cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of estrogen on mammary structure of adrenalectomized and thiouracil treated castrate rats.

Recent work on the relation of the thyroid and adrenal glands to mammary growth suggested a study of the combined effects of thiouracil treatment and adrenalectomy on the structure of the mammary gland. That growth of the mamary gland can take place in the hypothyroid state was reported by Nelson and Hickman (1937). They reported marked mammary development following estrogen treatment in either thyroidectomized or thyroidectomized castrate rats, but no comparison was make with adequate controls. In a more extensive study by Leonard and Reece (1941), thyroidectomy resulted in stimulation of the alveolar system and thickening of the ducts in normal castrate and estrogen treated castrate female rats. Smithcors and Leonard (1942) reported that thyroidectomy in normal immature male rats resulted in inhibition of duct growth and stimulation of alveolar development. The same changes, but to a lesser degree, were found in castrate males.
"Looking for Children": The search for fertility among the Sara of southern Chad

Despite the long history of infertility and childlessness in Central Africa, and the ongoing demand for treatment of fertility-related problems, the interpretations and experiences of the men and women living in the region vis-a vis the inability to have children remain largely unrecorded. In this paper I examine what the Sara, one of Chad's largest ethnic groups, have to say about fertility problems, and how these views are linked to changes in the social, cultural, and economic landscape of southern Chad in the 20th century. I describe the iterative and inductive process, commonly referred to by the Sara as "doing research," that the Sara use to explore the reasons for the inability to conceive or bear children in the face of multiple reproductive threats. The Sara's causal constructions convey a holistic and multifaceted perspective on this demographic anomaly--a perspective that is missing from most demographic and epidemiologic accounts and that has important implications for public health policy and...
The relationship of sex-role orientation to heterosexuals' attitudes toward homosexuals

It has been proposed that heterosexuals' negative attitudes toward homosexuals derives in part from perceptions that homosexuality threatens society's traditional sex role structure. This explanation suggests that persons who are more traditional in their sex role characteristics will hold more negative attitudes toward homosexuals. This hypothesis was tested using three aspects of sex role — sex role beliefs, sex role self-concept, and sex role behavior pattern — and four measures of attitudes toward homosexuals — attitudes toward male homosexuals, attitudes toward female homosexuals, personal responses to homosexual advances and feelings, and attitudes toward the social role of homosexuals. In general, for both female and male respondents, less negative attitudes were related to being older, being less conservative, and holding less traditional sex role beliefs. In addition, for women, less negativie attitudes were also associated with a more stereotypically masculine behavior pattern. The conceptual and methodological implications of these findings are discussed.
Analysis and description of a high stability nuclear pulse amplifier [Errata sheet]

Various corrections are made to the above-named work affecting pages 2, 6, 7, 8, and Figures 2, A2, and 13.
Muscle activity onset detection using energy detectors

Muscle activity detection is important for clinical investigations leading to the identification of neuromuscular disorders. Myoelectric signal recorded via electrodes placed at skin surface can reveal important muscle excitation information about underlying limb movement. However, a primary difficulty in the detection of muscle activity period from myoelectric signals lies in the inherent variability of these signals and the noise added during the collection process. In the literature, the double threshold detector has been commonly used for detection of the muscle activity periods from myoelectric signals. In this study, we propose a new scheme based on the log-likelihood ratio test to detect muscle activity periods accurately. This scheme uses energy information contained in the myoelectric signal, which increases with the start of the activity. We demonstrate the viability of energy detection scheme via successful detection performed on synthetic as well as clinical myoelectric signals.
The Putin Thesis and Russian Energy Policy

A specialist on Russian politics and society analyzes Russian President Vladimir Putin's academic work on mineral resources in the Russian economy. Mr. Putin defended a kandidat dissertation in economics and subsequently published an article outlining his view of the appropriate role of the Russian state, and of vertically integrated financial-industrial groups, in the mineral resource sector, and particularly in the oil and gas industry. Connections are drawn between the views expressed in Mr. Putin's publications and policy during his second presidential term.
Employee Commitment in Times of Change: Assessing the Importance of Attitudes Toward Organizational Change †

Organizations are dynamic and changing entities. Variables associated with organizational change have been shown to serve as mediators of several individual difference variable/workrelated outcome relationships. This study examines three potential antecedents of 258 police officers' attitudes toward organizational change (ATOC), and whether ATOC mediates the relationships between these antecedents and affective organizational commitment (AOC). At the time of data collection, the officers' police department was restructuring its organizational design. Structural equation modeling indicates the growth need strength/AOC relationship is fully mediated, whereas the locus of control/AOC and internal work motivation/AOC relationships are partially mediated by ATOC. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Observations on 35 years as an expert witness in American malpractice litigation: a comparison with the British legal system

