cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social Work Practitioners and the Human—Companion Animal Bond: A National Study

Extensive research documents powerful relationships between humans and companion animals, and 62 percent of U.S. households report having a companion animal. Social workers are likely to work with individuals and families with companion animals; thus, the inclusion of such animals in both practice and research as a natural extension of social work with humans, and their challenges, coping mechanisms, and resiliency factors, seems called for. Yet there is little in the social work literature that identifies what social workers are doing in this area. Thus, this descriptive study sought to explore nationally what social work practitioners know and are doing in the area of the human and companion animal relationships. Findings include that social work practitioners appear to have basic knowledge of the negative and positive relationships between humans and companion animals. About one-third are including questions about companion and other animals in their intake assessments, and a little less than 25 percent are including companion and other animals in their intervention practice. The vast majority have had no special training or coursework to do so. Implications for these and other findings are discussed, and recommendations for social work research, education, and practice are offered.
The Socio-Materiality of Learning Practices and Implications for the Field of Learning Technology.

Although the use of digital information technologies in education has becomecommonplace, there are few, if any, central guiding frameworks or theories thatexplicate the relationship between technology and learning practices. In thispaper, I argue that such a theoretical framework can assist scholars and practitionersalike by working as a conduit to study and design learning technologies.Towards this goal, I propose socio-materiality as a key theoretical construct withvaluable insights and implications for the field of learning technology. Sociomaterialityhelps balance the disproportionate attention given to either the socialimplications of technology use or the material aspects of technology design.Furthermore, I forward ‘socio-material bricolage’ as a useful analytical frameworkto examine and design technology-infused learning environments. I illustratethe value of the framework by applying it to three case studies of formaland informal technology-based learning. 10.1080/21567069.2011.624169
Congressional-Incumbent Reelection Success and Federal-Outlays Distribution: A Test of the Electoral-Connection Hypothesis

Practitioners and observers of political behavior commonly suppose that the geographical distribution of governmentally generated benefits is an electorally salient issue. This paper examines relationships between the geographical patterns of US Federal outlays and popular voting for incumbent US Representatives as a means of testing the hypothesis that incumbent Representatives enhance their reelection prospects by ‘bringing home the bacon’ to their districts.
The Impact of Visual Field Clusters on Performance-based Measures and Vision-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Glaucoma.

Purpose To investigate how visual field (VF) clusters affect performance-based measures of the ability to perform activities of daily living and subjective measures of vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with glaucoma. Design Prospective, cross-sectional study. Methods setting: Institutional – Wills Eye Hospital. study population: 322 eyes of 161 patients with moderate-stage glaucoma. observation: VF tests were conducted using the Humphrey 24-2 Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm standard perimeter. The VFs of each patient were divided into 5 clusters: nasal, temporal, central, paracentral, and peripheral. The score for each cluster was the averaged total deviation scores of all tested points within the cluster. Each cluster score was correlated with performance-based measures of visual function and subjective assessment of vision-related QoL. main outcome measures: The Compressed Assessment of Ability Related to Vision, the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 (NEI VFQ-25), and the Modified Glaucoma Symptom Scale. Results The central VF cluster in the better eye was positively correlated with all Compressed Assessment of Ability Related to Vision (performance-based measure) subscales. The strongest correlation for the better eye was between the central VF cluster and total Compressed Assessment of Ability Related to Vision score (0.39, P Conclusions Scores of central VF defects in the better eye and inferior hemisphere defects in both eyes were positively correlated with performance-based measures of the ability to perform activities of daily living. Glaucoma patients with central defects in the better eye were more likely to have reduced scores on assessments of vision-related QoL.
The General Linear Model III

In the two preceding chapters we have set forth, in some detail, the estimation of parameters and the properties of the resulting estimators in the context of the standard GLM. We recall that rather stringent assumptions were made relative to the error process and the explanatory variables. Now that the exposition has been completed it behooves us to inquire as to what happens when some, or all, of these assumptions are violated. The motivation is at least twofold. First, situations may, in fact, arise in which some nonstandard assumption may be appropriate. In such a case we would want to know how to handle the problem. Second, we would like to know what is the cost in terms of the properties of the resulting estimators if we operate under the standard assumptions that, as it turns out, are not valid. Thus, even though we may not know that the standard assumptions are, in part, violated we would like to know what is the cost in case they are violated.
Functionally distinct amygdala subregions identified using DTI and high-resolution fMRI

