer cells had low or absent expression of the zeta chain in patients with advanced melanoma than in normal donors (P < 0.0005). Decreased zeta expression was always observed in a small subset of circulating CD3+ T cells that were in the process of apoptosis, i.e., bound Annexin V or were terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling positive. Up to 80% of T cells in the peripheral blood of patients with melanoma were Fas+, with the mean percentage of Fas+CD3+ cells significantly higher in patients (P < 0.004) than normal controls. These Fas+CD3+ T cells were found to preferentially undergo apoptosis. Annexin V binding, the loss of Fas expression from the cell surface as well as zeta down-regulation, which are associated with early apoptosis, were detected in a proportion of circulating Fas+CD3+. In Jurkat cells incubated with agonistic anti-Fas antibody (CH-11), a rapid loss of Fas expression from the cell surface coincided with Annexin V binding and preceded the loss of zeta chain during early apoptosis. In a subset of Jurkat cells coincubated with human melanoma cells, Annexin V binding and zeta degradation as well as DNA fragmentation were observed, indicating that the tumor induced T-cell death. Triggering of death receptors expressed on activated T lymphocytes was accompanied by the loss of zeta expression. On the other hand, soluble factors secreted by melanoma cells induced down-regulation but no apoptosis in activated normal T cells. In the circulation of patients with melanoma, apoptosis of immune effector cells may be related to the state of chronic activation, resulting in the up-regulation of death receptors and increased susceptibility to apoptosis.
Cellular and subcellular events in Wolffian lens regeneration.

Publisher Summary Synthetic activities of cells, which are involved in tissue transformation, have been studied utilizing autoradiographic, immunochemical, and electron microscopic techniques. This chapter reviews data obtained so far, and includes related results reported from other laboratories. One of the prominent features of cell behavior observed during Wolffian lens regeneration is ordered, sequential alterations in synthetic activities of regenerate cells. Sonic data suggest that the sequence of synthetic phases observed is comparable to the sequence observed in normal development of the lens. The convergence of regenerative and ontogenetic lens formation implies that Wolffian lens regeneration involves recovery of an embryonic condition by the iris epithelial cells. The data reviewed in this chapter as a whole suggest that the pattern of utilization of the genome characteristic for the iris cannot be changed directly into that characteristic for the lens, but only indirectly by following up the steps with which the lens pattern is acquired during normal development.
Characterization of Static- and Fatigue-Loaded Carbon Composites by X-Ray CT

The development and improvement of advanced materials is strictly connected to the understanding of the properties and behavior of such materials as a function of both their macro and micro-structures. The application of X-ray computed tomography (CT) to these materials allows for a better understanding of the materials properties and behavior on either macro or micro-structure scales. The authors applied CT to study a set of aerospace grade carbon fiber/thermoplastic matrix composites. Samples of APC-2 (PEEK/AS4) were subjected to either static or high-stress fatigue loading in tension. Both notched (central circular hole) and unnotched specimens were examined. They are investigating a high-temperature thermoplastic polyimide composite sample by acquiring CT data sets before, during (at set intervals), and after full-reversal (tension-compression), low-stress fatigue loading at the upper use temperature. The CT scanner employed and the results obtained in the analysis of 3D CT data sets to study the defects and other features within the different composites are presented in this report.
How deadly is the "deadly quartet"? A post-CABG evaluation.

Abstract OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine the value of a cluster of metabolic risk factors in predicting mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). BACKGROUND The “deadly quartet” of metabolic risk factors (i.e., obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia) has been associated with coronary heart disease in healthy population studies. The expected influence of the cluster on survival in secondary prevention remains untested overall as well as by gender. METHODS Patients with lipid profiles undergoing primary isolated CABG (n = 6,428) between 1987 and 1992 were followed a median of eight years. Cox models were used to evaluate all-cause mortality. Metabolic risk factors were incorporated as the sum of deadly quartet risk factors present in each patient (0 to 4). The role of gender as it relates to survival and metabolic risk clusters was also examined. RESULTS The sum of deadly quartet risk factors showed a significant relationship to mortality as the hazard ratio increased from 1.64 (confidence interval [CI] = 1.34–2.01) for one risk factor to 3.95 (2.73–5.69) for four risk factors. Annualized mortality ranged from 1% per year in patients with no risk factors to 3.3% per year in patients with all four risk factors. Within gender, the hazard ratio associated with four risk factors was 2.58 for men and 13.39 for women. The expected clustering of risk factors was 8% compared to the observed clustering of 10% in men and 21% in women. CONCLUSIONS This cohort showed risk factor clustering beyond that expected due to chance, particularly in women. Even after revascularization, survival is diminished for patients with members of a family of metabolic risk factors at the time of surgery.
Structure Versus Effect: Revealing the Unconstitutional Operation of Title IX's Athletics Provisions

Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program receiving federal financial assistance, including athletics. Although the statute has brought great improvements in female athletics, such achievements have not come without problems. Title IX's complex regulatory framework, developed by the Department of Education, has led to numerous lawsuits. In early cases, courts interpreted and upheld the framework as consistent with Title IX. This Note argues, however, that the courts' early decisions and interpretation of the framework, coupled with educational institutions' current fiscal constraints, have left institutions with only one option for compliance: cutting men's teams. Such an inflexible framework amounts to a gender-based quota system that, under recent affirmative action caselaw, courts should hold unconstitutional. Only then will the Department of Education have the impetus to reinterpret the regulatory framework so that Title IX can operate in the way in which it was originally intended.
Proteolytic processing of the p75 neurotrophin receptor and two homologs generates C-terminal fragments with signaling capability.

The 75 kDa neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) and two neurotrophin receptor homologs (NRH1, NRH2) constitute a subfamily of the nerve growth factor/tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily. NRH1 coexists with p75NTR in fish, amphibians, and birds but is absent in mammals, whereas NRH2 exists only in mammals. Unlike p75NTR and NRH1, NRH2 lacks a canonical extracellular ligand binding domain. The similarity of NRH2 to the product of metalloproteinase cleavage of p75NTR prompted us to examine the cleavage of p75NTR in greater detail. p75NTR, NRH1, and NRH2 undergo multiple proteolytic cleavages that ultimately release cytoplasmic fragments. For p75NTR, cleavage in the extracellular domain by a PMA-inducible membrane metalloproteinase is followed by cleavage within or near the transmembrane domain, releasing the intracellular domain into the cytoplasm. This processing resembles the α- and γ-secretase-mediated processing of β-amyloid precursor protein and the similar processing of Notch. Although neurotrophins did not regulate p75NTR processing, theα- andγ-secretase-mediated cleavage of p75 is modulated by receptor tyrosine kinases (Trks) TrkA and TrkB but not TrkC. Surprisingly, although NRH1 and NRH2 also undergo proteolytic cytoplasmic release of intracellular domains, a different protease mediates the cleavage. Furthermore, whereas the p75NTR soluble intracellular domain accumulates only in the presence of proteasome inhibitors, the equivalent fragment of NRH2 is stable and localizes in the nucleus. Because soluble intracellular domains of p75NTR and NRH2 were found to activate NF-κB in concert with TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6), we propose that cleavage of these proteins may serve conserved cytoplasmic and nuclear signaling functions through distinct proteases.
A Parallel Algorithm for Relational Coarsest Partition Problems and Its Implementation

Relational Coarsest Partition Problems (RCPPs) play a vital role in verifying concurrent systems. It is known that RCPPs are P-complete and hence it may not be possible to design polylog time parallel algorithms for these problems.
Characterization of caldesmon binding to myosin.

Caldesmon inhibits the binding of skeletal muscle subfragment-1 (S-1).ATP to actin but enhances the binding of smooth muscle heavy meromyosin (HMM).ATP to actin. This effect results from the direct binding of caldesmon to myosin in the order of affinity: smooth muscle HMM greater than skeletal muscle HMM greater than smooth muscle S-1 greater than skeletal muscle S-1 (Hemric, M. E., and Chalovich, J. M. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1878-1885). We now show that the difference between skeletal muscle HMM and S-1 is due to the presence of the S-2 region in HMM and is unrelated to light chain composition or to two-headed versus single-headed binding. Differences between the binding of smooth and skeletal muscle myosin subfragments to actin do not result from the lack of light chain 2 in skeletal muscle S-1. In the presence of ATP, caldesmon binds to smooth muscle myosin filaments with a stoichiometry of 1:1 (K = 1 x 10(6) M-1). Similar results were obtained for the binding of caldesmon to smooth muscle rod as well as the binding of the purified myosin-binding fragment of caldesmon to smooth muscle myosin. The binding of caldesmon to intact myosin is ATP sensitive. The interaction of caldesmon with myosin is apparently specific and sensitive to the structure of both proteins.
Infrared Nerve Stimulation: A Novel Therapeutic Laser Modality