I am an academic cardiologist whose major research interest is echocardiography and whose entire 35-year career has been spent in Northern California at one institution. My extracurricular career as an expert witness began when my department chairman asked me to help his neighbour, an attorney who was representing a plaintiff and seeking an expert. The pivotal issue was whether liability for a fatal myocardial infarction was attributable to overly aggressive thyroid hormone replacement. It was my opinion that, based on the information contained in the medical records and the current pharmacological parameters, the treating doctor had not prescribed appropriately. The defence witness was a pathologist who stated that “It was only a small infarction and should not have killed him.” In deposition, my response cited a substantial body of indisputable scientific evidence supporting the lethality of acute coronary syndromes. Having no counter argument, the defence settled for an undisclosed sum. From that time, I have been riveted by the interface between law and medicine and have since served as an expert witness at least a 100 times. The cases I have reviewed represent only a fraction of the number of requests received. Time constraints and my interest in particular cases have been the major factors limiting my involvement. While I prefer to testify in defence of my fellow doctors, about 40% of the time I have been retained by a plaintiff’s attorney. My professional opinion is not swayed by whichever “side” retains me. My approach reflects the system used in the United Kingdom, where the duty of the expert is solely to the court. Yet, before reading the impressions of Professor Roger Hall,1 Dr Steven J D Brecker2 and Adrian Whitfield QC,3 I was unaware of the responsibilities of an expert witness in what we in America …
A study of three finite difference schemes and their role in asynoptic meteorological data assimilation

An investigation was conducted concerning the response of various finite-difference schemes to the insertion of unweighted data. A simple barotropic model was employed as a forecast model. The Mintz-Arakawa two-level general circulation model was used as a source of data. The schemes tested include a Shuman scheme employing centered time differences and 9-point spatial smoothing. Two other schemes investigated were a Matsuno-TASU scheme and a semiimplicit scheme similar to one proposed by McPherson (1971).
Mechanical loading and TGF-β change the expression of multiple miRNAs in tendon fibroblasts.

Tendons link skeletal muscles to bones and are important components of the musculoskeletal system. There has been much interest in the role of microRNA (miRNA) in the regulation of musculoskeletal tissues to mechanical loading, inactivity, and disease, but it was unknown whether miRNA is involved in the adaptation of tendons to mechanical loading. We hypothesized that mechanical loading and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) treatment would regulate the expression of several miRNA molecules with known roles in cell proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. To test our hypothesis, we subjected untrained adult rats to a single session of mechanical loading and measured the expression of several miRNA transcripts in Achilles tendons. Additionally, as TGF-β is known to be an important regulator of tendon growth and adaptation, we treated primary tendon fibroblasts with TGF-β and measured miRNA expression. Both mechanical loading and TGF-β treatment modulated the expression of several miRNAs that regulate cell proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. We also identified mechanosensitive miRNAs that may bind to the 3′-untranslated region of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor scleraxis, which is a master regulator of limb tendon development. The results from this study provide novel insight into the mechanobiology of tendons and indicate that miRNA could play an important role in the adaptation of tendons to growth stimuli.
Highly conductive and optically transparent GZO films grown under metal-rich conditions by plasma assisted MBE

We demonstrate a critical effect of a metal-to-oxygen ratio on the electrical, optical, and structural properties of ZnO films heavily doped with Ga (carrier concentration in the range of 1020–1021 cm–3) grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The as-grown layers prepared under the metal-rich conditions exhibited resistivities below 3 × 10–4 Ω cm and an optical transparency exceeding 90% in the visible spectral range as well as a large blue shift of the transmission/absorption edge attributed to the Burstein–Moss shift of the Fermi level deep into the conduction band, indicating high donor concentration. In contrast, the films grown under the oxygen-rich conditions required thermal activation and showed inferior properties. Furthermore, electrical measurements point to the nonuniform depth distribution of free carriers. An oxygen-pressure-dependent surface disordering is suggested to be responsible for the drastic effect of the metal-to-oxygen ratio on the film properties. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Five "Classical" Plant Hormones.

It is 60 years since Went and Thimann (1937) published their classic book Phytohormones. At that time, the term phytohormone was synonymous with auxin, although the existence of other phytohormones, such as cell division factors, was anticipated on the basis of physiological experiments. It is impressive that aside from some confusion about the structure of auxin, many of the basic phenomena of auxin physiology were already known at that time. It is equally impressive that much auxin biology, including the CholodnyWent hypothesis (Went and Thimann, 1937) regarding the role of auxin in mediating graviand phototropism, the pathway of auxin biosynthesis, and the mechanism by which auxin causes cell wall loosening, remains controversial. Since 1937, gibberellin (GA), ethylene, cytokinin, and abscisic acid (ABA) have joined auxin as phytohormones, and together, they are regarded as the "classical five" (Figure 1). This group is expected to grow as the hormonal functions of other compounds are recognized and as new hormones are discovered (see Creelman and Mullet, 1997, in this issue). As is evident from this short review, recent progress on hormone biosynthesis and on hormonal transduction pathways has been impressive. Also evident is that there are many blanks still to be filled in. With the application of the powerful new techniques of chemical analysis and molecular genetics, the rate at which new discoveries are made will continue to accelerate. It's a great time to be a plant hormonologist!
CONTRASTING BINGE AND CONTINUOUS ALCOHOLIC DRINKERS USING DEMOGRAPHIC AND DRINKING HISTORY VARIABLES