Although the amygdala is often directly linked with fear and emotion, amygdala neurons are activated by a wide variety of emotional and non-emotional stimuli. Different subregions within the amygdala may be engaged preferentially by different aspects of emotional and non-emotional tasks. To test this hypothesis, we measured and compared the effects of novelty and fear on amygdala activity. We used high-resolution blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) imaging and streamline tractography to subdivide the amygdala into three distinct functional subunits. We identified a laterobasal subregion connected with the visual cortex that responds generally to visual stimuli, a non-projecting region that responds to salient visual stimuli, and a centromedial subregion connected with the diencephalon that responds only when a visual stimulus predicts an aversive outcome. We provide anatomical and functional support for a model of amygdala function where information enters through the laterobasal subregion, is processed by intrinsic circuits in the interspersed tissue, and is then passed to the centromedial subregion, where activation leads to behavioral output.
Optimal energy-conserving local discontinuous Galerkin method for the one-dimensional sine-Gordon equation

The nonlinear sine-Gordon equation arises in various problems in science and engineering. In this paper, we propose and analyze a high-order and energy-conserving local discontinuous Galerkin LDG method for the sine-Gordon nonlinear hyperbolic equation in one space dimension. We prove the energy-conserving property and the stability for the semi-discrete LDG method. Optimal a priori error estimates for the solution and for the auxiliary variable that approximates the first-order derivative are derived in the -norm for the semi-discrete formulation. In particular, we identify a special numerical flux and a particular projection of the initial conditions for the LDG scheme for which the -norm of the solution and its spatial derivative are of order , when piecewise polynomials of degree at most p are used. Our numerical experiments demonstrate optimal order of convergence. Several numerical results are presented to validate the theoretical analyze of the proposed algorithm. It appears that similar conclusions are valid for the two-dimensional case.
Identification and validation of mixed anxiety-depression.

Background. Mixed anxiety–depression (MAD) has been under scrutiny to determine its potential place in psychiatric nosology. The current study sought to investigate its prevalence, clinical characteristics, course and potential validators. Method. Restricted latent-class analyses were fit to 12-month self-reports of depression and anxiety symptom criteria in a large population-based sample of twins. Classes were examined across an array of relevant indicators (demographics, co-morbidity, adverse life events, clinical significance and twin concordance). Longitudinal analyses investigated the stability of, and transitions between, these classes for two time periods approximately 1.5 years apart. Results. In all analyses, a class exhibiting levels of MAD symptomatology distinctly above the unaffected subjects yet having low prevalence of either major depression (MD) or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was identified. A restricted four-class model, constraining two classes to have no prior disorder history to distinguish residual or recurrent symptoms from new onsets in the last year, provided an interpretable classification: two groups with no prior history that were unaffected or had MAD and two with prior history having relatively low or high symptom levels. Prevalence of MAD was substantial (9–11%), and subjects with MAD differed quantitatively but not qualitatively from those with lifetime MD or GAD across the clinical validators examined. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that MAD is a commonly occurring, identifiable syndromal subtype that warrants further study and consideration for inclusion in future nosologic systems.
Influence of Design Parameters on Mechanical Power Losses of Planetary Gear Sets

Mechanical (load-dependent) power losses of a planetary gear set occurs primarily along its lubricated rolling-sliding interfaces at the external and internal gear meshes, and planet bearings. The gear mesh originated portion of these losses are influenced by all key gear parameter, tooth profile correction and other parameters dictating the fluid film formation. In this study, a systematic planetary gear design search algorithm is combined with an efficiency formulation to (i) quantify the sensitivity of gear mesh mechanical losses of planetary gear sets to the basic gear design parameters and (ii) investigate the compromise that must take place between the mechanical efficiency and other functional attributes associated with durability and noise performance of the gear set. An example design study is presented at the end to demonstrate both of these points.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Methylene Green Electrodeposited on SWNTs-Based “Bucky” Papers for NADH and l-Malate Oxidation

This research introduces a cavity anode design based on new single-walled nanotube (SWNTs) papers, “bucky” papers, used for the oxidation (and regeneration) of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and the oxidation of l-malate. The materials designed are paper-like processed composites containing also additives: BP11 sample contains SWNTs and isopropanol (IPA); the BPMG sample contains SWNTs, IPA, and methylene green (MG). NADH/NAD+ is the cofactor responsible for the oxidation of l-malate by malate dehydrogenase (MDH), in the Krebs’ cycle. Because of the high overpotential of NADH oxidation, poly methylene green (PMG) was utilized as the electrocatalyst to produce NAD+. The electrocatalyst was deposited on the surface of the “bucky” papers by electropolymerization by means of 10 voltammetric cycles in a range of −0.5 V and +1.3 V (vs Ag/AgCl reference electrode) at a scan rate of 5 mV/s. The catalytic performance of PMG was evaluated by chronoamperometric measurements of NADH oxidation at 0.3 V in ph...
Influence of synthetic double-stranded ribonucleic acid (poly I:C) on SV40 viral oncogenesis and transplant tumor in hamsters.