Neural stimulation is the process of activating neurons using an external source to evoke action potential propagation down an axon. Electrical, chemical, thermal, optical, and mechanical methods have all been reported to stimulate neurons in both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) [1]. For nearly 2 centuries electrical stimulation has been the gold standard for the stimulation of neurons and other excitable tissues. It functions by increasing the transmembrane potential to activate voltage-gated ion channels which induce action potential propagation down the axon of a neuron [2–5]. However, electrical stimulation lacks spatial precision due to the inherent electrical field propagation which results in the recruiting of multiple (unwanted) neuronal fibers. Additionally, electrical stimulation induces a stimulation artifact which can mask neuronal signals resulting from the simulation [6, 7].
Planning in action language BC while learning action costs for mobile robots

The action language BC provides an elegant way of formalizing dynamic domains which involve indirect effects of actions and recursively defined fluents. In complex robot task planning domains, it may be necessary for robots to plan with incomplete information, and reason about indirect or recursive action effects. In this paper, we demonstrate how BC can be used for robot task planning to solve these issues. Additionally, action costs are incorporated with planning to produce optimal plans, and we estimate these costs from experience making planning adaptive. This paper presents the first application of BC on a real robot in a realistic domain, which involves human-robot interaction for knowledge acquisition, optimal plan generation to minimize navigation time, and learning for adaptive planning.
The localization of nitric oxide synthase in the rat eye and related cranial ganglia

Nitric oxide synthase is the biosynthetic enzyme for the free radical neurotransmitter nitric oxide. Using an affinity-purified antiserum, nitric oxide synthase was found to be localized to peripheral ocular nerve fibers, related cranial ganglia, and the retina of the rat. In the eye, nitric oxide synthase-like immunoreactive peripheral nerve fibers were visualized mainly in the choroid and about limbal blood vessels. The anterior uvea was quite sparsely innervated, and the cornea was negative. Many principal neurons in the pterygopalatine ganglion were immunoreactive for nitric oxide synthase while very few cells stained in the superior cervical and trigeminal ganglia. Virtually all nitric oxide synthase-like immunoreactive pterygopalatine cells were also immunostained for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide; nitric oxide synthase also partially co-localized with neuropeptide Y in some of the neurons of this ganglion. Pterygopalatine ganglionectomy significantly reduced the number of peripheral nitric oxide synthase-like immunoreactive nerve fibers in the eye. A variety of immunoreactive retinal cells were seen. Most cells in the inner nuclear layer or ganglion cell layer corresponded morphologically to amacrine cells and displaced amacrine cells. Interplexiform cells and occasional faintly stained cells in the outer portion of the inner nuclear layer also were visualized. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase histochemistry generally stained cells of similar distribution but did reveal somewhat more extensive localizations in peripheral ocular tissues, the ciliary ganglion, and the retina, compared with nitric oxide synthase immunohistochemistry. Nitric oxide synthase thus localizes to peripheral ocular nerve fibers, chiefly parasympathetic in nature and derived from the pterygopalatine ganglion, and to several cell types in the retina. Nitric oxide probably acts as a choroidal vasodilator of parasympathetic origin in the eye; the neuropeptide co-localizations in the pterygopalatine ganglion suggest complex neuromodulatory interactions. The retinal localizations imply potential neurotransmitter functions for nitric oxide in this tissue.
ASSOCIATIVE COMMUNITY BANKS IN BRAZIL

The fundamentals of capitalism lie not only in the private ownership of capital but also in its concentration in the hands of a minority. Because they do not have capital, those who need to work for a living—the vast majority—are forced to sell their ability to produce to those who control the means of production. Therefore, capitalists have at their disposal an abundant supply of labor force that usually outnumbers labor demand. If workers had access to credit, many of them would open their own businesses instead of being someone else's employees.1 The bigger the number of new businesses established, the more likely they would be to succeed because the insertion of small fractions of capital into the market would expand demand and allow these businesses to find buyers for their goods. In 2003, Brazil had 10 million small and micro entrepreneurs, 1 million families in rural settlements from land-based reform programs, and over 11 million households depending on the Bolsa Familia2 government program, along with a huge mass of unemployed, all in need of access to funds. Despite several credit democratization measures adopted by the current government, among which the sixfold increase in funds from Pronaf (Brazilian National Programme to Strengthen Family Agriculture) stands out, the great majority of those mentioned have not been aided as yet.3
Comparative Advantage in Land-Use Allocation under Regionalism

