Structure/reactivity relationships and mechanism from X-ray data and spectroscopic kinetic analysis

The development in crystallography is nothing short of phenomenal, showing an ever increasing trend towards applications, such as in molecular biology. ‘Traditional’ small molecule chemical crystallography tends to, in many aspects, be considered as trivial due to the exponential growth in computing power and the parallel expansion in software. However, many dynamic processes (still) occur at the molecular level. Thus, the fundamental understanding of subtle nuances in structural behaviour, and the associated influence on other (kinetic) properties, is often trivialized when conclusions are simply made based on thermodynamic observations alone. This review aims to emphasize the importance of crystallography in small molecule chemistry by presenting detailed evaluations of two extended ‘case studies’, i.e. the first on structure and dynamics of the middle transition metal cyanide-oxido complexes, and the second on rhodium model homogeneous catalyst precursors. Both underline the fact of understanding the overarching principles of dynamics, i.e. time-resolved behaviour of processes, but considered from a structural perspective. The reference point is to focus on an integrated and overarching mechanistic approach, utilizing structural data, but in particular reaction kinetics, to obtain a more complete picture of processes or systems being evaluated.     

“I Am Not a Foodie…”: Culinary Capital in Online Reviews of Michelin Restaurants

This article adds to the growing literature on foodie discourse, by providing an analysis of amateur reviews of one-star Michelin restaurants sampled from two different websites, OpenRice and Yelp, which reflect two different geocultural contexts: Hong Kong and New York City. We demonstrate that online restaurant reviews provide a means through which individuals can display their culinary capital—to an audience who is likely to share similar interests—as they establish their expertise on matters such as authenticity, taste, quality, and the perceived value of their dining experiences. Furthermore, we explore how issues of social class and access to economic capital are implicated in user-generated reviews of this category of restaurants. By asserting their right to participate in a larger conversation about Michelin standards, online reviewers place themselves on equal footing with culinary elites and professional food reviewers. Consequently, we argue that new media genres such as online reviews challenge well-established hierarchies in food culture, yet at the same time, they also reproduce some existing forms of culinary capital.     

Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Bone Healing: Molecular Pathways and Clinical Applications

In this article, we provide an extensive review of the recent literature of the signaling pathways modulated by Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) and PEMFs clinical application. A review of the literature was performed on two medical electronic databases (PubMed and Embase) from 3 to 5 March 2021. Three authors performed the evaluation of the studies and the data extraction. All studies for this review were selected following these inclusion criteria: studies written in English, studies available in full text and studies published in peer-reviewed journal. Molecular biology, identifying cell membrane receptors and pathways involved in bone healing, and studying PEMFs target of action are giving a solid basis for clinical applications of PEMFs. However, further biology studies and clinical trials with clear and standardized parameters (intensity, frequency, dose, duration, type of coil) are required to clarify the precise dose-response relationship and to understand the real applications in clinical practice of PEMFs.     

In Vitro and In Silico Characterization of an Antimalarial Compound with Antitumor Activity Targeting Human DNA Topoisomerase IB

Human DNA topoisomerase IB controls the topological state of supercoiled DNA through a complex catalytic cycle that consists of cleavage and religation reactions, allowing the progression of fundamental DNA metabolism. The catalytic steps of human DNA topoisomerase IB were analyzed in the presence of a drug, obtained by the open-access drug bank Medicines for Malaria Venture. The experiments indicate that the compound strongly and irreversibly inhibits the cleavage step of the enzyme reaction and reduces the cell viability of three different cancer cell lines. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the drug binds to the human DNA topoisomerase IB-DNA complex sitting inside the catalytic site of the enzyme, providing a molecular explanation for the cleavage-inhibition effect. For all these reasons, the aforementioned drug could be a possible lead compound for the development of an efficient anti-tumor molecule targeting human DNA topoisomerase IB.     

Mental health services in a single payer system: Lessons from Canada and principles for an American plan.

Reviews the advantages of financing mental health care in the US along the lines of the Canadian single-payer system and argues that the pillars of the Canadian system (accessibility, comprehensiveness, portability, public administration, and universality) are standards a restructured US system could achieve. The merits of including mental health coverage in a basic benefits package are also discussed. The authors believe limits on reimbursement for psychologists in Canada should not keep US psychologists from supporting single-payer proposals because (1) the professional Zeitgeist in the US in 1992 is very different from that of Canada in the late 1960s and (2) Canadian psychologists could have participated but failed to achieve professional consensus on the merits of inclusion in the national health program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do street food vendors sell a sufficient variety of foods for a healthful diet? The case of Nairobi