SummaryStudies were carried out to measure the effect of a synthetic double-stranded RNA, poly I:C, on SV40 transplant tumor growth and SV40 viral oncogenesis in hamsters. Single or multiple doses of poly I:C given intraperitoneally before and/or after subcutaneous inoculation of SV40 virus into newborn hamsters had little or no effect on the percentage of animals developing subcutaneous tumors later in life. Likewise, single or multiple doses of varying amounts of poly I:C administered intraperitoneally before and /or after subcutaneous inoculation of 1000 to 500,000 virus-free SV40 tumor cells had little or no effect on the rate of tumor appearance in adult male hamsters.The authors are indebted to W. R. Clark, W. S. Collom, and T. A. Napier for technical assistance. Statistical computations were done by A. McLean.
The BioBrick™ road

Matters of intellectual property (IP) have been a characteristic concern of synthetic biology since its very birth as ‘open-source biology’. Although questions of IP in synthetic biology have intensified in recent years, little scholarly attention has yet been paid to the details of how such novel IP issues were actually first discussed and developed. In this article, I argue that a renewed orientation to specific empirical detail, to the bumpy road of untidy micropolitical stories and their piecemeal contributions – to the messy details of history – is essential in properly understanding the present IP landscape of this most contemporary of efforts to engineer life. Rather than coming out of any direct desire to gain legal clarity, concern for IP initially emerged organically out of larger discussions about the intended nature of the synthetic biology research community and its norms of openness and sharing. The goal of making biology ‘easier to engineer’ through the production of standard biological parts (BioBricks) has raised a number of these concerns in sharpest form. The emergence and development of IP issues in synthetic biology is thus best understood in the context of the ecology of practices and debates that have characterized the field in recent years.
Skin Disorders Among Geriatric Population at a Tertiary Care Center in Uttarakhand.

Introduction Ageing results in decline of normal functioning in all organ systems including skin. This predisposes the elderly persons to develop various skin ailments. A thorough knowledge of different diseases prevalent in this population in different geographic regions help the health care providers in better health care policy making.
Abstract A19: Potent antitumor activity of Dll4 blockade in ovarian xenografts mediated by blocking stromal Dll4

The Notch ligand delta-like 4 (Dll4) has been identified as a promising new target in tumor angiogenesis in preclinical studies, and Dll4 inhibitors have recently entered clinical trials for solid tumors, including ovarian cancers. We previously demonstrated that pharmacological blockade of the Dll4-Notch axis results in tumor vessel abnormalization and associated reduction of tumor growth. Using VelocImmune® mice, we identified a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody, REGN421 (called enoticumab), which binds human Dll4 with sub-nanomolar affinity and potently inhibits Notch signaling. Treatment of immunodeficient mice engineered to express human Dll4 with enoticumab inhibited growth of several human tumor xenografts and induced non-functional tumor blood vessels. In ovarian tumor xenograft models, Dll4 was expressed specifically by tumor endothelium, and blockade of Dll4 with either human- or mouse-specific Dll4 antibodies showed potent anti-tumor activity was entirely dependent on targeting stromal Dll4 but not tumor cell-expressed Dll4. Blockade of Dll4 reduced Notch signaling in both blood vessels and in tumor cells surrounding blood vessels, suggesting that Dll4 on endothelial cells could induce Notch signaling on ovarian tumor cells. The anti-tumor activity of Dll4 blockade in ovarian tumors was markedly augmented by simultaneous inhibition of VEGF signaling. Importantly, the combined blockade of Dll4 and VEGF reversed normal organ vascular changes that were induced by Dll4 blockade alone. These studies lend further support for therapeutic targeting of Dll4 as a promising new angiogenesis-based anticancer strategy in ovarian cancer, in particular in combination with anti-VEGF agents. Citation Format: Frank Kuhnert, Guoying Chen, Sandra Coetzee, Jessica Kirshner, Gavin Thurston. Potent antitumor activity of Dll4 blockade in ovarian xenografts mediated by blocking stromal Dll4. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Tumor Angiogenesis and Vascular Normalization: Bench to Bedside to Biomarkers; Mar 5-8, 2015; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A19.
OBJECT-ORIENTED ELECTRIC SPARK WORKING SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

This paper introduces the system control software of electrode spark micro-hole working machine DM-701 developed with Borland C++. In this paper describes the principle and work procedure in brief, gives out the software structure, analyses the classes and their hierarchy in detail, and explains the main member functions,
Research progress on the detection methods of Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene mutation

The completion of the Mycobacteriumtuberculosisgenome sequencing provides the evidence for the study of genetic nature of tuberculosis bacterium,and the study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene mutations has become one of hotspots in the field of TB research at present.The development and application of new technology of molecular biology,such as high-resolution melting(HRM),gene chip,DNA direct sequencing have provided more effective methods for Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene mutation research.This paper reviewed relative literatures in recent years at home and abroad,introduced in category the principles and application of different methods in Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene mutation detection.Gene mutation detection technology such as GeneXpert,Mycobacterium tuberculosis linear probe(line probe assay,LiPA),gene chip,which are more mature and are expected to be widely used at present were introduced as well.
Obesity enhances sepsis-induced liver inflammation and injury in mice.