While it is quite common for researchers and clinicians to categorize alcoholics as binge or continuous drinkers, relatively little is known about the characteristics of these two potentially distinct clinical populations. In the present study, binge and continuous alcoholics were evaluated on a number of demographic and drinking history variables. Binge drinkers were found to be significantly more likely than continuous drinkers to have been treated for liver problems and more likely to have reported parental alcoholism. They also tended to describe a greater number of alcohol-related arrests and hospitalizations. Six of the variables taken together yielded a discriminative function that was only moderately successful in classifying these drinkers. The potential clinical importance of objectively identifying binge versus continuous drinkers is discussed.
Duodenal-renal fistula.

A 54-year-old white male presented with a 3-month history of right flank pain. Onset of pain was in the mid abdomen and for 2 consecutive days the patient noticed blood in stool. During the next 2 months he had several episodes of low grade fever with temperatures up to 38.5C. At hospital admission percussion of the right flank elicited pain. Patient temperature was normal at 36.5C. White blood cell count was 9,800, red blood cells 4.1 million, hematocrit 41, hemoglobin 14.3, creatinine 1.8, blood urea nitrogen 27, amylase 140 U/l and lipase 180 U/l. Urinalysis revealed cloudy urine. Specific gravity was 1,024, with 10 to 12 white blood cells and 15 to 20 red blood cells per high power field, abundant bacteria on high power field, as well as some mucoid (eosinophilic staining) globules. Urine culture was positive for Escherichia coli. A 3-phase contrast enhanced computerized tomogram revealed a large extrarenal right kidney pelvis. The wall of the pelvis appeared thickened, and there was prominent striation in the periduodenal fat of the second and junction segment third portion of the duodenum (fig. 1). The excretory phase computerized tomogram demonstrated densely opacified urine in the ureteropelvic junction of the right kidney with identical dense material in the second portion of the duodenum. The right ureteropelvic junction, left ureter and duodenal lumen contained
Getting to Know Waiwai: An Amazonian Ethnography

Getting to Know Waiwai: An Amazonian Ethnography. ALAN TORMAID CAMPBELL. London and New York: Routledge, 1995. vili + 253 pp., figures, map, photographs, references, index.
Pretreatment of Bleached Cotton Fibers with Whole and Monocomponent Cellulases for Nonwoven Applications

Enzymatic treatment of fabrics has been carried out in the past to enhance the aesthetic properties, which has often resulted in the reduction of fabric strength. The objective of the current inves...
Pseudouridine formation in U2 small nuclear RNA.

Abstract U2 small nuclear RNA contains 13 pseudouridine (psi) nucleotides, of which 11 are clustered in 5' regions involved in base-pairing interactions with other RNAs in the spliceosome. As a first step toward understanding the psi formation pathway in U2 RNA, we investigated psi formation on unmodified human U2 RNA in a HeLa cell extract system. Psi formation was found to occur specifically within only those RNase T1 oligonucleotide fragments of U2 RNA known to contain psi in vivo. Using 5-fluorouridine (FUrd)-containing U2 RNAs as specific inhibitors of psi formation in non-FUrd-substituted substrate U2 RNA, we found that wild-type FUrd-containing U2 RNA as well as several FUrd-containing mutant U2 RNAs completely inhibited psi formation. In contrast, certain other mutant U2 RNAs containing FUrd displayed reduced inhibitory capacity. In these cases psi modifications occurred in specific RNase T1 fragments of the substrate U2 RNA only if the FUrd-containing competitor RNA was mutated at or near this site. Formation of psi at one site in U2 RNA appeared to be neither dependent on prior psi formation at another site or sites nor required for subsequent psi formation elsewhere in the molecule. This autonomous mode of psi formation may be driven by multiple psi synthase enzymes acting independently at different sites in U2 RNA.
Review Pulmonary- Allergy, Dermatological, Gastrointestinal & Arthritis: Current therapies for peptic ulcer disease

The area of antiulcer research has changed dramatically over the past three years due to the introduction of proton pump inhibitors and the discovery of the link between Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease. Established agents such as ranitidine and famotidine have secured their place in the world market, but a number of novel agents are currently under investigation and could lead to new therapies in the future. This article reviews the the existing treatments available and their side effects, whilst briefly discussing the new compounds which have been disclosed in the recent patent literature.
Nonlinear Q-Design for Convex Stochastic Control

