cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytic Description of Layer Undulations in Smectic A Liquid Crystals

We investigate the layer undulations that appear in smectic A liquid crystals when a magnetic field is applied in the direction parallel to the smectic layers. In an earlier work (Garcia-Cervera and Joo in J Comput Theor Nanosci 7:795–801, 2010) the authors characterized the critical field using the Landau–de Gennes model for smectic A liquid crystals. In this paper, we obtain an asymptotic expression of the unstable modes using Γ-convergence theory, and a sharp estimate of the critical field. Under the assumption that the layers are fixed at the boundaries, the maximum layer undulation occurs in the middle of the cell and the displacement amplitude decreases near the boundaries. Our estimate of the critical field is consistent with the Helfrich–Hurault theory. When natural boundary conditions are considered, the displacement amplitude does not diminish near the boundary, in sharp contrast with the Dirichlet case, and the critical field is reduced compared to the one calculated in the classical theory. This is consistent with the experiments carried out by Ishikawa and Lavrentovich (Phys Rev E 63:030501(R), 2001). Furthermore, we prove the existence and stability of the solution to the nonlinear system of the Landau–de Gennes model using bifurcation theory. Numerical simulations are used to illustrate the predictions of the analysis.
Gamma-ray bursts from degenerate stars

A number of models have been proposed for the observed cosmic gamma-ray bursts. A class of such models involves the use of magnetic energy as the principal source of energy required for the bursts. In this case, arguments are presented to show that degenerate stars are favored. Mechanisms for magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in white dwarfs and neutron stars are discussed. Preliminary work indicates that magnetic white dwarfs can (but neutron stars probably cannot) account for many of the observed features of the bursts.
Beryllium-10 and Aluminum-26 in Individual Cosmic Spherules from Antarctica

We present data for the cosmogenic nuclides Be-10 and A-26 in a suite of 24 extraterrestrial spherules, collected from Antarctic moraines and deep sea sediments. All of the 10 large spherules collected in glacial till at Lewis Cliff are extraterrestrial. As in earlier work, the great majority of particles show prominent solar cosmic-ray (SCR) production of Al-26, indicating bombardment ages on the order of 106 years or even longer. These long ages are in direct contradiction to model ages for small particles in the inner Solar System and may require reconsideration of models of small particle lifetimes. A small fraction of the particles so far measured (6/42) possess cosmogenic radionuclide patterns consistent with predictions for meteoroid spall droplets. We believe that most of the spherules were bombarded in space primarily as bodies not much larger than their present size. The content of in situ produced Be-10 and Al-26 in quartz pebbles in the same moraine suggests that these spherules may have on average a significant terrestrial age.
Shared virtual worlds for education: the ExploreNet experiment

ExploreNet is an experimental environment for creating and delivering networked "virtual worlds." This system's style of user interaction was inspired by the concept of a "habitat" as first articulated in the LucasFilm's Habitat system. Players enter and interact in a habitat via their animated alter egos, called "avatars." Habitats may be created for many purposes, including social interaction, entertainment and education. Our focus has been to facilitate the creation of habitats in which virtual communities of learners and mentors interact. This paper presents details of the current ExploreNet system, including its user interface, the means it provides for creating complex behaviors, details of its implementation, the outcomes of several experiments using this system, and our plans for its natural migration to a World Wide Web-based system.
Towards universal power efficient scheduling in wireless channels

In this paper, we propose power efficient schedulers for transmitting bursty traffic sources over Gaussian wireless channels that provide guarantees on absolute delays experienced by the source packets. The proposed schedulers find the transmission rate and power using temporal water-filling techniques without any knowledge of the arrival traffic statistics. We also introduce an iterative process to compute a lower bound on the transmit power of any scheduler that provides absolute delay guarantees. The proposed schedulers and iterative method of computing the lower bound are also shown to provide statistical guarantees on packet delays.
Studies on cell deformability. V. Some effects of ribonuclease.

Abstract The deformability and electrophoretic mobilities of three types of cells were studied following incubation with either neuraminidase or ribonuclease. Neuraminidase-treatment made the cells more easily deformable and reduced their net negativity. In contrast, RNase-treatment reduced their net negativity by a similar amount to neuraminidase, but produced no detectable change in cell deformability. On the basis of these results it is possible to speculate on the distribution of the RNase susceptible, and sialic acid ionogenic groups at the cellular electrokinetic surface. A model is tentatively advanced which accounts for the experimental data.
Modeling Intraindividual Change in Nonlinear Growth Models with Latent Change Scores