The Ricardian principle of comparative advantage is used frequently as a foundation for illustrating potential improvements in the allocation of production and trade flows among countries. Such improvements typically consist of increased economic efficiency in the form of lower aggregate production costs and greater welfare in the form of higher levels of aggregate output. The improvements are made possible by the effective integration of otherwise individual economies. This paper employs the principle of comparative advantage as the foundation for illustrating potential improvements in the allocation of land uses under a regional approach to land-use planning. It uses a generalized assignment problem within a geographical information system (GIS) to describe the efficiency benefits of integrating land-use plans among several districts.
Strong coupling expansion for classical statistical dynamics

We discuss the simple, randomly driven systemdx/dt = −Μx −γx3 +f(t), wheref(t) is a Gaussian random function or stirring force with 〈f(t)f(t′)〉 = ℱ δ(t − t′). We show how to obtain approximately the coefficients of the expansion of the equal-time Green's functions as power series in (1/R)n, whereR is the internal Reynolds number (ℱγ)1/2/Μ, by using a new expansion for the path integral representation of the generating functional for the correlation functions. Exploiting the fact that the action for the randomly driven system is related to that of a quantum mechanical anharmonic oscillator with Hamiltonianp2/2 +m2x2/2 +vx4 +λx6/2, we evaluate the path integral on a lattice by assuming that theλx6 term dominates the action. This gives an expansion of the lattice theory Green's functions as power series in 1/(λa)1/3, wherea is the lattice spacing. Using Pade approximants to extrapolate toa = 0, we obtain the desired large-Reynolds-number expansion of the two-point function.
Purification and amino-terminal amino acid sequence of an apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease from calf thymus

An apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease (E.C.3.1.25.2) has been purified 1100 fold to apparent homogeneity from calf thymus by a series of ion exchange, gel filtration and hydrophobic interaction chromatographies. The purified AP endonuclease is a monomeric protein with an apparent molecular weight on SDS-PAGE of 37,000. On gel filtration the protein behaves as a protein of apparent molecular weight 40,000. DNA cleavage by this AP endonuclease is dependent on the presence of AP sites in the DNA. DNA cleavage requires the divalent cation Mg2+ and has a broad pH optimum of 7.5-9.0. Maximal rates of catalysis occur at NaCl or KCl concentrations of 25-50 mM. The amino acid composition and the amino-terminal amino acid sequence for this AP endonuclease are presented. Comparison of the properties of this AP endonuclease purified from calf thymus with the reported properties of the human AP endonuclease purified from HeLa cells or placenta indicate that the properties of such an AP endonuclease are highly conserved in these two mammalian species.
One more square root law for Brownian motion and its application to SPDEs

It is proved that there is a function p(c)≥0 such that p(c)>0 if c is large enough, and (a.s.) for any t∈[0,1], the trajectory of Brownian motion after time t is contained in a parallel shift of the box [0,2− k ]×[0,c2− k /2] for all k belonging to a set with lower density ≥p(c). This law of square root helps show that solutions of one-dimensional SPDEs are Holder continuous up to the boundary.
Reducing alignment and chromatic sensitivity of holographic optical interconnects with substrate-mode holograms

The alignment and chromatic sensitivity of holographic optical elements for use in optical interconnect systems are quantified. The effects of these image degrading parameters are related to the frequency and power requirements for CMOS compatible detectors in an optical interconnect system. Techniques for reducing the magnitude of these problems with substrate-mode holograms are described, and experimental results demonstrating these designs are presented.
Axial, magnetron, cyclotron and spin-cyclotron-beat frequencies measured on single electron almost at rest in free space (geonium)

THE monoelectron oscillator1 consists of a ∼ 1-meV electron contained in a weak electric quadrupole field plus strong axial magnetic field (the Penning trap) on which the axial oscillation is continuously observable. It may profitably be looked on as an ultraheavy metastable pseudoatom, ‘geonium’ (through the trap and the magnet, the electron is bound to the Earth ultimately). The energy levels are given by2 with v c = eH/2πmc, 2v c v m − 2v m2 = v z2. We report here the measurement of the axial, magnetron, cyclotron, and spin-cyclotron-beat frequencies v z , v m , v c − v m and v s −v c +v m using this apparatus, held at 4K. A new axial-frequency-shift technique using a 30-gauss deep magnetic bottle superimposed on the 18-kgauss field supplied by a superconducting magnet was used for the last two frequencies. The road to this advance was paved by two developments, namely the anharmonicity compensated trap3 yielding an axial line width of 10−7 and the “entropy reduction by motional sideband excitation” (ref. 4) method. The latter allows the centring of an electron liberated in the trap to close tolerance guaranteeing the constancy of v z .
Laser Applications For Near-Shore Nautical Charting