This study examined whether street food vendors sell a sufficient variety of foods for a healthful diet. It was hypothesized that vendors sold only low-cost food groups to enable the buyer to afford the food while the vendor also made a profit. A structured questionnaire was administered to 580 vendors in three selected locations. Data included product names, ingredients, methods of preparation, and the sex of the vendor. A little more than half of the vendors (53%) sold food of only one group; 44% sold cereals. Overall, 36% of vendors, mostly men, sold only carbohydrate products. The percentage of vendors selling foods of more than one group was higher in the working area (53%) than in the slum area (43%, p < .05), and it was higher in both of these areas taken together than in the lower-middle income area (21%, p < .001). Micronutrient and mixed-nutrient products were associated with female vendors. Although a slight majority of all street vendors sell foods of only one group, women vendors are capable of supplying a sufficient variety of food groups that consumers can afford. It appears that consumer purchasing power dictates the food groups provided by vendors, especially cereal-based-foods. A policy on micronutrient fortification of cereal flours and fats used in popular street food preparation needs to be considered. This could be coupled with consumer and vendor education programs focusing on the importance of healthful diets.     

Retinal vascular tree morphology: a semi-automatic quantification

A semi-automatic method to measure and quantify geometrical and topological properties of continuous vascular trees in clinical fundus images is described. Measurements are made from binary images obtained with a previously described segmentation process. The skeletons of the segmented trees are produced by thinning,ff branch and crossing points are identified and segments of the trees are labeled and stored as a chain code. The operator selects a tree to be measured and decides if it is an arterial or venous tree. An automatic process then measures the lengths, areas and angles of the individual segments of the tree. Geometrical data and the connectivity information between branches from continuous retinal vessel trees are tabulated. A number of geometrical properties and topological indexes are derived. Vessel diameters and branching angles are validated against manual measurements and several derived geometrical and topological properties are extracted from red-free fundus images of ten normotensive and ten age- and sex-matched hypertensive subjects and compared with previously reported results.     

Phenomenology and treatment of depressed women.

Argues that differences exist between depressed women and men in terms of their psychological symptoms and their affective, cognitive, interpersonal, and family functioning. These differences, which must be understood within the prevailing sociocultural context, impact on the manner in which depressed women and men present for help. Intervention with depressed women must take into consideration the sociocultural factors associated with the development and maintenance of women's depressive episodes, the tasks and challenges that their current lifestage presents, and the centrality of interpersonal relationships in a woman's construction of self. The primary goal of treatment with a depressed woman is conceptualized as a process in which she learns to balance her needs for power and autonomy with her desires for intimacy and sharing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Gender and the evaluation of leaders: A meta-analysis": Correction to Eagly et al.

Reports an error in "Gender and the evaluation of leaders: A meta-analysis" by Alice H. Eagly, Mona G. Makhijani and Bruce G. Klonsky (Psychological Bulletin, 1992[Jan], Vol 111[1], 3-22). Some of the numbers in the Value columns of Table 1, page 11, were aligned incorrectly. The corrected version of Table 1 is provided in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1992-16290-001.) Reviews research on the evaluation of women and men that occupy leadership roles. While holding the characteristics, except for sex, constant and varying the sex of the leader, these experiments investigated whether people are biased against female leaders and managers. Although this research showed only a small overall tendency for Ss to evaluate female leaders less favorably than male ones, this tendency was more pronounced under certain circumstances. Specifically, women in leadership positions were devalued relative to their male counterparts when leadership was carried out in stereotypically masculine styles, especially when this style was autocratic or directive. Also, the devaluation of women was greater when leaders occupied male-dominated roles and when the evaluators were men. Findings are interpreted from a perspective that emphasizes the influence of gender roles within organizational settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender and the evaluation of leaders: A meta-analysis.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 112(3) of Psychological Bulletin (see record 2008-10512-001). Some of the numbers in the Value columns of Table 1, page 11, were aligned incorrectly. The corrected version of Table 1 is provided in the erratum.] Reviews research on the evaluation of women and men that occupy leadership roles. While holding the characteristics, except for sex, constant and varying the sex of the leader, these experiments investigated whether people are biased against female leaders and managers. Although this research showed only a small overall tendency for Ss to evaluate female leaders less favorably than male ones, this tendency was more pronounced under certain circumstances. Specifically, women in leadership positions were devalued relative to their male counterparts when leadership was carried out in stereotypically masculine styles, especially when this style was autocratic or directive. Also, the devaluation of women was greater when leaders occupied male-dominated roles and when the evaluators were men. Findings are interpreted from a perspective that emphasizes the influence of gender roles within organizational settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)