Objective How obesity affects the response to sepsis was not completely understood. It was hypothesized that obesity alters adipose and hepatic tissue inflammation through signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) activation. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice at 6 weeks of age were randomized to a high-fat diet (60% kcal fat) or normal diet (16% kcal fat) for 6 to 7 weeks. Sepsis was then induced by cecal ligation and puncture, and animals were monitored for survival or sacrificed and tissue collected. Results High-fat diet-fed mice gained more weight, had increased fat mass, and were glucose intolerant compared with normal diet-fed mice. Obesity increased hepatic neutrophil infiltration and injury after sepsis. Mice with obesity had higher plasma leptin levels compared with mice without obesity. Adipose tissue expression of adiponectin receptor 2, tumor necrosis factor-α, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma was altered during sepsis and affected by obesity, but the greatest change in adipose tissue expression was in leptin. Septic mice with obesity had lower plasma interleukin-17a, interleukin-23, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels and increased hepatic STAT3 and activator protein-1 activation compared with septic mice without obesity. Ultimately, mice with obesity had a lower probability of survival following sepsis. Conclusions Mice with obesity are more susceptible to sepsis and have higher mortality, in part, through activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway and through activator protein-1 activation.
Tag recommendation via robust probabilistic discriminative matrix factorization

Low-rank matrix factorization serves as a key technique in learning latent factor models for many applications in machine learning. However, in many applications, observed data often exhibits different levels of noise. To address this issue, we propose a Robust Probabilistic Discriminative Matrix Factorization (RPDMF) method for binary matrix factorization on noise polluted data. We illustrate the benefits of our approach in real examples, and show how our method significantly outperforms Probabilistic Discriminative Matrix Factorization (PDMF) and classical method Weighted Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (WNMF) in the application of image tag completion.
Quantitative analysis of regional wall thickening by transesophageal echocardiography

To develop a method for quantitative analysis of regional left ventricular function from transesophageal two-dimensional echocardiograms, we conducted studies 10 and 20 minutes after induction of anesthesia in 16 patients with normal hearts who were undergoing minor orthopedic operations. Wall thickening was measured with the centerwall method along 100 chords drawn perpendicular to a line constructed around the center of the ventricular wall, midway between the endocardial and epicardial contours. Thickening, either normalized by the length of the end-diastolic perimeter or expressed as a percentage of the end-diastolic wall thickness at each chord, was compared with measurements of endocardial motion. Wall motion was relatively diminished in the anteroseptal region and enhanced on the contralateral wall, but wall thickening was homogeneous throughout the contour. Normalized wall thickening was significantly less variable (standard deviation/mean, 0.47 +/- 0.13) in the normal population than were either percent wall thickening (0.53 +/- 0.012) or wall motion (0.51 +/- 0.09) (p less than 0.005 for both comparisons). There was no significant change in regional or global function between 10 minutes and 20 minutes after the induction of anesthesia. In summary, normalized wall thickening as a parameter of regional left ventricular function is more homogeneous and less variable in subjects with normal hearts than is endocardial motion because wall thickening measurements are not subject to cardiac translocation artifacts. This low variability suggests that normalized wall thickening measured by the centerwall method may prove particularly useful for intraoperative and postoperative monitoring of regional left ventricular function by transesophageal echocardiography in patients undergoing both cardiac and noncardiac surgical procedures.
Reporting standards of the Society for Vascular Surgery for endovascular treatment of chronic lower extremity peripheral artery disease

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) represents a spectrum from asymptomatic stenosis to limb-threatening ischemia. The last decade has seen a tremendous increase in the variety of endovascular devices and techniques to treat occlusive disease. Like many evolving technologies, the literature surrounding therapy for endovascular arterial disease consists of mixed-quality manuscripts without clear standardization. Accordingly, critical evaluation of the reported results may be problematic. As such, providers and their patients make treatment decisions without the full benefit of a comparative effectiveness framework. The purpose of this document is to provide a summary for the reporting of endovascular revascularization techniques in the setting of chronic disease. Much of the work in this document is based on prior publications and standards proposed by the Society for Vascular Surgery. We have also made recommendations based on current literature and have attempted to acknowledge shortcomings and areas for future research. The various sections contain summaries of required reporting standards and should serve as a guide for the design of clinical trials and as reference for journal editors and reviewers when considering scientific work pertaining to endovascular therapy for chronic lower extremity arterial disease. An Appendix is provided with commonly used abbreviations in this document.
Spectroscopic applications of programmable subpicosecond resolution laser pulse shaping