Flight testing of an airborne, scanning lidar bathymetric system has been conducted to determine vertical accuracy, operational constraints, and the effects of system variables. Test results are described, and an analytic performance model based on optical interactions is presented.
Consecutive Quintuplet Litters from a Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) in Central Wisconsin

Black bear (Ursus americanus) reproduction is critically linked to female nutrition. In highly productive females, litters include up to six cubs. Little is known about the yearly reproductive success of individual females that produce abnormally large litters. Further, survival of offspring born among so many siblings is poorly known. We report on a female bear in highly agricultural habitat that produced two successive litters of quintuplets in alternate years during a period of maternal net growth from Feb. 2005 through Mar. 2007.
Hydration of Alkaline Earth Metal Dications: Effects of Metal Ion Size Determined Using Infrared Action Spectroscopy

Infrared laser action spectroscopy is used to characterize divalent Mg, Ca, and Ba ions solvated by discrete numbers of water molecules in the gas phase. The spectra of the hexahydrated ions are very similar and indicate that all six water molecules directly solvate the metal ion. The spectra of the heptahydrated ions indicate the presence of populations of structures that have a water molecule in the outer shell for all ions and an average coordination number (CN) for Ba that is higher than that for Ca or Mg. Comparisons between CN values obtained from M06 density functional and local MP2 theory indicate that the B3LYP density functional favors smaller CN values. The spectra of clusters containing at least 12 water molecules indicate that the relative abundance of single-acceptor water molecules for a given cluster size decreases with increasing metal ion size, indicating that tighter water binding to smaller metal ions disrupts the hydrogen bond network and results in fewer net hydrogen bonds. The spect...
BONDING OF HALOGENATED ARENES IN PHOTOGENERATED (ARENE)M(CO)5 COMPLEXES (M= CR, MO, W)

Abstract Detailed kinetics studies of arene displacement by the trapping nucleophile, 1-hexene, from (haloarene)Cr(CO) 5 complexes (haloarene = X-arene; X = F, Cl, Br) and selected Mo and W analogues generated by pulsed laser flash photolysis have been conducted. All reactions obey a ‘reversible dissociation-competition for the [M(CO) 5 ] intermediate’ mechanism. The systematic variations in rate constants and activation parameters for unimolecular dissociation of haloarenes in the presence of the trap strongly support coordinate covalent bonding of Cl and Br to Cr, where Cr-Br Bonds are stronger than are Cr- Cl bonds. In contrast, evidence indicates that fluorobenzene coordinates more weakly, bound through an arene ring edge. Carbonyl stretching frequencies for the complexes are diagnostic for the type of bonding, and enthalpies of activation decrease in the order W > Mo > Cr. The failure to observe more than one reaction pathway where more than one complex is generated upon photolysis may suggest very rapid linkage isomerization to afford the thermodynamically most stable (X-arene)Cr(CO) 5 complex.
Psychiatric Themes in the Rehabilitation of Mastectomy Patients

The author discusses the psychological variables involved in the rehabilitation of patients who have undergone a mastectomy. The scope of the problem, the psychological meaning and fears suffered by mastectomy patients, and importance of body image is discussed along with the psychological treatment.
Chronic intravenous model for studies of drug (Ab)use in the pregnant and/or group-housed rat: an initial study with cocaine.