Three central goals of longitudinal research are the modeling of intraindividual change, the examination of interindividual differences in intraindividual change, and the evaluation of determinants of intraindividual change (Baltes & Nesselroade, 1979). The latent growth model is a commonly fit statistical model to examine these goals. However, the latent growth model has difficulty in this examination when change trajectories are nonlinear with respect to time and multiple latent variables impact intraindividual change. We consider a latent growth modeling approach based upon latent change scores (McArdle, 2001, 2009), which yields information related to these goals of longitudinal research when change trajectories are nonlinear. We illustrate this approach with longitudinal data from the Berkeley Guidance Study regarding lifespan changes in verbal ability.
High-bandwidth, unity probability-of-intercept RF spectrum analyzer based on spectral hole burning

We perform 20-GHz spectrum analysis with unity probability-of-intercept by burning holes into a spectral-hole-burning crystal with an RF-modulated laser and probing the altered absorption profile with a chirped laser.
Growth and crown architecture of two aspen genotypes exposed to interacting ozone and carbon dioxide

To study the impact of ozone (O3) and O3 plus CO2 on aspen growth, we planted two trembling aspen clones, differing in sensitivity to O3 in the ground in open-top chambers and exposed them to different concentrations of O3 and O3 plus CO, for 98 days. Ozone exposure (58 to 97 microl l(-1)-h. total exposure) decreased growth and modified crown architecture of both aspen clones. Ozone exposure decreased leaf, stem, branch, and root dry weight particularly in the O3 sensitive clone (clone 259). The addition of CO2 (150 microl l(-1) over ambient) to the O3 exposure counteracted the negative impact of O3 only in the O3 tolerant clone (clone 216). Ozone had relatively little effect on allometric ratios such as, shoot/root ratio, leaf weight ratio, or root weight ratio. In both clones, however, O3 decreased the shoot dry weight, shoot length ratio and shoot diameter. This decrease in wood strength caused both current terminals and long shoots to droop and increased the branch angle of termination. These results show that aspen growth is highly sensitive to O3 and that O3 can also significantly affect crown architecture. Aspen plants with drooping terminals and lateral branches would be at a competitive disadvantage in dense stands with limited light.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Interior of Aqueous Reverse Micelles

Aqueous reverse micelles, which are surfactant aggregates in nonpolar solvents that enclose packets of aqueous solution, have been widely studied experimentally and theoretically, but much remains unknown about the properties of water in the interior. The few previous molecular dynamics simulations of reverse micelles have not examined how the micelle size affects these properties. We have modeled the interior of an aqueous reverse micelle as a rigid spherical cavity, treating only the surfactant headgroups and water at a molecular level. Interactions between the interior molecules and the cavity are represented by a simple continuum potential. The basic parameters of the modelmicelle size, surface ion density, and water contentare based on experimental measurements of Aerosol OT reverse micelles but could be chosen to match other surfactant systems as well. The surfactant head is modeled as a pair of atomic ions: a large headgroup ion fixed at the cavity surface and a mobile counterion. The SPC/E model ...
Interaction of Perchloroethylene with Cerium Oxide in Three-Way Catalysts

The role of cerium oxide on direct oxidation of perchloroethylene (PCE) by a three-way catalyst was explored. In the absence of an external oxidizing agent, PCE was oxidized over an alumina supported Pt/Rh three-way catalyst. We hypothesize that the chlorine atoms in the adsorbed PCE interact with oxygen in CeO2, reducing the cerium to create CeCl3.
Simple: The Alter Ego of Langston Hughes

(1971). Simple: The Alter Ego of Langston Hughes. The Black Scholar: Vol. 2, The Black Male, pp. 18-26.
The Effect of Ammonia Treatment of Cottonseed Meal on Its Gossypol-Induced Discoloration of Egg Yolks

Abstract No statistically significant differences in egg production, changes in body weight, egg weights or Haugh units were observed if the White Leghorn hens were fed either the commercial type cottonseed meal or a meal which has undergone ammonia treatment to inactivate aflatoxins. If the broken-out eggs from the hens fed ammonia-treated meal were exposed to an atmosphere of ammonia, yolk discoloration similar to the one induced by gossypol was observed. Both the meals contained about the same level of free gossypol. This discoloration was not overcome by incorporating 4 parts of iron for every one part of free gossypol in the diet. The residual ammonia in the diet was not responsible for this discoloration. Exposure of broken-out eggs to ammonia vapor was essential to notice yolk discoloration and storage of these eggs for a month at room temperature caused no discoloration.
A Simple Method for Rapid Estimate of Pulmonary Venous Admixture

Data from 2,298 measurements of pulmonary venous admixture (QS/QT) per formed in 733 patients were analyzed and processed in order to develop a method for rapid and reliable estimation of QS/QT by a simplified approach. Formulae and charts were obtained, which are easily suitable for use in all settings, and permit estimation of QS/QT with an 85%-93% control of its varia bility (r2 = 0.85-0.93, p < 0.0001) simply on the basis of the measured arterial and central venous O2 tensions or saturations.
A Visigoth System: Shame, Honor, and Police Socialization