In this note we describe a version of the Q-design method that can be used to design nonlinear dynamic controllers for a discrete-time linear time-varying plant, with convex cost and constraint functions and arbitrary disturbance distribution. Choosing a basis for the nonlinear Q-parameter yields a convex stochastic optimization problem, which can be solved by standard methods such as sampling. In principle (for a large enough basis, and enough sampling) this method can solve the controller design problem to any degree of accuracy; in any case it can be used to find a suboptimal controller, using convex optimization methods. We illustrate the method with a numerical example, comparing a nonlinear controller found using our method with the optimal linear controller, the certainty-equivalent model predictive controller, and a lower bound on achievable performance obtained by ignoring the causality constraint.
Reduced-Order Network Models for Biological Scaffolding

Many types of biological soft tissues possess a microstructure comprised of embedded fibers which, collectively, are load bearing components.
A Novel Classification Method Using Self-Regulatory Feedback

A network is described that performs classification based on self-regulatory feedback. Structurally it contrasts with current classifier methods by not requiring parameterized connection weights or lateral inhibition. Thus is it different from other biologically inspired networks such as: Neural Networks, Adaptive Resonance Networks.
Enzymatic Pretreatment during 15th to 18th Century Papermaking in Europe

Enzymatic pretreatment of cellulose is generally considered to be a new area of research, but in fact it was a standard step in European pre-industrial papermaking between 1300 and 1800. Specialized handmade papers are routinely prepared in our Center for use in the care and conservation of rare books and manuscripts. Our attempts to replicate some of the early papers have led us to an investigation of retting (or fermentation) of hemp and cotton fiber as a pre-beating step. Results of twenty-two production runs show that increased fermentation time gives increased Canadian Standard Freeness and improved formation quality while permitting a decrease in beating time.
ID: 140: KLOTHO, AN ANTI-AGING MOLECULE, REGULATES ALVEOLAR EPITHELIAL CELL MTDNA DAMAGE AND APOPTOSIS

Rationale Convincing evidence has emerged that impaired alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) injury and repair resulting from ‘exaggerated’ lung aging and mitochondrial dysfunction are critical determinants of the lung fibrogenic potential of toxic agents, including asbestos fibers, but the mechanisms underlying these findings is unknown. We showed that the extent of AEC mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and apoptosis are critical determinants of asbestos-induced pulmonary fibrosis (Cheresh et al AJRCMB 2014, Kim et al JBC 2014). Klotho is an age-inhibiting gene and Klotho-deficient mice demonstrate a premature aging phenotype that includes a reduced lifespan, arteriosclerosis, and lung oxidative DNA damage, and that Klotho attenuates hyperoxic-induced AEC DNA damage and apoptosis (Ravikumar et al AJP-Lung 2014). We reason that Klotho has an important role in limiting pulmonary fibrosis by protecting the AECs from oxidative stress. Methods Quantitative PCR-based measurement of mtDNA damage was assessed following transient transfection with wild-type Klotho, Klotho siRNA or AKT siRNA in A549 and/or MLE-12 cells for 48 hrs followed by exposure to either amosite asbestos (25 µg/cm2) or H2O2 (200 µM) for 24 hrs. Apoptosis was assessed by cleaved caspase-9/3 levels and DNA fragmentation assay. Murine pulmonary fibrosis was analyzed in male 8–10 week old WT (C3H/C57B6J) mice or Klotho heterozygous knockout (Kl+/−) mice following intratracheal instillation of a single dose of 100 µg crocidolite asbestos or titanium dioxide (negative control) using histology (fibrosis score by Masson9s trichrome staining) and lung collagen (Sircoll assay). Results Compared to control, amosite asbestos or H2O2 reduces Klotho mRNA/protein expression. Notably, silencing of Klotho promotes oxidative stress-induced AEC mtDNA damage and apoptosis whereas Klotho-enforced expression (EE) and Euk-134, a mitochondrial ROS scavenger, are protective. Interestingly, Kl+/− mice have increased asbestos-induced lung fibrosis. Also, we find that inhibition or silencing of AKT augments oxidant-induced AEC mtDNA damage and apoptosis. Conclusions Our data demonstrate a crucial role for AEC AKT signaling in mediating the mtDNA damage protective effects of Klotho. Given the importance of AEC aging and apoptosis in pulmonary fibrosis, we reason that Klotho/AKT axis is an innovative therapeutic target for preventing common lung diseases of aging (i.e. IPF, COPD, lung cancer, etc.) for which more effective management regimens are clearly needed. Funding NIH-RO1 ES020357-01A1 (DK) and VA Merit (DK).
Transonic Single-Degree-of-Freedom Flutter and Natural Mode Instabilities

At transonic Mach numbers, single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) torsional flutter instabilities are possible for 2D typical section models, and similar natural mode instabilities can occur for swept 3D wings. In 2D attached flows, a pure plunge mode is always stable and some pitching motion is necessary for flutter. In the case of a 3D swept wing, the required pitching motion is provided through the structural washout mechanism, and natural mode instabilities are possible over a range of transonic Mach numbers, even in the absence of shock-induced separation. The Mach number freeze phenomenon or transonic stabilization is shown to play a fundamental role in determining the shape of the SDOF region, and the eventual quenching of these instabilities as the Mach number is increased. The practical implications of transonic SDOF torsional flutter and natural mode instabilities are explored through several examples.
Radio-frequency plasma assisted production of carbon monoxide/oxygen propellant directly from Mars atmosphere