Animal models for studying the developmental effects of maternal drug abuse are often based on chronic exposure of the pregnant rat. The suitability of animal models, however, has been constrained by the availability of an appropriate route of administration. The commonly employed SC and PO routes of administration fail to mimic the rapidly peaking pharmacokinetic profile observed in humans with licit (e.g., nicotine) and illicit (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine) drugs abused via inhalation or i.v. injection. The present study provides a method for the routine use of an i.v. administration model in pregnant and/or group-housed rats. Prior to mating, young adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized (ketamine/xylazine) for catheterization. A sterile Intracath i.v. catheter (22 ga., Becton/Dickinson) with a Luer-lock injection cap (Medex) was cut to approximately 8 cm and used as a SC dorsally implanted port for chronic i.v. injections. The distal end of the catheter was inserted into the jugular vein and threaded centrally. Catheter patency was maintained by daily flushing with 0.2 ml of heparinized saline. Following 1 week of surgical recovery, the mean (median)number of estrus cycles to impregnation was 2.5(2). The mean (+/- SEM) duration of catheter patency was 36.6 +/- 1.2 days and was in excess of 30 days for all animals (n = 22). Cocaine at a dose of 3 mg/kg (GD8-14 x 1/day, GD15-20 x 2/day) had no significant effect on dam weight gain, gestation length, litter size, sex ratio, or birth weight. In sum, a subcutaneously implanted port provides a procedure for the routine i.v. administration of drugs to pregnant and/or group-housed rats which avoids (a) the use of anesthesia/surgery during pregnancy, (b) the stress (restraint and/or thermal dilation) associated with tail vein injection, (c) the difficulties of mating and single housing associated with tethered i.v. catheters, and (d) in the case of cocaine, precludes the potential confounds of any drug-induced non-i.v. parenteral lesions.
Evidence against the Generation of Free Hydroxyl Radicals from the Interaction of Copper,Zinc-Superoxide Dismutase and Hydrogen Peroxide *

Prior spin trapping studies reported that H2O2 is metabolized by copper,zinc-superoxide dismutase (SOD) to form ⋅OH that is released from the enzyme, serving as a source of oxidative injury. Although this mechanism has been invoked in a number of diseases, controversy remains regarding whether the hydroxylation of spin traps by SOD is truly derived from free ⋅OH or ⋅OH scavenged off the Cu2+ catalytic site. To distinguish whether⋅OH is released from the enzyme, a comprehensive EPR investigation of radical production and the kinetics of spin trapping was performed in the presence of a series of structurally different⋅OH scavengers including ethanol, formate, and azide. Although each of these have similar potency in scavenging ⋅OH as the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide and form secondary radical adducts, each exhibited very different potency in scavenging⋅OH from SOD. Ethanol was 1400-fold less potent than would be expected for reaction with free ⋅OH. The anionic scavenger formate, which readily accesses the active site, was still 10-fold less effective than would be predicted for free ⋅OH, whereas azide was almost 2-fold more potent than would be predicted. Analysis of initial rates of adduct formation indicated that these reactions did not involve free ⋅OH. EPR studies of the copper center demonstrated that while high H2O2concentrations induce release of Cu2+, the magnitude of spin adducts produced by free Cu2+ was negligible compared with that from intact SOD. Further studies with a series of peroxidase substrates demonstrated that characteristic radicals formed by peroxidases were also efficiently generated by H2O2 and SOD. Thus, SOD and H2O2 oxidize and hydroxylate substrates and spin traps through a peroxidase reaction with bound ⋅OH not release of ⋅OH from the enzyme.
Zernike phase contrast cryo-electron tomography of whole bacterial cells

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) provides three-dimensional (3D) structural information of bacteria preserved in a native, frozen-hydrated state. The typical low contrast of tilt-series images, a result of both the need for a low electron dose and the use of conventional defocus phase-contrast imaging, is a challenge for high-quality tomograms. We show that Zernike phase-contrast imaging allows the electron dose to be reduced. This limits movement of gold fiducials during the tilt series, which leads to better alignment and a higher-resolution reconstruction. Contrast is also enhanced, improving visibility of weak features. The reduced electron dose also means that more images at more tilt angles could be recorded, further increasing resolution.
Effective strategy to assign 1 H- 15 N heteronuclear correlation NMR signals from lysine side-chain NH 3 + groups of proteins at low temperature

Recent studies have shown that lysine side-chain NH3+ groups are excellent probes for NMR investigations of dynamics involving hydrogen bonds and ion pairs relevant to protein function. However, due to rapid hydrogen exchange, observation of 1H-15N NMR cross peaks from lysine NH3+ groups often requires use of a relatively low temperature, which renders difficulty in resonance assignment. Here we present an effective strategy to assign 1H and 15N resonances of NH3+ groups at low temperatures. This strategy involves two new 1H/13C/15N triple-resonance experiments for lysine side chains. Application to a protein-DNA complex is demonstrated.
Infrared Spectra of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