This article documents the process by which a police academy staff generates an interaction order of obedience to authority during recruit training. Specifically, it examines the formal pattern of face-to-face interaction that recruits are expected to embrace before they can engage the larger occupational culture. The staff utilizes a dialectical method akin to Braithwaite's model of reintegrative shaming in which recruits are simultaneously degraded for what are defined as highly stigmatic civilian characteristics and offered a status elevation for the excision of these problematic attributes. Subscription to or deviance from established rituals is taken as evidence of personal character and assists in driving recruits through a moral career, in which they can evolve to an idealized status of police officer.
Mobile telephones, distracted attention, and pedestrian safety

Driver distraction is a major cause of traffic accidents, with mobile telephones as a key source of distraction. In two studies, we examined distraction of pedestrians associated with mobile phone use. The first had 60 participants walk along a prescribed route, with half of them conversing on a mobile phone, and the other half holding the phone awaiting a potential call, which never came. Comparison of the performance of the groups in recalling objects planted along the route revealed that pedestrians conversing recalled fewer objects than did those not conversing. The second study had three observers record pedestrian behavior of mobile phone users, i-pod users, and pedestrians with neither one at three crosswalks. Mobile phone users crossed unsafely into oncoming traffic significantly more than did either of the other groups. For pedestrians as with drivers, cognitive distraction from mobile phone use reduces situation awareness, increases unsafe behavior, putting pedestrians at greater risk for accidents, and crime victimization.
A location-based policy-specification language for mobile devices

The dramatic rise in mobile applications has greatly increased threats to the security and privacy of users. Security mechanisms on mobile devices are currently limited, so users need more expressive ways to ensure that downloaded mobile applications do not act maliciously. Policy-specification languages were created for this purpose; they allow the enforcement of user-defined policies on third-party applications. We have implemented LoPSiL, a location-based policy-specification language for mobile devices. This article describes LoPSiL's design and implementation, several example policies, and experiments that demonstrate LoPSiL's viability for enforcing policies on mobile devices.
Dose-dependent control of proliferation and sperm specification by FOG-1/CPEB.

RNA-binding proteins control germline development in metazoans. This work focuses on control of the C. elegans germline by two RNA-binding proteins: FOG-1, a CPEB homolog; and FBF, a PUF family member. Previous studies have shown that FOG-1 specifies the sperm fate and that FBF promotes proliferation. Here, we report that FOG-1 also promotes proliferation. Whereas fbf-1 fbf-2 double mutants make ∼120 germ cells, fog-1; fbf-1 fbf-2 triple mutants make only ∼10 germ cells. The triple mutant germline divides normally until early L2, when germ cells prematurely enter meiosis and begin oogenesis. Importantly, fog-1/+; fbf-1 fbf-2 animals make more germ cells than fbf-1 fbf-2 double mutants, demonstrating that one dose of wild-type fog-1 promotes proliferation more effectively than two doses – at least in the absence of FBF. FOG-1 protein is barely detectable in proliferating germ cells, but abundant in germ cells destined for spermatogenesis. Based on fog-1 dose effects, together with the gradient of FOG-1 protein abundance, we suggest that low FOG-1 promotes proliferation and high FOG-1 specifies spermatogenesis. FBF binds specifically to regulatory elements in the fog-1 3′UTR, and FOG-1 increases in animals lacking FBF. Therefore, FBF represses fog-1 expression. We suggest that FBF promotes continued proliferation, at least in part, by maintaining FOG-1 at a low level appropriate for proliferation. The dose-dependent control of proliferation and cell fate by FOG-1 has striking parallels with Xenopus CPEB, suggesting a conserved mechanism in animal development.
Internal regulation and eating: comment on a pediatric overweight prevention program.

T he article by Slusser et al. ‘‘Pediatric overweight prevention through a parent training program for 2–4 year old Latino children,’’ published in Childhood Obesity in February, 2012, indicates that the intervention included Ellyn Satter’s ‘‘.philosophy of internal regulation related to eating,’’ among the other intervention materials. In her 1996 article ‘‘Internal regulation and the evolution of normal growth as the basis for prevention of obesity in children,’’ Satter pointed out that when parents do their jobs with feeding, children do their jobs with eating and growing. To support internal regulation, parents and caregivers need to trust the ‘‘children’s innate growth processes and inclinations for [food consumption] and movement that support those tendencies.’’ From Satter’s perspective, desirable growth is consistent growth at any percentile level. Intervention from the Trust perspective, ‘‘identifies and resolves factors that disrupt homeostasis and establishes consistent and positive eating and activity’’ to allow the child to restore the growth pattern that is natural and expected for them. In contrast, the Bright Futures curriculum, Traffic Light Diet, and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) childhood obesity prevention Expert Committee recommendations attempt to get the child’s BMI to go down to a lower percentile by controlling food selection and manipulating the caloric density of the child’s diet—essentially by getting the child to undereat and lose weight. In my view, the intervention by Slusser et al. straddles the Trust versus Control paradigm as described by Satter. On the one hand, this intervention recommends mothers ‘‘implement consistent daily routines centered on eating..’’ On the other hand, it attempts to indirectly control the child’s energy intake by manipulating dietary caloric density emphasizing healthy foods. Author Disclosure Statement
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and Toni Morrison’s Suta: A Comparison