We have developed a method tor producing voltage programmable, arbitrarily shaped laser pulses with ~100-fs resolution1 and >107-W peak power.2 Recent applications of rectangular 600-1500-fs pulses to probe hot carrier relaxation by photoconductive sampling and applications of phase and amplitude modulated laser pulses to create complex solitons in optical fibers are presented.
Clinical Case #11: Hector

Hector is a 20-year-old football player in his junior year at his state university. Hector developed lower back pain around the beginning of his football season 4 months ago, and the pain has slowly worsened over the course of the season. He remembers the pain starting after one particularly hard practice but he does not remember any particular tackle or injury occurring during that practice. There was no “pop” that precipitated the pain. At first Hector thought that his lower back muscles were “just sore” as they often were, but as the pain persisted and then significantly worsened in the last month, he became worried that something might really be wrong with his lower back.
Bonding in Organic Compounds

This chapter provides a discussion of the concepts related to the formation of the bonds that make up most organic compounds and how they determine the three-dimensional shape and chemical properties of those compounds. It begins with a review of atomic orbitals, showing how for all but the simplest of elements relying on atomic orbitals alone leads to an incorrect picture of chemical bonding. The concept of hybridization is then introduced to provide a more accurate picture of molecular structure. Overlap of hybrid orbitals with other hybrid orbitals or with hydrogen 1s orbitals leads to σ-bond formation. This chapter then goes on to demonstrate how p-orbitals overlap to form π-bonds. Conjugation and resonance are then introduced leading up to a discussion of aromaticity as applied first to carbocyclic and then heterocyclic systems.
Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia: Central Asia's Transition (1991–1995)

We have democracy here. Yes, we have stability. Brigadier, Great October kolkhoz , Syrdarya, Uzbekistan No, in Kyrgyzstan they have democracy. Here we have stability. Yes, we have peace … But, all the same, in my opinion, freedom is better. Librarian, Great October kolkhoz , Syrdarya, Uzbekistan What kind of democracy! We don't have democracy! We have chaos! Private farmer, Osh, Kyrgyzstan The third phase of Central Asia's “transition” – often mischaracterized by Western observers as pointing toward either democracy or communism, with other possibilities ignored – was the creation of new regimes in clan-based societies. Not only Westerners but the Central Asians themselves, as these comments from some Kyrgyz and Uzbek villagers illustrate, had difficulty in understanding what types of regimes were emerging and whether they were democratizing. In this chapter, I address two central questions of the study: why were some transitional regimes durable, and why did some collapse and then disintegrate into civil violence during the transition? And of the durable regimes, why did one democratize while others established a new authoritarianism? What role can elites play within clan-based societies? Despite the brevity of this period and its failures, understanding the causes and limits of these distinct transitions, and especially Kyrgyzstan's brief foray into democratization, is important for the historical record as well as for what it tells us about the theories and practices regarding democratization that are currently popular in Western academic and policy circles.
Prenatal Substance Exposure and Reporting of Child Maltreatment by Race and Ethnicity.

BACKGROUND: Substance exposure is thought to contribute to reports of suspected maltreatment made to child protective services (CPS) at or shortly after birth. There are limited data, however, on whether clinicians are more likely to report black and Hispanic substance-exposed infants compared with white infants. METHODS: We examined racial differences in diagnosed substance exposure and subsequent maltreatment reports by using linked birth, hospital discharge, and CPS records. Diagnostic codes were used to document substance exposure; CPS records provided information on maltreatment reports. Prevalence of infant exposure was calculated by race or ethnicity, substance type, and sociodemographic covariates. We estimated racial differences in maltreatment reporting among substance-exposed infants using multivariable models. RESULTS: In a 2006 population-based California birth cohort of 474 071 black, Hispanic, and white infants, substance exposure diagnoses were identified for 1.6% of infants ( n = 7428). Exposure varied significantly across racial groups ( P CONCLUSIONS: Although we were unable to address potential racial and ethnic disparities in screening for substances at birth, we found no evidence that racial disparities in infant CPS reports arise from variable responses to prenatal substance exposure.
From Despair to Integrity: Using Narrative Therapy for Older Individuals in Erikson’s Last Stage of Identity Development