We have computed the synthetic infrared spectra of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing up to 54 carbon atoms. The species studied include ovalene, circumcoronene, dicoronylene, and hexabenzocoronene. We report spectra for anions, neutrals, cations, and multiply charged cations.
Effect of Cholesterol on Molecular Transport of Organic Cations across Liposome Bilayers Probed by Second Harmonic Generation

Abstract The effect of cholesterol on the molecular transport of an organic cation, malachite green (MG), across large unilamellar dioleolyphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) liposome bilayers with 0–50 mol% cholesterol was studied by second harmonic generation (SHG). Because SHG is a surface-specific technique, it requires no labeled molecule, quencher, or shifting agent to distinguish the location of the solute molecules. An additional important feature of SHG is that it is sensitive only to the probe molecules bound to the liposome, whereas other methods can only differentiate between molecules that are outside and those inside the liposome. The transport kinetics of MG across the liposome bilayers was observed in real time, and the results show that cholesterol retards the rate of transport of MG across liposome bilayers. The rate was found to decrease by six times for 50 mol% cholesterol content compared with cholesterol-free liposomes. This demonstrates the applicability of SHG to investigation of the effect of liposome composition on the transport kinetics across the liposome bilayers.
Optical attenuation measurements in metal-loaded liquid scintillators with a long-pathlength photometer

Abstract We describe precise optical attenuation measurements of LAB based liquid scintillators using a custom-built photometer with variable pathlengths up to 2 m. Results are presented for linear alkyl benzene (LAB) and LAB based liquid scintillators at wave lengths of 405, 430, 450, and 470 nm. For these measurements much care was exercised to control the purity of the liquids and additives, as well as the materials of the photometer to control contaminations. These data should be valuable for design of large detectors, such as underground neutrino detectors, using these materials as the media.
Renal clearance of water and solutes by pregnant rats treated with spironolactone.

SummaryRates of filtration and urinary excretion of water, sodium, potassium, and total osmols were determined in renal clearance studies with nonpregnant and 20-day pregnant albino rats. Excretion of radiosodium-22 (22Na) was determined as the percentage of dose excreted in the clearance urine sample begun 1 hr after a single intravenous dose of 100,000 cpm. Twenty-three rats were given no drugs and 25 were injected intramuscularly with 20 mg of spironolactone (Aldactone) just prior to initial hydration with saline solution. Significant reductions in the rates of excretion and in the percentage excretion of filtered loads of water, sodium, and total osmols were seen in pregnant rats as compared to nonpregnant females, and excretion of 22Na was reduced by approximately 50%. Aldactone did not prevent these decreases in excretion of water, sodium, total osmols, and 22Na. Under the conditions of this experiment water, sodium, osmols, and labeled sodium were retained by pregnant rats despite unchanged or incr...
Hydrothermal growth of mesoporous SBA-15 silica in the presence of PVP-stabilized Pt nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and catalytic properties.

A novel high surface area heterogeneous catalyst based on solution phase colloidal nanoparticle chemistry has been developed. Monodisperse platinum nanoparticles of 1.7−7.1 nm have been synthesized by alcohol reduction methods and incorporated into mesoporous SBA-15 silica during hydrothermal synthesis. Characterization of the Pt/SBA-15 catalysts suggests that Pt particles are located within the surfactant micelles during silica formation leading to their dispersion throughout the silica structure. After removal of the templating polymer from the nanoparticle surface, Pt particle sizes were determined from monolayer gas adsorption measurements. Infrared studies of CO adsorption revealed that CO exclusively adsorbs to atop sites and red-shifts as the particle size decreases suggesting surface roughness increases with decreasing particle size. Ethylene hydrogenation rates were invariant with particle size and consistent with a clean Pt surface. Ethane hydrogenolysis displayed significant structure sensitivi...
Climate Science in a Postmodern World

Like many readers of Eos, I have found it hard to understand the persistence of climate doubters and climate skeptics. How can they not accept the science? An important clue can be found in an editorial by Daniel Henninger in the Wall Street Journal that made a connection between climate science and postmodernism [Henninger, 2009]. Postmodernism is a concept that permeates the humanities and the social sciences. In its simplest terms, it postulates that truth is a relative concept. Facts exist, but their interpretation is determined as much by society, culture, politics, and economics as by scientific objectivity. From this perspective, any interpretation is as valid as any other. So, for instance, Herman Melville's Moby Dick can be seen as a novel equally about morality, homosexuality, the repression of the masses, the quest for God, or the killing of whales in the nineteenth century. All interpretations are valid, and all truth is relative.
Landscape setting and risk of Ranavirus mortality events