Martian atmospheric gas processed by a radio frequency (RF) discharge result in a mixture of predominantly oxygen and carbon monoxide, with a minor concentration of carbon dioxide and other residual components. Recombination of oxygen and carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide is slow enough to allow the extraction of oxygen, the exhaust stream can approach 90% carbon monoxide. Its value as a propellant is recognized and an oxidizer/fuel production system analyzed. In addition, dust removal capability of RF discharge is described.
The Chevron Osteotomy: A Clinical and Radiographic Analysis:

This is a retrospective study of the chevron osteotomy for hallux valgus. Subjective and objective postoperative results were evaluated. Differences in the postoperative correction of the intermeta...
Can psychoanalysis help us to understand the causes and prevention of violence

As the most adequate theory of human personality yet created, including our propensity for irrational, self-defeating, and self-destructive behavior patterns, psychoanalysis is in a unique position to help us solve the most serious crisis that the human species has been confronted by at any point in its evolutionary history: the threat to its own survival that is caused by its own behavior, namely the compulsion to engage in violence on the largest scale that its technology makes possible, even when that causes the death of the self as well as of others. This continually expanding behavior pattern, which reduces even genocide to a minor footnote compared with the self-extinction of our whole species, is created not only by “apocalyptic” fundamentalism and terrorism (“suicide bombers”), but also by the increasing and only partially preventable proliferation of thermonuclear weapons to national rulers of questionable sanity, and the apparently unpreventable continuation of industrial/economic policies and p...
Quality improvement in Medicaid managed care: Experience of the best clinical and administrative practices initiative.

Article-at-a-Glance Background The Best Clinical and Administrative Practices (BCAP) initiative is part of the Medicaid Managed Care Program (MMCP) operated by the Center for Health Care Strategies. Work groups of 10–12 plans addressed quality of care in designated areas. Methods and Information Sources The assessment of BCAP was part of a larger MMCP program evaluation funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Case studies were developed for four BCAPs that focused respectively on improving birth outcomes, preventive care for children, asthma care, and care for adults with chronic illnesses or disabilities. They were based on document review and semistructured interviews. Medicaid managed care plans nationwide were also surveyed. Findings BCAP participants were overwhelmingly risk-based managed care plans whose enrollment was dominated by Medicaid. Participants said BCAP helped them enhance the way they approach quality improvement. As a result of work group participation, most plans made changes in their delivery of care, and more than half sustained and continued to build on these changes after the work group ended. Discussion BCAP participation helped Medicaid plans change the way they think about quality improvement and take sustainable steps to improve quality; the ultimate impact may be stronger once plans become more sophisticated users of such techniques.
Alterations in Membrane Permeability to Ca2+ and Their Consequences during Maturation of Mammalian Spermatozoa

Work from this laboratory (Morton and Lardy, 1967a,b) established conditions for examination of mitochondrial function in bovine spermatozoa whose surface membranes are disrupted by shear forces, hypotonic shock, or by treatment with the polyene antibiotic filipin. Respiration of exposed sperm mitochondria, dependent upon the added oxidative substrates, supports extensive accumulation of Ca2+ (Babcock et al., 1976). Uptake of Ca2+ also occurs in rabbit sperm mitochondria exposed by hypotonic shock (Storey and Keyhani, 1973) and in bovine sperm treated with digitonin (Singh et al.,1981).
Some Field Evidence Relating to the Modes of Occurrence of Intrusive Rocks, with Some Remarks upon the Origin of Eruptive Rocks in General.

It is commonly believed by geologists, as well as by coal miners, that the inner faces of the rocks which enclose intrusive masses were at one time in contact, and that each of these surfaces is the counterpart in form to the other, from which it has been severed by the forces to which the injection of the intrusive mass was due. In the case of a sill, for example, this belief implies that the rock floor below the sill and the roof above it were in unbroken contact at some time before the sill was intruded, and that the floor and the roof have been forced apart to a distance equal to the thickness of the intrusive mass.
Combinational Logic Design

In this chapter we cover the techniques to synthesize, analyze, and manipulate logic functions. The purpose of these techniques is to ultimately create a logic circuit using the basic gates described in Chap. 3 from a truth table or word description. This process is called combinational logic design. Combinational logic refers to circuits where the output depends on the present value of the inputs. This simple definition implies that there is no storage capability in the circuitry and a change on the input immediately impacts the output. To begin, we first define the rules of Boolean algebra, which provide the framework for the legal operations and manipulations that can be taken on a two-valued number system (i.e., a binary system). We then explore a variety of logic design and manipulation techniques. These techniques allow us to directly create a logic circuit from a truth table and then to manipulate it to either reduce the number of gates necessary in the circuit or to convert the logic circuit into equivalent forms using alternate gates. The goal of this chapter is to provide an understanding of the basic principles of combinational logic design.
A multivariate analysis of inter-country differentials in electricity supply as a function of colonialism in Africa