Adults aged 65 and over are a growing population in the United States today. This population is underrepresented in the mental health literature despite the high rates of depression and suicide. Additionally, the newest generation of older individuals is more likely to seek therapy than past generations, furthering the need for mental health professionals to be prepared for treating older individuals. Erikson in Childhood and society, Norton, New York, (1950) describes this time period as being critical in terms of the final identity crisis, integrity versus despair. Integrity is marked by a positive evaluation of the individual’s entire life, less anxiety about death, and a feeling of gaining wisdom. Individuals who do not resolve this crisis can manifest despair in a number of ways, including depression, anger, and regret. This model proposes utilizing Narrative therapy (White in Maps of narrative practice, Norton, New York, 2007) to understand how elderly individuals evaluate their lives in reference to their environment. The model utilizes externalization, unique outcomes, and re-membering conversations to unlock subjugated stories and promote integrity.
Switching Megawatts with Power Transistors

Semiconductor silicon revolutionized the computing and communication industries in the last century. With the invention of the semiconductor transistor, miniaturization of electronic systems took place at an unprecedented rate. Today, everyone has access at their fingertips to computing and communication devices capable of delivering multi-megabits of data within seconds, once simply unthinkable. The advent of silicon integrated circuit (IC) technology enabled the information revolution, and information technology (IT) was a prime driver of the 20th century global economic boom. With the advent of information technology, energy technology has become more critical than ever before.1 Batterypowered, wireless handheld computing and communication devices are finding applications in every walk of life from the boardroom to the emergency room. However, further miniaturization and performance enhancement of these devices are hindered by battery size and limited storage capacity. At the same time, batterychargers are inefficient and waste nearly 25% of the electricity used.2 Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are becoming cost-effective and popular; and there is growing interest in developing all-electric transportation, especially from the perspective of environmental concerns.3 The electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure is more than 100 years old and is in the midst of the greatest change in its history.4 A flexible and robust smart electricity grid is needed that is capable of efficiently integrating distributed renewable energy resources, including solar and wind generators.5 At the same time, alternative and more efficient methods of electricity delivery such as direct DC are under development and have the potential for rapid penetration of renewable energy for local utilization.6
Genetics of Gene Expression in CNS

Transcriptome studies have revealed a surprisingly high level of variation among individuals in expression of key genes in the CNS under both normal and experimental conditions. Ten-fold variation is common, yet the specific causes and consequences of this variation are largely unknown. By combining classic gene mapping methods-family linkage studies and genomewide association-with high-throughput genomics, it is now possible to define quantitative trait loci (QTLs), single-gene variants, and even single SNPs and indels that control gene expression in different brain regions and cells. This review considers some of the major technical and conceptual challenges in analyzing variation in expression in the CNS with a focus on mRNAs, rather than noncoding RNAs or proteins. At one level of analysis, this work has been highly successful, and we finally have techniques that can be used to track down small numbers of loci that control expression in the CNS. But at a higher level of analysis, we still do not understand the genetic architecture of gene expression in brain, the consequences of expression QTLs on protein levels or on cell function, or the combined impact of expression differences on behavior and disease risk. These important gaps are likely to be bridged over the next several decades using (1) much larger sample sizes, (2) more powerful RNA sequencing and proteomic methods, and (3) novel statistical and computational models to predict genome-to-phenome relations.
Millennium Development Goal shortfalls in Zimbabwe: Analysing the impact of access to water and sanitation on early childhood morbidity

ABSTRACTAn Africana feminist framework is presented that considers the ways in which inequality resulting from a historical legacy of political conflict and other dimensions intersect to impact upon the accomplishment of Millennium Development Goals with regards to environmental sustainability and child malnutrition in Zimbabwe. Demographic and Health Surveys are analysed from 1988 to 2011 to examine whether differential access to water and sanitation is predicted by ethnic differences in Zimbabwe, and is predictive of chronic malnutrition. Safe water and sanitation are in short supply, and logistic regression analyses provide evidence that residents in Shona and Ndebele-dominated provinces generally have better access to these resources. Uneven distribution of these development resources has a deleterious impact on early childhood nutrition. This work elicits results that give rise to child health-related policy recommendations that may inform post-2015 discussions of Sustainable Development Goals, namel...
Nature Teaches: Young Children’s Experiences Learning Science Outdoors

The purpose of the study is to explore how young children learn science-related concepts when interacting with nature in an outdoor classroom. This study is also designed to examine how preservice education majors’ perceptions of teaching inquiry are developed when they plan and teach young children in an outdoor field-based setting. Children are curious about their environment and learn through discovery. The direct experiences provided an opportunity for exploration and interactions with peers. Preservice teachers learned to use an inquiry-based instructional model in their planning for outdoor experiences.
Simple glycolipids of microbes: Chemistry, biological activity and metabolic engineering.