Abstract Amphibian mortality events in relatively pristine and protected settings cause particular concern because they may be linked to larger scale, off-site factors that interact with local landscape features. We used logistic regression and model selection criterion (QAIC c ) to identify landscape features key to predicting disease incidence in Acadia National Park (ANP), Maine, USA. High catchment position was the most important landscape feature associated with larval mortality events in ANP wetlands, and was present in all competing models. No spatial autocorrelation of disease events was observed, suggesting that within our study area, epizootics are not clustered and landscape and within-pond stressors may be more influential in mortality occurrence than vector movement. However, our model may be a considerable underestimate of in-field infection rates because it was based on die-off event incidences and did not include infected reservoirs or vectors. This study provides the first clear connection between landscape position and Ranavirus mortality events. Conservation and disease containment efforts in ANP should be directed toward higher catchment position and headwater wetlands such as vernal pools.
MODIFICATIONS AND INFLUENCES OF TACTUAL PREFERENCES FOR SHAPE AND TEXTURE

The effects of pretraining on tactual preferences for shape and texture and the effects of the preferences on discrimination learning were investigated in three experiments using kindergarten and third grade children. The pretraining experience significantly affected the dimensional preferences in both age groups, while an unexpected significant sex difference indicated a stronger texture preference in girls. Children tended to learn faster when the dimension they preferred was relevant to the task, but girls were affected more strongly than boys. In all experiments, the girls' behavior closely resembled that predicted for younger children.
Organo-f-element thermochemistry. Absolute metal-ligand bond disruption enthalpies in bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)samarium hydrocarbyl, hydride, dialkylamide, alkoxide, halide, thiolate, and phosphide complexes. Implications for organolanthanide bonding and reactivity

Absolute samarium-ligand bond disruption enthalpies in the series Cp{prime}{sub 2}Sm-R/X (Cp{prime} = {eta}{sup 5}-(CH{sub 3}){sub 5}C{sub 5}) have been measured by iodinolytic and alcoholytic isoperibol titration calorimetry of Cp{prime}{sub 2}Sm/(Cp{prime}{sub 2}Sm-I){sub n}, (Cp{prime}{sub 2}Sm-O{sup t}Bu){sub 2}/Cp{prime}{sub 2}Sm-R/X ensembles in toluene. A variety of Sm-centered ligand transposition and oxidative addition/reductive elimination processes are analyzed in light of the present data. The formation of strong Sm-heteroelement bonds makes an important contribution to the driving force. Hydrocarbon functionalization via dinuclear Sm(II) {yields} Sm(III) oxidative addition processes is only expected to be exothermic in special cases.
Adrenal Androgens and the Menopausal Transition

The concept that adrenal androgen production gradually declines with age has changed after analysis of longitudinal data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). It is now recognized that 4 adrenal androgens rise during the menopausal transition in most women. Ethnic and individual differences in sex steroids are more apparent in circulating adrenal steroids than in either estradiol or cyclic ovarian steroid hormone profiles, particularly during the early and late perimenopause. Thus, adrenal steroid production may play a larger role in the occurrence of symptoms and the potential for healthier aging than previously recognized.
A Generic Nonlinear Aerodynamic Model for Aircraft

A generic model of the aerodynamic coefficients was developed using wind tunnel databases for eight different aircraft and multivariate orthogonal functions. For each database and each coefficient, models were determined using polynomials expanded about the state and control variables, and an othgonalization procedure. A predicted squared-error criterion was used to automatically select the model terms. Modeling terms picked in at least half of the analyses, which totalled 45 terms, were retained to form the generic nonlinear aerodynamic (GNA) model. Least squares was then used to estimate the model parameters and associated uncertainty that best fit the GNA model to each database. Nonlinear flight simulations were used to demonstrate that the GNA model produces accurate trim solutions, local behavior (modal frequencies and damping ratios), and global dynamic behavior (91% accurate state histories and 80% accurate aerodynamic coefficient histories) under large-amplitude excitation. This compact aerodynamics model can be used to decrease on-board memory storage requirements, quickly change conceptual aircraft models, provide smooth analytical functions for control and optimization applications, and facilitate real-time parametric system identification.