Abstract Inter-country differentials in the electricity supply capabilities of African countries were examined as a function of their varying colonial experiences. Colonial experience is characterized by three interval and one binary variable. The interval variables included colonial era per capita GDP, colonially-induced urbanization, and duration of colonialism. The colonial administrative strategy comprised the binary variable. The General Linear Model (GLM) was employed to analyze the data. The analysis, revealed a strong and statistically significant link between electricity supply capabilities and colonial experience (R-square = 0.70) Accordingly, it was concluded that colonialism explains 70% of the variability in electricity supply capabilities. The per capita GDP on the eve of independence had the strongest association (r = 0.717) with electricity supply. This was followed by the duration of colonialism (r = 0.377). The level of colonially-induced urbanization was shown to also have a positive association (r = 0.337) with electricity supply. Colonial administrative strategy was found to have a positive but not statistically significant link with electricity supply. These findings suggest that policy makers in Africa would do well to draw some lessons on energy provisioning from their colonial predecessors.
An integral approach to health science and healthcare

Defining disease and delineating its boundaries is a contested area in contemporary philosophy of medicine. The leading naturalistic theory faces a new round of difficulties related to defining a normal environment alongside normal organismic functioning and to delineating a discrete boundary between risk factors and disease. Normative theories face ongoing and seemingly intractable difficulties related to value pluralism and the problematic relation between theory and practice. In this article, I argue for an integral-as opposed to a hybrid-philosophy of health based on Bernard Lonergan's notion of generalized empirical method that provides a way to settle these difficulties dynamically and comprehensively, both in theory, by orienting functional and statistical investigation toward an explanatory ecological viewpoint, and in practice, by framing critiques in relation to the normativity intrinsic to all human inquiry.
Sadallah Wannous: Towards an Indigenous Arabic Epic Theater: An Applied Study of an Evening Entertainment and the Adventure of Slave Jaber's Head

The leading Syrian dramatist, Sadallah Wannous (1941-1997), aimed at creating an original Arabic theater. He theorized about the theater of politicization, which has a progressive political content and is intended to instigate the masses to recognize their plight and take part in changing it. To do this, he used anti-realistic techniques that he borrowed from Brecht’s epic theater and established a warm improvised dialogue between the stage and the auditorium. In order to create instantaneous connection with the local audience, the dramatist embraced Arabic history and literary traditions and maneuvered them in order to address contemporary Arabic issues. Eventually, the middle period of Wannous’s production (1968-1978) is a breakthrough in Arabic theater in which Brechtian epic theater is adapted to Arabic themes and plotlines and is made organically connected to the longings and needs of contemporary Arab audience. The aim of this study is to provide a critique of Wannous’s indebtedness to Brecht and to local Arabic tradition, on the one hand, and his own ingenuity in creating an indigenous Arabic theater, on the other. To do so, this article locates Wannous’s dramatic contribution in the context of Arabic traditions and Brechtian theater and provides an applied study of two plays; An Evening Entertainment for the Fifth of June (1968) and The Adventure of the Slave Jaber’s Head (1970). The study delves into Wannous’s use of local theatrical devices such as the storyteller (Hakawati), and Karakoz and traditional and historical plot lines within an overall epic theatrical form. As a conclusion, this article demonstrates that Wannous’s dramatic production in the middle period creatively fuses both Brechtian and traditional Arabic theatrical practices and comes out as a distinctly new Arabic theater.
Accepting Hearts From Hepatitis C–Positive Donor: Can We Expand the Donor Pool?

Abstract Background Until recently, transplantation from hepatitis C–positive donors was relatively contraindicated as eradication of active hepatitis C previously required an interferon-based regimen that has been associated with rejection in solid organ transplantation. New interferon-free treatment regimens for hepatitis C have fewer adverse events and higher cure rates than interferon-based regimens. Interferon-free regimens have been shown to be safe in the liver transplantation literature, but little is known about the safety and efficacy of treatment in heart transplantation. Case Description and Discussion Here we report a case of successful eradication of hepatitis C with a non–interferon-based regimen using ledipasvir-sofosbuvir following combined orthotopic heart and liver transplantation. Based on the prevalence of hepatitis C in the general population, inclusion of hepatitis C–positive donors for heart transplantation can expand this component of the donor pool 3- to 6-fold. Conclusions In carefully selected patients and recipients, inclusion of hepatitis C–positive donors may allow for expansion of the donor pool.
Evaluating the Tennessee Higher Education Commission's Report Card on the value-added estimates of teacher preparation programs

Evaluations of teacher preparation programs (TPPs) based in part on the performance of program completers have emerged as an education reform strategy in several states and have become central features of the Race to the Top (RTTT) grant competition. The objective of this policy review is to examine how the state of Tennessee measured and reported the extent to which teacher preparation programs (TPPs) explain the variation of the test score gains for public school students taught by program graduates. This review breaks down the findings by institution and certification pathway, comparing statistically significant outcomes at the state level produced by teachers from each TPP. An analysis of Tennessee's report card reveals considerable variation in the value-added estimates of beginning teachers, depending on the institution where they were trained. These results, however, should be interpreted with caution. This review offers several technical considerations associated with the interpretation of Tennessee's report card on the effectiveness of TPPs and explains how these considerations may affect the interpretation of the findings.
Lateral Heterogeneous Integration of Quantum Cascade Lasers

Broadband terahertz radiation potentially has extensive applications, ranging from personal health care to industrial quality control and security screening. While traditional methods for broadband terahertz generation rely on bulky and expensive mode-locked lasers, frequency combs based on quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) can provide an alternative compact, high power, wideband terahertz source. QCL frequency combs incorporating a heterogeneous gain medium design can obtain even greater spectral range by having multiple lasing transitions at different frequencies. However, despite their greater spectral coverage, the comparatively low gain from such gain media lowers the maximum operating temperature and power. Lateral heterogeneous integration offers the ability to cover an extensive spectral range while maintaining the competitive performance offered from each homogeneous gain media. Here, we present the first lateral heterogeneous design for broadband terahertz generation: by combining two different homo...
On the Fortieth Anniversary of the Miranda Case: Why We Needed It, How We Got It--And What Happened to It

The pre-Miranda test for the admissibility of confessions was known as the due process voluntariness test. Given the courts' inability to articulate clear and predictable definitions of voluntary or involuntary confessions and the fact that the pre-Miranda test was too amorphous, too subjective and too time-consuming to administer, it seemed inevitable that the Supreme Court would seek a better way to deal with the confession problem. That way turned out to be Miranda. At first, Miranda was widely and harshly criticized. It is now widely agreed, however, that Miranda was a compromise between those who liked the voluntariness test and those who wanted to abolish police interrogation as we have long known it. Miranda does not condition police questioning on the presence of counsel (as many feared the Court would do). Rather, it conditions it on the giving of certain warnings of rights and the waiver of those rights. Miranda allows the police to obtain these waivers without the advice or presence of defense counsel. (Numerous studies establish that most suspects waive their rights.) When it became clear that Miranda was having little impact on the confession rate, most commentators stopped criticizing the famous case for going too far and many began criticizing it for not going far enough. This article explores why Miranda has had only a negligible impact on law enforcement. It also maintains that the right question is not What good does Miranda do?, but at this point in time, how much harm would it cause to abolish Miranda?
Spectral analysis and implementation of secure chaotic free-space optical communication systems

This paper aims to present a Lorenz chaotic free-space optical (FSO) communication system (LC-FSO-CS), and to study the impact of FSO channel on a transmitted Lorenz chaotic signal infused by an arbitrary random binary message. It examines and corroborates the LC-FSO-CS by an analytical approach, using autocorrelation and power spectral density in the presence of the channel’s multiplicative noise. To achieve this task, the paper exploits an autocorrelation model for the multiplicative scintillation noise while approximating the transmitted chaotic signal modeled by a quasirandom telegraph signal. The method presented here considers the effect of the additive noise in the FSO channel as negligible, while successfully employing the linear system concepts and logarithmic operation to analyze the influence of scintillation noise on the transmitted chaotic waveform. The emphasis of this work is on last-mile FSO communication with simulation experiments performed and results presented throughout the paper to validate the LC-FSO-CS.
Characterization of the CYP11A1 Nonsynonymous Variant p.E314K in Children Presenting With Adrenal Insufficiency

Context Cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), encoded by CYP11A1, catalyzes the first step of steroidogenesis. Complete P450scc deficiency leads to primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) and 46,XY disordered sexual development. Partial impairment can cause variable adrenal and gonadal dysfunction. Objective Our aim was to evaluate the effects of the CYP11A1 variant p.E314K, identified in patients with PAI, specifically on P450scc enzyme stability and function. Patients and methods We studied four boys from two unrelated families presenting with PAI during childhood (3.6 to 9 years old). All patients were compound heterozygous for c.940G>A (p.E314K), a CYP11A1 nonsynonymous variant likely to be pathogenic by some but not all in silico prediction models, and c.835delA (p.I79Yfs*10), a known pathogenic variant. HEK293T cells were transfected with wild type (WT) and p.E314K mutant vectors, and a cycloheximide chase assay was performed to analyze protein stability. Pregnenolone production was assayed from cells expressing WT and p.E314K-F2 fusion proteins. Results Two boys experienced spontaneous puberty but then developed evidence of primary gonadal failure at 14 and 18 years old. Two boys had testicular adrenal rest tumor (TART), detected by ultrasound at ages 8.6 and 16 years. Compared with WT, mutant protein synthesis was reduced (P = 0.0006) with increased protein turnover, and mutant P450scc half-life was decreased by ~50%. p.E314K mutant P450scc retained 60% of WT enzymatic activity (P = 0.007). Conclusions The CYP11A1 p.E314K variant impairs P450scc stability and is a possible cause of PAI in childhood. Pathogenic CYP11A1 variants potentially affect both adrenal and gonadal function, and male patients may develop TART.
Asĺ No (Not Like This): Resisting Postpolitics on Mexico City's Avenida Chapultepec