Abstract Glycosylated lipids (GLs) are added-value lipid derivatives of great potential. Besides their interesting surface activities that qualify many of them to act as excellent ecological detergents, they have diverse biological activities with promising biomedical and cosmeceutical applications. Glycolipids, especially those of microbial origin, have interesting antimicrobial, anticancer, antiparasitic as well as immunomodulatory activities. Nonetheless, GLs are hardly accessing the market because of their high cost of production. We believe that experience of metabolic engineering (ME) of microbial lipids for biofuel production can now be harnessed towards a successful synthesis of microbial GLs for biomedical and other applications. This review presents chemical groups of bacterial and fungal GLs, their biological activities, their general biosynthetic pathways and an insight on ME strategies for their production.
A Man Without a Job is a Dead Man: The Meaning of Work and Welfare in the Lives of Young Men

Little is known about the use of welfare by young men as most research and debate have concentrated on the use of welfare by families headed by single women. This research includes young men in this debate by examining the personal characteristics, events that precipitated their use, why they exited, and the barriers they faced in obtaining employment. Data are from qualitative interviews of 20 young men who resided in Madison, Wisconsin. Findings suggest that these men use General Assistance as a type of unemployment insurance between jobs. Policy, program and research recommendations are made regarding the need for assistance in improving the level of human capital and locating and retaining employment for poor men
Grandiose and vulnerable narcissists disagree about whether others' vulnerable narcissism is relatable and tolerable

Abstract The narcissistic-tolerance hypothesis suggests that narcissists view other narcissists as more similar to the self and, hence, more likeable. Studies on this phenomenon have been limited to people's evaluations of narcissistic grandiosity devoid of narcissistic vulnerability. To expand the scope of testing and add to understanding narcissism and interpersonal evaluation, participants (N = 535) completed indices of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and rated liking for and similarity to a fictional target who either presented as a vulnerable narcissist or a non-narcissist. The vulnerable-narcissist target was rated as less likeable and similar to the self, but these effects were reduced as a function of perceivers' vulnerable, but not grandiose, narcissism. When interactive effects of perceiver self-esteem and target condition were controlled, the narcissism forms largely converged on similarity and liking ratings as a function of target condition. In sum, the study expands the scope of testing for narcissistic tolerance, offers a boundary for narcissistic tolerance, corroborates the notion of distinct vulnerable and grandiose identities, and provides insight into narcissists' social perception.
STUDIES ON LYSOSOMES IV. Solubilization of Enzymes during Mitochondrial Swelling and Disruption of Lysosomes by Streptolysin S and Other Hemolytic Agents

Streptolysins S and O from hemolytic streptococci were found to induce mitochondrial swelling and the release of malic dehydrogenase from mitochondria; no other streptococcal products were as active. Mg++, cyanide, dinitrophenol, bovine serum albumin, and antimycin all inhibited streptolysin-induced mitochondrial swelling; only the latter two agents prevented release of malic dehydrogenase from the particles. The streptolysins also solubilized beta-glucuronidase from the less numerous lysosomes of mitochondrial fractions. Vitamin A induced swelling of mitochondria with release of malic dehydrogenase and, at higher concentrations, release of beta-glucuronidase. In these effects, streptolysin S and vitamin A resembled cysteine and ascorbate, which induced swelling and lysis of mitochondria together with solubilization of enzymes. In contrast, mitochondrial swelling induced by such agents as phosphate, thyroxine, or substrates was not accompanied by release of enzymes. The release of enzymes from particles is suggested as a criterion for distinguishing "lytic" agents from those which induce mitochondrial swelling dependent upon electron transport. It was possible to dissociate effects on mitochondria and lysosomes in these experiments; less streptolysin was necessary to damage lysosomes than mitochondria; the converse was found with vitamin A. Injury to mitochondria resulted from the direct action of these agents, since the lysosomal enzymes released as a consequence of their action were not capable of inducing mitochondrial swelling or release of enzymes under the conditions studied.
Formation Evaluation By Transient Pressure Testing

One of the most useful tools available for the purpose of formation evaluation is the transient pressure test. Basically, this test requires that the flow rate of a well be changed and that the associated change in bottomhole pressure be measured as a function of time. Proper interpretation of the resulting data can yield information necessary for a comprehensive program of reservoir analysis. The primary objective of this paper is to review the most successful method of transient pressure analysis for the purpose of evaluating reservoir flow capacity, formation damage, and reservoir fluid pressure. Examples of these determinations are presented.
Reinventing Cotton Mather in the American renaissance

In this engaging study of the politics of literary antiquarianism in antebellum America. Christopher Felker's main argument is that Mather's Magnalia Christi Americana, republished in 1829 by the Reverend Thomas Robbins, provided a "tutor-text" or "masterplot" for nineteenth-century historical fictionists' highly sophisticated meditations on the immediate problems of democracy in America. The subject of democratic politics in antebellum America, informs Hawthorne's Grandfather's Chair (1839), Stowe's The Minister's Wooing (1859), and The Stoddards's Morgesons(1862). The discussion of both colonial and early national historical writing brilliantly articulates it as a culturalpractice in which authors engage contemporary issues and thereby inscribe their political identities on the texts themselves.Felker situates the emergence of Mather's Magnalia in the context of the tumultuous era between 1684 and 1691 during which Massachusetts Bay experienced a "loss of chartered identity." The period's instabilities complicated both the Puritan claim to a New World millennial mission and the Puritan historian's claim to authentic, historical "truth."
Insect brain as a model for the study of aging. Age-related changes in drosophila melanogaster.