In the Spring of 1981, John Irving wrote a review full of praise for Toni Morrison's latest novel, Tar Baby. The piece is perceptive, but it is also remarkable for its implicit assumption that Morrison is working out of a tradition that has little to do with other Afro-American literature. Irving does seem interested in connecting Morrison to some tradition, but the tradition he chooses is that of the 19th century novel:
Organization for Regional Planning

which they were occupying.16 Similar differentials prevailed in each of the three divisions. On the other hand only 41 percent of the southern white owner operators had been on their farms for 15 years or more, while the comparable percentage for Negroes is 46. These data indicate definitely that those Negro farmers who have attained the status of owner operator are considerably less migratory than their fellows of the white race. Similar are the racial differentials among tenants other than "share croppers." In the entire South 62 percent of the whites and only 49 percent of the Negroes had been less than five years on the farms they were occupying in 1940. On the other hand, only 7 percent of the white and 14 percent of the Negro tenants had been on their farms for 15 years or more. But it is the Negro sharecropper who is generally thought to be excessively mobile. That he moves about a great deal is indisputable: 64 percent of all southern Negro share croppers in 1940 had been less than five years in the locations they were then occupying. However, the corresponding percentage for members of the white race was much higher, 72 percent. In this case also the differential prevailed in all three of the census divisions. Furthermore, in the southern States 5 percent of the Negro sharecroppers had been on the places they were occupying for 15 years or more, while such a degree of stability was exhibited by only 3 percent of the white sharecroppers. Again, this very marked differential was of approximately the same magnitude in each of the divisions. Thus the evidence reveals that even those Negroes who fall into that great category of farm laborers called share croppers are actually a great deal less migratory than whites of similar status. The conclusion to be drawn from these comparisons is that farm Negroes are definitely less migratory than whites of comparable tenure classes. 16 These data and those to follow were compiled from the U. S. Census of Agriculture: 1940, Vol. III (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1942).
Differential effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on sterol synthesis rates in adult and fetal tissues of the hamster: consequence of altered sterol balance.

Cholesterol is necessary for the proper growth and development of the fetus. Consequently, disruptions in cholesterol biosynthesis lead to abnormal fetal development. It has been shown that in cell...
Shared Decision Making in Common Chronic Conditions: Impact of a Resident Training Workshop.

AbstractProblem: Physicians must be competent in several different kinds of communication skills in order to implement shared decision making; however, these skills are not part of routine medical student education, nor are they formally taught during residency training. Intervention: We developed a 1- and 2-hour workshop curriculum for internal medicine residents to promote shared decision making in treatment decisions for four common chronic conditions: diabetes, depression, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The workshops included a written case exercise, a short didactic presentation on shared decision-making concepts and strategies for risk communication, and two role-playing exercises focused on decision making for depression and hyperlipidemia treatment. Context: We delivered the workshop as a required component of the resident curriculum in ambulatory medicine. To evaluate the impact of the workshop, we used written course evaluations, tracked the use of the newly introduced Decision Worksheets, an...
Epicardial Fat Thickness in Heart Failure and Other Clinical Conditions

In this issue of Angiology, Karayannis et al report that epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is related to anthropometric characteristics (body mass index [BMI], waist, or thigh perimeter) in both non-cachectic congestive heart failure (CHF) patients and controls. In addition, they found that in healthy individuals, decreased plasma ghrelin and increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels significantly predicted increased EFT, even after adjustment for BMI. On the other hand, the positive association of increased leptin with increased EFT in non-cachetic CHF was blunted after adjustment for BMI. Leptin is an adipocyte-derived protein hormone that is elevated in obesity and results in inhibition of food intake. Leptin causes energy consumption through central stimulation of sympathetic activation. Leptin appears to play multiple roles that include: functioning as a growth factor for various cell types, as a mediator of energy expenditure, as a permissive factor for puberty, and as a signal for modulation of fetal–maternal metabolism. Perhaps most importantly, leptin interacts with other hormonal mediators/regulators of energy metabolism such as insulin, glucagon, insulin-like growth factors, growth hormone (GH) and glucocorticoids. The complexity of the leptin axis suggests the unlikely development of simple obesity treatments. On the other hand, ghrelin is an appetite-stimulating peptide that is secreted by the stomach with regulation by food intake and it causes the release of GH. Ghrelin is released and circulates in the bloodstream under fasting conditions with transmission of a hunger signal to the central nervous system. As a peptide predominantly produced by the stomach and with strong GH-releasing activity, ghrelin contributes significantly to the regulation of diverse functions of the gut–brain axis. Therefore, ghrelin plays an important role in maintaining GH release and energy homeostasis in vertebrates. In patients with CHF, ghrelin has been shown to decrease plasma norepinephrine, increase left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, increase LV mass, decrease LV endsystolic volume, decrease skeletal muscle wasting, and, during exercise, to increase peak workload plus peak oxygen consumption.
From Canton to Hong Kong

The Opium Trade continues to be conducted on board of the Ships at Lintin with no material interference or interruption from the Chinese Government … As the traffic at Lintin however is not now confined to Opium alone but is extended to transhipment of goods of every description by which means all Port charges are evaded it is probable that this illegal trade which is annually increasing must soon attract the more serious attention of the Canton Govt. Two protagonists The transfer of control over the island of Hong Kong from China to Britain in 1842 under the Treaty of Nanking set the official start date for Hong Kong, but that date fell well along the path of the transformation of Asian trade and finance that intermediaries in Hong Kong helped shape. The late eighteenth century offers a better perspective on this path. At that point the two main protagonists, China and Britain, stood at dramatically different junctures. The Manchu conquerors, in the midst of their long reign as the Qing dynasty from 1644 to 1912, devised a sophisticated two-prong strategy to retain power as a tiny minority amidst the Chinese. First, they preserved the social and political order of imperial Confucianism and integrated their rule with Chinese culture, and they encouraged mutual dependence, backed by moral approval, leading from rural peasants through the governing elite to the emperor.
Long-Term Memory

Different aspects of long-term memory display different trajectories across the adult years. Both semantic memory and nondeclarative memory are relatively preserved. Episodic memory, however, is subject to age-related changes, becoming both less detailed and less accurate as adults age. Explanations of these changes have focused on broad underlying mechanisms as well as on more specific processes. The role of goals and priorities in deciding what information to remember or to include in narratives about personal experiences must also be considered. Keywords: aging and development psychology; cognition; learning; memory
A view from the side-line.

A look into the reasons and the genetics involved, for the future of precision medicine Just over a year ago, I predicted that cardiology would soon be swept up in the march towards precision medicine. While precision medicine is not yet here, neither in cardiology nor any other medical discipline, numerous advances preserve my optimism and bolster my confidence that we will experience a fundamental shift in how we practice cardiology within the next 5 years. Before sharing some observations, a caveat: I am not a precision medicine expert. My main professional focus is research on the molecular mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias due to ion channel mutations, and my clinical practice is partly dedicated to treating patients with inherited arrhythmias. Thus, I have had a longstanding interest in genetics, the field in which initial advances triggered the precision medicine wave. So, here I offer an interested outsider’s perspective on how we will continue to move towards the golden paradigm of ‘delivering the right drug in the right dose to the right patient at the right time’. It is on the back of rapidly decreasing costs of gene sequencing technologies that precision medicine promises have been made. With next-generation sequencing, we can now easily query variants across many loci (or all variants at all loci, if whole exome or whole-genome sequencing is applied) to uncover genetic differences among patients presenting with otherwise similar phenotypes. Long QT syndrome, once thought to be a single disorder, is now appreciated …
The Duty to Retreat in Self-Defense Law and Violence against Women

This article explores the complicated relationship between the duty to retreat in self-defense law and violence against women. It first provides an overview of self-defense law in the United States, with particular emphasis on the duty to retreat, before discussing the feminists’ position regarding self-defense law in the context of battered women who kill abusers, along with the so-called “no-retreat” rules. It then traces the history of no-retreat in U.S. law and argues that it is a complex doctrine, both liberationist and discriminatory. It also examines the tension in feminist theorizing on retreat by focusing on recent stand-your-ground controversies. The article concludes by proposing distributional analysis as a framework for feminists and other theorists to resolve the persistent tensions between the duty to retreat and gender justice.
Calorie restriction effects on circadian rhythms in gene expression are sex dependent

The rhythms in the expression of circadian clock genes are affected by calorie restriction (CR), a dietary paradigm known to increase lifespan. Many physiological effects of CR differ between males and females; here we investigated if the sex of animals affects the CR induced changes in the circadian rhythms. The liver expression of some circadian clock genes such as Bmal1 and three Periods (Per1, Per2 and Per3) and the effect of CR on the expression of these genes were sex independent, while the expression of Rev-Erb alpha, Ror gamma and both Cryptochome (Cry1 and Cry2) genes was different between males and females. The effect of CR on Rev-Erb alpha, Ror gamma and Cry1 gene expression was sex dependent. The expression and the effects of CR were sex-specific for several genes previously reported to be regulated by CR: Fmo3, Mup4, Serpina12 and Cyp4a12, while the expression of Cyp4a14a was sex independent. IGF signaling plays an important role in aging and CR effects. Igf-1 expression is regulated by CR and by the circadian clock, we found that rhythms in Igf-1 expression have sexual dimorphism. Our data provide molecular evidence that the sex of animals is an important modulator of circadian rhythms in gene expression and their response to CR.
Fertility Surveyors and Population-Making Technologies in Latin America

This article analyzes the role of fertility surveyors as framing specialists, who in the 1940s portrayed Latin American populations as likely to change their attitudes regarding birth control. A heterogeneous group of social scientists, clinical workers, and their financial supporters, all of whom were interested in population limitation and women’s health issues, were involved in the deployment of the fertility survey, a tool that played an essential role justifying the promotion of birth control methods and population limitation policies. This group also included locals who became involved in research alongside US experts, albeit as unequal partners.
Under Physical Siege: The Early Victorian Autobiographies of Elizabeth Storie and Mary Prince

Few autobiographies of working-class women were published in the early and mid-Victorian period, and these were generally accounts of severe mistreatment which had attracted the compassion and assistance of middle-class patrons. In this chapter I consider two such early memoirs of abused women who, along with their sponsors, strove to present their lives as representative of a larger cause. Each woman had endured violence of the most visceral sort—Elizabeth Storie’s “doctor” almost poisoned her to death, and Mary Prince’s slaveholding “employers” beat, insulted, humiliated, and sexually assaulted her—and each suffered lifelong consequences from the abuse she described. Both Storie and Prince made direct polemical appeals to their intended audiences, and each needed personal assistance and financial subvention to further her cause.
Effects of exopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli ATCC 35860 on the mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose nanocomposites

The effects of growing bacterial cellulose (BC) in the presence of exopolysaccharides (EPS) extracted from Escherichia coli ATCC 35860 on the mechanical properties of BC have been studied. After harvesting and purifying the EPS, its composition was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. When adding the purified EPS into the culture media, another kind of EPS, composed of fructose, was produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus ATCC 23769 and a minor portion of the added EPS was incorporated into cellulose fibrillar network. The characteristics of BC nanocomposites synthesized in the presence of purified EPS was systematically studied through tensile testing, x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the EPS affected the cellulose-cellulose interactions during the physical aggregation of crystalline microfibrils, but did not impact the co-crystallization process during BC synthesis. The addition of 4 or 8 mg/L purified EPS into the culture media, was found to significantly improve the mechanical properties of BC nanocomposites while maintaining BC crystallinity and crystal size.
Burnout in doctorally prepared nurse faculty.

This correlational study examined burnout in doctorally prepared nurse faculty and its relationships to management style, collegial support, and workload. The Matthews Burnout Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory were used to measure burnout of 400 doctorally prepared American Nurses Association (ANA) members employed as faculty in schools of nursing. Analysis of 236 (59%) returns revealed that 39% of the faculty experienced moderate to high levels of burnout. Significant negative relationships (p < .05) were found between burnout and participative management, presence of collegial support, and time spent in research and in clinical practice. Multiple regression indicated that management style was the strongest predictor of burnout, with collegial support the second predictor.
Expression of alternatively spliced growth factor receptor isoforms in the human trabecular meshwork.

PURPOSE Growth factors act through high-affinity cell surface receptors expressed by target cells and are critical modulators of cell function. Because aqueous humor is known to contain growth factors, these molecules may play a key role in maintaining the normal function of the human trabecular meshwork (HTM). Alternate mRNA splicing is an important mechanism used by cells to generate diverse isoforms of growth factor receptors. Although previous investigators have suggested that HTM cells may express alternative isoforms of several growth factor receptors, there have been no studies to verify these preliminary findings. The objective of this study was to determine whether cultured and ex vivo HTM cells express alternate isoforms of hepatocyte, keratinocyte, and transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta)-II receptors and to characterize the isoform molecular sequences. METHODS To determine whether cells within the HTM express mRNA for alternate isoforms of growth factor receptors, total RNA was isolated from several well-characterized HTM cell lines that were established from donors of various ages and from fresh ex vivo HTM tissues from healthy donors. After cDNA synthesis, polymerase chain reaction was initiated using specific primers for alternate forms of the following receptors: hepatocyte growth factor (HGFR), keratinocyte growth factor (KGFR), and transforming growth factor beta receptor II (TGFbetaR-II). Specificity and characterization of the polymerase chain reaction amplification products were determined by nucleic acid sequencing. RESULTS Amplification products of the expected size for the growth factor isoforms were expressed in cell lines and in ex vivo tissues. Nucleic acid sequencing showed that cultured HTM cells and fresh ex vivo trabecular meshwork tissues expressed specific mRNA for alternatively spliced isoforms of HGFR, KGFR, and TGFbetaR-II The HGFR alternate isoform contained a 96-bp insert in the C-terminal coding region of the cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domain. The KGFR alternate isoform is a soluble, truncated form, because it has no transmembrane or cytoplasmic domain as does the normal membrane-associated form. The TGFbetaR-II alternate isoform contained a 75-bp insert in the N-terminal coding region of the extracellular domain. CONCLUSIONS In vitro and ex vivo HTM cells express mRNA for alternatively spliced isoforms of HGFR, KGFR, and TGFbetaR-II. These alternatively spliced receptor isoforms may be functional within the HTM and may play a critical role in maintaining the normal microenvironment of this important tissue.
Universal Service Providers

Posts around the world have been confronted with arguments that they receive competitive advantages and better treatment under domestic law than private sector operators. Independent bodies in several industrialized countries have issued recommendations urging governments to promote competitive equality principles under domestic law. While many critics urge that the playing field be leveled, they often do not take account of the many costly public responsibilities that postal operators must fulfill. The Flamingo opinion reaffirms that the USPS is a federal government entity and is not subject to competition laws applicable to private sector providers. As a governmental entity, the USPS must fulfill many social policies. Unlike private sector providers in the United States, it must execute universal service obligations. Postal rates must also reflect many noncommercial considerations, and product pricing is driven by social policy as opposed to economic principles. As an employer, the USPS must observe significant, costly restrictions on its ability to set wage and benefit policies. As a purchaser of billions of dollars of goods and services, the USPS must fulfill numerous socio-economic policies that make it less able to acquire goods and services efficiently and at the lowest possible cost. The “level playing field” debate cannot be fairly understood without recognizing the counterbalancing social policy responsibilities borne by postal operators.
Performance of PRE-Control Sampling Plans

A production screening plan is described. The plan is similar to a pre-control or Stoplight Control plan. By using a Markov chain to describe successive measurements, one can determine the important characteristics of the plan such as the total sample s..
Evaluation of a vancomycin dosing nomogram in obese patients weighing at least 100 kilograms

Background: There remains variability in both practice and evidence related to optimal initial empiric dosing strategies for vancomycin. Objective: Our primary objective was to describe the percentage of obese patients receiving vancomycin doses consistent with nomogram recommendations achieving targeted initial steady-state serum vancomycin concentrations. Secondary objectives were to describe the primary endpoint in subgroups based on patient weight and estimated creatinine clearance, to describe the rate of supratherapeutic vancomycin accumulation following an initial therapeutic trough concentration, and to describe the rate of vancomycin-related adverse events. Methods: This single-center, IRB-approved, retrospective cohort included adult patients ≥ 100 kilograms total body weight with a body mass index (BMI) >30 kilograms/m2 who received a stable nomogram-based vancomycin regimen and had at least one steady-state vancomycin trough concentration. Data collected included vancomycin regimens and concentrations, vancomycin indication, serum creatinine, and vancomycin-related adverse events. Patients were divided into two cohorts by goal trough concentration: 10-15 mcg/mL and 15-20 mcg/mL. Results: Of 325 patients screened, 85 were included. Goal steady-state concentrations were reached in 42/85 (49.4%) of total patients. Conclusions: Achievement of initial steady-state vancomycin serum concentrations in the present study (approximately 50%) was consistent with the use of published vancomycin dosing nomograms.
Decreasing pediatric pain and agitation during botulinum toxin injections for spasticity with virtual reality: Lessons learned from clinical use

Purpose Recurrent botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections are used in the pediatric population for management of spasticity, but the procedure is often associated with significant pain and anxiety for patients. Non-pharmacologic treatment alternatives for procedural discomfort are limited. Immersive virtual reality (VR) has shown efficacy in treatment of procedural discomfort in pediatric patients. A retrospective chart review was performed to assess feasibility and use of treating BoNT procedure-related discomfort in pediatric patients with VR. Methods Fourteen patients undergoing elective BoNT injections viewed VR videos using a mobile VR headset during the procedure. Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale (FLACC) scores were obtained and feedback was elicited following injections. Results The VR intervention was well tolerated, and patients' guardians requested that it be used again in 9/14 cases. The remainder either had high FLACC scores despite VR and neutral or negative guardian impressions of intervention, or were unable to utilize the device. Conclusion VR was helpful in reducing BoNT procedure-related discomfort in a majority of patients. Challenges with VR setup, patient tolerance, and selecting viewing experiences were identified to guide further research and use of VR in a clinical environment.
Influence of Environmental Factors on Social Participation Post-Stroke

Objectives. For rehabilitation professionals to adequately address meaningful participation in social activities with their patients after a stroke, there must be a better understanding of neurobehavior, that is, how neurological impairment and its sequelae and environmental factors support or limit social participation. The current study examines how stroke severity (NIH Stroke Scale), its impact on perceived mobility (Stroke Impact Scale mobility domain), and the environment (MOS Social Support–Positive Social Interactions scale and Measure of Stroke Environment receptivity and built environment domains) influence social participation (Activity Card Sort: ACS). Methods. A correlational, cross-sectional design examined the relationships among neurological impairment, perceived limitations in activity, environmental factors, and social participation. Participants included 48 individuals who were at least 6 months post-stroke both with aphasia ( ) and without aphasia ( ) living in the community for whom all measures were available for analysis. Results. No differences in social participation were found between those with and without aphasia, though both groups reported a large (25-30%) decline in participating in their prestroke social activities. For the ACS Social Domain activities and ACS Partner to Do With activities (percent retained), 37% and 35% of the variance, respectively, was accounted for by the predictor variables, with only MOS Social Support making an independent contribution to social participation. In this sample, neurological impairment was not a significant correlate of social participation. Additionally, perceived mobility and the built environment were not found to independently predict participation in social activities. Conclusions. Perceived social support was found to predict social participation in individuals living in the community 6 months or greater post-stroke. Focusing on social support during post-stroke rehabilitation may provide an avenue for increased social participation and more successful community reintegration.
Learner participation profiles in an asynchronous online collaboration context

Abstract The purpose of this study was to propose and validate a measurable model of learner participation in the context of online asynchronous discussion. We supplemented the findings of a main study (Study 1) with an empirical case study (Study 2). In Study 1, we modeled three levels of learner participation: peripheral participant, inbound participant, and full participant. Subsequent validation tests confirmed that the proposed learner participation profiles were sufficiently distinct from one another in terms of message quality and final score. Study 2 demonstrated how the profiling method might be duplicated in various online collaborative learning contexts. In addition, the case study further demonstrated the validity and reliability of the profiles using mixed data. The results show that the classifications explained learner engagement level in three dimensions: cognition, behavior, and emotion.
Review of Interventions for the Frailty Syndrome and the Role of Metformin as a Potential Pharmacologic Agent for Frailty Prevention.

Abstract Purpose Frailty is a syndrome of vulnerability and physical decline with aging that increases risk for disability, hospitalizations, and death. To date, interventions for frailty have primarily focused on exercise and/or nutritional interventions, many of which show improvement in frailty-related characteristics, such as gait speed and lower extremity strength and function. The goal of this article was to review prior research studies investigating interventions for frailty and review the literature with regard to the role of insulin resistance and inflammation in the development of frailty. Also included is a discussion of potential therapeutic interventions for frailty. Methods A literature search was conducted by using PubMed and the search terms frailty, interventions, and older adults. This review focused on larger studies (N ≥ 100 participants) that examined the effect of specific interventions on frailty as a primary outcome or on measures that are closely related to frailty, such as gait speed, muscle strength, and/or sarcopenia. Findings The results of prior studies of exercise interventions for the frailty syndrome as the primary outcome are mixed, with some but not all showing benefit. However, many exercise interventions have demonstrated improvement in components of frailty, such as strength, gait speed, and physical activity. The evidence shows that regular physical activity is beneficial for frail older adults or those at high risk of frailty and that the adverse effects related to exercise are minimal compared with the potential gains. However, questions remain as to the optimal type and duration of exercise and whether results of clinical trials are easily and feasibly implemented in a clinical setting in individuals whose motivation for exercise may be low. There is now increasing interest in pharmacologic agents that could potentially be useful in the prevention or treatment of frailty, in part based on advances in basic biology of aging research demonstrating that pharmacological agents extend lifespan in rodents. Several studies now show that obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and diabetes are associated with and predict frailty. Because metformin targets insulin resistance and inflammation, it is a plausible pharmacologic agent to prevent frailty. A clinical trial is underway to examine metformin's usefulness in frailty prevention. Implications Although the benefits of exercise are known, adherence to these regimens may be difficult for individual older adults due to lack of motivation, access, or limitations due to chronic medical conditions. Studies are currently underway to examine novel agents for the prevention of frailty in older adults.
Functionally Silent, Giant Pheochromocytoma Presenting With Varicocele

Adrenal incidentalomas are a known entity that have been increasing in commonality with the advent of improved diagnostic and imaging techniques. There are a vast variety of causative pathologies to which this diagnosis can be attributed. Some of these pathologies are more common than others, while many remain extremely rare. One of the distinct entities that is a unique cause of incidentalomas is the diagnosis presented herein: pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytomas are often an exceptional subset of incidentalomas that can certainly play a major role in treatment and management plans. However, the exclusivity of a pheochromocytoma diagnosis alone is not where the uniqueness of this case rests. The uniqueness in this patient is paramount to report due to 2 additional significant factors. The first was that the patient was entirely asymptomatic aside from complaints related to scrotal swelling due to a varicocele, for which this presentation of pheochromocytoma has been scarcely reported in the literature. Second, the patient had a pathology proven diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, while lacking both symptoms and biochemical findings to support the diagnosis, making it truly a silent pheochromocytoma.