Building on roughly ten months of ethnographic and archival research, this article examines successful resistance to a planned redevelopment project along Avenida Chapultepec, one of Mexico City's historic boulevards. Local residents and their allies objected not only to the specifics of the project but also to its planning process, in which citizen input was foregrounded but extremely limited. This case illustrates the instantiation of a 'postpolitical condition' in Mexico City, a situation in which any opportunity for dissensus has been foreclosed and ironically replaced by a growing set of carefully managed participatory schemes and an ever‐greater rhetorical commitment to democratization. The public contest over the so‐called Corredor Cultural Chapultepec effectively demonstrates two claims I seek to advance in this article. The first is that strategic vulnerabilities of such political orders can be effectively sought in their conditions of emergence or the contextually specific ways that such orders consolidate political power. The second is that in seeking to elucidate and challenge these conditions, resistance must account for the ways in which certain 'partition[ings] of the sensible' (Ranciere,) operate at the quotidian level of attitudes, norms and routines to assign and continually reproduce the places and roles of urban citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Fidelity of Peer Supported Self-Management of Chronic Pain (Evaluation of a Peer Coach-Led Intervention to Improve Pain Symptoms—ECLIPSE)

Background: ECLIPSE (Evaluation of a Peer Coach-Led Intervention to Improve Pain Symptoms) is a randomized controlled trial testing peer-supported chronic pain self-management. Veterans are paired with a peer coach (also with chronic pain) for 6 months. Peer coaches (PCs) and veterans meet or talk by phone 2x/month about pain self-management strategies, and veterans receive motivation and encouragement from their PC. To determine if the intervention was delivered as intended, fidelity was assessed at the end of the intervention period. Fidelity assessment is vital to help understand reasons for an intervention’s success or failure. Methods: Intervention veterans were asked about the intervention’s delivery during their 6-month assessment, after intervention completion. Presence or absence of four “essential elements” of the intervention were evaluated, as well as meeting frequency. Results: Scoring of veteran assessments revealed 74% of PC’s discussed self-management strategies and 69% of veterans felt motivated by their PC. Only 52% discussed how to adjust strategies and 34% discussed goal-setting. PC-veteran meeting frequency varied: 16% met weekly, 21% met twice a month, 16% met once a month, and 46% met less than once a month. 47% of PC’s had greater than 75% fidelity (i.e., the presence of at least 3 of 4 elements described above). Conclusion and Potential Impact: About half of PC’s delivered the intervention with at least 75% fidelity. Fidelity was greater for discussing self-management strategies and motivating veterans. Results suggest that peer-supported self-management can be delivered with fidelity but PCs may need additional training to do so consistently.
High-temperature laminar flame speed measurements in a shock tube

Abstract High-temperature methane and propane laminar flame speed measurements were conducted behind reflected shock waves in a shock tube. A high-power Nd:YAG laser was used to spark-ignite the shock-heated gas mixtures and initiate laminar flame propagation. High-speed, OH* endwall imaging was used to record the propagation of the spherically expanding flames in time, and a non-linear stretch correlation was applied and used to determine the unburned, unstretched laminar flame speed. “Low-temperature” ( 750 K) flame speed results are presented for a propane/21% O2-47% N2-32% He mixture (ϕ = 0.8) at initial unburned gas conditions of 764–832 K, 1 atm. The high-temperature measurements fall between kinetic model predictions, but the kinetic model results show significant disagreement, highlighting the need for high-temperature flame speed validation data of this kind. We believe that these results represent the first laminar flame speed measurements conducted in a shock tube, and that the high-temperature results are the highest-temperature, 1-atm flame speed measurements available in the literature.
Crafting a Mysterious Ancient World: The Effects of Theosophy and Esotericism on Public Perceptions of Archaeology

Esoteric spiritual groups such as the Theosophical Society have had a profound effect on the general public’s understanding of the ancient world and archaeology. This article describes the author’s visit as an outside observer to a conference held by the Theosophical Society in America to examine the ways in which the ancient world was represented. While the beliefs of the Theosophical Society and related groups are not always well known to the general public, it is argued that their beliefs have nevertheless had a broad impact on public audiences through adoption in popular culture and films. This article will examine the appearance of esoteric claims about the ancient world in popular fiction, including the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and the Indiana Jones film franchise. If archaeologists are going to engage with public audiences, they need to understand what the public actually thinks of their work.
Constructing the First Year Experience: Improving Retention and Graduation Rates at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

In 2012, UNM teamed up with the Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, to conduct a Foundations of Excellence® (FoE) First College Year Self Study addressing student success. As members of the First Year Steering Committee, we invented, coordinated, measured, and documented programs for linking students to the academic experiences and support that were best attuned to their needs.