Behavioral, light and electron microscopic studies of young and oldDrosophila melanogaster are presented. Negative geotaxis and mating studies were used as indices of behavior; these began to decline at ages 28–35 days and very low values were obtained at 70 to 85 days. With the light microscope the brains of the old flies demonstrated shrinkage of the cortex, loss of basophilia in the cytoplasm of the giant neurons (neurosecretory cells), and vacuolation in the neuropil. Electron microscopy of the brains of aged flies revealed a marked loss of free ribosomes and granular endoplasmic reticulum and increased cytoplasmic lipid and autophagic vacuoles in neurosecretory cells. There was also a general decrease in the amount of neuronal cytoplasm. Vacuoles and pale processes, sometimes identified as swollen cell processes, were frequently seen in the deep cortex and neuropil. A heterogeneous population of dense bodies was found in the neuropil. Morphologically the bodies resemble lipoprotein complexes and are consistent with age pigment, but further characterization awaits biochemical studies.
Swallowing Function Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion With and Without Anterior Plating: A SWAL-QOL (Swallowing-Quality of Life) and Radiographic Assessment

Objective Anterior cervical plating in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures are associated with improved outcomes compared to stand-alone cages. However, concerns exist regarding increased rates of postoperative dysphagia following an ACDF. This study aims to quantify the effect of anterior plating on swallowing-quality of life (SWAL-QOL) scores and radiographic swelling assessments following a primary, single-level ACDF. Methods Patients retrospectively reviewed. Patients grouped into those receiving a cage or anterior plate. SWAL-QOL scores were recorded preoperatively and 6 weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively. Lateral radiographs were used to create a swelling index with a ratio of the prevertebral swelling distance to the anterior-posterior diameter of each involved vertebral body. An air index was created using the same methodology. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square analysis and independent t-tests for categorical and continuous variables. Results Sixty-eight primary, single-level ACDF patients were included. Forty-one (60.3%) received a stand-alone cage and 27 (39.7%) received a cage with anterior plating. No differences in demographics, comorbidities, operative time, estimated blood loss, or length of hospital stay were identified between Cage and Plate cohorts. Finally, no differences were observed in postoperative SWAL-QOL scores or swelling and air indices between groups. Conclusion The results demonstrate that patients undergoing a primary, single-level ACDF with or without anterior plating experience similar operative times and lengths of stay. Patients that receive a cage with anterior plating did not experience significant increases in dysphagia as measured by the SWAL-QOL questionnaire compared to patients that received a stand-alone cage. Furthermore, radiographic assessments of swelling are comparable.
The Effect of Teaching Family Medicine Clerkship Students on Preceptor Productivity.

Introduction High-quality, experiential learning in outpatient settings is indispensable for medical student education; however these settings are difficult to recruit and retain. The majority of primary care physicians are employed by organizations and are under pressure to increase their relative value unit (RVU) production. Although the common perception that teaching medical students decreases productivity is unproven, it is likely a barrier for primary care physicians pursuing clinical teaching. We sought to investigate whether medical student teaching affects clinical productivity. Methods We recruited 15 family medicine (FM) clerkship sites to participate in our study via email and at an in-person meeting. For each preceptor, we collected billing data in the form of current procedural terminology (CPT) codes for all patient encounters and the number of patients seen per half-day for when the preceptor had a student and when they did not. We converted CPT codes to RVU data. We compared differences in productivity for each individual preceptor, and we used a paired t test to examine collective data with and without a student. Results Ten preceptors at six FM clerkship sites provided reliable data. The average RVU per half-day without a student was 10.84, and it was slightly higher at 11.25 when a student was present (P=.74). The average number of patients seen per half-day without a student was 8.32 and it was slightly lower at 7.87 when a student was present (P=.58). Conclusion This study shows promising data that teaching students in the outpatient setting does not decrease preceptor productivity. This pilot study can lead to a larger-scale exploration of family medicine preceptor productivity in different settings and institutions.
Subtalar Joint Arthrodesis: Open and Arthroscopic Indications and Surgical Techniques

Arthrodesis of the subtalar joint can be performed via both open and arthroscopic techniques. Both groups of procedures have their own relative indications and contraindications, as well as complications. Good results have been reported for both general procedures, although some studies suggest superiority with arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis.